Sabbath Road

Well, those who set the agenda for GC42 called this a Sabbath Day.  Folk worked in the morning and various tours and events were schedule for some rest and relaxation for Commissioners.  As a visitor I was unable to take part in the scheduled tours or events so I made my own... but first, I sat through a morning of word-smithing a proposal that had been presented to the Court by a Sessional Committee... and I was left feeling somewhat frustrated. The process as I understand it is as follows: GC41 asked for a Comprehensive Review > GC Executive stuck a Comprehensive Review Task Group (CRTG) >>   CRTG spent two years listening and discerning and offered a report to GC42 >>> GC42 gave the report of the CRTG to a Sessional Committee >>>> The Sessional Committee spent countless hours reviewing the report of the CRTG and brought forth a report with recommendations (A Proposal) on the Report >>>>> GC42 is now considering ...

First Light Laura Duguay Have you ever lain awake waiting for dawn to break?  Waiting for that first light to make it to the corner of your being?  It can be an unsettling feeling... wondering if the dawn will come... wondering if the sun will break its way through the clouds of doubt and despair. I've known a few such mornings in my life... and my response has alway been the same: get up and get going.  My attitude is I believe similar to that of Anne Lammott who writes: Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: You don't give up. Just show up. Bring your best self. Do the right thing. Dawn will come... and it may come from within... for as another one of my heroes, Carrie Newcomer shared on her Facebook page this morning: There is a light within you, Quiet and luminous, Resting and restless, Abiding in the secret. It is what opens our hearts to...

There were so many words today. Words about this and words about that and words about words. Don't get me wrong, they were all important words.  Words about the future,  Words about the present state of the Church.  Words about the challenges we need to face... and then, one of the Candidates for Moderator caught my attention with one word: liminal. The definition she offered held me rapt with attention. Transition.  There but not yet.   Threshold.   The best is yet to come. Liminal.  It describes the state of the United Church.  It describes the state of my life. And so, because there were so many words today my words will be brief. Liminal to crouch in fear to stand in hope to leap in readiness today into tomorrow and a moment of transition here to there and where next                                     LA...

If you feel your life  needs solving, try  three methods—  absolve all that is  unresolved in the past—  yourself and others—  dissolve all that is  absolved and its residue—  resolve anything that remains  conflicted or incomplete,  by what means occur to you  in dreams or while in  the shower or walking  in the rain.  If these do not work,  then live with the mystery  as originally planned.  There will surely be,  as surely as tomorrow,  a way through or around  everything.  Pray for protection, then,  from your own hesitation,  so that you do not miss  the moment of Grace  when it comes to you,  and pray also to be delivered  from your own aggression,  so that you do not kill  this fragile, vincible Grace  when it floats over to you  like a pearl on seafoam.  Then simply keep moving.  Stay alive by moving along  the ...

What a day it has been!  What a gift!  So many moments of delight and joy, pleasure and feeling cared for! After finishing the blog entry from this morning I made my way to the restaurant on the ship and was soon afterward joined by Greg and Dave.  We'd shared some wonderful conversation the night before in the bar and arranged to meet for breakfast. Greg is an oncologist and Dave is an IT specialist.  I'd pointed out some roads that I knew they would enjoy and over breakfast we shared more of our stories with each other and found common values and other points of connection.  Its amazing what happens when you open yourself up and make yourself vulnerable to strangers... With breakfast done and farewells shared it was off to the decks below to suit up and head out.  I was about the 20th one off the boat and within 40 minutes I was leading the pack... its just the way I roll...  Being in the lead, I soon turned off onto the 405.  Hey, the s...

It's 5am on the first day of my 50th year and I've woken up while moving in the fog and mist toward "the Rock" where hundreds of my colleagues and members of the United Church of Canada are discerning future direction for this Church of mine. As the Church finds itself in its 90th year it is faced with the perennial questions of every organization: What is our purpose in this time and place? How will we most effectively use those resources we have to do that which we believe to be our mission? My journey of late has not been dissimilar. It's been an inward journey of listening to the deepest core of my being.  And what I was hearing in those days was not easy to acknowledge or share because it made me question much of my life... And, I knew that to be faithful to that emerging voice would have a huge impact on all those around me.  Yes, I wish I'd found the courage to listen to the inner voice, and accept its message sooner.  And yes, I wish I...

It is 8AM on the morning of departure.  Normally I'm excited to depart.  Not so much this time.  I suspect that my lack of enthusiasm is linked to all of the following: life changes, challenges in the lives of friends, the enormity of what will be faced at GC42, more strange beds and missing this little apartment and people that have become important to me... and as I was sitting this morning thinking about what lay ahead a friend reminded me of the words: "this too shall pass..." This too shall pass.  This present moment of joy, struggle, bliss, hopefulness, despair, angst, ecstasy, misery, frustration.... (and the list goes on) ... "this to shall pass." The reminder for me is to be fully present to the moment before it is passed.  For, even in the most despairing of moments there may be something to be learned, something that my spirit needs to hear, something that my heart needs to be touched by... And then as the moment passes I need to let go of what I ca...

It was another early day.  I woke at 3am and forced myself to go back to sleep... and woke again at 5am and got up and at it.  The few things left out in the room (tents and ground sheets and all the other stuff that exploded out of the bag after two days of camping was packed up before bed) were quickly tucked away... and after a delightful conversation to begin the day... I was off! As I pass by Edmundston "I could have made it last night" I say to myself.  And before I know it I'm passing through Grand Falls.  Eat now or later?  Later I decide as I don't need gas yet.  Well, when I arrived in Plaster Rock with my stomach growling... there was not a restaurant to be found with an open sign in the window.  Should have known better... Oh well.  Full tank of gas at the Irving and a greasy breakfast sandwich, a coffee and a donut, and I was off across the Renous Highway. There was no traffic and I made really good time. I was getting closer! ...

My Last Vision of the Party I awoke at 3am.  Nope.  Too early.  I woke again at 4am.  Ok.  Let's hit the road.  An hour later, the tent and all the other gear was packed on the bike and I found myself giving directions to a lost biker who needed to find his way back to the party that was still going on!!! With the bike full of fuel I was able to motor on... south on #10 to Hwy 410 and then to Hwy 401 where I was able to watch the sun rise... a beautiful sight.  Turning, driving to the light! As I drove I remembered the day 22 years ago when Justin Cameron Bruce came into the world at the Peter Laugheed Hospital in Calgary.  I remember what we had for supper the night before... I remember the gratitude of the day... the beauty of birth, of newness and hope and new life... and what a life it has been: a beautiful, handsome, gentle and thoughtful young man who has made so many good choices in life!  Happy Birthday Justin!  Love you ...

Wasn’t that a wedding!!   Simple Words + Family + Good Friends + Good Friends = Great Party!!! I was the first one up and enjoyed about an hour sitting watching the sun rises as I reflected on the goodness and beauty that has filled my life in the past number of months.   As I watched the sun climb higher in the sky I was reminded of all of those who whom I have turned in the midst of my challenges and there I have received the light of acceptance and encouragement: love. My JetBoil came in handy.   I made coffee for myself and when Gabe (one   of Cindy’s closest friends) crawled out of her tent she was quick to accept an offer of a cup of coffee.We sat for another hour and talked of hopes, dreams, travels and life struggles.  Good conversation, and Starbucks coffee (instant)… what better way to start the day! The morning and early afternoon involved last minute preparations including the paperwork.   Two forms for the province of Onta...

It’s going to be a short entry for a long and full day… I spent the morning working finalizing the wedding service and the meditation.  This will be the first marriage I have conducted since Anna and I have separated and I’ve begun this journey of discovery and new beginnings.  I will share the wedding reflection as part of my blog after the wedding. A Barn.. With the service and reflection and complete I did some personal banking, responded to some work related emails, did the dishes, packed the bike, locked up the house and headed off… The ride to Dundalk was very pleasant – punctuated with some very humorous messages from friends back home.  One in particular touched me deeply and had me laughing for quite a few miles… that happens you know, when we share of our deepest selves – we connect with others in such a significant way. My Space! Upon arriving at the wedding venue in Dundalk, I quickly marked my space by putting up my tent – in a very strategi...