Rape, Healing, and the Author of Our Stories Our brains generally try to explain exceptions through a model of deviance, thus the battered or raped woman is soon morphed from a victim to a (willing) deviant participant. If violence is ‘not supposed to happen’ or is ‘not supposed to happen to me,’ then it’s hard to narrate the violence credibly.
Searching for God On Tuesday morning I returned home. Home to Wine Before Breakfast, the community in Toronto where I discovered that I could still be a Christian after all.
A 20th Anniversary Reflection … in Gratitude Kissing the world beautiful. That's campus ministry! Shoulder to shoulder – sometimes in the library together, sometimes on the streets of Toronto, sometimes in sharing our stories – and cheek to cheek – in the passing of the peace, in holding each other in joy and in sorrow – we’ve tried to embrace this world, this gift of creation, in all of its beauty.
Is New Life Possible? Jesus makes new life possible. Not life driven by fear, but abundant life grounded in the assurance that we are beloved children of God. Each and every one of us. Even on those days we're told we're not. And especially on those days we can't believe it's true.
Why Church? (Pt. 3) I didn't feel I had anything to contribute except to share my nagging question of why we do church in the first place. That's what this talk is about.
Communities of Reconciliation What I hope for in 2016 is that I might grow more into my ability to offer such space for reconciliation. What I hope for in 2016 is that my own St. Brigids Community Vancouver will continue to offer in Vancouver the profoundly needed ministry of reconciliation, especially for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Meeting The Shepherds I imagine him as one of the shepherds. Street smart and world weary, but ready for a fight if need be. I imagine the angels showing themselves to the shepherd and his pals with good news of great joy.
Refugees in their own backyard A refugee in his own backyard. That’s what Joseph was. Bethlehem became a refugee camp. But these were refugees in their own backyard.
At a Loss For Words: Shutting up in Advent Sometimes there is simply nothing to say. Sometimes words are too easy, too cheap. Sometimes we need to shut up during Advent.
Why Church (Pt. 2) No church's story is a first person narrative. Even if that's what the talking heads on the conference circuit want to tell us.
Scared Shitless – A Christmas Story You ever been that afraid? You ever been totally shaking in terror? You ever been scared shitless?
Jesus, Dylan and the Signs of the Times In the midst of the storm, while the bombs are blowing up all around us, while the thunder rolls over us, caught in the middle of this cataclysm, Dylan has the audacious imagination to hear and see nothing less than the chimes of freedom flashing.
Why Church? (Pt. 1) Every time the Why Church question flares up, it's because I'm in a situation with folks I'm convinced have forgotten why we are Church in the first place.
Coffee Shop Prayer Years ago, it became apparent that I could not pray the way I used to. And so I stopped praying. But this has been death. What I needed was not to give up on prayer, but to learn to pray anew.
Faithfulness and Justice: Reformed Faith in the Face of Empire Luther and Calvin listened deeply to God’s voice in scripture to address the pressing questions of their time. To be faithful to them we must do no less.