It was Mother’s Day 1983. I awoke to a chilly morning in Toronto. My mother was thousands of miles away. I had received an invitation to have lunch with a family from the congregation. In that family, there was a mother; her name was Ann.
Two Memorable Minutes on Hiroshima Day
I Was Just Wondering... Ray Burdekin (from Perth Transformer - July- August '24)
Lifelong Lessons at Graduation
Winter Retreat
Retreating has been in our church’s DNA since the beginning, so it was only a matter of time before our online Tuesday church gatherings decided to start retreating in person once a year in the winter. This year marked our third winter retreat together. Thirteen of us journeyed from four different states to a large house at Lake Eildon in the cold Victorian High Country.
Caleb – A Man with a Different Spirit
During my private reflections, the name of Caleb came into my mind. So, I went to my Bible to remind myself about his life and influence he had on the people of Israel. I found snippets of his story, although brief, in the Books of Joshua and Numbers and was impressed by the strong faith he demonstrated in his God, a lesson that we could all learn from.
The Kin-dom of God is Like
Excerpt from Daily Bread Devotions Community of Christ
He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
Baptism
Connecting to Love
We sat in silence for a time, bearing witness to her sadness. Her poem spoke of joy hidden within the pain. It held all her grief, joy, tears, laughter, and family. We had our hearts opened to her heartbreak – and sensed the suffering behind her words. Finally, to break the silence, we attempted a response. “We can all relate to this,” said one person. “Life is all about the hills and valleys and finding joy in the moments between.”
Warm Fuzzies
Every year at both kids and youth camp we write “warm fuzzies”, or affirmations. There was one year at a youth camp where I concluded that we didn’t need to do this. I figured that we do it every year and it normally involves me being up into the late hours finishing off my notes. But that year the campers revolted and organised it themselves!