Minister's Musings

How do you feel about uncertainty? Are you someone who wants things organized well in advance, all eventualities thought through and covered off? Or are you someone who likes to leave things open ended, available for spontaneous change, only lock down a plan when you absolutely have to? read more

Do you remember back during the season of Lent we made our way through Aaron Miller’s book “Weird in the World?” Like Jesus, Aaron is critical of the values of “the world as it is” and suggesting that the gospel calls us not to fit in but to stick out because we live by a whole different set of values that may well look weird in “the world.” read more

Happy PRIDE Weekend! I know. It is a different weekend in every city and community to the extent that the whole summer feels pride-ful, but this weekend on the north shore and in Vancouver, it is PRIDE! read more

One of the things I did the other day while I was on holiday in Nelson was to scoop up my nearly three year old grandchild and together we went on an adventure. When you are three, an adventure can start anywhere, can take you anywhere, and you can end up anywhere. It doesn’t really matter because the heart of the adventure is found in the going. So this adventure took us to the trolly along the waterfront that ended up at Lakeside park… read more

Does this hymn refrain sound familiar? “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” I thought it’d be great to sing it during Sunday worship as we explore the prickly word “Christian.” Then, coincidentally (or not), a community member emailed to share thoughts (unprompted) on this exact hymn and how so many people show love who are not Christian. Yes. Of course. That’s absolutely true. read more

This week’s prickly word is … OBEY. Perhaps this word sounds neutral and not prickly at all. In the current North American culture of individualism and the pursuit of personal freedom, this word may not come up very often. But when the laws, guidelines, values and practices we live by in our earthly world rub against the laws, guidelines, values and practices we live by in our Christian world, all of a sudden “obey” gets prickly. read more