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    Confessions of a Church Drifter

    Confessions of a Church Drifter

    I sat at the table in Starbucks across from Tara. From the start, I knew I was not in a welcoming conversation when she refused to order anything though she had chosen the venue. So I dutifully got myself a coffee to legitimize our occupation of a space in this citadel of transient community. Drifting as a Disastrous Pattern Tara had come to our church from another about two years or so ago, seeking what she called "meaningful connections" among believers her age. She was i
    Church: Where exactly can it flourish?

    Church: Where exactly can it flourish?

    Are pews and steeples necessary for God’s people? In 2014, I was fortunate to be able to attend the Greenbelt festival in Cheltenham England as part of a delegation of people under thirty five from the United Church of Canada. While I’ve since passed that young-ish threshold as established by my denomination, I will never forget the experience of faith I encountered there. While Greenbelt is an annual gathering of thousands of people from around the world and has frequently
    THE SAFEST PLACE IN THE WORLD

    THE SAFEST PLACE IN THE WORLD

    Some years ago a friend told me that he had asked his 16 year old daughter what she considered to be the safest place in the world. She pondered this question for a few moments, and then replied, “it would have to be last month at our annual congregational retreat, when we ended by forming a large circle, holding hands, and singing “Bind us Together” acapella. I had been part of that same circle, so I spent quite a bit of time pondering her response. What was it about our co
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