This Peace Sunday, Mary Anne examined the cliff-hanger ending of the book of Jonah (Jonah 4:1-11), alongside the Joseph Campbell's 'Hero's Journey.' How can we as peacemakers release our anger in a healthy way?

This All Saints Sunday (November 3), Mary Anne offered reflections on 1 Kings 17:1-24, exploring sainthood as "someone who is growing in discernment about God's voice, and as a result, is being transformed by love."

On October 27, 2024, Aaron combined the prog rock album "Question Mark," the lectionary passage (1 Kings 5:1-5, 8:27-30, 41-43), and reflections on the paradox of God immanence and transcendence.

Note: for the sake of copyright, we have edited out the musical excerpts that were shared on Sunday. If you want to get deeper sense for the music, we encourage you to listen to Neal Morse's 2005 album "Question Mark" for yourself—best done in one continuous sitting, if you can!

Occassionally, River East doesn't have a traditional sermon to record on a given Sunday; maybe we had a potluck, storytelling, or just a service of singing. In those instances, we'll upload a sermon "From the Archives"—a sermon from the past that either stands out in our memories, or is relevant to our particular moment.

This sermon does both. It was originally offered on March 27, 2022, by RECer Edgar French, who coordinates the Spiritual Care and Multi-Faith Centre at the University of Manitoba. At the time, River East was exploring the virtue of Humility, one of the seven Sacred or Grandfather teachings of the Anishinaabe, embodied by the wolf. Edgar's words on 1 Corinthians 5:16-21 were memorable, and dovetail well with our focus on God-centred storytelling in a complex world.

On October 13, Mary Anne explored Hannah's song in 1 Samuel 1:9-11, 19-20, 2:1-10. On the way, we learned how the British National Anthem evolved over time, and concluded with some singing ourselves!

On October 6, Aaron tackled the story of the Golden Calf in Exodus 32:1-14, sprinkling in some insights from Plato, Jonathan Haidt, and a strange prayer from the Babylonian Talmud.

On September 29—the Sunday before the Nataional Day of Truth and Reconcilliation—guest preacher Tobi Jolly reflected on current Indigenous realities while also exploring texts regarding the Passover (Exodus 12:1-13, 13:1-8).

Tobi is a community worker who spent the last several years working with Indigenous people, families and communities experiencing trauma. She says: "I am learning how to hold both my Christianity and Indigeneity together, with some moments of clarity and inspiration, along with some steep and uncomfortable learning curves....Reconciliation for me is figuring out how to find new meanings in many things I thought I understood."

You can learn more about Tobi here.

On September 22, 2024, Mary Anne highlighted a pattern of exile and exultation found throughout the story of Joseph: Genesis 37:3-8 17b-22, 26-34; 50:15-21.