I don't know what your practise is when you arrive for worship, but I know that one of the things I do when I attend worship services in other places is to take the printed bulletin (if there is one – and certainly that is not a given in this day of screens, monitors and projected words and images) and give it a quick scan. I haven't really analyzed my practise too thoroughly, but I expect there are elements of familiarization, as well as a search for what might be different or unique about the worship service. I suppose also that I am looking for clues about the theological position that is evident in the words of worship and music choices. Perhaps as a regular worship planner and leader, I am also looking for new ideas and implementing my well nurtured critical thinking. I might look for themes and insights and make a sub-conscious mental note to see how they connect as the worship service progresses.

If I were doing that with today's worship service I might note that communion will be a part of worship, and then looking at the title for this reflection assume that the reflection will be a expansion or explanation of the meaning of communion in the context of our faithful living. “Everything is on the table” sounds like an exploration of the deep meaning of communion, especially in this season of Easter – as we explore the re-embodiment of Jesus within the community of followers, listening to stories of the different ways that Jesus appeared to the followers in the aftermath of his death by crucifixion. Perhaps you will be drawn to think about some of that connection as this reflection continues, but I chose the title not primarily for that reason, but because it is the phrase that has been used to describe the Comprehensive Review that is briefly referred to in today's announcements.

Let me set some context for the review and that title phrase.

Some would say that as a church we have continually been under review. I think every time the General Council of The United Church of Canada has met, there has been an element of review in the resolutions considered, and decisions made by commissioners. However, looking back on these decisions, it would be fair to say that they have usually been limited by some assumptions about what could or could not be considered.

If we fast forward through the close to eighty-eight years of our existence as a denomination as a united and uniting church we could see the development of a particular ethos and perspective unique to us, shaped and molded by our beginnings as a creative tension among three major founding denominations and other faith communities along the way.

So, we are who we are in part by our history – our history shaped by the founding vision of united and uniting – but also by the history of the church writ large – the Christian church. we are faced by the same issues and concerns that the whole of the Church is facing in Western Culture – by this I mean North American and European mainline church community. The church is growing in huge numbers across Africa and is strong in other non-Western contexts – as emphasized by the recent election of a Pope from South America, as a spiritual leader for the Roman Catholic church.

It seems that every church circle conversation I've been involved in over the past three or so years has been surrounded by the aura of “change or die”. Everyone acknowledges the dwindling numbers at worship – with exceptions to be sure, but overall we are significantly smaller than we were even a few years ago – and even then we were worried about fewer members. The dwindling numbers are reflected in church finances and church school attendance, the harder and harder time that is being had by nominating committees at the local, presbytery and conference levels of the church. More and more amalgamations, closing of church buildings, moving to part time ministry is happening across our denomination. We are not alone in this. Other mainline and evangelical church communities alike are experiencing this reduction in size and influence in people's lives.

There is a sense that something has passed us by – that we are no longer relevant, that the culture has become too secular, that either the church has missed the boat or people have missed the boat. Either way the divide between church and culture, between people and the practise of spirituality and faith in religious community is great and for many unnavigable.

So, at the General Council last summer in Ottawa, amid all the other decisions that were made – decisions that may have assumed things were something like they used to be – was a decision to engage in a Comprehensive Review – and that this review would be done without any assumptions. In other words, no stone would be unturned, no assumptions would be made about what could not be discussed or considered, everything is on the table.

No review of The United Church of Canada could take place without consulting the lifeblood of the denomination – congregations – and that opportunity was announced last month. It is rolling out across the country even as we speak – with the hope that over two thousand congregations – and every one is invited to participate – not one is being left out on purpose – will take part in this consultation. Ninety minute conversations between trained facilitators (I took my training this week) and groups of six to eight people from a congregation will take place between now and the end of June (although I heard during my training on Thursday that this is an impossible schedule and the new deadline is the end of October).

Have you ever noticed how often the most important conversations in our lives take place during a meal? Have you ever noticed the trend in our fast-paced, fast-food, fast communication society that sit down meals are becoming less frequent. Does this mean that the time for important conversations is decreasing?

I began by explaining that “Everything is on the table” was not an exploration of the meaning of communion, but a description of the review I have just told you about.

But communion is our “family” meal, and perhaps it is as good a time as any to think about the important conversation to which we are being called. Perhaps who and what we are can best be described by that phrase “everything is on the table” as it relates to both communion and the review in which we are being invited to participate.

I am excited by this. I applied to be on the Comprehensive Review Task Group – only to discover that it was the most highly sought appointment in the history of our denomination. An interesting situation in a time when it seems ever more difficult to find people to serve in other courts and committees of the church from local to presbytery, conference and General Council level. So that's an introduction – I want to leave you with the invitation being extended by our moderator -