software development and models of church

Twice in as many months I have encountered a great illustration of a theological / ecumnenical issue illuminated by a comparison to software. At a conference I attended at CMU Doug Gay from the UK was trying to explain how he liked "high church" liturgical practice but couldn't buy the hierarchical forms of church government. He said he wanted to "unbundle" the software from the Operating System like the EU forced Microsoft to do. He wanted to use a "high church browser on his low church operating system".
Today I read a cool commment by Jane Stranz on her blog Of life, laughter and liturgy . . .
"Do we want cathedral ecumenism (top down, institution driven) or bazaar ecumenism (networked, organic)? The idea for these two terms actually comes from software development. So do you want a microsoft or a linux trinity, word or open office ecumenism? Let's open the theological software bazaar."
I hadn't heard the Cathedral and Bazaar image before but it reflects perfectly my emerging convictions about how ecumenism really works. Our present reality is that people don't care about our denominational affiliations, its the job at hand that gets them excited.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to shovel the driveway and a time to just sit back and admire the snow,

a time to wake up and a time to sleep in

a time to spring forward and a time to fall back

THIS SUNDAY WE SPRING FORWARD. DON’T BE LATE FOR CHURCH!

Jack & Val's Mission in Guyana Blog

Our neighbours from the Pinawa Lutheran Church are on a mission assignment in Guyana. Follow Jack and Val Frederick's latest news HERE

Ways to Pray

Rob will be leading a series of afternoon and evening study sessions in February at our meeting room in the Whiteshell Centre; the theme will be "ways to pray". If you have ever wondered where to begin with prayer, or if you have a curiosity about the many ways to pray, come out on a Tuesday afternoon or evening at 1 pm or at 7 pm. Each session is independent, come to them all or pick and choose one or two.

February 3rd: Biblical Prayer: the Psalms, the Lord's Prayer
February 10th: Praying the Hours and Keeping Seasons: Prayer books and Lenten promises
February 17th: Pilgrimage and Retreat: Desert Fathers, Camping and Labyrinths
February 24th: Meditation: Lectio Divina, Ignatian Spirituality, Christian Meditation and the Rosary

Communication Request from Conference

You are invited to check out the United Church website for Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario www.mnwo.united-church.ca Read interesting stories from other churches, tell us about your church, take advantage of your church profile that is already on our website. You will find many helpful resources to borrow – books, DVDs, videos, program resources and other things to spark your imagination. If you want to receive an email every Monday morning informing you of the latest articles posted on our website; click on “my profile” on our home page and it will walk you through adding your name and a password.

Learn about upcoming events and the latest resources by registering to receive the weekly email. Simply email lrye@confmnwo.mb.ca to add your name (and city/town/region) and every Wednesday you will receive the latest news from the Conference.

So that's what was keeping people away!

Church removes 'scary crucifix'

A large sculpture of Christ on the cross has been removed from outside a church in West Sussex after its vicar said it was "scaring young children".

The Reverend Ewen Souter said the 10ft crucifix was "a horrifying depiction of pain and suffering" which was also "putting people off".

The sculpture, located at the side of St John's Church in Broadbridge Heath, has now been given to Horsham Museum.

It will be replaced with a new stainless steel cross.

In a survey carried out by the church, every comment about the sculpture was negative.

'Sense of hope'

Mr Souter said: "Children have commented on how scary they find it and how off-putting they find it as a symbol outside the church.

"As a key exterior symbol for us it was putting people off rather than having a sense of hope and life and the power of the resurrection."

He said rather than undermining the work of the cross, the church wanted to portray "an accurate biblical picture of the crucifixion as a moment of hopefulness for the world, and not one of despair".

The sculpture was designed in the 1960s by former Royal Society of British Sculptors president, Edward Bainbridge Copnall, and made out of coal dust and resin.

It was removed from the church just before Christmas and will be mounted on a large wall in the grounds of Horsham Museum.

Jeremy Knight, curator, said the powerful image portrayed by the figure was that of Christ in pain.

"That today isn't an image which a lot of churches want to follow. They'd much rather see an empty cross where Christ has risen," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/sussex/7816941.stm

Christmas Service Times

Just a note to update our Christmas Service Times...

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December 21 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
10 am Worship
in the F.W. Gilbert School
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December 24 - Christmas Eve
7 pm Family Worship
11 pm Holy Communion
in the F.W. Gilbert School
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December 28 - First Sunday after Christmas
9:15am. Shared Worship and pot-luck brunch
in the Pinawa Lutheran Church
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