God of infinite Love, we yearn to see the break of the New Day as we begin this Season of Hope. As a child anxiously waiting by the window, the return of her parent to come home, we wait for the source of all Hope to be evident to us once again. Anticipating and expecting for the break of dawn. Even in darkness You walk with us. May Your promises become reality with every step we take and every breath we breathe. We pray in the name of the infant child, Immanuel — God with us. Amen.

Every World Wide Communion Sunday I put on the stole that the Executive Minister of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines had gifted to all the newly ordained ministers at the Montreal & Ottawa Conference on May 28, 2011. This year, for the first time, that I remember, this day took a different turn. Was it because the day before I had attended the wedding of Hrut and Hagop in Montreal? Newly arrived refugees from Syria, via Lebanon. Where I saw people i had not seen for 33 years, who live all over the world now. For some … Read more

Yesterday was our first presbytery plenary meeting after the Summer hiatus. What an energetic, encouraging and enthusiastic group we are. This was my second plenary meeting as the Chair and I was nervous at first, however we ended up having a smooth meeting and concluded things thirty minutes earlier than anticipated. On my drive home, on County Road 8, I passed by Lake Eloida, and I wished my Nikon SLR camera was with me. There was a small island near the bay that barely had enough surface space to support six or seven mallards, but they were all resting on … Read more

Yesterday, my sermon was titled, “Money is to be used – Not worshiped…” and in there I mentioned, “Money is to be used, to be recycled, and to be shared. Now do not go home and put your money in the recycle bin”. Well this morning, there was an American penny on my desk (I do not know from where), which stuck to my arm and fell right in my recycling bin below my desk… I smiled and found it pretty funny and intriguing… It was one of those things that makes you go, “huh?!” So, I wanted to share … Read more

Those who know me well, they know that I often react to things a little late. Especially when it involves matters of the heart, my heart, my life. The other day, in a simple conversation, someone said that Hillary Clinton wants to be president of United States because she wants to make her name go down in history and become the very first woman president. Something inside of me did not agree with this at all – it disturbed me. But I had no comment, as I needed to reflect and go deeper to find out why was this bothersome. … Read more

My thoughts about – Hillary Clinton using the WOMAN CARD: Just like, being the First Armenian Woman Ordained Minister within the United Church of Canada, does not say that I am playing any cards – It is stating the fact. Who we are and what gender we are does not change anything; how we treat each other is the key. I entered Canada as a Refugee back in 1986 and because of Canada’s Radical Hospitality I have been blessed in many ways. Our gender does not make us or break us – We are ALL capable of making this world … Read more