Emily’s Weekday Wondering – Sports, Spirituality and the World Cup for Soccer

July 19, 2018
Weekday Wonderings: Sports, Spirituality, and the World Cup for Soccer

It’s the FIFA World Cup season. We’ve just finished some interesting semi-finals (and really this World Cup has been full of surprises all along…) and for those looking ahead to the final on Sunday morning, you might be considering whether to watch soccer or attend worship this week. If you decide on church, of course, you can watch highlights of the game (or the whole game) later. If you decide on soccer, you can listen to the sermon online. Soccer is a compelling sport in many ways, from the endurance required (with a maximum of three substitutions, most of the team is running for an hour and a half – at least – and still expected to display other skill) to the equality of access (anyone, anywhere in the world, can play if they have a ball, or something ball-like) and global appeal compared to many other sports.

Of course, soccer may not be your cup of tea, but many of us have at least one team sport that we follow with an attentiveness that could be described as religious – or spiritual, if you’d rather be Spiritual But Not Religious.

Actually, …

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Emily’s Weekday Wonderings – What I’m Doing this July

July 11, 2018
General Council 43

Weekday Wonderings: What I’m Doing this July

This summer I have been elected as a commissioner to the 43rd General Council (GC43) of the United Church of Canada. This meeting of the whole denomination happens in person every 3 years, and this year it is being hosted in Oshawa. My term as Commissioner will last for 3 years, until the 44th meeting, but the week of July 21-27th and the lead up to that week, is the busiest part of my commitment. For the remaining 3 years there will be two or three relatively brief online meetings. I know this can sound like a lot of church speak, and not necessarily what you want to read about in the summer, but I did want to share a bit of what is happening for me and for the larger church.

Risking Faith, Daring Hope

This is the theme of GC43, and I thought it was such an interesting one
that we’ll have the opportunity to explore it in worship at Leaside United during July. What does faith ask us to risk? What are we daring when we hope?  Where do we need to bring risk and daring into our own lives, our community, and our world? I talk about this in our first “Minute with Emily” video.

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