Waiting. Watching. Praying. That is what Holy Week is about. I just can’t bring myself to do anything that is celebratory or fun on these days, especially on Good Friday. Even if the sun is shining, Good Friday always seems a somber day to me.   It may be called “Good” – which is actually derived from “God’s” Friday, in the same way that “God be with you” became “good-bye.” But though it is called “good,” God’s Friday always feels just like that – a day that I need to give to God, in worship, in prayer, in waiting.   But then...

Why bother being a Christian in today’s world?   Who needs faith, when we are so self-sufficient & so intellectually astute? Who needs a Saviour that tells us to sell everything and share with others? Who needs a Teacher & Lord that tells us to not only love our neighbours but also to welcome the stranger, and to offer love and compassion to those considered enemies? Who needs the demands of faith that tell me I should take time to pray in the midst of my busy schedule, that instructs that I rest and worship on Sundays, that asks me to...

Why do we bother to pray? I’ve heard people say that they have stopped praying because there is no evidence that their prayers have been answered. Then I hear other people speak about having prayer answered. However, I think evaluating prayer on whether or not it is answered is the wrong understanding of prayer.   First of all, here is what I think prayer is NOT: Prayer is not like giving a wish list to Santa or a to-do list to a spouse. It is not saying, Okay, here God, these are the things I need done; now get busy. God...

Why choose to be part of a United Church of Canada congregation?   The United Church of Canada often gets a bad rap.  We are accused of not really being Christian, or of being so wishy-washy (you can believe anything and belong to the United Church!), or of being the agent of the devil in leading people astray.  That’s by other Christians.  For those who are not religious or who have rejected belief in God, we often get lumped in with every other Christian denomination and blamed for being judgemental or hypocrites or too demanding.  There will always be someone who...

Why would I bother going to church? I asked the youth this question one Sunday, and their response was the best reason of all:       It feels safe here. I am not judged. I am loved. I’m not bullied or teased. I can be me.   My heart sang as I heard this response.  It is exactly what I want the experience of church to be for anyone who comes through the doors.  It is what I believe it means to live the Way of Jesus: to create caring, respectful, loving space, in which all are welcomed to be just...

We all make a choice about the values, the ideals, and the ethics by which we will live our lives.  If we don’t make a choice, we are in trouble.   In the same way, as parents and grandparents, we make a choice about the values, ideals, and ethics by which we will raise our children.  Yes, they may make a different choice when they are older, but they need to start somewhere. They need a foundation.  If we leave them to their own devices, then they will be in trouble.   We all need to know who we are and...

Through most of human history, a belief in God was assumed.  People could not imagine going through their days without God to guide them, reassure them, and comfort them.   Then, we began to see the world through the eyes of science.  We developed scientific explanations for so many of the things that were previously unknown and alarming.  We now know how a volcano works and why an earthquake happens.  We have the information to know that blizzards or hurricanes do not come as punishment from “the gods.”  We understand more and more of the intricacies of the body and illness,...

Will our kids have faith? It is a question that I have been asked by both elders and parents. Will our kids have faith?   My answer: They already do!  Kids are natural at faith.  They catch the wonder, the mystery, the possibility, and the presence of God. They have theological insights that are deeply profound and challenging. They notice God in the world around them. They watch for and learn from the faith they see in the adults with which they have contact.  Children vibrate with the delight and compassion and mystery of God, and easily welcome it in their...

As we come to the end of Advent, the time in which we prepare to welcome once again the birth of Jesus into our lives and into our world,   we ponder the word “love.”   I invite to pause for a few moments each day, and ask yourself, What is love? Where do you experience love in your life? How do you seek to share radical love in the world around you? Here are some of my thoughts.   Love is a word, that in English, can mean many things. We say, “I love this cookie.” Or “I would love...

As we near the end of Advent, the time in which we prepare to welcome once again the birth of Jesus into our lives and into our world, we ponder the word “peace.”   I invite to pause for a few moments each day, and ask yourself, What is joy? Where do you experience joy in your life? Where do you notice joy, true joy, in the world around you? Here are some of my thoughts.   Joy is not the same as happiness. Joy is something much deeper and much more important. Joy is a deep down feeling that comes...