Minister's Musings

It’s Stump the Preacher Sunday, and I am on the edge of stumped. It’s near impossible to encapsulate all Reen and I explored into one catch phrase; so for now I offer only a bite-sized portion … who is Jesus to you? read more

Trios seem to be popping up in my mind: Work, Rest Play / Time, Quality, Price / Father, Son, Holy Spirit / Mind, Body, Soul / Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer / Curly, Larry, Moe / Deep, Bold, Daring. read more

So let me just say it right off the top. The notion that politics and religion do not mix is like saying that politics and family do not mix. Neither Jesus’ family, nor the religious leaders of his time liked the way he talked about loving the outcast and they let him know it. Jesus promised that where two or three of us are gathered, he would be among us. He failed to tell us that where two or three of us are gathered, there would be two or three different sets of political opinions, and things would get uncomfortable. read more

I think the United Church of Canada was listening in on our conversation this winter when we celebrated our 75th Anniversary. Remember that? Remember Carmen Lansdowne coming for the weekend and talking to us about Humble Boldness? read more

The word “spirituality” is such a dynamic word. I have a feeling that everyone – really: each one of us – has a slightly different way of describing what spirituality means for us. For some of us it might be a feeling, others of us it might be the practice of slowing down (and what does that mean for eight different people?), for others of us it could be a list of steps that we move through to achieve a spiritual sense; for others it might be a sense of God’s presence; it could be individual, collected or a combination; and still others it could be a feeling of being connected to everything around them. read more