Author
Heather Anderson

Brit Pop Barstool Psychology

Heather Anderson

It's nothing new for Brits to sing the blues. The first British (rock) Invasion drew its inspiration from the Rhythm and Blues artists of the southern USA: The Rolling Stones and The Beatles began their careers by covering the likes of Blind Lemon Jefferson. While the defeatist tone of How Soon Is Now lies like a lonely shadow at the feet of the defiant climax of One, the accompanying lyrics of each song demonstrates their complementariness. The hopeful tone of the U2 lyrics goes beyond a generic peace, love and happiness theme to address the real work of authentic community. Immediately following the beloved lyric comes the tender warning and exhortation, “We're one, but we're not the same. We've got to carry each other.” The realization that we are not the same is both helpful and hopeful, for it points us towards the uniqueness of every person and indicates that the answers to relational problems are not to be found in the lone individual. To ignore our individual uniqueness is to enable inadequate conflict resolution and to deny ourselves the privilege and benefits of carrying one another. Still, while the picture of carrying one another satisfies our sentimental values, the reality of living in community is far more complex.

On Being Presbyterian… : Prezbitíeri:en

Erin Woods

What does it mean to be a Presbyterian? I've had that question in my head for a while now. A little over a year ago I researched a thesis for sociology class at school: Christian teens are less likely to engage in at-risk behaviour. It was an interesting project, and the presentation went well, but things always get a little harder when the teacher asks, “Does anyone have any questions for Erin?”

To be, to listen, to know

Jeremy Bellsmith

I was walking through the woods with my daughter. She's three, so her days are filled with new revelations, like how water splashes when a stone gets thrown in or that the breeze on her face also makes the trees sing. Three is great because jabbers and giggles have become words and phrases. I hear her discover and get to rediscover. I answer the simplest question and am reminded of insights I'd forgotten. I feel no pressure to be anything more than I am, and discover again the peace of just being.

The Wisdom of Elders

Rev. Dr. J. H. Hans Kouwenberg

Although the Christian church year officially begins in Advent葉he four Sundays leading up to Christmas用ractically, it begins for us at the beginning of September, after the summer holidays, when the church begins the next year's activities. Preparation for that task belongs to the elders in each local congregation. They hold the congregation to its vision and purpose. They oversee everything that takes place in the local church.

Presbyterian Responds to Pope's Statement

communications

The Presbyterian Church was represented on national television in July when Rev. Stephen Kendall, principal clerk, shared his opinion on the Pope's recent comments. Kendall was asked by CTV News to reflect on Protestant church leaders being enraged about Pope Benedict's statement that the Catholic Church is the only true church.

Prayer unifies Korea

communications

ENI — Christians from both parts of divided Korea have prayed together for the reunification of their country, which has been split in two by a militarized demarcation line since the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War.

A Focus on Sharing

Katie Munnik

You could say that I've worked in youth ministry for over a decade. That's not entirely accurate, though. A decade ago, I was a youth. Yes, I was involved in youth ministry, but it was more about being involved with the church and hanging out with people my own age. Today, I work for the church, still spending a lot of my time with young people. I'm not sure that makes me a professional. But development is a good thing, so when I had the opportunity to attend the Princeton Forum on Youth Ministry at the beginning of May, I jumped at it.

T.E.E.N.S.

Phil Callaway

Someone asked me recently what I do. I said, “I follow teenagers around the house. I shut lights off. It's a full-time job.”
We are a SITCOM family: Single Income Teenage Children Outa Money. Squinty-eyed prophets of doom programmed us to believe that when teenagers arrived I would lose my sense of humour, my dignity, my wallet, and my hair. They were right about the first two. Oh sure, we've had our moments of fear and uncertainty. We've shed some tears, bought some headache pills and lost some sleep. But five keys have kept us thriving at a time when so many are just surviving. Here they are:

The Word of Love

Matthew Ruttan

The complete U2 lyrics suggest that love for the world's shared humanity can unite all people even amidst great diversity. The Smiths' lyric has a different feel. But, it is not as drab as it first seems. Although there is despair, this is no teenage apathy or self-righteousness; it is love being sought in earnest, but never found. Lead singer Steven Morrissey cries out, “I need to be loved, just like everybody else does!”

Summers in Ethiopia

communications

Barb Summers, newly-hired communications coordinator for PWS&D, is shown in Ethiopia in 2005. Summers travelled there with her previous employer to celebrate the opening of a new school. Although the Presbyterian Church doesn’t work directly in Ethiopia, it supports work in the African country through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

Fulfilling God’s Plan

Katherine Burgess

The unfortunate thing about the U2 line—”one life, with each other, sisters, brothers”—is that it was taken quite out of context. But then, I guess that that was the purpose of the survey—to find just one line which people remembered. With that in mind, I will deal with just that one line, ignoring the rest of the lyrics. That seems to be what happens with many memorable lyrics in any case—people hear what they want to hear and ignore the rest, ignore the hidden message, ignore what else may be taken from the lyrics. If people listened to all of the lyrics of popular songs, I think that some of them may not be quite as popular.

Fair trade makes no promises to consumers

Wally Hong<br />Niagara Falls, Ont.

In his letter to the editor in May, Coos De Vries quotes The Economist to argue that “it is both bad farming practice and bad economics.” What he fails to point out is that fair trade does not make any promise to consumers. Fair trade promises to pay producers a premium price for the products. What retailers do after fair trade products arrive at the local shelves is neither good nor bad. Local retailers will charge what local markets will bear.