And giving support in some small way
posted on April 1, 2007 in News
The Presbyterian Record ran an advertisement last spring that just grabbed me. Here was an opportunity for mission in the Holy Land, a mission to walk where Jesus walked, attempting in some small way to bring justice, solidarity and presence to those being persecuted. Before retirement, I was the owner of a manufacturing company, experienced in interviewing job applicants. I now found myself in the opposite situation being interviewed by a dozen or so professional mission staff at PCC offices in Toronto. They were candid about the personal challenges I would face should I take on this mission to Palestine/Israel.
Missionaries, national staff have role to play
posted on April 1, 2007 in News
The Spanish Flu of 1918, the Asian Flu of 1957 and the Hong Kong Flu of 1968, all of which had their origins in bird flu, resulted in 40- to 50-million deaths. But new strains of avian-related viruses are potentially even more dangerous today. “Humans have no immunity to them,” said Dr. Michael Markus, a consultant in occupational medicine and travellers' health. “And as it jumps to other species that are closer to humans, it means the virus is getting more efficient.”
posted on April 1, 2007 in News
ENI – Rev. Israel Batista, general secretary of the Latin American Council of Churches presented a report at the fifth assembly of the church grouping's highest governing showing a shift in membership and focus. The Latin American church was once seen as a bastion of liberation theology. But some delegates noted that in recent years it has moved closer to the mushrooming Pentecostal and Evangelical churches which are outstripping the traditional Protestant and Roman Catholic churches in membership growth.
The Presbytery of Hamilton is devoted to reaching out
posted on April 1, 2007 in Presbytery Profile
Last month, readers got to know the Presbytery of Hamilton with its commitment to youth ministry, and vibrant, re-vamped worship. The challenges of being one of the church's largest presbyteries were also highlighted, with ministers noting that strong leadership, cooperation and building relationships with each other were hard-to-realize but important priorities. The presbytery's story continues in this issue.
Nearly half of all congregations have a part-time or a multi-vocational minister
posted on April 1, 2007 in By the Numbers
Ask average Presbyterians in Canada what the normal model for ministry is, and they will inevitably describe a self-supporting congregation with its own full-time paid minister. These clergy have one calling, one vocation, to the single congregation they serve.
posted on April 1, 2007 in News
ENI – “God sends his angels in times of disasters. These are the angels God sent to us when we stood stunned unable to decide what to do next,” said V. K. Equbal, a Muslim, of a Christian project to build a disaster shelter and community centre at a Muslimmajority village in southern India hit by the December 2005 tsunami.
A postcolonial church rises again from the words and actions of Jesus Christ
posted on April 1, 2007 in Features
When I first met Sue, her shaved head highlighted her great smile. Later, when her hair re-emerged, it was purple before she settled on a more mature fluorescent pink. She liked to saunter around the church in ostentatiously bell-bottomed jeans and an array of crazy colourful clothes.
The largest presbytery needs extra effort to hold everything together
posted on April 1, 2007 in Mission Knocks
God certainly is a surprise. It began with a dream by an elder long, long ago to one day have a Christian educator work in the congregation. The dream was mentioned now and then, but in a medium-sized rural church of 300 members (100 attending on Sunday), many thought it was unrealistic. Then, in the last six years, this village of 500 outside of Pictou experienced a baby boom. There were more and more babies around, including twins and triplets, with quite a few young families coming to church.
God constantly seeks to reclaim what we deteriorate through sin
posted on April 1, 2007 in For the Journey
“I found someone!” I said.
posted on April 1, 2007 in News
ENI – Poland's Roman Catholic nuns withstood pressure from the communist-era secret police far more robustly than male clergy, some new research shows.
Last chance to attend evangelism conference
posted on April 1, 2007 in News
The third and final installment of the annual REAP evangelism conference gets underway on May 11 and 12, and will focus on “growing deeper” by examining the idea that evangelism and discipleship are inseparable, with each needing the other and thriving in one another's presence.
It is the ever-emergent cycle, renewing the faith
posted on April 1, 2007 in For the Record
The cover image this month is by Christian Worthington, a Winnipeg-based Christian artist. If you have any knowledge of painting technique and history, then you have already discerned Worthington has a deep interest in the classics. Still it is not a purely classical painting: the use of light and the texture of the blood comment on the traditional image. That's the wonder of Worthington: he's a classicist and a post-modernist and, most surprisingly, he looks like he's barely halfway through his twenties.
posted on April 1, 2007 in News
While discussing what it means to be an interfaith committee, the question of “appreciating” the specific faith traditions of Wiccans, pagans and other faith groups was ultimately voted down by the Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee at its February meeting.
posted on April 1, 2007 in News
Presbyterian College, Montreal
In fact, she's everywhere, and has been for a long time
posted on April 1, 2007 in From the Moderator
Out of the mouths of babes! What a joy to have the opportunity to talk with the little ones during Sunday worship. There are always delightful surprises. Recently I worshipped in St. Andrew's, Victoria, and one of the children seemed rather surprised to see a woman in the pulpit and told her grandmother, “There is a girl up there.” She is the great-great-granddaughter of a former moderator, Rev. Dr. Lewis MacLean. How wonderful it is to visit with families who continue to worship together, many with three generations.
posted on April 1, 2007 in News
The library at The Presbyterian College, Montreal, is being renamed in honour of Rev. Dr. Joseph C. McLelland, moderator of the General Assembly in 1985, in recognition and celebration of his 50-year association with the college.
Theological reflection on the summer's pending geek-fest
posted on April 1, 2007 in Pop Christianity
Assuming that the media has done its job, the hype surrounding the impending blockbuster movie season should be kicking into high gear by now. One of those titles coming fast and furious down the pipe is the third installment of the Spiderman movie franchise. The first two have a great track record… I must admit my more literary and theological side likes it when I get to “geek out” about the surprising theological depth of something usually better known for its special effects.
posted on April 1, 2007 in News
ENI – The World Social Forum, which brought together 70,000 activists, including many faith-based organizations, from around the planet, in Nairobi, Kenya in February, was declared a “non-event for world media” by some commentators. The BBC criticized the forum for “a growing lack of focus that drains it of political impact.” Bishop Mvume Dandala, general secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches, a grouping of 134 churches and 35 national councils of churches representing 300 million Christians, responded by saying, “I am a bit disappointed with the attention that the international media seem to pay to [the World Economic Forum in] Davos, Switzerland, at the expense of recording what the poor gathered here tried to say. The message here has been clear: The dominant economic system ignores the plight of the poor of our countries. As long as the issue of poverty is not tackled adequately by the developed world, any talk of overcoming terrorism is just a waste of time; as long as the gap between the rich and the poor keeps growing, you can forget about democracy and stability in our countries. Can the message be any clearer?”
posted on April 1, 2007 in News
ENI – A proposal by Germany's family minister to triple the number of day care spots for young children by 2013 has led to disagreement between Protestant and Roman Catholic bishops. German day cares, known as crèches, are mostly run by churches or local authorities. There are few child-care facilities for children under three.
It takes a while to admit that you are divorced
posted on April 1, 2007 in Divorce
How can I help make a change for the better as an ordained minister of the church? How can my past experience help others find peace with God, with themselves and within their church family? How can I help others on their journey?
