In the ditch ...

Happy International Women’s Day!

Last night I had the wonderful opportunity to join my friend Robyn Brown-Hewitt at a wonderful event to celebrate International Women’s Day at the Sanctuary Arts Centre in Dartmouth. What a feast of sound and joy, celebrating the artists who performed at the original Lilith Fair festivals in the late 1990s.

I was so impressed with the venue, a refurbished Baptist church in Dartmouth, and the music. If you have the chance to attend an event in this wonderful space, don’t pass it up. It is very impressive. Pictures are below.

This Sunday we celebrate communion and look at the familiar story of the Good Samaritan. My sermon will be short, as we will have a time for all ages each Sunday in Lent, and it is our tradition to have communion on the first Sunday in Lent.

So I will post an “appendix” (or, more like a prequel really) to the sermon.

In their commentary on Luke, biblical scholars Amy-Jill Levine and Ben Witherington III, the authors change the title of the story to “the parable of the man who fell among the robbers.” They argue that Jesus’ audience and Luke’s readers would have primarily identified with the one in the ditch, waiting to be rescued. They challenge readers to imagine themselves as this person instead of seeing the story from the perspective of the Samaritan who offers the help. I will explore this theme more in Sunday’s reflection. Check out Amy-Jill’s brilliant 6 minute lecture on this parable at:

Dr. Amy-Jill Levine 6-minute lecture: Who Is My Enemy? The One Who May Save Me

Levine ends by saying: “You are not the Samaritan. You are the person in the ditch. Who can save you? If you can acknowledge that everyone has the possibility of doing that … if you can do that then the parable has worked on you.”

The challenge was not lost on me. I wrote briefly in earlier blog about a fall that I had in January one evening outside a church in Dartmouth where I was to attend a meeting. It wasn’t snowy or slippery … I just stumbled on the uneven sidewalk in the dark … and had some momentum going so couldn’t quite stop myself from going down.

I went down hard on my hands and knees … and am very lucky that I didn’t crack my head on the sidewalk, or the concrete wall that was beside the sidewalk. When I did topple over, my head, thankfully, hit the ground between the sidewalk and the wall, which was still soft.

The problem is … once I go down, I can’t get up. I can if there’s a table or chair I can use to steady myself and push up … but obviously that wasn’t anywhere near.

So I took some deep breaths and tried and tried, but just couldn’t do it. For about 10 minutes I sat on the pavement trying to make a plan, fighting back panic, and tears. It was a busy street. Cars kept driving by.

I finally got out my phone and emailed my friend in the meeting (“I’ve fallen outside and I can’t get up.”) Two of them came running out, and one, who I think was a physiotherapist, took charge and had me up in under a minute.

While we were walking into the building, my friend asked “were there lots of cars that drove by?” “Yup” I replied. “They probably just thought you were another drunk on the street” she said.

When I tell the story, which I have a number of times, I laugh. I mean, it was kind of funny. And although I was very sore for a few days, it was my dignity that was mostly wounded.  But this week I am challenged to think about that incident from the perspective of the person in the ditch. And how I might have felt had a stranger stopped to help me.

There’s lots more to unpack in this parable. Plus, in my sermon I will talk a bit about why Jesus taught in parables. It’s important to think about this as we will be looking at several parables during the season of Lent. Join us on Sunday … I don’t think I will have the answers, but I am sure I will have lots of questions!

 

Theme song

Friends … so sorry for messing up the link for yesterday morning’s check in. I seem to have cut and pasted the zoom invitation badly so it didn’t work. I will do better next week!

The folks at A Sanctified Art have just shared the theme song for the series, which is, I think hauntingly beautiful.

During a busy week, I felt quite grounded as I listened to it today. I seem to be a bit stuck on the challenges of this week … to more closely align my intentions with my actions.

I resist. Which usually means that I am meant to dig deeper.

The song is meant to feel like a breath prayer, meditation, or piece of sung liturgy. It can be sung by a solo voice with choir, or choir and congregation.

Paul Vasile, the composer, writes:

“When the invitation to write a Lenten theme song came in a season of political and personal turmoil, I found it difficult to imagine singing across significant differences with other faithful people. If I took that risk, what music or text could honor the complexity of our stories and experiences and not do more harm?

I leaned into my experiences of community singing over the past decade, trusting practices of song-sharing that are deeply relational and can foster spaces to know yourself, know others, and be known to them. 

What felt essential was a return to the breath which could anchor an invitation to listening and self-awareness. The phrase “breathe, listen, and notice” emerged as I imagined what might help us share our stories and experiences without judgment or assumptions. If all you do while you listen to the song is breathe, that is enough. I also hope that moments of call-and-echo singing can model the back and forth patterns of conversation, as well as offer opportunities for grace-filled learning.”

You can find the song here:

(Preview version) Breathe Listen and Notice—Lent theme song on Vimeo

Ash Wednesday 2025

During the six weeks in Lent we will look at a number of familiar stories in the Gospel of Luke that seem to have polar opposite choices or interpretations that point to “either this, or that.” The authors of the materials challenge us to be surprised and transformed by expanding our understanding of these stories to include nuance and complexity where before we may have only seen a binary option.

In Ash Wednesday’s reflection, the conversation begins with thinking about intention and action. It asks the question “As Lent begins, how will you align your intentions with your actions?”

I wasn’t familiar with Ash Wednesday services until I worked at Mount Saint Vincent University, a university founded by the Sisters of Charity. Ash Wednesday is relatively new in the United Church of Canada in that we have begun to “officially” observe it with a worship service only in the past several decades.

The first year I was at MSVU (1997), I got many phone calls asking if there was a service. And it was mostly the Roman Catholic faculty and students that were looking. After doing some research between year 1 and year 2, and finding out that it didn’t have to be a priest that administered the ashes, I began to offer a service in Year 2, and it was one of the most well attended services I did all year.

It has been a learning curve for me over the years to understand what exactly Ash Wednesday means to me. Why do we walk around with crosses on our hands or heads, when the reading from Matthew that is often read during Ash Wednesday services says that’s the last thing we should be doing?

It says, in the 6th chapter of Matthew: “So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you: this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the admiration of others. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward... And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them. When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to  let others know they are fasting.”

This image above is from the Sanctified Art materials from several years ago, Full to the Brim. I was so inspired by the image at the time, and with the artists’ discussion about coming from stardust, that I purchased the rights to share it digitally this year, along with the artist’s statement. Every Ash Wednesday I remember this image, and I somehow find it comforting.

Lisle Gwynn Garrity, the artist, writes: “Many of us begin Lent with ashen marks smudged against our foreheads, the oil glistening on our skin throughout the rest of the day. Itʼs a mark that is holy because it tells the truth: we are formed from the dust, and to dust we shall one day return. We are not immortal. Death will one day find us all. …

… But the cross on my forehead only tells me part of the story. The empty tomb tells me a fuller, more expansive truth: death will not have the last word. There is more. God is more.

This expansive truth requires more of us. It invites us to abandon empty or showy practices of faith, and instead, draw inward to open ourselves to a deeper journey of transformation. It requires me to believe that I am truly worthy of love, belonging, and grace. It requires me to believe others are also.

… What if, instead of ashes, gold gleamed on our foreheads? What if, alongside the certainty of death, we are also reminded of Godʼs expansive grace? What if on this day we said to one another, ‘From stardust you have come, and to stardust you shall one day return.’”

How do you respond to the image? Or to the artist’s statement? What do you hope from your Lenten journey this year?

In the commentary for Ash Wednesday, Dr. Mindy McGarrah Sharp reflects on the tension between intentions and actions. Sometimes, we just don’t feel ready for whatever is to come. We haven’t prepared enough. Dr. Sharp asks “What if listening is a practice on the move, a learning as we go, a birth crowning at the gravesides of yesterday? This is the day. Lent is here. Are you ready?”

How will you align your intentions with your actions?

Want to check in about your Lenten journey, or anything that is bubbling up after Sunday worship or your mid week reading? Join the Wednesday night Faith Study (in person or on zoom) starting next Wednesday March 12 at 7 pm. Call the office to sign up, or there is a sheet on the bulletin board as you go into the sanctuary from the Clinton Street parking lot.

Or, (and!), join me for a zoom check-in coffee break on Thursday mornings at 10:30. Stay for 15 minutes or 45. I’d love to hear about how your Lenten journey is unfolding. Here’s the zoom link for Thursday mornings.

Topic: Lenten Journey Thursday Check-In

Time: Mar 6, 2025 10:30 AM Atlantic Time (Canada)

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Lent 2025

My spouse used to say, many years ago, that he was going to give up scotch mints for Lent. I couldn’t remember ever having seen him eat a scotch mint.

It was a Catholic joke I think.

Years ago, when I was caught up between 3 jobs and the busyness of the season I used to say that I gave up all my spiritual practices for Lent. Giving something up for Lent does not have a long history in the United Church tradition.

But I have always been surprised at how many folks still do give something up for Lent. It’s not a bad practice at the heart of its intention, but it has been abused over the years. The 2000 movie Chocolat with Alfred Molina, Judy Dench, Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp, based on the 1999 novel Chocolat by the English author Joanne Harris, is a great commentary on the potential for meaningless sacrifice, even abuse, that the practice can invite. For a number of years we did a Lenten study based on that movie and an accompanying resource and folks loved the opportunity to explore the themes in the movie, which folks seemed to resonate with.

In the bulletin last week we included an insert Dana and I created that proposes alternatives for fasting – fasting from self-criticism, fasting from negative feelings, fasting from judgement ….. some suggestions focus on the taking up of things – a spiritual practice, buying only fair trade coffee or chocolate, or taking up a special daily contribution to a charity. There are many possibilities out there.

Some of you will have the Lenten Devotional from A Sanctified Art that we will be referring to throughout the worship services over the next 6 weeks. We will also be using it in the Wednesday evening Faith Study starting on March 12. If you would like a copy, which is available either in hard copy/paper from the office, or digitally, give the office a call.

The theme chosen for this year’s Lenten resource from A Sanctified Art is Everything in between – meeting God in the extremes. In the booklet you will find artwork, poetry, theological reflection and questions to ponder each week.

I will probably post on the blog a few times a week during Lent. My hope is to get a conversation going – whether it is in the Wednesday evening Faith Study starting on March 12, (in person or zoom), or the Thursday morning weekly check ins on zoom.  Feel free to attend one, or both. I will circulate the zoom link tomorrow.

Dana has also created a page on the website which will include reflection questions and comments from the Sanctified Art materials.

Tomorrow I will post something about Ash Wednesday, and tell a few stories from my own experiences.

What are your Lenten memories and traditions?

Some random thoughts from a week "away" ...

I have managed to MOSTLY stay off the computer, and emails, and the phone, this week. True confession, I did sneak a peek at the Lenten materials yesterday and watched the preparation webinar. I’m glad I did. I feel almost prepared for the next 6 weeks.

Here’s a partial list of my “accomplishments” this week …

Finally got to a physiotherapy appointment and didn’t have to hang my head in shame for not doing the exercises. And my knee actually feels a bit stronger and less painful. Also got to aquacise. As my pool companion has been known to say, “I am feeling virtuous!”

Listened to a few podcasts, which I loved. Why don’t I do this more often? I started working backwards through Krista Tippett’s On Being podcasts. If you haven’t listened, give it a try. On Being is (from the website) …

.. “a conversation that has been building for over two decades with wise and graceful lives — across spiritual inquiry and science, social healing and the arts. You likely know us through … our Peabody award-winning show that began on public radio — now podcasting special seasons. We can be found in ears, and in conversations that matter, around the world. We are animated by humanity’s ancient questions, newly alive in this century: What does it mean to be human? How do we want to live? And who will we be to each other?”

Home | The On Being Project

Tippett interviews poets, scientists, artists, humanitarians, social activists … it’s a feast of information and hope. This week I listened to interviews with Joan Baez (it was wonderful!) and author and visionary Adrienne Maree Brown, where I learned about what mushrooms can teach us about compost and new life.

A closely associated podcast you can find on the same website is Poetry Unbound, with Padraig O’Tuama, former Director of the Corrymeela Centre. Poetry Unbound is a … “Short and unhurried, … immersive exploration of a single poem … Pádraig Ó Tuama greets you at the doorways of brilliant poems and walks you through — each one has wisdom to offer and questions to ask you”.

 And, from one extreme to the other … I finished my Chief Bruno mystery, and started the latest in a wonderful series I started last year … the Parker and Pentecost series by Stephen Spotswood. Set in the 1940s New York City, it features a scrappy circus runaway with knife throwing skills, Willow “Will” Parker, and unorthodox private investigator Lillian Pentecost, whose multiple sclerosis prevents her from keeping up with her old case load alone. There are five books so far in the series and I have loved them all. Pure escapism. Can’t wait for the TV series or movie.

And, I think I broke the back of my knitting project (while listening to podcasts) … which I have been at since last summer. Usually I knit to relax but this pattern I chose is ultra complicated and up until this week I could only do a few rows at a time before I would put it down in frustration. I have ripped it out and started over several times now (which I have come to view as a spiritual practice itself!) … but this week … I think I got it! It will still probably take me a few months to finish … but at least it’s not causing me grief every time I pick it up. My great aunt Nina, who taught me how to knit when I was a kid, would be proud.

I also managed to get through a few of the piles of papers in the spare room, and clear a bit of space in the basement. And I had several visits with friends over coffee or lunch. So it’s been a good week.

And yes, I will be watching the Oscars this Sunday night … even the red carpet before the show. There are still a couple of the “big” movies I haven’t seen … don’t think I will get to them before Sunday … but I’ll be people watching along with millions of others.

I will probably post a bit more often during Lent … there are some great resources and reflection questions in the social media materials and the journals, so stay tuned next week as Lent begins!

 

 

 

 

 

Bread and Roses

As promised in my sermon today … here are a few links for you to check out.

Here’s the read aloud for Maybe Something Beautiful. The book is based on the true story of the Urban Art Trail in San Diego, California. The illustrator of this book, Rafael Lopez and his wife Candice brought hope, beauty and a strengthened sense of community to the East Village by turning the dark alleys into art canvasses.

(2652) Maybe Something BEAUTIFUL - YouTube

And, Bread and Roses with Joan Baez and her sister Mimi Farina.

Joan Baez-Bread and roses

Here is the one from the 2024 movie Pride, which is a great (93% on rotten tomatoes!) British historical comedy drama. Based on a true story, the film depicts a group of lesbian and gay activists who raised money to help the British miners’ strike in 1984. It is spine tingling … I challenge you not to sing along!!!

Bread and roses lyric video (version from the film Pride)

And speaking of bread and roses … I will be taking a few days off this week. Over the past six months I have built up some extra hours over what I am supposed to be working (30 hours per week) and I find I need a bit of a “reset” before Lent starts …

So I will be catching up on podcasts, knitting projects, reading (not theology or biblical commentaries) and yes … no doubt watching a few movies. And, tending to some neglected physio exercises and household organizational tasks that I seem to have totally abandoned over the past few months. Those who email me will find a message saying I am out of reach until next Sunday March 2. However, Dana and Ann know how to reach me if there is a pastoral emergency, where I will no doubt be found under a large pile of stuff in the basement.

I may or may not come out from under one of those piles to write a blog on Friday. We’ll see how the week goes. I will be at worship on March 2, when we will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the UCW with a special worship service.

until then, bread and roses.

My complicated relationship with hockey ...

I found out yesterday that about a minute into the Canada-USA 4 Nations Hockey game last Saturday night Alana texted her father and said “did mom leave the room yet?” To which he replied, “yup. She was gone after 3 seconds.” She knows me well. For those that don’t know, there were 3 fights in the first 9 seconds of the game.

I’m not against hockey. I will watch Olympic, Womens’ and International hockey. But as soon as a fight breaks out, I’m gone. Our sons both played hockey for many years … although eventually Pat tactfully suggested that perhaps it would be better if I didn’t attend the games because the abusive comments from parents in the stands towards the players (who were kids) upset me too much. I took him up on that invitation.

When Alana came along, I will admit to steering her into different activities, including competitive swimming, which she enjoyed for many years until the time commitment just got too much between the early morning practices and one weekend a month away at a competition.

Her brothers’ and father’s love of hockey rubbed off on her. During her high school graduation year, we took a trip to Washington DC during March break to visit friends, and took a side trip to Pittsburgh to watch Sidney Crosby play. She was his number one fan. She might even still be.

On our student trip to Northern Ireland in February of 2014, it was in the middle of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. At Corrymeela, we managed to hook the TV up to a computer with wifi so we could watch the Canadians play. Later in the week we even commandeered a corner of a popular sports bar in Belfast to watch the final gold game. Granted, we had to agree to turn the sound off once the football started in the rest of the bar.

Some members of the group, including myself, even went to see the Belfast Giants play at the newly built Odyssey Arena (now the SSE Arena) on our day off. (pictures above and below). This came about after we watched the NFB Film When Hockey Came to Belfast. Of course, Alana organized the expedition.

This is a description of the film: “Paul and Andrew are friends that met through their shared love of ice hockey. Like other 15-year-olds, they hang out, listen to music and play sports. However, Belfast is a city steeped in decades of religious violence. Paul is Catholic and Andrew is Protestant, and being friends means risking their safety in a divided city.

When Hockey Came to Belfast is the striking story of how Canadian ice hockey is transcending religious lines. Bringing Northern Irish youth together in a shared love of the game, the rink gives boys and girls a haven from the turf warfare that pervades their lives. "When you're on the ice, you don't really think about Protestants and Catholics," says Andrew. "You just get on to play the sport with whoever's there."

Set against the backdrop of a post-conflict society, this documentary also provides an intimate glimpse into the realities of life in Belfast - the 12-metre-high walls that divide Catholic and Protestant, the precautions Andrew and Paul must take to be friends and the safety they find on the rink at Dundonald.”[1] You can watch the film here

When Hockey Came to Belfast

The taxi drivers in Belfast got quite a kick out of listening to us going on about “ice hockey” … and some were quite amazed to know that it was a growing sport in Northern Ireland. We learned that bringing ice hockey to NI was quite intentional. Long held divisions between Protestant and Catholic extended to which sports team you supported. By introducing a new sport to young kids, it was hoped that the cycle of division and sectarianism over many decades might be broken. I was amazed at the packed arena – mostly filled with kids under 10. It was an excited and animated crowd that was there to cheer for their Elite League champions. Ten years later, I see that the Belfast Giants are still going strong, and have won many championships.

Cathal Kelly, in his Globe and Mail review of last night’s game, said … “A lot of what happened at TD Garden wasn’t hockey. It was politics, and the von Clausewitz sense – war by other means. … Except the Boston crowd wasn’t all that interested in punching back. The booing of O Canada? Cursory. Perfunctory, even. … The audience let the Canadians on hand – and there were many of them – take up the song in the second half. … Boston is a lot of things. It’s a hockey town, a ‘U-S-A-U-S-A’ town, but it’s not a Trump town. In their low-key, charming way, they seemed to be protesting too.”

One of the exercises we used to do at Corrymeela to introduce the idea of sectarianism and to get conversations going is to explore what tends to unite and divide people. We did this by putting ourselves in a line according to our thoughts about questions such as …

Does a flag unite or divide us? Does a song unite or divide us? Does a sports team unite or divide us?

Of course, there would be folks all along the line according to their thoughts about whether it unites or divides us.

I have heard the argument about booing during the National Anthem at sports events argued persuasively from both perspectives – both defending it and condemning it. I’m probably somewhere in the middle.

I am pleased to report that I lasted the whole first period last night before I toddled off to bed and my Chief Bruno mystery. And yes, I was happy to see that from all reports it was a thrilling game, Canada won, and the long standing good relationship between Nova Scotia and Boston still stands.

Take that, Mr. President.

 

Shrimp, and Jesus

Just in case anyone’s fed up with winter and snow and ice, have a look at the short video our son sent yesterday. He’s the cook on a Clearwater shrimp boat, which is presently off the northern tip of Newfoundland (see map). When asked if he is cold, he said he is working in a short sleeved chef jacket, however for the deck hands it’s an entirely different story! When Matt asked him what it sounds like, he said “crunchy at times … when they are steaming to a new spot.” He is advised that the ice is getting thick enough that they should soon see polar bears. Enjoy your next feed of shrimp folks!

This Sunday, we continue to read about the ministry of Jesus as it is recounted in the gospel of Luke. We will hear the story of John the Baptist, who was in jail, and sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus, “are you the one we have been waiting for?” We will explore questions like “how do we get to know Jesus?”, and “who was Jesus?”, and perhaps even, “how do we know he was the Messiah?”

Sometimes, when we are looking for something, we are looking in the wrong direction.

I am going to show a very short one minute video to the children this Sunday to demonstrate exactly this point. For those who watch online, (another storm is predicted!!), or those who sit at the back of the church, or choir members who might not have a view of the TV, here is the link …

(2591) Basketball Awareness Test - YouTube

But PLEASE … don’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t watched it yet. It is fun to watch the surprise on people’s faces when they get to the second half of the video (like I did with Dana, Ann and Louisa this week, who all convinced me it was a good idea to show it in the worship service!)

I will also probably talk again about the ABCs of Jesus poster that is in my office. I talked about this in one my very early blogs. It shows Jesus as represented by the 26 letters of the alphabet … A is for Activist, B is for Black, C is for Carpenter … you get the picture. There is a little line drawing beside each one. It is a great way to get people talking about Jesus, their favourite story, and how they personally relate to Jesus.

I came to know Jesus in a much deeper way when I was commissioned to write the United Church of Canada 2017 Lenten Study Parables, Prayers and Promises, Daily Devotions about Jesus. At the time, I remember thinking that I might be the least likely person to write a book about Jesus. It felt quite daunting to think about writing 40+ (one for each day in Lent) reflections about Jesus.

The book itself was a bit of a miracle. I was asked to write it in the fall of 2015, just after my Achilles tendon rupture. At that time, the deadline of 4 months seemed reasonable. All the complications I had after my surgery resulted in me taking almost seven months to finish it, and the fact that I was able to finish it at all is a testament to the patience of the United Church staff person supporting me, and the enormous support I received from family, friends and my faith community while I recovered.

The book is meant as a study, and also a devotional resource, with each day in Lent having a scripture passage about something Jesus did, or said, a short reflection, a prayer, a hymn suggestion, and also a link to a video, or picture, or other popular culture reference. It is organized around the parables, prayers and promises of Jesus.

The fourth reflection in the book is called “Jesus the Son of God”, and here’s an abbreviated version.

“When my daughter was four years old, I was still in the midst of my diaconal training at the Centre for Christian Studies. I was doing my educational field placement at Bedford United Church in Nova Scotia. Driving home early one Sunday afternoon, she announced from the back seat, “I’m going home to draw a picture of God.” I asked her what she thought the picture might look like. “I don’t know”, she said, “but I know he wears sandals.”

Now, I was in my early days of feminist theological awakening, and all I heard at the time was the word “HE”. I launched into a great talk about “some people think about God as a woman blah blah blah …” at which point she furrowed her brow and looked confused. Later, when we got down to actually drawing the picture, it turned out to be a beautiful page of flowers, with the word “HEAVEN” at the top, and a giant picture of a man with sandals over the whole picture. It was Jesus. I had completely missed the point that for her, God and Jesus were somehow the same. I still have the picture to remind me of a child’s wisdom and my tendency to overthink things sometimes.”[1]

Here's the picture:




[1] Parables, Prayers and Promises, p.8; © 2016 United Church of Canada

Me and My Kindle ...

February 7, 2025

 I continue to look for signs of hope and resistance in these times. This week, I share some words from folks within the United Church of Canada. In the latest edition of Broadview Magazine, here are two worth reading.

 Rev. Bri-Anne Swan’s very thoughtful and informative response to the reaction to Bishop Budde’s sermon:

 U.S. House response to Budde's sermon shows just how deeply Trump's allies missed her point | Broadview Magazine

 And another very practical column from Rev. Christopher White about how communities and individuals of faith can act now:

 5 ways people of faith can respond to Trump | Broadview Magazine

 As part of the “buy Canadian” challenge that is permeating social media in the past two weeks, I have been challenging myself, as I am sure many of you are, to rethink my purchasing habits. My crisis this week has included trying to find an alternative to Amazon. I confess to being hopelessly reliant on this mega American corporation, owned by one of the billionaires present at Trump’s inauguration.

 From Amazon Prime TV (and of course, it’s free delivery charges when you order something online) and my Kindle e-reader, I feel overwhelmed when I think of extricating myself from Amazon. There is Kobo, a Canadian owned corporation, and I am seriously considering that option.

 The problem is, I have had a Kindle for about 15 years. I have hundreds of books on Kindle. A long time ago I decided not to buy any more physical books. I didn’t want to add to my already bulging bookcases. So over the past decade I have bought biblical commentaries, theological books, children’s books, mysteries, and self-help books. Some were even duplicates of large volumes that I already had but were just much easier to transport to Toronto. Kindle e-books are way cheaper … and you get them immediately. Sometimes I needed that immediacy in a Saturday night sermon writing session in Toronto.

 Just so you don’t think of me as only a hopeless TV and movie addict, let me assure you that I can be equally addicted to books. Here is a sample of what’s on my Kindle …

 The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate – took me over a year to finish, but I find his insights into trauma, family systems and the human condition eye opening and reassuring. Plus, he makes strong connections between the physical condition and the psychological. I go back to his insights often.

The mysteries – Martin Walker and the Chief Bruno series. My current addiction. Who knew I would be interested in a mystery series set in a small village in France, and it’s history (both ancient and fairly recent). Between the wine and the recipes and the people, I love them. And it’s a distraction. Other great mysteries – Parker and Pentecost by Stephen Spotswood; two Elly Griffiths series – Ruth Gallaway and the Brighton Mysteries; Peter Tremayne’s Sister Fidelma series (an Irish dalaigh or advocate in the 7th Century) and Rhys Dylan’s DCI Warlow books, set in Wales. I find them all quite addictive, and they all take me out of whatever I am worrying about and into another world.

 Other things on my Kindle …

Contemporary theological writers … Brian McLaren (Do I Stay Christian?), Amy-Jill Levine (Jesus for Everyone), Nadia Bolz-Weber (Accidental Saints), Rachel Held Evans (Searching for Sundays), Marcus Borg (The Heart of Christianity) … and many more.

Liturgy and prayer books, children’s books – too many to mention

 Commentaries and other self-help/spiritual reflection resources – Women’s Bible Commentary, The Artist’s Way, Original Blessing by Matthew Fox.

 Books from some of the Canada Reads recommendations from the past 20 years.

 So perhaps you can understand my dilemma. Last night I realized there are many books on my Kindle that I haven’t read or finished. Perhaps that’s where I start. Not buying anything new. Although I did buy another Chief Bruno book last night.

Last one. Promise.

 This Sunday we look at two stories of healing in the Gospel of Luke. I will also talk about the move A Real Pain, which is nominated for several Academy Awards. Here’s the trailer. It’s a thoughtful and uplifting comedy about two mismatched cousins who travel to Poland to honour their grandmother. I think it is available to watch on Disney +, or it says you can rent it on Amazon Prime. Sigh …

https://youtu.be/_SrV71wT7kg?si=mmlg1s_XZbnN-jnz

Here is another longer clip I found called “extended preview” if you don’t have access to the movie. I think it gives you a good idea of the writing, and Culkin’s performance, and the brilliant balance between comedy and tragedy that the movie achieves.

https://youtu.be/_SrV71wT7kg?si=mmlg1s_XZbnN-jnz

 

 

 

Random thoughts ... and hope

Lots of random thoughts here … and hopefully some words of hope. And some links to follow if you want more.

This week I will be incorporating some themes from the movie Conclave into my sermon. I circulated a link to the trailer and a brief description in last week’s blog. I notice that it is available to rent for $6.99 On Demand for those of you who have that option. Looks like it is also available to rent on Apple TV or Amazon.

I found two great interviews with the movie’s actors online this week – one from a few weeks ago with Stephen Colbert and Isabella Rossellini, and one from BAFTA from a few months ago with Stanley Tucci, Ralph Fiennes, and Isabella Rossellini. Great watching, and also offer some insights into the movie.

 https://youtu.be/rsueJ3w-0yo?si=x1Bhjgs8D0HIIY-B

 https://youtu.be/DD2sPvMkfTk?si=WAGYR4wArp10fEts 

The movie offers a great distraction from the chaos of the news these days. And, it also leads us into conversations about the church, belief, institutions, and change. Same old, same old, right? It seems like an endless conversation, and yet the polarization of two very different Christian worldviews continues to play itself out south of the border. And, I would also argue, in our own country and around the world. And, I would also suggest, it doesn’t just happen in Christianity, but in every world religion. I suspect many have extended family members (as I do), who hold very different views on religion than I. Is it even possible to engage in conversation with folks who think so differently?

I don’t have any answers. I continue to look for words of hope with a few trusted authors and commentators. At the faith study last night a few folks asked me to share some of these resources. I know it is hard to know what is true, what are the facts, but these are the ones I have found that I find trustworthy.

I have referred before to Heather Cox Richardson, an American author and historian, who writes a daily “Letters from an American” … she also does podcasts and youtube videos where she explains some of the things going on. This is the link to her daily letters – I think you can subscribe for free but just have to give them your email. She cites many reliable sources and really does her research well.

Letters from an American | Heather Cox Richardson | Substack

I also found a wonderful interview with Governor Tim Walz on Rachel Maddow two nights ago. His words echo many of the ones I have heard and read in the past two weeks, but he says it very clearly. Well worth the watch.

https://youtu.be/9UdHdjuodPg?si=7-qS4d2qpsVBSWtx

And finally, one of my favourites … I have been reading her books, blogs and columns for 3 decades … Anne Lamott. I leave you with her words from her facebook post yesterday. She writes a column for the Washington Post, and has copied and pasted the whole column on her Facebook page. So I will do the same. It is great. And I will reread it all weekend.

“I am not sure what my role in the resistance will be, as my feet and right hip frequently hurt. Also, it was announced in the news beginning several hours after the November presidential election that the resistance is muted, and/or that there is no resistance. Democrats and the opposition leaders — of whom there are apparently none anyway — don’t know what to do.. But how could anyone?

When my mother fell into a steep decline with Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes in 2000, my two brothers and I met with a gerontology nurse. She listened to our grief, confusion and absolute exhaustion. How would we know when it was time to move Mom to assisted living? How could we keep her from bingeing on the rolls and cookies she was shoplifting from Safeway, which the checkers paid for because they loved her? How could we get her to take her insulin when she was so confused? And the nurse replied gently, “How could you know?”

This had not occurred to us. We thought we must be stupid not to know. She said, “You guys all need a good, long rest.” I think we need and are taking a good, long rest.

Along with half of America, I have been feeling doomed, exhausted and quiet. A few of us, approximately 75 million people, see the future as a desert of harshness. The new land looks inhospitable. But if we stay alert, we’ll notice that the stark desert is dotted with growing things. In the pitiless heat and scarcity, we also see shrubs and conviction.

Lacking obvious flash and vigor might seem as if there is no resistance. But it is everywhere you look.It is in the witness and courage of the Right Rev. Mariann Budde. It is in the bags of groceries we keep taking to food pantries. It looks like generosity, like compassion. It looks like the profound caring for victims of the fires, and providing refuge for immigrants and resisting the idea that they are dangerous or unwanted, and reaching out to queer nieces, siblings and strangers and helping resist the notion that their identities are unworthy, let alone illegal. It is in our volunteer support for public schools and libraries, because we know the new president holds them in contempt and fear.

Teachers and librarians are allies for souls who have been dismissed as hopeless. These unabashed do-gooders will definitely get the best seats in heaven, nearest the dessert table. What they have to offer — patience, companionship, poetry — is about to be defunded by the new administration, but not by us. Resistance may depend on federal district court judges, but it will look like bake sales. Too bad my mom is no longer here to donate her stolen cookies, but I am here, as are all my friends.

They ask me for direction, because I am a Sunday school teacher, and they feel like children: “How will we get through the next four years?”

I tell them a few things that always help me.

First, I tell them what my Jesuit friend Father Tom Weston says when I call him for help when I feel craziest. After assuring me once more that he can counsel Protestants, too, if they are pitiful enough, and no matter the exact details of the latest calamity at the dinner table or in D.C., he always says, “We do what’s possible.” So we are kind to ourselves. We take care of the poor. We get hungry kids fed. We pick up litter.

Second, I tell them what Susan B. Anthony’s grandniece said. Also named Susan B. Anthony, she told her therapy clients that in very hard times, we remember to remember. Remember that the light always returns. Remember earlier dark nights of the soul, for ourselves, our families and our nation, when we fell in holes way too deep to ever get out of. Remember the Greensboro sit-ins and the march from Selma to Montgomery, the 2017 Women’s March, the coronavirus vaccine. Remember how in the desert, down by the arroyo, you’ll find dubious patches of pale green, maybe a random desert lily and, impossibly, baby leaves.

Molly Ivins would have told me on Nov. 6, “Sweet Pea, we got our horse shot right out from under us.” We did, and it hurts like hell and we loved that horse, and people are laughing at us. We need a little time here to decompress.

Now is a time of quiet. A passionate activist friend told me she doesn’t feel very resisty yet, but one thing that characterizes deserts is the stillness, until the wind blows. And, boy, when it blows, it’s like an organ. You can hear its shape and power because everything else is so still. How or when will the wind start up? How could we know? But it always does.

Spring is less than two months away — warmth, light, daffodils, life bursting into its most show-offy self.

“Give me those far away in the desert,” Saint Augustine said, “who are thirsty and sigh for the spring of the eternal country.” I can tell you this: The resistance will be peaceful, nonviolent, colorful, multigenerational — we older people will march with you, no matter our sore feet and creaky joints. There will be beautiful old music. There will also be the usual haranguing through terrible sound systems, but oh well. Until then, this will be my fight song: left foot, right foot, breathe. Help the poor however you can, plant bulbs right now in the cold rocky soil, and rest.”

 

 

At the Movies part 2

Over the next month or so I will be incorporating some of last year’s big movies into my sermons and reflections. (I did give you warning about this in my January 3 blog!)

To be fair … I thought I would give you a heads up about some of the ones I will be talking about in the next month or so. The Oscar nominations were just announced several days ago. And, I also warned you that I do tend to get caught up in the media frenzy of it all. (Some days, it feels healthier than the alternative on the news channels.)

I have chosen a number of movies that I think will fit well with some of the scripture story themes during the epiphany season. They may not all be nominated for Best Picture, but an actor or director may be nominated in their category. I think they are all worthy of a look. I have included the links to the trailers so you can get a sense of each one.

Some of the movies are based on books, which might also be an option for folks if you are not a movie fan. When I talk about movies in my sermons, I try not to give spoilers or too much of the plot away, but instead speak of general themes, and offer insights from others that have reviewed the movie.

Many of the movies are in in theatres now. Some are on Netflix or are available to rent on one of the streaming services. Some I may pair together in one week because they have similar themes.

This week, January 26, the scripture is about Jesus preaching in his hometown. At first the folks love what they are hearing. Then, he begins to tell them some hard truths. And they get angry. Very angry. They try to run him off a cliff. (note: I will also be talking this week in my sermon about the very courageous Episcopal Bishop of Washington who spoke directly to the newly inaugurated President this week.)

You can find Rachel Maddow’s full interview with Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde here:

Full interview: Rachel Maddow talks with the bishop who asked Trump directly to show mercy

I will also be talking about A Complete Unknown, (still in theatres), the Bob Dylan biopic. It is nominated for best picture, and has nominations for best actors (Timothy Chalomet for his portrayal of Bob Dylan; Edward Norton for his portrayal of Pete Seeger; Monica Barbaro for her portrayal of Joan Baez). The movie is based on the book Dylan Goes Electric, by Elijah Wald.

 The trailer is here

(2488) a complete unknown trailer - YouTube

To be clear … I am not comparing Bob Dylan to Jesus. But I do think that there are similar themes in both stories … expectations of leaders, resistance to change, prophetic voices … and how do we tell the difference between “false” and “real” prophets? Who are the prophets in our time, and are we listening to them or trying to run them off a cliff?

In future weeks, these are the films I will be referring to if you are going out to the movies or looking for something to watch for a break from the news.

Sing Sing – I talked about this movie in a summer sermon. Colman Domingo has been nominated for a best actor award. Some critics have called it the best movie of 2024.

The movie is based on the Sing Sing correctional facility's theater program, called RTA – Rehabilitation Through the Arts. The film is loosely based on John H. Richardson’s Esquire article The Sing Sing Follies. I found themes of reconciliation, rehabilitation, hope and dignity in this extremely uplifting movie.

Here’s the trailer

(2488) Sing Sing | Official Trailer HD | A24 - YouTube

Wicked -  It is the first installment of a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical of the same name, which is loosely based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire. Possible themes to discuss (that I have read in critics’ reviews) include racism, propaganda and terrorism, fascism, evil, and leadership.

Wicked | Official Trailer 2

Conclave – This is a political thriller film based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris. The film is a master class of actors including Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini. In the film, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Fiennes) organises a conclave to elect the next pope and finds himself investigating secrets and scandals about some of the candidates. Themes include power, patriarchy, institution, church … and lots of intrigue.

 CONCLAVE - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters October 25

And finally this week I will recommend A Real Pain. (looks like it is on Disney+) Wikipedia describes A Real Pain as a “buddy road comedy drama film written by Jesse Eisenberg … it stars Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin as mismatched Jewish cousins who travel to Poland to honour their late grandmother.” Lots to talk about it this one … family, trauma, resilience …

 Here’s the trailer:

A REAL PAIN | Official Trailer | Searchlight Pictures

Well … that should get us started! Let me know what you are watching, or your thoughts on any of the above movies.

 

 


 

 

 

Families ...

It feels like I have been careening into the new year without much chance to catch a breath. As I write this I am thinking about the families of three long time Bethany members who passed in the past week.

 I am preparing to do the funeral for Ken Carter at 10 am this morning at Snow’s. The other two members who died this past week are Sheila Gray, and Elsie Kline. I don’t believe that arrangements have been finalized for Sheila’s service, and there will be a private family gathering for Elsie at a later date. All three have not been active at Bethany for a number of years.

 I was told by Elsie’s daughter Anne (who I knew in my early days at St. John’s United Church) that Elsie never missed an online service. In fact, Anne told me that she was watching the service on Dec. 29th with Elsie and she saw Alana onscreen … and remembered that she had been one of her Brownie leaders! Small world Halifax, right? I love to hear who is watching us online … but that story was a bonus. I reminded once again of how important our online ministry is, even when it feels quite anonymous at times.

 All three of these folks were at one time active in the Bethany community. Although they haven’t been around for some time, it’s not hard to find the memories and stories that they have left behind within members of the faith community.

 I realized I have been thinking a lot about families this week. I am always humbled to be planning a funeral with families. There is something very holy and sacred about listening to stories about a loved one, hoping that I have created a safe enough space for folks to open up, to share, to cry, to laugh, so that I can write a meaningful reflection.

Also this weekend I am presiding at a wedding on Saturday – for Sarah Weatherston and Byron Kavanagh. It will be my first wedding at Bethany. It is wonderful that the logistics and hospitality piece of planning weddings is part of Louisa’s ministry at Bethany, and great to have her guiding me through the specifics of how things work here. Every congregation is a bit different. This will be fairly large … lots of attendants, 100 people, a wedding planner … and of course a large reception and celebration afterwards (offsite).

To have the privilege of walking with families through these huge transitions, in times of celebration and times of sorrow, is what ministry is all about. And it is an honour, truly.

I realized, in my musings and careening from one event to another, wondering what to write about in my blog this week, that folks probably don’t know much about my other “kids” … you know lots about Alana and Matt and Murphy, but we do have two others … both in their 40s. Alana essentially grew up with four parents … (and we always had built in baby sitters … as long as the lego box was handy!) … and then when she was 8 or 9 she became like an only child because her brothers moved out.

This week I tried to take the day off on Tuesday. I was “mostly” successful.

We wanted to see our oldest, Chris, before he goes out to sea for 6 weeks. Chris and his wife Tiffany live just outside Chester. We usually end up at The Kiwi Café in Chester, which is a great place to meet and have lunch. Chris is a cook on one of Clearwater’s shrimp boats. This means that when he works, he is out for about 5 or 6 weeks, cooking for a crew of about 30. The boat has the capacity for cooking and processing what they catch, so the crews work in several shifts round the clock. Chris always has to have something ready in the galley for folks before and after their shifts, as well as meals ready for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s a demanding job. But then he is home for 5 or 6 weeks.

He has done this now for a number of years. Before this latest boat he was on one of the clam boats which would often be around the Grand Banks. This latest boat that he is on is brand new, Danish, state of the art, and apparently the pride of the fleet. They are mostly fishing around Greenland. Anyway, it’s a whole other world that I knew nothing about before, and am only learning about now in bits and pieces. But it’s all fascinating.

We had a great lunch (picture of Tiffany, Chris and Pat below) and visit.

Also … a picture of the whole family at Alana’s wedding in Toronto in December 2023. Just to show you that we can clean up well!

Blessings on your week ahead.

Duncan, Tamara, Pat, Alana, Matt, Martha, Chris, Tiffany

A blog about blogs

I’ve had a bit of a challenging week … nothing serious, just the adjustment after saying goodbye to Alana, Matt and Murphy after 10 days (you would think after so many years I would be used to doing this …), and the usual chaos and discombobulation of putting the house back together after the season, and then  re-orienting myself to the New Year ahead and getting back into a regular schedule.

Plus, I took a tumble Tuesday night on the street in Dartmouth on the way to a meeting. I’m fine … just the usual soreness after a fall, and some scrapes and bruises. I went down hard on my hands and knees, and I am extremely lucky I didn’t crack my head on the sidewalk or the brick wall close by. I am also nursing some extreme humiliation after needing help to get up. My biggest fear …

 This week was our turn in the rotation for leading Bethany’s monthly United Church worship service at Saint Vincent’s Guesthouse. I was not feeling particularly inspired, so I went to my book of Wisdom Stories to see if something jumped out. I chose to read one of my favourites - “The Broken Pot” … a well known story that I thought paired with the scripture. As with the service in November, I was extremely grateful to have Linda Grady and several choir members with me to lead the service. The folks at the Guesthouse are so appreciative of our presence.

There are many versions of this story online, and even a few youtube videos. The quick summary is this:

“Back in the days when pots and pans could talk – which indeed they still do –  there lived a man. In order to have water, every day he had to walk down the hill and fill two pots and walk them home. One day it was discovered one of the pots had a crack and as time went on, the crack widened. Finally, the pot turned to the man and said, “You know, every day you take me to the river, and by the time you get home, half of the water’s leaked out. Please replace me with a better pot.”

And the man said, “You don’t understand. As you spill, you water the wild flowers by the side of the path.”  Sure enough, on the side of the path where the cracked pot was carried, beautiful flowers grew, while other side was barren.”[1]

As I was thinking about what to write about this week, I was thinking about how much I have enjoyed the conversations that I have had with many of you about this blog. I am always deeply touched by your own stories, and your expression of appreciation for the blog. And I am reminded, as the above story illustrates, that we never fully realize the consequences of our actions, however small we think they may be. When I am feeling particularly insignificant, useless, or unfocussed, it’s possible that I may still be watering the seeds that God has planted all around me.

As I was thinking about this, I remembered my first experience with a blog, which was when I was a volunteer for three months at the Corrymeela Peace and Reconciliation Centre in Northern Ireland in the summer of 2011.

 At that time, I didn’t know how to do a blog – I was just looking for the most efficient way to keep my family, my close friends and my faith community up to date on what I was experiencing. One “letter” that could be posted electronically and everyone could see it.

 So a couple of young adult friends of my daughter pointed me in the right direction the night before I left, and I dipped my toe into the blog water. I was very intimidated by the technology of the whole thing. But I persisted, and it did serve its purpose, keeping folks back home up to date.

 When I left the Centre at the end of September, 2011, I figured I would never write in that space again. There is a way of tracking the number of “hits” or, how many people at least click on the link. I checked a few weeks after I got home and the blog had in total about 2,000 hits. Which I thought was quite a lot. I didn’t look at it again.

 Then, in February of 2013 I took my first student group over, and thought, well, I guess I should start writing the blog again. When I went in to check it, I was gob-smacked to see that the number was up to 13,000. I hadn’t the foggiest idea who would still be reading it, or why ... it seemed to have a life of its own. However, one of the young adults had suggested calling it “The Corrymeela Diaries”, which meant that when folks googled “Corrymeela” … it used to be one of the first things to come up. (not any more though!)

 I was nervous returning to Corrymeela after a year and a half. Would they even remember me? The first thing the Centre Director told me as we got off the bus at the Centre was an unbelievable story. They had recently interviewed a potential long term volunteer from Brazil who said that he had first heard about Corrymeela from a blog written by a woman named Martha. And they had finally figured out that was me.

 I was kind of in disbelief. His name was Derrick. And he ended up as a year long volunteer, and he was actually the volunteer assigned to one of the 2014 trips that I led. Derrick from Brazil. He’s the last person on the right in the picture.

 It actually happened again. In 2019, Katherine from Illinois was the volunteer assigned to our group that year. She had only been in Corrymeela for a month or so. At one point during our first evening she stopped and looked at me, and said “Did you write a blog about when you were here before?” I said “yes”. She said “I read it! I was so nervous about coming over here – wasn’t sure what I was doing, so I went online and was just looking for stuff to read about the Centre. Reading your blog made me relax a little about coming here.” Once again, I was in a bit of shock and awe.

 I tell you these stories because it helps me understand that we never quite know how far-reaching our actions might be, and who might be inspired or influenced by what may seem to be random occurrences. What seeds we may be watering. I think some call it “the butterfly effect” … which says that small, seemingly trivial events can have much larger consequences.

 Or, you might just call it the Holy Spirit at work in the world. I do. Have a great week.

 

Murphy and the Golden Globe Awards

Alana and Matt left for Newfoundland Thursday morning to attend a wedding this weekend, leaving Murphy in our care. Not being dog owners, we requested lots of written notes and instructions about walks, food, treats, medication, and general well being.

Murphy is only 4 weeks out from having surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his abdomen (as well as pieces of two ribs!). I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how a dog is supposed to get along having undergone such a major intrusion. He had a pretty rough week immediately after his surgery, but is now doing remarkably well. Even jumping up onto the bed and couches when allowed.

The pictures show both sides … one shaved, with his coat just starting to grow back, and the other not. Needless to say, he needs an extra layer when he goes outside these days.

 

In other news, our kids know us well.

They chipped in and bought us a certificate for a movie a month for a year at Cineplex for Christmas.

You know by now that I am an avid consumer of popular culture … all things movies, TV series, music, art, books. I like to think I have a somewhat discerning taste … but that may be wishful thinking. It is certainly not a very objective opinion.

As I said in my very first blog last summer, you will find that some of my reflections on popular culture find their way into my sermons.

I don’t believe that as Christians we can make sense of our ancient story unless we can apply it to our everyday lives – and most of us are consumers of the culture around us in some way. I find that elements in popular culture often help us connect with the biblical story in new ways. It is all about helping us to make meaning in our lives.

Examples from books, movies, art, poetry, childrens’ stories are often referred to in the spiritual direction community as “third things.” Third things help us name our own experiences.

The term third things refers to the idea of using something else to open up a deeper understanding. Author Parker Palmer describes third things in his book, A Hidden Wholeness:

“In Western culture, we often seek truth through confrontation. But our headstrong ways of charging at truth scare the shy soul away. If soul truth is to be spoken and heard, it must be approached ‘on the slant.’ I do not mean we should be coy, speaking evasively about subjects that make us uncomfortable, which weakens us and our relationships. But soul truth is so powerful that we must allow ourselves to approach it, and it to approach us, indirectly. We must invite, not command, the soul to speak. We must allow, not force, ourselves to listen. Palmer says: I call these embodiments ‘third things’ because they represent neither the voice of the facilitator nor the voice of a participant. They have voices of their own, voices that tell the truth about a topic but, in the manner of metaphors, tell it on the slant. Mediated by a third thing, truth can emerge from, and return to, our awareness at whatever pace and depth we are able to handle — sometimes inwardly in silence, sometimes aloud in community — giving the shy soul the protective cover it needs. Rightly used, a third thing functions a bit like the old Rorschach inkblot test, evoking from us whatever the soul wants us to attend to. Mediated by a good metaphor, the soul is more likely than usual to have something to say. But the fact will count for nothing if we fail to recognize that the soul is speaking or fail to pay attention to what it says.”[1]

Sometimes, the truth is just too hard to bear. And so we have to come at it gradually, like through an out of focus lens that slowly gets clearer. Or through a story.

This is the time of year, I get particularly excited about movies. In the first months of the year “awards” season begins, leading up to the Academy Awards in March.

This Sunday evening, the Golden Globe Awards are on TV. That’s the first award show of the season, and celebrates “excellence” in both television and movies.

We try to watch many of the top contenders in the best picture category. So far I would highly recommend, in the Golden Globe best movie category:

Conclave - a 2024 mystery thriller, based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris. It stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini. (Rossellini and Fiennes are nominated in the actor and supporting actor category). The story is about the papal conclave to elect the next pope, and the Cardinal in charge who finds himself investigating scandals and secrets about each candidate. Conclave is streaming on Apple TV and for those who can rent movies On Demand it is available.

Also in the best movie drama category is A Complete Unknown, which is what we saw at the theatre Wednesday. (It only took us about a day and a half to figure out how to work the online coupon/gift certificate … sigh …)

The movie is a 2024 American biographical musical drama film based on the book Dylan Goes Electric! By Elijah Wald. It portrays Bob Dylan through his earliest folk music success until the controversy over his use of electric instruments at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. For those of us of a certain age, it’s hard not to sing along, For me the songs are on automatic tape in my memory and are the soundtrack of my teenage years. The acting by Timothy Chalomet and Edward Norton (both who are nominated in their categories) is superb. I’m pretty sure that the movie is only playing at the theatres.

We have also seen Anora, and Challengers. So this weekend, when I’m not writing my sermon, I will be curled up with Murphy on the couch catching up on some of the other nominated movies on my “to watch” list … A Real Pain, Wicked, Emilia Perez, and Nickel Boys.

What movies have you seen lately? Any recommendations?



[1] A Hidden Wholeness by Parker J. Palmer | Book Excerpt | Spirituality & Practice (spiritualityandpractice.com)

Winter Solstice

On this day before the winter solstice I share a reflection I wrote in 2015 for an ecumenical Blue Christmas service.

 Just north of Dublin, Ireland, is a little place called Newgrange. It’s a World Heritage site, and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ireland, and is about 5,000 years old. Newgrange is what’s known as a passage tomb, and is surrounded by a kerb, a continuous circle of 97 large stones, including the highly decorated entrance stone.



It covers a single tomb consisting of a long passage and a cross shaped chamber. At the top of the entrance is a roof box, through which the rising sun on December 21, the midwinter solstice, shines through a gap in the floor of the roof box and into the tomb chamber.

For 17 minutes, direct sunlight enters the inner tomb chamber. Each year there is a lottery for the very few people who can actually be inside the tomb on sunrise of the winter solstice. The rest of the year, visitors are taken in very carefully in small groups to experience a simulation of what happens at sunrise on December 21.

I visited Newgrange in the summer of 2011. There were so many things about this place that just boggled my mind. It is remarkable to think that people built this with such precision 1,000 years before the Pyramids, and even before the astronomical constructions of the Mayans. Archeologists can trace the stones used in the building to sites many miles from Newgrange, including some from the Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin. The intricate carvings on the entrance stone and on a few of the kerb stones were done with stone implements, as it was before metal tools.

In the years since I visited, the place continues to play in my thoughts, especially at this time of year. I think about the fact that the people of that time knew well the rhythms of the earth. Somehow, they had figured out the precise moment when the days began to lengthen, when the light began to return.

There has been much written recently by theologians and spiritual guides about darkness and light. Many point out that when we focus so much on light, we often miss the gifts of the darkness. The gift of growth, of mystery and the unknown, however scary and uncomfortable they are at the time.

As I continue to think about the people that built Newgrange, I realize that not only did they celebrate the coming of light into the world, but by building this amazing structure, they were ritualizing also the eventual return of darkness, and then light, and then darkness … for 5,000 years it has been happening. The acknowledgment that there is a cycle of light and darkness in the world, and we need both.

A number of years ago Rabbi David Seidenberg, in an article in Tikkun magazine, wrote “Darkness is what gives us the glory of the night sky. Without it, the Milky Way, the shining path that inspired our ancestors to look up and wonder “who created these?” is all but obliterated by the light spilling from our cities and suburbs.” He wrote of the darkness that gives birth to the world “… nurturing us by feeding us darkness, mystery, yearning. This is the darkness in which the seed begins to grow and the baby starts to form …” He says that “… most cultures have light-based rituals in the time of greatest darkness”, and that “Chanukah always includes the new moon that is closest to the solstice, which is in fact the darkest night of the year …”[1]

And we know that at least some of the origins of the celebration of Christmas were in pagan celebrations that celebrated the coming of light into the world. The wisdom in these traditions is as old as humankind.

So when Jesus said “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, … you will find rest for your souls” … could he be referring to this ancient wisdom? To the knowledge that the light will come … and the darkness will come again too. Perhaps we learn each time we live through the darkness and then experience the coming of light … perhaps each time we are more able to sit in the darkness, waiting for the light that we know will come, trusting in the rhythm of the ages. Can we learn from this wisdom of the ancients … can we learn during the difficult times to lay our burdens down, in prayer, with a trusted friend or companion, just for a while, in the knowledge that the light will come?

Jan Richardson, in her book Night Visions, Searching the Shadows of Advent and Christmas, talks about the concept of thresholds, those in between places when we are making a passage from one place to another. Whether we find ourselves at a threshold by choice or by circumstance, while it might not seem so at first, thresholds “… can become holy places of new beginnings as we tend it, wait within it, and discern the path beyond.”[2]

There are lots of videos online, and tons of information about Newgrange. You can see a great National Geographic youtube video about Newgrange at:

https://youtu.be/P6XAFJ_FdOA?si=84IdoSi5MDBhwUGf

 You can find out more about Newgrange, and apparently watch a livestream of the sunrise at Newgrange World Heritage Site : Boyne Valley, Ireland

 I am sharing this early enough so if any of you want to get up very early tomorrow morning and watch the livestream … let me know how it goes.

 

Happy Solstice!

 



[1] http://www.tikkun.org/nextgen/25884

[2]Jan Richardson, Night Visions, United Church Press, Cleveland, Ohio, 1998; p.111

even more stories and scenes ...

December 20, 2024

I have loved seeing your nativity scenes, and hearing their stories. It reminds me how important our traditions are, and how they get passed on through the generations. Here are the last of the ones that I have received.

This week … you get two blogs. Later today or early tomorrow I will share some thoughts about the winter solstice/longest night and an ancient place outside of Dublin that I visited that honours the rhythms of light and dark in the world.

Then I will be taking a bit of a break for a couple of weeks. I will be around, and will lead worship on December 29th and toast the New Year with you after the worship service. But unless there is a pastoral emergency I will be laying low, enjoying visits with family and friends, reading and knitting by the fire, and perhaps even enjoying a drop of Writers Tears (isn’t that a great name for an Irish whiskey?).

I will see many of you in the next couple of weeks at church, but to those I don’t, many blessings of this season and safe travels if you are traveling. It is a privilege serving as your minister over these past 5 months and I look forward to the next 7

We begin this week’s sharing with Dana.

Dana writes: This was purchased in Calgary, AB and given by Jeff and I to my parents for the first Christmas we spent apart. When my parents died, I began to display it each year. It’s wooden blocks so the grandkids have been able to play with the Nativity scene. Mom added a Christmas Star ornament from her collection, and it sort of stuck. It’s likely over 50 years old.

This next one, which is hanging outside the church office when you come in the Joseph Howe entrance, is one that the Sunday School made a couple of years ago. Louisa shares this:

That was our first big project post-Covid. We made the pattern together, and then chose the background fabrics, which I cut and pieced together. We had great fun deciding what the hills and fields would look like, and deciding how to arrange the buttons. These are mostly shank-backed buttons, so we had to make holes in the fabric to push the backs through, and then secure them with a safety pin. The children had great fun learning to use the sewing stiletto to make the holes!

Working on this project gave us a lot of time to talk together, and reconnect as a Sunday School community as in-person worship resumed. You get to have great conversations when you’re gathered around a project, taking turns in deciding where to place various elements and then actually doing the work to bring your idea to life. The children enjoyed it so much that we went on to make a quilt next!

These two are from Mavis Hicks and Ian Parker:

It belonged to Mavis, gifted by an old friend. It was brought to this house when we married moved here in 1994. One "wise guy" is missing. The other is a teeny, tiny wooden one from Germany.

And finally, for your viewing pleasure, a video the Bethany youth group made several years ago (2017 or 2018?) with their version of the Christmas Story. Many thanks to Kyla Mills who edited this down from the larger worship service video. Recognize anyone you know? Enjoy!

 also, just received these pictures taken by Karen Finley of last Sunday’s Living Nativity event. 

More stories and scenes ...

December 13, 2024

One of my favourite Christmas stories is a book called Angela and the Baby Jesus, written by Irish author Frank McCourt. A few years ago it was made into a short animated film available on Netflix. McCourt also wrote Angela’s Ashes, a memoir of his childhood, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1997.

 Here’s the trailer from the Netlix film:  

 https://youtu.be/RnrkwZBnbLs?si=ABHqJj8s7PWs_0O7

 Or you can listen to the audiobook at:

https://youtu.be/1uTFapQ9G5c?si=wU6yFBJpp055d7UT

 Angela and the Baby Jesus is a true story about McCourt’s mother, who as a young child kidnaps the baby Jesus from the nativity scene in the church.

She thought he looked cold, so she brings him home and tucks him under the covers in her own bed which she shares with her sister. Of course, she has a hard time keeping it a secret, and soon the whole family knows that she has stolen the baby Jesus from the church nativity scene. Her mother is horrified.

What will the priest say? When the priest arrives with the police, he is faced with what to do with Angela, who after all, has only entered the story in a very real way, who just had the baby Jesus’ welfare at heart.

Next week, Advent 4, is Love. When we open our hearts to let love into our hearts, we are, like John the Baptist, preparing the way for Christ to be born, again and again, in the world. We are, like little Angela, taking Jesus out of the nativity scene and bringing him into our homes. We are, like Mary and Zechariah in our readings this week (Advent 3, Joy) and last (Advent 2, Peace), saying yes to God.

I am enjoying seeing your pictures and reading your stories about your favourite nativity scenes.

And, I look forward to this Sunday evening when I will see Bethany’s Living Nativity. Carol Knapp starts us off with this story of one of the previous Living Nativity evenings:

“Once at the Living Nativity Glen (a shepherd – with a goat!) was kneeling by the manger when his goat head butted him in the butt and sent him into the manger.”

That must have been quite the sight!!

Here are a few more:

Several of you have mentioned to me that years ago Bethany also made the nativity scene blocks that I am using with the children during the Sundays in Advent.

This is from Ann Bradley. She said:

“You inspired me to dig these out of the Christmas chest. They were buried beneath so much stuff! But they are still in good shape. We are missing the angel.”

I told her I still had the patterns of all the figures. In fact, The Christian Education Committee at my previous church decided they would undertake the project over zoom during Advent 2020. And, to be clear, it was the GO Project staff and CE Committee members that organized the event and did all the preparations. My felt cutting days are long gone. Here they all are. It worked surprisingly well.

Sandra Shields: I have had this since 1972. It was a gift, from a woman named Mrs. Heath, who would become like a mother to me. 

Maryth Maxner: This Nativity was the one I used in my Preschool for many years. It was well enjoyed and not one piece was broken. It was symbolic that all the characters are children.

This is our Nativity when Chuck and I were first married, simple yet it tells the story so well.

Louisa Duck: Attached is a picture of our little Nativity scene. This dates back to Christmas of 1940, the first Christmas that my maternal grandparents were married.

My granddad worked at Aluminum Goods in Toronto, and various salesmen would go in during the lunch hours with their various wares. Grandpa brought this home for Nana one day after work.

When I was growing up, this was on my parents’ mantel every Christmas. The Christmas that Tom and I were engaged, in 1994, my dad gave my mum an early gift, a beautiful hand-painted ceramic Nativity. It was lovely, but my brothers and I were shocked at such a change. Why mess with tradition? And then, when we were putting away the decorations after the holiday that year, my mum filled a box with ornaments for Tom and I, and she put in the Nativity, along with the little village you see to the right. They’ve been in our home for 29 Christmases now. So that’s the story of our Nativity! 

Pam Carter: Not sure how old it really is but was always there when growing up. It is missing Joseph, some animals, a couple of wise men. The angel is missing a halo. It belonged to my aunt who had it on top of a little tree. When my daughter was little and we would go visit Aunt Blanche more than 40 years ago Wendy loved holding it so my Aunt gave it to her. It was added to the nativity. 


Linda Knechtel: I have been using this Nativity Scene since my son was very young.  It was handcrafted in Lunenburg and can be set up in different configurations.  It was my son’s Christmas “job” to set it up each year. Now, my great, great niece (age 2) can enjoy it too. 

And here are a few more from Julie Johnson’s collection …

 

          

 

 

Nativity scenes

I received a number of pictures of nativity scenes. I will let them, and their stories, speak for themselves.

I will tell you that from the research I did (on the internet of course … and there’s lots of stuff there about the history of nativity scenes), I re-learned, because I had heard this before, that St. Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first living nativity scene on Christmas Eve in 1223 in Greccio, Italy. The scene was set in a cave and included a wax figure of baby Jesus, animals, and people dressed as Mary and Joseph.

Of course, before that, there were depictions of nativity scenes in paintings, frescos, and other art forms.

Our Moderator posted today about a “Nativity Expo” at Grace United Church in Burlington, Ontario, where they will display over 200 nativity scenes from members of the congregation. Looks like it is a yearly event. (Nativity Expo)

So, it is safe to say that nativity scenes are popular around the world. They are a way of telling the story of the birth of Jesus. And each one has a story within a story. Where it was purchased, a memory of Christmases past or a family member, a story about how it has survived over many years …

For your viewing pleasure, here are a couple more videos for you to enjoy.

This one is from an American church with folks of all ages telling the story.

https://youtu.be/DMA5gZ7mF8s?si=Hn0m9WEuuuO8vXgg

And, this is from Canadian artist William Kurelak’s 1976 children’s book, A Northern Nativity, with Chris DeBurgh’s music.

 https://youtu.be/aKK_uvnph08?si=bCPg8m4Kw-80-_4Y

We look forward to seeing you at Bethany this Sunday, when we will celebrate Advent 2. It is the Sunday of Peace. On our journey to Bethlehem we will be thinking about Jerusalem, the site of the Temple, where Zechariah, a priest in the Temple, receives an angel visitor who tells him that his wife Elizabeth will bear a son. The encounter leaves Zechariah speechless because he and his wife are in their senior years. Zechariah and Elizabeth are John the Baptist’s parents. This is an important moment in the origin story of Jesus, but I doubt you will find Zechariah, Elizabeth, or John the Baptist in a nativity scene. At least, I have never seen them in the picture …

Here are some pictures from members of our congregation …

Kathy Brown: It is fired terracotta clay, painted. Made in Bangladesh and bought at a Ten Thousand Villages sale at St. Andrew's many years ago. It is very small just 13 centimeters across the base in front, but very detailed.

Kathy Grant: My treasured collectibles are my blocks that spell out the Sundays in advent. 

Ruth Devenne: My late husband came into my workplace about 30 years ago very excited because he had found it at the Bible Store downtown. It was the same one his family had when he was a child.  

Maryth Maxner

Barb Black:  Mom and Dad had it the year before I came along. One year we broke Joseph’s staff so Dad put a chicken skewer in his hand. After I got it, a camel’s hoof broke off so I used a pencil eraser to give him a prosthetic hoof. Even the straw is 74 years old. This nativity scene could tell many stories.

Betty Tozer: This is the nativity scene that Jim and I had out for our nieces and nephews (when they were little ones).  They always liked that it was children and not adults.

Julie Johnson: The wooden one I purchased at the last spring fair hosted by the Sunday School. Baby Jesus was missing but for $1, got it anyway....lol.. Les Russell carved a new Baby Jesus for me.

I will post others from Julie’s collection next week.

Angels among us ...

Poor old Murphy. The look on his face says to me … “seriously?”

I will admit to not having a lot of patience in the past with people who dress their pets up. But I have to admit … this one makes me smile.

It’s kind of how I felt a few weeks ago when I began to plan Advent and Christmas, and to imagine how I was going to jump on board the moving train that is Bethany United Church during the upcoming season. It is truly dizzying trying to keep up with everything that happens within this community of faith.

Last year at this time I was newly retired, exhausted, and slightly burnt out, having just moved back to Halifax after living in Toronto for five years. A large part of my exhaustion was the stress of living in two places at once (my home in Halifax, and a small apartment in Toronto), while leading a congregation through Covid and several other major projects during those five years. If I am honest … I wasn’t sure if I ever wanted to set foot in a church again. I suspect this is not a surprise to those who have heard me preach these past few months.

But something happened at about the nine month mark after my official retirement. I have a good friend and colleague who used to refer to God’s call as a pesky mosquito who keeps coming around to bite you. Even though, and despite the fact, that you keep swatting it away. I heard God saying …  “I’m not done with you yet …”

As we approach the first Sunday in Advent, I am pondering the significance of the nine month gestation period for the birth of something new in my life.

Christmas is all about the story.

A good story speaks to us over time. We gain new insights each time we return to it. We see ourselves in the story from new perspectives and different points of view.

There’s a reason nativity scenes are so popular. I have a collection myself. Many are from different parts of the world. It offers a way of entering the story, just like Christmas pageants, holiday movies, Christmas carols and decorations.

Sometimes during the sermon or reflection times I ask folks who they relate to in the story.

Many years ago, I attended a workshop with John Bell from the Iona Community in Scotland. He told stories of his work with working class and marginalized people in Glasgow, and he helped us see how the Christmas story can connect to people in their own contexts.

Joseph’s story might particularly resonate with step-parents, and blended and adoptive families. Those people who open their hearts to a child that is not their biological child.

The shepherds, we are told, were the first to hear the news about the birth of Jesus. In those days, shepherds were on the lowest rung of society – on the margins. What are the implications that the good news came first to them? Who are the shepherds in our midst, and are we listening to them?

Someone took pity on that couple as they wandered the city that night – one person took them in and offered them a place to at least have a bit of shelter. A simple act of hospitality, in the midst of what would have been a noisy, overcrowded, chaotic scene, that would change the world.

The wise ones traveled from a foreign land for years to meet this new King of the Jews. According to Matthew’s gospel they don’t even get to Jesus until much later. But somehow, they have found their way into the manger scene. They bring the gift of recognition by outsiders.

We are told that after they met the baby, they had to go home a different way. Don’t we all?

There are all the folks on the margins of the story who often don’t make it into the nativity scenes. Zechariah and Elizabeth, Anna and Simeon – the gift of the aged and the wise ones at the beginning and end of the story.

And the angels – of course the angels who announce the birth to the nations. The messengers that bring good news.

And, there is Mary, the pregnant teenager.

What is Mary’s story?

Over the next four weeks we will explore all of these stories.

How will you enter the Christmas story this year? And whose story catches your attention? Here are two videos that an Australian church put together a number of years ago, but they still bring me joy even though I have seen them many times. And a smile.

Just like the picture of Murphy.

Angels among us indeed.

https://youtu.be/kWq60oyrHVQ?si=35D3BA2aL3i5d0Jw

and this one that they did a couple of years later …

https://youtu.be/TM1XusYVqNY?si=AoHXmLT_EsqXuFFr

 

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