Scattering Seeds of Hope & Joy

When I was a child, I used to read stories of missionaries who went to Africa and dreamed of being one. But the missionaries were all men… their wives were nurses or teachers… and I had no desire to be either of those. Little did I know as a child of 10 years, the GodContinue reading “Scattering Seeds of Hope & Joy”

Midweek Message – April 8, 2026

It’s Holy Humour Sunday! The theme of the service is Spotting Joy! The Choir has a couple of surprises in store for you! A BRIEF HISTORY on HOLY HUMOR SUNDAY (from the JoyfulNoiseletter) Many American churches are resurrecting an old Easter custom begun by the Greeks in the early centuries of Christianity-“Holy Humor Sunday” celebrationsContinue reading “Midweek Message – April 8, 2026”

Midweek Message – March 18, 2026

It’s been a bit of whirlwind since I came back to church on Sunday! A Transition Team last night, Leadership Team this evening, getting ready for the Annual Meeting which will be integrated into worship on Sunday, along with a few pastoral concerns, attendance at Food Bank, a United Churches for Dartmouth meeting, and soContinue reading “Midweek Message – March 18, 2026”

Midweek Message – February 18, 2026

Today is Ash Wednesday and normally I would seek out a church that was having a service. However it’s our regularly scheduled Leadership Team meeting this evening and since I’m leaving for Kenya on Friday, we can’t very well reschedule it. Here’s the Spiritual Reflection I did this morning for the United Churches for DartmouthContinue reading “Midweek Message – February 18, 2026”

Midweek Message – February 11, 2026

We are marking Baden Powell Sunday this week with participation from the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. I’m working on a campfire, tenting theme using Exodus 33: 7-11 & Deuteronomy 6: 4-9. Joyce and I will share a dialogue, we’ll have communion that reminds us that Jesus shared meals outside at times. Since we had suchContinue reading “Midweek Message – February 11, 2026”

Seeking Freedom, Building Home

More than 30 years ago, the Rev. Eleanor Scarlett arrived at Cole Harbour United Church as an intern. I was on her Lay Supervision Team, the group set up to support and evaluate her over the 8 months with us. She came to us from Toronto, after emigrating from Jamaica, she was had been aContinue reading “Seeking Freedom, Building Home”

Everybody Knows… and Still We Sing Hallelujah

A five-year-old boy and his father detained in Minneapolis and sent to a Texas ICE facility… An observer shot dead yesterday when he was already subdued by multiple ICE agents… 100 clergy of all faiths arrested for blocking a road while protesting the airlines that were flying people to ICE facilities…. It’s enough to makeContinue reading “Everybody Knows… and Still We Sing Hallelujah”

Midweek Message – January 21, 2026

We conclude our There’s a Crack in Everything series this week. My reflection title is Everybody Knows… and Still We Sing Hallelujah. I’ve got lots of scripture in this one: Psalm 88: 1-12, Psalm 89: 1-2, Psalm 12: 1-8, and Lamentations 3:22–23, I may not wind up using all of it. We will have twoContinue reading “Midweek Message – January 21, 2026”

Midweek Message – December 31, 2025

Happy New Year’s Eve! Ours will be very quiet as my husband has been sick since before Christmas. To the extent that there is a pile of presents still under the tree because we haven’t seen any close family. We start our series on the music and theology of Leonard Cohen this week: There’s aContinue reading “Midweek Message – December 31, 2025”