Legacy

Since attending St. Thomas congregation’s 135^th Anniversary celebrations this past weekend, I have been reflecting, not for the first time, on our legacy.  A legacy, simply put, is that which is handed down from previous generations.

On Saturday evening of the St. Thomas weekend, time was spent recounting stories from the congregation’s founding period, or more accurately, “periods” since there were more than one.  Names were recalled that are famous to those familiar with Community of Christ history in this part of the world, including Daniel MacGregor, J. J. Cornish, and R. C, Evans among others.  Meetings began in a house with just a few people.  Later, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows hall was rented and used for preaching until it could no longer hold the crowds.  Then the first church building was constructed.

During the weekend, historic figures from the past were recalled, including those who sacrificed and took extraordinary risks so the church could be established.  The story was told of a man who allowed the use of his house so missionaries could hold church gatherings.  This generosity was met with threatening letters, undoubtedly from a  religious person or persons in the community warning him not to do this, asserting that his house and furnishings would be put at extreme risk of being destroyed by mob action.  The letter also held out the prospect of the man being tarred and feathered.  The missionary offered to cancel services, but the man courageously insisted on going ahead, and nothing appears to have come of the threats.  The church in St. Thomas exists today, in part because of the legacy of such brave persons.

A few generations later in 1970, there was a need to build a bigger church, and a new generation of heroes stepped forward.  This group gave the money to buy a nice lot, and then worked evening after evening, Saturday after Saturday, to build the new church.  These were members who worked at their day jobs, then went to the site to work on building the church until it was dark.  The lovely building we see today on Fairway Avenue was built by the sweat and sacrifice of those members, many of whom are still alive and were present at the Anniversary.  They are elderly now; walking with canes often held in arthritic hands, but they pass to those who are younger, a legacy of honour and love.  Of course they did more than build a church; that is just one of their accomplishments.  They also served their community with equal dedication.  I find them greatly to be admired.

This is just a sample of the great legacy that has been bequeathed to us; a history of love and generous sacrifice.  I find it both moving and remarkable.  It makes me wonder, what will our generation pass down to those who follow after?  How will they look back at us?  Will they see lives invested in the future?  If our stories of faith are considered worthy to be recounted, will  our successors listen with equal wonder and admiration?  I do not know the answer.

I can only speak personally here, but I have invested my life in this cause because of the legacy provided by generations of heroes who have gone before us.  The breadth of their sacrifice and the fervency of their testimony are powerful.  Now I look for those who will follow after us, and seek to instill in them a desire to love God and bless God’s people with equal diligence. 

May our legacy be worthy of the honour bequeathed to us.

Posted by Carman

PAT - A Testimony

Last year the world church encouraged each member to try to increase their generous response by $10.00 a week; the cost of a movie or a couple of fast food meals. We were reminded that the increased giving would have the power to really change lives. While $40.00 a month does not seem like a great deal, when you are trying to live on a small pension and already coping with increased living expenses it seemed an impossibility for me.

I was well aware that the majority of our small Wiarton congregation were trying to live on small pensions also. The Wiarton branch has always given generously in the past and I knew they would desire to meet this new challenge; but I wondered “HOW” we could possibly do so.

After prayer, and considerable contemplation of my already tight budget, I decided the answer, for me at least, was preauthorized monthly giving (PAT). I was aware that despite faithful attendance and giving in the past, I was not always faithful in putting in my local offering when I was absent due to illness or attendance at another branch or mission event. (Thankfully however, many in this congregation were already doing so.) Also, I acknowledged that sometimes the current sum in my wallet on Sunday morning had some relationship to my giving. I knew too that I did not always give equally to the world church and the local congregation.

When I estimated the difference a small increase and consistency through PAT could make, I shared my “awakening” with the priesthood, Sunday school and 11:00 a.m worshipers. I do not know how many used my particular method to increase their contribution, but I was thrilled to report to the congregation in January that Wiarton had increased their giving by not 8 or 10%, but by 12.5%, AND it was almost equally distributed between local and world church initiatives.

I just wanted to pass this on. Little changes and “consistency” can make all the difference! It’s a brand new year, give it a try.

- Dorothy Burdette, Co-pastor Wiarton Congregation

Editor's Note: The PAT form can be found on the CEM website or by clicking here.

Toronto

The world is certainly changing. That statement won’t come as a surprise to anybody, since at times it feels as if change is the one true constant in our world.

What has me thinking about that this morning is the continually evolving presence of Community of Christ in the city of Toronto. I am by no means an expert on the history of the church in the city, but I do know that only a few generations ago there was one downtown church on Soho street, and a small northern mission on Sudan Avenue, "way up North" in the Mount Pleasant and Eglington area. To the West was the Humber Bay “branch”, and out in the country, way to the Northwest, stood the old Woodbridge church. Soho Street was eventually sold and replaced by a brand new presence on Bathurst Street, and the North Toronto group joined in. This new building was built in stages and I believe was not finally completed until the 1960s.

In the optimistic period of the 1950s and ‘60s, the city of Toronto rapidly expanded into the suburban areas, and so did the church. New “missions” were established in Scarborough, Downsview, Cooksville and Oshawa, and a new church was contructed in Woodbridge. By 1970 we had six congregations in the so called Greater Toronto Area; Toronto (Bathurst Street), Scarborough, Willowdale, Woodbridge, Etobicoke and Mississauga, all with good, solid, and mostly new buildings. The Oshawa group continued to meet sporadically with the members eventually joining Scarborough.

In the latter part of the 20th century, the post-WWII optimism of the church was confronted by the unforeseen reality of the so called “post-Christian era”. Increasingly empty pews led to a period of consolidation. A much smaller Willowdale made the decision to sell the building and become a house church. The three congregations on the West side of the city, Mississauga, Etobicoke, and Woodbridge, decided to amalgamate and form one stronger unit, now known as GTA-West. This congregation is currently in the process of searching for a new location where they can be effective in their mission, and positively impact the larger community for Christ.

The recent rapid growth of Toronto’s population has seen an insistent demand for housing, especially along the subway routes. A few years ago, Toronto’s downtown congregation began to be approached by developers seeking to buy the property for a condominium site. While such approaches were initially rebuffed, the high cost of maintaining and heating the big building eventually led to a deal, and another change began. As the end of 2011 nears, the congregation is still using the old building but is in the process of planning for a new future; perhaps as part of the new condominium. Once again, the question to be answered is, “How can we best fulfill the mission of Jesus Christ in this community?” This small group of faithful disciples is working to discern the answers.

In Canada’s largest city, the presence of Community of Christ continues to evolve. Currently we have three congregations, Scarborough, Toronto, and GTA-West. All three are working to be about their mission. In this, they follow the example of Jesus who said it best so many years ago;

“I must be about my father’s business.” (Luke 2:49).

Legendary

I’m following with interest today (Monday) a conversation on my nephew’s facebook page about his grandpa’s legendary prowess as a typist. Grandpa Trueblood was known as an amazing typist. On his old Underwood Standard he was known to slam out a hundred and twenty words per minute! Dave wonders early on if such a speed is even possible. “It seems super-human” he opines. But testimony follows declaring it possible. Such speeds have been recorded. One friend claims the speed for herself in grade eleven typing class. (She doesn’t reveal whether or not she had the benefit of electricity.)

Eventually Dave’s own mother, daughter of the legend himself, enters the conversation and swears to its validity. The legend is true! Today’s conversation began, not about typing, but about Grandpa T’s one hundredth birthday. His legendary status depends on much more than his professional abilities. He was a true "man of faith."

This weekend many of us may have sat around the family table together, perhaps in a rare occasion to be together and share those family legends. Thanksgiving does tend to be celebrated with an extended family dinner. There are others as well and we can all recount our experiences at weddings, funerals, congregational anniversaries. It’s at these times we bring out our legends, share our stories together. This is so important to helping us remember who we are and what we value.

Carman recently wrote his thoughts about our community’s giants. I love the picture the Wiarton congregation shared of their Thanksgiving service. (Find them on facebook.) Several “living legends” are pictured there. But let us not forget the other part of this whole concept. There was a day when those gray heads were young. They were once the little ones in the front row.

At what point does one become a “legend”?

A blogging pastor I occasionally follow speaks about a “man of faith” or “woman of faith” this way:
When we describe someone as a “woman of faith” or a “man of faith,” we mean more than the ability to articulate beliefs. We are describing how they walk through this world. We are describing how they go to work, how they behave in relationships, how they use their time, how they spend their money, how they get through each day, how they live their lives with all of the questions and all of the stresses that all of us have. Faith is not necessarily being sure where you are going, but going anyway.

(Read the rest of her sermon here if you like.)

We’re all of us on a faith walk. We’re walking together creating new legends as we go. I love watching you and seeing you being new legends. And I love telling those stories. I invite you to join me in the watching and in the sharing of the stories.

I am convinced that not only are we standing on the shoulders of giants, we are walking among legends! Here’s your assignment: watch for the emerging legends around you and then find a way to share their stories. That’s the good word for today.

Posted by Marion

Giants

I have a friend whom I have often heard say, when speaking about those who have gone before us in our faith movement, “We stand on the shoulders of giants!” I had occasion to think of that twice this past weekend, once at the funeral of Leighton Robinson, and again on Sunday while participating in the Wiarton, ON congregation of Community of Christ.

I had the great honour and privilege to read Leighton’s testimony at his funeral. His stories of healing are remarkable, and speak of the tremendous faith of this man, and that of his parents before him. It reminded me again of his father, Sam, driving from Wiarton to Stokes Bay so many Sunday mornings to bring a sermon and share his stories of faith with that little congregation. It may be partially because of him and others like him that I am who I am today.

There are many reasons why Wiarton holds a special place in my consciousness. It is the place where I can draw close to the very source of my own faith roots. In this church I can visualize my grandparents sitting in their place, paying fervent attention to the gospel message being delivered. This is the place where my father grew up. This was also the community that continuously upheld my mother and her family in prayer when she was dying at the pre-mature age of thirty-two. This is the community that surrounded her and us with their love.

The Wiarton congregation was probably the mother ship that launched several other congregations and many remarkable persons on their faith journey. It would be interesting to look at the surnames of the charter members of this congregation, and even more fascinating to know their stories. My memory, of course, does not go (quite) that far back, but I know some of the names who came after. They were the faithful, stalwart witnesses of my childhood. This list includes names like Farrow, Mason, Rydal, Leeder and Robinson to name a few, and of course there were multiple given names to go with each family name. Each of them nurtured the very marrow of the gospel in their bones, and they were always ready to share it. When I think of them, I cannot help but realize, “We stand on the shoulders of giants!”

Having spent this few moments looking back, it now seems appropriate to invest a moment or two in looking forward. What of those who come after us? When they look back, who will they see as being of critical importance in their faith journey? Will it be you? Will it be me? Will the testimony of our lives provide strength and stability, a place where they can grow to discover their own relationship with God? Will our testimonies and examples help them find or plant their own roots in the fertile fields of God's generous grace?

This morning I ask you two questions. Who are the giants upon whose shoulders you stand? Who is looking to you to provide a shoulder upon which they can depend?

Posted by Carman

Observe

Here’s one of those words that appears to have a couple of opposite meanings. I’m guessing that many of us (Dare I say “most”? Probably not, that’s dangerous territory) would give a definition related to “watching.” To observe is to see, to look at, to take notice of in a kind of passive way.

Monday was the first day of Ramadan. Muslims around the world will be “observing” Ramadan for the next month. It’s a central element of their faith. And there is nothing passive about it! To observe the fast calls for a major commitment. From sunrise to sunset, faithful Muslims will abstain from food or drink. Any of us who’ve just spent a super-hot long weekend at the beach might have some idea about how difficult that would be.

No matter. To a faithful Muslim the rules don’t change for heat waves. No food and no water during daylight hours brings to their attention the needs of others. They think about their own blessings and they make donations to abolish poverty and end the suffering of those who have need. It is a requirement of Islam. It is something you must do if you would be a faithful observer of the faith.

If you ask what makes someone a Muslim, she will tell you that they pray five times a day, they take care of the sick and the poor, they fast regularly and they “observe Ramadan.” If you ask someone what makes them a Christian, they will likely speak about some of the things they believe. Christians are much more inclined to speak about beliefs than about actions, at least in my observations.

Maybe Christians need a Ramadan--something to shake us out of our notions about “observing” as merely watching. Earliest Christians spoke about their belief in Jesus as “The Way.” Disciples of Jesus tried to live in a way that was different from others around them. No more “just believing” but living in a way that showed they followed Jesus.

If you’ve been around any good campfire this summer you’ve probably sung “They’ll know we are Christians by our love…” If we give it some good thought we’ll realize that “they” won’t know us by the beliefs in our heart, but by the things we do that truly show that love.

We have plenty of scriptures that teach us this lesson:

“Peter do you love me?”
“You know that I love you.”
“Then feed my sheep.”

But we need to be reminded. That’s alright. Muslims need to be reminded too. Every year for an entire month they reflect on the needs of others as they observe Ramadan, abstain from food and drink and make offerings to abolish poverty and end suffering in the world.

How will we observe the teachings of our Master? By watching and believing? Or will we find some sheep to feed?

Posted by Marion

Greening

Is that a word? It must be. I’m seeing the greening everywhere I look. Do you see it creeping across the world?

I recall reading once that spring advances northward at a rate of about fifteen miles a day. Any time I’ve had the chance to drive south at this time of year, maybe going to World Conference in early April, I’ve enjoyed noticing the change seeing spring appear as I’ve processed down Highway 69. By the time we’d get to Independence the redbuds and pear trees would be in full bloom, while back home it was still gray and brown. We’d see it coming back north where we would wait patiently for spring to come to us. And come it would, surely and reliably unfolding itself over the miles. Fifteen of them every day.

But this year I’m not traveling. I’m just waiting here for it to arrive. And here it comes.

Out over my back garden I see the (still very wet!) grass just getting greener and greener. Hostas, daylilies, violets, even parsley are greening up more and more, minute by minute. Robins are enjoying the great worm feast there for the taking, while the cardinals and finches are whistling their joy. And beyond I see the greening haze appearing on the willows over there in the bird sanctuary. Every day the red maple buds get brighter and clearer.

On my drives around the nearby countryside this Easter weekend I’ve seen it approaching. Pastures and fields that just last weekend were mostly brown are noticeably greening, right before my eyes. Weather forecasts for the week ahead are for “rain, rain, rain and rain.” Never mind. With the rain will come the green.

Let us not get so busy that we fail to notice this wonderful and amazing time of year. It’s the greening! A season full of promise for what will follow.

Happy Easter. Happy Spring.
Look outside there. It’s greening.
Nothing can stop it.

Posted by Marion

Community

Sometimes words catch your attention because of their various parts or aspects. Such a word is Community. This compelling, significant, and powerful word has many implications worthy of at least a few moments (if not a lifetime) of reflection and devotion. Lets think about just a few of those aspects as we begin our day today.

• Come – the invitation of God’s Spirit to be at One and experience joy, hope, love and peace.
• Commune – the state of being in intellectual and spiritual dialogue with God and others.
• Communion – being in fellowship with others around shared ideas and beliefs.
• Common – holding ideas or aspects as central to the community, those things on which we agree.
• Unity – being in harmony of purpose.

If we put that all together, we are invited to commune with God and share with others, discover the ideas we have in common and come to a unity of purpose that leads to united action and service. It is a compelling definition of Community.

This brief reflection on community is, of course not definitive but cursory; a momentary glance at a word or state that calls to us unrelentingly. According to Doctrine and Covenants 163, it is our identity and calling, our purpose, the reason our communion exists.

How shall we be in community today?

Posted by Carman

Distinctives

On the Victoria Day weekend, I took the opportunity to visit a young, growing church in a small village not far from where I live. About four years ago, a new minister was called to this church of (then) about 40 people. Apparently the visionary new pastor told the congregation they needed to prepare to build a new building that would accommodate 500, and they did. The congregation now hosts two Sunday morning services, has impressive children’s and youth ministry programs, youth camps, a good selection of “Life Groups” plus mission connections in Africa and Nicaragua which are making a big difference in the lives of people. They also partner with other agencies to bless the local community.

As for style of worship, this new church uses what I think of as the standard “teaching model.” The heart of the 90 minute service is the sermon, which is based on what the leadership team perceives is needed in the congregation. Consequently the Pastor is currently delivering a series designed to teach worshipers how to pray and how to deepen their prayer life. Because this is the focus, the lectionary is not in evidence, and there was no mention that last Sunday was Pentecost. The music is all contemporary and congregational singing is projected onto two large screens. The band is excellent. There are no hymn books in evidence.

From this description, you might assume that this was a local Baptist or other "evangelical" church. Such a supposition would be understandable since the style of worship was virtually identical to the standard mega church format. The assumption would be incorrect, however, because this congregation is Presbyterian. It appears that the old congregation has adopted the new style, and the community is responding.

For me, this observation gives rise to lots of questions. What happened to denominational distinctives? Is it possible that they no longer matter? Were they always merely things that separated Christians from each other? Since, “The mission of Jesus Christ is what matters most for the journey ahead” (D & C 164:9f), does that suggest we must be willing to set aside our so called uniqueness in order to bring the Peace of Jesus Christ into people’s lives? If this style of doing church the 21st century method that God is currently blessing, (it is certainly the method to which people respond) should we in CEM adopt this model for our new church plants? Why or why not?

As usual, I have more questions than answers, but I am confident that many of you already have an opinion! If you do, why not click on “comments” below and share your thoughts with the rest of us? Lets talk!

Posted by Carman

Blossoms and Bumblebees

Last Wednesday, in a piece entitled “Pollen,” we reflected in this blog on the blossoms that covered the trees around the Temple and Auditorium with white, fragrant blossoms. We discussed how the pollen from those flowers was, at the same time, the fertilization of new life and an irritant for the eyes of many beholders, like the pollination of new ideas.

Today, just a short week later, the blossoms are all but gone. Most have been replaced by green leaves, and the aged white petals lie golden on the ground below the trees.

The flowers that do remain on the trees seem to have attracted the interest of a number of bumblebees. There seems to have developed an urgency to flit from bloom to bloom, gathering pollen while they can. Indeed, the flight of these creatures seems to be almost frantic in its intensity. It reminds me of the opening stanza of the poem by Robert Herrick, entitled To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time.

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.

The hurried flight of the bumblebees and the dying of the flowers speak to me. Life is short; something I am increasingly aware of as I get older and time seems to speed up. The passage of time gives rise to a sense of urgency. We have only a limited amount of time to gather pollen, and use it to produce a crop of the fruit that is so needed in our world. We want our lives to count for something, and to leave a legacy for those who follow after.

May our lives be blessed with fruitfulness, and may we pay attention to the blossoms while they are in bloom.

Posted by Carman

Greatness

This writing came about on one of those days when I start work very early at home, which sometimes results in my driving to the office very late. This time, however, this imbalance produced a joyous blessing. The radio broadcast I might normally listen to was long gone, and instead, I was surprised to hear Beethoven’s Piano Concerto # 5, The Emperor Concerto. With my car’s poor little radio pumped to the max, I could just see the great man conducting the orchestra, his hair flying wildly and his arms swinging with energy! I could see him scowling, demanding the absolute best from his musicians; probably more than they knew they had to give. The result is nothing short of magnificent!

Now I confess that I am not a great, knowledgeable fan of Classical music, and yet I find something wonderfully inspiring in Beethoven. It seems to me that he has heard the very music of creation itself, and poured his entire being into expressing it. In this I believe he has given us everything he has. I do not know if it was his growing deafness that produced such urgency in him, or if his passion simply demanded free reign. In any event, the resulting greatness is such that I do not have adequate superlatives to express my awe.

There is something very compelling about such a quest to be the absolute best one can be, and to deliver every note in the most expressive possible way. It produced such sheer brilliant greatness that beside it, my dreams feel tarnished and unworthy. To express my dreams in the same space as praise for Beethoven’s genius feels inappropriate and laughable. And yet, they are my dreams and they are the best I have to give. Here goes.

I want us to build great churches for God. Oh not the bricks and mortar sort, but the kind that inspires people to bless others and transform difficult lives. I want us to build churches that feed the hungry and clothe the naked, that visit the lonely and comfort the hurting. I want us to build churches that throw open doors instead of locking them so people can come in and be warmed and fed. I want us to build churches that understand what it really means to share the Peace of Jesus Christ in ways and dimensions that we haven’t even thought of yet. I want us to do that because we want to give the very best and the very most we have to God, and to God’s people.

I want us to build great churches, not merely good ones. It is not so much about size, endowment funds or sustainable balance sheets. It is about transformed lives and people whose existence has been blessed because the church was there for them at exactly their point of need. It is also about planning and preparing for so great a cause.

May God inspire us to see and build that kind of churches. May we open our lives to truly receive our own unique vision and calling to that level of greatness. Amen!

Posted by Carman