World Conference

This week the church is gathering for World Conference. And we are part of that gathering. Just like in every other area this is a first for our little group, so we’re trying out new or different ways to participate in a gathering church.

Of course, we’re not the only ones trying out different ways to be a global church meeting in conference. Some of us will be delegates in remote locations linked by the internet. Some will observe from those remote sites and enjoy a new kind of fellowship. This remote site is one of a few in different parts of the world. Travel restrictions, cost, distance, technology, disabilities, even fear and uncertainty all enter into individual decisions how to participate and our little group is very, very grateful that our global church has worked so hard to make those decisions possible.

Our wee group of nomadic church people have talked most about finding our way as a congregation in this community where we find our selves planted. But our conversations don’t end there. We regularly talk about our place in a world wide church. We feel so enriched by the opportunities we have to learn about, and from brothers and sisters in other countries. We appreciate the stories shared by our apostle; we love meeting travelers who have come our way to share with us. We look forward to the speeches and presentations that are central to the conferring process. We know that there are other ways to look at almost any question, many that we haven’t though about.

We have learned that our faith journey is indeed just that—a journey. And that what we think today may be different next year, or even next week. We are grateful to be associated with a church without borders and we pledge to play our part is figuring out how to make it work. This week, and next, that will be our focus. We’ll see you at World Conference, one way or another.

Discussions

Every Tuesday morning, if we possibly can, a small group of us gets together for a focused discussion. I’ve mentioned this before but it’s awhile since I talked about it. So here I go with the impossible task of squeezing a ninety minute conversation into three or four hundred words.

We took a little different tack this week. To give us some direction we listened to a segment from CBC’s “The Current” about birdwatching! Now you might not imagine how we could then spend an hour in a useful conversation about birding, but we did.

The science writer whose life experience led him to take up the new interest in birding spoke of the radical change, of finding what makes him whole –an experience of joy and wonder. His pandemic time of greater isolation, of anxiety over friends and family’s difficulties with mental health, his own feelings of angst and emptiness completely, radically changed with the discovery of birding. He recognized in himself what he called “a search for meaning in the midst of the chaos.”

We found ourselves reminded of conversations we’ve had before. The importance of nature in a complete life. The sacredness of creation and our responsibility to protect and defend the world around us. We spoke of our tendency to be overwhelmed by the world’s problems and the futility of “fixing” everything that needs attention. We acknowledge that our time cannot stay with need and brokenness but must be balanced with intentional seeking experiences of joy and wonder.

Birding is one possibility, but not the only one. We talked about our experience with gardening, or insects, or bees or fish or frogs or rocks. Taking time to be in the natural world is essential to living a whole life. Walking or sitting out side with eyes open to the expansive life that comes with truly experiencing nature.

There you have it. Not everything we talked about, but a taste of how we spend our Tuesday mornings.
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I've Got A Cold

This means that I’m “shut in” for the time being. So I don’t have a nice, inspiring little story about our group; what we’re doing, where we’re gathering, what wonderful plans we’re making for summer. I hope to have some of this good news to share soon.

But for now, I’m living in the whole world. What a world! It comes into my living room via too much news! Just this morning I’m involved in a new war in India and Pakistan. How many strikes, How many deaths. Yesterday, all day, I considered what would happen when our prime minister entered that famous oval office to sit on those famous yellow chairs. As I’m writing this the slow procession of cardinals is walking under that amazing ceiling to select the next pope. They’re about to lock the doors and we’ll wait for white smoke.

I’m aware of many more world conflicts, many tragedies, catastrophes as news stories compete for my attention via countless news sources. I have to choose.

My choices have to include not to be engaged at all. Not to worry about what I cannot influence in any way. Not to notice what new threat has appeared in some distant time zone since I last looked. Not to notice what red tape has been cut, or what environmental regulation is set to be ignored, whose care will be next to sacrificed in the name of necessary development.

I can choose to look in another direction. I can follow the hockey season, nearing its end. Or I can keep one eye on the rising popularity of women in sports as new soccer, basketball and hockey. Surely a positive trend?

So what is my point as I sit here with my Kleenex in one hand and my remote in the other? Every life is shaped by a series of such choices. An infinite number of such choices we make every hour of every day. Of course, even the choice not to choose is to choose. How do I make those choices “responsible” ones? One of our enduring principles is to make responsible choices. Where I sit today, with my cold, brings this value close to me. Perhaps too close.

I’m reminded of that principle of the conflict between the circle of concern and the circle of influence. Balancing those circles is important. Choosing to look away to protect my own mental health is also important. Because I need to preserve the energy to tend to the needs where I have the ability to help. One day this cold will subside and I’ll turn off the world that could paralyze me into inactivity if I’m not careful.

Join me in making the responsible choice to do what I can, where I am.
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