How we enter a room or a place tells us much about the event.  If we wander in, or there is no grand entrance, we know it is a more casual event.  If we stop and greet before we find our seats, then know we are some kind of community event.  If we come in and bow in prayer, we know there is a preparation for a religious experience.  If there is a great procession we know that it is formal and we expect something to happen.

Faith in a Time of Change - ed Michael Kooiman

I wanted to like this book for it has some very wise people, who love the church,  writing in it. But I have problems.  It was a quick read that was unsatisfying.  Unsatisfying because of the nature of the book.  I am not a fan of one page reflections.  I want some depth when I read.  It had hints of depth but each vignette stood on its own, no follow up by other posters.  ( It came from posts on Emerging Spirit) They did not seem to engage one another or the ideas of others.

Easter 2010                The Rising                 The Rev. Dr. George Hermanson
John 20: 1 -18

 March 28, 2010                               Parades and Crosses        Dr George Hermanson                      

Haiti - a reflection

The earthquake that devastated parts of Haiti forces us to rethink our assumptions about reality. Over the past few weeks we have heard and seen many voices offer their response of words to make sense of the event.  Along side those words has been the overwhelming  responses of care.  This out pouring of  gifts and action lift our spirits, and for many this is enough to solve the existential questions that arise in such a wide spread disaster.

Transforming Christian Theology: For Church and Society.  Dr. Philip Clayton

 Nov 10 and 11  at Dominion -Chalmers United Church,  355 Cooper Street, Ottawa ON,(corner of Cooper at O'Connor).  www.dc-church.org(Sponsored by Ottawa Presbytery and the Madawaska Institute)

 Dr. Philip Clayton  is currently Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Claremont Graduate University and Ingraham Professor at Claremont School of Theology. Professor Clayton's website

Act 4:32 -35                   Can We Trust God?                Easter 2, April 19, 2009
John 20:19 -31

Our passage from Mark begins the Holy Week Journey. We did not read all of Mark’s narrative and so I want to read this from Mark, to join the parade with  the outcome of that parade. (Mark 14: 1 - 9)

In many ways we think we know what the narrative means because we hear it every Lent and Easter.  Our hymns give us an image of a great parade yet we forget that old hymn two gates to the city,  Mark gave us an narrative about parades that challenged the power of Rome.

Easter 2009                   The Rising                 The Rev. Dr. George Hermanson
John 20: 1 -18

Numbers 21: 4 -9        The Light Shines in the Darkness             March 22, 2009
John 3: 14 -21