I stopped dead on the sidewalk, and did a double-take, staring into the bank window. Inside, a clown with a baggy costume and blue and pink hair was serving a customer. A second glance showed me that almost every employee … (read more)

Years ago now while a student studying at Knox College, I shared a message What Fear do you Fear? and in it I was asking folk if they were afraid of things that go bump in the night – and … (read more)

One of the children of the congregation used to have night terrors – dreams that would awake them drenched in sweat and shuddering in fear, yet unable to remember what silent terror stalked their unconscious in the darkness of the … (read more)

Edward Munch, a late nineteenth century Norwegian artist, painted a disturbing picture, "The Scream". In it, a man, wide-eyed with fear, clamps his hands over his ears to shut out the scream that reverberates from his open mouth and echoes … (read more)

I have a friend who had lived life flying by the seat of her pants. She recently had a massive heart attack, nearly dying. Angrily she complained to the doctor that she had done all he required of her and … (read more)

As we flick the channel, nightmarish wreckage of mangled bodies assaults our senses. The news anchor person speaks of violent death. This time three suicide bombers have taken seven lives with them in Ben Jehuda Street – Jerusalem's seemingly safe, … (read more)

Two worlds are represented in my household at this moment. They are as different as night and day. I took a moment to sit and share with my brother-in-residence that I had come to the end of my rope. It … (read more)

One of the newest members of my congregation is Jeffrey Alexander. He is nine months old. You should know two things about him. One, he loves to cuddle, and second, he can sleep anywhere. He teaches me things about trust. … (read more)

What is our greatest pleasure? The answer will tell us much about ourselves. The problem, however, is to narrow it down to one pleasure. Most of us have several pleasures that rank high. For me, to be part of a … (read more)

These words are often used in worship, very appropriately, as a prayer by the minister before delivering a sermon. The request is made that the spoken words of the sermon and the silent thoughts of the whole congregation may be … (read more)

Have you ever had the experience of being in a room in your home when a single shaft of bright sunlight shines into it? You've always assumed that the room was clean but the sunlight reveals tiny particles of dust … (read more)

There are many reasons for reading God's Word regularly and seeking to absorb it into our daily lives. Here the Psalmist highlights two reasons. Firstly, Scripture can act as a warning to us. We tend to be impatient with those … (read more)

In this verse the Psalmist continues to praise God's Word in a way that really challenges us to reassess our values. It's easy to say that God's Word is precious to us, that we value it and treasure it, but … (read more)

In rapid succession these verses invite us to consider six attributes of God's Word. Scarcely a day passes without the truth or the authority or the sufficiency of Scripture being questioned from one quarter or another. What a refreshing change … (read more)

Having spoken in verses 1-6 of the revelation of God in the world he has created, in verses 7-13 the Psalmist turns to God's revelation of himself in his Word. God's law (Torah = teaching, instruction, direction) in the following … (read more)

Of all the forces of nature the sun is perhaps the one that affects us most obviously and directly. So great is our dependence on its light and warmth that from the earliest times many have worshipped the sun as … (read more)

Of all the things we take for granted. one of the most amazing is surely the regularity of nature, the fact that the sun appears each morning bidding us rise and shine, and sets each evening bidding us rest and … (read more)

Psalm 19 brings together in an extraordinary way two assertions: God speaks to us through his World (vs.1-6) and through his Word (vs.7-13). Scholars who find here two quite separate psalms completely miss the point (some even see in vs.1-6 … (read more)

In Canada, it's Thanksgiving and the smell of roasting turkey can drive young and old alike mad with anticipation. Some Thanksgivings I just have to get out of the house away from the tantalizing odours and walk for awhile. Thanksgiving … (read more)

Today is the Fiftieth Anniversary of our Church in Mission, British Columbia, Canada, and we have a great deal to be thankful for on this Canadian Thanksgiving Sunday. Just five years and five months ago, May 3rd, 1992, we moved … (read more)

The Bible teaches that we can create thanksgiving in others simply by our acts of love and giving. It is never too early to teach this simple lesson of love. Take the St. Andrew's Sunday School as an example. Every … (read more)

(In the March/April 1993 issue of Equip the following anonymous reflection was offered to Presbyterian clergy across Canada. It still needs to be heard in 1997.) There are three kinds of giving: grudge giving, duty giving, and thanksgiving. Grudge giving … (read more)

The mingled images of the crash-mangled limousine still haunt the evening news as the inquiry into the death of a princess continues. We are reminded of the vision of two young princes following behind the flag draped caisson carrying their … (read more)

With all the recent talk about Promise Keepers Conventions, I'd like to make a comment, and tell about an amazing experience I had at a PK Convention. First, the comment. The media cannot seem to believe that being a leader … (read more)

I enjoy receiving and leafing through Land's End catalogues. For the twenty years we've lived in Florida however, serious purchase consideration has been primarily limited to light weight knits, chlorine resistant swimsuits, and various lengths of shorts. All those wonderfully … (read more)

Warren's face was aglow as he entered our home recently for a visit. He was barely seated when he burst out with this story. It had happened on the previous Sunday morning in one of our local churches where he … (read more)

The Church of Jesus Christ always seeks to gather the shattered fragments of faith that are the one Church of our Lord and Saviour, bring the pieces together in an embrace of love and unity. That dream is encompassed in … (read more)

If you knew me well enough you'd know I would never try to scare someone out of their wits, at least not on purpose. Well, I did it about a month ago at an ecumenical gathering. The worship leader invited … (read more)

The Premier of Nova Scotia has recently declared that he will abide by the decision of municipal plebiscites regarding the banning or otherwise of VTL's. This letter is to ask you to act quickly in encouraging people in you community … (read more)

Our God is awesome. Consider for a moment the wonder of our God's infinite all-knowing and all-seeing power. There is an illustration which reflects on the all-knowingness of God (and perhaps the concept of predestination) which will be clear to … (read more)

Our God is awesome. Consider for a moment the wonder of our God's infinite all-knowing and all-seeing power. As a youth I remember a lesson in Youth Club which illustrated our relative understanding of things divine. It focused around an … (read more)