St. Barnabus Anglican Church - Advent 2 - Peace

It was good to be in the home church again. Being spiritual in community. It’s a wonderful experience.  Our relationship with God is one to one but knowing God’s love we are able to love others.

This is the season of the coming of the Christ.  Jesus was born of Virgin Mary.  Some might speculate Joseph was gay or Mary had an affair with a Roman soldier.  But that’s not what the Bible says. This is a virgin birth and Mary is pious.  We are today in a very reductionist material world no longer the age of miracles. No longer even the age of Dulcinea.  We see windmills as black and white. We are in functional times.  The sacred is a reach for the western consumer mind so propagandized by aetheism. Those who don’t know that secular is multivariate and not just the one and only.  It is a lingua franc but not all language.  

The story of the Gospel is told in Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew. Studying Hebrew I’m immediately aware of what a dynamic language it is, like the Old English of Chaucer.  There’s a flow and reality is lighter and more expansive.  Today we say ‘hell eternal’ when in those agricultural days before the advent of mathematical zero, ‘hell for a long time’ would be the ‘Correct’ translation.  Time was different. The Spiritual time is Now. So today Jesus is being born with in, he’s dying on the cross and being resurrect. Today.  And yesterday. And tomorrow.  Jesus lives.  Eternity is now.  

It was fun to see Rev. Emily. She’s a welcoming inclusive soul who laughs and smiles and her eyes twinkle like an elf. She is saintly in that earthy way that’s rather Anglican at it’s core.  A religion of the people. Created out of disobedience with Rome.  A Protestant Christianity of the land. It was the Church of England but now it’s more a commonwealth. It’s Bishops get together and politic and things swing to and fro but always there is love. Christianity is the religion of Love. Jesus said, Love God and Love your neighbour as yourself. That’s it.  

So all are welcome at St. Barnabus including my dog. Deacon Bill welcomed my dog by name, “Hello Gilbert’.  Bill has his own dog and immediately said he was sorry he’d left him at home because he’d have loved to have seen Gilbert. Now that’s a welcome.  Love my dog and you’re half way home. I love St. Francis.  Besides Gilbert has been blessed by the Bishop. 

So we sang. We listened. Rev. Jeanette gave the sermon. I remembered coming to church with my family, my father, brother and my mother and her sister. My earliest memories outside the home are churches and tobogganing .  Not that they occured together. They’re just part of being Canadian.  75% of us are Christian. Excluded and persecuted by our own government,
The church is as ubiquitous as the gym.  Indeed the church is the Spiritual Gym and now we have temples, mosques and synagogues as varietie’s of Spiritual Gym.
The church a a social place. The communion ,sharing the Las supper over and over again, reminded of the words of Jesus before he did God’s will and allowed for the ignorance of the authorities, religious and political to have God crucified, then God resurrected.  It’s all very reasonable. IF you have ears..  The sacred shines through the silences.  

It was good. God is good all the time.  Christmas is a season of hope and love and peace.  The celebration of God coming to his creation as the son. All now, sacred and forever.  As I encounter each Christmas I face them more fondly though I miss my mom and dad and brother and aunts and uncles.  I look forward to seeing family.  Laura will be with hers and I will be with mine and Gilbert will be with his cousins. 

Christmas a time of coming together.  

St. Barnabus Anglican Church, First Advent

I’m not used to 10 am Church.  I’m often late even for 11 am services. But not wanting Gilbert to occasion a loud doggie greeting from the Reverend’s pouch I endeavoured to get us there before the start of the service.  Gilbert was disappointed because his evangelical friend wasn’t present.  The church though was brimming with families with children and all sorts of “salt of the earth’ folk.

The pianist Sathia Aruliah really is a god send. She was practicing hymns with the congregation until Rev. Emilie appeared in her new coloured cloak.  Purple, blue and violet are the traditional cloak colours for advent in the liturgical calendar. It was the first day of Advent.  Reverend Emilie’s  enthusiasm was joyous.

We sang the first hymn, O Come , O Come Emmanuel. It felt so good to sing in unison as a congregation. . Anglicans love to sing.  So few realize that Elvis Presley era and later 60’s, 70’s and 80’s music was as original with such great musicians and singers thanks to so many beginning their rock and roll career in church choirs.  Country and Western music is still under pinned by the training musicians and singers gain in church.  Seeing the young people listening and following Sathia ,I thought of these unsung contributions. 

Later when Reverend Emilie asked if anyone knew what Emanuel stood for, I loved that a beautiful young girl raised her hand. Called upon, she said in the sweetest voice. “God is with us.” And Reverend Emile said , Yes Emmanuel means God is with us.  

And it felt like God was with us there in that church as we all partook in responsive readings, shared in prayer, and the first candle of Advent, symbolizing Hope, was lit.  The sermon from Thessalonians was moving too. Hearing of this early congregation of Christians in what is now Turkey was moving.  Learning the meaning of “Don’t be a Jeremiah”and history of the first temple of Jerusalem.  I love the reverend’s sermons, always something to learn, inspirational,  but down to earth.  Gilbert loves the peace because then he can walk about and sniff everyone’s legs.  I like the prayers of the people and enjoyed the quiet time reflecting on those and asking help for those I personally know are suffering this time of the year.  Eucharist and then more songs and the closing prayer

“Glory to God

Whose power, working in us, 

Can do infinitely more

Than we can ask or imagine

Glory to God from generation to generation

In the church in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever.” Amen

There’s coffee after in the hall but I’ve not yet had time to enjoy. I do look forward to eventually being able to. Much of the joy of church is coming to know other parishioners.  Some of my best friends today I’ve met in the after church coffee years past.  No better place for conversation and cookies.

Thank 

There’s a craft and bake sale, I think, Tuesday, December 11, sounds tasty.

Advent is near

My Lord cometh.  In the deepest darkest nights of the winter year a remembrance of a baby’s birth is celebrated at Christmas. Not a God from a far. Not a machine like presence. No cog in a wheel. But a God become human in the womb.  A visitting God reviewing his creation and the co creators he made.  Obviously not all were good.  Among his own he couldn’t gather even 10 Good men. As one was too fond of money as those who are addicted to money are. The power seekers and the crows who like the shiny.  One day he would say you must give up your wealth to follow me to one who was addicted to gold and pomp but wanted too the love that was this God.
Do not be afraid, he said.  Love God. Love your father as yourselves.  I am the son of God. I am the son of Man.  From his teachings the trinitarian God was born. For when he left this one with the father son of God said he’d send the Holy Spirit to comfort us.
When I think of Jesus Christ, a name which means ‘god within’ and ‘god will come again’, I remember I’m not alone and that my life is playing hide and seek with God. When I forget the spiritual I am sucked into the morass of the material.  I lose sight of the incredible lightness of being in the gravity of the earth dwellers.
God is love.  God is omniscient and omnipotent, transcendent and imminent.  When I am still I know God. Be still and know that I am God. I run this refrain through my mind as a reminder. I can be one with God in such a moment
In advent I celebrate the coming of Christ. The coming of Christ is the coming of light.  In winter we fear the sun will not return. The superstitious childish ancient fear that this is the last of summer and the last of days comes over me in the darkness of the rain. Driving home at night I am troubled.  In the morning I can celebrate the dawn but by the time I leave my work the dusk is gone and it’s as if the sun has been stolen. I feel already like I’m back in the arctic with hardly a few hours of daylight.
Constantine worshipped the sun before he became a follower of Christ.  Love is light.
“Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for Thou aren’t with me.”
I had that sense once of being alone. I’ve been so often alone without people but for a moment I thought that I was outside the sphere of God. I’d become so hardened and scarred and had like Satan turned my back on God. I was fascinated by my own shadow. How big it seemed. But then I turned around and again began walking towards the light and didn’t feel alone again.
Amazing Grace. “I was lost but now I’m found”
I love the idea of Grace. That I the seeker of God am being sought. I’m chased by the hound of heaven. Even today the Birth of Christ is coming at me as I am slouching as a beast towards Bethlehem.  I don’t feel particularly good. I value truth and live in a world of increasing lies and those who don’t even know their lies.  Worse there are those entrusted with the protection of truth who have fled from their service, bought for so few pieces of silver.  But then who am I to judge? So often I have denied God even before the cock had but crowed.
I am a ‘sinner’. To sin is to miss the mark.  I do that which I don’t want to do and I don’t do that which I want to do. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. The ‘outcome analysis’ of my endeavours shows the deviations that are still me.  I am flawed though seek perfection , impatient when I would be patient, unkind when I would be kind, quick to rage when I would be more forgiving, speaking when I would be silent. The list is endless.
I pray today that I might be the man my dog thinks I am. I pray today that I might be more loving and kind. I pray to day that I would expand my personal kingdom in service of you. I pray that I could be a better follower and be better in my work and service.
Christ above me. Christ below me. Christ behind me. Christ beside me. Christ in front of me. Christ around me. Protect me Lord.
I pray that I do the best and be the best in my person and my work that I can be this day.  Thank you Lord for all your blessings. Thank you for my parents and family, my teachers and my friends. Thank you for this life Lord, this sacred and wondrous adventure.  Thank you Lord Jesus. Thank you God. Holy Spirit Come!

Holy Mo, a Christmas Show, by Lucia Frangione

Holy Mo, A Christmas Show by Lucia Frangione, playing from Dec. 2- Dec 31 at the Pacific Theatre 12th and Hemlock is promoted as a ‘reverently irreverent re-imagining of the Nativity’.  In notes from the playwright, Lucia writes that she first wrote the play Holy Mo with Rene Joshi and Marie Anderson 24 years ago.  She describes it as ‘zero budget and three fools’.
In the play the Hebrew people are the Heebees and Herod is the King of the Juices, the Babylonians are the Babblers and the Romans are the Row Mans.  It’s very avant garde and performance art with hilarious twists and great costume changes. I really believe the wagon should get set design of the year award for originality and multiple use.
This is just the latest version of Holy Mo. I really believe that I’ve seen it three times and Lucia mentioned the 1997 version which really blew my socks off. I was talking about it to friends for weeks.  This is a totally re written one in which I personally think the Magnifi - Cat takes the show.
Kerry Van Der Griend is the director of the three stars,  Folly played by Lucia Frangione, Buffoona played by Jess Amy Shead, and Guff played by Anita Wittenberg.  It’s an amazing work of chaos and order that comes off as theatre just when one thinks the whole thing is about to dissolve into madness.
I loved the advent candles.  The songs throughout were grand to beautiful. It really could be termed a musical if the songs were not so brief. Row Man was my favourite with all the audience participation and the sense of being at a hockey rink
Yet there was the Story.  In the midst of all the fun and laughter the story is retold.  I liked that.  I really could see Holy Mo over and over again. It’s like  Handel’s Messiah to me in that way.  A special addition to my Advent season that reminds me of what really does matter at Christmas.  I think every Christian adult and child should see Holy Mo. Obviously non Christians would enjoy it but the subtleties or not so subtle subtleties such as  Maggie, the Magi, would be lost on anyone who doesn’t already know the story.  That doesn't hurt Alice in wonderland. Still I’d suggest at least a reading of the original before attending for anyone not cognizant of who Manny might be.
Thank you for another wonderful play experience, Lucia.
(It was also great for Laura and I to see our young friends Kevin and Anna and Hannah and Caleb, both couples whose beautiful church weddings were so unforgettable. )
(John Fluevog’s Shoes (fluevog.com) is one of the many supporting advertisers.  Laura thinks Fluevog’s Shoes situated on Granville Street are the finest in Vancouver.  She calls them “works of art”,  so I’ve offered to buy her a pair,  given they support the finest theatre in Vancouver.)

Steve Bell, Chilliwack Concert

I love Steve Bell's music. (http://stevebell.com)  I only came across it by buying his Kin- dness  album at House of James (http://houseofjames.com) Abbotsford.  They'd had it playing in the store.  I liked it, bought the album, then put it away.
It surfaced again when I was picking music to play on my Harley Davidson ride to the big Sturges Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.  That's when it turned out that I preferred listening to Steve Bell over Steppenwolf, the Animals, and all the other quintessential motorcycle music.  I loved starting my day, stiff from the day before, playing "on a morning like this…." Steve Bell's song about Mary and the birth of Jesus.
St. Thomas Anglican Church (http://stthomaschilliwack.com) was celebrating their 140th anniversary. This fine old wooden church had been rafted there on three pairs of  war canoes. It's a beautiful wood finishing was resplendent this night.
I invited my fiddling Chilliwack friend, Tom, to join me.  Working late, as usual, I wasn't able to get there on time so we entered the church, Steve Bell's music meeting us at the door.  What a wonderful introduction to the Advent season, the time of anticipation of the coming of the Lord.
It was an evening of spiritual music and story telling.  Steve shared between songs the origins of the music from meeting the poet laureate at the Oxford C.S. Lewis festival to a night in Israel.  Each song rose into the rafters and seemed to meet with the music of hosts of angels. It was that kind of other worldly night.  The voices of those there joined with Steve's. That old church was happy in the song and praise.
Steve had just come from playing with the Winnipeg Symphony.  I was surprised to learn he hailed from Winnipeg.  He has Juno awards and 17 records, one of the most famous Christian artists of our time.
He spoke of his wife and children and prayer.  A beautiful evening.  Tom thanked me profusely for introducing him to Steve Bell. All the while I was remembering the high country I'd ridden through this summer in Idaho and Montana listening to this inspiring sacred music.
Thank you Steve Bell for a reminder of the glory of God's love. 

St. Paul's Anglican Church, Athens, Greece, Dec. 2012

Yesterday I was happiest to make it to St. Paul's Anglican Church thanks to the helpful desk staff at the Alassia Hotel. They wrote out directions and I took the Metro underground to Syntagma. I proceeded to go the opposite direction right off. An English speaking Cretan man I asked told me where I'd made a wrong turn and offered to walk along with me to ensure I got to church on time. With his kind help I did indeed. After church I was invited to the church bazaar in a grand building behind the church, fronted by a carousel. There I had coffee and a sandwich and enjoyed a choir singing carols. The second advent candle has been lit. I almost felt a bit like Christmas. In the church there was much evidence of donations to the church from the families or members of the British military. No doubt this stemmed from their service in wWIi in Greece. I had the sense of a very British enclave here with this church as a kind of oasis. I've attended other Anglican churches around the world and always feel welcome and at home. I generally feel at home in any church but there's an orderliness about Anglicans that gives it a little extra for my personal taste.