Monday, January 31, 2011

New Year's Resolution


Kung hei fat choy!

Did you know that although our New Year's is already passed, the Chinese New Year is just gearing up? If you live here in Vancouver, it's hard to miss. That means it's not too late for all of you who have procrastinated on setting a resolution for this year, including me. Two events happened recently at our church, though, that have helped me make up my mind. The first was a community meeting discussing questions sent out by international executive committee. The second was a very special baptism.
The whole community comes together to witness and celebrate certain special sacraments, baptism being one of them. It means we will support this child in whatever way we can, through to Confirmation, and beyond. But where are we during the Children's Service? If we don't have children of our own attending, we often give it a miss. What does this say to the parents and the children themselves?
This was one of the points made in our response to the executive - the need to support the Children's Service. Now this service is very special to me. It was one of the things I missed most during the 14 months that we waited for an active priest. The language is simple yet beautiful, or one could even say, beautifully simple, and it speaks to me in a way that the adult service does not. So I have made up my mind this year to come half an hour earlier, and be present for this service whenever possible.
How about you?
Sparky

Monday, January 17, 2011

Bonanza

Hi there:

We had a great meeting this Sunday, discussing the questions sent out by the Executive Committee of the Foundation The Christian Community (international). (These were sent out with the Advent letter.) The atmosphere was most heart-warming and positive. More will be sent out to you later on this.
Since we had to give up our planned 2012 Conference meeting, I thought I would send along this nugget.

Do you remember an old western style tv show by the name of Bonanza? It was very popular, and one my dad used to like to watch. This is also a term one finds with regard to the subject of gold or treasure. What does the word mean? It means a mine or vein rich in ore. A sudden and unexpected source of luck or wealth. This is how I felt last week when I found the 1942 lecture of Rev. Alfred Heidenreich.
In Spanish, bonanza also means good luck, or calm sea. Hmmm, now where have I come across the term, calm sea before? In the Bible of course! There is a very famous pictorial of Jesus calming the sea, while the disciples are out on the water, and then walking out on the water to meet them.
This term still is present in our modern language. To be able to walk on water means someone who can do the impossible, or for whom there is no such thing as "can't be done".
Lord knows I have been swimming in very rough water the past 2 years, but things are finally calming down. In the process, I have learned a little more about putting my trust in God, and that whatever seems impossible or insurmountable to me, is possible with Him. I have had to learn that God's time is not the same as earth time. Also, Heidenreich writes that going through a crisis is actually a growth process. Finally, I hope I have learned to look at other people and situations with new eyes, and with more compassion and understanding.

Calm sailing to all.
Sparky