The Grinch is everywhere!!  His unmistakable scowl is hard to miss as we go about our preparations for Christmas.  He is on shirts, and socks, and tea towels, and wrapping paper, and chip bags, and underwear, and chocolate bar wrappers, and pyjamas, and coffee cups,...

If I were to ask you to come up with two people from the 19th century who made a significant contribution to Western culture and literature, you may land on Charles Dickens and George Bernard Shaw. Shaw, the Irish playwright, brought us such epic theatrical...

In the fourth century AD, Christianity had become the de facto religion of the Roman Empire.  It had fortified itself at the centre of the power structure and was given a privilege and prestige afforded to no other faith.  Christians, ready to flex their newfound...

I’ve been reflecting this week on a piece of writing that I came across.  I don’t know who wrote these words, but they really spoke to me: “Do not judge a biography by its length Nor by the number of pages in it. Judge it by the richness of its contents. Sometimes...

I got yelled at last week. It was Tuesday morning.  I pulled into my parking lot and parked in my spot.  I got out of the car.  In front of me was a very agitated woman who seemed to appear out of nowhere.  Her face was red and her eyes were angry.  She said I was...

If you attend Northwest Barrie United Church, you may know that I have two jobs there. I am the minister, and I am also the guy in charge of changing the sign-out front of the church.  One of those jobs I do much better than the other!  We are in the process of...

Fall is a season for so many things, one of which is celebrating the harvest.  When I go walking or driving in the countryside around Barrie and see the combines out in the fields doing their thing, I try to offer a quick prayer of thanks for farmers, the heroes of...

On November 1st, 731, Pope Gregory III dedicated a chapel in Rome to honour all the early Christian saints.  From that time on, November 1st has been designated in the church as All Saints Day. While All Saints Day is not always celebrated in the United Church, for...

We all need a little help trying to figure out this thing called life.  Many of us have favourite writers/poets/prophets/musicians that we follow who, in wisdom both simple and profound, inspire us to greater heights, by revealing hidden depths.  I have a few writers...

“BE CAREFUL!” How many times did you hear that as a kid?  Likely you heard it as you made your way to the highest branch on the tree, or the top rung of the climber, “be careful”.  Or maybe you heard it the first time you strapped on a pair of skis or skates, “be...

Helen Keller once asked herself, “if I had three days in which my eyes would work, what would I want to see?”  She came up with an itinerary of how she would spend those days, which included gathering all her family and friends together to see their faces,...

I read a quote last week that stayed with me. Someone said, “if you look for holes in something you will find them and determine that the thing is useless.  But remember, screen doors keep the flies out.” The quote made me laugh, but it is also true. I find as I get...

Every season is a sermon.  The blossoms of spring invite us to think about new life and new beginnings.  The long, hot days of summer urge us to make the most of our time; to play, relax and enjoy every moment.  And every one of us has experienced the closing in of...

I have always been fascinated by fascinating people, particularly those who have made it their life work to study the human condition, whether from the standpoint of medicine, archeology, psychology, religion or any other human-centred discipline.  I find you can...

On July 1st, flags will be waving, fireworks will explode, BBQs will be firing, and many will feel an impulse to wear red and white. Canada Day has always been a day to feel proud to be Canadian—and we should feel proud!! This is a great country, and most of us could...

On Tuesday, I had a proud moment when I watched my son Mike walk across the stage at Queens University to accept his university degree. I thought I might have cried, but I didn’t—just a big smile and an immense feeling of pride. I know so many reading these words can...

This week I learned a new word, and as I soon as I read it, I knew I had to commit it to memory.  The word is MUGRUMP.  Have you ever heard of that? It may be that a few of you reading this today are mugrumps and you didn’t even know it.  A mugrump is someone who has...

In the early 20th century, American Science Fiction writer Robert Heinlein wrote a book called, “The Notebook of Lazarus Long,” in which he included a list of what he believed every human being should be able to do to have a successful life.  The list included: Change...

Imagine a world where ice cream came in only one flavour. Imagine a world where you opened a box of Crayola crayons and found 24 crayons, all the same colour. Imagine a world where restaurants had a menu of one item only. Imagine a world that allowed only one song to...

This past week, I found myself in a classroom teaching a group of high school students about the Christian faith.  (Yes, it was terrifying.  Yes, I have crazy respect for teachers.)  While waiting for the class to begin, I couldn’t help but overhear what was happening...

“Anything worth doing is worth doing well”. Has anyone said that to you before?  Sure, they have.  No doubt you heard it spoken by a parent, a teacher, a coach, a scout leader, a dance instructor, or anyone who wanted you to excel in life.  It’s a good phrase.  It’s...

Game 7. Boston Garden.  The Leafs vs. The Bruins Standing between the Leafs and victory was a massive fire-breathing dragon.  Did you see it? It wasn’t new.   It’s been there for years, albeit not in its current form.  Once upon a time, it was nothing more than a...

I read a quote last week that stayed with me.  The quote said, “Buddha was not a Buddhist.  Jesus was not a Christian.  Mohammed was not a Muslim.  They were teachers who taught love.  Love was their religion.” I don’t have enough insight to speak of the experience of...

We have all had the experience of being in a store when an item on a shelf jumps out and screams, “buy me”!  On a recent trip to a big box store, the above picture immediately caught my attention.  It found its way into my shopping cart and now hangs inside my...

For the first time in my life, I owe the government money after filing my taxes.  The news came like a blow to the solar plexus.  I’m used to getting a healthy refund at tax time, which I use to pay for my villa in France (kidding, the villa is in Portugal).  I’m not...

My blogs are posted on Wednesdays, but I write them on Mondays.  I am writing this blog as the solar eclipse is occurring outside of my window.  By the time you read this, the eclipse will be history, and you will no longer have to hear phrases such as “the path of...

Someone asked me this week if I was a “Swiftie”.  At first, I thought they were asking me if I owned a Swiffer.  I don’t.  It took an awkward moment or two, but we cleared that up.  What this person really wanted to know was if I was a fan of Taylor Swift's music....

I was a church-going veteran by the time I was 10 years old.  My parents made sure we never missed a service.  We were as regular as the mail – “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night…”.  That means that we were there, even on Good Friday, to listen to the...

Believe it or not, there is someone out there who does not like the season of spring!! The Russian poet and playwright Alexander Pushkin had such an aversion to the season he felt a need to voice his displeasure: Now is my time: I bear no love for spring. The floods,...

It’s rare for St. Patrick’s Day to fall on a Sunday, so we are going to make the most of it at Northwest with a service devoted to all things Irish.   Having never been to the Emerald Isle, I’m a bit out of my depth.  So, I’ve been spending some time this week delving...

I have a new companion that accompanies me in my car every single day. Her job is to evaluate my driving. She doesn't say anything but quietly takes notes on everything I do, from how hard I apply my brakes to how fast I am going, to how distracted I am, and how...

The Jewish mystic and writer, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, once wrote, “for though my faith is not yours and your faith is not mine, if we are each free to light our own flame, together we can banish some of the darkness of the world.” Since Covid, Northwest Barrie United...

Oprah Winfrey once said, “skiing is the next best thing to having wings”.  I had no idea Oprah was a skier, so I looked it up.  Not only does she ski, but she recently bought a $14,000,000 ski chalet in the Colorado mountains.  Now that’s commitment!!   I tested her...

Happy Valentine's Day!! According to experts who track such things, the average person will spend $176 on Valentine’s Day.  Are you average?  According to the same experts (who seem to have a lot of time on their hands), the thing that you are most likely to spend...

In this winter that isn’t winter, I took a walk in the park. It was so warm the birds were out. Well, to be clear, the pigeons were out. A little girl who was at the park with her mom was trying to make friends with a small flock of them. She was following them around...

We all need wisdom in our lives.  And we all have places we go to find that wisdom. Some of us may turn to ancient and sacred texts such as the Bible or the Koran.  Others of us may find wisdom in the stories of literary giants like Shakespeare, Jane Austen or Charles...

Robbie Burns famously wrote, “There is no such uncertainty, as a sure thing.”  Boy did those words come home to roost in Buffalo on Sunday night.  With moments to go in the Bill’s divisional championship football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, a kicker by the...

On the back wall of Northwest Barrie United Church, there hangs a series of banners on which is written the following prayer: “Today may there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities...

So writes the poet: “In moonlit skies, a dance of light, Stars whisper tales through the tranquil night. A gentle breeze, a whispered song, Nature’s poetry, where dreams belong.” I love poetry. Growing up I found it to be a safe place of retreat, where I could go and...

2023 is quickly winding down.  What kind of year has it been for you?  Are you excited for 2024? With the end of a new year comes the pressure to make changes.  January 1st is a threshold in time, clearly dividing what is behind us from what is in front of us.  Thus,...

In 1818, a young Austrian priest named Joseph Mohr went for a walk on a cold and wintry night just days before Christmas.  He climbed a hill and looked down on the sleepy village which was his home.   He sighed deeply.  His nation had suffered greatly during the...

A few years ago, I wanted to use the sign outside of our church to advertise the upcoming Christmas Eve services.  I didn’t have enough “c’s” for the sign, so instead of Christmas, I put “xmas”.  Within a couple of hours someone from the church stopped into the office...

Last week I posted a picture on Facebook of an Advent Calendar with the caption, “I don’t care how old you are, you are never too old for one of these!”  It sparked an interesting discussion about Advent Calendars.  A few people used the comment section under the...

This week, the season of Advent begins.  Children will be cracking open calendars, shoppers will be checking items of their list, bakers will be baking, decorators will be up on ladders stringing lights, and the countdown to Christmas will ramp up a notch or two, or...

Last Sunday morning, I had a text from Lori telling me that our 13 year old golden retriever Chloe wasn’t well. She couldn’t stand on her own anymore. It was not really a surprise as her health had been declining, but it was still a shock. I was at the church getting...

Linda is leaving town!!  I was so sad to get the news this morning.  Apparently, she and her husband are moving to Huntsville to be closer to their granddaughter.  To be honest, I didn’t know she had a granddaughter, or a husband for that matter.  And until today, I...

There is an old story about a group of blindfolded people who were asked to describe an elephant.  Each one was touching a different part of the elephant’s body; thus, each had a different idea of what the entirety of the elephant was like. “An elephant is tough and...

Celebrities die at the same rate as we common folk, but their deaths can seem more significant given that millions of people have had a stake in their lives, and thus millions of people feel their passing in a personal way.  Social media has given us a platform to...

There is a new Home Sense store that has opened in Barrie.  Technically, it’s not new, it just moved from one end of the Georgian Mall to the other, from a small space to a bigger space.  But even though not new, when you change the space around something, it can seem...