we believe
The following is an excerpt from a speech I gave at the Renewing Faith, Renewing Congregations conference in Peterborough, Ontario in November of 2005. Parts of it were adapted for a chapter in my book With or Without God. It was originally written in defense of the integrity of the ministry we are creating at West Hill […]
centre of a circle
It’s been over a year now that I’ve been living with the new truth in my life – that I have shifted from the side of the ledger that tallies those without cancer to the side that tallies those with. Originally suspected to be a fallopian tube malignancy, when the mass was surgically removed from […]
what does it mean to be christian? part 2
The following is the second of a two part article on what it means to be a Christian adapted for use in The Salt Shaker, West Hill United Church’s newsletter. It appeared in its original form in the 2006 summer issue of the magazine Women’s Concerns*. Like the first part, this one can’t be taken on its own, […]
what does it mean to be christian? part 1
This is Part 1 of a two part article adapted for use in West Hill United Church’s newsletter, The Salt Shaker. The original appeared in the magazine Women’s Concerns, Summer 2006. It is not the kind of Part 1 that can stand alone; it seriously needs Part 2. Seriously. Don’t leave me hanging here…. Who […]
Rachelle Lee Smith and Speaking OUT
Rachelle Lee Smith and I met via Twitter. Hard to imagine feeling so tuned to someone you got to know 140 characters at a time. Which is stretching the truth somewhat because it was early on that we began connecting via email. Rachelle’s powerful work became the focal point for a service I was creating […]
On Becoming a Spiritually Non-Exclusive Congregation
Light in the Night Sky The community I serve, West Hill United Church in the east end of Toronto, is always evolving. The most recent physical change entailed reclaiming the space previously dedicated to my office to turn it into a multipurpose meeting room. I work mostly from home, and the office had become a […]
The Problem with TAWOGFAT
One of the problems with the Biblical narrative is that we have no control over how it is used. Often, passages are taken out of context and examined for their “Meaning”. Although we might read any part of it arguing that it be assessed through a call to radically inclusive love, we could just as […]
Twelve Steps – for the rest of our lives
Most of us are familiar with the idea of the Twelve Steps, a group and peer-based support process that provides a backbone for change in the lives of many who struggle with addictions. On the outside of West Hill’s basement door, we have a list of a variety of Twelve Step programs for individuals dealing […]
What Is Your Favorite Holiday Memory?
I used this photo to send out the invitation to our fantastic Singing the Season evening at West Hill but it had already been scooped by Rebecca Roe of Mlive.com for a holiday feature, What Is Your Favorite Holiday Memory? This is a collection of trees that has grown over the years. I was grateful for them this […]
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