Search the blog here:
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
This coming week I’m heading to Newfoundland to the 100th Anniversary Celebration service of the United Church of Canada to be held at Gower St. United Church in St. John’s. I am able to attend this service because I am the Presiding Officer of the Chinook Winds Region – probably the only perk that role has!….
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
Easter is actually a season lasting 50 days, right up to Pentecost which this year falls on June 8th. Whereas Lent is a time for introspection, Easter is a time for celebration. Christ is Risen indeed!….
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
This article is published on Maundy Thursday. This is the day when Holy Week begins in earnest. Today we commemorate the last supper – the meal Jesus shared with his disciples that is the foundation for our communion services….
Easter Reflection by Rev. Bill Weaver
By the time Mary Magdalene makes it to the tomb in John’s Gospel, it’s still dark.
Which feels about right…..
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday – the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was greated with a parade. All four gospels have an account of this ride into Jerusalem but each of them is a little different….
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
Yesterday, the US president announced huge tariffs against much of the world. The markets began a free fall early this morning. Analysts say the world’s economy may very well go into recession over these tactics…
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
This has been another week of unrest and uncertainty in our world. I don’t have to go through the many upheavals that are happening everywhere, not the least of which is our federal election!….
Reflections by Rev. Bill Weaver
There’s a song from way before my time that says:
“There's got to be a morning after,
if we can hold on through the night.
We have a chance to find the sunshine;
let’s keep on looking for the light.” (I think it’s the theme song from a 1972 movie called The Poseidon Adventure, but I’m not going to say that’s authoritative …)….
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
I saw this clip this week about a study called the Five Monkeys Experiment. 5 monkeys were placed in a cage with a ladder holding bananas at the top. Initially, the monkeys would take turns going up the ladder for the bananas, but when one succeeded the other monkeys were sprayed with freezing water….
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent is 40 days, not including Sundays (it’s never Lent on Sundays!) for you to reflect on where you are at and what needs “tweaking” in your spiritual life….
Reflections by Rev. Danah Cox
As many of you know, I did not come to my faith until much later in life. Perhaps less known is how central the visual arts were in my call to ministry. So at this time, I'd like to share a little bit about my journey, and also do a little bit of promotion of my upcoming events….
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
I love This Hour Has 22 Minutes for the way it embodies the Canadian spirit. One of my favorites sketches is one where a couple is suffering through a cold winter blast, checking the 7 day forecast, and on day 7 it is +1…
Reflections by Rev. Bill Weaver
I’m sitting here with a warm cup of coffee, the morning after we worshipped on the theme of “Loving Our Comfortable Neighbour,” reflecting on the life of faith we share together, and I can't help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude…..
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
A couple weeks ago I wrote how I was giving up American Politics as my sport of choice. I told you all that I couldn’t live with the rage machine for the next four years and we all need to be gracious in our disagreement, especially in our communities of faith!…
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
I think you all have known me long enough to know that my theology and my politics lean a bit left. (maybe more than a bit!). I’m also a keen follower of politics, especially American politics – I follow it kind of like a Sport! However, I’ve had to revaluate my commitment to this pastime….
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
I was off between Christmas Eve and January 6th. There were 5 services between the two sites on Christmas Eve, I was at 3. Christmas Day was quiet with a turkey dinner ordered in to take to my parents house….
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
Waiting is not virtuous in itself. It doesn’t help us in any way if we’re stuck while we wait. And good things definitely don’t come to the world if we’re just sitting around waiting for the world to change, with all due respect to John Mayer….
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
When I was a kid, I hated playing tag – waiting for someone to catch me made me so anxious, I would just turn around and stop so it could be over. I was never fast enough to outrun anyone, or to catch anyone for that matter….
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
Hurry up and wait – it feels like more and more of life is like that. Standing in line to get a good seat. Waiting online for an operator to figure out why your internet isn’t working. Queuing up at the grocery store because there are never enough clerks and that self-check doesn’t quite do it…
Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
It’s been a monumental week for any of you US politics junkies whatever side you’re on. If you’ve known me a few weeks or several years, you probably know it was a rough week for me! After the election, I needed a day or two to hibernate to regain my bearings….