Reducing Negative Input (My News Blackout and Mirror Neurons)
We get bombarded every day. Every angle. I drove 10 minutes across town and saw (or heard) over 70 advertisements. Some not appropriate for kids—but […]
Blogs
Fifteen Years Away
I was greatly amazed when this lady openly disclosed to me that she has been absent from the church for almost 15 years, and she says she has no feelings of remorse.
Wanting Pudding Perhaps
When he said it, I wondered if it was just about food. It may have been. But the conversation seemed to deepen, and I think he was speaking about something else.
Blue and I were sitting on the bench in our garden. He said that he was having that feeling again.
That feeling?
Yes. The feeling of wanting something… but not knowing what.
Serving Our Own Generation
Retirement conjures up a variety of desires for many people… the longed for fulfillment of dreams, a letting go of responsibilities, or maybe just a lake-side cottage.
Goderich’s Mega Sale Marmalade
Major Neal Nickles (retired) and his wife Myrann, met and married at Knox Presbyterian Church in Stratford, Ontario. After a peripatetic life in the Canadian […]
What do you want Jesus to do for you?
At St. Paul’s, Nobleton, we have a small group discussing a video series by Ruth Haley Barton entitled Sacred Rhythms, based on her book of the same title. In […]
What’s a Dad Want on Father’s Day
“A father carries pictures where his money used to be.” (Unknown) I’m a new dad. Well, not that new. And I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but […]
Confirmation as Coming of Age
In our branch of the church, many teens are invited to “confirm” their faith, to own for themselves the promises their parents or godparents took […]
Travelling is Education
In Malawi it is widely believed that education is not only acquired through formal education, but also through merely travelling to different parts of the world.
Living Close To God’s Heart
As followers of Jesus, we often hear about the importance of knowing and following God’s will. Yet, it seems so elusive, doesn’t it? Like looking […]
Church Should Know People’s Needs
During this daylong visit, I discovered that the church on a weekday was full of activities ranging from book club, choirs, Bible study, youth groups and fellowship groups, among others. My mind was temporarily taken back to Malawi where the church has tried to be inclusive by incorporating a wide range of activities.
Night Running (a new poem)
NIGHT RUNNING Rhythmic stride and drumming feet as dark descends on west-end street; cicadas drone through August night, humid air stays fullest flight. Windows cranked […]
What if God is Asking US for a Sign?
So often we think the burden is on God to give people signs. But what if it was the other way around? Why is God the one with something to prove?
Celebrating the Discipleship of Leaders
This Sunday, the lectionary scripture lines up nicely with this line of questioning and helps us wonder about the Gospel’s first teachers and enablers, both male and female. We’ll be reading from Luke’s Gospel, which is often noted for its inclusive take on gender.
Airports and Heaven
I love airports…the eventual destinations are of course important but just sit in an airport and you will see the varieties of human nature never shown elsewhere.
Stewards-by-Design
I’ve told you about the work on core values and objectives we did as the congregation I serve with spent some weeks focusing on listening. […]
The Un-Bucket List: 4 things NOT to do before you die
“Bucket lists” are popular these days. Movies and books propose lists of things to do before you “kick the bucket” (hence “bucket list”)—a kind of grocery shopping list for the soul before you walk up to the Grande Amen check-out line.
So You Are Against Change in Worship?
As someone has said, not all change is good change and not all change is progress. The same could be said of worship renewal.
Awake my soul.
The weight of discouragement hangs heavy on my shoulders. I see the need for things to change and realize that change is not always possible. […]
Sound Resounds
There’s a game that Blue and I play. Honestly, I’m a little surprised that he’s still into it. We started before he could even talk – he’d be bundled up in the wrap on my front and as we’d walk through the city together I would tell him about all the things we could hear. When he started to talk, we’d take turns listening and sharing. And he still likes to play it.