It happened late this month just after Redding had been defrocked by the American Episcopal church because she felt the call to become a Muslim in addition to being a Christian priest.

Redding chose to enrich her faith and her ethical and spiritual leadership ability with those elements of Islam that are progressive, liberal and fully compatible with the best of Christian thinking.

It is wonderful that some can celebrate her journey – even join in with her, despite the foolish sanctions of her own denomination. Both Christianity and Islam (and global peacemakers generally) have so much to gain from leaders like this.

Hmmm … I wonder what would happen if all the Christians and Muslims and Jewish people began to really identify with each other, learn from each other and make peace?

I guess at least some of the leaders in the Episcopal church wouldn’t really like it very much ... hmmmm.

Three cheers for harmony and inclusiveness and moving forward. Zero cheers for fear, barriers and total stupidity.

Hence, I recently ventured out to the bike shop to purchase some cycling gloves and a new hip and cool comfy gel seat cover for my REAL bike. I figured that the prospect of such comfort while riding will surely motivate me to cycle fanatically this spring.

What I ultimately discovered at the bike shop, however, left me a little startled! Among the various bike seating options was a model where the advertising actually promoted the seat's ability to mold PERMANENTLY to the shape of the rider’s bottom!!

OMG! The whole idea of this cycling thing is to develop a better physique not to immortalize my current butt shape. Needless to say … I did not purchase that particular model. (I did find a nice regular gel seat cover though as well as some gloves that I like).

Now … I just need to get my rear in gear and go a-pedaling!

Mary Joseph, a United Church minister for whom I have great respect, featured this McLachlan song in her Sunday gathering recently. It lined up with her ongoing emphasis on recognizing the joy and love and delightful realities of life all around us. It is all about "bringing heaven to earth" as she puts it. Heaven is all around us. All we have to do is connect with it. Mary really gets that message across to people, as Sarah McLachlan does in the song.

And isn't it so true!

Here's Sarah ... (a bit of a miracle herself really):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8SMsMnA1cI&NR=1

One area here involves Stem Cell Research. While Bush was not supportive of the research, Obama will likely now make a reversal. It’s GREAT NEWS, I think.

Human life is so sacred and wondrous – in all its forms. Stem Cells are among the most precious examples of this. Within them we see an incredible example of the awesome potential and power that exists in the organic matter of our universe.

The idea of really moving forward in the ethical use of Stem Cells in research and therapy is TRULY an exciting one. This will provide such profound transformations in the health of individuals, communities and even whole nations.

Now, the whole field of bio-ethics is never black & white. The George W. Bushes of this world have their role to play in always reminding us never to take the gift of life for granted. Their fuller stance (in its entirety) isn’t the way forward, in my view. It does, however, have an anchoring role - so that as we do move forward we will do so with care and with a cautiousness that always keeps us mindful of the need not to step over the line into a place where we could begin to treat human life with disrespect or as a commodity.
Ethical study and application aimed at embracing, cherishing and preserving life is what this is all about.

The most rigid and restrictive stances on questions of Stem Cell research and use have been a problem. I noticed a good example of this very point highlighted in pop-culture with Chris Carter’s latest X-Files flick, The X Files: I Want to Believe (July, 2008). (I have to admit, my husband and I have been obsessive fans of the X-Files series and films in years gone by. Among other things, we always enjoy taking in the continual interplay of scientific, spiritual, ethical & religious themes).

***Spoiler Alert (If you don't want details on how the film unfolds ... skip past the paragraph below).***

While there was one storyline in the current 2008 film involving the horrors of the criminal harvesting of human body parts for science and for sale, the other more major storyline looked at the ethical and hopeful use of medical science - stem cell research, specifically. We thought it was quite poignant that one of the central characters, a little boy named “Christian”, could only be saved by Stem Cell therapy. A group of extremely conservative religious elites running a hospital advised and convinced the boy’s parents to give up … but good old Scully (particularly impassioned by the fact that she had lost her own little boy) refused to give up. She wanted to believe. THIS was the final point of the film. She convinced the parents to move ahead, and despite the risks and potential hurdles that lay ahead she moved forward in treating the boy with incredible leading edge techniques. Scully refused to give up on the possibilities.

I want to believe too. Is this the audacity of hope once again?

I think Obama is one of the amazing leaders who will help this science to move forward in a way that is highly ethical and powerfully transforming in the world of medicine.

Yes we can!!

One is made aware of the "equations within" and the really incredible great creative intelligence that so naturally underlies form and beauty in our sacred universe.

Anyway, largely in response to requests for prints ... and just for the fun of it, Judson recently decided to put some of his art on-line.

So ....

You are cordially & warmly invited to his virtual gallery "opening show":

http://colorbynumbers.org

Since this is a virtual opening, you'll have to provide your own wine & cheese. But feel free to mingle: within the gallery, you can leave comments or rate individual pictures if you register. Off the main page, access the gallery by clicking "Gallery" in the menu bar, and go from there....

In a physical gallery opening, there would be music. Since this is virtual, you'll have to do that for yourselves. We suggest Miles Davis, or Henry Mancini's Pink Panther theme, followed by some Dave Brubeck. The virtual gallery opening is open to everyone of all ages. Feel free to bring the kids, or invite a couple of friends and make a night of it.

Thanks! Please let us know what you like or don't like about the site, and the pictures.

Also, if you like the artwork ... please feel free (and encouraged) to promote the site to others. I'm Jud's biggest promoter, but the more the merrier. :-)

“Ubi Caritas et Amor, Deus ibi est”…
(“Where Charity/Caring and Love is, Divinity is there”)

To me that says it all! While the nature of God or Divinity is rather hard to ever fully describe and certainly can be said to comprise more than Caring and Love – these elements are surely the most powerful and precious, the most sacred and the most transformational. This is the central view and emphasis of Christianity, and I think is validated by or central to most other belief systems as well.

My family and I recently attended a wonderful ecumenical gathering (United Church, Catholic, Anglican, Baptist & Presbyterian) on a Sunday evening in a nearby park. The event involved the singing of a number of selections from the renowned and broadly respected Taizé retreat community in France. One of these was a beautiful rendering of the Ubi Caritas words to music. I cannot find that version on YouTube (though there are other versions with different music for the same words.) It was amazing though, WAY better than any other version I’ve heard. This version was composed by J. Berthier and is available through GIA publications. (Guitar cords are shown as well).

I like the Taizé practice of using simple short Latin sung phrases (with the simple translated words available!) Now, not many people are too versed in Latin. Even so, because of the shortness and simplicity (and the translation), the Latin in this case is very easy and enabling.

There is something enchanting about the use of just a little Latin. J.K. Rowlings added just enough Latin nuances into her writing of the Harry Potter series to really provide us with an engaging sense of “the magic” of her creativity and that which transcends or illuminates what would otherwise be very hum-drum or “everyday”.

Indeed, use of this beautiful ancient language creates a bridge or, to use a phrase which Marcus Borg quite likes, a “thin space” – a place where we pause and break away from everyday life and language and step into a sacred space – a place where we can feel more fully a meditative connection to the Spirit.

(I do check that thinking against very valid concerns expressed by some gentle critics like Canada's Gretta Vosper and others, who point out that Borg sometimes too easily promotes blind acceptance/continuation of liturgical elements that are not truly thin spaces – in the sense that they are too exclusive in nature or reflect theological notions that do not resonate for many, or are unhelpful today, or even grate – effectively causing people to tune out. That kind of space would be a “thick space”, indeed. Fortunately, personally, I don’t find that to be a problem with this particular selection. As I said above, I don’t believe any barriers are created here because the words are so simple and the English is also provided. I think use of this Taizé prayer is very, very effective. That was my experience of it anyway.)

The focus that comes through sometimes saying or concentrating on a short “mantra” or verse rather than sputtering out a ton of chatter has been recognized by many faith traditions.

I like the Latin phrase also because it emphasizes Caring and Love as central to the presence of Divinity in our world and lives. (This is the focus of the Taizé community). It is derived from ancient sacred writings of the church, and is very consistent with both ancient and very contemporary theological thinking which puts less emphasis on perhaps less accurate or helpful “far off god” type imagery and more emphasis on the role of the Spirit so permeated by Divine Love - active in our world and, yes, at the ground of our very being.

As people sang this song and reflected on the words, a real warmth could be felt in the group. This moved out into the time spent together afterwards as people related to each other in a way that conveyed great care and connection.

I LOVED it!

It’s interesting to note the intersections and interplay of symbols and meaning that often surround us in life.

Recently, I found myself standing at the front door of a quite exquisite church building after having attended a Sunday service there. The door was wide open – revealing to any passer by the beauty of the Sanctuary inside. Equally captivating were the gardens just outside these doors.

As I stood at the intersection between the inner Sanctuary and outer Sanctuary, the Church Sexton (Property and Grounds Keeper) stepped out of the building and walked towards the nearby lush array of leaves and flowers and rocks. He gently (and very lovingly) poured out the water that had been used earlier that morning for the Sacrament of Baptism.

Now, knowing that there is often quite interesting symbolism at the heart of many liturgical practices, I asked about it.

The Sexton explained to me that these waters would never ever be simply poured down a drain. They are especially blessed - having been recognized as such, and having been used for a Sacramental purpose. They were to be returned directly to the sacred Earth from whence they originated.

This appealed greatly to my Eco-Spiritual approach to life – much as do many contemporary baptismal fonts which are now made from very natural and roughly hewn materials - rock in particular.

Note: The Baptismal Font pictured above is from St. John's Stevensville United Church in the Niagara region.

We are baptized into a Spiritual Life of Integrity and Love in the name of Creator, Spirit and Christ. We are Christened with the very waters that are a source of and a sustenance to all precious life on our planet. We continue to honor those waters and all Creation – this bountiful Garden of Eden - as such.

I loved the Heaven on Earth symbolism of it all, and can’t resist sharing this imagery on my Blog. I would hope that many churches employ this practice of honoring the waters of the Earth, returning them directly and lovingly back to Nature after such services - and even more importantly I hope they speak about it and enable their members to be activists in a way that is consistent with such Eco-spiritual symbolism.

Well, it was time to buy a new bicycle. (My last one was stolen at a train station - last summer ... sigh.)

Anyway, instead of trekking off to the specialty cycle shop in Toronto that we’ve usually patronized, I (with my little son James in tow) decided to check out Durham county’s Africycle – and was I ever impressed!

I’d already heard quite a bit about it, but enjoyed learning more. Here’s the scoop:

Africycle is an organization which is dedicated to providing beautifully restored “recycled” bicycles to people in Africa. It also provides such bicycles for resale to Canadians and promotes the very personally and environmentally healthy activity of cycling generally.

The whole initiative was started up by an amazing guy by the name of Ted Webb - who has a passion for cycling, ecology and the people of Malawi. Ted told James and I a little bit about how he got started with all of this.

Ted was in Malawi volunteering when he became aware of how useful bicycles are to the people there - how beneficial to the overall economy their presence is. He realized that if even more bicycles could be made available reasonably to more people, it could really have a very substantial impact in the life of certain struggling areas.

Since Ted already had a passion for cycling and bicycle mechanics, … he launched into a great adventure.

Ted started the “Recycle a Bicycle” initiative and now runs a shop in Uxbridge, Ontario where he takes used bicycles, restores them and ships most of them to Africa. A good portion of the bicycles are also allocated for resale to customers in Canada with the profit from the Canadian sales going back into shipping and administrative costs). The shop also does repairs. Additionally, it fundraises by selling beautiful arts and crafts direct from Africa, and t-shirts promoting the charity.

Ted has now been joined by a lot of people who are helping out. This includes people in a distribution/repair shop that has recently been opened in Malawi itself. In particular, his friends Ben Voss and Mike Siddal, who have particular strengths in business and administrative areas, have joined him as Trusties of the charity.

Anyway, I thought the whole thing was amazing. I bought a bicycle for myself: a really nice 12 speed Mountain Bike - purple (to match my cell phone and jacket), and a SUPER little “motorcycle styled” bicycle for my son which he just adores. I also picked up some of the other “souvenir-ish” stuff as presents for friends with upcoming birthdays etc.

So anyway… here are some recommendations to any readers of this blog:

First, the general motherhood stuff:

- Go cycling often just for fun, it’s good for you!
- Cycle rather than drive your car absolutely whenever you can!

Second,
- If you live anywhere near Durham county and need a new bicycle (or bicycle repairs) …check out AFRICYCLE!!

Here’s the website: http://www.africycle.org/