The Strength of our Convictions

I would like to consider myself a person of conscience who is willing to stand up for my convictions and beliefs as a Christian. Well, I can also be something of a chicken, but I have taken unpopular stands at times and even taken part in a rally or three for various issues, although I've never been locked up for doing so. Of course because these are my convictions, my stances are noble and true. It's the other guy who may be a little sketchy, or dogmatic, or prejudiced.

There has been a lot of coverage of a clerk in Kentucky who refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. In the end she was jailed for what she claims is a Christian conviction. This is the way the Toronto Star reported the story:

ASHLAND, KY. —A defiant county clerk was sent to jail for contempt Thursday after insisting that her “conscience will not allow” her to follow a federal judge’s orders to issue marriage licenses to gay couples.“God’s moral law conflicts with my job duties,” Kim Davis told U.S. District Judge David Bunning. “You can’t be separated from something that’s in your heart and in your soul.” The judge said she left him with no alternative but to jail her, since fines alone would not change her mind. A deputy escorted her out of the courtroom, although not in handcuffs, to be turned over to the custody of federal marshals. “Her good faith belief is simply not a viable defence,” Bunning said, noting that allowing an individual’s beliefs to supersede the court’s authority would set a dangerous precedent. “I myself have genuinely held religious beliefs,” the judge said, but “I took an oath.”

“Mrs. Davis took an oath,” he added. “Oaths mean things.”

 

 

I figure the judge made the right call. He even gave Ms. Davis an "out," saying that she could be released if she let other staff issue the licenses. Nope. She wouldn't budge. Eventually licenses were granted to couples, but Davis wasn't involved.

 

I do not agree with her interpretation of scripture, and I appreciate why the judge found her in contempt of her oath of office. It has got me wondering how far I would go to uphold my own convictions. Bill C-51 may put lots of us to the test on this one.

 

What do you think?

Knowing Boo About Heaven

I was waylaid in writing today's blog entry by two inquiries from Bridge St. UC members about the possibilities for sponsorship of a refugee family. I was encouraged that they took the initiative to contact me. I spoke with a Belleville colleague earlier this week about the same concern.

My plan was and apparently still is to blog about an intriguing novel I read this summer called Boo, by Neil Smith. I doubt I would have sought Boo out if I hadn't heard Smith interviewed by the CBC's Sheila Roger's and been charmed by him.

The story is of a  precocious 13-year-old boy who is cruelly nicknamed Boo by bullying schoolmates because of his pale complexion. He is a ghost to them and ironically becomes one, or so he offers, when he gunned down in a school shooting.

Boo is an atheist, as are his parents,  but to his surprise he ends up in heaven. He ends up in a colony of the afterlife which is populated entirely of 13-year-olds who have died young from a variety of causes over the course of many decades. This heaven isn't all that palatable in any aspect. The food is bland and they are sequestered in structures that are very much like a middle school back on Earth. Age thirteen can be an awkward time of life. Imagine a gaggle of early adolescents living together.

Boo doesn't know who his murderer and that of a classmate was. Much of the story is devoted to solving that mystery and exploring the rumours that there are portals back to their first lives. It was both entertaining and insightful.

Ruth, my wife, also read it and enjoyed it. We agreed that it required suspension of any notions about heaven, but what do we really know anyway? As I am inclined to say, I have a resurrection hope in Christ, and trust that there is an afterlife, but no one sends postcards. I am a Christian pastor but I don't have a lick of control over eternity and it would be wrong to claim great knowledge about it, or attempt to manipulate it as either carrot or stick.

I am reasonably sure that the heaven of Boo is not an accurate portrayal but I'm glad it got us talking. What are your thoughts about heaven? Don't know boo about it? Are you living this life with a sense of eternal promise?

Suffering and Hope

Yesterday I received a phone call from a friend who has been asked to preside at a very challenging memorial service. Any funeral or memorial includes loss and grief, even when the person who has died lived a long and meaningful life. It is so much more difficult when those who gather know that the loss has been tragic, in this case a suicide.

The person who died was an atheist, while the parents are Christian and a sister is Buddhist. This is the reality of our culture. People come together for a service because it is important to do so, but there aren't necessarily shared convictions about what comes after this life, if anything.

In our conversation we spoke about the importance of affirming the support of friends in the midst of great loss, including those who are part of our faith community. We also acknowledged the importance of naming suffering, not as something we skirt around but as a reality we all must travel through in life.

This is an underlying theme in Buddhism but I have reminded Buddhist friends that the cross of Jesus names our Christian mystery that God has entered into human existence, sharing our suffering, and the agony of death. We are resurrection people, but "beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand."

I know this lovely family and they are not strangers to suffering and sadness, even before this death. They have also demonstrated remarkable resilience and never stopped being kind and caring to others. I have confidence that the friend who called me will be honest and hopeful in her role. I pray that the God of peace and new life will be the sustaining strength for the family.

Thoughts?

The Refugee Crisis Grows

I have blogged a couple of times about the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean, including the efforts of a Texas couple to save those in peril employing a ship they purchased through their personal wealth. http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/572193/Chris-Regina-Catrambone-rescue-3k-Mediterranean-migrants-rescue-boat  It might be considered a drop in a leaky bucket but it was a visceral human response to a terrible crisis.

This year the number of migrants has doubled according to UN reports. Or are they asylum seekers? Or refugees? All these terms are used interchangeably, although they don't mean the same thing. One writer has helpfully pointed out that migrants are running to something while refugees are running from something. Of course nations have their own definitions for these terms.


Along with the growing number of migrant/refugees the body count rises. We hear about drownings, and bodies found in the hulls of ships and in the back of abandoned trucks. Earlier this summer a young man fell to his death from the wheel well of a jetliner as it approached Heathrow airport. The death toll is staggering.

Increasingly there are clashes between police and asylum seekers along European borders. And we have heard Donald Trump claim that he will build a ridiculously big security fence between the US and Mexico to keep migrants out.



What can we do as Christian individuals and communities? This year the Bridge St. Foundation made a grant to a refugee sponsorship initiative underway at St. Thomas Anglican Church across the street. I'm gratified that we did so, yet I feel that our congregation and others must become more active in sponsorship. The Canadian government claims it will allow several thousand Syrian refugees entry to this country, yet only a few have actually been permitted in. Perhaps we should see this as an election issue as concerned Christian voters.

All I know is that this is an international tragedy and we must respond, somehow.

What are your thoughts?

CBC The Current continues to cover the refugee crisis  http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-september-02-2015-1.3212382/migrant-crisis-follow-the-path-of-refugees-seeking-eu-asylum-1.3212395

Creation Time & Pope Francis

Terry Head, the music minister at Bridge St. UC has asked for the themes of Creation Time this Fall so he can prepare for worship. Terry is so organized that he would have preferred this info six months ago, but I did let him know where I was headed. We will be looking at the papal encyclical released by the Vatican in June. Pope Francis' document called Laudato Si: On the Care of Our Common Home. Laudato Si means "praise be," words which Pope Francis, has taken from a hymn of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the environment. While a number of popes have addressed environmental issues, this is the first encyclical, a designation which carries extra weight. The implication is that cardinals and bishops and parish priests will take this directive seriously. There has certainly been plenty of media attention to the encyclical.

 

Beginning with Sunday, September 13th, the start of Creation Time, we will ponder aspects of the document. I read the 67 pages while in Newfoundland during July and I made a point of sitting outdoors, with a view of the sea as I did so. This was a big commitment because July was a chilly month on The Rock! Here is what I offered to Terry:

 The four themes I will develop out of Pope Francis’ encyclical will be something like this:

 Praise Be to You – I will do an introduction of the encyclical which uses the Canticle of the Sun supposedly penned by St. Francis as the foundation. All Creatures of our God & King was inspired by the Canticle.

 Our Common Home – Pope Francis uses this phrase a number of times, a reminder that we are all in this together regardless of our religious convictions or lack of them. He also reminds us that we are part of a greater web of creation and that humility rather than hubris is essential.

Human Justice, Earth Justice – Francis rightly points out that the disparity between rich and poor in the world must be addressed, and his commitment to justice for the poor is evident in the document.

 From Covenant to Conversion – There is a strong call to action and new habits at the conclusion of the encyclical and I will follow the pope’s lead. This will be world communion Sunday, so I will figure out a way to tie this in.

 Now to find the scripture passages to support my preconceived notions!

 

We will also explore these themes in our morning bible study at Bridge St, beginning Wednesday September 9th at 8:00 AM. Please join us.

 

Comments?

 

 

Your Cheatin' Heart & Soul

Recently the cheating-on-your-partner website Ashley Madison was hacked and the secret lives of millions of people revealed. There are reports of suicides as a result of the information being made public. Now the found and CEO has resigned, and I'm not shedding a tear for his demise.

The police in this country are investigating the breech of security, which is illegal, and have spoken of the harm this has done to so many. Not all that long ago adultery was considered a sin and there was a moral judgement in our legal system against those who were caught cheating on a spouse.  While the latter has changed, the commandment against adultery hasn't been expunged from the bible yet. It's still there, short and blunt.



I have no interest in thundering away about the moral decline of our culture, yet I was struck by how rapidly our mores have changed. If it is true that individuals have taken their own lives because of exposure then cheating and telling still matters for some. And I have to wonder how many marriages will end up on the rocks because of the cheatin' hearts of well, millions. Maybe the outrage will come from the pulpits of more conservative churches and mainline congregations should take it a little more seriously. As a pastor I have certainly seen the tremendous damage to families resulting from unfaithfulness in marriages.

Jesus actually upped the ante when he said that lust was a form of adultery. He was uncomfortably radical at times. He seemed to want us to be faithful in every aspect of our lives. Thank God for grace!

What has been going through your mind as the Ashley Madison hack has unfolded. Do faith communities still have a responsibility to address morality and immorality?

Katrina Recovery?

Today marks the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and there will be plenty of public spin about the recovery of the city of New Orleans and the triumph of the human spirit. No doubt little will be said about how human hubris created this catastrophe in the first place. The growing intensity of storms due to climate change and the destruction of natural barriers created a recipe for disaster.  Nor will there be much attention given to the neighbourhoods of the city which have not recovered from the devastation, not to mention the tens of thousands who left New Orleans. The population of the Big Easy has decreased by roughly 100,000, or twenty percent. Billions have been spent on restoration yet there is little evidence of this in the poorest neighbourhoods such as the Lower 9th Ward.  



Pope Francis' recent environmental encyclical addresses the effect of climate change on the poor, who are and will be the most vulnerable as weather becomes less predictable and sea levels rise. Many of the migrants who are dying as they seek new homes are environmental refugees.

I wonder if religious groups will offer a memorial service today, remembering those who died, those who were displaced, and the groaning of God's creation? I hope so. This is a profoundly spiritual issue and one we should all keep in the forefront of our thoughts and prayers.

Thoughts?

Deducing Loss

This week we saw the film Mr. Holmes starring the remarkable Ian McKellen as the infamous detective with almost preternatural deductive powers. Except that in this story Holmes is aged, and his memory is failing. He makes a wry joke about senility at one point, but his dementia isn't funny. The film is quite good, in no small part because of the fine cast. Milo Parker plays the son of Holmes' housekeeper and is the elderly man's protégé, and caregiver in certain respects. McKellen's face is so able to express the range of emotions related to his loss of memory.

After decades of an upward trajectory for dementia and Alzheimer's there are new studies suggesting that dementia is now on the decline.  http://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/dementia-rates-lower-than-feared-in-europe-research-shows-1.2323425 While this is encouraging, we are all aware of someone in our circle of care who suffers from dementia, and in so many congregations there are once vibrant and active members who are now in the shadows of memory loss from different causes. From my experience the most heart-wrenching situations are those where the sufferer is aware of decline, and is living through the grief of their cognitive decline. While science is making strides for treatment, there are still so many situations where pastoral care, spiritual care, is essential for those living with the disease and those supporting them.

The film is well done and worthwhile and invites us to ponder the realities of dementia for so many, including those with remarkable minds.

Not Up For Debate

I see that the scheduled debate on women's issues by the leaders of the federal parties has been cancelled. It seems that the September 21st event, which was meant to be broadcast live, has suffered from the domino effect. Prime Minister Harper decided not to participate. Mr. Mulcair withdrew because he won't take part in a debate without Harper. The other leaders concluded that there wasn't any point without these two. As a result the coalition of women's groups called Up for Debate will have to find other avenues to get a sense of where the parties stand on aspects of this important discussion. http://upfordebate.ca/our-vision

Are any of you disappointed that this has transpired? We know that Canada is a wonderful country for women in many respects. We regularly score in the top ten nations of the world in terms of women's rights, education, healthcare. In some surveys we are at the top of the list for G20 countries.

 

Still, women in Canada make about two thirds of what men make in the workplace. We don't do as well as other advanced nations as far as women leading corporations or being elected to public office. Domestic violence and sexism remain as ugly realities. And an issue which might have been prominent in the debate is the lack of response to the disappearance of more than a thousand aboriginal women over the past thirty years. There is no national strategy for addressing this grim statistic.

 

Religious institutions have too often supported misogyny and the subjugation of women. Women have been excluded from leadership because of gender, not merit. Our United Church has worked to address and counteract this, finding ways to open our eyes to the gifts and strengths of women. You may have noticed that our newly elected moderator, Jordan Cantwell, is a woman. We certainly can't claim to have arrived, just the same.

 

I hope the UCC will express regret about the cancellation of this debate and challenge leaders to make their positions clear on women's issues. The importance of this discussion is not up for debate.

Inside Out

This is my first day back at Bridge St. UC after eight weeks of absence, a combination of vacation time and continuing education. I had no intention of disconnecting from this blog or social media beforehand, but it was what happened.

 This was a rare opportunity for which I am very grateful. When I moved to Belleville two years ago I relinquished my planned sabbatical at St. Paul's, so gathering these weeks provided a much needed oasis, a restorative time to renew my body and spirit.

These eight weeks may have been the most physically active period of my adult life. I cycled, rambled, kayaked, camped, swam, gardened,  and canoed. I was fortunate that the weather allowed me to be outside virtually every day, and that while wife Ruth was working through many of these weeks we did a lot together. I also went to the gym faithfully but in some respects that was the necessary evil of the summer. I wanted to be outside and was so aware of how this feeds my soul and connects me with God.

I spent two weeks in outport Newfoundland and the weather was raw -- this has been the coldest summer in twenty years. For a week I was alone in an old saltbox home on Change Islands, thanks to the generosity of long-time friends. The painting by Therese Frere is actually the view I had every morning.  Fortunately we lived in Newfoundland decades ago and I went prepared with appropriate clothing, including winter gloves. I needed them! The morning I flew home from Gander it was six degrees Celsius and I could see my breath while waiting in the boarding lounge. I still explored each day I was there, regardless of weather. Just over the hill in the painting is the beginning of a rugged waterside trail. I walked it three times in the week I was there, never seeing another human being. I decided that the robins and chickadees I encountered on those raw days were truly courageous creatures.

I have reflected during this time on what it means to be an "insider" and all that this term means. I have been deeply aware during this time that Jesus was an intentional "outsider" in so many respects. He was outside the religious and political power structures of his day, and he also chose to live much of his ministry outside of established places of worship. He walked and climbed, he preached and taught and prayed out-of-doors.

I have been an outsider during these weeks and revelled in it. I will say more in the days ahead. For now I will offer my hello and hope that you will all reconnect with me.

A Spoonful of Grace

A member of Bridge St directed me toward a Facts and Argument piece in the Globe and Mail recently. She thought it was a lovely first-person story and there was also the hook that it came out of Belleville.

Elizabeth McLellan went back to school in her late thirties, training at Loyalist College to become a developmental services worker. During her training she worked with a elderly woman named Gloria, or Glo, who was non-verbal. One day while carefully feeding Glo she had what I might describe as a holy moment of service to another:

Glo held my gaze steadily, and for a moment I thought I saw something flash in her eyes. It was knowledge. It was connection. It was intimacy that I’d never known existed, before her. It was grace, and it humbled me more than anything else ever has, including the births of my children and the death of my brother. Grace from Gloria.

 

I knew then that to serve my fellow human beings and to tell their stories is both a privilege and my calling. For that moment of connection and truth and grace, I will always be grateful to Glo. Without a single word, she said everything that matters most.

 

I have experienced a deep sense of God's presence in settings where folk have "lost their senses" in terms of communication and cognition. Often it is in the acts of practical kindness from support workers or family members that there is a sense of the holy. Grace is one of those religious words which is often tossed around thoughtlessly but McLelland uses it well.

 

Here is the link if you would like to read Elizabeth's piece.

 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/facts-and-arguments/finding-myself-and-my-calling-with-a-spoonful-of-grace/article24944281/

The Right of Marriage

Today the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage. Many states have already changed or developed legislation allowing gay marriage, but this is a significant decision by the highest court in the land, affecting all 50 states.

This is certainly of interest to Canadians, although same-sex marriage was legalized in this country more than a decade ago. Some denominations, including the United Church, have permitted same-gender marriage, with the decision to marry resting with congregation and pastor. Our moderator, Gary Patterson, is in a same-gender marriage.

The vote was close --five to four -- and was carried by the more liberal justices. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the majority opinion, saying that gay and lesbian couples had a fundamental right to marry: “no union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were.”

 

I certainly uphold the deep meaning and covenantal aspect of marriage, and particularly Christian marriage. I don't feel that same-gender marriage threatens my heterosexual marriage in any way. I can't see how legalizing same-gender marriage has resulted in any negative impact in this country. Instead it has reinforced the importance of this powerful union between two people, regardless of gender, through vows of commitment.

 

Comments?

Sweet Nothings to the Trees

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!  Psalm 150:6

Do you remember the flurry of earnest interest in talking to plants to make them grow thirty years ago? It was crazy. "Experts" went on television, books were written, eventually we were told that there is no conclusive evidence. That was a shocker.

Still, who's to say that plants and trees do not have some form of intelligence? I grew up being told that other animals did not have emotions or even pain sensors the way humans do. Even though we knew from our pets that they have personalities and preferences and could express emotion, it took us a long time to concede what was obvious. We develop philosophical and spiritual constructs that suit our purposes.

But what if all God's creatures have some form of sentience, a response to the world around them? What if every living thing does praise the Creator in some form?

There is an article in the LA Times Review of Books which invites us to reconsider our bias toward humans and other animals over vegetative life. It is a bit heavy, but intriguing http://philosoplant.lareviewofbooks.org/?p=119

It got me thinking about all this, and how I might at least be more aware of the interconnectedness of all that God has made. If we all did, would be "live with respect in Creation" in ways that actually made a difference.

Gotta run and whisper sweet nothings to a tree! And maybe I will abandon doing violence to my lawn with that terrible mower...nah.

Thoughts?

Quiet Faithfulness

We like our celebrities and iconic figures, and in 1997 two died virtually at the same time, although in very different circumstances. Diana Spencer was killed in a car crash and the world mourned, almost to a frenzy of adulation.  Mother Teresa of Kolkata died of old age and while there was an outpouring of grief, particularly in India, it may have been lessened due to the focus on Princess Di.

Yesterday Nirmala Joshi, who succeeded Mother Teresa as the head of her Missionaries of Charity and expanded the movement overseas, died aged 80. After taking over the charity following Mother Teresa's death in 1997, Nirmala expanded the organization's reach to 134 countries by opening centres in nations such as Afghanistan, Israel and Thailand. She stepped down in 2009 due to poor health.

"She had big shoes to fill, expectations were huge, but with simplicity, unstinting love and faith she proved herself," said Sunil Lucas, a communications director for the Archdiocese of Calcutta.

It is important to recognize those whose compassion and devotion makes a significant difference, even though they may never reach "stardom" for their efforts. Churches are blessed by so many people who live their faith without much recognition, but make a difference where they are.

Comments?

 

           

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Notable People We've

An Eye for an Eye?

38 ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” 39But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.                  Matthew 5:38-42 Concerning Retaliation   "That old law about 'an eye for an eye' leaves everybody blind. The time is always right to do the right thing.”

Martin Luther King, Jr   A United Nations report released yesterday concludes that both Hamas and the IDF, the Israel Defense Force were guilty of war crimes during the 50-day conflict last summer in Gaza. Hamas indiscriminately fired rockets into Israel. Israeli forces used air strikes that killed more than a thousand civilians and destroyed infrastructure and many thousands of homes. Here is a single sentence from the report   “The fact that Israel did not revise its practice of airstrikes, even after their dire effects on civilians became apparent, raises questions of whether this was part of a broader policy which was at least tacitly approved at the highest level of government.”   This is such a reminder that extreme violence is a form of terror, whoever employs it, and that retaliation is futile. In the end the innocent suffer. Morality is also a casualty in these situations.   Jesus had it right.  Here is a worthwhile opinion piece from the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/23/opinion/war-crimes-and-the-gaza-war.html   Thoughts?

The Triumph of Forgiveness

This morning I'll be talking about David the shepherd boy who became king. Even though he begins as what scholar Robert Alter calls a "male Cinderella" who loves God, it seems as though the more power he receives, the more arrogant he becomes, and the farther he drifts from God and his true self.

On Ash Wednesday we read Psalm 51 in which David pleads for God's forgiveness, acknowledging his sinfulness and seeking a "clean heart."

Seeking forgiveness and being reconciled are both elusive and powerful. The past couple of days forgiveness has dominated the media as the families of the senseless shooting in Charlotte, North Carolina, stood in the courtroom where the murderer of their loved ones was arraigned. Rather than heaping anger on this hateful young man they rose to offer him forgiveness and ask for God's mercy.

Of course he will be tried for his alleged crimes and we're told that he has already confessed to the shootings. In so many respects though, love has already triumphed as these Christian men and women respond with forgiveness.

Thank God for their powerful witness.

Emanuel AME & Mental Illness

Many years ago a gunman walked into the church in Texas where my aunt and uncle worshipped. He shot and killed a couple of people and wounded others. My aunt was there that evening but fortunately or providentially she was in another part of the building.

This incident came to mind when I heard about the hate-crime slaying of nine people in a church in South Carolina. There are two issues at play in this recent horrific event. One is the colossal mess around gun out-of-control in the United States. There is no point in using the term "control" because there is none. The murderer in Charleston was given his weapon for his twenty-first birthday and not long after went on his rampage. Everyone in the States has the right to mow down their neighbours. Frankly, I found President Obama's statements sickening. The same thing is said repeatedly and nothing changes. This is a sin.



The other issue is race. Emanuel AMC Church has a storied history of civil rights activism and working toward better race relations. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke there. This was no random act by a madman. This was a strategic attack by a racist. As someone has said, if he had been a person of colour he would already be labelled as a terrorist or a thug. Because he is white he has been termed mentally ill. Racial hatred is a form of mental illness, but it is inexcusable.

Why won't the legislators of America address their collective mental illness of allowing this repeated slaughter? Why won't the spiritual leaders of this supposedly Christian nation rise up with a collective voice of outrage and protest? Shame.

Here is a prayer passed on by reader Judy which may provide some solace in the disheartening aftermath of this terrible incident.

A Prayer for Historic Emanuel AME Church of Charleston, SC
Nancy Taylor

Dear Mother Emanuel:

You, who authored courageous slave rebellions, who suffered and survived wretched bigotry, burnings and earthquake,

You, you who worshipped underground when black churches were outlawed …

Dear Mother Emanuel, in this day of grievous heartache we wrap you in bands of prayer.
We pour out upon your broken hearts the healing balm of Gilead.

You, whose shepherd has been taken from you,
   whose building has become a tomb,
   whose children are terrified:
We stand with you.
   We weep with you.
We rage for you.
   We keep vigil with you for your beloved dead.

May the God of Moses and Miriam, of Jesus and the Mary’s,
anoint you with healing, furnish you with hope and,
one day, some day, mend your torn hearts and wipe the tears from your swollen eyes.
God help us.
Amen.

The Grace to Live and to Die

Recently I read about the death of the adorable two-year-old from Thailand seen in the photo above. Her death from a brain tumour is certainly a tragedy but what made the story particularly newsworthy around the world is that she is the youngest person to be cryogenically frozen. Her parents have arranged for her body to be stored in a facility in the United States, and needless to say, this is an expensive proposition with minimal hope. When we are desperate not to lose those we love and are convinced they deserve more we will go to almost any length to save them.

We can imagine the desperation of parents who know that only a few years of life is a cheat, and the same came be said as we watch loved ones suffer from cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Surely there will be a cure? Can't they find another critical trial? Who is to blame for not catching the presence of disease quickly enough?

This can even extend into old age. When son Isaac was a chaplain at a trauma hospital in Montreal he witnessed families demanding extraordinary measures for elderly loved ones whose life was spent. Sometimes it was a single member of the family who could not come to grips with the mortality of mom or dad.

The precarious health of two cherished loved ones has us talking a lot about suffering and aging and the transition from this life to the next. Central to Christian faith is learning to live fully, abundantly, as disciples of Jesus. And essential to our faith is learning to die, to accept death as an inevitability for all of us. Christ can give us grace for both the living and the dying and the hope of life to come.

Perhaps this little girl will be brought to life again. Still, her parents will deal with loss, regardless of whether that happens in the future.

What are your thoughts about all this?

Soul Food

Then the angel  showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal,

flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city.

On either side of the river is the tree of life  with its twelve kinds of fruit,

producing its fruit each month;

and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22: 1-2

Through the years we have lived in communities where there are a number of Italian and Portuguese  Canadians. How could we tell? They had the remarkable backyard gardens which seemed to outshine the efforts of everyone else. When we were in Toronto as students the yards were often tiny yet they were brimming with produce. There were beans as tall as Jack's beanstalk and tomatoes that seemed exotic compared to the standard beefsteak varieties.

Urban agriculture is making a comeback it seems, in everything from household plots to community gardens to larger tracts of reclaimed land amidst inner city decay.

I am intrigued by an organization called Sole Food Street Farms in Vancouver:

Sole Food’s mission is to empower individuals with limited resources by providing jobs, agricultural training and inclusion in a supportive community of farmers and food lovers. Individuals are given basic agriculture training and are employed at the farm based on their capability.
Some participants excel in this environment, but the project is set up to allow for the “ups and downs” of people with multiple barriers. For some individuals, a weekly shift at Sole Food is one of the only meaningful engagements they hold. Unlike mainstream employers, Sole Food uses employment as an outreach tactic, working to build and nurture relationships with even the most challenging individuals. http://solefoodfarms.com/



I love that so many of the Sole Food photos include people, and I would love to see our congregation get involved in an enterprise such as this. It would be a wonderful extension of our food ministries, empowering those who would like to get involved. Distributing meals is important and necessary, but actually growing food could be another aspect of reaching out.

The large vacant lot next to Bridge St. United Church could be transformed into an urban garden. I realize that I should pray more about this possibility. It could be Soul Food rather than Sole Food in the city.

Thoughts?

The Christian Move to Include

Yesterday I rode with a group of cyclists to the Quinte Conservation offices along Highway 2 to meet Nick Foley as he arrived in Belleville. Nick began his Move for Inclusion ride from Victoria BC to St. John's Newfoundland in April and 5000 kilometres later he rolled into town where he will spend three busy days before continuing his journey. http://moveforinclusion.com/I

t sounds as though he has experienced some tough challenges, but he mentioned his biggest concern was that his sweet three-year-old daughter might not recognize him when he arrived home. She did!



Amongst the group of forty or more who greeted Nick were a number of people who are developmentally challenged. This is the "inclusion" aspect of Nick's ride and the reason I was there. We have a family at Bridge St. with three lovely young people with Down Syndrome. They are warm and affectionate and exuberant and we are so glad they are part of our Christian family. On Sunday Kai, the oldest, read scripture at our Open Air Service. We all needed to be patient as he found his way through the verses but, hey, we weren't in a hurry on a beautiful morning. I am proud of the Bridge St. congregation for its inclusion of a developmentally challenged adult named Tom, a sprightly guy who likes to assist me so much I wonder who the lead minister is at times!

Our society is changing. At the YMCA where I work out there are a couple of staffers with Downs. I notice that the show So You Think You Can Dance auditioned a free-spirited soul named Cody Carlson and did so with great respect. His proud mother says that Cody  “doesn’t let a little Down Syndrome slow him down.” Judge Jason, Cody's inspiration, sent him to Vegas on his own dime.

Yet there are still ugly examples of contempt and exclusion. I heard recently of someone who works conscientiously and diligently for a local business who was called a "bleeping retard" (not bleeping) by the boss. When a family member heard about this the boss got a major earful. He apologized, but it should never have happened.

Ruth, my wife, and Isaac, our son, have both worked in group homes, and I became the informal chaplain in one. What a delight the gang proved to be, and both Ruth and Isaac loved the folk with whom they worked.

The community of Christ should always lead the way when it comes to inclusion. Always.
Thanks to Nick for reminding all of us how important this message of inclusion is.

Thoughts?