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Questions

Today might be a great day for many, and there have been many great things for me too, but as the day winds into evening, with the two divided by the 6 o’clock news, I have been thrust into a sombre state of reflection, with questions of “why” and “how.”

I don’t know much about Whitney Houston, and I wouldn’t recognise any songs that she sang, because I don’t pay much attention to famous people; I just know some of their names.  Apparently the folks singing and speaking at her funeral tomorrow include: Aretha Franklin (her godmother), Dionne Warwick (her cousin), Alicia Keys, Kevin Costner (co-star in a movie), and Stevie Wonder.  The funeral will be in the church where she grew up and learned to sing in the choir.  Almost all famous black singers began their singing in the church.  What is it about fame and fortune that gets the better of some of these folks?  Maybe it gets the better of us too.

Today the home church of Milan Lucic in Burnaby was defaced with very offensive graffiti by some despicable Vancouver Canucks fans.  Milan is a Vancouver boy playing for the Boston Bruins.  Hatred.  When disappointment turns to anger and then to hatred, we have this kind of stuff.  It was really good to see all the people that volunteered time to clean up that church – much like after last June’s riot.

Another question is how does a hockey team choose to play an intimidating, in-your-face style of game?  I guess the whatever-it-takes to win mindset has not limitations.   How does a player, such as Milan Lucic, buy into this hard-nosed style of play, especially someone who’s grown up in the church?

I have a friend; although he is a few years older than I, we have had occasions along life’s way to be friends.  He grew up in my home church, the Rosthern Mennonite Church in Saskatchewan.  His parents were very committed Anabaptist Christians, and his commitment was there too.  He made it in hockey.  He was in the Philadelphia Flyers organisation back int the ’70′s when the Flyers were the tough-guy team in the NHL.  He was on their farm team, the Philadelphia Firebirds.  He was expected to be a tough-guy, to hit hard and fight.  He did this for a couple of years, until he and his wife finally said, “no.”  He became a fireman for the City of Calgary and is now retired.  He has been active in the Mennonite Church all these years.

This past summer 3 NHL players snapped and said, “I can’t do this anymore.”  Instead of saying, “I’m out of here,” and start a new life, they (intentionally or unintentionally) took their own lives.

Jesus has the power to change us from the inside out.  Let us align with his ways so that we don’t get turned inside out ourselves, caught in a downward spiral before we know it and can stop it.

I have a candle burning tonight in memory of these tragedies.

Sweet Revenge

So, Sven Eriksson and I were driving home together to Ladner after the Multicultural Leaders Training Day, and he asks whether I have been following the Canucks.  I say, “Yeah, whenever I have time,” and ask, “Do you follow the Canucks?,”  and he said that he does.  I asked him if he saw the game against the Bruins a week ago Saturday, and we both had watched the game – the first rematch after this spring’s Stanley Cup run.

We talked about the big revenge-fest brawl early in the first period.  We agreed that we sometimes give our heads a shake as to why we even watch the game.  I watched the brawl, just because I was wondering how it would all turn out – as the symbolic act of evening the score.  When the second fight broke out, I said, “Seriously?”  Then I muted the television and took the opportunity to go to the bathroom!

My excuse to watch is that I love the game of hockey, especially when I am playing it.  Watching the game at the highest level is a lot of fun.  I think Sven and I agree on enjoying the game for the “hockey” that’s played.  I also make the point that everything that is penalised is not actually part of the game – otherwise it wouldn’t be penalised.

Revenge, also known as Retributive Justice, or maybe even Vigilante Justice, is what movies are made of, is energising for many hockey fans, and is what Satan would like us to think of as “sweet.”  Since revenge usually is overdone, God said in the Old Testament that they should limit it to “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”  God doesn’t believe in revenge, but limits it.  Jesus comes along and identifies what the folks know from the Old Testament and then corrects it to the real intentions of Kingdom living.  He responds to this text with, “turn the other cheek.”

Restorative Justice is a bit much for many people to get their minds around.  It means making things right with the person who was offended – not easy, but it sure beats going to jail – I would say!  It even means for the offender and the offended person to be reconciled.  I think one needs to have a pretty good grasp of who Jesus is and what he is all about to appreciate restorative justice.  When we get it, “sweet” is taken to a whole new level.  To know the sweetness of reconciliation, and to know the healing and hope that it brings, is to really know Jesus!

In hockey - well, it’s a game.  There are referees to deal with the misdemeanours.  If the referees aren’t doing their job, then you can lodge a complaint.  If the infraction is too severe, the league can step in.  Revenge is swift and simple – it takes a lot of maturity for Christian players to back down and just play the game.

Multicultural Leaders Training Day

We had a wonderful time on Saturday.  This was the beginning of round two of the MCBC Multicultural Leaders Training Course.  The topic was Pastoral Care. Sven Eriksson was our teacher.  There were 15 of us, coming from five churches, speaking four languages (Chinese, Hmong, Japanese and Spanish) plus the teaching language was English.  It was at First United Mennonite Church in Vancouver.  We learned about our place as pastors and care givers as being a place of in-between.  In-between: God and the congregation, Scripture and the congregation, the world and the congregation.   We learned that the platform of pastoral ministry is - deliberate acts of paying attention to God and what he is doing in our neighbourhoods through: prayer, reading Scripture and in giving spiritual direction.

We will have two more training days through the spring, plus we will study in small groups the workbook, “Tending God’s Flock: Pastoral Care and Counselling, Administration.”

Last year we did, “Anabaptist History and Thought.”

Organic Community

Organic Community: creating a place where people naturally connect.  This is another book that has caught my attention lately.   It fits well with Asset Mapping because it moves us from focusing on the bottom line to focusing on the story, from seeing the scarcity in our group to seeing the abundancy.   This is seeing our church as a cup 1/2 full, and looking what we have to offer to God’s mission rather than what we don’t have.

The basic essence of the book takes a look at the weaknesses of the “master plan” approach, recognising that the day after we put a 5 or 10 year master plan in place for our church, something changes in our life together that basically upsets this plan.  It is saying that people naturally connect when they are not forced into a certain mold, but are given room to fit into the community as works for them.

A living reality of church is finding ways to meaningfully do life together.  So, we may say that small groups is the way to go.  When I was pastoring at Sherbrooke Mennonite Church in Vancouver, I was know to say every year in my annual report, “If you are not in a small group, then you are not receiving the kind of care that we hope you might have.”  (or something like that)  We never had more that 50% of our people in small groups.  What kind of care and community experience were the other 50% receiving?  Maybe Sunday morning worship and serving in a ministry provided exactly the right amound of care and community that they needed.  Maybe it was a book study with friends that provided the small group experience.

One way or the other, this book has helped me to see that an organic community has a variety of expressions, and that this is good.  We should not expect everybody to fit into one mold.  I encourage you to read this book and let it help you find the ways that people naturally connect and celebrate with them.

Asset Mapping – Coming to your church?

I have recently become excited about the simple, yet profound process known as Asset Mapping.  It is described in the book by Luther K. Snow entitled “The Power of Asset Mapping: How Your Congregation Can Act on Its Gifts.”  It is not original to Snow; it has been developed by John McKnight and John Kretzmann and has been used broadly as a community development technique that helps document the collective wisdom of the community and broaden the understanding of the assets available on which to draw.  Snow brings it into the realm of the church.

So, what’s it about?  Asset Mapping goes on the premise of the cup of your congregation being 1/2 full rather than 1/2 empty.  Your congregation has many assets, and you may or may not be aware of them.  Assets include the spiritual gifts that the people in your congregation have been given, but they include much more.  Everything of value that your congregation has is included: in the people, the building, the location, the neighbourhood, and more.

There are 3 simple aspects to Asset Mapping.  First, recognising your assets.  Secondly, connect the dots.  Thirdly, vote with your feet.  The importance of having someone with experience lead the process for your group is that there are ways of digging deeper, thinking bigger and looking in places you might not naturally have thought of.  In connecting the dots, the key is to not connect assets that are similar, but connect assets that, when brought together, can lead to a ministry opportunity that no one had thought of before.  The way this is done is by writing down every individual asset and sticking them on the walls around the room where you are meeting.  Connecting the dots is then literally taking an asset off the wall and sticking it beside another asset by which the two assets together give opportunity for a whole new ministry.  Now, many people who catch the vision for bringing two or more assets together to form a new ministry are also the ones who could implement that ministry.  Voting with your feet is actually walking over to a new ministry posted on the wall in which you are prepared to participate.

Like I said, it is really simple, yet for it to have the best potential, it requires a resource person.  I would be happy to come to your church, your leadership retreat, or some configuration of leadership people - to walk you through this exercise.  I think four hours would be enough.  Contact me to set up an Asset Mapping gathering if you could see this benefiting your group.

For Such a Time as This

I believe there will be a foundational impact to MCBC’s entering into level ground relationships with our indigenous neighbours at this time in history.  They are saying that they are, “hearing the gospel for the first time.”  Cheryl Bear, a local indigenous singer songwriter said to me, “We’re watching you (Mennonites).”  If we get it right this time, I can’t imagine the impact it may have on our witness to the good news of Jesus Christ – not just with our indigenous neighbours, but overall.   And it’s simple – it’s just about being friends!

I would like to offer to our congregations the opportunity of Asset Mapping.  It is a simple process of looking at what you have as a congregation, connecting the dots for ministry and committing to go for it.  It works best as a four hour leadership retreat.  Call me.

The MCBC Vision Team is reviewing our identity and purpose.  Currently we have said that “Mennonite Church British Columbia is a faith community of Christian churches with a passionate allegiance to Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Our purpose is to enable congregations to individually and collectively engage most fully in the mission of Christ.”  We are revisiting the basics of our reason for existing as a gathering of church communities and how our being together aligns with God’s work in the world.

We had an excellent Pastor/Spouse Retreat, well-led and well-attended.  Diane and I had a wonderful time in Palestine/Israel, co-leading a TourMagination group of 18 with Gerd Bartel.  We give thanks to God for safety, blessing and learning.  Mennonite Church Canada is working at determining best practices with limited resources, especially in streamlining the ministry relationship between the national church and the area churches.

As we have just come through reflecting on our calling to be Peacemakers at Remembrance Day, and are entering the Advent season to celebrate
the incarnation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, may we increase as agents of God’s Good News!

For photos of the 4^th Annual MCBC Motorcycle Ride in August, click on: https://picasaweb.google.com/117168908545129289254/MCBCMotorcycleRide2011#5667659006727062514.

Lastly – at the MCBC Special Delegate Session on November 5^th, we agreed to release the title of the Olivet Church property to the congregation.  Let’s continue to be supportive of the former members at this time.

Coffee With Garry…

Pull up a chair, grab a coffee and hear about what’s new at MCBC and what to expect in this coming year.

Ramping Up for what lies ahead

If won’t be long and we will be celebrating the 75th Anniversary of MCBC, and looking to the future, with Stuart Murray (also known as Stuart Murray Williams) author of “The Naked Anabaptist” as our featured speaker .  March 2nd and 3rd, 2012.  Be there!  Read the book.  Stuart will be the speaker at our LEAD Conference on Friday, do a workshop at our Annual Meeting on Saturday, then be our keynote speaker at our 75th Anniversary celebration on Saturday evening.  All at Emmanuel Mennonite Church in Abbotsford.

We have just hired Brander McDonald as our MCBC Indigenous Relations Coordinator. He came by recommendation of Steve Heinrichs, who held this position until he was called to be the Directory of Native Ministry for Mennonite Church Canada. He lives in Chilliwack.

Brander says, “As a Cree First Nations believer in Jesus I am delighted to be given this opportunity to join with MCBC in relating the First Nations Cultural mindset and of what it means to carry the Jesus Walk.  MCBC has had the extraordinary courage and vision to embrace an Indigenous person to relate the First Nations protocols and bridge building leadership to its members. This is truly an exciting time!”

Brander speaks of his two passions, “1. The passion I hold is speaking into the question of what it means to be a First Nations cultural person and to be fully engaged as a lifelong follower of Jesus. Not the Jesus of residential schools of the past, not of government policy, but the Saviour represented in the gospels and even of Anabaptist traditions. I have a passion to share what it means to carry this cross-cultural heart for the healing of my native peoples and the church community to which I grew up in. 2. The second passion associated with this is in regards to being a singer songwriter who can share these same stories and lessons through song and speech.”

Please welcome Brander to your churches.  Remember, we also have a commitment to keep raising funds for this position.

What I think is so cool is that there are a lot of very Anabaptist oriented people out there doing stuff that reflects Anabaptist principles, yet they are not particularly Mennonite.  Stuart Murray fits in this category.  They fully appreciate what Mennonites are on about, but they have found their way to the same beliefs through different corridors.  I was at the Creative World Festival near Mission in August, put on by a bunch of young evangelical Christians who care deeply about justice and the arts.  I would invite you to consider attending the “Why Everything Must Change” conference at 10th Avenue Alliance Church in Vancouver on September 24th, featuring words by Brian McLaren, Greg Paul, (Shane Claiborne & Stephen Lewis by video conference) and more; music by Carolyn Arends.  Check it out at http://www.ychange.ca/.

Lastly – We are on the verge of settling the property issues related to the departure of Olivet Church from MCBC.  No matter how you slice it, this is a tough journey for those affected by it.  There are no fully satisfying answers, but in the end it is about healing and hope, and we are seeking to help where we can for the love of Jesus to prevail.

No Regrets

When my brother called to tell me that Dad was failing (see previous post “A Life and Death Situation”), I knew that I needed to get on the first available plane to Saskatchewan.  My impulse, and I believe it was the impulse of the Spirit of God, was to be with my Dad while he was still alive.  I could have thought that I would let nature take its course, knowing that my brother, Howard, was less than two hours away, and if Dad died, I would come for the funeral.  My urgency to go be with Dad was not because I had unfinished things I wanted to say to him.  It was because I know that God is a god of the living, and so I am a person who wanted to celebrate Dad’s life while he was still living.  It’s the “no regrets relationship” I had with him that I just wanted to live face-to-face once more.

If he had been gone or comatose when I arrived at the hospital, there would have been no regrets.  There was a time, more than 20 years ago, when I deeply regretted that I spent most of my time when I was with Dad – arguing, and that our relationship was rather strained.  I made that right.  I asked him for forgiveness, and I stopped arguing.  We found a way to agree to disagree, to choose things to talk about that could encourage each other.  He was proud of me and I was grateful for him.

So, to anyone who may be reading this, I say, “Work out the difficulties in the relationships with your loved ones.  Do it sooner than later.  Live in such a way, with the people in your life, that you have no regrets.  For joy will be yours in the morning, even on a day when they don’t all wake up.”

A picture of No Regrets – a couple months short of 59 years of marriage.

A Life and Death Situation

I got the call on Thursday morning – 5:15 am, June 30th, from my brother; you know it can’t be good.  I knew that my Dad was in hospital.  The hospital had called my brother and my brother called me – Dad was failing and may not make the day.  I was scheduled to go to the Mennonite Church Canada Assembly in Waterloo, ON on Saturday.  I called my travel arranger and re-routed my flight to Saskatoon, SK, getting me there that night.  I got to the Rosthern hospital at 7:00 pm on Thursday and found Dad alert and talking pretty much like normal.  They were giving him a blood transfusion, and this had perked him right up.  Other than the constant assistance of oxygen, he was doing fine.

So, one of my constant thoughts was … is Dad stabilising into a new existence or is he really near the end?  In other words, am I staying a couple of days and then continuing to Waterloo, or am I in for the long haul at the Rosthern hospital?  I stayed the night with Dad at the hospital.

Dad had a good day on Friday – Canada Day.  Towards evening his breathing was getting more laboured and he said he was feeling miserable.  He said to me at one point, “I guess if I just stopped trying so hard, it would be over.”  I agreed that would probably be true.  He really wanted to go to sleep, and wanted his clavulin and his sleeping pill.  The nurses wanted to wait until a certain time, but Dad was kind of getting desperate for a real sleep, so I think they brought it a bit early.  He settled into an oxygen-assisted quiet, peaceful sleep.  Both of us had a good night’s rest in his room, but only one of us woke up in the morning.

I woke up about 5:00 am, and saw him peacefully sleeping.  I thought he could go on in this peaceful sleep for a long time, maybe even days or months – or maybe not.  The nurses came to give him his morning pills at 5:30.  They couldn’t wake him up, so they said they would give them to him later.  I had been praying, and was now sending a few emails on my smartphone.  I kept looking up and seeing his chest gently going up and down.  Then at about 6:03, I looked up and saw that his chest wasn’t going up and down.  I knew what had changed.  He had been translated into eternity with God.  I got out of my recliner and walked over to his bed to touch his hand.  It was already a bit cool.  I went about 10 steps down the hall to the nursing station and said, “I think my Dad is gone.”  The nurse jumped up, grabbed the stethescope, ran over to check his vital signs, and within 1/2 a minute confirmed that I was right.  It was July 2nd, 2011.  He was 93 years old.

Well I won’t chronicle the whole story of telling my Mom and calling my brother and the whole funeral process, but I will say that sometime on that first Saturday of July, someone asked me if I was still going to go to the conference in Waterloo.  I said, “My being there is not a life and death situation, but this is.”