Inviting Women

                                                                              Junia Icon

Greet Andronicus and Junia,my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.

Romans 16:7-9 NRSV

Recently I mentioned visiting the McMichael Gallery for a wonderful new exhibit called Uninvited: Canadian Women Artists in the Modern Moment. It features the work of 33 artists who were usually not invited to show their work with male counterparts. Few of them received the recognition they deserved during their lifetimes, even someone such as Emily Carr who had the support of Lawren Harris.  There are also pieces in the exhibit created by Indigenous women artisans whose work will never be attributed, sad to say. 

This was meant to be a complementary exhibit following the 100th anniversary retrospective for the Group of Seven painters, a decidedly male bastion. The pandemic meant that Univited didn't open until this year, but it was worth the wait.

As we meandered through the rooms of captivating works my mind went to the "uninvited" women of the bible. There are actuallly many women in the stories of scripture, although they are often unnamed. They just don't get the airplay that men often do even there are heroic figures such as Miriam, sister of Moses, in the Hebrew scriptures, or another Miriam (we know her as Mary Magdalene) who was the first witness to the Risen Christ and arguably the first Chriistian evangelist. 

At least one woman in the New Testament was masculinized by translators because they weren't comfortable with the implications of her role in leadership. Paul seems to offering a shout out to Junia as an APOSTLE! The gender police added an "s" to her name to transform her into an acceptable guy, although more recent translations have corrected this.  As Junia was allowed to be a woman again some scholars questioned whether she really was regarded as an apostle. It never ends. 

Far too often in history women have been univited, not included at the table, either literally and figuratively. While we are learning, slowly, to recognize the historical and present-day gifts of women, we need every nudge and jolt possible to set us in the right direction.

 It has been argued, persuasively, that because Jesus' Last Supper was a Passover meal his women followers would have been present but we don't see that in many paintings, do we Leonardo?  

I'll be presiding in worship at Trenton United Church in a few weeks, so I think I'll explore this topic. And yes, there may be aspects of this blog entry which find their way into my message. 

Here is the cover of a new book by Ashley Wilcox which explores the passages about women in scripture which intrigues me. I do wish I still had a book allowance!

Stll Willing to Welcome the Stranger?

 

Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 

for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me...

                                                    Matthew 25:34-35

This morning I happened to hear the CBC Radio report by Margaret Evans for The Current on migrants, asylum seekers in Greece. Over time Greece has tightened access to the country with barriers and sea patrols in an attempt to control the deluge of desparate migrants from past years. Those who do arrive go to detention camps and many are deported almost as they arrive. The European Union is providing support for these camps but nearly all nations are unwilling to take refugees who arrive this way and they are concerned that the situation on Afghanistan will create a new wave.

I listened today because I was intrigued after finishing What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad yesterday. The novel has been nominated for the Giller Prize and El Akkad is an excellent writer but I almost put it aside after the first few pages. I felt the weight of the subject matter, which is migration, focussed on the plight of a nine-year-old Syrina boy named Amir who survives a perilous crossing to what is certainly Greece, although I can't recall the country being named. He is washed ashore but survives and a teen girl harbours and helps him even though his presence and her assistance are illegal.

Of course his unconscious form on the beach evokes memories of  the photos of the lifeles body of Alan Kurdi, a heart-wrenching sight which motivated Canadians to welcome thousands of Syrian refugees. Many communities of faith responded, including the local coalition which brought 23 members of one extended family to our town. The practical compassion of so many for these sponsorships will continue to bes one of the most profound memories of my decades in ministry.

What Strange Paradise is a beautifully written book and, in the end, quite suspenseful. I'm glad I didn't abandon it and I'm grateful for the reminder of the human stories behind the grim statistics. I hope the government of Canada and Canadians have not lost their desire to a hospitable nation. While we may not engage in community sponsorships to the same extent there will still be opportunities to welcome the stranger, as Jesus directs us do. 

                                                                                Alan Kurdi

 

Mental Health Day & the Sermon on the Mount

 

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, 

what you will eat or what you will drink,

 or about your body, what you will wear. 

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?...

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. 

Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 6: 25, 34 NRSV

 Yesterday the Thanksgiving Sunday lectionary gospel reading was from the Sermon on the Mount . Jesus encourages his listeners, most of whom would be peasants, to live beyond worry, a word which is used five times, just in case we don't get it the first time. Rev. Isaac offered a thoughtful message, appropriate for our Canadian Thanksgiving and the whole service wa uplifting. 

Yesterday was also World Mental Health Day, with its purpose of raising awareness of what seems to be the rising tide of anxiety and mental illness.  Some might suggest that Jesus' "don't worry, be happy" outlook is not helpful for those in the grip of worry and anxiety. There is plenty of evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of millions of individuals who feel isolated and fearful. This Thanksgiving many families have been dealing with the stress of those who aren't at the dinner table because of issues around vaccines.

During the pandemic many faith communities have struggled to discern the most helpful ways of supporting members whose isolation appears to have heightened anxiety or hastened dementia. Clergy have been left exhausted by the toll of doing ministry in such demanding times.Despite these challenges, congregations everywhere are reaching out, providing practical support, upholding others in prayer. 

As I listened to the passage yesterday I found it reassuring rather than insensitive. I don't think Jesus is dismissing the reality of worry. He is naming how corrosive it can be and how looking to an unpredictable tomorrow can rob us of the joy of this moment, which is what we have been given. We really don't know what tomorrow will bring. 

There are times when I awaken in the wee hours of the morning when all the concerns of my life and the world are amplfied. I am adept at worrying about a veritable cornucopia of things which never come to pass.  I have several little faith mantras which I repeat for consolation, including the first verse of the old children's hymn, "Jesus Loves Me." 

There are also the verses from the apostle Paul's letter to the Christians in Philippi, written when he was under house arrest. As with Jesus' words, I find a comfort and peace and even joy for the moment. The peace of Christ be with you this Thanksgiving. 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 

Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.  

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 

 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, 

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Phiilippians 4:4-7

On the Road to Give Thanks

  We plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land,

but it is fed and watered  by your almighty hand;

you send the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain,

the breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us  are sent from heaven above;

we thank you, God, O holy God, for all your love.

2 You only are the maker of all things near and far;

you paint the wayside flower, you light the evening star;

the winds and waves obey you, by you the birds are fed;

much more to us, your children, you give us daily bread.  R

                                   (This was our "old school" closing hymn in worship)

In a few minutes we'll head away to attend worship at Trenton United Church, half an hour down the road. I've already been to the gym  but this is important becuase I'm convinced that gratitude and God go together. I am grateful that I live in this country, as imperfect as it is, and I am grateful that we have weathered 19 months of the pandemic in much better shape than many other nations, including the prosperous ones. 

We have already seen our threee children and their partners, and our four grandchildren this weekend, and I love them all, dearly. God is good, and I need to be in a setting where I can express this. I also need to be reminded that as I have been blessed, so can I be a blessing to those who may not have the same reasons to be thankful. I'm not going to foster guilt. I want to be aware of the needs of others and of the planet. 

Yesterday we were in Peterborough and came upon a rally downtown with people waving Canadian flags and banners saying "Freedom!" They were anti-vaxxers who have the freedom  to express their views in this country. Just the same, they are creating a religion of selfishness and discontent which disappoints and angers me. I wouild describe it as a cult of ingratitude which is all the more poisonous on Thanksgiving weekend. I am reminded that I can't repay evil with evil

I better run, but thanks to all of you for reading this blog and for your comments along the way. I pray that you have a happy Thanksgiving, whatever form in may take,  with plenty of room for the Creator and the Saviour of the world. 

The Jab and the Gospel

 

Come in, come in and sit down, you are a part of the family.

We are lost and we are found, and we are a part of the family.

1 You know the reason why you came, yet no reason can explain;

so share in the laughter and cry in the pain, for we are a part of the family.  R

                                                   Part of the Family --  Voices United 395

Today our home congregation, Trenton United Church, is hosting a Covid-19 vaccination clinic in the parking lot. I have no idea how this came about, but it makes good sense, gospel sense, for a number of reasons. Holding the clinic today at the same time as the meal program might make the difference for some guests getting a jab. 

The congregation has been intentional about community outreach and partnerships recently, with collaborations in meal ministries and  a possible warming cenre. This week Rev. Isaac and two of those partners made an excellent presentation to Trenton City Council regarding the warming centre. 

This is also important as a low-key endorsement of getting vaccinated to demonstrate Jesus' teaching to "love your neighbour as yourself" rather than the belligerent tack of some congregations to declare :you're not the boss of me" a phrase which isn't in any of the gospels.

Congregations everywhere have been attempting to navigate the uncertain waters of the pandemic. Some have been closed throughout the pandemic until recently, although Trenton United has been worshipping in person for roughly half the 19 months, always following careful protocols.

Trenton UC has opted for the carrot rather than the stick in terms of getting vaccinated. In the weekly email there is the heading Vaccinations and "We encourage all members of our church family to continue to book appointments for their first or second COVID-19 vaccination if they haven't already." This is followed by all the information necessary to get vaccinated. At the same time there has been prayerful deliberation about proof of vaccination on Sunday mornings with the decision not to make this a requirement. 

What is the best approach to all this? Every family of faith needs to come to its own conclusions and I'm relieved that the United Church as a denomination has not declared what congregations must do. I certainly hope today's clinic is helpful to the community at large. 

Here is the Broadview magazine article on the United Church approach: 

https://broadview.org/united-church-vaccine-passport/

4 There's rest for the weary and health for us all; 

there's a yoke that is easy, and a burden that's small.

So come in and worship and answer the call, for we are a part of the family.  R

The Peace Prize and the Prince of Peace

                                                                                Greta Thunberg

 I have been practicing my look of surprise and my "aw, you shouldn't have!" in anticipation of tomorrow. It is my birthday and the day when the annual Nobel Peace Prize is awarded. No, I'm not nominated but that's a minor detail -- ask a former US president who fomented discord at home and abroad but figured he deserved it.

The Peace Prize is both prestigioius and a curiosity on a number of fronts. Alfred Nobel was a 19th century Swedish chemist who was nicknamed the "angel of death" by journalists for his invention of dynamite. His brother died in an explosion at one of the Nobel nitroglycerine factories. He made a lot of money with his inventions and his regret over how they were used may have prompted him to create the Peace Prize.

And what about the recipients, some of whom seem worthy and others...not so much? President Jimmy Carter eventually got the equivalent of a lifetime achievement prize but why wasn't he a co-winner with Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Menachim Begin of Israel in the 70's?

When Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan won at the age of 17 for her children's rights work we cheered. However, teen climate activist Greta Thunberg has been nominated a couple of times without a win despite energizing young people around the world. 

Has anyone ever figured out why President Barack Obama got a Nobel Peace Prize when his country was embroiled in conflicts in the Middle East? Apparently the Nobel secretary came to regret this one. 

                                                                    Abiy Amed in 2019

I'm pondering all this, not because of my birthday, but because the 2019 winner was Ethopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, with a strong role in resolving a border conflict with neigbouring Eritrea. 

This sounds wonderful but Abiy has been engaged in what is effectively civil war in Ethiopia for the past year. There is ethnic and religous violence with Christians among the targets in certain areas. An estimated 350,000 people in the conflict-ravaged Tigray region are starving, the largest food crisis in the world at the moment. Perhaps there should be a Nobel Peace Prize Hall of Shame.

This year Greta is nominated again, along with the World Health Organization and Black Lives Matters. We'll see. 

I wonder whether Jesus could be awarded the Peace Prize. I would say posthumously, but as a Christian I figure he's still around. I'll concede that lots of people have done terrible things in Jesus' name, but he is the Prince of Peace, the holy one who reminded his disciples the night of his arrest that "those who live by the sword, die by the sword." 

We'll see which individuals or groups get the Peace Prize tomorrow, but no one can match Jesus' lasting symbolism for peace. 

                                                       Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane 

The Devotion of Muhammed Ali

 I did watch all four two-hour segments of the Muhammad Ali documentary on PBS which aired a couple of weeks ago. I hadn't planned to view them all and at times I felt that there was just too much pummelling despite the fact that Ali's world-wide fame and perhaps notoriety resulted from his prowess as a boxer.His beginnings a a boxer were as a result of happenstance rather than intention, but he developed a singular focus which lifted him out of poverty. 

As I wrote a couple of months ago, I grew up with a sense of Ali as a braggart, as a shirker (he refused military service during the Vietnam War) and perhaps most disconcerting, an avowed Muslim. In the 60's and 70's many of us knew next to nothing about Islam but ignorance so often leads to suspicion. 

The documentary series certainly helped viewers understand that the loud-mouthed Ali who was too often cruel and demeaning to oppornents both inside and outside the ring was a complex and principled person in many respects. His conversion was specifically to the Nation of Islam, which at that time was essentially a cult, cherry-picking aspects of Islam and openly hostile to Whites. Just the same,

 Ali was devout, and felt that he could not participate in a war against other People of Colour, even though it was unlikely that he would ever have seen combat. He endured censure and widespread hatred because of his "unpatriotic" choice. He lost his boxing title at the height of his skills, and lmillions of dollars as well.

Evntually Ali came to a more moderate and orthodox understanding of Islam, as had his early mentor, Macolm X. He was bigger than boxing, for a time he was the best known athlete, and Muslim, in the world, a hero to Blacks and People of Colour around the planet. 

I am glad that I've come to a clearer picture of Ali, fisticuffs and all. 

Did God Smite Facebook?

 

                                                           Facebook Whiste-blower Frances Haugen

This has already been a miserable week for the social media platform Facebook and it couldn't happen to a more evil, shadowy monolithic empire.. Okay, that may be a bit over the top, but perhaps not.

On Sunday night a former Facebook employee spoke bluntly on the investigative program Sixty Minutes about  the platform's own research which showed it was used to foment suspicion, conpiracy theories, and hatred around the world. Poltical parties in a number of supposed democracies admit to tailoring their platforms in response to the pressures of social media platforms. 

While they claim that they are doing their best to address this, the reality is that outrage and anger draws eyes to Facebook and the ads which have pushed the company's worth to $1.2 trillion US. The founder, Mark Zuckerberg, is still in his 30's but his estimated personal wealth exceeds $120 billion. 

It's hideous that the profit motive trumps (couldn't resist) any moral or ethical principles and leads to misleading the public. I suppose that I should say "allegedly" here, although the Facebook whistleblower has reams of internal documents which she spirited away before she left to substantiate her claims. This week she has taken them to a Senate sub-committee.

It's chilling that there is also internal evidence that Facebook and Instagram (owned by Facebook) do serious harm to children and teens, particularly girls, for a variety of reasons. Planes for a new Instagram for kids was only withdrawn after public outcry. 

What really strikes me is that so many faith groups are heavily dependent on Facebook for communication. The platform has recognized that religion is good for business, actively creating products, including one for prayer, aimed at faith groups. Of course the pandemic has made this particularly attractive as faith communities have tried to figure out how to "do church" -- or mosque or synagogue. This sure feels like a deal with the devil to me. 

When Facebook and Instragram went down for an inprecedented period yesterday I joked about God smiting them, but within hours they were up and tracking our every whim and preference. 

Perhaps faith groups need to consider divesting of Facebook the way they divest of unethical investments. 

Who knows maybe governments will demonstrate the courage...do not hold your breath!

St Francis & the Joyful Mystery of the World

                                                                   St Francis of Assisi --  Andrzej Troc

Today is the Feast of St. Francis, the Roman Catholic patron saint of both animals and the environment. As a Protestant I prefer the apostle Paul's notion of the saints as the flawed yet faith-full members of  the community of Christ rather than spiritual superstars. Still, Francis fascinates me and I'm glad that there is a day dedicated to the man and his Christian focus. 

In 2015 the current pope, who took the name Francis when he was elected, issued  an environmental encyclical called LAUDATO SI: ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME It is a thoughtful document which I have studied on my own and with a congregational group at the time. In the introduction Pope Francis shows his respect for his namesake with these thoughts: 

 Saint Francis of Assisi

10. I do not want to write this Encyclical without turning to that attractive and compelling figure, whose name I took as my guide and inspiration when I was elected Bishop of Rome. I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically. He is the patron saint of all who study and work in the area of ecology, and he is also much loved by non-Christians. 

He was particularly concerned for God’s creation and for the poor and outcast. He loved, and was deeply loved for his joy, his generous self-giving, his openheartedness. He was a mystic and a pilgrim who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.

11. Francis helps us to see that an integral ecology calls for openness to categories which transcend the language of mathematics and biology, and take us to the heart of what it is to be human. Just as happens when we fall in love with someone, whenever he would gaze at the sun, the moon or the smallest of animals, he burst into song, drawing all other creatures into his praise. He communed with all creation, even preaching to the flowers, inviting them “to praise the Lord, just as if they were endowed with reason”.His response to the world around him was so much more than intellectual appreciation or economic calculus, for to him each and every creature was a sister united to him by bonds of affection. That is why he felt called to care for all that exists. His disciple Saint Bonaventure tells us that, “from a reflection on the primary source of all things, filled with even more abundant piety, he would call creatures, no matter how small, by the name of ‘brother’ or ‘sister’”.Such a conviction cannot be written off as naive romanticism, for it affects the choices which determine our behaviour.

 If we approach nature and the environment without this openness to awe and wonder, if we no longer speak the language of fraternity and beauty in our relationship with the world, our attitude will be that of masters, consumers, ruthless exploiters, unable to set limits on their immediate needs. By contrast, if we feel intimately united with all that exists, then sobriety and care will well up spontaneously. The poverty and austerity of Saint Francis were no mere veneer of asceticism, but something much more radical: a refusal to turn reality into an object simply to be used and controlled.

12. What is more, Saint Francis, faithful to Scripture, invites us to see nature as a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of his infinite beauty and goodness. “Through the greatness and the beauty of creatures one comes to know by analogy their maker” (Wis 13:5); indeed, “his eternal power and divinity have been made known through his works since the creation of the world” (Rom 1:20). For this reason, Francis asked that part of the friary garden always be left untouched, so that wild flowers and herbs could grow there, and those who saw them could raise their minds to God, the Creator of such beauty.. Rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise.

There is so much wisdom contained in these few paragraphs, including the reference to the awe and wonder of St. Francis. And in a time when we are bombarded with grim news about our human degradation of Creation we can open ourselves to the joyful mystery of the world and emulate the gladness and praise exhibted by Francis. 

Creation Time & St. Francis

 This is the final Sunday in the mini-season of the Christian year called Creation Time. While in pastoral ministry I observed Creation Time for several years before it was adopted somewhat formally by the United Church and other denominations. I say "somewhat" because the ecumenical lectionary doesn't really devote itself to Creation themes during the five or six Sundays of Septermber through to the Feast of St. Francis, which is October 4th. 

Most Protestants are aware of Francis as a remarkable, holy figure not only in Catholicism but for all of humanity. His compassion for the poor and dispossessed drew hundreds, perhaps thousands of followers during his lifetime and the establishment of a Franciscan religious order as well as his canonization occurred with unprecdented dispatch. 

Francis is also the patron saint of animals and the environment, the latter designation in 1979 during the pontificate of John Paul II. The current pope, Francis is a Jesuit, but he was the first to choose Francis as his namesake because of the 13th century monk's spiritual sensibilities. 

Tomorrow is October 4th and in different times there would be services to bless pets either today or on the actual Feast of St. Francis. I loved these services through the years because they were so tactile and tender-hearted -- people love their companion animals!

Whatever happens in worship services today, we can give thanks to the Creator for the goodness of Creation and we can renew our commitment to caring for what many Indigenous communities call Turtle Island. 

God Bless Jimmy Carter

 

               

                                    Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter celebrating with family on his 97th birthday

Yesterday marked the birthday of a remarkable American leader, one who has never received the credit for his integrity and determination to make the world a better place. Former president Jimmy Carter turned 97 yesterday with Rosalynn, his wife of 75 years, by his side. Carter grew up in segregated Georgia with a father who was as racist as most others in the community. His mother, Lillian, has a far more inclusvie view of race relations and the world. Her influence and that of a Black nanny meant that Carter had a determination to address the racial divide when he was governor of Georgia, and when he ran for the Democratic presidential ticket he had more Black staffers than the other candidates combined, even though some of them were seen as more liberal. 

Jimmy Carter was the first president in the 20th century to walk to his inauguration, symbolic of his commitment to be a leader amidst the people. 

The United States was not engaged in any war during Carter's tenure and he negotiated a historical peace agreement between Egypt and Israel through what is often called the Camp David Accords of 1978.Carter was progressive in his environmental policies and doubled the area of national parks. As Carter came into office he promised never to lie to the American people or to mislead them. He obviously didn't grasp the nature of politics. 

                                               The Carters Walking to Jimmy's Inauguration

His presidency foundered over what was perceived as his indecisive response to the hostage taking of Americans in Iran and the disastrous rescue mission which resulted in the deaths of US soldiers. Even though the hostages were brought home at the end of his first term, he had already been overwhelmingly defeated by Ronald Reagan.

Jimmy Carter was and is a person of deep Christian faith which has served as his moral and ethical compass throughout his political career and the rest of his life. He was a Southern Baptist into his seventies but left in 2000 because of rigid attitudes in the denomination regarding the leadership of women. Carter taught an adult Sunday School class into his nineties and it was so popular that participants were required to sign up in advance.

Carter has said that “To me, ‘faith’ is not just a noun but also a verb,” and I have always been impressed by the involvement of both Carters in the work of Habitat for Humanity, an organization which is now world-wide building homes for those who would not be able to afford one otherwise. The owners are expected to invest "sweat equity" in the construction and the Carters have worked on scores of projects themselves, as well as being ambassadors. 

We watched a documentary earlier this week about Jimmy Carter and Ruth, my wife, observed  that Muhammed Ali got eight hours on PBS while the former president got one. Good point! The documentary didn't delve into Carter's role as a peace-making diplomat during "retirement", and definitely shied away from his controversial  book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid: 

The ultimate purpose of my book is to present facts about the Middle East that are largely unknown in America, to precipitate discussion and to help restart peace talks (now absent for six years) that can lead to permanent peace for Israel and its neighbors

God bless Jimmy Carter for his courage and his faith, and may history be kinder to him. 

                                       Jimmy Carter with Anwar Sadat and Menachim Begin at Camp David 

Silence, Prayer, & the "Attentional Commons."

 

                                                                 Matija Medved for the New York Times 

M

Tish Harrison Warren is an Anglica priest in the US who has also become a popular writer on spirituality. She is currently offering a regular newsletter through the New York Times and a recent reflection had the heading We Need Silence. Why is it so hard to find?  She laments a recent attempt to find prayerful silence by a stream only to be rattled by the roar of a leafblower. Some of you know how I feel about leafblowers and how my vocabulary degrades when I hear one. In her piece she  observes:  I’ve become more and more drawn to silence in the past five years, craving it, studying it and practicing it whenever I can. I’ve come to see the necessity of silence for emotional wellness, for spiritual growth, but also — and here’s the point where it becomes more than just a personal practice — for a healthy society.

Studies indicate that constant noise boosts stress hormones, blood pressure and susceptibility to other chronic illnesses. It also creates a kind of relentless distractibility that keeps us from noticing our very lives and our internal needs and longings. A never-ending din makes it more difficult to process grief and intense emotions in healthy ways.

Our society, as a whole, tends to avoid silence. In his book The World Outside Your Head, Matthew Crawford advocates for what he calls an “attentional commons.” We as a society hold certain resources in common, like air and water. These vital resources are available to everyone as part of the common good. Crawford says that the “absence of noise” — auditory silence but also freedom from things like advertisements that intrude on our attention — should be seen as just such a resource. He writes, “As clean air makes respiration possible, silence, in this broader sense, is what makes it possible to think.” He argues that we all need access to quiet, undistracting spaces. Through this past Summer and now into Autumn we have sought out quiet places to paddle in our canoe and kayaks and have been fairly successful. With few exceptions we are calmed and feel closer to the Creator. Yet, even on the water in more secluded spots human-made noise seeps into the silence and sounds of the natural world, and as the pandemic has abated (hallelujah) the beeping and buzzing and roaring has increased. We also seek out the quiet moments in our own spacious yard but they are few and far between -- yes, we are aware of how fortunate we are.That said,  how do we listen for God in the din?  I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new book by one of my favourite writers on things acoustical, Bernie Krause. The title, The Power of Tranquility In a Very Noisy World grabbed me right away.  I hope there is an opportunity for prayerful restorative silence and solitude in your day. I agree with Tish Harrison Warren that silence is both precious and necessary.

A Solemn Day & the Hope of Our Children

On Sunday morning we sat in church with our two Trenton grandkids, an opportunity afforded by being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Even though we were all wearing masks it was good to be in physical proximty after months of looking across the sanctuary and waving. We were all in our orange tee-shirts because the congregation was anticipating Orange Shirt Day/National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is today.

We plan to attend an event downtown in Belleville today wearing our shirts and they will go to school wearing theirs. We are impressed that between home and school both of them, age six and eight, have a better grasp of respect for Indigenous culture than we did perhaps into our twenties. We were born in the mid-1950's so we played Cowboys and Indians with our childhood friends, always assuming that Indians were the "bad guys." The TV shows and movies we watched portrayed Indigenous people as a menacing threat and of course Indians were usually played by white actors in makeup. One of the exceptions was Canadian Mohawk Jay Silverheels who played Tonto in The Lone Ranger. 

As we solemnly remember the deaths of Indigenous children who died while at Residential Schools, as well as all  those who were traumatized by the experience, we can look to children in Canada from all backgrounds as our hope for a time when the term Truth and Reconciliation will be realized. 

                                                Lunch Box for sale in Algonquin Park during the 1960's

It's important to realize that the first 12 of the 94 Truth and Reconcilation Commission recommendations address child welfare and education. Murray Sinclair, former judge, senator, and head of the Commission suggests, rightly I think, that reconcilation won't occur in his lifetime or ours but may happen if words become action. Even as I feel a degree of shame for the legacy of our United Church my grandchildren give me hope for "all my relations."

Please read the apology of the United Church for Residential Schools from 1998 which was the second, following the 1986 general apology to Indigenous peoples: 

To former students of United Church Indian Residential Schools, and to their families and communities:

From the deepest reaches of your memories, you have shared with us your stories of suffering from our church’s involvement in the operation of Indian Residential Schools. You have shared the personal and historic pain that you still bear, and you have been vulnerable yet again. You have also shared with us your strength and wisdom born of the life-giving dignity of your communities and traditions and your stories of survival. In response to our church’s commitment to repentance, 

I spoke these words of apology on behalf of the General Council Executive on Tuesday, October 27, 1998: “As Moderator of The United Church of Canada, I wish to speak the words that many people have wanted to hear for a very long time. On behalf of The United Church of Canada, I apologize for the pain and suffering that our church’s involvement in the Indian Residential School system has caused. 

We are aware of some of the damage that this cruel and ill-conceived system of assimilation has perpetrated on Canada’s First Nations peoples. For this we are truly and most humbly sorry.

 “To those individuals who were physically, sexually, and mentally abused as students of the Indian Residential Schools in which The United Church of Canada was involved, I offer you our most sincere apology. You did nothing wrong. You were and are the victims of evil acts that cannot under any circumstances be justified or excused. 

“We know that many within our church will still not understand why each of us must bear the scar, the blame for this horrendous period in Canadian history. But the truth is, we are the bearers of many blessings from our ancestors, and therefore, we must also bear their burdens

.” Our burdens include dishonouring the depths of the struggles of First Nations peoples and the richness of your gifts. We seek God’s forgiveness and healing grace as we take steps toward building respectful, compassionate, and loving relationships with First Nations peoples. 

We are in the midst of a long and painful journey as we reflect on the cries that we did not or would not hear, and how we have behaved as a church. As we travel this difficult road of repentance, reconciliation, and healing, we commit ourselves to work toward ensuring that we will never again use our power as a church to hurt others with attitudes of racial and spiritual superiority. 

“We pray that you will hear the sincerity of our words today and that you will witness the living out of our apology in our actions in the future.” 

The Right Rev. Bill Phipps General Council Executive 1998 The United Church of Canada

Apologetic Words and Tangible Actions for Truth and Reconciliation

                                  Children's Shoe Memorial on the Steps of a Roman Catholic Church

"We acknowledge the grave abuses that were committed by some members of our Catholic community; physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, cultural, and sexual," the statement added.

"We also sorrowfully acknowledge the historical and ongoing trauma and the legacy of suffering and challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples that continue to this day."

From the Apology by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops 

 When we began to hear the news earlier this year about the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves of Indigenous children there was shock and grief across the country. I was surprised that so many non-Indigenous people received the news about the horrors of Residential Schools as though this was a recent revelation but I've been part of the United Church my whole life and our denomination has attempted to address our own shameful involvement for nearly four decades. This has included apologies, a healing fund, reparations,.and active participation in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We stil have a long way to go. 

The spotlight quickly turned to the Roman Catholic church and I was disgusted, frankly, by what I can only describe as the "weasel words" of some officials to deflect responsibility, particularly in the areas of financial compensation, jursidiction, and a formal apology. 

This past week the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops officially apologized for their role in the residential school system for the first time, after refusing to do so for years despite public pressure. This was followed by a commitment of 30 million dollars in reparations over five years. It shouldn't come as a shock that Indigenous leaders received this news with a degree of skepticism. The announcement of monetary compensation falls uinder the category of "talk is cheap" given that promises have been made in the past, only to be broken.

“The words of the apology speak to a commitment by the church to the healing path forward with First Nations and Indigenous peoples,” Archibald said in a statement. “Only time will tell if concrete actions will follow the words of contrition by the bishops.”

Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald 

I am cynical that these responses have come about because of withering criticism of an institution which has raised tens of millions for building projects in the past decade across the country while claiming that there just wasn't the money to honour commitments to Indigenous individuals and communities. 

The apology is an important step toward public contrition, but again, is this a reaction to a harsh spotlight and tomorrow's Day of Truth and Reconciliation? And will Pope Francis on behalf of the Roman Catholic church join with the bishops in this apology? 

I didn't intend to write several blog entries on the subjects of Orange Shirt and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation this week, yet we need to do more than pay lip service to this new statutory holiday in Canada. And while I want to respect the intentions of Roman Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ, I too will be watching to see how words become the actions which will make a difference for those who suffered. 

                                                        Memorial on Parliament Hill, Ottawa

Awakening to Truth and Reconciliation

                                                   Trenton UC Sunday September 26, 2021

 I was impressed on Sunday morning by our congregation, Trenton United, as we prayerfully acknowledged the deaths of Indigenous children across this country during their incarceration in what was supposedly the protective environment of the Residential School system. We were invited to wear orange as a visible sign of our remembrance and at least half the congregation did so. After the service we gathered for a photo beneath the orange Every Child Matters flag. Kudos to Rev. Isaac,Dianne, the outreach committee, and congregation members, for honouring Indigenous peoples in this way. 

This Thursday is the actual Orange Shirt Day with September 30th as the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. During this week there will be many events across the country, including one at Market Square in Belleville at noon on Thursday. The CBC will broadcast a full day of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis programming and perspectives. https://www.cbc.ca/arts/how-to-watch-and-listen-to-national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation-on-cbc-1.6186017

                              "All My Relations" in Mohawk was added, & the colours of the four directions 

We are fortunate that as retirees we can listen and attend and learn. We will do so as those who are part of a grim settler legacy and as Christians whose denomination was part of systemic injustice regarding the Residential Schools. The United Church and its members can continue working toward truth and reconcilation, and do so humbly and repentance. 

We'll wear our orange tee-shirts again on Thursday and we have a flag up in recognition of this solemn week. This is a commitment which must be more than a brief show of solidarity. Justice and reciprocity for and with Indigenous peoples will require vigilance through generations. 

Read a summary of the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission here:

https://ravenreads.org/blogs/news/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-work-summary

The Michaels Come Home

 

                                                   Michael Kovrig reunited with family at Pearson Airport 

Six weeks ago I wrote about the outrageous prison sentence given to Canadian Michael Spavor at the conclusion of his phoney trial in China. Everyone knew that neither of the Michaels -- Spavor and Kovrig -- were gulty of any crime but they were incarcerated in relatiation for the onging detainment of Huawei executive Meng Wangzhou. Her extradition hearing to the United States had stretched on for years and the Chinese were punishing Canada through these two men despite denying that this was the case.

Yesterday Meng struck a plea deal with the US, agreeing to pay a substantial fine for wrongdoing without admitting guilt -- figure that one out. Within hours the two Michaels were released from prison and on a plane back to Canada. None of the former diplomats and journalists following this situation anticipated this immediate release, assuming that the Chinese government would want to save face by holding both men for a time, perhaps months. 

Many Christian communities prayed for the Michaels in worship services, including Trenton United where we attend. Their circumstances certainly seemed bleak. In my August blog I mentioned that the apostle Paul, John the Baptist, and possibly Jesus on the night he was tried, were held in jails . We can only imagine how they felt and what their prayers were. I also offered: 

As helpless and outraged as we may feel, we can continue to pray for the release of both of the Michaels, held under terrible circumstances. We can also pray for another Canadian, Robert Schellenberg, who was sentenced to death in China for drug smuggling a few days ago. After originally receiving a lengthy prison sentence he was retried and given the death penalty, again in what is an act of retaliation. His crime doesn't warrant this draconian punishment. 

We can be thankful for the determined diplomcacy of the Canadian government and the effort of the United States to secure this outcome. There must have been a lot of behind-the-scenes work which didn't involve bluster and postering. 

We can continue to pray for Schellenberg, even as we celebrate the return to Canada of Spavor and Kovrig. Thank God they are home!