I spent the first part of this week attending the Winnipeg site of the Trinity Institute annual theological conference on Religion and Violence. All of the speakers challenged us in their various ways to consider the violence that lurks in our religious history, in our sacred texts, in our hearts, and in our churches -- and to see that God's call is fundamentally towards peace. To all of which I say a heartfelt "Amen!"

However, learnings like this often come with an opportunity to put them to the test. I came home to find that our parish's ministry to children is in "free fall." Two of the key leaders have resigned, and there is no-one in sight to take their places. As of Feb. 3 or 10, we will have no Sunday School, unless a minor miracle happens. The resignations are occasioned by what I can understand as a kind of violence, in which the church puts too high a demand on too few people, without what they perceive as adequate recognition. There is judgment being pronounced here, both on the parish as a whole, and on me as the leader of the parish's ministries.

Feeling judged is one thing. Seeing the way ahead is another. I am deeply afraid that this news could be the cause of recriminations without any constructive action -- and that would do violence to the overall life of the parish.

I pray for peace in our church -- not the peace that comes from pouring oil on troubled waters, but the peace of the river of the water of life, flowing out of the throne of God. Every river has turbulent stretches as well as smoothly flowing ones, as it flows towards the ocean of God's future. May we safely negotiate this patch of white water as we travel onwards to the kingdom.