Advent Candle Lighting

Many Protestant congregations adopted an Advent Candle Lighting ritual several decades ago. I don’t recall having one in our church when I was a child, but I do remember it feeling like a special part of the December services when I would return from university for the holidays in the late 70s. Perhaps they became […]

Here All Belong

It has been months since I wrote new words to a well-loved tune but yesterday morning, three hours before the service started at West Hill United, I felt inspired to do so. It is the first song I’ve been able to write since the review of my effectiveness was initiated by The United Church of […]

preparing for halifax

It’s the day before I leave for Halifax to participate in the conference Christianity: The Story Evolves. I’m working on my speech.  On Sundays, I speak without notes so writing a speech out is something I find challenging.  I never know if I’m going to be able to be as intimately connected with my audience as […]

what is progressive christianity?

(Originally published, The Salt Shaker, Newsletter of West Hill United Church, March 2008.) There are a lot of different ways in which the term progressive is applied to Christianity.  For many, a welcoming church that encourages the participation of others who were once barred from full participation—nowadays primarily either women or LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender)—is […]