I’m still alive, for all wondering. Just busy, and when I’m busy I write less. The way of the world!
I have been doing some preaching, but I’m trying to lay off just posting my homilies here. Last Sunday’s sermon ended up a little heavy (and, at just over 20 minutes, probably made most of the cradle Anglicans uncomfortable). I think it was still good, and well received, linking Isaiah’s promises with Luke’s Jesus’ doom-and-gloom in a way that—I hope—was interpreted as optimistic. Even though I briefly mentioned how the US is plunging into the sort of fascism it once fought against, and how the Anglican Communion continues to commit all the same sins of Protestantism as we have been for hundreds of years now. If you do want to hear it, our recording worked well this Sunday.
The main thing I’m here to share more widely is a piece I wrote for our diocesan news for November on my return to ministry after my experience of Trying Very Hard To Not Die the last couple years, which lives here. It’s not dissimilar from what I write on here, but it’s a quick read and maybe you’d like to do that. Or not! I’m not your dad!
I also featured in a video for our synod this year as a beneficiary of the 150th Anniversary Diocesan Curacy Fund. It’s a lovely video, and I’m made to sound more competent than I am.
I’m serving this coming Christ the King Sunday at All Saints here in Hamilton as a guest presider and preacher. It’s something of a unique parish in Hamilton, as it was sort of disestablished and then reestablished as the original property was sold, demolished, and a condo was erected in its place. The church now occupies a space in the base level of the condo, as they are keen to work within a “mixed-ecology” model of modern ecclesiology:
The ‘mixed ecology’ parish promotes the idea of a ‘unity in diversity’ model, where there are different congregations reaching different socio-cultural groups defined by different languages, cultures, and needs. Such parishes practice mission by having a number of differing missional congregations and activities aimed at building new ecclesial communities as part of a parish, where such parish governing councils and common community life need to reflect a membership of such a diverse parish church.
Canon Ian Mobsby, Niagara Anglican News
I suppose we’re sort of doing something like that at St. Paul’s Westdale, as there’s a long-standing Jazz Vespers group that meets in the parish one per month. It feels like an almost completely distinct congregation, though there’s some overlap with our regular Sunday morning attendance. But it’s nothing like what they’re doing at All Saints. They’re open to all sorts of stuff and seeing what sticks, which I think is the way it’s got to work these days. More thoughts on that another time.
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