I’d like to tell you a story. It’s mostly accurate and completely true. I say it’s mostly accurate because it’s from my own perspective. Someone else would likely have a different story to tell. In the first few days of September, 2014, I saw a video. It was about something

Gilbert Berg imagines the helpless children of Bethlehem during Herod’s reign and wonders what would happen if he, a military underling, chose to disobey a commander’s order because of the wish to save innocent children. The poem arises from Gilbert’s belief that negotiation is preferable to the forceful imposition of

“Would you want to be born in a prison?” The question was pretty direct, and somehow our Christmas conversation had steered into uncharted territory.  But it was exactly the kind of question I had been hoping for. Since the beginning of December, I have been meeting with small groups of

Biblical scholars, like those of every discipline, look at the broad ideas of their material, the Bible, reading and analyzing its narratives, its proclamation, its theology, and its faith and ethical concerns.  They also look at details, recognizing that both meaning and wisdom become understood more clearly by drawing out

I love my technology. I love social media. We have new ways of communication that were previously only the domain of science fiction writers. Yet with every gain, there comes loss. One notable loss seems to be in our inability to let any story play out. It is easier than

In our churches across the diocese, Advent tends to look pretty predictable. We have set colours, prayers, and practices in use from Portage la Prairie to Atikokan. But while there are only four Sundays in Advent, there are some 21 days we spend at work and home. The practices during

The December paper is out! This month has a special focus on Advent. See the online edition below. If you’d like to be removed from the print mailing and only receive the online version, please be in touch with us. Our apologies, the print edition of this paper is unusually

We asked two youth leaders, one in Winnipeg and one in Ottawa, to give us a sketch of their best and favourite practices in youth ministry. Here’s what the people on the ground are saying. Spontaneous Relationship: Zack’s favourites  It’s all about relationship – This is why many teens go

“I love working with youth in my congregation but sometimes I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing.” “How do I get training as a youth leader?” “I want to put more spiritual content in our youth program in ways that the kids can relate to.” Across the country,

Part One: The Birth of the Covenant In the book of Genesis, we read of a covenant between God and God’s people: “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you” (Genesis 9:9). A covenant is a sacred agreement between two parties; in this

Have you noticed how passionate and articulate teenagers can be about anything except their faith? Eavesdrop on a conversation amongst teenagers and you’ll hear them talking passionately about many things: Friends. Video Games. Relationships. Celebrities. The Environment. School (well, scratch that). But try to engage many young people in a