Author: Rick Potter

"Tell me what your escape routes were," Rev. David Robertson asked his United Church congregation in High River, Alberta, Canada, to begin an impromptu worship service last Sunday. Just over a week earlier, on June 21, 13,000 residents … Read more

Hang gliding behind a power boat is an exciting, relatively new sport whereby a powerboat tows a twenty-foot kite with two people harnessed into it and pulls them to dizzying heights. A few years ago, I tried this sport over … Read more

I love living in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, but I think that my heart will always be in Muskoka, Ontario, where my grandfather's cottage, nicknamed "Birch Haven" has stood since 1933. For as long as I can remember, as soon … Read more

It's been a year since the earthquake in Haiti, taking with it all the sub-standard concrete buildings that litter Port-au-Prince, and taking with it over 316,000 Haitian lives. A month after the earthquake, a small number from our church arrived … Read more

Over the course of my life, I have always coveted the limited time in which I have pursued oil painting. As a busy pastor, I rarely seem to find the time. For a birthday, my son, Jeff, encouraged me to … Read more

In 1859, The Great Blondin became the first of many tightrope walkers to make the death-defying walk 175 feet above the Niagara Gorge from Canada into the United States. Blondin crossed the tightrope pushing a wheelbarrow, or on a bicycle, … Read more

Recently, I asked the members of my congregation, "How many of you hold a valid driver's licence and are currently still driving?" About one hundred hands went up — almost all the congregation. No surprises there. Then I asked, "How … Read more

Going to the peak of a snow-covered mountain, slapping two skis onto one's feet, and screaming downhill isn't everyone's idea of fun. For the blind, it might sound impossible. John, a fun-loving, middle-aged man — blind from birth — … Read more

You may have watched pictures of the wildfires that once again swept the Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, area in late July, reminding us of the devastating fires of August 2003, when 239 homes burned to the ground. This time, again, … Read more

My first congregation as a student minister in rural Ontario had connected with it a very modest manse — think more of a cosy, three-bedroom cottage than a house — no garage, no basement, and little storage. I asked a very wise … Read more