Vaccines and Social Media
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Vaccines and Social Media

In a recent column (“Anti-Vax Reversal?,” June 8), I ended with the hope that a vaccine for COVID-19 might be developed quickly. Scientists are working on many possible vaccines in an amazing time frame. Our government has partnered with multiple companies to make a vaccine available for Canadians, and the Americans have implemented “Operation Warp…

When Women Lead
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When Women Lead

In the early days of the pandemic, governments had to decide: who will speak for us? In 10 key locations across Canada, women serving as public heath officers have taken on those increasingly public roles. “The women we’re seeing on the national stage during the pandemic are being celebrated for both their compassion and their calm under pressure,” write Andrea Gunraj and Jessica Howard from the Canadian Women’s Foundation.

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…

What Will Sunday School Look Like?
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What Will Sunday School Look Like?

The start of school often heralds the return of churches’ children’s programs – Sunday schools, after school clubs and youth groups. The pandemic, however, is altering those pre-set plans. Many churches still aren’t meeting in person, and those that are meeting physically are still trying to determine if and how children’s programs can be done safely.

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.

Learning Curves
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Learning Curves

“Mom, do we have any clean masks? Soph and I are headed out.” The times they are a-changin’. We are now required to wear a mask to go to the bank, and a grocery store’s recent radio ad boasts a delivery service that features food picked from a warehouse and packed by robots.

‘Let Us Make Man in Our Image’
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‘Let Us Make Man in Our Image’

The COVID-19 pandemic has welled up a large inner fear within many Christian leaders in North America. They fear empty pews, forever. I have heard pastors postulating that the self-isolation, necessary in our current pandemic, will translate into a self-absorbed “I don’t need the church community” kind of attitude when the pandemic is over. The church of tomorrow, they say, will be characterized by a hyper-individualism.

Will Young Students ‘Zoom’ This Fall?
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Will Young Students ‘Zoom’ This Fall?

Children, like puppies, are always zooming around. They zoom until they drop exhausted, and it’s great fantastic fun. But Zooming with a capital Z – or whatever your video conferencing platform of choice may be – is not good for teaching students except as a last resort.

On Campus During COVID
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On Campus During COVID

As Canadian provinces pass through their respective stages of reopening, social institutions of all kinds are grappling with how to effectively and safely offer their services, and universities are no exception.

A Prayer of Lament
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A Prayer of Lament

Lord, in case You haven’t noticed, things are falling apart down here. Of course, I know You’re omniscient, so I realize that You are aware, but I wonder if You’re really paying attention, Lord. This corona virus is plaguing the entire globe, and especially ravaging the poor, vulnerable and minorities, who for so long have already been suffering so much pain and injustice.

(Trying to) Choose Joy
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(Trying to) Choose Joy

To follow my previous column (CC May 11), our family has appreciated having a community nurse return to our home for weekly hours. I am thankful for the help with medications, pain management and extra time over the dinner hour. Though a sense of familiarity in routine has returned, I cannot ignore the persistent feelings of discontentment. Rachel and Janneke cannot verbalize this to me, but they are missing the informal connections with classmates.

The Hidden Hoarder in Each of Us

The Hidden Hoarder in Each of Us

My mother and her parents survived the Second World War in Germany. The family was completely bombed out three times – their worldly possessions and their home destroyed. Finding suitable housing was a challenge. Day to day food and supplies were scarce. After the war, the air raids stopped but rationing became the new normal. People were thankful for the basics when available, and had long since learned to do without luxuries like coffee, sugar or toilet paper.