To the saints in Canada
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To the saints in Canada

“Who are these people?” I asked excitedly as I walked down the aisle, my eyes darting left and right, taking in the scene. “Oh,” my friend replied casually, pausing to rest his hand on a nearby pew, “those are . . . the saints.” I stared back at him blankly. It was after school, and…

The Vancouver paradigm
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The Vancouver paradigm

Growing up and growing older biologically is something that we all experience as human creatures. But growing deeper in our discipleship to the risen Lord Jesus has a particular emphasis in the Christian life, whether we call it Christian maturity or sanctification or growth in holiness. In this edition of Christian Courier the theme is…

A Mysterious Presence
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A Mysterious Presence

For those who crave certainty and are comforted by unchanging traditions, these past two years have been unkind. The experience of living through a global pandemic has disrupted most of our routines and heaped anxiety and uncertainty upon our everyday living. Churches have not been immune to this disruption and many congregations now find themselves…

Let It Shine
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Let It Shine

At first, it felt a bit surreal. After two years of pandemic restrictions, Christian summer camping was finally returning to normal. One of the highlights of each summer for me is serving for a week as chaplain at Camp Douglas, the Presbyterian camp on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. After checking in at Horseshoe Bay ferry…

Creation as Cathedral?
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Creation as Cathedral?

As we emerge from the two years of global pandemic, many congregations are trying to figure out how to connect with people in their neighbourhoods again, as well as encourage church members to return in person for worship and programs. This is especially challenging in parts of the country such as Vancouver, where pre-pandemic church…

Don’t give up!
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Don’t give up!

We are living through some challenging, “unprecedented,” and even discouraging times. I recently watched the Oscar-nominated film “Don’t Look Up”, featuring an astronomy grad student and her professor who make the shocking discovery of a planet-killing comet on a collision course with Earth. When they share the urgent news with the United States president, the…

What church is this?
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What church is this?

The sound of carols playing in the shopping malls and coffee shops is a sure sign that Christmas is coming. “Do You Hear What I Hear?,” “Mary Did You Know?,” and “What Child is This?” are familiar questions that help us ready our hearts and minds for what’s to come. One of the unspoken questions…

Man-trip memories
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Man-trip memories

“How many times have we done this, Dad?” my son asked as our little car rolled off the B.C. ferry and onto the narrow roadway of Mayne Island. “Good question,” I replied, “I’ve kind of lost track over the years.” Our car rumbled in second gear up a hill surrounded on each side by old…

Applying what we’ve learned for a post-pandemic church
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Applying what we’ve learned for a post-pandemic church

Years ago, I developed a course entitled “Catechesis and Community,” looking at new forms of Christian community and how the faith was being transmitted in a post-Christendom world. I included a whole class on “online church.” At the time, the inclusion of a digital Christian presence was met with raised eyebrows as some openly asked,…

Business as Usual?
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Business as Usual?

With a fresh face mask for the day hanging off the gear shift, I worked my way through morning traffic heading to St. Andrew’s Hall at the University of British Columbia. The radio crackled with an interview with a CEO from a large online shopping platform. With the echoes of an Old Testament prophet, he…

The New School of Christ
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The New School of Christ

Innovation in theological education has always been an essential part of equipping leaders for Christ’s church in the world. Many of our theological colleges across North America have stories of hard-scrabble beginnings, quick pivots, and adaptive responses to the context through various twists and turns along the way, before becoming the more established institutions we…

‘Speak Moistly to Me’
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‘Speak Moistly to Me’

Early on in the COVID-19 Pandemic, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau advised people to not “speak moistly on others,” for fear of spreading the virus, it nudged me to think about the theological significance of incarnation for us as Christians. As a Reformed Christian I am mindful of our common faith in the risen Christ that takes both human flesh…