"Merry Christmas!" "Season's Greetings!" "Happy Holidays!" "Joyeux Noel!" "Frohe Weinachten!" "Feliz Navidad!" Take your pick! All kinds of traditions bring a different nostalgic greeting to mind. I grew up with 'Merry Christmas' and occasionally the German version in different settings. I once worked with a church that prided itself on its German roots, and that … Continue reading Have a Merry Christmas!
Trust me…
What exactly do you mean by that? I use the term 'trust' often. It shows up in the Bible more than a few times, so it makes its way into teaching and preaching; when it comes to team building or workshops on getting along, people will point to trust as a key item to work … Continue reading Trust me…
Welcome here! Will you be hosting or guesting with us?
I know I have talked about welcome a lot, and in person I talk about it even more. In fact, I list it as one of the top values in any work we do with people. It marks our spaces and is one of the biggest critiques of any space we enter whether for work, … Continue reading Welcome here! Will you be hosting or guesting with us?
So a pastor walks into a comedy club…
That is a lead up to a great joke, I'm sure of it. But over the past year it has been my life! "Laughter is the body vomiting joy." Daniel Simonsen, Norwegian comedian I finally decided to write this post after months of thinking about it! I felt the push after going to 3 very … Continue reading So a pastor walks into a comedy club…
Another Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Another National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has come upon us and I for one am encouraged to see the number of people who have embraced it here in Winnipeg, and of course on social media. (My favourite design from: http://www.gifts.shopfirstnations.com) I stumbled on, and into, a few conversations not long ago about the value … Continue reading Another Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Won’t you be my neighbour
"It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood..." and the song goes on. Most people in North America know the theme song for 'Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood' in their memory files somewhere, even if you grew up north of the border like me. I actually did not have any working knowledge of Mr. Rogers until much later … Continue reading Won’t you be my neighbour
Is the church a prophetic voice?
If you are not familiar with this idea, one of the discussions that comes up often in church circles is the role of the church (institutional term) in the times around us. (AP News) Part of the reason I do not speak to that conversation often is because I do believe the local church, in … Continue reading Is the church a prophetic voice?
What we meant to say
Forrest Gump is one of my favourite movies. I saw it when it first came out back in 1994, an important year in my life, and the story just seems to continue to resonate with me today. Over the Christmas break I rewatched it...again...and was struck by a few new things I had not noticed … Continue reading What we meant to say
‘Tis the season for gift-giving
Does Christmas gift-giving stress you out? I know it does for many people, while others seem to gain a whole new energy supply when they gift shop...or make...or give. Is it the occasion? The situation? The person or group? Maybe that all changes your view of gift giving. Does it change how you receive gifts? … Continue reading ‘Tis the season for gift-giving
50 and counting
I assumed I would have something very wise to share on my 50th birthday. Instead, this happened... As I reflected on 50 years, I realized I had daydreamed about my own funeral. Yes, I know, that is more than a little cryptic, but I have a vivid imagination so it made sense to me. By … Continue reading 50 and counting
Context is King
Wait, I thought it was culture? Depends on who you talk to... This past week in pop culture might have hit a few Gen X folks hard. A few notable characters of our youth and young adult eras passed away, so there has been a fair share of nostalgia and generational comparisons showing up on … Continue reading Context is King
Is the church a great good place in the community?
So, is the church a third place in North American society? "The church is the community that believes it is not the star of its own story." (Bertrand & Root, When Church Stops Working) This could be a deeper theological conversation and an often is and it should be. Unfortunately, outside of blogs like this, … Continue reading Is the church a great good place in the community?
