Country Preacher’s Notes

Dayenu: A Song Reminder For Us To Never Forget

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 20:57:51 GMT

At first, if you don’t know the word, try to say it with your inner voice … DAYENU. Then say it out loud – Da-ye-nu – like a child trying to say something for the first time … Repeat it with more confidence … Finally see if you can do it while you are laughing – Da-da-da-ye-nu !!!

Over the past thousand years “DAYENU” has been the refrain line of a Hebrew children’s song sung by Jewish families at their Passover Feast. An adult will sing the multiple verses (one-at-a-time) and everyone will respond with “DAYENU” … which means “It would be enough”. It is about never forgetting to be thankful for the gifts we have received...

Faithful Jewish people know the historical stories they rehearse every time they touch their home’s doorway Mezuzah (and repeat the Shema). Repeatedly their story-song stanzas tell about leaving slavery (in Egypt),

about the miracles they witness as they journey through the wilderness, and about what it means to be with their God… The stories are recalled with such spontaneity that the reminder is “to never forget the miracles of our lives”. DAYENU – it is enough!

Ukrainian President Zelensky, even in the midst of today’s violence and devastation in his homeland, repeats the Passover song with his Jewish family. “DAYENU”.

In this year 2022 when Passover and Good Friday occur on the same day, we non-Jews, as we sing, can give meaning with additional stories … about masks and social distancing … about the hardships of needing to learn

to meet by zoom and stay away from the places where we normally congregate … about truck convoys … race riots … children’s unmarked graves … environmental degradation …

On the one hand we ask “Will it ever be enough?” even while we are think of the blessings we ignore. DAYENU – sometimes it is sung with the voice of the grieving, sometimes with the voices of children at play … “We must TRY to never forget!”

Barbara Bizou writes “this song/prayer said at the Passover Meal … provides a powerful contemporary outlook on life, a call to mindfulness about the way we currently lead our lives.”

An additional verse is added in Christian hymn books. It invites all of us to celebrate our God-given freedom gifts -

But our God who holds the banquet

Calls the whole invited world into freedom.

Opens up the new creation

DAYENU. DA-DA-DA-YE-NU-U

(In the Easter tradition the last verse of this song and its refrain can be sung any time. See Hymn 131 in “Voices United”, a hymn book of The United Church of Canada.)

Saying What’s In Your Heart

Sat, 09 Apr 2022 15:53:53 GMT

( Apologies are never easy. It takes time to unload the baggage. That’s what I learned when I was helping our community to neighbour with folks from the Piikani Nation. The story happened at the turn of the New

Century.)

It was the way our local Chief spat out the term “missionary” when he addressed our Annual NAPI Friendship Association meeting that upset me.

I sought advice from Elisa, my friend and advisor. After carefully questioning me, and agreeing that both Natives and non-natives needed to “clean up” their attitude and their language, she suggested I go

to the Chief, ask for a meeting and then tell him “I have it in my heart (to say what needs to be said)”.

I stopped by his office … and then later tried to phone to get an appointment … I received no contact … but by this time I had practised several versions of what I might say.

One day I saw the Chief walk through the door of the local Co-op where I was having coffee … So I boldly walked up to ask for an appointment. “Tell me what you want now!” was his reply.

I gulped air because I didn’t feel “ready” … but tentatively started to explain how I felt about him discrediting the very Ministerial Association from the community that had worked with the Piikani people to found the NAPI Friendship Association 10 years previous. “I felt embarrassed lest any White church people heard you speak. We Whites have certainly had to learn how to edit what we say.”

The Chief listened … and told his story about all the colonial wrongs he could name … Then with a dismissal-handshake we continued on our own ways.

Two months later when we were holding the annual Pow Wow in the Town Arena and the Natives were doing an Honour Dance for Eliza in her wheel-chair (from the car accident she survived last year). She saw me in

the stands and beckoned for me to join-in at the end of the dance-line.

The Chief, in his white buckskin, and the flag-bearers quietly danced around the circumference of the arena. But when they stopped, the Chief immediately walked down the line to where I stood, shook my hand and

greeted me with “OKI”. With tears in my eyes I said my “Thank You” … (and I never again heard him speak with anything but respect when he talked about missionaries.)

This past week when the Pope so graciously spoke with the Aboriginal / Inuit / Metis visitors in the Vatican of his sorrow, I couldn’t help but think that Her Majesty must have been signaling “Thumbs up” for him saying what was in his heart.

Relics Can Make Valuable Contributions

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 20:49:46 GMT

I’m thinking about we relic-like older senior citizens who still have contributions to make to our society. Unfortunately, too many non-relics in the community have chosen to pat our arm and simply turn their attention elsewhere.

They forget these “little old ladies (and men)” are survivors who still have much to offer by way of wisdom, insight and understanding.

Maybe we are 80+, live in a Seniors’ Residence, have major health issues and require a certain amount of supportive help … But we don’t appreciate people wanting to simply entertain us as they expect us to wait

for our expiry date to draw nigh.

Himself an older senior, Ralph Milton writes “those who are seriously old are simply invisible”. He laments, “there is a wealth of wisdom, experience and spiritual insight that now is vanishing down the social drainpipe”. (Broadview Magazine, March 2022)

Indeed we are a significant part of Canada’s untapped resource – hidden relics who most easily offer our best when we interact with others. As we share stories with children, ask teenagers for their ideas, laugh with young couples … and encourage newly minted retirees …our resourcefulness becomes apparent.

It might be of interest, for example, for current members of a family to know why their Great-Grandparents had to flee from Minnesota to Canada when German immigrants were being harassed in the last century.

Or it may be that a Grandparent can add to a conversation about water shortages. She remembers when it was better to use a shower instead of a tub when she lived in a Mission House in South Korea in the 60s … Enjoy her laugh as she told about using public bathhouse facilities.

Getting back to again thinking about how valuable we older senior relics can be … “We may be our country’s and our church’s greatest untapped natural resource”. Milton concludes “What do we need? We need to be taken seriously.”

Our Greatest Canadian Story, Almost Forgotten Until Now

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 11:33:35 GMT

Our Greatest Canadian Story, Almost Forgotten Until Now – review notes by Joyce Sasse

The disastrous conditions of the 1930s and the incredible work that saved the Prairies is a history-making story that has brought fame and prosperity to Canada. But it has been almost forgotten … until now!

In this Summer of 2021, when the reality of Western Canada’s drought and excessive heat is couched alongside the angst of Covid19, James Gray’s book “Men Against the Desert” makes for a heartening read. It shows how it is possible for desperate people to succeed against impossible odds because they dedicated themselves to work together.

The almost forgotten reality of this come-around success story is summarized in the “Introductory Notes” journalist James Gray wrote.

He starts by telling us about the stories he collected that resulted in “the conquest of the desert (conditions) in the Palliser Triangle … The greatest Canadian success story since the completion of the CPR” … Then he backs his notes up with an amazing collection of facts. All of this happened in “The 1930s”.

The makings for this drifting desert occurred at the same time as the peril of the global depression (of the 30s) threatened global finances.

“Canada couldn’t have survived economically or politically” Gray wrote, if the Prairie desert wasteland (of the early 30s) had persisted. But because of the combined and dedicated efforts of the farmers, the agriculturalists, the scientists, the university researchers working together, their problem-solving possibilities gradually showed promise.

It took leadership … and it took trust. It took believing in the impossible … And in putting together plentiful insights from a dedicated variety of people.

The steadfast employees from the Dominion Experimental Farms gave leadership and muscle and equipment to mount the necessary rehabilitative campaign.

“The agricultural engineers and university researchers, the soil scientists, entomologists, plant breeders and animal husbandmen often worked around the clock with the farmers in the fields” … Even while 50,000 of those farmers went bankrupt and were forced to live on relief.

And the optimists who fought the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (P.F.R.A.) into existence were able to accomplish what most people thought to be impossible.

Remember also, all of this was done in an era when any thought about Federal-Provincial collaborations was barely a figment of the imagination. Truthfully the desert-emergency was humongous! … But it is amazing how the combination of ideas slowly came to be reality!

Over a period of 5 years it rained just enough to give the desert-fighters a chance.

Top soil was imperative, whatever topsoil they could keep was more precious than gold. In 1937 “barb wire fences were built around half a dozen wastelands.” With the right selections for seeding and with careful management, out of a total of 500,000 acres they managed to restore a few thousand acres. That marked a beginning.

At the same time it was necessary to “teach 100,000 farmers how to farm” by the new standards that were necessary.

“Only the Federal Government could finance the kind of effort that was needed.” But it was the provinces and municipalities who could access land … and had connections with “the people (who) were at the bottom of the problem”. A “dominion-provincial-municipal super-body was needed to master-plan the project”.

Complicated though it was, the P.F.R.A. did come into existence. It was given life by the personnel of the Experimental Farms and the planners who started finding ways to use every drop of water they could collect.

Many heroes … many dreams … many individuals sharing leadership … Such dedication!

“Stopping the dust storms and containing the desert was (still) not enough. The whole face of Western Canada had to be radically altered … and in the process the agricultural industry had to be revolutionized.”

However the results, as we now know, are fabulous … Just remember that fabulous crops have never been grown by accident.

As a result, the productive miracles regularly reaped by Prairie farmers are now known all over the world. Canadian agricultural producers show amazing leadership.

This epic saga needs to be studied and retold again and again to each generation.

Remember this. In the beginning it was ignorance that led to such a terrible environmental catastrophe. But with massive numbers of individuals dedicating themselves to work together, their efforts became a reality.

Rather than being a cry of despair, “Next Year Country” became a statement of HOPE!

Now, as our climate-changes again threaten us, we dare not forget the more complete story of “The Thirties”!

(Men Against the Desert, by James H. Gray, was published in 1968 by Western Producer Prairie Books)

Spiritual Gleanings & Annora Brown

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 14:12:13 GMT

Annora Brown’s High Water Adventure – notes by Joyce Sasse
(35 years later, in her autobiographical book “Sketches from Life”, pioneer artist Annora Brown recounted a magical day spent along the shore of Cameron Lake in Waterton Park… The best I can do is try to tell the highlights.)
When the afternoon sun melts the mountain glacier snows, I can almost hear Annora Brown describe one of her most delightful but challenging experiences. It started with a friend rowing her by boat to the “far end of Cameron lake”. There she disembarked and let her curiosity lead her forward … to see what magic she might find on the plateau above the lake.
“Taking my lunch and my sketch-book in a bag on my shoulder”, she explained, she found a dry stream-bed along the water’s edge and pulled herself upward, rock by rock.
“Coming up over the edge of the brown cliff, I stepped into heaven”. There, at the foot of the glacier, she saw shoulder-high rainbows of wild flowers. Breasting her way through them, she came on “a tiny hidden lake on which floated icebergs the size of small buildings”.
The water was so clear she could see the blue bases of the icebergs – and then “saw further down into the brown depths below”.
“There is something so heady about the combination of flowers and snow” she wrote … “The time flowed over me. I could not even sketch.”
Annora’s words were so beautifully descriptive: the bowed heads of the purple fleabanes … the weight of a bumble bee on a leaf … a humming bird buzzing her red hat-band … the song of a white-throated sparrow … and “the chatting of a tumultuous stream.”
It was a humbling afternoon spent at a time, she said, when others, thousands of miles away, were having their homes bombed. (cf. W.W. II)
“With that solemn thought in mind, I returned to the edge of the cliff to find the dry stream bed that would lead me back to the shore.” Imagine her surprise! She kept returning to the spot she was sure she had marked … “But the place where the dry bed should have been was a rushing torrent.”
It was then that she realized the effect of the warm sun on the glacier’s ice! “There was only one thing to do … without slipping on the wet stones, I picked my way back slowly rock-by-rock through the icy torrent”.
When she finally got back to Cameron’s lake-short-line, she found her friend sitting despondently by the boat. While her friend had caught her limit of trout, a gopher stole the lunch she laid on a rock for a moment.
“With one of us dripping wet and the other ravenous, we covered the three miles of rowing and the fifteen miles of torturous mountain road (back to the Waterton townsite) in record time.”
Each June as I hear about the rising stream-flows along the edge of the mountains, my mind recalls how fulfilling that afternoon must have been for Annora. The grace of the Almighty’s gift in such moments is precious beyond measure.

Studying How the Sacred Touches Our Lives

Wed, 26 May 2021 20:49:42 GMT

When colleagues and friends honoured me recently and helped me celebrate the granting of a Doctor of Divinity Degree from St. Andrew’s Theological College (University of Saskatchewan), others asked “What does a Doctor of Divinity University Degree mean?”
Furthermore, when a very astute newspaper reporter questioned my explanation that “Divinity” was one of the basic studies of the Sciences that are at the heart of University Education … I knew I had to try to find the words to explain what the recognition of my new status implied.
It’s not hard to name studies in Physics, Engineering, Medicine or even Literature to be a “Science”. We understand, as an example, a “Doctorate in Agricultural Science” is about very focused studies in Agriculture.
But what of “Theology” – defined as “the systematic study of the nature of the divine” … the study of “the spiritual”? The question is, what does this academic discipline mean? And how is it possible that people of various religious persuasions really can study spiritual matters together, even though they usually end up with a variety of different conclusions?
Theology is not just about studying Scripture … or learning the history of a religion … or the different ways we interpret ethics and morality … It is not just about how a Rabbi or an Imam or an Aboriginal Elder may lead discussions with students … It has to do with all of these things and so much more!
Some Colleges focus on Biblically-based Christian theology. There are also Schools of Islamic Theology, Jewish Theology, etc. All of them have to do with “the study of God”. In today’s Global World many of us now enjoy making opportunity to dialogue with each-other and thus learn with and from each other.
As we study “Theology”, it is important for us to consider the key relationships we share: with the Divine, with Nature and with other human beings. Someone once reminded us it is as if we are connected with Mother Nature by her umbilical-cord!
Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that “lay people” (as well as “professionals”) regularly give consideration to theologically related matters. If you have experienced birthing or dying, suffering or joy, planting or harvesting, feelings of despair or elation, emptiness or fulfilment … you have been touched by these theological ways of thinking … and doing … and being! These values are part of who we see ourselves to be.
In addition, as with the study of any of the other Sciences, the Study of Theology isn’t so much about “finding answers” as it is about “learning to ask pertinent questions” … The purpose of these studies is “to learn more about what we don’t know”.
The doubts that haunt us and the mysteries that entice us … Doctor of Divinity studies challenge us to reach out even more as we think about the many ways “the sacred touches our lives”.
The title “Reverend Doctor” doesn’t make me “more divine”, but it does challenge me to find delight in moving further into “the beyond”.
As a member of the United Church of Canada, I am reminded of the Creedal statement which my theological understanding affirms ...
“In life, in death, in life beyond death we are not alone.
Thanks be to God.”

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Holy Smoke

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 20:35:40 GMT

(On the day when the minister’s regalia started going up in smoke, it was the pianist who saved the day.)
In the 1970s it was common for United Church clergy (who were learning about Liturgical attire) to wear a black robe and an academic “hood” when officiating at special ceremonial services. But one clergy colleague, while officiating at a wedding, was in for a big surprise.
The small rural community sanctuary was crowded with guests, family, the wedding party and the minister.
The proceedings took place in front of the communion table, where the minister faced the wedding party and the congregation. It is one of those times when everyone nervously hopes they won’t forget their lines or drop the wedding ring down the furnace grating (located directly beneath the bride).
No one gave much thought to the two lit candles and the bouquet of flowers that graced the table … nor how far the minister’s (academic) “hood” reached out behind him (at just about waist height) … Until it happened!!
Fortunately the pianist, who sat at the piano off to the left on the platform, was a no-nonsense farm gal who had attended her share of emergencies.
We were never sure who caught the first whiff of smoke, but from the platform Jackie saw what was happening as the “hood” grazed a candle and started “a smoke” … Instinct took over. Jackie grabbed the vase from the table, and whisk the flowers aside while lifting the glass container of water with her other hand … to douse the smolder!!!
Poor Rev. John … He must still remember the surprising sensation of the splash on his back … and the gasps that came from the congregation … and Jackie’s triumphant smile!
The wedding party reassembled long enough for the couple to seal their vows with a kiss before moving onto the platform to sign the registration papers ...
This year (2021), on May 7th (should the Covid gods give their blessings) I am to be presented with my “parchment (certificate)” and “hood”, confirming that I can now be referred to as The Reverend Doctor Joyce Sasse … Honduras Causa indeed!
One thing for sure … should there be any celebratory candle, we celebrants will all be distanced enough we shouldn’t have to fear “Holy Smoke”.

The Dawning of a New Day of Understanding: Easter 2021

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 13:51:20 GMT

(Easter is a time when we are invited to give attention to our spiritual health, the spiritual health of those around us and our relationship with our Mother the Earth.)

When I was a youth at camp we would salute each dawn by saying “Look to this day for it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of our existence … the bliss of growth, the glory of action, the splendor of beauty …” Our salute was concluded with the challenge to “Look to this day, for it is life”.

Such soulful sentiments are so needed at the “Dawning of Easter 2021”. After all the people of the world have been forced to live in the shadow of Covid19 for the entire year, dare we believe the news that the Spirit of God will help us find a new understanding and appreciation for life?

Many of us understand the Easter Story as it has been told because we believe in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We know, also, that though we have many different understandings about this Jesus-centred Faith, we all are referred to as being “Christian”. Many of us understand this life-giving experience is something that transpires not “once in a lifetime”, but again and again … because ours is a vital, living God! (God isn’t some kind of a fossilizing entity.)

Within our world many of us gradually realize we “Christians” may not be the only ones who celebrate the “Glories of God”. Regardless the colour of our skin, the ways by which we express ourselves, the circumstances under which we live … God gives support to all who feel lost or afraid. God helps all who try to voice their anger, express their doubts or test the way they want to try to move forward. (No one is capable of judging another!)

My own United Church Creed challenges us, as caring people, to aspire “to be the church, to live with respect in creation, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil and the proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.”

All of us, Christian and non-Christian, are invited to share with each other the truth about how God has been with us through these darkest of times … and helps reassure us that a “New Day of Understanding” comes with the Easter Dawn.

I find comfort in the closing words of our United Church Creed which says “in life, in death and in life beyond death God is with us. We are (never) alone. Thanks be to God.” Alleluia! Amen.

A Prayer of Lament for Good Friday 2021

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 23:01:40 GMT

For the past year our world has been shrouded in fear and despair because of Covid19. We have been confined to our homes and our rooms. We have been physically isolated from each other and forced to hide behind masks.

Many of us continue living behind institutional doors that are “locked” and are overseen by door-keepers. “They” tell us that all of this is “for our own good”! We have no voice by which we can express ourselves!

Furthermore, we find it hard to understand how it is that the whole world is being menaced by this darkness … (And I know you must face the same questions.)

But out of the terribleness of this moment, the Faithful are told to believe that a new day of promise is about to dawn ... a day we will name “Easter Sunday” …

What can possibly be GOOD about this Friday 2021?

As we offer our Friday Prayer of Lament, we start by acknowledging the darkness and fear and losses we have experienced over these twelve months.

It is a day when we are challenged to invite ourselves and each other to freely shed our tears, acknowledge our loneliness and recognize the pain that has engulfed everything around us.

Within our hearts and minds and spirits our Friday Prayers of Lament enrage us and empty us … freeing us from the bonds of the past to reach toward the present and the future with HOPE and PROMISE.

What is GOOD about this FRIDAY is the knowledge that a NEW DAY will soon dawn… We will remember the special day that is coming, and call it Easter Sunday (the 1st day of the week) … God is not finished with us yet! From out of the darkness of the night, with the dawn we will hear fresh news of things we never dreamed possible.

Retired Pincher Creek minister recognized with honorary degree

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 20:17:13 GMT

Retired Pincher Creek minister recognized
with honorary degree

By Jenaya Launstein
Shootin' the Breeze Community Reporter (Click Here for Article)
Joyce Sasse of Pincher Creek has been serving in ministry around the world for decades and has now been recognized with an honorary doctor of divinity degree from St. Andrew’s College in Saskatchewan.

“I’d never thought of myself as much of an academic person … so to realize from those letters (nominations) that I was considered also to be kind of a scholar in that way was something that I hadn’t really thought about, but was really honoured by,” says Joyce.

Ordained in 1965 and earning her bachelor of divinity degree in 1968 and master of divinity degree in 1987, Joyce is a retired minister in the United Church of Canada.

Over the years, she has served congregations in many locations across the nation, and even overseas with the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea from 1967 to 1972.

During her five-year stint overseas, Joyce was the community development worker at the YMCA, as well as a chaplain and English teacher at Saigwong Boys’ High School in Cheongju. Upon arriving back in Canada, she became the executive director of the Saskatoon YWCA.

Come 1974, Joyce served as the saddlebag minister with small Saskatchewan communities such as Lake Valley, Tuxford, Keeler, and Marquis. Her last posting in the Prairie province was Tugaske, after which she moved back home to Alberta.

“Rural church and rural community are really important,” says Joyce.

How Will Our Twenties Roar

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 15:01:57 GMT

Events from a hundred years ago meant nothing to most of us until Covid19 attacked us with feelings of fear and helplessness.

By the end of March 2020 our lives, our economies and our world were all challenged and changed in ways we couldn't imagine possible.

Fortunately, within a time-sequence we can hardly believe possible, scientists from around the world worked together to develop and deliver anti-viral vaccines for a desperate world.

Meanwhile, politicians, for the most part, tried to give leadership to their constituents. As they sought balance between the advice of the scientists and the needs of business interests, social discourse proved to be a valuable decision-making tool.

The debates were oft-times extremely lively, but as Canadians we can be appreciative of where the journey has taken us thus far.

Incredible changes have happened in our lives over the course of this year. So much of what we once thought to be normal has been "smelted and refined" in ways that make parts of our lives seem unrecognizable. Reworked! Melted! Moulded! Many are even discovering exciting things are emerging from out of the recesses of our imagination.

Some of these changes will be accepted as we move forward ... Others rejected ... Many need to be re-thought long into the future.

What now? What of hope? What of promise?

Look back 100 years. See what happened as the world-wide Flu Pandemic of 1918 moved forward?

There was the shock and grief ... Memories brought nightmares and surprises ... And there was a wealth of learning.

In addition to the old "containment" practices (masks, hand-washing, social distancing), scientists learned about vaccinations. Desperate people learned how important it was to work together - and the World Health Organization was formed. Eventually many countries found the means of protecting people through socialized ways of supporting their people. Think of socialized medicine. What about Pensions? Unemployment Insurance? ...

As a student of history, the next thing to follow 1918-1919 was the "Roaring Twenties".

In our current transition-time of "New Year 2021" consider the promises and opportunities that lie ahead ...

Be ready! Be responsible! Be reminded that God isn't finished with us yet!

Remembering the Little Red Wagon Story

Fri, 25 Dec 2020 15:03:49 GMT

In a little Mexican town, there was a simple little church where the true spirit of Christmas still lived. It was the custom there, on Christmas Eve, to put many candles on the altar and, close by, little figures of the Nativity Scene.

There was the manger in the stable, and Mary and Joseph, the Baby Jesus lying in the straw, and the animals in their stalls. Overhead was the one bright star which guided the Wise Men to Bethlehem.

Early on Christmas morning the pastor of the church went to see that all the little figures were in place for the first service. He was horrified to see that the tiny figure of the Baby Jesus was gone. The pastor looked everywhere but he could not find the Baby Jesus.

As the pastor left the church, he was almost run over by a little boy racing a red wagon along the sidewalk.

It was Pedro, the baker's son. The pastor smiled and started to speak to the boy when suddenly, he noticed, in the red wagon, the missing figure of the Christ Child.

"Pedro!" he cried, "it was you! You took the Baby Jesus. Why did you do it?"

Pedro hung his head and was silent. The pastor scolded and questioned. Still Pedro would not explain. He just hung his head and dug the toe of one scuffed shoe into the side of the other.

"It - it was like this," Pedro finally blurted out. "I - I wanted a red wagon for Christmas, and I prayed. I asked Jesus to let me have a red wagon. And - and I promised Him that if I got one, I'd give him a ride in it. It's his birthday you know."

The good pastor knelt down and looked carefully into the boy's face. There were tears in the pastor's eyes.

"I am sorry I scolded, Pedro. I didn't understand. You are quite right. It is his birthday, and you have given him the finest gift of all."

Walter Farquharson wrote lyrics for this story in which the worried pastor sings to Pedro

"... This is serious business ... / The church is a holy place set well apart ... / I've lessons to teach you ... / The road you are travelling is rough and unclean, / You race down the stairway, around corners careen. / If Jesus went bouncing, bounced high and away, / What then, little Pedro, what would people say? ..."

But once he heard Pedro's apology and explanation, he regretted his scolding.

"Thank you, Pedro, for your gifting - gift of God and gift to me. / I'm so busy being religious, a miracle I could not see. / I am sorry for my panic, sorry that I scolded you. / You know better than your teacher what it is that God will do"

The choristers invite everyone to join them -

"Bring your wagon, bless our worship, we may all sing newest song. / When we take Christ on our journey, Christmas lasts a lifetime long."

Blessings to Remember During a Covid Christmas

Sat, 12 Dec 2020 19:00:40 GMT

(What are the real blessings we can anticipate during the darkest days of 2020?)

Instead of gritting our teeth because of feelings of disappointment, frustration and anger through Christmas, can we look for a few blessings to cheer our days?

“Lay down your mind” is a valuable Korean saying. Even though things aren’t what we are used to expecting, by “laying down our minds” we can gentle our thoughts … and look for the glittering stars that bring hope and promise.

Maybe “this is a time when we can stop and take stock of how we celebrate the birth of Jesus” Richard Bott suggests. The Moderator of the United Church of Canada explains about the Jewish practice of leaving a field or orchard to go fallow every 7 ^th year of its cultivation (see the Book of Exodus). He adds, “anything grown (that 7 ^th year) was for people who were in poverty, and anything left by them was for the animals”. Hence the world would see what God grew in their stead. This is known as The Year of Jubilee.

That special time gives opportunity for debt to be forgiven, for people to be freed from slavery, and land ownership restored (instead of having more land accumulated by fewer people). The Jubilee Practice “resets systems of care, security and economy so they are based on celebrating the intrinsic worth of every beloved child of God”.

To think of Christmas 2020 as a Jubilee restoration time might help us think of God giving us opportunity to become present to each other in new ways.

Think of Mary and Joseph and their new baby fleeing to Egypt as a refugee family two thousand years ago. We may understand more because we are now trying to escape the Covid virus. Confined in our home or our room, we may take time to think about other refugees – those who have no home, nothing but scraps of food for their children, and no physical security. Does anyone care? Do we care? What are the gifts we have to share?

Might we consider letting our busy “mind-fields” lie fallow – so we can rethink what the message of the Christmas story really means?

It is amazing how we really can hear God speak in fresh new ways. At the darkest time of the year, maybe the angel is again telling us “Fear not!” The abundance of what is given anew can truly astound us!

(You can re-read Rev. Richard Bott’s article “A Fallow Christmas”. See www.broadview.org/covid-christmas-message/ )

Korean Artist Yun Ho Ye and His Wife by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 20:53:00 GMT

Yun Ho Ye was a minister and an artist and his wife was a medical doctor. Both were outstanding in their fields of endeavor, and were recognized around the world for their work. (I got to know them while I lived in Seoul, Korea in 1968-1972.)

To visit them you had to drive into the very heart of the city – or maybe it could better be described as the “bowels” of the city. Here they were committed to working with the extremely poor.

Of the poor in Korea, they were the poorest. Among them, of course, were the crippled, and the blind and the lame.

I wondered how they could work when the odds were so stacked against them … But that was before I met them, and began to hear about their life and ministry.

When we arrived, we were ushered into their living room, for Dr. Ye was busy with patients at the dispensary, and the church was a beehive of activity with women making the special fall pickle known as “kimchi”.

Yun Ho Ye is one of Asia’s noted artist.

It was a privilege over the next few years to have repeated contact with Rev. Ye, and to listen to him talk about how he sought to live the Gospel. We talked at length about the philosophy behind his art. These were his people. They were important to him. They were important enough for him to want to draw them or paint their portraits.

Second, it is important that he and his wife be with these people in the place where they are. That their lives are wrapped together, that together they can share of their joys and sorrows.

Third, they discovered that by working together, it is possible to make life a little easier.

Share Nutcracker Ballet With Family via YouTube – by Joyce Sasse

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 21:07:00 GMT

I’ll never forget the year I purchased Nutcracker Ballet tickets for three young friends (ages 5 and 6 yrs.) and three adults.

My friends had never attended an on-stage performance, so we set an afternoon aside for a rehearsal. Via an audio-video tape of the Nutcracker we watched the drama unfold, listened for the story and danced to the music. That in itself made for a couple of delightful hours.

Then there was the anticipation of getting ready to go to the city for the Matinee, of planning where we would eat, and of wondering just what was in-store!

Thoughtfully the ushers found a corner where we could sit close together so the kids could tell the adults what to look for. Even before the orchestra began, phrases of favorite music bits were being hummed.

The costumes, the youthfulness of the performers, the dancing brought us to the edge of our seats. We loved the Sugarplum Fairy and the Nutcracker Prince. The “Dance of the Flutes” was replaced by the “Dance of the Flowers” (which the kids noticed). Their excitement was infectious!

Commentaries delivered on the way home were as insightful as any critic’s comments. And throughout the rest of the season, regardless whether they were playing or eating, the kids recognized the Nutcracker music that has been written into a multitude of advertisements and promotions. Memories were rekindled.

Special gift-giving isn’t about the number of wrapped parcels under the tree. Nor is it about hoping “they’ll like my gift best”. It comes by way of learning together, building anticipation, connecting with traditions, sharing an event, recalling a memory.

The babe in the manger, the children in the toy room, the music that warms the heart – feel the many ways the love of our Creator fills our hearts to over-flowing.

For family viewing watch “The Nutcracker New York City Ballet (1993) on YouTube (1 hr & 30 minutes).

A Song of Reassurance in Covid Times – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 19:49:00 GMT

(“What ever will be will be. The future is not ours to see. Che sara, sara.”)

This December, when we want to complain and rebel because of Covid19 restrictions, I am reminded of a song that was popular in the 1950s.

For Seniors who were residents in Crestview Lodge when I first visited here 30 years ago as a volunteer, the hearts of all the residents mellowed as the music leader played the first couple of notes and they sang “Che sara, sara”!

We need to bring the tune back to life again … and think about what the words are saying. “Che sara, sara. What ever will be will be. The future is not ours to see. Che sara, sara.”

One suggestion is that the sentiment comes from an old Spanish saying which brought comfort to those caught in a completely hopeless situation … When the best thing to do is simply accept what is.

In the words of the song, I imagine a child asking a parent, … a youngster asking, … a new parent asking …

The wisdom of the songster is echoed through the years, even by the elders of these Covid Times. When their children ask “What about getting Christmas presents?” When the youth asks “What about hanging out with my friends?” When there are questions about love-and-marriage? What about children gathering around Grandparents? What about all the expectations we are used to having?

Maybe this particular year will make us think about the privileges we take for granted. In December 2020 the important thing is to recognize the realities and threats we face because of the unseen Covid Virus. “What will be, will be. The future is not ours to see…”

Trust in the Lord. Stop focusing and fuming and scheming about how to make things the same as last year. Unfortunately, for these present moments “The future is not ours to see … What will be will be”.

Observe the guidelines that ask for masks, sanitizing, limiting gifts and gatherings … No fellowshipping in places of worship….

Hopefully the future will bring the virus under control and our lives will regain new norms. In the process many norms will be left behind … and many new changes will mark our future. “The future is not ours to see… What will be will be.”

Know this – our God is a gracious and caring God who supports us in our times of despair, comforts us when we are alone, and promises us a Presence that shall be with us through the morrow! So be it!

Xmas Reminders Enrich Lock-down Lives – by Joyce Sasse

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 16:57:00 GMT

(Among the Gifts of Xmas, memories from past Christmases can help Seniors survive the Covid restrictions.)

In our Seniors’ Lodge it’s not just the “decorations”, but the sharing of related memories that revives our spirits to help us get through December.

The reality brought tears to my eyes when I realized the Nativity wood-carving, unpacked from the Xmas boxes, was something I had bought in Korea in 1969. I gave it to Crestview Lodge twenty years ago – and continued enjoying it through the years while I did volunteer programing for the Lodge. So many reminiscences with seeing it again – I saw flashes of rainbows in my tears.

My table-mate noticed the large size “decorative lady doll” placed on a counter in our Dining Room yesterday. “I helped dress that lady” she recalled. “It was when we were still in the old building.” Memories of the past seven years of her residency sped by as she told about folding the pages of a catalogue to make the base for their “doll”.

The elegant winter dress came from the hands of the resident seamstresses at that time. The dressing of the doll, and now the memory of that moment, enriched her soul. Her story needs to be shared with others….

As we do our exercise-laps up and down the hallways and stairs our “roomies” are slowly unfolding the treasures they want to place outside their door-way. Each treasure has its own story … With the sharing of the story, the collective stories bring us together in unique ways.

Add the aroma of fresh buns and roasted chicken from thoughtful people in the kitchen … notice the burst of laughter as the staff interact among themselves and with each of us … These are people who dedicate themselves to caring for the well-being of our community.

What happens here doesn’t stay here! These are the things we can talk about with our family and friends through phone calls and face-book notations. The blood pumps a little faster in our veins.

Among the gifts of Christmas such memories and stories can enrich our lives. In so many ways we can feel blessed – and we can share our blessings with each other. Truly, with all the Covid restrictions we may be locked-down … but by the grace of God we never have to feel locked-out!

Restricted Lives – Ours & Theirs – by Joyce Sasse

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 18:14:00 GMT

(Appreciating our staff members in these Covid times …)

As a resident in a Seniors’ Lodge, I am conscious of how our own lives are frustrated because of Covid-19. The demanded restrictions frustrate us, anger us, depress us, and make us think and act in irrational ways.

But, just like we Prairie People have to accept the realities of a raging snow-blizzard, so we now have to accept the realities of this pandemonium … and help ourselves and each other practice our best survival skills.

I especially applaud the lives and work of staff members at times like this. When restrictions mean our facilities must limit friends and family members and volunteers, we miss the many ways these folks used to provide us with their energy, their care-giving actions, their support and their laughter.

In restricted times we are so very dependent on our staff members – each with their own work to do and their own ways of doing things. So often they have to cope with the cloud of despair or depression or lethargy that we residents might thoughtlessly generate.

Do we even give thought to the limits these staff members and their families face because their work makes their lives even more stressful? They are vulnerable as to where they go, how they make social connections and how they must assess every cough and fever their body dares suggest – in part because their job is to protect us.

Bonds of vulnerability can be formed in times like this. Steep retorts can be forgiven. Thoughtless words can be muted. Fresh shoots of life-giving action can emerge. We can find ourselves surprised by that the Lord still has in store for us as we engage with each other.

And, like happens in the aftermath from a snow-blizzard, once Covid 19 shows signs of being tamed, more shoveling than ever will be needed!

Home-Viewers Can Watch Historical Dramas About Southern Alberta – by Joyce Sasse

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 17:13:00 GMT

(Stories of the lives and times of a missionary priest and a pioneer artist can be viewed on your home computer in Covid times.)

Story-telling brings history to life. Two local historical stories from southern Alberta have been brought to life through drama. They are available for public viewing and are being used in classroom settings.

The first story is about Fr. Albert Lacombe’s “Hermitage”, which he had built in Pincher Creek in 1885. Many are aware that the Lacombe Chapel (now designated Alberta’s oldest building) was built in1861 and is located in St. Albert, AB (on the northern edge of the traditional Blackfoot Confederacy). But you might ask why the priest had his “Hermitage” built in Pincher Creek, on the more southerly corner of Blackfoot territory in 1885. A community-based drama, written and narrated by Joyce Sasse along with Windy Hollow Players, tells about the significant work Fr. Lacombe did in Southern Alberta. The drama includes the touching way he spoke to Calgarians prior to his death in 1916.

We were honoured to have Fr. Maurice Joly (an Oblate priest) play the role of his mentor. In the course of the one-hour dramatic presentation, Fr. Joly shows how Fr. Lacombe aged by more than 30 years. Those who watch this important YouTube showing will be grateful that the Oblate OMI did the filming of these moments in history.

View the YouTube film Albert Lacombe: Man of a Good Heart (Fr. Lacombe’s life and work in Southern Alberta) .

See also the YouTube film Annora Brown: Interpreter of the Foothills (Annora Brown’s Art Life & Legacy) .

Pioneer artist Annora Brown’s awareness of her own creativity took firm root when she attended Ontario Art School at age 25-years. Just after graduation she was called back to Fort Macleod to care for her parents “Just in time for the (1930) Depression”! Every aspect of her life was challenged … but the calling of the artist to the rugged beauty of southern Alberta’s landscape and people won out. By watching dramatic glimpses of her story, written and narrated by Joyce Sasse along with Windy Hollow Players, listeners are invited to imagine Annora’s life and work.

Students at Lethbridge College not only filmed this radio-style drama, but they enhanced it by adding pictures of her life and her art. The film is cut into 3 sections so the 20-minute sections can be studied in classroom situations.

On the website www.annorabrown.ca , in the “Blog and News” section look for the research project news Annora Brown Art Life & Legacy (ABALL) .

Even as I write this column, we are making available another YouTube presentation titled Annora Brown and Old Man’s Garden . The new 3 ^rd edition of OMG (published in 2020) includes some Annora paintings, an introduction by Blackfoot Anglican Bishop Sidney Black, and commentary by Mary-Beth Laviolette (whose efforts ensured the book would be published again).

May these stories tell their own truths … and may you feel blessed as you listen.

HALLOWEEN – A Religious Occasion Gone A-muck – by Joyce Sasse

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 20:48:00 GMT

(Fueled by horror-fantasy and commercialism, Halloween is a religious occasion gone a-muck.)

From 7 ^th century Europe, “All Saints Day” has been acknowledged by many Christians as a time to acknowledge the powerful spiritual bond shared between those in heaven (the Saints) and the living.

In Canada and the USA “Halloween” was recognized as a happening that occurred on the evening before “All Saints Day” (November 1). It was the occasion when children could make fun of so-called evil spirits. The young ones dressed in ridiculous costumes and went trick-and-treating. They shouted “give some treats or I will cause trouble to your property”. Fifty years ago youngsters overturned outdoor toilets, threw raw eggs or tomatoes against windows, and pulled trash on to the streets.

Children had fun carving jack-o-lanterns from pumpkins, “bobbing-for-apples” and asking for candy from houses in the neighbourhood.

Over the last few decades “zombies” have also become a feature of Halloween. Zombies are “fictional un-dead corporal revenants” created through the re-animation of a corpse (this coming out of Haitian folklore). In the 20 ^th century the monster-film industry has promoted what they call “zombie apocalypse” activities… This has been the excuse some people need to dress as if they were living corpses. Commercial interests have developed this genre to the extreme.

While jack-o-lanterns and ghost-like images may be somewhat acceptable for that one night before All Saints Day (Nov. 1), the extremes and the “decorations” we witness today are in extremely poor taste.

All Saints Day is a most appropriate time when the Faithful can give God expressions of gratitude for the lives and deaths of those who have gone before us. But Halloween extremes have no place in the homes and Lodges those who are Senior Citizens!

Some folks at Crestview Lodge are asking the Administration to re-think displaying those Halloween “decorations” that are not appropriate for our Seniors’ Residence.

Opera Festival Celebrated Despite Corvid-19 – by Joyce Sasse

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 21:40:00 GMT

In the summer of 2020 the community of Verona, Italy refused to allow their annual Opera Festival to be cancelled.

The BBC gives viewers of “The Stars of Verona” a look behind the scenes at all the preparations that were necessary before the shows could take place in the world’s biggest open-air theatre in the country.

In this half-hour TV production we catch a glimpse into the organizing, the planning, the practising and the energy required to accomplish this work by some of the biggest names in Italian Opera along with their faithful supporters.

Imagine yourself in that Verona Arena – which was designed and built in the year 30 AD. Imagine the craftsmen who designed those acoustics! Imagine the hunger of artists whose vocational calling was to be on stage in-spite-of the pandemic they had to face! Imagine the audience, gathered at safe-distance, being touched by those magnificent voices on July’s star-studded nights!

The viewing of the TV production brought precious memories back to me of my own experience with live opera – in the High School auditorium in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan in the 1980s. My mom and step-father were visiting from Southern Alberta. They arrived in our small town in the late afternoon, so we barely had time to tell them we had tickets for that night’s performance … an hour’s drive away.

As we drove into Moose Jaw, I tried to explain to my step-father that we were going to see “The Marriage of Figaro”. He, who had never seen any kind of live performance, couldn’t believe himself … He actually threatened to bail out of the car in disgust! Opera … NEVER! But he conceded only because he didn’t want to embarrass me or my friends.

However, Victor liked a good laugh, and much to his astonishment he found himself laughing loudly at the comedy-story that unfolded on stage – the story that was told with costume and action and song. Many of the words were in Italian (with brief translations), and the singing had all the vocalism that any opera could offer.

Not only was our evening seen to be very successful, but it opened my eyes to what the appeal of opera has meant over the years for “all classes of people”.

“Viva La” to the people of Verona. “Viva La” to the BBC for making opportunity to show us these scenes. “Viva La” to tempting us to consider how we too might imagine our own viewing of “The Stars of Verona” … with live Italian Opera Stars under the beautiful star-studded heavens.

“O Lord, our Lord …When we look at your heavens … (we ask) Who are we that you are mindful of us? … But you crown us with honour and glory … How majestic is your name in all the earth”! (Paraphrase Psalm 8)

Statistics Tell Their Own Story – by Joyce Sasse

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 21:40:00 GMT

I wonder what all the statistics gathered in these Covid-19 months will tell historians in the year 2120? While tabulating information charts gathered now may seem to be a nuisance, the information can be of utmost importance to succeeding generations. Let me give an example.

When Dr. Olive Dickason visited Pincher Creek’s Cross Cultural Conference twenty years ago, she told us about her study of statistics that had been written in the 1700s. These were detailed manifests of goods delivered by French-based ships to the Fortress at Louisbourg (Cape Breton on the North Atlantic). Food and building materials were among the supplies being shipped from over-seas.

By examining these manifests and comparing what she knew about the oral historical stories told by Indigenous people in the region, she was able to prove the validity of their stories … And that information had to make Canadians re-think what they understood about what Native story-tellers said. Until then, those who immigrated to the “New World” from “Over-seas” thought the people who they “discovered” in North American to be “Savages”. But the work done by Dr. Dickason was proof that “thriving, productive Indigenous peoples had survived for centuries in North America before the European’s had arrived”.

We are told that her statistical work proved to Canadians that they had been wrong in their interpretation of Aboriginal history. They had to think of the Native and Metis culture in a totally different way.

A story of the book Champlain’s Dream by David Hackett Fischer (about the explorer Champlain’s ventures through-out the St. Lawrence River, and far beyond) is another example of how essential statistical account keeping was in the 1600s.

There is another detail to Olive Dickason’s autobiography that is important to her “back-story”. Her mother intentionally neglected informing Olive that her father was Aboriginal. Olive was successful as an outstanding journalist who used her skills in writing and research before she discovered her Metis heritage. But it was while she was working among the Indian artifacts in Ottawa’s National Gallery that she said “The pieces spoke to me. I felt I knew all about them. I guess that is what they refer to as racial memory”.

That sensitivity fueled her passion to enter University and do her scholarly Louisbourg documentation. She continued her writing. In addition to “ The Myth of the Savage ”, she wrote “ Canada’s First Peoples ” (a history of Founding Peoples). A wonderful short film “ Introducing Dr. Olive Dickason ” can be found on You Tube.

Her life-long achievements are reminders of how essential statistics can be is teaching us vital vibrant historical lessons.

Thanks be for such insights shared!

Antidote for Prejudice – by Joyce Sasse

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 01:07:00 GMT

Prejudice causes pain for everyone. First Nations People know that. Women know that. So do so many others – both individuals who feel the pain caused by words and actions, and individuals whose words and actions cause the pain.

But there is an “Antidote for Prejudice”. The antidote for treating prejudiced ways of feeling the pain and also for unconsciously inflicting pain lies in broadening the spiritual ways we think of ourselves and each other. What all of us need is help in visioning the bigger picture.

In a sense, many of us who think about God often recognize the fact that the breadth of Godly understanding is bigger than any one can begin to comprehend.

Imagine ourselves to be blind people who are “seeing” an elephant for the first time. Some of us, along with our family / friends, may touch the elephant’s ear – so we feel we have a sense of what the elephant is like. Others brush against a leg … or smell the elephant’s droppings. If our little group examined the tail, we may talk with the group who described the trunk … Conversations take place. Each contributes and recognizes the elephant is really far bigger than we ever imagined.

That conversation would help us to push away the belief that there is only one correct way to think … Our knowledge about the elephant broadens our perspective.

In a small way the elephant image helps me think about spiritual things, about recognizing the much bigger picture that is involved. I am always keen to know more. God’s gift is to help me push my limited “blindness”, listen for what others have experienced, and feel the excitement of trying to answer additional questions that come to mind.

It is possible for us to stop putting limits on who we are and what we think. Changes are constantly happening all around us. Do we feel afraid … or hopeful? Do prejudices limit how we think and act, or can we enjoy the possibilities? We do have great capacity when we think spiritually!

At the moment I’m especially thinking about my friends whose lives are centred around our “oil-patch economy”. As changes come in the world and to the world, our carbon centred ecosphere is undergoing drastic changes. What happens to the thinking, the economy, the attitudes and understandings of the people in the carbon-centered world? How many prejudices affect our ways of thinking? Are there any antidotes? Are we able to give thanks for what has been … and not be afraid of anticipating NEW tomorrows? Where does Our Help come from?

Dreams Can Bring Healing – by Joyce Sasse

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 17:03:00 GMT

(It may take quite a while for a person to find real purpose for their life, but never give up. Dreams can bring healing!)

Pioneer artist Annora Brown faced a lot of ups and downs during the first 25 years of her life.

Two of her sisters had died by the time she was 5 years old, and her own health crashed so it was years before she could walk without wobbling.

She had a good ear for music, and would have enjoyed school classes if her teachers hadn’t insisted she always do things their way.

Although “of an age”, she had little interest in getting married and raising children. But several Fort Macleod villagers kept suggesting she just needed to meet someone who understood what “Back East” or “The Old Country” was all about. On the other hand, her mother taught her to be content with where she was planted.

She thought maybe she could be a good school teacher, but the rules set out by the School Board members and the Principal were stifling. The children who joined her private art lessons enjoyed learning how to be young artists. They were encouraged to express themselves, and they appreciated the way she helped them share their art displays with the community.

Annora, who was shy and introverted, loved learning about the lessons taught by nature and listening to the music played by the wind and clouds. She very much enjoyed the landscape she observed from the roof of her home, and was always curious to learn what she could about the Native people who lived near her community.

She visited an Aunt in Toronto when she was 25 years old. That Aunt told her about possibly attending classes at the Ontario College of Art. She later confessed that OCA was “where her real life began”. The mentors and activities associated with the School sparked her creativity and taught her many skills. She graduated with Honours.

After Annora graduated, fate once again interfered. She had signed a contract with Mount Royal College (Calgary) to help develop their Art Program. But within a year she was called back home to Fort Macleod. Her invalid Mother and exhausted Father needed her to be their nurse and caregiver and manage the finances they didn’t have. And it was 1930!

However, despite all her set-backs, Annora’s spirit started to blossom. The important thing was that she now knew she was an artist. Where better to work than in her own home-place – in the natural landscape she so loved? She would find a way? She did find her way – based in Fort Macleod, she became one of the Province of Alberta’s first financially self-sustaining artists.

Given moments of respite from her nursing tasks, sketchbook at the ready, her hands had known what to do with pencil and colour. Practise and resilience compelled her to keep learning. Time brought healing. She had found purpose and she felt compelled to use her gifts to the fullest. We are only now beginning to realize how prolific she was in so many endeavors!

Reflecting on Annora’s spiritual journey can encourage an awareness of healing in each of us. She showed how we can turn from doubt and despair … to hope and promise.

As we proceed through the current Covid-19 experience, if we dare to develop our dreams, we too can experience healing. The Spirit of the Lord is in our midst!

(Look for stories of her life, her work and her legacy at www.annorabrown.ca )

God-Given Understandings – by Joyce Sasse

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 15:50:00 GMT

For 3 years in the 1980sI was invited to work on the United Church’s National Worship Committee. I was excited about being able to speak on behalf of the frustrations rural churches were having with worship-related expectations of the National Church in a time when the expectation was that we become lectionary-based. What I didn’t realize was that a secondary God-given agenda, that of debate about the ordination of homosexual candidates for ministry, was very much in the hearts of single persons such as myself.

We were invited to meet for several days in Toronto in the Spring and the Fall for each of those 3 years. My room-mate was a delegate from Newfoundland … a person whose presence I very much enjoyed, and a person whose story made my heart ache.

This was an era when she didn’t dare publicly “come out” gay. That meant she had to hide the fact she had a “partner”, and she had to live with the fear her relationship might be exposed at any moment.

Her story made my heart ache for her loneliness because I so enjoyed the sense of ministry I found myself discovering with my own congregations.

Her only choice was to live in the city where her private life would (hopefully) remain hidden. Her choices left her feeling constantly conflicted … Thank goodness we had those nights of talking together in our hotel room. I found myself listening and inviting the unfolding of her story … while she was finding words to express what was at the soul of her being.

We never remained in touch after our 3-year assignment was completed, but I was ever so grateful for the depth of understanding she gave me.

Several years later, while I was attending a gathering at St. Andrew’s College (Saskatoon) someone touched my arm, gave me a lovely smile and indicated we had met before … in Toronto. Even before I had time to say more, I recognized her heart-felt smile. She told me she was in the College for a course … and then she quietly moved off to attend the next class. But our bonding in that moment was instantaneous.

Over those intervening years so much of the Church’s and Society’s thinking about “inclusivity” has matured. In the process not only do I believe I was able to help one special person find her way, but I can affirm how much her story enriched my life. God-given revelations like this are precious beyond words.

Happier Days (Daze) – by Joyce Sasse

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 23:39:00 GMT

With the abrupt shutdown of our Seniors’ Lodge in March 2020, we residents became locked-in (“for our own good”) and it was implied that all our rights to speak out were suspended.

Because of the crisis, we complied for a while. But as realization came that the threat of Covid-19 could go on … and on … and on … we started to cry foul. “Little old ladies and little old men have rights too!” Eventually, since there was an eruption of storm-clouds, management and staff are trying to find ways to start resetting lines of communication – and we residents want to help.

The reality of the situation has taken its toll on all of us over those five months. Ambulance Driver and Undertaker visitors diminished our spirits. Then one day it happened – a new resident “moved in” and smiles erupted in one room after another. Further-more, many of us knew this new arrival to be a happy, competent, local musician whose presence would enrich our lives.

We did have to groan with her because we recognized how the two weeks of quarantine she had to endure were like the labour-pains that accompanies any live-birth!

Happy Days came in other forms as rules became more relaxed, and the interpretations of various groups within the Lodge was made known.

At one time our Lodge was known to be a place where residents shared their suggestions with the management. But all signs of that practise were withdrawn in March, and the Residents Advisory Council ceased functioning. Getting re-started has been like trying to prime the old well-pump. Matter-of-fact it is taking more than one priming … but gradually we start hearing a few gurgles and gulps of promise … accompanied by smiles and good-well expressions along the side-lines.

Appointments for visitors to join us in the Tranquility Garden or in our room (with masks and 6 feet apart) is now more easily arranged. These visitors are even welcomed on weekends.

And management is starting to think about how “suggestion papers” can be more easily accessed, with pens and pencils in reach, in-front of a suggestion box that is accessible to all residents (including those in wheel-chairs).

Once the pump comes to life, HOPE keeps us going. Covid-19 may have created pandemonium in the beginning, but many of us believe that the CHAOS can the calmed. Thanks be to GOD!

When Pandemic Was Unleashed, Women Were Ready

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 15:57:00 GMT

Six months ago who would have suggested a Black female Senator from California might become an American vice-presidential candidate? Three months ago who would have named Crystia Freeland as Canada’s Minister of Finance?

Now, like cream naturally coming to the top of the milk pail, very capable women candidates are “coming to the top” in the world of business and politics. Furthermore, the public is being told who they are … and that their recognition is being celebrated.

When Covid-19 changed our world in March 2020, do you remember how many female journalists and talk-show TV hosts quickly moved ahead? Suddenly broadcasting from a space in their own homes, without their make-up / hair-do / style-designers, they accepted whatever responsibility was required. We laughed at their foibles, marvelled at their tenacity, and saw them in a whole new light.

As for our Federal and Provincial Medical Officers (women and men) … they continue being an awesome bunch. Regardless their on-going need for patience and rest, their leadership in these crisis-times exudes capability, calmness and confidence.

As a female professional in what was very much a “men’s world” in 1965 (when I was ordained as a United Church minister), I felt it important to recognize I shared partnership with my male colleagues and professors. Later, while working in Korea, I particularly valued the Oriental Yin and Yang Philosophy. (The Yin & Yang symbol is an essential component on the Korean flag.)

This philosophy teaches that opposite forces (like male and female) are complementary, interconnected and interdependent in the natural world.

While many women in our North American Society have been ready to be recognized along-side the men for a long time, many other women and men have rejected this kind of thinking.

In the Old Testament Scriptures (as well as in Greek thinking) the female personification of the divine is called “Wisdom” or “Sophia”. In my understanding that terminology includes the qualities of intelligence, beauty, graciousness, and compassion … These qualities are much valued in the 21 ^st century.

Finally, in the world of technology the robot named “Sophia” was developed in Hong Kong in 2016. News about it was covered by media around the world – and clone-likenesses now abound. This “Sophia” was named after the Ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti.

Isn’t it interesting to note how today’s important news headlines can remind us of what some scholars have known for generations!

Pastoral Visiting Country Style – by Joyce Sasse

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 00:53:00 GMT

Pastoral visiting in rural communities in the 1970s was often done spontaneously – on a drop-in-at-a-farm basis.

I remember a particularly beautiful July day when my plan was to spend the better part of the day sharing coffee-and-conversation visits in a farm neighbourhood. But regardless which yard I visited there was no evidence of people to be seen.

Finally I caught up with one of the men driving a big grain truck down the grid road. He told me all the men were working together, helping each-other with some grain cleaning project … and all the women were “at the lake”.

The men had left their wives and family vacation trailers clustered together at the campground, and returned to the farm to get some work done. They would join their wives on the weekend. “Why don’t you drive up there … maybe even stay over-night” he suggested.

I always carried my tiny tent and a few supplies in my car – so I appreciated the offer. This lively group of women were always brimming with stories, laughter and wonderful food.

When I announced after supper that it was time to set up my tent, one of the ladies suggested I could sleep in the trailer with her as her husband wouldn’t be there until the next night.

For a single lady like me the whole social event was a “bag of giggles”. But as my bed-mate and I settled in for the night she, who had been raised a rather strict Lutheran, chuckled in a very suggestive way … The notion going through her mind finally spilled out in words – “I never thought I would ever be caught sleeping with my pastor!” For most of the people in those days women ministers were still a rarity….

Pastoral Visiting Country Style – by Joyce Sasse

Our Pots Do Boil Over – by Joyce Sasse

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 15:37:00 GMT

As a Country Pastor one thing I had a lot of experience with was dealing with stress. Whether it was a death … a flood … or a lost child – people would do what they could to help each other.

But when the stress-filled issue had passed, there was also a collective period of let-down. Community members got sick … nerves got jittery … we counted on having an easing of community activity. Then we started over again!

But Covid-19 is different. It’s different because it has already gone on for 5 months … and it looks like there won’t be much let-up for another 5 months and then some!

Nerves are frayed … People are very tired from trying to resolve unsettled lives. The stress goes on and on …

In our Seniors Lodge the lives of residents are put on hold. Depending on our personal situation, our tolerance comes unravelled. There is the fight … and there are the flight times.

For staff members, their dedication is to exceptional vigilance in caring for us, even while they have their own families and situations to attend. As weeks turn to months, their attempts at putting on happy faces and their working together through staff shortages and exhaustion become more strained.

What about the front-line administrators who are constantly pulled about by new rulings from the Health Authorities … keeping staff informed … and so many expectations and interpretations from the residents … A stressfulness that has no let-up….

Together we are a community. How do we cope with the flare-ups … and the impulsive decisions that are too strident … and those seeming non-decisions that make us feel irrelevant … and the days and weeks and months still to go? It’s hard on gritted teeth. Tense body-muscles no longer do our bidding. Eyes and ears that were once sharp are dulled.

From our midst we now have the empty rooms and memorial notices … the 14-day quarantine postings and those who need help because they don’t remember … Many are oh so lonely.

We no longer have energy. The spirit tries to be willing, but the bodies are weak. Our strength comes from the Lord. Our courage is to do the best until release comes with the dawn. But sometimes our pots do boil over! Amen.

Locked-Down Memories Can Still Be Shared – by Joyce Sasse

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 16:37:00 GMT

Living in a Seniors’ facility and not having younger people around because of COVID-19 restrictions can be stagnating. But that doesn’t need to be the case. Stories come from a couple of more famed personalities…

Scientist and broadcaster David Suzuki admitted to one interviewer that he was “in the Death Zone” when referring to his age (83 years). His heart was heavy when he said “my own grandchildren will never live through what I was so fortunate to know as a child who was free to explore nature”. He regrets the chaos that comes with realities such as climate change. When he’s daughter first told him she was pregnant he shuddered to think of how she must feel. To his surprise, however, she talked about her feeling of expectation and joy. “Having a child” she told him “is my commitment to our society”. It was such a statement of hope!

Judi Dench, one of England’s most beloved actresses, artists and authors, reminds us that at age 85 she is still no shrinking violet. Her eye-sight may be severely restricted, but her vision-of-life is exuberant. She and her grandson might be socially separated, for example, but she is able to learn iconic dance moves from him via TikTok. However, she does beat him to the punch-line when he tries to stump her with his riddles. The joy they share with each other (and with us via social media) is absolutely infectious.

In the earliest of Covid times my friends on the outside encouraged me to share thoughts about Annora Brown’s Art Life & Learning Project with my new-found friends at Crestview Lodge. For four weekends we shared pictures of her paintings. In those lock-down times many memories bubbled to the surface and were shared by the residents. Later their stories were told on the Annora Brown website.

Meanwhile, although the injury to my back means I can’t do my own laundry, an across-the-hall friend showed how I could use the grab-bar on my shower as a clothes line. With a spray of laundry detergent and a dose of hot water from the shower hose, I could launder some more delicate summer apparel. The memory came to me from Korea days of friends using a family room in the public bath house to do their laundry as they bathed themselves. Elders not only have much they can learn from the younger ones, they also have wonderful stories (wisdom) to share.

Books abound in Crestview Lodge, and we have time to re-read some forgotten treasures. Take Doris Burton’s book “Babe’s Sunshine: I Made My Own”. Memory comes back of my friendships with Babe when she was writing that book. But it is only with the re-read that I’m reminded of the extreme harshness she faced from an abusive husband and years of isolation. What a gift when we can share our own reminders of Babe’s stories and the wonderful support she received from her family (Dora and Bert Riggall and Kay [Russell]).

Covid may restrict our social interactions, but our spirits are God-given. Alleluia!

Rev. Margaret Waterchief Remembered – by Joyce Sasse

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 00:53:00 GMT

How does one begin to talk about the life and ministry of Rev. Margaret Waterchief?

Those who knew her were touched by her aura of humility and wisdom. Her gentle strength enabled many to recognize their own God-given capabilities.

During the years she serve St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church, Brocket, she often spoke at United Church sponsored gatherings on the theme “Being Native, Being Christian”. At first when asked questions about “Native Spirituality”, Margaret would say she couldn’t talk on the subject because she had been educated by teachers and leaders of the Anglican Church, but would be glad to invite another friend to speak on the subject (as if “Native Spirituality” was non-Christian). But to my surprise and hers, one day she found herself talking about what the smell of the sweet-grass, the beat of the drum, the feather and the prayers spoken in Blackfoot meant to her spirituality. I was reminded of the Biblical passage at the end of Job’s story – where Job confessed to the Almighty “(There was a time) when I knew only what other people told me (about You). But now I have seen you with my own eyes.” Job 42:5)

“For many of us”, National Indigenous Archbishop Mark MacDonald said, “Waterchief embodies the aspirations of the emerging self-determining Indigenous Church within the Anglican Church of Canada.”

It was for Margaret a long journey. She was a residential school survivor who overcame racism, poverty and addiction. She quit drinking in her early 1980s and became an alcohol counsellor and lay Anglican priest. She was officially ordained in 1994 – the first Indigenous woman from Calgary Diocese to be so honoured.

Although she had been prevented from speaking her native Blackfoot at residential school, she eventually combined her Blackfoot traditions with Christian teachings in caring for her people.

“We always had fresh bread with our Agape gathering,” Margaret explained to me as she talked about the work she did with the Calgary CUPS (Calgary Urban project Society) program. “Although our budget was incredibly tight, we found the money for fresh buns from here-and-there”, she said. “This was the only time people from the street could enjoy the taste of bread that wasn’t stale.”

Margaret Waterchief listened with her heart. She listened for the soul of each person … and from those stories she found ways to plead for justice. The Calgary YWCA noted that she was known as an “angel of mercy”.

She told me there were times, when she was in Brocket, when she felt as if she was physically and spiritually depleated. More than once help appeared without asking. A letter would arrive from a lady who lived to the west, in the mountains. In it were words of wisdom and prayers along with a financial offering. Or the Hutterite colony boss’s wife would invite her for supper – then generously load her car with garden and kitchen goodies. Blessings on top of blessings.

One day I took Margaret with me to visit my Grandmother’s ranch home on the Milk River, adjacent to what we now know as “Writing-on-Stone Park”. I didn’t yet know why so few Blackfoot people over the last hundered years had never visited the famed sacred spot (because the Indian Agent wouldn’t allow the Blackfoot people at Pikanii and Kainai to have a 3-day pass). But as I watched Margaret stand high up where she could look over the sacred Valley of the Milk River for the first time, I saw her imagine the vision her people had encountered in this place over thousands of years. Truly a sacred moment for her … and for me!

Visitors joined Margaret and me at the ranch for lunch that day. The young visitors exuberantly told about their early-dawn visit to watch the prairie chickens do their mating dance.

Margaret gently started to chuckle at the reminder. She told us that her husband was one of the Blackfoot “Chicken Dancers”. When they were first married, he and his friends dressed in their regalia and went out to dance with the rising of the sun. But as they got older, the dancers got started a little later after sun-rise … and then still later yet so they could perform their ritual. Did it have something to do with people aging?

For me, Margaret was a friend, a colleague, a mentor and a prayer-partner. Her memory shall be forever embedded in my being. God’s blessing … now and always.

( Margaret Waterchief died at age 88 years after being admitted to hospital with complications due to COVID-19. She was the proud matriarch of 10 children, 29 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.)

The Hagia Sophia Sanctuary – by Joyce Sasse

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 16:12:00 GMT

(Istanbul’s magnificent 6 ^th century Hagia Sophia has been converted back to a mosque. Turkey’s President annulled a 1934 law that designated the mosque as “a museum”.)

I have been blessed to have visited many sacred architectural wonders in my travels around the world. From Burma to India, from London to Jerusalem …. I’m pleased to even view the magnificent stained-glass window at St. Michael’s Church in Pincher Creek. The God-inspired work of these artists, architects and builders goes back through the centuries…

But none of these works can compare with the magnificently build Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

When the Christians built the church complex in the 6 ^th century its design and art work was beyond imagination. A Russian delegation reported “We know not whether we were in heaven or on earth. We only know that God dwells there among men.”

When visiting this same place in the early 21 ^st century (1500 years after it had been built), Rita Brock’s description thrilled me. She wrote that its interior was “an icon of paradise” – filigreed marble vines and leaves created a canopy like a primeval tree arbor, and there was a dome that seemed to float like a parachute (as if the vault was of the heavens). In a glittering conch there was a life-sized mosaic of Mary with the child in her lap. Mosaic images of the angels Gabriel and Michael … and the depictions of the early Christian Saints could be seen along the walls. Worshippers were reassured that the earth was the dwelling place of God. Wisdom (God’s presence) permeated all things.

The Christian sanctuary was converted to a mosque in the 15 ^th century when the Ottomans captured Constantinople and re-named it Istanbul. The Great Mosque of Ayasofya (as it was so named) remained a testimony to the aspirations of Jews, Christians and Muslims. All of them recognized the sacred space to be paradise on earth and dedicated themselves to live wisely in it.

In 1934 the Turkish government designated the religious landmark “a museum”. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it annually welcomes millions of tourists. This year, Turkey’s President declared “I underline that we will open Hagia Sophia to worship as a mosque by preserving its character of humanity’s common cultural heritage … It is Turkey’s sovereign right to decide for which purpose Hagia Sophia will be used.” President Erdogan adds, “like all our other mosques, the doors of Hagia Sophia will be open to all, locals or foreigners, Muslims and non-Muslims.” His decision to make this change will be hotly disputed by many, but the controversy gives us opportunity to again focus on one of the greatest of sacred architectural treasures.

Regardless the designation, as the Russian delegation declared so long ago “… We only know that God dwells (in this place) among (humanity).”

(For an excellent reference see the book “Saving Paradise” by Rita Brock and Rebecca Parker. Not only is the story of the Hagia Sophia thoughtfully explained, but the writers show how “Paradise” was the dominant image of early Christian sanctuaries. Christians did not focus on the death of Jesus for one thousand years.)

From The Inside Looking Out – by Joyce Sasse

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 15:14:00 GMT

(Seniors’ Lodges in small communities in Covid-19 Times)

Darin was 4 years old when his family moved in beside me. His dad was one of the engineers for Pincher Creek’s Shell Plant. Although Darin had an eighteen-month-old brother and an about-to-be-born sibling, he was oh sooo lonesome. He spent many a minute sitting with his toes edged over the side-walk shouting to anyone across the street. With his most pathetic voice he bellowed “Will you be my friend?”.

Now that I am a Senior and am locked onto the grounds of Crestview Lodge, I remember Darin’s plea.

We, the Seniors who live in residential facilities, may be considered to be “the chosen few”. At the best the kitchen staff do their finest to take care of our dietary needs. The maintenance and housekeeping folks thoughtfully encourage us while they sanitize … and super-sanitize everything in sight. And the business staff spend hours re-interpreting one provincial health regulation after another….

Still, like young Darin, our voices betray our loneliness. The extra coffee-time treats, the phone-calls from family and friends, and the additional activities initiated by the recreation director, are only stop-gap.

It’s wonderful that we can finally all gather in one dining room for our meals. We long for the socializing that used to be part of coffee-time. We long for the time when we can leave-and-entre the Lodge by more than one door … and have the grounds festooned with comfortable lawn furniture and have younger people adding their smiles and bits of wisdom.

If Covid-19 was to last for but a brief spell, as we once hoped would be the case, so be it! But if Covid-19 is to continue on through one season after the next – all of us need to accept that reality.

All of us do have our frustrations and tears and hair-pulling. All of us need to take time to rest and re-create our thinking and our activities. All of us need to be able to pat ourselves on the back as we remember the smiles and gracious moments we do share …

What those residents have found when they tended to down-town errands is that the “outside” isn’t what it once was either …!

These days are the Lord’s. Together let’s make the best of what we can … and look with expectation to what will be!

“Scrupling” & “Collective Silences” are Valuable Communicative Practises – by Joyce Sasse

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 17:26:00 GMT

(The Quaker-way has many attributes …)

In the early ‘60’s the theologs in our College were more than upset because of the nuclear weapon testing taking place in “remote” islands of the South Pacific. What about the people who called those islands “home”? What about the invisible clouds of Strontium-90 dust enveloping the earth?

The pacifist scientist Ursula Franklin found a way to put a measure to the menace. If the grass became saturated with the dust, she reasoned, and the cows ate the grass … wouldn’t the Strontium-90 show in the milk? Milk was consumed by babies and it was possible to test baby-teeth! Dr. Franklin had reasoned correctly. Once the scientists showed the results, and how the atomic particles affected even the youngest, the above-ground exploding of nuclear weapons was halted.

Our St. Andrew’s College theologs satirized what the scientists were discovering. The drama was one of the University’s “Opus Plays”. My most memorable line was delivered while I sat knitting in a rocking-chair. What was I doing? “I was knitting anti-radioactive udder covers for Canadian cows!”

Since then the many facets of Ursula Franklin’s wisdom has helped me form my own understanding of what it means to be faith-filled – even though I had no direct knowledge of Quakerism.

Dr. Franklin became a Quaker when she came to Canada. She enjoyed looking for “the divine spark” reputed to be in every person. She enjoyed the way Believers “scrupled” together as they worked through the various aspects of an issue. Sometimes instead of using a jangle of words, she saw how the faithful sought a “collective silence”. She shared stories about how the silence can help individuals recognize unexpected insights.

I’m re-reading many of the presentations she made. In Western Canada I’m not aware of individuals who actually call themselves “Quakers”. But many of us are influenced by the Quaker way of functioning.

For example, Elizabeth (Cody) Brown, mother of pioneer artist Annora Brown, came from an extended family of Quakers (from Ontario). While Annora was a practising Anglican, many of her understandings and practises were very Quaker-based. Her mother’s words of advice ring like a true Quaker blessing: “Don’t spoil your life looking in far places for the beautiful.”

Rural westerners can readily relate to Ursula Franklin’s dream of having a society in which all can contribute and find friendship doing what they are able to do best. She likened that dream to a society being like what happens with a pot-luck supper. Many bring varieties of food. Those who can’t cook may help to organize or do the clean-up … And all belong!

When I initiated our first “Cowboy Christmas” we extended the invitation through the local newspaper. It read “Many who don’t regularly attend Sunday worship still have deep spiritual roots. Our Christmas Gathering gives opportunity to share these values in the context of worship.”

This Quaker inspired invitation was shared with the whole community. “Believers” filled the church. They “scrupled” together over a feast of beans-and-biscuits. They shared the fellowship, offered their thanks, and supported those in need. It was a very spiritual event.

A final example: The IRCA (International Rural Church Association) meets every four years. As the Conference concludes, 60+ people from at least 5 continents have a time of “collective silence”. What an amazing and awe-inspiring moment … In silence the Spirit’s decision is made clear. The International Association’s leader for the next four years is named and is given the blessing of each of us.

The “divine spark” in each person engages us, opens us to enquiry and gives us strength beyond our knowing. So be it!

Annora Brown’s Paintings Enhance Newest Publication of “Old Man’s Garden” — by Joyce Sasse

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 22:39:00 GMT

Old Man’s Garden – Annora Brown’s classic manuscript is now republished with some of her paintings and a new cover.

In the 1930’s and 1940’s Annora Brown used pen-and-ink to show people the values she was learning while studying the culture of the Blackfoot People. Her work was noticed, and it made a difference to people like myself. She helped me learn to appreciate Aboriginal People and helped me ask why so many of “the public” shunned or abused them. Eventually I also started asking why such negative attitudes were promoted by people considered to be “in power”.

Annora Brown had learned from earliest childhood to be fascinated when she heard the Indians beat drums and sing and saw the dancing – for this is what it was like in her home-town of Fort Macleod on special occasions. As an adult she learned about their stories, and the way they devoted their lives to having a close relationship with Nature. With pen-and-ink she drew simple pictures depicting what she observed. Eventually she convinced Dent & Sons to publish her illustrations in their Canadian school-textbooks (in the 1930’s & 1940’s). “Totem, Tipi and Tumpline” was one of my favorite books.

From out of this same feast of Indigenous learnings Annora researched and assembled material for a manuscript. Her book, Old Man’s Garden, was so unique it took twenty years before her publisher (Dent & Sons) committed it to print (in 1954). It is now considered a classic and has been reprinted for the 3 ^rd time, 61 years later.

In the book she identified and listed the scientific and common names of 160 wild-flowers and plants from southwestern Alberta. Then, with pen-and-ink she illustrated 120 fauna examples. She also assembled a collection of legends and lore about these plants – from the diaries of explorers and travellers and from the oral stories of the Blackfoot People. Annora Brown, the historian, botanist, writer, artist and educator, wanted to let readers know all they could about Napi’s Garden. She dedicated the book to “all nature lovers everywhere … and especially my parents who taught me love and respect for Nature”.

Annora’s original Introduction in Old Man’s Garden 1954 tells us “(that this) book gossips about the flowers” and acknowledges that these First Nations People “have added so greatly to the world collection of beautiful thoughts”.

In addition to the reprinted classic, Rocky Mountain Books has augmented this Old Man’s Garden (2020) with a new cover and a sampler of 12 of Annora’s original paintings (in watercolour and oil). Included is a Forward by Rev. Sidney Black, Indigenous Anglican Blackfoot Bishop of Treaty 7. Art curator Mary-Beth Laviolette has not only written Introductory Notes , but has worked out the multiple details required by the publisher. The painting images include Blackfoot Tipis and regalia, and landscapes and flora from the Waterton Park Region.

This 2020 edition of Old Man’s Garden is indeed a treasure “for all who have love and respect for Nature!

(see www.annorabrown.ca )

June 26, 2020 – Correction by Mary-Beth Laviolette to Sasse column on OMG

Mary-Beth Laviolette noted – Scratchboard drawings by Annora Brown, are found in Old Man’s Garden. This makes them even more unique. “Scratchboard is a form of direct engraving where the artist scratches off dark ink to reveal a white or colored layer beneath. Scratchboard refers to both a fine-art medium, and an illustrative technique using sharp knives and tools for engraving into a thin layer of white China clay that is coated with dark, often black India ink.” (see Wikipedia)

A Legacy of Resilience and Celebration – by Joyce Sasse

Thu, 23 Apr 2020 16:52:00 GMT

A Legacy of Resilience and Celebration – by Joyce Sasse

(During these Covid-19 Days our spirits find renewal as we recall reminiscences from the Life & Legacy of Annora Brown .)

A pivotal part of Annora Brown’s story starts in 1930. She had just graduated from the Ontario Art School and was developing the Art Program for Mount Royal College (Calgary) when her father called her home to Fort Macleod. Her mother had suffered a stroke. Annora’s help was needed.

“The shock of mother’s illness, the bitterness of business men struggling to keep their heads above water, and the procession of desperate people begging for aid which could not be given” was all too real. When Annora realized the extent of her obligations” (no old age pension, no medicare, no pharma care, no Pioneer Lodge for older people) she felt an overwhelming melancholy.

Her autobiography “Sketches from Life” tells her story. In spite of everything, she had to live a life. “I had no intentions of starving” she wrote. “I would try every means possible of turning my talents into enough money for food and shelter without denying myself the right to exist.”

She remembered how it was she found solace and healing. “Outdoors activities and new impressions from the world of nature dulled the sharp edge of my grief. The human spirit ripens more slowly than the berries on a bush, but I moved forward toward maturity.”

So it was that Annora “cobbled together a living as an artist.” In addition to painting, she illustrated books and magazines, and held art classes and lectures in numerous south Alberta communities. MaryBeth Lavioulette noted “Annora was one of the lucky few in the province to earn a living from her art.”

She met herself on the prairie with the wailing wind, the honking geese and howling coyotes. She wrote about having an elemental response to the hugeness and violence of the wind. She felt for the defiant robin singing out after a spring snow storm. Nothing was more tempting than her need to sketch grain elevators reflected in puddles while clouds churned and thunder echoed in the distance.

At a time when the Federal Government focused on assimilation of Native People, Annora studied her Blackfoot neighbours. Their sense of spirituality and connection with the earth was something she deeply appreciated. She studied the designs found in their clothing, their tipis and their dances. Through her illustrations in Dent’s school textbooks she helped interpret Native culture for non-Native students. She did the same by writing and illustrating stories in women’s magazines.

Also, from early on Annora familiarized herself with everything she could learn about wild plants (see her book “Old Man’s Garden”). She then experimented with the unique water colours and design techniques for painting these plants. In three years she completed 500 watercoloured wildflower paintings. All of them were portrayed in their natural state. 200 were commissioned for the Glenbow Foundation (Calgary). The rest here purchased by an appreciative public.

Obviously, nature’s rich personality captivated her. It was at the heart of everything she did.

Annora Brown was a quiet, introverted, home-grown artist who, with pen and paint brush preserved vital secrets otherwise unheralded in today’s world. More than a legacy of resilience, she taught us the meaning behind celebrating the gifts of Nature!

We can learn so much by seeing the updated website www.annorabrown.ca . Also, enjoy “Annora Brown: Interpreter of the Foothills” on YouTube.

Writing a Drama to Research the Life of Annora Brown – by Joyce Sasse

Thu, 14 Nov 2019 20:49:00 GMT

It’s amazing what one person’s passion and persuasion can accomplish ~ this understanding is what I discovered as I wrote the radio-style drama “Annora Brown: Interpreter of the Foothills”.

When I first read Sketches from Life I was both saddened and exhilarated. It had been fifty years since I had been smitten by Annora Brown’s landscape paintings in the l950s. In the in-between-time, I had received only scarce bits of information about this fascinating artist from Fort Macleod.

Early in this century, although I was very much a computer novice, I started gleaning bits of information from my own desk top about Annora’s life and work. Eventually my research led me to read Patricia Alderson’s 2005 Thesis “Annora Brown: Forming a Regionalist Sensibility” (on microfiche – thus requiring hours of sitting in the Lethbridge library peering at microfilm screen, manually scrolling from page to page – no quick search and click to open a pdf in the comfort of my home office)!

After reading the thesis, I spent a day with Patricia. I lingered over Annora’s sketch books and memorabilia that her nephew, Morley Brown, had given to Patricia. Talking with Patricia and how her thesis revealed Annora’s lifelong quests further spurred me to do on-the-ground research in southwest Alberta with people who knew her or knew about her. I designed (and financed with my first Church Pension cheque) a brochure about the life and artworks of Annora, and I initiated grass-roots research and legacy discussions.

From confidence I had gained after writing two local historic plays for presentation in the Kootenai Brown Museum, I penned the story of Annora Brown. Based on her autobiography, and using local memorabilia that included diaries, interviews, and oral history memories shared by a variety of individuals, I wrote and rewrote. At the 2008 Waterton Wildflower Festival, along with three amateur actors, we successfully presented our play, along with the help of many volunteers who loaned their paintings and hosted the various aspects of our gathering.

From then, we presented in southwest Alberta, the dramatization on 10 different occasions as a radio-style play-reading, always with the accompaniment of borrowed, privately owned Annora-paintings. A silver collection helped pay for the minimal costs involved. The audiences consistently received Annora’s story with appreciation for her passions and life accomplishments.

Regular newspaper and e-mail columns, plus the promotion and presentation of the play, helped fan the warming coals of Annora’s story. Now it was time to make a more permanent and digital record of our production.

In the 2017-2018 academic year, I persuaded the Digital Communications and Media instructor at Lethbridge College to film the drama as part of his Diploma Program . Enthusiastic students worked on a real-life story of an amazing and local woman, fueled by the possibility that the production would be of use by K-12 students and whomever else accessed it on the world wide web. The college recording included images of Annora, her paintings, and her landscapes that furthered the telling of the fullness of her life.

Furthermore, a University of Lethbridge Digital Audio Arts student (who had a family relationship with the Annora story) volunteered to add the musical background and uploaded the film on YouTube, in 3 short classroom teaching segments.

Examples of use of the film might be by students in English Language Arts, art or in a classroom about conservation and sustainability of the land, or for performance by a drama class (script included).

Acknowledgement of appreciation was given to each of the many people involved: for their contribution, for the facilities and equipment used, and for all who shared digitized images.

This script is also available on the website OER Commons – where Open Education Resources lesson plans are available. Because of the permissions of the license (CC-BY-SA-NC), revisions or remixes are allowed, and can be shared on OER Commons. Please note that no commercial use of the script is allowed.

Thanks to the affordances of digital technologies and Creative Commons Licensing, Annora Brown’s Art, Life and Legacy Project is a great gift for all of us.

(see www.annorabrown.ca )

Accomplishments of an Octogenarian Applauded – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 02 Nov 2019 20:19:00 GMT

(In Scripture ‘The Preacher’ tells how “the day of death is better than the day of birth” [Ecclesiastes 7:1]. Many Seniors, who have themselves lived purposeful lives, will appreciate the following biographical reflections.)

Pioneer environmental artist Annora Brown (1899 – 1987) was a person whose creative endeavours, which she shared throughout her life, are even more deeply appreciated today.

I recently read a review of a 1982 exhibit that featured her work. Annora was 83 years old and had just received her newly published Sketches from Life autobiography. An art-reviewer writing about that Lethbridge show commented on the unique quality of Annora’s lino-work Buggy Ride , and the competency of her watercolour works – especially her “native American subjects” and “the delicate colours of the Cow Parsnip ” … “The depth of distance (observed in) Windblown Tree and (the) quiet serenity of Waterton Lakes were handled nicely.” Her landscapes in oil and in watercolour showed her “great sense of the land, sky and space of Southern Alberta” and were “her strongest, surest works”. (Lethbridge Herald, February 24, 1982)

Introverted, unmarried, noticeably deaf from an early age, and battling health issues especially in those later years, Annora Brown continued her pursuit of creativity even after moving from Fort Macleod to Deep Cove, BC in 1965.

Among her many accomplishments, some from very early in her professional career, was the Honorary Membership given to her by the Alberta and Canadian Handicraft Guilds. It was recognized that she sought to elevate crafts (for Indigenous and Inuit women as well as non-Aboriginal women) to a higher status, and translated art into the daily lives of the people. (Patricia Alderson’s Thesis Annora Brown: Forming a Regionalist’s Sensibility page 40f)

She “sent off a number of her beautifully executed batiks to Calgary Handicrafts Show”. Done on velvet, and of large dimensions, they were “highly praised for their beauty and workmanship”. One showed deer and moose against background of spruce and poplar. Another “batik on silk depicted plains Indian legends and prairie designs inspired by wigwams and covered wagons.” (Family Herald & Weekly Star, November 17, 1937)

Reviewing a “Past Revisited in Gallery Show”, Linda Caldwell wrote “Annora Brown had a flower painting in the show with an almost surreal look … It was too perfect to be real yet so perfect it looked real …” (Medicine Hat News, January 11, 1985)

Not only was she known for the outstanding quality of her work, but also for her business acumen. Annora Brown was one of the first artists in Alberta to have made her living as an artist – at the same time as providing for her parents at their home in Fort Macleod. This was an era when there was no medi-care nor pension. Nor were there any grants for artists. (Her mother died in 1936, her father in 1956.)

The full extent of her legacy continues to grow in these days thanks to shared research, and with the help of modern technology and Creative Commons Licensing. With a certainty we can affirm – “The day of Annora Brown’s death was better than the day of her birth.”

A Ripening of the Spirit – by Joyce Sasse

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 21:32:00 GMT

(How do an individual’s spiritual values evolve? As we catch glimpses of the Art, Life and Legacy of pioneer artist and conservationist Annora Brown, we learn about her spiritual “ripening”.)

Annora Brown was a person who didn’t let other people’s attitudes and opinions affect her negatively once she found her course in life. Matter-of-fact, exhilarated by her curiosity and creativity, Annora’s thinking moved along a unique plain of values – and many of us find ourselves touched by her far-sighted legacy.

Annora often told about the way her parents encouraged her to find her voice. Then, in her book “Old Man’s Garden”, written early in her professional career, she talked about listening for the “gossip” she heard from the wildflowers. Later, she wrote “when I looked deep into the heart of a flower, I felt as if a presence surrounded me … As if the spirits of the earth were coming to share this moment with me”. As for how our famed Southwestern Alberta winds affected her, she told how the power and violence of those winds touched an elemental part of her nature and provided music for her soul.

She wrote about how those many glimpses of space and light and spirit influenced her many forms of creativity and were part of her spiritual formation… To the present time, we can still focus on her inspired wisdom.

In her illustrations and paintings, her writings and handicraft designs, Annora excelled in her gifts of creativity. Her artist friend Doris Hunt thoughtfully wrote “Annora Brown’s art is the product of her environment, but in her transactions with her environment she is as much the creator as created.”

A fascinating part of Annora’s story is that she never really realized the potential of what she had to offer until she was in her late Twenties and was challenged to develop her inspirational spirit at Toronto’s School of Art. Even after graduating with Honours, and after being gainful employed as an art teacher at Calgary’s Mount Royal College, the fullness of her struggles was still being developed. With the desperate illness of her parents and her need to help with their finances as well as care for them … while being pitied by many because she was a spinster … and being challenge by a community whose rural values were very traditional … her resolve was to remain called to the place where God placed her in Fort Macleod, Alberta!

Through all this time it was as if her spirit was evolving, pushing her in new directions – some might call this a process of “ripening”! Through it she and we discover how we can be both blessed and a blessing. Many are the surprises that may still lie in store for any one of us at any time! Remember the youngster who shouted “God ain’t finished with me yet!”

(see details of her art and her story at www.annorabrown.ca )

Soil Scientists Confirm Pioneer Artist’s Legacy Learning – by Joyce Sasse

Tue, 24 Sep 2019 20:09:00 GMT

(What is Annora Brown saying in her painting titled “wild sunflowers”? Might that scene be her message warning the non-Aboriginal people of South Alberta to emphasize the value of “Nature’s Landscape” in the 1940s?)

The painting featured on the cover of Annora Brown’s autobiography “Sketches from Life” shows a scene of fenced, cropped fields reaching to the horizon. In the foreground wild sunflowers grow along the ditch and beside the utility pole.

Her painting is reminiscent of a story she told about sketching a similar scene in the Fort Macleod area. When it got too dark, she resolved to pause and finish her sketch the next day. But alas, the road crew had mowed all those “weeds” along the ditch before she returned. People didn’t understand what she was trying to tell them about the essential value of “Nature’s Landscape”.

In the Preface of her autobiographical book, written when she was nearly 80 years old, Annora recalls how she “lifted the lid” on the fragments of her memories “that buzzed about” – memories that caused her to sometimes chuckle and sometimes feel “bruised and beaten” and dissolved in tears.

Annora’s thoughtful insights speak volumes. This scene is echoed through a couple of news-worthy articles from the Western Producer about research being done on soil health (July 4, 2019). The question researchers are now asking is if producers facing changing climatic circumstances can develop improved “regenerative agricultural practises”?

The basis for these practises harkens back to the way ancient agrarian cultures used plants and animals to enhance their soil for generations.

The researchers remind us that “chemical and mechanical practises aren’t working so well” from the point of view of productivity. “Our soils are bleeding carbon” … and “we don’t just go to town and buy a remedy.”

We must focus on giving attention to the health of soil. It is possible to use plants and animals as a major resource to again make the land productive. Practises like “over-cropping” and “inter-cropping” are being studied. Livestock herds can provide valuable organic compound even as they mulch the grassland. Crop resilience can be improved in times of drought, and fewer inputs are needed when considering profitability.

“Soil is a living organism”. Treat it with care. Respect it … and be amazed at how Mother Nature provides! Annora Brown, through her life, work and witness, provides a rich bounty of Legacy Learnings. Faithful stewards of the land can do no less!

(see www.annorabrown.ca )

Annora Brown Researches Wildflower Painting by Joyce Sasse

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 15:46:00 GMT

(Break-through research by Annora Brown led to her unique style for painting wildflowers.)

Only recently have I realized how unique Annora Brown’s wildflower paintings were for her time. The essence of the story is told in the end chapter of her autobiography Sketches from Life .

In gathering information for the Old Man’s Garden manuscript, Annora had cumulated valuable information about these wildflower plants from a botanical and historic perspective, and she treasured the understandings learned from the Blackfoot People.

Now she, the conservationist, gave voice through her artistic renderings to the unique way these flowers called out to her. Whether found on the mountains, in the plains or on the prairies, the images she created suggested the flowers had a “relationship with the earth, the grass, the gophers, the melting snow”. They were “poetical interpretations of Nature”.

Furthermore, Annora the artist developed a newly evolved technique for painting these subjects. She “used watercolour with a small amount of opaque paint where necessary” to try to show intensity of feeling and emotion. Line and form were blended with watercolours to appear “dark and sturdy” (not pale and fragile”). She sought for “subtle colouring and mystic quality” (which was “beyond the scope of the average colour engraver”).

Critics at first rejected Annora’s work. They assumed any wildflower painting should look more like a scientific specimen. It was thought to be wrong for an image to suggest mood or have emotional content … wrong to assume any relationship of the wildflower with the world around it!

For a while, according to Annora, “this controversy (between art and science) unknowingly placed me between two worlds”. But gradually “the demand for (her) paintings grew”. Within a few years her works were featured in Exhibits and were favoured by the Public.

In 1971 one art critic published the following comment after viewing the Glenbow Art Exhibit. “Annora Brown is the hand of the flower sower and the eye of time, for when the lily blooms no more, should man be yet alive, she will review for him the glory that was, and advise him of the glory to be …”

The Glenbow Foundation commissioned 200 Annora Brown wildflower paintings in 1958 (completed in 3 years). It is this same Glenbow Archival Collection that we enjoy today.

(see pp. 218 – 220, Sketches from Life by Annora Brown)

Marvelous Moments of Beauty – Joyce Sasse

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 16:09:00 GMT

(A moment of beauty can feed one’s soul for a life-time.)

Thirty-five years after experiencing a particular day in the Rocky Mountains, Annora Brown’s amazing memory continued to feed her soul as she wrote about it in her autobiography Sketches from Life (1981).

She told of how a narrow plateau on the edge of Cameron Lake challenged her to climb up to “a hidden heaven”. On that plateau the artist found a rainbow of wildflowers blooming beside a tiny glacier-filled pond. What she saw was a heady experience – the cold snow alongside the warmth and colour of the flowers. Bumble-bees and hummingbirds speckled the scene, and a white-throated sparrow sang through the clear mountain air.

“I felt very humble”, Annora wrote noted, remembering how she found respite from all the news of the World War II tragedies that echoed around the world.

Her trip down what had been a dry rocky stream bed that morning, was now “a rushing torrent” of snowmelt. The icy torrent over the slippery rocks brought Annora back to reality. But the marvel of those hidden moments on the mountain ledge remained heaven-sent.

We catch glimpses of similar life-giving moments written in Scriptures through the songs of the Psalmists. More than 3,500 years ago, they too told of a gracious and caring Creator who was enchanted by beauty.

Look at the marvels you have done, the Psalmist said of God. “You cover yourself with light as a garment … You make the clouds your chariot, riding on the wings of the wind … (You make) fire and flames your servants.” Grass grows for the cattle, and wine and bread give us strength because of you. “Bless the Lord, oh my soul … I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.” (Psalm 104)

To this day so much of our world is overtaken by anger and angst, by furor and all that it unsettling. And it is true that we can never immerse ourselves in an ever-lasting spa of beauty.

But like Annora, and like the Psalmist from of old, all of us can catch momentary glimpses of beauty that touch the very centre of our being. Such moments give us strength beyond our own strength. They give us peace when the going is hard. They help us laugh when our other alternative might be to cry.

“May the Lord give strength to (the) people! May the Lord bless (the) people with peace!” (Psalm 29)

(see www.annorabrown.ca )

Respecting True Worth – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 18 Jul 2019 22:09:00 GMT

(Remembering to respect the true worth of multicultural neighbours …)

Many newer immigrants have become resident in our small community these past couple of years, and I am reminded of the earliest days in Fort Macleod when writer-artist Annora Brown wrote about her childhood memories. Circa 1908, in addition to First Nations folks, she spoke about Chinese, Italian, French, Icelandic, German, Scottish and English neighbours.

The sad part was that the ranking of such persons as defined by ethnicity and social status. That ranking made a pecking order within the community that resulted in pain and unjust treatment among the citizenry. Both those judged and those doing the judging, we realize now, became victims.

Even while governments and churches were creating piously unjust classifications, Annora Brown was doing what she could to right such wrongs. With her illustrations (in the mid-30s) in school textbooks published by Dent and Sons, by publishing stories in women’s magazines, and by delivering lectures sponsored by the Extension Department of the University to Alberta, Annora’s work attested to the breadth of what she knew to be true about respecting everyone.

Had we been in Annora’s presence, we could have had thoughtful discussions together. Consider studying Isaiah 11 as an example.

“Out of the root of Jesse”, Scripture says, the Spirit of the Lord shall bring forth an entity that “shall judge the poor with justice” and “equity”. Justice and good faith will prevail. Wolves and sheep shall live together “and a little child will lead them”. In this way “the land shall be filled with the knowledge of the world”.

Is there a glimmer of hope that some of Annora’s thoughtful understandings can speak to us in our time … and especially speak through our children? She reminds us (in her autobiography Sketches from Life) of those times when “we learned to respect true worth and to recognize it, not from outward appearances or occupation, but from the inward virtues of all mankind.”

As the Lord speaks through the Word, as Annora affirmed through her creative messages, so may the children of today guide all of us beyond our own inadequacies?

Our Prayer: “Let us be enlightened by paths to the truths that lie before us!”

(see www.annorabrown.ca )

Spiritual Mentor Annora Brown – Joyce Sasse

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 19:32:00 GMT

(The “Annora Brown Life and Legacy” work spurred on by Joyce Sasse needs to be given wider attention. How can you help?)

Through our studies of the life and legacy of Annora Brown, many of us recognize her contribution as a spiritual mentor who continues enhancing our lives

Even before the on-set of my stroke and health issues, I have looked for ways we can more appropriately organize and administer these offerings. We appeal for inspiration.

So many things stimulate our attention. Mary-Beth Lavioulette and Sidney Black (Blackfoot Nation) have teamed up with Rocky Mountain Press to offer a re-release of Annora’s classic “Old Man’s Garden”. Watch for it being published in the fall.

Natalie Ashton is working hard to up-date the Website ( www.annorabrown.ca ). This is an even more inspirational tool for all who have enjoyed the past work done in this regard.

Bev Harbison has been working with a couple of University of Alberta Archivists to discover more correspondence and information pertaining to Annora Brown. As an example, a letter from Jim McNicoll (Alberta Society of Artists) pleaded with Annora to join the ASA again – noting with pride that the organization “has sloughed off its Victorian skin”. His anticipation (and plea) was that she might rejoin and offer 3 or 4 of her pieces for the next ASA showing.

A couple of notes from Catherine Whyte (circa 1958) suggest Annora’s association with a group of Catherine’s artist friends was much appreciated. They only wish she could have had a longer stay in Banff. Later we learn about the financial loan she made that helped Annora find a lovely little house and studio on Vancouver Island.

How much more Catherine Whyte related correspondence might be found in the Whyte Museum (Banff)?

From Annora’s own “Sketches from Life” autobiography we catch a glimpse of how much the Glenbow Collection of Wildflowers demanded of Annora in terms of tenacity and exhaustion. Norman Rockwell wrote in his autobiography from the same era that he wouldn’t have even tried to complete 10 works (never mind 200 watercolours).

U of A correspondence tells us that in 1965 the Glenbow seized for posterity Annora’s “paintings of Indians and prairie landscapes”. In 1969 they suggested, further, that she “consider placing the manuscript of Old Man’s Garden in their care”.

The U of A Archives notes a delightful letter written by Frank Collindridge (Member of Parliament) from when Annora did a 3-month tour of Europe in 1951 and met the “Queen Mother”. In part it reads “I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of meeting Annora… You did not exaggerate … when you wrote me of her charm. She seemed to have all the advantages of transcending everything that equitable nature of her I have never seen excelled. I shared her company at the House of Commons, and there was an occasion she went to the House of Lords to witness the Royal assent given to Parliamentary Bills, and she met a few of our members in both Commons and Lords. I always felt my personal stock and standing was being improved in being able to call her friend. She of course will give you her own account of these affairs, … but I have a notion Annora’s modesty will not make for the full story and the part she played in it.

“Came the day she went to the Garden Party at Buckingham Palace and the good fortune I had in getting her presented to the Queen. Annora had a dignity, and dress, most becoming, and she bore herself splendid…”

Both he … and we … have so much more we can learn from this National Treasure.

Annora Brown’s Spiritual Pilgrimage – Joyce Sasse

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 22:19:00 GMT

(Because of a stroke in April, I am no longer able to take on a major role regarding the “Annora Brown Art, Life and Legacy” initiative. But my expectation is that we shall, together, find ways to continue.

This memo is being sent to both “Country Preacher’s Notes (Blog)” and “Annora Brown Life and Legacy” column readers. I am sure that Frank McTighe ( tmgedit@telus.net ), Connie Blomgren ( connieb@athabascau.ca ) and myself ( jsasse@telusplanet.net ) will do what we can to help with this transition. But your help is needed!

More details to follow shortly.)

Learning about Annora Brown’s spiritual pilgrimage has been a passion of mine for many years. Through the work already completed we have a deeper understanding of her art, her life and her legacy. What a gift! Many of you have made significant contributions in this regard.

In the face of my own health limitations, I’m challenging many of you to now continue these studies, possibly in a colloquium [JS1] style. We are happy to share all the resources we can gathered to date.

There are so many facets of Annora’s story that are coming to the fore. This is not about the dollar value any of her works might eventually make. It is about what her contribution has made and continues to make as an astute South Albertan and as one of Canada’s National Treasures.

From the early 20’s, and until extreme health issues caused Annora’s demise, her sense of history, culture and landscape were present in everything she did. Her illustrations, paintings, writings and oral presentations were of the finest quality. But first and foremost, her “calling” was that of a teacher. This very year (2019) teachers will be working with K-12 students to learn how to share from her related resources. This is thanks to work initiated by Connie Blomgren and the Athabasca University.

An exhibit called “Canadian Women Artists of the 1920s and 30s” is being planned for May – October 2020. It will be held at the McMichael Collection (Kleinberg, Ontario) … This Group of Seven Centenary Project will include contributions by Annora Brown.

See annorabrown.ca website being redeveloped

by Natalie Asplund <nat.asplund@gmail.com>

(In the immediate future Part II of “ Annora Brown’s Spiritual Pilgrimage ” will contain many more interesting bits and pieces.)

[JS1

The Time of Fermenting is At Hand – Joyce Sasse

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 16:47:00 GMT

If you have ever made wine, you know it takes time. And often there are surprises along the way. There’s the fruit. There’s the pressing and the fermenting. It makes me think of Jesus at the wedding feast where the guests never gave a thought to how special his drinks were.

That’s the kind of thinking that seems to be happening with a significant degree of rapidity in a number of our spiritual settings. I’m most familiar with the United Church of Canada, where a considerable amount of spiritual fermenting seems to be bubbling in interesting venues.

This spring, after 190 years of publishing a much-lauded church magazine, the United Church’s Observer is now known as “ Broadview ”. The whole presentation grabs our attention in unexpected ways. It is open, progressive and tries to focus on spirituality, justice and ethical living. Some examples … a feature article is about a recent Canadian scientist who is both a Nobel winner and a “church lady”. “Parenting in the Age of Climate Change”, told through the eyes of a new dad, certainly got my attention. “Mama Bears” are moms who fight back for their Queer kids. And spiritual seekers are invited to learn about “10 Spiritual Road Trips that might feed the soul”. This and so much more in Broadview in the first 6 months.

At the same time, there has been a change in the basic administrative structure the United Church is embarked on. That is a story in itself.

I’m sensing exciting possibilities, but expect all that fermenting will also result in a variety of glitches – surprises and “hot air” bubbles along the way.

Many congregants may still think only of the old ways of being Church. So be it … But already an unexpected opportunity has been made in our community for the church to rent some of the church building to the community’s Adult Education Program. More people and programs will become part of their shared space through the week. More talking about community programs can’t help but be an asset. The hand of the Lord reaches out in interesting ways.

An article in the July the Broadview magazine refers to the time when Jesus is said to have raised Lazarus from the dead. “In the biblical account Jesus asks people nearby to move the stone in front of Lazarus’s tomb, rather than moving it himself … This (is an) illustration of the need to match faith with hard work. ‘Let us move the stone together, he said. Let us continue.’”

We are inspired in wondrous and mysterious ways.

In Our Vulnerability We Find Out Strength – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 21:10:00 GMT

In Our Vulnerability We Find Our Strength – Joyce Sasse

It is generally assumed we attend church on Sunday to focus on the content of the Worship Service. But at one of the most vulnerable times in my stroke-recovery process my source of strength came from the thoughtful actions and bits of conversation my friends shared in our in-between times.

A friend gave me a ride since I couldn’t drive. Throughout our outing I carefully clung to my cane for stability. My words were mumbled and intermittent. My eyes and ears were dim.

But once we got to the church’s stair-landing I felt the gentle, warm hug of a friend who constantly faces her own mental-depression demons. Her wordless-sincerity spoke volumes.

What a pleasure, next, to hear my recently retired Kindergarten Teacher friend give me a quick summary of the speech she had made for the High School Graduation Exercises. At my request she was ready to forward by e-mail the whole text – words that challenged and gave hope to the kids and quickened my heart.

My old fisherman-friend and I laughed as we carefully made our way down the stairs for coffee – me holding one rail so I wouldn’t stumble, her holding the other side while impaired by a 90 % loss of vision. We did make a pair!

Our talk soon turned to the “Celebration of Life” to be held for a ranch woman friend whose livestock, family and community meant everything to her. True, her “spit-fire” personality often left many feel intimidated. But the generosity and kindness she and her husband shared were elements that had often helped me understand what it meant to be true stewards of the land. While I no longer attend “funerals”, I’m able to speak to special family members by a letter.

What we realized as we hugged and chatted and shared our vulnerabilities with each other is just how important the moments we share are for each of us.

The Apostle Paul put it so well. “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Our power lies with the Spirit of the Almighty.

There is a Jewish hymn in the book “Voices United” that speaks about the on-going work of the Creator. “If our God had simply saved us, merely brought us out of Egypt …”, we sing, that would have been “enough” (dayeinu). But when our God “calls the whole world into freedom” and “opens up the new Creation”, we become more than blessed. Regardless our vulnerabilities … “Dayeinu”. God gives us blessing beyond our imagining.

It is in our vulnerabilities that we find our strength.

Out of the Mouths of Children – Joyce Sasse

Sun, 02 Jun 2019 19:25:00 GMT

(Who can even imagine the spiritual greetings that come from the young?)

As I recall, Mickey was about 9 years old … and was always ready to bug his fellow campers and their leaders. But while keeping an eye out for trouble, you couldn’t help but smile at his antics.

As Camp Director I had 45 other kids to think about, but whether he was teasing the girls or trying to get out of helping with the dishes, it seemed I was often around to give him a scowl or stand behind him as he mocked someone.

Campers at that time were expected to start the day with a pre-breakfast dip in the lake. Every morning our leaders complained about how Mickey was the loudest grumbler in the whole camp.

Gradually I wondered if his attitude had something to do with him being afraid of something. Could it be he’d had a previous scare in the water?

It wasn’t until the last morning, just before lunch, that I noticed he and a good buddy moved toward the lake with a canoe. They barely got water-bound when someone bumped into their canoe and over-turned it … Mickey went ballistic!!!

His buddy fled! … I was heart broken! He didn’t dare go home feeling like that.

“I noticed you took hold of the canoe like you knew how to handle it”, I ventured after he had smoldered for a while. “Have you canoed before?” I pleaded my case – suggesting that maybe he could help me. I hadn’t been on the lake all week because I wasn’t comfortable in the water.

He eventually he helped me get into the boat. Imagine this very robust woman sitting in the front “seat” while Mickey tried reaching far enough into the water in the back of the canoe to steer with his paddle.

After a few minutes I suggested I was ever so grateful to have had my ride, and maybe we should get back to the dinning hall for lunch. “You get in the food line”, I shouted. “I’ll put the canoe back where in belongs and be along in a few minutes.”

Fifteen minutes later, as the cook and I made our way to the end of the table for our lunch, I heard a raspy voice from the other end of our table announce with some pride “I think fat people are wonderful!”

Not only had Mickey won his battle with his water-demons, but I felt he had given me one of the best compliments I could ever receive. Spiritual gifts come in many forms.

The Gift of Talking With Each Other – Joyce Sasse

Sun, 26 May 2019 21:02:00 GMT

(My writings try to reflect on the deep spiritual hunger and the rich spiritual heritage that surrounds us in our rural communities.)

I have treasured the opportunities I enjoy as “A Country Preacher” to participate in the unique gifts of rural community life. Many are the times I’ve entered into the very centre of the lives of the people: to cry with them in their pain, to celebrate their joy and enjoy their humour. Along the way we try to name those spiritual sources that help us find strength and meaning. Hopefully we can also catch a deeper vision for our faith-communities that-are-yet-to-be.

These days one of my goals is to try to find the right words to express the way my mom and I often got caught in our differences as she struggled with aging and pain.

While I thought it was important for her to move into a Senior Citizen’s Home, she faced different assumptions. As a result, our clashes ranged between outright disagreement and silent despair. Such negativity is hard on everyone.

Fortunately, a neighbour and his nurse-wife suggested a self-assessment questionnaire that mom could work on with her health team. It was designed to help her make her own decisions about what she was and was-not capable to handling.

With those thoughts in mind, rather than trying to tell her what to do, I was invited to help her make her own decisions about what she might be prepared to handle. That change of attitude made all the difference for both of us.

Such change leads me to ask, again and again, how we learn to “talk-with-each-other” instead of “talking-at-each-other”.

Each day, also, I’m learning more and more from my own experience concerning both the struggles and the gifts that can result from my STROKE – especially as friends and family also learn how to care for me in ways never before required by them. Difficulties with speech and mobility and being easily exhausted top my list of needs.

Recently, at the time of his death, many stories were being told about the work of Jean Vanier. I had always enjoyed learning about his work of sharing with “disabled” adults. He showed us how even the most handicapped of his friends were able to share rich feelings about friendship and caring. Their lives had purpose and meaning and they were capable to making decisions that were important to them…

Any special relationships we can have within our rural communities helps us appreciate the subtleties offered by Vanier’s tender care. There is so much more we could do for each other. The gifts are found in learning to be with and talk with each other, instead of talking at each-other. In this way, the blessing of the Lord is both freely given and graciously received.

New Times Await Our Attention – Joyce Sasse

Sun, 19 May 2019 21:23:00 GMT

How things have changed. As a kid I recall the time when Gram Sasse had to go into a Nursing Home in a prairie community 30 miles distant. Because of her dementia she enjoyed her thoughtful care-givers. But her family were embarrassed because they couldn’t care for her.

As the time came for my mother to consider leaving her home, even though her strength was waning she wanted nothing to do with moving into some “old folks’ home”. Only when our local hospital insisted she was no longer able to keep a bed did my mother “give in” and reluctantly surrender her home digs. But once in the Lodge, though her time there was too short, she found she loved being with old friends and new neighbours.

Over the last 25 years I was keen to exchange menopause and full-time employment for my pension and an opportunity to voluntarily explore my own professional calling in rural ministry. Finally, when it came to down-sizing my office and home, I carefully considered the options. It helped that the National Church Archives agreed to accept my appropriate files concerning the Rural Church Movement . More recently I found a way to exchange my house for a suite in a local Senior’s facility and found a home for all my extraneous goods.

As we grow older, I realize it is a privilege be able to move through the “age-ing” into “sage-ing”: something that doesn’t just happen overnight … and doesn’t just happen without intention. But the process can be a blessing.

I didn’t count on having a STROKE just as my new start to life took effect – but I think even this can be a gift from the Almighty. With the help of the medical community, and with my family-of-friends and so many others I’m learning about reprogramming muscles and nerves and the like. It takes patience and rest. It also makes me aware of so many other folks who are no longer able to drive or move out-of-doors, and who can’t do without their canes and walkers…

How quickly our world can change. How quickly each of us need to remind ourselves that God’s not finished with us yet. It’s easy to get depressed and discouraged. It’s easy to think no one cares …! But by helping each other in our tough times as well as in our bright times, we discover the world can become a better place for all of us.

What I’ve come to realize with my new venture is the blessing of being both “independent” but “no longer alone”. Community Living , however we define it, has many blessings.

Getting Restarted – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 10 May 2019 17:18:00 GMT

( Blog Practise for column from “Country Preacher’s Notebook”)

New and exciting things are happening in my life and I feel the need to start a new edition of “Country Preacher’s Notebook” as a blog practise. Would you be so kind to indulge me?

I was just completing my Easter 2019 column for my subscribed Newspapers when I had a STROKE. This was at a time when I had just sold my home (and most of my goods) and had moved into a suite in the Whispering Winds Village, Pincher Creek, Alberta.

For a period of time the stroke has caused the whole of my life to be turned up-side-down. My muscles, nerves, memory (… and who knows what else) simply refused to cooperate in a responsible manner. I was taken by ambulance to the Lethbridge Hospital, where the medical folks and my family-of-friends took over. Each offered what gifts they had. My vitals of life were given proper attention … I am recovering and will be ever thankful for the Lord’s blessings.

My spiritual columns throughout the years have been an essential part of my life. They seemed to be particularly exciting during this Lenten 2019 Season when I was trying to help others consider what it means to experience heaven-on-earth like the earliest believers did.

It is time now to try to find the words by which we can, together, share more spiritual truths. May this BLOG be a practise column.

Listen again to the story in the Garden that first Easter. The disciples were dispirited. They were convinced all hope was lost. They even asked where it was that Jesus’ body was hidden — to which the Angel said “Why seek the living among the dead? He is not here.”

To this very day the angel’s question remains meaningful. With celebrate the presence of the living spirit in our midist!!

Where people come together to sing and pray and help each other, the Spirit of the Lord is with us. We are called to care for each other as Jesus had done. In this way, not only can we be a blessing to each other, but we need ask for nothing more.

Easter Musings – Joyce Sasse

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 16:57:00 GMT

“Why seek the living among the dead?” the angel at the tomb told Jesus’ followers. “He is not here!”

Our Lenten Musings have taken us on a journey of discovery. We have looked closely at the practices of the Christian Church during the first thousand years BCE.

On the cusp of the 21 ^st century Rita Brock and Rebecca Parker revisited early church settings in the Middle East and wrote about their research in the book Saving Paradise . They saw how the followers of those times focused on Jesus’ teachings, witness and practises … but not on his death.

Images of the vibrant growth and healing nature of an oasis-like Garden of Eden were painted on the walls of their churches, and were scratched in the hard rock of their caves and tombs. These included pictures of refreshing water, flowers and greenery, people sharing food and companionship and giving thank-offerings as a mark of respect. They depicted a world “permeated and blessed by the Spirit of God”.

Not only did they believe Jesus re-opened the gates of the legendary Garden of Eden, but his Spirit continually shows us how we, too, can live in a world created by God as “the home of humanity”.

The struggle for followers was (and is) “to stay grounded in love, in justice, in non-violence, in wisdom and freedom, to live together in the garden of God”.

For me, this gives direction for the work of the Christian Church. We are called to engage in partnership with members of communities that lie beyond the walls of the sanctuary. By sharing visions of God’s love for humanity through these partnerships, we are able to work together to help build a world where healing, justice and freedom hold sway.

The ancient prophecy said “Wolves and sheep will live together in peace … and little children will take care of them” (Isaiah 11:6f). It can be so!

The heart of the story does not rest on humanity being judged and thrown out of the Eden-like garden, but rests on having the gates thrown wide open. All of us are part of God’s Garden in the here and now.

“Where is he? He’s let loose in the world…!”

What an awesome mystery! What a great message for today … and for the rest of our lives!

Revisiting the Last Supper – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 01:59:00 GMT

What image comes to mind when your Lenten Musing touches on the scene of the Last Supper?

Most of us begin and end with the fresco painting done by Leonardo da Vinci in 1407 CE. Twelve disciples, all men, are debating among themselves about who might dare to betray their Rabbi and Leader. Christ sits centred at the table, inviting an unseen audience to share and memorialize the bits of bread, fish and wine left from the Passover meal.

But a Roman Catholic Irish group, calling themselves Brothers and Sister in Christ , challenges the historical correctness of da Vinci’s painting.

Because the meal was the Passover Seder, they contend it was more of a family event. Women and children “certainly would be present”.

They commissioned Polish artist Bohdan Piasecki to paint what they believe to be a more accurate portrayal of the gathering for a 21 ^st century audience. The painting includes seven women and two children, along with the men. The figures are dressed in Palestinian clothing (as compared with Leonardo’s Italian Renaissance attire). They are sitting on benches (not reclining on couches) and are eating the unleavened bread and roasted lamb that is special for the Passover meal.

This depiction, commissioned “by a group that supports the ordination of female priests”, can be a reminder to us to give critical consideration to alternative ways of understanding an event which is so central to a believer’s understanding of Eucharist (Holy Communion).

“At the time of his impending death”, we read in the book Saving Paradise , “Jesus ate supper with his community”. In the first millennium followers shared the Eucharist meal with those who “celebrated eternal life, which consisted of knowing God and loving one another – in this life and in God’s world.” For the early church “the meal celebrated the bread of earth, blessed by heaven, shared in community”. The ritual was enacted in the place where “they saw the story of their lives in paradise (depicted) on the walls of the nave”.

What could be more “heavenly”?

(Piasecki’s painting was unveiled in 1998. For details see “B.A.S.I.C. Last Supper Project”. )

God Is In Us & We Are In God – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 29 Mar 2019 00:58:00 GMT

(Lenten Musings continue )

God is a concept bigger than most people feel they can understand. But when a connection can be made linking us with God, that is helpful.

For Christians, that connection is Jesus – said to be “fully human” and “fully divine”. On the one hand he was a baby who grew into manhood. He laughed and cried, was sometimes disappointed, but tried to show positiveness … as do we.

On the other hand, he had a ministry of healing, of restoring life, of demonstrating the face of a loving God and a gracious Creator.

As a human being, is it possible that some of these qualities are in me? Does it suggest what we call our “soul”?

The elusive mystery of that relationship haunted me until one day I had opportunity to play with a bubble of liquid mercury. The fun was in separating one big bubble into multiple smaller bubbles and moving them about. I watched how they separated into individual entities that attracted and joined with each other, and then could be separated into other configurations.

Allelulia! I began to see a connection between the mercury bubble and my spiritual quandary. If we believe God the Creator gives life substance to all that is, by likening the Creator to the mercury we see bits of the original bubble separating into multiple parts, then coming back together in the whole.

In our birthing and at the time of our dying, we inherit qualities of godliness that gives us an affinity with each other and with our Source. “The Spirit in me” we sing “greets the Spirit in you. Allelulia!” There is a connection. “God’s in us and we are in God. A-lle-lu-lia!” At the end we become incorporated within the whole.

As with other excesses found in the Paradise Garden, as we explore this sanctuary we discover how gifted we are. True joy can come with striving to bring forth the best of our God-given potential.

Hymn writer Natalie Sleeth puts these wisps of thought into words. “In the bulb there is a flower, in the seed an apple tree. In cocoons a hidden promise, butterflies will soon be free …” She concludes, “In our end is our beginning; in our time infinity. In our doubt there is believing, in our life eternity. In our death a resurrection; at the last a victory – unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.”

Conflicted – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 22 Mar 2019 00:47:00 GMT

(Lenten Musings continue)

When I look at the story of the early development of Christian churches, as told in the book “ Saving Paradise ”, it leaves me feeling conflicted.

Divergent ways of thinking, influenced and forced by powerful external interests, blazed a trail of patriarchy and violence. Instead of following a heaven-on-earth theology, believers were forced to understand salvation-beyond-death was the only possible way to experience paradise.

I am embarrassed by the manipulative ugliness of those times. Thankfully many churches have, to a great extent, moderated their practises.

Now-a-days, though, each of us have our own biases when it come to our spiritual formation (or lack thereof). These biases are often based on past choices made by our parents or our culture or through skeptical encounters.

My plea, if we care about these matters, is that that we look for the commonalities we can share with each other from our different perspectives, appreciate the strength each tradition or practise has to offer … and respect each other’s differences. Instead of maintaining the certainty that we have access to all the answers, a more appropriate question might be “tell me about your spiritual journey”. A wise pastor’s counsel to me in my student-minister days – “Remember, any conversions made are God’s, not yours!”

What TV host Monty Don did through his programs about Paradise Gardens was help me recall why I believe heaven can be found here on earth. In that paradise-oasis-image, I see the bounties of a loving and gracious God gifting us beyond our imagining.

The human nature part of me can so easily become addicted to power, control and manipulation, as reflected through the Garden of Eden expulsion story.

The spiritual part of me, which is rooted in my Christ-centred beliefs, is to try “to stay grounded in love, in justice, in non-violence, in wisdom and freedom” and treasure ways I can live responsibly “in the garden of God” (as Brock and Parker reminds me). Baptism in the Spirit opens the way to experiencing paradise in this world.

Remember the youngster who shouted “God made me, and God don’t make junk!” That goes for each one of us! And that goes for our world!

Paradise Musings Continue – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 00:38:00 GMT

Why are there so many Christian Denominations today? Give some thought to how external powers influenced changes in the church in the 9 ^th century and beyond…

In the first millennium there was a dominant “form of Christianity that affirmed life in this world as the place of salvation”, according to research-theologians Rita Brock and Rebecca Parker. Even though many faced persecution and were executed, early Christians held tight to their beliefs.

But external pressures persisted. In the early 4 ^th century, under the Emperor Constantine the church became engaged in a power struggle with Rome “as emperors attempted, with little success, to inflict uniformity of belief on the culturally diverse and disputatious world of the early church.”

Some dissenters within the church started to “favour a more masculine model, establish uniformity of belief as the basis of the church, and create a deeply fractured relationship to Judaism.” Grassroots believers, resisting these pressures, held intensive training sessions to help prepare believers for being initiated into paradise in this life (by baptism).

Jesus, they believed, “embodied Spirit in human flesh” … It was he who “reopened the paradise garden (Eden) on this earth”, which was “created by God as the home of humanity.”

These Christians “cultivated an acute attachment to the life around them”. At the same time “they struggled to stay grounded in love, in justice, in nonviolence, in wisdom and in freedom, to live together as humanity in the garden of God.”

Their practises included sharing resources, cultivating wisdom and honesty, and caring for each other when there was sickness or need. They accepted the fact of human failure, so tried to create systems for restitution, rehabilitation and restoration. Without a doubt life was a struggle, but when love could flourish in their communities, they experienced paradise (within this world).

In writing their book “ Saving Paradise ”, the authors ask “What happened to cause change for the believers (during those first thousand years)?” When and why did communities of believers “shift to an obsession with atoning death and redemption through violence? What led (them) to replace resurrection and life with crucifixion-centred salvation, and to relegate paradise to a distant after-life?”

The oldest crucifix to survive was created in 965 A.D. and was found in Germany. By 1095, as the First Crusade was launched, “Pope Urban declared war was not only just, it was holy – a pilgrimage that served God and enacted love for one’s kin”. Jews and Muslims were killed. Crusaders who killed them “earned forgiveness for their sins and were assured of a place in paradise after death, not after baptism.”

Theological innovations were developed by Rome to support the Crusades. “(They) proposed that God became human in Jesus in order to die on the cross and pay the penalty for humanity’s sins, a death pleasing to God.”

The book “Saving Paradise” was written to invite us to re-look at the forgotten history of the Garden of Eden and how these happenings touch us to this very day.

Finding Paradise: In This World or The Next – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 08 Mar 2019 01:54:00 GMT

(Lenten Musings gives opportunity for Christians to reflect on basic understandings about how our Faith evolved.)

From earliest of times, the Hebrew people looked back expectantly to see who would re-open the gates to the Garden of Eden. Their paradise garden was almost within reach. Their stories and songs were filled with images of one day re-entering the place of safety and abundance.

This expectation focused on a messiah-like person. Finally one did come who talked about fulfilling old promises, being baptised into a new realm of love, offering hope and healing to those in despair.

The paradise garden in Christian scripture is connected with Easter. When the despairing followers of Jesus went to the Garden Tomb to ask “Where is (his body)?”, the reply was “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here!”

Was it He who opened the gate to Paradise for-ever-after? When the faith-filled gathered to worship and share fellowship, they surrounded themselves with images of The Garden – in the form of refreshment through water, flowers and greenery, sharing food and companionship and giving thank offerings that showed their respect.

Theological Professors Rita Brock and Rebecca Parker tell about their travels through the Ancient Middle Ease in their book “Saving Paradise”. Their research quest was to try to understand some of the beliefs and practises of Christian followers in the first one thousand years after Jesus’ death.

They studied the art found in the tombs and churches of the time (including many churches now converted to mosques). What they saw depicted on the walls and ceilings were garden-related images: lush trees and flowers, waterways teeming with fish, a cosmos of stars and clouds of witnesses. When the Muslim worshippers moved into the former churches, they did little to change the old décor – for they, too, were a desert people who found kinship with paradise gardens.

What Brock and Parker didn’t find was also of interest. They didn’t find any crosses, nor any references to the death of Christ. They heard the echo “Why look for the living among the dead?” Their conclusion was “the possibility that Christians did not focus on the death of Jesus for a thousand years…”

For them “this world (was) permeated and blessed by the Spirit of God”. Baptism in the Spirit meant that believers were now welcomed into paradise, which included the entire cosmos … and all “the departed saints rested from their earthly labours and returned to visit those who loved them.”

To this day a closer look at art within Orthodox Christianity might better help us understand what that first millennium was like for Christian believers. How and when did the Western Church become so wrapped up with suffering, passion crucifixion and death stories – so much a part of our traditional Lenten practices? (the story will continue)

Prairie Gal Touched by Paradise Gardens – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 16:11:00 GMT

(Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent – a time set apart by many Christians to seriously reflect on basic understandings about our Faith … My columns through these weeks might best be called “Lenten Musings”.)

The TV series “Paradise Gardens” whisked me back to wonderful experiences of traveling through India, Kashmir and the Middle East more than half a life-time ago.

Host Monty Don carefully and repeatedly described the essential role the oasis-like gardens of Islamic lands play in the psyche of desert people.

Having spent a good deal of my life on Canada’s prairie desert known as the Palliser Triangle, I well understand what he is saying. After travelling through such arid, sun-scorched, wind-blown landscapes, how we anticipate coming on oasis-like places that have shade, water, greenery and the fragrance of moisture!

Memories, too, come back of visiting the Mughal Garden of Shalimar in Kashmir, of feeling the gentle exuberance of the fountains and water features that reflected the Taj Mahal (Agra, India) and of hearing the songs of myriad birds in a Kibbutz alongside the Sea of Galilee. Feelings of oneness still stir deep within my being.

Naming these as “Paradise Gardens” also casts new understanding on my Old Testament and Christian studies concerning the Garden of Eden. No longer is Eden a simple metaphor for a beginning to spiritual awareness and rebellion. Its meaning has become much richer and deeper than I here-to-fore imagined.

The Ancient Persian word for a walled garden is ‘paradeiza’ – which gives us paradise.

Is not Paradise understood to be a place of safety and harmony, the promise of heaven on earth? A Paradise Garden is a welcoming place where people gather, rest and find renewal for their spirits.

Might this be suggestive of the deep feelings for the gifts of the Creator our Aboriginal friends have imbedded in their DNA? It is with respect for “our Mother the Earth” they take care not to over-harvest a root, a seed, an animal … and leave a thank-offering in return.

In the weeks to come I want to rethink our connection with the Paradise Garden of Eden … and with our Easter Faith.

Artists Enhance Lives of Others – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 14:54:00 GMT

“We are not trying to build performers”, opera singer Jessye Norman says when speaking about her School of the Arts in Augusta, Georgia. “We are trying to help build people.”

The School provides a free comprehensive after-school arts program, serving mainly disadvantaged middle and high school students. “Any child that’s given the opportunity to explore the arts will perform better in all other subjects,” Norman states. “It has to do with the ability and the opportunity and the support of people in the arts teaching these children to enjoy the arts and to enjoy writing or enjoy studying the piano or enjoy singing … These things are character building.”

Over the years the quick response by local artists and crafts-folks to set up displays at our Bethlehem Market events has been most heartening. They are especially mindful to involve children and youth as they try to help their community bring the spiritual meaning of Christmas to life.

Artist, naturalist, botanist, historian and writer Annora Brown was particularly mindful of sharing her creative talents with the children and youth of Fort Macleod. My notes are full of appreciative responses as I ask others to help me name her legacy two generations later.

“On Wednesday night at half-past seven”, an eleven-year-old student wrote in the 50s, “a dozen people, sometimes eleven / Go to the school to meet Miss Brown / to draw and sketch a little town …” Sometimes the subject matter was “a little black dog or a pussy cat”, or “maybe a pansy bright” … “a bird in flight”. She helped their eyes look for “a lonely pine tree”, or “a tiny deer at dawn”. How to draw “the willows along the stream” or appreciate a meadow lark in song… Our young poet concluded “with Miss Brown we have a spree!”

Another of her students, now retired from a career in commercial art, wrote “she was a dedicated artist and instilled that virtue in many of us.”

An ardent conservationist remembers what a highlight it was when Miss Brown visited our Granny. She took time to talk with we children about the wildflowers, and what happens if we pick them so “they are not able to seed”. She “was very patient with us, though we were always in motion, not inclined to stop long enough to listen.” Our writer concludes “as I got older I read her books and developed an even greater appreciation for this remarkable woman. I still adore her art and I share her passion for the natural world.”

The touch of the artist on the life of any one of us, younger or older, can be a life-enhancing experience.

Rural Spiritual Values – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 14:36:00 GMT

A family gathers to help prepare for the funeral of their father. In reply to the questions “What were his feelings about faith?”, their first words were “He was never a church-goer … but he did believe in God!” That gave an opening to find words for how his actions gave voice to his values.

This was a man who loved and respected the Creator and felt he worked in partnership with God when he was in the field as well as when it came to raising his family and working with his neighbours. His handshake and his word were his bond!

I recall, also, the adult family members of a committed “church-woman”. They told me what their mother had instilled in them about caring for the land and for each other, about reaching out to offer support to people in pain, and about reaching beyond the boundaries of race, sex and religion to include new-comers into their extensive family and into the community. The Scripture text for that Service was about Jesus saying “I am the way, the truth, the life.” In response to Jesus quarry “Do you understand this?”, as I stand in that kitchen today, I can still imagine her reply while whipping up a cake “You bet, Lord” offered the warmth of her faith and hospitality.

This kind of pastoral experience, plus my explorations with the International Rural Church Network , has led me to affirm “Rural is a Culture” – a culture that has identifiable spiritual values.

Underlying all those values for rural folks is an abiding sense of the PRESENCE OF GOD, whose nature is understood through the life and teachings of Jesus.

The LAND and the LANDSCAPE have been gifted by a living Creator, and we are invited to live in a caring relationship, connected as with an umbilical cord to our Mother, the Earth.

COMMUNITY is an essential part of our lives. Even while many rural people take pride in being INDEPENDENT, each understands the importance of being INTERDEPENDENT. Standing together with family, neighbours and community gives strength for those times when we can not survive on our own.

Rural people, because our lives are so tied in with our extended community, are aware PAIN is always prevalent in our midst. Determining how to help each other move through pain lies at the heart of many in the community.

As in agriculture, so with the social structure of the community – DIVERSITY is essential. The family that can find a place for the daughter-in-law from away … the community that is open to input from doctor or pastor or other newcomer … is a community with a future.

While rural people are proud of their ROOTS in land and community, they are equally proud of WINGS that carry them to distant places. In the days before extended travel was common, the piles of magazines and newspapers and efforts made to hear radio-transmissions showed interest in the world beyond. Founders of the University of Saskatchewan recognized this in 1910. They featured outreach through their Extension Department over on-campus-programs.

These “Village Values” give strength and purpose to people rooted in rural communities. But if we fail to reaffirm these values with each generation, they can become diluted and diminished.

These are the values that help us be “Proud to be Rural”.

Strong Rural Roots – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 08 Feb 2019 00:10:00 GMT

With so many pressures bombarding our rural youth from a society that is global-and-urban centred, how can we foster a sense of rural pride?

Members of the Blackfoot Nation tell me they have faced the same kind of crisis for some time. “We realized we would never get anywhere until we knew who we were as a people.”

They turned to the Elders for help. The Elders shrugged and said “Nobody cares … Our memory is lost” … A few middle-aged people brought the Elders together to help them remember. One by one the stories came to life: stories about the history of the People and the Spirit of the People.

The embers of memory were fanned into flame and the People started to reclaim their traditional culture, and pass their stories and traditions on to their youth. Cultural roots bring nourishment.

I’m recognizing the resilience Aboriginal friends are finding as they draw from those cultural traditions. This suggests maybe we, too, can help enrich the lives of our rural youth by fostering their rural cultural values.

Start by recognizing “Rural is a Culture” … Through work with the International Rural Church Association , I have learned that many spiritual traditions are shared by rural people around the world. We have strong values that can be highlighted by our Faith Communities and among our leaders. How will our youth know where they are rooted if we don’t find ways to show them? … How can these practises help all of us know where we belong?

Awareness of such values can also be important for the newbies in our communities. The significance of having diversity in a community is as important as is diversity in agriculture. Each has much to offer the community in a world of innovation and change.

At a Rural Ministry Conference organized by Australians and New Zealanders, they noticed “Participants at the first gathering had low energy levels and were uncertain and bewildered. As they listened to stories and shared experiences, a strong momentum developed, and the conference finished on a positive note of hope.

“At succeeding gatherings, the resilience of local congregations and local communities was evident. Local solutions were being worked out …”

What does this tell us about our need to share our own experiences? As we share with each other, can we develop local solutions to local concerns built on our rural values? In doing this, can we regain our sense of hope? With strong rural roots, we can accomplish great things.

(Watch my next column and see what those Rural Spiritual Values include.)

Handling Our Hang-ups – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 14:21:00 GMT

We all have a hang-up or two – something that causes a tremor of fear. Something we try to avoid.

One of mine is claustrophobia. That’s why I like to share the story of “ Franklin in the Dark” with my youngest friends. Franklin learns about his fear and figures out how to handle it.

In this story he is afraid of small dark spaces. That is a particular problem because Franklin is a turtle. His small dark shell is his home, but he has to drag it behind him.

His mother kept saying “there’s nothing to be afraid of”… so Franklin decided to seek help. It seemed, however, that everyone he asked had their own secret hang-up. When no-one was looking “duck” used water-wings, “lion” wore ear muffs, “bird” carried a parachute and “polar bear” wore a snow suite to bed.

Even Franklin’s mother confessed, when he came home very late, that she was afraid he was lost!

Franklin thought and thought about what he had learned. After a hot supper and a warm hug, it was time to go to bed. He had readied himself. He slowly crawled in to the small dark space that was his shell. After a brave “good night”, he reached up … and TURNED ON HIS NIGHT-LIGHT!

Wisdom can be found in the simplest of stories. This one can be a helpful reminder. Think of the introverted person who can never give a quick answer, or the extroverted person who is afraid of silence when in the company of others … Think of the night owl who has to be at work at 6 AM, or the morning bird who can’t function after 8 PM … Think of the oldster or the youngster who both share fears about bladder control … Hang-ups come in many ways.

The story is a reminder that it helps when we begin to name our fears and talk about them with others. Repeatedly we’ll find we aren’t the only ones who have fears. What are others trying to do? What might I try? Our fear can be the monster that controls our life, or it can be something we learn to manage.

The saying on my fridge reads “be kinder that necessary because everyone is fighting some kind of battle.”

Do be kind to each other. And especially remember to be kind to yourself. Instead of letting our feelings restrict us, like Franklin each of us can find our own “NIGHT LIGHT”!

Community Bible Study – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 14:35:00 GMT

I have a dream that one day people from different Christian faiths will gather together in Bible Study groups to share their understandings.

In my mind, my image of God might be likened to a gigantic multi-faceted gem. We mortals, in trying to comprehend this One-Called-By-Many-Names, can only catch glimpses of a few facets of the whole gem. For we Christians, the life and legacy of Jesus is like a prism that helps direct our focus. But, like the proverbial mouse who thinks he knows the elephant, we believe we can “know God”,

To get back to my dream … in our study group, while one person may help manage a few details, each participant should have opportunity to speak to the chosen passage. The insights of the Protestant, the Catholic, the Pentecostal, the Aboriginal and non-believer are shared – each contributes to a more complete (though still partial) whole.

Have a discussion, for example, on Jesus’ teaching of “the Good Samaritan”. Rich input comes from one who has been repeatedly wounded because of prejudice. Another person offers the historical context. Someone defends the role of the attacker? Or the Inn-keeper? Or one of those who passes by? Gradually we recognize the variety of viewers who look on this gem.

Each person brings unique insight. Each is encouraged to speak … and to listen! Not to insist who is right or wrong … but so that together we can catch a broader vision of the One who was there in the beginning … and will be there for-ever-more.

“God of many names gathered into One”, Brian Wren writes in his hymn, “… joyfully we sing your praises, moving, endlessly becoming … Hallelujah.”

This is how we practise our village values in a global society.

Granny’s Demanding Rights Too! – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 14:13:00 GMT

In the Sixties, when people of all ages were being encouraged to speak their mind, one cartoon had a feisty Granny shouting “Little old ladies have rights too!”

Sixty years later we are still trying to understand what’s happening because of all that speaking out, and why our social world has changed to such a degree. Think Twitter!

Charles Taylor, a retired philosopher from McGill University, gives us some perspective in his book “A Secular Age”. I’ll probably not read the book’s 800 pages, but I’m studying commentaries on this work and am beginning to say “Ah Ha!”.

Taylor’s term, “secularism”, has a lot to do with the public refuting a religious-based world view.

This attitude has resulted in a decline in religious practise and commitment. Social order is now fragmented because there is no common platform on which society can build its values. Civility is minimal. Self-realization is the higher goal. Faith, at best, is but one option among many. Belief in God is regarded as a childish attitude we can do without.

In the midst of all this chaos, it is easy for us to become inept tinkerers who try to find quick fixes for one broken situation after another.

While “secularism” does describe much of what’s happening, it is only a partial and very negative picture of reality. Taylor also gives glimmers of hope. By examining our weaknesses, he suggests we can make constructive decisions to move forward.

It is going to take more study and more columns to delve deeper, but I do appreciate some of the pointers he gives.

First, the era of being authoritative is over … Instead, can we try to affirm the strengths of each other?

Christians can no longer live on nostalgia. Our understanding of what it means to live as Christians must constantly evolve. Faith is a living entity.

The goal of the religious life is to share God’s love. That’s expressed through seeking to bring healing to our communities and our world, we are encouraged to develop support networks and build on positive relationships.

Taylor suggests the real question for the faithful is to ask what our response should be when something bad happens. Will we choose revenge or forgiveness? Judgement or reconciliation? We can live as if others matter, or we can be entrenched in saying to each new initiative “But we’ve never done that before!”

What do you think? Talk with others. Share your thoughts. More to come…

Words Make The Difference – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 14:08:00 GMT

Words, and how we use them, form the basis of our understanding. But what if we use inappropriate words?

A current example is apparent in how we speak about the moon. Many have called the side-of-the-moon that always faces away from the earth “the dark side”. But now a Chinese lunar spaceship has landed there and is sending brightly lit moonscape pictures back to earth. Might we now more aptly speak about “the-other-side-of-the-moon’? Does that change of wording make a difference to your understanding about the properties of the moon?

Years ago my Korean Language School class was totally stumped with one assigned translation. The story was of the local police trying to solve a murder, but we couldn’t make the grammar tell us who was “in the fog”. Eventually our teacher explained about Oriental thinking, and how a correct understanding could be found if we allowed for the police to save-face. For Orientals it was the victim who was shrouded in “the fog”, therefore the Police couldn’t view the forensic details.

We oldsters grew up with the belief that it was OK to play “Cowboys and Indians”, that Africa was a “Dark Continent”, and that God was “Our Father”!

But when I heard a friend use “Cowboy” in reference to a character with an undesirable image, I rebelled. When I started working with Aboriginal colleagues whose insights overflowed with wisdom and compassion, I needed to hear more. And I could no longer use the term “Dark Continent” after I met scholars and scientists at University who spoke with pride about their African heritage.

There were all sorts of uncomfortable giggles when Don Harron, in presenting “Charlie Farquharson’s Old Testament Lantern Show”, chose to have a woman deliver words as “the voice of God”. Many Nativity Scenes now include the newest baby girl or boy (or both) … regardless their ethnic background!

Since Rick Hansen showed us the difference, we now expect “barrier free facilities” for those with walkers and wheel chairs, and applaud the Paralympics and Invictus Games. We have unisexual bathrooms in our public buildings … and political leaders are starting to understand the significance of the “Me Too Movement”.

Words, and the understandings that accompany these words, really can make a difference!

Tribute to Volunteer Church Organists – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 14:33:00 GMT

Volunteer church organists are the unsung heroes of Sunday worship – expected to perform suitably whether there are 5 or 50 in the congregation. Expected to be there regardless the weather or whatever their family schedule might include. Expected to make meaningful sound – often with instruments handed down from generations.

They do their best to cope with hymns selected by clergy that are unfamiliar to the congregation.

They treasure their broken and tattered hymn books that don’t threaten to close halfway through verse 2.

They slowly make necessary adjustments when sporting new bifocals and as fingers stiffen.

Jean Fahlman, a veteran country church organist, recalls “one minister who couldn’t tell C from G. But what he lacked in a musical ear, he made up for in enthusiasm. I got the full benefit of his warbling.” She writes, “I got so rattled by all the discord that I couldn’t tell if I was playing the wrong key or if he was singing off-key.” Was that what one organist was hinting to me when she wished she could zap the pulpit mic during the singing of our hymns? But I did appreciate the tribute that came from her choir when they sang “The Monotone Angel” at my service-of-retirement!

Fahlman says more. “I played for church after I learned my father had terminal cancer, because I thought If I stuck to my routine, maybe things would somehow get back to normal.” So often we take these persons for granted!

In one community where several children and youth took music lessons, the Church Board invited them to play at church whenever they had something appropriate. It could be during the opening, or at the time of the offering, or for a song the congregation could sing … It took one 6-year-old three Sundays trying to get his courage up to do his piece. But four years later he even filled in one Sunday so the organist could be away. It is much easier to gain that experience as a child, instead of when you are in your Twenties or Forties! And we had a volunteer-organist-in-the-making.

We are indebted to all volunteer organists who so generously share their ministry of music!

We’ve Made It! – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 15:00:00 GMT

We North Americans have made it past another “longest night of the year”! How appropriate that the birth of the Holy Child should be celebrated in these days as a coming-of-Light time.

What ever it is that causes darkness in our lives, the opening statement of a Creed (of Faith) professed in 1968 brings comfort to many. It starts “We are not alone. We live in God’s world.”

The wording came in the midst of struggles about how the United Church of Canada could be “more inclusive” in its thinking and practises. The “New Creed” is a Statement of Faith which tries to affirm what God’s presence means in the lives of believers and communities of believers in contemporary times.

Who or what is this God who reaches out to enfold us with a gentle hug? “We are not alone.” This is the “(One) who has created and is creating, who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh, to reconcile and make new, and (who) works in us and others by the Spirit.”

Succinct and poetical, it reflects the words of Scripture and images of God passed along by many Christians through the ages. It is a Creed that affirms the trusting relationship we can have with this God.

We can respond, it reminds us, “by celebrat(ing) God’s presence, by liv(ing) with respect in creation, by lov(ing) and serv(ing) others, by seek(ing) justice and resist(ing) evil, and by proclaim(ing) Jesus crucified and risen, our judge and our hope”.

This understanding can give us direction through the darkest of times. “In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.”

In what ways does “darkness” affect our lives? Can that darkness be overcome? How? What are your sources of light?

Blessings of the Season!

Joseph at the Front of the Stable – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 21 Dec 2018 13:53:00 GMT

Men have sometimes been labeled as the “stagehands” of Christmas: following through on the orders of their wives, and financing the extravaganza.

But when Ann Weems, in her book Kneeling In Bethlehem , thinks of Joseph’s place in the stable, she envisions him being more central to the Christmas Story.

“Who put Joseph in the back of the stable?” she asks, to stand as “background for the magnificent light of the Madonna?”

Weems recalls how faithful Joseph has been “in spite of the gossip in Nazareth” and “in spite of the threat from Herod”. Actually “it was he who named the Child Emmanuel.”

He was the kind of person who guarded his family and greeted the visitors whatever their status.

“When he wasn’t in the doorway, he was probably urging Mary to get some rest, gently covering her with his cloak, assuring her that he would watch the Child.” Can’t you imagine him holding the Baby, walking him and quieting him through the night until he closed his eyes?

“This Christmas, let us give thanks to God for this man of incredible faith, into whose care God placed the Christ Child.”

Notice, too, the way other fathers reach out during the Christmas season to show the love and care they have for their families, and to reflect the deep spiritual truths that makes the season special. Listen to their suggestions, acknowledge their advice, be prepared to even do things in a different way at their behest.

Think of Joseph giving Jesus a grounding so solid that he would later dare to teach others a whole new way of thinking about relationships with each other – and with God.

“As a gesture of gratitude, let’s put Joseph in the front of the stable where he can guard and greet and cast an occasional glance at this Child.”

The Precious Gift of Stories Shared – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 15:12:00 GMT

A book of stories beautifully written by and about the Hutterite people, was a precious gift I received this Advent Season. As I read it, I am reminded how important story-telling is in helping us build peaceful relationships.

In “Secrets of a Hutterite Kitchen” Mary-AnnKirkby tells about the traditions, rituals, food culture and lives shared in a number of colonies across Western Canada. We can almost hear the laughter and singing as the women cook and clean,plant their gardens and slaughter their poultry. Many is the time the author is reminded of her own colony roots – from before her family left their colony when she wa saged-ten, and from the traditions carried on by her parents during her growing-up years.

We learn about how young men look for wives, the decisions needed when starting a new colony, and preparing for rituals such as Easter communion.

In her notes the story-teller included pages from the diaries of a Head Cook, and an in-depth conversation with the Prediger (minister).

But this book is about far more than kitchen gossip and community living. When she writes about the prejudices and obstacles Hutterites had to face in the 50’s and 60’s, I remember those times –and the way negative insinuations about them were part of my up-bringing. It was against this background that I came to better understand the vengeful implications of racial prejudice, and appreciate our need to move beyond such biased attitudes.

What the book did was help me learn about and appreciate many of the nuts-and-bolts that hold this culture together. Much deserves our consideration, including their approach to rearing and educating children, the give-and-take of community living, valuing the accumulated insights of elders and traditions, and another way to look at responsible citizenship.

While I’ve enjoyed the friendship of many Hutterites, the book has given me a much deeper respect for who they are and the gifts we can receive as we hear their stories and enjoy their friendships.

In this Advent Season when we are asked to contemplate Peace-building, the sharing of real stories such as this adds depth to what it means to listen to, learn from, and respect each other. Such issurely the central message given by the Prince of Peace!

Alone in the Clamour – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 07 Dec 2018 14:40:00 GMT

My friend, normally a faithful chorister and church attender, absolutely hated attending the Christmas Eve Candle Light Service. Her complaint? In her city congregation the tradition was for individuals to walk to the front in family clusters to light their candles. It meant she had to walk down the central aisle of the church alone. This careless oversight caused pain.

That memory makes me remember others for whom the thoughtless clamour of Christmas exposes too many to feelings of vulnerability.

The emptiness from no longer enjoying the presence of a parent, a spouse, a loved one … leaves one feeling subdued and exposed.

Names crossed off our phone or Christmas card list reminds us of a creeping void in our lives.

Some experience pain by way of abuse, excesses caused by gambling or drugs, or agendas we try to keep hidden.

Might the secret for getting through the season be to stop trying to hide bruised bodies and spirits? Instead of asking“Why has God caused me such pain?”, ask “What needs to be done to get through the days ahead?”

The Church calls this the “Season of Advent”, a time of preparation so we’ll be more ready to affirm God’s coming among us.

We can’t stop others from getting caught up in the commercialized frenzy of hustle and bustle, glitz and glamour, shopping and having parties for every excuse under the sun. But we can think through how we might acknowledge the loss of that loved one. We can cherish the fact we’ve had the privilege of sharing memories with those now gone that have enriched our lives– and seek how to keep reaching out to others whose lives we can touch.

My friend talked with her church folk about how she felt – and her suggestions resulted in changes that many appreciated.

I think of the spirit of the man who posted an announcement on a local bulletin board. “Wanted, one family to share Christmas. I’ll supply the turkey.”

The love of God enfolds us. We need to be ready to receive it. Remember – “Light enters through the cracks (in our lives)!”

The Prelude to Christmas – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 13:55:00 GMT

The prelude to Christmas starts with Mary, a young unmarried peasant girl, finding herself pregnant and scared.

Luke, the Gospel writer, gives background to the time leading up to the event that, to this day, celebrates Christ’s birth. (Luke 1:39 – 56)

Mary’s pregnancy was supposed to be a blessed event, he tells us, but she felt confused and alone. In her despair she remembered Elizabeth, an older relative known for her wisdom, and went to seek advice from her.

Imagine the scene. As Elizabeth opens her door and reaches out to hug her visitor she instinctively feels both her pain and her joy. “You are blessed among women” she whispers in Mary’s ear – and that validation helped lighten the burden.

Within a few minutes Mary tells her story, so far as she understood it. What a relief to hear encouragement and help as she tried to comprehend what was about to happen.

In due course, Mary was able to express her gratitude to Elizabeth by singing “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God … for God has looked upon the low estate of his handmaiden … for God, who is mighty, has done great things for me.”

When Mary realized that Elizabeth was also expecting, she stayed on with her. Her youthful, infectious spirit must have been a blessing to the older woman. As they tended the home-making chores and marketing together, we can imagine them sharing details about their developing pregnancies. Laughter and tears and questions about what their children would become made the days pass quickly. Both were trying to grapple with their changing their lives.

Eventually it was time for Mary to return to face her confused yet devoted fiancé. Elizabeth made suggestions about how Mary might encourage him and love him through the bad times they had yet to face.

Out of the rich sharing of sisterhood both women found enough strength to nurture a new generation.

Role-Playing Gives New Meaning to Ancient Scripture – Joyce Sasse

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 14:34:00 GMT

A young farmer tried to re-enact a scene from the life of the 6 ^th century BC Prophet Isaiah. It was a life-changing experience.

My friend knew this Scripture passage was always read at church on the first Sunday of Advent. So, when we invited the community to re-enact a “Bethlehem Market Scene” as our way of preparing for Christmas, his family came costumed as the Prophet’s family.

Our setting was the day-after-Christmas. Many attendees were in costume: shepherds, Roman soldiers, the women at the well, scribes, merchants, even one who had leprosy. The would-be Prophet hung a white sheet across a door-way beside the “Bethlehem Café”. From behind, he projected scenes of wonders and battles, then stood in the midst of the milling people and tried to get their attention as he made his prophecies.

But nobody stopped to listen. They were too busy greeting friends, checking the various display booths, tasting refreshments from the café and listening to the roving choristers.

Our Prophet’s wife and children huddled wide-eyed on the edge of the crowd. They had never seen their usually prominent dad, ignored in this way.

Later he talked about how totally futile he felt, and the respect he gained for the likes of Hosea, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah … These discerning men foresaw the perils that threatened the survival of their community. “Repent! Change your ways!” But they were ignored. No one believed them to be “Messengers of God”.

The faithful message of these determined Prophets conveyed even more. “God will not abandon you… God will be your strength when you have no strength. The God who loves what has been Created will find ways to help you carry on … even to sending a beloved Messiah to dwell as one with you and show you how to live!”

This one family, who shared their role-playing experience, encouraged me to listen more closely to the insights of the Ancient Ones.

It also makes me wonder if modern day Prophets, often dressed like scientists, are calling us to “repent and change our ways”. The changes in climate are threatening lives and livelihoods. Do we carry on as usually, still asking “where do we find God”?

Passing Through the Eye of the Needle – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 14:37:00 GMT

The Scripture image of the rich merchant keeps coming to mind as I try down-sizing my office and my household effects.

When the travelling merchant arrived at the back gate of the ancient walled city at night, the pack on his camels was so over-loaded he couldn’t “pass through the eye of the needle”. Some of his load had to be removed if he was to get shelter through the back gate.

The theme of my calling to rural ministry has been “small can be beautiful”, but I’ve accumulated lot of “stuff” which preoccupies time and energy. Now, like that travelling merchant, I need to make reasonable and responsible life-changing decisions.

It’s not easy. My journey of reminiscing brings to mind the obstacles I’ve had to face. I can look back on those obstacles with gratitude. They challenged me to evaluate the mistakes and choose alternative pathways.

As I set aside the books and files, the furnishings, collected and family treasures, I’m learning to give thanks for the way the associated memories have enriched my life and the life I’ve shared with others. These are not to be discarded, but need to be passed to where they can have a place in other people’s lives.

While undergoing this process, all my spiritual values are tested. May this lead to a time of enrichment. New vistas of understanding are offered. New ways of finding meaning and purpose still beckon.

Jesus’s reflection is repeated by three of the Gospel writers. “It is harder for a rich person to entre God’s (kin-dom) than for a camel to go through the eye of the needle.”

Those of us who have a wealth of goods and privilege and opportunity – may we take these words to heart and consider how we are being called toward more meaningful tomorrows.

New Zealand hymn writer Shirley Erena Murray penned the words: “Come and find the quiet centre / in the crowded life we lead, / find the room for hope to entre, / find the frame where we are freed, / clear the chaos and the clutter, / clear our eyes that we can see / all the things that really matter, / be at peace, and simply be.”

The Battle for Freedom is Endless – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 09 Nov 2018 14:17:00 GMT

While bells around the world ring out to mark the 100 ^th anniversary of the end of World War I, our battle for freedom continues.

So long as refugees feel they have to flee from their homelands … So long as security costs form a mega part of public event budgets … So long as political debate in any country creates extremes of polarity among its citizens … So long as we feel big business interest cannot be trusted … the battle to aspire to freedom continues.

Read The Alice Network . As background for this intriguing novel, author Kate Quinn did an incredible amount of research concerning female spies in “The Great War”.

Louise de Bettignies, known as the Queen of the Spies, organized the Alice Network. She was born to an impoverished manufacturing family in France, but assumed a more noble identity. While on a visit to England, British Intelligence recruited her to work for them in German-occupied northern France. She was quick witted, and was fluent in French, German and English. She immediately set up a network of men, women and children who could collect information on the enemy (such as train schedules, troop numbers and locations, and artillery placements).

The novel relates stories about the lives of the many spies who worked for Louise. They employed numerous identities, carried coded messages in innumerable ways, and outwitted the guards – sometimes as apparently witless females chattering gossip, or by fussing with armloads of packages to create distractions. Louise and her colleagues faced incredible odds and suffered unbelievable hardship.

This historical novel passes on other real-life notations. Red Cross nurse Edith Cavell smuggled many wounded French and English soldiers to safety from Belgium. Young Gabrielle Petit led downed-pilots from behind enemy lines. A Belgium vicomtesse ran a successful organization for passing information to people in the Netherlands. Cavell and Petit were arrested, condemned for espionage and shot by firing squads. The vicomtesse was imprisoned for three years under gruelling conditions.

Read The Alice Network and notice how seemingly ordinary people are called on to do extraordinary things. As the battle for freedom continues, how might we use our God-given talents to do our part?

Nature’s Revelation – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 02 Nov 2018 14:11:00 GMT

“Awesome”, my five-year-old friend declared with a mixture of mystery and wonder in his voice.

We were standing at the edge of a towering, cone-laden spruce when I asked him to look straight up. Clusters on clusters of cones clung to the top branches! Seen from our angle it was as if we were looking through a gigantic kaleidoscope at one of the delights of nature.

For both of us this was another chapter in fostering a religious experience. How many years ago did Thomas Aquinas talk about revelation coming in two volumes: from the Bible and from Nature. God is expressed both through the Word, and through plants, trees, animals, soil …

On this perfect autumn day we understood something of the original blessing that gave depth and purpose to our lives. The scene was branded in our memory.

But we were not so naïve as to believe such pastoral scenes are all there is. What happens when we are confronted with over-whelming powers like wind, water, fire – that cause havoc and destruction?

Here Aquinas talked about those times when humanity treated creation in an unjust way. Creation has its own intense way of responding with forces we cannot imagine. In the face of such power, we feel intimidated and afraid. It is reminiscent of the crucifixion.

The glimmer of hope comes with watching how nature carries on in spite of the insults it must bear.

Summer follows winter. The flood devastation eventually grows over. The fire releases new life forces.

As we observe these living, breathing revelations, our spirits are given new life, new hope. We are able to experience the dynamic Spirit of God alive in the world around us.

“O Lord, our God, how magnificent is thy name in all the earth.”

How Many on Sunday – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 26 Oct 2018 13:10:00 GMT

How many were in attendance on Sunday? That’s how many people measure a congregation’s viability.

My tendency is to scoff at this foolish measure for a couple of reasons.

I believe small can be beautiful – it offers opportunities that aren’t possible when the numbers involved are larger.

I am appreciative, also, of those who come to Sunday worship regardless the numbers because their spirits are nurtured by the fellowship, the reading of Scripture, the sharing of the Word through music and thoughtful reflection, and the prayers.

If we use Sunday attendance as the only measure, we ignore how much more is involved in the fuller life of the church.

When I was a kid, Grandma Sasse did the church-going on behalf of the family. Sundays were the time my dad loved taking family and friends to the lake – to fish and picnic and build special memories. This was our bonding time. We explored nature together and were reminded of how wonderfully God gifts us. Memories of those Sunday family times become even more precious as I look back past my parents’ death.

The measure of any Faith Community is suggested by the Prophet Micah who spoke out at a time when “God’s People” faced terrible hardship. “What does the lord require (of us)? … To do what is just, show constant love and live humbly in fellowship with God.” (Micah 6:8)

Do this, Micah says, and the Lord’s Spirit of love shall descend “like a refreshing dew” and like “showers on growing plants”. God’s Spirit can touch and renew us and our community and help us find peace.

In their simple way, my folks were trying to live out Micah’s instructions through their desire to live and contribute in meaningful ways in the life of the community.

The measure of any church should include how much God’s love reverberates in the lives of the faithful through all the days of the week, and beyond the stained-glass windows.

Spinsters in Rural Communities – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:44:00 GMT

“Spinster” is an archaic term. But the baggage connected with that label still has a presence in many rural communities.

Spinsters are often thought to be a breed-apart: head-strong, single-minded, independent. They are separate from widows and divorcees, and are often thought of as a 5 ^th wheel within couple-oriented communities.

While attitudes toward these ladies may have modified over the years, I understand why my father blanched when I informed him not only that I felt called to rural ministry, but that I put professional considerations ahead of marriage.

I can identify with West Coast artist Emily Carr who, at the beginning of the last century, presumed marriage would impede her artistic ambitions. Fort Macleod artist Annora Brown, sighing over gossip about her friendship with photographer Gordon Crighton, wrote “can folks believe we are able to spend so much time together and only be friends and business associates!” That gossip is titillating, even today.

I have sympathy for the single professional women who turn their back on living in a rural community because they feel their social life will be strangled.

While attending Language School in Korea, some of my closest friend were Roman Catholic Nuns. These single women dedicated themselves to spending the rest of their lives in remote corners of the “Hermit Kingdom”. Their Mother-community provided the firm social base that stabilized their need for belonging.

Because I was the only non-Catholic in their Language Institute at the time, they partially adopted me – to the extent we shared many outings, activities and giggles together. My access to one of our mission’s vehicles was much appreciated.

In my Protestant tradition no such Sisterhood exists. But there are individuals, couples and families who have enabled this aging spinster to feel a part of the community. They share kids and grandkids, include me in their festive times, phone to pass along news and enquire how I’m doing. Their readiness to help and their encouragement to support my various projects is appreciated.

Single women in couple-oriented communities have unique challenges that are not visible to the general public. But they can also avail themselves of unique opportunities. Feelings of belonging are important for everyone.

Enjoy Meaningful Conversations – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 12 Oct 2018 13:42:00 GMT

A friend and I have very different points of view when it comes to both religion and politics. But I respect his thoughts, appreciate his friendship and enjoy our meaningful conversations.

My parents would have told me when you disagree with someone you avoid conflict by staying on safe ground – talk about “the weather”!

From my own experience, I’ve learned I’m never able to change another person’s mind by arguing with them.

Today I see too many others huddling exclusively with like-minded people. Often this leads to one becoming entrenched in single-minded thinking.

I have a healthy dose of curiosity. Combine that with a firm belief that we live in a dynamic world and our Creator is a vital, living entity who encourages us share our differences.

That’s why I value those who view important issues from diverse perspectives. In conversation we aren’t afraid to risk saying what we think because we respect each other enough to listen … to express our differences … to find common ground … Sometimes we even reach insightful conclusions.

I think back to the Genesis stories. With each act of creating the world, it is written that God saw what was accomplished “and it was good” – alerting us to believe improvements are possible.

Recall, too, the ultimate instructions Jesus gave his followers. He started by referring to the “Old Covenant” – the Book of Laws his people had observed for generations.

The Torah has about it a lot that is harsh. But the “New Covenant” alternative, brought to the people by God’s Son, invited followers to live according to a replacement-law – “love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34) The change is significant.

It is possible for us to stagnate our thinking and our approach to life. Do that and we can find ourselves mired in life-sucking quick-sand.

However life can be a lot more inviting, engaging and invigorating when we open ourselves to diverse ways of thinking and grow socially, politically and spiritually.

Enjoy your day!

Discovering God’s Spirit in the World – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 05 Oct 2018 13:16:00 GMT

This past month I’ve met two most interesting young women. They are to be commended for their capabilities and commitment to their respective communities.

The first woman was recently invited back to her home community to help young families with their children make homes for themselves.

Tears came to my eyes when I realized she was a granddaughter who had been raised by a special friend of mine. “Your Grandmother (a Blackfoot Elder now deceased) would be so proud of you!” The nurturing insights of that Grandmother reflected through her.

The second woman, Executive Director of our local Family Centre program, spoke to our local Multicultural Friendship Group about the work of the Centre . Over dinner conversation I realized she had been raised locally within a family whose members were gifted community and church workers.

We knew the Family Centre has a diversity of young families who share their various cultural traditions. Not only is their program for children aged 0-5 years, it also includes programs for parents, holds a Baby Fair and Clothing, Book and Toy Give-away , has activities that mix children with seniors, and sponsors Pop-up Playgrounds in neighbourhoods where children don’t have access to such spaces. Furthermore, because considerable effort is put into seeking special grants, these services are offered at no cost to participants.

I’m amazed at and am ever so grateful for these younger women and what they are doing to improve the physical and spiritual health of our communities.

There was a time when many of our churches were aware of and celebrated the contributions made by such persons. Less so today. What seems to have happened is that many churches, a generation ago, thought their youth had drifted away “because they had other interests”.

What I believe might better have happened, and can still happen, is for churches to ask these young seekers “Where have you journeyed? … What have you discovered of yourself and God?” Congregants need to invite them to share their story, talk about their passions and engage in dialogue about how God’s Spirit can speak to and through them.

Should such a dialogue take place, all our lives could be delightfully enriched.

Giving Thanks for Aboriginal Kindnesses – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 28 Sep 2018 13:25:00 GMT

When you give thanks for this year’s harvest, remember how Native people along the St. Lawrence River saved European Settlers from starving in the mid-1600’s.

Samuel de Champlain’s sponsoring Company was interested only in harvesting furs from “New France”. They needed French folks to reside here and work for them.

Though few Europeans had yet over-wintered in New France, Champlain invited the apothecary Louis Hiebert and his family to settle in 1617. The promise was that the family could have help clearing a plot of land and building a house. Provisions were left to see them through the months ahead, until the next boat arrived. But that arrival wasn’t always reliable.

Hiebert was keen to cultivate and plant the land, but the Company provided neither equipment or seeds to help him get started. However, when no provisions arrived month-after-month, the European settlers faced starvation.

Champlain was the type of “explorer” who knew how to form alliances with the First Nations Peoples he met. When he explored the shore of Lake Huron, for example, he estimated there to be thirty thousand inhabitants in the area. These locals grew enough produce to feed themselves and had excess for trade with Southern neighbours. In this breadbasket they grew squash, sunflowers, plums small apples, raspberries, strawberries and nuts. In addition, they had surplus corn and meal for trade.

In David Fischer’s book “Champlain’s Dream”, he tells about how the Natives generously shared with the Hieberts and other settlers. When the supply ships from Europe did not arrive they even invited individuals and families to live with them. Gradually, too, they were able to help the fledgling Europeans understand how to take advantage of the growing conditions in the region.

There was a time when Louis Hiebert was called “Canada’s first farmer”. Now, more thoughtful insight suggests that he might better be called “the first European to farm in Canada”.

A tip of the hat to those Aboriginal families, whose ancestors lived here for thousands of years, who shared so generously with the newcomers.

nuisance or Nature-scape – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 21 Sep 2018 13:39:00 GMT

There was a tiny slough down the road from our farm home. It strided a seldom used road, but didn’t cover more than a couple of acres. For us kids though, it was a world of wonderment.

We found frog eggs, caught tadpoles and watched the movement of the dragon-flies. In spring we helped channel the trickle of run-off from the hill. In early summer we snuck up on hatchlings and watched how their mothers protected them. As the slough shrunk to a mud-hole, we marveled at nature’s way of caring for the lizards and garter snakes. We waited to collect the fluff off the cat-tails.

How sad to find our intriguing nature-scape had been turned into crop-land the year after the farm was sold.

With the threat of global changes, I understand the plea is again being made to protect wetlands and to try to restore what were once healthy natural systems – in the countryside and in our towns and cities.

Adults might talk about protecting nature’s filtration, over-flow and water storage systems. And they might argue that the trade-off between pot-holes and farming with ultra big equipment needs to be reconsidered.

But for us as kids, it was about the freedom to feel the mud between our toes, smell the wild mint, find a pod of grasshopper eggs, and not care that minutes turned into hours of adventure.

Our awareness of the presence of God was very real. Our appreciation for the gifts given nourished our spirits and compelled us to find ways to show respect and care for our world.

In no way would we accept the fact that our “Nature-scape” could be a “Nuisance”!

Even adults understand how it is that we can “walk beside still waters” and find our souls restored. “The Lord is (our) Shepherd!”

Giving Thanks in Tough Times – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 14:04:00 GMT

It’s been a trying summer for many. Too soon we have been drawn into September’s re-grouping time … and to thinking about the onset of winter.

The Feast of Thanksgiving is approaching. But how does one give thanks in tough times?

Agricultural people think of the impact of the drought on their fields … but are surprised by the amount and quality of grain being harvested. Thanks can be offered for the “newer” varieties of seed being planted and the way cultivation practises have changed over the years. Thanks can be offered, too, for those who have made these changes possible.

“Townies” are caught in the dilemma between watering their lawns and gardens, and drawing on water supplies still needed “to get us through the winter”. But, conscious of sustainability issues, many have found ways to maximize use of the water they do have available – and browning lawns can be an expression of their stewardship.

Political minded folks get caught up in the extended arguments about “rights” and “wrongs” in local, national and international governance. The shouting becomes so extreme we fail to hear even ourselves. Before we can try honestly listening to each other, give thanks by silencing ourselves and praying for a more inclusive degree of respect for each other.

Church-attending folks mutter because their numbers are fewer than in the past. It is easy for anger to cloud our days and our thinking. On the one hand, small can be beautiful: cathedrals serve one purpose, small country churches another. If God is a living, vital part of our faith, can our intent to “give thanks” open our perspective? Dare we ask Spirit Seekers “Where have you been and what have you discovered of God”?

In hard times we can find fulfilling opportunities to “Give Thanks”.

In the Scriptures (James 1:2) it is written “Consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is that ability to endure.”

Does our faith entrench us in the ruts of the bygone? Or does it release us to enjoy each day anew?

Caring for Neighbours – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 07 Sep 2018 13:32:00 GMT

“You will strop by and visit often,” my elderly neighbour implored as he got out of the car. “Don’t forget.”

The request was touching. We had come home from the picnic shortly after eating because he was feeling chilled, a bit confused, and quite stumbly. Both he and his wife were frightened.

The older we get, the more we do battle with the unseen ghosts of health … the more we are confronted by our physical vulnerabilities … the more we treasure the thoughtfulness and care expressed by others.

Understanding the loneliness and pain aging people face is something local people know about because our lives within the community are so intimately connected.

We remember back to the time when the woman in the wheelchair was “quick as a fox”, when the man with the dementia was a brilliant teacher, and when the exhausted care-giver brought food to our home in our time of bereavement.

Through their actions and their living story, these elders have passed on clues as to how each of us can bring blessings to others.

What I’ve learned from them has more to do with being there without fuss, but with consistency. It has to do with watching and listening, rather than with trying to give pat answers. And it has to do with helping each find his/her own course of action, rather than forcing a prescribed “solution”.

In the Biblical story, remember the companionship enjoyed by Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth? The two leaned on each other when all the men of the family died. When Naomi decided to move back to Bethlehem, Ruth (from the country of Moab) insisted she would return with the older woman. When Naomi was destitute, Ruth went out to work in the fields by way of finding a small source of “income”. Meanwhile, Naomi’s wisdom and experience brought blessing to Ruth’s life.

The story of the way they supported each other, told over thousands of years, is instructive for every age … even to the present time.

Life’s Transitions – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 31 Aug 2018 13:17:00 GMT

September is the season for seeing young people make their transition away from home. They have been given roots. Now it is up to them to try their wings.

Norman Rockwell, in his “Breaking Home Ties” painting (Saturday Evening Post cover, Sept. 1954), presented the timeless moment so well.

Set in the early 30’s, father and son are seated on the running board of the family car while waiting for the train. It’s a picture-story of expectation (by the boy) and hesitation (by his dad) – with the faithful collie resting his head on the lad’s knee. She’s all too aware big changes are pending.

We can match this scene with the prayerful words of James Taylor ( Everyday Psalms ) to a youth leaving home.

“As you set out in the world, God go with you… When you are feeling low, may God send you a shoulder to cry on … When you are feeling good, may your laughter echo in the heavens … And may God hear the deepest yearning of your heart.”

As we offer our prayers for our young people, let’s not forget to consider our own transitions. We are constantly facing changes: in our work, in our health, with our relationships …

We cling to old hesitations as we face new stages of transition. If we hesitate too long, burdens of fear and anger can weigh heavy on our shoulders.

The world around is a vital living entity in which change is a constant. The evolving world needs each of us to participate in the unfolding.

Sometimes the changes are like strong building blocks that carry promise and hope for a new day. But there are times when we need to speak out against those transitions that lead to disruption and destruction.

Whether we be child, youth or adult, our prayer of affirmation is the same. May God always be with us. When we are feeling low and filled with despair, may God support and strengthen us. When we are filled with joy, may our delight be shared with all – even to the heavens. And may we find peace in knowing that God hears the deepest yearnings of our heart.

An Oasis Moment – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 24 Aug 2018 13:50:00 GMT

There are times I despair when I consider the future of the church as we once knew it. There are other times when a particular experience affirms an amazing glimmer of hope in a turbulent world.

After weeks of drought, heat, smoke and the threat of wild-fire, last Sunday’s gathering at church provided a moment of spiritual refreshment.

Congregants were glad to come together after a month of stand-down time. The hymn singing was robust. There was teasing and some giggles when the microphone went dead – because everyone wanted to hear the story-lady!

The pastor’s message about “Legacies” came from his own family’s heart-felt experience with finding a care-home for both his and his wife’s parents, and disposing of the accumulations of a lifetime. What echoes through my memory is the thought that “legacy” is about so much more than stuff and money matters. We were reminded about understandings Christians have inherited from the Founders and Builders of our Faith.

Prayer offerings and requests drew us together – as we heard from those living on the edge of the evacuation-alert zone, as we heard of the passing of a loved one and the life-transition of another. There was also the invitation to share in recognition of the 30 years one couple has lived under the shadow of diminished health … and their up-coming 50 ^th wedding anniversary.

As we gathered for celebratory cake and coffee, the chatter and laughter and story-telling created its own din. Others, not able to be at the worship service, dropped by to add their own “glad-to-be-included” smiles.

Like an oasis-moment found in the midst of a desert of helplessness, this time together lifted our spirits and sent us home better equipped to face whatever the coming week has in store.

James Taylor writes in Everyday Psalms : “Laughter is the icing on a cake of comfort that many generations have baked … As cold toes grow warmer under a comfy quilt, so loving relationships grow warmer with time … The simple pleasures of companionship rise from them to heaven … God judges the quality of our lives together.”

It Isn’t the First Time – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 17 Aug 2018 14:38:00 GMT

It isn’t the first time that once declared icons of history have been displaced. In the name of “reconciliation” with Canada’s First Nations’ People, names of building are being changed, statues are being removed from prominent locations, sports teams are getting new names …

Those offended by such happenings cling to their blinders. They forget how it was in past generations when, in the name of God and The Law, many Aboriginal traditions were demeaned. Pot-latches were outlawed. Families were forced to surrender children to residential schools, and nomadic people were restricted to movement within closed Reservations.

The time has come for each of us to make opportunity to lament our losses, give voice to our hurts, and express our bewilderment about being caught in powerful whirlpools of misunderstanding. Those who once harboured fractious thoughts against the other can come to respect and appreciate each other.

Scripture wise – The earliest church got fully caught up in disputes because of diverse ways of thinking. The absurdness of one practise was brought to the disciple Peter’s attention by way of a dream (Acts 10). What he recalled was that he was forced, in the dream, to do the very thing he railed against in real life. When he spoke in defense of what he believed, he heard the voice of God chiding his assertions and urging him to broaden his attitude.

Later he (a Jew) was invited to the home of Cornelius (a Gentile) to speak about the issue that threatened to divide the two groups of people. Speaking to what he had learned from his earlier dream, Peter said “I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis.” Whoever respects and does what is right is acceptable to God, no matter what race he belongs to … (Acts 30-36)

Might the lesson for our times be for Natives and non-Natives to come together to talk about those things that seemed offensive in the past? If we speak from the heart, if we hear each other out in the attitude of lament, we will find ways to reconsider the wrongs. We can move toward reconciliation and celebrate our diversity.

New Norm Unsettling – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 09 Aug 2018 23:01:00 GMT

We might not want to think about it, but we have to – think about the changing climate, that is!

It is only human to be fearful in the face of uncertainty. That’s why so many, for so long, have tried to deny what climate scientists have been telling us for years. Now, in this 2 ^nd year of extreme drought across the Canadian prairies, and with excessive temperature highs everywhere around the globe, the time has come to seek out facts and develop strategies for how to move forward.

In times like this, reliance on our spiritual values might help us better cope with stress and appreciate our God-given capacity for resilience.

Courage and strength come as we work with others. We need to build meaningful dialogue with each other as we learn how to be more adaptable and act with wisdom.

We need to insist our media provide realistic and reliable information about the over-all picture. What’s happening? What needs to happen?

We need to insist on action from our politicians. Stop them bellowing that “the Economy” will be wrecked if they try to introduce carbon-based control measures. Invite legislative measures that help deflate the destructive pollution-bubbles that threaten our land, water and air.

We all take to heart the reminder that everyone bears some kind of burden. Our rural and agriculturally based people are now on the front-line with regard to threats and uncertainty. Make it our business to show each other that no one should have to bear their burdens alone. If we share stressful loads, we are all made stronger. By showing that we care, we offer glimmers of hope that this darkness, too, can pass.

Prayer Sampler (from Germinate – Arthur Rank Centre News , United Kingdom) “Loving God, we thank you for our farmers and the food they produce. We remember those who are concerned about crop yields and prices, livestock and feed. Give them ( and us ) a sense of your peace. Help us always to value the food we eat and not just take it ( or them ) for granted. Amen”

Dealing With Evil – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 03 Aug 2018 13:19:00 GMT

Evil causes a lot of suffering. How each of us deal with that suffering makes all the difference!

The classic story about dealing with the pain is found in the Book of Job (from the Old Testament). Ancient sages instructed the people by telling a story of one person who had wealth, family and prestige. Job was so devout he even prayed daily on behalf of his grown children, per chance they had done something to offend God.

What he didn’t know was that the Evil One, a fallen angel, accused God of giving special blessings to Job. “Withdraw your favour”, Satan challenged God. “Cause him to suffer and he will curse you!”

God accepted the challenge, insisting only that the man not be killed.

Terrible curses were hurled at Job – his cattle and fields were destroyed and his children and servants were killed. Eventually his body was attacked with oozing sores.

His pitiful circumstance was the talk of the town. Everyone insisted they knew the cause for his down-fall. They insisted, he had to confess how he had offended God to stop this madness.

Job’s only reply – “I have nothing to confess. I have done no wrong. I will not curse God!”

In the past Job had carefully followed the teachings of his religious leaders. But as he worked through his misery, it was as if he now met God on a face-to-face basis. This personal encounter was an awesome, life-affirming experience!

This legendary story is a reminder that suffering because of evil can happen to any one of us. We struggle with it: trying to understand what’s happening, searching to discover how to live without letting it destroy us. It is when we recognize God is beside us, we realize it is possible to rise above any temptation to diminish ourselves.

There is a Prayer to Resist Evil in the Book of Services of the United Church. “Free us we pray, from the death dealing power of evil, from our desires for revenge and vengeance, and all forms of domination. Release us into the resurrection of Christ that we may work to free all Creation.”

Wise words for inhabitants in a world where evil persistently causes turmoil and despair.

A Spiritual Pillar Remembered – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 27 Jul 2018 13:30:00 GMT

I spent time this morning at the Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens meditating on the memories of my oldest mentor and friend. Yesterday, amid family and friends, we celebrated a life that reached back 97 years.

She was a positive, joyous, forward-thinking person whose presence electrified any gathering. Her motto was to celebrate even the tiniest moments of life.

I wondered how much her children understood about the way their parents advocated within church circles, 50 years ago, for constructive ways to work with clergy serving rural congregations. Their plea to help struggling ministers deal with their problems, rather than shift those individuals repeatedly from one congregation to the next, fell on deaf ears. Consequently, the couple divorced themselves from their church denomination, but remained spiritual pillars throughout the region.

It was the first time I came to understand what it meant to be “spiritual-but-not-religious”. The rigidity of religious institutions can be burdensome.

Do their teenage children, now grown to be grandparents themselves, understand?

The lack of religious affiliation freed this couple to work beyond the traditionally accepted boundaries of religion, race, sex and ageism. They were politically astute in a political party their neighbours ignored. They identified and supported causes for people who were overlooked for too long. Serving the cause of justice and making charitable-living a lifestyle were norms in their everyday world.

Oft times in my own life, as I found myself fighting some issue of injustice in stormy seas, I remembered how this special mentor had shown me the way. I offer a prayer of gratitude for her insight and compassion.

It was an honour to be able to commend the remains of my friend and her husband to the elements from which God fashioned us in the beginning. We did all this in the name of Jesus Christ who promised each of us life beyond this earthly time.

When we had done all we could do, we departed with peaceful hearts – knowing we too are blessed by God.

What If They Were Wrong – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 19 Jul 2018 15:20:00 GMT

What if our parents and teachers were wrong about some of the things they taught us?

Kay Hockin, a leading educator regarding International Christian Missions in the 1970’s, had to wrestle with that problem. Between when she grew up in a missionary family in China and when she became an educator herself, understandings about the relationship between Asian and Western societies had changed. Hockin advocated working “in partnership with overseas peoples” instead of trying to Westernize people of other cultures. In asking herself “what if my parents were wrong”, she finally concluded “they did the best they could with understanding how it was in their time”. But she also asserted “I must do what I understand to be best in my time!”

That same question continues today – noticeably between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in Canada. In recent years we have been shown the extreme degree of negativity that existed over the past century – misunderstandings that might be called “the myth of the savage”.

The “Truth” part of Canada’s “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” has invited all of us to reconsider our misguided thinking.

It takes time now for all of us to cope with such radical changes in thinking. Maybe our parents and teachers were wrong … To abruptly change our thinking is hard. But like Dr. Hockin, we start by accepting the fact “(parents) did the best they could to try to understand in their time.” And we must now change and do the best we can to try to understand these relationships in our time.

In Aboriginal cultures, many of the elders held firm to their traditions in spite of what others said. They now help their people recall what has made them strong since the time of the Ancestors. This has become a foundation upon which they can build and move forward.

But for those non-Aboriginal Canadians who still cling to misunderstandings passed on a generation ago, change comes more slowly. We must see for ourselves how much our whole Canadian society can be enriched as we celebrate diversity. The journey forward can be a great adventure.

Pedestal Free Environment – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 13 Jul 2018 13:11:00 GMT

Mennonite families in the Springridge district (between Fort Macleod and Pincher Creek, AB) recently celebrated the 90 ^th Anniversary of the time when their Russian immigrant families founded a congregation. It was a joyous gathering and time for reaffirming their faith.

They built their church in the midst of prosperous farm land, 20 miles from the nearest town. An old hotel building in Fort Macleod, damaged by fire, was bought and dismantled (1927). Families spent the winter straightening nails so the new church could be erected in the country-side in the spring.

During those early years, a church history writer noted, “there wasn’t much material wealth”, but we “shared a bond of unity and love”. The ladies were more forthright when they wrote (in 1978) of the “ups and downs” and “misunderstandings and hurt feelings” that happened among members. “But there was also forgiveness and fellowship … We have learned to love and appreciate each other.”

Bible study, blending voices in musical song, working with the young people and mission outreach have always been essential pillars for the congregation. But, as with any living community, they have struggled with how to practise their faith in changing times.

For the first time, in 1965, they decided to offer their minister a small stipend. Gradually, too, the time came for church services and meetings to be held in English. Changing to English helped the congregation be more open to strengthening relationships with farm neighbours. Within a few years, they also became part of the Pincher Creek Ministerial Association and shared in the spiritual support of the larger community.

The original building had two entry doors – one for men and one for women. Gradually it even became acceptable for men and women to share the same pew. In 1964 the decision was made to “extend rights and privileges to women members as they apply to men.”

Of more recent years, the congregation have also wrestled with whether or not to be more accepting of “gay rights”, and how best to relate with the Indigenous Community who are their immediate neighbours.

Referring to the scripture about the followers of Moses building a tabernacle, the guest preacher (a former minister) spoke about what occurred. Pooling their gifts, blending their contributions, mixing their offerings to celebrate the presence of God – the Exodus people built something beautiful, a place of peace.

“Our denomination intentionally has a pedestal free environment”, he said describing this as “a way of being church that makes all of us equal.” It is a place for peace and reconciliation – a place for God!

Surprised by Generosity – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 06 Jul 2018 14:49:00 GMT

When I entered Waterton National Park the last day of June, I couldn’t help but marvel. My eyes feasted on fields of wild flowers. Remembering the terrors of the Kenow wildfire that tore across these mountains ten months ago, it felt as if a magic carpet was revealing itself. And on the hillsides between blackened tree trunks, lush greens and vibrant dots of colour showed themselves. It helped that we have been getting reasonable amounts of rain, early heat, followed by sunshine and cool nights.

“Out of the ashes” the words echoed back from the ages, “a phoenix shall rise”. The ways of nature to over-produce of their seed when threatened insures their continuity.

In the Park I was meeting with a clergy friend. We talked about “the church” – with its many issues and problems. We reflected on the question of an older man who, when attendance was sparse on Easter Sunday, asked “How long before they close the door?”

Many churches are going through a variety of problems. Many hold on to what has been when they might better start to clean away some accumulated “under-brush”. The driving winds of change remind me of that turbulent fire-threat last fall. Regardless, I know a purging would not spell the demise of the Church. Like the rising phoenix, in refreshing ways new directions and new ways of being and doing shall arise.

Remember the words of the ball player with his Field of Dreams ? “If we build it, they will come!” They did! They shall!

New generations will dare to show us how they interpret the legacy we have passed along. What they build will have some resemblance to what has been, but they will have their own ways of revealing where and how they relate with the Almighty and the Gospel.

The prayer at the conclusion of my friend’s service the next day – “May the God of the unexpected surprise us with blessings where we thought there was only burdens, and life where we saw only death. Then may we be the ones who offer life, surprising others with our generosity.”

Karsh and Raffi – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 13:43:00 GMT

Renowned portrait photographer Jousuf Karsh and children’s musician Raffi hold several things in common. They are known for their elegant dignity, their Armenian heritage and their pride in being an essential part of the Canadian fabric.

Karsh, in his autobiography “In Search of Greatness”, recalls an important teaching from his father. As a young Armenian growing up in Turkey, he remembered the way the Turks taunted and bullied him and his friends. So he started carrying pebbles in his pocket to throw at his tormentors. When he had to explain to his father why his packet was full of rocks, the older man replied “You must not come down to their level. If you have to cast a stone, be sure to miss.”

Karsh is considered by many to be “the greatest portrait photographer of the 20 ^th century”. Hundreds of individuals are indebted to him for the quiet, gracious way he found to photograph each person for the world to see and remember them.

Raffi, the children’s troubadour, works with children (and their parents). He helps them respect themselves and their world as they sing and laugh and learn by sharing stories together. He founded the “Centre for Child Honouring” in order to advocate for the universal needs of children.

These men knew what it was to suffer from terrible discrimination in their homeland, but they chose to rise above the evils and serve the world in ways that reflected respect, dignity and gentleness.

In today’s world, where so many of our ways of doing and being have become frayed and tattered, we can let the taunters bring us down or we can choose to aspire to finer levels of being human.

Remember the advice of the elder Karsh. “If you have to cast a stone – be sure to miss.” Remember, also, Michelle Obama’s words – “When they go low, we go high!”

Live life in the positive and enjoy its abundance!

Bread for the Journey – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 21:54:00 GMT

“For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven…”

The leader reflected on this passage from Ecclesiastes at the conclusion of her time with a group of teenage campers.

During the week she had been inviting them to explore, in a variety of ways, how they could express their understanding of what the surrounding mountains, sky, water and flora meant to them.

It was so appropriate that she now used the words of “The Preacher” (as the Hebrews called him). The Biblical Book of Ecclesiastes is a collection of wise insights The Preacher had gathered through a life-time of experience. This Wise One shared his thoughts with young men embarking on their own life-journey.

The rhythm of life, as he described it, is like a pendulum swinging back and forth: “the time to plant” swings over to “the time to harvest”, “hate” swings to “love” … But with each swing, we can also imagine the spiral circles on a screw. With each experience, we dig deeper into a more complete understanding of what lies at the heart of life.

This guidance is as rich a gift as any mentor can impart in these days when we are repeatedly confronted by the extremes of the swinging pendulum – from violence to compassion, for ignorance to exhilaration … and back again. It is as we live through these times and seek to broaden our understanding that we look deeper into the heart of God. Like Bread for the Journey, we find ourselves nourished and nurtured.

The Preacher concludes “Don’t let life be a burden. God has given us the right time for everything – even though our understanding is incomplete. Be happy. Do the best you can while you are still alive. And trust yourselves into the hands of God.”

Toys or Tools – by Joyce Sasse

Fri, 15 Jun 2018 19:14:00 GMT

Has our apparent over-dependence on things like cell-phones, computers and robots narrowed our vision and left us thinking of these devices as must-have toys? Could they better be understood to be tools?

Maybe its not the technology that’s the trap, but our attitude and how we choose to use them.

I’ve recently been reminded, through the wonder of television, how specialists use technological tools for seeing the awesomeness of our God-given world.

In one program they showed pictures of minuscule butterfly eggs. I saw how some butterfly anti-sonar-sounds fend off hungry bats, and how we know a single butterfly can migrate between Africa and Sweden. So many mysteries and secrets are hidden in something we hardly notice. When examined with the tools of technology, what was once hidden can be brought into view.

Another program revealed intimate details about a single oak tree. Using technological tools, scientists can measure how much water the tree uses in a single hour. Move closer and we are shown the variety of defense mechanisms that tree implements when insect pests chew its leaves or threaten its bark. We see, also, close-ups of the chlorophyll cells that turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. I’ll not take any tree for granted again.

As we use the tools at hand to better understand the gifts of God already at work in nature, it is so important we build on this knowledge? Can we find better ways to live in harmony with the created world rather than try to ineptly dominate Nature?

We are filled with awe, gratitude and hope when we see our connection with what has been Created.

Sacred stories from the Scriptures remind us this is not a world of our devising. This is God’s world! The gifts found here are given by a compassionate and loving Creator. Searching for how to uncover and build on such great truths helps us live with a sense of abundance.

Remember to Pray for Yourself – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 08 Jun 2018 13:43:00 GMT

Have you prayed for yourself today?

Those who pray are usually very diligent about praying for the ones they hold dear. They remember family and friends facing health issues. They think about situations where disagreements are tearing relationships apart. Always, they pray for peace …!

But many of us never think to pray for ourselves. It may not be intentional. But it doesn’t need to be something we neglect for the rest of our lives.

In marriage it becomes obvious no one can ever change their spouse, no matter how much “improvement” may be needed. So, too, for the rest of life. Only when an individual chooses to change himself or herself does the real process of transformation become possible.

Which leads us back to thinking about praying for ourselves. Is there a burden we’ve been carrying that is always haunting the fore-front of our thoughts? It can lead to inner turmoil, sleepless nights, angry outbursts, or periods of depression… It could be because we feel inadequate in some way, or we think we’ve let someone down, or maybe we “bit off more than we can chew”.

Our hidden burdens resurface in odd, unexpected ways. We can quickly suppress them and quietly carry on, or we can try to catch hold of shadowy threats. There are yokes we can set aside.

Choosing to change old habits and finding ways to approach life with a more positive attitude doesn’t happen overnight. But starting the journey, knowing as we reach out in prayer that we are not alone, makes all the difference.

“Go placidly amid the noise and hustle …”, the poet wrote. Is it possible? Is it something to aspire to? Within the heart of the Desiderata we read “take kindly the counsel of the years… Do not distress yourself with dark imaginings … Be gentle with yourself … Keep peace with your soul.”

Offer a small prayer for yourself and see if it makes a difference!

The Restorative Powers of Nature – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 17:01:00 GMT

In spite of the many hardships pioneer artist Annora Brown faced, she developed an amazing capacity for resilience. Her restorative secret, she wrote in her autobiography Sketches from Life , was the healing power found in nature.

Shortly after she graduated from art-school and started her first job, her father asked if she could return home to Fort Macleod. Her mother had a stroke.

No one in Fort Macleod escaped the life-sucking conditions of the drought-ridden 1930s. There was no medi-care, no pension, no means of income to help her pay her art-school debt.

The community itself was ill prepared to welcome this single, artistically inclined, independent-minded woman (now 32 years old).

Even as she made initiatives, through her paintings, her school-book illustrations and her writings, to show the rest of Canada the landscape along the eastern edge of the Rockies, it took more than a decade for the chauvinistic-minded Calgary art community to pay her heed.

But during visits to the mountains, the essence of her resolve surfaced. There she saw how “the towering peaks sat on their haunches … waiting for events to shape them. Their patience in the face of eternity put my small problems in proper perspective.” It helped her make her decisions. “If I was to starve, it would be with dignity, in the clean air of the out-of-doors.” She decided to stay in Fort Macleod and work from a studio in her home.

The rolling dust clouds and building thunderstorm commanded her attention. The turbulence of the wind exhilarated her – sometimes it was likened to a Wagnerian opera, sometimes like a Beethoven symphony.

The red robin, defiant after a spring snow, and the flowers that gossiped their secrets, all connected her with a Presence she knew to be God. Each new image challenged her to try, with reverence and admiration, to capture the essence that most others ignored.

She named LIGHT as “the greatest painter of all”. Notice the way it molds and blends, cuts out silhouettes and “Illuminates the tiny specks of dust that creates the glory of a sunset.”

“That part of me that reveled in solitude”, she concluded, “the nearness of growing things, and the earth itself (fed me) to repletion.”

“The wailing of the wind, barking coyotes, honking geese, beating of drums, sounds of Indian voices (singing and dancing) on a starry night.” She realized this was her world.

Even after she was forced by exhaustion to retire to the softer climate of Vancouver Island, she looked back to southern Alberta with awe. “We are so fortunate that our own backyard encompassed snow-capped peeks, glaciers, foothills and prairies. This provided our richness of experience.”

The Empty Halter – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 25 May 2018 13:19:00 GMT

Since we are in the season of 4-H Achievement Days, the recollection of a story that happened several years ago seems appropriate.

The day after Robbie sold his first 4-H calf he brought the empty halter to church. That halter and the pathetic look on Robbie’s face told it all. On past Sundays he had lovingly talked about training and caring for his calf. Now he told what happened. It wasn’t about the dollars raised. It was about the surrender of his pet. As we listened, tears welled in all our throats.

I appreciated the way the tiny church family shared this unfolding drama. During “check in” time at the beginning of most of our services congregants were invited to tell about their highs, their lows and their concerns. The issues were remembered in prayer and were discussed later over coffee. It was our way of building community and affirming the spiritual values that nurture us.

In the prayers we gave thanks for the way our farmers cared for the land and their livestock. In the hymns we sang about the gifts of Creation and how we need to be wise caretakers of this world. On this particular Sunday, as we sat around the coffee table, Robbie was encouraged to talk more about how he felt when his animal was sold. A couple of adults shared experiences of loss and told about what helped them get through their feelings of emptiness.

That kind of talk made all of us feel a little better. Not only does it “take a village to raise a child”, but we all need to be part of that village. Finding a “safe place” to talk about our delights and our disappointments helps us move toward acceptance and hope.

That’s what is meant when we sing “Come in and sit down, you are a part of the family.”

Diversity is God’s Gift – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 18 May 2018 13:16:00 GMT

The puppeteer enacted her story by wearing an orange glove on one hand and a lime-green one on the other. With her two hands outstretched, she imitated youngsters passing a ball back-and-forth in the park.

They laughed and giggled and enjoyed playing together. Then, when one player missed his catch and ran for the ball, he found a mirror. Looking in the mirror he noticed the other player was different from himself. How could an orange puppet possibly play with a lime-green one?

With disgust he set a brick in the middle of the play field as a visual obstacle. His partner, overcome with feelings of frustration, responded like-wise by placing a second brick on the first.

The wall got higher and higher, till neither puppet could see the other one… Then they were sad because there was no one to laugh with and catch the ball.

Eventually the puppeteer spoke and asked the two what was wrong? Why were they so sad? “He’s different than me!” wailed the right hand. “And I can’t play with some one that looks like that!” wailed the left hand.

“Now look here”, the puppeteer scolded. “Does it matter if you are different? I’m your creator and I made each of you like you are. I made one orange because I like orange. I made the other lime-green because I like lime-green.” He sighed and continued. “You are both a part of me. Feel my arm, my shoulder, my head.” Each puppet felt up from one wrist and across the face, to discover each was connected to the other along the extended arms. Each came from the same source. “There’s no reason for either of you to dislike or resent the other.”

Gradually the two puppets relaxed a little and recognized a bit of the truth. Slowly they knocked down the barrier they had thoughtlessly erected and went back to enjoying their fun games.

When we are tempted to judge another, remember the two puppets and their Creator. Diversity is God’s gift to us.

Spring Tonic – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 11 May 2018 12:43:00 GMT

OLDSTER ALERT! I have a recommendation for how to enjoy an invigorating dose of spring tonic. Seek out a young person and ask them how they are doing.

I recently drove into the countryside to visit with 30-year-old Alex. I wanted to know about his coming back to live in his grandparent’s house.

He talked about getting his journeyman’s certification in carpentry, then moving out-of-province to work with cement and stone-masonry.

As he explored his Saskatchewan digs, he also connected with other aspiring musicians. For a while their band allowed him to test some creative ventures.

He recognized he might even have “a calling” – that of putting his thoughts into words, then having opportunity to share those songs with others.

Values first learned at home were something he could share with teenage want-a-be musicians through a government-sponsored program called “Creative Entrepreneurship”. Be practical! Stay within your means! Think about sustainable ways of using your resources! Do what you can afford! Someone else might say “Don’t try to build a champagne world on a beer income”.

Now, his grin was from ear-to-ear – “I’m going to be a dad!” Both he and his partner agree that “having a baby make it so you have a reason to try to do better.”

At home, he’s making changes in the old house. Musically, he’s working on his own – cataloging his music, self-promoting the occasional gig and always looking to find the right words for new songs.

What more pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Too often oldsters get in their rut of grumbling about “those darn kids”. My recommendation is to seek a few of them out. Ask where they’ve been? What are they doing. How do they see the world unfolding?

It’s a great way to be revitalized by a dose of tonic. It’s also a way of telling them we are entrusting the world in good hands.

Korean Conflict – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 04 May 2018 14:08:00 GMT

The reality of war and a country-divided presented itself to me within the first month of my arriving in South Korea in 1968. That’s when a group of North Korean guerrilla soldiers entred Seoul with the intention of assassinating President Park Chung Hee. Two of them were killed within two blocks of the Blue House. Twenty-four still remained at large – committed to violence or suicide.

Just as I sat down to lunch in the home of Beulah Bournes (one of our senior missionaries), there was a loud pounding on the gate, and much wailing. Several distraught women were ushered into the living room. Both Beulah and her cook became increasingly distraught as they listened to the women’s story unfold between sobs.

Because of the language barrier, I could only look on helpless until someone paused to explain in English.

Twenty years previous War broke out in what we now know to be North Korea. That’s where Beulah and some of these women lived, and from which they fled south. Helplessly, in the flight they had to leave the very old and the very young behind.

Those infants would now be nearly twenty years of age. Rumour had it that they were the ones specially sent to Seoul. Should they fail in their terrorist mission and need help, they were given the names of family connections where they could seek refuge in the city.

“Should my son come”, the distraught mother pleaded, “what can I do? Betray my son? Betray my country? God help me!!!!”

Today, as Westerners comment on relationships being re-established between North and South Korea, I remember the pain and the prayers of those women. Their grief for families torn apart was so evident.

Today the yearning of an elder to become acquainted with a brother or sister’s family in North Korea is so evident in a culture that is more than 2,500 years old.

Like a wound being repeatedly re-opened since 1950, when will the nightmare of division ever end?

Those of us who have never experienced such tragedy can only stand by and pray for peace.

Practicing Social Civility – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 19:32:00 GMT

Supper conversation was a highlight at our boarding home during the years I was at University. Our landlady skillfully stimulated conversation by asking how we saw the issues of the day. Along with her teen aged son (very involved in sports) there was a public-school teacher and students from the Colleges of Engineering, Biology and Theology.

In the heat of discussion, we learned how to present our ideas and listen for other points of view. The one rule was that we had to show respect for each other.

In these days when we are bombarded by fake news and accusatory tweets, along with trigger-happy bursts of lies and slander, I long for more civilized public discourse. But correcting the imbalance won’t happen automatically. We need more “Mum P(s)” who will give us opportunity to learn the necessary skills that are basic in building strong healthy networks of concerned persons.

I have admiration for the school teachers who, from kindergarten on up, encourage students to share their ideas as they creatively work together on a project.

I am appreciative of those churches that can provide a safe place for people to come together to discuss controversial issues. A faith community that opens itself to welcome a broad segment of persons can bring much healing. A faith community that remains exclusive and judgmental can cause much pain.

Increasingly, sectors of our media are trying to rise above polarization and social turbulence by fact-checking information, seeking out the stories of those who have been mistreated, and giving voice to issues once considered verboten.

With elders sharing their experience, younger people sharing their enthusiasm and the middle-aged sharing their insights, together we can have truly amazing exchanges. What is more, such exchanges can add a spirit of vitality in a world that has almost forgotten how to laugh.

It Shouldn’t Be Like This – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 12:48:00 GMT

“How sad it is!” That’s how I started my column last week. So much has been made of those affected by the Humboldt Hockey Bus Disaster. I don’t want to take anything away from that, but the response has made me feel even deeper pain…

I want to raise a contrasting question – about the silence and seeming apathy of so many when it comes to the unaccounted lives of “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women” across Canada.

They too were daughters, sisters, mothers, and friends of more than one thousand Indigenous families, but their significance seems to be ignored by too many.

As I recall how my own life has been enriched by some of their elders, I weep for these lost treasures.

My blind friend, for example, shares stories of the special gift of insight she has gained because she no longer has use of her own eyes. Her sharing these stories opens me to truths beyond my knowing.

She also tells, with excitement, what it meant to her when a Muslim woman, upon learning she was Blackfoot, thanked her for sharing her land with foreigners.

Years ago, when I was asked to give a talk about “Aboriginal Culture”, an Indigenous colleague accompanied me and described how the sweetgrass smoke, the sound of the drums, and the presence of an eagle feather helped her understand what Christianity meant for her people. These can be reminders for all of us how our Mother, the Earth, gives us life.

Years later, when that same wise minister worked with the street people in Calgary, she told how she used scarce dollars to purchase “fresh buns” for serving communion. Consider how precious even a small taste of fresh bread is for people who are usually given only stale left-overs!

The sensitivity implicit in each of these stories has enriched my understanding of what it means to try to live as Christ would have us live.

We must find ways to show that we care about those who are missing and murdered, and about how this dreadful loss affects all of us!

So Much Pain – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 14:09:00 GMT

So much pain has emerged with the Humboldt Hockey Bus disaster – like a primordial cry!

But we also have been able to witness immediate response from across the country and around the world. Prayers … texting … hockey alumnus … funding campaigns being established … support mechanisms put in place …

Disasters invite this kind of response. Each time, we hope there will never be another. Each time, we try to learn how to be better prepared. Each time, when incidents like wild fires and flood, accidents, catastrophes and the like happen in rural areas, we know volunteers will be among the first responders. We know, too, that community members are the ones who will remain there for the long run. All of us contribute, and all of us need the support of each other.

Oft time, these days, church folk sigh in despair because of dwindling numbers in the Sunday pews. But we have so much to offer. It is the Christ-like love let loose in the world that lies at the base of all the out-pouring of compassion and support.

The Western Producer Newspaper’s Barb Glen writes about a tremendous Innovation Revolution happening in the agricultural industry. She reminds us we are innovative not only in terms of technology and the economics of business, but in the daily spiritual lives of the people.

This is a significant reminder that our churches, one of the vital corner-posts of the community, needs to keep abreast of what’s happening in each community. Generational changes are to be expected. The need is to keep evolving.

Invite our young people to share stories about impacts occurring in their lives. Florida High School students are not the only ones who have a lot to say.

Invite parents to talk about how important their community is to them – and how they are organizing fund-raisers and building campaigns and are trying to initiate changes in legislation … They are trying to “give back” for the good of the whole.

Find opportunity to discover how Christ has been “let loose in the world”, beyond church walls. The Church is not irrelevant. Evidence shows us it, and the need for it, is more relevant than ever.

“Be not afraid!” As we come together to share our pain we discover meaningful ways to be there for each other. Giving hugs, leaving the porch light on, putting a hockey stick on the step, offering our prayers … All are expressions of HOPE. Beyond the pain, life does go on!

Remembering the Fifty-Dollar Bride – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 06 Apr 2018 13:15:00 GMT

Fifty Dollars was what the Norwegian fur trader Charlie Smith offered her family so the teen aged Marie Rose Delorme would become his bride in 1877. It was a substantial offer!

Marie Rose had received a formal education from the Nuns at St. Boniface and was well taught in Metis-traditions by her mom. Hers was a well-to-do Metis family.

Who would guess that she would give birth to 17 children, most of them while she managed their Jug-Handle Ranch near Pincher Creek? In addition, she had her own business side-line making gloves and tents for CPR workmen. She ran a Boarding House in town, was a mid-wife and knew her healing herbs. She was also a folk historian / storyteller and correspondent for newspapers in the district. “While she made no pretensions of being a historian, her work contains ‘authentic history’ … a simple record of other days in our Western land.” This most colourful person died at 98 years of age (1980).

To have her story told by her own Metis people (Metis Local 1880) at our Multicultural Friendship Group meeting was much appreciated. We felt privileged, too, to have her Great Grandson make a special effort to be present.

The multicultural connections we have in our community are amazing. Our group enjoys gathering over a rich variety of foods six times a year to share traditions and interests and celebrate our diversity. Initially we became organized because new immigrants were arriving and we didn’t want to leave them feeling isolated. What we found was that many “locals” who had raised their families in the community hadn’t, until now, been able to talk about the traditions they held dear. There is much we want to share as we learn from each other.

The interest shown through participation in the Multicultural Friendship Group seems to be an important way to contribute toward building a healthy community.

Easter Postlude – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 31 Mar 2018 19:03:00 GMT

One Easter Sunday I spoke about how Beethoven, at the darkest point in his life, wrote the magnificent music that concludes with the “Ode to Joy”.

In preparation for that service I arranged for the local pet-shop owner to loan us a few birds in cages.

She agreed but wondered how much singing the birds would do in a new setting. “I’ll send a pair of love-birds”, she said. “They chortle to each other … And we can try a canary. No guarantees!”

The Sanctuary buzzed with Easter excitement as I arrived. Of course the children noticed. Their eyes sparkled as they approached the cages.

The love-birds chirped to each other. But the canary looked ready to take flight … helpless in the midst of the space and the cacophony of sound. Her only protection – the bars of her cage.

Through the first part of the Service, timid to the core, she shrunk into herself.

Then, as she heard the sound of the piano and organ during the Offertory, the music connected with something in her.

She tried a few notes of the scale… Slowly the song started to flow … with more power … more beauty … as I spoke … as we prayed … and particularly as the choir sang their “Ode to Joy”!

What more fitting parable can we find – for us and for our community of faith-filled members.

Each of us have God-given gifts that make us special. And as we share of our gifts, the joy and satisfaction we receive back fills our hearts to over-flowing.

Even the darkest night is pregnant with messages of hope as we listen for the voices of the dawn. Hallelujah! We are not alone! With the dawn, we realize the Son of God has been “let loose in the world”. Hallelu!

Easter Show the True Measure of God’s Love – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 23 Mar 2018 13:33:00 GMT

For Christians, Easter marks the climax of a journey of human struggle that began in Genesis.

The basic nature of human beings, according to the sages, was to want it all – a world of abundance and knowledge extensive enough so we could become our own gods.

Because of that greed, they explained how human-kind was expelled from Paradise. From that time on through the centuries Old Testament believers tried to reconnect with that loss. But they always fell short of their goal.

Finally, it was as if the Great God Almighty said “Let me show you” and came in flesh to illustrate the full measure of the Creator’s love. “God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world.”

Jesus was the gift – not just with his life, but with what happened through his death … and beyond death. “I have come”, he promised, “that you might have life to the full!”

The full measure of God’s love for the Creation was revealed on Easter morning when all the darkness and suffering of Gethsemane was wiped away for those who saw the tomb empty.

The poet put words in the mouth of the Centurion who was standing on guard on the empty tomb. “Is he dead? … Not dead! Then where is he?”

“Let loose in the world” came the reply. “Let loose in the world where nothing can corrupt his truth!” The indomitable Spirit of Love was there holding the gates of Paradise open to the world, inviting all to the fullness of God’s promise in this life and beyond.

Everyone of us is empowered by that love. We have the capacity to live generously, love with compassion and act justly. Governed by truth, we become God’s conduits for Peace-building.

We sing “God of grace and God of glory / on your people pour your power / now fulfill your church’s story / bring its bud to glorious flower / Grant us wisdom, grant us courage / for the facing of this hour, for the facing of this hour.”

Deepening Our Understanding of Lent – by Joyce Sasse

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 14:42:00 GMT

As I learn more about the practices associated with Ramadan, which marks the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, I think more deeply about how I approach Lent.

During the month of Ramadan, which will occur May 15 to June 14, 2018, a practicing Muslim is expected to fast from sunrise to sunset (i.e. to give up food). In the book “The Faith Club”, one man speaks about how this affects his life. “We exercise discipline and attempt to cleanse mind, body and soul of vices and bad thoughts.”

“On the first day of a fast” he goes on “(my) mind generally focuses on hunger pains and physical cravings. But with each successive day, as the body realizes its needs won’t be met, each function, including the heart and mind, slows down. One gains a new type of awareness … All senses are heightened. The body becomes light. And in that state one becomes more open to the spiritual world.”

This description has given me great respect for any who are trying to become more spiritually alert. It embarrasses me, in the light of this other person’s level of commitment, to think of my own puny tokenistic attitude toward how to fast. Lent offers Christians a period of time, should we take it seriously, to try to reawaken ourselves physically and spiritually. By establishing some discipline of “fasting”, we have opportunity to re-focus ourselves, to seek a deeper, more meaningful way of opening ourselves to the God-given world within and around us.

Even this late into the Lenten season, choosing to make an intentional sacrifice would help prepare me to more positively experience the gifts of Easter. I would like to seek out deeper feelings of peace and fulfillment so I can better appreciate how I am enfolded in God’s love.

Full of Laughter, Full of Light – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 09 Mar 2018 15:31:00 GMT

With a harsh winter like South Alberta has experienced, memories of weather related aspects of my work with the Saddle Bag ministry come back to mind.

This experimental ministry project was defined by church folk who well understood rural Saskatchewan. They determined that January and February be the time when church activities close down. Wise planning: the weather was severe, roads were impassable and “snowbirds” went south. So, the minister took holiday and study-break time.

Then we took advantage of opportunities in July and August to enjoy out-door services, have kid-camp-outs and explore a variety of interests by mixed age groups. It was about building healthy faith-filled communities.

The initiative for how-to-be-the-church came from congregants instead of from institution-based expectations. The alternative to falling under the dictates of “the relentless return of traditional Sunday morning church” were occasional services (bi-weekly or monthly). More emphasis could then be given to pastoral visits and community outreach activities. Families had time, too, for weekends away without their absence threatening the viability of numbers in attendance at church.

Years later, after we had adapted many Saddle Bag learnings in a more traditional Pastoral Charge setting, a succeeding minister tried to insist the churches revert to the more traditional way of doing ministry. He was quickly informed “No way!” Flexibility was appreciated as churches tried to respond to a constantly changing environment. The rigidity of arguing “but we’ve always done it that way” didn’t cut it.

To maintain a healthy spiritual development of individuals and communities, the work of the church is always evolving.

The sentiment expressed in Gordon Light’s hymn says so much. “From the heart of God, the Spirit moved upon the earth, like a mother breathing life into her child … And in the passage of her flight her song rings out through the night, full of laughter, full of light – she (the Spirit) flies on.”

Change is a Constant for the Church – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 02 Mar 2018 15:50:00 GMT

As with anything that is living, a living Church constantly changes. “Always ripe” Joan Chittister says, “but always in bloom again.”

The image of the bare-footed Moses in front of the flaming bush comes to mind, and the voice that identified itself with the words “I am” … Always being and always becoming .

In the novel Jaber Crow , written by Wendell Berry, the church janitor imagined the congregation as “imperfect and incomplete, yet held together by various bonds of affection”. But they were “somehow perfected beyond time by one another’s love, compassion and forgiveness … We may say perfected by grace.”

35 years ago, when I was invited to serve as the Saddle Bag Minister, visionaries of that project challenged the Church’s practise of being dominated by Denominational authority and attitudes. Throughout the 4-year project the visionary-seekers worked hard to try to restore a sense of balanced partnership between leaders, seekers and the spirit of Jesus that Chittister so eloquently speaks about. It was an exciting time for those involved, but threatening to those challenged to re-consider their leadership styles.

“Through one stage of life after another” there is an “electricity that powers every good in us”, the abbess says. The dynamism “takes the shape of seed, branch, tree, flower and fruit of the spiritual life”. Imagine how it is “we ride on a river of grace that is (both) still and deep, raging and new”.

Chittister offers spiritual guidance to all of us. “We are companions on the way, and keepers of great spiritual traditions.” While we have been “born in times of stress and discord“ we have the potential to be “healers of spiritual poverty and physical pain, rampant oppression and great human need”.

Hope becomes reality! As we re-affirm our partnership commitments and give love away, our churches revitalize themselves again and again.

(Joan Chittister is a Benedictine abbess, writer and spiritual mentor who spoke on the theme “Let the Call be Heard”.)

Revitalizing the Church: Full Partnership Required – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 23 Feb 2018 16:01:00 GMT

I have been privileged to have spent a life-time working with the Christian church in Canada and round the world.

While the Church has made missteps, it has also enabled countless individuals and institutions to find justice and healing, comfort and hope in chaotic times.

If it is to remain vital to its essential purpose though, the Church must stay committed to a 3-fold partnership between “leaders” (bringing the traditions and rituals), the “seekers” (bringing the voices of the world) and “the power” (that enables the spirit of Jesus to fuel us).

To understand the implications of this partnership, spiritual mentor Joan Chittister directs our attention to two Biblical stories.

Ruth, the foreign widow from Moab, offered to accompany Naomi, her wise grieving mother-in-law, back to her home in Bethlehem. Naomi, in turn, helped the younger woman find spiritual refuge with the Jewish people. Who could have foreseen how, out of this partnership, Ruth (the outsider) would become Great Grandmother to David (Israel’s Messiah)?

Again, we see the power of partnership develop when Paul (the first Christian missionary) met Timothy. Paul recognized how Timothy’s youth and Greek ancestry could form connecting bridges for him. The spirit fueled the flame by which Timothy helped Paul bring his message to new frontiers.

When the three participants enlighten and energize and empower each other, the Church is revitalized. Failure happens when one partner tries to out-do the other, or when the Church tries to hoard its “achievements” for itself.

Because the Church is a living entity, it changes with each generation. Its expression “always fresh for one age and people, starts over again for (the next generation).”

Chittister wisely points out – “those who have the gift of knowledge use a torch to illuminate the way for others. But the enlightened become the torch that leads the way.”

Revitalizing The Church: Give Love Away – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 16 Feb 2018 15:58:00 GMT

“Love is something if you give it away”, we sing. “It’s like a magic penny. Lend it, spend it and you’ll have so many they will roll all over the floor.”

The life and work of the Church is likened to that magic-penny-imagery. Revitalizing any of our Christian communities is possible only when we “give love away”.

For the next few weeks I shall try to share my understanding of a presentation made by Joan Chittister. She is a Benedictine abbess, writer and thinker who offers prophetic insights about the church and spirituality. I treasure her wisdom.

She addressed the world-wide congress of Benedictine followers last fall. Her theme Let the Call be Heard ! I’ll try to translate her thoughts in terms of the people and church-folk I know in this place and these times.

What we have been entrusted with are “gifts given to us by the spirit in order to maintain the spirit of Jesus in the church today”. But the understandings we receive cannot be hoarded for ourselves (either as individuals or in community). “They exist only when they are shared and given away.” Our responsibility as faith-filled communities is to look for fresh and vibrant ways to live out our undertakings.

Next week I’ll look at how Chittister describes the partnership that must exist for the church to remain vital. She names three partners:

For comparison between what has been and what might become in the church, see 15 ^th c. de Vinci’s painting of the last supper. It depicts an “all-male, apostolic, privatized version of Jesus and his disciples”.

On the other hand, the 20 ^th c. Polish artist Leszek Piasecki’s painting of the Passover meal shows “men, women and children all sharing the same meal, all called to the same cup. And all are participants in the theological development of the early Christian Community.”

How do you celebrate Seder?

Precious In My Sight – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 09 Feb 2018 15:23:00 GMT

“Don’t be afraid” was the song of the Angels, according to the Biblical Story, sung at the time of Christ’s birth … a time when the Great God Almighty was seen to identify most closely with humankind.

At the beginning of Lent we remind ourselves of this basic understanding, especially in the face of those who preach about mortal sin and hellfire.

Oblate Priest Ron Rolheiser writes “Fear of divine punishment and hellfire can, admittedly, be effective as a (conversion) motivator … But its wrong!” That kind of bullying not only intimidates individuals but “often leaves religious and emotional scars that can last a lifetime.” He continues. “Preaching the divine-threat dishonours the God in whom we believe.”

“Where have you been?” “What have you discovered of God?” These might be more appropriate ways for church leaders to approach both their congregants and enquirers. Instead of posing answers to questions people-of-faith aren’t asking, the better way might be to help folks explore and develop their own spiritual insights. The vitality of a living God can speak to and through any one of us.

Those with a vision of justice and peace-building, for example, are thus empowered to find ways to ensure children are not abused, women are no longer ignored, and those once labeled LGBTQ are treated as persons.

If we understand ourselves to be “precious in God’s sight”, by extension that includes the refugee and immigrant and persons of other heritages and faiths. It helps us more readily recognize the “abilities” of those we once thought to be “dis-abled”.

Where have you been? What have you discovered of God? In talking with each other about these matters we can understand more clearly the spiritual truths that direct our lives.

Be not afraid. All creation is precious in God’s sight. What a gift!

Faced With Despair & Grief – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 15:21:00 GMT

How can we express our feeling of despair and grief? Some Biblical texts give wise advice.

The Psalmists repeatedly offer the invitation to join in private and public prayers of lament. Psalm 17 is one such prayer. “Listen, O Lord, to my plea for justice; pay attention to my cry for help.” The defense is there . “You know my heart. You have come to me at night. You have examined me completely and found no evil desire in me.” This situation is not of my doing…. “Hide me in the shadow of your wings from the attacks of the wicked.”

That image brings to mind a clucking-hen charging at people-sized-threats while calling her young to hide under her feathers. Imagine how safe those young, cocooned in downy softness, must feel.

When our whole being feels threatened, we may become aware of God calling us to a place of shelter. As feelings of smallness and inadequacy overwhelm us, the support given allows time for us to marshal our strength against the harshness of life.

Have you ever noticed how tiny children cling to their mother’s knee? As they gain confidence, they move a short distance away. The least upset sends them scurrying back for reassurance … But eventually they are able to move on their own.

We’ve all faced serious doubt and fear-filled times. Our places of solace may be with a companion, in a sacred place, or wrapped in a special memory – God-given places. There we re-focus ourselves and rebuild our level of understanding.

Jesus well understood the imagery. With a heavy heart he stood near the gate of a turbulent Jerusalem and said “How many times I have wanted to put my arms around all your people, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wing.”

For Jesus, and for us, lament is a valuable survival tool which helps us move toward the promise of a New Day!

Viva La Differences – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 20:41:00 GMT

Both of us had served as missionaries in Korea. Sharon, my senior by twenty years, had been overseas that much longer – and approaches to mission work had changed a lot over those years.

When we returned to the same city in Canada, a friend asked if we would both be theme speakers at the Mission Festival his church was planning.

Our friendship with each other was special, but the differences in how we looked back on our work with the Korean Church was vastly different. We tried to explain this to our friend, with the suggestion that things would be simpler if he invited one or the other of us. He accepted our luncheon invitation, listened to our arguments, then said that both our names were already on the Festival venue.

It was up to us to work out details… In the end, one of us selected from our collection of slides, while the other offered most of the commentary.

What a revelation that experience was. In the past, the approach had been to give the audience a “this-is-the-way-to-do-it” message (as if everything always stayed the same).

What we learned from our shared-presentation-experience was that the audience expected transparency. They knew us to be two different persons, with different approaches to many aspects of life. It wasn’t up to us to sort out what we thought they should hear. It was up to them to hear the differences, and draw their own conclusions about what to take from that experience.

In most instances, today, we accept the fact that such differences are normal. There are few right-and-wrong ways of thinking or doing something. Audience members freely draw their own conclusions. It is encouraging to hear people openly, but respectfully, express their differences. That way no one in the audience has the excuse of needing to catch up on “40 winks”.

Viva la differences!

A Life Well-Lived – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 19 Jan 2018 15:53:00 GMT

The picture of a 60-year-old woman expressing exuberant joy, which accompanied Jessie Snow’s obituary, says more than words can about how this 97-year-old celebrated life. She was my oldest and one of my dearest friends – and I feel so grateful she was part of my life all these years.

Before I was in my teens, Jessie volunteered in our tiny church to lead CGIT. From that time on, along with her family responsibilities (aging parents, 3 kids and managing a ranch with husband Jay), our group came under her wing. We learned from her and along with her as she became one of south Alberta’s outstanding youth leaders. Along the way “we” had another three children.

“She cared for and shepherded her family” through the passing of her parents, the loss of a son and son-in-law, and her husband. Then she lost first one leg to circulatory disease, and then the other. When the medical folk were refusing to give her a prosthesis in place of the first lost-leg (because she was 90) she told them “hell could feel like a rest stop compared to where they were headed”! She won the argument and taught herself to walk again.

Her wonderful sense of curiosity was contagious. She fulfilled her dream of attending university (at the same time as her oldest son), and was elected Student Union President. In 1968 she served as a founding member of the University of Lethbridge Senate, then became a member of their Board of Governors. She helped found Lethbridge CMHA, was named YWCA Woman of Distinction (1978), and became special education needs consultant for the Lethbridge Catholic School District (for 20 years).

What better mentor could one ask for? She challenged us, led by example, stood strong for the things she believed in … and always welcomed us into her home and her heart. She was a spiritual pillar.

During a quick visit back to Milk River during my time overseas, she arrived with two young daughters. They brought a small collection of their favorite comic books “to share with the kids in Korea”. Such practical generosity.

I am so glad she made that trip back to the ranch for Christmas. We’ll be at the ranch again in the spring, with family and friends, to give thanks for her life as we spread her cremains and commend her into the care and keeping of the Almighty.

Churches: Frayed and Forgiven – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 18:31:00 GMT

Sometimes the Church disappoints us. Sometimes it betrays our understanding of how its members should act. Sometimes it leaves us feeling abandoned.

We know these things happen elsewhere in society, but we think they “shouldn’t happen in the Church”.

In church we hear talk of high and revered things: of being part of a community of love, of dedicating one’s self to noble actions, of witnessing to God’s faithfulness through serving as a living example.

Suddenly some members of that community of love show evidence of spite or wrong-doing. Once-hard-working members are treated as has-beens. Or word spreads that a faithful member has committed a gross indiscretion. In our time of pain we feel bereft. . Our trust is shattered!

Over the life of every congregation many members find themselves on the outside, looking in. Slowly they realize that church folk have feet of clay.

But the Spirit within keeps many fighting for stay connected. It says “in spite of what happened, I need to be nurtured by the community, the traditions, the mystery, the expectation of God in my life.”

This is the growing edge – this is when we accept the fact that the gathered church IS an imperfect community, frayed and incomplete. Wendell Berry described this gathered community as “always disappointed in itself. It is always trying to contain its divisions and gentle its meanness. It is marred by those who may be indifferent to it or against it, but are never-the-less its members.”

However, Berry goes on to speak of the work of God’s love. He says that he envisions the gathered community “as somehow perfected, beyond time, by another’s love, compassion and forgiveness … it is said we may be perfected by (God’s) Grace.”

Those who understand these paradoxes have their lives enriched.

The Many Faces of God – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 28 Dec 2017 16:10:00 GMT

My first Christmas away from home was 1963, when I was sent as a delegate to a Student Theologs’ Conference in Toronto. Remembering back, I recognize how the presentations at that Conference formed the bedrock on which my understanding of ministry rests.

Rev. Gwenyth Hubble, a Baptist Minister from England, was on her way home from a World Council of Churches meeting in Mexico City. The churches there were discussing “Missio Dei” – how the Mission of the Church was but one part of God’s mission.

Instead of churches believing their job was to convert the whole world, they recognized the possibility that there might also be other ways people understand how a compassionate God can work to build a better world. Christians can learn from each other and from other World Faiths, and all of us can learn from those many label as “secular”.

The second presenter was Fr. Gregory Baum. He had been raised by a Jewish mother and Protestant father, and was brought to Canada as a child refugee in WW II. Baum worked behind the scene at Vatican II in Rome. He brought the excitement of a reawakened Catholic Church. There the delegates stopped hiding behind liturgy and Latin. They heard God calling them to speak in the languages of the people, they considered engaging in dialogue with other Faiths … and they let women listen in on their discussions.

Both presenters spoke of how faith-renewal begins at the edges of society. Christians can find God in surprising places.

This approach to ministry fit well with my own understanding honed in the little prairie community I called “home”.

What a privilege for me to deepen my faith by learning from teenagers what “spiritual thinking” meant to them, and by encouraging non-church attenders to talk about their spiritual journey. Ranchers and farmers readily respond when I invite them to share thoughts about their encounters with God. A cooperative Ministerial Association in a community, I saw clearly, gives denominational leaders opportunity to work together while learning respect for each other’s differences. Could God also be working through other World Faiths? Talking together is a good way to find out.

We are so privileged to be able to catch glimpses of some of the many faces of God.

WITH MANY WISHES FOR A BLESSED NEW YEAR

Xmas Notes – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 16:39:00 GMT

“XMAS” someone challenged when they saw the word written on a church sign board. “You’re taking the Christ out of Christmas!”

“Heavens no!” I replied. “This is not the x of unknown quantity. This ‘X’ is the Greek Letter ‘Chi’ that stands for Christ, and is prominent in so many church symbols. This puts Christ at the very centre of the celebration!”

“No crowded eastern street / no sound of passing feet / far to the left and far to the right / the prairie snows spread fair and white / yet still to us is born tonight / the Child, the King of glory.”

Do you know this hymn written by Prairie born Freida Major in 1958? Her family had settled on a long narrow lot adjacent to the Red River before the turn of the 19 ^th Century. Since schools and hospitals were distant, Freida (born in 1891) was taught and nursed at home by her mother and nurtured within their small community. After receiving further education in Winnipeg, she eventually found work with a large financial firm in the City. But she never forgot her rural roots.

The Christmases that she knew were vastly different from the Biblical story. “No rock hewn place of peace / shared with the gentle beasts / but sturdy farm house, stout and warm / with stable, shed and great red barn …” She looks to the heavens. “No blaze of heavenly fire / no bright celestial choir / Only the starlight as of old / crossed by the planes’ flash, red and gold …”

Typical of rural life, there are “no kings with gold and grain / no stately camel train/ … for still to us is born tonight / the child, the King of glory.”

As we celebrate this Xmas Season, stand outside your door – watch and listen for news. “Jesus the Christ is come!”

The Little Red Wagon – Source of legend unknown (submitted by Joyce Sasse)

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

In a little Mexican town there was a simple little church where the true spirit of Christmas still lived. It was the custom there, on Christmas Eve, to put many candles on the altar and, close by, little figures of the Nativity Scene.

There was the manger in the stable, and Mary and Joseph, the Baby Jesus lying in the straw, and the animals in their stalls. Overhead was the one bright star which guided the Wise Men to Bethlehem.

Early on Christmas morning the pastor of the church went to see that all the little figures were in place for the first service. He was horrified to see that the tiny figure of the Baby Jesus was gone. The pastor looked everywhere but he could not find the Baby Jesus.

As the pastor left the church he was almost run over by a little boy racing a red wagon along the sidewalk.

It was Pedro, the baker’s son. The pastor smiled and started to speak to the boy when suddenly, he noticed, in the red wagon, the missing figure of the Christ Child.

“Pedro!” he cried, “it was you! You took the Baby Jesus. Why did you do it?”

Pedro hung his head and was silent. The pastor scolded and questioned. Still Pedro would not explain. He just hung his head and dug the toe of one scuffed shoe into the side of the other.

“It – it was like this,” Pedro finally blurted out. “I – I wanted a red wagon for Christmas, and I prayed. I asked Jesus to let me have a red wagon. And – and I promised Him that if I got one, I’d give him a ride in it. It’s his birthday you know.”

The good pastor knelt down and looked carefully into the boy’s face. There were tears in the pastor’s eyes.

“I am sorry I scolded, Pedro. I didn’t understand. You are quite right. It is his birthday, and you have given him the finest gift of all.”

Walter Farquharson wrote lyrics for this story (printed with permission) in which the worried pastor sings to Pedro

“… This is serious business … The church is a holy place set well apart … / I’ve lessons to teach you … / The road you are travelling is rough and unclean, / You race down the stairway, around corners careen. / If Jesus went bouncing, bounced high and away, / What then, little Pedro, what would people say?…”

But once he heard Pedro’s apology and explanation, he regretted his scolding.

“Thank you, Pedro, for your gifting – gift of God and gift to me. / I’m so busy being religious, a miracle I could not see. / I am sorry for my panic, sorry that I scolded you. / You know better than your teacher what it is that God will do”

The choristers invite everyone to join them –

“Bring your wagon, bless our worship, we may all sing newest song. / When we take Christ on our journey, Christmas lasts a lifetime long.”

Wanted: Someone to Share Christmas – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 01 Dec 2017 17:07:00 GMT

Being single, and always living in small family-centred communities, I’m most grateful when one of those families invites me to share Christmas dinner with them. That was the same tradition my mom followed – including all the “strays” and extending the table to fit more people.

Therapeutic songster Deanna Edwards tells about seeing a small ad in the local paper. It read “Wanted: one family to share Christmas dinner with. I will furnish the turkey.”

Edwards put words and music to that request and imprinted on all who heard how important it is to keep alert, even in our time of bustle, to those whose situations are so different.

I think of times when I’ve seen well wishers drop a poinsettia off at the door of a tiny home where no guest has taken time to visit for the last month. The emptiness is made even more hollow because of excessive talk of good cheer on the TV.

In another place I watched members of a Church Board decide to make a Christmas tape for each of their shut-ins. Each participant gave a reading or shared a memory. Songsters they weren’t. But they did their best. Then each went to visit one of the parishioners to share that tape and a cup of tea. Such a wonderful experience for everyone involved!

In writing her melancholic song about the lonely person, Edwards wanted to inspire people to express more love in the world, not only at Christmas but through the whole year.

Each week I find myself running through an imaginary check-list of people who might not otherwise have had their phone ring for days, nor a visitor entre their home. What a treasure when someone brings some cheers and shares a few stories and prayers. All are reminders that we live in the presence of God.

Grieving Children and Youth at Christmas – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 24 Nov 2017 17:56:00 GMT

Christmas should be a celebration time for children, or so we think. But for many the glitter and giggles, the thrills and excitement make them feel worse. It may be because they are grieving.

If a family member or friend has died, if they’ve lost a pet, or if there is illness of someone close, sadness could be expected. What if they are overwhelmed by the bleakness of broadcast-news, or have developed an awareness brought on by something at school? The suffering experienced by a classmate can short-circuit any pending feeling of celebration.

Teenagers carry their own burdens of sorrow and depression.

In my own history the death of two brothers, one a six-year-old and the other aged seven, had constantly overshadowed our family. My mother, with a heavy sigh, would say “no one can understand unless they’ve lost one of their own.” That loss was also true for we siblings.

It was the Grandmothers who helped us talk about our feelings as we shed tears together. Despite what others may say by way of offering false reassurance, the feeling of loss doesn’t go away. Each woman helped us in her own way to “grow strong in our broken places”. One, through her marvelous baking and her church-going faith, reassured us that we didn’t have to carry our burdens alone. God loves us and so did she. Our “Ranch-Granny” seldom got to church, but showed us the lessons nature taught about life and death, and about respect for heritage and community.

We were encouraged to discover messages of hope that would help carry us through the bad times.

With children and youth, especially at this time of the year, whether they be kindred or strangers, we need to give them special heed. Instead of sugar diets and lots of Ho! Ho! Ho!, all of us can find ways to offer relaxed and quiet support, offer realistic expectations, suggest pacing that doesn’t leave them exhausted, and share meaningful traditions.

This is what it means to be part of the Community of Saints.

For both younger ones and adults, a helpful resource might be Hospice Calgary’s website www.hospicecalgary.com . Their Sage Centre offers “Compassionate support when life changes”.

Moving with the Times – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 17:05:00 GMT

In most congregations the number of people at Sunday worship is considerably less than would have been the case ten years ago.

I was delighted, when I stopped in my “back-home congregation”, to find an air of positivity even though I have more digits on my hands and feet than there were “bums in the pew”. But numbers seemed to be irrelevant.

Congregants were happy to be there. They looked forward to having a meaningful experience. Their tiny choir exuded an aura of celebration. Practically everyone there had something to add during the announcements or during the service. It was apparent this was more than just a get-together-on-Sunday group.

From the extended community I had already heard about the service the church’s “Thrift Shop” provides to the whole community – through re-cycled clothes, through funding giving back to the community, and because it is a welcoming place to visit.

On one very blustery day a week earlier a member of the community told me of the effort she and her husband were making to get to the “Soup and Sandwich Luncheon”’ at the church. Everyone wants to support the church’s outreach efforts.

This is one of those congregations, it seems, that is moving along with the times. Worship services are offered for those who wish to attend. Innovative ways of reaching out and serving the community are being identified and acted on by those who see a need around them. Members have found how important it is to step out of the rut-of-tradition as they find alternative ways to offer their best.

How I wish I could be there for their tiny choir’s Christmas Cantata. That wonderful blend of musical leadership in this small church is indeed a “pearl of great price”.

Let’s Not Surrender Ourselves – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 10 Nov 2017 16:36:00 GMT

In the name of modernization, we are being lured into the world of “let us do it for you”.

“Let us drive your car.” “Let us tell you which road to follow.” “Let this new app contact your best friends.”

“Not to worry”, the mantra goes. A few words from song typed in to Google – the algorithm completes the phrase and tells you where the lyrics and melody can be heard.

“Not to worry”, the mantra goes. We’ll sort through all the media stuff and prepare an abbreviated “News Feed” personalized to your liking…

No happenstance discoveries allowed here. No encouragement to wander along a prairie trail or immerse yourself in the exploration of a mountain stream.

No need to develop a life-time of savvy for reading the sky to forecast weather … The city-centred reporter 200 miles away will tell you how beautiful it is, though the wind is blowing 120 km/hr where you are.

Although you watched the sloughs dry up all summer, and saw the river become a trickle, there’s no need to fear water shortage until the water-control office in Edmonton makes that announcement.

A numbing-down and dumbing-down has become so prevalent our society eagerly anticipates the coming of AI (Artificial Intelligence). It frightens many of us.

Ours is an “Information Age”, but it is also an age when Wisdom, Ethics, Experience and Authenticity are being sidelined.

I’m of the Old School! I believe there is much to learn from the experience of sages and elders. I value the contributions made by the creative ones who help us see beyond ourselves. I treasure the insights shared by those who study alternative ways of thinking.

Whenever God appeared to humans in the stories from Scripture, the first word spoken is “Don’t be afraid!” The fuller phrase used is “The fear (respect) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

Let’s not surrender ourselves. Let’s more fully engage in our God-given capacity to celebrate life!

Churches are Called to Action – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 03 Nov 2017 16:38:00 GMT

Changes don’t come easy for church folk. Recently, as an act of reconciliation and to acknowledge traditions of the land, my church started opening Sunday services with the following. “For thousands of years, First Nations people have worked on this land: their relationships with the land is at the centre of their lives and spirituality. We gather on the traditional territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy, and acknowledge their stewardship of the land throughout the ages.”

Some congregants are appreciative of the carefully worded statement. Others are upset because, they say, “I don’t come to church to be made to feel guilty about something over which I had no control.”

When the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada called the churches to action (in 2015), it was an invitation for both Natives and Non-Natives to “reset” our relationships.

All of us went astray. Senator Murray Sinclair explained things so well. “For seven generations Aboriginal children were told their lives were not as good as the non-Aboriginals of this country. Their languages and cultures were irrelevant … their people and their ancestors were heathens and pagans … uncivilized … they needed to give up those ways of life and come to a different way of living… Furthermore, white children were taught the same thing…” (Italics mine)

We all are victims of these policies. We all need to lament the misunderstandings. Now is the time for all of us to reset ourselves and find more positive ways to understand each other.

John Ralston Saul writes about the remarkable resurgence of Aboriginal peoples, not only in terms of numbers, but to positions of increasing power, creativity and influence. He says the ways in which our society responds to this opportunity is the greatest issue of our time , the one for which we will be remembered and judged by history. (Italics mine)

As a caring people, we can move forward.

(Note: The Traditional Blackfoot Confederacy extended from the North Saskatchewan to the Yellowstone rivers, and from the Continental Divide to the Saskatchewan Sand Hills.)

Resuscitation or Resurrection – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 15:00:00 GMT

“We can mourn the loss of things of the past” Bobbie Schuller advises, “but we are called on to move forward.”

He was speaking to his congregation four years ago at a land-mark time in their life journey. Because of cumulative fiscal debt, those who once owned the Crystal Cathedral in Los Angeles California were forced to dispose of the iconic property, and move the Hour of Power elsewhere.

As the moving process wound down, on two successive Sundays the young pastor delivered messages that spoke of wisdom and courage.

Roman Catholics own the property that is now known as Christ Cathedral. Schuller and his Catholic counterpart made it clear they intended maintaining a dynamic relationship between the two communities – a far different way of thinking than would have been possible generations before.

Naturally big changes were in store for those whose new home is now the Shepherd’s Grove Church. Schuller talked about moving forward. It is not about resuscitation (of what we had in the past). Our is a resurrection-faith. “When death comes don’t pretend it is not going to be. Mourn it. Embrace it. And move on expecting there will be more.” He reminded us “we can’t know how things are going to work out unless we let them die,” all the while believing in God’s promise of new life.

These words are helpful for grieving congregations, for dying organizations and for all of us as we think back on the losses we have faced in the past (and will face in the future). “Resuscitation” speaks of longing for what once was and not letting go. This carries with it heavy burdens of regret. “Resurrection” speaks of trust, hope, anticipation, of believing that God will be with us as we move forward – and will show us new vistas we never believed possible.

We Can’t Do It Alone – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 15:07:00 GMT

Some nights are absolutely unforgettable … like when we have to stand up to the ravages of nature. Take drought and wind and fire – moving so fast and with such furry… Those who have to face it and try to out-pace it do the best they can with their equipment and strategies and prayers. Often, too, they are amazed at the way a change in the wind, a temperature drop or a splattering of moisture makes all the difference.

When I visit prairies communities, I love to take a segment of prairie sod in a small plexiglass aquarium. I usually plant a few worms and bugs in the bottom, and hide miniature plastic snakes, frogs and crickets in the litter.

I get the kids talking about how empty the prairie appears to be. We then give my collection a closer look “because Prairie people know the secret of seeing with special eyes”. We tip the sod onto a tray. We analyze the variety of plants and discuss how some hold the moisture, others protect from wind and frost, and others offer nutrients. The litter gives shelter. The worms help the roots breathe. None could survive on its own. Neither can we!

Prairie folk help each other in similar ways. We need the organizers and “doers”, those whose trucks carry the right kind of equipment for each emergency, and those who carry drinking water, make coffee and prepare sandwiches for the workers. Some are good with the communications equipment, while quieter ones watch for who needs a gentle word or a warm touch.

From out of the smoke and ashes, and in the aftermath, as our spirits shed the nightmares and tensions, we realize how we need to be there for each other. Together our strength is affirmed. It’s this that readies us so we are able to move forward and face another day with hope and expectation.

When Hope Seems Lost – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 13 Oct 2017 16:02:00 GMT

Imagine a globe with a huge crack in it, carried on a large pack-board. This graphic implies the pack-board will be carried by a Korean laborer. It was designed for use by the South Korean denomination I worked with in the late 1960’s as a symbol of the work of the Christian Church.

When the image hung in the chancel of a church, it affirmed the understanding that the church exists to carry the burden of a broken world: to try to mend its wounds by inviting people to help each other find hope in the midst of the chaos.

Everywhere we turn these days, it seems as if chaos abounds. Many feel burdened by the brokenness of our world. Where do we turn? What might we do?

Many seeming cornerstones are being discredited. We distrust our political and religious institutions. We question news reports as if they were tainted. Our children must be supervised at all times…

Instead of abandoning our churches, is it time we look for ways to come together? Can we review the wisdom of those who have gone before us? Can we intentionally try to discover how to grow strong in our broken places? Can we challenge each other to seek out visions of hope to share with our youth?

The opportunity is here for us find our strength. Consider the poignancy of a prayer written by Dr. A.B.B. Moore. In part it reads “Almighty God, we who stand in the world offer ourselves and our society for your blessing and healing … Teach us your way. Don’t let us restrict you to a narrow ghetto labeled ‘religion’, but lead us to worship you in the fullness of life – as the Lord of politics, economics and the arts. Give us light to seek true morality, not in narrow legalisms, but in sacrifice and open responsibility. Show us how to express our love for you in very specific human service to others … Let us give thanks to you for all of life.”

Why Can’t We Talk – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 06 Oct 2017 15:22:00 GMT

“No! You daren’t say that!” one spouse warns another, a parent chides a child, or a neighbour mumbles to a coffee klatch.

The subjects we choose to make off-limits shut conversation down. The range of taboo topics gets broader. Conversation becomes more mundane.

I’m not thinking about those times when a person intentionally wants to argue. I am thinking about how polarized we’ve become in our socializing. It is like declaring “I know I’m right! Don’t try to change my mind!”

There’s a difference between having someone try to change our thinking, and taking a look at the different sides of an issue. How else do we develop deeper understandings if we don’t talk things through?

Like the nervous tortoise, our withdrawal doesn’t speak well for survival in a world that’s alive and constantly changing.

Whether it’s about matters of politics or religion, has to do with changes in our climate, marijuana legislation, gender-based issues or the current election candidates – there are a myriad of issues that impact our lives today. Conversation should include give-and-take. It’s the bamboo (which bends) that survives with ease. Look for ways to find compromise. Healthy conversation leads to healthy living and healthy community building.

As a Biblical student, I’m constantly amazed at how the ancients so rightly defined human nature. The greatest human temptation is to think we “know both good and evil” (have all the answers like the gods). If we think we are always right and have no need for anything more, that’s when we lose our sense of civility.

On the other hand, the wise ones advise, if we talk things through, especially the hard things, and pass our stories from one generation to the next “so that children unborn” can better understand how things have evolved, they shall have hope. They shall be able to put their trust in a God who is compassionate.

Wounded Warriors and Invictus – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 29 Sep 2017 15:11:00 GMT

How many have faced “dark nights of the soul”? How many are wounded warriors, whose lives have been impacted because of life-altering happening(s)? I think of victims of violence, refugees, those who have lived through natural disasters (and those who help clean up from the devastation), and First Responders (fire-fighters, police, paramedics). I think of women caught up in the clutches of post-partum depression, individuals with strokes or sight problems, families impacted by addictions…

“Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul.” Those are the opening lines of William Henry’s poem “Invictus”. The words were penned more than a century ago, after Henry went through having his leg amputated because of TB complications.

It’s that sentiment of “unconquerable soul”, finding strength and resilience in the face of incredible challenges, that has been brought to our attention again with the staging of the “Invictus Games” in Toronto. Prince Harry invited wounded soldiers to come together, with their families, to challenge, encourage and support each other as they reach beyond the blight of their wounds, to cross incredible thresholds.

This Invictus Movement has not only shown how the power of sport can enable people wounded in war to move physically, psychologically and socially beyond the trauma, the loss of limbs, the brain injuries, the haunting memories … It has reminded us of others, outside the military, who are also making incredible contributions in spite of the blows that impact them. It has reminded us, also, what a difference it makes when buildings and streetscapes are barrier free, and when mental health issues are no longer treated as a hidden liability. Each member of our society has the right to contribute in his or her own way.

The Invictus Games are the Cooperative Games. It’s not about who is fastest, strongest, most nimble… It’s about how, by working together, lives are enriched and frontiers are expanded. Wounded warriors, with their unconquerable souls, have so much to teach us.

While Praying for Puddles – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 22 Sep 2017 14:38:00 GMT

There’s every probability that threat from drought, water-shortage and fire will continue for some time in Southwestern Alberta. With the history of heavy west winds throughout the fall, our alert mechanisms will remain on high. Still, life goes on.

For us and so many others across the country these are tough times. Tensions and stress accumulate and can easily overwhelm us. Some respond with anger, others withdraw. Some turn to alcohol or drugs, others feel life is without hope.

This is a time to LAMENT: when we try to find safe ways to give vent to our disappointments and our fears. There will be sleepless nights. Tears can bring some release. We can even shout at God as we try to regain perspective. (That’s different than blaming God or making assertions that God is passing judgement on us.)

Processing our laments helps us move forward as we look for focus and right-mindedness. Work it through. Talk it out. Think back to past times when life has been a struggle. Give thanks for survival lessons learned.

It helps to count our assets. The phone calls asking how we are… The simple, innocent hug of a youngster… The thoughtful ways someone else sees the situation …

Start asking yourself what you can do? What have we done right? Who needs support? How can changes be made? Where do we go from here?

Most faith traditions understand how elements of lament can lead us away from despair. Biblically, Psalm 43 starts with the cry “Out of the depth I cry to you. O Lord hear my voice.” It ends with the affirmation of trust. “My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchman waits for the morning.”

Meanwhile, pray for puddles!

Going Through Hell – Joyce Sasse

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 15:02:00 GMT

“If you are going through Hell, keep going”. That was Winston Churchill’s advice, learned from his experience as Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II.

Those trying to “keep going” through the heat, drought and fire threats of this past summer well understand Churchill’s advice.

We do what we can to help each other “keep going”, though often we are tempted by bursts of anger. We grit out teeth when we hear others say “The Town” is required to provide all protective services because we pay our taxes. We fume when we are reminded of the importance of conserving water, but notice who still has green lawns…

Lessons learned from living through successive years of drought has been invaluable for me. Constant water shortages and the need to learn rules imposed at the Public Bath House, during four years in South Korea, are not to be forgotten.

It is as we talk about our fears and share our experiences that we help each other keep going. Even when the rains come, how much and how long will it take to reduce the risks? To replenish and restore? What evidence of the stress will be reflected through our physical and mental health status? What spiritual reserves can we call forth?

Rodney Atkins wrote song lyrics based on Churchill’s advice. In part they read, “The good news is there’s angels everywhere on the street / Holdin’ out a hand to pull you back on your feet …” The chorus suggests “(If) you’re on your knees keep prayin’.”

At any time, even while fear constricts our throats, we can reach out and be an angel to another. The Spirit, which dwells in each of us, helps us help each other keep going through the darkness.

In the Face of Drought – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 08 Sep 2017 16:37:00 GMT

This past month I’ve waged war on the mother deer and two fawns that hang out in my backyard – eating blossoms and fallen apples.

But a discussion with a friend brought me up short. When she noticed deer eating her cucumbers, she reasoned they had to be really thirsty, so she set a tub of water out for them and the birds.

With this prolonged drought, there is no watering of lawns and the creek is barely a trickle. Where do the wildlife go for a drink? Instead of being driven by the compulsion to over-protect what is mine, I needed to be reminded to consider the bigger picture. How long will these conditions go on? What all is affected?

When the landscape suffers, all who are part of that landscape share the pain. The reminder awakened my deeper self to think of others who face extreme heat, little water, and often great poverty. Can we learn from them?

What about those facing the extremes of nature in other places: hurricanes, floods, droughts and forest fires …. Can we better understand their trauma and their grief?

While we long for signs of hope that the rains will come, we look for ways we can reach out in partnership to all who share our turf. I’m trying to think how I can transform my own fear and self-centredness in more constructive ways.

There are times when we are forced to go to places deeper within ourselves for spiritual enlightenment. For some, our strength comes with the understanding that God acts in love. Drought is not a judgement caused by God, but becomes one of those opportunities when God can help us face the worst of times. How do we know this? Because the Almighty came into our midst in human form to show us compassion and the depth of what love can mean. As we are loved, so may we become the conduits through which God’s love is shown to others.

Venting Stress – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 16:48:00 GMT

“There’s immense power in asking someone how they are doing”, one farmer commented when asked how stress was affecting him this summer. “Just ask!” he said.

An excellent article in the Aug. 27 edition of the Western Producer looks at the importance of helping farmers talk about the mental burdens that weigh heavy on them through the long period from seeding to harvest – and especially with the weather as extreme as it has been this year. Of course, the stress factors carry through the rest of the year.

The seven-day intensity of demands, combined with the isolation of working alone, while dependent on financial and supply businesses who aren’t always supportive, readily festers depression.

A “suck-it-up” mantra only compounds the problem. It perpetuates the belief these matters are best kept private.

From the pastoral point of view, in the midst of a previous drought cycle, when I asked the churches in our area to sponsor a “Drought Stress Workshop”, it took considerable effort to get fellow clergy to support the project. In spite of the fact our region had been declared a ‘Drought Disaster Region’, because the clergy hadn’t heard these issues being raised by parishioners they didn’t think such a gathering was necessary.

To some degree things have changed over the past twenty years. “Farm Stress Lines” are now available on a 24-7 basis, and the agriculture industry is starting to put in place “Mental Health First Aid in the Prairies” training programs for managers and senior staff members. Also, through social media, some farm folks are wise enough to start discussions that allow for them to vent their thoughts.

Meanwhile, so much more could be done if we learned how, as friends, neighbours and concerned citizens, to avail ourselves to “just listen”. As the astute young farmer said “There’s immense power in asking someone how they are doing”. Show you care! “Ask!”

Bread for the Journey – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 25 Aug 2017 16:03:00 GMT

“For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven…”

The leader reflected on this passage from Ecclesiastes at the conclusion of her time with a group of teenage campers.

During the week she had been inviting them to explore, in a variety of ways, how they could express their understanding of what the surrounding mountains, sky, water and flora meant to them.

It was so appropriate that she now used the words of “The Preacher” (as the Hebrews called him). The Book of Ecclesiastes is a collection of wise insights The Preacher had gathered through a life-time of experience. This Wise One shared his thoughts with young men embarking on their own life-journey.

This guidance is as rich a gift as any mentor can impart in these days when we are repeatedly confronted by the extremes of the swinging pendulum – from violence to compassion, for ignorance to exhilaration. It is as we live through these times and seek to broaden our understanding that we look deeper into the heart of God. Like Bread for the Journey, we find ourselves nourished and nurtured.

Opening Ourselves to Innovative Opportunities – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 18 Aug 2017 16:28:00 GMT

Innovative contributions which recent immigrants can offer us are often left unrecognized by rural communities.

We hit roadblocks when we ask “What do we have to do for them?”, instead of asking “What do they have to offer us?”

Several years ago a Saskatchewan Mennonite congregation invited a group of immigrants, known to them through urban counterparts, to spend a day or two in their small community. It took focused effort to plan the particulars for visitors on shift-work, who required transportation as well as accommodation. But I recall hearing many accolades about the venture being memorable.

It makes me wonder how many of our newcomers have a rural background or enjoyed going to the country-side for holidays and special occasions. Does our habitual way of thinking that they won’t like small-town life reveal more about the urban biases of our bureaucrats than about those they are trying to place?

People from cultures radically different than ours have much to offer in our world where we are constantly needing to accommodate ourselves to change.

When threatened with weather that is dryer and hotter, for example, might Middle Eastern folks be able to show us alternative methods of agriculture, or ways to survive without demanding more air-conditioning and sophisticated technology?

While having an African pastor serve our community for a number of months, our horizon was broadened. His family were landowners and they were very aware of drought threatening certain parts of their country. The insights he shared as we tried to help him adapt to our culture gave us food for thought.

Think of the great contributions the Ukrainian immigrants made in the 1890’s when they were settled in the West, because they knew how to farm in Parkland spaces.

Given a chance, our newest settlers can indeed help us see possibilities with fresh clarity.

Greatest Compliment – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 11 Aug 2017 16:15:00 GMT

(The sign on the plumber’s truck read “A Laugh Is as Good as A Flush”. We all need a good laugh as we survive this summer!)

He couldn’t leave camp feeling that angry! Ten-year-old Mickey was at the bottom of every prank, but I had a feeling something troubled him.

Camp leaders reported he was particularly hard to manage during the morning swim. A trouble-maker? Or was it fear?

On the last morning the whole camp gathered to play in the water.

Mickey fell into deep conversation with his new best friend. Finally the two of them selected life preservers and ask permission to take a canoe. They got the canoe to the water’s edge, got in and started to move along the edge of the swimming area. That’s when my best leader, for reasons unknown, rocked the canoe and flipped it. The two boys were furious. Mickey in particular was so angry I thought he was going to explode.

I left the errant leader try to do damage control – to no avail! Slowly I walked over, as if I hadn’t seen a thing, and wondered if Mickey might take me for a paddle. I explained that I couldn’t swim and was afraid of the water, but I wanted one boat ride before I left camp.

“I noticed when you were in the boat with Jimmy you sat in the rear. You must know something about paddling.”

He was startled enough to agree to take me “just a little way”. What a sight! My front end of the canoe rode so low he could hardly reach the water with his paddle, but he worked hard.

Soon the dinner bell called us back to shore. When we beached the canoe, I told him to head for dining room. As I came in to eat a few minutes later, a raspy voice from the other end of the table proclaimed “I think fat people are wonderful!”

Obviously Mickey had recovered. And I went home feeling as if this was my greatest compliment!

Building Cathedrals – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 04 Aug 2017 16:43:00 GMT

“You are late getting home from school”, the 8-year-old’s father commented.

“I know, dad. Jenny’s doll got broke!”

“So you helped her pick up the pieces?”

“No. I sat down and helped her cry.”

We may live in a crazy, up-side-down, erratic and irrational world, but still we can help each other get through the rough spots and find meaning in life, such as our young friend did.

On the one hand, we can allow ourselves to get caught in a trap of helplessness and despair and float like a cork on the ocean.

Or, following the advice of Nazi death camp survivor Viktor Frankl, we can find purpose for each day. In the camp, he noticed those who took responsibility for helping another person, or who tried to find meaning through music, or who valued the way their suffering gave them deeper understanding – were the ones who survived the terrible atrocities. Something so simple as deciding to share a piece of bread with another brought a wisp of joy. Each act of outreach reflected a glimmer of hope.

How important it is to realize we can either surrender when the going gets tough, or we can decide to do something positive. We have a choice.

The exact words of a poem elude me, but I recall a story told of two prisoners working in a quarry. One saw himself endlessly breaking stones. The other believed that his stones might be used to build cathedrals. Can you imagine who found extra endurance?

Attitude makes all the difference. That can be the life-saver!

Looking Past the Divide – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 28 Jul 2017 15:55:00 GMT

When asked about racism in her school, a thoughtful teenage friend wrote the following:

“I know from experience that it is hard to get along with people who are so different from me.

“In my class, there are four First Nations girls in particular with whom there has definitely been some friction within the class. I don’t think it’s because of racism, but rather because we have nothing to do with each other and seemingly have so little in common. So, any interaction we do have results in arguments.

“Sometimes it feels like the four girls are the ones who are starting the arguments, but I have to remember that I usually play a big role in fueling the flame, even if I don’t do it on purpose. For example, my group of friends and I can be quite arrogant, especially when it comes to grades. We make a big deal out of a less-than-perfect grade, because we’re all interested in academics and getting the highest mark possible. For those four girls, I can imagine that it must be tiring hearing about our minuscule struggles when I know they are dealing with some much bigger struggles of their own – including one who has had some difficulties with her parents and another who has gotten into some fights and been sent to court. When we sit there loudly complaining about how we should have gotten 100% on a test, I can imagine that it wouldn’t feel so uplifting to them when some of them struggle to keep passing grades.

“For most of the school year, the relationship between these girls and the rest of the class is strained because of an unwillingness to befriend others with such different interests. Nobody really makes an effort to talk with them for fear of starting an argument. And they don’t want to talk to us because all we seem to care about is school and grades. For most of the year, we keep our distance.

”But when volleyball or basketball season rolls around, our attitudes change. They are no longer the quick-tempered girls in the back of the class, but teammates. They’re pleasant and friendly, especially when you talk to them about sports. Being teammates helps us get along with each other, or maybe we just make more of an effort. Once we have something in common, like sports, we can overlook our differences and appreciate our similarities. When we’re strategizing about our next game, both groups realize that we’re very much alike in character.

“Yes, there is some friction created between the two groups, but I don’t think it’s because of racism. It’s not because of their First Nations backgrounds that we don’t always get along, but because of how each of us respond to certain circumstances. In their case, they don’t like how we react to our grades, and—in our case—we don’t like to need to argue about everything. I think this cause for division is the case in a lot of the classes in my high school. It’s not always because of racism between different cultures, but because of lack of interaction. Once we find something that draws us together, it is easier to get along and see each other as friends.

“In the future, I hope we can have this relationship all throughout the year, not just during a sports season. This coming year, I want to try to bring the volleyball court attitude into the classroom, in that we are always “teammates”. We are always encouraging each other when someone messes up, and congratulating each other in our successes. I also want to start up conversations with those four girls about something other than sports. When we find more things to connect on, it’s easier to be friends.

“One way to look past this divide between races is to find something you have in common with another from a different cultural background. Whether it’s a love for sports, an interest in music, or a fascination with trying new foods, I believe we can always find similarities between people of two very different cultures. That is how we can look past the divide…”

Recollecting our Stories – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 15:15:00 GMT

Reunions can be a great time for telling stories. Memories long forgotten come back to life. Sometimes it takes a little prompting. But the story, put together by the memories of others, becomes important to how we look at these events in our lives.

“Story-telling (and story-recalling)” we are told “helps us make sense of our lives.” How true!

Friends from Korea came to visit, and we started talking about a day we spent together in the Han family’s traditional family home-city. I was more than glad to have use of a vehicle for the trip, and was more than proud to catch a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how the children were taught what this family’s pagoda-pavilion meant.

I completely missed the way some bystanders scorned us because a foreign woman drove the car. I also missed the way the Han family patriarch introduced himself to those on-lookers, and immediately won their respect because of his high ranking in Korean society.

Recalling this story thirty years later, with each of us, adding what we remembered, made the event come back to life, and made it an important part of our shared experience.

Another important aspect of story-telling — anthropologist Margaret Mead’s children recalled that their mother “always let us have our memories”. She never tried to correct those memories, though she also shared her memory of the incident. What a wonderful way to respect each other!

What about recalling the Biblical stories? Are they just something someone gabbles on about? That we only half hear? That we don’t bother to remember? When and how might they become part of our story? When might a memory from a particular story come to mind to help us through a difficult time? When might the words of Scripture, speaking of the awareness of God’s presence in the human scene, give expression to our feelings of hope?

As The Heat Continues – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 14 Jul 2017 19:26:00 GMT

There are those who relish the heat. But there are others of us who find ourselves becoming more and more depressed by its excess.

Confinement to curtain-closed homes, stifling apartments, or air-conditioned spaces that irritate while they cool all take their toll. Add the threat this may be more than a few-day phenomena –we look for positive ways to find relief.

Through the hot, sticky summers I spent in South Korea, I regularly sat in front of an electric fan with my feet in a basin of cool water. Through drought days in Saskatchewan I retreated to the basement to escape the wind and dust-laden atmosphere. Here in Alberta another concern is the forest-fire smoke. Add the experience of loss of crops, homes, businesses, even entire neighbourhoods. When the land suffers, those who are connected also feel the pain.

Most important is that we be there for each other.

The first winter after I was ordained, we had an exceptionally cold January. I rousted myself to do pastoral visiting. The seniors I visited that day put life back in perspective for me. One lady was making cookies. Another kept close watch on a sick friend. A third made sure the new preacher stayed for lunch. Their lives were purpose-driven. Their day had a focus.

In tough times we can easily surrender to the disillusions and distresses that depress us. Or we can be more proactive as we realize we have responsibility within our community to initiate phone-calls, to share memories with a friend, to consider what assets we have that we can pass to others …

Part of our God given capacity of resilience is echoed by the kid who proudly shouted “God made me, and God don’t make junk!”

Selfie-Centredness – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 07 Jul 2017 15:46:00 GMT

Though we seldom stop to do the analysis, our actions are usually indicative of the basic values that propel our lives. When are these actions of a more progressive nature? When might they be regressive?

Do you remember taking pictures when the photographer was the person behind the camera? Now we have become obsessed with selfie-centredness. Whether it be with a favorite celebrity, standing at the peak of a mountain, or in front of a prized pet, the features of the selfie-photographer are front-and-centre.

It takes me back to those days when we thought that the earth was the centre of the Universe. Humankind was so obsessed with the rightness of this thinking that those who thought otherwise were condemned to hell-and-damnation.

Our basic values determine the path our actions will take. What I declare to be right or wrong, the causes I support or try to repress, the way I define what is just or unjust … when my attitude is selfie-centred it is easy to conclude other ways of thinking are illegitimate. Our intolerance threshold is high. The result can be conflict and chaos.

The spiritual teachings of most of our World Faiths would guide us along different paths because they are not selfie-centred. They advocate ways to enhance the self, but it is usually so that followers might serve a greater good. The call is to consider how to live enriched lives for the sake of the community, for the sake of the creation, for the sake of the whole. One’s thoughts, actions and attitudes are lifted outward and upward.

In Christian Scripture, the missionary Paul expressed it so well by writing, “The three greatest things (one can aspire to) are faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love”.

You can’t be selfie-centred when you are called to respect and love one another!

Uniting Community Through Prayer – Joyce Sasse

Wed, 28 Jun 2017 14:59:00 GMT

It was an honour to be invited to a “Community Day of Prayer” at the Piikani Nation. Time had been set aside by the Elders’ Society and the Faith Communities of the Reserve during Aboriginal Week. The intention was to help participants focus on holding fast to spiritual truths. They were supported by leaders of various community wellness programs.

The theme for the gathering was “Uniting Community Through Prayer”. As participants read scripture and led in prayer, each gave a brief testimonial about distress they had face, and told how support of family, community and their faith in Christ helped them survive.

The theme speaker drew particular attention to the commandment to honour our parents. He looked directly at the High School students in the front row and didn’t pull any punches. What kind of parents will you be? Girls don’t get pregnant on their own! And even if you don’t have a father-figure present in your life, think about how important that role is. Beware of drugs! Act responsibly and with integrity. Be proud to be who you are. Think through the teachings of your elders.

A second speaker, against the backdrop of the Truth and Reconciliation theme, pointed out how “Our People” had the stamina to survive through those seven generations of agony. Against the greatest of odds they proved their fortitude. He beamed as he looked at the students. You are our future! You make us proud! I feel very hopeful for our future.

The Elders, too, were reminded about the importance of their role in transmitting the cultural and spiritual truths to their children and grandchildren – to the next fifty generations.

I too was filled with appreciation and hope. But I was a little envious that I have not recently heard similar unified sentiments share in my non-aboriginal community by our elders and faith leaders.

God’s Glory and Human Dignity – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 24 Jun 2017 00:50:00 GMT

If you have a bad night, take yourself outside, look up at the star-lit night sky and let your mind settle on the words of the ancient Psalmist. I particularly love the way author James (Jim) Taylor paraphrased Psalm 8 in contemporary English.

The wisdom and power of this ancient song shows how God’s glory calls forth our human dignity.

“My God, my God, how wonderful you are!” Taylor wrote as he looked up at the vastness of the sky. “There is nothing like you in the whole earth.”

Here he sensed the Creator’s presence. “On a starry night, with your glory splashed across the skies, I gaze into your infinite universe and I wonder: Who am I?” Looking up, one feels so insignificant, so defenseless. “Why do I matter? Why do you care about mere mortals?”

Against all that powerful splendour “we humans are less than specks of dust in your universe – yet you choose us as your partners. You give us a special place in your household.”

Alert to the sounds of the night, the writer was aware of life pulsating – the sheep, the oxen, the wild animals, the birds in the air and the fish in the sea. O God “You share the secrets of the universe with us” and “you TRUST US to look after the earth on your behalf”. You give us opportunity to act responsibly.

The poet thought of his own family. “Babies and infants open their mouths (in praise) and I hear them cry your name.”

The glory of this great universe is both awesome and humbling. But the Creator entrusted we finite beings to help care for this gracious gift.

We move forward with pride and dignity.

“My God, my God! How amazing you are!”

(James Taylor’s “Everyday Psalms”)

Recycling Our Pain – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 16 Jun 2017 15:37:00 GMT

“I think it important we recycle our pain”, the woman on the radio told her interviewer. She had just received recognition for helping develop a police recruits’ training program on how to deliver devastating news to families of the deceased.

Some years previous she and her husband had taken an overseas holiday immediately after the wedding of their only son. That son had since been killed in an industrial accident, and his father (as next-of-kin) had to be informed. While the Canadian police were very aware this news should not be delivered over the phone, the local police simply knocked on the hotel door, checked the identification of the father, and instructed him to call a Canadian police number immediately.

As the couple wrestled with their grief, they realized it was important for them to find a way to move out from under their oppressive shroud of despair.

“We needed to recycle our grief”, she said as she talked about not stagnating in a pool of depression.

Use of the term ‘recycling” in this context grabbed my attention. How can we find a way to convert something from out of our past that has consumed us, into something constructive?

In the couple’s case, they also recognized how hard it was for police to have to deliver tragic news, and how often. Talking through the issues involved, workshopping what one might say, how to speak, how to listen, how to make the time –important considerations for both parties to the conversation. This was the work they committed themselves to do.

In our personal lives, might we follow this wise advice? When we have burdens that cling, that haunt us in the dark of night, that cause bouts of depression and despair – it may be appropriate to ask how we can recycle that pain. It is possible to lighten our burden by finding ways to direct our experience and energies in positive ways?

Wise advice for inhabitants in a world where life is a constant challenge!

Resilience Capacity – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 09 Jun 2017 15:36:00 GMT

Trying to maintain one’s emotional well-being and stay positive is a challenge in a world caught up in a perpetual state of disruption. How, in the face personal upsets, do we maintain our resilience capacity?

Wise advise comes through bits of classic literature. I’m ever so glad for those lines of poetry that float to memory from High School. “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you,” Rudyard Kipling wrote in 1895, “or being lied about, don’t deal in lies; or being hated, don’t give way to hating …”

Some cast this poem aside as typical of Victorian stoicism, but I sense wise advice for dealing with life’s inevitable challenges. Kipling, a child who knew what it was like to be treated harshly, encourages us in times of Disaster as well as times of Triumph, to never give up our thinking and dreaming.

“If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve you long after they are gone; and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’”

We come to acknowledge how it is that life goes on, even in spite of hardship. What happened is a reality, but as we carry on through that reality, we can develop skills that help us look into the future to find glimmers of hope.

The poem “If” was written by a 30-year old poet in the paternal style of his day. But through it he was passing encouragement on to his daughters.

Whenever resilience is required, the formula remains the same. Our resilience capacity is best honed when we interact with others who can support us, validate our experiences and empower us. Story-telling and real-life examples enrich our understanding so we are able to accept the challenges and discover ways of moving forward toward beacons of hope. We can feel ourselves blessed indeed!

The Sacredness of Nature – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 01 Jun 2017 16:00:00 GMT

Can we understand the relationship of God and ourselves better through celebrating the gift of Creation? As human beings, we and the earth are intricately bound together. As we live in harmony with this common partner our lives are enriched.

Was this what Pope Francis was trying to say when he gave Donald Trump a special copy of his pastoral letter titled “Care for our Common Home”? Was this a plea to take the implications of climate change seriously.

Journalist Bruce Masterman has captured the essence of the human-and-nature relationship in his newly published book “One Last Cast”. Through his columns and short stories, he conveys “why” this relationship is so essential for our daily living.

In one story, when speaking to a group of individuals who are struggling with addictions and mental issues, he mentioned that he had his own journey with depression. Someone asked how he dealt with it. There were a few uneasy glances around the room when he responded “I self-medicate”. He quickly added “I prescribe myself generous doses of the outdoors when I’m feeling down. Being in nature helps level out my emotional peaks and valleys.”

Masterman’s expression of how he moved himself “into the light” is a great reminder for everyone. The older we get, the more excuses we have for staying entrenched in our easy chair, while the wonders of nature (part of God’s first revelation) beckon us to the health spa that is the great outdoors. Breath deep and let the Spirit of the Divine touch your soul.

“One Last Cast”, a book for the whole family, will be in my pocket on Father’s Day so I can read the theme story. It’s about a dad and a daughter who have shared many special moments fishing together. Now she’s grown and ready to go to College. They have this one last day, this one last cast, before the rhythm of their lives radically changes.

That is my story! That’s the special, marvelous way my dad gifted me. He showed me why nature was a sacred place. “Care for it! It is part of who you are!”

In our ending is our beginning – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 26 May 2017 14:51:00 GMT

Who can deny that spring is a miracle? Bulbs and seeds, still buried and frozen, start to shoot toward the light. What calls them?

The words of the hymn of spring speaks so poignantly. “In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed an apple tree; in cocoons a hidden promise – butterflies will soon be free!” Composer and poet Natalie Sleeth’s words are simply beautiful.

“In the cold and snow of winter, there’s a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season something God alone can see.”

It was written at a time of concern in Sleeth’s own life. Her husband was diagnosed with cancer soon after the composition was completed. As she struggled with her own thoughts about life and death and life beyond death, she saw how not only the bulbs and butterflies, but all that existed was filled with the Spirit of the Creator.

“There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody. There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.” Sound and light also carry the message of promise. “From the past will come the future. What it holds, a mystery – unrevealed until its presence something God alone can see.”

The key phrase: “In our end is our beginning, in our time infinity”. All that might bind us and hold us in bondage no longer threatens. “In our doubt there is believing, in our life eternity.” We hear the words of another poet from of old asking “O Death, where is thy sting?”

“In our death, a resurrection. At the last a victory.” Even for those who cannot see beyond their doubts and denials, the Spirit within carries us. “Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.”

Be in peace. When we have done all that we can do, we are invited to entrust ourselves and each other into the mystery of our Creator’s care! Amen!

Food Sharing Memories – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 18 May 2017 15:12:00 GMT

I grew up in a context where quality of food and good cooking went hand-in-hand. A recent radio discussion, about bake sales and (some) modern-day women, has brought memories to mind.

When I was a student minister in the 50’s, the wife of a retired lawyer told about being the “city girl” who was newest village bride. Not only did she face a wood-coal stove for the first time, but she had to take her turn hosting the Ladies Aid. “I started my baking a month ahead so I would have two or three things that were presentable for the meeting!”

I remember my family visiting my home on another student field: where the out-house was in the neighbour’s yard, water had to be carried from the village well, and you had to choose between using the two elements or the oven of the tiny electric stove. Mother’s production of a good meal, while I was teaching Vacation Bible School, was quite an accomplishment. Dad carried buckets of water.

There was one community where the ladies regularly sold everything at their bake sale in less than ten minutes. Watch out for elbows!

Good strategy in another community was to have a bake-table for the men – and bring their favorites. Grateful patrons offered somewhat larger “bills” and never asked for change. They especially loved the samplers served at their tea-table!

How food fads have changed – in cook books, at bake sales and for lunch after church! Young mothers bring health bars and carrot sticks. But, as one mother confessed on the radio, when it comes to giving something to the Bake Sale cause, I hire my baking done.

What place does food have in our lives? Is this something that is more important for rural people? Do we see opportunity to twin with the “new bride”, the person from another culture, and with our own children?

Deep spiritual understandings can come in to focus as we exchange ideas and talk about our food practices.

Change is Happening in Anglican Church of Canada – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 12 May 2017 16:59:00 GMT

When the Diocese of Calgary consecrates Sidney Black as an assisting Bishop on June 3, 2017, it will occur because important changes are happening in the Anglican Church of Canada.

Since 2010, the Primate, after listening carefully to Indigenous members, invited Canada’s Anglican members to help him review the church’s policies and programs. The need was to see if they could discern the different gifts and potentials present among its members. In a Denomination known for its hierarchical style of functioning (from the top down), this decision was of major significance.

Indigenous members long ago recognized there was more than one way to think about leadership and decision-making in all aspects of life. With the permission of the National Church, they formed the Anglican Council of indigenous People (ACIP). The Council focused on finding ways to identify and implement traditions handed down from the generations.

In 2016 the Primate, appreciative of the efforts brought forward, appointed a Council of Elders and Youth . This group, reflecting the circular style of sharing, wanted to ensure that the church would abide by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. Also, by functioning in this way, they went on to demonstrate the depth of their ways of doing things. The youth, for instance, are making outstanding contributions within the Council.

All of these initiatives have led to the way Indigenous members have now elected a bishop from among their own people. Also, with the blessing of the full church, that bishop will be given full rights within the Calgary Diocese among Indigenous and non-Indigenous parishes.

Archdeacon Sidney Black has served Treaty 7 (Blackfoot) churches with his own unique style of gentleness and grace. But now he has been called to the whole church. “I want to continue being a servant of the Church for our Indigenous communities, our Metis communities, our Inuit communities and for the whole church at large.”

May God bless Sid and Melva in their ministry.

In the Face of Death – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 05 May 2017 19:18:00 GMT

I feel badly when I hear that no funeral will be held for someone deceased. If it is because that person made the family promise this, I think that’s a selfish wish. Funerals are for the support of those left behind.

If it is because the family decided there would be no funeral on their own, I wonder if they talked with someone experienced in these matters to be sure their decision doesn’t haunt them for the rest of their life.

When traditions have evolved over hundreds (or even thousands) of years, versions of those traditions are usually there for a reason. Rituals at the time of death reveal something of life’s meaning.

One woman, whose son died after a difficult life and six months in a coma, wisely advised his estranged wife “we need to put a period to what we’ve gone through!” For the sake of the children, his loved ones and ourselves we gathered to name the hard times, recall special memories, give thanks for the support of the community, and acknowledge trust in a God whose care is eternal. That said, each of us were able to start to move toward a new day.

In rural communities, where our lives touch each other in ways we may not realize, when we see a name on the board in the Post office, we stop to remember. Memories about that person come to the surface. The way we treat death is a reminder of the value we place on our own lives. “It God so cares for the grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, won’t God be all the more sure to care for you?”

Funeral remembrances, today, are expressed in in a great variety of ways. It is with dignity that we acknowledge this one life, this death, and what lies beyond death. As we have done for others, so may this blessing be given to us.

The Sewing Circle – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 29 Apr 2017 14:50:00 GMT

The Biblical story told in the Book of Acts is so simple.

“There was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she died …” (Acts 9:36f)

Look closer. Tabitha (also known by her Greek name Dorcas) was a highly respected woman of means. She was a faithful follower of Jesus (few other women of the time were called “disciple”), and she was a seamstress.

She invited widows from the community to come together as a sewing circle. Can’t you imagine the chatter, the stories told, the tears shed? By themselves, each woman knew only loneliness, and felt cast aside from life around them. Now they not only shared companionship, they also learned how to sew.

The items they made had value. They could be sold (for income), or given to favorite family members. Also, the women had things they could add to the conversation when they met others.

Obviously Tabitha shared “Jesus-stories” with them, assuring them that God loved them; assuring them they were not alone; showing them, through example, what it meant to be part of a caring community.

Little wonder the old feelings of abandonment and fear surfaced in the widows’ hearts when their friend and mentor died.

But Tabitha had taught them there were ways to reach out to each other and to the Community of Faithful. It took courage to be so presumptuous – but they heard that Jesus’ beloved Peter was in the vicinity. They asked him to come and help them through their time of crisis.

What a wonderful example of The Church in action. Tabitha, a faith-filled person, sees a need, assesses and directs her own resources to fulfilling the need, and shares the Gospel Story with the community assembled.

Tabitha and her ladies received God’s blessing. So can we!

Muslim Christian Dialogue Encouraged – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 22 Apr 2017 14:40:00 GMT

In the 1 ^st century, when many Christian churches became mosques, few changes had to be made in the sanctuaries. Through the centuries Christian communities have existed within Islamic countries. What, now, feeds distrust, fear and antagonism between some members of the two Faith groups?

While so much of our media covers the negatives, I’m glad to hear about Mustafa Akyol’s book “The Islamic Jesus”. What can Islam learn from Jesus, he asks through the subtitle “How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims”?

In an interview, Akyol talks about how resentments are fed by those who are blind literalists. “Those who want to dictate in the name of God”, he notes, make God an instrument of their arrogance and self-righteousness. They do not see religious pluralism to be a good thing.

But for those “who leave the ultimate judgements to God and live and let live”, different religious traditions can exist alongside each other. He quotes the Koran: “If God willed, He would have made you a single community.”

He suggests commonness with Jesus’ regard for sacred law, is an example – that law is not an end in itself, “but is a means to human happiness and flourishing”. It is the intention behind the law that is its essence. Sharia , for a Muslim, has to do with protecting the sanctity of marriage and the family. And the commitment to the Caliphate should be about “that which is within you”.

He reminds his own people that medieval times, the “golden age of Islam”, was a time “when the Muslim world was more advanced than Europe” in many fields. Their strength grew out of their interaction with the peoples around them. Cosmopolitanism was an asset. “When we become more open-minded”, his reminder is that a renaissance of Islam will again take place.

I look forward to reading more of Mustafa Akyol’s columns and books, for I believe he is respected for the way he tries to promote religious tolerance and understandings. He searches for shared common ground.

Paradise: God’s Garden and Ours – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 15 Apr 2017 15:17:00 GMT

According to the earliest stories, God created a magnificent Garden of Eden and turned it over to Adam and Eve.

However, because these humans were not prepared to handle the knowledge associated with Eden, they were separated from the Paradise that surrounded them.

Through the centuries, although Old Testament believers tried, they could not reconnect with what was lost. The Prophet Amos, for example, longed to have his people “seek good and not evil”, but reality eluded them.

Finally God said “Let me show you!” To illustrate how much he cared for what had been created, God gifted us with Jesus who reversed the earlier consequences associated with Eden. Through as act of love, all the darkness that hung over the images of the Garden was wiped away. It became possible that believers could again find meaningful life in the restored paradise.

Their hearts and minds and senses could be spiritually illuminated. They (and we) could become grounded in love, justice, non-violence and wisdom. They (and we) felt it was important to give expression to their love for one another, for themselves and for the creation.

The connection between the two eras was spelled out by John, the Gospel writer, who noted “God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

That connection was affirmed by Jesus. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me”. And “I am come that you might have life, and have it to the full”.

Today those whose faith formation enables them to feel empowered by paradise are compelled to live generously, compassionately and justly – always governed by truth.

As participants in paradise, we become conduits for God’s endless love.

(For deeper understanding about the meaning of “paradise” see the historical-theological text “Saving Paradise”, written by Rita Brock and Rebecca Parker.)

Let Loose in the World – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 08 Apr 2017 03:18:00 GMT

“Is he dead?” Pilate’s wife asked the soldier after he returned from the tomb.

She had taken notice of this Jesus of Nazareth when he was brought before her husband earlier in the week. Now she’d heard strange rumours and wondered what the truth really was.

“No, Madame,” the soldier replied. “He is not dead.”

“Not dead!” She could hardly believe her ears. “Not dead! Then where is he?”

“Let loose in the world, Madame,” came the reply. “Let loose in the world where nothing can corrupt his truth.”

“Let loose in the world.” Those words, written by an unknown poet, have been most helpful to me as I try to understand the meaning of the resurrection and how it impacts my calling to ministry.

They were central to me as I ministered in a community where a 5-year-old was dying of cancer. There was nothing more anyone could do except be there for each other. Our strength resided in the strength of An-Other lifting us, carrying us.

“Let loose in the world” echoed through the seven years of prairie drought we faced in Saskatchewan. We realized our repeated phrase “Next Year Country” was a Statement of Faith.

The affirmation of our belief in the land and in each other, in the stories we share and the prayers we offer are testaments to the way the Spirit, let loose in the world, helps us find purpose and hope.

Now, as I reach my Senior years, I’m challenged to better understand the mysteries of life, and accept the reality of death. The Creed says it so well – “In life, in death, in life-beyond-death, we are not alone.”

Easter Blessings are ours because the Spirit had been “let loose in the world”. Thanks be to God.

Words Matter – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 01 Apr 2017 15:15:00 GMT

At any time, our choice of words can make a difference. I’m thinking, today, of our new minister’s use of the word kin-dom – like in the prayer “Thy kin-dom come”.

For me “Kingdom”, when referring to our Christian Faith, has always been too harsh a term. In Biblical times the term best fitted a description of the wealth, power and corruption of the Roman Empire. Wasn’t Jesus speaking about the very antithesis of this?

In our time, as we listen to political rancor gone amuck we witness the work of those obsessed with establishing hierarchies of power – where “good journalism” is scoffed at and “truth” is treated like a bargaining tool.

Kin-dom! Hearing the word takes me back to Grandma Sasse’s prayer “Kleine Kin-der …” (Little Children …). It has to do with relationships – rudimentary relationships sealed with a hug, a handshake, a respect for trusting one’s word.

The Gospel writer John put it well when telling about Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus. It’s not about being physically re-born, but about a renewal of one’s Spirit. Further on we find that familiar passage about God sending his Son not to judge the world, but to say “Here, let me show you an alternative way!”

God’s reign is about having relationship with each other, with the creation and with the cosmos. Awareness of this inter-connectedness is an awesome experience. It gives us access to the full richness of true wealth. We have kin-ship with a complex, diverse, wondrous Creation and its Creator.

The warm vibrancy of spring reveals a world pregnant with hope. We can shed the dark heaviness that weighs us down, and feel ourselves enveloped in a kin-ship that is like no other. Thanks be to God.

Not Ready to Become Old Fogies – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 25 Mar 2017 15:05:00 GMT

We act with such caution when it comes to accepting change, I marvel that we aren’t still driving Model-T Fords.

As the world swirls around the Church, it is evident we have to move beyond what was. Many of our practices and activities have failed to keep up with seismic shifts in social outlook and scientific reality. Young people and many of their parents are no longer church focused like their grandparents were.

For church leaders, the poor attendance and tepid involvement in the life of many faith communities is frustrating and challenging. Christopher White wrote about this in his United Church Observer column (March 2017). But he pointed out “there is an emerging generation of church leaders who are refusing to be defined (by this frustration).” They “are simply getting on with creating our emerging church”. They are giving us “models of healthy communities of faith” which all of us can learn from. They understand “it’s time to focus not on what is being lost, but on what is being born”.

In a world where an incredible number of people are spiritually hungry, churches need to remain open to ways the spirit can speak through the inquiries of the sojourner, the challenges of the youth, and the direction being sought by the retiree who still has 25 years of living in which to find meaning.

We need to remind ourselves, also, that the faith-dimension has as much to do with re-visiting the wisdom accumulated and shared from the past, as it does by dazzling us with new technologies speculating about the future. The truths we have gleaned thus far from the great pieces of literature are still but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to daring to look beneath the surface. The Living God isn’t finished with us yet.

“Growth is not an end in itself, but a by-product of health and vibrancy.”

Resilience Readiness – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 18 Mar 2017 15:06:00 GMT

If we had to face dust-bowl conditions like the 30’s, crop scientists shake their heads and admit we are woefully unprepared. Technology, the great provider of our Age, has made incredible advances in farming techniques and plant-breeding for maximum yields. But we remain vulnerable to the weather because we’ve ignored plant “variance (difference) and resilience”.

Is this same inadequate focus also evident in our personal and spiritual lives? Are we more geared to insuring we are living well (more luxuriously) than to equipping ourselves for resilience to the situations we encounter?

Are these decisions based on the expectation that we should be immune to the stormy seas that come with everyday living? Are we like ships that are fearful of embarking on a journey because we might encounter bad weather?

Disappointment, pain, death, despair, failure – all are part of the package when it comes to living in the everyday world. There’s an old poem that says “God did not promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, or sun without rain”. It concludes, “God did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way”.

Plant breeders could search how to make their seeds more resilient to the weather, and their cropping techniques less vulnerable to the extremes. We humans could do the same. Not only can we develop resilience readiness, but as we work our way through various situations our changing expectation could help us become more resilient than ever.

Having realistic expectations, learning coping skills, strengthening ourselves as we pass through the dark channels, seeking after the glimmers of hope that lie before us – it is up to us to make our preparations. What values have priority – riches of affluence or riches of the spirit? The ability to satisfy our physical needs or the ability to nurture our soul?

What is the legacy we would like to pass to those whose lives touch ours?

Choppy Seas – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 11 Mar 2017 16:21:00 GMT

All of us have faced choppy seas. Maybe you are caught in some kind of storm at this moment – where waves darken the horizon and may even threaten to engulf you.

It may have to do with issues leading to self-esteem. It may concern family matters, feelings of over-commitment, fear and helplessness, not knowing where to turn.

Lent, if we want to use it as an opportunity, gives a space to pause, take a gulp of air and assess our situations. What attitudes need re-adjustments? What resources can we call on?

Sea-going people equip themselves for the possibility of choppy seas by having confidence that their boat is sea-worthy, and by maintaining contact with the main-land.

We can do the same. Remember the kid who said “God made me, and God don’t make junk!” Thanks be, we are built with the capacity to withstand turmoil.

But we need to stay connected to the “mainland”. That’s where we can seek advice about pending conditions and about looking for alternative directions. Ultimately, should we feel we need to send an SOS, help will come to bring us home.

There is a positive Presence who some call God. Sometimes that Presence is felt directly. Sometimes it is experienced through relating with others. That Presence accompanies us on our journey.

Recall the story about seeing sets of footprints in the sand? Sometimes there were two sets, sometimes only one set. In the latter case, the story-teller recognized it to be a time when that Presence carried the distraught person to the next point of mooring.

When your seas seem overwhelming, be assured you are not alone. In life, in death, in life beyond death, you are not alone. That Presence will always be a companion. Lent gives us opportunity to study the charts and consider our alternatives.

Learning to Listen – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 04 Mar 2017 16:16:00 GMT

Tip of the hat to one of Saskatchewan’s outstanding educators and a 7-decade Co-op leader. Harold Chapman will be receiving the Governor General’s Honours in the same year he celebrates his 100 ^th birthday.

In the 60’s and 70’s Chapman’s leadership at the Western Co-op College (Saskatoon) made it possible for many of us to learn and practice the newly established principles of “Adult Education”. This is where a teacher starts by discerning what a student’s understanding of an issue is – then helps him/her build on their insights. Students building on their own understandings will be more positively equipped for future initiatives than if they have to follow someone else’s instructions.

I was always thankful to have been exposed to Chapman’s educational approach when it came to my own practice of ministry.

With Baptisms, for example, denominational rubrics asked for specific commitments from the families whose children were being baptized. Our Church Council asked themselves what they were doing for these families. One decision was for the Council to send birthday cards. A child who received a letter in the mail, they decided, was reminded the church cared about them.

We tried to listen to and affirm the concerns of rural residents. As a result, we’ve gradually been able to identify and name the unique spiritual values of people in rural communities.

This approach also leads to deeper understandings about weddings and funerals. It’s wonderful when the “officiant” can combine denominational requirements alongside the celebratory ideas of the wedding participants.

Funerals are usually community-based events. As God has lived through the life of this one now deceased and his/her family, so we as church should reflect on that soulfulness. I’ve had many services where the deceased’s life-story has been a powerful Statement of Faith.

For the improved health of the country, could our political gurus also advocate to their colleagues the importance of learning to listen?

Observing Lent: Obligation or Opportunity – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 25 Feb 2017 16:31:00 GMT

Observing Lent: Obligation or Opportunity – Joyce Sasse

Many of my friends observed Lent when I was a kid. There were weighty obligations connected with the fasting and praying and confessions.

However, over the seven weeks of Lent they had “days off” (Sundays and St. Patrick’s Day) when the rules were relaxed and their steps lightened.

As my understanding of Lent deepened, I began to see Lenten practices to be less of an “obligation” and more of an “opportunity”. Before I retired I declared this was a time to “give up stress”, and I really tried to carve a niche in an over-busy schedule to find some stress-free moments.

These days with the heaviness of health issues, plunging economics, shifting weather patterns … all of us could do with a little time-out.

When the light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel grows dim and we can’t even keep up with our own expectations, wise advice comes from safari-porters hired to carry huge loads. From time to time they simply stopped where they were and refused to move. Why? Their answer “We can’t go on: we have to wait for our souls to catch up with us!”

Lent gives us opportunity to find our own way to stop and let our soul catch up with us. In the dark of a sleepless night, start thinking about the blessings you haven’t appreciated – and say thanks. Instead of fussing over what you didn’t do, or you did wrong, take a moment to share and exchange with a child, or notice something special in nature. Wait, and let your soul catch up with you.

Lent is meant to give us opportunity to feel enriched by God-given moments in our lives. Lay down your burdens and let your soul catch up with you. Begin the practice and before long you might even find that moment-making can become a habit! God bless.

The Miracle of Dialogue – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 18 Feb 2017 16:31:00 GMT

Trying to understand Reuel Howe’s book “The Miracle of Dialogue” was a challenge given to seminary students in the early ‘60’s. It had to do with encouraging us, from our various Denominational pedestals, to risk talking honestly about what we believed, yet remain open to listen to what the other person was saying. The clinch line was to remind us that any changes brought about through this exchange would be because of God’s advocacy, not ours.

Since I belong to a Denomination that is an amalgamation of Churches, this talk of dialogue and the risks involved made sense.

When I was preparing for overseas Mission work by the end of the ‘60’s, the key phrase was “Partnership”. The relationship between those from the “sending church” and those in the “receiving churches” was one of Partnership . Each learned from the other as we engaged in Biblical studies, talked about each other’s cultures, and determined together what we wanted to accomplish.

I returned home much richer for the experience of those years spent in Korea.

Now the key phrase is “Reconciliation”, which takes Dialogue and Partnership to a new level. Reconciliation invites us to look back to see what harms have been done because we imposed stereotypes on each other instead of opening ourselves to see what the other had to offer. We start by lamenting those harms so we can begin to move forward.

What a blessing that many rigid lines are softening. Churches do work together across Denominational lines. Women are able to make unique contributions in business, industry, government and the church. We are encouraged to welcome immigrants with a view to anticipating what their citizenship means. Indigenous and non-Indigenous neighbours are beginning to see themselves to be partners in nation-building.

True dialogue can bring about many miracles.

Village Values for a Global Society – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 11 Feb 2017 16:09:00 GMT

These days putting people down rather than lifting them up seems to be the norm.

My time is divided between two extremes. As a news-junkie, I’ve never heard so much lack of civility. Such extremes of hostility and fear-mongering, along with “false news” reports and shouts of “liar”, are excessive.

Ordinary people either cringe, or rise in protest!

The other extreme has to do with the intensive work I’ve been doing on my “Annora Brown Life & Legacy Project ”. This lady’s work in the fields of conservation, art and education is incredible. And she did it all out of the small community of Fort Macleod, between 1930 and 1965. Recently her story and work is gaining serious attention. She was a pioneer who fought to record and conserve the natural history of south-western Alberta and the culture of the Blackfoot People. She was a strong advocate for the rights of ordinary women and visited numerous small communities through the University Extension Department, to teach and to inspire.

At the time people from the region appreciated her work and advocated on her behalf. But when her work was no longer kept front and centre, those from away shrugged and murmured “Can anything good come from this small place?”

Look again at the legacy she has left. Look at our rural regions today to see what your artists, your writers, your students, your seniors have to offer. Note how they are trying to reflect the kind of “village values” that are so needed in our “Global Society”.

John, the Gospel writer, (1:46) tells the story of Nathanael, who protested against the importance of Jesus’ message by murmuring “Can anything good come out of (this small village of) Nazareth?” To which Philip astutely replied “Come and see!”

What “village values” do members of your community have to offer our needy world?

Ask Permission First – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 28 Jan 2017 20:30:00 GMT

I knew she was proud of her self-reliance, but I was more than happy to cut my neighbour’s lawn (while she wasn’t home) and shovel her walk (first thing in the morning).

But I could hardly believe her anger one morning. After a particularly heavy snow-fall, I was shoveling my way in from the street when the door burst open and she started shouted something about “Leave that alone! Who do you think you are anyway?”

“What do you mean?” I replied with a start. “Give me time to work my way up to the step, then we can talk.”

By the time I stepped in the door the rage had subsided, but not the confrontation. “I know you mean well,” she confessed, “but when you just go ahead and do things like that you take away all my power!” After months of trying to find the right words, she was able to give expression to how helpless I made her feel – “as if aging and poor health wasn’t enough to cope with.”

Right then and there we made an agreement. I told her I would be glad to do the walk when the snow packed in (if she would let me), but would leave it for her to do when there was just a skiff. The significant thing being, I realized, we needed to talk together and come to an understanding about these things.

Many of us live in rural communities among people who are fiercely independent. But they also know how important it is to be inter-dependent. All of us need to remind ourselves to be sensitive to how we barge in on each other’s lives, or answer for the other person or find ways to take control without the other person giving us permission.

Step back, take a breath, slow down and talk things through. Amen!

Deepening Our Perspective – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 21 Jan 2017 16:50:00 GMT

Once people named to the position of “Elder” held important responsibility in our church’s tradition, for they worked closely with the minister to care for the well-being of the congregation. But the terminology fell out of favour as younger people volunteered to serve on Church Councils and committees.

As we by-passed the terminology, we also by-passed some of the depth of meaning for the work done. “Eldership” isn’t something that is donned like one might put a cloak on, or assume a title. It is more like a quality that one attains over a period of time – acquiring wisdom, gaining the respect of others, finding deeper meaning for life … It is almost like developing an aura of grace and dignity.

Native colleagues, while helping me understand their cultural traditions, coached me by saying “you could become an elder too”. But I didn’t understand fully what they meant until I watched the film “Elder in the Making”, in which a younger Blackfoot man introduces his Chinese-Canadian friend to the historical story of the Pikanii and Kainai people.

By witnessing the pride of culture, the pain of suffering, the feeling of tribal-belonging shown here, we see how people who are part of that culture can “ripen” as they gain depth of understanding, work through the tough spots and recognize their responsibility within the community.

Whichever community we belong to, be it family, tribe, church, neighbourhood, we can work toward becoming one of the “elders” – and that mantel can be worn with both pride and humility.

“Elder in the Making” can be watched as a 6-part series on YouTube. The simplicity with which the stories are told invites all of us to consider how our story might help any of us become elders in the making.

Strengthening Our Communities – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 14 Jan 2017 16:39:00 GMT

“Come in, come in and sit down – you are part of the family” is sung with gusto in many of our churches. But are we actually that inclusive?

One of our rural values encourages us to try to build healthy communities. We can choose to actively participate in this endeavour. Or we can simply let things float along and hope for the best!

Many new immigrants to Canada come to our smaller communities. We’ve become aware of them serving in the A&W or at the gas station. We may even be aware that the manager at the local motel was born elsewhere. But have we thought about how we might extend a welcome, spend some time getting to know the family and help them feel a sense of belonging?

We started a Multicultural Friendship Group in our community. Participants bring their cabbage rolls, oat cakes, bannock, bratwurst and Icelandic delicacies for our pot-luck supper-gatherings. Many are folks who came to Canada thirty or forty years ago. Each participant is eager to learn from others and share their own cultural heritage.

Meanwhile, conflicting work schedules, child care and shyness make it difficult for more recent newcomers to join us.

But, when it comes to actively building multicultural awareness and sensitivity into our community’s agenda, I tip my hat to the younger generation. They are making sure to incorporate inter-cultural programs and activities at playschool, kindergarten and at the Library. It will be our children, in turn, as they share their global experiences, who will help all of us build communities that are proud to be inclusive and healthy.

“Children and elders, middlers and teens … greeters and shoppers, long-time and new, nobody here has a claim on a pew … There’s rest for the weary and health for us all … Come in and worship and answer the call, for we are a part of the family.” (Hymn writer Jim Manley)

Boomers Not in Church – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 07 Jan 2017 16:04:00 GMT

Why are the Boomers staying away from church? What do they mean when they call themselves “spiritual but not religious (SBNR)”? These are some of the questions Sheila MacGregor addresses in her excellent article “Bring Back the Baby Boomers” (United Church Observer Dec / 16). Many of her observations come from her participation in the “ Boomerstock ” conference she attended in Nashville this fall. The participants’ concern was to address “how churches can engage boomers”.

Many Boomers are the “unchurched” folks who “didn’t leave the establishment because they were angry … but left because they no longer saw the point.”

This generation includes those who find it difficult to believe religious dogma, statements about absolute truth, sin, heaven and hell and life-after-death. Nor do they have a tolerance for religious exclusivism. But they are asking profoundly theological questions and are seeking to fulfil spiritual needs in personal ways. They believe in a spiritual force and are “interested in world religions and other religious paths and practices.” Hence the expression “spiritual but not religious”.

Members of the Boomer Generation, according to MacGregor, have experienced the following traits: brokenness (because of having witnessed numerous traumatic public events), loneliness (note the high divorce rates), and fear that there may not be a future.

The antidote suggested – “a sense of belonging” such as can be experienced within a community of faith. The messages shared within such a community, in addition to Scripture studies, might include wellness programs that enhance physical and mental health.

Faith communities can “call on Boomers’ idealism and activism” by “responding to their needs and including them” in their fellowship. Such endeavours would allow for roots and a sense of belonging to deepen. In this context, they could find opportunities to serve and have access to spiritual nurture.

Remembering Those Affected by Bovine TB – A prayer of Lament – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 31 Dec 2016 22:08:00 GMT

We come to you, O God, remembering people who are hurting because of issues around Bovine TB: our ranchers are hurting, their families are hurting, their communities are filled with anxiety and pain.

There is so much uncertainty. Where did the TB come from? How far has it spread? How did it get here? Why do so many animals have to be destroyed when most of them have not even tested positive?

Specialists are struggling to move as quickly as they can, but their understanding and capacity to act has its limitations.

Rancher optimism is being challenged. Even though their industry has no guarantees, they try hard to hold on to having faith for the future – for that is the real gift that You give.

Herds are more than chattels, more than commodities to be sold. While they are raised to be slaughtered for food, they also represent years of careful breeding and thoughtful herd-building.

Hear our Prayer of Lament. Grant the virtues of patience and understanding for those who work through this time of crisis. Whether it be with families, neighbours or the strangers who happen to be specialists in dealing with this disease, remind everyone that humans are subject to limitations.

Lift our sights that we may be generous, supportive and caring. Give us hope. Amen

Suggestions of some positive things so as to not unravel:

(based on material shared by others who have faced extreme rural distress)

Try to understand how it is that nothing can separate us from the love and grace of God, made known through Jesus, the Christ.

Making Transitions – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 31 Dec 2016 15:56:00 GMT

The New Year is a great time to think about making transitions. A memory comes to mind from years ago leading up to Advent / Christmas decorating in a small rural congregation.

The problem was that the collection of decorations was showing its age, as was the wonderful lady who over-saw the annual transformation of the sanctuary. It didn’t help that those who dis-assembled the garlands in January left a jumbled mess in the cupboard under the stairs.

Faithful though she was, the senior needed help. Her daughter-in-law wanted to become involved, but recognized how any radical change could easily cause offence, at the least, or even alienation.

That’s where a third party played the go-between role – affirming, wondering if additional help might be needed, suggesting inviting volunteer assistance. The transition came about graciously and slowly (over a couple of years). Many others, aware of the finesse needed, expressed their appreciation to both individuals involved.

Repeatedly, our congregations can be learning-grounds where members discover ways they can participate with others in making decisions, suggesting new insights, recognizing changes in thinking that occur between one generation and another. What is more, congregations have multi-generational members, are male/female, include conservatives and activists, and include many other combinations. Often, too, they reach out to involve those from a variety of faith and cultural backgrounds.

Consider the endless possibilities for forming close-in experiences and relationships, expectant with diversity, that can nurture and enrich our lives.

“We are pilgrims on a journey / fellow travelers on the road, / we are here to help each other / walk the mile and bear the load.” (hymn by Richard Gillard)

Joseph at the Front of the Stable – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 16:23:00 GMT

Men have sometimes been labeled as the “stagehands” of Christmas: following through on the orders of their wives, and financing the extravaganza.

But when Ann Weems, in her book Kneeling in Bethlehem , thinks of Joseph’s place in the stable, she envisions him being more central to the Christmas Story.

“Who put Joseph in the back of the stable?” she asks, to stand as “background for the magnificent light of the Madonna?”

Weems recalls how faithful Joseph has been “in spite of the gossip in Nazareth” and “in spite of the threat from Herod”. Actually “it was he who named the Child Emmanuel.”

He was the kind of person who guarded his family and greeted the visitors whatever their status.

“This Christmas, let us give thanks to God for this man of incredible faith, into whose care God placed the Christ Child.”

Think of Joseph giving Jesus a grounding so solid that he would later dare to teach others a whole new way of thinking about relationships with each other – and with God.

Mary and Elizabeth – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 16:08:00 GMT

Mary, the young peasant girl, found herself pregnant and scared. Luke tells her story leading up to the Christmas event.

This was supposed to be a blessed occurrence, he tells us, but Mary was confused and alone. She thought of Elizabeth, an older relative known for her wisdom.

Imagine the scene. Elizabeth opened her door and her arms to hug the young visitor. Instinctively she felt both pain and joy. “You are blessed among woman” she whispered in Mary’s ear by way of validation – and that validation helped lift the burden from Mary’s shoulders.

Within a few moments the story was told, so far as Mary understood it. What a relief to feel the encouragement and to have one who would help her understand what has happening.

In due course Mary was able to express her gratitude to Elizabeth by singing “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God … for God has looked upon the low estate of this handmaiden … for God who is mighty has done great things for me.”

When Mary realized that Elizabeth also was pregnant, she stayed with her. Her youthful, infectious spirit must have been a blessing to the older woman. As they tended the home-making chores and marketing together, we can imagine them sharing details about their developing pregnancies. Laughter and tears and questions about what their children would become made the days pass quickly. Both were trying to grapple with how the hand-of-God changed their lives.

Eventually it was time for Mary to return to face her confused yet devoted fiancé. Elizabeth made suggestions how Mary might encourage him and love him through the bad times they had yet to face.

Out of the rich sharing of sisterhood both women found enough strength to nurture a new generation. (Elizabeth gave birth to John who was later known as “The Baptist”).

A Special Christmas Read – from Joyce Sasse

Mon, 19 Dec 2016 21:23:00 GMT

If you are rooted in the rural landscape, a must read is Wendy Dudley’s book “Don’t name the ducks, and other truths about life” . I’ll tempt your palate by quoting a couple of paragraphs that are pertinent at this time of the year.

It’s about her miniature donkey Peso. “He bears the cross on his back, telling the world he is special. It was a donkey that carried Mary to the stable manger on the eve of Christ’s birth. And it was a donkey that carried Mary and the newborn babe when they and Joseph had to flee Bethlehem.

“What of the brays that shake our valley when dawn comes? Well, the story goes that the donkey’s keen ears heard Herod’s soldiers nearby, but that he could not awaken Joseph, Mary, or the Christ child. Up until now, the donkey had had no voice, but all of a sudden he was blessed with a miracle – a shattering bray that woke the family and allowed them to escape. From that day on, all donkeys could speak.

“It was a donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. On the day that He was crucified, it is said, the donkey wanted to help carry the cross, but the animal was pushed aside by the crowds. He waited to say goodbye and, when he turned to leave, quietly shed a sorrowful tear while the shadow of the cross fell across his back and shoulders. So all donkeys, no matter their colour, bear a stripe of dark hair down their back and across their shoulders, and the light markings around their eyes are shaped like teardrops …”

Dudley concludes: “I truly believe Peso, with his vivid cross, knows he is special. He asks for so little, yet gives so much. He sparkles like a precious gem – a true diamond in the rough.”

Blessings of the Season to everyone!

Beacons of Hope – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 17 Dec 2016 16:14:00 GMT

At the darkest time of the year, Christmas is a celebration of light … And that light is shared with the whole community. What a gift!

Carolers sing “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight”. Those who prophecy declare that God cares enough to dwell among us. Storytellers speak of weary travelers searching for a place where the woman can deliver her child. Those who laud the newborn child include creatures of the field, angels from the heavens, astrologers from distant places, and local townsfolk.

Several years ago, religious journalist Tom Harper and his wife re-enacted the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. They soon learned that the political, military, economic and social barriers they had to face differed little from what Joseph and Mary faced twenty centuries earlier.

In the intervening time Empires have conquered and been conquered; nature’s resources have been used for purposes of ravaging and for purposes of enhancing life; economic pariahs have plotted to reduce people to work-units, and countless individuals have given themselves over to re-building societies that are based on principles of striving for the common good.

There have been many eras of darkness. And dark times will happen again.

But Christmas and Hanukkah lights that sparkle at the darkest time of the year are visible reminders that the smallest flame can become a beacon of hope.

The stories and the rituals that come with our faith traditions are precious reminders of how we have been given the capacity to rise above our fears, to reach out in times of loneliness, to find strength and courage to face incredible challenges.

Pause this Christmas. Name and give thanks for the beacons of hope that have touched you and helped you move forward into a new day.

While Heaven and Nature Sing – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 10 Dec 2016 20:48:00 GMT

Conservationist Charlie Russel, who lived in the midst of grizzly bear heaven in the Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia) for eight summers, told a touching story about a nine-month-old cub whose mate was killed by a predator male.

The orphaned cubs were star players in the BBC Documentary Russel filmed during the summer, as a summary of his “Grizzly Bear Co-Existence Study”.

On the third day following the killing, after what was obviously a time of mourning, the young cub insisted his human companions follow him into the wilderness. For some time he (and they) searched the familiar places to confirm his mate was not to be found.

One last time “he waited for we faltering humans to catch up”. “After eating some of the rolled oats and sunflower seeds we carried,” he watched as we turned back, our hearts torn and heavy. But the time had obviously come for the strong, sleek youngster to strike off for the snowy peak to hibernate.

He spelled it out so clearly, “with a bravery that I’d never seen in an animal before”.

“And heaven and nature sings”, the Christmas carol proclaims. Theologian Thomas Berry would say “Ah ha. See how nature and human nature interconnect!”

He would remind us that we are one among thirty million species on earth. Thinking only of our superiority has been like a debilitating virus inflicting much of the human race. But if we can reawaken our gift of curiosity, and with humility view our complex relationship with the Universe, we will be gifted with passion and re-energized.

Re-discovering the wonders of life will make each day a profound adventure. Our work, our learning, and our own growth will be fed by curiosity and excitement.

When the time comes our youth, too, will leave the home place. The prayer is that they have such a sense of connectedness with their rural heritage that they will know who they are and where they belong.

This Christmas, as you share the spiritual gifts of the season, sing out “repeat the sounding joy … while heaven and nature sing.”

Advent Prayer – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 10 Dec 2016 17:06:00 GMT

As the extremities of cold envelope our lives, we pray for your Spirit, ever-loving God, to brighten our ways.

In our communities we are so aware of those who grieve, those who are fragile, those who are waiting for medical tests, test results and procedures. Show each of us how we can find ways to express our care and support. A phone call, a thoughtful gesture, a light chuckle can mean so much.

Especially we remember the care-givers, who are not only ready to respond to every emerging need, but must also anticipate unfolding possibilities. May we find ways to enrich their lives and help them find time to care for themselves.

As temperatures, wind chill and drifting snow threaten our landscape, we keep in our thoughts whose who must work within the extremes:

In this season of Advent we are reminded again, Ever Gracious God, of your love and care for all of Creation. That you should come to be one with us and among us … That you should confirm for us we are not alone! … Be not afraid! … Not only have you blessed us … but you can be a blessing through us.

Alleluliah and Amen!

Country Christmas – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 03 Dec 2016 23:05:00 GMT

Think of the many teachings we can share with our children and with the new comers in our midst because the Christmas story is set within the background of a rural culture.

When I stood on the edge of the “shepherds’ field” (located near Bethlehem in my trip to Israel), tears came to my eyes. I was reminded that the heaven-delivered announcement was for everyday people as they went about their everyday work. These were people for whom the land was their livelihood. “And heaven and nature sing!”

Recall how the over-worked innkeeper recognized Mary and Joseph’s need for a place where the baby could be safely delivered in a warm space. To this day members of our communities, despite their busy agendas, stop what they are doing to care for each other in times of need. They tend to a grieving family, an abandoned parent, or those left homeless because of flood or fire. Such cooperation indicates a healthy community.

Furthermore, community members repeatedly recognize those in pain. The Christmas story includes warnings that the child’s life was endangered. The family had to escape to Egypt because evil jealous people threatened to kill Jesus. They hid the family, helped them escape – and welcomed their return years later. Recognizing pain and offering support is a rural cultural attribute.

The story also talks about accepting “others”. Years ago, when we set up a “Bethlehem Market” scenario in the local Community Hall, one man wanted to hang “the” star. “Which one?” I asked. “A Jewish star? Or a Christian star?” Jesus’ family were Jewish. Our feast is inclusive: of the new daughter-in-law, of children from a blended family, of outsiders who would otherwise be alone. Diversity makes our community stronger.

As you tell the Christmas story, remember to highlight the rural values that lie at the very heart of our celebration.

Held Ransom by Consumerism – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 26 Nov 2016 16:39:00 GMT

Beware lest we be held ransom by consumerism this Christmas!

Already the tsunami of stuff is building in our stores, on the media, and with our expectations. It threatens to over-run our date books.

“Whose birthday is it anyway?” How would you really like the season to unfold if you were in charge of the details? Take charge!

On the issue of financing the holiday – I’m glad I grew up in a family who had to readily say “ We can’t afford (this or that ).” It made us work through what our needs were and where our values directed us … a gift that has lasted throughout my life.

On the issue of strong family traditions. There were the special foods we enjoyed because we didn’t have them at other times of the year. There were those from one side of the family who gathered for Christmas Day, while those from the other side spent New Year’s together.

There were those special happenings: like the school concert and the vesper service at Church. Also, there were the limitations. It wasn’t necessary for every organization to have a party in December. January and February beg for attention.

The book “Unplug the Christmas Machine” reminds us there are four things children (and a lot of adults) want most for Christmas. 1)A genuine and loving time with family. 2) Realistic expectations about gifts. 3) An evenly paced holiday season. 4) Strong family (and community) traditions.

It is true that the glitter can wear off toys and “stuff” long before the turkey is carved, but the spiritual gifts we share will last a life-time. Don’t be held ransom by consumerism.

“Tis a gift to be simple! Tis a gift to be free! Tis a gift to come down where you ought to be. And when we find ourselves in the place just right, ‘twill be in the valley of love and delight.”

Communities That Understand – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 19 Nov 2016 16:35:00 GMT

Driving into the city my ears were glued to radio reports about angry farmers clamouring to get the attention of a politician-friend of mine. The announcer intimated the Honourable Sir had left the area where the demonstration was because of a personal commitment. But I never expected, when I opened the backdoor of the funeral home, that my friend would be the first to greet me.

For a moment I was speechless. Instinctively the last thing I knew he wanted was to hear reference to the turmoil he had just left. Obviously he and the other pallbearers gathered here because the family asked for their help.

What I noticed was that his home folks were giving him a time-out to be one-of-the-guys. The talk was of family, crops, grasshoppers and the receding water-table.

“It’s time to go back”, he said to his wife as the funeral reception ended and they again took up the cloak of public servant.

I’ve lived in small communities long enough to see this happen repeatedly.

There was a family wedding, and all the community wanted to be there, but they knew this quiet family needed to be private. The ladies cleaned and polished the church the day before as each found a way to contribute and yet give sanctuary to the other.

In another community, members did not know a man who died of dementia, but they cared for his wife (who recently settled in our midst). The Memorial Service would be at another place and time. She dreaded the coming Sunday “when everyone would be so nice” … for she wasn’t prepared to share her grief openly. One friend told the others how she felt. Another picked her up. Each remembered her quietly, but in the service her privacy was respected.

When I see this, I recognize the lessons of love and respect that Jesus taught all of us, his disciples.

Stay Alive Through Life – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 12 Nov 2016 16:45:00 GMT

You could be your worst enemy if the prospect of getting older is a fearful thought. We can live longer these days, but we need to ready ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually.

Look ahead well before retirement age. It is a time when you will step into a whole new phase of life. Make it an opportunity!

Keep yourself alert and keep fit. Develop a post-retirement work-plan.

Strong spiritual beliefs will help you move forward without being controlled by side-winds. Instead of focusing on your losses, think about how you can express gratitude (to others and to God).

As we get into additional years, we need to accept that we will probably have less than perfect health and will have to cope with pain. Pay attention to your diet and exercise. Forgive yourself when necessary, and be ready to learn from others.

Planning ahead includes accepting responsibility for when to stop driving, when to down-size, how to accept help from others….

Stay connected. Intentionally develop new friendships as you lose loved ones. Involve yourself by volunteering, by sharing stories from your experiences with life, and by caring about the well-being of those around you.

Don’t keep thinking you have to fulfil other people’s expectations. Do what is important to you.

“When I thought the world rested on my shoulders, God put things into perspective. When I lashed out at an unfair world, God calmed me down. When I drifted into harmful ways, God straightened me out …” (James Taylor)

We can celebrate God’s presence at each stage of our life-journey. We can acknowledge the Mystery that awaits us as we approach death. We can embrace the Presence that calms our fears. We can feel reassured that the love of God surrounds us as we pass through death to another way of being.

Envisioning New Directions – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 05 Nov 2016 21:36:00 GMT

Churches function within the world around them. But when the world around them changes, as it had changed so radically in the last 50 years, institutions change slowly. It’s like redirecting a giant tanker in a turbulent sea.

Abandon the task, or make drastic adjustments. Change is possible, but only when we call on all the human resource available to discern what’s needed.

Ahoy you church drop-outs who think no one cares about you…

Ahoy you church spectators who feel “spiritual understandings” don’t require institutional nurture…

Ahoy you old guard who populate Sunday pews and make your financial contributions…

Ahoy you whose world is secularized and globalized…

If churches of whatever stripe are to move from a what-has-been to a what-can-be, they need input from everyone. Faith questions will always be there as we search for what has meaning in our lives, how we cope with our anger and fears, how we confront evil, how we face suffering and death, and whether hope can be found in this world and the next.

Bring your questions, your doubts, and those things you find affirming. Talk together. Invite those who have been marginalized, those of other faith backgrounds. Share stories about where you have been and what you have discovered of God.

Pray that through this dialogue we may re-vision how to proceed. Affirm the practices we can share. Respect the differences in liturgical expression, activist outreach, historical understandings and evangelistic zeal that exist among us.

While none of us can define God, It can be helpful for we mortals to think in terms of a multifaceted diamond where we see only one facet at a time. It is as we combine our various sightings that we broaden our understandings and discover something far more magnificent that we could ever comprehend.

Our Christian understanding is that it is that kind of God that came into our midst to show us how much we are loved.

Man of a Good Heart – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 29 Oct 2016 15:44:00 GMT

Father Albert Lacombe was among the early missionaries who arrived in Alberta in the 1800’s. He settled in the vicinity of St. Albert for a while. What many do not realize, however, is that the Oblate priest spent a great deal of his time in Southern Alberta.

He was touched by the plight of the Blackfoot People whose Confederacy had once stretched from the North Saskatchewan River (near Edmonton) to the Yellowstone River, and from the Continental Divide to the Sand Hills of Saskatchewan.

Because of the sparsity of prairie living, the Blackfoot People were nomadic. They lived off the buffalo. But when the buffalo were no more, they were without food, shelter and clothing. They starved.

In 1837 smallpox decimated their number even more. Then they were lured in to sign Treat 7 (1877) which forced them to live on postage-stamp sized Reserves, under the management of Indian Agents.

The Blackfoot name for Father Lacombe, Man of a Good Heart , reveals the mutual love and respect they shared with the priest. Much of his activity centred in the region which people refer to as Gleichen, Fort Macleod, Cardston and Pincher Creek.

He also had a great affinity with the French and Metis who resided in the Pincher Creek and Beauvais district – where he was their priest, their friend, and the man who had connections with William VanHorne (CPR) and John A. MacDonald (Prime Minister). With Timothe Lebel he developed the Mississippi trade corridor with Europe that serviced his mission and Lebel’s trade emporium in Pincher Creek. He improved postal delivery service and worked with the government to establish St. Agnes Public School (chartered in 1896) in the Beauvais Lake district. The Protestant school teacher was always glad to turn his classroom over to the priest when he visited the school.

The list of contributions Lacombe made in Southern Alberta could go on. They include his love and respect for the people, his openness to working with those of other faiths. His experience in trying to problem solve big issues and in making connections between European sources and Alberta’s prairie outposts.

The presence of his Hermitage, now located in the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Museum , is a reminder of Father Lacombe’s caring for The People, his pastoral work and his desire to retire near the Foothills of the Rockies.

December 2016 marks the 100 ^th Anniversary of his death.

(a 60-minute viewing of the drama “Man of a Good Heart” can be seen on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqPyJG-D2Uk )

Finding Peace Amid Suffering – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 22 Oct 2016 15:23:00 GMT

Maybe you feel despair because you can hardly pay the rent, or because you have been diagnosed with a horrible condition, or you are a caregiver whose physical and spiritual resources have been depleted.

Whatever your burden, or the burden of someone you love, insights shared by Viktor Frankl may be helpful. In Nazi death camps during WW II he clung to life and later shared his experience about how he kept going with the world.

“When we are no longer able to change a situation,” he wrote, “we are challenged to change ourselves.” Even to the very end, we have the freedom to look beyond our fear and despair to ask what we can do that is positive.

Survival with dignity depends on our attitude. Disappointment, anger and bitterness will weigh us down. But forgiveness, acceptance and love can lift us. We are blessed with an incredible capacity to carry on with grace.

What does it matter if we notice we are aging? or if we have made a huge mistake? Look with pride at life’s rich moments. Hold tight to humour. Laughter “gives us the ability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds.”

During the day, we may find distractions for our agonized thinking. But in the dark of night, when resentment and anger churn our thoughts, we have the freedom to release the negative and search for that which will help us move forward with dignity and grace.

In the end, when we have fought the good fight, may we feel at peace as we prepare to meet our Maker.

Frankl wrote “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.”

Meeses Doktor – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 15 Oct 2016 01:05:00 GMT

Imagine having to instruct others how to deliver your child, a breech birth, because the winter came early and you, the doctor, couldn’t get to a hospital?

This is one of the stories told by Dr. Mary Percy Jackson in her biography “The Homemade Brass Plate” – a best read!

Mary graduated from medical school in England in 1928 and came to Northern Alberta to work for one year. Her work, the people and the countryside were so engrossing she stayed for forty years.

The district she served was total wilderness – along the Peace River, almost to High Level. There were no roads, no conveniences, and no primers on how to survive. But the people taught her how to follow the trails, read the weather, lay in supplies, ride a horse, travel on the river and live off the land.

In the earliest days many of her patients were Métis. Soon Ukrainians, Russians, Norwegians and Mennonites came seeking land and freedom. None paid with money during the Thirties, but they were generous with giving her clothing, food, and their eternal gratitude. Money was extremely scarce so “Meeses Doktor” had to be very creative in finding cash to buy chloroform, sutures and plaster-of-Paris.

Mail delivery in the earliest days came eight times a year, and the arrival of supplies happened only when the river could be navigated.

Dr. Percy became Dr. Percy Jackson when she married into the district. Frank was a man-of-all-skills. He had cattle, ran a store and warehouse and did everything he could for his neighbours. His first wife died in childbirth, so Mary inherited three step-children and then had three of her own. Still she doctored, though the step-sons had to teach her cooking and home-making skills.

Teaching public health, establishing a school, dealing with rabies – a few challenges.

What a passion for medicine! She retired from medical practice in 1974 (at age 70) and died 30 years later. Indeed, she served where God planted her.

Daddy Sherry’s Hunt – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 08 Oct 2016 15:42:00 GMT

Every rural community has at least one outstanding character. In W.O. Mitchell’s novel The Kite that special person is Daddy Sherry – who, at 111 years, was believed to be the oldest person in the world!

When the fall colours come into full bloom and the geese are practicing formation flying, one particular story in this book overflowing with stories comes to mind. It’s about what happened when Daddy Sherry was in his hundredth year.

This man was crotchety, proudly independent and set on having his way. He had a dream about taking his old gun out for one more goose hunt. The local doctor, minister and undertaker decided they would try to make his dream come true.

After carefully calculating his requirements, and when and where the geese were coming in for a feed, the guys went to work. They dug a pit large enough for Daddy’s rocking chair, himself and a companion. Fall mornings being what they are, they lined the pit with hot rocks and carpeting and carefully lowered Daddy and his chair. Then they covered the whole thing with artificial turf from the funeral home. Only his head was exposed.

You have to read the book to learn the outcome. But if you know small communities you can imagine the comradery, the familiarity of living together for decades, and the importance of helping a buddy live out a dream.

What I appreciated about the book is the way Mitchell so clearly named the values handed on to others. The boy, Keith, was proud to have Daddy Sherry be his mentor, but he also clearly understood his role in helping Daddy face some of the rough spots that accompany aging.

Whether our roots are in the city or the country, we find truths told that we can identify with as we find ourselves ripening. These may be “rural” values, but they stand strong in our Global Society.

Autumn Renewal: A Recollection – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 01 Oct 2016 16:14:00 GMT

I was stressed, exhausted and feeling sorry for myself. The day was overfilled with meetings and details that needed attention. In between, I had to stop by our local Park to pick up a friend.

Near the Park entrance a magnificent display of autumn splendour catapulted my thoughts from WOE to WOW! Brilliant yellow aspens were framed by green fir, red kinnikinik and a royal blue sky. My anxiety melted. Despair changed to delight.

By the time I pulled up to my friend’s cottage, my better senses assumed control. I appreciated the invite to supper, and took time to enjoy the moment … Food for the body and food for the spirit.

The sun had set by the time the two of us left the Park, but the memory of the brilliance of that transforming moment repeatedly comes to mind through the cold days of winter … and the smoke shrouded days of August.

“Unto the hills do I left up my eyes” the Psalmist wrote. Out there he was reminded that his help comes from the Lord. Whether it be the beauty of wild prairie, the comfort of a mountain valley, or the exquisiteness of a garden, these gifts of the Creator are like drops of living water feeding parched spirits.

Each of us has some corner of creation where we can look on the face of God.

When we are overwhelmed by anxiety and sadness, and our spirits feel crushed, let us look to the hills and remember the Creator.

As we watch the autumn leaves fall like tears, let us not dwell on the emptiness, but remember that this is how the trees prepare for spring.

We, too, can learn to let go of our burdens so our wounds have opportunity to heal. This we can do knowing God so graciously cares for us.

Flowers Leave Their Fragrance – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 24 Sep 2016 19:04:00 GMT

Our community faced a decade of disaster between 1990 and 2003. There were murders, drought and grasshoppers, a major flood knocking out 19 bridges in the Municipality, prairie fires to the north of us and forest fires to the West … And then there was BSE, which devastated the livestock industry. The weight of depression was evident everywhere.

From out of the quagmire, a request came from The Town for volunteers who might form a community beautification group. 20 people came to the meeting. 7 of them formed the “Pincher Planters”. Their mission: to create some beautiful flower beds within this spirit-broken community.

There was a sod-turning. A load of topsoil was delivered. Contributions of plants were donated by garden enthusiasts and by the greenhouses in the area. The fledgling group began digging and planting. They started in the Cenotaph Park, and developed a new bed around the “Pincher” sculpture after which the community is named.

Those volunteers, over the past 20 years, have tenaciously involved themselves in the “Communities in Bloom” challenges and have involved the whole community. Over the years the judges have presented awards for regional, national and international recognition.

This year 24 beds have been cared for in 8 spots around town. There’s been an average of 700 – 800 volunteer hours per year. One of the original volunteers has remained faithful throughout, while new helpers have brought fresh enthusiasm.

I love to see them like a flock of robins hunkered close to the ground digging, weeding, chuckling and standing to stretch tired backs and knees.

When a forum of regional leaders met several years ago, our mayor described how the work of the Pincher Planters made it possible for the community to start healing after our time of devastation.

There’s a Chinese proverb about flowers leaving some of their fragrance on the hands that bestow them. What a blessing those flowers have been to we who enjoy them, and to those who have worked so hard to brighten our streets.

Volunteers are one of our rural communities’ richest blessings.

Blog Announcement – by Joyce Sasse

Sun, 18 Sep 2016 02:08:00 GMT

The 260 paintings by Annora Brown, which have been preserved for 50 years in the Glenbow Museum’s Archives, can now be viewed at http://ww2.glenbow.org/search/collectionsSearch.aspx , and prints can be purchased.

The 15 Cameo stories I wrote about this Fort Macleod artist’s extraordinary life can be read at www.fortmacleodgazette.com/specialsection/annora-brown .

So many individuals over the years have helped me bring this project to this point. I’m ever so grateful, and ever so thrilled to make this announcement.

In-spirited – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 17 Sep 2016 14:37:00 GMT

We get depressed when we give in to our baser nature. So many issues and problems confront us daily – issues of health, of family, of finances; issues of broken relationships, of conflict, of negativity and fear-mongering.

It happens because we are mortal beings who have to face the realities of failure, of conflict, of aging, of death … But that’s not the whole story.

Something of God’s DNA is implanted in each of us. Some think of that imprint as our “soul”. Just as we learn to nurture and develop our physical self, so too we have to give attention to our spiritual self. One minister referred to it as being in-spirited (inspired) to seek after what gives our lives depth and purpose.

When being intentional about our spiritual selves we might try to develop a “fitness program” for our souls. Ask questions about right and wrong, truth and falsehood, positivity and negativity. Acknowledge that which is painful, but look for glimpses of hope. Listen for stories of those who have experienced crises but found sources of strength to carry on. Search for practices that can be soul-building – like prayer, meditation, belonging to a faith-building community, finding mentors that inspire.

In the Christian story we learn about a God who loves what has been created, who is compassionate enough to come in the person of Jesus to show us our heritage, and who dwells in our midst through the Holy Spirit. We can strengthen our capacity to be touched by reverence, wonder and gratitude.

Priscilla Warner has written “The world is imperfect, but there are millions of perfect moments.” We are enriched as we seek how to share this blessing with others.

In a hymn about being touched by the presence of the Spirit, we sing “In the passage of her flight, her song rings out through the night, full of laughter, full of light” … that joy-filled Spirit dwells in each of us.

First Time Away – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 10 Sep 2016 15:21:00 GMT

Big changes happen in the lives of rural students when they leave for University.

During my first Pastorate the congregation funded me to make a fall visit with students from our region attending first year University. Over supper we talked about how their ‘digs’ were, and what was happening with their studies and the rest of their lives.

The message was that the home-folks cared about them, and everyone would be glad to see them at Christmas.

The students in the Regina and Saskatoon gatherings seemed to appreciate the occasion. But four boys attending the Technical Institute in Moose Jaw had their own agenda.

They arrived at the Dining Room in suits and ties. “Please show us the right way to do things so we can bring our girlfriend to a place like this” they asked, “and don’t waste time talking things through. Show us what to do.”

I felt a bit like a mother hen as I discussed the menu with the waitress, ordered for myself, offered a thanksgiving prayer, reached for the appropriate table-ware and hosted our group. They were so cool! By the end of the evening we had bonded and were so happy to see each other at Christmas.

Because the story goes back 50 years, we may think our young people are more sophisticated – but expressions of care are always appreciated. Today chaplains at our various educational institutions invite us to support their student food banks, send care packages for study week and keep their chaplaincy funded so they can act on our behalf.

While we are at home our roots are nurtured. But it takes time to learn to use our wings. In the in-between-times, how wonderful to be reminded God loves us and so do the folks from home.

Powers of Enslavement, Then and Now – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 03 Sep 2016 15:06:00 GMT

Fear builds when people are bullied, and fear causes paralysis of the spirit.

Remember the story about Jesus driving the demonic spirits out of two raving men? The evil spirits entered a herd of swine, and they drowned themselves.

When the people from the area heard what happened, they begged Jesus “to leave the territory”. Why were they afraid?

Lutheran Professor Cam Harder gives us background to the story.

The ancient historian Josephus reported on how Roman soldiers had invaded this pastoral region to the southeast from Galilee. They ransacked, plundered, raped and enslaved the people and the land. Then they forced the people to produce food for the Empire.

The two deranged men who met Jesus were victims of their brutality. They could no longer make a living for their families, and they lost the right to speak out as responsible citizens. All of this drove them to madness.

When Jesus challenged the demons that possessed the men, and made them flee, the news quickly spread. But, instead of being grateful for the healing gesture, everyone cowered in fear and told Jesus to “go away”.

What if the Romans got wind of this? Would their punishment be even more severe this time? Because of the cloud of fear, they were certain it was better to remain as obedient slaves of the Empire than be thankful for the healing of the two men.

I appreciate Harder explaining this difficult scripture passage. But I wish he and the story had gone on. What did Jesus do next?

Do we have fears that grip and immobilize us? Can we see how corporate powers have over-taken our communities and our lives? How they bombard us with advertising propaganda and compel us to buy everything in sight? Does this forced compulsion cause us to close our ears to any who might show us a better way? There is much to ponder about our own lives as we reflect on this story.

The Bigger Picture – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 27 Aug 2016 01:04:00 GMT

“We mortals are like ants at a picnic”, James Taylor writes, pointing out how narrow our world can become. “We busy ourselves with crumbs and miss the bigger picture.”

In paraphrasing Psalm 99 in the book Everyday Psalms , Taylor reflects on how easy it is to allow our thinking to be buried in a rut while our world is so full of the grandeur of God.

“God embodies all that is right and good.” He quotes what Paul writes to the church in Philippi. “Fill your minds with those things that are good and deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely and honourable …”

I think about these things as people ask how my summer has been. It would be easy to get caught in the rut of despair, clouded by natural disasters, unspeakable stories of terrorist activities and political wrangling. We might even feel ourselves being dumbed down by others urging us to buy cars we don’t have to drive, smart phones with apps that order our latest desire at the push of a button and google maps that might or might not get us to our desired destination.

The God who created us has given us great capacity for beauty and trust, for truth telling and peace building, for looking at grains of sand to see wonders beyond belief.

Taylor writes more. “Our spiritual ancestors stumbled over God’s unexpected presence … When they stubbed their toes, God forgave them … and watched over them … and guided their feet ….”

That is the same God who watches over us, walks alongside us and demonstrates through Jesus how we can live together in harmony.

May your journey through the summer and into the fall help you look for the bigger picture of God’s life-giving graciousness.

Embracing Failure – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 20 Aug 2016 14:47:00 GMT

No matter the high points in one’s life, faux pas can haunt the nightmares and erode the self-esteem of any off us.

But apparently this is not the norm for most Icelanders, according to Eric Weiner in “The Geography of Bliss”. Not only are the people of Iceland aren’t anxious about failure, they admire it as a reminder they aren’t afraid to try something. A rejected manuscript is better than no manuscript submitted. Young people developing a garage band are free to develop their skills without expecting early success. This attitude leads to a country full of very creative people.

By tweaking our thinking, can we also transform our pain and embarrassment into something worth while?

In Scriptures the Apostle Paul gives listeners in the Port City of Corinth thoughtful suggestions as he lays out expectations about being followers of Christ. Hang loose because there’s a difference between what faith-filled followers do and how the world perceives their actions. Don’t aspire after wealth or power. Don’t think yourself superior and stand in judgement over others. Others may treat you like garbage because they think you are foolish. Don’t fear! Be a “fool for Christ’s sake”. The spirit of love that you experience by practising this “foolishness” will enrich your life and the lives of others.

In today’s language – instead of being fearful of being judged by others, or fearing judgement of ourselves, venture forth with new dreams and greater expectations. In a grasping world, we can be advocates for contentment. In a judging world, we can transform blows to acts of kindness. In a world devoid of hope, point to the sunrise of a new day.

Fred Kaan’s hymn says “Make us afraid of the thoughts that delay, / faithful in all the affairs of today. / Keep us, O God, from playing it safe;/ thank you for now is the time of our life.”

Life’s Challenges – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 13 Aug 2016 14:31:00 GMT

“How am I ever going to cope?” The challenge involved in my getting a new computer runs parallel with so many of the challenges we have to face in everyday living.

The reminder is that we simply have to carry on even when the burden of facing imminent change seems overwhelming.

It helps if we can pause long enough to recall what we have met as we faced other challenges and survived. Somewhere deep within, there are tools that equip us. There are supports that enable us.

At first we flounder. We feel helpless and alone. Along comes a friend, or a memory, or a moment when we catch a glimpse of hope. Maybe it’s just enough to help us believe it is possible to move ahead. Slowly, hesitantly, overwhelmed at times by fears and tears, we gather courage to venture one more step into the unknown. It’s OK.

We remind ourselves it takes time to accept the changes and make the necessary adjustments. We remember to pause before we exhaust ourselves. Step back. Reflect on what has happened. Check to see if today is an improvement over yesterday … and the day before. Anticipate how it might be possible to make one more step.

“Slow me down, Lord” … Ease the feelings of helplessness … of isolation … of despair. Remind me of the simple gifts you offer new each day. Help me realize my potential and recognize my limitations.

Whatever the challenges, however great the burdens, help us remember to offer thanks for the air, food, water and love that sustain us and enable us to carry on.

May I, in turn, look for ways I can be a support to others.

About Worms and Such – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 06 Aug 2016 14:53:00 GMT

Garden- work makes me remember back a few years when I invited neighbour boys to help me build a worm-farm. The farm was contained in a wooden box, with moist bedding and protection from the sun and yard critters.

Worms were collected from the garden and from the sidewalk on rainy mornings. It’s amazing how much a two year old can spot when built so close to the ground. It’s challenging to find the right approach so the five year old might take his farm-chores seriously.

Later that summer the boys’ mother asked if I knew they were being transferred out of the community (because I was usually told everything that happened at home). “I thought not”, she replied when I shook my head. “Tommy’s upset and doesn’t want to talk about it. Would you see what you can do to help him?”

“I just thought I’d mention”, I told the boys next day, “you’ve been such a help, I don’t think I could take care of this worm-farm without you.”

It took a few more days of hinting and suggesting before Tommy asked, “What would happen if you couldn’t take care of things?”

“Probably it would be best to put them back in the garden.” That’s when the tears flowed as the story of moving was told and hugs were exchanged. We dug a shallow trench so our little buddies could be released to make worm-condos.

Just before the family moved, the little one and I dug potatoes for their supper. Believe it or not, we’d gotten to know our crawlers so well that Nathan spotted “The King”! Worms can become pets.

Our shared summer experience affirm what gifts surround us. Treasures found in God’s world are more precious than any I-Pad or Face Book or story-made-for TV can deliver.

How fortunate we are to be embraced in the arms of our Creator!

Toward Good Relationships – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 16:38:00 GMT

In our church service based on the theme ”A Journey Toward Good Relationships”, speakers helpfully shared two perspectives of Canadian history. As we listened, glimpses of the propaganda espoused by Church and Government policies became self-evident.

Our Blackfoot member spoke first. To justify taking possession and colonizing territories which “explorers” in the 15 ^th and 16 ^th centuries “discovered”, Church authorities passed “The Doctrine of Discovery”. Lands claimed were declared “terra nullius” – no man’s land. Colonizers argued the inhabitants already on those lands were only occupiers (not owners) – so they were not given consideration to even be in existence.

“The underlying argument was the belief that the colonizers were bringing civilization to savage people who could never civilize themselves” according to the Truth and Reconciliation Report. It rested on a belief of racial and cultural superiority by one culture over another.

With this as justification, the residential school system tried to annihilate Aboriginal cultures and self-respect. This was largely hidden through most teaching about Canadian History until survivors of the system were finally able to find the strength, courage and support to bring their experiences to light.

The 2 ^nd speaker briefly described Mennonite history (from Europe to Canada) and culture (with a focus on pacifism). While Mennonites also had a close affinity with the land, it was because they were good farmers and could make the land very productive. Governments invited them to come and settle on “vacant land”.

The true history of the land they settled was not evident at the time. For example the Red River Valley was available because the Government ignored the Métis claims to get land titles. Also the lush land of the Fraser Valley was vacant only because the Japanese-Canadian farmers were forcibly removed from their property in WW II.

We know the Government didn’t always keep its word with us, but now we also “realize, in looking back, that we as a people have benefited only because of the loss of another ….”

Only as we help each other share perspectives, and listen to understand, can we begin to Journey Toward Good Relationships.

Rural Ramblings – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 23 Jul 2016 14:38:00 GMT

When did you last share a conversation about living in a small community? Have you thought about “rural” being a culture?

With grandchildren, for example, it’s fun taking them into the garden or the field to look for critters and talk about how they help make healthy soil. A small magnifying glass is a real asset.

With someone married into the family, ask what she had to learn about family expectations. What’s different about doing business among family and friends?

What stories would be helpful to share with a couple newly retired into town? Was their decision to move simply economic? Are they finding ways to add diversity in what seems to be a stayed community?

Even though people may not talk much about their spiritual lives, in what ways have they experienced the presence of God in their lives?

Are rural people willing to share their insights about the weather, the landscape, the topographical changes over the years? These, too, are important aspects of our culture.

A young bride told me how upsetting it was that one wall of their first home was actually part of the corral. The angst!

Another woman, recently widowed, was overwhelmed when a youth group volunteered to scrape and paint her fence – something that had been the pride of her husband.

Joys and sorrows, expressions of support, memories shared, hearts and ears open to listen and care. All of these give voice to what our rural spiritual values are. The stories are more profound than any Sunday sermon. Through them the Creator helps us understand what’s special about being rural. They show us how we can help each other discover values like joy, peace, hope, love.

While only a few individuals in the community can create more jobs for our youth, all of us can help them be proud of their rural roots. Gifts that last a life-time!

Living Up To Expectations – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:47:00 GMT

“Could you help tell the story next Sunday?” I asked 7-year old James. “It’s about a clown, and I need somebody to mime the part”.

James’ disruptive skills at school, in church and at home were notorious. But underneath I sensed he needed affirmation.

We met. We talked about the role. He was the congregation’s darling that Sunday.

Maybe I was pushing my luck, but three months later, when I was invited to conduct a couple of out-of-town services, I asked if he could help again. “It’s going to be a long day”, I warned. “We drive an hour each way, and you have to sit through two church services! But I really need your help. Can you handle it?”

I told a friend at our first service that James was coming and would appreciate having someone sit with him. On the way I also told him about my friend.

Everything new! Strange setting! Long drive! Tense though James was, he pulled his part off like a veteran … and received kudos from everyone.

“Better go for a run”, I suggested before we got in the car. “One more service to go.”

Fortunately at the second church there was a woman who had been in nursing training with his mom. Wow! Neat!

Again James performed his part beautifully. But by the time we got ready for the drive home I could see he was wilted. He had his run to let off steam, then asked to stop at a gift shop we would be passing to get a card for his dad.

I promised an ice-dream treat for the both of us, and gave the reassurance that no one could have done better than he did.

From then till now he and I share a special friendship. It’s sometimes as simple as someone knowing you can be special!

We are reminded – God made each of us, and God doesn’t make junk!

Issues That Only God Can Handle – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 09 Jul 2016 15:06:00 GMT

Job was a pretty cool guy according to the Biblical story-tellers. But I think they were also trying to convey how haunting stress can be for all of us.

At the heart of the story lies the assertion God doesn’t cause suffering. However when we face desperate moments, we ask “What wrong did I do that caused this?”

The opening of the story is a mega-tragedy. Job, a fine, upright man, was suddenly hit by one calamity after another. His livestock were stolen, his crops were destroyed, his sons and daughters were killed … and ultimately ulcerated sores covered his body.

Still he staunchly maintained he had done nothing wrong that would trigger God’s judgment and wrath, though I’m sure he spent many sleepless nights and had clouds of despair darken his days.

To explain the point, the old sage dared to recite a monologue in “God’s voice”. It was a powerful, challenging voice. “Job, where were you when I made the world? … Who decided how large it would be? … Who closed the gates to hold back the sea? … Have you ever in your life commanded a day to dawn? …” The extremities of God’s work rolled out like an epic drama.

It’s not mean to diminish the problems and suffering any of us face. But, it is a reminder that we understand God to be powerful, compassionate, and One who is ready to help us handle whatever situations we face.

Our minister said, “Sometimes we spend all our energy trying to deal with issues only God can handle.” Don’t flail yourself. Recognize our precious God-asset.

“Wow”, Job concluded. In the past others told me about you, “but now I’ve met you face-to-face.” That helps me understand your gracious enormity!

Friends, don’t feel you have to shoulder all life’s burdens. Acknowledge those issues that are better left to God!

Building Good Relationships – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 02 Jul 2016 15:41:00 GMT

“Lovely day Misses”, the voice echoed across the parking lot. I look around with surprise and delight to see a Pikanii acquaintance smiling and waving. The gesture is indicative of a significant difference of mood happening on our streets as Indigenous and non-Indigenous folks share smiles and greetings. It seems the country’s efforts with the “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” are making a difference.

It’s been a privilege to help plan a cross-cultural gathering titled “A Journey Toward Good Relationships”. Through sharing fellowship and spiritual reflection, Blackfoot and non-Blackfoot participants are inviting each other to build positive relationships of respect.

As our committee members have shared understandings, I’ve been reminded that the Traditional Blackfoot Territory (before Treaty 7) extended from the North Saskatchewan River (Edmonton) to the Yellowstone River, and from the Continental Divide to the Sand Hills (in Saskatchewan).

I’m mindful, too, that the grief experienced by those who suffered from attempts at cultural genocide does not suddenly give way to celebration. But those who have endured so much deserve the esteem of all of us.

It’s amazing how so many members of our First Nations’ Peoples are making significant contributions in the fields of sport, medicine, education, law, politics, science, etc …

Our special gathering will take place at Waterton Peace Park and World Heritage Site. It is a special place for the Blackfoot as their “Waterton Bundle” is one of their most sacred ceremonial possessions.

We will have a Blackfoot educator help us reset our understanding of who her people are, and the changes pending in our education curriculums.

We will have a neighbour who has lived near the Pikanii Reserve all his life talk about never really understanding why his neighbours faced so much hardship.

With scripture and prayer, music and story, we will give thanks for the opportunities that lie before us … and pray for God’s blessing on our endeavours.

(Sunday July 24, 10:30 am at Waterton Park United Church. Spiritual reflection time will be followed by a Pot-luck picnic. )

Of Things Spiritual – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 25 Jun 2016 15:12:00 GMT

A mountain-man friend wrote in his memoirs about finding connection with the church through a minister he admired. One thing led to another. My friend and his family became involved in church activities and he became part of the congregation’s building committee.

When the family started attending Bible Study, under the leadership of the “new” minister, things changed. Asked for an explanation of a particular story, a persistent young family member sought more clarification. The minister finally declared “(It’s like that) because I said so.”

That authoritarian response was enough to turn the whole family away from institutional religion …!

Over the years the Church is seen to be the place where one goes for baptisms, wedding and funerals. Clergy are trained in Biblical studies, learning how to offer pastoral support and represent their particular Denomination in the community.

But, rather than being told what they should believe, seekers of faith-matters want help reflecting on their own experiences with the Almighty. Ready answers and “because I said so” answers don’t cut it. The point is to find ways to help enable dialogue and enrich an individual’s insights. Each of us has to find our own way to meet God face-to-face.

My friend had many experiences with the Creator as he traversed the deep valleys and stood on the peeks of the Rockies. He also witnessed ceremonies celebrated with his Blackfoot neighbours and saw the way their traditions nurtured them. He treasured the relationship he had with those Christians who encouraged him on his spiritual journey. At the conclusion of his memoir he shared a quote from Henry David Thoreau. “Let nothing come between you and the light. Respect (others) … When you travel to the celestial city, carry no letter of introduction. When you knock, ask only to see God – not one of the servants.”

Making Choices – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 18 Jun 2016 15:32:00 GMT

In our life-journey what difference do our choices make?

In the funeral service for Muhammad Ali, friend and former President Bill Clinton spoke with conviction about this.

“Ali decided when he was very young to write his own life story … The choices he made (are what) has brought us here.”

He was a man of colour who grew up through the era of the Civil Rights Movement. He lived in circumstance others considered “poor”. But he was rich in resolve to be a winner.

As an activist he repeatedly provoked controversy. People quickly polarized around what he did inside and outside the boxing ring. There was his conversion to Islam, the change to use his “slave name”, his expressions of racial pride and the way he spoke out against white domination. There was also his choice to be a conscientious objector instead of being drafted in the Vietnam War.

Ali refused to become a victim. He showed how to live with the consequences of what he believed however tough those consequences might be in the first part of his life.

Clinton focused, then, on the midway time when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Syndrome – “a disease that kept him hamstrung longer then Nelson Mandela was kept in prison in South Africa.” That’s when he knew he could never be in control of his life.

But because he was a man of faith, that faith allowed him the freedom to make choices about how he lived. He recognized and celebrated the gifts of heart and mind that helped him express that freedom.

After naming the choices Muhammad Ali drew on every day, Clinton addressed us. “Ali perfected gifts we all have!” We need never be disempowered when it comes to writing our own story. We can each make the best use of our gifts of heart and mind.

Getting Along With Neighbours – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 11 Jun 2016 15:15:00 GMT

Getting alone with our neighbours can be a challenge, especially when we live side-by-side for a long time. Coping with conflicting relationships brings to mind the sign on a plumber’s van. It read “A Laugh is as Good as a Flush”, which suggests a healthy way of handling issues.

Here’s what happened on my street The crusty old guy next door kept parking his tuck in front of my living room window.

“Can’t you tell him to move it?” friends insisted.

“I’m trying to figure out what to say” I replied. “But I want to try to handle it like a lady .” I understood he moved it each day to quiet his wife. She didn’t like to see it when she looked out her living room window.

After several periods of daytime parking, he started to leave the truck in front of my place over-night.

One the third night a rancher neighbour pulled into town late in the evening, and parked his horse trailed in the vacant space in front of the elderly couple’s bedroom/living room window. The trailer had one critter in it.

It was only there a few hours while the cowboy grabbed a bit of shut-eye. But every time the critter inside moved, the sound of restless hooves echoed through the hollow metal trailer and into the night.

Being a warm evening, all of our bedroom windows were open! I stood at my window and chuckled. “Thank you God!” I knew instantly that my lady-like answer had come – with me never having to say a word. The Almighty must have a wonderful sense of humour.

First thing next morning, as soon as the trailer was moved, the old rattle-trap in front of my place was driven forward. And the space under “the Queen’s” window was never left vacant again.

I’m sure even the heavenly host had a bit of a giggle!

Ladies Who Serve – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 04 Jun 2016 15:02:00 GMT

If the book “Matrons and Madams” was being discussed by a group of Lethbridgites, I would like to ask where facts fade and fiction takes over? While the publisher of Sharon Johnston’s book states all characters in this story are fictitious, anyone familiar with Lethbridge, Alberta will find many familiar landmarks. And any reader of journalist James Gray’s “Red Lights on the Prairie” will see part of the history of the city at the time of World War I come to life. Also, Mrs. Johnston indicates in a post-script that her Grandmother actually did serve as Matron of the Galt Hospital in the time between the end of the Great War and the onset of the Great Depression.

Lethbridge mentionables include its coalmining history, and the Galt Hospital with both the Red Light district and China Town next door. It was a time when badly wounded war veterans were needing more care than the medical facilities of a small prairie city could muster. It was a time when booze was served along with prostitution, and when venereal disease was often an unexpected by-product.

Johnston, in researching the story, shows insights and experience that reaches far beyond Rideau Hall (where she shares residence with our current Governor General). With her training in rehabilitation science, she lifts to the fore the plight of soldiers who returned with missing limbs and traumatized minds that cast heavy shadows over the rest of their lives.

In the story we have two widowed women: the Matron ( Galt Hospital Superintendent Clara Durling) and the Madam ( The Last Post owner Lily Parsons). With compassion and creativity they find ways to reach out to care for those in need.

We are reminded again it is through hearing stories from within our communities that we learn our history and see how our spiritual values have shaped us. It is no surprise that story tellers have a special place in each culture. Thank you Sharon Johnston.

All Victims Suffer – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 28 May 2016 15:34:00 GMT

For those who take notice, it is apparent that there is a great deal of suffering within Aboriginal communities. If you pay closer attention you may notice it goes back a long way.

Justice Murray Sinclair, speaking about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada , points to beginnings that reach back seven generations. That’s when it became the policy of our Government to “tell Aboriginal children their lives were not as good as the non-Aboriginals of the country. Their languages and cultures were irrelevant … their people and their ancestors were heathens and pagans … uncivilized … they needed to give up that way of life and come to a different way of living.”

Cultural genocide such as this leaves a terrible swath of destruction and degradation. The suffering is almost unbearable.

Sinclair doesn’t stop at describing only the plight of his own people. He spoke about the way “White children have been taught the same thing”. This is what Dr. Olive Dickason called “The Myth of the Savage ”.

This negative propaganda has prejudiced non-Native people to the extent that disrespect, anger, despair and feelings of guilt cloud our relationships with Indigenous People. Huge walls of resentment over-shadow our lives and victimize us.

We can’t go on like this. Canada and its people can become a Great Society only when we tear those walls of falsehood down, lament our past and move toward a more complete future.

John Ralston Saul has written about the remarkable resurgence of Aboriginal people in positions of increasing power, creativity and influence. From their languages, their culture, and the experience of a People who have inhabited this land for thousands of years, they are enabled because they have strength and courage.

We are reminded this movement toward Reconciliation is the greatest issue of our time. Let’s move ahead together!

The Gift of Friendship – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 21 May 2016 15:27:00 GMT

She’s proud to be 96 years old, proud to be able to transfer herself from her bed to her chair (in spite of having both legs amputated), and proud to be able to continue looking at the positive side of life.

65 years ago, when a handful of young girls in our tiny community wanted to form a C.G.I.T. group, Jessie Snow volunteered to be our leader. She was a bride from “The East” raising a family, managing a ranch and caring for aging parents.

Not only did she make time for us, she learned what she could about leadership and found a vocation for herself as a youth counselor.

It was a wonderful way for us to learn about babies and stuff (since we accompanied her through three additional pregnancies and child rearing).

It was also a way to learn about organizational work and group dynamics as we practiced rules of order, conducted meetings and planned projects.

Our motto “to cherish health, seek truth, know God and serve others”.

Early in our group life we decided our church, newly built after a fire, needed a carpet down the aisle and across the front. Why not get it? Jessie backed our venture with the money she was saving for a fur coat. (It was the 50’s!)

It is amazing how the enthusiasm and audacity to five 12-year olds could encourage church and community members to support our venture.

At our Christmas Vesper Services, she thoughtfully found a way to suggest I could better contribute through doing readings instead of with my off-key singing.

Years later we both were overwhelmed by tears as I made my ordination vows.

Our conversations now are bounced off lives full of challenges and opportunities. Pain, grief and death have been there in full, as well as joy and great memories.

Thank God for those who nurture us and encourage us to realize our potential!

The Creator’s Way – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 14 May 2016 15:48:00 GMT

It’s reassuring that the Saskatoon bushes and crab apple trees are in such resplendent bloom this year, following a dry mild winter and an even drier and warmer spring. The over-production of bloom is a reminder that, in spite of the threats those plants face, nature has a way of taking care of its own. The excess of seeds ready for another year insures there is enough for new beginnings.

Remember the scripture verse about “consider the lilies of the field” and the way God cares for them? That’s nature’s way! That’s the Creator’s way.

The same kind of resilience is built into our DNA. When we face disaster, threats to our health or to our finances, doubt surges up like bile. But we have implanted within us incredible survival reserves.

Give thanks for the way shedding tears can relieve stress and help us restore perspective.

I think of the medley of people around us being like blossoms on a lilac flower. They are reminders that we are not alone, that there is strength in our togetherness. The readiness of so many lending hands are our assets. That’s why God gave us each other. Nature’s way is the Creator’s way!

Add the stories of survival from out of the ashes of Fort McMurray. Remember the Syrian woman who came to Edmonton as a refugee a few months ago. She felt so privileged to help the fire victims because she knew what it was like to lose everything in an instant. Now she could do something for others.

An image of Jesus with arms outstretched is a way of showing how ready God is to enfold us and our world in an embrace. The hymn writer Marty Haugen has written “Healer of our every ill, light of each tomorrow, give us peace beyond our fear, and hope beyond our sorrow.”

Faith Communities Provide Essential Service – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 07 May 2016 15:33:00 GMT

Ready or not, disasters never announce themselves. Furthermore, the frequency of weather-related disasters is increasing.

Faith Communities need to establish themselves as part of the essential service infrastructure in both urban and rural situations. Their help is invaluable, though it will never be reported in the media.

While the primary concern of First Responders is in mitigating destruction and saving lives, people who are part of Faith Communities need to be there for people who are displaced, distraught and riding an emotional roller coaster.

Some disaster preparation by your church or synagogue or mosque community would give a heads-up on where to begin. People with a local knowledge of the situation are invaluable when they ready themselves to swing into immediate action – especially when located at a distance from larger urban centres.

During that long period of recovery following a disaster, Faith Communities can model a positive way to provide emotional and spiritual care. That involves being non-judgmental in cases where anger and blame are rampant, and in offering rituals for lament and grief. Words and songs at such a time, and the reminder that God is present with us in this time of tragedy, can help people move from PAIN to HOPE.

What is important is that these counselors are part of the community for the long-run. Spiritual care workers are usually quickly invited into people’s lives in a very deep and personal way. But everyone needs to recognize there is a cost. Compassion fatigue happens, and it is even deeper than burnout.

Resiliency in the lives of individuals and the life of the community is an ultimate goal. To deal with the adversity and move forward is essential. Each member has a contribution and can make a difference. The goal is not to re-establish what was, but to move ahead to what can be.

(For further reference see www.circle-m.ca “Church and Community Crisis Response Training”)

Like a Mother’s Love – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 30 Apr 2016 15:01:00 GMT

Can you imagine how fear must have crushed the heart of the youngster? Ann Weems paints a poetic picture in her book Multiply The Gift .

“It was a family treasure, that vase, that golden vase that belonged” to my great-grandmother, my grandmother and now to my mother.

We can visualize little fingers reaching up … as the youngster stood on tiptoes to lift the object of beauty and curiosity off the mantel.

She knew it was special, and planned how she would handle it ever so carefully. But it was heavier than she thought and it slipped and fell as she, too, fell.

“Golden pieces of once a family treasure – valueless – that moments before was priceless.”

She began to cry, huge gasping sobs “that brought my mother running.”

She could hardly get it out! “I broke the vase … the treasure.”

“Then my mother gave me a gift. A look of relief (came) over her face. (And she said) ‘Oh, I thought you’d been hurt!’ And then she hugged to her the one who had just moments before broken the family treasure.”

The poet continued. “She gave to me a gift: she made it very clear that I was the family treasure. I was what was priceless and of great value. She also made it very clear where her heart was.”

Any who have had a frightening grace-filled moment will immediately grasp similar images put to us by Jesus. We are God’s treasures. Even when disastrous circumstances blacken our day, the warmth of God’s forgiveness and love enfolds us in the same way the mother showed the child it was she who was priceless and of great value.

Each day has troubles enough of its own. But we live in God’s world and we are repeatedly assured of God’s love for us.

Treasured Recipes – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 23 Apr 2016 16:08:00 GMT

It might be quickest to “Google” a recipe, but no screen-display carries the meaning we find in a recipe card marked “Aunt Clara’s Cocktail Crisps”.

That card brings with it special memories of the proud farmer and grandmother who expressed her best self through the food she served. I recall, having given a 5-year-old great granddaughter a blank paged “recipe book”, watching the younger pretend she was writing Granny’s recipe down while Granny was doing the baking. First class mentoring.

Shortly after a new Nursing Home was built in our region, the Activities Coordinator invited all the residents to submit a favorite recipe so they could produce a cook book. What a treasure! A name and brief biographical note accompanied each submission. But even more, it was a wonderful reflection of the multicultural nature of the region: Ukrainian porgies, Hungarian cabbage rolls, Scottish oatcakes, Irish stew … The one I particularly enjoyed was from an old bachelor on “Turkey Sandwiches”. It started with “First you get a turkey. Then you cook it …”

When a neighbour’s house burnt down one winter while they were away, the ladies thought about their loss of family-favorite recipes and pictures. The women went through their own collections to make copies of the afflicted family’s favorite family recipes and family pictures. We all shed tears as those treasures were presented.

“Google” can pretend it’s “Aunt Anne’s …” but the memory of relationships formed and wisdom shared just isn’t there. “Vanity of vanities”, the Biblical Preacher might say in Ecclesiastes. Like a puff of wind, anything less is so empty.

A cook book grace reads “Lord, we are mindful that this food has already been blessed by sun, earth and rain. We gratefully pray that those hidden gifts of life be a source of strength and joy … as is your presence at this time.”

Re-setting Relationships – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 16 Apr 2016 15:30:00 GMT

While we were talking about how Canada’s Commission on Truth and Reconciliation touches us, our Zimbabwean minister related a story from South Africa.

At the “end” of apartheid, all South African citizens were invited to make confession of their involvement in racist activities.

One man, who worked for the Secret Service, killed another man because he was an activist. But it was actually because of the colour of the victim’s skin.

The Truth Commission had declared that anyone who confessed his wrong-doing would not be criminally charged, but would have to face those whom he had victimized.

The Secret Agent made his confession, and was sent to face the mother of the young man he had killed. It was not easy.

The first thing she asked of him was where is my son’s body buried – so that I may give those remains a proper burial.

Second, she turned to him, held out her arms and said I want you to become like a son to me so that I can give to you what I could not give to him! (Note: not so that he could take care of her, but so that she might give to him …)

Her act of generosity was so overwhelming for them both that their lives were changed. Forgiveness can do strange things.

The story took me back to my Old Testament class. We were studying the passage about “the sins of the fathers” being visited onto the sons to the third and fourth generations. But our Hebrew professor carefully pointed out the common misunderstanding. While there are those who affirm we are forever condemned because of the misdeeds of our ancestors, there is a tiny syntax phrase here which implies we must add “only until” the third generation (as compared with the tens of generations that make up our future.)

As we consider our own role in Reconciliation between peoples, may it be so that we can re-set our relationships as we move into a new day.

Celebrating All of Creation – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 09 Apr 2016 17:01:00 GMT

You might start preparing for your celebration of Earth Day (April 22) by reading Psalm 8. Three thousand years ago the ancient poet, as he looked at the Creation, was overwhelmed by feelings of grandeur and beauty.

What was more, he felt the God who created all this saw fit to treat humankind, one of the creatures, with dignity and respect. The Psalm starts – “O Lord, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world! Your praise reaches up to the heavens… When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars which you set in their place” I see how amazing you are.

Writer James Taylor paraphrases some of the rest of the Psalm by asking “Who am I? Why do you care about mere mortals? We have existed less than a second in the great clock of creation (but) you share the secrets of the Universe with us; you trust us to look after the earth on your behalf.” Can’t you imagine the WOW? “My God, my God! How amazing you are!”

Then, paraphrasing Psalm 111, Taylor continues with the same sentiment. “The bright blue planet spins in the vast darkness of space. Only on this small ball do we know life exists. The vision takes our breath away. Taxes and field mice, humans and whales, eagles and ants – all are woven together in a tapestry of relationships … This egg floating in the dark womb of the Universe is like God’s own embryo. We share an awesome and terrible responsibility.”

Look again to the words of the ancient poet as quoted in Scripture. “All that God does is faithful and just … With all my heart I will give thanks.”

How better to affirm that this is a God of compassion and mercy?

(Paraphrases are from James Taylor’s book Everyday Psalms )

The Empty Halter – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 02 Apr 2016 15:36:00 GMT

The empty halter and the pathetic look on Robbie’s face told it all. Yesterday he sold his first 4-H calf, and just as he had lovingly told the story of caring for and training that calf, he wanted to tell our tiny congregation the rest of the story. The dollars raised weren’t nearly so significant as was the surrender of his pet.

What I appreciated was the fact the church was the place where the sharing of this drama unfolded. Regularly during “check in” time at the beginning of worship there was opportunity for anyone, younger or older, to speak up about their highs, their lows and their prayer concerns. These issues were remembered in the prayers and talked about in the social time that followed. It was our way of building community and affirming the spiritual values that nurtured us.

In the prayers we gave thanks for the way our farmers cared for the land and their livestock. In the hymns we sang about the gifts of Creation and that we are needed to be wise caretakers of this world. As we shared refreshments, Robbie was encouraged to tell and re-tell his story as he worked his way through the emotions buried deep in his heart. Others recalled times when someone in their family had experienced a similar loss. Slowly you could see how various individuals moved through painful moments … to anticipate new ventures.

Not only does it “take a village to raise a child”, but we all need to feel we are part of that village. As such we all have something to offer each other when sharing our delights and our darkness. We also need a safe platform were we can move through that pain to receive reassurance and hope.

That’s what is meant when we sing “Come in and sit down, you are a part of the family.”

Paradise Regained – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 26 Mar 2016 15:50:00 GMT

As we approach the cross we get caught up in the anxieties, wrongdoings and suffering that surrounds us. But, as an Easter People we know there is more to the story.

An anonymous writer gives words to Pilate’s wife who asked “Is he dead?”

“No”, the Centurion replied. “He is not dead. He is let loose in the world!” Forever the ongoing spirit and vitality of Christ exposes the mercy and love of God for all of us.

John’s Gospel opens: “Before the world was created, the Word already existed. He was with God, and He was the same as God. Through Him God made all things. The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to humankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.”

Earlier story-tellers speak of a Paradise (the Garden of Eden) out of which Adam and Eve were expelled because they wouldn’t accept responsibility for their disobedience.

But the Easter stories show how Christ re-opened the gates to “Paradise” thus restoring our ability to live up to our God-given capabilities.

God has a great love-affair with all of Creation, and has given us full capacity to love beauty, justice, joy and peace. The challenge is for us to accomplish that reality. While it is not possible for any of us to do this alone, we do it as we live responsibly, in relationship with each other and with the Creation.

“God did not send the Son into the world to put the world on trial, but so the world might be rescued through him.” (Gospel of John)

The Passion Narratives declare that we should never again be silent in the face of violence, fear, the fragmenting of human community or the suppressing of justice. As an Easter people, we live with dignity and courage.

Lent and the Festival of Life – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 19 Mar 2016 16:30:00 GMT

Lent is a time of introspection. It invites us to look at ourselves as individuals and as Communities of Faith.

Start by looking at what lies at the heart of our Faith. We believe God created us, loves us, and cares for us. We believe God created the ecosphere in which we live. It is an umbilical cord linking us with Mother Earth. We believe God put us in relationship with each other – in families, in communities, in this world. How we regard each other and care for each other says as much about ourselves as it does about others.

We sit daily at the great Festival of Life. How we participate in that Festival is up to us.

Sometimes we grumble and wish there was more. Sometimes we envy the other person – who always seems to be luckier, more popular, better off, having more fun. Sometimes our thoughts are clouded in anger, in judging others, in carrying grudges. Even though the Festival of Life goes on around us, our lives feel heavy, burdened, maybe even filled with despair.

But the message of Lent and Easter is that it doesn’t have to be that way. At a Festival we can throw our crutches away. We can open ourselves to the healing rays of sun, of hope, of promise. We can look to see what lies within reach.

The spirit within comes alive as we give attention to what has been given. To experience God’s blessing we may try to do the following:

“Feast on faith, and fast from fear. Feast on service, and fast from selfishness. Feast on love, and fast from jealousy. Feast on contentment, and fast from resentment. Feast on peace, and fast from ill-temper. Feast on joy, and fast from self-pity. Feast on praise, and fast from criticism.” (source unknown)

Thanks be to God!

Paradise: God’s Garden and Ours – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 12 Mar 2016 17:16:00 GMT

According to the earliest stories, God created a magnificent Garden of Eden and turned it over to Adam and Eve.

However, because these humans were not prepared to handle the knowledge associated with Eden, they were separated from the Paradise that surrounded them.

The connection between the two eras was spelled out by John, the Gospel writer, who noted “God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

That connection was affirmed by Jesus. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me”. And “I am come that you might have life, and have it to the full”.

Today those whose faith formation enables them to feel empowered by paradise are compelled to live generously, compassionately and justly – always governed by truth.

As participants in paradise, we become conduits for God’s endless love.

(For deeper understanding about the meaning of “paradise” see the historical-theological text “Saving Paradise”, written by Rita Brock and Rebecca Parker.)

Welcoming The Stranger – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 05 Mar 2016 16:55:00 GMT

The Widow Jacobs was most upset, Professor Carl Dudley recounted in one of his rural ministry workshops, because strangers were sitting in the pew where she and her husband had sat for the past seventeen years.

As happens in so many cases, from the time of his last stroke until now, she never got to church – though she was thankful for the support of so many of its members.

Now, three weeks after the funeral, she was looking forward to getting back but found someone else sitting in her place, their place … and with wiggly, fussy kids besides! It was devastating.

At first chance the following week, she phoned the minister and conveyed her displeasure. He was a sensitive listener who gave her space to vent her frustration. He then asked her to share memories of times she particularly remembered sitting there with her husband.

The minister understood. He also knew something about the new family and their feelings of isolation, for they had left their families and entered a community where they knew no one.

“Would you mind if, next Sunday, I introduced you so you can tell them what you told me?”

It was obvious from the way the two women started to chat that Sunday that this was going to be a happy relationship. Not only did they share the pew from then on, but the new family needed a local senior with whom they could relate. And they certainly filled some of the emptiness that plagued Mrs. Jacobs.

Whether it be the new family in the neighbourhood, the new teacher at school, or the newest member married into the family, each is appreciative of a welcoming word and an invitation to become part of the community. Rural communities can be welcoming places.

The Genetic Imprint of God – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 26 Feb 2016 18:18:00 GMT

Whether it’s because of aging or changes in our financial circumstances or the diminishing of the health of a dear one, life-altering situations often help us more deeply appreciate the great mysteries of life.

In our day-by-day existence we are lured to believe life would be simpler if I had a car that could park itself, or a newer home that didn’t need so many repairs, or a job that wasn’t so demanding.

In our year-by-year existence our dream might be to win the multi-million dollar lottery or acquire the bobbles that indicate our self-made status.

Then there is reality! “I was making good money but …”. “The old ticker just couldn’t take it …”. “I thought we would always be there for each other …”. Words from the old song come back – “Is that all there is…?”

In our desperate times of vulnerability we are opened to fundamental realities. There is something more if we can move beyond our anger. In the novel Lazarus , writer Morris West talks about the genetic imprint (the graffiti) of God, written into each of us, which emerges.

As the Biblical person Lazarus was “recalled from the darkness”, West muses that his whole being was changed. He saw life through a new lens. Like a bulb buried in the ground, Lazarus was compelled to reach for the God-given light, to move upward into a climate of love, compassion, charity and hope. The imprint of God sustained him and changed him.

Someone wrote “God, it’s good to be alive! That’s what death teaches us.”

A modern Church Creed concludes “In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone.”

The genetic imprint of God, deep within our being, helps us seek infinite truths!

The Second Lost Son – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 20 Feb 2016 15:51:00 GMT

What about the Biblical story of the Elder Brother? While the father ran out to greet his “Prodigal” son, the lad who stayed home seethed in jealous rage.

“You never gave me a goat so I could feast with my friends”, he snarled, intentionally humiliating his elderly father in public.

The break between the son and his father had become a chasm. “I slaved for you”, he shouted when his father urged him to join the reunion celebration. “He’s always been your favorite.” It was said with resentment and malice, as if nothing he had ever done at home had the spirit of sonship about it.

“Come and rejoice for this moment”, the older man said in a spirit of reconciliation. “I have rejoiced in your presence daily.” The cry was from the heart of a man known for his graciousness.

But this time his words fell on deafened ears. Nothing more could be said or done.

Jesus, in pointing out the two different natures of the sons in the Parable, also describes the reconciling, non-judgemental love of a gracious God.

The Prodigal is lawless outside The Law. The other, lawless within The Law. Both rebel. Both break their father’s heart. Both end up in a far country: one physically, one spiritually.

The same unexpected love is demonstrated and offered to each. One son accepts the status of being found. The other, so far as we know, remains lost.

It is left for each of us to provide an ending. Did the father convince the older son to come in, or did he remain sulking in the shadows?

At the end, the “dead” son recognizes he has been lost and is in need. But the elder brother might never find his peace.

Observing Lent: Obligation or Opportunity – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:15:00 GMT

Many of my friends observed Lent when I was a kid. There were weighty obligations connected with the fasting and praying and confessions.

However, over the seven weeks of Lent they had “days off” (Sundays and St. Patrick’s Day) when the rules were relaxed and their steps lightened.

These days with the heaviness of health issues, plunging economics, shifting weather patterns … all of us could do with a little time-out.

When the light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel grows dim and we can’t even keep up with our own expectations, wise advise comes from safari-porters hired to carry huge loads. From time to time they simply stopped where they were and refused to move. Why? Their answer “We can’t go on: we have to wait for our souls to catch up with us!”

Strong Roots, Great Shoots – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 06 Feb 2016 17:11:00 GMT

“This place doesn’t have work for our young people!” It’s a common complaint in most rural communities. But we need to look at the other side of the coin.

I ask the grumblers what they are doing to encourage their youth to take pride in their rural roots?

Certainly the availability of jobs is important. But it is more important to give these kids strong rural roots, and encourage them to get out into the world to try their wings, to enlarge their experience, and to gain confidence in themselves through following their dreams. Do this and many of these young people will choose to return to smaller communities, either to work or to retire. And they will bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Families, neighbours, teachers, church and political-minded folks should be mindful of how their words and actions can instill life-giving spiritual values in these young lives. They need to know people care about them, want to encourage them, make them feel they belong.

Those who love the land, care about the ecology and understand the rhythms of nature, need to be intentional about sharing their understandings. Grandparents, teachers and trusted mentors can communicate how important it is to build strong relationships, act responsibly, and care for others.

Kids need to hear stories, not from the artificial world of the TV, nor from the cold world of texting, but from the living world that surrounds them. In quiet ways they can be shown how their roots are anchored in rich traditions, and that strong living plantings reach up and out to wherever their imagination can take them.

Our “Village Values” are an important commodity that the Global World needs, and with these village values, our youth can go anywhere and be the best that we have to share. They can lead us into ever new tomorrows.

Grassroots People Matter – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 30 Jan 2016 17:30:00 GMT

Until recently many outsiders made Saskatchewan the object of derisive jokes. “Who would want to live there?” they scoffed.

Well, I’m mighty glad I was able to study and work in Saskatchewan for more than thirty years.

Coming from Alberta in the Fifties, I knew nothing about political issues. But within minutes of arriving on my student-minister field everyone was abuzz with talk about the coming provincial election. People had opinions and in-put. They were informed and they cared!

When I got to Saskatoon, my first landlady was the widow of one of the founders of the CCF (now ND) Party. I could hardly believe the incredible stories of hardship and dedication those organizers committed themselves to until I searched the archive newspapers to see how they visited even the remotest corners of the Province in the Thirties.

Recently I discovered the founding President of the University of Saskatchewan aspired to develop a “university of the people”. Extension work into the smallest communities was his focus. Around 1914, while 1 in 1,000 people attended University full-time, extension programs touched 1 in 4 people in their home communities. Informed people are vibrant people.

Sitting in on classes at the Western Co-operative College (which trained staff and volunteers concerning co-operative ventures), I saw how instructors respected grassroots communities and helped participants understand how informed people working together could control their own destiny.

My own theological college worked on this same principle. Student ministers, trained in theology, were sent to local communities to learn the real dynamics of day-to-day living and rural spiritual values. What a magnificent training experience the people of the prairies and the parklands provided.

I write these reminiscences by way of saying that hopefully those of us who have been touched by our Saskatchewan experience can pass it on to enrich lives in other communities.

Better Together – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 23 Jan 2016 16:54:00 GMT

“Better Together”. That’s the motto that goes through my mind as I think about maintaining an affiliation between churches in rural communities.

Members from various churches constantly interact with each other at the hockey rink or the service club meeting or over coffee. Yet Sunday morning is when these same people segregate themselves in their various churches to worship and handle the work of their religious denominations.

People on the outside draw their own conclusions about the life and work of “The Church” and see it to be fractionalized. It gives them no incentive to become involved.

But I believe a strong Ministerial Association makes all the difference. When clergy from a variety of denominations can work together, good things can happen on many levels. When clergy can share the things they have in common, and respect each other where there are differences, the community mirrors the same in its respect for the extended Faith Community.

When a Nursing Home was newly opened in a Saskatchewan community, clergy from parishes covering a thousand square miles used it as a focal point where they could get to know each other, coordinate their work, and share prayer, study papers and pastoral responsibilities.

One Easter Monday a fire in the local Catholic church caused damage to the Priest’s office. Fellow clergy immediately thought of his library and organized a community pot-luck supper and hymn sing evening. Thus they were able to fund-raise for the replacement of some of his books.

No Easy Way – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 16 Jan 2016 16:24:00 GMT

It is so easy to grow impatient and lose confidence in trusting our God-given abilities.

A story is told about a man who found a butterfly cocoon. It had one small opening in it, and he watched for several hours as the butterfly struggled to force itself through that tiny hole. When it seemed the tiny creature was exhausted and could push no further, the man decided to take some scissors and snip away the remaining bits of the cocoon to make it easier for the poor thing.

He was sure he had helped a lot, and watched eagerly for the wings to enlarge and expand so they could support the body. But that butterfly never was able to fly. In fact, it crawled around the rest of its life with a swollen body and shriveled wings.

What the man, with all his good intentions didn’t understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle of the butterfly to get through the tiny opening was God’s way of forcing fluid from the body into the butterfly wing so it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Possibly the same is true for us … There is no “easy way”! We seem to go from one struggle to another in life, and wonder why and how we can carry on. We ask what more might be expected and wonder if we will have the strength to face anything more.

When we think of this butterfly story, we recognize that God has given us strength far beyond what we can ever appreciate. In the course of the struggle, our delicate wings are giving us the strength to lift us in surprising ways – and we are freed to be ourselves at our very best. God has made each of us to be unique and special.

Reconciliation … Toward a New Relationship – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 09 Jan 2016 17:47:00 GMT

What does the Truth and Reconciliation Commission wish to accomplish? …

Bile rose in her throat when anyone mentioned the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. My heart ached for my friend, for she, too, was one of the victims of those terrible times.

Not that she saw herself as a victim, for she was a teacher in an Indian School that had both residential and day-school students. As a teacher, she saw herself giving these children opportunity to improve themselves.

“Reconciliation!” she ranted. “What’s there to be reconciled about? And what are they intending to write into any new curriculum about all the stuff that happened them! Leave well enough alone.”

I revisited the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s website ( www.trc.ca/websites/reconciliation ) to see how Justice Murray Sinclair defined “reconciliation”. That’s when I recognized how both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people were victimized by the Canadian Government (and its representatives). “For seven generations” Sinclair says “Aboriginal children were told their lives were not as good as the non-Aboriginals of this country. Their languages and cultures and were irrelevant … their people and their ancestors were heathens and pagans … uncivilized … they needed to give up that way of life and come to a different way of living…” Furthermore, white children were taught the same thing.

Very few questioned that anything was wrong with that way of thinking.

Through story-telling, the photos and the research, the extent of wrong-doing by the Federal Government in its attempt to dispose of Canada’s First Nations becomes more apparent.

What is needed is reconciliation, a healing transformation, a revitalizing of relationship between the Aboriginals and the Canadian society. It will take time, but through education so we can get to know who these peoples really are, in our schools and in our communities, we can move beyond the ignorance, the fear and the racism to develop a deeper respect for each other.

Historical Notes from the Canadian Prairies :

Starvation and terrible suffering of the prairie Aboriginal and Métis People follow the destroying of the buffalo herds. To find more information about Lakota Chief Sitting Bull’s exile (as an example) see “Walsh: a play by Sharon Pollock” (published 1973) and “A Geography of Blood” by Candace Savage (published 2012).

In 1886 Fr. Lacombe took Blackfoot Chief Crowfoot and two other chiefs to Ottawa, via train, to meet with Government officials. On the final night of the visit Crowfoot was presented with a stack of rifles and ammunition by Government Officials. He astounded his hearers by rejecting them with a magnificent gesture as he said “I do not want these guns you would give me. I did not come here to make war – nor to defend myself, because I am with friends here. I have not even a small knife to defend myself … Keep the guns; we have many guns in our country!” When Fr. Lacombe translated the Chief’s words into French “his apparent hurt at the gift and the sincerity of his avowal of friendship struck to the hearts of the impressionable audience … they were seized with the strength of his personality .” Fr. Lacombe: the Black-Robe Voyageur by Katherine Hughes (published in 1911)

The Rabbi’s December Project – Joyce Sasse

Wed, 30 Dec 2015 20:42:00 GMT

Christmas / Hanukah lights got us through the longest nights of the year. But the darkness of depression, pain and anger can still hang heavy.

If we hardly notice lengthened days, thoughts from Rabbi Zalman’s book “The December Project” may be helpful. Through his life the Rabbi found ways to support others when they faced the rough spots. Now, when age and cancer have caught up with him, he writes from the inside-looking-out.

“I’ve still got some mileage left,” he says, “but the end is getting closer. I can hear the footsteps!” His prayer, “Please, when I get old don’t cast me away … You’ve seen me through many trouble spots. Come back to me, invigorate me. From the low depression lift me up. Increase my sense of worth …”

He clings to reality when dealing with pain. “I am in this body, but it’s not what constitutes me.” He advises us to acknowledge the pain … the fear … the anger … the sadness. Stay with it for a while, and it will pass. You may even have to rant or cry or punch something to release the steam … Then move on to treasure life.

About the loneliness, try to develop contemplative tools such as prayer, meditation and reflection. That’s when we can invite God to spend time with us – the quiet, cozy time of just being together. “You (God) have helped me to turn loneliness into precious solitude. What a wonderful privilege this is.”

How important to learn forgiveness by repairing the harm you’ve done to others … by forgiving people who’ve harmed you … and by forgiving yourself. “If you experience intense regret, that’s what the fires of hell are!” It’s tough, but learn from the oyster who uses the irritant under its shell to produce a pearl.

This is how we grow. We can’t stay within the old skin. “We come from God … and we are returning to God.”

Chuckle for the New Year’s Resolve – received from a friend

Tue, 29 Dec 2015 17:25:00 GMT

“I feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape, so I got my doctor’s permission to join a fitness club and start exercising. I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors. I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour.

“But by the time I got my leotards on, the class was over!”

Christmas 2015 Community Prayers – Joyce Sasse

Wed, 23 Dec 2015 17:16:00 GMT

Ever Loving, Ever Living God, you are the Breathe that feeds our spirits and enlivens our existence.

As a helpless child, You came to live among us … to show us how much You understand our frailties and vulnerabilities.

So we pray that this Christmas we may be a blessing to others as we try to live Christ-centred lives.

Joseph At The Front of The Stable – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 18 Dec 2015 16:52:00 GMT

Men have sometimes been labeled as the “stagehands” of Christmas: following through on the orders of their wives, and financing the extravaganza.

But when Ann Weems, in her book Kneeling In Bethlehem , thinks of Joseph’s place in the stable, she envisions him being more central to the Christmas Story.

“Who put Joseph in the back of the stable?” she asks, to stand as “background for the magnificent light of the Madonna?”

Weems recalls how faithful Joseph as been “in spite of the gossip in Nazareth” and “in spite of the threat from Herod”. Actually “it was he who named the Child Emmanuel.”

He was the kind of person who guarded his family and greeted the visitors whatever their status.

“This Christmas, let us give thanks to God for this man of incredible faith, into whose care God placed the Christ Child.”

Notice, too, the way other fathers reach out during the Christmas season to show the love and care they have for their families, and to reflect the deep spiritual truths that makes the season special. Listen to their suggestions, acknowledge their advise, be prepared to even do things in a different way at their behest.

Think of Joseph giving Jesus a grounding so solid that he would later dare to teach others a whole new way of thinking about relationships with each other – and with God.

“As a gesture of gratitude, let’s put Joseph in the front of the stable where he can guard and greet and cast an occasional glance at this Child.”

Mary and Elizabeth – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 12 Dec 2015 16:19:00 GMT

Mary, the young peasant girl, found herself pregnant and scared. Luke tells her story leading up to the Christmas event.

This was supposed to be a blessed occurrence, he tells us, but Mary was confused and alone. She thought of Elizabeth, an older relative known for her wisdom.

Within a few moments the story was told, so far as Mary understood it. What a relief to feel the encouragement and to have one who would help her understand what has happening.

Eventually it was time for Mary to return to face her confused yet devoted fiancé. Elizabeth made suggestions how Mary might encourage him and love him through the bad times they had yet to face.

Out of the rich sharing of sisterhood both women found enough strength to nurture a new generation.

Memories Bring Joy – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 05 Dec 2015 20:49:00 GMT

The gift given has come back to me one hundred-fold.

Several years ago, when I heard the Nutcracker was being performed in our nearby city, I picked up tickets for three of my young friends and their moms.

None had ever seen live theatre and never imagined themselves to be patrons of the arts.

I invited the 5 and 6 year olds to my home one afternoon and played for them a filmstrip of the ballet. We spent the full afternoon learning the story, listening to the music, and dancing around the living room.

On the designated day the excitement grew. First, we would have lunch in a City Restaurant, then go off to the University for the matinee. This was a day of unfolding wonder that was picked up on by the theater ushers. They decided to sit us in a cluster, three behind the other, so we could talk together.

It was amazing to hear the children tell the adults what the story was about even before the stage-lights dimmed. And they hummed bits of music recalled from three-weeks previous.

For me the magic came with sitting in the midst of that cluster of theatre-goers as they were transported into that special world of costume, ballet, story, drama, and musical spectacle.

Those “children” have become young adults now. They are finishing their post-high school studies and are planning their weddings. Only occasionally do I meet one of them. But every Christmas, whether Nutcracker music accompanies an advertisement or heralds a full showing on TV, the music transports me back to our lovely day together.

It was I who gave the gift in the first place, but from the very moment we began our adventure until now that gift has brought tears to my eyes and kept the spark of delight alive in my heart.

Finding Alternatives – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 27 Nov 2015 17:05:00 GMT

Final details are in place for Pincher Creek’s 23 ^rd “Cowboy Christmas” Worship Service Celebration. In 1992 the original invitation to the local community read “Many who don’t regularly attend Sunday worship still have deep spiritual roots. Our ‘Christmas Gathering’ gives opportunity to share these values in the context of a worship service…”

Our focus through the years has been to make this a special time when we invite the extended community to celebrate our rural roots and rural spiritual values. What a grand turnout we have. During those BSE years it was a time of lament. But always we give thanks for home, family, friends and the gifts of the Creator.

The roots for this approach to worship go back to my own experience with the Saddle Bag ministry Project (in the Seventies in Saskatchewan) when we sought to determine what it was that made rural ministry a specialized ministry.

One part of our approach was to reconsider the traditional assumption about worship services. Weekly services might be OK in larger churches, but they could become burdensome in smaller more scattered communities – both for the congregation and the minister.

If twenty percent of the congregation were your family, and if they weren’t in attendance each week, everyone felt their absence. And for the minister with four services a Sunday (spread over miles of winter roads), the demands of “the relentless return of the Sabbath” were exhausting. Time was taken away from visiting, community outreach and youth work. But worship services held less often and with more focus on those gathered could be more vital.

Church leaders on the periphery of our Project, who automatically assumed God decreed weekly services, found it hard to accept this grassroots thinking. Worship should be more of a “discipline”!

“Quality Trumped Quantity” was a mantra that help us consider many alternatives for how rural ministry. is specialized ministry.

The Role of Ordinary People – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 21 Nov 2015 16:11:00 GMT

The response of many to recent terrorist activities in France reveals how fragile our spiritual resolve can be. The compassion evoked by a refugee child’s body on a Mediterranean beach becomes chilled by fear, and all our good intentions can become immobilized.

We call for our Government to declare war against ISIS. We demand instant changes to the Refugee Emergency Response plans. Our fear over the possibility a terrorist might arrive on our shores releases racist anger against Muslims.

Is that, truly what we aspire to be?

Those who long to do better often feel overwhelmed and silenced because of the negativity of others around them. Better that this be the time we use our cell phones and newspapers and phone-ins to show the positive things we believe, and how we really would like to help.

Violence begats violence. War begats war, which leads to creating more enemies and causing more suffering. We can encourage each other to look for better ways to move forward. We have a great opportunity for ordinary people to find ways to respond to the threats of our time – not with fear and the need to extract revenge but with positive alternatives. We need to help each other realize that the extremist ISIS group is not equated with Muslim.

It is good to ask questions about screening, about capacity for handling the numbers of people involved, and about the practicalities of settlement. But we need, also, to listen for the answers given by those in charge of proposed settlement endeavours.

We need to recognize, too, the many ways these newcomers can be seen to be an asset to our country (and not a threat).

Might we even think of this as an infrastructure-building endeavour to help our country expand our future tax and pension base?

Multicultural Friendships – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 14 Nov 2015 20:11:00 GMT

“Sorry I didn’t make the meeting last night,” my Aboriginal friend confessed. She had come to town and walked into the building where we were meeting, but she couldn’t bring herself to entre the conference room alone.

My heart ached for her feeling of aloneness. I think about her now as we try to form our Multicultural Friendship Group. Our tiny organizational committee has been advertising, planning a program and looking at making our meeting-space comfortable for our next meeting. We need, also, to individually invite those living on the edge of our community to “come with us”.

Scriptures are full of stories of welcoming the “sojourners”. Jesus tells about the unexpected kindness of the Samaritan traveler. He called out to “outsiders”, like the tax collector, to be part of his group of disciples. All devout people remembered that the great King David’s Grandmother was from Moab.

It is important for the traditional members of any society to be inclusive of others if we are to have healthy communities.

In my own experience, the saleswoman in our country market in Korea asked me how much I paid for the potatoes I bought from the vendor a few paces away. It was so out of character with the usual exchange of greetings that I said “Why do you ask?” She replied “That woman is new here and she may not know you belong in our community!” Tears came to my eyes when I realized the gentle way these folks took care of me. I began to notice those who held eye contact as we passed on the street, who spoke a greeting, who ran to invite me to come and bring my camera because there was something I might appreciate seeing.

When we have people of different ethnic backgrounds in our communities, it is up to all of us to recognize their hesitations and invite them into our lives. We will all be the richer for experience.

The One Forgotten – by Joyce Sasse

Fri, 06 Nov 2015 16:36:00 GMT

“The One Forgotten” speaks out in a surprising way in Zoomer Magazine’s (May, 2015) article on Alzheimer’s, and it serves as a healthy reminder to all of us to put extra effort into how we might offer support to our caregivers.

Without a doubt it is an exhausting, demanding, endless job caring for “the one who forgets”. It’s a task none of us ever thought we would have to do, and often do for years as a loved one drifts further away.

Libby Znaimer tells how surprised she was to see the other side of the coin in Joan Sutton’s book “The Alzheimer’s Diary” – told by a woman who cared for her husband through seven years with the disease. At the time she didn’t think of herself as a “caregiver”. “It was just a continuation (after 33 years) of the marriage vows, in sickness and health.”

Sutton told how “she found strength in the memories even as they receded from her husband’s consciousness.” But it was after he died that emptiness and grief took over. “I was rootless. I had no purpose … I missed the care-giving, I missed getting up every day and knowing that I was useful and needed.”

What a wake-up call this insight can be for the rest of us – especially if we’ve been supportive to the care-giver during the time when her life is consumed with the tasks at hand.

When that time has passed and the funeral rituals are completed, too often “The One(s) Forgotten” remain forgotten. As they try to work through their grief and emptiness they need others who will help them find their new identity. The insights and wisdom they gained are a precious commodity in today’s world.

“What does God have in store for me to do next?” is a great question for all of us.

Planting Bulbs – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 31 Oct 2015 15:48:00 GMT

E.B. White, in his introduction to an essay called Onward and Upward in the Garden , writes lovingly about what he sees in his wife’s passion for gardening.

Most times, she took a break from the routine of the day to slip out for a few minutes to weed and dead-head and dig in her garden.

But the annual planting of the spring bulbs had almost a liturgical quality. Carefully clad in warm hat, old coat and rubber boots, armed with charted design, clipboard and director’s chair, she took her bulbs to the edge of the freshly turned bed and set to work.

He has watched the ritual unfold for years and has chuckled at her somewhat bedraggled appearance as she contemplates her moves.

This year something deeper is happening. She’s older and has been facing serious illness. The words with which he captures an essence brings tears to my eyes.

“There is something touching in her studied absorption in the implausible notion that there would be yet another spring, oblivious to the ending of her own days, which she knew perfectly well was near at hand, sitting there with her detailed chart under those dark skies in the dying October, calmly plotting the resurrection.”

What a gift to be able to listen for the soul of such a moment.

Hymn writer Natalie Sleeth also gives theological expression to bulb planting: “in the bulb there is a flower; / in the seed an apple-tree, / in cocoons a hidden promise; / butterflies will soon be free …

“In our end is our beginning; / in our time, infinity; / in our doubt there is believing; / in our life, eternity. / In our death a resurrection; / at the last a victory; / unrevealed until its season, / something God alone can see..”

Grooming Your Social Networks – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 24 Oct 2015 16:17:00 GMT

Post-election is a time when I hear many volunteers comment about how they enjoyed “electioneering”. The work and camaraderie were good and they felt re-invigorated as they returned to their every-day lives.

Human beings need regular contact with other people. Susan Pinker, in “The Village Effect” , writes “if we don’t interact regularly with people face-to-face, the odds are we won’t live as long, remember information as well, or be as happy as we could be.”

Organizational volunteering is good for us!

As a rural pastor I’ve been grateful for the individuals and organization who have volunteered so much. I’ve seen groups at their thriving best … and when they floundered. What made the difference? Pinker suggests “we need to groom our social networks”.

As we age, for example, we either become more dowdy or we ask what we need to do to perk up. A fresh haircut? A change of style? Getting more active? …

Each organization needs some “grooming”, especially if they continue over a long period of time. Do we still have a life if we can’t recruit younger members? Are we willing to welcome newcomers and invite their input? Can we make necessary adjustments? Are the bonds of brotherhood or sisterhood the force that keeps us together? We may even need to admit it is time to disband … but do that with positivity by celebrating the gifts we have received from each other.

I once accompanied a retired missionary colleague when she visited a ladies group that had supported her work for fifty years. The average age of the ladies was ninety years. Not only was their personal grooming stylish, but the issues they talked about showed they had a good grasp of contemporary issues in Asia.

“Chemotherapy and radiation can improve your life-span”, Pinker writes, “but they certainly can’t relieve your distress. Only your friends can do that!”

Dollars and Sense – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 17 Oct 2015 21:25:00 GMT

When I hear about so much emphasis being placed on maintaining “The Economy” at any cost, I think back to the landlady who gave me a home during my time at University. This was a story of “Dollars and Sense”.

All she had was her widow’s pension for income, and a son who was in Grade Nine. Her primary assets were her home and her hospitality, so she decided to open that home to boarders . We were mostly university students: three at a time, usually from the country, each with our own agenda.

Somehow she managed to blend us into a family, support us through our exam times, advise us when we were perplexed, and gently remind us about the rules of civility.

While income was of primary importance for her bottom line, she found purpose and delight in being our surrogate “mum”. For me that was specially precious since I had embarked on a seven-year university program with absolutely no financial backing.

Along with a summer job, I found employment serving as a student-minister in a rural community on the weekend. “Mum” understood my plight and put my needs ahead of hers. The monthly cost for my room-and-board, she decided, should be equivalent to what I earned from that part-time job. I truly appreciated her generosity and tried to do what I could in terms of household chores in return. But her bigheartedness could never be repaid.

Years later, when she decided to stop keeping boarders, our boarder-alumni banded together to acknowledge her gift by granting her with a “Bachelor of Domestic Engineering Degree”, earned with honours!

Lesson learned: when economic decisions are made in relation with our spiritual values and our vision for the future, wonderful gifts of fulfillment and enrichment will follow.

From the Global Village Enriched Ministry – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 09 Oct 2015 19:23:00 GMT

The work of missionaries sent from major North American Protestant Churches in the 1960’s was vastly different from what similar people did a generation earlier.

Dr. Katherine Hockin, in the Sixties, was renowned for her understanding that sending and receiving church folks should work in partnership with each other. Each was expected to contribute from what they understood about Faith and culture, and in offering each other care and support.

This was absolutely the opposite of what her parents had done when they went to China in the early 1900’s. They went under the banner “Convert The World for Christ”, and for them the Western way of thinking and doing things was the only acceptable standard.

Kay was director for my orientation when I went to Korea, and I recall her talking about working to resolve her conflicted understanding. She reasoned that her parents, misguided thought we may judge them now, were doing their very best as they understood how they should work with the Chinese in their time. But now she was compelled to do her very best as new times called for new ways of “partnering”.

For myself, whether I’m working with people an ocean away or in my local community, it is wonderful to see those I work with as colleagues, partners, friends.

Recently in the congregation I attend we have had the fortune of having a new minister come to us, one who has only recently come to Canada from Zimbabwe. What a delight to see the partnership principle prevail. He’s anxious to learn about our understandings and practices, but he has a rich background from his home-roots that he is sharing in pastoral care, with his committee members and from the pulpit. Our understanding about faith traditions in our Global Village has been enriched. We all have much to offer each other.

Reacting Without Fear – Joyce Sasse

Sun, 04 Oct 2015 21:27:00 GMT

It is so easy to not remember legislative blunders that were written against a backdrop of fear.

Consider the “Chinese Exclusion Act” of 1923. The preamble begins: “Whereas the incoming of Chinese in British Columbia largely exceeds that of any other class of immigrants, and the populations so introduced are fast becoming superior in number to our race, are not disposed to be governed by our laws, are dissimilar in habits and occupation of our people, evade the payment of taxes justly due the government, are governed by pestilential habits, are useless in instance of emergency, habitually desecrate grave yards by the removal of bodies thereof, and generally, the laws governing the whites are found to be inapplicable to Chinese, as such Chinese are inclined to habits subversive of the comport and well-being of the community.” This Act was not repealed until the 1940’s when we needed war-allies in the East.

Consider legislation made to outlaw Potlatch and Sundance celebrations of First Nations’ Peoples, and the establishment of Residential Schools based on questionable issues around “inferior” and “superior” cultural practices. Too recently the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has reminded us of the terrible cost to so many.

Consider the confiscation of properties on the West Coast in World War II (War Measures Act, 1942) and the injustices done when Japanese Canadians and persons of Japanese race where “moved inland” because the Federal Government feared their “treachery”.

Consider again the intimations made over the “possible intent” of those wearing the hijab. Are we again to allow the fear-of-insinuation govern our decisions?

Was reacting to fear worth it in the past? Is it worth it now? Will we ever learn?

“Peace is not the absence of war”, Ursula Franklin repeated regularly. “It is the presence of social justice!”

Moral Foundations Enrich Lives – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 15:38:00 GMT

There is an immediacy and a wisdom in Pope Francis’ letter to the world – “On Caring For Our Common Home” .

The letter points out that there is great contrast between the potential humans have to live fruitfully and our current state of squalor. We have this attitude of compulsive consumerism and the need to maximize profit. We assume we have a God-given right to have dominion over all that has been created. We believe that, with science and technology, we no longer need to ask basic moral questions. So we degrade ourselves, each other and the earth. Who needs God!

It doesn’t have to be this way. We can slow down the damage done by climate change, by ignoring the poor and by putting reliance on uncontrolled techno-science.

Although the full text of Francis letter was only recently published, he’s been releasing glimpses of it for the last year. This has given discussion groups time to share ideas about how change can be implemented. He’s invited dialogue with Muslims and Jews and included Aboriginal input. The Orthodox Church’s Patriarch Bartholomew was asked to co-present this letter since the Orthodox Church has long been a leader in these kind of constructive actions.

In spite of the complexities of the task, Francis conveys his belief that things can change. Surprises are possible. “God can bring good out of the evil we have done.” And sustainability is the bottom line.

We need to talk about these issues using good reliable information. We need to slow ourselves down as we creatively seek new positive solutions. Out of this milieu it is possible initiatives will arise that will make this a better world for future generations.

When we give priority to moral values, our lives and the life of the whole world can be enriched!

Leaving Home – Joyce Sasse

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 15:03:00 GMT

As I watch parents helping their kids prepare to leave for college, I think of Norman Rockwell’s wonderful painting titled “Breaking Home Ties”.

Set in the early Thirties, father and son are seated on the running board of the old family car, watching for the train. The picture tells a wonderful story of expectation and hesitation.

The lad, not too comfortable in dress-up clothes, is eagerly looking for the train. The father, arms resting on his knees, fiddles with his sweat-stained straw-hat. You can almost taste the tears he’s holding back.

Most touching is the collie resting his head on the knee of his young Master, all too aware big changes are pending.

What can one say by word of comfort? I think of the Biblical story told in the Book of Ecclesiastes. It tells of the old Philosopher reflecting on his life journey.

If you spend your whole life keeping your nose tied to the grindstone, he tells his students (and all of us), what do you have to show for your labour? You end up feeling there is nothing new under the sun.

That was why he went out to explore the whole world in his search for wisdom.

How good this venture was, for it enriched his life. He learned how to separate what was foolish from what was worthwhile. He learned that things weren’t all black-and-white: “there is a time for birth, and there is a time for death …” and you can learn how to take these in your stride. He learned that in one life-time no one can understand all of God’s ways.

He advises all of us to relax, explore and enjoy life and appreciate the marvel of gifts God has given.

By reaching out, trying our wings, whatever our age, the burden of living can become a joy.

Pot-luck Suppers and Peace-Building – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 15:19:00 GMT

The image of a pot-luck supper is what comes to mind for Ursula Franklin when she thinks of the makings for a peaceful world.

Franklin is one of those God-given mentors through whom the Holy Spirit speaks to many of us. Not only is she a holocaust survivor, but she is renowned well beyond Canada for her scientific breakthroughs, especially in detecting the presence of radio-active isotopes in the atmosphere, in nature and in children. Also, her Quaker-pacifist beliefs have made her a much sought after speaker by those who believe war is immoral.

Consider what happens with a pot-luck supper, she reminds us. “People bring what they do best. It would be a disaster if everybody brought the same thing. Those who don’t cook still have essential things to do. And people who come … have the expectation to have nourishment and fellowship.”

She goes on to explain “a real world has to be a world in which people can bring what they do well” and have their contribution respected.

The success of such a supper rests with the diversity of offerings that are shared. The important thing is that there’s room for everyone, and everyone is made to feel they have input.

Recently I shuddered when I heard our present international mentality referred to as “the globalization of indifference”. I understand this to mean a world in which no one gives thought to anyone else.

Truly the predominant news, daily, is about terrorist attacks, beefing up our security and building perimeter fences along international boundaries to keep people at bay. “War doesn’t work”, she writes, “not even for the winners”.

What if we were to follow Franklin’s thinking, and invite everyone to come together, bringing whatever they have to offer to the feast, to lay foundations for a more peaceful world?

Read “Pacifism As A Map” (2006) and “Ursula Franklin Speaks” (2014)

Encounters in the Cypress Hills – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 05 Sep 2015 16:14:00 GMT

“I’m lucky I came from the poor” an elderly woman whispered to writer Candace Savage. “It was good at that time, no alcohol, no drugs?”

Savage was sitting in on a program at a healing-lodge on the Nekanee Reserve (near Maple Creek) at the time. The lodge, according to its website, provided “an opportunity (for women) through Aboriginal teachings, programs, spirituality and culture to recover from histories of abuse, and regain a sense of self-worth, job skills and families”. She realized the participants were serving time in a federal corrections institution. Savage was, herself, experiencing feelings of shock and anger when she learned the depth of injustice Native and Métis people in the Maple Creek / Cypress Hills region had faced over the past century and a half. The comments of the older woman caught her attention.

Now, as I read her book “A Geography of Blood”, I too pause over these words. Through a season of prolonged heat and drought, wind and smoke, combined with news of economic decline and international unrest, I try to deal with my own feelings of anguish.

Is it that there was a time when life was easier? Or had the woman learned about resilience and how to gain strength to move ahead?

It becomes apparent that Savage finds restorative therapy as she finds folks who help her unravel the Cypress Hills’ story and as she draws comfort from the unique beauty of the landscape.

As a “newcomer” she could have withdrawn from her quest, or she could follow where the story will take her. She concludes her book with the comment “To be continued.”

Many of us stand at crossroads in our times of desolation. We can escape pain through disbelief and denial. Or, like the old woman, we may recognize that hard experiences from the past have given us a toughness as we move into the future.

Quiet In a World of Extroverts – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 29 Aug 2015 19:40:00 GMT

For years I tried to be a pretend extrovert because, in my public persona, I thought that’s what others expected. It was exhausting.

One day when I asked a friend at a conference which workshop I should take that afternoon, he pointed to the Myers-Briggs (Personality) Indicator program.

What a revelation to find, along with other personality characteristics, I was an introvert – and that introverts have a unique and powerful strength of their own.

Extroverts are the ones we notice because they are the first to ask questions, the quickest to speak before an audience, that last to want to leave the party.

Introverts feel inferior because they think of the best arguments the next day, they need to rest before they go to a party, and there is always a checking with the inner person before they answer a question.

But at least one third of the people we know are introverts.

What I found was that it was OK to tell someone I would get back to them after I’d considered their quarry. When I led a church service, I needed a moment of quiet before I could begin, and I understood about feeling tired but exhilarated after because I was doing something I loved doing.

The more I learned about the strengths of introversion the more I enjoyed the joy of being “bookish”, the ability to sit quietly with a parishioners, and I realized some of the depth God had hidden within.

What a pleasure, too, to think about the strengths of the mentors who nurtured me: my grandmother in her flower garden, my dad with his cabinet-making, my professor who always had time to sit, listen and give guidance.

Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Steve Jobs and Margaret Lawrence are noted introverts.

Isn’t it wonderful how God has created such an array of human being with unique qualities!

(See the book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain)

All This Stuff – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 22 Aug 2015 16:38:00 GMT

“How can I deal with all this stuff?” is the common plea of Seniors who want to down-size but don’t have the energy to cope. We get caught in the “paralysis of analysis” and don’t know what to do next.

Maybe this is when we are being called to accept the role of Elders – to pass on the experience and wisdom we have accumulated to those who are younger? It may even involve a confession of what we should have done different! The Google Generation has access to a lot of information, but that doesn’t necessarily help them sort through the spiritual values that have to do with peace and joy, right and wrong.

What is it that makes us feel we are increasingly surrounded by a climate of disorder, uncertainty, chaos, noise and feelings of being over-stressed? Has our compulsion to consume and follow our self-interests so overwhelmed us that we no longer care about others, nor the Creator, nor the gifts of Creation?

In recent writings Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew (Orthodox Church) are begging us to slow down, stop over-consumption, look for deeper meaning – and stop blaming our problems on the other guy. They ask us to “move gradually away from what ‘I want’ to ‘what God’s world needs’.”

Francis goes on to say “rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise.” Can we help each other recapture that sense of delight?

If the Elders in our world could use “coping with stuff” as a teaching tool to help others modify their life-styles, wouldn’t that be a precious legacy?

Besides, I think we would be amazed at how regenerative our world could be if we gave Mother Nature a chance!

Making use of the teachable moment could be a life-saver for all of us!

It’s Better To Talk – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 15 Aug 2015 19:19:00 GMT

Why do we find it so hard to talk about things that are deeply important to us? Have you expressed your thoughts about this year’s drought?

Whether you have pastures full of hay bales that are getting more pricey every day, or your grass- or grain-land is crisp and dusty, awareness of the extremes can easily haunt your night dreams.

Twenty five years ago, when southern Alberta was facing similar conditions, I proposed a workshop titled “Caring for Individuals and Communities Suffering From Drought”. Even though local agencies had declared “drought zones”, several church colleagues questioned the need because they hadn’t heard parishioners raising this issue.

“What good would it do?” they asked. My reply, “There are many things we can discuss. Talking makes a difference!” From a pastor’s point of view how else can we acknowledge the stress? From a spouse’s point of view it is important that marriage partners put their silence in words. From a neighbour’s point of view, we can show we care. From a community’s point of view the buildup of pressure that could be dangerous can be diagnosed.

I recall hearing the story of Church Board members pushing their minister to tell how he used his time. The minister remained silent. A young woman who had been a Board member for the last two years rose to speak. “He’s been with us quite a bit” she said, breaking the family code of silence, “since we received the foreclosure notice for our farm.”

As the crisis builds there will also be children who blame themselves as they sense growing family tensions. Pressures build!

It’s better to talk these things through: share different points of view, decide what the basic issues are, and find ways we can support each other. In this way we can draw from amazing wells of strength and courage and hope. Our resilience can be amazing.

Life Is Not For Sissies – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 08 Aug 2015 20:06:00 GMT

“You got me through the hardest part of my surgery with your card ’Old Age Isn’t for Sissies’”, my elderly friend said when recovering from her fourth hip replacement. With dogged determination she declared “I’m no sissy!”

I think about the tremendous amount of discipline it took for her to move ahead as I watch the participants at the Parapan Am Games. Each is doing whatever is possible to show us their ability: in spite of their struggles with blindness, missing limbs, muscular un-coordination or whatever others call “handicap”. I admire the amount of courage, patience and persistence exemplified in each life.

Excuses come so easily because we feel too old, or not well, or not capable of doing something. Yet here are individuals who are willing to leave the refuge of their home-routine, and who commit to participate at a specific event – because they want to prove what they are capable of doing.

Those who’ve lost their limbs, compete on wheels. Those who can’t see, fine-tune their others senses. Those who can’t function entirely on their own, value the guidance given by a companion.

They can’t ignore the acts of discrimination, nor the physical restrictions, the hours of agony and nights of fear that cloud their lives. But they reach for each glimmer of hope. They share with each other the challenges and opportunities that are inspirational. They recognize and treasure the way God has gifted them to reach beyond the immediate.

Being participant trumps being competitive. Helping others find fulfillment seems to be the order of the day.

All of us need these kind of reminders when we face life’s obstacles. Our God-given potential is so much more than at first seems apparent. We can hide behind our excuses and weep over our disabilities, or we can pass beyond the shadows with the belief God isn’t finished with us yet!

Facing Our Fears – Joyce Sasse

Fri, 31 Jul 2015 17:16:00 GMT

The story of “Franklin In The Dark” tells about a turtle who forlornly drags his shell-house behind him because he is afraid to crawl into small dark spaces.

When his mother suggests he checks in with other animal creatures, he finds each one has something different that they fear. But he’s most surprised when he hears his mother welcome his return with the words “I was afraid you were lost”.

Snuggled in the mother’s lap, they talk about the way each new friend copes with his or her condition. Finally mother tucks Franklin safely in his snug shell-bed … And when she leaves, he turns on his night-light!

It’s one of those simple, wise stories that carries a message for all of us. Whether it be because of our health, our relationships, our finances, threats to our security … not only are we hounded by our fears, but we feel we alone must bear this burden.

Upon closer attention, we come to realize everyone has come kind of fear – even those we thought didn’t have a care in the world.

Somehow when Franklin talked about his fear the threat was eased. With his mother’s help, the darkness wasn’t so menacing. He now had a night-light.

Possibly a modern Parable? The Creator never did promise that life would be care-free, that we should exist in a perfect paradise. But the Creator gave us each other for support and comfort, and reassured us by indicating we have the potential within us to enjoy living meaningfully – created as we are in “God’s image”.

Let’s learn to acknowledge when we are afraid, and to reach out knowing we are not alone. We can find coping skills, and we can be sensitive to the burdens of others.

We are surrounded by many blessings. Give thanks for those that touch us most deeply.

Broadening Our Perspectives – by Joyce Sasse

Sat, 25 Jul 2015 16:12:00 GMT

Most of us move within our own solitude, our own familiar territory, and believe we are at the centre of the world.

I’m somewhat of a “news junky”. My regular listening haunts are the CBC, CTV, BBC and CNN. But too often in choice of issues broadcast, and even the way they are broadcast, there is an appalling repetition of content. Are these the only things going on in the world that are worthy of note?

What a delight to watch APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Network) recently and see an item about how the Muslim community in Winnipeg is advocating support for the rights of Shoal Lake #40 First Nation residents to get a road so they can get supplies to their tiny community.

In the month of Ramadan, when Muslim people are expected to do without food and water from sun-up to sun-down, they especially value clean drinking water. Because the Federal Government refuses to help in the plight of Shoal Lake #40 residents, APTN reported how four hundred Muslims gathered in their Mosque to learn about what was happening and talk about ways they could help. They started by signing a petition to Ottawa.

In addition, the broadcast showed the huge painting a Hindu artist set up at Winnipeg’s Forks in support of the Aboriginals’ plight. We can move across boundaries of solitude to share with each-other of our understanding, our caring and our support!

In an era when we can see pictures of Pluto sent from a vehicle that travelled for 9 years to get near this planet’s distant location, might we also do more to share stories about how people of various faiths and cultures and ways of life can mentor and support each other? God gave us our differences for a reason. Our strength lies in our diversity.

The Power of Sugar-bowl Economics – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 18 Jul 2015 15:57:00 GMT

Some scoff at the “sugar-bowl economics” of those pioneer women who carefully saved pennies and nickels, but look at what those churchwomen were able to do.

The Women’s Missionary Society (1825) was active in Prince Edward Island. They wanted to provide a better environment for the rearing of their children.

In 1885 the Supply Convener for the Women’s Movement (Winnipeg) noted: “Yard goods costing $8.75 were sent to Assiniboine Indian women who could sew … Books and Bibles were sent to lumber camps …. One sack of clothing, one sack of oatmeal and 25 gallons of molasses was sent to Sinclair, Manitoba …”

In the early 1900’s, those in charge of finances of the Mission Society reported automobile rides were given (when the automobile was still a novelty) at 10 cents a ride. “Pound Parties” were popular. There were two types: each person brought a pound of tea, sugar or lard as a donation; or each person paid a penny for each pound of her weight to attend the meeting. Some women set aside all the eggs laid on Sunday. Those were sold at 8 cents a dozen, and the money was given to the church.

The pennies added up. By 1914 there were over 22,000 Protestant Missionaries spread around the world, and women from every country were not only planning and administering extensive mission projects, they were also volunteering and training to go overseas themselves. This provided an excellent opportunity for single, professional women to serve satisfying careers.

The Women’s Missionary Society (Canada) in 1952 sponsored 161 missionaries and associate workers in 86 stations around the world. Funding came to $1,144,000. This amount was raised in addition to funds needed on the national and local front.

Wise was the person who said “If Christ were a woman, the feeding of the 5,000 might never have been considered a miracle!”

Listen Willingly – Joyce Sasse

Sat, 11 Jul 2015 17:37:00 GMT

My fellow seminarians wrote a skit in which I was to sit in a rocking chair and knit. It was during the time when atomic bombs were being tested. Rumour had it that a fine dirt called Strontium 90 fell on our pastureland. “To protect our children” I was knitting “anti-radioactive udder covers for Canadian cows”. With humour we did our bit in trying to save the Universe.

Recently I listened to an actress, in monologue, tell about the struggles Rachel Carson faced (about the same time as our skit) to alert people to how dangerous it was to use poisonous chemicals, especially DDT. For years she was vilified in a campaign led by the chemical companies.

But her books and magazine articles were read by the public and her scientific astuteness and clarity of thought made sense. While some labeled her a “Joe McCarthy”, her public demanded banning-action be taken by the lawmakers. The environment and the lives of our children were in jeopardy. Her work inspired the environmental movement.

To this day “Silent Spring” can still be found in book stores and on private library shelves.

We are encouraged to be on the alert for ways the corporate community can disrupt life on our planet in their pursuit after economic gain.

Made in God’s image, we are given the responsibility of caring for our World and all that is in it.

Theologian Thomas Berry writes, “Physical degradation of the natural world is also the degradation of the interior world of the human.”

Isaiah said “If you listen willingly, the good of the land you shall eat.”

The earth forms not only the raw material of human kind, according to Celtic Saint Hildegard, “but also the substance of the incarnation of God’s Son.” Treat it with respect.

Pope Francis’ recently released paper “On Care For Our Common Good”– described as “a spiritual framework for understanding the world” – is a must for summer reading!

Those Golden Years – Joyce Sasse

Tue, 07 Jul 2015 19:56:00 GMT

It bothers me when someone curses “the Golden Years” because of aches and pains.

Who of us, having reached the age of retirement, and often for years before that, hasn’t suffered wear and tear? Some of it due to neglect, or stress, or excess. Lots of it comes with the passage of time.

Over the years most of us have lived through tragedy, threats to our health and/or our financial well-being, through broken relationships and a few mistakes we can’t put aside. Instead of wearing a hair-shirt, we need to help each other harvest the bits of wisdom we have accumulated as we move forward.

I think of the motto “Be kinder than usual for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”

There are those who have a grand attitude of dignity and pride. I think of the post-chemo friend who is restricted because of chronic fatigue, but who carves time out of her day to phone cancer patients on a regular basis.

I think of a friend whose greatest fear is the loss of her eyesight – and how her CNIB sponsored support group helps her learn positive coping skills.

Age-ing is a spiritual journey, and it’s up to each of us to choose our route. We can build on the experience of a life-time – follow our passions, invite younger people into our lives, challenge ourselves to improve our diet, exercise our muscles and our minds, reframe our failures and frustrations ….

As we approach the end wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to say “I’ve done my best as a participant in the great experience of life, and I feel like I’ve made a contribution to the whole!”

“While you are having fun,” someone said, “You forget your pains and worries!” Might we add – “and we also make life a lot more inviting for others!”

Finding Focus Through Prayer – Joyce Sasse

Tue, 30 Jun 2015 22:19:00 GMT

When we ban prayers at public functions it would appear we are trying to deny the spiritual aspect of our society.

But any culture without a spiritual underpinning is like an old log house with no foundation. Both deteriorate.

When I lived near Calgary I belonged to the city’s “Business and Professional Women’s Organization”. It is composed of women of all ages, backgrounds and professions who want to improve and share their work endeavours.

At our monthly supper meetings I was given opportunity to offer a prayer before we started to eat.

The invitation to pray surprised me. I gave it a lot of thought. The membership was wide-ranging in religious diversity and work experience, and high in ambition-to-succeed. But they seemed to want to proceed with a degree of humility, to act justly and be sensitive to the implications of their actions.

Whether making business decisions, working with staff or networking with colleagues they sought to be reminded that what they did could lead to the greater good for all.

Several sought me out because of a concern for a particular client that went beyond their professional relationship. I think of the Financial Adviser who spoke of the tears that flowed when a family realized the seriousness of their bottom line. I think of the person who asked if she could give my name as a contact for a family who faced extreme tragedy. Months later we had a “reaffirmation” of their wedding vows to show they couldn’t have carried on without the love and support of each other.

Whatever our Faith tradition, spiritual values ground us and remind us there are things that are more important than money or power or our own ego. It’s OK to question traditional standards, or even deny them. But to force exclusion by legislative action is to invite chaotic darkness where there could be light.

On the Cusp of a New Day – Joyce Sasse

Tue, 30 Jun 2015 22:13:00 GMT

By way of celebrating Fifty years of ministry, I’ve just completed a Jubilee Tour to Saskatchewan.

Through the week I met with old friends over pot-luck suppers, and in restaurant and home settings. Hugs were exchanged and names recalled.

How quickly the stories come back of fun times, of celebrations and shared moments of pain.

“Do you remember when …?” One memory builds on another and the story springs back to life. It is said that story-telling helps us make sense of our lives. As we see the past in context, it readies us to move forward.

Because my commitment has always been to smaller rural places, I saw how communities have shrunk, churches closed, and some no longer exist.

I think of Psalm 137 and the Jewish leaders who were taken prisoners to far-off Babylon (587 B.C.E.). At first they thought they had become separated from God (who they believed only dwelt in the Jerusalem Temple). But over the span of fifty years of captivity “in a foreign land” they slowly realized God was still with them AND with those who were their “captors”. As their spiritual understanding grew they became more inclusive of others in their thinking. Their attitude to ‘The Law’ became more relaxed. Courage, perseverance and hope guided their thoughts and their activities. As they returned to Israel, renewal and reawakening of spirit nurtured them. They entered a period of enlightenment.

All of our denominations are going through great change. We can throw our hands up in despair, or we can rigidly hold the rudder as we try to disregard what lies ahead.

At my first Theological Conference (1961) Fr. Gregory Baum reminded us to trust ourselves into the hands of the Almighty. “It’s about God’s converts, not ours!” May God help us now as we try to grow in wisdom and faith, in love with God and each other.

The Dance of Life – Joyce Sasse

Tue, 30 Jun 2015 20:44:00 GMT

An elderly couple drove into the country – back to the district where they once farmed and raised their family.

They came home feeling depressed. None of their memories were there. Even the old farm home had been torn down. They already knew that, but it wasn’t until they saw the evidence that they verged on tears.

What’s wrong with this scene? Why the pity-party? After all they had been among the first to make the move to town.

Instead of going out there alone, they needed to make that journey with someone else – maybe with someone currently residing in the area. Then there would have been an exchange of stories between “olden” times and “now” times. They could have talked about the simpler times and reflected on what they felt they contributed to the community. Also they could have heard the initiatives some of the newer and younger folks were doing to move their businesses ahead and learn how they are trying to work together to build a sustainable community.

Instead of allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed by despair, we need to find ways to look at how the journey moves ahead in the places we loved.

Whether it be a reunion, a drive into the past, or the realization that we are fast losing our peers, we need to keep the big picture in mind. It is about the interconnection of the generations. It is about seeing the contributions we have and still can make. It is about sensing the ways in which the source of life is like a healthy flowing stream. This is how God made us.

James Taylor writes: “God calls the square dance of our lives; God swirls our varied colours like a kaleidoscope …. Step onto God’s dance floor with the song in your heart and a smile on your face …”