UCC Interview info 3

Describe the communities you have lived in and your role / involvement in them.

*sigh*

really?

okay . . .


I would say that there are four main communities than I have lived in.

From the age of four till eleven I lived in a village of four hundred in rural Cape Breton, NS. This was my Father's first pastoral charge and had four points (four churches in case you wondered what that meant). Even though I was a young child I was as active within our church(es) as I would imagine any ministers child would be. I have a long history of performing Christmas Pageants in every role but Jesus and Joseph. I sung solos, was a member of the Sunday School and did all the jobs they let little munchkins do within the church. I remember being very proud the first time I took collection, nervous too. This is the village my Mother now lives in again and so I have the opportunity to reconnect with the people I knew then, each time I visit. It is funny to see everyone still sitting in the same place on a Sunday. I still consider this to be where I am 'from' and miss the rural life often.


In my Father's second charge we went from four small churches to one large one of seven hundred fifty families and team ministry (two full time ministers) in a town of ten thousand. I graduated from High School here. At this church Sunday School continued all the way through to grade twelve, and in our last year we spent time visiting other denominations. I sang in the youth choir and was a member of the youth group. I participated in other churches youth retreats as well, including one called "18 hours to Save the World"
I went to UC camp in the summers for three years as a camper and two as a counselor. I loved being at camp and I connected well with my campers,with my mantra "Weird is wonderful." I still have lots of pictures that my campers sent me after camp, hanging out with their friends sticking their tongues out at me, which was part of the mantra. I attended Maritime Conference Youth Forum for four years, as well as General Counsel in 1992. These weekends charged me up in a way I have never experienced anywhere else. It was a place to connect with other youth who were as engaged in their relationship with God as I was. I still maintain friendships made during youth forum. It was, awesome! 
In school I was in the environment club and we went to elementary schools talking about recycling and doing our part, even as kids, to help our environment. I taught swimming lessons and was a lifeguard from grade seven to twelve, first as a volunteer and then as staff.


My next major community was university, I chose Mount Allison because I had fallen in love with it while there for youth forum. I didn't even apply anywhere else. This is the time in my life when I felt the least connected to God, and in hindsight when I needed to be connected. In typical student fashion I chose sleep over church. I gave everything I had to Theatre, a techie, stage manager dressed in black. I was a poor student, emotional and damaged. I had been bored by school, had poor study habits and did as little as necessary to get by. Anything outside of the subjects I liked got no attention and those I did didn't get enough. I studied Theatre, Religious Studies, and Classics mostly. I did manage to get into a fourth year creative writing class which I  enjoyed more than any other class. I made mistakes and alternated between trying to figure out myself and heal, as ignoring myself all together. 


Lastly is Richview. I had been shopping for a church in very Urban Toronto for about a year. My Mother found Richview while she was here visiting after Mira was born six and a half years ago. The sense of homecoming when I began to go to Richview was amazing. I was so physically relieved to be back in a church community, and their acceptance was swift and deep. It was less than a year before I was recruited for the youth group, and have been working with the youth of Richview ever since. I have been active within Richview since I walked in the doors. I sit on several committees and have been the custodian there for a year now. My heart beats stronger there. I am a Registered Massage Therapist and Reiki Master with a private practice in Etobicoke. I love that people within my church come to me for help and information. As this time in my life has been filled with two beautiful young children and running a new business, my involvement outside of the church and work has been nil. What I am doing now consumes all the time I have. 


Being a member of Richview, and having the gift of Rev. Michelle Robinson as our minister for the past two years has made ignoring the call I felt for the past decade or more impossible. So with Richview's blessing and support, as well as that of my friends and family, I am now in the role of inquirer.




Hmmmm


Beki

The Brain Runneth Over

My mind is too swirly to be coherent. Lots has happened and I know some of you are eager to hear. Today's secret word is process. Use to play a drinking game or just scream every time you read it. I'm not sure that anyone of you will care about most of this but is is where I tend to muse.

Toronto Conference: Was a bust. I hope to be a part of the Youth program next year to put fire in the bellies. I won't go on about conference, but I could.

First Discernment Meeting: I felt like this was more for those going through the process with me than it is was for me. I'm okay with that. I think it is important that everyone begins the process at as close to the same level of understanding about the process as possible.

More Franchises - A 2nd Cup: Swirly thought mecca tonight. Some of my thoughts that I hope to come back to later once I have had time to process it all a bit more.

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

Do we set our own goal and pace for change knowing that the others will either catch up, or be left behind forever? Or do we wait to be guided by the leadership and risk fading before any action on the part of the bigger church occurs?

We can not be all things to all people. Although we can be many things to many people. Still we must be decisive in what those things are. (a Canadian issue as well as a UCC one)

The United Church needs to stand UNITED and be decisive in what we stand for and what it means to be from the UCC.


Does the caterpillar even consider for a moment not building a cocoon? To choose that would guarantee death. And even if was an option to not risk the cocoon would mean never having the chance to be the butterfly. To know that you had that potential and ever reach for it. We as the UCC are facing the cocoon phase. Will we risk death to have that chance for flight and beauty beyond our imaginings. Seems crazy yet we stand almost looking backwards at our old way. If the old way were still effective, we wouldn't be here. To resist this time for change is to face certain death, and miss all the potential for what lies beyond.


Kofi Hope: A letter to this amazing man.

Kofi:

Thank you. Today I was in that sea of faces you spoke to. I have been struggling to put voice to many of my concerns about the UCC and it's . . . inconsistencies. You have managed in 90 minutes to give me and many others like me the beginning of a language and a jumping off point for what I hope will be real growth and actual change.

I believe the internal conflict of Canadians and of the UCC is exactly as you stated. Wanting on one hand to be all things to all people, yet knowing on the other hand that is is not only impossible to do so, but also ultimately undesirable. The challenge of defining our boundaries while embracing diversity is a great one, but well worth the effort.

You have given many people pause for thought, but spurred many more into motion. I find it odd in my mid 30's,married with children, to still be considered a young adult in the eyes of the church, but we are tomorrow and if we do not stand up and be confident in our voice now, we may lose what we have to stand up for.

Thank you, thank you
The best to you and all you do. You are making a huge difference.

Beki


Cheers
Be

Pain in my Ass

Hey guys.

So for the last hour I've been distilling down the PETA (not to mention everyone else's) Vegan No No List. The one I used is here (But they are pretty much the same across the board):

http://www.caringconsumer.com/resources_ingredients_list.asp

The idea is that I wanted a list to keep in my bag for when I shop. I didn't really want the descriptions as well as the ingredient /additive. I want that at home but when I'm shopping I just want to know not to buy it. There are some obvious things that I deleted from the list. I don't think I need to have listed all the different types of Skin (in fact it's kinda a no brainer anyway) Lactose, Hair etc. Some things you really should be able to just figure out you know.

The list is done and I'm gonna print it off for my bag and hope to put it on my HTC once the screen is repaired (another story). But thought you guys in the same shoes as I am might like to have the list, and those who are just curious about what means animal. All the things on this list potentially come from Animal. There are plant derivatives for many things so you need to check where your source is coming from. The following post will just be the list.

I'm feeling a bit fanatical about all this at this moment, which is not how I want to be (about anything) so I need to step back from the list, and being Vegan. Not away, just back and take a breath. It is so easy to get angry. Did you know white sugar comes in contact with animal product. It's what makes it white. I mean some of this stuff on the list is clearly animal product, but others. Shit I had no idea. Part, no most really, of my irritation is just in how little I know about what I am eating / using.

Then on top of that, today the 'sermon' at church was a letter from Mardi Tindal, the United Church Moderator. She went to Copenhagen for the Climate Change Conference. Basically her take (and that of many others) is that is was a big waste and that nothing was accomplished. Rather than despair she suggests it is now on us as individuals to step up where government can not seem to. Needless to say I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. If you are interested in reading her letter:

http://www.united-church.ca/communications/news/moderator/100117

Remember we only have one Earth - it is ours to maintain. The damage that has been done is on our shoulders. Time to pick our slack asses up off the couch and begin to care. We are the ultimate losers if we don't.

Much love and sadness
Be