john-black-blog

Face lift, faith lift

Thu, 10 May 2012 19:12:29 +0100

Since the last blog the memorial garden has changed from the site of one hopeful tulip to clusters of them; red ones, pink ones, striped and white variegated ones, clusters of daffodils, and some sort of white bloom that looks like a star. There is more expectation as the peonies have re-emerged, and the rose bush is reaching up to the sun.It is not only the garden that shows promise, two weeks ago some folks gathered with Bill the past chair, Vicki our office administrator and me to walk around the church to look at the possibility of sprucing up the place. We understand we need to focus on the big ticket items such as air conditioning and boilers, but in the meanwhile some elbow grease, cans of paint, and the valued time of volunteers will make a big difference on how we appear to the world but more importantly show how we feel about ourselves.

My husband Jack and I sold our house last year, but before we did, I confess we put more effort “cleaning up the place” than we had done in years. The deck and kitchen got repainted, flower beds got brick edging, and the downstairs storage was reduced by a third as we gave away and pitched what we no longer needed. The place looked great. The question was- why didn’t we do this before?

Truth was we knew somewhere in our hearts we were going to move, we did not put a date on it, and kept delaying the conversation of just when and where. Once we had a goal, the work was done.

John Black Memorial has been in that vague space, and although people have asked “What should we do?” there have been no definite answers. Last fall a few of us met with neighbouring United churches expressing our openness to conversations of working together, and possibly even merger. We found that the other churches did not share our mindset at that time.

This has been a good thing, because although this knowledge does not stop inter neighbouring church dialogue, it has made us concentrate on who we are, and focus on a future that is based within this community rather outside it. Knowing we are going to be here a while, has meant that it is time to continue the maintenance of the building, the building up of our faith community and our ways of reaching out to the neighbourhood with grace and thanks giving.

This fall the leadership team will lead the congregation in yet another visioning process. I know a process was done several years ago, and then on a smaller scale when I was hired. Times have changed, the shock of saying good bye to Jim who shared ministry with you for 17 years and Heather for 3 years is turning into thank fullness for the past. John Black UC is now in a place of stability once again. It is time to rejoice and say “It is good to be here”, and look at the faith and experiences we have yet to share. Get out your paint brushes and sand paper, and if not be prepared to put on the kettle for those who do. We are ready for a face lift and a faith lift.

Gardens nutured by hard work, Visions

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:30:05 +0100

Gardens nurtured by hard work, vision

I love spring. On the long winter days when the sky was an unrelenting grey, I would look out the office window to the Memorial Garden and think, not now—but soon. Soon the snow will be gone, soon the sky will be blue and soon there will be green growth.

Now the time has come and to my surprise and delight I am seeing much more than I ever imagined. As I came here in August, the garden flowers were already spent and I falsely concluded that the garden was only made up of green plants and shrubs. Not so. There is already one red tulip and many more tulips and daffodils ready to burst into bloom. It has been truly worth the wait. I am very aware that what I am seeing is the evidence of other people’s work and planning. Gardens, unlike wild flowers, do not tend themselves and are nurtured by hard work and vision.

Since August I have seen growth in the church as well. Like the plants under the snow, it is slowly being revealed to me what ministries and vision have already existed here. Last Sunday we celebrated outreach ministries. It was a time to hold up a mirror to this congregation to show you what you already did, and have done for years.

It is spring outside but also inside the church. We are benefitting from the hard work and the love and concern of so many generations. Not soon but now. Works of grace are being done and faith continues to be challenged to grow. It is good to be here and enjoy new life with you.

Celebrating Earth Day

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:28:14 +0100

Celebrating Earth day in the church fits seamlessly into our theology of the sacred trust we hold with God for the earth. Our new creed includes the words, “to live in respect with creation”. It is wonderful that we can join members of the greater community to preserve the health of the planet and consequently human health.

At John Black the memorial garden bridges the buildings set apart for worship and community activity. This silent sacred space is continually changing as the garden flourishes and recedes again for winter rest.

It is a common occurrence to look outside and see someone sitting quietly on the bench, or hear a small voice demand that an adult come and see the flowers or to be picked up so they can see inside the bird bath. Young and old are attracted to this small green space just off the sidewalk and busy Henderson Highway. It is what the earth does; it connects us to Something; Someone beyond ourselves. It nurtures the soul in the same way the crops and wild berries that grown on it feed the body. It is something we may too often take for granted and to seldom slow down to appreciate.

Earth day is a reminder that this is a relationship; that we are called to give as well as take. As a relationship it asks us for more than attendance at a rally once a year, recycling our plastic bags when we remember, or a half hearted effort “think green”. It calls on us to live in respect with creation.

When we live with respect, our efforts no matter how small need to be continuous, we need to put in that extra effort when we are tired, to recycle the can or cereal box rather than dump it in the garbage, to search out or make nonchemical cleaning solutions, (remember Grammas use of vinegar and baking soda?),and to make our opinions heard on matters such as pipelines, salt on our roads, the storage of the radioactive waste, and fertilizer leeching from the fields into Lake Winnipeg.

The memorial garden acts as a faithful symbol of Christian witness bridging worship and work. We thank God in worship for making us part of this remarkable gift creation in prayer and in song and also in our work, continually doing what we can to preserve the earth, where we are, with what we have, to keep our part of the sacred trust with God and all that God has made.

Taking off the Training Wheels

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:22:14 +0100

In this second week of April, children are being towed in wagons and older ones talk about getting the training wheels off their bikes. Lake folks are getting their cabins ready for a wonderful summer of sun and friends, while gardeners are restless waiting to turn to soil and plant some newly discovered seeds.

This is a time of hope and excitement. Easter in our church is also a time of newness and growth. New people have joined the M&P and leadership team, and this year you will not be saying goodbye to a ministry person but we will continue to work towards the building up of the Christian community in John Black together.

This year we have transformed a family room from an old office, hired a support person to mentor the Christian education leadership and a child care worker to care for the wee ones during worship. The question is “Okay, now what?”

As the child taking off the training wheels or the gardener trying new seeds, we do not start from scratch but grow from the experience of what has come before. On April 29^th we will be celebrating the various ways this church does outreach. We will be able to visibly see many of the ways we interact with the community. As we look out we also need to look within. What do the house groups and interest groups do that have strengthened our faith and our togetherness, and what do we still need to do to make folks feel included and welcomed? How does our worship lift up the holy and what is merely distraction?

Once we have the answers we can grow from there. We have soil to turn, seeds to plant, and a whole new world to explore as we take off the training wheels. Like the disciples gathered to meet Christ in Galilee after the empty tomb, we need to keep talking, worshiping and working together so we can see the Christ among us, where he is sending us, and how he is blessing us. Blessed Restless Easter. He is risen... ready, set, follow.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:20:21 +0100

I forget when I look at the cross that silently looms above us on the wall of the sanctuary, how noisy and busy Jesus entry into Jerusalem and the passion really was.

The Gospels of course are focused on Jesus unexpectedly, riding on a donkey rather than some mighty steed as a conquering hero. A few years ago I climbed mountains in France and Spain, and no matter how high I ascended on the narrow paths I could see the tracks of donkeys. I turned sometimes ” belly in” to the rock face, and could not imagine how these short squat beasts could navigate these slender paths, probably with the weekly groceries, coal or wood strapped to their backs. For all the pomp and ceremony of the crowds waving palms and spreading coats on the path, for all the noise of children singing and people yelling Hosanna – Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord... the donkey lumbered on under the weight of this new hailed messiah. There is a sense of something stoic and steadfast, plodding and enduring happening amid the fanfare. This journey to the cross is going to happen. Come, a kiss by a friend, the mock trial of Herod where Jesus as the Truth is the victim, the continued questioning by the Roman Primate whose sense of right is drowned out by a need for “peace” at all costs, the crack of the whip and the derision of the crowd wanting blood, above this noise are the words of one man: “ My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” and “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

When I imagine the Palm Sunday parade of our time I envision folks reaching in purses and pockets to pull out cell phones and iPods jockeying for position to take the best pictures, and for the pictures to be circulated on the web within minutes, and formulated into the front of a t-shirt within the hour, of animal activists questioning the use of the donkey as a beast of burden, and Jesus ... looking straight ahead... with the still silence of knowing, what will be, will be. This upcoming Holy week I invite you to take time to tune out the noise, plod quietly through the scriptures, and walk in the strength of a man of few words.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 19:14:58 +0100

You never know what to expect when you begin a study of any kind. I was a wee bit worried that the Lenten Book, I Am Listening was not as challenging as some hoped. I was wrong. It is true it is not a study of scripture but it is indeed a study of what scripture describes – relationships, our relationship to God and to each other. After a short page meditation each day’s devotional leaves a question to ponder. “Recall a time you were in the “dusty wilderness” and yet found joy.” Which promise in your life was the most difficult to carry out and why?””What family stories and experiences help you face the challenges in your everyday life?” “In what way does God really need no one, and in what way does God really need you?”. I took these questions from the first 8 days which leaves 32 more days to go. It is good thing to use this as a private Lenten devotional, but a much richer experience to share our reflections together, which led to my greatest surprise from the Wednesday morning study- people wanted to extend our time from 11:30 past the hour to 1pm. As the sessions are made up of daily devotionals people can feel free to join the conversation any week, and as we are offering it morning and 7pm, there is an option to choose what time to come. Whether or not you accept the invitation to study this resource on your own, or share in the community study I hope you take time this Lent to think about who and what is precious to you, and remember that you are precious to God.

Sunday, February 26th

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:40:23 +0100

I am no longer sure of the jargon— is it right to say- What’s up with lent, or do we get down with lent? In the past lent has been seen as a downer, with heads bent and ashes placed on our foreheads. Pretzels the present day snack food, originally began as a Lenten food, made of no fat and oven baked, formed in the shape of a person with arms crossed in prayerful humility. Abstinence was the norm, with a no fat diet, there would be no doughnuts (yes it’s interesting- roll up the rim to win – always happens during lent) or chocolate double foam lattes. Lent also reminds us that we are disciples- or learners. Like the early disciples we are not called to be perfect, we are called to follow and learn. This lent in worship we to get people to not look down but look up. Beginning with the massive rainbow, weekly symbols of God’s covenant with be arched across the sanctuary and we will talk about our relationship with God who reaches to embrace us, not ending in the suffering on the cross but with resurrection and new life.

If you missed Ash Wednesday or the first Sunday in Lent there is still room in the pews, and notice the Bible passages are posted on this web site.

Come join us and give more meaning to- We are not alone.

Sticky hearts to place the names of those of our generations.

Faithfully forward?

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:31:22 +0100

   Oh my the time flew by... It seems like just last month that I arrived at JBM, but it's been 3 years! So many faces, and names, and memories shared. As I've been cleaning my office this past month, packing, deciding what to gift, what to take with me, what to discard, emailing farewell messages, I realize that this is simply LIfe calling me forward again.
I'm quite used to moving - my father's (change in) vocation had our family moving every 3-4 years. My own change(s) in vocation have also had me facing new challenges or saying goodbye to cherished friends about every 4 years.   So as I face moving on from this minsitry (especially with the children and young families) it feels a bit familiar. I move on, with both the sadness of saying goodbye to cherished friends, and with excitement of facing new challenges.
   This time's different, though. I've always had "a place to go"; I've always gone "to" something else. It's usually been me picking "what's next".   This time I'm not leaving "to" something; I have no solid map to follow. Usually I don't like driving in fog...but there is something vibrant and energizing and unbelievably Holy about this time.
    Perhaps it is Life calling me forward. Faith is about trust, about not knowing the outcome. Like Coming Out into a New Life. Perhaps this is (yet another) experience of Resurrection - the stone's been moved, and some Energy says "Come forth!"   Maybe this is about faithfully going forward, one step at a time, not towards what is known end, but in a Cloud of Unknowing, and truly trusting that which I have come to know:
    that Godde is beyond perfect description.
    that Godde is Holy, and Wholly Other, and Wholly Love.
    that being part of a community that wonders together, that welcomes all wonderers, that seeks relationships that are just and value all Creatures equally is experiencing the amazing Grace and Holy-ness in my soul.
    Maybe that is what makes me (us?) Whole.
     And maybe that is enough.
I keep hearing a prayer in my head: May we go from here, not knowing where we go, but only that "God's hand" is leading and guiding us.
And another: God's grace is deeper than our imagination. Christ's love is stronger than our need, that the Spirit's community is fuller than our togetherness.
    As I hope in the name of Christ, and the love and hope for which that stands, so may it be.
May you know abundant blessings in your life's journey.
Love,
Heather .

The Current of Kindness

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:04:29 +0100

Over the summer, myself (Cody) and Evelyn (my 6 year old) were visiting Lake Superior. There was a beautiful storm on the American side of the lake and we were on the Canadian beach watching the waves roll in. A massive wave struck the beach and we were suddenly in 3 feet of water, the current aggressively drawing us toward the lake. We left the beach immediately and dried off. The danger was minor and the trouble was solved with a towel and new pants. In that moment of fear though, I got a sense of the power of creation and the frailty of human life. Similar to when we see a butterfly emerge from a chrysalis or when we shake a fist to the sky during a tragedy. It is easy during such events to ascribe what happened to God. The challenge this attitude presents is that times of tragedy become times when our faith is tested.

The Japanese word for crisis (kiki) translates into the words “danger and opportunity” it is a mistake to take this connection literally. Often crises draw opportunists but this is not a positive thing. Online, such opportunists have been hard at work pointing to the threefold disaster in Japan (earthquake, tsunami, and the nuclear crisis). They ascribe the act as an act of God. They threaten that doom is soon to come and that people should repent. It’s frustrating to see people even engaging in that conversation at a time like this. My sense is that God’s hand is not guiding us to such acts of opportunism. Our faith calls for a more thoughtful answer.

It is a challenge to reconcile God’s presence in times of tragedy until you look at what people are doing to help. We are all drawn to help in times of tragedy. Moments after the tragedy, people were risking life and limb to rescue strangers. People have lost their lives fighting to stop the nuclear meltdown. Following the destructive wave, there has been a wave of international kindness. We all have a sense that we want to help and that is truly where God’s hand can be felt.

I always want to be there when I see tragedy. I want to lift rubble and find someone to rescue. I want to find someone sad and be a shoulder to cry on. The feeling is impractical. We can’t all show up in foreign countries when disaster strikes. It is most likely we would be in the way rather than helpful. Here are some things we can do:

Pray: Internationally, this is an opportunity to connect with God and petition for kindness.

Donate: Lots of organizations are already hard at work rescuing, recovering and helping people in distress. The United Church has set up a way to give to disaster relief if you follow this link: The United Church of Canada.

Exemplify: Know that acts of kindness are needed on earth right now. It is worth noting that recent disasters have not ended when the media left them. People still suffer in the wake of the tsunami in Indonesia, the earthquake in Port-Au-Prince, or the flood in New Orleans. People locally have also suffered losses and that is a place you can be present and kind. A disaster is a reminder of the world of need. You have been blessed with gifts that can reduce suffering somewhere. Consider where your talents are best spent in times like this. We are guided as a church to participate in the international flow of kindness. This is not a time of conversion, nor is it a time to point fingers and shake fists. This is a time when you have an opportunity to help. Be present to where the hand of God leads you: times of crisis should draw us deeper in faith.

(Evelyn writes a prayer to Japan).

-Cody Creed

Rebooting Faith?

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:56:19 +0100

I was googling "Lenten Journey" the other day. A long-stanidng tradition to use the 6 pre-spring, pre-Easter, weeks to ask who am I? what are my roots for daily living? how do I nourish my spirit, what makes me me? How is my "me" connected to other "me"s? Anyways, in my internet wandering I came across a great line:
Going to Church makes you a Christian about as much as sleeping in a garage makes you a car.

Got me thinking. What does make a person Christian? Does it matter? Is "Christian" a principle? a "compass"? a lens for seeing the world?

I thought (ok, hoped) others might be pondering similar questions and would join in an online discussion.
When I saw the topics for the upcoming 'Rebooting Faith' series (see announcements page on the 'site), I thought: hey here's fuel for exactly this kind of discussion!   Faith: the Way of the Heart.

It's a place to start. What is faith? Is it something you have, or something you do? Is there "one answer" that is "faith-full" or are there many -- like refracted light through a prism?

Now it's your turn. This is an interactive blog. Join the discussion. Blog on, friend, my companion(s) on this journey!
- posted by Heather