those who seek Christ also find wisdom, God’s wisdom of love beyond imagining and peace beyond understanding

The Epiphany of Our Lord serves as bridge between the birth of Christ and his Passion.  The Epiphany itself (January 6) is an ancient celebration that originally drew together several themes:  The birth of Jesus, the coming of the Magi (the wise ones from the east), the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, and his first miracle at Cana, and is almost certainly older than Christmas as we know it.  The colour for Epiphany and the days following, through the Baptism of our Lord (the first Sunday after the Epiphany, this year 13 January), remains white, a continuation of the Christmas spirit and mood.  In the weeks that follow, a transitional time, the colour is green, not associated with any specific festival, and so called Ordinary Time, but green suggesting spiritual growth.  Transfiguration Sunday is the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, and the colour is again white, a reminder of the blazing glory seen on the mountaintop.

The Magi came to see the King of kings, and they brought three gifts, which is how the legend developed with three wise men from the East; three gifts, three Magi.  Maybe you’ve heard, or read, or even seen on a bumper sticker:  Wise Men Still Seek Him.  Well, it’s true, except that it’s more inclusive than that, and, I would add, those who seek Christ also find wisdom, God’s wisdom of love beyond imagining and peace beyond understanding.  Dear friends, may the light of Christ shining in the star of Epiphany enlighten your lives with that wisdom and that peace.  Thanks be to God!

On Saturday, 11 August, I had the rare privilege of spending the whole day at the Anglican Church of Canada’s National Sacred Circle in Pinawa, Manitoba. The Circle is usually held every three years or so, in different places across the country, and there were well over two hundred indigenous Anglicans in attendance from all over Canada, and special guests from New Zealand Aotearoa, the USA, inluding Hawaii, and Cuba.

It was a joy to be invited, and an even greater joy to be there for that last day of the week-long event. Local Anglicans were involved, of course, including the Rev. Barbara Shoomski, the Rev. Canon Murray Still, the Rev. Deacon Vincent Solomon, the Rev. Barry Bear and his wife and partner in ministry, Freda Bear, the inimitable and indomitable Sylvia James, as well as a number of others. I also got to meet and get at least a little acquainted with aboriginal Anglicans from all across this great land of Canada, from Quebec and Ontario to BC and the northern Territories. There were Cree, naturally, but also Inuit and Mohawk and Blackfoot and Ojibwe and many others, some of whom could not speak English, but they are all Canadians, all Anglicans, and, most importantly, all Christian.

My overall experience was of a deeply caring, beautifully committed gathering of Christian sisters and brothers. Oh, yes, they have their differences too, even their energetic differences on matters of policy and practice, but the strength and joy of real Christian community shone through. I can’t go into detail here, but, suffice it to say, I’m glad I was able to go and be an involved observer; I give thanks to God for another opportunity to experience this part of the church we call Anglican.

If you have the capability, I encourage you to go to YouTube and see the many good, short videos available there. Anglican Video did a wonderful job of capturing the essence of the week. If you check out the one on Canon 22 you might even see your Dean singing and clapping, and greeting both the Primate, our ++Fred, and the ELCIC National Bishop, Susan Johnson.

See the videos here:  Anglican Church of Canada National Sacred Circle.

Happy Canada Day to one and all!

As Christians we gather on Sunday, every Sunday, to celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord, of course, but, on this day of national thanksgiving, it is right to give thanks to God for the blessings we have as citizens of this amazing nation called Canada.  We are richly, wonderfully blessed, and like every blessing it is not for us to claim the blessing as ours alone and try to exclude all others, however we may do that.  Cf. Genesis 12.2

After we thank God, we need to be aware of what our First Nations sisters and brothers have contributed to making this country what it is today:  Everything they had and pretty much everything they were.  There are not Two Founding Nations of Canada; there were scores, if not hundreds, plus the two latecomers.  I hope when we all say, je me souviens, that we remember a greater truth than the betrayal and sacrifice of New France (Quebec) by Imperial France in favour of Martinique; may we always remember what all the native peoples of this Turtle Island upon which we live have sacrificed to make Canada and the USA and Mexico possible, and give thanks with very humble hearts.

Here are couple of Bible readings for Canada Day, and for every day.  How are we doing in the sight of God?  Especially when we consider the poor, the homeless, the prisons full of Aboriginal people, and far too many others in dire straits right here in Winnipeg and across the land? 

Isaiah 10.1-2:  “Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!”

Celebrate today and tomorrow, give thanks, absolutely!  But, again, think about this verse from Micah, 6.8:  “[God] has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”   Canada is still an experiment, no guarantees.  Let’s work together to make sure that it succeeds in the long run.

What is a Sacred Circle anyhow?

And a Diocesan Sacred Circle at that?
On Saturday, a week ago, it was my privilege and my joy to participate in this year’s Diocesan Sacred Circle at the Old Stone Church of St. Peter, north of Selkirk, on the east side of the Red River, where Chief Peguis and his people originally lived.

Our emcee for the day was Tina Keeper (Yes, that Tina Keeper), daughter of the Rev. Canon Dr. Phyllis Keeper, who was our preacher for the afternoon Eucharist.  Phyllis glows with the presence of Christ.

The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald, National Indigenous Anglican Bishop, was our preacher for morning worship, and participated in several ways throughout the day.  He honoured us with a big part of his personal journey of faith; he is a leader of great integrity who lives his discipleship with great clarity.

Honoured that day were a number of residential school survivors, including the Rev. Canon Barry Bear and his wife and partner in ministry, Freda, who is also an Elder.  The theme of the day was reconciliation, and Christ the Reconciler was evident throughout.  At the end of the day’s holy business we shared in the Feast of Reconciliation, at the Table of the Lord Jesus, with Bishop Don presiding.

Then, to end our amazing day together, we shared in a feast feast, in Christian parlance, the Love Feast.  I have never eaten so much pickerel (Walleye to our American friends…) in my life.  What joy, what bliss!  Thanks be to God!  And thanks very much to the Rev. Canon Dr. Murray Still, and everyone who made the Sacred Circle a reality.

Kinanâskomitinawaw.  Miigwech.  Mahsi’ choo.  Ahéhee’.