Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada

And I don't know if we are aware of it.

Some will call it the Digital Revolution, but it might better be called the Wiki Revolution.  I'm not sure what it means exactly, but I sense that it is profound and it will change the way that we do "church"; the way that we interact as spiritual communities as profoundly as Guttenburg's movable type changed the world both secular and spiritual.

I resist the term "Digital Revolution" because for many the Digital Revolution has come and it's most lasting effect is downloaded video's from Youtube and Flat Screens in the sanctuary.   

But, that's not what I'm talking about.

I have a soft spot for international hockey, probably a holdover from being raised during the heyday of the hometown 1961 World Champion Trail Smoke Eaters.

Following the Juniors recent 5^th straight gold medal, I read a feature in the Vancouver Province newspaper about how the Canadian hockey system was rebuilt after 1981. The junior team was fifth at the world junior hockey tournament in 1979 and 1980 and seventh in 1981.

After this Murray Costello and others decided something had to be done. Calls were made, doors resounded with knocks and presentations were made. The result was the Program of Excellence. And Canadian hockey stepped back from the brink and towards excellence. The challenge of the changing global hockey context made us better.

Leads me to wonder.

Leadership is the most critical, strategic dimension of the future of The United Church of Canada. Fair or not, theologically precise or not, it remains true.

One of the comments we hear most frequently from leaders is that they feel ill-equipped to deal with the challenges and opportunities before us.

Some blame their training; some blame the church; some blame themselves; some check all of the above.

The truth is though that even if we were able to provide a means for leaders to go online and download the latest leadership skills and thinking we would still be more than a step away from utopia and conflict free congregations.

These are uncertain times. Various images are used in their description.