What's hiding in your shadow? The fifth tenet of the Alternative Orthodoxy (Richard Rohr and the Center for Action and Contemplation) says "The 'separate self' is the major problem, not the 'shadow self' which only takes deeper forms of disguise." You read that right, our shadows--darkness, weakness, sin--are not actually the insidious problems we perceive them to be, but more of a symptom of a deeper disconnect from reality. How do we let our shadows reconnect us with our humanity and our spirituality?

"Everything belongs. No one needs to be punished, scapegoated, or excluded." Yeah, right. That just doesn't seem possible. There's just too much guilt and blame to go around; surely someone needs to be held accountable for this mess! And yet, there's a difference between accountability and punishment, between making things better and making someone pay. How do we walk those lines and move together towards healing and hope?

Our Thanksgiving service this year featured multiple elements of poetry, personal stories, prayers, and more--one of those "you had to be there" kind of things. We curated a few of the highlights for this post, though, so click on to enjoy!

Because people and their suffering are near to the heart of God, the church needs to be on the leading edge of showing care and compassion for those struggling with their own mental health, or that of family members or friends - and that might include all of us at one time or another. So that the burden of poor mental health is not carried alone, how do we, individually and as a church, support and care for one another?

"For those who see deeply there is only one reality. By reason of the Incarnation, there is no truthful distinction between sacred and profane." ~ Richard Rohr, Another Name for Everything Podcast, "Frame". In this post(?)pandemic reality, many churches are joining the long history of religious institutions with beautiful, mostly empty buildings. The good news is that God doesn't (only) live in the sacred spaces we build for ourselves--all space is sacred space! But what does that mean for the altars we have found and continue to appreciate?

"Foundation // If God is Trinity and Jesus is the face of God, then it is a benevolent universe. God is not someone to be afraid of, but is the Ground of Being and on our side."  Some big ideas on the table this week--prepare to have your mind blown, like a balloon metaphor for the expanding universe!

In a world filled with conflicting opinions and confident incorrectness, how do we know what is right and true? What do we do when other Christians embrace and promote a form of religion that seems alien or even dangerous to us? What's the basis for knowing what we think we know and making the necessary decisions of life when our understanding is inherently limited? This fall at Wildwood, we're exploring the idea of "orthodoxy" - right belief - through the "Alternative Orthodoxy" offered by Richard Rohr and the Center for Action and Contemplation. "Scripture as validated by Experience and Experience as validated by Tradition are good scales for one's spiritual worldview." Let's try it out!

We were pleased to have Claire Ewert Fisher from Mount Royall Mennonite Church join us this Sunday. Claire shared with us on the theme of “At Home...farmers, vine, and fruit-bearing branches.”

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.

“Pooh”, Piglet whispered.

“Yes, Piglet?”

“Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you.”

“I just wanted to be sure of you.”

Ken Bechtel shared with us on the topic of “Bent But Then Set Free” this Sunday. Ken was unfortunately unable to be with us in person so Audrey Mierau Bechtel shared Ken’s words with us.

"However "bent" we may be, God views us as sons, daughters and children, worthy to be set free."

Charmaine is a single mom of 3 wonderful children, is a new member of WMC, a Nurse Manager in the SHA, and a Saskatoon Public School Board Trustee.  In this message, Charmaine takes us through her personal journey, questions and perspectives on disability, prayer, and healing.  Having had a brother who was paraplegic and a child with non-verbal autism has challenged her previously held beliefs about healing.  This message challenges the assumption that being disabled is somehow "less than" and the disabled individual would ideally be healed.