Martha is taking some time away and will return to her blog on Friday, July 11, 2025.
Travelling mercies.
Knitting as spiritual practice ...
I ripped my knitting project out last week. Again. For about the 10th time. Since last August I have been trying to make a lacy vest. It is one of Ilga Leja’s patterns. I have known Ilga for years – she has been a member of St. John’s United Church for years and was active in the women’s spirituality group there, a fellow choir member, attended numerous bible studies, and was a colleague in the Atlantic Jubilee Program in Spiritual Guidance at Tatamagouche Centre in 2007.
She is also an extraordinary knitter, and designs many beautiful patterns (which you can find on Ravelry.com). When I saw Ilga at our 100th Anniversary Service on June 8, I told her, tongue in cheek, that I had been cursing her for months. I explained. “Toss it in the bin” she said.” “I can’t do that … I’ve come too far …” was my reply. I will finish this project come hell or high water. This is what it is supposed to look like:
I have completed a number of beautiful items designed by Ilga over the past 15 years. But this one has been challenging. I finally finished the back about 6 weeks ago. Then I started one of the front panels.
Similar in pattern to the back, but just different enough that I kept making mistakes. Miscounting, doing a ssk when it should have been a p2tog. Tried to make up for it. Sometimes I was able to go back a few rows and correct the mistake, but I usually just made it worse. Last week I looked at it for a long time. “Just do it”, I said to myself. So I ripped it out and started the front panel again.
This week, I think I might finally have figured out where I was going off the rails.
There is something utterly devastating, and yet completely refreshing about starting over again. I have done it, on many other projects, dozens of times. And each time, I am surprised at how I feel like such a failure one minute, and then full of hope and determination the next. It’s a clean slate. And I try to look at the pattern with fresh eyes. Sometimes I even have to walk away from it for awhile. With this one, it’s been days, even weeks.
The question is always “can I live with this mistake?” Sometimes I can. But occasionally, I know that in the end, I will feel better if I start over. And yet usually I continue to resist for awhile … even knowing that I will feel better if I just begin again.
When I first started knitting about 20 years ago I was knitting prayer shawls. I had started a prayer shawl ministry at St. Andrew’s and figured I shouldn’t be asking folks to do something I didn’t do myself. My great aunt-Nina, my grandmother’s sister who had the cottage next to my grandmother’s, taught me to knit when I was about 8. She knit all the time. I never quite took to it. I crocheted a lot in my late teens and early 20s, but left that behind in the busyness of life.
The original prayer shawl pattern was a very simple repetitive pattern that I thought “I can do this while I am watching TV at night.” I realized quite quickly that when I was knitting I was not working on some project that I had brought home from one of my two jobs or one of the courses I was taking. It really was a total break from everything else I was doing. I also found that it was quite meditative … sometimes. Not that long ago I read that knitting has been shown to reduce blood pressure. Obviously not my latest project lol.
I did often wonder if any of the dark energy and anxiety from the British mysteries we were always watching crept into the prayer shawls I was knitting. I guess I will never know the answer to that.
Since I took up knitting I have often found myself reflecting on many of life’s experiences through the metaphor of knitting … whether it is unravelling a ball of wool, ripping out a pattern and starting again, trying to figure out what seems like a complicated set of instructions, or just quietly knitting something repetitive.
So, if you ever see me wearing a back lacy vest, you will know that I completed my most recent project. I think I will be ready for a basic scarf or shawl next.
After this Sunday, I am on vacation for two weeks. Tuesday I will travel to Toronto to visit one of my best friends. Then we will go on one of our many road trips … we have taken many over the past 25 years. We will drive north to visit my sister in Southampton, and then to St. Thomas (actually, Port Stanley) to see Alana, Matt and Murphy, and then back to Toronto.
I will see you on July 7.
And yes, I will take my knitting with me.
Blessings on your summer.
These are three shawls that ended up as Christmas gifts Matt gave to his mom, grandmother and uncle’s girlfriend.
Friendship
One of the great things about being back in Nova Scotia after living in Toronto for 5 years has been re-connecting with friends and colleagues. Rev. Robyn Brown-Hewitt is one of those folks.
Here we are at the North End Baking Company & Cafe yesterday, where we try to meet every couple of months to catch up and check in.
If you don’t know about the North End Bakery on Prescott Street, you should check it out. This is from their website:
“Welcome to North End Baking Co. & Cafe, where every treat is crafted with care, purpose, and inclusivity in mind! We are a gluten-free bakery and café, and many of our items are also dairy-free—because we believe delicious food should be for everyone.
We’re proud to be a social enterprise of Prescott Group, located in the North End of Halifax, Nova Scotia. At our heart, we’re a learning kitchen and café, providing adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities opportunities to build confidence and skills in baking, culinary arts, customer service, and cashiering.
Your support helps create meaningful learning experiences and lasting connections. Thank you for your patience and kindness as our team members grow and thrive. We promise it’s worth the wait!”
Learn more about the North End Bakery and Café at North End Baking Co.
Robyn and I go way back. We first worked together in the summer of 2002 when I was on the Agenda and Planning Committee and Robyn was the chair of the Worship Committee for the General Council in 2003 in Wolfville. When she asked me to be part of the Worship Planning Committee, I jumped at the chance. Any skills I have in creating liturgy and putting together worship services, I learned from Robyn.
For several years Robyn and I traveled together to attend Festival of Homiletics conferences. These are huge 4 day gatherings of preachers from around North America. Every year the keynote speakers are well known theologians and preachers. Robyn and I attended the events in Chicago, Atlanta, and Nashville together. If I have any skills in preaching it is because of those conferences and the many different sermons and styles of preaching that we experienced during those times.
In 2013 Robyn, Alana and I traveled together to the Greenbelt Festival in Cheltenham, England. Along with a 20 hour stopover in Iceland, where we had a lovely trip to the Blue Lagoon, we also spent 3 days in London before the festival. Here we are about to see Wicked.
Former United Church Moderator Right Rev. Gary Patterson had a dream of taking 100 people from the United Church of Canada, 50 under 50 years old and 50 over 50 to experience “Greenbelt”, the Christian festival of “artistry, activism and belief.” The Festival has been going for about 50 years, and from the website it looks like it is still going strong. In 2013 there were about 20,000 people in attendance. It was quite a remarkable experience. You can read more at Greenbelt Festival – Somewhere to believe in
Below is a picture of many of us from the UCC … you can find me towards the right in the second row looking over at Alana, who is sitting on the far edge of the picture. Robyn is kneeling, smack dab in the middle, with a black Tshirt with a green design. I believe that immediately in front of me is our current moderator, Rev. Carmen Lansdowne.
Although over the past 10 years or so our busy lives have meant that we haven’t seen each other much, it has been wonderful to reconnect in the past year, share memories, and celebrate our present lives. It is a gift to look back and see how our experiences have woven themselves into the fabric of our lives.
This Sunday we honour Indigenous Day of Prayer. During our Sacred Readings time, we will hear a story called “We Were Alone” by David A. Robertson. There is a youtube video with the author reading this book at (539) David Robertson #Reads2CHEO: When we were alone - YouTube.
I was listening to CBCs Bookends with Mattea Roach as I was driving into Bethany last week. She was interviewing Robertson, and i immediately wanted to follow up for our worship service for June 15. I mentioned it to Ann when I arrived at the church, she said “I have a book that might fit the theme” … ran to her office, and came back with the book. “That’s the one he was talking about!” I said. Funny how things work out. Or, as I like to think, the Spirit at work.
Here's the CBC interview:
I hope you can join us on Sunday as we explore some of the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Report, and specifically the ones that are calls for the church. How are we doing at Bethany on this path to reconciliation? How are you doing personally?
Celebration and prayer ...
We hope that you can join us for our 100th Anniversary celebration worship service at 3 pm on Sunday. This is a joint service with St. John’s United Church and Hope United Church, and choirs and ministry personnel from all three churches will be taking part in the service.
On June 10, 1925, The United Church of Canada held its inaugural worship service at Mutual Street Arena in Toronto. The UCC is the largest Protestant denomination in Canada. We minister to over a million people in about 2,500 congregations. The history of the United Church is closely entwined with the history of Canada itself. There is a fascinating historical timeline on the website at:
Historical Timeline | The United Church of Canada
This is also from the website: “The United Church was inaugurated on June 10, 1925 in Toronto, Ontario, when the Methodist Church, Canada, the Congregational Union of Canada, and 70 percent of The Presbyterian Church in Canada entered into a union. Also joining was the small General Council of Union Churches, centred largely in Western Canada. It was the first union of churches in the world to cross historical denominational lines and received international acclaim. Each of the founding churches had a long history in Canada prior to 1925. The movement for church union began with the desire to coordinate ministry in the vast Canadian northwest and for collaboration in overseas missions. Congregations in Indigenous communities from each of the original denominations were an important factor in the effort toward church union.”
Today, more than 20 of those Indigenous communities have been evacuated due to wildfires. Our Moderator, Right Reverend Dr. Carmen Landsdowne has written a pastoral letter to those communities affected. You can read this letter at:
We Pray for Families Displaced by Fire or Threat of Fire | The United Church of Canada
In her letter Carmen refers to our line in the UCC New Creed, which states that we are called to “live with respect in creation”, an addition to the New Creed in recent years, which comes from indigenous teachings. She says that this line is also an acknowledgement that these wildfires are a result of a lack of respect for creation.
Being part of the United Church of Canada means that we care for each other from coast to coast to coast. Our offerings received at the celebration service on Sunday will go to the United Church’s Mission and Service Fund. If you want to know how that fund is spent, there are tons of stories on the UCC website and videos on our Youtube channel. In particular this week, here are two stories of how the M&S fund supports Indigenous communities.
Here’s a story about a sacred space where Indigenous children, youth, and families reconnect with culture, language, and one another:
Gathering to Remember, Reconnect, and Renew | The United Church of Canada
And … read about a theatre group who tell the true story of 6 boys who stood up against the systemic mistreatment and abuse they endured at an Edmonton Indian Residential School in St. Albert, Alberta.
A Story of Cultural Resilience | The United Church of Canada
Next Sunday, June 15, we will commemorate Indigenous Day of Prayer and in our worship service we will focus on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to the church and see how we might be doing.
This week, we are called to hold these northern communities, regions, and the congregations within them in prayer.
Credit: ©libertygal / iStock
Children in our midst ...
I spoke a couple of weeks ago about growing up going to the United Church with my dad. Once I was confirmed around the usual age, I was “voluntold” (that’s how I remember it anyway) that I would be teaching Sunday School. One Sunday I found myself teaching a lesson which I found extremely problematic. I don’t think I quite understood why, but I just did not understand what I was teaching, and I didn’t believe in some of the things that it was saying about God.
I went to the minister with my questions - a well known and very revered Senior Minister - and whatever transpired, I guess it just didn’t satisfy me, because shortly afterwards I resigned from teaching Sunday School, and then left the church for almost 20 years.
I sometimes wonder what might have happened if the questions of my heart had been heard that day. What difference might it have made in my life?
I have often also wondered how it is that once I returned to the church as a young mother, I spent much of my ministry, both paid and volunteer, supporting children, youth and young adults answer the same kinds of questions I had at their age.
I suspect it’s no accident.
Elizabeth O’Connor, one of the founders of the Church of the Savior in Washington, DC, in her book Cry Pain, Cry Hope, in the chapter “On Hearing Call”, says: “…We sometimes teach the things we need to learn. Or is it that we heal others in the way we either need to be healed, or have been healed? … When we are able to keep company with our own fears and sorrows, we are shown the way to go; our own parched lives are watered and the earth becomes a greener place.”[1]
When I read this, many years ago, it helped me understand why I had become a teacher and educator and an advocate of children and youth when my own experiences of the early church, and much of my formal education, had been pretty grim.
This Sunday we celebrate the children, youth and young adults in our Sunday School. And all the gifts that they bring to us. Louisa will lead the service and has graciously given me a few minutes to offer a very brief reflection. It has led me down memory lane as I remember all the children that have ministered to me over the years.
It’s been a difficult week for me for a number of reasons, so I don’t have much else to say. So I thought I would just offer up a few pictures of some of the young people that I have had the great blessing and privilege to encounter during my years in ministry. With much gratitude I share them with you.
first, my own kids, the biggest teachers of them all …
and some random children’s ministry, confirmation, baptism, and campus ministry pics from over the years
[1] Elizabeth O’Connor, Cry Pain, Cry Hope
Picnic and prayer
We had a lively discussion last Tuesday at Picnic and Prayer about the origins of The United Church of Canada. We were blessed that Lori Cormier brought a number of folks from Melville Heights to join us.
First, we watched a short video of the history of the Christian Church, just to put it all in context. The video came from the GO Project Confirmation curriculum, and is very informative (and only about 7 minutes for 2,000 years of history!) for youth and adults.
Questions coming out of the conversation were about the conflict between the Orthodox and the Latin churches, and around the history of the Protestant movement, or what we often call The Reformation, which happened in the 16th Century. Many folks hadn’t made the connection between the word “protest” and Protestant … realizing that those of us who are Protestants have our spiritual roots in fact protesting the status quo.
The video did a great job of pointing out some of the challenging parts of Christian history, such as war, slavery and colonialism, but also highlighted some of the parts to celebrate – the church’s influence on the civil rights movement, offering sanctuary and safety to refugees, outreach ministry, and support to LGBTQIA+ community.
The second video recounted the 100 years of history of the United Church of Canada. At Bethany we will celebrate this anniversary with a special worship service with two other congregations (St. John’s and Hope) on June 8th at 3 pm. There were lots of questions after watching this video … such as …
Why does the United Church only have two sacraments?
What is going on with young people (and for some of us, that may include everyone that is under 50!) in the United Church of Canada … children, youth, young adults, families of all shapes and sizes, the “sandwich generation” (those taking care of aging parents and also children) …
Why are some of the more evangelical and conservative churches full of younger generations? (I have many ideas about that and will explore that perhaps in a future blog …)
And some wanting more information about reconciliation with indigenous peoples
These are all great questions …
This week we will take a closer look at the United Church Crest – it’s history, all the symbolism it contains, and how it has changed and evolved since its creation in 1944.
In week three we will look at our Statements of Faith – did you know we have 4? The Articles of Faith from 1925, the 1940 Statement of Faith, A New Creed in 1968 and a Song of Faith from 2006. All passed by General Councils, and all responding to changing contexts, and all “are recognized as doctrine, subordinate to the primacy of scripture.” (from the UCC website)
Please feel free to join us this Tuesday at noon as we continue to celebrate 100 years of the United Church of Canada.
In the meantime, you might want to explore the latest youtube videos from the United Church of Canada on its youtube channel, including the latest video from the Moderator, Mission and Service stories, and webinars at:
The United Church of Canada - YouTube
Here is the latest message from the Moderator about diversity, equity and inclusion, and why it is important in the United Church of Canada.
A Place at the Table: An Invitation to Belong - YouTube
And, here’s the Moderator’s Message about celebrating our 100th Anniversary
We begin our work ...
Last week I pondered about giving and gratitude, and offered some ideas from Diana Butler Bass’ lecture and book on the subject. This week, it’s time to get down to business.
After months of consultation, meetings, paperwork, bureaucracy, and the particular part of purgatory that is ChurchHub, (although there was an angel from the UCC staff that helped me navigate ChurchHub eventually), this week the Bermuda Nova Scotia Regional Council approved the extension of my appointment to full time hours, (40 hours per week), from May 1/25 to April 30/26.
This is so that I can offer support and leadership to Bethany as we focus on several key areas that were named in the Congregational Survey carried out by the Community Profle group last fall – the areas of Stewardship, governance (how we make decisions), and pastoral care.
I will focus on each one of those areas in this space in the coming days and weeks.
This week – let’s talk about Stewardship. Stewardship is not just about money. It is about how we live out our faith. It is about discipleship.
The United Church of Canada has a multitude of ideas, blogs and testimonies about Stewardship on its website. It’s a bit overwhelming. Here’s a video that I found engaging.
Chris Levan - Giving Thanks/Modelling Gratitude
As I begin to think about how to begin our work at Bethany, I found two short blogs interesting, both written by Vicki Nelson, Community of Faith Stewardship Support for Pacific Mountain, Chinook Winds, Northern Spirit, Living Skies and Prairie to Pine Regions of The United Church of Canada.
This one articulates how United Church camps teach the radical generosity that prepares young people to create a more just world. This gave me hope, and reminded me that stewardship is not just what we put in the envelope on Sunday morning.
https://united-church.ca/blogs/round-table/training-grounds-revolution
In this one, Nelson articulates some current thinking about Stewardship, and why it matters, and in my opinion, makes a very good case for seeing Stewardship as something that is about more than just money. It’s about time, and community, and a way of living out one’s faith.
How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Ignore the Budget | The United Church of Canada
I will be looking for folks to think this out with and help me plan a Stewardship campaign in the fall, so let me know if you are interested.
Grateful ps ... and Mother's Day
(from the movie Nonnas, on Netflix)
I found out yesterday that in fact some folks studied the book Grateful by Diana Butler Bass with Kevin in 2018. As I pointed out in yesterday’s blog, I am thinking we might use it as a book study in the late summer or early fall. Those who looked at the book in 2018 might be interested in revisiting the conversation, or perhaps even loaning their copy of the book to someone else who wants to read it. Let me know what you think.
This Sunday, we look at the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch in the book of Acts. We look at themes of belonging, community, diversity, and family – both chosen and biological. It is Christian Family Sunday, what some have historically called Mother’s Day.
You can find lots on the internet about the origins of Mothers Day, which is credited to Anna Jarvis in 1905. But decades earlier, author and poet Julia Ward Howe promoted a Mothers’ Peace Day, calling for “women to gather once a year in parlors, churches, or social halls, to listen to sermons, present essays, sing hymns or pray if they wished — all in the name of promoting peace.” (5 Facts About Mother's Day Origin - History of Mother's Day)
My experience tells me that there are mixed feelings around Mother’s Day. And there are lots of reasons for those mixed feelings. Perhaps it is about loss - whether it is recent, or long in the past. Perhaps the day brings up painful memories, not happy, warm memories. Anne Lamott has captured the complexity of the day in a 2010 essay on Mother’s Day which she reposts every year. You can read it at at the link below … but beware, it’s not for the faint of heart.
Why I hate Mother's Day | Salon.com
If you are looking for a great, feel good movie this weekend check out Nonnas on Netflix. Starring Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Brenda Vacarro and Talia Shire, “Nonnas” is inspired by the life of Jody Scaravella, who, after losing his mother, opened Enoteca Maria on Staten Island in 2007.
Here’s the trailer for the movie: (337) NONNAS | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
Still thriving two decades later, the restaurant became famous for the grandmothers or nonnas in the kitchen. Each of them cooking dishes from different Italian regions. It has now expanded to include grandmothers from all over the world. You can check out the story about the movie and the restaurant CBS Sunday Morning at
Watch Sunday Morning: "Nonnas" share food "made with love" - Full show on CBS
See you Sunday!
Gratitude
Diana Butler Bass, American historian of Christianity, author of eleven (soon to be 12) books, and advocate for progressive Christianity offered two public lectures this week as part of the Atlantic School of Theology Alumni Homecoming Reunion. Her lectures were on the subject of Gratitude. The title of her last book is Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks.
I will be thinking about some of the things I heard for some time, and will offer a few teasers later in the blog. Some members of the Faith Study have suggested a summer book club, and I am thinking that it might be a great selection. I notice on her website that there are several different study and discussion guides, which is always a bonus. I think it could also compliment one of the named priorities for the coming year which is Stewardship.
First … I will tell you what I am grateful for this week. The above picture is my Polar Ice Machine. Usually around $400, I got it “free” with the $2,000 brace that I got for my knee last year.
It hadn’t been out of the box until about two weeks ago. I was just too overwhelmed at the time with getting used to all the elements of the brace to manage yet another contraption, with its big manual and attachments and gadgets. It just looked too confusing. Besides … my knee wasn’t bothering me.
Then the flare up hit last month. When I finally got in to see my long time physiotherapist, she took one look at it before she began the acupuncture. “That’s really swollen … you really should be using the ice machine.” Well, that was the shaming that I needed. But even Pat, who can figure anything out, couldn’t figure this one out. So the next week I gently explained that we couldn’t figure out how to work the thing. Then she suggested one of the brace specialists could offer me a little hands on tutorial.
I am a hands on learner. Exactly what I needed.
The idea is that ice (or ice packs) and water go into the cube, everything gets hooked up, plugged in, wrapped around a body part, and turned on … and ice water circulates in the pad along with compression. I have to say … it didn’t take long before I was hooked. It felt amazing. The idea is that you can withstand this much longer than a regular ice pack. Even up to an hour or more.
I am pleased to report that on my next visit to the physiotherapist she said “oh … the swelling has gone down.” Sometimes, it takes me a year to finally catch on to something good.
Back to gratitude and feeling grateful. I really didn’t know quite what to expect, not having read Butler Bass’ latest book. What is there left to say about gratitude and being grateful? It’s a good thing, right?
Well, yes and no. Over the course of the two evenings, Butler Bass took us on quite journey. From a soft beginning about how we express gratitude, to some of the more subversive aspects of gratitude as a spiritual practice, I became more and more engaged. This is an excerpt from her website at
Grateful: The Subversive Practice of Giving Thanks | Diana Butler Bass
“Although most of us know that gratitude is good — and good for us — there is a gap between our desire to be grateful and our ability to behave gratefully. The implications of the gap are bigger than we realize, affecting both our personal and public lives. In Grateful, Bass weaves together social science research, spiritual wisdom, and contemporary issues as she calls for a richer understanding and practice of gratitude. What emerges are surprising insights about the power of thankful living to change how we treat one another, and how we might transform our world.”
I will be processing and thinking about this in the days to come and I don’t think you have heard the last from me about this. In the meantime, I will be plugged in and attached to my polar ice machine whenever I have the opportunity. And feeling grateful.
Earth Day and Camping Sunday
image from Sanctifiedart.org; special Sundays
This Sunday we celebrate Earth Day and Camping Sunday. More about that at the end of the blog … but as I was looking at past sermons about camp, and earth day, I came across this wonderful video which I showed in worship many years ago. I was delighted to see it again … and I have watched it a number of times this week when I have felt overwhelmed. It brings me such joy!
Perhaps some of you may remember …
Harry Belafonte and The Muppets - Earth Song (short version)
I last wrote this blog on the Saturday before Easter, what we often call Holy Saturday. That in between time. A time between grief and hope. It has been a rollercoaster since our glorious Easter Sunday worship service, which was full of joy and beautiful music. However, fresh in our minds that day was the death of a beloved member of our faith community, Bob Grant, on Good Friday. Later that week, another beloved member, Phil Keeley, died. Both memorial services will be held at Bethany. Phil’s will be this Sunday at 2 pm, and Bob’s on May 17. Our community mourns the loss of these two men as we continue to walk with Bev and Yvonne and their families, and surround them with love and support. It is a stark reminder of the cycle of life and death, and of the Easter season which is upon us.
This is the time of year when we see this cycle vividly all around us. New life. Hope.
My vacation last week was not what I had hoped for … which was supposed to be a trip to PEI to visit a good friend who has experienced tremendous loss over the past 6 months, after a devastating loss 18 months ago. It became very clear to me after the busyness of the Easter weekend that traveling with a bad knee that was only slightly beginning to feel better might not be a good idea. At least until I got in to see my trusted physiotherapist and caught up on my sleep. As the week progressed and my proposed trip slipped away, I whined and whinged for awhile, and then tried to make the best of things.
I read. (3 books) I knit. I listened to a podcast or two. I binged a few TV shows. I slept. A lot. I even sorted out a few piles of things (books, papers, clothes) that had been getting a bit unruly. Even got hopeful one day and dug out spring clothes and sandals from the back of the closet. I tried not to think of church and what I had left behind for a week (and what Louisa was dealing with at the office) … plumbing problems, deaths, anxiety about next steps in my ministry here … I was mildly successful at that. I did watch parts of the worship service last Sunday, and Tim Crooks’ reflection, which was inspirational.
One day I did allow myself to think about the worship service for May 4. In its wisdom, on a cold winter evening, the Worship Committee decided to celebrate Earth Day, which is April 22, and Camp Kidston Sunday on May 4. Rev. Katie Aven from Bedford United Church prepared a 22 minute video for churches to use on Camping Sunday, and I previewed it last week. Although we aren’t able to show it during worship, I would recommend it to you.
The video brought back so many memories … and also, dare I say, gave me hope? Hope for the future. For young people, for the world we live in. I remembered my own time spent at Kidston as a volunteer Chaplain. I remembered my own kids’ experience, and driving carloads of weeping kids home at the end of the week because the week had ended. I remembered sitting beside kids at dinner who had been to the bog that day and still had mud in their ears. And I remembered how terrified I was whenever they played their night games.
Please take the time to watch the video. It is such important ministry within the United Church of Canada. And like all ministries outside of a church building, sometimes it struggles for recognition and survival. On Sunday we will hear from two Bethany campers, Elizabeth Carter and Mason Bowers, and also have a written testimony from my daughter Alana Martin, who went to Camp Kidston every year since she was 5, became a CIT, and a counsellor, and now works with children, youth and young adults in the UCC.
I hope to see you Sunday!
here’s the link to the Kidston video.
Holy Saturday
The above image was created by Megan Burns Argabrite and appeared on the Sanctified Art Facebook page, with an invitation for anyone to use it. I love it as we draw our Lenten series to a close.
But, we have one more day of Holy Week to go.
A Facebook friend reposted this from American author and historian of Christianity Diana Butler Bass. It originally appeared on Bluesky:
“A corrumpt, authoritarian government seizes an innocent man, tortures and jails him on trumped-up charges that change during a manipulated legal process. The prisoner is left at the mercy of dehumanizing politicians and jailers to do with what they please.
Holy Week then. America now.”
Butler Bass is referring to the mistaken deportation of Kilmar Ábrego García from the US to El Salvador, and the Trump administration's refusal to have him returned despite a unanimous Supreme Court decision to do so.
Today is often called Holy Saturday … the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We know Easter is coming but we aren’t quite there yet. Some traditions have vigils on this day. We are still sitting in shock, grief, and disbelief from the events of the week.
Fortunately, we know the end of the story. Spoiler alert: Death is not the end. Cruelty, oppression, and inhumanity did not win. And it will not win today.
Our Sanctified Art materials have provided us with A Poem For Holy Saturday by Avery Arden. If you didn’t receive one at the Good Friday service yesterday, here it is:
And if the waiting becomes unbearable, this might lighten your spirit. It is similar to the ones I posted last Christmas from a church in Australia. This one is from a church in Kentucky. They have taken a few liberties with the story … but I think they got the main points right. Jesus is risen. Go tell everyone.
(211) Easter According to Kids - YouTube
Happy Easter. See you tomorrow.
Musings about Jesus
I have had privilege of having many conversations about Jesus these past several weeks … with the youth group, the confirmation class, folks that came to the lunch and living word sessions this week, and in the weekly faith study.
Yesterday, was Maundy Thursday, the day when many Christians around the world remember the night before Jesus died, when he washed his disciples feet and shared a last meal with them.
Yesterday this image appeared on the United Church of Canada website. You can read the story about how this picture came to be, and about the United Church members across the country who came together to recreate Da Vinci’s Last Supper here:
A Place at The Table | The United Church of Canada
You can also find a link to a video about the project on youtube. “Through deep faith and a sense of belonging, we explore the fullness of humanity and the divine reflected in each person. Join us in this journey of vulnerability, curiosity, and authentic self-expression, as we celebrate inclusivity, diversity, and the joy of relationships formed in challenging times.”
In my first conversations about Jesus with a group I usually start with either my Jesus ABCs poster, or my huge file of images of Jesus that I have collected over the years. I ask folks to choose an image and tell us why you chose it. Here are a couple of my favourites.
Laughing Jesus – which you can see and read about at
Who was Canadian behind iconic image of "Laughing Jesus?" | Vancouver Sun
Christ of the Breadlines
Fritz Eichenberg — Relief: A Journal of Art and Faith
The Crucified Woman statue at Emmanual College in Toronto.
Joan Wyatt: The Cruciform Woman Image Then and Now - The Educated Imagination
You can read lots about the story of the statue online, and I actually have a book that I have used as a faith study about her story. The statue depicts a naked female figure in a cruciform position. It was commissioned by some folks at Bloor Street United Church in Toronto to be at the back of the Sanctuary throughout Lent. As I heard Rev. Clifford Elliot tell the story many years ago, it was fine until they brought the statue to the front of the church on Good Friday. Then, to put it bluntly, all hell broke loose. He said he got calls from around the world, had many media interviews, and was eventually charged with heresy, and investigated by Presbytery. Eventually the statue found a new home at the University of Toronto.
Whenever I am in Toronto and near Emmanuel College, I make a point of walking by and taking a moment to reflect … on how she continues reach out and speak to the suffering of women in our communities, our country, and around the world.
an update ... and other random thoughts
Here’s an update from our house. Pat saw the ortho clinic first thing on Monday morning. He found out that it is a crack not a break, does not need surgery, and as long as he wears the boot he can even put weight on it. It should heal in a month.
I, on the other hand, have experienced another flareup of my arthritic knee … so we are a fine pair hobbling around the house. At least I can drive, if I can get to the car. I am hoping that this only lasts a few days like the last time a couple of months ago … as far as I know I didn’t do anything strenuous to aggravate it … but I do know that other things like stress, lack of sleep and too much sugar can also lead to these things as well. Guilty as charged.
I find it hard to believe that we are approaching Holy Week already. Our worship themes during Lent have given us much to think about … from new ways of seeing old stories to challenging us to look for the presence of God in places where we might not ordinarily look.
The Sanctified Art Facebook page is a place where congregations around the world that are also using these worship materials share what they have been doing. A couple of weeks ago there was a full on Broadway number from Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, complete with costumes, about the parable of the fig tree.
This week, Sterling United Methodist Church in Sterling Virginia has put together a summary of all that we have talked about. I couldn’t have said it any better, so I thought I would share it even though the days and times of the gatherings next week at Bethany aren’t the same. It is a great review of our themes.
Please check out our website for our Holy Week events.
And finally, I wanted to share a resource I have recently found, called The Book of Belonging, Bible Stories for Kind and Contemplative Kids. (pictured at the top). You will find me reading from this book often over the next months. You know by now that I think a good children’s story works for folks of all ages. For all you parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, big brothers and sisters, and generally anyone who wants just an overall great biblical resource, here’s an introductory video of the book by the author. It’s 10 minutes … but well worth it if you are looking for a way to open up the stories of our faith.
(172) The Book of Belonging: Bible Stories for Kind… by Mariko Clark · Audiobook preview - YouTube
Zacchaeus, Shrodinger's Cat, the Big Bang Theory, and stupid falls
It’s been a busy week. Not just for me, but for many at Bethany. We have had a number of evening meetings this week, and I am not the only person, either on staff or the leadership team, who was present at most of them. Many folks have worked hard to get things ready for the AGM on Sunday after church.
It’s also been an exhausting week for those of us trying to keep up with the news. Between worrying about how those poor penguins in the South Pacific will be able to pay the new US tariffs, rage, and spitting our coffee out in disbelief, things just keep getting stranger and stranger south of the border and around the world.
And, personally, our household was turned upside down on Wednesday when Pat broke his leg. At first, he thought he had just sprained his ankle after a stumble going up the stairs. He actually went to work at 7:30 am yesterday (Thursday) … he is on the crew of 22 Minutes and worked all day, but by 5 pm decided he better have it looked at. He was home at 11 pm with a boot and a diagnosis of a broken bone, a prescription for crutches, and a promise that he would be called by the Ortho clinic within 7 days for a consult to determine if surgery would be necessary. (Note: he has since been called and is to show up at the clinic at 8:40 am on Monday).
Today has been filled with him clearing his work calendar, or at least exploring what he can and can’t do in the next 6 weeks as far as the commitments he has taken on. And, coming to terms with the nature of his injury. This is not the first time he has broken his leg. The other two times were hockey injuries, and one could even be called a noble injury because he said he was trying not to fall on the goalie. That was shortly after Alana was born, and resulted in him being in a cast to his hip for about four months.
This time, it was an inside “stupid fall” as he called it. Something I would do … indeed have done, a number of times. During our long marriage, I have sliced the back of my heel open, ruptured my Achilles tendon, broken my leg, and torn my rotator cuff. Those are just the big ones I remember. And they were all “stupid fall” injuries where I didn’t watch where I was going. The irony is not lost on me that he has spent the winter worrying about me falling (again) and he is the one that has the injury after a stupid fall. .
Anyway, we muddle along and are yet again humbled by and are grateful for Canadian health care. This week we look at the story of Zacchaeus. I wish I could promise you a spontaneous outburst of song during the worship service this Sunday … I was lucky enough to experience it twice this week … once with Ann in my office and once with several members of the faith study group on Wednesday night. “Zacchaeus was a wee little man …” Flash mob anyone?
It wasn’t one that I had in the children’s choir repertoire at Islington United Church in Toronto back in the 1960s. But it seems that it was a popular one around here.
It’s such a familiar story … the hated tax collector who climbed the tree to get a better look at Jesus, only to be invited to host Jesus for a meal. And then to be welcomed into the Kingdom of God.
Our words this week are righteousness and mercy. I keep returning to a sermon I preached on Zacchaeus a number of years ago when I first heard of Shrodinger’s Cat. Science fiction fans will know what I am talking about. It’s the belief or theory that there isn’t one universe, but hundreds or thousands of different universes all taking place at the same time. At the time, I showed a clip from The Big Bang Theory. There was a whole story line about Shrodinger’s Cat when Penny and Leonard got together. Below is a clip to get you thinking. And of course, there’s lots online about Shrodinger’s Cat. Stay tuned.
Zacchaeus was a wee little man,
And a wee little man was he.
He climbed up in a sycamore tree (pretend to climb a tree)
For the Lord he wanted to see.
And as the Savior passed that way
He looked up in the tree,
And he said, "Zacchaeus you come down, For I'm going to your house today!" (cup hands around mouth)
For I'm going to your house today! (clap to the beat)
Here's a Shrodinger’s Cat primer …
(131) The Big Bang Theory - Schrodinger's cat - YouTube
Bug Snugs
This is a bug snug.
More importantly, this is Bethany’s Bug Snug. Thanks to Dana for sending me a picture. It’s right beside the garden that Louisa and the Sunday School children have built. I had never heard of a bug snug before, but Louisa told me it’s for bugs to hunker down and spend the winter hibernating. I don’t think I knew that bugs hibernated. Being a non-bug person, I was just glad I didn’t see many bugs in the winter. Inside or outside.
I don’t think I ever wondered or thought about where actually the bugs might be. A quick google search will turn up all kinds of information about bug snugs, how to make them, and bugs hibernating.
This week we have been contemplating the words “rest” and “growth”, and the parable of the fig tree that still hadn’t produced fruit. I am pondering the times in my life when I have been forced to rest, perhaps on advice from a doctor or because of an injury, and how difficult it sometimes is to slow down.
One of the supplemental articles in the worship materials talked about something called The Nap Ministry, and the Nap Bishop. I was a bit curious. Turns out to be kind of a big deal. Almost a movement. Here’s an article about The Nap Ministry, and Tricia Hersey, its founder, and author of the New York Times bestseller, “Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto.”
And you can listen to or read an interview with Tricia Hersey, The Nap Bishop, on CBC’s Tapestry here:
'The Nap Bishop' explains why rest is a form of radical resistance | CBC Radio
There are also lots Nap Ministry youtube videos and interviews, and you can visit About | The Nap Ministry
Who knew? I’m intrigued …
A few years ago I read the book Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May, after hearing her interviewed on Krista Tippet’s On Being podcast. That’s where I learned, among many other things, that knitting actually lowered one’s blood pressure (although I could be persuaded to argue that some of the complicated patterns I have tried recently have no doubt raised my blood pressure on occasion …).
I loved the book, and her extensive research and insights. It stressed the importance of slowing down, and learning how to value those times when we might seem unproductive. May says that … “wintering is a metaphor for those phases in our life when we feel frozen out or unable to make the next step, and that that can come at any time, in any season, in any weather, that it has nothing to do with the physical cold.”
In the podcast, Krista Tippet asks May to read an excerpt from her book:
“Plants and animals don’t fight the winter; they don’t pretend it’s not happening and attempt to carry on living the same lives they lived in the summer. They prepare. They adapt. They perform extraordinary acts of metamorphosis to get them through. Wintering is a time of withdrawing from the world, maximizing scant resources, carrying out acts of brutal efficiency and vanishing from sight; but that’s where the transformation occurs. Winter is not the death of the life cycle, but its crucible.
“It’s a time for reflection and recuperation, for slow replenishment, for putting your house in order. Doing these deeply unfashionable things — slowing down, letting your spare time expand, getting enough sleep, resting — is a radical act now, but it’s essential.”
You can listen to the full On Being podcast at:
Katherine May — How ‘Wintering’ Replenishes | The On Being Project
Bug Snugs, The Nap Bishop and Wintering. Rest and Growth. It’s all part of the rhythm of life, the natural cycles of our lives.
May you find and welcome the rest you need these days.
Gleeful Escapism
Photograph: Erin Simkin/Netflix
Today’s question from the devotional cards is this:
What things do you need to feel nourished and ready for growth?
Many years ago I had a spiritual director that asked me to make a list of 20 things that I love to do, that feed my soul. And I couldn’t get to 20. I think I only got to about 8 or nine.
Oh I could list 20 things that I was grateful for easily enough … but things that feed my soul? That was hard. I found the task challenging … and every time I have thought about that question since then, I still do.
I think those two questions are similar. Whatever feeds our soul will nourish us and prepare us for the growth that inevitably comes, whether we like it or not, throughout our lives.
I think that her point was that I wasn’t spending enough time doing those things that feed my soul … which, when you think of it, when you are doing something that you love to do, like having a visit with someone just to have a visit, or going for walk in the woods, or by the lake, or taking the time to make someone else’s life a little easier to bear, I believe you are really putting yourself in the presence of the sacred. And I think putting ourselves in the presence of the sacred, which can take many forms, nourishes us and makes us ready for growth.
This is a round about way of telling you that Pat and I are really enjoying a new Netflix series called The Residence. It’s quite hilarious … it’s an eight part murder mystery set in the White House. The Guardian says it is “a joyful murder mystery (that) is eight hours of gorgeous, gleeful escapism.” I didn’t realize I needed a good belly laugh … but I have had a number of them since we started watching this. Highly recommended.
There’s nothing wrong with gleeful escapism these days I say – just to cleanse the palate from the firehose of foolishness that the rest of the news brings.
What things do you need to feel nourished and ready for growth?
Duncan's Tree
This Sunday we hear Jesus tell the parable of the fig tree that wasn’t bearing fruit, and explore the two concepts of rest and growth. The devotional question for Sunday is “Do you find yourself more in a season of rest, or growth, or both?”
This is the time of year when we start to anticipate the new growth appearing in our gardens. Many years ago a professor at a theological seminary in Costa Rica told a group of us that he had spent a year in Kingston, Ontario while on sabbatical, and that he absolutely loved Canada. He said that it was a gift to be in a climate where the seasons change so dramatically – to experience a climate where you could actually see the resurrection as it occurs in nature. He said it was a very real and tangible reminder of the biblical resurrection story. He said in his climate it’s hard to see the obvious cycle of death and rebirth as it occurs in nature.
Here is the story of Duncan’s Tree, pictured above.
One Sunday afternoon in the summer of 2020, Pat and I went for a drive to Ketch Harbour, a little village about 30 minutes outside of Halifax where my in-laws lived for many years. We drove by their old house, and at the end of the driveway was a tree, about 15 or 20 feet high (I don’t have a good sense of these things!), which was known in the family as Duncan’s Tree. Duncan is our younger son, who just turned 43 a few weeks ago.
Now this tree started as a tiny sapling that Duncan was given at school when he was about 8, and it was a Mother’s Day gift. I said to him, as tactfully as I could, that I did not feel equipped to plant and nurture this sapling, and besides, I didn’t know where in the world I could possibly plant it in our tiny yard. However, I suspected that his grandmother in Ketch Harbour would be happy to receive it, and would know exactly where to plant it, and how to tend to it. Which she did. She loved and nurtured that tree over many years.
That afternoon I took a picture and sent it to Duncan as none of us had seen it for years. The next thing I knew he had posted it on his facebook page, complete with fond memories of his grandmother taking him out to see it every time he came for a visit. He also told a funny story about her being mad at his grandfather for nearly running over the tree with his lawnmower because he didn’t see it.
His post generated a number of posts from his friends, who remembered well the little sapling they were given, and some even said they wanted to drive by where their little sapling was planted to see how it was doing.
My mother in law knew it would take a long time for that tree to grow … to stand on its own and be strong against lawnmowers and storms and animals … it was an act of faith and hope … and an invaluable lesson for a small boy to have faith that in time, the tree would grow big.
Hope to see you all on Sunday!
Update on Murphy ...
A short post today … we received this video from Alana yesterday, which I thought I would share. Murphy “graduated” from his round of chemotherapy treatments. Alana said “he is very high” … which accounts for his obvious confusion. But it does show the love that the staff all had for him. Matt and Alana will be glad to have a rest from the weekly drive (one and a half hours each way) and the several hours of waiting during the treatment … and the effects that it had on him for a day or two afterwards.
Here's hoping that’s the end of things … poor old Murph has had quite a journey these past seven months between surgeries and chemo. Thank goodness for pet insurance!
Feel free to join me tomorrow morning at 10:30 for a few minutes or longer to check in about your Lenten journey … Mary and Martha … or anything else that’s on your mind. The zoom link can be found on the website under “Ministries” and then “Lent 2025”
Friday I will post about this Sunday’s reading … the parable of the fig tree. And tell you all about Duncan’s tree!
Here’s a short video about parables from Amy Jill Levine to get you “primed.”
The Saint and The Sister
What a wonderful Joy Lunch club on Wednesday, with music to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day provided by Shawn Whynott and Anthony Rissesco. As usual, the food and company were also great.
I was remembering, when Shawn was giving his excellent summary of the history of Saint Patrick’s Day, and some information about Saint Patrick, some of the information that I have learned over the years. Shawn said that Patrick is said to have “driven the snakes out of Ireland”, but added that many have pointed out that in fact, there were no snakes in Ireland. Afterwards I asked Shawn if he had seen the many memes that appear on social media this time of year, like this one:
What I have learned, was that the snakes were a derogatory term for Druids, and pagans in general. That’s what Saint Patrick drove out of Ireland.
I did a lot of research years ago into the struggle between the Celtic and the Roman Church in its early days. And, of course, the Roman church “won”. In John Philip Newell’s Listening for the Heartbeat of God, the author, a former Warden of Iona Abbey in Scotland, details that struggle, the conflict between two theologians, Pelagius and Augustine, and wonders how different the institution of the church might be if instead of one side exerting their will, beliefs and practices over the other, there had been more integration of the two.
Newell explains that the difference between the Celtic and Roman church can be seen in the depiction of daVinci’s Last Supper, where it is speculated that it is John the beloved disciple at Jesus’ immediate right, essentially listening for the heartbeat of God. In contrast, the Roman church is founded on Peter, seen to be the founder of the Roman Church.
Here is John Philip Newell explaining what it means to listen to the heartbeat of God in a short 5 minute video.
The discussion fits well with our theme “Everything in between” during this Lenten season, and also with this week’s story of Mary and Martha, found in Luke 10, and how we find “God in between” action and contemplation.
At this time of year I always remember fondly my father in law Frank Martin, who died in 2008. Frank was raised by his Irish speaking grandmother in Halifax when his mother, widowed with three young sons, had to work outside the home to support the family. He finally made it to Ireland once, when he went on a tour hosted by Tommy Makem. It was a lifelong dream of his, and the highlight was when he found his great-grandmother’s birth certificate in the parish records in the village of Lisdorgan.
Frank introduced me to Sister Fidelma. Sister Fidelma is the heroine of a series of mystery novels and short stories written by Peter Tremayne. Set in 7th Century Ireland, Fidelma is at the same time a lawyer, or dalaigh, who administers the ancient laws of Ireland, a member of a Celtic religious order, and sister to the High King. She is very often seconded to travel around the country, and sometimes beyond, to solve murders, usually in the company of her partner and eventual husband, Brother Eadulf, a Saxon.
I have learned a lot about ancient Ireland from reading the Sister Fidelma mysteries. The stories interweave historical information and political intrigue, issues of class and hierarchy, and offer insights into the struggles between the Celtic and Roman church at the time. For a few years I was hopelessly hooked on Sister Fidelma.
There are thirty six Sister Fidelma novels, and I think I have read around 27. I also discovered that there is an International Sister Fidelma Society, (http://www.sisterfidelma.com), with all kinds of fun facts, discussion groups, and information about the locations of some of the books. I imagine them all getting together, like at Star Trek conventions, in period costume, wild flowing red hair and long capes.
Sometimes I even imagine myself as Sister Fidelma ... riding around the countryside on horseback with long red hair and an enormous cape flying behind me, fighting for justice, challenging the hierarchy of the church in all its silliness. Very wise and insightful, yet sometimes hotheaded and quick to anger. Uncovering the truth slowly and methodically.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day folks!
Profound hospitality
During the first week of Lent we have been exploring the story of the Good Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke, and in particular, the idea that it’s possible that we may be both neighbour and stranger at the same time.
The question on the devotional card for Wednesday in the first week of Lent asks:
“Have you ever received profound hospitality? How did it impact you?”
I am sure I have received profound hospitality many times in my life, but the example that immediately comes to mind is a trip to Guatemala in 2007. My colleague in ministry at St. John’s, Linda Yates and I co-led a youth trip, which was planned in consultation with facilitators from the Breaking the Silence Network in Nova Scotia and Guatemala.
The online Webster’s dictionary defines the word “hospitality” in this way:
a: given to generous and cordial reception of guests
b: promising or suggesting generous and cordial welcome
c: offering a pleasant or sustaining environment;
And then, quite a different definition, one that I had not considered before:
2. readily receptive; open to new ideas.
Our journaling question on our first night, after almost 12 hours of travel time, was … “How does it feel to be a stranger, knowing that over the next 10 days strangers will be showing you hospitality?”
I had shared with my fellow travelers months before that during our preparation sessions that when I went to Central America the first time, 10 years before that, someone had challenged me to metaphorically “empty my hands” … to let go of my assumptions, my preconceived notions, my ideas of how I can help.
It was suggested that if we carry all these things with us, then our arms are not able to accept the gifts that the people we are visiting have to give us.
We remembered that idea our first night, and hoped that our hands were empty enough to experience the hospitality that was about to be bestowed on us.
We asked ourselves, if hospitality is, as the definition suggests, also being readily receptive, being open to new ideas, would we be up to the challenge?
What would it mean for us to show hospitality to strangers in this setting?
One of the many memories from that trip was that everywhere we went they wanted to feed us. Despite the fact that they had very little, and what they put out for us to eat would have used up much of their own food for the rest of the family, we were always given something to eat. And we were expected to return that act of hospitality by sitting down with them and eating. Not in a hurry, not on a schedule, but to eat and visit.
I continue to reflect nearly 20 years later on the idea of both receiving and giving hospitality, being both stranger and neighbour.
Here are a couple of pictures from the trip, as well as the group photo at the top. And yes, that is Rod MacInnes, a parent of one of the youth, who brought his “parlour pipes” with him and entertained many of all ages during our trip.
Here’s the link to the Thursday morning check in … and again, sorry I didn’t do it correctly last week. Come for a short check in or a longer conversation. I’d love to hear about your Lenten journey. If for some reason it still doesn’t work … the link is also on our website under the “Lent 2025” category under “Ministries” … or send me an email and I will invite you from the Zoom meeting!
Topic: Lenten Journey Coffee Check-In
Time: Mar 13, 2025 10:30 AM Atlantic Time (Canada)
Every week on Thu, until Apr 17, 2025, 6 occurrence(s)
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Meeting ID: 886 1127 4887
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