Your Heart Knows the Way

The Transition Team met via Zoom on Monday, Grant MacLean led us in a beautiful spiritual grounding session that focused on where we were finding joy these days. That solidifed my nebulous worship plans and gave me a focus! With all that is going on in Nova Scotia, not to mention the rest of the…

Hearts for Abundance

What does it mean to have a heart for abundance? In North America and Europe, abundance is usually marked by the accumulation of things. Are any of you familiar with the comedian George Carlin? He can be rather crude, but he has this great monologue on stuff… He talks about accumulating stuff… and how we…

The Only Cure for Love

How do we celebrate Easter when Good Friday continues for our neighbours? That’s the question isn’t it? There have been so many thoughts and feelings this week… Disbelief, shock, anger, grief, fear, definitely fear, as the alert came across our cellphones yesterday and my son and his family live in Sackville. First let me say,…

Images of Jesus

Yes, it’s the strangest Easter… except maybe the first one. As a minister, the church and Holy Week are usually filled with so many details… choirs rehearsing… visual arts creation… worship being set up and torn down and set up… how will communion be served… how long should I preach… baking for a family feast……

Palms and Promises

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday and Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. In the church, the services of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday are full of drama and movement. We all know that this is not a normal year isn’t it? So what’s a worship leader to do when all her plans for…

Love One Another

Imagine Paul writing to us… To all God’s beloved in Dartmouth, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God and the Lord Jesus Christ. These are challenging times you are living in. Your everyday routines and rhythms have been disrupted in a way that is almost unimaginable. You may be…

Wednesday

Wednesday was hard, God. Adrenaline rush of getting new systems up and running gone, body, mind and spirit depleted. Wednesday was hard God. Food bank clients waiting outside instead of warm inside with coffee and conversation buzzing. Wednesday was hard, God. Offering pastoral care with six feet of cold winter air between us. Wednesday was…

Weaving a Community

One of my colleagues commented last week that she has a completely different position now and she stayed with the same congregation! There is some truth to that, some of the skills ministers need are different, and we need to be conscious of those in our faith communities and beyond who do not have access…

No Touching!

This week has been quite a roller coaster hasn’t it? We are in uncharted territory. Many are anxious, some have already been laid off… businesses closed… gatherings of all sorts cancelled… schools shuttered… the list can go on and on. By some reports, it’s been hard for some people to change their routines and stay…

Finding a Word, Listening to the Text

Believe it or not, the scriptures for today were chosen weeks ago! And yet, they speak so loudly and clearly to our present circumstances. Listen again to words from Psalm 46: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though…