On Monday at Over Comers we were talking about hope. We looked at Romans 5:5 “and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts…” The conversation began with hope in verse 2 “we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.” We decided that the one of [...]

In the middle of our “Word from Our Sponsor” which I give every day at lunch time, one fellow inquired, “Is this going to be a long story?” I answered that it wouldn’t be long and invited him to hang in with me and I thought nothing of it. Afterwards I discovered that a number [...]

I wrote several months ago that at that time I was having difficulty sleeping. As I was immersed more and more into life ‘on the margin’, I was feeling overwhelmed by the height and depth of the issues faced daily. I began to question how it was that people did this kind of ministry day [...]

I’ve got a new role model, the witch at the end of ‘The Wizard of Oz’. Her final words are “I’m shrinking! I’m shrinking!” I hope that these will be my last words, as well as my life theme between now and then. For many (a growing number) this is the season of Lent. During [...]

I am going to keep this short. I am feeling really unwell today. I was reminded of the unofficial motto of Church Army this week “Be prepared to; preach, pray, or die at a moment’s notice!” I arrived at the chapel wednesday to the message that V., who was to lead our 1:30 Bible Study [...]

It started Sunday with Up Town. I have a friend with a wonderful ministry to children and families in our community. She is taking time to study with the goal of one day being ordained. I admit a bias toward ‘the people of God’ (laity) as opposed to ‘the clergy’ so I pumped her as [...]

Years ago in the thrall of worship I would pray, somewhat naively, “Break my heart Lord with the things that break yours.” I am only now starting to appreciate the gravity of that prayer. In this past week I have had the honour of sitting with some very broken people and know a bit of [...]

As I was thinking/praying about what to do with our Over Comers group this week a quote from somewhere popped into my head “I can resist anything but temptation.” I don’t know who said it but in my head it sounded like that great philosopher Groucho Marx. When we got to the meeting during our [...]

This week, at the Community chapel, I had a great conversation with M. He had just read about the calling of Levi the tax collector. He was amazed that a guy would just walk away from a profitable business and follow Jesus. M. is extremely excited about following Jesus. In his past he spent over [...]

I have a new role model for ministry, Monsignor Bienvenu. I have been familiar with Victor Hugo’s Miserables for years but I am finally beginning to read it. I have fallen for the character the Bishop. Hugo writes of him “He respected learned men greatly; he respected the ignorant still more and, without ever failing [...]