interesting

One of the things I've been thinking about are the lessons that we learn through film. Recently, I was thinking about the film [beating Wild Hogs and Premonition in the box office here] 'the Spartans', which is "The story of vastly outnumbered Spartans defending against Persian invaders." It struck me that the 'enemy' that we watch in films somehow makes us willing to think of those people as 'enemies' too. [do films reflect, or create reality...]. I was joking with some friends about this in conjunction with this month being the celebration of Purim, where to this day biscuits in the shape of ears are eaten in celebration of enemies being vanquished. It's all so complicated the idea of loving the neighbour, loving the enemy, being a friend. The stranger being the enemy is very present right now in a lot of places... [coincidence that Persia is Iran and others?]

Anyway, I am currently sitting with family - supposed to be chatting I think, but actually watching golf. Ugh. Golf. TV certainly dominates here. My uncle Jay has just called me 'an imp' which is quite funny... [he used to horribly embarrass me when I was young: he drove a bus for the city of Winnipeg and I would catch buses to school. On occasion when I got on, he would say things like "THIS GIRL HASN'T PAID" or, "HOW'S THAT CONTAGIOUS DISEASE" at the top of his voice. Awful. But funny. Or answer the phone, "Jay's pool hall, who in the hall do you want to call"... ]

Today I went (as per) to the Word and Table service. It turned out to be quite extraordinary. At the end of the service the 'chairman of the board' got up and announced to the congregation that in a "unanimous decision" the board had decided (in conjunction with a consultant and years of thought, a new mission statement being agreed for the church and the need for a greater community) to disband two services (Word and Table and 'contemporary') and move to one service, where the senior pastor as spiritual leader could direct the church... It was shocking. Literally. No one bar the leader of the service appeared to have any idea...

I will no doubt keep thinking about it, but so much struck me as askew. First, the Way of making the decision, non-consultative [apart from the paid consultant], without representation by the congregants. Two, the idea of unity, and what/how/who creates unity. Three, the idea of worship. Four, the idea of a 'pastor's role. Five, the idea of 'community'... Anyway, in many ways I am not part of the community - not privy to the decision, not effected by it at this local level... But I was very aware of the reverberations of this kind of decision on the wider community.
It also made me think a lot about the Longsight congregation, our understandings, the way we make decisions ...

Anyway, I have felt far from home these last few days, missed family, missed friends, missed Lynn's ordination :-( ... A lot happens when a person is away.