Virtually all branches of the Christian Church refer to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the standard of belief with regard to their doctrine and to their practices of faithful living and rituals. In spite of that common affirmation, the diversity of doctrine, practices, and rituals among those who self-identify as Christians … Read more
If you are reading this column, I guess the Mayans, or those who would interpret their artifacts, got it wrong. The world did not end on Dec. 21, 2012. That leaves me with the same challenges I faced last year. Some of you may identify with me. In our case, I believe that the Renewal Fellowship is at a major crossroads. Like many Presbyterian congregations, our members and other supporters are largely grey-haired … Read More
I’m not going to lie, but awhile ago I was struggling whether I need to keep my membership in the Presbyterian Church in Canada. It has been heart-aching to hear and see what’s been happening in my denomination for the last few years over the topic of sexuality. Also, thinking about my future possible ministry, … Read more
As I am writing this piece, General Assembly has just finished. I spent the time before, during and after the sederunts praying for the moderator, the commissioners, the clerks, the help desk people and the technology. Having been a commissioner last year, I knew what a challenge everyone would face and how important it was … Read more
Leafing through the fall 2023 edition of Presbyterian Connection, the denomination’s quarterly newsletter, I find plenty of stories about social justice and activism: racism, aboriginal rights, climate, poverty, hunger, sexuality and affordable housing. There’s content on church business: use of property, social media, travel tales, congregational renewal and stewardship. There’s the usual multi-page spread of … Read more
What will best serve the Kingdom – politics or principle? That is one of several questions I have as I consider the four pathways laid out by the Special Committee of Former Moderators, whose long-awaited report was released May 21 (posted here). The committee’s report is in response to General Assembly 2018’s direction to “propose … Read more
To the untrained, secular ear, “Presbyterian” sounds every bit as mysterious as Shiite, Sikh, Druze, or Methodist. At Chippawa Presbyterian Church, Niagara Falls, Ontario, when we were inviting people to worship, we began to realize that people with no faith background felt quite uncertain about what exactly it was they were being asked to consider and experience in a Christian church. We also recognized that people in our congregation struggled … Read More
I’ve had more than a month to process this year’s General Assembly (GA). While each annual gathering of commissioners representing every presbytery from coast to coast to coast is unique in that never do we get exactly the same people each time, it’s still a fairly accurate cross-section of our denomination. I think of it … Read more
By Janet Lou-Hing A personal story of coming to Christ As the summer comes to an end, I’m sure there are so many faith-building stories from Vacation Bible School (VBS) camps held in churches all across Canada and beyond. I have a story to share that reminded me of the impact VBS had on my … Read more
Sharing our faith to help others remember God’s grace. One of the benefits of technology is that you can easily search for words in the Bible. In preparing for a recent sermon, I searched for the word “remember”. It appears hundreds of times. In studying the various occurrences, I began to see a deep connection … Read more