MCC Lenten Study

Lent provides an opportunity for us to reflect upon our lives, to pray more deeply, experience sorrow for what we've done and failed to do, and to be generous to those in need. MCC Manitoba has prepared a Lenten guide for reflection, action and prayer that focuses on Mining Justice; it is part of a larger MCC campaign on mining and its impact on people, communities and God's creation. You are invited to use these Lenten materials for reflection and prayer and to learn about Mining Justice. Visit http://manitoba.mcc.org/programs/peace/ or http://ottawa.mcc.org/miningjustice .

so that is that

Well, so that is that. Now we must dismantle the tree,
Putting the decorations back into their cardboard boxes –Some have got broken – and carrying them up to the attic. The holly and the mistletoe must be taken down and burnt, And the children got ready for school. There are enough
Left-overs to do, warmed-up, for the rest of the week – Not that we have much appetite, having drunk such a lot, Stayed up so late, attempted – quite unsuccessfully – To love all of our relatives, and in general Grossly overestimated our powers.
(from the concluding section of W. H. Auden’s, For the Time Being: a Christmas Oratorio).

Thanks Jamie

Satin Dolls

November 7th was a great night out. We had song after song from Pinawa's own Satin Dolls, an all women dance band, and a musical intermission with singer Amber Bieganski and guitarist Brad Holmlund. As you can see from the picture below, all ages enjoyed the music and refreshments. (Click on the picture for a bigger version) Proceeds from the night support the mission and ministry of the PCF and Pinawa Interfaith Hampers.

Fall Back

Don't forget to set your clock back this Sunday!

Church Calendars

We haven't ordered the Canadian Church Calendar this year. After 40 years of producing a joint calendar the Anglicans and United Church have decided to produce separate calendars. It's a disappointing development and we didn't want to choose one or the other. If you would like to order a church calendar from one or the other denomination the links are below.

United Church Calendar order form

Anglican Church Calendar order form

or you could order a calendar from Mennonite Central Committee
it's free!

The Book of Job

Over two weeks I have been preaching the Book of Job. I'm generally wary about publishing a sermon. I always have a text but I view it as a script, an aid to performance. The written form is not really meant for any eyes but mine. I've had some requests, though, from folks who missed one or the other of these sermons so I'll post them here with this preamble.

Job Part One

Job Part Two

Imagining our reality

Over on United Methodeviations Dan Dick is imagining what the PCF has been living for Forty Seven years. He asks us to imagine what would happen...

"if when we woke up tomorrow morning, all our buildings and property were gone? How many of our congregations would carry on with hardly a disruption? How many “members” would we lose to churches with buildings? How long would it take us to get reorganized? Would one of our top priorities be to build new buildings or would we step back and, uhm, “rethink” church? What would our worship look like? Where would we gather? What form would our fellowship take? What about Christian education? What would we do?"

No need to imagine. Perhaps we should write up our experience as a controlled experiment and publish?