One of the most profound narratives about how people find themselves as part of a faith community is painted so beautifully in the Gospel according to John. This gospel that does not begin with Jesus born in a stable in Bethlehem (Lk) does not begin with a visitation by wise-men to Bethlehem the birthplace of King David (Mt); begins rather with mist and fog covering a dark stage and these words coming out of the darkness, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word Continue reading →

I’ll be signing off the blog for a Christmas break. I would leave you imagining anew, a story for the ages. . . In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. The Empire decreed that everyone was to return to the town of their birth to be enrolled. So it was that Joseph and Mary were on the road that Christmas time. Joe drove down the road in Joe’s rusty Ford pickup, “Joe’s Fix-it” hand painted Continue reading →

As I serve in the church of the 21st century, I have a special place in my heart for the Gospel according to Mark, the Gospel that is at the center of our vision this next Lectionary year. We live in a church with the walls “painted” by the telling, year after year, in word, in song, in fabric art—of the gospel of Jesus. Imagine along one wall of the church Matthew’s picture of a rabbinic Jesus who came to “build a church” to form Continue reading →

I was walking in the downtown area of one of our cities recently. On a street-corner a little band of Christians were standing together. A speaker was standing on a make-shift “pulpit” with a microphone in hand, loudly proclaiming, “GOD IS ANGRY!” Beside him, one of the gathering carried a large placard that spelling in bold colorful letters, “God is Angry”. . .and under the title followed the list of things that God was angry at: Drugs, Alcohol, Liberalism, Evolution, Homosexuality, Divorce, Abortion. . .” Continue reading →

(Originally from Pastor Sid’s Weekly Blog). . . Last week I was chairing the meeting of our Saskatchewan Synod and in the somewhat arcane workings of the ecclesiastical ballot found myself elected Bishop. In a 24 hour period my life took an abrupt 180 degree turn–from the familiar world of the parish pastor to a world that is for the most part rather unknown to me. It was a wildly fast “call process” that felt like being “torn” out of the familiar and “thrust” into Continue reading →