WHy Do I Do This???

THis coming SUnday we reach the end of the sermon series on the church I have been doing during Lent. Some were really fun (the drama about different ways of serving communion). Some were challenging (the discussions about the meaning of Baptism and last weeks Worship --What is it Good For?). One was downright impossible (Membership has Its Privileges -- and Responsibilities -- one of the worst sermons I have preached, just couldn't find a way in to the topic). And for the last we have Do You United Church Folks Believe Anything?

Try to explain what the United Church believes? In one sermon? Apologetics has never really been my strongpoint. And believe me, people are waiting for this one -- at least 2 have said they really wished they could be here for it. Here are the opening comments I posted on the church blog, Riverview Rolls On:

The sermon title is a two-edged question. On the one hand, United Church people have been accused of having no set beliefs. On the other, we are sometimes accused of being the church where anything is acceptable. And neither is true.

A story. I was working one of my first shifts at a new job. My relief comes in and learns that I am a candidate for ministry. "What church?" she asks. "United." "Oh, the social club."

"The Social Club". Not really a church, in her estimation. Certainly not a proper one anyway. My hunch, after working with her a while, is that we didn't believe the "right" things.

It is difficult to condense what the United Church believes. We are such a diverse group that there is almost always someone who will disagree. But we have a belief system. We have a way of expressing ourselves. For more on that take a look at the national website (see the link in the sidebar), particularly this section and this page.

This SUnday come and share as I, who was born and raised in this church, who learned what it means to be church in this denomination, try to explain what the United Church belief system is and a bit about how it developed/is always developing. And maybe, just maybe, we will then have an answer to the question Do you folks believe anything?

NOw I look ahead to building this sermon and shudder. Is the task more than I am up to? And how do we define what we believe when we are as diverse a group as the United Church of Canada?

PS> THis is post #300 on this blog!

Seen At CHurch...

As our ORder of Worship flows, Children's Time is immediately after the Choir sings. AS they generally move out onto the chancel steps to sing, I generally stay seated until they have all been seated and the piano has been moved out of the aisle. THen I invite those who wish to do so to join me at the front.

Today, as soon as the choir moved #1 Daughter raced up the aisle and sat on the step. SHe then proceeded to call me out (I must have been late after all) to sit beside her.

Think she is comfortable and aware of the pattern?

To Life, to life l'chaim!

I am Tevye!



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As seen at Another Country

Friday Five -- Planet Gord

Yesterday, as I drove past Planet Fitness on my way to Planet Dog, and remembering there is also a Planet Hollywood, I wondered, "If there were a Planet Songbird, what would it look like?" I began to envision a store selling all my favorite things, probably in the kind of house I lived in as a child, one of those late 19th-century houses with a long hallway on the side and double parlors on the other, with windows to the floor facing the front porch.

Name five things that would be on the shelves of Planet (Your Name).

1. Low-cost travel agency. Bargain flights, hostel memberships and guides, Rail/Bus passes etc.
2. Books of many kinds. Middle-Earth. Harry Potter. Narnia. The stories and commentary on same. Also good quality children's books -- lots of those. Theology/philosophy. General fiction. History, particularly Canadian and European.
3. A wide selection of music, both recorded (CDs) and music books. Celtic, show tunes, progressive Christian, light classics, some '80's rock, some country, hymns...
4. Quality, non-battery operated, educational toys.
5. And of course there would be chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. To drink, to eat, to bake with. Especially a Bittersweet Chocolate cake served at a restaurant where I used to work.

I miss these two

As seen at PostModern Pilgrim

A Bit Of Both

You are 50% Calvin and 50% Hobbes

Calvin & Hobbes, like a scruffy yin and yang, are in perfect balance within you. Like Calvin, you're weird, a bit insecure, and can be a trouble-maker. But like Hobbes, you're down to earth and sensitive. It's a risk to say it here, after just a ten question test, but I'll bet you're smarter than most. Both Calvin and Hobbes are crafty, clever characters, and any one made from equal parts of each is a force to be reckoned with.


Link: The Calvin Or Hobbes Test written by gwendolynbooks on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

1st Dentist Visit

No not mine, #1 Daughter's.

Actually, to tell teh truth, this was her 2nd visit. But the first one was just a quick (and difficult) peek because mom thought she had seen a black spot. This was her first cleaning and real exam. ANd (drum roll please).......she LOVED it!

She spent all morning talking about going, we got there and "I'm ready!" until we got called in. THen she had a great chat with the hygenist about the cleaning process. Held her mouth nice and wide open. Didn't squirm much at all. She even let one x-ray get taken (although she wanted to say cheese--she was told that we were taking a picture of her teeth). THen the exam itself, still held her mouth nice and wide. Oh and did she ever love the riding up and down in the chair.

Now the question is--will this excitement last for other dentist visits? ANd for how long?

Government Idiocy

The former Liberal government made a big deal about trying to improve the state of child care in Canada. They promised to spend billions to create more quality day care spaces. But of course the Conservatives didn't like that idea so they are canceling all the agreements the former government made with the provinces.

Instead they figured that it was better to give every family $100 per month for each child under 6, under the logic that to support day care "penalizes" stay-at-home parents who don't use it. This solves nothing. Not only will some provinces claw the money back from welfare recipients, but no new spaces will be created; and affordable, quality spaces are in very short supply in many places. (To be fair they promised to help with capital costs of new day care spaces --- which means you can build it but get no money to operate it).

Now let us be honest. We as a family benefit from this plan, we get the money and don't have to spend it on child care. But really it is a bad idea. Note to Mr. Harper, please listen to these people.

And the Church's Role is?

Tonight I read an article about what people consider important about end of life decisions. Good reading, important reading since we will all be there for ourselves and/or our loved ones someday.

But I am forced to ask, how can the church be helpful? Where can the church be involved in helping people talk about these issues? (Obviously I am of the opinion there is a role for the church)

If being the church is about supporting people in all of life then we have a responsibility to be willing to talk about the hard stuff. End-of-life care, organ donation, "living wills", funeral planning. All of these need to be talked about, all of these we need to help families talk about together. The real question is HOW?

Coming late to the game...

As seen in many many places, here is my Word Cloud

MAintaining insanity...

For a MOnday morning chuckle go here You will be glad you did.