hope

In March 2020, during the first pandemic lockdown, I found myself teaching from home (on Zoom), and feeling alone, adrift, and angry. A week or two later, I had a conversation with my seminary colleagues. It was my first conversation about the pandemic in the light of scripture and theology. That conversation renewed my hope…

As a young disciple of Jesus, I lived in B.C.’s Fraser Valley in the 1970’s and 80’s. At that time there seemed to be a church on every corner; a faith community from almost every denomination. The spiritual ‘buffet’ included a dramatic spectrum of worship styles and theological bents. The ecclesiastical options seemed endless.

My year ended with a hemicolectomy.  This surgery removed a section of my colon that harboured a large growth.  Unfortunately, a complication developed and with it, significant anxiety.  Six weeks of recovery followed.  My physician ordered self-isolation meaning an in-person family Christmas could not take place.  In the background was the potential for the pathology report to reveal if the removed growth from my colon was cancerous.  When I submitted this writing, I was still waiting for my surgeon’s prognosis.  Friends, in a nutshell, my 2020 was a tale of trouble…

From Good Friday to Easter For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he…

At the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba Assembly workshops, Mar. 1–2, 2019, at Steinbach (Man.) MB Church, Steve Bock of La Salle led a youth ministry panel with Dave Lunn (Westside Community Church, Morden); Shannon Girard (Community Fellowship Church, Newton); Dwight Bennett (Eastview Community Church, Winnipeg); and Titus Graham (Living Word Temple, Winnipeg).

O Eve! My mother, my daughter, life-giving Eve, Do not be ashamed, do not grieve. The former things have passed away, Our God has brought us to a New Day.…

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”—Luke 24:5 He is risen, indeed! Resurrection is the ultimate sign of hope. Christ’s…

Still Daring to Hope John Regehr CMU Press What is the subject? Still Daring to Hope is a collection of 20 sermons on a variety of biblical texts, culled from…

It was a difficult year. On the cultural front, 2016 saw the loss of several artists who spoke to North American cultural consciences. Amid rapid change, we feel growing anxiety…

Last year, my family moved to a city of 20 million people. It has been exhilarating, wonderful and completely overwhelming. Many days I wonder: How am I going to manage…

Psalm 22:1 holds words attributed to King David; however, we know them best as words cried out by our Lord Jesus as he experienced excruciating pain while fastened with nails upon the cross (Matthew 27:46). For both David and Jesus, these heart-wrenching words of desertion reflected the greatest dread of all – the fear of God’s abandonment.