The wonder and conviction that lead us to the King. Read Matthew 2:1-11 In the film Contact, there is an emotional scene where the astronomer Ellie Arroway, played by Jodie Foster, explains to her friend her decision to venture into…
Many years ago, I developed an unhealthy bond with one of my favourite cars. It was a 25 year old BMW but I loved it immoderately! I always took it to a third generation local car repair shop called Tremblay’s…
The word sacred can sound a bit dusty and intimidating. Like an old cathedral with signs everywhere saying “do not touch” and “please be quiet.” We might call something sacred if it has been dedicated to a specific religious practice or…
Recently I was part of a team that put together a conference on MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying). Two ministers that I know approached me and the non-profit organization with which I work, to see if we might together plan…
We like to say that as Christians, as kingdom people, we live in the ‘already, and not yet.’ The kingdom of God is at hand – already we are saved and set apart, being sanctified; we repent of sins, follow…
Recent news headlines show that we are living at a time of heightened backlash against immigration. Anti-immigration anxieties have animated political forces around the world and immigrants are regularly scapegoated for all kinds of social problems, especially on social media.…
On the eve of the Thanksgiving long weekend, I was waiting in the early morning ferry line up in Snug Cove, making my usual way from Bowen Island to UBC when someone knocked on my car window. A little startled,…
Over dinner with friends a few weeks ago, conversation got around to how we navigate through life-altering crossroads. One friend shared advice that intrigued me about making decisions based on our values, not our circumstances. In difficult moments, certain decisions…
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving . . . Psalm 147:7 I don’t often have fast food, but on a whim I recently popped into an A&W near the UBC campus. As I sat waiting for my order I noticed…
Our friendship grew slowly, over many years. She lived in my neighbourhood with her partner, in a very large old house – twice the size of mine – located only a few doors down the street. You had to climb…