So, what are you giving up for Lent? I was thinking of giving up brussels sprouts, Oprah and Barry Manilow music. In some churches that are more traditional than we are, Lent is the 40 days (less Sundays) before Easter and has been seen as a time to fast or give something up for God. …
We Never Learn
I remember when gas first got to the dollar mark. There speculation about how high the price could and would go, the experts spoke about the impact rising fuel prices would have on the economy and anti-poverty groups warned of the consequences the increased heating oil costs would have on the poor. There was a…
What to do When the Very Worst Happens
Worst-Case-Scenarios, we’ve all gone there in our minds from time to time. Sometimes, we do it as part of the planning process. For better or for worse, I tend to do that. For example, people have often commented on the design of our church building. That was the result of Worst-Case-Scenario thinking on my part.…
Terrorists? Not!
You know I have never met a terrorist. Never. And you would think I would have, considering how many Muslims there are in our community. Unless not all Muslims are terrorists. As a matter of fact, all of the Muslims I've met are pretty decent folks who love Canada and they seem genuinely friendly. Not…
Who’s Your Daddy?
What happens when you discover you’re not who you always thought you were? That is becoming more and more a reality for people around the world as consumer DNA kits become much more affordable. Since having my DNA done two years ago, I’ve discovered connections and I never knew I had, and cousins I never…
What to Do When You’ve Been Swallowed by a Fish
What’s the worst that could happen? It’s a question that we often ask ourselves, or at least it’s a question that I often ask myself, maybe you never ask yourself that question. Maybe I’m just strange. But what happens when it’s worse than you could have imagined? When you underestimated the worst that could happen. …
A Royal Problem
It’s been a rough couple of weeks for the Royal Family. With Harry and Meagan choosing to remove themselves from their positions in the Royal Family and Andrew being relieved of his duties with the Royal Family, everyone will have to step up to fill the gaps. I have no problem with the choice that…
When You’ve Been Left Behind
What’s the worst that can happen? That a good question, a question that is often worth considering when we have to make difficult decisions. Last week we cancelled church, for the fourth time in our history. And really, we probably didn’t need to. And if you arrived for the second service and nobody was here,…
A Few Bad Apples
I recently read a couple of disturbing stories in the news about teachers and school administrators who have been charged with possession of child porn or with molesting students who were supposed to be their responsibility. What I haven’t read though, is a reaction by people who say that they will no longer send their…
What to do When you Have to Fight a Giant
Through my ministry, when I’ve been planning and dreaming and dreaming and scheming, I often ask myself, what’s the worst that could happen? Basically, I’m asking myself “What’s the worst-case scenario?” Now, some people seem to only gravitate to the worst-case scenario in their lives, and it prevents them from ever accomplishing anything. For them,…