Thursday, December 25, 2008
National Post Editorial
It's remarkable that the National Post has taken to publishing pointedly Christian columns. Several columnist write from a Christian perspective. But now they ran a Christian Christmas editorial. I'm reading Tim Keller's Reson for God. In it he claims that the demise of a Christian voice in the public square is overstated. There are many Christians who are in various places of influence throughout North America. This editorial underlines that thesis.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Call to Faith in a Secular Paper
Michael Coren, always provocative, writes an interesting column here.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Prayer at a Remembrance Day Service
I was invited to lead the assembly in prayer at a Remembrance Day Memorial Service at a retirement complex in Burlington. I asked our heavenly Father to comfort those who mourn the death of loved ones and that the memory of the dead in the past 100 years in the battlefields of Europe Asia and Africa might spur us on to strive for peace. I then acknowledged that this could only ultimately occur under the grace of God in the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ in whose name we pray and who will come again.
It was remarkable how many of the seniors came to me and thanked me for praying in the name of Jesus. They all said, "That no longer happens in public prayers." Imagine that! It has become remarkable for a Christian gospel preacher to pray publicly in the name of Jesus Christ!
It was remarkable how many of the seniors came to me and thanked me for praying in the name of Jesus. They all said, "That no longer happens in public prayers." Imagine that! It has become remarkable for a Christian gospel preacher to pray publicly in the name of Jesus Christ!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Grudge
This past Sunday I preached on the 6th commandment: "you shall not kill." I urged upon the congregation that carrying grudges leads to murder. Read this!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Women's Voting 2
YFNWG (Hi Fred!) wrote in the comments on my Monday posting on women's voting and suggested that perhaps the solution would be "one vote per household."
The one vote per household that he mentions of school societies is a bit 'off'. It's "one vote per membership fee". If all my children (when they lived at home) became members, they would all vote. Or if two or three shared a membership, they would only get one vote among them.
I have a question, as well, about the "one vote per household" idea: "What constitutes a household?" What status would a boarder have? What about two single students sharing an apartment? What if my adult children still lived at home? What about a woman whose husband isn't a member of the church? Who is head of that household? Why would we adopt such a cumbersome method, fraught with all sorts of subjective pitfalls, when we should just extend the vote to all communicant members.
As for the vote only being an "expression of preference" comment: The Church Order says "those elected shall be appointed" (with the rider of course that no "lawful" objections were forth coming). The consistory is bound by the Church Order to appoint those elected. But that does not make the vote an act of governing. The Elders rule the church under Christ. The Lord's authority flows through the council, which appoints. The authority to govern, to be vested in the appointee, flows not through the congregation (as in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod,) but through the council from the Head of the Church. This is true, even though the council is bound by the Church Order to appoint those whom the congregation has elected. (This would be similar to the way in which Canada receives her Governors General. The Prime Minister provides Queen Elizabeth the name of the one whom he wants appointed. But the Queen appoints. The authority of the GG is vested in her by the Queen, not the PM; though, by convention, the Queen is bound to appoint the one the PM sets forth.)
The one vote per household that he mentions of school societies is a bit 'off'. It's "one vote per membership fee". If all my children (when they lived at home) became members, they would all vote. Or if two or three shared a membership, they would only get one vote among them.
I have a question, as well, about the "one vote per household" idea: "What constitutes a household?" What status would a boarder have? What about two single students sharing an apartment? What if my adult children still lived at home? What about a woman whose husband isn't a member of the church? Who is head of that household? Why would we adopt such a cumbersome method, fraught with all sorts of subjective pitfalls, when we should just extend the vote to all communicant members.
As for the vote only being an "expression of preference" comment: The Church Order says "those elected shall be appointed" (with the rider of course that no "lawful" objections were forth coming). The consistory is bound by the Church Order to appoint those elected. But that does not make the vote an act of governing. The Elders rule the church under Christ. The Lord's authority flows through the council, which appoints. The authority to govern, to be vested in the appointee, flows not through the congregation (as in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod,) but through the council from the Head of the Church. This is true, even though the council is bound by the Church Order to appoint those whom the congregation has elected. (This would be similar to the way in which Canada receives her Governors General. The Prime Minister provides Queen Elizabeth the name of the one whom he wants appointed. But the Queen appoints. The authority of the GG is vested in her by the Queen, not the PM; though, by convention, the Queen is bound to appoint the one the PM sets forth.)
Monday, November 3, 2008
Women's Voting
Here is an interesting discussion from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod concerning women's voting. It seems that many members in the Canadian Reformed Churches would agree with this federation of churches that women should not vote because it is an act of governing. But then should not some of the conclusions hold as well?
Scripture does not speak directly about the implications of voting. However, it may be significant that when a successor for Judas was being chosen, Peter addressed the men of the congregation concerning this responsibility (Acts 1:16 literally refers to "men, brothers."). Since Scripture directly forbids only the exercise of authority by women over men, we must ask if all voting involves an exercise of authority. We have not maintained that all voting always involves authority. We have, however, said that only men should cast votes which exercise authority over men. In our system of church government the voters' assembly is the authoritative governing body of the congregation. Among its more important responsibilities are the calling and removal of pastors and teachers, electing or removing the leaders of the congregation, and the acceptance and exclusion of members. For this reason, participation in this and other governing bodies in the church should be limited to adult males who are able to properly exercise authority over other men.
Some people have suggested that the issue of voting rights for women can be defused by changing the voters' assembly of the congregation into an advisory body without final authority. Such a redefinition of the nature of voting and the role of the voters' assembly would establish a hierarchical church government in which the final authority was in the hands of a board of elders, not the congregation. The same would be true if the synod convention were made anything less than the authoritative governing body of the synod. Do we really want to remove final authority from the hands of the congregation and hand it over to a small board? Furthermore, it is questionable if allowing women to vote in a body which was only advisory would satisfy people who insist that women must have more power to determine the program of the congregation. The desire of many women to have their needs and wishes considered when the programs of the congregation are determined can be met by less drastic methods than changing the nature of the voters' assembly.
I think that if we maintain that voting is an act of government, we need to change our Church Order to reflect that and then incorporate an article that states that the final authority rests with the male members of the church. Of course that would be a profound deviation from the principles of synod of Dort which, when it laid down the original Church Order, rightly maintained that the ruling body of elders held the authority in the church under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Scripture does not speak directly about the implications of voting. However, it may be significant that when a successor for Judas was being chosen, Peter addressed the men of the congregation concerning this responsibility (Acts 1:16 literally refers to "men, brothers."). Since Scripture directly forbids only the exercise of authority by women over men, we must ask if all voting involves an exercise of authority. We have not maintained that all voting always involves authority. We have, however, said that only men should cast votes which exercise authority over men. In our system of church government the voters' assembly is the authoritative governing body of the congregation. Among its more important responsibilities are the calling and removal of pastors and teachers, electing or removing the leaders of the congregation, and the acceptance and exclusion of members. For this reason, participation in this and other governing bodies in the church should be limited to adult males who are able to properly exercise authority over other men.
Some people have suggested that the issue of voting rights for women can be defused by changing the voters' assembly of the congregation into an advisory body without final authority. Such a redefinition of the nature of voting and the role of the voters' assembly would establish a hierarchical church government in which the final authority was in the hands of a board of elders, not the congregation. The same would be true if the synod convention were made anything less than the authoritative governing body of the synod. Do we really want to remove final authority from the hands of the congregation and hand it over to a small board? Furthermore, it is questionable if allowing women to vote in a body which was only advisory would satisfy people who insist that women must have more power to determine the program of the congregation. The desire of many women to have their needs and wishes considered when the programs of the congregation are determined can be met by less drastic methods than changing the nature of the voters' assembly.
I think that if we maintain that voting is an act of government, we need to change our Church Order to reflect that and then incorporate an article that states that the final authority rests with the male members of the church. Of course that would be a profound deviation from the principles of synod of Dort which, when it laid down the original Church Order, rightly maintained that the ruling body of elders held the authority in the church under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Letter to Clarion re Revised Psalms
I just got the new Clarion in the mail. They published a letter I sent some weeks ago.
Here is a copy of it.
Dear Editor
I have heard that some say that we may not sing the revised Psalms in the worship services because the Church Order says that only approved ones may be sung in church.
In a similar vein, Yarrow Church approached the last Synod with the same complaint about the Hymnary Augment.
You can find this in Article 149 of the Acts of Synod Smithers.
2.8 Yarrow considers that the churches should test the proposed new hymn section before it is provisionally adopted as per Art. 55 CO. Hence Yarrow recommends to not adopt the recommendation of the [Book of Praise] committee to "provisionally adopt the Hymns presented… for testing by the churches," and [Yarrow] further states that singing the proposed hymns should be done before the worship services, on music evenings or at various other occasions, but not during the worship services.
Synod responded with this consideration to that complaint:
3.8 re 2.8 – the last time hymns in our federation of churches were tested, they were sung in the worship services. Yarrow gives no reason for not following this practice again...
Ever since the CanRC's began developing the Anglo Genevan Psalter / Hymnary we have been singing from booklets produced by the Book of Praise Committee. I can remember the black book, the red book, the red supplement, the green supplement, the blue collection, the blue liturgical forms, the Three Forms of Unity. All of these were used provisionally for testing in the churches. We sang the songs, used the forms, and read the confessions, all in the services. Things finally got "nailed down" in 1983 in Cloverdale.
The recent Synod said: "Testing the hymns" means, "using them in the worship services." Thus also (mutatis mutandis) the revised Psalms. Testing means using them in worship.
We sing the revised Psalms, and use the Augment, in Fellowship Church throughout our worship services and the congregation (for the most part) is really enjoying the experience. We use PowerPoint, and a projector and screen to great effect.
I would urge all members of the churches to approach their consistories and request that the revised Psalms be used whenever possible in our worship services. This has been our practice since the 50s and 60s.
Moreover, Yarrow's suggestion that they be sung "before the service" rings hollow to me. How can you have an auditorium full of God's covenant people, gathered together on the first day of the week, and ask them to sing a hymn or Psalm, and not acknowledge that it is worship? Let's purge the words "pre-service (or pre-worship) song" from our vocabulary. There is no such thing on Sunday morning in church. When we raise our voices together we are worshiping the great and highly exalted God of heaven and earth!
John van Popta
Pastor,
Here is a copy of it.
Dear Editor
I have heard that some say that we may not sing the revised Psalms in the worship services because the Church Order says that only approved ones may be sung in church.
In a similar vein, Yarrow Church approached the last Synod with the same complaint about the Hymnary Augment.
You can find this in Article 149 of the Acts of Synod Smithers.
2.8 Yarrow considers that the churches should test the proposed new hymn section before it is provisionally adopted as per Art. 55 CO. Hence Yarrow recommends to not adopt the recommendation of the [Book of Praise] committee to "provisionally adopt the Hymns presented… for testing by the churches," and [Yarrow] further states that singing the proposed hymns should be done before the worship services, on music evenings or at various other occasions, but not during the worship services.
Synod responded with this consideration to that complaint:
3.8 re 2.8 – the last time hymns in our federation of churches were tested, they were sung in the worship services. Yarrow gives no reason for not following this practice again...
Ever since the CanRC's began developing the Anglo Genevan Psalter / Hymnary we have been singing from booklets produced by the Book of Praise Committee. I can remember the black book, the red book, the red supplement, the green supplement, the blue collection, the blue liturgical forms, the Three Forms of Unity. All of these were used provisionally for testing in the churches. We sang the songs, used the forms, and read the confessions, all in the services. Things finally got "nailed down" in 1983 in Cloverdale.
The recent Synod said: "Testing the hymns" means, "using them in the worship services." Thus also (mutatis mutandis) the revised Psalms. Testing means using them in worship.
We sing the revised Psalms, and use the Augment, in Fellowship Church throughout our worship services and the congregation (for the most part) is really enjoying the experience. We use PowerPoint, and a projector and screen to great effect.
I would urge all members of the churches to approach their consistories and request that the revised Psalms be used whenever possible in our worship services. This has been our practice since the 50s and 60s.
Moreover, Yarrow's suggestion that they be sung "before the service" rings hollow to me. How can you have an auditorium full of God's covenant people, gathered together on the first day of the week, and ask them to sing a hymn or Psalm, and not acknowledge that it is worship? Let's purge the words "pre-service (or pre-worship) song" from our vocabulary. There is no such thing on Sunday morning in church. When we raise our voices together we are worshiping the great and highly exalted God of heaven and earth!
John van Popta
Pastor,
Letter to PM Stephen Harper
Dear Mr. Harper
I was encouraged to hear reports about your comments on the HRC's (both provincial and federal). As a Pastor of a Christian Church, I am willing to stand up for the things I believe in. That might mean, however, that I am prosecuted by Ms. Hall and her team of commissioners. I believe that British common law and Canada's "hate-laws" provide sufficient protection for all, against libel, slander and "hate-crimes". It's time to "de-fang" the vipers in our midst and decommission the commissioners.
With respect ... and congratulations on your re-election.
May God keep our land, glorious and free!
John van Popta
Pastor
Fellowship Canadian Reformed Church
Burlington ON
I was encouraged to hear reports about your comments on the HRC's (both provincial and federal). As a Pastor of a Christian Church, I am willing to stand up for the things I believe in. That might mean, however, that I am prosecuted by Ms. Hall and her team of commissioners. I believe that British common law and Canada's "hate-laws" provide sufficient protection for all, against libel, slander and "hate-crimes". It's time to "de-fang" the vipers in our midst and decommission the commissioners.
With respect ... and congratulations on your re-election.
May God keep our land, glorious and free!
John van Popta
Pastor
Fellowship Canadian Reformed Church
Burlington ON
Monday, October 13, 2008
Books worth Reading
A friend of mine (thanks Rob) alerted me to some reviews of Foster's book "Celebration of Discipline." Many reviewers have suggested that this book approaches spiritual disciplines from a very mystical point of view. It's been many years since I've read it so my recommendation comes with the caveat: reader beware.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Books Worth Reading
I attend a men's breakfast. This morning we were discussing what kinds of books we like to read. I mentioned a few that I had read over the years and was asked if I could make some suggestions. Here is a list of books selected in the topics of "Reformed Disciplines" and "The History of Math and Science." These two topics fascinate me and form a large part of my 'recreational reading'. I've linked the titles to amazon.ca
So, here is a rather eclectic stack, in no particular order. Four of them are books on exercising the spiritual life from a Reformed viewpoint. Six are history of math and science, and one is an historical anthology from the ancients to the present. One, the last, sort of defies categories. Perhaps we could call it "narrative philosophy."
1. Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time. Dana Sobel
A brilliant little book about how one man overcame all sorts of adversity and set backs and developed a reliable measure of Longitude in the great age of sail.
2. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Donald Whitney
A lovely book on personal training for godliness.
3. The Golden Ratio: The Story of PHI, the World's Most Astonishing Number. Mario Livio
An historical review of the non repeating number 1.6180339887... a number as interesting as (maybe more fascinating than) Pi. (The last chapter is entitled, "Is God a Mathematician?")
4. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth (revised). Richard Foster
An examination of the Spiritual Disciplines from 3 view points: inward, outward, corporate. This book delves into the topic from a "too mystical" point of view. Reader beware.
5. Reformed Spirituality. Howard Rice
Chapter one begins with a full quote of Q&A 1 of the HC. This book is a self conscious look at the spiritual life from a Reformed perspective.
6. Fermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem: Simon Singh
350 years ago Fermat claimed in a margin note that he had solved this problem: There are no whole number solutions for the equation (x to the n) + (y to the n) = (z to the n) for n greater than 2. This book traces the chain of events from Pythagoras to Andrew Wiles who solved the problem in the mid 1990s.
7. Spiritual Disciplines within the Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ: Donald Whitney
A discussion defending the place of the church in a christian life and the Christian's place in the life of the Church.
8. Chaos: Making a New Science. James Gleick
A lucid and clear analysis of a new branch of mathematics which affects all of our lives.
9. The Book of the Cosmos: Imagining the universe from Heraclitus to Hawking. ed. D.R. Danielson
A readers anthology of short (85) readings in a book of 550 pages covering the history of cosmology from the ancients and arcane to the most contemporary writers. This book is an eclectic collection of philosophy, science, religion, literature, poetry, even sermons.
10. Zero, the Biography of a Dangerous Idea. Charles Seife
A book which recounts the history of the number Zero and all its philosophical and religious ramifications. (Is there in God's created world the possibility for the "existence" of nothing?)
11. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Robert Persig
One of the most influential (non theological, though philosophical) books of my life.
_____
So, here is a rather eclectic stack, in no particular order. Four of them are books on exercising the spiritual life from a Reformed viewpoint. Six are history of math and science, and one is an historical anthology from the ancients to the present. One, the last, sort of defies categories. Perhaps we could call it "narrative philosophy."
1. Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time. Dana Sobel
A brilliant little book about how one man overcame all sorts of adversity and set backs and developed a reliable measure of Longitude in the great age of sail.
2. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Donald Whitney
A lovely book on personal training for godliness.
3. The Golden Ratio: The Story of PHI, the World's Most Astonishing Number. Mario Livio
An historical review of the non repeating number 1.6180339887... a number as interesting as (maybe more fascinating than) Pi. (The last chapter is entitled, "Is God a Mathematician?")
4. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth (revised). Richard Foster
An examination of the Spiritual Disciplines from 3 view points: inward, outward, corporate. This book delves into the topic from a "too mystical" point of view. Reader beware.
5. Reformed Spirituality. Howard Rice
Chapter one begins with a full quote of Q&A 1 of the HC. This book is a self conscious look at the spiritual life from a Reformed perspective.
6. Fermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem: Simon Singh
350 years ago Fermat claimed in a margin note that he had solved this problem: There are no whole number solutions for the equation (x to the n) + (y to the n) = (z to the n) for n greater than 2. This book traces the chain of events from Pythagoras to Andrew Wiles who solved the problem in the mid 1990s.
7. Spiritual Disciplines within the Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ: Donald Whitney
A discussion defending the place of the church in a christian life and the Christian's place in the life of the Church.
8. Chaos: Making a New Science. James Gleick
A lucid and clear analysis of a new branch of mathematics which affects all of our lives.
9. The Book of the Cosmos: Imagining the universe from Heraclitus to Hawking. ed. D.R. Danielson
A readers anthology of short (85) readings in a book of 550 pages covering the history of cosmology from the ancients and arcane to the most contemporary writers. This book is an eclectic collection of philosophy, science, religion, literature, poetry, even sermons.
10. Zero, the Biography of a Dangerous Idea. Charles Seife
A book which recounts the history of the number Zero and all its philosophical and religious ramifications. (Is there in God's created world the possibility for the "existence" of nothing?)
11. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Robert Persig
One of the most influential (non theological, though philosophical) books of my life.
_____
Monday, October 6, 2008
The Shack
There is a very popular book being promoted by many. It's called "The Shack". It's main plot line is that a fellow named Mac gets a letter from God saying that he should go to "the Shack" which he does, and has a conversation with God. This book is not on my "recommended reading list."
Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle has a good review of the book here. Take 8 minutes of your day and watch this video.
Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle has a good review of the book here. Take 8 minutes of your day and watch this video.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
What evolutionists would have us believe
I was checking out a political video on Youtube, and as I logged on, I saw this as a "featured video". As I watched it in amazement, it occurred to me that the Darwinian Evolutionists would have us believe that what happens at about 51 seconds and following is a natural occurrence.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Children in Corporate Worship
I'm a member of an internet discussion group that focuses on worship and church music in the Canadian Reformed federation.
We've been having a discussion about the place of little ones in the worship services and whether they should instead be in Sunday school, where they would learn more.
I posted the following and thought I'd share it here as well.
------------
But I wonder if that should be the first and primary purpose of Sunday worship... " ... so that they will learn much more." Parents have 7 days a week to teach their little ones about God and Church and Jesus and the Bible and songs. Most little ones come to church only once a Sunday (for 70 or so minutes). And that is where they will learn corporate worship. They don't need to go to Sunday School to learn about the Bible: home is a good place for that; but they need to come to the services to learn corporate worship. That is why we baptize babies: because we say, "they belong".
No, I think that little ones belong in the worshiping covenant assembly (Psalm 8). Let the mothers and fathers appear in the presence of God with their little ones. I don't doubt that the heavenly Father approves. Let the little ones learn awe and reverence, as God's people draw near to him (Hymn 25:1). Let us not do as the disciples did, and shuffle the mothers and little ones away, as if Jesus has no care for them, or that his words and teaching are only meant for grown ups. (Mark 10:13-16). When Jesus saw the little ones excluded, he was indignant with the disciples. (I try to avoid that kind of response from my Lord.)
And moreover, when should Sunday school (as a replacement for corporate worship) end? When should we teach the children that they belong in the worship service? At 9 years old? 14? 18? I see lots of teens who are not engaged in the worship services. Should we keep them out as well?
No, [I think we need to relearn] how to (re)capture a true sense of worship and awe and reverence in the corporate assembly of God's people. More and more I think that we have lost the sense of majesty and greatness of God in our CanRC services. The "stuff" before the sermon is like "a pre-game show" (as J Meyers suggests). The collection is an intermission. The only thing that makes or breaks a service is the sermon. And the service is only good, "if I learned more stuff."
Let us teach each other and the children -- even little ones -- what is going on in corporate worship. I'm sure our heavenly Father would approve.
We've been having a discussion about the place of little ones in the worship services and whether they should instead be in Sunday school, where they would learn more.
I posted the following and thought I'd share it here as well.
------------
But I wonder if that should be the first and primary purpose of Sunday worship... " ... so that they will learn much more." Parents have 7 days a week to teach their little ones about God and Church and Jesus and the Bible and songs. Most little ones come to church only once a Sunday (for 70 or so minutes). And that is where they will learn corporate worship. They don't need to go to Sunday School to learn about the Bible: home is a good place for that; but they need to come to the services to learn corporate worship. That is why we baptize babies: because we say, "they belong".
No, I think that little ones belong in the worshiping covenant assembly (Psalm 8). Let the mothers and fathers appear in the presence of God with their little ones. I don't doubt that the heavenly Father approves. Let the little ones learn awe and reverence, as God's people draw near to him (Hymn 25:1). Let us not do as the disciples did, and shuffle the mothers and little ones away, as if Jesus has no care for them, or that his words and teaching are only meant for grown ups. (Mark 10:13-16). When Jesus saw the little ones excluded, he was indignant with the disciples. (I try to avoid that kind of response from my Lord.)
And moreover, when should Sunday school (as a replacement for corporate worship) end? When should we teach the children that they belong in the worship service? At 9 years old? 14? 18? I see lots of teens who are not engaged in the worship services. Should we keep them out as well?
No, [I think we need to relearn] how to (re)capture a true sense of worship and awe and reverence in the corporate assembly of God's people. More and more I think that we have lost the sense of majesty and greatness of God in our CanRC services. The "stuff" before the sermon is like "a pre-game show" (as J Meyers suggests). The collection is an intermission. The only thing that makes or breaks a service is the sermon. And the service is only good, "if I learned more stuff."
Let us teach each other and the children -- even little ones -- what is going on in corporate worship. I'm sure our heavenly Father would approve.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Word Cloud
I found a neat website at www.wordle.net
It analyzes text files and creates "word clouds." These "clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more often.
Here is one that I created using the sermon I plan to preach tomorrow AM.
">
Kinsman Redeemer
I also made one from the Sermon on the Mount
">
The Sermon on the Mount
You can find a bigger version here.
It analyzes text files and creates "word clouds." These "clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more often.
Here is one that I created using the sermon I plan to preach tomorrow AM.
"> Kinsman Redeemer
I also made one from the Sermon on the Mount
"> The Sermon on the Mount
You can find a bigger version here.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Discdrive
After 23 years, Jurgen Gothe has signed off for the last time. Since 1985 he has cooled road rage with his drive home radio show on CBC Two. However, it seems that Canadian culture is dumbing down. The CRCT approves a Canadian content porn channel, which undoubtedly would be applying for government arts grants if PMSH had not cut them off. (Go Harper Go! No more money for that kind of stuff!) and classical music and lovely jazz is sacrficed to multi culti fringe stuff. Too bad for the country!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
quango
I love new words. Here is a great one!
"quango" (quasi-autonomous non-governmental agency)
I saw it in a column concerning the propane blast in Toronto.
Strange new protocols have arisen to deal with the murky circumstances, such as the habit of officials at public meetings to automatically look sideways, to the representative of some other government, agency or "quango" (quasi-autonomous non-governmental agency) when challenged by a fair question from a shaken citizen at a public meeting.
I think we should call all human rights commissions, "quangos"!
"quango" (quasi-autonomous non-governmental agency)
I saw it in a column concerning the propane blast in Toronto.
Strange new protocols have arisen to deal with the murky circumstances, such as the habit of officials at public meetings to automatically look sideways, to the representative of some other government, agency or "quango" (quasi-autonomous non-governmental agency) when challenged by a fair question from a shaken citizen at a public meeting.
I think we should call all human rights commissions, "quangos"!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Highway of Heroes
On Wednesday afternoon, we were returning home from Ottawa along the 401. I had heard how when Canadian soldiers who died overseas are brought home the bodies are transported from Trenton to Toronto along the 401. Some time ago, whenever there was a "ramp ceremony" in Trenton and the families receive their dead, and then are escorted to Toronto, Canadian citizens of all kind began to line the bridges and overpasses for 150 Km along the 401. We witnessed this on Wednesday. I think that there were two soldiers coming home to be brought to their final resting places. It was quite moving to see how many of our fellow citizens came out to salute these families and show their respect for the dead.
Often on the overpass there would be an emergency services vehicle. We saw ladder trucks, foam trucks, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles, their crews standing at attention. Not soldiers, but men and women in uniform, who protect us here, saluting those in uniform, who die overseas.
Some bridges had only a few ...
On one bridge there was only one ambulance and one paramedic standing at attention.
Others had many people.
For more than an hour, we saw men and women. We saw veterans with banners from the Legion. We saw children. Hundreds and hundreds of ordinary Canadians, in a spontaneous outpouring of honour, respect and thanks to men and women who are willing to die and give their lives that others may live free from Islamic oppression. What is so remarkable is that there is no official organization for this. Just citizens of our fair land showing respect for those who die in battle far from home and loved ones. Let no one say that patriotism is dead in Canada. There were a lot of flags out on the 401!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Darwin's Sightless Messengers
In yesterday's National Post, Christopher Hitchens writes a piece defending the theory of evolution against those who would argue for intelligent design. He wonders why God would have created blind salamanders that have vestigial eyes and live down in dark caves. Why should they have remnants of eyes? he asks. They are sightless messengers proving Darwin. You can find a letter to the editor that I wrote here.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Canadiana Pulpit
On our way home from vacation, Bonita and I meandered down Highway 2, enjoying a relaxing drive home. We stopped off in Brighton, at an antique shop and found this beauty. After a bit of negotiation, I purchased it. (A brother in our congregation offered to go 50/50 on it.) I can add this to my "collection" of lecterns. I have a small stand alone oak lectern; a small tabletop lectern (which we use every Sunday) and now this beauty.
Check out the beautiful work on the Alpha and Omega!
I'm looking forward to preaching from it. A few weeks ago, I published a post, "The closing of a Presbyterian pulpit. This one is about the call from retirement of another!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Black Bear!
My wife and I camp at Sharbot Lake Provincial Park, about 1 1/2 hours west of Ottawa, on Highway #7. It's a lovely campsite: not too big, with nice beaches on Black Lake. One of the reasons we like this campsite (and its "sister" campsite, Silver Lake, about 10 minutes down the highway) is the absence of bears and raccoons. Though we have to tolerate some "highway noise" from #7, we're told that the traffic keeps bears and raccoons away, because they won't tolerate the noise! It makes keeping food and kitchen stuff in the campsite easy: we are tenters.
For the first time in decades, however, a bear entered Sharbot Lake Campsite this year. And yes! while we were there: and you guessed it -- into our campsite! We were camped up on "The Ridge", in a "walk-in-site" some 150 meters or so from the parking, with our site backing on to the bush on two sides. Suddenly, (what was apparently) a yearling bear came up the hill through the bush and confronted my wife, two daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren. (My two sons and I were just down the path, a ways).
The bear ran off after they made a commotion of banging pots and pans. Later the camp wardens found foot prints down at a portage between the two lakes which showed that the bear was moving off along the park boundary and south.
Just a little excitement for the day!
For the first time in decades, however, a bear entered Sharbot Lake Campsite this year. And yes! while we were there: and you guessed it -- into our campsite! We were camped up on "The Ridge", in a "walk-in-site" some 150 meters or so from the parking, with our site backing on to the bush on two sides. Suddenly, (what was apparently) a yearling bear came up the hill through the bush and confronted my wife, two daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren. (My two sons and I were just down the path, a ways).
The bear ran off after they made a commotion of banging pots and pans. Later the camp wardens found foot prints down at a portage between the two lakes which showed that the bear was moving off along the park boundary and south.
Just a little excitement for the day!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Stitching Error
While I was camping at Sharbot Lake, my two sons and I were enjoying a glass of wine as we surveyed the lake from a high vantage point, just behind our campsite. While gazing across the lake, we noticed a perfectly straight line across the water. This line was unaffected by the wind, which was shifting. It was unaffected by the westering sun. Even the wake of a power boat did not disturb it. For an hour or more, it was unaffected by any change in the environment. We discussed it at great length: "What could cause this strange phenomenon? Could it be a strong current? Is it a rock shelf below the water?" But then it finally dawned on us! This was one of those places where Google Earth hasn't spliced its images together quite perfectly! Check it out at 44 44 25 N 76 39 24 W (paste these coordinates into the "Fly to" field of Google Earth). The line you see there is in the south east arm of Sharbot Lake. Apparently they've fixed the splice where we were (on the western end of the lake) after we got back. (Double click the picture to clearly see the line.)
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Diamonds in the Rough
A member of my congregation emailed the following to me....
Inspired by your write up in last weeks bulletin, my younger brother
and I went over to our old rental church property on Lasalle following
Sunday afternoon's service. We found the sanctuary still intact although
stripped from the inside; our walk through the building triggered many
memories, probably more for myself than for him. That building remains the
source of many memories for me and probably quite a few others in the
congregation.
What we found among the rubble struck a nerve, neatly stacked by one of the
wreckers was a stack of about 5 - 10 Bibles. They seemed out of place in
the mess. Steel was piled with steel, rubber with rubber, glass with glass,
however it was obvious that whoever had stacked the Bibles couldn't quite
figure out where they belonged, but knew they didn't belong in the rubble.
The Bibles were older and well used, all RSV version and all taped along
the spine indicative of their use over the years. It was inspiring to see
them stacked there. There it was, the word of God, the only book that
matters and was inspired by Him lay amongst the rubble on the floor of this
dirty construction site. We couldn't help but take them with us.
Inspired by your write up in last weeks bulletin, my younger brother
and I went over to our old rental church property on Lasalle following
Sunday afternoon's service. We found the sanctuary still intact although
stripped from the inside; our walk through the building triggered many
memories, probably more for myself than for him. That building remains the
source of many memories for me and probably quite a few others in the
congregation.
What we found among the rubble struck a nerve, neatly stacked by one of the
wreckers was a stack of about 5 - 10 Bibles. They seemed out of place in
the mess. Steel was piled with steel, rubber with rubber, glass with glass,
however it was obvious that whoever had stacked the Bibles couldn't quite
figure out where they belonged, but knew they didn't belong in the rubble.
The Bibles were older and well used, all RSV version and all taped along
the spine indicative of their use over the years. It was inspiring to see
them stacked there. There it was, the word of God, the only book that
matters and was inspired by Him lay amongst the rubble on the floor of this
dirty construction site. We couldn't help but take them with us.
Dominion Day at the Burlington Waterfront
Last night we went down to the waterfront in Burlington. The local philharmonic orchestra played while the fireworks filled the sky. It was a beautiful warm summer evening, shared with thousands of Burlington citizens. The finale was the 1812 Overture, with many booming canon shots echoing over the promenade.
Then as we were walking away the orchestra started playing "O, Canada!" Remarkably, the thousands broke out in unison. Thousands stopped walking to their cars, and joined in a rousing rendition of the National Anthem. And as we finished off a mighty volley of fireworks filled the sky. All in all a memorable evening.
Death Day in Canada
Ian Hunter has a brilliant piece on Morgentaler, Canada's Birhtday, and the Order of Canada at "A Symbol of Moral Decay" . He writes in the National Post (pg A15), "It would require macabre sarcasm to call this a "birthday" present; so, for this "deathday" present, let me briefly remark on three propositions." He concludes, "... do not honour men without honour."
Even as the church remembers Pontius Pilate every Sunday, and Judas at least once a year, their remembrance is subsumed under the triumph of the victim. So let it be to Morgentaler. One day perhaps in our fair land we will remember him, not as a hero, but as a horror.
Even as the church remembers Pontius Pilate every Sunday, and Judas at least once a year, their remembrance is subsumed under the triumph of the victim. So let it be to Morgentaler. One day perhaps in our fair land we will remember him, not as a hero, but as a horror.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Dion's New Tax
I think it was last year sometime that I read that as Stephen Harper and his Minister of Finance were cutting taxes and the GST, they were also undercutting the Liberal Party's ability to find money for great social engineering spending programs. The Liberals didn't take long to find a new way to advance their cause. Find a new tax. They couldn't, with any credibility suggest that they'd raise the GST or income tax to spend their billions on whom ever they wanted to make recipients of their largesse. So they've hooked their "tax cow" to the "environmental cart". They'll tax the living daylights out of "carbon sources", with the mantra, "this is for the planet"; but really it's for their programs.
And may all of you have pleasant and blessed "Dominion Day."
And may all of you have pleasant and blessed "Dominion Day."
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Designer Babies
When I read Brave New World decades ago I wonder if these things could be. And then I read the news today. A woman who was able to conceive in natural ways used in-vitro fertilization in order to screen out a cancer gene from her off spring. Eleven embryos were created and any with the cancer gene were destroyed. The new eugenics. Soon children will be chosen and discarded on the basis of their hair colour. Embryos are simply "products of conception" and are chosen and discarded on the basis of their potential flaws or characteristics. Children offered to Molech.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The Closing of a Presbyterian Pulpit
Fellowship Canadian Reformed Church is in the community of Aldershot, in Burlington. It was 50 years ago that Aldershot village joined Burlington City. And as near as I can tell the Aldershot Presbyterian Church was built in 1957, the year before. The congregation had been formed a few years earlier: likely in 1954. The Canadian Reformed Church of Burlington South, now known as Fellowship Canadian Reformed Church rented the facilities for 17 years: fully 1/3 of the time since the inaugural service in January 1957. In January 2008, 51 years after the dedication of the building, the pulpit was closed, and the Presbyterian congregation merged with Knox Presbyterian in Waterdown.
The last times Fellowship congregation used this building was in April and June 2006. Rev. J.L. van Popta held his inaugural sermon there on the Sunday he was installed as the pastor of Fellowship church, and then in June, Rev. Chris Bosch led a Public Profession of Faith service there.
At the time we did not know that those two services would mark the passing of an era for Fellowship Church. The new pastor and the emeritus pastor both preaching there about six weeks apart.
In 2007 Fellowship congregation put an offer to purchase the building, but a developer was able to offer more.
Today the building is under the wrecking ball. One of our members who lives nearby told me that he could hear the excavator taking down the building, so I dashed over with my camera, to capture the closing of a chapter of Fellowship Canadian Reformed Church life.
It is a sad thing when Reformed and Protestant pulpits close. Fellowship Church hopes and prays that it can serve as that confessionally sound Reformed witness in Aldershot for many, many years.
The last times Fellowship congregation used this building was in April and June 2006. Rev. J.L. van Popta held his inaugural sermon there on the Sunday he was installed as the pastor of Fellowship church, and then in June, Rev. Chris Bosch led a Public Profession of Faith service there.
At the time we did not know that those two services would mark the passing of an era for Fellowship Church. The new pastor and the emeritus pastor both preaching there about six weeks apart.
In 2007 Fellowship congregation put an offer to purchase the building, but a developer was able to offer more.
Today the building is under the wrecking ball. One of our members who lives nearby told me that he could hear the excavator taking down the building, so I dashed over with my camera, to capture the closing of a chapter of Fellowship Canadian Reformed Church life.
It is a sad thing when Reformed and Protestant pulpits close. Fellowship Church hopes and prays that it can serve as that confessionally sound Reformed witness in Aldershot for many, many years.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Historic Photo
At a wedding in Burlington yesterday an historic photo was taken. You can find it at my brother George's blog. We just need to get someone to photoshop the missing pastor into the photo!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Summer Solstice
Today is the first day of summer. The solstice ("sun stand still" is what "solstice" means.) At 7:59 PM EDT the Sun reaches it's highest point with respect to the earth's latitudes. That will occur somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. It's remarkable that at UTC or Greenwich Mean Time as it was formerly known, it will happen at 23:59; one minute before June 21.
I remember when I was a young man, boarding with relatives in Edmonton, that my uncle was a "sun worshipper". He loved lying about and soaking up the rays. I used to tease him on the summer solstice that from here on in the days get shorter, the nights get longer: winter is coming!
I never cease to reflect how God has promised to Noah, and through him to us, that the seasons will come and go with regularity. Seedtime, harvest: Summer, winter. The solstice is a testimony to God's covenant faithfulness. Every word he has ever spoken is sure. And the "Amen" to those words are found in Jesus Christ. Even the solstice is "amen-ed" by Jesus. God is faithful
I remember when I was a young man, boarding with relatives in Edmonton, that my uncle was a "sun worshipper". He loved lying about and soaking up the rays. I used to tease him on the summer solstice that from here on in the days get shorter, the nights get longer: winter is coming!
I never cease to reflect how God has promised to Noah, and through him to us, that the seasons will come and go with regularity. Seedtime, harvest: Summer, winter. The solstice is a testimony to God's covenant faithfulness. Every word he has ever spoken is sure. And the "Amen" to those words are found in Jesus Christ. Even the solstice is "amen-ed" by Jesus. God is faithful
Monday, June 9, 2008
Liturgy PowerPoint Presentations
In Fellowship Church we use a projector for the liturgy song selections in the worship services. Some have asked how much work lies behind the Sunday presentation....
The power-point team (h/t Sandra, who has spent countless hours creating these slides) has generated a library of 1672 separate slides of the Psalms, Hymns and Augment. There is now a complete set for all (except the Augment, which is still a work in progress, as is placing newly revised Psalms, as they come available, into the library, replacing the old.) Typical Sunday services require a PowerPoint presentation with 70-80 slides (Lord's Supper services call for several more). The process is as follows.
jvp puts the Sunday liturgy into Foldershare (a filesharing program) by 8:00 PM Thursday (he strives for earlier in the day). He notifies the team. ss assembles the appropriate slides from the library into the power-point template and puts that into FS. She notifies the team. fl prepares slides for the liturgy and inserts that into the template at all the appropriate places and puts that into FS. He notifies the team. (By now it is late Friday night!)
jvp and cb and ss do a proof read of all the slides, looking for typos, wrong slides, missing slides, extra slides, etc. Inform fl of any errors which (we hope we're on time to) get corrected before Sunday AM for a flawless, seamless presentation by fl or svd.
Thanks Team!
The power-point team (h/t Sandra, who has spent countless hours creating these slides) has generated a library of 1672 separate slides of the Psalms, Hymns and Augment. There is now a complete set for all (except the Augment, which is still a work in progress, as is placing newly revised Psalms, as they come available, into the library, replacing the old.) Typical Sunday services require a PowerPoint presentation with 70-80 slides (Lord's Supper services call for several more). The process is as follows.
jvp puts the Sunday liturgy into Foldershare (a filesharing program) by 8:00 PM Thursday (he strives for earlier in the day). He notifies the team. ss assembles the appropriate slides from the library into the power-point template and puts that into FS. She notifies the team. fl prepares slides for the liturgy and inserts that into the template at all the appropriate places and puts that into FS. He notifies the team. (By now it is late Friday night!)
jvp and cb and ss do a proof read of all the slides, looking for typos, wrong slides, missing slides, extra slides, etc. Inform fl of any errors which (we hope we're on time to) get corrected before Sunday AM for a flawless, seamless presentation by fl or svd.
Thanks Team!
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Local CanRC Artist's Work on Canadian Coin
I learned from my friend, Pastor Jim Witteveen's blog, that Jason Bouwman of Burlington now has his art work on a new commemorative Silver Dollar. Congrats to Jason! It is very beautiful and unique. Reminds me a bit of MC Escher's work.
Pastors' Blogs
I found another pastor/missionaries blog. Jim Witteveen, missionary in Prince George blogs at Jim Witt. Stop by and check it out.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Balanced News?
Some weeks ago 8000 Pro Life marchers converged on Parliament Hill. The main stream media did not report it. I searched the internet for two days after, to find any report. There was only one that I could find on Canoe.com. But it was about a traffic cop who got hurt directing the traffic night-mare the march caused. Today however, 100 marchers show up on The Hill demanding safe injection sites for heroin addicts, and they get national attention! Like, what's with that?
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Other Pastors' Blogs
You can read other Canadian Reformed Pastors' Blogs. My brother George can be found at vanpopta.ca
You can find my friend Rob Schouten of Aldergove blogging at Rev. Rob's Blog. Happy reading
You can find my friend Rob Schouten of Aldergove blogging at Rev. Rob's Blog. Happy reading
A built in, interactive, sermon illustration
Here's a cute story.
In a sermon on Ask, Seek, Knock (Matthew 7:7ff) I said this
...
For Jesus teaches us to ask, for he who keeps on asking, (that's the force of the verb) he who keeps on asking, receives. And he who keeps on seeking, finds. And he who never relents on knocking on the door, will have it opened to him. But yet, the Father only gives good things to those who ask in faith. Just like sometimes your children will ask for that which is not good.
They don't only ask for bread, or fish or eggs. Sometimes they only want ice-cream, and you say, "That'll hurt your tummy!" Or they ask permission to do something dangerous, like bridge jumping or something. (I used to do that!) Or they want go out late. Or they want to skate on the pond when the ice is thin. "It'll be ok! Don't worry so much!" Or they want to go to a movie that they shouldn't.
And then father says, "No!"
"No, you can't have that!
"You can't do that!
"I'm not giving you that!
-------------
Just then, we heard some wailing from down the hall! A boy was escaping the nursery. 3 years old. It got louder. Louder! Screeching! It was so distracting, I stopped preaching. (The boy was from a family that had joined our church that very day!)
Then I said something like "Someone is saying "no" to that child." We all laughed! (The father told me later that he was just 1 second away from standing up and saying.... "That's what Pastor John means!" and then go out and get his boy!
Now, that's what you call "a built in, interactive sermon illustration!"
In a sermon on Ask, Seek, Knock (Matthew 7:7ff) I said this
...
For Jesus teaches us to ask, for he who keeps on asking, (that's the force of the verb) he who keeps on asking, receives. And he who keeps on seeking, finds. And he who never relents on knocking on the door, will have it opened to him. But yet, the Father only gives good things to those who ask in faith. Just like sometimes your children will ask for that which is not good.
They don't only ask for bread, or fish or eggs. Sometimes they only want ice-cream, and you say, "That'll hurt your tummy!" Or they ask permission to do something dangerous, like bridge jumping or something. (I used to do that!) Or they want go out late. Or they want to skate on the pond when the ice is thin. "It'll be ok! Don't worry so much!" Or they want to go to a movie that they shouldn't.
And then father says, "No!"
"No, you can't have that!
"You can't do that!
"I'm not giving you that!
-------------
Just then, we heard some wailing from down the hall! A boy was escaping the nursery. 3 years old. It got louder. Louder! Screeching! It was so distracting, I stopped preaching. (The boy was from a family that had joined our church that very day!)
Then I said something like "Someone is saying "no" to that child." We all laughed! (The father told me later that he was just 1 second away from standing up and saying.... "That's what Pastor John means!" and then go out and get his boy!
Now, that's what you call "a built in, interactive sermon illustration!"
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Public Profession of Faith
Rev. Rob Schouten of Aldergrove has an interesting piece here, on public profession of faith.
Chance and Power
I was reading the Financial Post's Canada's Top 500 Largest Corporations in the FP Business that came with the National Post this morning. In the listing of the Top 500, I noticed that the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp came in at # 68 and that Ontario Power Generation came in at # 73. Does it say something about Ontario's Citizens that gambling surpasses power generation? OPG has 3 Nuclear Power Stations, 5 Fossil Fuel Power Stations and 64 Hydro installations. Like, this is a really BIG company! But the Province run lotteries and casinos out perform OPG in revenue! Surely a sign of decadence.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Planet of the Apes
The National Post is reporting that the Students' Union of a prominent university is banning funding and equal access to services for Pro-Life student clubs. The Students' Union wants to ban debate on the personhood of the unborn off-spring of human parents. This is not remarkable, but predictable, in today's chilling academic climate against free speech and the "liberal" movement to deny opposing views on "boutique" topics. This attempt to stomp out the rising voice and cry of the unborn also has spilled out into the economic world. The National Post also reported that Advertising Standards Canada has rejected a pro-life ad as "going to far" in the anti-abortion discussion. This too is not remarkable.
What is remarkable is this: This attempt, in the academic and economic world, to squelch free speech concerning the personhood of the unborn is coincidental with the attempt to declare a chimpanzee to be a person. This application in the European courts is being taken seriously!
The unborn are not persons: Apes are! What planet am I on? This must be the Planet of the Apes! Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!
What is remarkable is this: This attempt, in the academic and economic world, to squelch free speech concerning the personhood of the unborn is coincidental with the attempt to declare a chimpanzee to be a person. This application in the European courts is being taken seriously!
The unborn are not persons: Apes are! What planet am I on? This must be the Planet of the Apes! Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
New Blog
Welcome!
Fellowship Canadian Reformed Church has a tech team that is revamping the church's presence on the internet. One of the updates will be this blog. Here you'll find some reflections on contemporary issues; some musings on controversial subjects; some links to timely news items with some comments.
Later I hope to include some meditations on Bible passages and links to current sermons preached at Fellowship.
I haven't blogged for several years, so this is a new project for me once again.
Fellowship Canadian Reformed Church has a tech team that is revamping the church's presence on the internet. One of the updates will be this blog. Here you'll find some reflections on contemporary issues; some musings on controversial subjects; some links to timely news items with some comments.
Later I hope to include some meditations on Bible passages and links to current sermons preached at Fellowship.
I haven't blogged for several years, so this is a new project for me once again.
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