Wildwords: Sermons From Wildwood Mennonite Church

"Foundation // If God is Trinity and Jesus is the face of God, then it is a benevolent universe. God is not someone to be afraid of, but is the Ground of Being and on our side."  Some big ideas on the table this week--prepare to have your mind blown, like a balloon metaphor for the expanding universe!

In a world filled with conflicting opinions and confident incorrectness, how do we know what is right and true? What do we do when other Christians embrace and promote a form of religion that seems alien or even dangerous to us? What's the basis for knowing what we think we know and making the necessary decisions of life when our understanding is inherently limited? This fall at Wildwood, we're exploring the idea of "orthodoxy" - right belief - through the "Alternative Orthodoxy" offered by Richard Rohr and the Center for Action and Contemplation. "Scripture as validated by Experience and Experience as validated by Tradition are good scales for one's spiritual worldview." Let's try it out!

We were pleased to have Claire Ewert Fisher from Mount Royall Mennonite Church join us this Sunday. Claire shared with us on the theme of “At Home...farmers, vine, and fruit-bearing branches.” Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. “Pooh”, Piglet whispered. “Yes, Piglet?” “Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you.” “I just wanted to be sure of you.”

Ken Bechtel shared with us on the topic of “Bent But Then Set Free” this Sunday. Ken was unfortunately unable to be with us in person so Audrey Mierau Bechtel shared Ken’s words with us. "However "bent" we may be, God views us as sons, daughters and children, worthy to be set free."

Charmaine is a single mom of 3 wonderful children, is a new member of WMC, a Nurse Manager in the SHA, and a Saskatoon Public School Board Trustee.  In this message, Charmaine takes us through her personal journey, questions and perspectives on disability, prayer, and healing.  Having had a brother who was paraplegic and a child with non-verbal autism has challenged her previously held beliefs about healing.  This message challenges the assumption that being disabled is somehow "less than" and the disabled individual would ideally be healed.

What's hiding in the back of your spiritual closet? Faith can be like building a spiritual wardrobe of various beliefs: trying some on for just a little while, wearing some for particular seasons, or selecting some basics as foundations for any outfit. As our needs and tastes change over time, what do we do with the pieces of faith that no longer fit? Do we look back at former beliefs with... fondness? resentment? shame? This summer, our sermon series invites us to engage with the faith of our past, particularly understandings of God that (some of us?) are leaving behind. Up first, the "doctrine of Original Sin" - buckle up, wretches!

Okay, fine, we live in "a world of overwhelming complexity." So what are we supposed to do with that? How do we keep it together without ignoring, blaming, othering, or otherwise drifting into self-destructive patterns? The ancient book of Job has some wisdom in that direction, with a delightful assist from--who else--Mary Poppins.

Which division are you in? The world of sports has a myriad of ways to break down competition: age, sex, skill level, weight class, region, amateur or pro, team or individual, recreational or competitive, "special" or otherwise... Divisions like that are all over the place in our lives. Some are carefully thought through, some are random, and plenty are assumed to be "just the way it is" because that's the way it's been for a while... These divisions help us to deal with the overwhelming complexity of our universe; how can we create and keep them in ways that honour the gifts and serve the needs of all?

How do we live in a world of overwhelming complexity? Much of the time, by shifting the focus--and the tension--onto some other person or group. Ah, yes, the old, familiar scapegoat mechanism! I'm not scared, you're scared! I'm not angry, you're angry! I'm not to blame, you're to blame--and everyone else agrees! This tradition is grounded in ancient scriptures, and perhaps more useful than we care to admit. But what do we do when the scapegoat is not as guilty as we would like them to be? Is there a better way?

[read in Hollywood movie trailer announcer voice]: "In a world of infinite complexity, one human stands with the rest. Taking on normal tasks and winning ordinary battles with their incredibly average abilities, yet imagining that they are somehow at the center of it all..." Is that what your inner monologue sounds like? The world is indeed infinitely complex, yet our brains so often substitute a less complicated version of reality that we can cope with. What are the implications of our inability to see and understand actual reality, for our ego, our relationships, our faith? Tune in for part 1 of 4 of our series on "Blurred Lives: coming to terms with our impossible longing for resolution."

Exploring what acknowledgment means after there has been harm and how to work towards reconciliation as a faith community. Harry Lafond, elder from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation and Deacon with the Prince Albert Roman Catholic Diocese talks about the past and future for Indigenous families. In 1867 with the passage of the Indian Act the rights of Indigenous parents were taken away which has led to great harm.  The government of Canada Bill C-92 changes the legal situation and provides for Indigenous people to be responsible for their own children’s welfare.  First Nations are now able to build on their ancient teachings about relationships- “Wakhotowin.”  Children are a gift to be cherished and supported to grow up into their gifts. This will foster healthy people, strong families and strong communities.

Exploring what acknowledgment means after there has been harm and how to work towards reconciliation as a faith community. What happens when two communities with different worldviews make a treaty together? Lyndon Linklater, from the Office of the Treaty Commissioner Speakers Bureau, shared Indigenous worldview, story and song with us.

Exploring what acknowledgment means after there has been harm and how to work towards reconciliation as a faith community. In May WMC will be exploring what a treaty land acknowledgement can look like for us. On May 1st we explored with Heather Peters some of the questions that have already come up: How will our land acknowledgement be connected to things we need to learn and unlearn, be connected to practical reparation work, and if it is even an important step in the reconciliation process.

A short stroll through any grocery store in our city will reveal that our food choices have become a lot more complicated than they used to be. With access to a global menu, what food should we be choosing to stick in our mouths? In this talk, Jared Regier will share about his journey toward food security in the city, the underlying motivations behind this quest, and some tips for moving forward. Get ready for a full course meal because there's a lot to digest here.

On Easter, calls of “Christ is Risen!” echo around the globe. This holiday lands differently for different people—what does Easter mean for you and how will you respond this year?

This is a suffering world and so much suffering is rooted in power. Jesus transformed how power is understood by coming to earth in human form. He was someone who dared to lower himself to raise us up! Using the image of vessels at sea, what are the privileges and responsibilities of speedboats? What does Jesus, the one who rode a donkey, teach us about how we use our power?

The familiar parable of the “Prodigal Son” contrasts being “pious” or “religious” with the "prodigal" inclusive love of our welcoming God. Who are we within this story of the feather brained fugitive child, the faithful and faultfinding brother, and the fond forgiving father?

Biblical writers remind us, tenderly, so many times - in liturgy, letters, and the mouths of angels – fear not, do not be afraid. How will we wrestle room in our imaginations, in our hearts, away from fear to make room for compassion? How might heavenly citizenship teach us about open-heartedness and open-handed living? Can beauty shape us into more compassionate people?  from Eileen Klassen Hamm

What do you do with a fig tree that doesn't produce figs? Cut it down because consequences matter? Or give it extra care and attention because that might just be what it needs? And beyond good gardening techniques, what about humans--do we get what we earn, or do we receive what is given?

Feeling surrounded, back-against-the-wall, with no way out of whatever situation you're in? Name your crisis--personal conflict, international war, pandemic impacts, natural catastrophe, systemic failure... there's more than enough of that feeling to go around these days. Moments like this have long been part of the human condition, and our spiritual ancestors (often? sometimes? occasionally?) chose to pursue hope and trust and transformation over inevitability. What might we learn from their voices?