A Call to Prayer

as part of our recent pastoral and congregational review, Cyndy Brandt and I had coffee with some of our mid twenties-to thirty-something-year-olds in the church. It was a very good time of talking together about some of our hopes and disappointments and dreams for the church. One of the desires expressed at that gathering was a desire for more prayer. We’ve had opportunities before for people to come forward for prayer as part of some of our communion services, but it was suggested that we could do that more often, perhaps even during our congregational prayer time on Sunday mornings, perhaps we could invite people to the foyer for prayer as part of our congregational praying.  I was very glad for this interest in prayer, and plan to talk with our Worship Committee and deacons about how we might do that sometime soon.   

Aug 31, 2008 at 8:05 AM

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More on Patience...

"In this there is no measuring with time. A year doesn't matter; ten years are nothing. To be an artist means not to compute or count; it means to ripen as the tree, which does not force its sap, but stands unshaken in the storms of spring with no fear that summer might not follow. It will come regardless. But it comes only to those who live as though eternity stretched before them, carefree, silent and endless. I learn it daily, learn it with many pains, for which I am grateful: Patience is all!" - Rainer Maria Rilke

Aug 27, 2008 at 10:29 AM

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My Summer Reading

Unholy Orders: Mystery Stories with a Religious Twist – a collection of short stories

Lilac Moon: Dreaming of the Real West by Sharon Butala – although BC is mentioned in parts, the book would be better subtitled Dreaming of the Real Prairie

Hold It! – you’re exercising wrong by Edward J. Jackowski – as a result, I’ve started doing his “Ultimate Workout”!

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith – another novel in the best-selling No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series

Ecoholic: Your Guide to the Most Environmentally Friendly Information, Products and Services in Canada by Adria Vasil – replaces my 1989 Canadian Green Consumer Guide and my 1995 Safe Shoppers Bible, both of which are sorely out of date! 

Please feel free to add a comment about what you've been reading!

Aug 20, 2008 at 6:05 PM

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Interior Decorating

re-arranged his furniture--it looks great! but unfortunately when I jokingly suggested they come over to paint my office too, they politely declined.  Some of my friends have re-decorating and renovation plans too--like painting or re-doing their floors--but for now I'm focused on more personal renewal as I finally take some vacation time.  The last time I was away from the church, it was for the intensity of the Assembly and Summit and finishing up a major writing deadline for a book of sermons.  This time it's definitely R&R--I'll tell you about it when I get back, and in the meantime if anyone wants to paint my office while I'm gone, you can choose whatever colour you like as long as it goes with the carpet!

Aug 5, 2008 at 7:53 AM

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Pastoral Ministry: Milking Stool or Tripod?

          Gary first addressed these questions with his own personal story, how as a young pastor his first church loved and cared for him “even though they couldn’t understand my sermons,” and how that changed his life. Others shared positive stories of congregations nurturing pastors, and then Gary move on to address these questions with his “Pastoral Milking Stool” framework with its three “legs”: office, function/competence, and identity.

          At different times, one or the other of these “legs” has grown longer and longer, or has been cut shorter and shorter—e.g., in the “premodern” era of the church, office tended to be emphasized the most; more recently in the “modern” era of the church, function and competence tend to be emphasized the most; while identity is becoming more important in this “postmodern” time. These changes have made the milking stool very hard to sit on! Gary suggests we need to change this image from the milking stool to the tripod where the legs can be adjusted.

          Comments from the group: As pastors, it is helpful to understand that we are no longer sitting on a milking stool! Are these three emphases linked to generational differences within the church? Is it up to the pastor to adjust the length of the legs? This was a very stimulating and helpful discussion that I can’t duplicate here, but it gave me a lot to think about, and I was glad to see that at least one member of our MCBC executive was there to bring some of that back to our context in BC.

Jul 26, 2008 at 7:52 PM

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Hello from Winnipeg

Our Emmanuel delegates have each been invited to write a report for our mid-summer newsletter, and I’ll write something for it too, so you’ll definitely be hearing more! In the meantime, with Summit worship starting at 9am (8:30am during the Assembly time!) and late night activities until 10pm or later, there’s not much time for more just now . . . .

Jul 10, 2008 at 6:07 AM

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Words of Comfort by St. Francis de Sales

Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;
The same everlasting Father who cares for you today
will take care of you today and every day.
He will either shield you from suffering or will give you
unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace and put aside all anxious thoughts and
imaginations.

Jun 27, 2008 at 9:55 PM

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Vietnamese Worship

If you're interested in being part of the Vietnamese Ministry Support Group, please email pastor@emmanuelmennonite.com.  No previous experience necessary!

Jun 22, 2008 at 8:29 PM

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After-Dinner Humour

Pastor – Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. More powerful than a locomotive. Faster than a speeding bullet. Walks on water. Gives policies to God.
Assistant Pastor – Able to leap short buildings in a single bound. As powerful as a switch engine. Just as fast as a speeding bullet. Walks on water if the sea is calm. Talks with God.
Minister of music – Leaps short buildings with a running start. Almost as powerful as a switch engine. Faster than a speeding BB. Talks with God, if special request is approved. Swims well. Is occasionally addressed by God. Walks on water if he knows where the stumps are.
Minister of youth – Runs into small buildings. Recognizes locomotives 2 out of 3 times. Uses a squirt gun. Knows how to use the water fountain. Mumbles to himself.
Church secretary – Lifts buildings to walk under them. Kicks locomotives off the track. Catches speeding bullets in her teeth. Freezes water with a single glance. When God speaks she says, “May I ask who is calling?”

Jun 18, 2008 at 2:35 PM

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An Interfaith Experience

- although much of the service was in Japanese and unfamiliar to me, and the incense made me feel a bit light-headed, I also found it strangely comforting
- I admire the commitment of Sen-sei (literally “Teacher”) who serves Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops, throughout the Okanagan, and visited Grammy every week for the last 4 years
- I was impressed that in her last days, they say that Grammy would repeat a Japanese phrase equivalent of “thank you thank you thank you” over and over
- I remember that years ago, Grammy came to Gary’s baptism, so now at her Buddhist funeral, I didn’t think she would mind my saying a silent Christian prayer: may God have mercy on her and on all of us. . . . thank you thank you thank you. . . .

Jun 14, 2008 at 11:04 PM

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