Our anxiety muscles have grown. We were told to be anxious. We were told that this anxiety should drive our behaviour, and that our lives depended on it. This behaviour created physical space and safety, which in itself was necessary. But was there another spirit by which we could have achieved that? Could we not have been driven by courage? …
A good friend asked me recently “If you were pastoring a church today what would you preach on?” My quick response was “How do we love God and neighbor in a post pandemic future?” As I pondered his question a little more deeply however I found myself looking back over the last year and the important questions it has taught …
I wrote this litany of healing several years ago. However, this year I have adapted it to be more directly applicable to the time of COVID and have included contemplative actions that encourage us to reflect on the healing power of God in the many ways it is expressed. I have found that the combination of prayers and actions like …
We are rapidly approaching the end of a year that, for many of us, has been the most challenging of our lives. We are all worn out and weary. A lot of us are ZOOMed out, Coronavirused out, and longing for peace. We’re all in different places and spaces, and all of our stories are unique, but we all share …
At our last community meeting, we started talking about Christmas. Yep, Christmas! It still seems so far away but it needs a little more attention this year as our celebrations will probably look a little different than in previous years. Our churches won’t have Christmas pageants, carol singing or fun family gatherings, most of us won’t be traveling and Tom …
Friends, I am struggling. Those close to me are not shocked by this because when they have checked in on me, I fumble through poorly worded responses. This has been going on for a while, but I think I am finally coming to terms with it. This season of life has turned me upside down. Most days, I live in one …
We live in a deeply traumatized world. COVID has changed all of us and the ways we interact with our congregations and communities. Most of us are living in a state of constant anxiety and stress. These last few months have shaken us to the core. Many are filled with fear and uncertainty. We know the future will require change, …
We are facing a disruption to the Church in ways that we have not seen in our lifetime. Rather than waiting for life to go back to normal for our church activities, we need to embrace this disruption as a gift that is breaking open space for new life and new possibilities. The last great disruption was The Reformation, which …
A 5-week Immersion for re-imagining and restructuring your mid-size or mega church toward decentralized gatherings w/ Dan White Jr & friends About this Immersion A global pandemic has disrupted the Church, there is no denying it—it feels apocalyptic. Many Churches are not sure when or how to gather their people without putting them in harms way. So what are the …
There’s no need to revisit the history of how we got where we are today. We know all the facts surrounding COVID and the struggles that churches are facing in the midst of the pandemic and shutdown. Some of you reading this are dealing with these tensions on a daily basis and my heart truly goes out to you. Almost …