Sun. Sep. 16, 2012 (Mike Yankoski)

Inspirational speaker Mike Yankoski, celebrating the end of his sabbatical at PGIMF with his first talk in some months, launched from Matthew 25:31-46 and other passages to encourage everyone to respond to those who are in need in our midst. Re-translating the Hebrew word “shalom” (often translated as peace) as “flourishing” or “fulfillment” better suits a calling to be actively fulfilling God’s cause, not passively awaiting it. Awakened by a message on the Good Samaritan and by his own actions, Mike and a friend sought to live as a homeless people for some months and found himself confronted with the question “Who is my neighbour?” From church campuses to Union Station, Mike found that few other people were engaged in the question either, not when Mike was dishevelled, dirty, smelly and hungry. Where does one go to the bathroom when awoken at 3:00 am from food-borne illness and all public buildings are closed? Mike found some churches responded with enormous compassion and kindness, but others didn’t. Recognizing that we “compartmentalize” the situations we find ourselves in simply to survive emotionally, Mike nevertheless called us to be shalom-makers, being willing to be more uncomfortable in our lives. Noting Jesus too led a ministry of interruptions, Mike found that children often responded most appropriately, stopping to engage, and recognizing need in their simply ways. Mike told stories of people who cared more about others, and found their own lives becoming full, in the tradition of Mark 8:35-36 “...whoever seeks to lose his life will save it” and invited everyone to allow the gospel to turn their lives upside down. Be willing to be interrupted, to engage, to be a “shalom-maker” and to have an impact. [AP]

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