I challenge you:

This month: watch a film made by a Black director 

or with a predominantly black cast,

Or

Read a book by a Black author

Or

Read about one aspect of Black culture or history.

Join me in donating to a local Black community organization, such as the Canadian Caribbean Association of Waterloo Region, 

The African Community Wellness Initiative 

or the Black Youth Helpline.

I’ve had it. This is not sustainable. We’ve put in our 10 000 hours to make us quote unquote experts, but we have nothing to show for it. How are we suppose to live if we can’t catch any fish to feed our people? Only one fish, if you count that one that minnow. Look at those empty nets and we’ve been fishing all night....

How do we deal with conflict and disagreements?

How do we relate to people who annoy us?

How do we act when people disrespect us?

Best in all these situations is to let patience and kindness shine through,

Whether we are setting boundaries or trying to remove them.

And that’s hard.

When your temper is boiling it’s difficult to take ten deep breaths and say something kind and be patient 

when really you just want to tell the person off

I’d like you to take some time in prayer and ponder and pray about the following;

Where in your life are you asserting your individual freedom and rights where they are in conflict with the greater good?

Where can you reduce what you feel you need, 

To make space for the betterment of the whole?

Thank you for taking that to God in prayer this week. 

Narrative Gospels such as the Wedding at Cana invite us to enter into the story with the life giving currents of abundance and hospitality. What causes you to engage in dialogue with the text? What is meaningful and enters you into Gospel living? What do you push back against.  

The wedding at Cana is the place where Jesus begins his public...

Yet despite everything,

No matter what, 

no matter that the earthly things 

we rely on in hard times disappoint us,

Still God loves us, 

and that is what really matters.

In this story of magi and gifts,

it all comes down to these two questions, I believe:

Can we point to the true source of Life, Emmanuel, when we are asked?

Can we bring our selves, truly and wholly, as Gifts to this Emmanuel?

No more can be asked of us, as followers of Christ: 

but to reflect Christ’s light as best as we can.

The very first Radio broadcast of the Golden Hour occurred on the 23rd of February, 1930. 

The sermon on that Sunday, by Pastor John Schmieder (who had been already pastor at St. Matthews for almost12 years) was on the parable of the sower and the seed.

In the introduction to the sermon, 

Schmieder mentioned that now the seed of God’s word would not only be sown to the gathered assembly in the pews, 

but far beyond the quote “fenced-in field” of the congregation. 

He expressed the hope that this Word, transmitted by the airwaves, 

would bear fruit wherever a lonely, sick, and hurting human heart was ready to receive it.” 

Sometimes we're just like an ox or a donkey.

Sometimes all we can do is just watch with admiration and astonishment,

And shut down our super-ego, and adopt a posture of humility

and follow our instincts to the manger,

because all philosophy and rationalizations are of no use

in the face of the miracle of the birth of Jesus Christ the Lord.

Christmas Eve

That night the shepherds were wistful.  

Under the night sky, the shepherds lay beside their flock of sheep.   On the cooler nights, they kept warm this way, nestled among the sheep, the bleating hushed.   Sheep know the voice of a good shepherd - who lays down beside them.   A welcomed calm blanketed them. The...