Advent Offering Hymn

Hope in our faith so filled with awe. Hope in the promise of our God. Hope for these gifts we offer here. Use them and us throughout the year. Peace is our hope for all the earth, Peace in the promise of new birth. Peace for those both far and near. Peace now and all…

Can We Stand in the Tragic Gap?

Wildfires in Australia, Venice underwater, Don Cherry, impeachment hearings… Closer to home, young girls and women being trafficked, first nations reserves without clean drinking water, people in north Dartmouth who find it increasingly difficult to find a place to live and adequate food. The list of things to despair over gets longer and longer it…

Rebuilding with Faith, Love & Community

You can listen to the audio here. First some back story… unlike much of our Scripture, this reading is dated carefully and precisely, in 520 BC/BCE, according to our calendar. Darius, the super-power of the day, recognized the right of the Jews to rebuild the Temple, but the Temple work languished. Haggai was utterly convinced…

Book Review

Dynamic Discernment – Reason, Emotion and Power in Change Leadership                      by Sarah B. Drummond As an Intentional Interim Minister, I am always looking to add to my library books and other material that will enhance my ministry. One phrase in the introduction had an immediate impact,…

Friday Five – Books!

Today’s RevGalBlogPals Friday Five is books! What are you reading, what’s in your ‘to read’ pile, what would you recommend? I always have a stack of books on the go… too many to read in the time available. I probably have more than five on the go right now, but these ones are at the top.…

A Heart for Persistence

You can listen to the audio version here. Last week, at the Covenanting Service, I gave each of the Transition Team members a small pottery heart with the words, ‘Take Heart’ on them. That phrase comes from one of my favourite passages of scripture, from Matthew 14: It’s when Jesus comes walking on the water, and…

Community Partners in Thanksgiving

There is a song from the French community of Taize which I often sing in the morning as a meditation. In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful In the Lord, I will rejoice Look to God, do not be afraid Lift up your voices the Lord is near Lift up your voices the Lord is…

The Essential Ingredient

If you prefer to listen to the sermon, click here. Is there anything more welcoming to come home to than the smell of bread baking? That rich aroma that tells you supper is almost ready and not to worry, everything is going to be all right. I love to bake and the ritual of mixing…

Investing in the Neighbourhood

A short monologue from the prophet Jeremiah: People thought I was crazy! Buying a piece of land in the midst of death and destruction! I was in jail! Judah and Jerusalem were under siege, literally and physically. With all of its fear and uncertainty and anxiety. And in the midst of that, what do I…