The very popular song ‘Mary Did you Know‘ has appropriately prompted a slew of sarcastic memes in recent years pointing out that yes, she did know, she sang a whole song about what was heralded by the Annunciation.

Now we are delighted to share this reworked version written by Jennifer Henry, ED of KAIROS Canada.

Mary did you know,
that your ancient words
would still leap off our pages?
Mary did you know,
that your spirit song
would echo through the ages?

Did you know that your holy cry
would be subversive word,
that the tyrants would be trembling
when they know your truth is heard?

Read the rest here: http://www.holytrinitytoronto.org/2017/12/mary-did-you-know/

And here is a selection of our favourite salty memes:

If you are looking for a way to bring poetry, song and story together this coming second Sunday of Advent, consider this resource, created by the crafty peacemaker-prophets of Partera Peacebuilders International.

Includes Call to Worship, hymns, a poetic reflection on the Bible texts, prayers, and a sending/blessing.

Partera Advent 2 Peace Liturgy 2017

Partera International is a faithbased peace-building organization that conducts conflict transformation education and training in various places around the world as well as at home. We are based in Canada with a binational Board of Directors.

Partera is Spanish for “midwife” and speaks of our hope to aid the birth of peace among and alongside all life on Earth.

We share this brief liturgical resource for worship and/or small group use as an expression of our longing to see God’s peaceable will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, given life by midwives of peace and disciples of the One who was God’s Peace-Made-Flesh.

It is intended for use on the second Sunday of Advent, traditionally understood as Peace Sunday, Dec. 10th, 2017

There are a few job postings that would be great for an SCMer!

1. KAIROS Blanket Exercise Regional Coordinator – Saskatchewan – posting here
   Halftime, deadline Dec 11, 2017
2. KAIROS Blanket Exercise Regional Coordinator – Manitoba/North Western Ontario – posting here
   Halftime position, deadline Dec 8, 2017
3. Jesuit Volunteers Canada Outreach Animator & Recruiter – posting here
   Halftime position, deadline Dec 10, 2017
4. Christian Peacemaker Teams Development Coordinator – posting here
   Fulltime, deadline Jan 5, 2018

If you have information about a posting that would appeal to folks connected with the SCM, let us know!

2017 10 30 – The Cleansing of the Temple

Prepared by members of Student Christian Movement at York University
Download this, and other resources, from our Resource Page

John 2: 13-17 (New International Version)

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (Psalms 69:6)

Some Context

The Temple and Passover

The Temple during Herod’s time was divided into four different sections: The outer/gentile court, the inner/Israel Court, the Priest Court, and the Holy of Holies. Only in the outer courts were merchants and moneychangers allowed. During the Passover, all men over the age of 12 had to attend the festival. To do so, they would need to pay a small amount of tax to the temple as well as provide a sacrifice.

Money Changers and Merchants

Since many people were from out of town, they did not have the Jewish temple currency. Instead, they would need to have their currency exchanged. The moneychangers did this work, in which they received a profit. Additionally, travellers usually also needed to buy an animal at the temple, usually a dove or a goat, which was sold for exorbitant prices.

Common Interpretations

Some common interpretations of the Jesus table flipping event are as follows:

• Jesus saw trade in the Temple as a desecration of its true purpose so, maybe with the help of others, he tried to shut down the trade in sacrificial animals and the money-changing that was going on
• He saw the Court of the Gentiles as a sacred place, part of God’s Temple. The general hullabaloo of the area made this impossible, and it angered him
• He made an assessment that the trade and money changing exploited people, especially the poor, by making excessive charges, so he intervened
• Jesus thought the priests and Temple personnel were abusing their sacred roles by being involved in business in a sacred area
• There was already a conflict going on between the Sanhedrin and the High Priest Caiaphas in AD30, when Caiaphas allowed traders to set up markets in the Court of the Gentiles as punitive competition against markets controlled by the Sanhedrin.

(Fletcher, E. (2012). Jesus attacks the moneychangers. http://www.jesus-story.net/cleansing.htm#say)

Questions

1. Why did Jesus flip the tables?
2. If you were around when Jesus flipped the tables, how would you have  reacted? Would you be the kind of person to join in, or stay back? How do you think a poor person would have reacted to seeing this event? What about a merchant? Or a Roman soldier? Or a Rabbi?
3. If Jesus lived (physically on earth) today, and He were to replicate this same event, whose tables would He overturn?

The participants write cards, draw pictures, and offer symbols of oppressive powers that we are called upon to resist today, and place them onto a prepared table.

A Prayer

Gracious Lord, who calls us to do what is just and right, working to free the robbed, support migrants, the orphaned, and the widowed. Thank you for this opportunity to think about your work and for the friends we have here today. We pray for continual guidance to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, care for the sick, visit the imprisoned, and support and love our neighbours. Please provide us strength to enact your kingdom here, resisting unjust and oppressive conditions like Jesus did on his earthly ministry. We lovingly call you to witness our symbolic commitment to resisting evil, as we flip this table [flip table]. We love you Lord, Amen.

On October 21, 2017, people from different walks gathered at Sandy-Saulteaux Spiritual Centre for a Feast for Friends. It was an afternoon and evening “to meet each other in friendship on the land,” and to share in meals, teaching, learning, and to hear about the previous week’s Mamawe Ota Askihk Festival, which had been supported by the SCM.

I began the day with a group by walking the four corners of the sacred land that Sandy-Saulteaux Spiritual Centre is built on. The day was sunny and beautiful and as we wandered through the woods we took down prayer flags from the previous Feast for Friends and tied up new ones. After lunch, I spent the afternoon examining a cowhide from the previous weeks festival, winnowing wild rice, and learning about an amazing farming initiative taking place in Garden Hill First Nation. Throughout the day there were many familiar faces, may new faces, and many new friends made. The day ended with a communal meal and a sharing circle to reflect on the day.

As Bill-262 is being debated in Parliament, a bill that would bring the Government to implement in law the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, it is important to bring friends together for feasts around the topics of land and food. Feast for Friends is one step in the direction of understanding and reconciliation, and a way to make new friends.

Chris Sundby

Your Faith on Feminism: Summary & Exhortation

Your Faith on Feminism has brought together 35 people from countries including Canada, the US, India, and Mexico. We are Christians, Muslims, Jews, and followers of other spiritual traditions. We are women, non-binary people, and men. We are children, young people, parents, mentors, and elders.

We came to create a covenanted space – a safer space, and a brave space to explore the intersections of feminism, faith and justice. We acknowledge the traditions we bring with us – faith traditions, cultural traditions, healing traditions. We acknowledge the Indigenous traditions tied to this land.

In this space we have shared and documented our stories to empower ourselves and others. We have worked to own our stories and become comfortable with them, so that we can support others to tell their stories. We have listened to others’ truths and demystified stories different than our own. We have worked to decolonize ourselves by bringing to light the legacies we carry with us. We have explored art as a universal language of healing and solidarity. We have celebrated our cultural, artistic, and faith traditions.

We have spoken our own truths, knowing that we can only speak for ourselves. We have renewed our commitments to a continuous process of questioning, investigation, and reflection. We have worked to undermine ‘othering.’ We have honored the stories of those who have come before us, and those who will come after.

Resolutions

• We are about to go home to different places, where we have different communities and commitments.
• We will carry with us the stories we have told and heard, and share with others what we have learned from each other.
• We will stand in solidarity with the people of our communities, and others across the world.
• We will hold space for diverse feminist practices of advocacy, community, creativity and healing.
• We will add our voices to the important conversations in our communities.
• We will take time to situate ourselves, to discern and deepen our commitments.
• We will be critical and inclusive.
• We will be strong and vulnerable.
• We will honour and challenge traditions.
• We will sing, dance, write, protest, and nurture.
• We will heal. We will love. We will walk with others who love us.

Generated by the community of the 2017 10 WSCF North America conference in Edmonton, Alberta. Your Faith on Feminism: Intersectional Feminist Theology responds to the Climate of Fear

Student Christian Movement Retreat: A Pinch of Salt: Everyone Belongs in the Kitchen!

– Reflection from Michiko Bown-Kai, Social Justice and Outreach Coordinator at Bloor Street United.

As someone with many connections to the people involved with SCM Toronto but not having had the
opportunity to participate much in the past, I looked forward to finally joining SCM for their fall retreat: A Pinch of Salt, September 23, 2017. It proved to be an excellent opportunity to get to know the SCM community better. The retreat was a blend of new and long-time SCM members that was very welcoming.

A Pinch of Salt was a great opportunity for me to continue the process of integrating my faith and activism. Part of this integration came from being part of a community that was modelling their commitment to social justice. For example, we were joined by Dr Bob Phillips, a Mi’kmaq elder, who helped us in acknowledging the traditional Indigenous territory on which we gathered. I appreciated that later in the program, everyone had the chance to be in deeper conversation with Bob, which encouraged relationship building beyond the acknowledgement.

Another part of integrating faith and activism came in the form of attending a workshop that included very insightful and concrete information about engaging in nonviolent direct action. While prayer can be a helpful way to discern the work God is calling you to do in the world, it’s also always helpful to have community to talk through some of the important and practical skills needed to carry out the work. I left the workshop feeling less mystified by direct action, and ready to find new ways to become more involved.

Rather than the whirlwind of many conferences that often leaves you feeling equally invigorated and exhausted afterwards, the retreat to Toronto Island felt like a meditative time to enjoy the beautiful weather and our time spent in community had a wonderful balance of conversation, workshop, and time to cook and make art. I noticed that instead of being in my head all day, which often happens at Christian conferences and retreats, I felt much more grounded in my body through the opportunities to cook and different role-playing exercises during our workshops.

What struck me most about the day was how incredibly peaceful I felt. The intimate size of the group gathered created space for us to get to know each other in a way that was organic and full of humour. Despite being a small group of people, I appreciated how much diversity was present including people from many parts of the world and many different Christian denominations. At lunch, I appreciated how this diversity enriched the conversation where people spoke to each other with openness and a shared appreciation to talking through difficult questions.

Are you committed to social justice, Christian faith, and sharing those ideas with others? Consider submitting a Devotional to the ‘Our Bible’ App.

Read more information here.

What is a devotional, and how do you write one?

A devotional is a daily reading program of almost any duration — from three days, to five or ten or even a hundred if you like. Each day consists of a title, a Bible verse or quote from any other source, and anywhere from 250-1000 words of commentary. While traditional Biblical devotionals rely on Bible verses for their inspiration, you can also feel free to quote from secular sources — many OBA readers identify as “spiritual but not religious”. You are in complete control of what theme(s) you choose, which source(s) you use, and how many days your devotional is separated into.

Why write one (or many)?

Devotionals heal both their readers and their writers. There is no ‘appropriate’ topic for a devotional: if you identify as a spiritual person or a person of faith, then any topic you’d like to discuss is valid. (Our editors do screen for offensive language or hate speech, of course.) You have total freedom to explore the most complex and vulnerable issues of life, with a community who accepts you as you are, even if your hometown community does not. Devotionals are an incredible tool for linking people of faith, people who can help each other grow with their particular wisdom, from far and wide. With more than ten thousand users signed up so far, you can be sure that your words will be treasured by someone in the app’s ever-growing collaborative network, and might even help someone you have no idea exists in ways you can’t imagine.

Parts of an Our Bible App devotional:

Theme & title: Must be explicit as to what the focus of your devotional is.

Main verse: What passage or quote is your message built on? For Bible passages, include translation (NIV, KJV, MSG)

Main message: Plan 250-1,000 words per message. Your message should be short and to the point, generally based on lived experience. Add your voice!

If you have content already generated that is thematically appropriate, but in a different format (such as blog posts or book chapters), please don’t hesitate to contact us, so we can adapt your work to OBA’s format and enable your words to reach over 10,000 users on Day 1.

Here is an example devotional, including submission information: https://ourbibleapp.submittable.com/submit/68247/our-bible-app-daily-devotional-submission-guidelines

Letter of Call
World Student Christian Federation North American Regional Executive
Advocacy and Solidarity Program Director

The life of WSCF is based on local ecumenical groups of students called SCMs – Student Christian Movements – in universities and colleges who work, study and pray together. Presently there are 117 affiliated student groups in 94 countries, reaching out to over 2 million members worldwide. The North American Region is a fellowship of diverse ecumenical and denominational student Christian movements in Canada and the United States.

The WSCF seeks a regional staff person with a vision for nurturing dynamic ecumenical student movements in the US and Canada; committed to social justice; and desiring to work as part of an international team on global student concerns. This role will be under a 2-year contract with the opportunity to renew for a maximum of 8 years. Salary and Benefits are negotiable.

The North American Regional Executive and Program Director for Advocacy and Solidarity will serve as part of the WCSF’s staff team currently comprised of 7 executive staff – a General Secretary in the Inter-Regional Office (IRO) in Geneva (currently based in the Philippines), and the five other regional executives located in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Middle East and Asia-Pacific, and a Fundraising staff.

The Regional Executive is employed by WSCF’s Executive Committee and supervised by the North American Regional Committee (NARC). The WSCF Regional Executive is responsible for coordinating, managing, supporting, organizing, and expanding the WSCF activities in his/her region according to the WSCF Constitution and WSCF Executive Committee, and guidance from NARC.

The responsibilities of this role fall into five areas:

• Organization & Communications
• Project Planning
• Finance/Administration
• Personnel
• Advocacy & Solidarity

See the complete Letter of Call for more details

Application Submission Information & Details

Qualifications: Preferred candidates for this position should have the following qualifications.

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s from an accredited University
• Relevant job experience

Location: The Regional Office is currently located in New York, New York. Staff have the option to work remotely and will not be required to relocate to New York City. Relocation of the office will also be negotiated after its lease is complete.

Travel: This position includes travel to National, Regional, and Global events. Travel can be expected for 30-40% of the year.

Compensation: As mentioned above, salary and benefits will be negotiated. The Executive Committee of the Federation will finalize staff salaries and the Regional Committee will calculate their contribution based on the cost-of-living, experience, and regional capabilities.

Please submit the following materials by October 20, 2017. The position will remain open until filled.

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Personal Statement 500-1000 words (this can be about your faith, theology, or social justice journey)

Logan B. Boese
President | World Student Christian Federation North American Regional Council
Chair |North American Regional Executive Search Committee

Electronically: loganboese@gmail.com

Logan Boese
3005 Triverton Pike Dr.
Fitchburg, WI U.S.A. 53711
Apt. 205