silence, song and prayer

        Last night I had the privilege of attending an interfaith prayer  vigil  in remembrance of the victims of the Lapu Lapu Day tragedy: A Community in Mourning. It was held at 5 pm at Miramar Plaza in White Rock and was a moving tribute to the lives lost. Sponsored and organized by the local interfaith community, it included prayers, songs and remembrances delivered by those within the Filipino community as well as those affected, their friends and neighbours. As speaker Jeff Solis indicated, this  vigil  was holding space so our grief could be shared with others who care.      The  Himig Kabataan Cultural Society Choir  gave us several musical offerings both in English and Tagalog that expressed a deep sense of longing to be connected with one another as well as our need to be comforted by our Lord. People from political office, faith leaders like our own Father Joe and community coordinators used words of hope ...

     About forty years ago the Church of the Holy Trinity had a new linoleum floor installed. According to my father, it was a huge project with the parishioners literally doing all of the heavy lifting. All 30 or more pews were unscrewed from the floor, lifted onto dollies and dragged around the corner to the church library to be stacked and stored until the floor was redone. The job took a couple of weeks and so the Sunday church services were scheduled to take place in the church hall. At the first one the rector at that time, Father John Prince, declared it to be “the best service that we’ve ever had”! The cost of the floor was more than the church had then but he preached a sermon that resonated with the congregation and the money appeared. The linoleum floor lasted for years eventually needing to be taped in certain high traffic areas; it was cracked, dull, old and worn. But over the years that floor had known the tread of many feet: weddings, funerals, baptisms, co...