Dreaming of a "Green" Christmas

Dreaming of a “Green” Christmas

A Christmas Message from the President

of Alberta and Northwest Conference

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

Where I live there have been no worries about not having a White Christmas since about the first week of November. Even so, that's a couple of weeks later than usual. While it may just be part of a year to year fluctuation, in these times in which we live, whenever the weather is different, especially with regard to warm or cold, we can't help but wonder if it is part of the bigger trend. With the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen just recently concluded it is rightly on our minds to think about the earth and what we, the people who have it as our home, are doing to it.

I can't help thinking of the angel song of Peace on Earth and interpreting it for our time as “Peace for the Earth” for it seems to me that the land is in deep need of more peaceful and more gentle interaction with us its inhabitants. And so for me this Christmas I am divinely disturbed by a kind of restless peace – a peace that invites me to touch the earth more lightly and to continue to speak to those who have the authority and the influence to make the same kinds of changes on a grander scale.

At the same time I am inspired by the radical statement of hope for the world that comes with the birth of a child. The child in manger is a living expression of joy, love and grace, and a message from God that says, “Choose Life in all its abundance!”.

May your Christmas time be one that is grounded in faithful traditions, encouraged by new ways of building community, and which tells the story in action of God's love for all.

Merry Christmas and Peace for the Earth!

Blessings...

Peter Chynoweth

President,

Alberta and Northwest Conference

Leadership, Leadership and Leadership

A couple+ months of the busy fall season are now behind us, and I've had a chance to learn a bit about how the pattern of travel is going to be for my term as president. I mentioned at the October meeting of the Alberta and Northwest Conference Executive that it is a "northern thing" to make one trip south accomplish a number of different purposes. October was just such a month - a twelve-day trip and four different activities.

I was honoured to be invited to attend the gathering of newcomers at the aptly named "Newcomer's Event". This is an annual gathering to which ministry people who are new or newly returned to Alberta and Northwest Conference are invited - along with partners. The group met in the peaceful surroundings of the Star of the  North Retreat Centre in St. Albert. Just to make me feel at home, we had a lovely several inches of snow all during the first day of our gathering. The two days of discussion, community building and resource sharing along with visits to the Conference Office and Revelations Book and Gift Co-operative and hearty shared laughter during the Wednesday night games session left me feeling good about leadership in the church. There are many challenges facing us in the church these days, but there are also many fine leaders willing to face those challenges, and some of them can be found among the people who've arrived in our conference from places all over the continent.

The next stop on my trip was not one that came as a result of my position as president, but it too provided a helpful insight into leadership. It has been my practice to attend the Banff Men's Conference about once every two or three years. This year's planning committee was faced with several last minute setbacks when first the expected music leadership became unavailable and then just a few weeks before the conference, a change in theme speaker was announced. Despite these changes, attendees at this year's conference were treated to a very meaningful set of theme presentations by Darryl Auten, who used his skill as a potter to illustrate and expand the theme outlined in the book of the prophet Jeremiah - the same theme used at GC40 - Down to the Potter's House. The new music resource people - one half of the group rEvolve in the form of Chis Giffen and Gord Oaks - were an inspiration and a delight. Not only did the men attending the conference get a chance to learn and sing some of their great music, but it gave me a chance to reminisce fondly about my recent attendance at the fortieth General Council (GC40) this past summer in Kelowna, where I was first introduced to a good number of the musical selections and where the full complement of rEvolve members was present as the General Council music resource team.

My mother turned eighty-five on October 22, so the next part of my trip was a journey to Ontario to visit with her and to help with the planning and throwing of a birthday party for her. It was a good party with a good group of church friends and family members there to greet her and wish her well for the years ahead.

Next on the schedule was a stop in Airdrie to attend the Senior High Youth Rally. I was very pleased to be able to fit a visit to the Rally into my October journey. A visit with the youth taking part in Youth at Conference in May had inspired me to maintain a connection with the youth of the church - for the energy, insight and perspective they have to offer. I arrived in Calgary somewhat late after a flight delay, so I only had time for a quick "hello" on the Friday night of the rally. A good rest (which is more than some of the other leaders could claim!) and I was much better prepared to spend an interesting day at Airdrie United Church where the rally was taking place. Of course, as I expected, it was a wonder-ful time. The most exciting discovery for me (and really should I have been that surprised?) was the quality and depth of leadership being provided to the youth rally. I sat with the leadership team on Saturday afternoon as they debriefed the rally so far, and was nothing but impressed by the insight, dedication and commitment of this group of young leaders.

Finding a Way

Welcome to the online version of "Northern Light". I expect that if you are reading this, it is because you saw a link to it in the September 2009 edition of "In Contact", the Alberta and Northwest Conference insert in The United Church Observer.

As I said in my first "Northern Light" print column, I hope to use this blog to interactively pursue some of the themes I touch on there. Comments are welcome and in fact encouraged. I am sure that our discussions will inform subsequent "In Contact" contributions.

If your first arrival in Yellowknife is by air (quite common) or by boat (romantic, but not so common for a first visit!) the structure pictured here will likely be the first hint that you are getting close. It is the head frame at the Con Gold Mine. The Con Mine and Giant Mine - both situated within the Yellowknife city limits are no longer active. The land they occupy is being reclaimed. Reclamation involves removing all the mine buildings, and because that means the red topped head frame as well, it is causing a bit of a stir among Yellowknifers.

It might not seem like a pleasant landmark, but the Con Mine tower is a distinctive and useful navigation aid. Not only does it mean that you've arrived in Yellowknife, but for boaters, dog mushers, para-skiers, and snowmobilers it is a very useful and reassuring sight. It's kind of like our own magnetic north pole, or a GPS waypoint that can be seen for many kilometres in all directions. It has guided many people home, including me!

So when talk of tearing it down is broached, many people just can't imagine how that can happen. They speak as if they've lost their way.

I am reminded by this of another "way", namely "Followers of the Way" - a term that has been used to describe the early Christian community. I'm sure these our ancestors in faith were excited, confused, eager, anxious, wondering, determined and hesitant all at once. That's the way it is when you find yourself in the middle of something that is emerging - strange and exciting all at the same time.

I can't help but feel that present day times are much the same. We know that the great peril of climate change looms over us, and I don't dismiss the importance of the issue at all. In fact, I think that it is the most important issue we face - one that will challenge us physically and spiritually. I also feel that there is something happening in the world, and in part it comes from a groundswell movement of young people working on climate change issues and particularly the ways that human beings contribute to the problem. It is a spiritually based movement, one that serves to take us in new directions, with new insights, new ways of being in community together, with new openness to different expressions of faith, and a theology of inclusion that breaks all boundaries of separation, including ones we did not even know were there.

These then comprise "the way" I feel the spirit is leading me at this time as president - climate change, new ways of being community, emerging church.

What do you think?  Thumbs up? Thumbs down? "Preach it brother!" or "Where did that come from?" Let me know with your comments.




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