"1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil." Luke 4.1-2

Oh it's always there ... we have different words now, words that try to convey that temptations are about the choices we make and when those choices separate us from God it can be understood as Sin. As Christians, as I understand it, God is experienced when we are engaged in the community, not when we are isolated. Of course that theology - that understanding - holds a lot of tension for the Emerging Spirit demographic, of which I am admittedly a part, which really does not trust the institutions that are often the formalised expression of church.

And, if we are open to some self-divulging, I have just experienced recently why we distrust those institutions. When the generations meet, informed from the assumptions of our own experiences, our own context, there can be conflict. And these meetings can feel very inhospitable...

So, last Sunday (or a couple of weeks ago, depending on when this is published), we had seven new folks to church. I'm not bragging, I'm reporting.... (Okay, I'm bragging a little bit).

What is the future of Wonder Cafe'?  I know that it's part of the Emerging Spirit Campaign.  But how long is it scheduled to run?  If there is a deadline, can it be continued through other ways or means? 

I am not sure what it costs to run the Cafe' for a year.  Nor do I have a good understanding of how sites like these are financed.   Of course I know that many of them rely on advertising (not so much, I would guess [and hope] faith based sites).

So where will the Wonder Cafe' be in a year?

Listen Up TV.

It airs on Global television Sunday mornings at 11am.

I've been involved in the work of the wider church for quite some time. Just thinking of the amount of time makes me tired. It's been a while.

For those folks who have attended the Living the Hope workshop could you please provide me with any insights and feedback about this event?  A few people at my church attended the Living the Welcome workshop last year.  It was brought up again that we should attend an upcoming the Living the Hope workshop.  My concern at my church is that it will not be time well-spent based on our past experiences and that has to do with my church, not the program itself as there was little interest from the congregation and no buy in from the board or our minister.

I have been out of touch for the last few weeks as I have tried to make sense of my new congregational ministry situation. I am challenged: challenged not only by the task of remembering myriad names and faces but also by the daunting undertaking of identifying the story that is this people and discerning what part I play in its future unfolding.

Media to Date
(not quite a complete list, but details will be added when confirmed)

TV
CP24 TalkTV (Toronto): Moderator David Giuliano on church response to atheist ads. (Feb. 4, 2009)
Goldhawk Live (Toronto): Rev. Norm Seli of Jubilee United Church, along Justin Trottier of the Freethought Association of Canada and Adam Giambrone of the TTC. (Feb. 9, 2009)

Print
MarketingMag: United Church Gives Another Option to Atheist Ads (Jan. 29, 2009)
Toronto Star: Church ad builds on idea. (Jan. 30, 2009)
Canadian Atheist Bus Campaign response: There probably *IS* a god, now stop worrying. (Jan. 30, 2009)
Globe & Mail: United Church Hitches Ride on God Campaign (Jan. 30, 2009)
National Post: United Church gets playful with pro-God ads (Jan. 31, 2009)
Vancouver Sun: United Church hits back against atheist ads (Jan. 31, 2009)
Toronto Sun: Faith on the side of a bus. (Jan. 31, 2009)
Regina Leader-Post: Converting during crisis. (Jan. 31, 2009)
The Province: United Church plans to respond to Atheist bus ads. (Feb. 1, 2009)
Saskatoon StarPhoenix: Downturn a boom time for religions? (Feb. 2, 2009)
The Torontoist.com: United Church and Atheists Make Great Frenemies. (Feb. 5, 2009)

Radio
CBC Metro Morning Toronto. (Feb. 2, 2009)
Cornwall Radio AM 1220 (Feb. 2, 2009)
Owen Sound Radio (Feb. 2, 2009)
CKWS Radio Kingston (Feb. 2, 2009)
CBC Radio Kelowna - Daybreak (Feb. 3, 2009)
Port Elgin Radio (Feb. 4, 2009)

More to come...

I am looking for practical suggestions re coffee in the sanctuary.

We have a traditional Methodist sanctuary...which is bigger than we need. Looking at options re location of coffee in the sanctuary.

So, how are you doing it?

Who makes the coffee? when? Do you have those nice airpot brewers?

Do people bring their own mugs? Do you have mugs? Who washes them?

Do you offer real & decaff, or just one or the other.  It is a given for us it will be free trade.

Do you have treats?

How do you handle spillage?