Day One – Let The Journey Begin
You are invited join in a 40 day Journey walking the Canterbury Trail, seeing not only how the mission of Canterbury is making a difference in people’s lives but how God has both called and equipped you to do the same – everyday.
Through much work, prayer and discernment and by God’s grace and favor Canterbury is entering an exciting new season, fulfilling its mission to be a sacred space where people gather to learn, connect, grow, be inspired, dream, discover and decide…Read More >
Day Two – Coming Home
I have always loved The Parable of the Prodigal Son and have always thought that it should have been renamed The Parable of the Loving Father. For the focus is really of the grace of the Father who forgives, restores, heals and redeems. (The parable is found in the Gospel of Luke chapter 15 verses 11-24.) For years Rembrandt’s painting of The Return of the Prodigal has captivated me. He captures the dynamics, the many emotions of this moment in this image.
In this journey of life, we often, wander. We get lost and distracted. We waste our lives and resources on things that are not eternal. We squander our time. We rebel and want to do it our way. This leads to a life run by things and in the end, when we have our own way we grow hard, callous and empty.…Read More>
Day Three – Ready for Battle
In many ways we are in a battle. We have minor battles everyday, with rush hour traffic, diets, getting things done. There are major battles in terms of things that effect us for years to come. The profound moments of choosing education, a vocation or career, getting married, having kids, raising a family are monumental and each can have seasons of struggle and questions.
There are local to national contests over education, defense, justice, economics and morality. Are you ready for the battles of life? Military metaphors can make people feel awkward or threatened but in reality they help us to put into context the moment we find ourselves in as spouses, parents and children, workers and bosses, leaders and followers …Read More>
Day Four – Reflection
Reflection is a powerful and profound idea. For a reflection is a real imitation of something tangible. We have reflections in the mirror and in windows and we can identify something by what we see. We know it is not the authentic but we can see it and interpret its meaning by what we behold.
Reflection is also a place of epiphany and discovery as we reflect on moments and circumstances and try to discern the what they mean beyond the physical and into the mystical and eternal. A friend of mine took this picture of a chalice on the altar during a service of Holy Communion …Read More>
Day Five – Mercy Drops and a Flood
I am indebted to Dr. Richard Pratt, my Old Testament professor in seminary. He taught a grid to understand and read the Old Testament prophets with greater clarity and comprehension. The prophets were raised up as Prosecutors of the covenant. When Israel was disobedient; breaking covenant promises, a prophet would emerge to warn the people calling them to repentance. So when we read the prophets we can distinguish Oracles; pronouncements in various forms. There are oracles of judgment; lament and repentance; restoration and more.
In the prophet Joel in chapter 2 it begins with an oracle of judgment; ending with an oracle of restoration. Look at an amazing verse in this chapter… Read More>
Day Six – A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.
John C. Maxwell
I grew up using road maps. They were folded in such a way that they would fit neatly into a car’s “glove box”. Once a map was unfolded it was sometimes difficult to get them to their original condition, they were a bit of a puzzle. These maps were fun to study as they showed distances, sights to see and what you might find along the road you were traveling.
In this digital day and age we have GPS and often we are given instructions on when we are to turn or when we will arrive. There is less mystery and more precision. (although after following a few GPS instructions I have not ended up at my destination)…Read More>
Day Seven – A place to learn…
The statesman and great thinker, Benjamin Franklin wrote… Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. In this day and age we have created many virtual things; games, internet communities, schools and classes, offices / workspaces and the list seems endless. What does Virtual really mean? Here is a definition, very close to being something without actually being it.
As someone who has taught courses and participated as a student in a virtual classroom, I applaud the effort to make information more accessible. Information is not the same as learning. Learning is more that data. Learning is an experience and with many of the necessary life lessons, doing it virtually is not an option.
There is a need for interaction and participation…Read More>
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