A Great Country

Liberal 169, Conservative 144, BQ 22, NDP 7, Green 1

This afternoon provided a sudden experience of fellowship and camaraderie in the men’s change room of our local swimming pool. Naked and half-dressed men seemed in a particular jovial mood, topic of yesterday’s election came up. Raised by an old guy who hails from Austria and cheerfully endorsed by a heavily accented white Spanish guy from Columbia and quickly chimed in by a mobility challenged MS guy who needs an hour to get dressed, the main point? So now we got a Canada almost same as yesterday morning! We laughed and laughed. Says the Spanish guy, “All South America, countries full of corruption, big business, and the governments can’t do anything about it.” “Like the U.S?” I asked.  “Oh yeah for sure,” was his reply. “The best place by far is Canada because here is something else.” Almost there was a cheer as the enthusiasms continued.

Never before in that change room! I’ve dressed and undressed in front of those lockers for at least five years – always a somewhat cautious meting out of comments about this or that and then the silence. Yes this is Calgary, I would tell myself, quite similar to church men’s breakfasts I have attended over the years. In today’s metamorphosed atmosphere I ventured a little more opinion, “The Liberals needed a new leader for this time; the Conservatives’ wannabe savior lost his seat; and the NDP got sacrificed so the liberals could win.” I said it and there was no uncomfortable silence! There was agreement (did not take a vote 😉), a celebrative atmosphere, amazing the fellowship of unhinged kindred. Only in Canada!

Thinking back now, I can say it was sort of a theme already a couple days before the election; several conversations with friends were non-committal regarding whom to vote for, also acknowledging that the ballot box would not be a conditional of continuing friendship. There were the confessed or closet conservatives, some liberals with a reason, and me the Saskatchewan boy still NDP just because of basic long-held values and something earthy about voting as my dad would have. Among my peers there is also agreement that we live by a commitment higher than a political party.

So I shall close it down here. Even those of my friends who don’t read much and those who avoid reading my blogs because they fear a sermon, can read till the end. Political parties wax and wane. Democracy is a great thing, but not the only thing. Government of the people by the people for the people  –  if only politicians would not try to convince an electorate that ‘the other party’ is a shameful mess, and when it’s all done, like last night’s speeches, even the losers tried to sound like winners (except for Jagmeet Singh). Seems to me that our change-room atmosphere was a hint of some new possibilities.

One further query for my thinker. What might the atmosphere be in U.S. change rooms these days? 

Shock and Awe

This morning I had a shocker. Front page headline, I read it second click on my cell phone just before I stepped out the door for my early walk, first click to tell the temperature so I know which jacket to put on, and then New York Times, “Pope Francis is Dead at 88.” Quickly I read a multitude of subheadlines, trying hard to capture some detail, but too soon reminded that I had reached limit of free articles. When I returned an hour later my wife already knew more detail because of “The Current” on CBC radio by our bedside. It became focus for our morning prayers.

It is the day after Easter, still inspired by resurrection worship yesterday in church, the pope's passing is kind of surreal. Our pastor described so clearly Jesus’ appearance to Mary in the tomb (the well-known Easter account) and then an extra “recognition connect” after the supposed gardener (John 20) asks her to turn to him, and as she turns she recognizes, she delights from the depth of her heart, “Rabboni” (Teacher :16). Resurrected Jesus is not a theological preference; it is not “a resurrection story.” Not a story, it is an experience availed to her, availed to us, availed to anyone who will turn to face him, especially as per invitation of that risen One. In yesterday’s worship we were an assembly of Mennonites, Evangelicals, Progressives, and of course some ambivalent. We were of quite a few stripes. This service was so "Resurrection" seemingly for each person there, a telling invitation to face Jesus beyond our preferences and our explanations. To see the risen savior was the connector which sent the familiar Mary Magdalene out of there, quickly to tell the others, “I have seen the Lord” (:18).

This proclamation by our pastor, who has come among us fairly recently, also included his testimony of a once-upon-a-time surprise (Surprise! Personalized sermons also bit of a rarity these days). A preacher and a teacher with a considerable ‘curriculum vitae’, pastoral ministry had not been in the cross hairs of his educational pursuit. Included also was some childhood pain, grad studies in philosophy, and then call to pastoral work both in congregations and university student chaplaincy. Surprises all along the way, good intentioned academia got sidelined into pastoral ministry and seems not yet to be stopping. “The best laid plans of mice and men …?”

Pope Francis at Lac St Anne, AB. July 26, 2022

Now back to Pope Francis, pontiff of an imperfect Church. Catholicism has been the big player in the colonialism and residential school horrors of Canada's history. By now, after many years of foot dragging and due process within ranks of the Holy See, this Pope offered apology in 2022 – albeit inadequate. How does a contemporary atone for the sins of an institution? He showed up! He has been courageously everywhere. An Argentinian, grown up among the people, very concerned about environment, Amazon forests and impact of commercial developments within those 'lungs of the world'.[i] He cared deeply for migrants, the displaced victims of war, recently chiding a member of his church, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, for his role in the Trump administration on that very topic.[ii] A man of surprising ways with a faith and a presence with people, his also was not a career path, but an obvious 'Call of God’ as us low-church believers will say, along with high church authority. Awesome things still happening and perhaps about to happen, especially when humble passionate broken persons are able to take a look at the One who is already looking at them.

Another surprise! [And this now another day later - best laid plans of bloggers?] There is so much "thinking material" everywhere - almost as though his death went viral. There are touching tributes on social media (Some positivity for a change), editorials and op-eds in local papers especially of conservative ilk, like Calgary Sun,[iii] labeled by many of us critics as the red neck rag. Hear hear, all you aspiring perfectionist theologians, activists and politicians, each one of us never fully represents the voice of God! God is present right in among the surprises and in between the points of view.

I did not idolize Pope Francis, certainly don’t expect him to rise again, but I know that he knew the One who did rise again! He will be buried in a basilica just outside the walls of Vatican City, and remembered in Christendom way beyond the Roman church, in a world that recognized a pontiff who lived his days face to face with our resurrected Savior.

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[i] Pope Francis, Beloved Amazonia (Holy See: Orbis Books, February 2020).

[ii] Jason Horowitz, “For a Times Reporter Who Covered Him, Francis Was Always a Surprise,” New York Times (NY: April 21, 2025).

[iii] “The People’s Pope”, Calgary Sun, Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

Who Walked

It’s Good Friday. The irony of that caption has baffled me almost forever. What is good about a demented crowd and religious and political power brokers humiliating one who has been among them teaching and healing? The term used in my mother tongue seems more appropriate, Stelle Friedach (Quiet Friday). While this is only a linguistic or translation observation, it warrants a little closer look.

I must begin with a little rant. These last several days have presented more than ever the argumentiveness of seemingly everybody on social media. I have only to open Facebook, click notifications and there it is. A friend is 'sharing' her latest creative thoughts, which are a cut and paste of another's creative thoughts, fully explaining significance of Jesus’ death on the cross to save me from my sins, including an obligatory request to forward to at least five others if I care at all! Another posting, obviously from a different theological angle, is in pain about Jesus having had to deal with followers – early disciples leaving their day jobs to learn, ask questions, advocate for him, see miracle healings performed, and yet one of them betrays and all scatter when mob action wins. This all in the occupied territory we read and watch on present day news media! I’m not sure whether to go on with this societal critique or get down to the heart of the matter. And if I do that, there will be a number of my good friends, yes relatives, fellow Christians or neighbor across the street who suspect I may be voting Liberal in next election.

My heart yearns Quiet Friday, and mercifully it is available still. This morning my wife and I were blessed to participate with fellow Mennonites in an inter-church service in our city. Attendance was better than it has been last couple of years, clear evidence of a growing spiritual hunger among us wealthy urbanites. I was not one of the planners, but probably the prior instruction to leave the sanctuary quietly after the last word was well advised and even welcomed by us hyper-types to just let it sink in. Perhaps our favorite theories of atonement or sanctification or Jesus as Savior and/or Lord can be laid aside and just … quietly leave. For  the rest of the day we enjoyed considerable quiet, not even a couple of NHL games scheduled. I love it!

So, Quiet was the tone for today. The other option, Good Friday, however, has some sentimental resonance also in my soul.  Good Friday became an important way of staking my faith claims during a stretch of my life when I was a long distance trucker. At mid-career point as identified by the life-cycle experts, fifty years old and my mental and spiritual being simply had nothing left especially after some recent work-related over commitments. I suffered what they label as nervous breakdown. The brief reprieve in the truck was going to quickly get me back preaching and teaching and relating and administering. I recovered, praise the Lord! Only it didn’t happen in the planned two-year reprieve; it took 21 years! South, north, east, west, all over Canada and the U.S. - seasons coming and going during those 2 million miles. AND it was the church year – yes church year (cf. Revised Common Lectionary Advent thru All Souls Day) that became my go-to. Within North America's supply chain service industry (in amazing cooperation with dispatchers and planners), I was able to stake my liturgical claims as priorities for my trips (eg Christmas more important than New Years, Good Friday and Easter very important, and try to stay out of the U.S. May long weekend and 4th of July 😅). There were times when my preferred schedule could not be accommodated. During those trips there was always somebody or something else – another trucker who wished he was home, or a chapel service in a truck stop somewhere, or just the right music, wide open highways, or conversation at a fuel island or wherever relationships might happen. 

Given this bit of drivel with its sentimental twists and turns, from my current retirement vantage, now participating in a lively Interfaith organization in this city, I testify to the wonderful inspiration available in none other than Jesus, the One who walked this lonesome valley. I am ever so grateful for friends, Sikh, Muzlim, Hindu, Jewish, and Mormons and Christians of Aboriginal, Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran, CRC, UCC and even some Evangelical Anabaptists! I am most engaged when I communicate my gratitude for Jesus my savior! He’s walked with me and trucked with me, and on this day – Good Friday or Quiet Friday - gave His life even while setting a best example for each of us.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters (1 John 3:16).

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Conviction and Instructions

I heard a one-hour sermon last Sunday morning – sermon, not service. The service was one and a half hours. I cannot recall any previous hour-longs, although half hour sleepers do come to mind, myself the preacher on a few of those occasions I’m sure. Mostly in my preaching years I tried to adhere to the so-called limit of 20 minutes, and then felt badly if it lasted 25. This sermon was already well preached at 25, excellent opening image of cookies that will disappear if we take those bites to suit our own tastes, first one bite, then another, and another, and soon only a few crumbs! Point very clear, complete with biblical references from the OT book of Daniel, where Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refuse to worship any other than God and they survive the fiery furnace (Ch 3), and the very convincing NT gospel of John, the promise of Jesus that His absence (death and resurrection) is for our good because he will send the Advocate, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth (16:13 NKJV). He is with us still to guide us in all things.

After a pause to kneel at our seats for personal prayers (I still enjoy memories of that ritual from my childhood years), then another 35 minutes pointing out specific temptations, those habits which so easily get in the way of life lived with conviction. The implications thereof were listed in a kindly manner – seemingly with a love and specificity I cannot remember ever hearing before. The evils of alcohol, of marijuana, foul language complete with local anecdotes, and then into a wider scope - the importance of head coverings for women, more important than jewelry and tattoos we are tempted to adorn ourselves with. Then there are the subtle dangers of modernism which can cloud up our souls, including LGBTQ male-female confusion even in some of our Mennonite churches. Imagine the worldliness creeping in!

The church was full, two services each Sunday morning, brand new building with spacious foyers, modern spotless bathrooms, comfortable seating, and a plain front – no theme verse, no cross, no idols or images before our eyes. And yet one image I came away with and shall never forget. Everyone not only listening but seemingly absorbed in every word of this duo-lingo Plautdietsch – English sermon; young people, middle-aged and elders fully attentive even while young mothers or older brother or sister would take out a squirmy little one (and then return to their seat to continue listening). No exasperated looks and no sleepy heads. I cannot forget.

As per my preacher-trucker style (most readers of these tomes know all about it), the thinker often kicks in after some incident, and then I “says it as I sees it.” My thinker has mixed feelings about hour-long sermons. On this occasion, however, I would say the second half hour was not wasted time; it met the requirements of holy assembly. The examples were obviously clear to a congregation who knew where he was coming from, no boring explanations or theologizing with quotes from smart authors somewhere. I could not but notice some of the muscular young men, some already married to pretty young ladies complete with head coverings – some not. These are hard-working Mennonites. They are welcome immigrants to a province [i] which welcomes entrepreneurs (Could not but notice the parking lot full of late model Yukons, Rams,  F150’s and many SUV’s, even an Escalade. No horse and buggies here). This was a pastoral sermon directed to these high-energy recent immigrants, many of them quite youthful. Needless to say the preacher knows about local concerns even in this province of opportunity (local police know about it too - Mennonite kids also know how to get into trouble like others in nearby towns and villages). Understandably, in order to really cover all bases, instructions from one of their Ohms would include a caution regarding the worldly resident Mennonites who have compromised to societal trends. Misbehaviors and worldly values: all must be included in those bites we might be taking out of the sacred cookie.

So, my thinker has not yet fully integrated this into the further thinking, sometimes referred to as philosophizing. One initial thought has to do with evangelism. I am disappointed with the impression of these ‘returning Mennonites’ that we 'resident Mennonites' have compromised with the world. Their hesitation about us is legitimate and their caution is in order. Us urbanized educated woke Mennonites preach more about inclusiveness and love, working hard at diplomacy, while admitting that there is not much for our young people in our gathered assemblies. We are just like all the mainline churches. Are we inviting our young people to church, inviting them to the rigors of faith or are we excusing them? 

A second thought, and this is a challenge to these immigrant brothers and sisters. Even as we all need the Advocate, the presence of God’s Holy Spirit to help us live with conviction, are they also willing to discern with all of us, rather than stand off? The worldwide Anabaptist community of faith is facing deep challenges especially in these days of very confusing politics. How might we as a peace church be a peaceable witness even as we await the imminent return of Jesus? I say this in defense of us who have lived our whole lives here. Many of us are now ‘educated’ and at risk of losing some simple gospel truths. As Anabaptist Christians, we need to become reacquainted and speak with one another in this God-given land, including those of us in the cities. [ii] My family and I, having lived in Alberta for 45 years, now in Calgary with immigrants flooding in, we have daily opportunities to learn neighborliness with ALL of our neighbors! [iii] 

The Mennonite sojourn from Europe to the West and then the auswanderungs within North and South America is colonialism (including liberal and conservative organizational readjustments - splits).😏 And now we have run out of places to move to in pursuit of special privileges (privilegium). We dare not merely vote Conservative (or Republican) just because conservative politicians like immigrants who give them no hassle. That is not the calling of a people committed to a peace ministry. 

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ (Ephesians 4:14-15 NIV).

Perhaps in a future blogpost, and I will appreciate responses from anybody reading this. For now I express my appreciation. I was deeply blessed to hear the word of God fitly spoken to a people gathered to hear exactly that.

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[i] In 2000 then Premier Ed Stelmach facilitated the building of a public school named Two Hills Mennonite School. Started with 36 students and now has over 400, with teaching staff of 55. https://www.twohillsmennoniteschool.ca/

[ii] See Palmer Becker, Anabaptist Essentials: Ten Signs of a Unique Christian Faith (Harrisonberg, VA: Herald Press, 2017).

[iii] Calgary Interfaith Council theme for 2024 – 25 is “Courage to Connect.”