How I spent my Memorial Day Weekend

Of course since I am Canadian it wasn't a holiday.

Instead I was at this meeting

All. Weekend. Long.

OTOH< the girls loved going to the city and staying in the hostel.

Two Decades

20 years ago this month I began my journey towards ordained ministry. I just didn't know it at the time.

In early May 1989 I got a call offering me the position of Devotions Director at this camp. This was merely to be a summer job to both earn some money for university and help build up my resume for when I finished and would be looking for teaching jobs.

On Victoria Day weekend that year I attended my first training weekend for the camp (having been told that I would not be asked to do anything and then arriving on site to find out that I would indeed be preparing Morning Watch and Evening Vespers). THis was the first event on this site I had attended since the last time I was a camper in 1981. We arrived on a day which had snowed to find that the power was out (which meant the water pumps were also out so there was no water). And the camp had just had all the power lines on-site moved underground so there were partially filled & settled ditches all over the place. Mud and dark and holes make for an interesting evening.

I worked that summer and the next. And by then the seed had been planted by the minister at my home congregation -- "has Gord ever thought about...?". The rest is history. Not straightforward history but history nonetheless. And certainly I caught the camp bug. From 1989 through 1999 I was out at Maskepetoon for at least part of every summer except one. And every summer since 1999 I have been involved in a camp program somewhere...

AMazing what can start from one summer job!

THe Lesson of the Lash

A week ago Saturday my eye started to bother me. Being overtired, I assumed that was the main issue and thought little of it. THen it still bothered me on Sunday. Monday was a bit worse, so was Tuesday. By that time I realized that if anyone else told me they felt like there was something in their eye for 3 days I would suggest they need to get it checked. So I did.

Dr. looked in the office then had me come to ER to use a brighter light (I though Dr.s always told us NOT to shine bright lights in our eyes). Saw nothing. So I picked up some eyedrops and gave that a try.

Having spent much of WEdnesday and half of Thursday either squinting or holding my eye closed for relief I returned to ER on Friday morning. This time after more bright lights and some freezing drops and some poking and prodding the offender was found. An ingrown eyelash that was then promptly plucked out and the irritation dissappeared.

Upon further thought it struck me that the church needs to be somewhat like that eyelash. An eyelash is incredibly tiny but for those few says it made an incredible impact on my life.

How can the church, as it grows smaller on the political and cultural stage, learn from that lash? HOw can we continue to make a major impact (even if as a non-relenting irritant) on the world around us? ANd are we even willing to figure it out or give it a try?

OK, so the image of the church as an irritant may not seem all that positive. But then again I have previously compared the church to a rotting potato or onion (that destroys the whole bag in time). And of course the GOspels compare the Reign of GOd to some yeast that infects several measures of flower and the people seeking justice to a widow who annoys the local judge so much that she eventually gets her due.

So maybe the church needs to be an irritant under the eyelid that won't let us rest until it gets attended to.

Things that make you go hmmmmm...

ANd here is a discussion on this info.

Friday Five: Rites of PAssage

Reflecting on Beltaine Sally says in part:

Another advert for a TV programme that has caught my eye on the UK's Channel 4 this weekend is called Love, Life and leaving; and is a look at the importance of celebrating the seasons of life through ritual and in the public eye, hence marriages, baptisms and funerals.
I believe that we live in a ritually impoverished culture, where we have few reasons for real celebration, and marking the passages of life;

1. Are ritual markings of birth marriage and death important to you? Most definitely. Both inside and outside the church/sacred and secular varities.

2. Share a favourite liturgy/ practice. I truly enjoy baptism, but maybe that has to do with being a sucker for children in general. Especially the part in our liturgy where I carry the Babe out into the congregation for all to admire (the Babe of course, no one admires me that way)

3. If you could invent ( or have invented) a ritual what is it for? We desperately need a coming of age ritual these days, something beyond the first drinking binge or getting a driver's license or getting laid (hopefully these three don't all happen at once, that would most certainly be unsafe). SOmething to help move young people into adulthood in a healthy way. ALso those of us in tradtions that practice (will we ever get it right with all that practice?) infant baptism need a ritual to celebrate birth when baptism is not requested but something is needed. Thirdly we need a ritual around relationship for those who want to celebrate their relationship but not get married. THe church needs a way to do this.

4. What do you think of making connections with neo-pagan / ancient festivals? Have you done this and how? Honestly I have never given it a lot of thought. Mind you I think we do it more than we are aware were we to really explore the origins of our Christian rituals.

5. Celebrating is important, what and where would your ideal celebration be? Oh that is so dependent on the situation and circumstances. But small crowds would be a part for me. ANd either outdoors or at least partly outdoors.

I think a more general warning is needed...

Found this on cbc.ca

A toilet seat that can be attached to a trailer hitch has gained national recognition - for a warning label that says you'd better not use it while the vehicle is moving.

Having read the whole article I am thinking that maybe we need a general warning sticker on all products:

WARNING: Engage Brain before using this product!

Or Maybe:

WARNING: Do not use if you are an idiot!

Mind you I liked Bill Engvall's proposal a few years back that stupid people should be made to carry signs

Give me Strength!!!!!

Just read this on cbc.ca:

A controversial Alberta bill will enshrine into law the rights of parents to pull their children out of classes discussing the topics of evolution and homosexuality.

And people wonder why Alberta is seen as a redneck province??

Of course not everyone in Alberta buys in to nonsense like this. But when the government makes such legislation it doesn't do much for the image of the province

Easter Thoughts

We'll never walk on water if we're not prepared to drown,
body and soul need a soaking from time to time.
And we'll never move the gravestones if we're not prepared to die,
and realize there are worlds outside the lines
chorus of of "My Love Colours Outside the Lines" by Gordon Light, 1995

This year I have ended up with a sermon series on resurrection. On Easter Sunday we went with fear. Because after all there is a lot of fear in the Easter stories. And there is a lot of fear in the world. And there is a lot of reason for it. But then again the cure for fear is faith. the cure for the fear of death is to embrace the possibility of resurrection. In the face of all that deals death to our churches, our employers, our security the cure is resurrection.

Last week was woundedness. One of the recurring images in the Easter story is that the Risen Christ bears the wounds of crucifixion. And those of us who follow a resurrection faith bear the wounds and scars of our lives with us. Those wounds can limit and restrain us if we let them. The scars from these wounds can bind. OR the wounds can teach us and give us wisdom. But we have to admit that we bear them. Resurrection is continuous with death and life before death.

And tomorrow is is resurrection and transformation. Another recurring image in the Easter stories is that the Risen Christ is hard to recognize. Obviously resurrection is more than/different from the mere revivification of the crucified body of the man Jesus. There is something transforming about it. And let us all be honest. Most of the time we want revivification or resuscitation. We want the comfortable and the familiar to be brought back.

But as people of Easter faith our hope is in transformation. We don;t hope for the rebirth of what was but of the birth of God's New Thing. We hope for transformation of our churches, our communities, our world. And so we don't push for things to be "like they once were" but for new life to come in totally new and unexpected ways.

Unfortunately that hope is harder. But who promised that following The Way would be the easy path?

Open LEtter to the Prime Minister of Canada

April 22, 2009
Right Honourable Stephen Harper PC MP
Prime Minister of Canada
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa ON K1A 0A3

Prime Minister Harper:
As I sit down to write this letter there are three things on my mind. One is the economic struggle in which Canada, and the rest of the world, finds itself these last several months. In fact my area of residence has been experiencing severe economic difficulties for around 18 months now. Another thing on my mind is the season. We are in the season of spring with its promise of new growth and rebirth. Along with this rests in my mind the story that Christians around the world gathered to tell just 10 days ago. The Easter story is one of new life, transformation, and the conquering of death. The third item on my mind is the fact that today is Earth Day, a day when we are challenged to think about the impact we have on the environment around us.

As I combined these three things this morning it occurred to me that they are related. Arguably the economic model under which we have been operating for the last several decades is dead, or at least mortally wounded. We need a resurrection so that we can move ahead. But a resurrection is not found by pumping money into the old model and attempting some sort of economic defibrillation. The resurrection many Canadians celebrate this season is the beginning of something new, of a transformed new life instead of a continuation of the old life.

And so I am writing you to encourage a new perspective on economic stimulus spending. Rather than funding industries and businesses under formulae around jobs created/saved or good return on investment I encourage your government to fund industries and businesses based on their commitment to a new way of living and working. In the context of Earth Day I urge that all governmental grants go to companies pledging to operate under strictly “green” conditions. There are many ways I could see that happening.

It is my belief that the old economic model is deadly to our well-being as people and the existence of the planet. But I believe life is stronger than death. I believe if we are willing to embrace transformation great things can happen. Canada can become a leader in the development of a green economic model. All it takes is the will to make it so.

Thank you for your time.
Peace,

Cc:
Hon. Michael Ignatieff, Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition
Hon. John Rafferty, MP Thunder Bay – Rainy River
Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal
Atikokan Progress

Hey! GUess what!

THere is more than one Christian voice!

THat is the "discovery" made in this article.

What might be surprising to many Americans is the existence of a large number of Christian clergy who are liberal-minded, politically engaged, and eager to be more involved in public debates on social justice issues.

Surprising to whom? Those who think the only religious voices are the strident voices of the extreme? THose who think the media covers all religion and not the loudest, most spectacular voices?

Most of us in the mainline churches knew this already. Nice to see that someone agrees with us.

Hat Tip to Tripp who posted the link on FB