There’s a tension that is present in many people of faith - that the hope of God’s work in the world and the reality of life experiences don’t always line up. It’s in these moments that I long for the church to embody Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s vision of the Christmas bell.

After spending two years studying Greek, my professor ask the class what our main take-away was. It didn’t take me long to think of how studying the New Testament in the original language has changed my understanding. And it all started with one word.

Although people warned me, I never would have guessed that this is where the pandemic would take us. For many people who tried to keep love central, our responses to the pandemic looked different from season to season. So what does love look like now?

Throughout Scripture, God has always taken the side of the marginalized, poor, and oppressed. God’s people are called to do the same. But we can’t be on the side of the oppressed without judging the oppressor.

Christians believe that the end of all things is already known. In the end, Jesus will return to bring justice and to make all things right. But why is it taking so long? Why do we have to endure so much suffering and pain? Why can’t we skip to the end?

“Freedom” is a powerfully loaded and cliché word. It’s something we claim to hold as a value in North America, but do we know what it really means?

A few weeks ago, my daughter and I had a funny exchange as I tried to get her to say my real name. Instead of saying “Moses,” she kept saying “Daddy.” This got me thinking about my relationship with God.

With the start of a new year comes all the pressure to begin anew and to commit to doing things the right way. I can’t count how many times I’ve been told that God deserves the best part of my day. But what if I don’t have a best part of my day right now?

As a local church pastor, I’ve seen just how much churches change. The transient nature of church has led to the phenomenon that we refer to as “church shopping.” Church isn’t a commodity that we can buy or sell, so instead let’s ask critical questions when looking for a new church.

One day this summer, as I was biking to work, I heard a loud pop as I crossed a bumpy intersection. I slowly started to notice that my bike wasn’t moving the way that it used to. I looked down - my back tire was flat!

After many years of dreaming, I’m so excited to announce the launch of my new project together with my friends Carrie Lehn and Ryan Dueck - The MennoCast!

Psalm 51 has become a powerful tool of confession for individuals and communities. It’s the prayer we need to be praying today, after hearing news that the remains of 215 children were found at an Indian Residential School in Kamloops, B.C.

May 25, 2021 will mark the one year anniversary of the death of George Floyd. A lot of progress has been made in the last while to address racism, but one questioned lingered - would we see justice?

Time is meant to be seen as a gift. Although it vanishes away quickly, the fact that we’re here now and have the time that we have should lead us to give thanks to the giver of life. Each tomorrow is a gift of opportunity that we should never take for granted.

CBC’s Kim’s Convenience has become one of my favourite TV shows. In the most recent episode I watched, I was blown away with the dialogue that Umma and Appa have about prayer. I never expected a CBC show to include such a good reminder of what prayer is and how God longs to be in relationship with us.

Those who have been reconciled by God are called to be ambassadors of reconciliation. This is the mission of the Church as the people of God. But what do we do when that mission gets too big and we are spread too thin?

Through Jesus’ words, we hear God speaking to us. On the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” What do those words mean for us when we don’t know what we are doing?

It was with great sadness that my family and I said goodbye to our Opa, Ludwig Eck, on Saturday, February 13th. Planning a funeral from a distance was difficult, but as we gathered online, we celebrated the story of his life.

How do we go about naming our losses? How do we commemorate the one year anniversary of this pandemic? What do we do when we don’t have good answers to all the “Why” questions?

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 was a global pandemic. After one year, this occasion gives us a chance to pause to reflect, remember our losses, and reorient ourselves to the future.