In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul has pointed words about sin in church. Basically, we are not to permit it. Don’t dine with sinners. Cast them out. For those in The Presbyterian Church in Canada who adhere to traditional and Biblical sexuality, it’s a bit late for that. The opportunity passed decades ago. Church law caught … Read more
In recent weeks, many Canadian provinces have ended their mask mandates. For the first time in almost two years, we see each other’s faces in grocery stores and perhaps also in church. And yet for the most part there is no feeling of liberation or great cry of joy. To be sure, we like it. … Read more
Mis-speaking seems to be almost as endemic in Western society as the COVID virus. Retractions, corrections, additional information and apologies [both abject and ambivalent] are common occurrences in the public sphere. One form of mis-speaking that rarely gets emended is incorrect use of the English language. One misuse in particular has drawn my attention, reflection … Read more
Wow!! I cannot remember a General Assembly that has been prayed for in advance for such a prolonged time. Dedicated intercessions began early last Fall and have only intensified and multiplied in the past several weeks (I am penning this in late May). Even though military imagery upsets some, for many this prayer onslaught resonates … Read more
Sometimes it is mind-boggling to realize that just one year ago the word ‘pandemic’ evoked pleasant images of a happy evening playing a co-operative board game with family and friends. During this past 12 months many, many ordinary people have demonstrated admirable qualities of passion, perseverance and personal sacrifice as they have risen to the … Read more
Anniversaries are a great opportunity to press pause and take stock. We look back and note how a watershed moment has changed our world. Sept. 11 is the big one. There’s also Nov. 22, if you’re old enough to remember. And now we have March 11, the day in 2020 when the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 global pandemic. One year later … Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic has touched a lot of church people in a lot of ways. It continues to poke and prod and forces us to examine and re-examine who we are and how we do church. Even why. In all the busyness of doing church and worship differently since March, I’ve become a tech … Read more
The work of renewal is evident for all to see and digest on our website: renewal-fellowship, ca. Equally important is what goes on outside the public eyes. The board of directors meets 4-5 times a year and the executive puts its heads together about a half dozen occasions — all online these days — to prayerfully discuss and discern … Read more
I don’t like wearing a mask. I don’t like the fog produced on eyeglass lenses. Fiddling with elastic straps is a pain. I hate how the straps sometimes get into a battle with my precious (and pricey) hearing devices, causing them to come loose. I don’t need yet another impediment to the effective enunciation of … Read more
A huge percentage of our income is from the generous giving of our members and friends. Compared to the period from January 1 to July 31, 2019, our regular income up to the end of July 2020 is about $10,000 lower. The Federal Government responded to COVID-19’s economic impact with a number of initiatives. Our … Read more