Friday, April 3, 2020

Colleagues List, April 5th, 2020

Vol XV. No. 35

Archive - Dec 2009 - Oct 2019                                                                                              http://colleagueslist.blogspot.ca/ http://colleagueslistii.blogspot.com/


GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE                                                  CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address: waholst@telus.net 

This email is sent only to a voluntary subscriber list.

If you no longer wish to receive these weekly columns,
write to me personally - waholst@telus.net

*****

Friends:

My Special Item this week is a brief reflection on
"Looking for Signs of Hope in Difficult Times" and
an update on my Lenten column posted last week.
This time, it appears as a "late Lent" Anglican
Journal piece, published this week.

Colleague Communication - includes our regular
contributors plus special appearances from two
friends who have much good to share with us.
We welcome Doug Koop (Winnipeg) and Anna
Greenwood-Lee (Calgary).

I hope you find this mailing meaningful at a time
that many struggle with meaning.

Wayne

PS A REMINDER - If a link, below seems to be dead, cut and
paste it into the address bar at the top of your web page
and it should work.

*****

AN EARLY SPRING REFLECTION

Engaging Holy Week
Looking for Signs of Hope
in Difficult Times

Spring is coming slowly to Canada's foothills
this year. Cold weather and snow continue to
plague us into April as a seeming complement
to the Coronavirus.

At times like this, we find it important to look
for signs of hope amid the negatives around us.

When Marlene and I engage in our daily walks
(what'ere the weather - because walking builds
up our immunity) we are attentive to other signs
from nature - like the annual arrival of robins!!

About two weeks ago, we experienced the first
signals that a few hidden ones had arrived. The
gulping "chirp/chirp" we heard tentatively
seemed to be telling us: "we made it/we're here".

Then, last week we actually saw a few of them.
They seemed to be gaining confidence over 
fears of natural enemies.

Then, on the first of April (not the fool's day)
we heard several glorious choruses of full-throated
joy. In spite of cool temperatures and drab skies,
they were telling us "in spite of everything, it is
still a wonderful world!! we like it here!!"

That sound did not seem to us like wishful thinking.
From deep inside, we heard the conviction that
even though they may never have experienced
a Canadian spring before, their ancestors from
time immemorial had, and they too anticipated
good things in the months ahead.

Theology teaches me the difference between
optimism and hope. Optimism tells me that I
anticipate life will improve. Hope tells me it will. 

Optimism is based on good intentions.
Hope is based on faith in an eternal God.

Welcome, robin friends. You are a most
welcome sign at this difficult time.

*****

"A Few Words - 
  From the Dalai Lama - For Lent's Last Lap"

My Late Lenten Column for the Anglican Journal:
https://tinyurl.com/r58wqfd

*****

COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS

Doug Koop,
Winnipeg, MB

Via Daybreak Church,
Airdrie AB (website)

"Keeping the Faith:
  Pandemic Holds Enriching Potential"
  https://tinyurl.com/unr3hvr

--

Anna Greenwood-Lee
Calgary, AB.

Globe and Mail,
March 31st, 2020

"Keeping the Faith (Actually, Three  Faiths)"
  https://tinyurl.com/svdkplk

--

Ron Rolheiser,
San Antonio, TX

Personal Web Log.
March 30th, 2020

"The Dispelling of an Illusion"
  https://tinyurl.com/vfpb84w
  
--

Jim Taylor,
Okangan, BC.

Personal Web Log,
March 29th, 2020

"Isolation Causes Its Own Social Problems"
  https://tinyurl.com/sl3yt57

--

Mark Whittal,
Ottawa, ON

Sermons and Blog
March 28th, 2020

"All Shall be Well?"
  https://tinyurl.com/r8ldswt

*****

NET NOTES - April 5th, 2020

PATIENCE IN THE PANDEMIC
Avoid Overburdening Healthcare

Sightings,
April 2nd, 2020

https://tinyurl.com/ql2jwo2

--

THE CHURCH AFTER CORONAVIRUS
Crisis Exposes What is Essential

National Catholic Reporter,
April 1st, 2020

https://tinyurl.com/tuoj2sq

--

EFC CALLS CANADIANS TO PRAYER
AND FASTING OVER PANDEMIC
Many Church Groups Follow Suit

Christian Week
March 25th, 2020

https://tinyurl.com/rrb2u7m

--

THINKING ABOUT GOOD FRIDAY
DURING A PANDEMIC
Revisiting the Solemn Approaches

Christian Century,
March 31st, 2020

https://tinyurl.com/vgs62et

--

POPE FRANCIS JOINS U.N. IN CALL FOR
GLOBAL CEASEFIRE TO FIGHT PANDEMIC
Large Global Sign-in Endorsement Continues
(video and text)

Catholic Register, Toronto
March 30th, 2020

https://tinyurl.com/wu6c536

--

EARLY VAN GOGH PAINTING STOLEN
FROM MUSEUM IN THE NETHERLANDS
"The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring"

New York Times,
March 30th, 2020

https://tinyurl.com/w6od7cx

--

HUTTERITES AND OLD ORDER MENNONITES
RESPOND TO CORONAVIRUS
"We Too Are Part of This World"

CBC.ca
April 1st, 2020

https://tinyurl.com/tfrhrcv

--

SAUDI OFFICIAL URGES FAITHFUL
TO REVISE THEIR HAJJ PLANS
Islam Must Deal With Virus

Religion News Service,
April 1st, 2020

https://tinyurl.com/yx37ex5x

--

JOHN DOMINIC CROSSAN ON WHAT
THE WEST GETS WRONG ABOUT EASTER
He Prefers Eastern Church View of Resurrection

Broadview Interview
March 31st, 2020

https://tinyurl.com/soydp2y

-

FRANKLIN GRAHAM ON SAMARITAN'S
PURSE FIELD HOSPITAL - CENTRAL PARK
"We Don't Discriminate... Period"

Religion News Service, 
April 2nd, 2020

https://tinyurl.com/ql2jwo2

*****

WISDOM OF THE WEEK - April 5th, 2020

Provided by Sojourners and The Bruderhof online:

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage
is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying,
“I will try again tomorrow."

- Mary Anne Radmacher

--

What we all need to do is find the wellspring that
keeps us going, that gives us the strength and
patience to keep up this struggle for a long time.

- Winona LaDuke

--

Yes, the old ways of doing things are on hold,
perhaps for longer than we realize. But this
moment of rupture may be an opening to new
paths. New connections. New ways of being.

And, if we are diligent and blessed, maybe
even liberation.

- Rabbi Michael Rothbaum

--

At some thoughts one stands perplexed – especially
at the sight of people’s sin – and wonders whether
one should use force or humble love. Always decide
to use humble love. If you resolve on that, once and
for all, you may subdue the whole world.

Loving humility is marvelously strong, the strongest
of all things, and there is nothing else like it.

 - Fyodor Dostoevsky


--

You can look everywhere for peace, but you may
not find it. Or you can forget yourself and get on
with whatever work is there in front of you.

That’s 
what brings peace – doing whatever needs

to be done in the house, showing love to your spouse,
or whatever else comes to mind. If you do it for the
sake of the kingdom, it will bring you peace.


- Ruth Land

--

It is amusing to see souls who, while they are at
prayer, fancy they are willing to be despised and
publicly insulted for the love of God, yet afterwards
do all they can to hide their small defects. If anyone
unjustly accuses them of a fault, God deliver us from
their outcries! Prayer does not consist of such fancies.

No, our Lord expects works from us. Beg our Lord to
grant you perfect love for your neighbor. If someone
else is well spoken of, be more pleased than if it were
yourself; this is easy enough, for if you were really
humble, it would vex you to be praised.

- Teresa of Avila


--

One must learn to make the transition from “let this
cup pass from me” to “nevertheless, not my will, but
thy will be done.” And God grant that as you face life
with all of its decision – as you face the bitter cup
which you will inevitably face from day to day –
God grant that you will learn this one thing and
that is to make the transition from “this cup” to
“nevertheless.” …

This, you see, is the thing that determines whether
you go through life devoted to an eternal cause or
whether you go through life depending on your own
finite answers, which really turn out to be no answers.

This is the thing that determines whether you can rise
out of your egocentric predicament to devotion to a
higher cause. This is what Jesus was able to do and
this is the lesson that he presents to us today.

- Martin Luther King Jr.

****


CLOSING THOUGHT - Dale Carnegie

Most of the important things in the world have been
accomplished by people who have kept on trying
when there seemed to be no hope at all.

(end)

*****


For those interested:

ST. DAVID'S ACTS  WINTER MONDAY NIGHT BOOK STUDY

A Ten Week Series January 13th - March 23rd, 2020
(Family Weekend Session, February 17th, exempted)
Monday Evenings, TM Room 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

"FUTURE FAITH - Ten Challenges Reshaping 
                              Christianity in the 21st Century"

Author: Wesley Granberg-Michaelson

Registration/Hospitality and Book: $60.00.
Book only: $25.00


37 copies of the book were made available for sale.
All are now sold. 

Total on-site registrations: 32
(plus 3 on-line participants). Grand Total: 35 to date.

A SUMMARY OF OUR STUDY SESSIONS WILL BE HELD
ONLINE AS ZOOM FORMAT CHALLENGES AWAIT

Book Description - https://tinyurl.com/tybpxvd

PLEASE READ THE STUDY NOTES FOR ALL TEN CHAPTERS
https://tinyurl.com/qpx7l8n

*****

ST. DAVID'S ACTS THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY

Our theme this winter: 

"Jesus' Parables and Miracles" 
  (a total of 10 examples)

As recorded in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark 
and Luke and the Gospel of John

Ten Sessions - January 23rd-April 2nd, 2020

Gathering at 9:30 AM in the St. David's TM Room
and meeting 10:00 - 11:00 AM. 

THE FINAL STUDY SESSIONS WILL BE HELD ONLINE

Study resource -

"The DK Complete Bible Handbook"
  Edited by John Bowker


http://tinyurl.com/odxlv7q
 

*****


​​​​​



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Colleagues List, July 24th, 2022

  Vol. XVIII. No. 1 Archive - Dec 2009 - Oct 2019                                            http://colleagueslist.blogspot / .ca           ...