What's The Good Word?

Casa (house)

2012-01-30T13:00:00.014-05:00

I spent the past two weeks in Honduras having my first experience on a World Accord build. World Accord building projects are having a positive impact on life in rural Honduras, especially the school builds. Life is improving there, although many people still live in real poverty. Our project was to provide additional space to an existing technical school in the village of Horcancitos. This is excellent because teaching students how to do electrical and other work in the trades gives them skills with which to earn a good living. Education is clearly the key to the future.

On the first day of this adventure, we took a trip, riding in the back of Al Wigood’s pickup truck, up through the beautiful mountain country near La Buena Fe.

It was in one of the small villages there that I met Reyna, a woman whose situation touched me deeply. Reyna stood on her one leg and crutches, shook my hand, looked me directly in the eye and spoke to me in Spanish. My limited Spanish did not allow me to understand many of her words, but the passion and gratitude she was expressing for the work of World Accord was unmistakable. She then invited us to visit her in her casa (home).

Reyna lives with her husband Pablo in their mud and stick house up on a hill on the side of the mountain. It is accessed up a rough, stony path, which Reyna navigates easily on her crutches. Pablo earns a subsistence living working in the coffee fields. Al tells me that Pablo is crippled up with arthritis which means they both have physical barriers they cheerfully overcome.

Reyna’s house is one of the poorest I have ever seen. She did not seem to be the least bit self-conscious or embarrassed about that, but warmly welcomed us in for a visit. Clearly her attitude was, “Me casa es tu casa”, My home is your home.

The exterior walls are leaning and falling apart, making the house look like it could fall down at any minute, which is probably true. The interior walls consist of a plastic tarp, suspended from the roof to provide rooms. There is a dirt floor and no chimney, which means the smoke from the cooking fire fills the house and eventually finds its way out under the eaves of the tin roof, which it has no trouble doing.

As the days progressed, I could not help thinking of Reyna’s house. I talked with Al and we both agreed that, clearly, something needs to be done. Al and Freddie, our foreman on the build, said they would build her a new home, starting as early as February. I said I would try to raise the money.

If this story has touched your heart at all, you are invited to help. The cost of building a new, cement block home for Reyna and Pablo is approximately $2,000 Canadian. Its not a huge sum, and we can do this. If you would like to assist, please send your cheque, payable to World Accord and mail it to:

World Accord
1C-185 Frobisher Dr.
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada N2V 2E6.

Mark you donation for the “Families for Families” program. All donations are tax deductible, and receipts will be issued at the appropriate time. Thank you for even being willing to consider this request.

Together we can help abolish poverty and end suffering for this gracious lady and gentleman.

Posted by Carman

Toolbox, continued

2012-01-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

#3/ Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church
Author: Kenda Creasy Dean.
ISBN-10: 0-8028-4712-9
ISBN -13: 978-0-8028-4712-6

When I picked this book up I figured it was a “How To” guide for youth and young adult ministry. I was mistaken.

Ms Dean is an Associate Professor of Youth, church at the Tennent School of Christian Education at Princeton Theological Seminary and this book is more of a scholarly work about “passion” and “youth and young adult” type ministries but it is from a more “fundamental” point of view and does not easily adapt to current Community of Christ Theology.

I enjoyed reading this book (though, unlike the two before this and the one that follows) it is not an easy read but tends to be fairly heavy. I feel I picked up a good deal of information and knowledge that I did not have before but would not suggest this book if you were looking for a quick and easy “how to” when it comes to youth and young adult ministries. I do feel it would be beneficial for people who are involved in those ministries to provide them with knowledge and a good background base for these ministries.

My rating:
As a How to for getting your ministry going: 2 out of 5.
As a resource for background and knowledge: 3.5 - 4 out of 5. (It takes a fair bit of stretching to make it Community of Christ friendly).

Now, I know Marion Smith has suggested the following book to many people but I would like to add it to my own, “Must Read” list and would highly recommend it!

#4/ The Disciple Making Church: From Dry Bones to Spiritual Vitality
Author: Glenn McDonald.
ISBN 978-1-932902-67-9

Wow! This book is a “Must Have” for every “Toolbox for Mission”.

The book is in two parts.
Part 1 is an excellent and easy read and takes you a Journey through “Disciple Making Relationships. Part 1 would make an excellent workshop, with a little adaptation and fits well with current Community of Christ Theology.

Part 2 is very good, though with theology of a bit more fundamental nature, but it is still well worth reading and can be adapted to be a good fit with current Community of Christ Theology.

This book is an excellent resource for the switch from a “strategy of programs” to a “strategy of relationships” and will help you to see just how Disciple-making is a one -to- one activity that transforms groups. The book was easy to read and really makes sense in the Community of Christ setting and is a wonderful book for anyone who would like to live in a more “sacramental manner”.

Look for this book on the “book tables” at future CEM events. Consider it a must read for priesthood and leadership throughout the mission centre. I will be certain to ask you, “who is your Barnabas” and “who is your Timothy” (along with a couple of other questions that you will discover as you read the book)!

My rating: 4.9 out of 5.

Stay tuned for other exciting books that you can make a part of your “Toolbox for Mission”!

Poster John Nichols

Toolbox

2012-01-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

This posting is from John Nichols. John wears many hats, one of them being that of a reliable source of book information. John's on the lookout for resources you can use. He'll offer his rating and whatever initial thoughts he has about how to get the most out of the books he's suggesting.

"Toolbox for Mission"

Hi folks! I have been seeking out books with lots of interesting ideas to help all of us gear up for Mission! Looking specifically for some “how to” guides for helping us “Develop Disciples to Serve.”

I’ve just completed four different books that could help with that Mission Initiative.

I do have to say, prior to starting the reviews, that buying books is great! Reading books is wonderful! Applying what you learn from the books is essential! And, without further ado, here are some of the books that I am currently recommending!

#1/ Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministry; Creative Plans and Programs that Really Work!
Author, Diana Davis. ISBN978-0-8054-4723-1

My wife pointed me to this book as a potential good resource, likely also very saleable on a Reunion Book Table. Cringing a little, I plunged into it anyway. My verdict: This resource would be valuable for men AND women alike.

Written for other “mainline” churches, its ideas are easily adaptable to a Community of Christ context. Ms Davis takes you on a step by step process for developing a Women’s Ministry and would be an excellent resource for congregations, camps, retreats.

AND, guys, with a few adaptations and different ideas it could easily be used for “Men’s Retreats” or a Men’s Group, as well. If you are looking at developing ministries of these kinds, I would heartily suggest you pick up this book!

#2/How To Mobilize Church Volunteers
Author: Marlene Wilson. ISBN 978-0-8066-2012-1

This book was, again, written more for the “mainline protestant group” but with a few slight adaptations it is really good for the Community of Christ! Ms Wilson takes you on a step by step journey from assessing the needs, recruiting the volunteers, building the congregational team, training the volunteers, all the way to nurturing and managing the volunteers. Do you need to build a team for specific things in your congregation? How about for your Reunion, camp or retreat? This step by step guide is really useful!

This resource could be easily adapted into a workshop and for helping to prevent “burn out.”
My rating: 4.75 out of 5.

More tomorrow.

Posted by John Nichols

Thoughtful

2012-01-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

There is much conversation about the need to manage one's time, avoid inevitable distractions by electronic devices, even to the point of purchasing apps that will force "down" or "disconnected" time.

I thought it appropriate that the first book I'm reading on my new kindle deals with just this issue. Found on the blog of a writer who's in process of producing a book about Sabbath, you can read the review here if you're interested.

Perhaps I'll give you my opinion later when I've finished the book. I'm taking it slow.

One issue I'm pondering just now. The writer speaks of our obsession with "work/life balance" and asks us to consider how this perspective may even be negative. If "work" is not an inherent part of "life" then it is no wonder we feel stretched and pressured. We need to acknowledge that a big part of our life is our work. How can we be intentional in ensuring that work part of living is also valuable and valued? As long as we keep "work" and "life" on opposite sides of the equation, we have limited ourselves. Still pondering...

(Oh, and by the way, this text would also work well for that second adult class you're considering.)

Posted by Marion

Generosity

2012-01-24T09:00:00.003-05:00

In 2010, the Lowbanks congregation stepped up its Christmas charity efforts by adopting a family in need. The family consisted of a single father and three children.

So generous were the donations, this year they decided to adopt two families. While everyone enthusiastically agreed to this suggestion, it was an ambitious undertaking. Lowbanks is a relatively small congregation. They would need to provide grocery vouchers worth $275 as well as gifts for three parents and six children. Adding to the challenge was the short time frame from when the family information was provided and when the gifts had to be delivered (less than two weeks).

As soon as the details was provided to the congregation, Billy said "We'll take care of the $150 grocery voucher for Family #1". Immediately Marg and Becky responded "We'll take care of the other one". Eunice said "I'll take care of the 5 year old boy in Family 1". From there it snowballed until every need was met and more ... much more.

The response was overwhelming. The Thank You cards from the families speak of a Christmas they will never forget.

Here is a congregation in mission. For a brief time, two families were relieved from their poverty and suffering during the holy season of Christmas.

from Marilyn Graham, Mission Advocate

An Idea

2012-01-23T09:00:00.003-05:00

Here's my idea. I know some of you have very successful "adult classes" while others have relinquished them in favour of an extended coffee hour. My idea is that you institute a second class. Yes, I know, some will say "It's enough of a challenge to keep one group going" or perhaps "But we like our class; don't fix what isn't broken." Either way, please hear me out.

My guess is that not all twenty-five of you needs to be in that group. Some of you would really, really like to dig a little deeper, or explore some other topic (social justice or local activist cause) or perhaps work to develop a new skill (along the line of "equip disciples for ministry"). So what if there are only three or four of you? Pick a subject, or a book, or someone you know who has some expertise. Locate a spot--the choir loft, or the library or even the furnace room, if all the more conventional places are being used--and just begin!

Here are three suggestions. I'm beginning with books that I already know and that would meet some of the above criteria. You can be a self-led group with any of these texts, let the author be your guide. Good luck!

#1 The Disciple-Making Church, by Glenn McDonald. There's already a little review of this text on the Disciple Formation page on CEM's web page. It offers some practical things to try for those who'd like to be "better" disciples.

#2 From Pew to Pulpit, by Clifton Guthrie is also reviewed there. This is a great little text (just over 100 pages) for people, ordained or not, who may want to learn how to be better pulpit speakers. Our denomination uses the skills of all who have something to say. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they learned how to do the best job possible? Are there three or four in your congregation who might like to try it?

#3 Attentive to God, by Charles Wood and Ellen Blue. This book's sub-title invites us to "think theologically" and it is a text for those who've wondered about that. It walks the reader through the basics (very understandable) and then suggests some real-life congregational and community situations and helps us consider how our theology would have us address them. Issues like what to do about the food bank, or how to make expensive medical decisions or what to think about ghosts and vampires. You could have some great conversations with this book.

There you go. My idea. Let me know if anyone takes me up on it.

Posted by Marion

Recommended (next)

2012-01-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

This one is for those who will be preaching this year. The Gospel for Year B (2012) is Mark. For some good background reading on the second gospel you might like to go here . While you're there, by all means look around.

This is the Working Preacher website that always offers some interesting insight into the lectionary scriptures for the week.

Our CPI pastors will be especially interested in the January 15 essay. Ask any one of them the special significance of the fig tree.

I realize there are many links in this particular post, but all of them will bring you to this excellent resource for you "working preachers" reading What's the Good Word today.

Posted by Marion

Good day folks, Marion here. (Thanks for all you good wishes as I've been transitioning into retirement. As expected, it's great!)

I know you'll be missing The Good Word for awhile so I want to offer a couple of things I think you might appreciate.

For pastors, worship planners, Christian education folk in congregations with children, here is a great web site for you. It follows the Lectionary, as does our own Worship Helps so you'll find it easy to locate the Sunday you want.

I know you will find excellent ideas, and as always, there are things intended for children that will make their greatest impression on your adult worshipers. Here's the link for Worshiping With Children. I hope you'll find it useful.

Posted by Marion

Book Review

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Diana Butler Bass, The Practicing Congregation: Imagining a New Old Church (The Alban Institute, 2004)

For the last nearly fifty years we have been hearing a regular stream of reports concerning the death of Mainline Protestant churches. Conventional wisdom seems to suggest that many are in decline or closing while others are embroiled in controversy of one kind or another. Congregational attendance is down, finances are declining, and congregants are getting older. It all paints a discouraging picture. There is some truth to these reports, of course, but there are also other trends which seldom get reported in the popular press.

Diana Butler Bass, in this very readable book, begins to chronicle churches that do not follow this pattern. She opens with the story of Church of the Epiphany, an Episcopal congregation three blocks from the White House in downtown Washington, D.C. This storied old church has seen a lot of history come and go, from the antebellum period to the present, however by its 150th Anniversary in 1992, it had fallen on hard times. Not many people remained in attendance, the old building was decaying, the endowment that paid the bills was dwindling, and there was talk of closure.

Yet 10 years later, by its 160th Anniversary, Epiphany bustled with new vitality. The congregation no longer attracts Washington’s political elite, rather…

“a congregation of incredible diversity with multiple races, ethnicities, classes, generations, and sexual orientation now inhabits its pews. The bills are paid through surprisingly generous congregational stewardship (the typical pledge at Epiphany is nearly twice the national average). They sing their songs to God guide by Taizé music, gospel songs and spirituals, Bach cantatas, Native American and African chants, and Anglican hymns.” (P.8)

It sounds just like a church I would enjoy.

An accomplished historian and researcher, Bass brings to light many of the reasons why Christian churches are in such transition, and seems to suggest that, in part at least, it is because we have lost our way. When Christianity was dominant and practicing religion was expected, churches could get by quite nicely because they were in the political and economic driver’s seat. Now, however, that has all changed and we need to rediscover the practices to which Christ has called us. In that sense, the book is reminiscent of Steve Veazey’s 2011 call for the Community of Christ to embrace the five Mission Initiatives.

The good news is there is hope; decline and closure does not have to be the inevitable end for congregations. Bass points to research that makes a connection between personal spiritual practices and congregational vitality. She quotes David Roozen, a researcher who states,

“The study does confirm that the more emphasis a congregation gives to the values of home and personal religious practices the higher the congregation’s vitality and the more likely it is to be growing in membership.” (P.67)

While Bass’s book does not promise easy transitions to church health and growth, it does offer hope. The Practicing Congregation should be required reading for anyone searching out the path to congregational renewal.

Posted by Carman

Spirit of Giving

2012-01-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

Windsor Congregation: our numbers are large on the books, but small in the pews, yet this group is mighty when called upon to give.

Each year during the four Sundays of Advent we have chosen a charity to support financially - World Accord, Sleeping Children, Hospice, World Vision.

This year, keeping in mind the Mission Initiative, "Abolish Poverty and End Suffering" we chose Hiatus House, a refuge for battered women and their children.

At Christmas the 42-bed house was full and many were on a waiting list.

In a spirit of over-whelming generosity, our members donated $1022.18, a substantial increase over past Christmas giving.

Even the couple who clean our church building asked if they could give to our Mission this year.That request reminded me that we are always witnessing whether intentionally or not.

As Windsor continues to explore the implications of the five Mission Initiatives, I hope we will discover many ways to witness and be a presence in our Community as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Twyla Glassford

Pastor, Windsor Congregation,

Mission Advocate

Barriers

2012-01-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

Effective January 1, 2012, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requires that all organizations with public spaces, including churches, have policies in place as to how they will offer support to persons with disabilities. On December 9, 2011 Bishop Mike Hewitt, MCFO for Canada East, sent information to all pastors and CFOs concerning the new law and how its requirements should be implemented.

The new law does not yet require congregations to modify their buildings to make them more accessible for persons with disabilities, although it makes it clear that mandate will come in time. What is required now is that we have policies in place as to how we will offer support to persons who are differently-abled, and that all staff including volunteers have been trained on the policies.

Here is one example. Persons who come to church with a guide animal must be admitted along with the animal. Where the animal is prohibited because of health requirements (e.g. a kitchen where food is being prepared), alternate provision must be made to allow access for the disabled person.

Once the policy is in place, every person who is ever likely to deal with such a situation must have training on the policy in place. The need for the training should be obvious since it clearly would not make sense to have a policy written down and then have greeters at the door saying, “Oh, you can’t bring that dog in here!”

Of course the law is not just about guide animals but includes all disabilities, such as sight, hearing, mobility, and mental or psychological handicaps. The impact of the new law is that congregations must think about the needs of a disabled person in advance, and have policies in place as to how they will assist.

Meeting the requirements of the law is one thing, but kindness and a thoughtful approach may take us far beyond legal mandates. There are probably many people who would love to participate in church, but the physical of psychological barriers make it too difficult to do so. This includes many seniors as their strength and physical abilities decline. A congregation that is sensitive to the needs of the disabled and trained in how to make their participation more enjoyable may go far beyond the requirements of the law, breaking down barriers that the law cannot anticipate.

A recent blog from the Alban Institute entitled There Are No Barriers to God's Love has some very worthwhile reflections on this issue. You can find that article by clicking here. I recommend it for your thoughtful reading.

Posted by Carman

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T09:00:00.005-05:00

I thought that news on the 2012 Canadian National Video/Conference would make for a great segue as we enter 2012. I cannot believe that this is 2012! I can believe that time passes quickly, so be prepared:

• The conference will be conducted through live video;
• It will be broadcast from 15 different Canadian “Host Sites”;
• This is a member conference, (meaning that all will be able to participate);
• Recommendation(s) from conference will be influential in changes or non-changes;
• The Mission Initiatives are supported by the conference Team, including: a) collection of 2012 lbs (912.6 kg) of food and/or clothing towards “Abolishing Poverty and End Suffering” and b) Peace Awards acknowledging those who “Pursue Peace on Earth”;
• This is a first for Canada, be part of a historical event;
• Polling will be done by casting ballots;
• This is a one day event;
• World Church has created a conference logo for Canada;
• Is your congregation a host site? Where do you go to join the conference?
• Please respond graciously by lending a hand on conference day and/or by donating to help off-set cost of holding the conference;
• Take note on the required equipment. Maybe your congregation just needs to add a couple of missing pieces to take advantage of World Church broadcasts or hooking up live with another congregation;
• Understand the conference questions, take advantage of the dialogue sessions;
• Discern, pray, share, listen and participate. Get in on the conversation;
• View the timely release of the video teasers by Apostle Susan Skoor on the web site;
• Familiarize yourself with the 5 Mission Initiatives;
• Attend a conference video trial from your host site, interesting stuff;
• There will be 3 timed components of the conference. Such as:
-A pre-linked portion > a time of gathering, worship, orientation, celebration and offering including the singing of our National Anthem.
-Linked portion > the time in which all Canadian members are linked by technology through video/audio and engaged in conference business.
-The post-linked portion of conference. A time for reflection, thanking God for this opportunity and feeling good about the day’s activities and process no matter what the outcome.
• Find more conference information on the Canadian website.
• An estimated 700 plus member participants from all of Canada.
• Remember, the conference date is Saturday, June 16th 2012 beginning at 12:00 noon EST.

This is your formal invitation to our first Canadian National Conference. You have 168 days from January 1st to prepare for conference.

May God add his blessing in all that you do in 2012. Aim high, set some goals and all your achievements will be well worth the effort.

…Get in on the conversation…see you at conference.

Tim J. Stanlick

Practice

2011-12-30T09:00:00.006-05:00

I am not sure if it has anything to do with the fact that New Year's 2012 is now upon us, but I am thinking a lot about “spiritual practice” at the moment.

Practice is an interesting term is it not? It suggests that we must actively work at our spiritual disciplines, repeating them again and again. In other words, it is not enough to simply be spiritual; we have to work at it in order to develop our spiritual giftedness.

The classic work on spiritual practice is the book by Quaker theologian and author Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. Foster offers guidance about three categories of practice, which he identifies as inward disciplines (meditation, prayer, fasting, study), outward disciplines (simplicity, solitude, submission, service), and corporate disciplines (confession, worship, guidance, celebration). Although this book is now more than 30 years old, it still has a lot to recommend it.

Of course there are more spiritual practices then the twelve outlined by Foster. For example, the practice of music may be of great benefit to many people, whether singing or playing an instrument. While I personally do not enjoy singing the way some others do, I find it a blessing to occasionally include a Taize recording as part of my morning quiet time. The repetition of melodic phrases may either inspire of quiet the soul.

There are benefits to be gained by regular or daily participation in our spiritual disciplines, no matter which ones we choose to practice. For example, much has been written about the practice of meditation in the last few years. Many people have learned to still the mind and discovered the benefits of this activity, including a sense of inner peace and connection with the universe. The benefits go beyond being centred in spiritual peace and tranquility however. People have discovered they are also physically healthier as a result of this (in)activity. Practitioners often find they lower their blood pressure and reduce stress, lessening the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, and other physical ailments.

Spiritual practice has important benefits for congregations as well. Diana Butler Bass, in her helpful book, The Practicing Congregation, notes the following correlation.

One of the lesser-noted findings of the Hartford Institute for Religious Research’s massive Faith Community Today (FACT) study was a link between “personal spiritual practices” and congregational vitality. According to study codirector David Roozen, “The study does confirm that the more emphasis a congregation gives to the values of home and personal religious practices, the higher the congregation’s vitality and the more likely it is to be growing in membership.” (The Practicing Congregation, p67).

Do you have Spiritual disciplines that you practice regularly? Do you find it a blessing? If you do not, let me encourage you to find practices that work for you in the year ahead.

On behalf of the staff and leadership team in the Canada East Mission of Community of Christ, I wish you a very Happy and Blessed New Year.

Posted by Carman

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

Christmas 2011 has come. The staff of Canada East Mission of Community of Christ would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas. May the Peace of Jesus Christ rest within your soul and the generous gift of love bless your heart throughout this blessed season of grace.

Carman, Tim, Mike, Melissa, Cheryl, and Jim

Another Perspective

2011-12-20T09:00:00.007-05:00

This past weekend, Doug Bolger talked about the need to be sensitive to the Perspective of others and what we can learn from that experience. I find it particularly instructive to listen to children in this way.

At Christmas time, Children's eyes often show the excitement and wonder Christmas and the marvel of the Christmas story. By paying close attention to them, we see what they are learning, perhaps from us, and in the process, we learn a lot from them.

The following link provides a wonderful glimpse into the Children's view of the birth of Jesus. I know you will enjoy it. Click here for a delightful Childhood look at Christmas.

Merry Christmas from the staff and leadership team at Canada East Mission.

Posted by Carman

Perspective

2011-12-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

As I thought about the differing versions of the Christmas story in the gospels of Matthew and Luke as discussed by Carman recently, I began to think about perspectives. (you can find that blog here.) Last year I was injured and unable to play my usual “old timer’s” hockey. When playing, the game seemed fast and challenging for me as a goalie. Then when I was confined to the role of “spectator”, somehow the game took on a whole new perspective. It was neither fast nor was it as challenging from that perspective. (No wonder we don’t have fans!)

This change of viewpoint has given me pause on many occasions and caused me to try to see the world from the perspective of others. I am particularly impressed with the special Christmas efforts of Hamilton’s “Blue Christmas” and Barrie’s “Purple Christmas”. Are they not seeing our holiday season from a different vantage point and thus providing a much-needed ministry?

I need to work on my perspectives. Whether it is the single, aging adult whose world becomes smaller and self-focused or the young families with their busy schedules and not attending church activities, there are many viewpoints that differ from mine, which I must take time to consider.

The Master teacher was constantly calling his disciples to see their world and their community members from a different points of view. Whether tax collectors, outcast women or thieves beside him on the cross, he loved, forgave, healed and reconciled.

As we come to the end of another year and approach a new one, may we seek out new perspectives and do so with the Mission of Christ in our hearts and minds.

Doug Bolger

Full

2011-12-16T09:00:00.004-05:00

Reports are coming in of congregations experiencing crowds that they have not seen for quite some time. Grand Valley had 108 people attend an ordination service recently instead of the usual 35. Hamilton had a very nice response to their mid-week Blue Christmas service. Brydges Street had 75 guests for a Community Dinner, not counting the 40+ members who served. LaSalle had a completely full house (130+) for their annual Christmas choir and turkey dinner, including people they had never seen before. Ottawa had over 100 people at two locations this past Sunday.

I experienced something of this phenomenon myself this past week when I attended church in Cambridge. I walked in just as the service was starting, and the room was completely full. Several people pointed to an obscure empty chair, one of only two vacant seats in the whole place! For a moment it was almost like Luke’s version of the Christmas story in which Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem and seek a place to stay at the local inn, only to be told the rooms are all full.

What is happening here? Has there been a sudden resurgence of interest in religion? Is Christmas provoking some nostalgic desire in people to re-experience church? I don’t think so. Closer investigation reveals that at least three other things are going on.

First, in every case the congregations experiencing these increases in attendance did not follow their normal pattern of just assuming everyone knows they are welcome. Instead, they went out of their way to invite people. The folks at Grand Valley telephoned people, sent email invitations, and even stopped people on the street to invite them to come. Brydges Street folks went door to door distributing 850 invitations. LaSalle is a country church so they advertised through a variety of means including the township newsletter.

Second, those inviting have a positive attitude and an excitement about what is happening. "Something is happening here" is conveyed in their faces and voices when they make the invitation. “Something is happening and you will want to be part of it.”

Third, in several cases, the service or activity was not about the congregation itself but was directly tied to doing something for somebody else. Brydges Street wanted to (and did) do something for the East London community where the church is located; the people they feel called to serve. Hamilton’s Blue Christmas was for the benefit of people in the community whose Christmas will be sadder because of the loss of a loved one. LaSalle raised $700.00 for a local high school breakfast program. Barrie held a Purple Christmas service to raise funds and provide support for women and children in the community who are experiencing domestic violence.
Earlier we heard from Brydges Street with their post Dinner. This week we have been hearing from some other congregations that have reached out to their community.

Full houses in response to inviting, being positive, and serving others; is it possible that being the presence of Christ in our communities and actually fulfilling our mission is catching on?

Carman

Choir

2011-12-15T09:00:00.002-05:00

LaSalle Road Community Choir celebrated its 16th season this past Saturday. Directed by Carol Manley, this little choir has performed drama and musical presentations for those in our community. The choir itself is made up of both members of the church and members of the community who like to sing.

Every Christmas the choir provides a turkey dinner to the community, complete with all the trimmings. Tickets are not sold. A dish is left on the table for those who can afford to make a donation of $5.00. Choir members provide most of the food as well as assisting with preparation, serving and cleanup. A few other dedicated volunteers take charge of the cooking.

Over 150 people attended this year’s dinner. Representatives from several Community of Christ congregations were present as well as neighbours and friends from our community. The meal was followed by the choir sharing 'On a Silent Night'.

This year the choir became aware of a need at the local high school breakfast program, and wanted to respond. In contrast to the 8 – 10 students who took part in the breakfast last year, this year the program regularly provides a good start to the day for over 200 students. Kelly Knight, a special needs teacher at LCCV and member of the congregation, is an active leader in this program. Her students find an opportunity to reach out to those in need by baking banana bread, serving drinks etc. as part of the program.

The choir presented Correen Wilkinson, director of the breakfast program, with $500.00 from our community Turkey Dinner. Correen stated that, with funds almost depleted in the program, this money will keep the breakfast running for the next 2 months. Who knew that a little choir of 9 or 10 people could have such an impact!

Posted by Wayne Freer
Mission Advocate for LaSalle, Living Water, Sarnia and Wabash congregations

Make it Fun!

2011-12-12T12:49:00.005-05:00

Quite some time ago, while discussing an upcoming event at Scarborough, Carman challenged us to “make it fun!” Those words have stayed with me, and bore fruit this past week in another, quite different event, also at Scarborough.

Like most congregations, Christmas is a time when tradition and celebration combine in a long list of worship and fellowship opportunities. One of those opportunities is our annual Ladies Pot Luck Dinner. (Sorry guys, you can only come if you wash the dishes.) Every year on the first Tuesday of December, we get together to share food, fellowship and worship.

This used to be a well attended event, but over the years fewer and fewer people have come out. There are many reasons to explain the decline. People have passed away or moved away. Members live at great distances from the church, and a long, two-way drive in the dark becomes less and less attractive as we grow older. And, we all live such busy lives that sometimes we just can’t fit another event into our already packed schedules.

The Ladies’ Dinner used to be an event to which we gladly invited our friends and family, but once again, over the years, fewer and fewer guests have joined us. It got to the point that we have seriously questioned whether we should continue with the dinner just for the sake of tradition.

One of the main reasons to continue was the Eppleworth Group. The Eppleworth Group is a school for mentally challenged adults and young adults that uses our facility during the week. The school and its extended community is an important part of our community, and the Ladies Pot Luck Dinner in December is one of the few opportunities we have over the year to get together and socialize. We treasure that time.

But sometimes even treasured events lose their lustre, and that seemed to be happening at our dinner. Frankly, over the past several years it has not only become smaller and smaller, it’s also become quieter and quieter. We gathered, we ate awesome food (that was one thing that always remained excellent), we socialized and we worshiped – but somehow something was missing. Perhaps it was the declining numbers. Perhaps it was the familiar faces. Perhaps it was the way that the two groups, Eppleworth and Scarborough, mixed happily around the punch bowl, but always seemed to separate at the tables.

Whatever the problem was, this year we decided to take Carman’s advice and “make it fun.” We decided to do a proper “mixer;” a silly little thing where William had to find his Kate, etc. We almost had to shout to be heard so we could start the meal! Further, since we’ve also been encouraging people to invite, we had extra guests. As we sat down to eat it was wonderful to see how people were sitting in different groupings, and even the new guests were comfortably sitting with complete strangers and having a great time.

People were still talking about what a great time we had on Sunday, when the word was being passed along to those who hadn’t been able to join us this year. More than one person was not only to sorry to have missed the dinner, but will be highlighting the event on next year’s calendar. Who would have thought it: fun works!

Posted by Linda Armstrong, Mission Advocate for Toronto Area Congregations

Pondering

2011-12-12T09:00:00.007-05:00

“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. (Luke 2:8 NRSV)

There is a lot to think about in the Biblical Christmas story of the shepherds’ encounter with the divine; this event described in such brief but dramatic form in Luke 2:8-20. Whenever I read this, it always gives me pause. To begin with, the text says the shepherds were “living in the fields.” Older versions of scripture use the term “abiding” instead of living. It means the same thing, but somehow “living in the fields” seems more compelling. It definitely catches my attention.

I ask myself, what does it mean to be living in the fields? What is the life of these shepherds like? Are these wandering herdsmen, roaming the hills with their sheep, always looking for good pasture land and water? Do they have backpacks or pack animals to carry their supplies? What predators must they guard against; lions? Robbers? Do they look for a cave to get in out of the weather or do they sleep in a bedroll out under the stars? Do they have tents? Do they take turns sleeping, some in the daytime, some at night?

Are all the shepherds men or are there women shepherds out there too? If they are all men, do they have women at home somewhere? Children? Do they even have a home? What do they eat? Who prepares their food? Do they cook over an open fire? Do they live in the fields all the time or only during certain seasons of the year? Do they ever get time off? How do they bathe or wash their clothes? How often?

None of the answers to these questions are included in Luke’s description. Why is that? Is it because this is a short, summary version (12 verses) of this important event and there is no room for such details? Perhaps it is because such contextual questions were not the point of the story. Or maybe it is because the readers to whom the text was originally written would have known the answers so well the questions did not even arise. Whatever the reason, the daily life experience of the shepherds is not told to us, and we are left to ponder.

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary page 683 contains the following statement about the Shepherds. “...in accord with Luke’s theme of poverty, the shepherds are the lowly. “Mangy, stinking, bathless shepherds are in their ritual uncleanness an encouragement for all who lack religious status” (Danker, Jesus and the New Age 27).” Oh my!

To me, the life of the people in the story matters as I try to understand. Who are these people and what is their life like? To Luke, however, such details are apparently all inconsequential. Luke’s story is that the shepherds are out in the fields, doing their work, living their lives, and in the midst of all that, God breaks in on them. To Luke, it doesn’t matter what their life is like; they are people and they matter to God! Oh...well then... maybe Luke has a point there. And maybe that is the point.

The second last verse of this story says, “But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” I totally understand that; there is a lot to ponder here.

Carman

Dinner

2011-12-09T09:00:00.008-05:00

If you invite them, they will come!

The London Brydges street congregation followed the call to enter into Christ’s mission on Saturday Dec. 3. A group of people got together and planned a strategy we hoped would encourage people that lived within 5 minutes of our building to come and have a meal with us. Were we hearing God`s call or were we just not thinking rationally?

Our neighbourhood is made up of a mix of approx. 60% middle class people and 40% with little to no means. We had sent out flyers five times over the last two years; our first for a strawberry social. We had 4 people come. An outdoor barbeque fun day in front of our congregation attracted about 40. This time we delivered 850 flyers to homes. We were moving out in a direction that wasn’t completely unfamiliar to us but we did not know what to expect. Our hope was to feed 250 non members and only feed ourselves with the leftovers at the end of the night. Our meal planners developed a menu of a full course roast beef dinner. No one would leave hungry.

Price: Adults $2.00, Children 14 and under $ 1.00, 5 and under free.

Even with donations of food etc. Our cost was $ 568.00. Members gave of their time (most were there from 10 AM on Sat.). At least 40 helped out throughout the day of our meal. What a feeling of sharing and love was felt as the excitement of the day built towards our 5:00 o`clock invitation time!

What did we receive from God for our efforts? The first people came at 4:40. By 5 PM we had 25 guests. They took the survey sheet and before the end of the evening 25% of the people filled them out with suggestions. We fed 72 people, and in reflection, God knew we could handle 72. Guests shared with each other and with us. Most stayed for at least 90 minutes and some for over 2 hours.

One family of meagre means, husband and wife and a teenage daughter, stayed for about 1 hour. Our members serving them were given many compliments and told how great the evening was for them. As the mother was leaving she was asked if she would like to take some extra food home and she replied, “Oh, no thank you” but exclaimed, "This was the best meal that I have ever eaten in my life!” The genuine way she said this was enough to bring tears to our eyes. Asked again if we could pack something for them, we were told no but they would be remembering this night for a long time and looked forward to more flyers.

A young, more affluent family rushed in just before 7 and sat down explaining their 3 teenage boys had been playing hockey and were very hungry. They had visited another event some months earlier and felt they could not miss this evening. The mother filled out her card answering the question regarding needs of the area. “Awareness of dealing with mental illness”, she stated, and she would like to assist with a program to help with this need. She signed her name with contact info.

Other requests included:
• games night for seniors (we already do this, so another invitation will be made),
• a youth program,
• summer vacation bible school,
• a program for the handicapped (and they would help),
• clean up day for the area (and they would help),
• an exercise program a couple of days a week either free or with a good will offering,
• are we a child friendly church?
• And finally, will we be doing more nights like this?

One set of grandparents came with a grandson of about 10 and another couple. They stayed for over 2 hours. On leaving they asked for take-out meals and then went to their car only to return in a few minutes with a sheepish grin and say that their grandson was still playing in the church with the member’s children. They almost forgot him as they and he were so well entertained that they had hardly seen him throughout the evening.

We invited people to come, God provided them. We fed those with needs: hungry, lonely, and looking for knowledge of our church. We provided literature to those that had inquiries (enduring principles and basic beliefs) and we met in community. Did it end there?

The next day we had a lady visit for our Sunday worship service. (We usually have around 50 for this service but had closer to 80 on this day.) She recently moved into the area but did not receive the flyer. She said she had been thinking of coming to our church for some time and that she knew she had to come this Sunday. Arriving just before the service started, several of our members welcomed her. After the service she stayed and shared her life story with our Pastor for about 30 minutes, then asked if she could be baptized. She is planning on starting classes in the next few weeks. While we were enjoying the extra roast beef on Sunday for lunch, another non-member in our congregation asked an elder if he could be baptized. Two separate requests for baptism within minutes; God’s Spirit in abundance! The energy of the week-end was very high.

At about this time another person walked into our church and asked if we were planning more events for people to come and eat with us. He could not come the night before but his brothers were there, and he came over to discuss our future plans. He was invited to eat with us, and to “just go get a plate.” He said no, but he would like to put his money into the pot we had there. He reached deep into his pocket for his $2.00. After our free will offering lunch we had a net profit of $4.00 for the week-end!

If we are going out in mission with no idea of the outcome does Jesus know what He will provide to us? I do not know the answer, but I can tell you that what happened on Saturday evening December 3, 2011 has us listening to Him for direction. We are now looking into filling some needs with helpers that are willing to assist us in Jesus’ Mission.

HOPE, the theme for the second week of Advent, has been well shown to us at Brydges Street Community of Christ.

Thank you God!

Paul Fitzgeorge

Attawapiskat

2011-12-07T08:45:00.002-05:00

There are many things about the birth stories of Jesus I find curious. For example, why does Luke’s gospel place Jesus’ birth in such a humble (not to mention unsanitary) situation while Matthew places this event among the rich and powerful? Of course much has been written about this difference, and those charged with delivering Christmas sermons generally realize the need to discuss one story or the other. Sermons will usually highlight either the wise men or the shepherds; not both unless it is to acknowledge the dichotomy present in the two texts.

Just so that I don’t assume too much, perhaps I should describe the difference in the two texts a little more clearly . In a sentence, Matthew tells us that Jesus lived in a house with Mary and Joseph and was visited by Wise Men who consulted with Kings and brought fine and expensive gifts. Luke, on the other hand, described a birth in a stable with a manger for a crib. Having grown up on a farm myself, I cannot help but think of our smelly stable and the thoroughly chewed, slobbered on and germ laden mangers in the barn.

In the meantime, countless Christmas pageants throughout the Christian parts of the world blend these two narratives together almost seamlessly, and children grow up with a romanticized and thoroughly sanitized story that bears little resemblance to Luke’s reality. It rather reminds me of the difference between the way my privileged, middle class children were raised and the images we are currently seeing on television of the living conditions experienced by children in Attawapiskat and other Northern First Nations communities. It is almost inconceivable that the two are part of the same national, provincial and human experience. My children’s birth would be in line with Matthew’s narrative, while the conditions experienced by infants born in Attawapiskat would be more like those described in Luke, i.e. miserable poverty.

It is tempting here, for me to write, “But setting all that aside,” and go on with what I wanted to say. And therein lies the problem: we want to set aside the images of poverty right here in our own country, and not take action or do anything about it. We see the living conditions but get caught up in our government’s diversionary tactic of raising questions about who is responsible. Why don’t we be responsible? After all, the second Mission Initiative of Community of Christ is to Abolish Poverty and End Suffering. How can we set this aside?

Well, what do we do? First, lets begin by writing or emailing our members of parliament and insisting that this be changed, not just by throwing money at the problem, but by changing the system of paternalism and control that keeps native communities down. Lets do that now! Then lets follow up over the next 20 years to make sure something actually gets done.

Second, I will ask our Peace and Justice committee to give us some further ideas.

Third, we can have a discussion here about what else we can do. This should not be about condemning governments or criticizing First Nations people or managers. It is about ways we can abolish poverty and end suffering. What are your ideas?

Carman

Christmassy!

2011-12-05T09:00:00.004-05:00

I am feeling rather Christmassy!. Is that a real word, or did I just make it up to describe the feeling? Probably the latter I think, but no, it turns out it is a real word. According to Dictionary.com and The Oxford Dictionary of Current English, Christmassy is a proper adjective. Well good. Who knew? Over the past few days, I have found myself thinking or using this word more than once.

This feeling is something of a surprise. In recent years, I have gotten around to Christmas late, carrying a busy schedule through to the week of Christmas itself. Somehow that does not accommodate well to sensing the Christmas spirit, does it? So this year, I took advantage of a half day off to put up the Christmas tree early. Out came the glass balls, the icicles, and those special ornaments that have accumulated over the years. Here is that lovely little cardinal given to us by my sister Gayle, the Buck that was a gift from the Nortons at Camp Buckhorn, the ball from the Menzie’s Christmas party at Graceland, and so on. Its not that our decorations are all elegant and beautiful, some are decidedly not, but each is special to me.

And then there are the other special things reserved for this time of year. Here are the various little groupings of angels and the little wooden snowmen, a gift from Teagan that bear a wish for “peace on earth this night,” Here is the little Santa collection and, ahh yes, the (apparently) hand-carved wooden nativity set from Africa. There they are, the wooden Mary and Joseph, the little wooden manger and the tiny wooden baby Jesus, the donkey, the horse, the sheep, the lama (or is it really a camel?), the angel and the five wooden kings with their crowns and gifts. I wonder again that there are five kings and no shepherds. Is there someone somewhere else in the world who has shepherds but no kings?

Last August, a week’s vacation trip took us through Frankenmuth, Michigan, home of Bonner’s famous Christmas store. That resulted in three new pieces to add to the Christmas collection: a lovely glass Christmas ball for the tree, a new centrepiece for the table, and a new “cooking Santa” to make the kitchen a little more festive. Lovely!

Then there are the Christmas books, especially my copy of Frank McCourt’s beloved story of Angela and the Baby Jesus, bought at Borders in San Diego four years ago. (Angela and the Baby Jesus was discussed last year in a What's the Good Word post called Missing. You can read it again here if you wish.)

This morning, the world outside my study is white with freshly fallen snow. I have a choice, I can feel grumpy about it, or I can feel Christmassy. I choose the latter. It is a good thing.

I hope you may also be blessed with feelings you can describe as “Christmassy” this year. It is a good feeling that recalls to memory the special wonder of childhood. Or in the spirit of the little wooden snowmen, “Star light, star bright, wish for Peace, on earth this night.”

Carman

Car

2011-12-02T09:00:00.004-05:00

Brother Albert Cineus, our missionary and pastor in Montreal, is in need of a car.

Albert is one of the finest, most dedicated missionaries I know. A bi-vocational pastor, he works at his job and does his ministry when he can. In addition to the fine congregation Brother Albert already pastors, he now has a second group meeting in a part of the city quite some distance away. Getting there by city bus takes about 1 ½ hours each way. It also requires walking some distance after he leaves the bus. With winter now quickly closing in, Brother Albert is in need of a little assistance.

Pastor Albert has asked for our help in locating a car he could have to help him in his ministry. Perhaps you, or someone you know, has a car that you would be willing to donate in exchange for a tax receipt. This need not be a new car, but does need to be safe and reliable. The car will be placed in Albert’s name, and he will be responsible for the operating costs, so it will be preferable that it gets good fuel economy.

If you have a way to help, please contact Carman Thompson at the mission centre office, 519-822-4150, ext 34, or by email at carman@communityofchrist.ca. If no one is home, please leave a message.

Thanks for considering this request,

Carman

Occupy

2011-11-24T09:00:00.022-05:00

There is a lot I do not understand about the Occupy movement. That fact is more to my embarrassment than to my credit, since I really haven’t taken the time to understand. In fact, most of what I know about Occupy, I learned from watching the morning news. Since Western news media is arguably pretty closely aligned with the status quo, it cannot necessarily be seen as an unbiased source of information, can it? But since I have never personally gone to check things out at any of the parks myself, I have accepted it as the only source available.

Early on, there was a lot written about the unclear goals of the movement. Perhaps these can now be summarized as a desire to create a dialogue towards achieving better balance within the economic system. This has been characterized as a need for less economic disparity between the 1% who are super-rich and the 99% who are not. While that may be a fair representation in many parts of the world, it does not take into consideration the relative comfort of the middle class in Canada and some other Western countries. Therein lies the reason why I, and many like me, have not taken the time to really understand what is at the heart of this movement.

If that insight needs further explanation, it would be as follows. My life is comfortable. That results in less urgency for me to understand the real need for change to benefit those whose life is not at all comfortable. In other words, because of the self-interest of the middle class, including the Christian middle class, we have allowed our allegiance to be aligned with the status quo. The Occupy movement, on the other hand, has aligned itself with the poor. Wasn’t that supposed to be our job? Is Jesus now to be found in a tent in a park somewhere instead of a nice, warm, dry church?

There have been reports that some Occupy tents had been adopted by homeless people and drug addicts. While these reports may have been circulated to discredit the movement initially, I am thinking that is a good thing. Apparently the Occupiers have enough compassion to include and care for the most vulnerable in our society. Can we in our churches say the same?

Since the tents have now been removed from most of the parks, the Occupy movement must now find a new way of drawing to our attention the need for change. Are we now ready to pay attention?

As always, your comments on this post are welcome.

Carman