Sunday, July 5th, 2020
Friends,
We begin summer programming this week with a Zoom Liturgy on Tuesday evening July 7th at 7:00 PM. Following that, we will alternate between Living Rooms and Liturgies every Tuesday night. There will be a variety of activities that each Living Room will draw from to facilitate gathering and sharing life in Christ together; your leaders will be in touch with you regarding those events. Each group will determine for themselves the appropriate way to gather given the current guidelines for social distancing, the hope being that there will be opportunities to be physically present to each other to enjoy community (some are already gathering this way).
Dan will be officially off of his pastoral duties for the next eight weeks, but will be around as a part of the community. He is also volunteering to help supervise (along with Jim K. and myself) two summer student positions that TRC applied for and received from the government. We welcome Sember Wood and Ben Wallace onto our staff this summer as they learn skills in web-based research productivity and creative development. Along with Ian Van Harten (who is working from a Presbyterian Church in Canada grant in the same area) we will be giving close attention to the ways in which we can use digital platforms to enhance our outreach, formation, and organizational capacities. We already know Sember, but, look forward to welcoming Ben among us!
As we adjust to summer rhythms and temperatures, may it be a time of rest and reflection, but, let us not forget that we must be vigilant in maintaining awareness and activity regarding the cries for justice and change that continue around and within us. Let us perservere in thoughtful and passionate dialogue, and not be afraid of awkward conversations to move us further along into the full humanity to which Jesus calls us.
Grace and peace, Glen
Friday, June 5th, 2020
Dear friends,
I confess a slight trepidation in writing this letter due to the possibility of saying too much, or not enough! As an inveterate avoider of conflict, the other option is not saying anything at all, but, there is clearly an urgency in current affairs which compels me to offer a personal pastoral perspective (I ran this by the leadership team for their wisdom and approval).
So, how might a follower of Jesus respond to this current situation of civil unrest and heightened re-examination of institutionalized racism? For one thing, TRC has studiously avoided partisan affiliation or pressure to hold to a party line; we have wanted to be a community of civil dialogue and mutual discernment (yes, I’m aware that’s a value statement in and of itself).
What can we say for sure? That in the kingdom of God, ‘all lives matter’. No human being exists outside of the love, grace, and reconciling purposes of the triune God – both the oppressed and the oppressors, as hard as that it is to swallow sometimes. But with the next breath, we can also say that ‘black lives matter’, as representative of the very real inequalities in our society. My reading of the scriptures reveal a God who is intimately concerned with those who are oppressed and find themselves on the margins without power or voice, and also God’s clear indictment of those who abuse power. Most of all, we find a God who is in the business of reconciling all peoples in Christ through the Spirit. So how do we participate?
Trying to be simple without being trite, three words come to mind:
repent, lament, and be (faithfully) present.
Everyone of us is called to repent of acknowledged and unacknowledged prejudice and our participation in the oppressive structures we inhabit. They are real, and we must turn from them, and repudiate them in ourselves. We also have responsibility to do this together as a community, to wrestle with our complicity as a people, and as a broader church that has not had a good record of standing with those on the margins in Jesus’s name .
We are also called to lament. This is difficult, because it’s different than just saying sorry and moving on. We are inured by the weight and pervasiveness of sin and injustice, and we have not cultivated a patient waiting with pain, because we are such easily distracted people. To really grieve and get in touch with someone else’s reality requires moving past sympathy to solidarity, and remaining in that place.
Finally, we are called to be faithfully present. This means showing up in places where the suffering is real. Sometimes this will be in protest, speaking out against injustice with controlled anger to name what’s wrong. There are seasons, like right now, where the energies and opportunities for this surge. But it is also not sustainable over the long haul. The long, quiet work of building bridges of friendship with those who have a different experience of the world than us is critical. Also, building bridges with people who might have similar advantages to us, but who do not have compassion for the oppressed is another very important work. We are not expected to pursue heroic individualism here, but to quiet and small acts of love and mercy with one another and all people, for the common good, and the glory of God.
I confess I find all of this much easier to write than to do, but, I really want to do it. If you do too, let’s have further dialogue together, seeking discernment in prayer, and courage to act.
Lord have mercy,
Glen
May 30th, 2020
Friends,
I was grateful for my bike visits and walks with several of you this past week. Getting past the screen to flesh and blood interaction reminded me that this is how we were meant to connect (appropriately distanced of course). So please let me know if you are up for it, and we can make an appointment.
We continue to live between the times - getting accustomed to our limits, but anticipating the resumption of some degree of normal. Of course, everyone is asking how we will be different. What do we bring into a new rhythm of life, and what do we leave behind? I have been thinking a lot about how I might become a more loving person. I’m aware that this has the ring of cliche about it, but, I don’t want to be daunted by the limits imposed on our words through our abuse of them. One answer is presented to me through entering the season of Pentecost tomorrow - how might I make room for the fire of the Holy Spirit to ignite more loving action through me?Related to this, I have been ruminating on a quote by Ann Snyder in a recent Comment Journal Editorial as she describes the worship life of many immigrant churches in North America: Visit a wide range of parishes around North America today, and you’ll notice that the congregations most alive are those that tend to have a lack of presumption. They’re not styled according to a particular trend or ideology, nor are they engaged in a PR scheme trying to make Christianity’s brand relevant and uncontroversial. Instead, they live in a simple yet daring expectation that God is present. They express a desire for God’s naked power, grace, and an awareness that it is in dislocation, in felt oppression, in weakness, and in persecution that the Holy Spirit often does his best work. How might those of us historically in the majority cultivate the conditions for this?I wish there was a really simple answer to that last question, but, it has something to do with what she already said, a simple yet daring expectation that God is actually present. When God is present, things happen, which lead to love, which mean letting go of our fearful clinging to security (like our noonday office prayer names) and releasing our privileges and our well protected territories for the invasion of the awe-ful and joyful encounter with the Holy. Bring it on!
We are meeting live again tomorrow for a Zoom worship, because it is Pentecost Sunday. Come with the hope that we will be renewed in the Spirit for the uninhibited life of love. Grace and peace, Glen
Saturday, May 9th, 2020
Hey friends.
We are gathering tomorrow, Sunday May 10th, for live Zoom worship at 10:00 AM.
Songs, stories, and prayers offered between each other in liminal space; listening for God, leaning into God, glorifying God.
Offer up a prayer of gratitude for this community you have been given, who walk with you to the next place on the journey.
We remember our sister Ellen Kupp in particular today as she enters into the complex emotional journey of coming alongside a dying mother and a distraught family; pray for God’s wisdom and comfort.
We remember that all of us here at TRC, and our neighbours, are fragile under the weight of this pandemic.
Some cover it up better than others, none are exempt; we cry out . . . we wait . . . we live . . . we hope in Christ.
Let’s talk soon.
Saturday, May 2nd, 2020
Friends,
It’s been a bit of an up and down week over here as consolation and desolation roll in and out like the tide. The problem is that it’s hard to turn off the one channel we’re all on, as it plays incessantly in the background of our day to day activities. I would love to have a day where I don’t have to think about pandemics. I hope that doesn’t sound like a cop out; I really do want to be an agent of hope, but, wow, it’s really hard sometimes.
In any case, I’m grateful for the stories I’m hearing of our community connecting in creative ways. New friendships forming, and older ones deepening, as they all speak to the beauty of being the church in the midst of this difficult season; all speak to the foundation of the gospel of Christ which holds us in place.
The new video liturgy has now been uploaded (https://youtu.be/x80mEwNO7Qs), so, I hope you will find a nice quiet spot to enter into worship with the rest of the community. The live Zoom worship gatherings have been great, and we look forward to meeting that way again next Sunday (the 10th).
There are six people signed up for the ‘Being Christian’ Learning Room (with Rowan Williams), and we’d be happy for a couple more. Once we have everyone’s commitment, then we can determine the dates upon which we will meeting online. If you want a basic primer in Christian practice, or just a refresher, this will be the thing for you. Please e-mail me at this address if you’d like to participate.We have decided to freshen up the Daily Prayer Office, so, check out the web-site or if you are on the automatic texts you will note some of the changes there as well.Until we meet again in the virtual world, or the real world, may the peace of Christ be with you.
Glen
Thursday, April 23rd, 2020
Friends,
We are gathering again virtually this Sunday, April 26th at 10:00 AM, at your place! Make sure you’ve dusted the furniture, and that you have some bread and drink with you to share for our supper. This is another Easter gathering featuring multiple participants with David Kupp bringing the Word! See the invitation below and keep it handy.
It’s been great seeing all the activity on the new facebook private page (now called 'Two Rivers Church Neighbourhood’) . We hope you might feel bold enough to contribute some of your culture making, or neighbouring, or sacraments of the ordinary. As Will Rogers once put it, "it ain’t bragging if it’s true.” So, let’s give each other permission to share what we’re doing to encourage and inspire, not worrying about drawing attention to ourselves. Better yet, tell a story about what someone else is doing in our community.
Learning Room Opportunity: I am offering a Zoom Learning Room on Christian Basics using the fabulous Rowan William’s little volume ‘Being Christian’. It will be a four Session group happening every other week. Participants will be limited to 10 people - so get your spot. Right now the kindle e-version of this book is on sale at Amazon for $2.37 !!!! A kindle app for your phone or device is easy to load. Please reply to me here to sign up, and then we can arrange the most convenient time for participants. Don’t be shy about sharing your prayer requests with the community at our web-site prayer page: https://www.tworiverschurch.ca/#/daily-community-prayer/
Do you know that over 30 people are getting the daily texts of the prayer office?!
I hope to see you on Sunday. In Christ, Glen
Sunday, April 19th, 2020
Good morning friends!
The feedback from last Sunday’s Zoom worship was “Let’s do this again!” So the Leadership Team has decided we will experiment with having Live Zoom worship every other Sunday morning at 10:00 AM. We will invite more involvement from different homes, so, stay tuned for requests to participate in the liturgy!
David Kupp will reflect on the word this coming Sunday morning April 26th.
In the meantime, we have another short liturgy from my kitchen posted this morning:
Living Rooms continue this week as we find comfort in our interaction, and as we innovate in deepening our connections.
Please take advantage of the prayer opportunities which are posted on the prayer connection block at our web-site: https://www.tworiverschurch.ca.
We can build a stronger community together by remembering each other faithfully before the Triune God of grace.
Dan and I want you to know we are always available for an on-line meeting or phone call to support you in this difficult time.
Grace and peace,
Glen
The crowning evidence that Jesus was alive was not a vacant grave, but a spirit-filled fellowship. Not a rolled away stone, but a carried-away church.
Clarence Jordan
Tuesday, April 14th, 2020
We are grateful for the Easter worship we shared on Zoom this past Sunday morning. It was a joy to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord and have the Lord’s Supper together through our virtual connection. It made me long for seeing each one face to face, but, we wait patiently for those days to return. Continue to check the Two Rivers Church Guelph you tube channel for new uploaded videos every weekend. If you want to sign up for regular updates, e-mail us here.
Sunday, April 5th, 2020
Friends,
This all still feels so unsettling, and why wouldn’t it? Unless we have been previously very ill for a prolonged period, we have likely never experienced these kinds of limitations on our lives. Sure, we can get out into the Spring air a bit, but, even then, we do that dance of who will move off the sidewalk first? I think even the introverts are missing people! So, we do what we can. The Two Rivers communal network is holding strong, and perhaps growing stronger as we start to ask, ‘Who is important in my life? Who do I look to for life-giving presence?' We hope it’s the body of Christ, our baptismal family.
We’re settling into a rhythm: I believe each Living Room has committed to a weekly Zoom meeting. That’s great! I hope that you are finding it helpful to join in with your group to share, find comfort, and grow together.
A new video is up today, and I’m really grateful to Beth Fisher for bring the word in scripture and reflection this Palm/Passion Sunday. I apologize that the editing is fairly amateurish, but, hopefully the content will transcend my moviemaking limitations. Access it here and subscribe to the channel! https://youtu.be/yvqRUW_IrbA
Here are a few new things that we are offering to the community beginning this week:We have created a Two Rivers Needs form on google. This is a secure place where you can ask for help and direct it to the appropriate people - Pastoral Team (Glen and Dan), Prayer Ministry Team, or the whole community. We are so grateful to Jim K. for putting a lot of effort into creating this for us. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScWSOL2l-cNcd28-jz2YgR6VB3R7QZicgq3e3WDxEmaRJ22Qw/viewform This will also be accessible on the web-site.
Jim K. and Dan V. are praying together every Thursday at noon on Zoom for half an hour. If you would like to join in praying for the needs of our community, you would be most welcome. For more information contact danveldhuis@gmail.com
Here are some mental health resources we are finding helpful for coping: (In this brief animation, Dr Russ Harris, author of the international best-seller The Happiness Trap, illustrates how to use ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) to deal with the Corona crisis and the fear, anxiety and worry that goes with it.
Wednesday, March 25th, 5:00 PM
By all reports, the Two Rivers Living Zooms (sorry!) went well. People were glad to be with each other and sharing their experience of this last couple of weeks. Creative interactions are being generated by these meetings, and that is a beautiful thing. I have always envisioned these groups as becoming our primary care centres as well, and now we have been handed a lab we weren’t expecting, but this is now our unexpected life. Much to find out as we negotiate it together.We now have a Two Rivers Church Guelph You Tube channel! There is a short little video I put up this past Sunday, and there will be more to come. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF9_WlCyRwI0CwxcTMgIwJAAlmost 20 people have already signed in to get the Daily Office prayers texted to their phones, so contact Jim Klaas and let him know it’s you and your text #. He’s at (519) 763-0496. We are working on some further prayer opportunities that we’ll let you know about shortly. Thanks Jim!
One of our favourite Living Room resources has been the Work of the People. They are now offering some of their content for free - check it out here: https://www.theworkofthepeople.com/A pastor friend was telling me that reading scripture has come alive for him these days, because he is reading it in light of our current situation, and it is just popping for him! So many of the scriptures were written in the midst of crises - incarceration, persecution, famine, exile, and more. We are experiencing life situations that many of us have never had to face before, and with the Psalmist in Psalm 121, we are crying out, ‘Where will our help come from?’ The returning answer is: our help comes from God, the maker of heaven and earth’. May we find the faith to lean into that response as well.
Grace and peace, Glen
Wednesday, March 18th, 5:00 PM
Hello Two Rivers Church and friends,
Things seem to be changing so quickly, and we are being pushed back further and further into isolation, so we would like to find some ways to maintain connection.
One of the historic ways in which the broader church has found unity, has been in praying what is called a daily office. At set times of the day, people pause in their activities and offer a prescribed prayer, which unites them to this larger praying community. At one level, given the interruption of our regular gatherings, we thought this would be one simple way to unite the Two Rivers Community on a daily basis.
Therefore, we want to offer you the following prayers for four different times of the day (document attached). We recognize that God is beyond chronological time, and if you pray at a different time, it will not go unrecognized! In fact, even when you don’t pray at all, there is abundant grace in knowing that Jesus our High Priest prays for us. You can access these prayers in a digital form here on our web-site.
That being said, we’re looking forward to trying this and seeing what fruit it brings as we pray together in this way. Of course, you don’t need to be limited to these prayers either, allow them to be a framework which gives you opportunity to improvise and listen for God’s voice, and intercede for the world, which needs a great deal of prayer right now!
We are also working on providing Living Room Zoom meetings this Sunday evening. This will have a Living Room style format, thereby giving people a chance to share and discuss how they are doing. We are working on posting a short pastoral message as well on Sunday – we’ll keep you apprised of how you can access that. If you are not currently part of Living Room, let me know, and we will set you up with one of the groups.
Dan and I originally thought that walking appointments might be a good way to continue meeting, but, it seems that this may still not be an entirely safe way to interact. If we take the most cautious approach, hopefully, we will be part of the solution. We are keen to have conversations with you on-line when appropriate, so, you will be hearing from us, or, let us know if you would like to connect in that way (Facetime, Skype, and Facebook Messenger are all good options for one-on-ones).
May the peace of Christ be with you,
Glen
Monday, March 16th, 7:00 PM
Friends,
I have been thinking of you, and praying for you all over these last few days. The current crisis has led me to regularly praying Psalm 46:
God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble,
though the earth should change . . .
The earth is changing! The Psalm goes on with remarkable relevance to our current situation, and, I am moved when it gets to this:
Be still and know that I am God.
That’s what we’re being told by health officials, governments, and the Psalmist - be still. That is hard to do when it seems the world is unravelling, but, even more difficult is unlearning the go, go, go lifestyles we have inherited and cultivated in our culture. Not all of us have the choice of being able to go into a quiet space, but, we are being given permission, it seems, to slow everything down. Down past the fear, may be a hidden gift of slowing and finding stillness.
The Leadership Team has been exchanging e-mails around how to proceed with Two Rivers events and have landed on erring to the side of caution. We will suspend any of our regularly scheduled events at least until the end of March. St. Andrew’s Church has informed us that the building will not be available for use at least until April 5th. We will work co-operatively with them on the availability of space. In the meantime, Dan and I will get together tomorrow to brainstorm on how we can keep the community connected in meaningful ways, and we will let you know more shortly.
Until then, pray for each other, be kind to your neighbours and strangers, and I encourage you to go to Psalm 46 to give you words of prayer for these days. If you want to challenge yourself a bit, and you have the time (which is likely!), see if you can memorize it, or parts of it. Let it lead us all to peace and hope for the days ahead.
Grace and peace,
Glen