One of the many organizations Lewis is involved with is the Parliament of the World’s Religions. As a trustee and member for many years, Lewis has shared his Indigenous culture and spirituality at global tables and conversations that he describes as being like “the Olympics of world religions”, in that they gather in a different […]

  Working as a freelance writer for the the United Church Observer 20 years ago, Jocelyn realized she had a passion for journalism and for sharing stories that inspire, inform and challenge her readers. Over the last two decades she has seen journalism evolve into the digital realm, the rise of social media, and also […]

  We’ve just celebrated Easter, tulips are breaking through the soil as snow banks quickly melt (again), and our faith communities are returning (again) to in-person events. As we collectively re-examine what it means to be in community, to engage with our congregations, to meet the evolving needs of individuals, it’s clear that “getting back […]

Tara Shannon’s childhood nickname “Bear” took on a whole new identity when 3 years ago she began drawing rabbits and bears and her sketches turned into powerful and tender moments of conversation and reflection between the two illustrated characters. “Rabbit and Bear” became her outlet for years and years of thoughts, anxiety, depression, grief, magic […]

If you’re looking for words of hope – and I’m pretty sure we all are these days – there are a lot of places to turn, a lot of people who have things to say. If the words are true, they will not only brighten your day, but inspire you to envision a new day, […]

I bet that Jesus often encountered people who were not happy with the company he kept. Pharisees and religious leaders, mostly, but others, too, I suspect, who felt that Jesus, as a godly person, should be spending his time with those they judged to be equally as godly. Certainly not “those people,” sinners, “tax collectors” […]

There was a time when one could reasonably assume that most anyone who attended church regularly knew at least one thing from memory. The Lord’s Prayer or The Prayer of Jesus or the Our Father, depending on your tradition, was one of the first things learned by children and adults. That may not be true […]

My friend Ben Campbell is a tough person to write a bio for, so even deciding how to describe this podcast episode and our invigorating conversation is challenging.  I first met Ben through a video project where we did some winter filming at his family’s ranch near Black Diamond, in the Alberta foothills.  While his […]

There’s a lot of anxiety out there right now. People are worried about what’s going on in the world. And there’s a lot going on. There was already a host of social, political, economic and justice issues to be faced when the pandemic hit. That’s created its own worries. And now, our hearts hurt for […]

The season of Lent is the forty days before Easter. It originates with the story of Jesus fasting for forty days in the wilderness, where he’s tempted by the devil. Matthew, Mark and Luke each tell the story, though their details vary a bit. For most people, Lent is a time for reflection and self-examination, […]