Best intersection ever!

What do you get when you mix the biggest school with the busiest intersection?? click here to find out

Video of the week - Iowans, don't vote for Huckabee

This video of the week is from the infamous "Talking to Americans" program. I hadn't noticed before but watch carefully to see Rick Mercer interview Republican Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee. Someone this stupid does not deserve to be President (specifically 0:29-1:50):

Bill MacDonald : January 7, 1917 - December 25, 2007

It's a sad day for those of us in brethren assemblies here in North America. One of the great men of God we have come to know and love over the past century has left us:

At 5PM on Christmas day Bill MacDonald went home to be with Jesus. A group of us gathered early in the morning just to hold his hand, to read the Christmas story and to softly sing and pray...At 3 p.m. I spoke with him to let him know some guests had arrived. There was no longer any facial response, but he squeezed my hand for the last time.

Please sign the guestbook - here - with your memories of this great man.

Bill chose to not marry so he could serve God with more of his time. He served as President of Emmaus Bible College for many years and I still have the copy of the book he sent me called "Singleness". While I didn't follow his life choice on the subject, I have always cherished his personal note to me and the email exchanges we've had over the years. He was always an encourager and many of us felt enthused to have known him. May his example encourage many of us to be sold out for God! We'll miss you Bill.

Happy Birthday Hayley!!

Each December 25th it's my yearly duty to make sure Hayley's birthday is not forgotten in all the busyness of Christmas. So again I'm posting up a sweet pic of my sweetheart so she knows that at least one person remembered. We recently learned that the founder of Pakistan was also born on December 25th so it's quite a special day. If you're reading this, please leave a comment below, or leave a message on Hayley's facebook - here wishing here a great big Happy Birthday!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Need a title v39 - Away with the manger

Lukas has had some interesting experiences at school this Christmas season. Tonight he wanted to make a little manger scene to take to school for show and tell. Here is the finished product. Can anyone think of a good title for this creation?

Video of the week - Merry Christmas!!

Like many of you we have found that this week before Christmas is turning out to be quite hectic! So instead of my regular blogging schedule I simply wanted to post this video from all of us to wish you all a Merry Christmas:

Watching a rEVOLution - Ron Paul for President

A while ago I posted a video and proclaimed my new found love for US Presidential Candidate Ron Paul. Today I love him even more and hope to watch him make political history.

A group of Ron Paul supporters have organized a fundraising drive called "Tea Party 07" to commemorate the Boston Tea Party on December 16th, 1773. Their goal is to raise 10 million dollars for Ron Paul in one day. It's amazing to watch this grass-roots revolution. Click here to watch history and find out why Ron Paul is the phenomenon of the 2008 US election. He has more YouTube subscribers and video views than Barack Obama, more donations from war veterans than any other candidate and more donations in a single day than any other candidate. He is the only Republican that has consistently opposed the Iraq war from the beginning, he voluntarily opted out of a government pension and would completely eliminate income tax. If you're in the US I'd highly recommend voting for him.

Video of the week - Christmas party!

Justin comments on the Christmas party:

Check out the triplets - here

The greatest moment ever...

Today was the greatest moment in the history of 614. Log in to find out what happened

And you thought my blog got offensive at times......

Turns out that the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has a blog! - click here

"It's fine for Christ to be the star of the show"

LONDON (Reuters) - Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims joined Britain's equality watchdog Monday in urging Britons to enjoy Christmas without worrying about offending non-Christians.

"It's time to stop being daft about Christmas. It's fine to celebrate and it's fine for Christ to be star of the show," said Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

A child, child, child is born!

Yesterday our friends Josh & Colleen MacFadyen - here - welcomed triplet girls into the world!! Josh writes:

Christmas came a little early this year! Colleen gave birth to three beautiful and healthy girls at 1:16 PM.

In order of birth:

Kenya Elizabeth, 3 lbs 12 oz, 1:16
Siena Dawn, 3 lbs 13 oz , 1:16
Tori Kathleen, , 3 lbs 6 oz, 1:17

It’s been a wild day and I’ve got to get back to the hospital to run milk, bath another baby or two, and sleep, oh sweet sleep. Everyone is doing very well. I’ll post more soon and put up some pictures of these little angels.

Congratulations guys!

The sayings of Lukas v39 - Rudolph

Once again you'll have to log in to hear what Lukas said to Mommy this week!

Video of the week - Helpdesk

Someone sent this to me with the title "First Mennonite Helpdesk" :)

The sayings of Lukas v38

Lukas had an interesting time at school yesterday, but you have to log in to read what he said - click here

A Mennonite Vision Salvation Brethren Army Ministries Church??!! (Wednesday prayer requests)

This Sunday I was taking in the Lord's supper at Leaside Bible Chapel when the words of sweet old hymn #169 from the black book caught my attention:

We would remember we are one
with every saint that loves thy name
United to thee on the throne
our life, our hope, our Lord the same

What a great reminder of the unity we have with all Christians! I'm glad the founders of the brethren movement made one of their cornerstone doctrines unity. They would welcome anyone that was a Christian to simply break bread with them. Their attitude was that if Christ had received someone, so should they.

Recently I wrote an article for the Vision Ministries newsletter about our little church that's getting started. You'll notice by the title that our church is a blend of many flavours of Christian denominations. And I think that's a wonderful expression of the early brethren.

We really pray that our little church will be an amazing display of what can be accomplished when Christians come together in unity to help those in need. This is why we are partnering with various groups and denominations. Please pray for us, and consider how you could be part of what God is doing here!

The future of Canada: Immigration 4 times birth rate

Today Statisctics Canada released their data on Immigration, citizenship and language from the 2006 Census. As I've been saying for some time now, the future of Canada will be found in immigrant communities like Thorncliffe Park. Therefore I was not surprised to read the report, but I think if the church doesn't wake up fast we'll be in some serious danger of being lost in the multicultural shuffle. As CTV reports:

The latest census figures show that 19.8 per cent of the population in 2006 was foreign born, the highest proportion since 1931 and up 13.6 per cent from five years earlier. By contrast, the entire Canadian population grew only 3.3 per cent in the same period.

Did you catch that? The entire population grew 3%, immigration grew 13%. Immigration is 4 times the birth rate. And where are people coming from?

For the first time, the proportion of foreign-born immigrants from Asian and Middle Eastern countries (41 per cent) outstripped those of European heritage (37)...between 2001 and 2006, language groups from Asia and the Middle East recorded the largest gains

As a final note CTV makes a prediction we should all take to heart:

An aging population and the declining birth rate has Canada on track to becoming fully dependent on immigration for population growth by around 2030, Statistics Canada data suggests.

How will you process this data? What is the immigrant population of your church? If it's low, will your church make any adjustments to prepare for this? What will your church look like in 2030?

HV F8TH

**UPDATE** The Globe & Mail reportsMr. Henry will get his plates after all

Are you offended by this title? Seems the Ministry of Transportation thinks it's pretty offensive:

Russell Henry has had the (license) plate HV F8TH - have faith - for 20 years, and when he applied to replace his old, rusting plates, the Ministry of Transportation denied his request. "It does not meet the ministry's current criteria since this configuration could be considered by some members of the public to connotate religion," the ministry's letter indicated

Minister of Transportation = Jim Bradley - click here. Members of all faith groups (Christian/Jewish/Muslim/Hindu) should write and express their thoughts on this matter to the Minister.