In the estimation of God, I suppose robins are of as much account as sparrows. Late in April I killed two of them with one blow. The robins were fighting with each other at the edge of a busy road and made the fatal mistake of taking their quarrel airborne and into my lane just as I was driving by. There was a sickening thump, followed immediately by a slight bump as I first struck and then ran over both of them. "That didn't sound good," said Anna from the backseat. No it did not. It didn't feel good either, even though I had intended no harm. It did get me thinking.

Those two had been so preoccupied in their argument with each other that they had been blind to the true - and much greater -danger that was bearing down on them. Had they but unlocked their talons in the air they might have had the mobility needed to avoid flying into my car. As it was, neither came out the winner.

In June our Synod will gather to discuss issues confronting the congregations of the Moravian Church, Northern Province. Some of the debate may be contentious. Persons tend to have strongly held positions on certain financial issues, such as how congregations are assessed to support the broader Church, and certain moral/social issues, such as the ordination of homosexuals. If the past is any indication of the future, there may be persons on either side of any heated debate who "for reasons of principle" will refuse to compromise with those on the opposing side. Like the two unfortunate robins, whose feathers briefly graced the grill of my car, they may carry out their argument blind to greater dangers bearing down on them both. And there are greater dangers confronting the church. We live in a world of ever increasing secularism and atheism. Church attendance in all established denominations is in decline - especially when it comes to those under the age of twenty-five. What the world needs to see from the church is compassionate moral leadership and unity of purpose. What it sees too often instead is bitter division and rancor. What good is triumph, if victory is bought at the price of denominational fracture followed by extinction?

Let us not be bird-brained in debating Church and national policy. Even as we adhere to our principles and integrity, we need to learn that sometimes we must step into the future either with each other - or not at all. If history teaches us anything, it is that no institution - whether it be a denomination, nation, or religion - is ever "too big to fail."

"With all humility and gentleness, with patience, (bear) with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4: 1-3)

Pastor Derek