I've noticed both similarities and differences with our Canadian experience:

- PNMC does very well at recognizing and appreciating their pastors and leaders, and it's wonderful to see some of the young leaders like Amy and Russell involved in significant roles.  We've had a lot of talk north of the border in MCBC and in our own congregation about young adults and the church--I think it's important to have young adults involved in the centre of church life which PNMC seems to do well.

- worship here has been very simple--just a white tablecloth and a lit candle at the front of the worship space, no banners or cross or any other visuals; Russell leads the singing along with a guitarist and sometimes plays piano or has some percussion or has other singers join him, but there's no band; Scripture is simply read - not re-written as a drama or presented by memory, but read so the words speak powerfully 

- PNMC is going through some of the same re-structuring and issues--phasing out the conference minister role in favour of an executive minister and several district pastors similar to what we've done in MCBC (although we don't use the same titles) and working through how to talk together in the church about difficult/contentious issues

Well that's all for now--it's time for breakfast!

I've already enjoyed my involvement with PNMC even though I don't leave for the meetings till next week--it's been an education and a real treat to be in touch with Duncan, Craig, Dave, Brad, Jennifer, Kathy, Lynn, Amy, Sue, Sheldon, as the theme and conference planning has unfolded.  (Just the sheer number of people involved and the many emails back and forth have been eye-opening!)

In the end, there was concensus around the theme: "Sent Out and Drawn in by Jesus" with a focus on Jesus sending his disciples in Luke 10:1-12.    I'll be preaching three times:  Sent Out and Drawn in Together; Sent Out and Drawn in Through Prayer; Sent Out and Drawn in to Proclaim the Kingdom.  I've also been invited to lead a workshop on unnamed women in the Bible based on my earlier book Remember Lot's Wife and Other Unnamed Women of the Bible (which seems kind of dated to me now, but I'll try to make it fresh and interesting), and also share my story of calling to ministry at a Pastor-Spouse dinner.  Whew!  It will be a very full time, but fun too!

- Alissa Bender continues as an associate pastor in Calgary and has recently been licenced toward ordination.  This summer she will lead a group of 14 youth and adults to the Mennonite World Conference in Paraguay.

- I had lunch with Terry Lesser who is now an associate pastor and the proud father of a not-qute-two-year-old daughter

- Jonathan Neufeld is a community pastor at Seattle Mennonite Church and works for the seminary on a quarter-time basis

- Other former interns not at the Assembly:  one of my discussion table mates was Gerald Gerbrandt, who said that his daughter Virginia has just completed a year of studies at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) and is now doing some learning and service in Chicago; Tim Froese from our congregation also continues his studies at AMBS; Dierdre Reimer works with youth in Vancouver; unfortunately though, I've lost touch with James Bartsch and Shirley Joiner, so if anyone knows where they are now, please let me know!

I always enjoy working with interns--to be energized by their gifts and new ideas, and to help grow them as leaders in the church. I'm thankful that this has been a very significant part of my ministry over the years and look forward to more in the future.  Thank you, Emmanuel, for your support and the influence you have on the wider church in this way.

- enjoying spring in Ottawa with lilacs blooming everywhere--on Parliament Hill, in China town, in the front lawns of houses, along the side of the road

- riding Ottawa's award-winning Transpo system to get around town

- touring the Parliament buildings, the Royal Mint, the Museum of Civilization, Gatineau Park (lots of mosquitos!), the McKenzie King Estate

- visiting with an aunt and uncle (on Gary's Mom's side of the family) who took us on a long drive to see the Prime Minister's residence, the governor general's residence, the Japanese embassy, and other sights

- reminiscing with a cousin and his wife (on Gary's Dad's side of the family) and being treated to an authentic Japanese dinner

- window shopping at Rideau Centre and Byward Market (kind of like Granville Island only not on an island) and walking along Sparks Street, said to be Canada's first pedestrian mall

- worshipping at Ottawa Mennonite Church where we celebrated 2 baptisms plus 8 other people joining the church as members

- taking the train to Montreal, enjoying the view of the countryside, and being lulled to sleep 

- walking through Old Montreal in the rain and then eating crepes at Suzette's..."La Rougemont" is filled with apples and cinnamon and served with ice cream--perfect for sharing!

- touring Basilique Notre Dame de Montreal which seats 3200 in its pews, but was first built without pews to fit 11,000 standing (and at that time people actually did stand for the entire mass!)

There's lots more of course--and yes, Gary did present his paper and was fully engaged in the Congress, but you'll have to ask him about that part and I'd better stop now!

2. One of the songs we sang on Sunday was "Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness"--that's a reference to Jesus' incarnation, since Jesus himself is the Light of the world (John 8:12, 9:5).  Compared to Jesus, we are very little lights!  One commentator says that we are like windows, with the True Light shining through.

where is the world?

A man still bears the scars of brutal torture--

where is the world?

A woman tells of waiting weeks and months and years--

where is the world?

Is it really that much easier to fly to Mars, or even up to heaven?

Yet we have seen a garden planted in the desert,

and we have heard the children's cry:

"make our pains happiness forever"

"make our dreams truth forever"

"please help us"

May God have mercy.

May Christ have mercy.

Amen.

Looking across the 40 or so people up in the balcony, and also down and across the congregation in the main part of the sanctuary, I could see that for all our talk about aging (and we all are!), we are still very much an intergenerational congregation.  I could see youth and younger children and babes in arms, young adults, middle-agers, and older adults, people of different cultural backgrounds and different stages of faith.  As we move forward in the next 5 years and beyond, this is part of my vision for Emmanuel, to be and grow as a vibrant intergenerational and multicultural church, united by God's Spirit as disciples of Jesus. 

Within that, I think there's considerable room for diversity--for a variety of worship music and styles; for many different kinds of small group gatherings for study, support, service, worship, and fellowship; for a wide range of missions and service involvements like volunteering for MCC or Gleaners, Extreme Weather Shelter ministry, raising funds for a sewing machine project in El Salvador or housing for elderly women in Nepal. 

At the same time as I welcome that kind of diversity, I also realize that Emmanuel as a church cannot be all things to all people--ironically, as we have sharpened our sense of identity over the last number of years, I know that some who have visited or who have been part of the church for a time have chosen not to stay.  Some say, the church is "too Mennonite"--when that's meant as a comment about our identity as a peace church, I see that directly related to part of our vision as a church that is very basic to who we are; when that's meant as a comment about not feeling welcomed or acknowledged by people in the church foyer, that's also related to vision, only in that case it's more of a negative vision that I would hope we could work on and change.

There's lots more that I could say, and that we could all say about any of this, so I encourage everyone to be part of the visioning process--there are two questionnaires on our home page that you can fill out, and/or feel free to invite Phil and Char to meet with your group.  But  enough from me for now--I look forward to our continuing visioning and re-visioning!  

What issues are facing us as a church and in our world that need to be addressed?  Who can provide a biblical and theological perspective?  What are churches already doing, and how can we share their stories and counsel? What resources could be recommended?  How can we make the magazine more visually appealing to communicate more effectively?  What budget constraints do we need to work with?   Our discussions are always lively (and punctuated by chocolate), and I come back full of ideas!  I'm sorry my term on the council is ending, but I'm glad that someone else will have the opportunity to carry on this work--I hope whoever it is will find the group as collegial and energizing and encouraging as I have over the last few years.  

For a sneak peak at what's already in the works, here are the theme issues that are coming up: food in congregational life (which should be in our church library very soon!); the praying congregation; the financial crisis hits the church; addictions; the business of church.

Regent College professor Hans Boersma is right when he says the debate on different theories of atonement is not new.  For another look at the historical perspectives he cites, you might also be interested in one of my older sermons:  "How We See Salvation: What Difference Does It Make?" published in Vision (Spring 2006) and available in the church library.

I've already said yes to writing the article, because I think testimony is vital and writing will give me a chance to think more deliberately about it.  I haven't given it much thought or prayer yet though, since the deadline isn't until July.  What do you think of when you hear the word "testimony"?  How important is it to you, or in the life of the church?