Growth in Dissonance

To my dear TFMC family,

I've been thinking about our Lent theme for the last week, and have been noticing how many places of dissonance I live in.  I’ve realized how much I love resolution, how much I love things all tidied up.  So any number of the started but unfinished projects at home drives me nuts.  I want to get them done.  When a problem arises at home or in the church, I sometimes have to restrain my impulse to just fix it.  Because, as I’ve learned, it’s in the solving, it’s in the fixing where the greatest growth occurs.

Reading Revelation

To my dear TFMC family,

Currently, the book “The Water Hole” by Graeme Base is very popular in our house.  It’s both a counting book and a search-and-find book.  The latter is the most interesting part.  Within each illustration on each page are additional animals to be found.  But they’re not obvious.  Sometimes it’s the negative space, or the crease of a leaf, or a carefully drawn branch that creates the shape of a creature...

Listening

To my dear TFMC family,

I’m heading out to Winnipeg this weekend for a pastor's conference.  The conference begins on Monday morning with a Preaching Masterclass.  I signed up for this hoping to hone my preaching skills.  Shortly after registering, I was contacted by the teacher leading this class, asking me if I would be willing to give some input.  My first reaction was, who am I to share in a preaching Masterclass?

Mattering

To my dear TFMC family,

Early in my Spiritual Care residency, I was assigned to the Ear, Nose, and Throat unit. Methodical by nature, I decided to start at one end of the hall and work my way down. My very first patient was gently sobbing. When I asked what was wrong, they shared that after weeks in the hospital, they felt invisible—as if no one was truly listening or cared that they were there. My heart broke...

More than Miracles

I had the pleasure of visiting Cana back in 2018 when I visited Palestine/Israel.  During our travels we stopped in Cana and visited the purported site of the great miracle, and in the church built on that location we were also able to see the famed vessels that were apparently used in the miracle.

Looking for good news

To my dear TFMC family,

It didn’t take all that long, to be honest, for the relaxed feelings that things are all going to be OK to vanish, as a new wave of bad news came flooding through my news feed.  You would think that bad news would take a break over the Christmas holidays, but it doesn’t...

Longing to Hope

To my dear TFMC family,

You would be forgiven for feeling a bit antsy this week.  Our Advent series has certainly taken its time to get to some familiar stories.  And that’s been by design.  Part of the season of Advent, for me at least, is trying to get us to place ourselves into the story.  Rather than have Advent be a ‘Countdown to Christmas’, I want us to be able to feel the joy and celebration, not because Christmas is here, but because God has done something astonishing.

The Christmas Pickle

To my dear TFMC family,

This year, we introduced Chloe to the “Christmas Pickle.”  It’s an old tradition from Germany where the last ornament to be hung is a glass pickle.  The ornament, green, is hidden amongst the boughs of the tree.  The tradition goes, the first person who finds the pickle on Christmas day, gets to open the first gift...

First Advent

To my dear TFMC family,

Christmas music has started early in our house this year.  Usually, we’ve tried to reserve Christmas music and decorations for First Advent, but Chloe for the last couple of years has really enjoyed the Christmas season, and demands early on that we play Christmas music.  So I’m becoming re-acquainted with Raffi’s Christmas album, Sharon, Lois and Bram’s Christmas album, and who knew, Fred Penner’s Christmas album.  The Christmas music has started early this year...

Paying Attention

To my dear TFMC family,,

A few weeks ago I participated in an MCEC Pastors Retreat.  As it is, when pastors get together we drink plenty of coffee and we talk.  A lot.  The largest portion of our time was talking about what it means to be an “everyday mystic....

To Remember...

To my dear TFMC family,

Lately, I’ve found myself conflicted about Remembrance Day.

On one hand, I believe it’s vital that we remember our history — the horrors of war, the inhumanity, the slaughter, the heartbreak, and the pain. Growing up, that’s what I recall Remembrance Day emphasizing: how terrible war is, and why we must never seek it again. ...

Mystery, Miracles, and Memory

To my dear TFMC family,

This past Sunday we celebrated World Communion Sunday.  In my introductory remarks, I briefly spoke about how I saw Communion being special.  I didn’t say exactly how special it was for me.  I have always felt it a privilege to lead communion for congregations.  I think it’s a poignant practice that can highlight and elevate significant moments in congregational life...