Let’s begin correctly. The church of my youth gathered each New Year’s Eve to usher in the New Year with prayer. It was the acknowledgement that the enormity of the challenges ahead could only be faced with divine help. It was the idea of focusing individually and corporately on surrendering our agendas to the Lord. … Read more
I had the opportunity to hear Rodger Nishioka (Associate Professor, Christian Education, at Columbia Theological Seminary) speak this past fall. One story he told was about a research interview he did with a woman who lived in an apartment building across from a church. She told him that nothing that happened there had any effect on her life. She said that if that local church ceased to exist, it wouldn’t make any difference to her. Dr. Nishioka then challenged us to think about whether … Read More
Lessons from Squirrel Land. Picture a collection of old trees, filled with squirrels darting up and down the trunks and back and forth across the branches. They are frenetically active. Two squirrels are chasing one other with a walnut in its mouth. Theft? Covetousness? Fun and games? Squirrels just do what they are wired to … Read more
Support is growing for the landmark petitions by Korean-speaking congregations which accuse The Presbyterian Church in Canada of racism by "demonizing" ethnic congregations. This week, a coalition of Chinese congregations, known as the Chinese Consultation, issued a statement in support of the petitions. "We thank the members of the Han-Ca Presbyteries for calling attention to the … Read more
Dr. Dale Woods of Presbyterian College was the keynote speaker at the 2011 Annual General Meeting of The Renewal Fellowship, held at St. Andrew's, Etobicoke ON in March. Dr. Woods warned us that the Christian community may present itself in radically different forms than those familiar to us. He highlighted three trends that help us reflect on the future: Global, Emergent, and Missional. … Read More
At Nassagaweya Presbyterian Church in Campbellville, Ontario, we rejoice in the arrival of our new minister, Rev. Reuben St. Louis. And, with his arrival, we have consequently made both changes and an exciting addition to our youth ministries. One of our youth ministries has been KOTH – “Kids-on-the Hill” Club, established as a mid-week after-school programme for children aged JK-Grade 8. Recently this outreach was cancelled in large part due to the difficulty faced … Read More
The world is changing – fast. Every week, there’s a new advance in technology. Each year, our computers and cell phones become outdated. Trends come and go like the flavour of the month. On the one hand, change is good. Growth is impossible without it. Any farmer will tell you that. And Christ tells us to turn from our selfish ways. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to press a pause button and … Read more
I have attended Cote des Neiges Presbyterian Church (Montreal) for eight years, and I've had the pleasure of being a part of the regular Wednesday gatherings for prayer. The leaders, Roberto and Jessica, have a strong burden for the well-being of our church. Through their humble, friendly, and warm leadership, Roberto and Jessica have set everyone at ease … Read More
As the world enters a second year of physical distancing and restricted travel, PresbyCan Daily Devotionals promise to become more important than ever. For many devoted readers, the online ministry is a vital daily dose of scriptural wisdom. As some readers attest, this ministry has kept … Read more
Here’s the basic truth in two and a half minutes. … Read more