Anthony Gifford

I'm almost eighty - am a 'bad-boy' clergy, and so am not laity. There's no use for me in churches, I've found, yet need to share and grow with others. What has worked for others in my case? I'm in Kingston, Ontario. Churches here are either fundamentalist and spontaneous, or the more open-minded, but more limited by their structure. Any suggestions or support?

Hello, others on a journey. I'm an older, ex-clergy, in need of others with which to share and walk. For many years I tried, mainly without success, of changing churches from within and am now only on the 'edges' of local churches. I've written a bit (CHURCHES: A Time To Die - Hope For New Life) and do speaking where I'm invited. But with my book out, I rarely get the chance to speak at churches. I take 'The Kingdom of God' very seriously, knowing that what Jesus said and did CAN happen. Nothing else for me really matters. The world now needs real SHARING that only love brings, no matter how God is understood. If this isn't the basis for understandings, they need be discarded, NOW. I live near Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Are there any nearby who'd like to meet? Of course, any, anywhere are welcome to meet me here. Thanks for your time. Live well and love more by sharing.

There's so much talk about what we believe. Who cares? I'm not a Christian and couldn't care less if any others are or aren't. What does matter is life and love. The best teacher of that in my life has been Jesus of Nazareth. He talked and walked in love. He formed real communities of real people, really living lives based on love. For him, this was the presence of God, God's Kingdom. What these groups all shared, more than religion and culture, was love. They really did share. Everything. That was what was got them attention, good and bad. If we are not really sharing, building up communities of faith that really share (homes, lives, cars, etc.) we have nothing worth talking about. If you think that 'believing' anything gets you into any heaven or sets you apart in any way that is positive, don't take the time to reply. If you'd like to share and search for ways to share and to find others with which to share, I'd be honoured to spend time and energy with you. Thanks. anthonygifford42@gmail.com