I love the category, created below, of "Our Common Humanity". I hope there can be more discussion on that topic. I want to discuss the potential building project, which touches on that issue as well, but is perhaps more specific to housing and the "built environment".

I think it is important for us to have as extensive a discussion as possible about the proposed building project (see the church home page, via the link to the left).

As a start, the article below concerns overall theories of urban development, and specifically what is called "The New Urbanism", which holds that:

In order to promote community, the built environment must be diverse in population, scaled for the pedestrian, and capable of supporting mass transit as well as the automobile. It must have a well-defined public realim supported by buildings reflecting the architecture and ecology of the region

The author has his own take on how churches can add value to New Urbanism:

From one perspective churches appear to be buildings that serve the needs of a particular worshipping community. However, churches represent an informal network of people who care deeply for their community, and church buildings are community catalysts and anchor points for the entire neighborhood. For these and many other reasons, urban planners and New Urbanists have everything to gain and nothing to lose from looking to churches as partners in their community building efforts.

Can Hillhurst United be described as "an anchor point for the entire neighbourhood"?

Here's the entire article:

www.cardus.ca/columns/487/


In another article, the same author says:

With regard to economic justice issues, New Urbanist communities face a much more difficult problem. The market is very difficult to control, and attempts to mitigate the negative effects of the market on vulnerable population groups are subject to abuse and unintended consequences. However, again, this may be an area in which the Christian community has something valuable to offer. A great many non-profit institutions that work within poor neighborhoods to provide affordable housing are based on a Christian vision for justice. Habitat for Humanity is just one well known example, but I could point to numerous examples scattered throughout cities and towns. This “on the ground” experience in the complexities of affordable housing and the thick network of relationships of trust built up among these institutions are invaluable assets as municipalities and New Urbanists seek to make the goal of equitable housing a reality for residents. There is no more obvious place to turn in seeking solutions to the problem of affordable housing than to those who already have a good track record in providing affordable housing for the residents of a particular community.

and he makes a rather provocative statement:

....although I see the New Urbanist movement as encouraging a radical rethinking of the way we think about community, it has taken root within a more general political culture that may impose some limits on what it may achieve. New Urbanism in North America is implemented in a broader tradition of political liberalism which may place some limits on what it may achieve.

Political liberalism sees the only relevant political entities to be the individual and the state. In this view, most political activity has to do with balancing the rights of the individual against the power of the state. Religious communities, within this framework, are not seen as politically relevant. They are understood as voluntary organizations indistinguishable from, say, bingo halls or model train clubs. But people who are deeply committed to their religious community see it as much more significant than these kinds of voluntary associations—they often understand their church, synagogue, or mosque as being central to their lives.

Does that sound like us? Are we firmly enough rooted in the community and its people to be central to many people's lives?

Here's the whole article.

http://www.cardus.ca/comment/article/947



Yes, there are concerns like parking, financing and building codes to discuss, and these are important issues. But how are we working with existing groups in the neighbourhood such as Brenda Strafford foundation and the groups making proposals for the St. John's church site? In 50 years, how will our building plans affect the neighbourhood that exists around Kensington Close?

Global Citizenship

This past weekend, the Calgary Professional Chapter of Engineers Without Borders held a development conference entitled Global Professionals, themed on exploring global citizenship.

The event began with a keynote address by Samantha Nutt. A medical doctor by training, Dr Nutt has spent the past 15 years working in humanitarian relief and rehabilitation in war zones around the world. Her first experience with humanitarian medicine was in war-torn Somalia at age 24. That experience changed her life. Four years later, after perceiving a need, she founded War Child Canada, an organization that deploys humanitarian assistance to war zones and organizes rehabilitation programs for children and youth scarred by war in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq and Sudan.

“It’s not about charity. It’s about our common humanity,” Dr Nutt said, powerfully.

Easy access to weaponry lubricates the war machine in many developing countries gripped in civil conflict, with borders porous to smugglers. AK-47 automatic rifles, called “the world’s favorite killing machines” by Oxfam, are cheap. They are light, easy to reload and virtually indestructible (many rifles in use today were manufactured in the 1950s). They are easy to handle by children and youth, the obedient pawns of many militant groups. The UN estimates that there are 300,000 child soldiers worldwide.

Frustratingly, Dr Nutt pointed out, a fraction of the $1 trillion spent annually on military expenditures globally could eradicate extreme poverty forever and ensure that no child is ever forced to be a soldier.

Also challenged was the commonly held belief that Canada is a peacekeeping nation. Over the first half of the decade, Canada’s military exports totaled $3.6 billion. In rank, after the 5 members of the UN Security Council, Canada is in 6th place for weapons exports. Details of these exports have been difficult to obtain. In fact, the Small Arms Survey, a weapons trade monitoring research group in Geneva, reports that Canada’s weapons export transparency is among the lowest of the G8, and just above that of Iran.

National spending on foreign aid is also comparatively low. In the 1969, Trudeau’s government along with many other developed nations committed 0.7% of gross national income to official development assistance (ODA).  It is a target that is yet to be reached in Canada: currently foreign aid is roughly 0.3 % of gross national income. Many Scandinavian countries have already surpassed 0.7% level of giving.

Dr Nutt spoke of the devastating effects of the ethically irresponsible material consumption of the developed world. Forty percent of the world’s supply of coltan, a mineral used in the manufacture of the semiconductors inside cell phones and other electronics, is mined in the Congo. The boom in electronics sales has boosted the market price of coltan significantly since the start of the decade. Profits from the sale of this mineral are believed to finance the civil conflict in the Congo. While some Western electronics companies specify conflict-free coltan, many do not.

Dedicating time overseas in war zones is for the highly trained, but Dr Nutt says that “we can do so much without ever getting on that plane.” She named four important actions of global citizens: 

• The first is education and awareness. We should keep ourselves informed of what is going on in other parts of the world, even if it is a commitment to reading one piece of international news per week. 

• Secondly, we need to give, and continue to give regardless of the tides of the economy.  

• Third, our financial investments and purchases need to be ethical. We need to ask the hard questions of our financial advisors and politicians, scour the holdings of our mutual funds, and ask electronics manufacturers about ethical sourcing practices.
  
  
• And finally, we need to talk about the issues – to keep the passion alive and instill it in others. 

You can follow Dr Nutt on Twitter (NuttsAtWarChild) or visit War Child Canada at http://www.warchild.ca/

Every day is Earth Day, isn't it?

On the 39th anniversary of the first Earth Day, I wonder if I'm really doing enough.

Do others feel the same way? Do you wonder what more you could possibly do?

Earth Day is intended to be a time to reflect upon the health of our planet and the bearing our actions have on it. Maybe April 22 can be an opportunity to make an "Earth Day resolution", whereby we commit to making one behaviour change that promotes environmental sustainability.

Having made an effort to reduce my environmental footprint over the last few years, I feel like every day is Earth Day. I walk, cycle, and take transit most places I go (I don't own a car, but rent on weekends for trips to the mountains); I support environmental causes financially; I live in a small apartment; I rarely use major appliances (I never use the oven or the dryer); I buy local organic food if possible; I set up (and use) an illegitimate composter in the back alley and I encourage others to reduce their footprint. Oh, and I work for a sustainable energy think tank. Sometimes I feel like I do enough.

Last week I was reading about a woman in Toronto who has unplugged her fridge. She got to the point where she struggled to find ways to reduce her environmental footprint. So now her fridge consumes no electricity and serves as a fancy pantry. Reading that article, I realized that it's as soon as I think I'm doing enough that the real harm begins.

Attitudes like, "my actions don't make a difference" or "I'm only one person - look at what's happening in the oil sands!" or "I do enough already" are the very attitudes that got us to the brink of ecological trouble in the first place.

So today I remind myself that while every day may feel like Earth Day, I could be doing more to get us to the healthy planet we need to sustain us to the 7th generation and beyond.

Do you feel like you do enough already? What more could you do for our planet and for its inhabitants? Do you have any Earth Day resolutions?

What does affirming mean to you?

I'm interested in hearing what "affirming" means to other people. What does it mean for Hillhurst United? What does it mean for the broader community?

Celebrating and Affirming Our Differences

Consider this question: What is it about yourself that you feel you can't bring to church? My dad is a minister so when I was growing up, I felt as if all the eyes in the congregation and the community were on me. I felt I had to be an angel. And if you know me, you'll know that's far from the truth. But I felt like I couldn't bring the real Greg to church; I felt I had to leave the real Greg on Saturday night and bring only the "church" Greg on Sunday mornings. What part of yourself do you feel you cannot bring to church? Is it a hobby or interest that others told you is not appropriate in a Christian institution? Is it an insecurity about being in groups or sitting next to a complete stranger? Is it an addiction to alcohol, drugs, pornography; some habit that you believe misses the mark and that might get you cast out of the community? Is it something as personal or intimate as your sexual orientation? Do you feel that in this place of love, you cannot speak or think about the one you love because he or she shares the same nether regions or dangly bits as you?

I ask this question because I believe church should be a place for all people and all differences. I believe religious institutions that force conformity miss the point of Jesus' teachings. So how can a church such as Hillhurst become a place where everything and everyone is welcome? How can Hillhurst become a place where the answer to "What is it about yourself that you feel you can't bring to church?" is, effectively, "Nothing. I believe I can bring my entire self to this place." To me, that's what affirming is about.

Repentance

Lent is the 40 day period leading up to Easter where, traditionally, the church has fasted, prayed, avoided distractions from the sensual world and repented of sin.

Wikipedia has a handy definition of Repentance: a change of thought and action to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from a person who is wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law. It typically includes an admission of guilt, a promise or resolve not to repeat the offense; an attempt to make restitution for the wrong, or in some way to reverse the harmful effects of the wrong where possible.

Repentance is at the heart of the work of Affirm United, which seeks to address the fact that in the recent past, the Church, in its broadest definition, has actively sought to exclude gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals and families. This requires facing up to the fact that there has been harm done by the church as a community, however well-intentioned. Of course, other barriers to belonging have also been present in churches, some that are in the headlines and some that are not. We attempt to address these with the Affirming process, too.

The key words here are “seeks” and “attempt”. Transforming ourselves will not be a quick and simple fix. It is painful to admit that we have been part of a structure that caused harm, difficult to hear the stories of those who carry the scars of exclusion, and confusing to realize that some very kind-hearted people and loving behaviours have been present alongside easily-recognized negligence.

The word Lent means "slow". An annual exercise in examining our lives deeply, honestly and slowly, is one of the best times to consider what it means to affirm that each individual in our community is worthy of being ministered to with respect to who they are, seen in light of the teachings of Jesus.

Hurt caused in the name of Christianity has not been a result of any inherent malice in the Christian message, but a result of Christendom being a collection of humans. All religions recognize the importance of an ongoing openness to repentance. Learning to do this is an essential spiritual practice.

As stated in an earlier Affirming post on this blog, when a congregation is designated as Affirming, it is making a public statement to all who arrive there that it has taken on a period of reflection regarding barriers to participation and belonging. This can be an important reassurance to someone who is unsure of whether the church is a place in which they can feel safe to be themselves, whether they will be required to hide a minority sexual orientation, gender identity, economic circumstance, health situation.

Here is an interesting exercise. As we embark on a new phase – that of being designated Affirming - which character are we in the parable below (Luke 18:9 – 14) – or are we both at various times?

Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[a] himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

A friend has pointed out to me that the removal of decoration that is traditional during Lent has the effect of revealing inner beauty which we often forget during other seasons. During this Lent, may we learn to see inner beauty a little more clearly than we did before, and may we learn to be a little less distracted by superficial things.

Saints

The Movie Milk will be discussed by John Pentland in the final Reel Theology session of 2009 on April 5.

This movie raises important questions for anyone involved in social justice work, particularly from a faith-based perspective. A significant presence in the drama, although not one of the major characters, is Anita Bryant. For a generation, Anita Bryant personified the type of Christianity that promoted intolerance and exclusion. On the basis of her message and others like it, many people have decided that Christianity is not for them. (Indeed, many people have reasonably concluded that Christianity is against them.)

An important question Christians ask is: “How can we move forward guided by a vision of social justice without rejecting a tradition that has been so hurtful to so many?” Must we reject all of our tradition? What about the true saints who went before us, and still inspire us - must we reject them, too?

Of course, there are and have always been currents of Christianity that are based on a message of welcoming and inclusion. A single example is Cecil Williams, who from 1963 to 2000 was the minister of Glide Memorial Methodist Church in San Francisco. Rev. Williams is an African American who made his church the largest social service provider in the city. He is quoted as saying “I went to every bar and flop joint I could and said ‘I’m asking you to give yourself the opportunity to see why you belong on Earth’, nobody else ever said that to them, ‘you belong here’.”

This brings us to Harvey Milk himself. In a secular context, he is described as a martyr and a saint, and from his work and its effects we can learn a great deal about saints. One striking thing about him is that he was a flawed human being, drawn to other flawed human beings. He was driven by a host of personal demons. He recognized that there were also many demons driving his eventual murderer, Dan White.

And yet, he brought an important blend of generosity, coalition-building and humour to both civic politics and the gay rights movement. He did this without losing a sharp personal vision, which included more of the “little people” than the “bigwigs”. He gave to his community crucial enthusiasm, hope and extraordinary courage. He lived with the consciousness of literally giving his life to a cause.

The life of an individual, a community or an institution is going to be mixed when viewed up close. It will contain things we agree with and things we cannot agree with. The Gospels tell us that we are all accountable for the harm we do as individuals, and the Prophets tell us that we are similarly accountable as nations. Knowing that, we can choose to celebrate the life-giving works of others and ourselves, looking to such works for inspiration. Where harm is done, we can do our best to learn how to bind up the wounds, as the Samaritan did on the road to Jericho.

Milk is currently showing at the Uptown Theater, check for times. The DVD will be available March 10. The image above is St. Sebastian, by Giovanni Antonio Bazzi.

Giving Light for Christmas 2008

For 2008, the Hillhurst United website (which can be reached via the link to the left) now has a Giving Light page, in the Outreach section. It is a list of ideas from the congregation gathered over the past two years to help us find a way of giving gifts that allows us to demonstrate our appreciation for family, friends and community yet is relatively light on the environment and beneficial for both the giver and recipient. We welcome your additions.

You can contact Greg Powell, the Outreach Committee chair with your suggestions, or post comments to our blog. Last year's Giving Light blog entries can be viewed using the link to the left.

This campaign is not intended to be a matter of moral or theological purity, so don’t let it be another pressure; it is an invitation to see where God has been born into our midst, an invitation to connect with a "transformative compassion for the world", however you may find that.

This year has brought us some forceful reminders of the fleeting nature of material success. What better time to reflect on giving and receiving?

A look at the Gospels and the Prophets will reveal a world in which we can work and hope for abundance if we do not look for it in possessions alone. This is the theme of some of the greatest Christmas stories and carols. Think of In the Bleak Midwinter, The Gift of the Magi – and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Christmas is also a time when we traditionally consider those less fortunate than ourselves and offer gifts to them as well as to our families and friends. Good King Wenceslaus comes to mind, and A Christmas Carol.

These themes are universal and timeless, but they are particularly important for our time and place. Social and economic histories of North America tell us about increasing mass production and mass consumption since the turn of the 20th century; they show that the roots of the current economic crisis reach deep into the 20th century, deep into our culture and deep into our own psyches. We have come to believe that our identity and our self-worth (to quote commentator Richard Florida) somehow depend on acquiring (and by extension, giving) expensive or impressive belongings – much of it on credit.

Our oldest generation can tell us stories about the privations and joys of spending time in the kitchen, rather than in the mall, of listening to stories told or read rather than watched on large screens. We hear these stories, though, knowing that we live in a different world from the one in which they arose.

How can we understand the difference between an earlier, less consumption-crazed Alberta and today’s Alberta? Christian journalist Bill McKibben has said that up to a certain point, “more” is in fact “better”. People experiencing extreme poverty, homelessness and other deprivations certainly need more of what the material world has to offer. After a certain material level has been reached, however, “better” has a different source, and we do not really benefit from more of the same. It’s just that we continue to expect that we will get more joy from more stuff.

(Bill McKibben’s books include Deep Economy and The Hundred Dollar Holiday, which is described in the Books and Movies section of Giving Light)

Advent and Christmas are an important time to look once again at the economic audacity described in the Gospels and the Prophets, and the cosmic audacity of the Christmas story itself.
We hope you will find true abundance this year through Advent and Christmas, and invite you to share your ideas with the rest of us.

Giving Light for Christmas 2008 - Food for Thought

Here's an offering of food for thought from various sources, including the painting "The Annunciation" by African-American painter Henry Ossawa Tanner.


A favourite Advent reading is what Mary said to her cousin Elizabeth about being pregnant with a “blessed infant”, this is often called The Magnificat (Luke 1 :46 – 55)

My soul magnifies the Lord,And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.He has shown strength with His arm:He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.He has put down the mighty from their thrones,and exalted those of low degree.He has filled the hungry with good things;and the rich He has sent empty away.He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.
Scripture text: Revised Standard Version

While we encourage a thoughtful reading of the scriptures that are traditional during Advent and Christmas, here is some contemporary food for thought:

From Geez Magazine:

. … Unfortunately, there are competing and non-humanizing views of beauty and wonder in our midst. The Wal-Mart aesthetic has crept into our heads. We look for bright colors, shiny knobs. We prize efficiency, and quantify value with price tags. We seem to enjoy anything that disconnects us from our natural surroundings. We accept and even prefer “virtual” reality and “simulated” flavors. We see beautiful golf greens on the sports television network and forget about where we live and dream about get-away vacations.

We are both victims and agents of this collective maladjusted vision. It is hard to see differently when most of our views are so “picture perfect.” But I’m trying to see differently, to embrace “plain-old” when offered “new and improved.”

I often think of the zen-like phrases Jesus offered to the world. “Don’t worry about your clothes. Look at the flowers, you should all be like flowers!” Or birds, learn from the birds. I have this deep sense that there’s some secret mystery to life that is within our grasp. Jesus was trying to communicate that vision, not an other-worldly vision but a fuller-worldly vision. It had to do with restoring Eden, seeing heaven on earth. It sounds magical, but I think he assumed we could see the radiant glory of Being Itself if only we had the eyes to see, the ears to hear. I want those eyes.

Aiden Enns is publisher of Geez magazine

From Jean Vanier, Becoming Human:

"The excluded live certain values that we all need to discover and to live ourselves before we can become truly human. It is not just a question of doing good deeds for those who are excluded but of being open and vulnerable to them in order to receive the life that they can offer......they will break down the prejudices and protective walls that gave rise to exclusion in the first place. They will then start to affect our human organizations, revealing new ways of being and walking together.....a place of belonging where each person finds their place and where we live in mutual trust......if it is lived at the grassroots level, in families, in communities and other places of belonging, this vision can gradually permeate our societies and humanize them".

From the Globe and Mail
PATRICK WHITE
November 27, 2007 at 9:14 AM EDT

Don't say iPod, say I love you
Parents have a new weapon in the battle to hush demands for $500 handbags and $250 jeans this Christmas: compliments.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071127.wxlpeers27/BNStory/lifeFamily/home

Homelessness and Housing - Orientation - October 26

The fall is in full swing and we want to bring housing and homelessness at HUC back to the forefront. There's a lot of interest in this challenging issue at HUC and now's the time to transform this energy into action. (Image courtesy of Floyd Honey Foundation)

There are four areas we are currently working on:
1. HUC Homelessness Orientation Session
2. Project Homeless Connect
3. Inn from the Cold
4. Habitat for Humanity

1. HUC Homelessness and Housing Orientation Session
In the Spring, members of HUC expressed a tremendous interest in being involved in Homelessness and Housing issues in our community. Now is your chance to learn of ways you can get involved, from one off volunteer opportunities to ongoing commitments to help manage and run programs initiatives, both new and old. To explain some of these and to really get things going with regards to homelessness at HUC, we want to have an orientation session for all those interested in housing and homelessness as follows:

When: October 26, (after the service)
What: A quick briefing on four different initiatives with 2 quick break out sessions to better understand the opportunities on how you can make a difference
Why: To help focus people's energies, reduce clutter of emails and make a bigger difference in ending homelessness and improve housing options for those most at risk.
Who: Anyone who has an interest in issues related to homelessness
Where: The Sanctuary/Heritage Room, HUC

Schedule: 10 minute introduction of five different initiatives

* Project Homelessness - Jill
* Inn From the Cold - Leanne and Kathryn
* Habitat for Humanity - Greg
* Parkdale's Emergency Fund and Homelessness Outreach in ACTION! Rep from Parkdale United
* Annual Fundraiser - Brent

Followed by 2x10-minute break out sessions to allow everyone to hear a little more about each initiative and what they can do.

2. Project Homeless Connect
Several members of the HUC community took part in Project Homeless Connect in September. We would love to connect with those of you who participated so we can hear how it went and potentially ask you to a write a short blurb to tell others all about it. If you were able to participate in the last PHC, please let us know by way of response to this message.

The next PHC is tentatively scheduled for November 22nd - more details on that soon.

3. Inn from the Cold
The next Inn from the Cold is scheduled for October 18. Please contact Leanne (l.sklarenko(at)shaw.ca) and Kathryn (kawytsma(at)gmail.com) if you would like to volunteer.

4. Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in any of a wide variety of volunteer opportunities, either reply to this message or write to Greg at greg.a.powell(at)gmail.com.

Homelessness and Housing

The Hillhurst United Church outreach committee is preparing to launch a major campaign to address some of the challenges currently faced by those living in Calgary without a home. (Image to right courtesy of salvationarmy.ca)

We are considering including some (or all, or all and then some) of the following in the campaign:
- NIMBY to YIMBY ("not-in-my-backyard" to "yes-in-my-backyard" with respect to non-market housing)
- Speakers Series/Education Updates/Discussion Groups
- Partnering with the Poverty Reduction Coalition
- Continuing our work with Inn From the Cold
- Developing a fund for CUPS to access on an emergency basis
- Supporting Project Homeless Connect
- Gathering a crew of volunteers that can respond quickly to a housing-related crisis as needed

We would love to hear more ideas and hear thoughts about the above. Implementing all of these ideas will require many volunteers with a variety of skills and backgrounds - let us know what you would like to do!

Resources on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity for the Church

There are many great resources for those who are interested. Here are some to start:

Mt. Kisco Presbyterian Church of New York has put together an excellent document called “The Blue Book”, or “What We Wish We Had Known”. This is highly recommended, it is very comprehensive. It is on Mt Kisco Presbyterian’s website under “Resources”, then Blue Book:

http://www.pcmk.org/

Another terrific resource is Out In Scripture, this is from their home page:

Out In Scripture provides distinctive insights into the Bible, week after week, from a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight-supportive perspective

The writing teams for Out In Scripture listen for how God is connecting the world of the Bible, the world of LGBT people, with church and society. There is a rhythm, a back and forth, an out and in, between Scripture and our lives. The weekly commentary is a summary and celebration of their prayerful — at times comforting, often challenging — conversation.

Out In Scripture is developed by teams of skilled and prayerful scholars. They include a diverse group of professors of Bible, ethics and preaching from leading theological schools. The teams are also composed of LGBT and straight-supportive persons who explore the Bible together. They are drawn from the Editorial Advisory Board and others from around the country. These teams affirm both the power of Scripture and the authentic real life experience and faith of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

This is the website for Out In Scripture:

http://www.hrc.org//scripture/about.asp

For The Bible Tells Me So is a 100-minute DVD available for borrowing through the church office. From its website:

Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very American families -- including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson -- we discover how insightful people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO offers healing, clarity and understanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of scripture and sexual identity.

Family and Marriage Comments

This is a personal response to concerns about Affirming, and how it affects "the family". These comments may be common sense to some, and a stretch to others.

I’m not trying to address opinions about a specific political issue here, and I certainly don’t know what the right way is to do family and marriage in our changing times. I just want to make some observations from the trenches of marriage and family life.

The family lives we were raised to aspire to – to say nothing of the ones we actually lead – would have been unimaginable to the people of the Middle East of 2 – 3 thousand years ago, when the Bible was first written down. As their lives are unimaginable to us.

In the Old Testament, a marriage was sometimes between one man and one woman, but more often than not, we read that it’s between one man and several women (in King Solomon’s case, 700 women, not including concubines…) Here are some examples:

Deuteronomy 21:15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:

Exodus 21 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them….If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.

Moving forward to the time of Paul and the Gospels, things were different from the old testament, but still not the same as today; slavery was an unquestioned part of life, for example, and then there was that rule about how if your husband dies you have to marry his brother – women, did you ever look at your husband’s brother and think “he’s a nice guy, but -”

Are there enduring principals that we can take right from the 5th century BC to the 21st century AD? Yes; and here they are, I’m looking mostly in the Gospels and the Prophets: however we structure family life, we are to do it with love, and do it with justice – so that everyone is looked after, and no one is harmed.

In this time and place, it has become very difficult to keep relationships and families and communities together, we all know that. And raising children is one of the most challenging things anyone can do.

I can certainly testify to that, and there are people here, whether you know about them or not, who have showed absolutely unbelievable sacrifices, courage, strength and creativity as parents – to their biological children and to others who needed them. One of our patron saints here at HUC is Emily Follensbee a mother who worked tirelessly to ensure that there would be educational services for special needs children. Supporting that kind of effort for service to children is a heritage I am proud to be part of & to continue.

Here’s a question. Are the parents of this society well-served by a view of themselves as the only responsible people, with the assumption that everyone else is all about immediate gratification? Is making an exclusive status for parents the best way to support children? Myself, as a parent, I found that view made me feel rather lonely. And when I saw how my divorced and childless friend loved being with my children every Christmas and lots of their birthdays, how important her presence was to them, when I saw how lovingly and in what detail my never-married cousin cared for his parents, my aunt and uncle, during their old age and final illness, I felt much much less lonely in this business of family.

We really are all in this together. I think we need to be able to support each kind of tie that binds, and have the confidence that we truly have something to offer one another despite considering ourselves to be in different social categories. I’d like to think an Affirming Statement can guide us in that direction.

An Affirming statement can also remind us all to show support, not judgment, to families that are struggling. Where are kids – and grownups - going to find support in bad times and inspiration for the future? There’s only one thing I’m sure of – it won’t be where you expect it. If this church has lots of people that kids & parents might not meet on the soccer field, it has lots of potentially inspiring, supportive people they might not otherwise have known. Some of you already have that figured out, and serve as reading volunteers in the schools and children’s choir leaders and Sunday School teachers – and what a gift that is. As a parent and community member, I’m grateful for that gift. I just hope everyone here considers the possibility that they might just be that inspiring person that a child or teen needs to encounter.

One last thing.

It is my hope that an Affirming Statement can remind us all to concentrate on the crucial business of making sure no one is harmed, everyone is cared for, and that everyone knows what it is to be loved. An Affirming Statement can remind struggling families (and sooner or later, that would be all of us) that it is for God alone to judge them. Often we’re worrying about things that aren’t so important after all, and often, we have more going for us than we realize.

Here’s Isaiah: “he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”


Notes:

James Alison is a Catholic theologian who can be tough going sometimes, but if you like reading systematic theology, he’s very interesting. He has said that one of the worst forms of oppression that GLBT people face is to be told that they simply cannot be moral; believing this lie has led to much tragedy. Here’s one of the more accessible excerpts from one of his great articles:


It has been, as some cultural commentators have begun to notice [2], the particular strength of the Catholic family, and the family in majority Catholic cultures, that it has proved relatively resilient in the face of hierarchical attempts to shore up systems of goodness [Alison uses this term to mean the social systems of defining goodness, often for oppressive purposes] ,and has typically opted for the hard work of learning how to love its gay and lesbian offspring over time, including being pleased with and protective of the legal protections which their offspring and siblings are beginning to receive, rather than go along with the easy morality of absolute definitions and consequent hatred and separations which the system of goodness has sought to reinforce.

The same pattern can be seen with the question concerning the proper shape in the public sphere of same-sex coupledom. There is the political battle, concerning access to civil marriage and its rights and responsibilities, and there is the real vocational battle which goes along with, underneath, and beyond that, which can only be dwelt in over time by those undergoing it. This looks something like: “What on earth is the shape of healthy socialization into the possibility of courtship, of adolescence lived at the same time as my heterosexual peers instead of put off until much later? What forms are to be taken by adolescent hopes, fears and dates shared with family and friends instead of hidden or skirted around out of a surfeit of delicacy, shame and fear? What is it going to look like as those who “just are that way” become able, from their childhood on, to aspire uninterruptedly to a shared life with a same sex partner without having to go through the huge psychological battles of wondering whether this would ever be possible, whether such happiness was even imaginable at all, and thus without the scars of a long battle with impossibility being etched into their soul?

Even more than this: what sort of gift to family, Church and society are same-sex couples going to be? What sort of sign of divine blessing and creativity are they going to be? In what ways are gay and straight couples and families going to be “for” each other in the future, beyond the little hints offered by “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” of a heretofore unimagined outpouring of fabulosity and fashion sense among straight males? It seems that gay couples find themselves having to create, imagine, and negotiate every area of their togetherness, because they cannot rely on some tradition of what seems “natural”.

Just so, might not such couples be found to have something to offer those for whom the very fact of the apparent naturalness of their heterosexual togetherness actually makes it more difficult for them to become viable creators of coupledom and family? This seems to be happening as it becomes clearer all over the world how much less “nature” has to do with forming the basis of opposite-sex coupling than was thought to be the case, and how much more it is shifting patterns of power, desire and money, that are at work. It will, I suspect, be only over time that, by dwelling in the place of shame [this is another specific term used by Alison, to refer to a social definition] without reactivity, and without resentment, letting go of superficial bids for approval and short-term solutions, that we will begin to glimpse the shape of our vocations to create living signs for each other in this sphere.

© James Alison. London, Oaxaca, San Jose and Omaha, August – September 2005.

The Weekly Lunch

The spectacular kitchen and associated kitchen-aids are one of the best kept secrets at Hillhurst. How often do you get to use not one but up to three powerful gas stoves and about a thousand different utensils and dishes of all sorts? All of the tools are there and available to volunteers who make the weekly post-service lunch.

Check out some behind-the-scenes photos from this week's soup-a-thon.

HUC - AN AFFIRMING CONGREGATION?

UPCOMING EVENTS

On Sunday, June 22, there will be a vote on a Affirming Statement.

Congregation members are invited to attend an information meeting on Monday, May 26, at 7:00 pm. There will be an opportunity to view a DVD about 3 Affirming congregations in 3 provinces of Canada, and meet with representatives from Calgary’s other Affirming congregations This is an opportunity to discuss questions about the practical implications of adopting an Affirming statement.

A potential Hillhurst statement is posted below, and all comments are welcome. In May 2008, the latest draft of the statement will be circulated in the bulletin each Sunday.

Should a majority support adoption of the statement, we will proceed with an application to Affirm United; their involvement ensures that the Affirming name identifies a congregation that is truly a place where people will find hearts that are open as well as doors that are open. A service of celebration would follow that, likely in the fall. Our website and other publications would identify us as Affirming thereafter.

ONGOING WORK

Our ongoing work of learning will continue in the fall of 2008 with a focus on hearing one another’s stories, creatively managing conflict, and seeing God’s light in one another. The learning gained through our discussion of sexual minorities will take us into our efforts to address homelessness in Calgary and much much more.

There will be further opportunities to learn how to provide a welcome to, and receive the spiritual gifts of, those who may not be able to count on a welcome in all churches, and in particular those who are bisexual, transgender, lesbian or gay.

There will be continued opportunities to view the Afifrming DVD, and the documentary For The Bible Tells Me So, both of which are on loan here.

And - whatever else the Spirit brings our way…..What do you see as future possibilities?

HISTORY OF AFFIRMING AT HILLHURST

An introductory message was delivered at Hillhurst’s 2006 Annual General Meeting on Pentecost, June 2006. A group of congregation members interested in participating in a process of discernment met over the course of the subsequent 7 months, holding informal conversations regarding the nature, need and process of an affirming initiative. Representatives from this group first met with the Hillhurst Church Board on January 17, 2007 and preliminary authorization was granted for the Affirming Committee to proceed with exploratory discussions, and to make known to the congregation that such discussions were underway.

The formal aspect of the discussion was launched on February 13, 2007, when written information was made available to the congregation outlining the basis and aims of the Affirm United program, and a sampling of Affirming Statements was posted and circulated. At the March 18, 2007 Annual General Meeting, there was a discussion of the role of the Affirming discernment process at Hillhurst. Written information was provided. Educational events on sexual orientation and gender identity, led by the Calgary Sexual Health Centre, were held on May 10 and 13, 2007 and on January 13, 2008.

On March 31 there was a gathering which emphasized listening to the stories of others' lived experience.

In addition, informal discussions have continued, and worship services have included a variety of opportunities to meditate both on our own inclusiveness generally and on our openness to GLBT participation and ministry specifically.


WHAT ABOUT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE?

The congregation’s leadership made a decision on this before the introduction of Affirming in June 2006. The Board of Hillhurst United passed a vote in April 2006 to make this a church that will solemnize same-sex weddings. The Affirming statement would be a sign of the congregation’s commitment to full inclusion in marriage as part of full participation in congregational life.

“In God's family, there are no outsiders. All are insiders. Black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight, Jew and Arab, Palestinian and Israeli, Roman Catholic and Protestant, Serb and Albanian, Hutu and Tutsi, Muslim and Christian, Pakistani and Indian, Buddhist and Hindu - all belong....God's dream wants us to be brothers and sisters, wants us to be family...In our world we can survive only together. We can be human only together..”.
Desmond Tutu

WHAT IS AN AFFIRMING CONGREGATION?

Affirming Ministries are local churches, presbyteries, conferences, educational centres, theological schools and outreach ministries which have made a public statement that they will welcome bisexuals, transgender people, lesbians, gay men, and their families in all areas of ministry; promote reconciliation for lesbian, transgendered, bisexual and gay people in Church and society; and minister to and with people of various sexual orientations and gender identities.

Affirm United is a national program for United Church congregations and ministries that has been in place since 1992. This program is envisioned as a means of support and education for justice-seeking Ministries. (Their website is http://affirmunited.ca/)

To be Affirming is to affirm that each individual in our community is worthy of being ministered to with respect to who they are, seen in light of the teachings of Jesus. Social constructs of any kind (see below for discussion of other minorities) may blind us to the individuality of another person, preventing us from seeing them as Jesus taught us. The national program recognizes that ministries with all persons who may feel separated from the church are important. In our time, the exclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals is one of the largest tests of the of the inclusiveness of the church, and we are better equipped to face other issues of separation when we have faced this one.


WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BECOME AN AFFIRMING CONGREGATION?

A. A statement of faith concerning the inclusion of bisexuals, transgender individuals, lesbians and gay men in the life and work of the Ministry
B. A continuing plan of action for the Ministry
C. A commitment to the Affirming Ministry Program nationally
D. An inclusive marriage policy (required since February 2007)

WHAT ABOUT OTHER MINORITIES – IS THIS A PROGRAM FOR THEM, TOO ?

In order to become an Affirming Ministry, a congregation must go through an educational process that reflects on what it means to be inclusive and evaluates our openness to the ongoing work of being intentional about how we both welcome and include others within the life and work of our ministry. The national kit says “We hope that you will look at a variety of areas that may be barriers to those coming to your community, agism, sexism, racism, ablism, classism and in particular to the Affirming Ministry the issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. The advice we have received from many Affirming Ministries is that this discussion must include as many groups as possible.“ This is borne out by Affirming Statements adopted across Canada.


HOW MANY AFFIRMING CONGREGATIONS ARE THERE IN CANADA?

Of approximately 4000 congregations in Canada, 38 are designated Affirming.

HOW HOW MANY AFFIRMING CONGREGATIONS ARE THERE IN ALBERTA?

3 are in Edmonton. Deer Park, Knox and Wild Rose United have become Affirming Congregations in Calgary. Scarboro has recently adopted an Affirming statement. There are several other Calgary congregations that have a group looking into this.

WHAT MAKES AN AFFIRMING CONGREGATION DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER CONGREGATION IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE UNPREDJUDICED AND WELCOMING?

As the national program reminds us, to be in ministry to and with all involves an attitude of sensitivity and openness to the gifts and graces of each person in the body of Christ. It requires an appreciation that teaching and learning are a two-way process of mutual listening and understanding. This is not always easy and takes some specific efforts to hear others’ stories.

When a congregation is designated as Affirming, it is showing to all who arrive there that it has taken on a period of reflection regarding barriers to participation and belonging. This can be an important reassurance to someone who is unsure of whether the church is a place in which they can feel safe to be themselves, and where they will not be required to hide a minority sexual orientation. In the past, the Church, in its broadest definition, has actively sought to exclude members of the GLBT community. The Affirming process seeks to reconcile the wrongs of that active exclusion.

“In God's family, there are no outsiders. All are insiders. Black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight, Jew and Arab, Palestinian and Israeli, Roman Catholic and Protestant, Serb and Albanian, Hutu and Tutsi, Muslim and Christian, Pakistani and Indian, Buddhist and Hindu - all belong....God's dream wants us to be brothers and sisters, wants us to be family...In our world we can survive only together. We can be human only together..”.
Desmond Tutu

DRAFT AFFIRMING STATEMENT

This is a draft statement that could be adopted by Hillhurst:

Hillhurst United Church commits to be an inclusive community of faith that follows in the Way of Jesus under the banner 'whoever you are, wherever you're at, we welcome you on the journey.'
We strive to accept each other as equals and welcome the ministry and participation of all persons regardless of age, gender identity, health, race, sexual orientation, differing abilities, religious or ethnic background or economic circumstance.
We hope that in all that we do, including our worship and community life, God's unconditional love is experienced. We do this trusting God is with us on the journey.'

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Note: While the statement includes various potential sources of exclusion, the primary educational focus in the past year has been sexual orientation, for reasons outlined above. The Outreach Committee is now forming plans to extend that education to the other areas mentioned in the statement. We hope this will be an ongoing - and expanding - part of our work.

Giving Light for Christmas

This is year 2 of an initiative of the Hillhurst United Church Outreach Committee. It began from our desire to offer alternatives to the commercialism of Christmas, and the name came from a desire to have a positive focus.

Many of us genuinely want to treat our family and friends over the Christmas season but, at the same time, we feel uncomfortable with the overwhelming consumerism that our culture has come to associate with the holidays. Is there a way of giving gifts that allows us to demonstrate our appreciation for loved ones yet is relatively light on the environment and beneficial to our community?

In our city today, we are the target of many marketing efforts, many of them simply material, some of them spiritual. Where previous generations found their identity in what they produced, today we often find our identity in what we consume. But there is a point at which abundance becomes clutter. Can Christian practice re-direct that consumption-based identity to a way of celebrating based on generosity and gratitude?

We believe it's possible. As children know, tradition is a living thing.

It’s not a matter of moral or theological purity, so don’t let this be another pressure (like the Martha Stewart magazine is for some of us!); this is an invitation see where God has been born into our midst, an invitation to connect with a "transformative compassion for the world", however you may find that.

Our list of ideas will initially be published on this blog - we welcome your additions to this list, which you can contribute by adding a comment below. The posts will be updated regularly through November and the beginning of December to reflect your contributions. There is a post for each of the following categories: Movies/Books/Music, Crafts and Gifts to Make, Gifts to Buy, Giving to the Wider Community, Family and Community Events.

Also, a version of this material will be made available in printed form at the back of the sanctuary mid-way through November and through Advent. This list will hopefully grow with your contributions.

“Knowing the giver in each gift, we can set ourselves free from small desires and awake to Gods desire in everything.”

Here is a link to a recent article in the Globe and Mail about giving gifts to childen and teenagers. It's not specifically religious, but I take the liberty of posting it because it gets to the heart of why we give gifts, and provides some reassurance about where to draw the line and why:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071127.wxlpeers27/BNStory/lifeFamily/home

Wider Giving

Giving to the poorest of the poor is an ancient Christmas tradition. The importance of opening our hearts to those less fortunate than ourselves is the point of many of our most beloved Christmas stories and songs. There's A Christmas Carol, of course. And Good King Wenceslaus said - "Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing."

If you ask around, you will find many creative ways people in our congregation share their treasure with others - in the city and across the world.

Ideally, we would be connected with all the people we give to, the people we pray for; we would seek to know and understand them. Unfortunately, there is always a risk in making donations, especially on behalf of recipients across the world, that your donation will not reach its intended destination or fulfull its intended purpose. This is a reality of our busy and complex world, but perhaps that is a limitation that can be transcended with faithful perseverence. The list below is a sharing of possibilities, not a thoroughly researched endorsement of any particular organization. We can only recommend that you check out any charity as much as possible before making a donation.

One of the newer ways of giving is offered by Christmas Future. Find out more about them at: http://www.christmasfuture.org/

NEWS FLASH: On Sunday, November 18, Jay Baydala of Christmas Future was at Hillhurst United. After church, he discussed his own experience with the organization, which is described on its website as being "a passionate movement of people empowering a non-profit organization that advances us – all of us – everyday closer to eradicating extreme poverty."

World Vision has a gift catalogue which has ideas for how individuals and groups can give concrete assistance to others; some of these can work as familiy or group activities. This is a very suitable format for making a charitable donation in someone else's name as a gift to both. The website is: www2.worldvision.ca/gifts/app

World Vision's website at worldvision.ca has lots of other ideas, too. At least one congregation member is a longtime supporter of World Vision, and may be able to provide more information.

Kiva.org is another really interesting way to leverage Christmas giving. Kiva is actually a web interface between lender and lendee and facilitates wonderful microfinance, allowing the 'fisher' to buy his or her own 'rod' and 'net' and develop a proper business. The lender does not receive interest, but the principal is fully repaid over time. Then the money can be re-loaned and re-loaned and re-loaned... http://www.kiva.org/

Spread the Net is an organization that aims to stop the spread of malaria by distributing mosquito nets in Africa. You can buy the nets for $10.00 each. More explained here: www.spreadthenet.org/c_learn_malaria_en.aspx

Ten Thousand Villages (mentioned in the "Gifts to Buy" section as a source of fair trade items) has a Living Gift Festival which kicks off on November 24. They provide a selection of items to donate in someone's name, and cards that explain the donation. They also run a school kits campaign, which donates items gathered specifically for a child; this is another very concrete way children can be involved in wider giving.

Here's the link for Canada Food for the Hungry's 2007 Christmas Catalogue

http://www.cfhi.ca/Gifts;jsessionid=0a0004471f4310287d42c7644ee6b724c7df9f043199.e3iKaNePch4Re34Pa38Ta38Pbh50

Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan is one of the most interesting groups around. They provide an opportunity to give gift donations or just donations, see http://www.w4wafghan.ca/

The World Wildlife Fund has interesting 'adopt a species' gifts:
http://www.wwf.ca/HowYouCanHelp/PandaStore/PandaStore.asp

Family and Community Activities

What can you do to celebrate with friends and relatives of various ages? Do you want to involve children in an activity other than opening presents? Of course, the great Advent and Christmas events at Hillhurst United are a terrific place to start with this! But if you've still got blank spaces on your calendar and want to celebrate with friends and/or relations, here are some ideas from the congregation:

1. Story night - We started a tradition of getting together some time in December with extended family and reading stories. This brings every new reader on board with a very simple story and gives dads a chance to read funny poems or stories; gives moms a chance to read sentimental ones. Even the older kids have started to look forward to this evening and ask when it will be. Busy people can pick out something at the last minute, and meticulous people can find just the right story in November. You can write and illustrate your own stories, perhaps from family lore (see the "Gifts to Make" section).

2. Advent candles - Usually, we did it on the Sunday evenings of Advent. The more "bling bling" in an advent candle the better, like the little angels that go around. Turn out all the lights that you can safely get away with. Let everyone eat in the living room for once. Light the appropriate number of candles and sing songs. Read them a story that can be divided into four parts (or five, with the last one on Christmas Eve). Before kids are older and busier, you can do this almost every night; there are several books that work for this, and a few Advent Calendars available that come with stories for every day. Heck, you can write your own story every day! Or poem.

3. Skating in Bowness Park (there are lights and bonfires during evenings in December) or Olympic Plaza (there are events there on some December weekend nights, and there tends to be "seasonal music" played over the sound system).

4. Family sport days at City of Calgary Leisure Centres or Talisman Centre - taking someone else's kids to these might make a great gift, too. These usually involve getting wet.

5. Public Library Christmas-theme story events - see your local one in the Library listing booklet. These can book up fast, unfortunately.

6. The City of Calgary Arts Centres - Wildflower and North Mount Pleasant put on Christmas-themed arts and craft sessions for kids only and for kids with adults; the "family" ones are a great way to bond with sons, daughters, neices, nephews.

7. Again with the City of Calgary, the December Bird Count will occur the morning of Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, but they ask that you pre-register. You can also have your own bird count on Christmas Day, this is a tradition in some places.

8. An idea from Gifts from the Heart (see introductory post): hold a baby shower for Baby Jesus, with gifts of real baby items,and donate them to a transition house, shelter, etc.

Comment: this would work very well with a reading of the story about Papa Panov's Christmas by Leo Tolstoy; there seem to be a lot of versions of this great story on the internet, here's one: www.devon.gov.uk/dcs/re/papa/index.html

9. Gifts from the Heart also has a lot of suggestions about ways kids and families can raise money for charity or volunteer together; Sports oriented families, for example, can help with Special Olympics events or donate gently used equipment.

Visits to seniors'homes can be arranged fairly easily. There is an Inn from the Cold here at Hillhurst on Dec. 15, which may be the volunteer opportunity you are looking for.

Does anyone have specific ideas in the Calgary area?

Gifts (etc.) to Buy

1. Items that people need anyway – If a plain pair of socks seems boring, give a “special” pair of socks. Giving items that the recipient needs anyway lightens the impact on the environment. You can make an item extra-special by purchasing a luxurious version or by making it yourself.

2. Local craft fairs – Shopping at local craft shows help local artists and can reduce the environmental costs of long-distance transportation. Buying functional pieces means that the gift plays both artistic and functional roles.

Here are some that we know about in the Calgary area:

The Arusha Centre is holding a Calgary Dollars Holiday Market on Wednesday, Dec. 12 from 7 to 9 pm at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association, 1320 - 5 Ave. N.W. (just down the street from the church). For more information, here is the poster:

http://arusha.org/event/8878

The Ploughshares Peace Fair is on November 17, 2007 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm at St. David’s United Church, 3303 Capitol Hill Cres. NW. For more information please visit http://www.ploughsharescalgary.ca/. Crafts & fair trade articles will be available.

Looking for a unique and affordable gift for a loved one this Christmas? Come to L’Arche Calgary’s Annual Christmas Sale on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 from 11:00 am – 3:30 pm. Sale items include paintings, aprons, Christmas cards, and various arts and crafts made in the Day Program. [Note: l'Arche was formed by Jean Vanier, who was mentioned in John's sermon on Nov. 4].

3. Fair-trade and organic products – The “fair trade” label on products suggests that producers (primarily from less wealthy countries) have been paid a fair price for their product. In Canada many of us love to indulge in chocolate and coffee – buying free-trade organic options makes these pleasures a little less “guilty” because it guarantees that producers are fairly paid, allowing them to re-invest in their land . These products can be purchased at many places, including

Ten Thousand Villages (220 Crowchild Trail NW)

also, check for where various items are available at:
members.shaw.ca/calgarynosweat/fairtrade_nosweat_list.htm

The Centre for Public Interest Accounting at the Haskayne School of Business (U of C) is putting on Fair Trade Week 2007 with major events from Nov. 20 to Nov. 24.

Check out their fairly traded market day - support fair trade vendors as they expose diverse and rich products coming from all over the world.

Sat, Nov. 24, 2007
10am to 4pm
Westgate Community Hall
4943 - 8th Ave. S.W.

Here's the page for their whole list of Fair Trade Week activities:
www.ucalgary.ca/cpia/web/future_events.html

And speaking of Fair Trade and Organic products, we can't forget the United Church's own WonderCafe Fair Trade Organic Coffee; it's really a promotion for the Wondercafe website, along with mugs, t-shirts, disposable cups and sleeves, but for the right person, it could be just the thing: www.emergingspirit.ca/~emerging/wondercafe_products

4. You can reduce waste from wrapping paper, ribbons, bows and tape by opting for gift bags, tea towels or nice boxes, which are eco-friendly. Wrap gifts in newspaper, maps, scarves or interesting clothing.

5. Older folks - Don't sweat the presents for them. In my experience, they really want to spend time with you more than anything. Pictures with them and the kids sent later seem to be big hits as well as their favorite foods. It's good for the kids to be along on these visits, ultimately everyone gets something out of it; the kids get a sense of Christmas being more than "more stuff" and the older folks get - just what they wished for, your presence. (This suggestion is doubled up in the "Gifts to Make" section, too.)

6. Wider giving in someone's name/honour - see the "Wider Giving" section for a list of donations that can be made in various ways; some of these are very concrete, such as buying goats, mosquito nets, etc. and allow you to give friend/relative a card which announces the item you have bought on their behalf.

Crafts and Gifts to Make

From last year's list.......

1. Service - Certificates for supper at a restaurant, a spa treatment, a music lesson, etc can be lighter environmentally and can help local entrepreneurs. Offering services yourself (such as landscaping, washing windows or shoveling snow) is also a great option.

2. Plants - I put this is "Gifts to Make" because it's this is especially good if the plants are native outdoor varieties, so you need to do some prep; You may have to give a gift certificate this time of year but then you can offer to plant it in the spring! (Easter would be perfect if the weather is right).

3. Tickle trunk – Make a tickle trunk with an old trunk or suitcase filled with used clothing, hats and jewelry. This is a great opportunity to express your own creativity - you can decorate the trunk or suitcase and you can add homemade items. You can continually add new props for subsequent birthdays and holidays.

4. Stories – Write a story for children on your list and illustrate it yourself. You can have lots of fun with the illustrations – use outlines so that children can colour them, create “dot-to-dot” images, etc. Children will like your hand-drawn images (even if you draw like me!) but if you prefer you can make collages or download clipart & images from the internet. See the "Family and Community Activity" section for Story Night ideas to showcase these......

5. Bountiful baskets – Fill a basket of homemade and/or purchased items. Great homemade options include baking, homemade candies or preserves and cookie mix.

6. A calendar for family with everyone's photos and birthdays. Grandparents love these.

7. Books on tape are great if you have two or three people on your list that will enjoy the same book, it only costs time! Grandchildren, neices and nephews love these.

8. A hand made recipe book including a compilation of recipes from your family, and your friends' families. If you do not have time to complete this for this year, you can start collecting recipes now for next year!

9. Make a puppet (hand-or finger- sized) from a sock or glove.

10. Bake your favourite holiday treat and pack in a recycled tin.

11. Paint an empty wine bottle with non-toxic paint and fill with olive oil. Top with an oil pour spout that can be found at a gourmet cooking shop.

12. Make a birdseed ball. (If you start to feed birds, you need to keep feeding them for the rest of the winter)

13. Start a stamp collection for a child with the stamps that you receive from Christmas cards.

14. Baking or cooking kit with non-perishable ingredients mixed and a recipe for final preparation; stay tuned for some actual recipes here!!

15. See the "Family and Community Activity" section for things you can do with kids - if you do these with your kids, the activities are the gift of your time (and possibly some sports equipment, entry fees, etc.) If you're doing them with someone else's kids, well, it's a gift of time, attention and fun for the kids and - some time for their parent(s), too.

16. Older folks - Don't sweat the presents for them. In my experience, they really want to spend time with you more than anything. Pictures with them and the kids sent later seem to be big hits as well as their favorite foods. It's good for the kids to be along on these visits, ultimately everyone gets something out of it; the kids get a sense of Christmas being more than "more stuff" and the older folks get - just what they wished for, your presence. (This suggestion is doubled up in the "Gifts to Buy" section, too.)

Movies/Books/Music

Books

There are some terrific children's books around for Christmas, and more are being published all the time.

I'll start with The House of Wooden Santas by Kevin Major. Kids from 8 to 11 might be the best audience for this one although younger kids would get something out of it, too. The cool thing about this book is that it's got a chapter for every day of December, so for kids who have time to hear a chapter every evening it's a great Advent ritual. Here's a synopsis: Jesse and his mother face the challenges of making a new life in a small town. But it's hard. Jesse has no friends, and his mother's carved wooden Santas aren't selling. Will there even be a Christmas? Jesse wonders. But before the season is out, Jesse and his mom discover the true spirit of Christmas.
Some themes in the book are: diversity(especially among different generations), change, depression, hope, giving people (including yourself) a second chance.

A story for everyone (mentioned also in the family activities post) is Leo Tolstoy's story about Papa Panov; unless you read Russian, you will have to choose from among many translations; there are some lovely editions in the library and in bookstores; here's one of several versions from the internet:
www.devon.gov.uk/dcs/re/papa/index.html

You may want to check an excellent-looking book called Gifts from the Heart: Simple Ways to Make Your Family's Christmas More Meaningful by Virginia Brucker, who is based in BC. It was published in Canada in 2006 as a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society.

There are chapters on Christmas and divorce, Christmas and illness and bereavement, ideas for long-distance parenting and grandparenting, as well as recipes and child-friendly craft ideas.

Yes, there's a website: www.webelieve.ca.



Movies

Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas) is a 2005 film about the World War I Christmas truce of December 1914, which is available on DVD; best for Junior High or older children and adults. There's even a Wikipedia entry on it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyeux_Noël

The Long Walk Home stars Whoopie Goldberg in the only role in which she ever played a "servant" character; it is a dramatization of the bus boycotts in the US South, and the Black woman who wouldn't sit at the back of the bus. A few significant scenes in this movie take place at Christmas. In the Christmas scenes, the material opulence and spiritual poverty of the white employers' Christmas is contrasted with the material poverty and spiritual strength of the servant's family, although the latter is clearly fragile in the face of many challenges. There's sort of a child's eye view used, but the movie would be most meaningful to adults and children who are mature enough to understand concepts like racism. It's really very uplifting, but you might need Kleenex!