Breakfast with the Bikers!

Bikers’ Breakfast:  What in heaven’s name is a Bikers’ Breakfast?  Well I found out a few weeks ago at St. John the Evangelist Church in Strathroy.  Let me assure you it is not a case of a bike gang such as the Hell’s Angels arriving in town raising hell in the local hang out during the breakfast hour.  It is not even the modern Christian version of Daniel in the Lions’ Den with the bikers on the menu. Let me assure you, this Bikers’ Breakfast was a most civilized and enjoyable experience that the most sedate Anglican would approve of (and that is saying a lot).  No bikers or even non-bikers were harmed in the event.

I found my introduction to the Bikers’ Breakfast at St. John’s to be a most entertaining and educational event.  This version of a Bikers’ Breakfast (I don’t know of any other version) is a monthly actual breakfast which is held by St. John’s. The Bikers’ Breakfast is the brain child of Greg McNair, one of the Lay Readers at St. John’s. You wouldn’t known it by looking at Greg but he is a biker (or perhaps I should say, a rider of motor cycles).

In addition to a great breakfast put on by some of the St. John’s parishioners, it was, as I noted, also educational.  Each month there is a guest speaker on the general theme of motor cycles.  This edition had a speaker who covered the topic of group riding.  The speaker (I neglected to note his name) was from the Canadian Motorcycle Cruisers (CMC) who covered the protocols for riding in groups.  Now this is something that the motor cycle gangs e.g. Hell’s Angels, probably don’t worry about as I think they assume thy have the right of way at all times but that may be prejudice on my part.  However, group riding, when done properly and safely, is much more involved than the non-biker realizes.  There are rules and lots of do’s and don’ts and even a whole series of hand signals that are a match for even a high Anglican worship service.  There are designated positions (perhaps the equivalent to the presider and sub-deacon) including Road Captains who are in charge of the route and leading the way and tail-gunners who bring up the rear an insure no lamb goes astray.

There are rules as you would expect in any group event.  In all there are 12 general rules which you could say are the group bikers’ version of the Ten Commandments.  The procession of bikers in the group are every bit as formal as any Anglican procession (and we Anglicans are known for their processions).  The organized groups must be 100% alcohol free (rule #3) unlike Anglicans who believe that Jesus was using actual wine at the Last Supper unlike some other Christian denominations.  There are also some very sensible rules for comfort as well as safety such as #12; Please ensure you have a full tank (of gas) and an empty bladder when you show up for group rides. 

Finally, there are a series of hand signals which are used to communicate to all the bikers on the group ride.  You have the usual ones that you might remember from riding the other kind of bikes (those with peddles) such as left turn i.e. the left arm extended sight out to the left.  There are also ones I have never encountered before such as Emergency Stop i.e. Tap top of the helmet with closed fist. 

All in all, I was very impressed with the planning and organization that goes into a group ride when done properly to ensure the safety of those involved and the motoring public in general.  The Bikers’ Breakfast is a great way to engage the church with the broader community and Greg and the other parishioners of St. John’s are to be commended on a great idea well executed.

Blessings on your journey whether it is by bike are any other means of travel. 

Jean Vanier, A Saintly Man

I was saddened by the news this week that Jean Vanier had passed from this world.  He was ninety years old so he had lived well beyond the biblical three score and ten years.  From what I know he had truly lived all the years well before and after that biblically allotted milestone.

Much has been written about Jean and I am sure much more will be written in the years to come.  I can only add that I believe he truly was a wonderfully loving and humble man.  I never met him personally but met him through some of his writings and more importantly through his legacy of L’Arche, the communities for people with intellectual disabilities which Jean founded.  The following information comes from L’Arche Canada Foundation website:

In L'Arche, people who have intellectual disabilities and those who come to assist, share life and daytime activities together in family-like settings that are integrated into local neighborhoods. L'Arche in Canada has nearly 200 homes and workshops or day programs. These are grouped into what L'Arche calls "communities". There are 30 communities of L'Arche located across Canada from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island. L'Arche communities are open and welcoming of neighbors and friends and often engage in various collaborations at the local level.

I was introduced to the L’Arche experience when I was study theology at Huron University in London Ontario.  One reading week we were given the opportunity to be part of the community for a few days at L’Arche Daybreak in Richmond Hill, Ontario.  Those few days, now almost twenty years ago, had a significant impact on me and I am still connected with the community in different ways.  One of the ways which affected me was the way in which the residents were accepted as regular parts of the community by those with disabilities which were not so evident.  I have come to know and realize that we all have disabilities, some of which are more evident to others and some less.  I believe that time has helped me to accept my disabilities and, I hope, be a little more accepting of the disabilities of others.  I must admit that I am not always very successful at that.

One of the most memorable encounters I had with people at L’Arche Daybreak was meeting one of the residents who always asked the same question of people he met, “where’s your home?”  That question took me aback and I realized that it was not an easy question to answer.  Where I live is easy, but where’s my home would require more reflection and exploration.  I believe I am still exploring that question.

Jean Vanier was an example of the power of love to change the world.  His life changed the lives of so many through the love that he shared with other.  That love, in turn, was spread throughout the world in all the L’Arche Communities and far beyond.  As Jean said, “We are not called by God to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things with extraordinary love.”  His life was truly a life lived with extraordinary love.  Jean is now at rest in his heavenly home.  Rest eternal grant him, O Lord., and let light perpetual shine upon him. 

Blessings on your journey

I Will Make All Things New

I wrote last week about the three pillars of Anglicanism on which their faith rests; scripture, reason and tradition.  The tradition was front and centre last Sunday as St. James Anglican Church here in Parkhill celebrated its 150th anniversary. 

Our Bishop, Bp Linda Nicholls was present for the occasion and preached a sermon in which she spoke of the Anglican strength of tradition and the long tradition of St. James in this community and the lasting impact that St. James has had on those who have been part of this community in the past as well as the present.  However, there is the tension between the strength of tradition and the danger of pining for the golden era of the past.  In reflecting on this, the passage from the book of Revelation came to mind, “Behold, I am making all things new.”  (Rev. 21:5). 

There is much in Anglicanism which we can continue to draw on not least of which are the three pillars that I opened with.  We are able to use our God given intellect to consider how tradition can be a foundation on which we move forward.  We can use our intellect to understand scripture and use it to consider how God is speaking to us today just as God spoke to the people of God in those times. 

Most importantly, we need to discern how God is speaking to us in new ways today through the Holy Spirit.  God may be leading us Anglicans and all God’s people to places where we have not considered going before to meet the challenges of today.  We can use scripture and tradition to ground our understanding of where God is leading us.  As an example, when we consider who our neighbours are in the commandment love your neighbour, it includes not just those like us or those who we may want to love but also whose who do not resemble us.  It may be the immigrant from far away countries.  It may also be the Samaritans in your life who seem to be completely opposed to all you stand for.  That is indeed a mountain which can seem to be impossible to climb.

Jesus has come to make all things new the possibilities are endless and will be wonderful if we are open to meet them.

Blessings on your journey.