Happy Dad's Day ...

As I write this, the kids are in bed ... and the day is coming to and end, but I have had a fabulous Father's Day to reflect back upon ...

To the left, is a picture of my dad - Constable Samuel Ankenmann, who died on duty in the early morning hours of June 29th 1968, in a vehicle accident while on duty with the Ontario Provincial Police.

I never had the honour of knowing my dad ... he died when I was an infant. But on a day like today, I hope I can be the kind of dad I know he was ... My brother and I were important to him ... and we missed alot losing him so early in our lives.

I think of dad alot this time of year. I wonder what he would have been like today ... I wonder what he would have been like as a dad ... I wonder if he would enjoy his three grandchildren as much as I do as their dad ... I also wonder what Father's Days would have been like with him ...

I know he would have earned a Father's Day like the one I enjoyed today ...

The day started a tad early with the middle child coming into our room and dropping her present on my chest ... I was still sleeping at the time ... "Happy Father's Day, Dad." She announced ... I opened one eye and asked in reply - "what part of Father's Day don't you understand??"

Dad wanted to sleep in ... But instead he opened a lovely card (handmade) and a terrific present ... a homemade (or school made) pencil holder and a Corner Gas travel mug !!!

Hannah then set off and brought her sister and brother into the room to present their respective gifts ... She stood on the steps and called her siblings by saying: "Attention Ankenmann children. It is Father's Day and the father may be presented with his gifts" (I didn't think we were THAT big on formality in our home ... clearly I am delusional). By the end of the presentations I had a new cap, and two new shirts (I have been rewarded with three - count 'em: three wonderful one of a kind tee-shirts created by each of our children in turn, under the extraordinary tutelage of Grade One Teacher Joan McKenzie - each year Joan has her class make tee-shirts for Father's Day - and so I have three beautiful creations to wear and be proud of - Thanks Joan !!) and two more delightful and beautiful cards ... One of them said - "to the world's best dad ..."

Now, I know that countless dad's have been presented with similar cards today, and in each case it is a true statement ... so I don't want to sound cliche'que but it is easy to be the world's best dad when you have the world's best kids ...

My three kids are simply terrific. There are moments I don't like what they've done. I probably yell at them too much. I probably don't tell them "I love you" nearly enough ... but through it all, they have been terrific kids.

I love my children, and I love to see them smile and laugh and simply enjoy life ... and today we did that ... After going to Church we had lunch then drove up to Riding Mountain National Park for a bike excursion along the Lake ... we spent the day pedaling throughout Wasagaming's town site and along Clear Lake. We hiked, stopped for dinner and had a play in the playground ... then headed home for ice cream cones at Chipperfield's Coffee Shop ... all in all it was a fabulous day spent with the four most important people in my life: Mag, Sam, Hannah and Rebekkah ...

What more could a father want??

I hope all of you had a Happy Father's Day too, and just enjoyed the day reflecting on the gift of love that comes from one generation to another ...

I never knew my dad, but I've had many fatherly figures in my life and today I'm thankful for them ... MY Grandpa Elliot, my uncles: Drake, Ame, Walt, Cam, Brian, John, and Bruce, my surrogate Grandfathers like Grandpa Petersen, the ministers in my life like Wes, Ross and Bob, and the fathers of my friends and the men in our neighbourhood who were simply there: Laverne, Bill (my Big Brother), Ed, and in more recent years fine gentleman like Grandpa Norm, Jack, Charlie, Jim, Bud, Elgin and gruff Bob (there are others I'll think of later - mea culpa) - all of them have provided me with fatherly advice and support and care - and for that I am, and will be for many years: very, very grateful.

Happy Father's Day to all those lives that have been fatherly influences on me, and on my relationship with my children ... thanks to the many Father's in my life, I can claim the title - "world's best dad" today and wear it proudly ... wanna see the tee-shirts I have to prove it????

shalom,

Viva la difference ...

Come with me on a bit of historical journey ... Imagine walking through the Judean wilderness - up ahead is the "mighty" River Jordan ... along its banks stands the wild and wooly prophet John, calling to the people to come and be baptised ...

"Baptism??" they wonder, "we know about the Miqvah, but what is this Baptism that crazed man keeps hollering about??"

John for his part is dressed the part of the desert ascetitic ... he beard is wild and unkempt, his hair is long, his clothing is rough and somewhat aromatic ... He is yelling about the need for the people to repent and to accept the act of Baptism to wash away thier sins and make them acceptable before God ...

People are lining up three deep along the river banks waiting their turn ... there is a festive air to the whole scene ... there is a sense of expectancy, like something BIG is about to happen ...

NOW, as John stands in the river he is talking about one coming after him who is greater then he is, one that John is not even worthy to his sandals ...

And suddenly, there he is - a man in his early thirties, his robes are dirty from wandering the highways and byways of Judea ... his hair is long, his beard is unkempt (though neater then John's) and his appearance is not dissimilar to John's ... He is surrounded by a motley crew of men and women ... he stands on the river bank and smiles at his cousin - then he begins to speak ...

Now, if you want the scriptural version of what Jesus said in that moment - turn to the New Testment Gospel accounts ... but imagine for a minute if Jesus instead said - "John, can't you tone it down a bit?? All this talk of repentance and the sword is a real downer, it's turning people off ... it makes them uncomfortable. You need to reign yourself in a bit John. Stick to stuff the crowds want, stop making people uncomfortable will ya???"

Sound far fetched??

Not in the modern church ... I have in my journey repeatedly had colleagues rebuke and rebuff me (sometimes publically, sometimes privately) for things that are theological and practical ... My style is mine - not theirs and vice versa ... My way of approaching things is to some blunt and gruff ... I can be intimidating (usually without trying) ... and I can scare the begeepers out of people ... But that is not me - I have bad days, and I have moments when my back is up ... (so do we all)

Yet, for each person that I've intimidated or offended there are numerous others who are encouraged, enlivened and uplifted by me ... and that is true of all ministers. You don't have to search long or hard in a church to find opposition to the leadership ... sometimes the concerns are legitimate, but often it is a matter of style and personality (and sometimes it is an age thing). In every church there are those who think the current minister is great, and there are those who think he/she is a total jerk, and there are dozens in between ... The challenge to be addressed and overcome is one of not attacking the style of the person, but commenting on the content of thier message ...

How many of us know of a fabulous minister who was a lousy speaker, but was a great person who exuded love and care? The message was openly recieved ... the style, or lack thereof was overlooked ...

The challenge in the Church is to allow ministry personnell to be themselves ... I would hope I never criticise a colleague for their style (the content of their sermon's are fair game), and I would trust that they extend the same basic courtesy ...

Perhaps the bigger challenge is the loss of civility in this United Church of ours ... and if we are civil and respectful we won't have a scene like John and Jesus exchanging barbs at the Jordan River - instead they will minister alongside one another and together help herald the Kingdom of God that is meant to be ...

The work of the Kingdom can never happen if we are living and dying by popularity contests ... this isn't Survivor, American Idol or The Apprentice - this is the Church, the incarnate Body of Christ, where a diverse multitude of people are called to ministry - some have ways that appeal to us, some have ways that offend us (sometimes the same person represents the same thing to a community) - our challenge is to check our bias at the door and let the Gospel sweep over us ... The Kingdom will never come if we determine success or failure by voting and popularity ... let's leave that to the entertainment industry ...

The Spirit is busy - may we be open to it's work ...

may it be so,

Seeking Sanctuary amongst the pixels ...

I've been reflecting on the notion of whether or not we need a clergy union in this United Church of Canada ... I can't say I'm in favour of it, but I can't say I am as strongly opposed to it as I once was ... In many ways it would offer those of us who have run amuck of the status quo some protection and some advocacy that we are currently lacking ... but in many other ways it would just add to the already overwhelming bureacracy that impedes the work of the Kingdom to begin with ...

For me right now, what is vital and foremost is finding a place of sanctuary in the midst of a Church that is fast losing its way of faith ... My thinking today is simply this: where do we find Sanctuary ?? How do we live in Sacred space??

The image that has come to my mind today is that of Martin Luther King Jr sitting in a jail cell awaiting trial, or release or whatever ... in one of those moments he penned what is a watermark letter in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. His Letter from the Birmingham Jail, has always touched me deeply.

I can still remember the first time I read it in High School over 25 years ago and said to myself - "wow, this is GOOD stuff ..."

What has hung in with me over the years is the poigniant and powerful image of King saying to his detractors and critics - "how can you ask us to wait ???" He notes of the Civil Rights movement that it was inevitable because the blacks (and other minorities) of the US, we growing weary of waiting for justice, waiting for equality, waiting for fairness - they had grown weary of waiting ... And so the time to act had come.

The Church of the time was caught off guard. They wanted King and his fellow protestors to be patient and wait ... and King would have none of it ... He knew the time had come for decisive, co-ordinated and faithful action. The people of faith who said earnestly - "wait Mr King, just wait ..." couldn't grasp what they were asking - they couldn't see beyond their horizon. But thankfully King could see beyond the horizon, and to use a cliche: he had the courage to dream of what was to be ...

Similarly, Gandhi, the one from whom King drew his inspiration, also had the courage to ignore the voices that said - "Gandhiji, wait ... England will give India her independence, just wait ..." But Gandhi knew waiting wasn't an option ... He marched across the sub-continent, and in taking a defiant pinch of salt he altered the course of human history ...

I think the lesson we can draw from the examples of these men, and others like them, is two fold. One is - don't call on the prophets to wait - because when it is time, God's call to action will NOT be thwarted ... and the second lesson is the importance of sanctuary in the struggle for liberation and wholeness ... it is the importance of sacred space wherein we can find the call of God and gain the strength and courage to live it that we have overlooked in our spiritual journeys.

On February 12th, I lost my physical sanctuary ... the fire deprived me personally (as well as others) of a Church space wherein we could find safety, peace and refuge ... though, my personal loss had begun some weeks earlier as the sanctuary that was my office was taken from me ... the loss of the fire and the subsequent move to new quarters just deepened the loss ...

I generally don't work in my office ... my office space is where I pray, reflect and meditate ... surrounded by my books, mementoes and artifacts I find my centre for the work I do outside in the community. My office is the refuge from the storms of life and the struggles of faith ... In the film Romero, I remember the line spoken by Romero when he was elected Bishop - he noted "I am a man of books, I surround myself with them and their words and ideas ..." he noted he was now being called to action among the people; he was called to unfamiliar territory ...

That image has hung in with me because I too have found my sanctuary amongst my books ... in their words and ideas, and even their physical presence I find my peace (my shalom) to go back out into the unfamiliar territory of people, and to do what I am called to do ...

On February 12th the last sanctuary space I had - the place of comfort and refuge was lost ... even when my library was moved and unpacked - the space it sat in was not a sanctuary ... there was no peace or shalom ... I was left untethered and unanchored ...

Sanctuary is vital to spiritual health and vitality ... imagine the world if King and Gandhi, or Tutu or Mandela, or Mother Theresa could find no sanctuary from which to arise and head back into the world to fight the good fight ... Today I am charged with the task of discerning my call, and finding peace ... the challenge I face is doing those tasks with no place to serve as Sanctuary ...

Admittedly I am a person who sees life in the broad brush strokes - the bold splashes of colour that on a BIG screen tv make up the images that enlighten, educate and even entertain us ... I've come to appreciate lately that we live in a world where the tendancy is to see the tiny little pixels that comprise those broad brush strokes ...

For example - I remember thinking many years ago, how sad it was when a church made a decision that would cost them close to 60 000 dollars. The motion passed without a whisper of discontent, or dissension ... Then the next motion came forward in regards to paying an outstanding invoice of less then 30 dollars (a bill for an ad the minister they had just fired, had taken out in conjunction with the other United Churches in the area - but without consulting the "appropriate" people). Debate over whether or not to pay went on and on and on ... then finally one of the Board members stood up and put 20 dollars on the table in front of the chair ... "there he said - this should cover it ..." But then there ensued a 20 minute discussion on whether or not to accept the money ...

Such is the Church ... we will waste huge amounts of time on trivial things, while we leave the big picture issues untouched ... we focus on niceties rather then things like fairness, justice and equality ...

King and Gandhi and others from their place of sanctuary cried out to the people of God to stop focusing on the trivial, to stop avoiding the issues, to stop being complacent ... They called us to action ... Their cry still rings out - sadly though we've become more comfortable with those who say - "wait ..." and "not yet ..." and "maybe someday ..." rather then acting on our faith ...

We can not expect things to happen without God and we can not find God without a sanctuary ... it's a conundrum ... God is not in the details and the pixels - our God can not be contained in such small places ... Our God will be where our God will be ... the challenge is to find the sanctuary wherein we can rest in God's presence ...

... and today that is my prayer ...

Why we need a Clergy Union !!!!!

The title of this entry got your attention didn't it??
I am one who has gone on record as being opposed to the push to Unionize United Church Clergy - if you go digging in the back pages of United Online (www.united-online.ca) you will find some of my musings opposing the push to unionize us ... But lately I've begun to wonder if Unionizing isn't such a bad idea afterall ...

Yesterday I raised a question with the new Pastoral Relations Convenor about how we set our housing allowance in our Presbytery. It was viewed as a defiant challenge ...

Lately I've been reading with some interest a running debate on United Online about trusting the processes we have within the bureacracy that is the United Church of Canada. Over and over we hear horror stories of processes jumping off the rails, and over and over I've watched as colleagues have cried out for help only to be shut down, ignored or shuffled off into oblivion ...

The irony for me is the urgent need we have for ministry personnell, and the seeming disconnect wherein we treat those of us in ministry more poorly year by year. Our wages are NOT keeping up with the inflation rate. Our benefits packages are not a benefit. And the demands on our time, and on that of our family continue to spiral out of control ...

How can I in good conscience say to a young person (or a middle age person) feeling called to ministry to go and enter the discernment process ??

Don't get me wrong. I love the United Church of Canada. I have enjoyed serving it as a clergy person. I have loved the work I have been called to do. But I have grown weary of the abuse, the neglect and the lack of appreciation goes with the job.

It's one thing to have someone scream at you in rage because they don't like what you represent - it's quite another to get taken out by "friendly" fire because you won't play the game by the "rules" someone else sets ...

I won't repeat the things I've said over at United-Online in the forum section - but I would invite you, if you want to read more on this, to turn there. I started a thread today entitled "Trust and Unions ... musings on our dysfunction...", and posted another piece at my Prairie Preacher Blog page there too. Check it out here: (http://www.united-online.ca/index.php?ind=blog&op=home&idu=14) ...

I've said it before and I'll say it here - today from where I sit, the one thing the United Church has gotten really, really good at is simply this:
shooting the wounded !

I know it's not all hopeless - yet - I still have hope that just when WE give up, the Spirit will come ... so my prayer today remains: "Come Holy Spirit Come !!"

In the mean time I think I might rethink my opposition to a union ...
dayenu,

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to Presbytery we go ...

Today in Virden (on the very western part of Manitoba, along the Trans Canada Hwy) our Presbytery meets for its last meeting until fall ... today we will be saying our farewells to colleagues who are moving on to new calls and retiring. We will be anticipating the arrival of new people who have accepted calls and appointments, and we will be remembering in our thoughts and prayers those who are in times of transition (like me !!).

I've struggled with whether I should go or not ... I'm going ... I will be late because of a dentist's appointment in Brandon (I have to get a tooth I cracked when tussling with Sam on Saturday - I go today or in late June, early July ... today it is !!)

So, I go ... I can't honestly say I've ever enjoyed a Presbytery meeting ... I go ... I listen, I speak, I reflect on what's happening - but what appeals to me is connecting with people who have become friends ... those who are in the far flung corners of this presbytery with whom I can visit, laugh and share some time ...

I'm not going with many expectations ... I'm again in a place where I feel very much like the kid with his nose pressed against the window looking in, but not feeling part of the party inside ... I'm again an outsider ...

But that experience makes me wonder if I will ever truly feel at home within this United Church of ours??

Maybe one day I will fit in ... that day when we are turning off the lights and boarding up the doors because the Church has finally died ... maybe when the Spirit blows over the remnants of what was once the Church and begins to resurrect it into something new - maybe then I will finally feel at home ... because it won't be about the politics, it won't be about playing nice, it won't be about anything that but living out our faith in the world ...

And that after all is what it is all about isn't it ???

Called ... leaving the baggage behind ...

On Sunday we worshipped together as a family at Minnedosa United Church ... it is good to be able to sit together, all five of us and worship as a family ... That doesn't happen much - usually I'm at the front, and often Mag is at work ...

But on Sunday it just felt good (more or less) ... Elgin Hall (the interim, and my predecessor) preached on being called by the Spirit. Taking his lead from Ordinary time, which has just begun in the Church calendar, he reflected on the teachings of Isaiah, and the call God offered to the reluctant prophet and how our calls are seldom grand showy affairs, instead are often quiet subdued moments when God says - "psst, come here ..."

As Elgin spoke I suddenly found myself transported back to a service over twenty five years ago around the same time of year when Ross Cumming, our then minister at Centennial United Church in Stratford was preaching ... I'm pretty sure the sermon was on the same text ... something deep within me has put the pieces together ... But I remembered watching the fans in the high ceiling of the church go round and round, as I listened to Ross' words on call, and on being open to what God wants us to do with you lives ...

As I watched the white blades spin that early spring morning, I thought to myself - "what should I do with MY life ??"

And suddenly the answer came to me: "Go into ministry ...become a minister like Ross ..."

Now well over 25 years later ... I hope I have been able to be half the minister Ross was ... but here I am ...

I know that call came and my response was - "yeah right ... find somebody else ..." and in time God made it clear that call was to me, and only me and even though I fought it, even though I ran the other way, even though I tried everything I could to NOT go into ministry - 13 years ago some promises were made, some words were spoken and a Covenant that I take very seriously was entered into, and I became a minister of Word, Sacrament and Pastoral Care in the United Church of Canada.

My problem today is not that I doubt that call, but that I feel betrayed, misused and taken for granted by people I have called friends ... It's not the Board or Congregation of the Church here in Minnedosa who have caused this crisis - it's not them at all ... they're good people, who have suffered an immeasurable loss ... I have felt the depth of thier pain and despair since the fire ... they're just trying to move forward ...

My feelings of betrayal and hurt come from others who are unhealthy and who are unwilling to own the problems that are theirs ...

Today my call is not in doubt ... today I am deeply wounded.

But today came a reminder of hope and resurrection: For some reason today I remembered a terrible afternoon when one of our cats was mauled by a dog :

Chloe, the old matriarch cat in our home who is now heading up on 13 - has never hissed in her life at one of us, never intentionally scratched us, never shown any anger - she is a great cat. She is a wonderfully tolerate presence in our home and family ... in her 13 years she has been carried around by all three kids, she has been sat on, cuddled and mauled in a way no cat should ever have to endure - yet, she remains a placid, patient cat ... But that day long ago in Bella Coola when a dog got into our yard and laid a serious beating on her, stands out as the only day I was ever bitten or scratched by her ... and bitten and scratched I WAS !!!

I chased the dog off and reached into the wood pile to pick her up ... in the trauma of the moment she exploded into a furry fury of rage - she bit me repeatedly and scratched the day lights out of my arms ... I got her in the house and was left scratched and bleeding myself - so much for wanting to help ...

It had never happened before, and it has never happened since - but I know it happened because Chloe was traumatized, hurt, angry and her life was in that moment desperately out of control ... so she saw my hand as a threat and attacked ...

In time, my wounds and her's healed, and in I forgave her and even nursed her back to health ... I had even forgotten the whole incident until earlier today when I was thinking about the reaction wounded, dying animals have when cornered - then suddenly the nasty encounter with Chloe came back to me ... (One day I'll share the story of being bitten by a mouse, and all the fun the Hospital staff had at my expense with that ... all because I tried to save it from the jaws of one of our cats (not Chloe) - such are the dangers of helping a wounded, frightened creature.)

My wounds have come from just such a setting ... wounded, traumatized, unhealthy ... we will strike out and not care who else we might hurt ... instead of getting the help we need and that is being offered, we lash out and seek to drawn blood to make fair the blood we ourselves have shed ...

So tonight, my prayer is that those who are wounded and hurt will realize the need for healing and in time they will find wholeness ... I know I will heal. Over the last couple of weeks I have begun to feel whole again, and I have begun to heal ... MY journey is just begun, there are others for whom the journey has yet to begin:

... My prayer today is to find the grace to let go of the anger I feel at being betrayed and attacked by those I once called friends ...

... my prayer today is that they find a place of healing and wholeness and they get the help they need and deserve ...

... my prayer today is to put it all in the hands of my higher power where it belongs ...

I have no control over any one else - they have to live their lives and confront their own problems ... I have my own baggage to deal with ...

The path to healing is wonderful place ... my woundedness is lessening ... I can hear the call to ministry again clearly ... Like that day back in the beautiful sanctuary of Centennial United Church, I can still hear the voice saying - "Go into ministry ..." only this time, I'm not trying to run away ... I trying to find my way back from the wilderness ...

... and it's a good journey ...

... one day at a time ... everything else is up to God ...

L'chaim and dayenu,

The Gift of Deep and Abiding love ...

Today I presided at a wedding that was to be held in Minnedosa in the Church ... then came the fire of February 12th, and the wedding had to move ... eventually we settled on a place ... and a time and we began to move towards the day ...

Family was invited and last week began to gather ... then in the last few days the excitement and anticipation was pushed to the side by worry brought on by a mishap, hospitalization and medical treatment ... Stress and tension levels were high ... BUT ... in the midst of this came the breath of holiness ... the assurance by many that it would be alright ... and today we can look back and say that things turned out okay ...

The wedding went off without a hitch ... everyone who needed to be there was there ... the weather was beautiful and the bride and groom were enveloped in the love of their family and friends gathered to celebrate the love of two friends had found in one another ... It was a great day ...

Later, we gathered in the back yard of a home and with fine food and drink, we celebrated as a community of care and love, the new covenant which only hours before was proclaimed.

As I enjoyed the conversations with people I have come to know and respect over the last few years my mind drifted back to another wedding celebrated in a very similar way some years ago ... a wedding where the bride and groom became friends to our family ... I found myself uttering a silent prayer for them, for as we gathered to celebrate the covenant of love between two people, the other bride and groom were standing with their family and friends in a gathering half a country away to bid farewell to an infant son ...

Today in my reflection during the wedding ceremony, I mused on the deep love that flows between two people in a marriage, the deep love that will be there to carry them through life's trials and challenges, the deep love that will see them through the dark moments and carry them into the glorious dawn that always ends the night, the deep love that Paul spoke of to the Corinthians, and that we proclaim through our faith ...

But today as I celebrated the deep and abiding love of two new friends ... I also prayed for the deep and abiding love of two old friends (and their family) who needed that deep and abiding love to carry them in recent days ...

I counselled the newly married couple that marriage is sometimes hard work ... I was very mindful that in my heart and in my prayers were a couple who have been marking one of life's hardest journeys - the loss of a child ...

I ended my meditation with the words of poet Ann Weems who wrote:

If I could, I'd write for you a rainbow,
and splash it with all the colours of God
and hang it in the window of your being
So that each new God's morning
your eyes would open first
to Hope and Promise

If I could, I'd wipe away your tears
and hold you close forever in shalom.
But God never promised
I could write a rainbow,
Never promised I could suffer for you,
Only promised I could love you.
That I do.

For the couples who have honoured me by asking me to preside at their ceremonies, and who have become cherished friends along this journey of life ... to them I offer the wish that I would, if I could write for you a rainbow ...

... but as the poem says - I can't ... so instead I hold you all in my thoughts and my prayers ... and when life's road takes a challenging turn, I hold you in my thoughts and prayers and offer you my love and care ...

Today we rejoice in the gift of a deep and abiding love that is celebrated when two lives come together as one ... and we give thanks for strength and courage that comes from that deep and abiding love and from the very presence of our God ...

Today has been a day of joy and a day of tears ... dayenu ... dayenu ...

Under God's Protective Wings ...

Yesterday I began the morning unable to access the internet ... by the end of the day I had a replacement modem, a new connector wire and a reinstalled driver ... it took the better part of the day and it threw some plans into a tail spin. The up side was - a very cooperative techie from MTS, delightful visits with the staff of the local library as I used the public computers there, and a wonderful pause in the day at the local computer store, along with a visit with Dany and Sandi ...

Along the way, one of my friends said - "Maybe it's a sign to stop and not be online for a while ..."

Then last night I read a passage by Thich Nhat Hanh that suggests a good lesson in our modern world would be: "Don't just do something, sit there ..."

He goes on to reflect on the importance of stopping once in a while and allowing ourselves the time to see things more clearly ...

Maybe my computer problems were a reminder to stop ... stop and rest ... stop and smell the roses ... stop and just savour the fullness of creation ...

The photo here is offered as a dual reminder ... now is the season of cygnets, goslings and ducklings ... here in Minnedosa our buffalo have had a number of babies who are playing in the fields of their pen ... around us are new lives beginning their journey. New lives that bring out the "ahhh" and "wows" that lie within our souls. Now is a good season to reflect on new life, creation and the turning of the seasons ... but you can't do that adequately flying by a slough at 100km/hr. To fully appreciate the new life around a slough you have to stop, step out of the car and leave the rest up to nature ...

The wind ... the sound ... the smells ... the sights:

In the water are goslings, musk rats, ducklings and perhaps pelicans or swans ... in the reeds are red winged and yellow headed black birds ... over under the brush you might spy a deer, or a coyote ...

You might glimpse these things hurtling by in the car at 100 km/hr, but to truly appreciate them you have to stop ... stop and savour them on their terms ...

So, like the little cygnet sitting in the shade of mom's wing - may we have the courage, the faith and the boldness to find the time today, and tomorrow and in the coming days to stop and simply enjoy the moment ... It could be out beside a prairie slough, it could be in an urban park, it could be on the sea shore ... where ever it is - take the time to just enjoy the moment ...

We live in a world that has gotten really good at saying - "Don't just sit there !! Do something!!" It's a good time to turn that around and make our mantra: "Don't just do something !! Sit There!!"
Savour the moment - savour the day - savour the gift of life !!!

(If you're still NOT entirely convinced, I invite you to check out my contribution to the Front Page at United Online ... After the hassles of yesterday I penned a piece called "The Gift of Time." Head over there and check it out ... it's not a bad piece of work:

http://www.united-online.ca

I also have a piece on living in a thankless society that I was tempted to cross post here from my United Online Blog - but it's easier to send YOU there ... so when you're at United Online, check out the Blog link and peruse my latest offering there ...)

dayenu,

What Shall We Do to Today ???

One of the programmes my kids watch has a little ditty wherein one of the characters sings the song: "What shall we do today? What shall we do today??"

Today, that has become my mantra ... "what shall I do today?"

Time has become something that has not "hurry up and go" tone about it ... The only constraints on my time right now are ensuring my kids are ready for school and sports activities and that they get out the door when they need to ... Otherwise, I have before me a day will with nothing but limitless potential ... No pressing appointment, no commitments, no deadlines ...

The workaholic in me is having a hard time with this boundless possibility thing ... but the rest of me is actually enjoying it ...

If I want to have a nap - I can.
If I want to read for an hour - I can.
If I want to go and have coffee at Chipperfields - I can.
If I want to mow the lawn - I can.
If I want to sleep in the hammock in the front yard - I can.
If I want to ride my bike out around the dam - I can.

Time is a space to be filled with ... well, whatever ... No pressures, no constraints, no limitations.

I'm mindful of a Hindi poem I encountered in high school (I have to recall it from memory because the original is in my office and I'm not) ... it goes something like:

to walk with God,
no strength is lost,
walk on

to talk with God,
no breath is lost,
talk on,

to wait on God,
no time is lost,
wait on ...

Like Elijah in the cave - God is that still, small, quiet whisper that we can hear only when we slow down enough to wait ... slow down enough to quieten our souls ... slow down enough to enter a place of Holiness where we find God on God's terms not ours ...

My time of Sabboth is less then a week old but already I'm finding the gift of time a positive thing ...

... meanwhile I'll just sit here and enjoy the prarie sunshine and let the wind blow where it needs to ... and all the rest is up to God ...

dayenu

Anniversaries and superstitions ...

I feel like this post should start with a dishevelled nude organist playing whilst looking over his shoulder ... with the voice over: "And Now for Something Completely Different ..."

Tomorrow 06/06/06 at 06:06.06 I think my cosmos will implode upon itself and I will suddenly find myself in some strange time/space vortex ...

I'm flirting with a wide variety of superstitions here ... not only do the time and date create the infamous number of the beast - I'm marking the 13th Anniversary of my Ordination ...

Now, on one hand I have to say it is a very appropriate day for such an anniversary given the nature of my ministry and the tumultuous journey I have marked in the last 13 years ... But the other part of me is screaming (loudly): "Dude !! You're screwed !!!"

So, for now I will say - Adieu as I like the various apocalyptic visionaries before me prepare for the end of time as we know it ... I won't urge my followers to sell all their possessions and join me as I climb to the top of a mountain to await the second coming ...

I won't suggest that the scroll of time is about to be rerolled by some great cosmis force ...

I won't even strap on a sign and march up and down the Main St of Minnedosa proclaiming - "the end is near ..."

Instead I'll give thanks for the last 13 years of ministry, and trust that tomorrow morning is nothing more then a numeric fluke ... Although, after all the hype over Y2K, I have to wonder if sooner or later the doomsayers might finally get it right ...

To paraphrase Woody Allen - "the end of time doesn't scare me ... I just don't want to be there when it happens ..."

peace,

Dry Bones, Hear the Word of God ...

This morning at worship, Elgin Hall (the interim filling in at Minnedosa United, while I'm on leave) noted quite rightly that at Pentecost the words and the story are familiar ... there is nothing new to be said - what needs to be new is how we live and share and experience the Holy Presence of God ...

Today is Pentecost - how will we encounter the Holy in our world ... Where will we look?? How will we find it??

For some the Holy is in the world around them ... a sunrise, a sunset, a flower garden, a prairie thunderstorm, waves crashing on a beach, the hush of the wind across a grain field ... the list goes on and on ...

For some the Holy is in worship services ... an inspiring anthem, a prayer that reaches the depth of the soul, a time of quiet reflection, a community hymn ...

For some the Holy is in activity and busy-ness ... feeding the hungry, clothing the cold, praying with the lonely, comforting those in grief ...

For some the Holy is in relationship ... coffee with a friend, a hike with children, playing lego with the grandkids, snuggling a sleeping newborn to our chest during a quiet afternoon ...

The list of the Holy varies from person to person ... the experience of the Holy is different for each person ... the Holy is found wherever we have the courage, the boldness and the faith to find it ...

The reading from Ezekiel challenges us to let the winds of God blow over and through us ... the words of the Prophet say it all: "Dry Bones Hear the Word of God ..."

This Pentecost, the winds of the Spirit are blowing all around us ... the question we each must ask is simply this: Do we have the faith to feel them and to let them blow over us ???

Paying it forward ... Stewardship issues ...

I'm borrowing from myself here ... at the Blog I have over at United Online, I mused the other day about the Budget diliberations at our recent Conference AGM.

It seems that Conference Executive has come to the realization that we are in a need of an increase to our various assessments of about 17% ... the howls of protest began on the floor, with people standing up and noting that their various pastoral charges are simply struggling to survive.

I hear that concern, and I for one would not dismiss it. But, I also would recall something my Grandfather used to say to me when I would utter a comment that said - "so and so is a ..." Grandpa would cut me off and say - "Shawn when you point fingers at someone, there are always three fingers pointing back at you ..."

The Budget process is a good place to recall that ... We howl in protest and fight an increase because "our Pastoral Charge is just struggling to survive ..."

Wait a second ... the Pastoral Charge is us ... the givers to the budget are you and I ... the reason we are struggling to survive is because we're NOT taking seriously our commitment to the Church, or our stewardship of the rich and bountiful blessings that God has bestowed upon us ...

In short - and to be blunt - in the United Church of Canada we are doing a poor job at Stewardship. Our givings can and should be higher ... our donations to charity have ample room for improvement ...

I seldom hear any conversation in the UCC about titheing ... yet if we tithed, imagine how much we would have to work with:

If a family of four has a combined income of about 55 000 dollars per year (it's a low number for most of our urban families - but high for most of our rural families) ... a tithe would be a number between 4000 and 5500 dollars a year ... (even taking taxes into consideration). We can balk at that number and say it is too high - but then pick up today's newpaper and peruse the ads for the various electronics shops ... How much is that new flat screen 48" tv ??? How much is that new SUV in the driveway, even on a lease?? How much have you spent on hockey equipment this year alone??

It's all a matter of priorities ...

Admittedly, one of the issues is relevancy too. The Church is increasingly irrelevant to most of the people in today's society. It's time to let go of our preconcieved notions and let the Spirit flow over and through us as a Church ... We are the Body of Christ, not a social club. Our calling is to care for others, not to justify our new cars, our trips, our affluent lifestyles ...

When Jesus said the poor will always be with us, it wasn't a call to complacency - it was a call to action.

When we say - "someone should do something about that ..." there are three fingers pointing back at us ...

When we say - "this increase is outrageous, it's too much ..." there are three fingers pointing back at us ...

When we say - "the church needs to practise better stewardship ..." there are three fingers poitning back at us ...

I say we pay it forward. We are members of the wealthiest, most affluent society in the history of humanity - we have soooooo much, yet we are becoming more and more self-ish and more and more protective of our stuff ... When will we hear the whisper from our childhood that told us that good children learned to SHARE !!!!?????

We can turn this "crisis" around by starting to talk more about stewardship and worrying less about protecting what we have ...

Imagine if every man, woman and child in the United Church (there are apparently about 300 000 of us, give or take a few hundred) gave ONE dollar a day ... that's 300 000 dollars a day ... then you multiply that by 365 days in a year ...

It sounds complicated, it sounds hard, it sounds unattainable, until you step into a corner store or a coffee shop ... chocolate bars are a buck and a quarter ... bags of chips are 99 cents ... coffee is anywhere from a dollar to four dollars for a fancy latte ...

We can spend five bucks in a blink of an eye on stuff that's not good for us anyway ... but we will howl with rage when our Conference folks say we need to come up with a whooping $2 a year more (per identifiable giver) for the work of Conference ...

What's up with that???

Two dollars a year ???!!! Come on - I spend more then two dollars in a single visit to the coffee shop here in town ...

Stewardship demands we look at HOW we spend our money and what we use it for ... Faith demands good Stewardship ... Therefore, in finest high school logic process I can muster - faith therefore demands we look at how we spend our money. We've worked hard for it - why should we simply fritter it away on frivilous things???

Ah, perhaps that's the key ... we think that trips, new cars, gadgets and gizmos are non-frivilous things ... our fridges bulge with food, our deep freezers over flow ... our bellies roll over our belts ... perhaps a good look in the mirror and the simple question: "what's really important ??" Is a good place to start ...

Today - tomorrow and in the days that come - let's work at being good stewards, then next year our Conference will have more money and time to focus on what's really important - like caring for the people around us ...

Titheing is not a four letter word ... nor is stewardship ...

(from prairie preacher at United Online:)
If we spent as much money on the work and ministry of the Church as we so easily spend on ourselves, we could actually begin to do many of the things we talk about doing and we could truly make the world a better place ...

For the record - at Conference we were told that the annual cost of operating Conference is $12.60 per resident member and $17.84 per identifiable giver (I will leave the rant about the disconnect between the givings of members and givers for another day.). For that we get the staffing skills and resource pool that Conferences offer us as lay and clergy ... It's a tiny expense, particularly when you break it down to a weekly or daily donation ... Imagine what we could be doing if we doubled or tripled our donations??

I think this year I will send Conference Office a cheque for 100 dollars - it will be a donation of $20 per person in our home ... it will be sent to put towards the current deficit, and in the hopes that others have the courage to follow my lead and do the same ... imagine if next week every Conference Office in Canada opened the mail bag to find a donation of $20 dollars for EACH member of this United Church of Ours ... they'd be rolling in cash and we could actually fund many of the ministries that are struggling just to survive ...

Wow for $20 we CAN change the world ...

I say we try it and see what happens ...

Who's with me ????

May it be so ...

UNICEF - the third at bat ... it's a hit !!!

Well, a couple of things have happened over the last 48 hours ... one is - I noticed on my sitemeter that we've been visited by a couple of folks from the UNICEF offices in New York (I noted the New York reference and looked ...) and the other is, I went searching on the web and found a reference on the Canadian UNICEF web site that has been posted in response to the hew and cry folks have raised (this blog included) to the plan to cut the orange box ...

I'll add the link below ... But for now, I'm still not happy that they are axing the little orange boxes. Using the rolling of coins as an excuse doesn't wash with me ... I recall a penny drive I helped with when I was in BC. The youth group collected hundreds of dollars in pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters ... we spent a night in the hall of the church rolling the coins.

We hit the local Zellers and Dollar Store and bought a bunch of the gizmos that assist in rolling pennies and went to work ... it took a couple of hours but we got it done ... It was a time of fun, laughter and utter silliness - but we managed to do something wonderful. We rolled close to 1000 dollars in coins ... AND we had a blast and it didn't even seem like work ...

Why couldn't schools do the same??

Our local elementary school is involved in a programme called Lions' Quest, and one of the components in it is the involvement of the youth in community and outreach activities. Wouldn't getting the grade five class, or the grade 8 class to roll pennies be a community outreach activity??

"Oh," say the cynics, "they might pocket a few dollars in coins ..."

Well, that is a risk. But overall the majority of the pennies will make their way into the UNICEF coffers - and in time your loss will be minimized because it will become a school effort, and peer pressure can sometimes become a good thing. But if a kid wants to pocket a handful of illicit change - maybe he feels he needs it more then the kids in Somalia or India or wherever ... Isn't that a risk we all take when we give to charities of any kind???

I do hear the concerns about kids chugging around on Halloween with money in their boxes hanging around their necks ... I hear it and wonder why there are so many kids out by themselves?? Our three go out with a parent each Halloween (which bums me out, because Oct 31st is my B-day, and I'd rather be home ... but parenting duties trump all else sometimes ...). It's just the way we do it ... I know not every parent can, or will - but I will only say it is kind of fun to watch the excitement of the kids as they trick or treat, and to watch our neighbours respond to the costumes ... (It's worth the inconvenience - trust me).

I suppose the bottom line for me here is - helping, supporting and being part of the important work that UNICEF does. If there are no orange boxes this Halloween, so be it - I hope the education campaign works. I for one will do my part.

If you want to read the press release it is at:

http://www.unicef.ca/news/displayNewsItem.php?id=161&PHPSESSID=486756148bf75d9f77d8254da9443af1


SPEAKING OF STEWARDSHIP ...

On the issue of fundraising, I posted an entry at my United Online Blog yesterday that highlights the need for better stewardship within the Church ... I've gotten some positive feedback on it, and I think it is an area I want to spend some time during this sabbatical reflecting on ...

Are we good stewards of our time, our money and our talents?
Are we good stewards of the profound and abundant wealth we take for granted?

I think if we were/are honest the answer would be NO, we are NOT good stewards ... we have much work to do.

For now, I wonder why it is that we never speak of Titheing in the United Church of ours ... I say this knowing that as for me and my household we have some ground to gain before we can say that we honestly tithe. We give to a variety of charities over the year, and we donate generously of our time in a variety of ways - but we (like many) could do much, much better ...

Imagine a Congregation of 100 families. Let's suppose the had an income of about 40000/year, and they tithes 10% of their income (4000 per household per year) ... that is close to 400 000 dollars!!! Now, even if the Church only got half of that it's still $200 000. I bet each of those households spend more then 4000 a year on things like entertainment (cable, movies, video/DVD rentals and so forth) or holidays ...

It's all a matter of priorities ... It's all a matter of better stewardship.

We are the wealthiest, most affluent society in the history of the planet, and instead of closing the gap between the haves and the have nots it seems to be widening ... We are becoming more and more selfish - and yet we have more and more and more that we could share ...

Perhaps we need to go back and revisit that story about the Widow's mite and think about where our stewardship comes from ... If we were more generous as a society, and as individuals, organizations like UNICEF would suddenly be out of business ... hmmm ... do we dare dream of such a world ????

May it be so ...

UNICEF Boxes revisited ...

I got the following response from an old and cherished friend - I think his words say it all:

Yeah! Whenever we give out candy at halloween, it's always "Some for you, somefor you -- Oh, you have a unicef box, here's some money and here's extracandy for you."

Our kids don't fare quite so well on the collection side though -sometimes people snarl at them as they go to collect for Unicef.

It'll be sad indeed that we plow all kinds of money into increasingly packaged & fancy candy at halloween while simultaneously losing one of the few redeeming features to that candy festival.

It's a sad statement on the affairs of our world isn't it?

It would be nice to see the little orange boxes continue, and for those of us who care to work harder at informing people as to their value. I remember having a rant from the pulpit a couple of years ago when our sister churches gave out little anti-UNICEF tags to put into the boxes inlieu of pennies. The tags were from a pro-life organization that said UNICEF supported agencies and organizations were advocating the use of condoms in Africa ... hmm, let's see - Africa has a spiralling HIV/AIDS rate, and condoms are a proven and effective means of addressing that ... it isn't rocket science that to save lives we have to check our personal opinions at the door and be about saving lives BEFORE we preach our view of morality !!

I've witnessed first hand the good that the UN and UNICEF can do. It came back in 1989 when I was privileged to join a study tour to Israel, Jordan and Egypt from the University of Toronto. During our time there we spent a day in the Gaza Strip (this was during the first Intifada). Now, with all politics aside - the existence for many in the Gaza is simply abysmmal, but with Intifada raging, it went from bad to worse ... and many people were suffering. We were at an UNRWA compound when big white trucks were being loaded with food, water and supplies for the refugee camps that were under curfew. Those trucks meant life for the people ... the supplies came from a wide variety of sources, but first and foremost was the UN and UNICEF. In those days a jug of water and a bag of flour could mean life itself for a Palestinian family.

Such happenings occur all over the world ...

Such is the power of UNICEF. We can argue its efficacy later - today we need to commit to doing something that makes a positive difference in the world ... immunizations, food, medicine and a wide variety of other gifts are given to children all over the world on our behalf because of UNICEF and those ubiquitous orange boxes ... on that basis alone, don't we owe it to the children of the world to work diligently to save them ???

If your community is like ours, in the spring and fall our children are busy doing sales and fund raising for a wide variety of community and school projects. Money is needed for teams, for band trips, for school projects and so on - the list is very long, but all of the money is used to benefit children in the community. That's not a bad thing - but when and where do our children learn about helping those who are truly less fortunate then they??? The UNICEF boxes are one of the ways in which our loval school has a conversation about helping others ...

Hey UNICEF people: Keep the boxes and work harder at educating our communities about WHY they are important ??? I'll be one of the first to help ... and I'll follow my friends lead and tell kids that on Halloween there will be more candy for them if they show up at my door with a UNICEF box ... it's been said by wiser people then I, that if you want to change the future - start with the children. What kind of lesson are we teaching our children by neglecting a way in which they can help others rather then just raising money for the latest team, school or community project ... the Orange box is the one thing that moves beyond our immediate world: all the more reason to keep it !!!!!!!

Maybe a petition is in order ...
... hmmm, it's worth a thought ...

UNICEF Boxes History??? (I hope not !!!)

I heard on the CBC news tonight that Unicef is cancelling (after a remarkable 50 years) the Halloween Orange Box campaign in Canada ...

I for one mourn the loss of the little cardboard boxes that appear on our door step each Halloween ... Our three children have been proudly wearing their UNICEF boxes tied around their necks each year (for Rebekkah last year was the year she became a "grown up kid" when she FINALLY got her own UNICEF box - I'm sure she waxed eloquently at age 6 about "waiting my WHOLE life to wear the UNICEF box" ... no one said she isn't prone to the melodramatic !!).

Each Halloween we prepare a bowl of change to be duly dropped in the UNICEF boxes that come our way - admittedly, where we live we don't see lots and lots of boxes, but the ones that arrive are loaded with pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and even loonies and twoonies ... Each small donation is worthwhile ... each small donation can make a difference when added to the many others from across the country.

It's too bad only 3 million dollars are raised each year - it's a worthy cause (anything that helps children in our world is a worthy cause) ... and having organized several penny drives in my day, I know the work involved in rolling pennies - but at the end of the day, rolling pennies and accumulating them together can mean a fair bit of money is raised for a good cause ...

If offering health and life to a child half a world away isn't a good cause, I can't imagine what is ... I hope UNICEF will reconsider ... I hope Canadians, like those who take the time to read my BLOG will help UNICEF consider reconsidering ...

Let's speak out and push to have the ubiquitous little Orange Boxes remain a Halloween Institution for another 50 years - and let's make sure they raise MORE then 3 million in pennies ...

dayenu,

Is anybody out there ????

There have been moments lately when I've thought about wrapping up this Blog site and it's sister site - "minnedosa united" and shutting them down. I've wondered if anyone is really reading these entries, and whether anyone really cares ...

Then this weekend, on the floor of the AGM for the Conference of Manitoba and North Western Ontario of this United Church of ours, I learned that my musings and rantings are being read. Many, many people came up to me and thanked me for the updates on our Congregational experiences since the fire, many many people have come up and expressed and appreciation of my thoughts and my writings here and at the sister site ... It was humbling and more then a little awesome ... There really are people out there in cyber space who have been reading my blogs - WOW !!!

Today I have a huge mix of thoughts and musings that I would like to put here - but I need to order my thoughts a bit ... the weekend at Conference was inspiring. I spent more time at my table group this weekend then I think I have cumulatively in my career in ministry. It was an inspiring group of people - diverse in location, age and background. Good questions were raised - good dialogue followed (our facilitator did a FINE job !!!). It was a good place to be and to learn, listen and laugh ... isn't that the point of table groups??? Listening to one another, learning from the life experiences we bring to the table and being able to laugh in the fullness of life ???

I have some notes on potential "blog entries" that came to me over the course of the weekend ... (when the thought came, I took out my pen and wrote on paper - the laptop stayed home for a break for both of us ...) ... over the coming days I will offer my thoughts and reflections on some of the conversations that came both on the floor and outside this weekend ... I went to Conference with trepidation and I have come home recharged and encouraged.

The many comments of support. The hugs, the hand shakes, the smiles from people who expressed their horror at the fire we've experienced here in Minnedosa, and who in turn offered their love and support has been inspiring to say the VERY least ... and hearing Lynette Miller and Linda Murray offer their reflections on their ministry as they prepare to enter the new potential of retirement reminded me and inspired me of what ministry is about (they were awesome).

So, today I'm tired ... but I'm excited ... before me lie three months of sabbatical and reflection ... and a call to ministry ... Today is a very good day ...

thanks to all for listening - thanks to all for the support and encouragement ...

peace and joy to you all,

7 & 12 ... The Birthday Weekend ...

Today our "baby" turned 7 ... hard to believe that it was seven years ago that Mag woke me up through the night by calling from the bathroom that her water had broken ... But it is ...

That day started quickly and somewhat harshly ... at about 4:30 am, Mag went to the small bathroom that was in our bedroom and by 9am we had our third child - our second daughter ... Rebekkah's delivery was fast and she was a HUGE baby ... but she was and has been very healthy.

It has been a busy seven years ... we marked her first birthday waiting to move to Minnedosa after being fired from Sharon United in Langley ... unlike Hannah and Sam, Rebekkah has spent her formative years on the prairies. She is a BC girl by birth only ... Nursery School and Kindergarten have happened in Minnedosa - like the other children of Minnedosa, she watched on February 12th as her Church and Nursery School burned down ...

Now our little baby is slowly becoming a big girl ... she can read, write and ride a bike without training wheels or a parent running along side ... She started her life in a hurry-up sort of way, but has become a wonderful young lady, who like her sibs fills our lives with joy and meaning ...

And tomorrow, our eldest - our little baby boy turns 12 ... TWELVE ???? Where has the little baby I used to sing to sleep gone??

It seems like yesterday that Mag spent two days in the hospital as they tried to initiate labour ... then when it finally started it seemed to take forever ... But in the early morning hours of May 21st, Samuel Elliot arrived in the United Church Hospital in Bella Coola ... he was helped along with doctors and nurses who had been gathered and were employed by the United Church, and the first person he met that night (before the RCMP showed up to meet him - don't know if that bodes well for his future ...) was the organist from the United Church ... Sam was and remains our Mission and Service boy !!

I remember the next morning, going out to the garage and telling our friend Wendy (his God-mother and one of our dearest and most cherished friends) that I was going to see my son ... I was proud of him that day, and with each passing year I find myself more and more proud of him. There are moments I don't like him much - but I will always love him and I will always be cheering from the sidelines as he accomplishes whatever he sets his mind to ... He's a mouthy, smart, and incredible young man - and tomorrow he turns 12.

My mind still reels at that ... where did the last 12 years go ??

The last year has seen a huge change in him ... he's growing up ... he has a journey ahead of him, but he'll turn out okay ... and we'll continue to love and cherish him ...

I'm proud of all three of my kids, and I think they are all great young people ... I look forward to seeing what they will accomplish in life and where they will go ... This weekend we can look back on a long and windy road while we look ahead a road that continues to wend its way forward ... and with Sam, Hannah and Rebekkah accompanying us it will be a good journey ...

Happy Birthday to my two Birthday Babies - you make me proud to be your dad ...

... and I look forward to sharing many more birthday weekends with you (and Hannah too)!!

Back in the Headlines ...

Must be a slow news day in West Man ... Today's Brandon Sun has a headline that reads: "Donors Help Church." and with it is a picture of yours truly ...

The article that follows highlighted the unofficial fundraising that we are undertaking ... I say unofficial because no one has said we're fund raising yet. In time, as we move closer to turning sod and knowing what it is that will replace our building, we will begin raising money to help make the vision move from paper to reality ...

So far it has been quite a journey ... In the hours after the fire we recieved (and continue to recieve) offers of hymn books, choir gowns, pianos, organs and a variety of other objects from sister Churches all over Canada.

We've opened emails, letters, cards and notes from all over and often there are donations to help us in our rebuilding project ... The meaningful ones to me are the ones with a little note that says why the donor is sending his/her gift ... Watching one of the choir members last week bring Mrs Comrie a five dollar bill out of his wallet for the rebuilding brought tears to my eyes ... Those gifts are very meaningful. The card in a child's writing ... the gift of a young boy ... every donation - will make a huge difference in the long run ... They are the widows' mite that Jesus praised so highly in his ministry. They may not seem like much, but they are - to the giver and to us the reciever.

So, like the head line says - Donors DO help the Church ... every penny, every nickel, every dime sent to help us in our rebuilding WILL help us achieve the dream that lies ahead ... one frost February morning, we were robbed of something that is irreplacable, but in time we will rebuild something that to coming generations is as meaningful as what once stood on Main St here in Minnedosa ... and that dream will come as a result of the work and donations and effort of many, many people ...

The work has already begun - as we continue along our journey all we can say is: THANKS.

dayenu

Sticks and stones ... and words ...

Remember the little ditty: "Sticks and stones may hurt my bones, but words will never hurt me ..."??

I know mom was trying to be helpful when she taught it to us - but really, can we say that words are NOT hurtful?

I've watched in the life of my children the power of words, both those spoken and those withheld. There is a piece that many parents encounter that says - "If a child lives with ... she will develop ..." It's a series of statements that remind us of the power of words, and the profound impact they can have on the lives of our children.

As parents we are careful to nurture and encourage and build up our children. We protect them and try not to belittle nor humiliate them.

I remember reading a parenting book that said over and over, "Never say - 'you're stupid', when criticizing your child. Always direct your criticism at the action, not the child. Instead say "that action was kind of silly ... but I still love you ..." I remember reading that and thinking - "wow, what a great concept ..."

I love my children, but I don't always love some of the things they do. But what is important is making sure that they know when they are appreciated and when you disapprove of their actions. I will always love my children, but there are moments that I don't really like what they've done ... expressing our disapproval needs to be done with care and love ...

Likewise, expressing our support and our encouragement needs to happen too. If we never praise our children (or our partners, or our friends, co-workers and so on) what kind of example have we set?

I read a story this week that reminded me of the power of words ... It seems a man was heading down to the coffee room at work and he passed the office of a co-worker that he hadn't spoken to for quite awhile. He passed the door and thought - "I should see if he want to join me for coffee ..."
He stopped and backed up an said - "Hey, you wanna join me for a coffee?"
The co-worker was surprised and looked startled, but said "sure ..."
They went for coffee and had a lovely time chit chatting about nothing in particular. They laughed and told each other stories and jokes before they went back to work.

The next day the first man was visited by the co-worker. The co-worker confided in his refound friend how much the offer of coffee meant to him ... he went on to explain that he was sitting in his office contemplating opening the office window and jumping out ... his life had taken some bad turns and that very morning his wife had walked out on him, leaving him utterly alone.

The co-worker was deeply wounded and feeling utterly unloved and unappreciated. He sat watching the clouds pass on the horizon and had come to the conclusion that no one really cared ... he was about to open the window and leap when a head popped in the door way and said simply: "wanna join me for a coffee?"

In an instance care was offered - simple words were spoken and a life was altered ...

In the life of a child, offering words of care and support can mean the difference between a love filled with nurture and love and a lonely life bereft of these things ... In the life of our friends, co-workers and neighbours, words of care and support can sometimes make all the difference in the world.

I learned in the Native Tradition the value of simple words like "Thanks ..." and how potent a single word can be ... It's too bad that sometimes we choose to say nothing at all, or worse we simply forget ...

May we in the coming days remember that sticks and stones AND words can hurt or heal ... and may we have the courage to be a healing people:

If A Child Lives With. . .
by Dorothy Law Nolte (altered slightly)

If a child lives with criticism. . . . . . . .he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility. . . . . . . . she learns to fight.
If a child lives with fear. . . . . . . .he learns to be apprehensive.
If a child lives with jealousy. . . . . . . .she learns to feel guilt.
If a child lives with tolerance. . . . . . . .he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement . . . . . . . .she learns to be confident.
If a child lives with praise. . . . . . . .he learns to be appreciative.
If a child lives with acceptance. . . . . . . .she learns to love.
If a child lives with approval. . . . . . . .he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with recognition . . . . .she learns that it is good to have a goal.
If a child lives with honesty. . . . . . . .he learns what truth is.
If a child lives with fairness. . . . . . . .she learns justice.
If a child lives with security. . . . . . . .he learns to trust in himself and others .
If a child lives with friendliness. . . . . . . .she learns the world is a nice place in which to live

errata

On the advice of a trusted and much appreciated friend ...

I've withdrawn the previous post for today ...

As Buddy on Night Court used to say: "But, we're feeling much better now !!'

The aggravation of computer problems ...

This week the AC adapter on my laptop packed it in ... in and of itself, not a big deal. If I was living in somewhere like Toronto it would have been an easy crisis to resolve ... but in rural Western Manitoba, it became a major hassle.

It meant I was limited in my computer access and unable to cruise the net, blog and do my email easily. Fortunately, I live in a wonderful small town where many people will still go way above and beyond to helpa neighbour.

I have been into the Library three or four times a day to check email and do "computer stuff". I could have gone cold turkey, but the withdrawal symptoms would have been too hard to face.

In reality, I could and did survive without computer access at my fingers. I hauled out my OLD lap top that has served me since I was gifted it in 2000 (it was a 5 year old computer then) - and it helped me do the funeral service I presided at this week. But, the victims' impact statement we are preparing on behalf the church was stuck in my new laptop, and had to wait ... I spent more time in conversation with people, I spent more time out and about in the community, I spent more time reading - all in all it was an okay break from the key board.

The other notable contribution to the week came from Dany Hamel, owner and operator of Minnedosa's Hamel Computer (a business on Main St). Dany and Sandy (his wife and business partner) called right away to order a new AC adapter, and Dany let me charge my laptop in the store, then in the evening loaned me his AC adapter to keep me online ... Talk about service. If there was a reward for exceptional business service Dany and Sandy would have my vote.

Hopefully on Monday the new adapter will arrive and I will be able to carry on ... For now, I will enjoy the chances I get to go online ... and I will appreciate what a treat it really is ...

dayenu,

We are not alone ...

We are not alone ... this weekend the newspapers in Manitoba have shown us that this simple statement suddenly has ominous implications here in Minnedosa.

The fire of February seems to be connected to an international movement that "honours" its musical inspiration by doing silly things like burning down churches and trashing cemeteries ... we were told early on that the fire had "Satanic" implications, but now we have been told that our fire had specific ties to a Norwegian musician (I would use that term loosely) who is currently serving a jail sentence for killing a band mate and for torching some churches in Norway.

It would appear that the trio implicated in our fire (accused, but not convicted) had connected with each other and the movement through the Internet ... then one night to "honour" this musican's birthday they sat in the local cememtery drinking, and decided to torch our building.

I have been unable to get angry about any of this ... instead I just feel profound sadness that anyone could be so angry, delusional and foolish to think even for a micro-second that this could be a good idea ...

I will attach the articles for folks to read:

GOTH LINK TO FIRE?
By Dean Pritchard (Winnipeg Sun - April 28th 2006)

A fire that destroyed a 105-year-old church in Minnedosa last winter was not an isolated act of arson, but part of an international movement with links to a Norwegian "death metal" musician, say justice officials.
The disturbing revelation was made at a recent court hearing for one of three people accused of torching the Minnedosa United Church last February.
Deanna Lynn Mathews, 19, pleaded guilty in Brandon court April 13 to one count of arson. She will be sentenced May 25.
Court heard the Minnedosa church was set ablaze on the birthday of Varg Vikernes, a 30-year-old death metal musician now serving time in prison in Norway for murdering a bandmate and burning several churches.
'COPYCAT'
"Since Mr. Vikernes burned churches in Europe ... there have been copycat church burnings in California, in Texas, in Italy, in Australia and many of the people who have been sentenced have purported to be fans of his music," said Crown attorney Jim Ross.
The night of the fire, Mathews and her boyfriend, Kelsey Ray Taylor, drove from Brandon to Minnedosa to visit friend and co-accused Mark Wishart, Ross told court.
After drinking a while in a cemetery, Wishart went to his grandmother's house, where he was living, and picked up a can of gasoline.
From there, Mathews accompanied Taylor and Wishart to the Minnedosa United Church, "knowing that the purpose of attending was to burn it down," Ross said.
After a couple of efforts, they were successful.
Police arrested Taylor and Mathews a short time later driving out of Minnedosa. In the car, police found a homemade CD entitled Introduction to Blasphemy, with what police later said appeared to be Taylor's handwriting. The CD included several songs by Vikernes and his bands.
"We're not insisting for sentencing that there was a pre-determined plan to burn the church down," Ross said. "We do allege that Ms. Mathews has been part of a subculture that, among other things, is interested in Norwegian death metal, I suppose what you might largely call the Goth movement."
Vikernes, described as a neo-Nazi, is in prison in Norway serving a lengthy sentence for the 1993 murder of bandmate Oystein Aarseth of the black metal band Mayhem, as well as the arson of several churches and the subsequent death of a firefighter.
Mathews said she knew nothing about Vikernes and had no connection to the death metal or goth sub-cultures.
"I don't believe in it at all. It has nothing to do with that," she said. "I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it has nothing to do with anything."
Both Taylor, 21, and Wishart, 20, are scheduled to appear in Brandon court May 25. Wishart has pleaded guilty to arson. Taylor has not yet entered a plea.
Taylor has also been charged with arson in an April 25, 2004, fire that levelled the Brandon Hills United Church, and with vandalism to more than 100 tombstones in the Brandon Hills and Roseland cemeteries. He was also charged with cemetery vandalism in Lethbridge, Alta., after more than 200 headstones were kicked over last June.

The Second Article:

ARSON DEVASTATED COMMUNITY.
By Dean Pritchard (Winnipeg Sun - April 28th 2006)

The people who torched the Minnedosa United Church didn't strike a blow against world religion, but against their neighbour, says the church's minister.
"You aren't hurting the institution or the church, you are hurting your neighbour," said Rev. Shawn Ankenmann.
The people hurting are the elderly who frequent the church for teas and bake sales, girl guides and cubs who hold their meetings in its basement and those who look to the church to hold their weddings, showers and funerals, Ankenmann said.
The loss of the church has been difficult, but worse is the "loss of innocence" that came with it, Ankenmann said.
"It's an act of thoughtless vindictiveness. It doesn't even make me angry -- it makes me very sad that people can be sucked in by that stuff."
Since the fire, worshippers have been sharing pews at the St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.
The church board is hoping to rebuild within the next two years. Ankenmann said the building committee is now interviewing architects and is continuing to fundraise.
"We are putting one foot in front of another and taking things as they come," he said.

Another day ...

Last night I was once again called by one of the newpapers in Winnipeg and asked about how I felt about the revelations that the suspects in our fire are connected to a Norwegian musician who is in jail for burning down churches in Norway ... The reporter said that "fans" of his music have burned down churches around the world to "honour and celebrate" the man ...

How do I feel about this??

My answer was - profoundly sad ...
What kind of hate and anger and thoughtlessness would lead someone to stroll into a community where they know no one and torch a church that is an active living presence to that community?

Consider for a moment what was lost, beyond the building ...

1400 pounds of food gathered to supply the community food cupboard, which in turn serves those in our community who have food access issues...

a place for the community to gather in groups like Cubs and Beavers, Brownies and Sparks, and for social functions like showers and concerts ...

our town nursery school was not only rendered homeless, but they lost EVERYTHING, from the toys and books to the childrens' shoes ...

a meeting place heavily utilized by community groups from the Womens' Institute to the Health Auxilary to meet, educate and inspire ...

a place where the community gathered to eat and spend time together ...

a place to celebrate God's presence through the simple actions of a community eating, singing, praying and spending time together ...

The actions of three foolish, misguided people, along with those of others around the world who have in their thoughtlessness torched other places of worship have accomplished very little ...

They've deprived a community of an important place to gather, but more importatntly, they've reminded a community of what's important ... the relationships we've build and maintained within the building that once stood on Main St are far more important then the building itself. Those who thought they could accomplish something by burning down the churches in Brandon Hills and Minnedosa have accomplished something - but it isn't what they thought nor wanted ...

They've reminded all of us of what's really important, and in the process they've helped us focus on what it is that makes us Church ... and in that, those who wanted to hurt "the Church" have actually helped it ...

I can't nor won't say thanks for the action - but I can appreciate the process we're living right now that sees a community pick up the pieces and move forward one step at a time ...

dayenu,

What's really important ...

Today in the middle of the day I got stuck behind a two mile long freight train ... I walked up Main St and on the way back a freight train pulled into town. According to one of the Railroaders there was a loose hose and they were looking for it ... I spent 35 minutes sitting on the side of the crossing waiting for the train to pull out of town ...

It was warm and sunny, and from where I was sitting you could see the Buffalo herd and watch the river (running high) flowing by ... It was a nice break in the middle of the day ...

Then the train started moving ... Do you know how long it takes a two mile long train to pass you when you are standing waiting??

A long time.

But what really struck me was the thought - "I wonder what all the containers on the train are carrying???"

Were the clothes or toys?? Where they needed essentials or frivolous consumer items that we don't need anyway??

I sat watching car after car after car pass by me ... on each care (save a couple) there were shipping container after shipping container filled with stuff ... I couldn't help but watch and wonder if we really needed any of it ... My other focus this week is spending time in vigil with two of the saints of our faith community. I've been holding hands in prayer as one of the two makes the transition from life through death to life everlasting ... As I sat in the sunshine, enjoying a massive delay in my day I wondered what is really important in life??

Is it the massive amounts of stuff we ship back and forth on trains and trucks?? Or is it the quiet presence of love shared and celebrated in places like the hush of a hospital room where we trust in God's presence and strength??

I thought this afternoon and I believe it even more so tonight that the important stuff in life is not that which can be loaded on a train and shipped across country ... The important stuff is what is passed from life to life when we hold hands, speak words of love and build relationships ... The important stuff of life begins and ends with people and relationships ...

It's funny what some time in the warm spring sunshine can do ... it helps you appreciate what's important ... give me a warm sunny day beside the quiet murmur of a river ... or the profound hush of a hospital room where every moment of life becomes a gift to be celebrated and appreciated ...

dayenu,

Under normal circumstances ...

As I write this note tonight, across the room my son (age 11) is sitting in front of the tv with two rather plump beige coloured rats running over him ... under normal circumstances, I would be horrified and considering a call to the exterminator ... but the normal circumstances in our home means that Sam has the rats out for a run ...

We share our home with two little biege rats named Coco and Olivia. They complement the three cats, two dogs and three children who fill our house with activity ...

As I watch the rats scurry about on the love seat, I can't help but consider that in most of the world rats are nothing more then vermin ... heck, here on the prairies rats are considered vermin. Yet, here in our home, we have two little vermin as pets ...

It's all a matter of perspective ... one person's vermin can become another person's pet - or I can remember an article in a National Geographic where a man was walking home holding his dinner by the tails - he had a half a dozen rats he'd caught in the field ...

It's all a matter of perspective ...

What is right and just and holy to one, is evil to another ... look at the history of Apartheid. To the black South Africans it was an abomination to God, while to the faithful members of the Reformed Church in South Africa, they could see nothing wrong ...

Or another example that for some reason is in my head tonight is Galileo - the guy who pointed out to world a variety of scientific ideas and earned only the scorn and condemnation of the Catholic Church. It took close to five hundred years before the Catholic Church apologized to Galileo for its mistake ... the Church was just and holy - but brutally WRONG !!!!!!

What do we do when someone's perspective conflicts with what is right ?? They "KNOW" that they are right, and that what they are doing is "RIGHT" - but reality says something very different ...

The Church knew it was right to condemn Galileo, but it didn't make their actions honest or right - history showed who was right (five hundred years too late).

Sometimes its a matter of perspective, sometimes it is obvious who is in the right, and sometimes it takes a bit of work to show where the truth lies ... under normal circumstances, the truth is obvious ... but right now confusion seems to be the dominant feeling - may one day we'll be able to see things clearly ...

For now I'll enjoy watching the vermin crawl over our love seat and our son, and know that from where I sit, they are pets ... but that remains a matter of perpective ...

dayenu,

Gathering with the Greater Church ...

Today was a meeting of Assiniboine Presbytery ... the regional court of the United Church that stretches from Minnedosa west to Russell, and south to the US Border and encompasses all of the United Church communities within that vast territory ... it is peopled and staffed by a diverse group of people ...

Our meetings last all day - they begin in the morning with worship, involve a lunch, and wrap up in time for most of us to be home for supper. Today's meeting happened in Kenton, in the Legion/community hall. The lunch was a roast beef feast and was superb, though it left out the vegetarians (so much for a fully inclusive church).

It was awesome to gather and to be able to laugh, and play and pray together. It has been a long time since I've felt good about Presbytery meetings, but today I came away refreshed and somewhat inspired ... The gathering of our Presbytery at times is onerous, but today wasn't one of those times...

When we gather we are reminded over and over that what affects one of us, affects all of us ... today we noted the challenges of a colleague who is awaiting test results on health concerns (we offered her up in prayer and joined with her and her family and circle of friends seeking wholeness and healing, while entrusting her to God's care) ... we celebrated the achievements of Brandon Hills United Church who are nearing the beginning stages of rebuilding their sanctuary that was lost to arson two years ago ... we cheered the renovations and pending anniversary of our sisters and brothers at Knox United in Brandon ... and we delighted in hearing the status of the redevelopment/rebuilding project at Killarney United Church ... and we of Minnedosa were able to share the stages on our journey so far ...

It was our turn to lead worship, so we brought with us the banners that were gifted to us from our sister congregations in Winnipeg (the banners that we are currently able to share with our sisters and brothers at the Catholic Church). We hung them in the sanctuary at Kenton United Church, and our reflection time in the worship service involved sharing what the banners are and where they come from. When then spoke of the Lenten journey that takes us through the darkness to the light of Easter Morning.

This year the Lenten Journey for Minnedosa began early, and in some ways continues ... But today I was able to reflect on the many ways in which the greater Church has been able to reach out and offer us guidance and support ... I likened the experience to that of Thomas in this week's lectionary readings ... as I write this, I am in a place that Thomas knew well - a place of doubt, a place of uncertainty, a place of profound aloneness ...

I do not doubt that the Resurrection has happened, and I do not doubt that the Resurrection will happen for the folks of Minnedosa ... today I can't hear, nor feel the call ... today, for the first time in my ministry I'm not sure the road ahead for me is one that leads me on in ministry within the Church ...

Outside the court, a wise colleague and friend, who has been down many roads and has been an inspiration to me and many others listened and offered her prayers and her sage wisdom ... "listen carefully," she said, "maybe you're being called elsewhere, that's okay ..."

Like Thomas I stand bewildered, exhausted and uncertain ... I yearn to place my hand "just here" and to feel the surge of the Risen One again flow through me ... Like the disciples gathered in the upper room that night, the way ahead is blurry and unclear ... the dominant emotion is sadness and apprehension ... the atmosphere is tense ... something needs to happen ... Today, I just don't know what that will be ... there is no room for ego in this moment, there is room only for discerning the call of the Spirit ...

The only question I have right now is simply this: "when will I again hear the call of the Spirit??"

tonight, even dayenu, isn't enough ...

The Church of the Holy Rubbermaid Tubs ...

This weekend we loaded all of the Hymn Books we bought after the fire, all of the worship ware from our collection plates to the prayer shawls, we rolled up the banners and carried out the basket of books and colour sheets for the kids and loaded the WHOLE works in our van ... Almost everything went into Rubbermaid tubs ... 20 hymn books to a tub ... a tub for the collection plates and guest book, a tub for the bulletins and other items ... and all of the tubs were neatly stacked in the van ... We became for the weekend The Church of the Holy Rubbermaid Tubs ...

Thursday night we worshipped in one of the Chapels belonging to the local funeral home, Minnedosa Funeral Services - we shared communion, and told the story of Jesus' final night on earth among his disciples.

On Friday morning we joined with our Protestant sisters and brothers in a Good Friday Service at the Community Conference Centre. The music was lovely (thanks to Eleanor and the choir she organized), but the service went in a direction that I wasn't comfortable with, nor happy about ... I think that next year's service will be held somewhere as a United Church service ...

Then on Sunday we unloaded the van at the elementary school and held our services in the Band Pit. When the morning had ended, we loaded all of the stuff back in the van and I drove over to the Seniors' aparment building Townview and held a third service there ...

On one level it is inconvenient to have everything in rubbermaid tubs and loaded in a van, but on another level it is a moment worthy of reflecting on what is really important in the life of the church, and what do we really need to be a church ...

We carried our hymn books, we brought our bulletins and we gathered in a borrowed space to worship and to join in a fellowship. Thanks to the men of the AOTS, and Services to Seniors our three services on Sunday were framed with food and fellowship around the table - a true connectedness to the New Testament Church that arose from the ashes that were left following the death of Jesus and the scattering of his disciples ...

The early church began simply, in houses, in places where people gathered. They sang their hymns, they offered their prayers, they reflected on their faith, and then they ate and drank in Jesus name. In time tensions would arise over how the Church shared their foodstuffs, and on the wording of the prayers and hymns, but for a moment, the Church was able to offer a pure moment of worship. They gathered, and in Christ's name they worshipped. This weekend in Minnedosa, we did the same thing - we gathered, we unloaded a van and we worshipped, then we loaded up the van and moved on ... At the end of the day, what was important wasn't the place, it was the gathering of the community ...

We are an Easter People - we are people of the Resurrection, and what is important in that is the people ... where two or three are gathered in my name, says Jesus - I'll be there, and this weekend in Minnedosa we lived that simple truth over and over and over ...

Thanks be to God - dayenu,

A good Good Friday Service ...

Tonight I was feeling disconnected and unsettled ... something about the community Good Friday Service didn't speak to me or where I am at as we move through the Holy Week observatons.

Today we joined with the other Protestant Churches in Minnedosa to observe Good Friday ... it was a nice service, but it wasn't what I need, or what I am comfortable with ... Through the afternoon I called my colleague and friend Rev. Barb Jardine, who serves the Forrest Douglas Pastoral Charge south of us ... we were chit chatting about stuff and she mentioned the evening service she was holding in Forrest ... I decided it was worth the drive to take in Barb's service.

Tonight, I'm glad I did ... Barb combined the readings of the Passion from Mark with music, hymns and the extinguishing of candles ... it was beautiful. It was precisely what I needed to get ready for Easter Sunday ...

SO, thanks Barb. Thanks to the folks at Forrest for a wonderful service and a time of reflection. It truly was a good Good Friday service ... It told the story of the Passion and called us to journey into the uncertainty that the disciples felt as they watched the dying and spent the next two days fearing for their lives until ...

... well, the next step can wait ... this part of Holy Week is about waiting, not jumping to the Hallelujahs ... and tonight I've been able to do that ... thanks to a little community and a very capable and competent minister who often serves as the pastor's pastor while she leads them in a powerful ministry of presence and prayer ...

dayenu

Signs of spring ...

This past Sunday, we zipped over to Neepawa and on the way back we saw what we first thought was a flight of geese ... from a distance they looked white, so we assumed they were snow geese making their way north from their southern sojourn. But when we pulled into Minnedosa we had a chance to see them relatively close up, and they were not geese at all ...

... They were PELICANS. There was about 30 or 35 Pelicans winging their way north ... They circled over the lake here in Minnedosa, but finding no open water they continued on their way.

If they came today, they would find our lake thawing rapidly in the warm weather we've been enjoying ...

So, it is spring in Manitoba ... the Red River is running high and flood waters are threatening a wide variety of communities including parts of Winnipeg ... the snow is melting ... soon the prairie crocus will be making an appearance and spring will be here in its fullness.

I commented to someone today whent he rain stopped that it was a beautiful day - but in three months we'll be complaining that it is too hot. He agreed and said - 'three months ago we were complaining it was to cold ... there's just no pleasing some people.' We both laughed - but such is the reality of our seasons ...

We chat about the weather - but we don't appreciate it at the time ... we always pick fault with the weather - be it too hot, too cold, too damp, too dry - whatever!!

But watching the snow vanish before our eyes in the last couple of days all I can say is - it's spring on the prairies, and with the sun shining it's beautiful ... hopefully the flood waters will recede before they do much damage. In the meantime, our prayers and thoughts go with those who watch and wait as the waters swirl and rise ...

dayenu,

The Shredder is one of my best friends ...

When we lived in Bella Coola, one of my stress relievers was to go over to the Federal Nursing station and sit in their supply room feeding papers through their shredder ... There was something wonderfully relaxing shredding reams and reams of paper ... the noise ... the crunching ... the outcome ... whatever it was - it was a good stress reliever ...

Yesterday and Today in the office I rediscovered that joyful experience ... while sorting through the dozens of boxes that have been lying on the floor of our new office space on Main St, we accumulated quite a pile of stuff that needed to be shredded (there was a BIG box of stuff then went out to a farm yard and was burned too !!! - sorry I missed that!!!???). So, I stood by the shredder and fed reams of paper through it (two BIG recycle bags so far !!). It was a wonderfully relaxing experience ... it helped me gel some thoughts about Sunday's service and it helped get me ready for the Holy Week Journey that will begin in a few short hours as we wave our palms (figuratively in our case - my palms went up in flames) ... and shout our hosannas.

The formation of a Building Committee, the holding of debriefing sessions and the time to sort, pitch and put away the vast pile of stuff from the offices has been positive developments this past week. They may not be earth shattering, but they are steps in the right directions.

In the coming days, we will name the darkness and the hurt and the isolation that is around us, and we will move intentionally and with care towards the resurrection that is promised at Easter ... for the folks of Minnedosa, this year Easter will be about speaking of resurrection - the experience of Resurrection will be delayed, but it WILL come ...

Being able to relax and shred a few dozen reams of paper have helped me remember that, now I will help the people I share this journey with to remember that too.

dayenu,