The Spiritual Discipline of Wearing a Mask
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The Spiritual Discipline of Wearing a Mask

Most world religions have their version of the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It’s a basic societal norm and a trust upon which we build our communities. Yet in a city where two-thirds of the population is either Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu or Jewish, Calgary had to implement a face-covering bylaw for indoor public areas and public vehicles starting August 1. In July, Quebec was the first province to make masks mandatory. Similar bylaws have since been passed in Toronto, Edmonton and many other cities and regions. One would think that wearing a mask for the sake of others wouldn’t be a big problem in our city. And yet it is.

The Gospel According to Frontline Healthcare Workers
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The Gospel According to Frontline Healthcare Workers

In the first week of April, I interviewed an Alberta emergency room physician, an emergency room nurse, a unit nurse and a primary care paramedic for an Easter-based sermon I was working on. Seeing news reports depicting these incredible souls work at the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic made me curious about what drove them. Who are these people that so willingly step toward the danger and choose to touch those no one else will touch?

The Parable of COVID-19
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The Parable of COVID-19

There once was a world that had lost its way. Everyone was moving so fast that they forgot to look around. People didn’t notice each other. Some were blinded by consumerism. Others distracted by pleasure. Some idolized work and worried about the next thing. Others sought power, position and wealth. And everyone, it seemed, shared a common problem – all that should matter in life didn’t matter enough. People failed to notice the fragility of their existence.

What if God has Something New for the CRC?

What if God has Something New for the CRC?

What if we took the idea of God speaking through creation to our places of work and expected to hear him there? What if we saw every single image bearing human being as an icon or as an embodied parable that Jesus might be speaking through? What if we seriously engaged the Holy Spirit’s authoritative words throughout history, culture, sport, science, commerce, and art?