*****
GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address:
waholst@telus.net
Colleagues List Web Site:
http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com
"Quicklinks" are included with many items
at the beginning of this issue. To get a more
complete picture, however, scroll down to
find your special selection in the body of
the blog.
*****
Dear Friends:
This is my second-to-last Colleagues List
of the year.
This issue contains our annual
Holst Family Christmas Letter for 2015
Please scroll down to read it.
On or about December 31st I will publish
my summary of the 42 Special Items that
I have presented here during the past year.
This issue provides you with a way to catch
up with items of interest you may have missed.
Over the past ten years, I have averaged a
total of 42 Colleagues List issues per year and
I continue to enjoy offering this to you.
--
Colleague Comment - this week is another
special link provided by Herb. O'Driscoll,
a colleague and friend from Victoria, BC.
New York Times - "The Islamic Dilemma"
http://tinyurl.com/zoqoqa5To read Herb's comments, please scroll down.
--
Colleague Communications - are from
Beth Porter Richmond Hill, ON whose
L'Arche Canada Foundation website:
A Human Future - provides us with
"An Interview With Dr. Marie Wilson"
Marie was a TRC commissioner:
"After the TRC II - Citizen Engagement"
http://tinyurl.com/h9ah3xd
-
Jim Taylor of the Okanagan, BC offers:
"Advent -
Expecting the Birth of Our New Selves"
http://tinyurl.com/gncvbsc (and)
--
Ron Rolheiser of San Antonio TX shares:
"Sex and Our Culture"
http://tinyurl.com/je2svy6
Thanks to the three of you.
More details if you scroll down.
--
Net Notes are items I found of interest
on the web this week:
"The Other Jerusalem" - poverty and isolation
in Arab neighbourhoods of the Holy City is an
important perspective on Israel rich and poor
(The Christian Century)
http://tinyurl.com/znatxlx
-
"Christmas in Bangladesh" - read of a blending
of culture, custom and multi-faith traditions
today in this SE Asian country (UCA News)
http://tinyurl.com/zrxxt6l
-
"On the Road from Damascus" - the troubles
in Syria affect all Christians and many Muslims
(The Tablet, UK) http://tinyurl.com/zhh5qb7
-
"New Church Planting in 2015" - you don't
read much about this subject outside of
evangelical sources, sadly. Here is an update
on what people new congregations attract
from an American evangelical perspective
in our day (Christianity Today)
http://tinyurl.com/zweu92s
--
"Historic Paris Climate Agreement" - sets
an important new course of action for our
world (National Catholic Reporter)
http://tinyurl.com/jsrzn4e
It reflects considerable advocacy by people
of faith from many faith traditions over a
long period (Sightings)
http://tinyurl.com/hfzcjg4-
"Canada's Refugee Efforts Praised" - the
Arab press around the world has been
particularly observant and laudatory
(CBC.ca News) http://tinyurl.com/z3htr7x
--
"North Korea Sentences Canadian Pastor" -
we have followed this story for some months.
The Liberal government says it will try to
work diplomatically with the DRK to free him
(Reuters News) http://tinyurl.com/z8jlaxp
-
"Humiliation is at the Root of All Terrorism" -
we need to dig more deeply into the real causes
of terrorism and the mind-set that spawns it
(Tikkun Daily) http://tinyurl.com/zxya5s7
-
"Wheaton College Suspends Hajib-Wearing Prof" -
this school is known as the American evangelical
"Harvard" but there would appear to be limits.
The Christian prof. said Christians and Muslims
worship the same God (The Christian Post) and
she wore Muslim garb to identify, while saying
some controversial things
http://tinyurl.com/jkj897j
Here is an evangelical Canadian response from
colleague John Stackhouse Jr. of St. John, NB
who comments on his weblog this week
http://tinyurl.com/zwzkf4q
-
"Our Colossal Effort to Admit 10,000 Refugees Now" -
here is hope and vision trying to deal with reality
(CBC News) http://tinyurl.com/jnfuer5 (and)
"Life for a Syrian Refugee in Jordan is a Waiting Game
With No End" (UToday, University of Calgary News)
http://tinyurl.com/jeoxftx
--
Wisdom of the Week - comes to us via Sojourners
and the Bruderhof online and is provided by:
Dorothy Day, Edith Stein, Martin Luther and
Soren Kierkegaard
Please scroll down to read them
--
On This Day -
From the archives of the New York Times
"Wright Brothers Take Flight at Kitty Hawk"
http://tinyurl.com/yam557x
"Israel Annexes Golan Heights, Seized from Syria"
http://tinyurl.com/y9px2xd
--
Closing Thought - this week is from Shane Claibor.
Scroll to the end of the blog to read him.
Blessings as we enter the Season of Christmas.
Wayne
(end)
For your interest, I now include the:
Beginning Our Program Season -
Winter 2016 Adult Spiritual Development
ACTS Ministry at St. David's United Church, Calgary
*****
SPECIAL ITEM
HOLST FAMILY CHRISTMAS LETTER
Calgary, Alberta 2015
Dear Friends:
During the past year, both of us have
been developing new activities to fill
our evolving “retirement” years with
meaning. Much of our activity is not
that different from when we were fully
employed. Now that we are living on
senior’s pensions with a few extras,
however, we have new challenges -
to live within our current means as
we enjoy new freedoms. So far, life
has been treating us well and we are
grateful for good health.
Life is good we keep saying.
Both of us are no longer involved at the
university as we were for many years,
but Wayne continues to visit the campus.
We do both paid and volunteer work at
St. David’s United, our church home. It
is a meaningful way to enjoy a social life
and to continue sharing our talents.
Wayne continues to teach and write. He
shares many of his thoughts on Colleagues
List, a religion and culture blog that he has
written weekly for more than a decade.
http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com
He writes a regular column for the Anglican
Journal http://anglicanjournal.com and
enjoys the challenges of getting up each
morning with physical, spiritual and
intellectual challenges to occupy his mind.
Marlene gets much satisfaction keeping
connected to her grand-children around
the world. She also uses her skills to
organize hospitality and community service
events. Currently she supports educational
and homeless ministries and subs in the
church office.
We enjoy a wide variety of cultural life –
music, drama and film for example - and
seem to be busy most weekends, as well
as on evenings through the week. It’s
easier to do that now!
Our immediate family has “spread out”
into the Middle-East (the Oman Sultanate)
Northern Alberta and Calgary. It’s harder
to have them all together. Family gatherings
remain very important to us.
We compensate for periods of separation
with facetime and phone. One highlight of
the year took place in July and August when
Carmen and Mark, Emily and Owen, could
stay with us and welcome Sarah and Ronnie,
Mya and Dane; as well as Heather and Paul,
Kate and Cole to special gatherings at our
Calgary home. On one occasion thirty of our
extended family were able to be together.
We served as tour hosts for 27 great people
who visited the Holy Land in October.
Actually seeing many sites there was very
meaningful indeed. We avoided a few danger
spots and sometimes our schedule was
adjusted a bit, but we were able to see
most every anticipated location. Next year,
we hope to journey to Oman and other parts
of the Middle East as guests of family in
Muscat, Oman.
This would be an ideal base from which to
visit other countries in the region.
We wish you and your loved ones the best
of this Holy Season and hope to hear from you.
marleneaholst@gmail.com (or) waholst@telus.net
Marlene and Wayne
*****
COLLEAGUE COMMENT
Herb. O'Driscoll,
Victoria, BC
December 12th 2015
Wayne
Particularly interesting I thought.
Lesson for
us?
Blessings, Herb
New York Times
December 12th, 2015
"The Islamic Dilemma"
http://tinyurl.com/zoqoqa5
*****
COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS
Beth Porter
Richmond Hill, ON
L'Arche Canada Foundation
A Human Future Website
An Interview With Dr. Marie Wilson
"After the TRC II - Citizen Engagement"
http://tinyurl.com/h9ah3xd
--
Okanagan, BC
"Advent -
Expecting the Birth of our New Selves"
http://tinyurl.com/gncvbsc
--
Ron Rolheiser,
San Antonio, TX
Personal Web Site
December 14th, 2015
"Sex and Our Culture"
http://tinyurl.com/je2svy6
*****
NET NOTES
THE OTHER JERUSALEM
Poverty and Isolation
in Arab Neighbourhoods
The Christian Century
December 6th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/znatxlx
--
CHRISTMAS IN BANGLADESH
Blending Culture, Custom, Faith
UCA News
December 17th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/zrxxt6l
--
ON THE ROAD FROM DAMASCUS
Muslims, Christians Both Blighted
The Tablet, UK
December 17th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/zhh5qb7
--
Who Is Attracted to New Missions?
An American Evangelical Perspective:
Christianity Today
December 15th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/zweu92s
--
HISTORIC PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT
Setting a Course of Action
National Catholic Reporter
December 12th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/jsrzn4e
Sightings,
December 17th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/hfzcjg4
--
CANADA'S REFUGEE EFFORTS ARE PRAISED
Arab Press Supports Current Efforts
CBC.ca News
December 17th, 2017
http://tinyurl.com/z3htr7x
--
NORTH KOREA SENTENCES CANADIAN PASTOR
He is Charged With Political Interference
Reuters News
December 16th,2015
http://tinyurl.com/z8jlaxp
--
Getting to the Basic Causes of the Problem
Tikkun Daily
December 17th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/zxya5s7
--
WHEATON COLLEGE SUSPENDS
HAJIB-WEARING PROF
She Said Christians and Muslims
Worship the Same God
The Christian Post
December 7th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/jkj897j
"Do Muslims and Christians
Worship the Same God?"
An evangelical Canadian response -
Colleague John Stackhouse Jr. comments
from his Weblog December 16th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/zwzkf4q
--
OUR COLOSSAL EFFORT TO BRING
10,000 REFUGEES TO CANADA NOW
Goal - to Receive Them by Year-End
CBC.ca News
December 16th 2015
http://tinyurl.com/jnfuer5
"Life for a Syrian Refugee in Jordan
is a Waiting Game With No End"
UToday, University of Calgary News
December 16th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/jeoxftx
*****
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
Provided by Sojourners and the Bruderhof
online:
It is no use saying that we are born two
thousand years too late to give room to
Christ. Nor will those who live at the end
of the world have been born too late.
Christ is always with us, always asking
for room in our hearts. But now it is with
the voice of our contemporaries that he
speaks; with the eyes of store clerks,
factory workers, and children that he
gazes; with the hands of office workers,
slum dwellers, and suburban housewives
that he gives. It is with the feet of soldiers
and tramps that he walks, and with the
heart of anyone in need that he longs for
shelter. And giving shelter or food to
anyone who asks for it, or needs it,
is giving it to Christ.
- Dorothy Day
--
As woman was the first to be tempted, so
did God's message of grace come first to
a woman, and each time woman's assent
determined the destiny of humanity as a
whole.
- Edith Stein
--
There are many who are enkindled with
dreamy devotion, and when they hear
of the poverty of Christ, they are almost
angry with the citizens of Bethlehem.
They denounce their blindness and
ingratitude, and think, if they had been
there, they would have shown the Lord
and his mother a more kindly service
and would not have permitted them to
be treated so miserably. But they do
not look by their side to see how many
of their fellow humans need their help,
and which they ignore in their misery.
Who is there upon earth that has no poor,
miserable, sick, erring ones around him?
Why does he not exercise his love to those?
Why does he not do to them as Christ has
done to him?
- Martin Luther
--
God must become the equal of the lowliest.
But the lowliest is one who serves others.
God therefore must appear in the form of
a servant. But this servant’s form is not
merely something he puts on, like the
beggar’s cloak, which, because it is only
a cloak, flutters loosely and betrays the
king. No, it is his true form. For this is
the unfathomable nature of boundless
love, that it desires to be equal with the
beloved; not in jest, but in truth.
- Soren Kierkegaard
*****
ON THIS DAY
From the archives of the New York Times
"Wright Brothers Take Flight at Kitty Hawk"
http://tinyurl.com/yam557x
"Israel Annexes Golan Heights, Seized from Syria"
http://tinyurl.com/y9px2xd
CLOSING THOUGHT - Shane Claibor
When we truly discover how to love
our neighbor as our self, Capitalism
will not be possible and Marxism
will not be necessary.
(end)
*****
Beginning Our Program Season -
Winter 2016 Adult Spiritual Development
ACTS Ministry at St. David's United Church,
Calgary
WINTER 2016 MONDAY NIGHT STUDY
Theme: "The Other Two Religions of Jerusalem"
Judaism and Islam
Books: "Chosen? Reading the Bible
Amid the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict"
by Walter Brueggemann
"Islam: A Short History"
by Karen Armstrong
http://tinyurl.com/jzbybmj
http://tinyurl.com/hr4ohvd
sources of modern global unrest centered
in the Mid-East:
Ten Monday evenings, 7-9PM
In the St. David's TM Room
January 18th - March 21st, 2015
Including Monday of Family Weekend
Books and Registration/Hospitality - $60.00
Books only - $35.00
Book Sets Available for Sale: 30.
Now beginning seventeen years
of Monday Night Studies
Our thirty-second series of
(usually) ten week sessions!
Course design to appear here soon.
Check our complete archives
for all 46 book studies:
http://tinyurl.com/q3bw6dh
*****
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
Theme: Winter Study Series to
be determined in January
Ten sessions 10-11 AM
Gathering at 9:30AM
In the St. David's TM Room
January 21st - March 24th.
No charge.
Preparation Session,
Thursday, January 14th, 2016
Study resource -
The DK Complete Bible Handbook
http://tinyurl.com/odxlv7q
(copy available in our church library)
The Bible Study Group will provide the
service reflection Sunday, Jan. 17th, 2016
*****
ACTS LENTEN RETREAT, 2016
SOMETHING TO ANTICIPATE
IN THE NEW YEAR
Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre
Cochrane, Alberta
http://www.mountstfrancis.ca/
Mark your calendars!
Sunday February 28th
11:30 AM - 4:00 PM
John Griffith is on sabbatical this year.
Reflections will be led by a Franciscan on staff.
*****
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