the way

so many walls
so many barriers

every created
person or thing
every human
thought or action
every communal
prayer or ritual

is a potential obstacle
to communion
with the Source

the way
of jesus is
the way
of Spirit
the way
of Love

the way
that breaks through
walls
the way
that tears down
barriers

the way
that is less about letter
the way
that is more about spirit

the way
that transforms
persons
things
thoughts
actions
prayers
rituals
into pathways
to
holy communion

All are Welcome and Belong to the Church and God that I Know

Beginning a new year, reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future, (and in spite of the recent Anglican Primates decision to exclude the Episcopal Church of the USA because of human sexuality issues) I am aware of a deep sense of thankfulness to be part of the Anglican Church of Canada, the Dioceses in Newfoundland and Labrador, and its witness. 

Our church and its leadership has been on the front lines in opening the doors, welcoming and sponsoring Syrian refugee families. Inspiring inner city work is being done as our church has partnered with Safe Harbour Outreach Project to provide a new location to operate their human rights-based sex worker advocacy program.” Our church has been doing important work with a new furniture bank called “Home Again.” These are only some of the outreach and witness of the larger church in the last year in our local diocese. At the parish level throughout our province and nation, there are uncountable expressions of outreach, care and inclusion of all people of gender, colour, faith, culture, and sexuality. 

Even more than this, in a global climate that is charged with fear and the highlighting and excluding of what differentiates and separates, I am thankful to be part of an Anglican Church of Canada that is seeking to include any and all inquirers of faith and deepening life, and a church that is encouraging understanding, respect and dialogue with every expression of life affirming faith, ideology and culture. 

This is all beautiful and of God. But the truth remains that in order for our Church to survive on the margins of society and to offer effective outreach and witness to the community and wider world, we need to go deeper. Jesus never did say “worship me,” but he did say “follow me.” As we deepen our awareness of the gift of Christmas, that each and every one of us are incarnations of God, we will deepen our consciousness as a church, as a society, as a global village, that all are included, all are loved, all are adored. That’s the church that I belong to. That’s the church I am thankful for.

The Church has left the Building

marginalized church
on fringes
of modern society

discerning identity
it's place
in a changing world


no longer dictating
what to believe
how to live

inviting people
into community
exploring

depths of God
identity
that is love

becoming

a place of blessing
the church
outside the building

Epiphany of Love

Good news
for all peoples
for all times.

The treasure
that all cultures and creeds
seek.

The star
the brightness
of human and divine.

We are not separate
from God.
We are not separate
from each other.

The babe from Bethlehem,
the child from Nazareth,
the man from Galilee,

has made known
to all peoples
to all times,

the way
of love,

for all to make known
to all peoples
to all times.