Spiritually Speaking

A few years ago we were planning a meeting and we sat down to look at all the options before us. We had met on a number of occasions and thought through every minute of the meeting. We were very sure that all the bases were covered.

The city is gaining a surprising number of cannabis dispensaries recently. But maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise. The wisdom of the drug war is finally coming under intense scrutiny, for good reason.

Are there solutions to issues such as homelessness, addiction, poverty, and overstressed mental health services? “A decent provision for the poor is the true test of civilization,” wrote Samuel Johnson .

It seems that every day we are assailed with news from every corner of the globe that threatens to overwhelm many aspects of our lives and possibly destroy the world we know.

Are men and women really hardwired from birth to think, act and communicate differently? For generations we have been led to believe this is the case.

This week, Pride week, the Anglican Churches in the Diocese of British Columbia have been taking an active part in celebrating the rich diversity of sexual and gender identity which is so much a part of the Pride ethos.

Many of the events and experiences we have in life can leave us feeling broken. We see brokenness on a personal and social level every day, and may ourselves feel fragmented and shattered. It seems unavoidable.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve engaged in a number of conversations about the health of institutions. In an anti-institutional age, I’m a contrarian. I think institutions matter.

An exciting event is happening in Victoria during the Canada Day weekend that visitors will enjoy immensely – the colourful Cultural Festival of India. Please see the attached poster.

In the early part of June, I spent a long week in Ontario dealing with deaths. The first, John Duncan, a mentor of mine in ministry, died in October, 2014.