The traditional motto for the Church has always been that it must "always be in a state of reform." I would like to add to that "of healing ". I like very much the model of Nelson Mandella. We would not have blamed him after more than twenty five years in jail that he would remain an angry person, instead he goes about leading and healing his people. 

The healing stories of Jesus show very much that he wanted a very inclusive model of friendships as well as the kingdom. The only ones Jesus did not defend were the self-righteous. In the early days of Corpus this was a big part of the organization; we were able to move on. 

For our gathering in September there are words in the article in the Journal of Chris Diamond's article that bares repetition in connection with Small Faith Communities. It reads in part “the all inclusive attitude that there are no marginalised, no outcasts, that everyone counts.”

Who would Jesus be healing? Why not the brokenness of divorce or those persecuted even though they are honestly working out their sexual orientation. - In my sister's family she has two sons who are gay. They are persons who are most human,what more can we ask?

Within the model of a  Small Faith Community, there can be healing; it is a circle. In that respect,  I'm looking for insights from Joe Cashen on the experience of his group.

When pro hockey players go to the Olympics, they are asked to check their ego’s at the door, no matter what heroics they've done in the past; they have to start over being a team.

We too might have to check some of our baggage at the door; maybe a couple of pounds of religious jargon. It is easy to talk a good game. Everyone who has played organised sports knows the experience. Knowing the experience of  the group, I know a lot of positive things will happen just being together. 

We are all at home with the  language of Vat II, a language of fresh vitality.  For me there is a sigh of relief when it is used as a given, in starting a dialogue.
Bruce Coburn when he was inducted into the music Hall of Fame(March 4th 2001), in his thank you speech, he  included Vatican II among the experiences that moved and directed his life. 

For persons who have been around the block a few times, there has to be a sense of a new language, one we are hearing for the first time. 

We have to remember not everyone in a group has had the  freedom and time to be up to date on  the latest words; we have to keep it simply to life experience. 

We know that the Road Maps we have used in the past do not work anymore. We have had to cut out many things in religion that now are not valid (that have made  us spiritual invalids, to play on the word). We do have plenty of truths to live by as it is. We don't need to have permission from anyone to celebrate them. We can keep symbols  at a safe distance, so we don't have to do anything about them. 

In our chapel, a priest used to come for the celebration of the Eucharist.You had to make an act of faith that the stale wafer used for the liturgy was actually bread.

We can talk at length about Jesus, whether he was he divine or human. Was he
human on his mother's side and divine on his Father's side?

A quote from Sam Keen expresses the importance of the Now. He says “after squandering my substance wandering in the past and future, I  was returning to my native time the present. I have to cultivate the present to LOVE the actual.”

One of the ways to add to the experience of the GATHERING in the fall is to use billets and B & B’s to keep what is happening throughout the PROCESS
during the day, fully extended during our other sacred pauses. There will be time for prayer and play, and for some, the two are the same thing.

The weekend is a chance to live the Gospel stories of unity, trust, wholeness and pleasure. If you mix the beauty of Bragg Creek,Western Hospitality, the
experience of so many gifted people, how can we not trust in the Happening that is to be in the fall?