I like the connection Karen made today between the scripture readings and our everyday lives. What does "Can these bones live?" mean for us today? Karen spoke of some of the darkness in our world today - shootings in schools, wars between peoples, dehumanizing God's children by thinking of them as labels instead of as people like us - and suggested that maybe we should think of God's spirit pouring out over all of God's children, putting flesh and blood back on generalizations that are hurtful and harmful.
I immediately thought of something I read recently on Facebook as our teaching and ruling elders prepare to gather in Waterloo for General Assembly in June. Whether or not the Presbyterian Church in Canada decides to include fully people who are homosexual will be discussed when the assembly gathers. Rev. Mark Chiang, who serves on the church's doctrine committee, asks us not to think of this as "the issue" but to remember that there are people - children of God - at the centre of this conversation. (You can read the whole post here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2346973826/permalink/10156360176683827/. This 'Presbyterian Church in Canada' group is 'closed', but I would encourage you to join to be part of this gathering place for Presbyterians from across the country.)
Laura S.