By REV. LUCY REID This summer I had the luxury of a sabbatical: three months of paid leave for rest and refreshment, travel and study. In planning it a year ahead, I knew I wanted to spend the first month walking, so that the all-consuming thoughts about work would have good chance to roll off […]
By REV. JEFF NOWERS As I’m writing this article, the Anglican Church of Canada’s General Synod—the church’s highest governing and legislative body comprised of a large number of delegates from across the country—is in the midst of a seven-day meeting in Vancouver. This has been a highly anticipated gathering because noteworthy on the agenda is […]
By Rev. SHELLEY McVEA Holy Week. Unholy week. The seven days leading up to Easter are celebrated in the Christian tradition as the most sacred of times. Church services, pageants, Biblical re-enactments all highlight the story of the death and resurrection of the one we call the son of God. But when one looks at […]
By REV. JEFF NOWERS As the days become noticeably longer, Christian communities are in the thick of the 40-day season called Lent. The meaning of the word “Lent,” which originated in Old English, has to do with “lengthening”—the incremental lengthening of daylight hours that leads to the celebration of Easter. In medieval Christianity, Lent was […]
By REV. KAREN DALE Looking from the outside at the walls and often closed doors of a church, it might seem a bit of a mystery as to what happens inside, beyond the Sunday morning worship. Even if the doors are unlocked and there are friendly people waiting with a smile; it is unlikely that […]
By REV. DAVID McCLEARY At the start of the year it is only natural for our minds to cast back to the year that was, while we also look towards the future with expectancy and hope for what this year might hold for us. In principle, we all know that time marches on, regardless. But […]
By REVEREND KATHERINE MCCLOSKEY Beaches Presbyterian Church is a warm and affirming place to be, especially during Advent and Christmas as we journey together toward Bethlehem. It as a time when we, at Beaches, are especially aware of how we might bring the warmth of this season to others. Taking time to pause for a […]
“The best place to find God is in a garden,” wrote George Bernard Shaw. The Green Thumbs gardening group at Beach United Church would definitely agree with this statement. Gardens take many forms and a walk up and down the streets of the Beach attest to this. At Beach United Church the garden wraps […]
On these cold and clear nights, the moon can sometimes appear brighter as it reflects on the snow. When we stand in moonlight, a shadow is created. That moon-lit shadow touches our foot and extends beyond us. Sometimes people are frightened by their shadow, or shadowy side. Maybe it is because we fear our own […]
In an intimate gathering at the Church of St. Aidan in the Beach earlier this month, I asked the audience this question: Have you ever been to a heartwarming end-of-life ceremony, one that you fondly remember, for the right reasons? As a Life-Cycle Celebrant, I help people create end-of-life ceremonies and officiate the event. I […]
