HELLO!

We celebrated Gordon Joycey’s life today. Here is the livestream link: https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZUJXq5Zy2VuSpIHnvYCktM8kYxVDLSwVEcy

On Tuesday, March 10^th at 7 pm in the Sams Room we will gather for the last of our six sessions on “Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others”. Whether you have attended all or none of these sessions, whether you have read the book or not, you are welcome to join in the discussion. I offer a summary of the two chapters (11 and 12) at the outset and then invite everyone into the conversation, questions and comments.

I love these quotes the author shares in the book, “The Spirit arrives incognito, bringing the indwelling love of God. Those who do not refuse it become lovers of the only God there is, because the only God there is has loved them first” and “Spirituality is the active pursuit of the God you didn’t make up.” As Brown Taylor reveals, “Ask anyone what they mean when they say God and chances are you will learn more about the person than you will about God”. And yet, God is contextual, we don’t learn about God in the abstract, we learn and experience God in the concrete reality of our lives. How do we dig into this God, in our own reality without confusing God with ourselves? Brown Taylor encourages readers and seekers to engage with those who have different experiences of God, so we see the common ways and the different ways God comes to us. John’s Gospel reveals, “Those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” If I could make my neighbours up, I could love them in a minute. She also shares with us an amendment to the Golden Rule. NOT, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” but rather, “Do unto others as THEY would have you do unto them”. Don’t assume others are just like you.

Brown Taylor ends her book with an assertion we ought to ponder more deeply, “Jesus seemed more interested in how people lived than in what they believed.” Matthew 25 is clear evidence of this. What is a good life?

And I end this blog with an appeal. Ralph tells me there are only 50 tickets left for the Evans and Doherty concert on Friday March 13^th at 7 pm at Woodlawn United Church. If you want to attend, please come to the office 9-4, Tue-Fri, to purchase your ticket. Peace, Kevin