In yesterday's posting I wasn't as clear as I could have been that my new blog entry entitled 'Pushing Down' is found on a new platform:

http://marditindal.com/2012/10/20/pushing-down/

Apologies for any confusion...

I am grateful for the inspiring and steady stream of notes, articles and messages still flowing from and bearing witness to eight days of faithful work at the 41st General Council of The United Church of Canada.

Since my last blog posting, there are more reasons to thank Margaret Wente for igniting many lively and faith-filled conversations throughout my church. All of this is well timed as we prepare for the 41st General Council will will focus upon the identity and connectional nature of our church.

I’ve been overwhelmed by the tweets about my response to Margaret Wente’s Globe and Mail article on ‘The collapse of the liberal church.’ Thank you!

Mark’s account of the miracle of the loaves and fishes was heard in many churches last Sunday morning. Along with Mark’s words, I’ve been re-reading Mary Oliver’s  poetry, inspired by Mark 6: 30-44.

“Accept the miracle” Oliver writes in her poem, Logos. “Accept, too, each spoken word, spoken with love.”

It was after 8:00pm on Monday evening when I phoned the Rev Bob Gardner and his congregation of Holy Trinity United in Elliot Lake. I had flown into Toronto from Saskatoon’s Truth and Reconciliation event, and was met with the horrifying news about the Algo Mall collapse on the airport screens.

I assumed that I would be leaving a message at the church at that late hour. But, no. A woman named Ruth answered. She was among those cleaning up from having served another meal to the many rescue workers. Bob was still in the hall so we had a good talk.

Monday marked the fourth anniversary of when our prime minister offered Canada’s apology to residential school survivors. It was a moving and dramatic moment, and a new journey as a nation became possible for all of us.

On May 31st, at Toronto’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission event, I offered a few words of reflection on behalf of the historic churches involved in the residential school system.

The United Church of Canada is grieving the loss of one of its beloved moderators, the Very Rev. George Tuttle. George died on Saturday morning, in his 97th year.

I’ve been meeting for the past two days with the committee planning the 41st General Council in Ottawa this August, and I’m very excited about what’s taking shape. Tomorrow morning I head to Tatamagouche Centre in Nova Scotia to lead a ‘Soul, Community and Creation’ retreat. Monica Graham’s story in today’s Halifax Chronicle Herald has captured some important insights about how I have come to understand the relationship between these three: