30 ~ North Shere News — Friday, November 3, 2000 SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING into each ii Pastor Tedd Wiebe _ Contributing Writer THERE is a verse in the Bible that seems written with empathy to North Shore residents. Tris by no means the most important verse, not the one that would be chosen to highlight a poster for a local church event. When I noticed it though, it encouraged me; put me at greater ease than before I had read it. We have all experienced the truth that one of the things that can make us feel better is to at least know that others are facing struggles similar to, or worse than, our own. This can sometimes help with the big things. Something terrible hap- pens at work, but then we realize maybe it isn’t that terrible after we watch the evening news. ~ But there are times when we can't seem to get past the small inconveniences; the little things that get us down and can keep us there. One day we wake up and we feel great. Another day we wake up and we feel dull or numb. When there is something big to point to, some reason or incident that has led us to feel this way, then we can relate our feelings to others. But a lot of times it is just the everydayness of the -day that seems to get us down. oe verse. The verse is Ezra 10:9 and a little context rel : "Basically, things were not good. The people had turned away from what God had told them and some leaders were calling them to account. There was to be a meeting in the city | Square where the issue would be dealt with. We are given the .. day, we are given the names of the grou ps of people, and then -we are given the mood. It was sombre. Sombre not only : because of the occasion, but, a as the verse says, the people were Church? Way Religious? NOL]. “Soft-rock ‘worship Starbucks or: Beans > Teaching & talking in a ‘makes sense’ kind Of. way, Leaders area. - psychologist, a «| marriage counsellor and an artist / musician |. -*3No ‘religious ‘rush: >Careful -attention to ids Come. early. for a'seat Fun & free 2No ties-no grouches Dice cream for kids - your message - “of worship. — ou this page, eal ‘Tara’: ‘Lalanne. at: /980- O511- ii@ a ittle rai “distressed by the occasion and because of the rain.” There were bigger, more important things going on, but the rain is marked as having an impact on how people felt. It helps to see such humanness in the Bible. Most of us on the North Shore know what it is like to be “greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain.” Our lives may have some occasion of stress or difficulty, but what solidifies the dis- tress is something as simple as the weather. It is true that we owe much of the beauty of this place in which we live to the very rain that we can grow to resent. We can be proud of the green, lush landscape and we can enjoy those beautiful sunny days where everything seems to come to life. And if we stop to consider, we can even admit that the green would not be possible without the grey and the rain, that the brightness we sometimes experience comes from the dullness we can find so “distressing.” We are a long way from Ezra and the occasion that day in the city square. But knowing that the peuple were upset by the tain gives us that shared comfort of human experience. This kind of companionship does not make the grey days any less grey — the rain stays just as wet. Whar it cando, though, is help us through. Grey and dull is part of alive and human, and it is OK to say so. Experiencing the distress that even rain can bring is as much part of out lives as the bright days ~- especially on the North Shore. I am not talking about complaining and negativ- ity. That is just plain tiresome and depressing. But what can be just as annoying is to pretend that grey is some other colour. Some days when I feel dull it helps to just know that it is OK to feel dull, even if 1 can’t think of some_big reason why I do. Even if it is “because of the rain.” — Pastor Todd Wiebe, Sutherland Chapel, North Vanconiver, . 7:00pen Youth Porent’s Forum ie cana Sacred music fest brings. diverse cultures together THE Westcoast Sacred Music Festival returns for its second season Saturday, Nov. 11 to Monday, Mov. 13. Persian classical musician Amir Koushkani and the Orchid Ensemble, both with ties to the North Shore, join performers from diverse spiri- tual backgrounds including First Nations, Christian, Buddhist, Sufi, African Santeria, Hindu and Jewish traditions. The Orchid Ensemble, blending eastern and western music . cultures, perform Sunday afternoon, Nov. 12 at the Tem le Sholom Synagogue (7190 Oak St.). Amir Koushkani is featured performer with the Sufist Inayati Ensemble scheduled . for Monday afternoon, Nov. 13 at UBC’s First Nations Longhouse (1985 West Mall, UBC Campus). The festival opens on Saturday at Christ Church Cathedral © (690 Burrard St.) with the Orchid Ensemble’s Mei Han and - Randy Raine-Reusch. The festival finale (at UBC) will include the world premiere of Rapprochements, a new work for inter- cultural orchestra by Vancouver composer Moshe Denburg. Tickets are $75 for a weekend pass,:$30 for a day pass and 32. AMIR Koushkani playing at sacred festival \ t Full children’s, prograi offered in both srvices) ; tynnvatey ! Full Goapet Church, 160 £. 2oth St.’ eth Vancouver, B.C. Ph. 880-0207 |. : on Pastoral Staff: Onn’ Scott, Glen Ryland, Mazcet Kurtz, Wision's Sandereon Church is made up of ordinary . mhoce hes ham boon touched BY The Merth Shore Unitarian Church 370 Mathers Ave. West Vancouver ~ * Phone (604) 926-1621: _, * mail: nsuc@telus.net *: a website: hetpeliwwrveusers. drak cevinsuc 5 Islamic Spiriniat Practises ~ (Jama! Rahman, interfaith Mine 12. In Rembrance : {Frances MacQueen, VAT founds) i? First Thing We Heed to Talk: >) About | (Horm Stewart, Interim ” oe Hinister) us 26 The Wholly Family a (Norm Stewart, Interim Minister) SUSTEPHEN'S | ANGLICAN 685 - 22nd Street, West Vancouver The Rev. Keith Gilbert - Rector , REMEMBERANCE SUNDAY. ST.SIMON'S . ANGLICAN CHURCH Cove Rd.,N.Van. «. Rovember Sunday Services: 7 the person of Jeoun “Phone 986-1151 www.maffin.net/june/stjo!