It feels like an impossible dream. You know, the kind you wake from feeling wonderful and fulfilled, and then realize that in real life it would never happen that way.

Thomas gets a bad rap, don’t you think? He has inherited the nickname “Doubting Thomas” over the years, because he simply wanted proof that the one with whom he was speaking was indeed Jesus. After all, Jesus had been crucified, of that he was sure.

In the childhood game, “telephone” a sentence gets whispered into the ear of each child and gets passed along the line and altered, sounding quite different at the end of the line.

It was heritage day, and sitting around my living room were three generations. The conversation following the outing, took shape as we shared our earliest memories.

It might not have felt like a particularly eventful evening when it happened. Isn’t that always the way? Something that changes your perspective on the world often comes as an afterthought.

It was supposed to be something new. An opportunity to simply tell the Christmas story from Luke to an audience kind of removed from it. In the end, it was not that. A dozen people showed up. Some who might have come said the day, even the week had been exhausting and they had no more energy.

Have you heard of Gretta Vosper, the self-professed atheist minister? She maintains that the word “God” is no longer useful because it is fraught with images and ideas that the world largely rejects.

Lingering in my mind is a quote that the former Archbishop of Canterbury made as he reflected upon the staggering realities that face churches these days. Roughly, he said, “The church is the only organization that exists for the sake of those who are not yet members.”

Consider the groups you’ve belonged to, including family, and remember how every person in the group has a way to belong. This year’s family gathering may look a lot like last year’s if the same people attend.

The mere mention of the word “patronage” in the context of political payback raises eyebrows. That someone is friends with someone on the inside, who delivers favours and petitions on the part of an individual or a specific group, is not something we condone.

I know that rear view mirrors are for watching what’s behind you as you drive, but occasionally, they are also used for seeing what you have driven past.

Easter is at the heart of what Christians proclaim as the good news. As difficult as it is to describe, without Easter, there would be no Christian story. The life of Jesus matters because of Easter.

You’ve no doubt heard the phrase, “it takes a village to raise a child.” The idea of course is that building a safe and positive environment for our children to grow up in is everyone’s work.

The Carillon Singers performed last Sunday, offering a program filled with the beautiful and familiar sounds of the season, the last blast of Christmas. Their concert closes the chapter on Christmas music this year, yet the harmony and melody continues to fill my heart with lingering delight.

Tomorrow marks the first Sunday in Advent, a time when the seasonal words of hope, peace, joy and love will echo through our homes and shopping centers and places of worship.

A hundred thousand welcomes. It is a phrase that many of us have felt as though we’ve lived through. Being at home in Pictou County means we get opportunities to offer bed and breakfast to travellers and family members on a regular pilgrimage home.

The wedding, the anniversary, the family reunion, the parade, it doesn’t matter really what the event, if it’s mid- summer in the Maritimes, you can be certain there will be a few of these on your calendar.

The book of Acts invites us into the unfolding story of the new church, rich with accounts of those closely connected to the Easter story. Stephen is among the seven disciples who came on board after Easter. Chosen because of his administrative ability and trustworthiness, his job was to care for the widows.

The post Easter experiences of Jesus are all about amazing encounters of the holy in daily living.Maybe that is what happened on the road to Emmaus, in the exchange between Jesus, Cleopas and the unnamed companion as they come together after the walk. Imagine, their hearts burning within, as they listen to each other and break bread