I was recently at a gathering discussing churches leaving their denomination. It struck me that the attitude was “you have our permission to get divorced.” There was no plea for reconciliation. When I was in a congregational pastorate and a married couple would come to me talking about divorce, my reaction was not how can…
As individuals specially trained to minister outside the structure of religious institutions, chaplains exemplify and inspire a more ecumenical world. Most chaplains provide ministry in a multi-faith context where they perform worship or sacred rituals for those of their own faith tradition as well as those of other faiths. Hospital and long-term care home chaplains…
What is church and what’s the point of it all? Many have been asking this over the past 18 months, and these questions were also percolating in the hearts and minds of some members at Telkwa Community Church in B.C. “When our in-person Sunday services were canceled for months on end because of the pandemic,”…
John P. Bowen, Emeritus Professor of Evangelism at Wycliffe College, Toronto, has given us a gift in his collection of sermons, essays, and reflections titled God is Always Bigger: Reflections by a Hopeful Critic. That was his goal as a theologian who is a self-described “collector type” – collectors must give away their collections to…
These are lonely times. Not just because many of us are still navigating pandemic restrictions and limitations, either. We’re more isolated than any time in recent memory. Academia is no safe harbour from that loneliness – it’s as prevalent there as it is in the rest of society. That’s rather ironic, given the origins of…
I recently heard a story of a Jewish student who went to his rabbi and asked, “Why does the Torah say to write God’s word on our hearts? Why does it not say to write God’s word in our hearts?” The rabbi replied, “Because God knows that our hearts are closed, so we lay the…
When John Bouwers moved to Milton, Ont., to plant a church, he began by prayer walking through neighbourhoods. Ten years later, he’s witnessing God answer one of his first prayers. The first day Bouwers decided to prayer-walk the city, he drove to the southeastern corner of town, parked on a street, and started walking. “My…
We the North can be cold and prickly, especially when we talk about American cultural dominance. You see, Canada is a foreign country to you. We call it pop; you call it soda. Our favourite sport is played on ice, yours on grass. We count in metric units, mostly, and French words like poutine signify…
It was a simple beginning in a secondhand book store, several summers ago. Among a jumble of other craft books was a beautifully illustrated book of shawl patterns, perfect to take when next visiting a close friend of mine, Joyce, who is a talented knitter. The title was A Prayer Shawl Companion, written by Janet…
A Christian Courier lead article on Lifewater Canada, “Blindness to Vision”, told the story of Jim Gehrels’ life and work to provide safe, clean water for towns in Liberia, Kenya, Nigeria and Haiti by drilling community wells. Community is the key word. Beginning in the mid-1990s, Jim organized teams of a few volunteers from Canada…
I could feel my heartbeat picking up. A couple of weeks earlier my family and I had moved to London, Ontario, where I was to begin as the Christian Reformed Campus Minister at Western University and Fanshawe College. It was the summer of 1995 and most students were not yet in class. From my office…
Many people attend Christmas church services who would never otherwise set foot in a church building – and the season is upon us. How will churches host Christmas and Advent gatherings during COVID-19? How can we share the gospel during a time when so many people are ready for hope and peace? These are questions…
|
Uploaded
Failed
|
 |
