Next door: A True Christmas Story
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Next door: A True Christmas Story

Corktown is an old neighbourhood, one that has weathered the rises and descents of a steeltown like Hamilton. You can see century homes on the same stretch of block as faceless apartment buildings, and you can walk from one end to the other in about five minutes and 30 seconds to see the whole range of then until now. And sometimes you can guess who’s renting and who owns their small patch of this railside neighbourhood by how many mailboxes you can see or how well the gardens are tended.

China: Whither the Umbrella Revolution?
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China: Whither the Umbrella Revolution?

China may never need to arrest the Occupy Central protestors. Their international support is vastly diminished, and the majority in Hong Kong now wants the occupation to end. Beijing is not likely to agree to any compromise with the weakened protest. Beijing’s focus is clearly on continuing to strengthen China’s economic clout in the rest of the world. Occupy Central protestors may have little choice but to fold up their umbrellas and go home.

Raising the pastor-church relationship bar
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Raising the pastor-church relationship bar

When pastors and churches enter into a relationship, both parties arrive with their own set of expectations. Some of these expectations are spelled out in the letter of call, but in fact these often use broad brushstrokes which leave significant room for interpretation. But this simple reality is not the real challenge. What makes these relationships such a challenge is the fact that expectations are often unspoken, unwritten, sometimes unrealistic and often unmet.

Q:  ‘Does God really exist? How can you believe in something that can’t be proven by modern science?
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Q: ‘Does God really exist? How can you believe in something that can’t be proven by modern science?

This is the fifth question in our series on apologetics called Redemptive Windows, where Campus Ministers answer faith-challenging questions sent in by CC readers. You can view earlier articles at christiancourier.ca.

Tell the truth while  the pulpit is empty
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Tell the truth while the pulpit is empty

In my youth, pastors moved every five to six years. Their job descriptions were to preach, teach catechism and make pastoral visits. Today, pastors often stay in one church longer and their job descriptions include managing staff, casting vision and attending meetings. The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) of today is hardly recognizable from 50 years ago.
With these changing times come new blessings and new hazards.

Incarcerated loved ones, prison theatre and Jesus the lawbreaker:
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Incarcerated loved ones, prison theatre and Jesus the lawbreaker:

For 20 years, Ashley Lucas only saw her father when she visited him in prison. She is the author of Doin’ Time: Through the Visiting Glass, a play about the families of prisoners, and co-editor of an essay collection called Razor Wire Women: Prisoners, Activists, Scholars and Artists.
She teaches at the University of Michigan, where she also directs the Prison Creative Arts Project – arts programming for, and a literary journal and annual exhibit by, incarcerated youth and adults.