Join us for Coffee Hour
Even as we enter the joy of Easter, we see increased division and economic uncertainty here in Canada, and the terror of war in Ukraine. Our hearts are drawn to prayers for peace, for protection for those under threat, and for an end to tyranny. And our hearts are comforted that our hope is truly in the Lord. The Psalmist urges: “…Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation… Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God…” (Psalm 146). Over the coming weeks, please join us in the prayers shared in our Ukraine story on p1.
Coffee hour is back – and congregational singing! I confess there are some things I have not missed very much–such as travel and crowded rooms at large events. But singing with my congregation as well as coffee, conversation, crackers and cheese after the service? Those I have missed very much. For the majority of Canadian Anglicans, the pandemic and attendant lockdowns have disrupted our worship lives in ways we could hardly have imagined pre-2020.
The relational disruptions are very real as well. I recently spoke with a parish priest who loves his congregation, but finds his situation almost unbearable as debates over COVID measures have nearly divided the parish, and I don’t think coffee hour will be the same for quite some time for my friend or those he leads.
As, Lord willing, the pandemic recedes and church life re-assembles into something like a normal state, I hope we come together in a way that reflects how much we have missed each other, and that can be a witness to the culture around us. I suppose you would have to be living under a rock not to notice that there is a lot of tension and division in our country. Isolation and anxiety have fed this, as have social media outlets that create virtual echo chambers. During the recent truck convoy in Ottawa, some of our political leaders (on both “sides”) were all too willing to fan the flames, by exploiting issues for quick political advantage, or by playing a longer game of wedge politics.
Two things I have noticed on social media and in personal conversations about recent events: 1) A refusal to listen and take seriously the concerns of those holding an alternate view; 2) Finding ways to believe what we want to believe, rather than earnestly contending for truth; and 3) “Whataboutism.” When a critique actually lands, it is rebutted with accusations of hypocrisy: “Well what about the time when…” Needless to say, this latter negates opportunities for self-reflection and sanctification. We martial our arguments in such a way as not to advance truth but to make sure we don’t have to deal with our own weaknesses.
I think that these very human tendencies affect our conversations in the Church (at every level) as well. In fact, I think I have made some of those very mistakes in person and in print.
But recently, after a parish meeting that included some conflict (the healthy kind, I believe, that moves a group forward), I sat in the office, waiting for my husband. Around the corner, I overheard the following exchange, as one person apologized to another for words that might have been a bit sharper than intended. The response? “I love you, and I know how much you care about me. It’s alright.”
As we go forward with this paper, one of our humble hopes is that it may be a kind of “national coffee hour.” A place to check in and learn about one another, but also where we can have real conversations about things that matter, contributing as we can to healthy intellectual engagement within the church. And we can disagree, with both conviction and respect, because we are not afraid–not of death or loss, and not of each other. In his death, Christ took upon himself all of our sin and weakness – our partial understandings, our self-deceptions, our idol-making – and defeated them. We can live in the light of his Resurrection, and in the knowledge that we are made one through Him.
In the spirit of that “coffee hour,” we’d like to get to know you better! We are asking readers to complete a survey that will strengthen The Anglican Planet to serve you. You can find that survey at www.anglicanplanet.net; you can send your answers by email to anglicanplanet@gmail.com; or you can simply complete it on paper below, then clip and mail it to: The Anglican Planet Office, 11 All Souls’ Lane, Charlottetown, PE C1A 1P9.
And don’t forget to purchase your own subscription to TAP at www.anglicanplanet1.com. In the spirit of that “coffee hour,” we’d like to get to know you better! We are asking readers to complete a survey that will strengthen The Anglican Planet to serve you. You can find that survey at www.anglicanplanet.net;
TAP SURVEY
1) How long have you been reading TAP? ___________
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2) Please rank in order of interest.
___ Canadian Anglican news
___ International Anglican news
___ Broader Christian news
___ Feature stories
___ Editorial
___ Sermon
___ Opinion pieces
___ Backpage Q&A
___ Film reviews
___ Tributes/Obits
___ Book reviews
3) Is there a new category we should include in the paper?
4) What topics should we cover more often?
5) What topics should we cover less often?
6) In what province and diocese do you live?
7) Do you worship in:
o Anglican Church of Canada parish
o Anglican Network in Canada parish
o Other_________________________________________
8) How would you describe your theology or worship style (check all that apply)?
o Charismatic
o Evangelical
o High church
o Liberal
o Broad church
o Conservative
9) Further comments?
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