Crying Help

It is not too often that inspiration is received at AGM’s (Annual General Meetings). After an almost lifetime of dutiful attendance and/or reporting at these things I confess my expectations kind of minimal. Surprise, I just caught some inspiration that will not go away, and it happened smack dab in the middle of such an assembly here in our city of Calgary. And it was not a church meeting! It was more than that! It happened May 30 at duly announced annual meeting of Calgary Interfaith Council.

This one was labeled as AGM Plus. 'Plus' was the only variable from announcement of previous meetings, anticipated agenda the usual review of the year’s activities and a look into some plans for the following year. With respectful attention to this year’s hosts, shoes were removed and head coverings donned, normal protocol at the Gurdwara Guru Nanak Sikh Centre. The full dinner served compliments of this community could not be ignored; perhaps that was the Plus? Delicious!

And the inspiration? It came along after the delicious meal, after land acknowledgement and opening prayers, once down to business at hand. Our Chairperson, Dr Harjot Kaur Singh, addressing the group regarding last year’s events, included account of some ‘extra meetings’ necessitated shortly after the October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel which then led to Israeli retaliatory attacks on Gaza which we see, read and hear about every day. Given CIC's purpose statement as drawn up in 2017 "to build a more just and respectful Calgary through: Deepening relationships across faith traditions; Celebrating diversity; and Learning from and about each other," Dr. Singh spoke clearly about mandate for the Board to “sit with one another” even amid the stress of differing faith representatives to do exactly what is the declared purpose. I remember her words, “Just when we realized we were getting nowhere with our resolve, we received request from our Mayor to join in.” The mayor attended an interfaith prayer meeting. It was an offer of help, and obviously also asking for help, herself experiencing political pushback thanks to a ceremonial decision she had made. This is what became the impetus, a new atmosphere for faith leaders to provide important municipal leadership. In short order they became a working team, and a helpful statement emerged.[i]

Needless to say the surprising civic involvement of this Interfaith Board has stimulated a spiritual throb not only in the interfaith community but also municipal politics in this city. I think of a passage in my sacred text (as my Bible gets labeled in these circles): Galatians 5:9 “A little yeast leavens the whole batch..." Faith communities of considerable variety seem to be pleased with this positive neighborly witness. Indigenous, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, B’hai and others of our interfaith community are collaborating. Community agony is better than community anger. Together we are sharing a Calgary-based message with our city and with national and indeed international neighbors.

These faith leaders are to be commended. They sat down because they knew they should, and even as the differences loomed high among them our mayor got involved, and it then became what can only be described as a sacred gathering. It is people of faith in a timely manner claiming what is at the heart of us all. Inspiration on this occasion was slightly beyond the good planning. I call it Holy Spirit power.

Once again this is a season of politics in Alberta. The New Democrats (NDP) are selecting a new leader in preparation for the 2027 election. Tonight one of the candidates was hosting a Q and A session. Very experienced and very impressively she fielded questions from all corners and walks of life. But one question she failed on. Asked about her take on present day Antisemitism and Islamophobia, she became unfocused and diplomatic. I suggested in Zoom chat that she check out the statement recently created by Calgary Interfaith Council – definitely better than the political strategies touted by politicians and media every day; definitely closer to the answer! 

Why not ask Yahweh, Allah, Creator God to perform that wonder working yeastly power instead of forging another armaments deal. Interfaith has the Faith answer.

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[i] Ryan, Jessica, https://www.calgaryinterfaithcouncil.org/our-shared-voice-during-this-time-of-conflict.15 March, 2024.

An Overlap of History

It was billed as another learning tour to rural Alberta. This second occasion after an earlier visit to Two Hills and surrounding community contained a suggestion from our group leaders. “Why not utilize our carpool time as a bit of mix and match, ride in different cars going place to place.” Good idea. So five repeaters of the first trip and nine first timers became the mix. It’s a new day and a new group. Who says a second tour must be repeat of the first?

The main reason for this second excursion was at invitation of the people we had visited last time. Our first visit to these immigrant Mennonites was a get-to-know-you occasion. And now we had the invite to come again, meaning that the first was not a big intrusion, just a short visit with good memories. Kommt wada, a common statement of welcome among Low German Mennonites.

Most of us in this tour group are urban Mennonites. We are those who have adapted to ‘ways of the world,’ including higher education. Education does interesting things. To our rural hosts we are probably characterized as ‘the learned ones.’ We the visitors probably do not see ourselves in so generic a way. We are a mix of school teachers, preachers, administrators, and medical professionals including nurses and a doctor. From our vantage our hosts may be perceived as the ‘unlearned ones,’ whose migrant lifestyle has recently landed them in Alberta! [i] That also would be oversimplified. They too have variety, unique stories and a unique lineage which brings them here. Besides faith practice and a history of moves and economic interests, politics will be waiting in the wings even if we don’t immediately posit those questions!

History has always received a bit of thumbs down among my cronies, probably because most of us in the education pursuit were pointing toward careers, useful things like teacher training, health care either nurses or doctors (the really smart ones😊), technology or business. History was kind of a long-haired pursuit for those who didn’t care for useful education!  Anyway, however it got labeled, my undergraduate journey favored some history options, making it a minor just below the major, religious studies, which eventually led to my calling (Career? My interests a little out of the ordinary among all my practical minded friends). Yesterday on that tour, we were a bunch of those early students now 50 or 60 years later, visiting businesses, churches, and schools operating with that minimal education perspective which we had fought our way out of. Now they were our hosts! There is something Back to the Future about this. We the old educated ones marveling at all the things being accomplished by those who may or may not have completed eighth grade.

The discipline of history also has specialties. Among both amateur and professionals there are those who know how to spell out details; others more inclined to notice and describe themes that come out of those back-there details along with implications for present and future. Although not a professional nor even quite an amateur historian, I recognize my own interpretive yen, and probably why I am an eager participant in this second visit. As a preacher, and as one whose faith journey started in and among the Old Colonists of the Russian Mennonites, I find it natural to observe and perhaps identify a few trends here. Still the nescheah as per nickname when I was a kid, here goes; a few thematics (?) from this thinker.

Diligence. It was everywhere. We visited a factory; owner and C.E.O. with minimal education, but incredible qualifications and confidence. He knows his business, knows what needs fabricating and why and how to do it and who should do it. Our tour started with this hospitable owner, a cheerful plant manager and many welders and cutters and painters and foremen and office personnel. I saw no Union or Health and Safety (HSR) representatives – seemingly unnecessary when everybody is on same page about best and safest way to get things done (wages were not a talking point). We visited churches, three rural locations; our hosts all church leaders who had taken time off their day jobs to serve as our tour guides (no pastoral salaries here). This fact was cordially and matter-of-factly stated only in response to one of our questioners, not to make a political or theological point. Although I did not take a survey, I know beyond a doubt that us visitors are of similar mindset. Mostly retirees, we also represent diligence, some good track records of expertise and success, whether in education, social services, business, medicine. Good work is more important than the wages we make. Not too many freeloaders here!

Pride. Although Mennonites often poke jokes at one another about being proud of our humility, I saw pride everywhere, not only in the Q and A sessions, but when conversing in our cars moving one place to next in our tour schedule. We speak about our children in their professional and other pursuits, possibly not mentioning the ones we grieve about. We review our career paths making sure it is understood, and if perceived safe to the listening ear, perhaps some reference to a disappointment or two. The underbelly of diligence among Mennonites is that failures are hard to deal with. We prefer successes. One hosting minister spoke with deep pride about his sixteen-year-old son who recently successfully managed his business (11 employees) on their farmyard for two weeks while he attended a church convention in Mexico. Myself a Saskatchewan farm boy, I marveled at his son, I ‘got it’ easily. [ii] Also I remember an additional feature of this topic. In my day, among those ‘adult’ responsibilities our parents made sure we didn’t get too proud of our great accomplishments. Come to think of it, I should have asked this dad if his son knew he was proud of him. 😏

Still a common characteristic, we try to live our lives responsibly, church prayer requests usually limited to safety for somebody on a trip, the sick and the dying, and praise God for a son or daughter who just got a PhD! [Admittedly there are differences here. In these rural churches, the Old Colony and the Rheinlander do not go into such sharing time during worship at all!] Whatever the worship style, I maintain that stoicism is standard fare among most of us Caucasian Mennonites. We do not mention the mentally ill or failing marriages or spiritual doldrums. All of us have things to learn from our black or brown brothers and sisters in Africa or Latin America, sometimes addressing illness or the evil one right there in the worship service!

Also some surprises! One of our hosting bishops spoke with considerable candor acknowledging ongoing problems with alcoholism and addictions in their midst. This was honest humble communication. Spirit-led leaders know it important to think about and learn from one another regardless how sophisticated or simple we are in our urban or rural faith communities. This is a challenge faced by faith communities of all traditions. 1 Thessalonians 5 has something to say about that, And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them (:14). Homegrown honesty can do all of us proud.

Preachers. As already noted these rural ‘brothers’ are minimally educated, but invested with considerable authority, totally committed and serving the felt needs of these rural churches. The Old Colony this year have a baptismal class of 43 all set for Pentecost, the Rheinlander and Kleine Gemeinde also with sizable groups. These three groupings, quite in character with denominationalism everywhere, also have slightly different theological emphases (O.C. baptism is the way to salvation and church membership, Rheinlander a rite “upon confession of faith in Jesus as Savior” also followed by membership, Kleine Gemeinde a similar faith confession but I do not know membership implications). All of these churches are full every Sunday - something for us visitors to think about, possibly even talk about in our carpool rides back to the city!

Most urban Mennonite churches, along with the mainline churches, in varying degrees are suffering a credibility gap. Baptismal classes? Is that a thing of the past? Many of today’s young adults admit to spiritual openness but find no faith invitation in their parents or present-day educated church leaders. Ouch! Visiting these country cousins is an occasion of humble confession especially for those of us in faith communities more aligned with today’s progressive theology while slowly forgetting the rites of Christian faith. When we don’t have those faith celebrations we look for consultants and webinars to help us understand things rather than seeking the Lord’s guidance. Bring back the catechism.

Protestantism, which emphasizes authority residing in the pulpit, is becoming a go-to among Mennonite churches, meaning that even while faltering we look for a good preacher as the solution. Therefore churches at this time are vulnerable to this subtle and compromising shift. Many in our midst do not know that we are neither Catholic or Protestant. [iii] Hiring the right preacher is a Protestant pattern which we have incorporated into our urban professional mindsets. We need to read some history about that. A visit among these country cousins has been a good reminder of what the church is all about.

The early church began after an outpouring of the Spirit on that fiftieth day after Easter. That outpouring is available still but comes only as we the faith community bow in humility before the Lord our God, whether that be in Edmonton, Toronto, or Two Hills. One scripture on topic comes from a hardy fisherman become disciple become the Apostle Peter: To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:1-3).

These visits have been a great opportunity for urban and rural Mennonites to learn from one another, and to claim all that God has availed for us. We have much in common. Praise the Lord!

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[i] I described something of that first trip in an earlier blog almost a year ago, Froese, Jacob (2023) “Solutions Outside the Lines,” Thoughts from my Room, June 17. Available at: https://www.jcfroomthoughts.blogspot.com.

[ii] “Extensions Beyond,” Ibid. April 20, 2024.

[iii] Walter Klaassen, Anabaptism: Neither Catholic nor Protestant (Waterloo, ON: Conrad Press, 1978). See also first in a podcast series, Loewen, William. "Martin Luther and the Niesinck Convent" (S1E1), Free Radicals Podcast, 2 Jan. 2024, https://www.freeradicalspod.com. 

Extensions Beyond

When I was a young farm kid learning the mysteries of life, I became aware of ordinary and extraordinary. Ordinary farming was kind of tidy and seasonal. It was a couple of cows with either milk or cream shipped, certain fields seeded with oats and wheat or barley, some acres summer-fallowed each year, and of course all dependent on lots of rain and minimal grasshoppers. Buildings and yard maintenance was important for some and not so much for others. That was our neighborhood.

This was not quite the way of our farm. Our operation was this plus lots of other things (not quite as normal)! We were also a mixed farm but a little more mixed up! 😏 Included was some cropland and some pastureland, some beef cattle, a modest herd of dairy cows, a chicken coupe and a pen with some pigs in it. Even at a young age I could tell that our mixed farm was deliberate. My parents’ early beginnings had been on prime land. When my two younger brothers and I were still preschoolers our parents decided to sell that property at optimum price and with those funds purchased the place which thereafter was home for us and the further nine brothers and sisters who came along in due time. This marginal stony land would accommodate mixed farming along with a sideline custom hay and straw baling operation. Main purpose here of course was to keep this growing family very occupied – occupied and out of trouble! It was not good to have a high energy labor force with nothing to do.

In hindsight I now recognize most features of this mixed farm operation quite in character of our dad, and recognizable in yours truly as well as several of my siblings! Innovation is more interesting than routine. For example, a three-ton farm truck is generally envisioned as a grain truck. On our farm the three ton was that and considerably more! It was the transportation for hay and straw bales to the city of Saskatoon, where dad had a contract to provide that needed commodity for certain feedlots. True to market economy, of course he knew that the more we could supply the better the feedlot owners liked it, the larger the cheques for services rendered. The fewer the loads the lower the transportation cost, hence an obvious impact on profit/loss of this operation. And yes, in keeping with Mennonite farm management in those days, the labor was free! 😏

This is where the extraordinary came in. Dad designed and built a maximum legally allowed rear extension to the bed of our truck. After only a few loads with this beginning improvement, a bigger plan emerged. With help from my uncle’s welding shop, our three ton received a full over-cab structure with posts coming up from each corner of front bumper. Now we hauled 365 bales per load instead of the mere 200 previously. Dad's truck became somewhat trademark in the neighborhood. Not only did he now haul the biggest payloads, but his oldest son (me) became known as the kid who could. This sixteen-year-old with a new drivers’ license would drive these top heavy loads into the city, much to the envy of my high-school friends and occasional scrutinizing looks from police officers as they would pass on the highway. Younger brothers were my passengers not at all intrigued by any of this because they were the laborers – essential in the loading and unloading of these payloads!

Looking back threescore and some years, I now see this as characteristic of many things going around. There are ordinary routine things, and there are the slightly extraordinary; both methods part and parcel of life. I think of my favorite sport, last game of the season, Edmonton Oilers lost 5 – 1 to the Colorado Avalanche, both teams with secured playoff spots. It was mostly a game of chance, in that the top-ranked players did not play! Suddenly the sheer joy of hockey seemed missing. Top rank McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Hyman, etc. were spectators with occasional camera flicks to see how they were making out in the luxury suites. Meanwhile on the ice, other good players like Darnell Nurse, Corey Perry, Ryan MacLeod, etc. did their duty to complete last jot and tittle of an 82 game season – ordinary players doing the required thing?😖 I am irritated. Boo to coaches or management for this strategy to either spare the elite for the upcoming playoffs or to visibly reward the extraordinary. Usually we hear much ado about teamwork even in professional sport! Right now I’m confused. Why this elitism in addition to all the million-dollar betting ads this last season? I can’t quite tell whether hockey is for the Bet99 crowd or for those fans who can still afford tickets to the games. I wish professional sport would continue as a celebration of the mix, the ordinary and the extraordinary.

Recently I read an old book. Very old actually, so old that even though a one-time bestseller, now hard to find in libraries (finally got it in eBook). In His Steps by Charles Sheldon [i] is about a church service disturbed by a poor man who hobbled to the front, gave a woebegone testimony, fell over and died! The pastor, himself in shock, interpreted this as a divine disturbance. He resolved to begin speaking in subsequent sermons about “What would Jesus Do?” It was unusual and it began a revolution, not only in his church but surrounding community. In this case the stirring reflect on WWJD became a revolutionary equalizer of ordinary routine and extraordinary actions. Theme of this book is that each of us, whether we are perceived as ordinary or extraordinary does not much matter; the important thing is to reflect on the soul-searching Jesus question in all of life's occasions. Interesting about the equalizing is that in this case even the elite business owners and newspaper editors simply re-motivated themselves to act in the best interests of all. Their lives were changed, as well as those impacted by new decisions and relationships. It has been a good read, relevant and applicable even for this day a hundred twenty-five years later.

This morning I had a nice conversation with my barber. A long-standing business in our community, owned by a Muslim family, in early easy conversation this time as I sat down in his chair I felt free to start with something other than weather or state of my hair. I asked whether they are Sunni or maybe Shi'ah. "Just Muslim" was his pointed reply. Ah, I identified with that retort, “Okay I think I get it. Me, I am a Mennonite, but really the important thing to me, I am Christian.” "Yes, yes", he enthused. Now we understood each other on that point, relationship at a deeper level even though we have 'done business' for several years. Conversation went on into various things, also blending into more neutral as other customers came in. Somehow we recognized there was no need to go into major splitting of theological hairs, just like I wish us Christians would not need to be constantly occupied with our doctrinal/liturgical/political/declarations. Being human we share a commonality worth claiming. There are ordinary and extraordinary farmers, ordinary hockey players and good hockey players and indeed some extraordinary. Mercifully all essential in the great variety in God’s garden.

One thing the barber and I did not agreed on. Are we slaves (his point) or are we children of God (my point)? - kind of unusual topic for a barber shop, but it beats reviewing the weather. Next time.

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[i] Charles M. Sheldon, In His Steps (Chicago: Advance Publishing), 1897.

Raising High End Money

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves (Matthew 21:12).

Recreation and Sports and Charity and Fundraisers are being rolled into one ball of wax. As indicated in previous post, I have a little more to say on the topic of charity and love. By now I am aware it may just be a little more of same, raising a few hackles even, so why bother? Why? Because I trust my readers to come along a bit more. With modified ambition here goes, some observations out of an ordinary routine activity - and then - a little more.

Last evening, watching a hockey game on my television I get hit three times. The phone rings; the solicitor knows my name, speaks to me as though we are old friends, and then I notice she’s reading from a script, collecting money for a very noble cause helping to feed children going to school hungry, not in Africa or Asia, but in this good country of Canada, coast to coast. Nobody is spared. “Could I donate $500.00 or perhaps 300 or $250.00?” I respond with my perspective, namely that I am aware of the challenge she speaks of, member of a church which is connected to a worldwide service agency, quite concerned also about children in Gaza right now not only hungry but also victimized by war, and I participate in community interfaith charity, also personally know a few refugee families who occasionally need emergency help. “$100.00? Every bit helps.” Perhaps she was not listening to me. I explain a little more clearly she’s talking to the wrong guy. It’s more than just your phone call. Then she ‘gets it’ and thanks me for my time.

At intermission Gene Principe the Oilers' Sportsnet reporter explains the 50-50 pot of $1,400,000 (something like that) going to Edmonton Community Foundation. He interviews gently a mother and daughter who are benefiting from this wonderful charity. Quite touching, and I like 50-50’s, used to buy tickets in small-town Saskatchewan hockey games. Maybe one of these days, 😯 but then I remember I cannot even afford a cheap seat ticket to a game anymore.

Then to add insult to injury, once-upon-a-time world’s best hockey player–become-gambler Wayne Gretzky appears in a commercial for Bet99, and almost on cue there's Connor McDavid and Austin Matthews, showing their high-priced faces in support of the American BetMGM to get a foothold in Canada. The Montreal Gazette recently had a feature article “Sports Betting tarnishes the Integrity of Every League.”[i] I agree with this article.

So this is kind of spectatorly - me in front of my boob tube and not every detail fact checked! I am a hockey enthusiast probably thanks to all the stickhandling back there on the Saskatchewan farmyard outdoor hockey rink. Ever still loving the game, I am however no longer a fan of current trends in professional hockey. So here I go, this waxball of money, maybe charity, and hopefully not too far afield of the love of God. In the previous post I made a  distinction between that love and charity. Love of God is huge, so huge that it cannot be fully encapsulated by us, because its source is beyond, deep in the heart of our Creator, the one who so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (John 3:16), the very One whom we celebrate and give thanks for in Holy Week. 

This love of God is larger than charities, the things we try to do, and most certainly not only the christian thing to do. Charity, community service, and good works are required "things to do" by people of many faiths and traditions. As a Christian (born-again even) I am becoming convinced this love is larger than the tithes and offerings we give in our Christian churches, larger than all we try to do or understand "beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell" (a favorite hymn from an old hymnal).[ii] The positive of this large love inclusive charity is that it can get multiplied (50/50?) and good things are accomplished even if people do it for differing faith or non-faith reasons. The negative is that we Christians begin to slip into calculation mode, being very careful stewards because after all it's the responsibility of everyone in this world (gotta get the total picture)! And so we become cautious, with attention going to charitable status of the receiver, etc. etc. We check with financial advisors rather than our hearts. And yes, those irritating solicitors will probably keep on calling. 😔

The last several years have provided much challenge not only for churches and faith-based organizations, but everyone in our communities. With the steady influx of refugees, a new reality is upon us. Many churches in the last half-century took pride in 'missions giving.' Missionaries would return on furlough from Africa or Asia to tell us of challenges, opportunities and blessings 'over there,' and wealthy church goers would feel good filling the offering plate for 'foreign missions.' Today foreign missions is different. It's no longer out there. It now means getting to know the families in multiple housing complexes in our cities including the challenge of new style of communication in brand new family systems. It may mean an occasional Christian father who needs to pay a visit to his other wife and family back there, while this wife deals with their teenagers' activities and gangs and other things in this city! It's not just about finding a nice church home for our new immigrant friends here. I'm guessing missionaries often chose not to tell us about these cultural stretches because it might negatively impact the funds collected in our churches. Multiculturalism is both a reality and a challenge especially in anti-immigrant political environments. Mission work now includes bridge building, and lots of it in our local communities, requiring lots of phone calls, lots of mis-spelled texts and short-notice meetings and e-transfers and surprise transactions, not just cheques or dollars in the offering plate. "Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked (Luke 6:35).

Many of our charities are now almost in same category as the ‘not for profits’ who are in and among all of this. While it is complicated we do not now have the luxury of closing eyes nor examining each ingredient within these 'balls of wax.' The kingdom of God includes missions, and missions is here AND abroad. Even as I point out these intercultural challenges, I confess to a further surprise (and I may be the old-fashioned one here). I see our worldwide faith-based organizations, service agencies, colleges and seminaries, all into new fundraising methodologies, most of them hiring donor relations personnel, a small part of whose job is to relate to potential donors. The major part of their time is spent organizing walks and races and fundraisers, and learning tours and golf tournaments and competitions and photo-shoots and shin digs with famous people, 50/50’s, etc. The love of God may be clearly evident here. It may also be kind of optional. 

Jesus, the son of God, incarnation of God's love, bids us be careful of the ideas we deal in, and do not even try it without relating to one another. [iii] Fully aware of Passover ceremony and religiosity and the cost before him, Jesus entered the Temple Courts and expressed it clearly to the money changers doing business right there (Matthew 21:12). My prayer is that our mission efforts and neighbor relations and mission dollars may be clearly and simply rooted in the love of God.

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[i] Jack Todd, The Gazette (Montreal, PQ), October 27, 2023.

[ii] “The Love of God”, Mennonite Hymnal (Newton, KS: Faith and Life Press, 1969) #538.

[iii] "Strangers to Neighbors," the theme for 2023 - 2024 Calgary Interfaith Council.

Desperado Charity

Retirement does interesting things to us. One of the things I have discovered in the last several years is that a certain style of living just comes with you no matter what your age. Longtime psychologists like Erik Erikson[i] and recent theologians like Richard Rohr's[ii] stages of life notwithstanding, there are some things that are a given. These are as natural as the DNA which may determine color of skin, shape of nose, or type of hair you have – or don’t have! My style of living has always and continues to include an affinity with down-and-out people. How one lives with an affinity makes for some more 'thinker material.'

An affinity, so it seems to me, is not something to work at or try to learn. It's just there, or else comes very naturally! At best I can identify my affinity as something I observed in my dad in how he related to his younger brother. Dad's youngest brother broke all the rules. Within their Mennonite Old Colony belief system which included his older sisters and brothers who participated in churchy auswanderungs to safe pioneering places like Mexico or LaCrete or Fort St John, this brother joined the air force! He signed up for reasons of wanderlust, probably no more patriotic to his country than any of his siblings. My dad was a diligent hard working farmer, him and mom raising their large brood on our dairy farm. After the war our adventuring uncle would come along and regale us impressionable farm boys with all kinds of interesting tales of adventure. Dad would listen too, but I could tell by look in his eye that he knew a large amount of this to be considerably embellished b.s. Already weathered by years of experience with this kid brother, dad would nonetheless treat him kindly, even offering our place as temporary abode while uncle sorted out marriage and family and job or unemployment issues, which was common lot for many soldiers now looking for what to do next.

I too have a heart for the ones at the edge. Always an awareness during my years of pastoral ministry and to this day I naturally notice the homeless guy(s) occasionally sleeping in a corner of McDonald’s or other fast food joints. I do not pity, in fact even recognize my inner chagrin at possible bad choices that may have led to this circumstance, but if eye contact available I say hello, and even some conversation if there is interest. I believe there is a considerable variety in all of us created beings rich or poor, and it is inappropriate to paint in categorical brush strokes. Anyway, a caring attitude, which may be a DNA feature, a Psalm 139 feature "For you created my inmost being" (:13), may also be nurtured by how one grows up (Heredity? Environment? A related topic). 

And it may be recognized by others. I am a member of Calgary Interfaith Council. Each year we have some sort of charity drive. Almost by default, several times I have been handed a bunch of ‘gift cards’ to hand out at my discretion to any homeless types whom I may deem as appropriate recipients. This comes simply because the group has recognized a certain connectedness without ever having made a pitch for it.

I suppose it is because of an affinity for people at the edge that I find myself thinking a little more about some words related to that (the thinker again)! Charity and love are both translations for the Greek word agape. Seems to me that the charity version is not popular any more, maybe because everybody is seeking to point out the love and the inclusiveness of God, rather than fearfulness (eg 1 Corinthians 13:12 the old King James Version reads “now faith, hope, and charity” and the New King James and every version thereafter “now faith, hope, and love”). It appears to me that charity is a more circumstantial value-laden word than love. Not being a linguist nor scholar of languages, I resist going into an analysis, but this does not keep me from rendering an opinion! 😏

My opinion is that charity, even though a nice word, has sort of a limiting connotation. I remember once upon a time as a young seminarian in 1978 I traveled with my longsuffering wife and our three children all the way from Saskatoon, SK to Wichita, KS pulling our tent trailer behind her brother's van to participate in Mennonite World Conference and gain one final course credit towards my graduation from seminary. We had a/c in the van but not in the trailer and July temperatures hovered around 100 Fahrenheit. We did not have sufficient funds for campground fees. A fellow seminarian from the area offered their place as a parking spot for trailer and kids. His wife was not pleased with his hospitality towards this beggarly Canadian. We encountered a few hail storms during the next two weeks – my wife enduring this 'holiday' each day spending much time with the kids at a local swimming pool while I attended classes in an air-conditioned college amphitheater! Oh shame. The two week stay ended amiably, but for us the difference between charity and love became quite obvious. In this example charity might be described as love under obligation.

For the last several years I have become acquainted with refugees, as a part of retirement committee work (things we do to assure ourselves we're still useful). Many refugees are affected by PTSD and deeply connected to political and family circumstances ‘back home.’ Several of these are now friends amiably unreservedly declared  – not quite to die for, but almost. 😐 In due time I have come to realize every single encounter, social or worship or business, includes a reference to certain hundreds or thousands of dollars which would accomplish this or that project. Even a hint of promise to ‘look into it’ is followed up next visit with “did you talk to…?” These are in fact very convincing concerns presented to someone (me) in this country not necessarily well-to-do, but obviously with good connections here there and everywhere. The irony is that my connections, namely my friends, the people of my church or my denomination become cautious, “what's he up to now?” some even quickly looking the other way when I come along.

Obviously there is a far reach to the topic of love, and a little tightening of the nerves when one thinks charity. There is another angle on this which deserves a hearing. I shall present something of that in next blog. As I think ahead to that, I am reminded of a scripture which once impressed itself on me in a Greek Readings class in seminary. Also it brings to mind a dear professor (RIP Dr. Gertrude Roten) who impersonated its very meaning. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18a). Thinking about this, even as I continue in relationship with new friends and with old friends, I hope and pray that we may learn some more about charity .. and love.

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[i] Erik H. Erikson, Life Cycle Completed (New York: W.W.Norton, 1998).

[ii] Richard Rohr, Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life (Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass, 2011).

Of Revelations and Life

A few days after my latest blogpost I encountered a bit of self-reproach, or was it anxiety. At any rate, it was some further thinking. Unlike most of my tomes (?) which garner considerable responses and some good conversation, this one showed many hits, yet minimal responses. That became reason for this ... reflection. I always instruct myself to write only from my genuine self, and before pressing ‘publish’ the reminder from Shakespeare’s famous line, “to thine own self be true.”[i] I need to be able to live with what has appeared. Within these parameters I allow myself to “say things as I sees em.”😏 This time, had I offended, or even worse in my perfectionist brain, perhaps been unclear in what I was getting at? [One friend, a magazine editor, actually told me so]. It has become clear to me that this was a large subject, very large actually, and somewhat new territory for many. Therefore it's probably appropriate, perhaps even important, to just press on! I am within my parameters and fascinated with topic at hand, enough to dig into it a little more! Also I must say, one of the responders, namely my cheerful learned younger brother, provided some good information plus his ever encouraging perspective, a welcome gift to this old preacher. Hang on folks, there’s a little more on that incendiary topic of Mormonism!

I believe in knowledge. I also believe in wisdom. A humble pursuit of knowledge can be an excellent contribution to wisdom, usually over a bit of time. My brother, whom I cited among the clowns in a recent article, [ii] also contributes to the wisdom column. He does a huge amount of reading, sometimes at night, in his adventurous activist life in Colorado. I will share a few of his quotes as we move along here. 

Mormonism is not the all-inclusive name. Although the referent name in most casual talk, I have become aware that my local Latter Day Saints neighbors cringe a bit if I use that term in conversation. Apparently it’s a colloquialism, almost a slang word. My brother says there is disagreement among LDSers on that, including some denominational alignment/realignment based on use of that term! That is something they have in common with all of Christendom, thousands of mainline and reformed and reorganized denominations all over the world!

Regarding origin, why not quote from my brother. I smile because I know his style will make this piece interesting, possibly even a little entertaining (usually he’s too busy formulating thoughts about subject at hand to bother with capitalization). 😉“they continue to track their origin to sir joseph smith w. unfeigning sincerity.  smith evidently had his first revelation of 1820 in or near palmyra, n.y., where god & jesus christ visited him, w. golden plates. part of this experience (further visions, w. 5 of his friends?) may also have been in fayette, n.y.  anyway, this visit was the 'first vision', as it's often referred to. it began a series of events that would restore jesus's church to the earth.[iii] This information, although not new to me, still comes as a surprise because it's one of the few things we have never yet spoken about! Mormon beginnings are right in there among the Jews, Muslims and Christians. Yes, it's Old Testament plus some additional visioning to a teenaged American boy named Joseph Smith, requiring a move across the ocean and into the middle of the United States. The Bible’s message, of course, is for everyone everywhere, across all oceans to all continents. But this is the New Testament's "go ye" mandate of Jesus after he was arisen from the dead (Matthew 28:19-20). To revisualize this as Old Testament prophecy is premature, and in my mind rather aggressive. But what can be done after a vision has been seen! 😏 Anyway, my brother's email goes on, ...by 1831 joseph led his crew to live temporarily in kirtland, ohio (enroute further west, tho they called it east). i think it was here that hebr. prophet isaiah's vision of ca. 3000 yr ago, was confirmed by the joseph team as proof of god's preordained time to brand utah as the holy land.  here was 'the place' as next leader, brigham young (following joseph's death in 1844) stated it, where salt lake city would serve as the apocalyptic new jerusalem and Utah's Jordan river would serve as the reestablished palestinian jordan river and its flow into the salty waters of sea of galilee.  these and many other geographic construals had to do w. the forging of peace in today's palestine, as necessary prep. for return of messiah.[iv]

Two things happening here. On the one hand, my brother pushes the absurdity button, quite alongside most Bible-believing Christians. The LDS origin, purporting to be back there in the Old Testament, includes a movement of holy writ to another continent. The Isaiah 53 savior promise is one thing; but to present this as a latter-day transference (construal?) of Jesus to a new Palestine in Utah is a presumption akin to rewriting of history (not unknown in some other countries, including present day Russia, Canada and U.S. Just ask the Indigenous)! Both Old and New Testaments warn against adding to or taking away from the scriptures (e.g. Deuteronomy 4:2, Revelation 22:18). That is likely the reason why Bible scholars and even my early Bible school education places the Mormons squarely among the cults! Much further information is available in libraries everywhere for anyone interested to dig into this interesting topic![v]

On the other hand, there is a futuristic ingredient in these revelations which provide a positive intrigue, especially these days as the world contorts itself in warfare of apocalyptic proportion right back there in the near east, the land of the three monotheistic religions, each believing in that one God. Of note is the Latter Day Saints’ reference to forging of peace in today’s Palestine (Utah? Middle East?), as a necessary preparation for the return of Jesus. No matter how one understands that interpretation, the possibility of peace would be a wonderful answer to the prayers of many! Pacifism, however, seems not in their playbook. In fact their trek from New York to Utah reads like script for a wild west movie, especially the arrest and murder of Joseph Smith in Carthage, Illinois. Furthermore, military and/or missionary service are apparent expectations for their young people as they grow up. These family expectations and their rugged entry into the U.S. may explain why peace churches and genuine pacifists are confused about seemingly contradictory teachings and practice. Surface impression is that Latter Day Saints are big players in the U.S. God and country military mindset along with the evangelical right. 

Obviously this is further grist for the mill. Also I acknowledge I am not fully informed about topic at hand. Further theology and discipleship conversation is needed - including nurture of relationships! What better way to nurture relationships than to be neighborly in the very communities we live in? My LDS neighbors are at forefront of local service projects. Further, the local LDS Bishop is full participant in some honorable dialogue among members of our Calgary Interfaith Council, which includes Indigenous and Colonial Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, B’hai, Sikh - apparently some stressful recent meetings for obvious reasons, and yet a positive contribution to municipal political environment in this city.[vi]

I cannot but conclude with a concern, this directed not only to my Mormon friends, but also to fellow Mennonites and many other Christians. As a believer within the Peace Churches tradition, I say, “if the LDS claim their church is prerequisite to peace in Palestine and of Jesus’ return to earth, would it not be appropriate for them to be practising pacifists?"  And this also!  Why is it that Christians of all stripes, including us peace-churchers, especially our executives, the journalists and media experts, are more conversant in sound bites, in Zionist prophecies or military strategies, along with coffee-shop or watering-hole politician critiques, than in the teachings and the suffering love of Jesus the Messiah and Savior? Indeed Jesus has promised his return, the day and the hour we do not know (Acts 1:7). There is no biblical requirement to first be on membership role in the LDS church or any other church for that matter, but there is a mandate for followers of Jesus to be peacemakers in this broken world. Would that all people regardless of rank or church affiliation (or non-affiliation) might act on what they know in their heart. 

In conclusion I repeat the same scripture text as at end of my last post, and one additional scripture for anyone who realizes perhaps it's time to get on board with the faith pilgrimage. It truly is a realistic invitation. Here they are, both in the King James Version, the received and preferred version for the Latter Day Saints.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6).

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20).

 

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[i] Hamlet, Act I, scene 3.

[ii] 2023, November 22, “Redemptive Clowns”, jcfroomthoughts.blogspot.com.

[iii] Peter Sprunger Froese, “email message,” February 17, 2024.

[iv] Ibid.

[v] One fascinating read with comedic storyline is Avi Steinberg, The Lost Book of Mormon: A Journey through the Mythic Lands of Nephi, Zarahemla, & Kansas City, Missouri (New York: Doubleday, 2014). See also a riveting nonfiction by Alex Beam, American Crucifixion (New York: Public Affairs, 2014).

[vi] Sarah Arthurs, “Our Shared Voice During This Time of Conflict,” https://www.calgaryinterfaithcouncil.org, March 5, 2024.

Train Up a Child

“Could we have a little conversation with you?” This was the greeting of two young ladies approaching the people beside me waiting for next Commuter Train. Not at all conversant in English, nor much interested in this forward approach, these people exercised their right to bad manners and just walked away! I was next, perhaps because of a friendlier look on my face.  “Hi could we have a few words with you?” “Certainly,” was my reply; then asked if I might have first question, "Are you Jehovah’s Witnesses?” Along with name tags it was quickly clarified, “No, we're from Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” “Oh, I have some friends right here in this neighborhood who are LDS.” I could tell by look in their eyes this was a good twist for them. In short order a brief conversation ensued, but short circuited by my C-Train arriving. As I took my seat in the train car I was glad for the positive connect with these well-meaning young people. From this Calgarian they had heard a word of appreciation for ‘their people’ coordinating and doing most of the service projects in our community. It was brief and it was pleasant.

I am becoming increasingly acquainted with the LDS church. Many years ago I ‘studied’ them in Bible School in a class entitled ‘Cults’, and over the years have learned considerably more, either by rumor or by personal relationships. The rumors are usually gossipy and the relationships are stellar! During my years of college and seminary I became engrained in biblical, historical and practical education and that became the focus in my ministry of pastoral leadership among ‘my people’ always aware of 'those people' same as a considerable populace of others who kind of fade into the background while one is tending the local scenes. 😔 As fate would have had it (providence?) due to some health issues, the last twenty years of my working life were spent as a long haul trucker on the highways and byways of Canada and U.S. I testify this was a furthering of friendships and neighborliness among all of those ‘others’ - no holds barred, including an occasional graffiti “Welcome back elder ---” painted on barns beside the I-15 traveling through Utah. My thinker is on and my spirit open, probably reason for my hospitality to the young missionary ladies bothering C-Train passengers here in my city.

A few weeks ago, in a discussion about some of today’s societal trends, I heard from one of the participants about a recent study which indicates today's young people are interested in faith but not the church. The reason, I heard, is because they see no evidence of living faith among their parents or others even if involved in church leadership – no heroes of the faith, if you will. Ouch! This is us. Our actions have been speaking more loudly than our words. Lack of attentiveness to our children because we have been busy with careers and livelihoods, to the extent that we have not tended well  to our carefully planned nests of two or three! Interesting, I grew up in a family of twelve and my parents paid lots of attention to us (There is some opinion among my siblings about that. Apparently this eldest son asked so many questions and had so many opinions that he commanded a little more than his share 😏)! Actually in farm families attention was more than talk. It included chores with ‘jobs’ doled out to each one of us. And we also got play, lots of it, both on our farmyard and at school, but always after the work was done. Even some evening extracurricular was allowed once we were endowed with a driver’s license and in good enough grace to borrow the pickup truck! The reason for this adequate attention was not because of many heart to heart conversations, but because we knew ourselves to be essential in the mode operandi of our farming operation. Maybe it was child labor, but we didn't even know what that was! Each of us was a part of the package.

This was how we baby-boomers grew up, and now growing old. Because of our parents’ post-war diligence, many of us had the good fortune to grow up in large families occupied with purposeful things. Work, play, religion all included as post-war institutions were thriving along with a lifestyle that might be labeled as healthy, along with learning about a colonial God who became increasingly optional as the good life developed. Even as some of us (eg Mennonites, Doukhobors, French Canadian Catholics) still grew up in large families, in urbanizing society the greater need became daycare and after-school supervision while parents were doing the careers. Oh yes, as the good life improved there were also better schools of choice, either Christian or charter. Regardless of tradition or faith allegiances, most career parents by now are ‘driving hockey’ (as the commercial says) with competitions, dance or sport, being the priority weekend activity. 

The irony here is that our children are no longer the workforce, not even around the house. They are now the consumers of extra work for their parents. Parents are now required to be experts in pre-adolescence and adolescent and teenage mood swings, including emergency housing when their young adults have employment problems. Back in Saskatchewan each weekday morning we would run to the road to catch the school bus after doing our allotted farm chores, breakfast wolfed down and lunches packed. Today it remains for parents to deal with whoever did not get up on time, to drive the errant one to school. In my day, if there was a slowpoke, he or she would stay home for the day, help out with extra work, and make sure next morning you got your act together! There are exceptions of course to these generalizations  – some incredible parenting even among today’s good lifers, and also some very shoddy farm management back there! It is within this generational change, however, and even as I acknowledge lots of exceptions, some unique ‘institutional’ observations can be made.

Back to the C-Train missionaries. These two young ladies hailed from the U.S., one from Utah and the other from Arizona, if I remember correctly, duly assigned to ‘intercept’ people in this Canadian city. It is their responsibility as members of the LDS church. These missionary assignments are in locales other than where they grew up, obviously to provide occasion of learning church protocol from supervisors other than parents, and to practise the church 'lines' - rote learning if you will. It is a transition from the home base to places all over the world where these faith communities are located (Recent Conference report indicates 20 new temples worldwide scheduled for construction in 2024). I am fascinated by a faith community which demonstrates both the teaching (didache) and the experience, absolutely essential for Spirit and Body to be in tune. 

My hunch is that Mormonism is an antidote to some of the societal trends described above, which may be why family togetherness is priority in their assemblies and homes. In that environment the high school teenager is being prepared for the important assignment coming after graduation. It comes after baptism and confession of faith (in that order). It reminds me of certain patterns also in our Mennonite communities. Not quite as per ecclesial requirement, but among devout church members there is an understanding that one or two years after graduation would be best spent in a Bible Institute or College – this is usually talked up and supported in families and social groupings of similar mindset, in hopes of course to provide a solid base for further career choices and education thereafter. [Albeit some of these education excursions nowadays are fairly high-end fully funded by well-to-do moms and dads!]

Two scriptures come to mind; similar topic, but with kind of an opposite tug.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6 KJV).

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God (Luke 18:16 KJV).  

[One little aside. I have chosen the King James Version here with a little smile. For reasons not clear to me, the KJV is ‘sacred text’ among all LDS, perhaps because of 'revealed' similarity to Book of Mormon. Another topic! 😉] Back to topic at hand. "Train up a child" in Proverbs we have that proverbial acceptable wisdom similar to sentiments I have noted above. Luke’s New Testament rendition gives us the 'also requirement' - the loving tone of Jesus rebuking his own disciples for shushing the children. His words are eternally heartwarming. Both texts are overwhelmingly true. There is need for training and instructions, and there is need for the mystery of love -  much room for holy pause here.

I am reminded of a good friend – my cousin actually – recently retired after spending most of his lifetime as an international teacher and latter years as executive director of Mennonite Central Committee Alberta, a worldwide service agency. In a recent blogpost, [i] somewhat unlike his many other posts pontificating about everything else under the sun, he writes about his five-year-old granddaughter Sierra. In a mass observance in their neighboring  Catholic church, and at invitation of the presiding priest, along with many others she was ‘invited’ to deliver her toonie offering up to a box in front of the church. After depositing her coin, she returned to her grandparents, face beaming with sheer joy and pleasure at having done so important a job!

Training up children is indeed a rich combination of learning responsibilities, of participating in family, including family jobs and values. Children need to know the faith claims of their parents. We have reason to think long and hard about that! Training up children also includes the possibility of faith or unfaith coming in strange and wondrous ways. It includes divine possibilities such as the Sierra moments of little children and important things like serving as teenage missionaries on behalf of self? parents? church? or on behalf of Jesus Christ, the one who is available among us all “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

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[i] Janzen, Abe (2024, February 13). “Keeping the Devil in the Hole,” Some Messy Notes. https://wordpress.com.