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Russell's Blog
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Written by Russell Mitchell-Walker
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Tuesday, 07 September 2010 13:56 |
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With all the rain we had on Sunday evening, some of us have been dealing with flooded basements or flooded yards and driveways. It really brings home the power of nature and water. There was a moment Sunday night, after bailing out a window well for the second time, and dealing with a sump pump pipe leak, and finding water coming up the drain of our basement shower, that I thought, "if it this continues until Monday night as forcast, then we're in trouble!" and I wondered where we would go if we had to abandon house. It really brought home how fragile things can be, and yet, I also became profoundly aware, especially Monday, how fortunate we were, when I thought about Pakistan, Guatemala, and those affected by Hurricane Earl. This was only a little bit of water that caused some inconvenience and frustration. It is quite different when whole communities are underwater for weeks or a month and evacuation is necessary. As we clean up from the mess of Sunday night, or tell our stories, may we remember that others have been experiencing much worse. I think also of the farmers who continue to struggle through this year and wonder what all this rain, now sitting on the crops, will mean for next year, after whatever snow we have. In all this, we know that God is with us, and may we reach out to one another, and support those around the world the best we can, so they experience that presence of God, working through us. May we remember to have perspective if we find ourselves complaining about our plight, recognizing how comfortable we really are, and the supports that are available to so many of us.
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Written by Russell Mitchell-Walker
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Tuesday, 24 August 2010 09:47 |
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This past Sunday, we had just started worship, and Kathy was offering the welcome when Jamie rolled in on his wheelchair. Kathy welcomed him with, 'and here's Jamie' as he said 'hi' with a big smile on his face. I got up and moved some chairs to make space for him, got a bulletin and hymnbook and sat with him during worship. It was a profound experience to sit and experience worship with Jamie. Jamie is a regular at worship at Whitmore Park and at Sunset when we share services over the summer. I have always tried to be sensitive when inviting the congregation to stand, to include "as you are able", and don't always remember to do so. In recent years, a member in the congregation who have a daughter in a wheelchair, have also encouraged us to say "please stand or sit as you are able' which is more inclusive for those who cannot stand. I experienced the impact of our words this Sunday as I sat with Jamie, especially when everyone was invited to stand. It can be really helpful for us at times to have the opportunity to experience being in someone else's shoes or get a flavour of what thier experience is like. It is one thing to know something intellectually. It is quite another to experience it. This often roots the understanding more deeply in our being. It helps me remember that we are all God's children, created in God's image and the importance of ensuring all are feeling welcome and included. May we be open to the opportunities which provide us with different experiences that widen our understanding of others' lives and how we can be welcoming and inclusive of all.
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Written by Russell Mitchell-Walker
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Wednesday, 18 August 2010 14:02 |
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Did you know that the firefly is one of the only animals that produces its own energy? Camp fYrefly works to build on this image by providing sexual minority and gender variant youth with an opportunity to generate their own energy toward being a positive force in thier lives and the world. Through leadership development and building self confidence, this program helps move youth from feeling at risk to feelin reslient in their communities so that their own light can glow in dark times. Camp fYrefly took place July 30-August 2 at Lumsden Beach Camp and it was a privilege for me to be a significant part of it. It was wonderful to see the youth arrive, many of them alone, tentative and nervous, moving to being self-confident and surrounded by friends by the end of the weekend. I was struck by the power of connection and the impact the church's presence can have. There was a youth from Rainbow Youth Centre, which works with at risk youth in North Central Regina, who came with staff for the first day, but quickly decided he wanted to stay and needed to get permission from his dad. He knew me from our volunteering there, and asked the staff if I as "Pastor Russell"could talk to his dad to help convince his dad to let him stay. I was able to play a role in providing an opporutnity for this young person to have an experience and learnings that he would not have otherwise had. He had a great weekend and I look forward to seeing him next time we go to Rainbow Youth. We never know the value our presence has a church. Sunset's name was 'out there' through the Camp Fyrefly press conference being held here, and my involvement with Camp fYrefly. It is an important presence and witness to the LGBT community who too often have experienced rejection and hate from the church or from those influenced by the church. We have a lot to answer for as the church and being involved in Camp fYrefly is one step towards providing support and reconcilition to a community too often excluded from the church. We have been a very positive force through our involvement in this project and I am very grateful for the opportunty.
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Written by Russell Mitchell-Walker
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Saturday, 26 June 2010 20:55 |
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June 20, after church the Christian Education committee hosted a grad brunch for our 2009 and 2010 grads and their families. 5 out of 9 grads were able to join us. This was a wonderful occasion to celebrate our relationship with these young folk and the journey we have been on together. We honoured them in church which was great as they often do not make it to church on Sunday mornings because that usually time for them sleep in! I offered a liturgy following the brunch which invited them to reflect on what they wish to leave behind and what they will take with them. We gave them cups which those around the table whispered their blessings into. The youth really valued this opportunity to be together and remember the importance this church community has been to them as they embark on the next stage of their life and faith journey. The families also really appreciated the time together, and the offering of this gathering in the community. When asked what they are thankful for or what they appreciated about Sunset, one of the grads reflected on how great it is to be able to be both a leader and a learner. She is one of our youth leaders who also enjoys helping and attending Sunday school. We are blessed to have these folk in our midst and when we don't see them Sunday mornings, we can forget how important they are to our community and that they are still a vital part of or community. May we always remember this.
For more Grad Brunch photos, see the stories page.
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Last Updated on Saturday, 26 June 2010 20:58 |
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Written by Russell Mitchell-Walker
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Thursday, 10 June 2010 22:24 |
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While we were at the Conference Annual Meeting for Saskatchewan Conference of The United church of Canada, we had theme presentations challenging us to examine where we may need to be going as a church in the context of our society and culture - how we be an emerging church. Much is changing in our lives and with what people, especially younger people, are looking for from church, spirituality and spiritual nurture. The challenge is how are we as a church going to respond to these changing needs. The first presentation showed a video called "Did you know?-Shift Happens" Technology and how we connect with one another is changing rapidly. You can see how much by watching this video here. A question for the church is what are we doing to use or address this technology? Another question may be, do we need to? This website is an example of something we have done to use today's technology as part of our ministry. We have seen the benefits as people find us online, like what they see and come to check us out. I have recently learned that texting is replacing e-mail for youth. After seeing this video, I have been spurred me on to use Facebook to reach our youth. I have a Facebook account but really had not used it much. This year, as I work with Camp fYrefly I have been using it more for promoting the Camp, connecting with campers from last year, and informing those interested about meetings and other activities to get involved with in relation to camp. There are youth I have connected with through Facebook that I probably wouldn't have connected with via e-mail. So I have set up another account, that I will only use for Sunset Youth and have invited the Sunset youth who are on Facebook to be my 'friend'. I intend to use it for connecting with the youth, promoting events, sharing and discussing ideas for programing, and discussing issues of interest. It is a new way of exploring ministry. As we move through these times, it will be important to explore new ways of being church and reaching out to others while upholding the importance of gathering in community and meeting face to face. Are we up to the challenge? For the sake of the church and if we want to reach younger people - those under 45- I hope so!
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Last Updated on Thursday, 10 June 2010 22:26 |
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Sunset United Church is located in Regina, and belongs to the 
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