p a s s i o n + r e a s o n

I hope your week has been going by well.

I'm just emailing to remind you that this Sunday we have our party/lounge in the Christian Education room. I want to thank everyone's participation in Henry's and my class (and also Peter's, too!)
Although this was the first time I've lead/facilitated a Christian Ed. class, it was a great experience for me. I've particularly enjoyed the discussions and conversations in class, and out of class.

It's my hope that the spirit of this class will continue to grow and to involve and inspire more people.

If you didn't come to class this past week, I handed out something for you to take home - to consider and to share with friends. It's an excerpt from a piece called: “Resisting McWorld”. There are a bunch of suggestions and activities to pro-actively counter this McWorld we've been learning about in class - I hope it'll inspire you guys to write your own and contribute some back :)

And a reminder to those helping out with refreshments at the term-end party, Lemonde will be contacting you shortly. If anyone else wants to bring something, feel free... Oh yeah, we're having the Pura Vida coffee that we ordered... Several of us had it on Thursday at prayer meeting... and it's *good*! Smooth without any bitterness... See you on Sunday!

soli deo gloria,
dan

Posted by at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A couple of months ago, as I was preparing for the Mustard Seed versus McWorld class, I decided to order a study package from Sojourners Magazine called “A Moral Response to Terrorism”. The last article in the study guide included a piece titled: “Resisting McWorld” by assistant editor Rose Marie Berger, which includes many interesting ways for us to make a difference - in small ways and large. I found these suggestions to be inspiring and uplifting - a rewakening of part of my imagination, if you will.

As our class goes into the final few weeks, our activities are geared towards “applied studies” instead of purely lecture format (which we said would be insulting to your intelligence, anyways). Perhaps many of you have given considerable thought about what your life and lifestyle will resemble given your active choices and the Biblical call toward full-life discipleship. Of course any passive choices (i.e. non-choices or choosing not to choose) will greatly influence the path you will take.

We see that these choices are going to be tough. But one of the key messages in the Bible is hope. Jesus give us a hope and reason to live as disciples in all that we are and all that we do.

Try a few of the following strategies that demonstrate that “resistance isn't futile.”

• Decentralize economics. Buy from, invest in, and eat at locally owned businesses, especially those that reinvest in the community. Eat locally grown food. Barter services - trade child-care for car repair. Give stuff away. Tithe. Have a clothing, book, or music exchange.
  
• Battle Branding. Drink water - it makes you less susceptible to advertising. Buy clothes second hand. look for the union label. Unless the brand is paying you to advertise for them, take the logo off. Between kids and parents, review your favourite TV shows, movies, or music. Discuss the difference between what's good and what's popular. Teach “deconstructing advertising” in your church or fellowships.
  
• Follow the money. Credit cards? Cut them up. Trace your paycheque - are you paid at the expense of others? Invest your retirement in socially responsible funds. Can your church start a local credit union? Be a conscious shareholder.
  
• Localize media, information, and entertainment. Use the public library. Buy books and music second-hand. Supoort alternative news sources. Patronize independent bookstores. Celebrate silence. Start your own record label. Support local music. Go to craft festivals. Start a neighbourhood newsletter.
  
• Protect values. Live locally, but carry a global passport. Learn a language. Put your children in a language immersion school. Get books on other cultures from those cultures. Think of people first, then science, machines, and corporations. Make your church a “safe space” for those in need. Disable the automatic “cookie” acceptance on your Web browser. Ask local retailers for their factory's code of conduct ensuring just labour practices.

Stay tuned for more ideas.

Image © Sojourners Magazine, from www.sojo.net, URL: http://www.sojo.net/magazine/archives/soj0009/images/000912.jpg

Posted by at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I have the handouts archived from the last two weeks: July 28th's class and August 4th's class.

• July 28th
  
• August 4th

The homework for this week is to read through Isaiah, if you have not done so already. If you are short on time (we will be talking about this problem in class, too!) please read through these following passages.

Isaiah 2:2-4
Isaiah 9:2-7
Isaiah 11:6-9
Isaiah 25:6-9
Isaiah 35:1-10
Isaiah 61:1-7
Isaiah 65:17-19

As you pray, read God's word, and fellowship with others this week, consider this question: "Consider how you can put the vision of Isaiah and vocation of Jesus at the centre of your life, family and church."

Posted by at 2:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My apologies for last week's class. I had written down Ezekiel 23 as one of the passages on the handout. That is the almost-titillating passage on the Two Adulterous Sisters. It is supposed to be Exodus 23:6-8. I don't know how Ex. got transcribed to Ez. Anyhow, please excuse my error - unless that is an excuse to get you to read your Bible more!

Again, a reminder, I have archived the class handouts, if you need them for reference. (They are in Adobe Acrobat format.)

July 7th
July 14th
July 21st

This coming Sunday Henry will be facilitating discussion and leading some thoughts from Part 2 of the book: A Crisis of Vision: Learning to Take the Future of God Seriously. It starts off with Chapter 7: "How did we get off the tracks?" Please read the passages in the handout (in "On Your Own") to prepare your heart and thoughts

Posted by at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I haven't been able to post my comments to respond to Mel's blog titled "True Community". I think the problem lies in my proxy/filter program (which gets rid of ads, pop-ups, etc. it's privoxy, plug plug.) which is quite strict with some Javascript code. Anyhow I'll include my comments here for the benefit... of the "community".

Anyways, interesting concepts of community were brought up in class. The answer, I suppose depends on one's own interpretation/expression. But the point I'd like to drive at is that true communities will exhibit love and a genuine desire to understand each other and edify each other. Of course, face-to-face is better in many aspects - it lends better to X (fill in the blanks). I wonder how we in the Church can be inspired by the good things in the blogging community and adopt those things. The process must be done thoughtfully and prayerfully, since we've absorbed many cultural things thoughtlessly over the past years - leading to the crisis of forethought/vision/etc. that Sine mentions.

I look fondly at my BBS and early Internet days. I remember the flame wars and really, really good dialogue. One did not post if it was not done thoughtfully. The IQ bar was very high indeed in those days, since it was tool for academics and other types predisposed to using the Internet. But now we see *stupid* or ignorant things - I'd include (the glut of) porn, spam, hoaxes - making themselves common on the 'net.

The reminiscing of a glorious past age is not unlike what the post-apostolic writers (ie. early, early church fathers) did - recalling the age before the fall of Jerusalem and the temple.

The church - like the web - is of common things, common folk. It's easy for me to get snobby and wish for times of high quality flame wars - but that age is largely history now.

The current Church has to struggle to find its voice, like the early-adopters of the 'Net. Unfortunately, it seems that we've dropped the ball, and communications is not our forte - nor regarded as a quality to work towards.

So, Sine outlines the problems concisely - and brings around the question of "what's next?" It's time for the modern prophetic voices to speak and call people back to God. What I'm hearing in the prophetic voices of today is a call to use our imaginations and creativity to present and live out the Gospels in a vibrant, socially-conscious, whole-life integrated way. We have a large task - but in living out the mustard seed faith, God's glory will truly shine forth.

Hmm, that sounded like a lot of tired drivel :) I should be in bed and sleeping now.. but I'll see if I can post this as a comment - else it'll be a post on mine as a link/ref to your entry.

ahh.. I hope this makes sense...

dan

Posted by at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I really enjoyed the discussion from this past Sunday's class. Talk about being "over committed" is really hitting home for me, too. Even though I am "only a student", I find my life becoming frazzled and my relationships becoming fragmented.

LeMonde's group discussed the 2nd quotation and echoed this in the large group discussion: "...we've heard it all... it takes a lot of willpower to change... it is so difficult for the McWorld youth..." to change and not let modern culture dictate the terms of our lives.

From all groups, the consensus seems to be: "It is difficult to live out Christ as the center." What are your thoughts and reflections? I don't believe that things are that hopeless, but enough about my idealistic thoughts and beliefs - what are yours? What are some things in your life that are pointing towards a full (ie not watered down) AND practical expression of your faith? Do share! I definitely want to know more about the living out of a rich and exciting faith.

Just a reminder to everyone in the class that your "homework" is to find an article to bring to class. Look actively for an article about people working positively as "change-agents" in the world.

If you need to refer to the handouts for the July 7th class, they are available here (in PDF). I will be keeping an archive of all handouts, so you can always check here for them. There are several articles on this web site, too - your resources, so check them, if you need to.

Another item: we will be starting on time next class, so please encourage each other accordingly. Thanks!

Something to meditate on as you go through the week:

Think prayerfully about your purchases through the week: food, entertainment, and services. Consider: Where is your money going? What can you do to be a better steward of God’s money?

Scripture for thought this week:

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God, rather than burnt offerings.
- Hosea 6:6 (NIV)

So go and "preach the Gospel all the time [and] if necessary use words," in this fashion (St. Francis of Assisi).

peace,
dan

Posted by at 1:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Today, I retrieved an assignment I submitted for a course I just finished SOSC 1710 - People in Society. I was also very pleased to get an A+ on this assignment.
This assignment was to pick a topic related to social sciences, find and clip articles in the media and then write an introduction and a conclusion to the collection of articles. My axe-to-grind focused on social justice - in a broad sense.
I've included the text of my assignment in its entirety, or can be downloaded here (in PDF).

Continue reading "Course assignment: social justice in the media" »

Posted by at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

How bad did your RRSP's get hit in this latest accounting debacle involving WorldCom? Even if you don't have any US or foreign exposure, the TSE dropping nearly 100 points yesterday will do some serious damage to your retirement thoughts.

Continue reading "Dam(n) the paper economy" »

Posted by at 2:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Thanks to Melissa, we have some articles from the media (if you consider the "Metro Today" one of the daily papers). The first is about multinational corporations, and the other is about new and creative ways of demonstrating, since the G8 summit is underway in Kananaskis, Alberta.

Continue reading "Media articles: Multinational corporations: Greedy?" »

Posted by at 4:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hi, I trust that you've had a fruitful week.

I'll keep this first email short, first Henry and I would like to find out how many of you want to buy a copy of the book "Mustard Seed vs. McWorld"? I believe Henry was able to buy his copy for $20. We're hoping to get a group discount if we have a number of you interested.

I apologize I haven't been able to send this email out earlier, so that we can get the books for this Sunday.

Continue reading "Welcome to the class" »

Posted by at 4:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)