Leamington Day 3

Happy Friday! As our house starts to look and feel like a home I am filled with thankfulness to God and the community which has brought us here to live in Leamington.

The time is flying by but with everyday there is a greater sense that we are here to stay and that we are not on vacation, even though it kinda feels that way.

I wiped out hard on my bicycle yesterday. I was trying to avoid some busted asphalt around a sewer grate and a transport truck barreling up behind me. When I went to go up a driveway my tires were not up to the task of climbing the lip at the driveway's end. I ate it. My knuckles look super tough though.

Leamington Day 2

We pumped up the tires and rode into town fro the first time. We followed a tractor with two wagons full of tomatoes. The smell was unexpected.

Leamington Day 1

I never really considered what it would feel like to live anywhere but my hometown, Guelph, Ontario. But in the last 24 hours, Tina and I have moved to Leamington, Ontario. It's only three hours away from home down highway 401 but it is so different from the place where I grew up.

We've moved here after receiving a call to pastor in a Mennonite church. There are no Mennonite churches in Guelph.
We moved into a farmhouse surrounded by potato fields. There are no potato fields in Guelph.
We also live 15 minutes away from a Great Lake. There are no Great Lakes in Guelph.

It's a strange land we've come to. Yesterday I watched a tractor haul maybe a tonne of tomatoes down the highway that runs past our house. I ave never in my life seen so many tomatoes. I think, maybe, I saw more tomatoes yesterday than I have seen in my last 28 years of life.

But the feeling of being out here is not quite clear. Almost everyone who knew we were moving and starting new jobs asked with wide eyes if I was excited(!) to move, to start my work as a pastor, to join a new community.

I can't say if it's excitement that's got me so introspective or making my eye twitch but it is something. Maybe it's cautious excitement. I'm cautiously excited. Excitement without the recklessness that can accompany it.

I think the best course of action is to take things one day at a time.

Today, I got my church keys and the office wifi password. I'll grab lunch and unpack some boxes, kiss my wife, and read a book. I think that's enough.

In Response

I recently read a post by someone I really dig for their contribution to the arena of decolonization and for their ability to convey information artistically, a skill I have not yet mastered. She made the argument that the Westernized linear way of thinking, that is ultimately detrimental, is a Judeo-Christian construct. I thought this was strange and immediately wondered where that idea came from.

You can find the specific post here. Be sure to check out the main page as well for lots of awesome info graphics and challenging but inspiring ideas. 

Without researching, I thought of a number of biblical "factors" that point to the opposite conclusion and in fact seem to support the indigenous way of thinking. I'm sure there are many more, but here is the list off the top of my head. 

*Please read to the end 

**Or at least skip to my final point

- There was a beginning of time (this is pretty much believed by everyone)

- God exists infinitely (outside of time) but is omnipresent, in all things (Great Spirit style)

- The Creator gave the earth to man and woman to steward and care for

- The Creator revealed himself to many people, one of interest is a man Moses who was told to remove his sandals where he stood because God had deemed it a sacred place

- The Jewish people were invited into relationship with their creator (YHWH) 

- Part of the relationship is the telling of stories to their children for generations to come (the Shema)

- One way of expressing the relationship with their creator was to write songs and poetry and dance expressively (there is an old testament book called Psalms that contains 150 ancient Jewish songs)  - These songs include acknowledgment of nature and animals as markers that point to the creator's work and influence in the everyday life of humans

- The Jewish people observed ceremony and ritual as a way of teaching younger generations of YHWH's promise and love for the people, passover, etc. 

- Art and food were also a part of these rituals as can be observed in YHWH's instruction to the people to build an ark adorned with engravings of animals and other ceremonial pieces adorned with the same

- Death was not seen as an end but as a new beginning, or sleep, or transition into eternity, or an alternative plane of existence

- Death also did not always mean physical death but the end of a season that ushered in a new season

- Future generations were considered as ancestors and in Jewish historical texts there are very accurate genealogical trees tracing male and female ancestors back many many generations even to the first man and woman

- The Jewish people still share a collective history as is demonstrated by their lifting up of such patriarchs as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In fact, they may refer to YHWH as "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob"

- Israel, or the promised land was the land given to the Jews by their god and is still contested as such delineating a power of place

- In the Old Testament there are distinct sections known as the major and minor prophets. In these sections, people who listened to their creator interpreted dreams and visions and shared these interpretations with the people. Many of those dreams and prophecies are said to be about today.

This is all regarding the Old Testament. The advent of Jesus is the topic of the New Testament and is in effect the fulfillment of a death and rebirth and continuation of the cycle. 

- Dreams and visions experienced in the past about the future are apparently fulfilled in the coming of Israel's Messiah, the one who will bring healing by reuniting them with their creator, Jesus

- Jesus teaches many lessons, perhaps the edgiest being a step above the religious mantra of loving neighbours, Jesus teaches that his disciples should love their enemies

- Jesus also taught that to follow him, his disciples must die to self

- Jesus pointed to death as an equal part to life as life itself

- Jesus taught that there is eternal life and that what we see is not all there is

- Jesus convened with ancestors (Moses and Elijah) on a mountain (power of place) in the presence of three witnesses

- Jesus argued that people should not capitalize on sacred teaching or practices 

- Jesus undertook a pilgrimage in the wilderness for 40 days 

- Jesus taught that to know the creator you must be born again or have a rebirth 

- Jesus attributed sacredness to the elements and used nature as an illustration of God's love for the people

- Jesus also taught sacred wisdom through many stories or parables that often had to do with people's relationship with the land

- It is taught that Jesus died and was buried but was resurrected into his "resurrected state (transformed)"

- Jesus then taught the People of The Way (his followers) to go and teach what he taught them

- He then appointed Peter as a new elder who was to pass on the wisdom given to him

- Others like Paul, Stephen, Peter and John saw visions, signs, and dreams they attributed to the Creator and disseminated that knowledge through letters and public teaching which ultimately saw some of them and many others publicly murdered, marginalized, oppressed, and imprisoned

- Jesus taught that when he was no longer on Earth in bodily form, he would send The Helper to guide his people.

- The Helper has since taken on the name Holy Spirit. Holy means set apart, not like the others, above. The Spirit above all spirits if you will.

- That Spirit is said to dwell in all those who allow it to do so. Or those who allow themselves to die and be born again. 

- The Bible concludes by stating that God will return in the form of Jesus and create a new heaven and a new earth (rebirth)

I do have point I'm trying to make, obviously. Although these are clearly read in the Bible, there are many who have looked at one or two sections of the Bible and proceeded to rape the world including her people, lands, and resources. This is not from Judeo-Christian teaching. It is actually anti-Judeo-Christian teaching. And while the historical majority have gone astray from this teaching they do not represent actual teachings of the Bible or of The Creator and should not be said to. 

My First Time by Kattina Charbonneau

“Blood; it's in you to give.”

I have heard the radio commercial hundreds of times. I know that my blood is type-O, which means that I can help lots of people. However, I couldn't get over the fear of needles and passing out.

Last Saturday everything changed.

There's a family I have known since I was 5. Many of them donate blood on a regular basis. The youngest member just started his first year of university and he applied for a bursary from Canadian Blood Services. He needed at least 20 donors, 5 of which had to be new. I thought that this would be a perfect way for me to help him out and try donating blood!

His family hosted a huge breakfast for those who were going to the clinic. As a precaution, I decided to have french toast, a pancake, 1/4 piece of waffle, a piece of bacon, a few sausages and some fruit. I don't usually get to have all those wonderful breakfast items in one sitting – but I wasn't planning on passing out!

As we arrived and checked in, I was pretty nervous. The finger prick test didn't hurt as much as I thought it would, and my iron levels were good. After filling out the questionnaire and going through the screening process, I was quickly escorted to the donating station. I had some juice and then sat down in the chair. The nurse was so nice and before I knew it the needle was in. It was a little uncomfortable, but it wasn't as terrible as I imagined.

I found out some neat things while the nurse was taking the blood samples. She said that the blood I donated, (provided it passed the necessary screening tests), would be used at a local hospital within 72 hours.

Local hospital.

72 hours.

Wow. Some of the supply is used for pre-booked surgeries, however the rest is in case of emergency. I never considered blood donation to invoke such a sense of community for me.

The average adult has about 10 pints of blood in their body, and each blood donation is approximately 1 pint. Every 8 weeks your body replenishes the lost blood, and you're good to go again. It's a natural process, and it doesn't cost you anything.

In 1 hour you can literally save the life of someone in your community. The actual donation is less than 20 minutes. (I was 10 min. 18 sec...first time donors take a bit longer, which is normal). It takes an average of 5 units, or donations, for a cancer treatment or cardiovascular surgery. For someone who has been in an automobile accident, 50 units are required.

After finishing the donation you get to chill out with a friendly volunteer while enjoying a complimentary drink and snack! Overall the experience was wonderful. I really loved going with a group of friends and family to help others in our community. We had a great time visiting and sharing lots of laughs!

If you would like more information, check out www.blood.ca. To book an appointment you can call 1-888-2-DONATE. I'm going back in October if you would like to join me!

Clothing for a Cause

If you are citizen of Guelph, a Guelphite if you will, you may notice some of the many things around town that Guelph is quite proud of. Not proud in a bad way, but proud for good reason. For example, we have the Guelph Farmer's Market where local farmers and artisans sell their products. We have the new and improved Market Square in front of the newly improved City Hall. The Market Square hosts community events that are fun for the whole family and bring a positive vibe to a downtown night-time experience. We also have a number of beautiful parks and green-spaces that preserve the natural beauty of our fine city.

But now Guelph has the opportunity to be proud of something else. I say opportunity because there is a chance people could take this new addition for granted and fail to take advantage of what it offers. I'm talking about Downtown's second newest tenant, Grey Rock Clothing Co. It's located on Quebec Street, just a few doors down from the Bookshelf.

Why be proud of a clothing store?

Well, Grey Rock Clothing Co., or, Grey Rock, as the kids say, is a completely sweat shop free clothing store. That means all of the clothing sold was made with by the hands of folks who earn a fair wage for the work they do. It also means your new plaid shirt and slim fitting pants won't have the sweat of children unnoticeably infused into the fabric.

Grey Rock operates with the axiom “You can change the world with your everyday purchases”. They let us know the importance of equality among labourers and consumers.

They carry brands like Elroy, Indigenous Designs, PACT, Jedidiah, and Oliberte and each of these brands carries a unique and often inspiring story. You may not have heard of these brands, but it's time you did your research because not only are they globally conscious, they also make some pretty nice clothes.

I would like to stress again that Grey Rock's presence in Guelph is an opportunity for Guelph. If we want it to stick around we need to support the cause. Not the cause of nice clothes and Downtown boutiques, but the cause of equality and the cause of human rights. It's really nice for folks to talk about how great brands are for being fair trade or sweatshop free, but if we as the consumers don't get behind them by choosing their product over another.
Purchasing fair trade, sweatshop and child labour free items may not be the cheapest option for some, but it is always less costly for others. Sweatshop produced clothing comes with a much higher price than what is found on the tag.
So this Saturday (September 6th) get downtown and meet Grey Rock's owner Beth Timlin, she's got a heart of gold and a wicked smile. Grey Rock will be serving cupcakes and there will be special gifts for people who spend $60+ in celebration of their grand opening!

For more information on Grey Rock and what they're doing to make the world a better place, you can check out their website, and even follow Beth on Twitter @GreyRockCo

Ben Doerksen Show and Tell

If you live in Guelph and you are a fan of Guelph's myriad of musically gifted individuals, you may recognize the name Ben Doerksen. Ben has been a member of the now retired but not forgotten, Your Neck of the Woods as well as the frontman and eye-candy for Ben Doerksen and the Rebel Alliance. Ben has now ventured off on a solo journey through the musical galaxy and has recently released a new EP titled Gilding the Lily.

If you have yet to treat your senses to the album, you can find it, and pay what you choose for it right here. 

With a voice that is perhaps bigger than Ben himself, not an easy feat, Ben delivers profoundly written lyrics with themes that bring the listener to fields and prairies and rivers and kitchens and fireside sing alongs. Ben's lyrics penetrate the mind and invite, maybe even pull, the listener into a dreamscape. They are sensual. You can't help but feel the cool summer wind in late August, or the tall grass on your fingertips. 

With what sound like instant classics like Northern Rivers and Skies Like This, Ben is sure to make an even bigger impact than he already has on the Guelph music scene and even the Canadian music scene.

I had the chance to sit down with Ben while he discussed the ins and outs of playing with a band. He even brought a great show and tell item to prove just how cool he really is.

You can see that interview right here.

Also check out...

http://benjamindoerksen.bandcamp.com/

http://yourneckofthewoods.bandcamp.com/track/alberta-burning

www.zdc.4ormat.com

Ben Doerksen hard at work during Hillside 2012