Listen to Your Breath

On Thursday evening, a couple of members of the transition team and I were at an event hosted by St. John’s United Church in Halifax. They opened the evening in the same way as they open worship, with three deep breaths. I think they were a centering breath, a grounding breath and a releasing breath.…

You’ve Got Big Shoes to Fill!

Those were the words that someone said to me at the good-bye reception for the minister at the church where I will start in September. The minister and I are good friends as well as colleagues; she is delighted that I accepted the Intentional Interim Ministry position and invited me to be part of her…

Collared!

Today was the first day of a six month experiment in wearing my clergy collar every day. In the United Church of Canada the collar is entirely optional, many of my colleagues don’t even own one. I have been wearing it more and more over the past few years, for a few different reasons: it…

Chaos and Clutter

I participate in Casa: An Experiment in Doing Church Online and this was my reflection from yesterday. Come and find the quiet centre in the crowded life we lead, find the room for hope to enter, find the frame where we are freed: clear the chaos and the clutter, clear our eyes, that we can see …

All My Life’s a Circle

Or a spiral or something… Fourteen years ago, about this time of year, I left my home in Nova Scotia to head to Ontario. Ordained for a little over a month, I was on my way to my settlement charge in Claremont, a ‘hamlet’ about an hour northeast of Toronto. I spent the first night…

Preaching, Teaching, Healing

I came in from the back with a shawl draped around me. I was so excited when I heard that my son Jesus was coming home for a visit. I had missed him since he started traveling around the countryside. His brothers and sisters were excited as well… after all, they hadn’t travelled much further…

The Two Annas!

If you like dynamic and inspiring preaching, along with interactive workshops, an opportunity to network with old and new friends,  not to mention enjoy fabulous food, then make sure you get to the next Lester Randall Preaching Fellowship! It’s an ecumenical  event held annually in Toronto, hosted by Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.  The Rev. Dr. Anna…

New Beginnings: Call & Response

  The readings this morning are both about being called and responding. They are the perfect readings for a minister and congregation at the beginning of a relationship. Samuel, a young boy, serving the Eli in the temple, hears a voice calling him. He doesn’t recognize the voice as God’s… he thinks it is Eli calling him……

Learning To Walk in the Dark

Daniel said: “Blessed be the name of God from age to age, for wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons, deposes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness,…