A Community of Faith

This morning’s worship service was a celebration of fifty years of worship, learning, growing in community and outreach at Emmanuel United. There were photographs and stories from a variety of folks, telling why this church was important in their lives.

One thing that struck me was how a number of meaningful faith experiences took place outside the walls of the building. There were stories of canoe trips and family camps, vespers services, bible study groups that met in homes and service-learning trips to places far from Ottawa. It was a clear reminder that the story of a church is the story of a community of people whose faith goes with them and engages them wherever they go.

The building is still important. We needed a place this morning that was large enough to gather the whole group together. We needed a kitchen and a hall with space to serve a large partnership dinner yesterday and an anniversary lunch today. The building is important for all kinds of groups in the community we serve. And so it is part of our mission and one of the resources we use and share with others.

Next week, following worship, we meet to consider the future of our CE Hall. As I listen and consider what is before us, I will be thinking about some of the stories we heard today, of a people that meet in this sacred space and from here go out to encounter and embody sacred space in all the world.

Peter


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A Celebration Of A New Era

We had a Tuesday workshop cancelled this week. I have reason to believe that some of the dropouts are due to the Inauguration ceremony in Washington. I sympathize. This is a big deal for the US and for citizens around the world. There are Inauguration parties happening in our city. I know people going to these celebrations who would never have dreamed of attending such an event . It will be a celebration of a new era. How exciting and glorious is yet to be seen. There will be lots of people watching the ceremony and there will certainly be no shortage of advice for President Obama.

I read a Sojourners column form Nicholas Kristof, op-ed columnist for the New York Times and a two time Pulitzer Prize winner. Here are some selected lines:

"Your campaign fired up supporters from around the country and galvanized them to ring door bells and make phone calls. Now you need to institutionalize that enthusiasm with a national service program - not just for young people, but also for retirees." ( read here - Samuel and Eli from today's scripture story)

Kristoff reminds us that top down efforts sometimes disappoint. He advocates getting millions involved themselves in education, health and poverty programs around the world. He cites the example of supporting education for girls. The ripple effects of this are astounding.

Doesn't that sound like our service-learning trips here at Emmanuel? We've been doing this very thing in a thoughtful and consistent manner for years here at Emmanuel. Looks like we are on the cutting edge after all.

Peter


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The Church and Communications in the 21st Century

The United Church’s award winning publication, the Observer, continues to adapt to the new world of communication. You can already visit the magazine online, check out the story archive, join the Observer’s news group at Facebook.com.

And now there is YouTube. The United Church’s Spirit Connection ended its twenty year run on Vision TV just over a year ago. So what should we do next?

Catherine Rodd, the United Church’s multimedia producer, said, “You- Tube is a whole new medium for us; it seemed like the perfect evolution .”

It is an effort to keep up with the pace of change in communication. But that is our business, communicating good news. We don’t have the right to ignore the shift that is taking palce nor the luxury of taking another ten years to figure it out. We need to have this conversation now, with all of its diversity of positions and opinions.

How do you think we’re doing? How would the young people we know rate our progress? What does Emmanuel need to do to continue to evolve?

Can we talk?

Peter


You can also send your comments to assistant.webmaster@emmanuelunited.caand I will make sure they are posted

Everywhere I look at this time of year, I see comments on the best films, books, and photos of 2008. There are awards for the best athletes, and the best teams. We are reminded of the famous who passed away, the newsworthy events, the moments that horrified and delighted us.

What about the significant religious quotes? The Christian Century magazine collects a number of these each year. Here are a few that caught my attention:

“Try to find another way to help or find your goal. This bomb, this weapons, it’s not good to use it for anybody.”
-Omar bin Laden, son of Osama bin Laden, speaking against the violence inspired by his father

“I am deeply ashamed, and we will do what is possible so this cannot happen again in the future.”
- Pope Benedict XVI, addressing the clergy-sex abuse scandal that has cost the Catholic Church more than $2 billion and distressed the U.S. Catholic community

“I’d like to see the CEOs of these companies march down Wall Street in sackcloth and ashes.”
-ABC News analyst Cokie Roberts, about the Wall street executives who are asking Washington to bail out their companies

“She scares me. She’s Jerry Falwell with a pretty face.”
-Retired American Baptist pastor Howard Bess of Palmer, Alaska, who says his book, Pastor, I am Gay, was on a “hit list” of books that vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin wanted banned when she was mayor of neighbouring Wasilla

What are the religious events or quotes from 2008 that left an impression on you?

Peter

You can also send your comments to assistant.webmaster@emmanuelunited.caand I will make sure they are posted.