Friday Art- finished lyrics

A bit of a crazy week so not a lot of art was accomplished. I did manage to finish lyrics to the song I posted a clip from last week:


Sometimes the sweetest of sounds
Come from the darkest places
Quiet songs of desperation
Like the sound from the inside of an old guitar

Reach, reach for the light
Melody soaring to highest of heights
Reach, reach for the light
There's a way, there's a truth, a life

Sometimes in darkness of night
Clouds can hide their traces
And mask the star lit places
But the light is never further away

Reach, reach for the light
Melody soaring to highest of heights
Reach, reach for the light
There's a way, there's a truth, a life



I stole the idea for the second verse from something my wife was working on...I think she will be cool with it.

Update Tuesday

Thanks to those who prayed for our opportunity at Mohawk College last weekend.  I think that the event was a success over all and that my friend who was organizing everything felt good about it.  I know that from our perspective it was a great chance to engage with a lot of students.  Many of the students seemed particularly interested in our Love Loud initiatives as we were able to share about a number of the community projects that we are involved in.  We actually had a large percentage of the students at the event sign up to be involved with our next homeless outreach which is scheduled for this weekend.  Our hope is that this will be a great chance to further up our initial meeting with the students and provide the opportunity to further build relationships.  We are also very excited to have them join us as we serve some of the vulnerable citizens within our city.  I believe that this will be a great chance to introduce them to some Kingdom concepts being lived out around them as we also seek to introduce them to the King.
As stated by Jeff Christopherson in Kingdom Matrix:

"Kingdom Seekers respond when exposed to the authenticity of the Kingdom of God. "

(pg. 241)

Prayerfully we will have the opportunity to expose these students, who seem genuinely interested in cooperating as we try to address some of the injustice around us, to the Kingdom of God.

 

Missional Monday - Random Act of Kindness?!!?

I had a very humorous experience a number of months ago where I was the recipient of a "Random Act of Kindness."  After going for a walk early one weekday morning, my wife and I stopped into our local Locke Street Bakery for a coffee.  While waiting in line to pay, a young lady in front of me turned around and asked what I was having, and proceeded to pay for my order as she paid for her own.  It was quite a nice gesture.  What made it slightly awkward is that she did not ask, nor pay for, my wife who was standing there beside me.  I assured my wife that she just did not realize that we were together, and I think we are over the incident.
Random Acts of Kindness can be fun.  It is certainly nice when you are on the receiving end and there is a certain satisfaction that comes when you are the one administering such an act.  Let's be honest, however, they are certainly not going to change the world.  A free coffee is not going to meet the deep social and economic needs that I see around me.  They don't really address the reality of deep poverty, addiction and mental health that I see everyday on the streets.  They also will not, in and of themselves, be sufficient to introduce people to the depths a reality of the Kingdom of God.  But having said that, I still think that there is room for them.  What they do provide is a first step, a fairly simple beginning to a process that may lead us to deeper and more significant things.  Thinking in terms of Random Acts of Kindness gives us the opportunity to begin to look at life a bit differently.  It invites us to ask, "where is it that I find myself at this moment", and "how can I make this moment count."  I think these are great questions that can begin to lead us into a more missional mindset.  Being missional entails asking questions like "what is God's Mission and how might I participate with Him wherever it is that He has me?"  What may start with an opportunity to pay for someone's coffee, may eventually grow into a life that better sees the needs around it, asks what God may think of those needs, and longs to actively and compassionately respond to those needs in the name of Jesus.   Meeting the physical and spiritual needs around us is to be a foretaste of the Kingdom, and to be a foretaste of the Kingdom is to be missional.    
  

Friday Art - a song in progress

Here is a short video of the first pieces of a new song I am working on.  Thanks to Kim for helping to sing!

Sometimes the sweetest of sounds

Come from the darkest places

Quiet songs of desparation

Like the sound from the inside of an old guitar

Reach, reach for the light

Melodies soaring to highest of hights

Reach, reach for the light

There's a way, there's a truth, a life

Social Darwinism and Racism in Canada

The notion of evolution with regards to biology can be a sticky enough topic (especially with regards to Christianity).    Timothy Keller points out in his book The Reason For God, that the theory of evolution is more problematic when taken as an all encompassing world-view used to explain the reality of all things.  I admit I have a lot of trouble when evolution moves past a biological discussion to explain the realities of art for example.  I have been thinking about this again after reading an interesting line in the book Nation Maker, Sir John A. MacDonald: His Life, Our Times by Richard Gwyn.  In this award winning biography of Canada's first Prime Minister, Gwyn makes the following statement describing the culture and climate of Canada in the Victorian era:

This creed, now known as social Darwinism, gave credibility to racism, and in Canada it fed the notion that Aboriginals were savages.  

(pg 32)

I could say a lot more about racism, Canada's storied history with regards to First Nations (including the church with residential schools etc).  For now I will just say that I found this commentary by Gwyn, albeit one line,  to be striking, and very thought provoking.  I would love to hear what you think!

Update Tuesday

For this week's update I thought I would post an interesting article regarding a new study on young people and the church in Canada.  There are some interesting statistics, thoughts and insights.  You can read it in Faith Today from the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada:

Hemorrhaging Faith

I was most intrigued by the suggestion that parents out way the church in terms of determining if young adults stay in the church or not.  Perhaps a focus in our children's ministries might be equipping parents to educate and disciple their children as much as running great programs for kids.    
I would also ask for continued prayer for the situation with our son Daniel as we seek the best way forward.  He is still in hospital as of today.
Lastly, this Saturday we will be leading a seminar on getting to know Hamilton for new international students at Mohawk College.  

Friday Art - TIFF

These past two weeks have seen the city of Toronto all a buzz as its hosts its annual Toronto International Film Festival.  I am proud to say that my brother Brandon McGibbon has had two films in the film festival this year.  He has had a role in both "Foxfire," as well as "Picture Day" in which his band the Elastocitizens are featured and contribute the soundtrack.  "Picture Day" in particular has been receiving quite a bit of buzz.
In conjunction with the film festival, my brother will also be performing at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto on Saturday, September 15th (tomorrow night) for a CD release party with the Elastocitizens.  Brandon will also be performing his own material with a trio as the opening act that evening, which promises to be an amazing set.
If you are in Toronto and want a guaranteed great show then head down to Queen Street to the Horseshoe tomorrow!

Religious Liberty in Ontario

I recently read an article in the Huffington Post entitled How To Know If Your Religious Liberty Is Being Threatened In Just 10 Quick Questions.  It was clever and interesting, and I found myself with a smirk on my face saying, "OK, I get your point (as well as your not so subtle and less clever insertions of some obvious bias and agenda)."  Touche on your jovial jab.  But as the week went on, I found myself thinking about this more seriously with respect to the province of Ontario in which I live.  In particular,  I have been thinking about three stories in the news over that past few months.

Firstly, there is the story of the Ontario Government's introduction of anti-bullying legislation.  A few interesting facts - the legislation, among other things, is worded so that students are no longer protected from bullying because of their faith but are protected against bullying by faith groups.  There is also the suggestion that all groups who would use the public facilities of a school must adhere to all the ideas within the legislation, including all GLBT portions of the bill. 

Secondly, is a story from right here in Hamilton, in which a man is having to go to court in order to have the school provide him information and advanced notice about subjects in the curriculum that might be contrary to his faith system so he might make a decision about what he thinks best for his children.  You can read the story here:  CBC.  I am most interested in the fact that he did not ask for changes for everyone, but rather just information so that he might make a decision for his children.  In a province where many school boards are offering Muslim Prayer rooms for students in public school facilities, this request just does not seem like an unreasonable accommodation.

Lastly, is a story that I mentioned in Tuesday's update regarding the Toronto District School Board declaring that faith groups will no longer receive the charity rental rate, and that rates would be astronomically increased.  This story has made it to the mains stream media:  National Post.  

So what to make of all these stories?  I will leave that up to you to make a decision and pronouncement.  Thinking back to the quiz, however, makes we wonder if maybe there might be something here to worry about.  My response, however, is to continue to do what we have been doing.  Sharing Jesus, loving, teaching and planting churches in my community.  

Update Tuesday

A few leaves have slowly begun to show traces of red and orange, there is a nip in the air, the sky is a vibrant cerulean blue, the sound of children's voices at recess fill the air and the sidewalks are all a bustle with students each morning and afternoon; Fall is in the air!

As Fall continues its approach and schools are gearing up to full routine we are preparing for a few opportunities on the campuses of the post secondary institutions.  On September 22nd we will be leading a session about getting to know the city at Mohawk College's orientation for international students.  This is a great opportunity to both build relationships and serve this unique community within our city.  We have also welcomed a friend from Milton into our home to live with us for the first semester as she attends McMaster University.  We are praying for the opportunity to walk with her and to love and serve those that God may bring into our path through her.

I am also including a link here to an interesting story about the Toronto District School Board who has made some changes to rental policies that directly affect (perhaps even target) churches.  Although this does not affect us directly here, it affects our brothers ans sisters in Toronto proper, has implications for future church planting as well as provides an interesting insight into understanding the context of planting in Toronto.  The link is to Challies.com where there is a story posted relating to the issue:

Toronto School Board and churches


Lastly, and on a more personal note we would ask for your prayers as our oldest son Daniel (not Liam and not related to his tumor and surgery in 2008) is in the hospital again.  He spent some time in hospital about six months ago, and he was admitted once again on Sunday with related symptoms.  

Missional Monday - A word from John Wesley

Loved this lesson from the journal of John Wesley regarding trials.    You can read it at the link below:

John Wesley

Thanks to Release the APE for sharing it.

Friday Art- a new painting

Here is a painting I was able to work on while spending a day of the long weekend at my parents cottage.

Boat On The Shores Of Georgian Bay

Intergenerational Fellowships

One thing that we have been experimenting with in our Fellowship group is an intentional, intergenerational worship experience.  We invite our children to stay with us for our whole time together, often having them gather right in the middle of our group while we sing, pray, and study God's Word.   We do provide some simple tools to help them engage such as a themed colouring page or even a felt board that goes along with the passage from scripture we will be studying.  We also, however, encourage them to, as best they can, engage and be a part of what is going on.  Some of our youngest are some of the first to volunteer to read.  Our prayer time was started by a two year old a number of week's ago.  To be honest, it is not always perfect.  Sometimes it is a bit distracting and sometimes a young one is having an off day and we all know it.  What we do not have, however, is a sanitized expression of worship totally distinct and disjointed from real life experience.  We are trying to learn to bring the gospel to bear upon our lives within the messiness of life.
I am excited by the possibilities that exist when our children have been exposed to such a diverse environment in which they have been welcomed and invited to participate and contribute.  I am also excited by the possibilities that exist for the older and more mature members to learn from the children. 
With these thoughts in mind I was interested to come across the following article at The Gospel Coalition site about children in small groups.  There are some interesting thoughts and insights that I thought I would pass along.

Children and Small Groups

Update Tuesday

Today is the first day of school here in Hamilton and things are settling back into routine.  I spent this morning visiting the guys at the Beer Store (Monday was a holiday), and shortly after this post I will be sending out messages to our Fellowship members to schedule a new monthly prayer meeting, as well as our regular community outreaches.  We are looking forward with prayerful anticipation to all that God has in store for this year.  We also know, however, that our city has many challenges.  The beginning of this school year is no different.  Below is a link to an interesting article from the CBC regarding some of the economic realities in Canada and specifically how they present in the context of Hamilton:

Hamilton Poverty 

Although we know there are challenges, we cling to the hope that Jesus is the answer and we move forward with eyes open to the things that He calls us to as well as to celebrate the things He will do on our midst.