the CV News

Remember Kim and Mike Petersen?

2010-08-14T13:27:00.000-04:00

Hi All
If you remember Kim and Mike, Stefan and Lauren, you might also remember that they sold their house and all its contents in order to buy a boat and sail the ocean blue. Well, not only did they do that, but Kim has written a book about their adventure, and is currently writing part two. It is a fabulous book about her inner journey - all that was really going on in her life as outwardly she and her family were embarking on a big adventure.

I loved it - I laughed, I cried (truly) and I learned a lot. You should read it!

Disillusioned, Part E

2010-04-13T17:34:00.005-04:00

If you missed parts A-D, see the post below this one - Disillusioned?

I'm thinking a lot about church and realistic expectations of the community we are. So after a couple of great comments and more thinking since my last post on this, here's some more.

I have been thinking about what we said last time, and wondering how that differs from my workplace, or any other organization that is together for a common interest or goal? Of course there are horrible workplaces and org.'s and for those it would be easy to say of course we are different. But if you work in a place where people are respected and everyone is professional about things...where is the difference? This is what bothers me the most about the phrase "They'll know we are christians by our love". (Sorry for putting that tune in your head!!)

That phrase makes me think there must be a noticable difference, or where is our witness? Usually I respond to this concern in me with resolve to do more loving things for others. Or to find a program that might facilitate that better among us. I don't know if others think this way, or if it's just me...

But what on earth does that phrase mean? Or what should it mean? Does it mean that we are amazingly good at meeting each other's needs? I think that I kind of think it does, but I also know that we are not. So that bothers me. But when I try to think this whole thing through, I start to question that meaning.

In my experience church can be a very difficult place to be, because it can seem like the expectations are very high. Admittedly, that is partly because my expectations of myself are high, and so when I add anything to that, they become very high. I also know that there are many of you who expect alot of yourselves also, so I am not the only one.

In some ways my workplace is simpler. Not because anyone is perfect, but because when you are not, people just look at you like "what is your problem" and then they decide whether or not they like you, and that is that. They do or they don't. At church, it feels far more complicated. People don't just decide whether or not they like you, they decide how 'mature in your faith' you are, or whether or not you are a good christian. sigh. I'm talking about the whole church here, not just ours.

Anyway, all that to say this: If we are supposed to be known by our love, which is the love of Jesus, shouldn't we be the easiest, safest, most accepting place to be? (Don't get me wrong, I have also experienced that in church at times too, truly.)

I want to try something here, so back to biblegateway...I'll be right back...and now for a little editing:

Church is patient, church is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Church is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Church does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

How's that work for you? Hmmmm....

Remember the already and the not yet of the Kingdom of God...thanks Tina...

This makes more sense to me than trying to DO things in order to be a witness by loving. (The doing should be a natural out-growth of the being.)

GTG, supper is on the table! thanks for reading...please join in if you like! What think ye?

Shelley

Disillusioned?

2010-04-11T18:00:00.004-04:00

What a gorgeous day it is out (Sunday)...I have been hoeing away for quite awhile, hoping to have an acceptable home for some veg. this summer. The great thing about doing work like that is the fresh warm air and sunshine, and the time to think. The blisters and sore back not so much...but it's a worthwhile trade, I think. :)

Part A
I have been thinking about disillusionment, since Scott spoke on it this morning. Being disillusioned really sucks. Because it's not just a matter of bursting your unrealistic bubble and carrying on. It'a a real drag because the reason we have illusions or idealistic visions of things in the first place is because we have needs and desires, and we were really hoping that they would be met in our illusion. So now that our bubble has been burst, there they are...out there...unmet...what to do...
And I wonder - were my needs/desires unrealistic too? And that line of thinking just hurts, because we need what we need, and we want what we want. Those are who we are, and to think that part of ourselves is illegit is tough cookies. And wrong thinking.
The problem with our illusions isn't the need or desire that pointed us there, it's that we had hoped that our needs/desires would be met and satisfied somewhere they could not be. So when the bubble bursts, it isn't the need that was the problem, it's that we now realize that it won't be met there. And that is disappointing and very concerning to us.
When we realize that we are disillusioned, we are often pretty hard on ourselves; that we believed in the illusion in the first place. And often we are pretty mad at whoever we thought should execute our illusion, because they failed to do so. But we shouldn't be upset with ourselves about our needs/desires. They are what they are, and they are a part of all of us. They are legit. And we shouldn't be mad at someone else, since probably we were asking too much of them - hence - it was an illusion. What we need to do is regroup and take another look at what we should do with those needs and desires that is healthy and true. And that part of this conversation is best taken up with Jesus.

Part B
(I told you I was out there for a long time...you can come back later, I won't be offended)
'Say there was an organization, full of wonderful people, fully committed to a common goal, multi-talented and gifted. After a number of years in existence, with the commitment and efforts from all remaining strong, and efforts to learn and grow sustained over the years, this organization still falls short of one of it's main goals and values. What would you say the problem might be?'
Maybe, you say, 'sour leadership'.
And I reply, 'nope, good guess, but they have had humble, serving, committed leaders who have been dedicated to do their best and see this organization be successful. They aren't perfect, but the effort and good attitude has been there. Try again'.
You say, 'they must be missing a skill set essential to the implementing their goal'.
'Okay', I say, 'maybe'. They have wondered that too, and have searched far and wide for what might be missing; in fact some of them have burnt-out looking for it.'
'Wait', you say, 'Then would wonder if their goal was realistic for their organization?'
'Hmmm'.
I say. 'Good point. Let me think about that.'

Part C (by now my back is hurting, and I have to stop hoeing and rake for awhile...it's looking good though!)
One of the big pains in our CV family is the issue of community. Pain for those who believe in it strongly and try their guts out to create it, and feel that they have fallen short, exhausted and, you guessed it, disillusioned. And pain for those who need it and look for it and hope for it here, and don't find it enough, or at all, or in a way that meets their need. Disillusioned. So I am thinking and wondering...and please join me if you have something to add, because this is in no way a finished thought process...is our goal and picture of community realistic?

Here are a few of my thoughts on that. (longest post ever, I know.)
I know that Christians can be very hard on themselves with what they think they should be and do. And I know that our desire to follow Jesus can be very strong, since we are responding to incredible love and forgiveness, and in that intensity we can end up trying very very hard to please God. And this can cause us to try and be all that Jesus models for us in our own strength and with our own effort and commitment. And I know that it can't be done, because Jesus says we need to die to ourselves, and let him do it in us. So that's one illusion.

I also know that this 'hard on ourselves' attitude leaks out to us being very hard on each other in a Christian community. I can't tell you how many times I have heard, and yes, thought myself, 'she should know better, because she's a Christian.' Which is translated as 'she should be perfect, dammit! How dare she hurt me like that!' Illusion also.

I also know that many people think that friendships just happen for wonderful people, kind of like good kids are given to most parents, but the kids I got are not good. Ever watch Supernanny? Parents of 'out-of-control' kids call up Supernanny and ask her to come and fix their kids, because they want a happy family, not this chaos they are living in. And in rides Supernanny, and surprise surprise, she tells the parents everything they are doing wrong, and loves up on the kids. Turns out (every time) that it wasn't the kids at all, it was the parents. 'Good' kids don't just happen, they are the product of effective, committed parents. The same goes for friends. Good friends don't just happen to good people. Good friends happen when people put in time and effort and commitment into building those friendships. Another illusion.

What does it mean to love each other? I think we most often think it means marriage, or parents and kids, or best friends. And it does. But is it realistic to think that everyone we are in church community with will be connected to us like that? Of course not. But I wonder if we really know that, when we are in crisis and people don't call us up and invite us out for coffee, like a good friend would. So no, you say, of course I don't expect that from the whole church, but I do expect it from a few. Okay, that's realistic, I say. If you have put in time and effort and commitment into those relationships, it is realistic that those friendships would continue when you are in crisis. I don't think that is an illusion, and it's also realistic that there are times when our friends can't do coffee, and we all know that and don't freak out about it, so that's still realistic.

But what about when you don't have those close friends built up to be there for you when you are in crisis, or just to walk with you, no matter how you are doing? What is the church community supposed to do for you then? And there's the rub. (Time for a sit down and a glass of water.)

We are supposed to love each other. 'They'll know we are Christians by our love.' So back to 'What does it mean to love each other?' I Cor. 13. Sure, let's look at that. Hold on while I Biblegateway it.

1 Corinthians 13
Love
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

So what think ye? First part - love is the most important thing. So good goal, realistic so far. Note: giving my body up even to death and giving everything I have to the poor is not love, neither is the awesome-est faith-filled prayer ever, or a very cool prophecy for you. interesting. illusion too, maybe.
Second part - everything to do with how we treat each other. No mention of time or coffee - it's not about what we do for each other, but about our attitude toward each other. (just thinking outloud here...)
Third part - hold up. Love never fails? I sure fail, all the #(*$&#^ time. Sorry. But so do you. So I, clearly, am not love, neither do I love all the time. that's an illusion for sure. back to biblegateway, hang on.

1 John 4:7-the end.
God's Love and Ours
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Wow. There is a lot there...I might have to go hoe some more.
Love comes from God, God is love. Love isn't how we treat each other, but how he treats us. What? say that again. Love isn't how we treat each other, but how he treats us. How does he treat us? Go back to 1 Cor. 13.

We can't love without him, or without knowing him. We can't know love without knowing him.

Part Thee
So...what does it mean to love each other in a church community? and what is a realistic goal for a community, and a realistic expectation from that community?

okay, so now my back hurts from sitting in front of the computer, so you are going to have to take it from here. if you have any flashes of brilliance, or another question maybe, or even just a small point to make...please do...

Shelley

It's Unsettling

2010-04-10T11:20:00.006-04:00

As leaders we know about an issue at CV that has been raised over and over again by many of you over the years, and we have filed it in the "We don't know what to do about this" pile, where a few other things are and will remain until clarity arrives. The reason we don't know what to do, is because we don't want to make our ushers into "shush" cops, and God forbid we shush someone who is not a 'church' person and inadvertantly communicate to them that they don't know the unwritten rules of this place, and so they don't/can't belong. We also know we want to welcome everyone, and so we don't want to be a place where propriety rules over welcome. I guess I am writing about this today because maybe just talking about it is a good thing. I have been thinking about silence, and sometimes silence about an issue is loud, you know? So here I go.

Lately I have been unsettled about a number of things in my own life, and as a result I have found Sunday morning service difficult for me - specifically the singing part. I know when I come - even more so because I am struggling - that I need to connect with Jesus, and find the perspective that worship brings: it puts Jesus back into the centre - but I am finding (like many many others have for many years) that the noise in the back half of our sanctuary, esp. at the 11:00 service, drives me to distraction. It's like that unsettledness; of voices and doors and feet, etc., gloms (is that even a word?) on to my own unsettledness, until it is a big glob of stuff inside me that blocks my own worship experience and turns it into frustation and effort and guilt and more frustration...until the singing ends and I feel worse off than I did before I came.

So as I stand and stew lately, I have been watching and thinking. I have noticed that a lot of the noise is from kids, and I want them to worship with us. Sometimes the voices that distract me are people praying for each other, and then I feel terrible that they have distracted and annoyed me. Sometimes is people who I think might not know better, and I want them to be a part of us too.

I have also noticed that much of the noise is any of us coming into the sanctuary after the music has begun, and because we are just arriving we meet and greet our friends before we find our seat and start singing. I noticed this because I have caught myself doing it.

I used to be in the children's centre most Sundays, and over there we teach the kids that we don't talk to each other during worship because that is a time when God might be talking to us on the inside, and so we don't want to either miss what he is saying to us, or to interrupt what he is saying to someone else. Since I have caught myself coming in late and chatting with whoever I pass as I make my way to my seat, I am trying to be more mindful of this.

I am trying to be mindful too that it is first of all my own unsettledness that is precipitating my struggle with this, and so I don't want my annoyance to distract me from facing my own stuff. And I don't want to take out my own stuff on other people.

I also know though, that as a person, regardless of how I am doing, I am easily distracted. And because I am predominantly left-brained, doing a right-brained thing like worship requires focus for me. So I am not saying that everyone who struggles with this is struggling themselves, not by a long-shot. Some of us just notice stuff like this more than others.

If half of us are left-brain dominant, then that means half of us might have trouble with distractions while worshipping...

Anyway, like I said at the beginning, this one is still in the "we don't know what to do about this' pile, where it has been for many years, and might stay forever. We are a church that wants to embrace others and we value encounter with Jesus and community over rules and regs. And so this might just be something we will have to juggle. And that's okay. But I also know that I have become more mindful of my own contribution to this lately, and so maybe bringing it up might twig some of you too. :)

Like in all families, I love who we are, and sometimes it drives me crazy.

Shelley

cv pictures

2010-02-24T11:27:00.001-05:00

The Test of Three

2010-02-17T16:01:00.003-05:00

A Parable

Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you hear, or are about to repeat a rumour.

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom. One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance, which ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students...?"

"Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell me, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Test of Three."

"Test of Three!?!"

"That's correct," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my student let's take a moment to test what you're going to say. The first test is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man replied, "actually I just heard about it."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second test - the test of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him even though you're not certain it's true?" The man shrugged, a little embarrassed. Socrates continued, "You may still pass though because there is a third test - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really..."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither True, nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all?"

The man was defeated and ashamed and said no more. This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.

Reflection Questions

1. Do I ever find myself slipping into gossip and incivility?

2. How do I feel if and when people speak about me in this way?

3. In what ways do gossip and incivility become obstacles to God's vision of loving community?

This is from a workplace doc. I received recently. I thought it was pretty good! Shelley

Vineyard Churches: 4 factors that we need to face?

2010-02-09T09:14:00.002-05:00

I have republished here a blog by Jason Clark. Jason is a Vineyard pastor in the UK and a theologian. He often makes very interesting assessments on the Emerging Church from a Vineyard perspective. I think it is interesting to see here his analysis of the British Vineyard Movement as we are in Canada making some interesting transitions as well. Take a look. You can find Jason at deep church.

rob

By Jason Clark
7 Feb 2010

Over the last week, we have had a lively discussion here with the post ‘is there any move left in the movement’, prompted by my reflections on a talk by Caleb Maskell.
In that post I promised some follow up, one of which was to review Caleb’s analysis of the vineyard movement , and future possibilities in more detail.
So starting here, I offer an outline of what I heard Caleb say, and then I’ll post some of my questions and reflections in a follow up post.

1. Transition: The vineyard is in transition, moving from a ‘renewal movement’ to a ‘church movement. A movement that renewed the church at large, but that now needs to become a movement of disciple making, and this transition has been and is still, a painful one.

2. Pruning: Caleb drew on some bible passages much used by the Vineyard itself (e.g Isaiah 61), to frame this process as part of season, and the wintering of the Vineyard and a time of pruning that has been taking place, for the necessity and before the possibility of new growth. Things that used to work don’t any more, and many of us in vineyard might be asking if we are a branch that has been cut off.

3. Choice: As a movement we can pursue more extreme forms of renewal and revival, for our orientation, but need to bear in mind the revivals our movement prophesied that didn’t happen, and perhaps instead explore the move to be a ‘church movement’

4. Causes of the Vineyard Wintering:

a. Toronto: The realisation that renewal is not an end in itself no matter how much some of us enjoyed it. The Toronto blessing and the Toronto Vineyard Church, was the moment the Vineyard really went global as a renewal movement amongst a renewal movement. Yet this most famous of vineyard churches stopped being a vineyard church, and the promised revivals didn’t come to pass.

b. Evangelicalism under question: The Evangelicalism that Vineyard based itself on came under fire, with questions from the Emerging Church, about authority, bible, worship, evangelical culture, and rightly so. This rocked the boat of the church in the US and UK. The Vineyard movement didn’t have the institutional gears to respond to this, no matter how much it new the questions were important.

c. Moral Failure: The burn out and major moral failings of some of our most well known leaders, has been ongoing, and a large cause of the pruning and pain.

d. Next generation: The first generation of kids have grown up in the vineyard, and made us consider more directly the questions they are asking about church and faith. This raises the needs for a sense of formation over time and not just in the moment. A church ‘renewal’ is in the moment, whereas a ‘church movement’ looks for things over time, and formation, for practical wisdom alongside the immediacy of the prophetic.

5. Silence not judgment: Seasons of pruning are best met, at least initially, with silence not judgment. Like the feeling of visiting a graveside or ending a marathon, wintering seasons bring a combination of joy and pain, victory and defeat is not easily distilled. But we must bear its weight and we must learn from it. We ignore its lessons at our peril. We are coming into a new season of spring, but we must come with more maturity, with the wisdom born of our suffering.

6. Hope: That hope is that we have the tools, but we must begin to ask the hard questions that arise, for building a movement that makes disciples. There are things to think about theologically and practically, to think these through, and of how we are forming our theological imaginations.

Hope for Haiti

2010-02-07T18:04:00.007-05:00

This morning we heard stories from several people who have been to Haiti on missions trips before the quake. Thank you for sharing your hearts with us. An offering was taken for different missions organizations that we know about there. Joyce Crone brought a bunch of Hope for Haiti T-shirts she is selling as a fund-raiser for TLC - Teaching, Learning and Compassion - a group of teachers that go to Haiti to teach and support teachers there.

The shirts will be on sale next Sunday in the lobby, for $10, $15 or $20. Lespwa means hope in creole.

You can find out more on Joyce's page - lespwameanshope.blogspot.com

Shelley

Some Sad News

2010-02-07T17:03:00.002-05:00

Donald Dickson DUNN | DUNN, Donald Dickson | LifeNews.ca

Hi All
We missed announcing this morning that Dave Dunn's father passed away this past Wednesday. The memorial service is on Sat. Feb. 13th. Dave and his Dad have raised beef cattle together for many years on their farm, Dunnlea Farms, on Hwy 97. Many of us at CV have their beef in our freezers. We are thankful that Don is with Jesus, but our thoughts and prayers are with Dave, his mother and his whole family as they grieve this huge loss.

Click on the link for the obituary and details of the Memorial Service.

Shelley

Virus Alert

2010-01-24T18:26:00.002-05:00

Hi All

This is a post in a bit of a different vein - I want to expose a lie that is going around in our midst, not for the first time, I am sure. I wanted to write about it because it seems to make sense to many of us, and so this lie can spread through the body like a virus. And like a virus, it can take many of us out, sometimes for a long time.

I know this because I have believed this one before - it sounds logical, it makes sense, and it connects with my own insecurities about being in a community.

The lie is something like this: "If I stop calling people (to talk, get together and initiate friendship) then no one will call me. People only connect with and care about me because I call them, and they are nice. No one really cares about me, and I know this because if I never called them they wouldn't call me, and that will prove that it is true, no one really cares about me."
Ever had that thought? Maybe you have heard someone express this thought to you, and it stuck with you. Maybe even reading this you feel a knot inside, because when you read it it rings true. But I want to think about this for a minute.

If this is true - then the following must also be true
1. My needs are their responsibility. Others should just know when I need to talk to someone. They should know by looking at me if I am down or not.
2. People who are currently responding to my invitations are doing it out of obligation, they don't really like me - therefore they are living a lie.
3.I am alone in the world.

Are those things true though?
1.Whose responsibility are my needs, truly? Mine, and mine to surrender to Jesus. When another calls me and it is perfect timing and I think they must have known, how do I think that happened? Are they a mind-reader? Or did the Holy Spirit just take care of me? If I pick up the phone and talk to someone and they encourage me, isn't that also the Holy Spirit? So who takes care of my needs? The Holy Spirit, when I ask him for what I need. Do I need to tell the Holy Spirit how and through who, to take care of me? No, I can trust him. I need to ask, and I need to ask the right person - the one who can help - the Holy Spirit. And if he helps me through someone, then I mustn't forget that it came from him, through them, and not from them. And if he supports me through a bunch of different people and in unpredictable ways so that I can never nail it down, is that okay?

2.Is it true that the people currently responding to my initiatives for friendship or support don't really like me, and are only doing it out of obligation? That is something that only God can know, since He is the only one who sees into someone's heart. But what I can know is that God is true, God loves me, God cares so much about me that I cannot begin to understand how much. So if he chooses to support me through messed up christians who sometimes try too hard - does that matter? Isn't that a miracle and grace? Throughout history God always uses messed up people to accomplish his purposes. He seems okay with that, and he even loves us and transforms us from people who are trying too hard, into people who love genuinely.

3.Am I alone in the world? The obvious answer is no, because God is always with me. But I challenge you too, to ask God this question, and wait and watch for his answer. That's what I did, I thought it was only fair that I give him the chance to prove me wrong, or to prove himself right.

The other way to test something for truth is to walk it out and see where you end up; in truth,life and love, or separated from God. I have done that.
I have tried this strategy - I stopped calling anyone, and waited to see if anyone called me. And of course they didn't, and this lie was then proven true for me. I had just proved that no one cared about me. Why? Because no one really cares about me? or because I had just been set up by the enemy to believe that about myself? When I did this I walked right into that lie; I believed it to be true that no one cares about me, so I became angry and depressed, and in my depression I also stopped calling anyone else who might need my friendship. What I did as an experiment became my life. The enemy very effectively cut me off from support and community because I listened to this lie.

Eventually I became so down I started to question God's love for me too, and fortunately for me that woke me up. How could I question that? What was I doing? I couldn't read the bible without coming across it. His word tells me unmistakably that not only does he love me, but that he takes care of me, and that he knows what I need. I had to decide - do I really believe the bible or not? So I re-focused on that, and began to replace lies with truth. I didn't start calling people again right away though. I started calling Jesus when I was down and needed support. I literally would walk home from work every night and talk to Jesus
"Jesus, I am down today, I am REALLY not looking forward to being alone tonight with nothing to do. etc. So that's how I am right now, but Jesus I know you know what I need, you promise to take care of me, and so I am leaving how I feel with you, and I choose to trust you."

I can tell you that Jesus took very good care of me, and he still does. I still had times alone, and had to re-affirm my choice to believe. And I walked home most times talking to him and asking and terrified that he would not take care of me. And many many times I was totally caught off guard by Jesus telling me he loved me, through a song, a line on a check-out line magazine display, a billboard, a random stranger, anything.

And yes I call people now, when I can, because I love my friends - I want to be with them, and so I call and make plans. And I love it when they call me because I want to be with them, I am touched when they think of me, and I give what I have, which is me. In fact I wish I had more time and could call more people.

One last thing - think of it - if we all stop calling each other because we are believing the lie above, then for sure no one is calling you or me because we are all sitting at home depressed because no one is calling us. And then the devil has acheived his goal: convinced us all that we are alone and unloved, stolen the heart of God from us, and destroyed the whole community.

Psalm 62:(New International Version)

11 One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,

12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.

Sincerely
Shelley Maw

Leadership Community Christmas Breakfast 2009

2009-12-27T10:29:00.034-05:00

"2nds, 3rds, 4ths...anyone??"
"At least Mary Lou is listening intently... just kidding Scott..."

Just a few pics from our breakfast get together on December 12. The Fireside Room was the place to be to chow down on the amazing breakfast was cooked up by Connie and George!! Food and fellowship was shared by all. What a great way to close off 2009 and begin to anticipate and get excited about 2010 at Cambridge Vineyard!!

A missional Christian is....

2009-11-30T10:15:00.001-05:00

Here is a funny video in light of our discussion at vineyard days about missional churches being the new buzz word...

A great Outcome

2009-11-23T20:57:00.003-05:00

So one of the great outcomes of Vineyard days was gathering Sheri and Trevor as reps for the newly forming National Youth Development group for the Canadian Vineyard. These are great, great youth leaders and visionaries with a passion for youth in Canada. Here is what they came up with..... enjoy.

Hi Friends-I wanted to give a quick update on what came out of my time in Ontario for youth ministry development group meetings:3 of the 4 Development Group reps were present- Sherri McConnell from B.C. , Rob Hall from Ontario and myself representing the Atlantic. (Katie Schenk from Edmonton is the Prairie rep, but she couldn’t make it). Sherri is going to connect with her over the Christmas break, and gather some of her input. Monique also joined our talks from a National office perspective. This was the first face to face meeting for us all and it went well. We shared our personal visions for the next generations of the Vineyard in Canada, got to know each other, and then began talking about some plans moving forward.

Key points:

1) For the National Celebration in Penticton, we discussed running a concurrent equipping conference for students/young adults. Being in Kelowna, Sherri is developing a lot of this, so more details will unfold in the next couple of months.

2) We agreed to connect with Vineyard student ministry leaders within our regions, developing relationships and encouraging, resourcing them in any way we can. There are possibilities of equipping weekends for leaders within the regions.

3) The idea of short-term missions opportunities for Canadian Vineyard youth has a lot of energy on it. Beginning in the summer of 2011 we want students to be able to choose one of several missions outreaches lead by Vineyard leaders and joined by people from around the country. We plan to have the locations set by the National Celebration in 2010 so we can promote them and students can decide where they want to go and begin saving for the next year. Our first immediate action is for each team member to put together a photo/bio/personal elements of vision and send it to the whole team and to Jon for the website. I feel it was a valuable time- thanks for making the resources available.

Temptation

2009-11-21T22:11:00.003-05:00

Here are some of the resources that I used for todays sermon in case you wanted more info.

1.The prayer at the end was adapted from a brilliant sermon by Charles Spurgeon.

“Lead us not into Temptation”

LORD, Lead us not into temptation
I don’t want to dishonour your name again
Lord, don’t lead me back there again.
I am not arrogant enough to think that I have the resolve to face my greatest fears about myself.
Lord, I have seen those who have lost life because of temptation….God I pity them, for it could be me…..help me Lord, and give those in temptation strength
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols22-24/chs1402.pdf

2. wanna hear a great sermon....jim cantelon preaching on 'sex is the easy part'
www.wellchurch.ca

3. everyman's talmud-a great book explaning the sayings of rabbinic jews....

4. 2 other great classics worth reading
thomas a kempis the imitation of christ
jonathan edwards religious affections

Hell?

2009-11-12T20:21:00.000-05:00

here is a nice little video from NT wright about hell.

Walking the Talk

2009-11-09T15:51:00.004-05:00

Our first Vineyard Days has come and gone. I thought it was great that the Region pulled this off. It was easy for me because my only role was to run a workshop for 1 hour on Saturday.
It was to be on the whole thing of spiritual formation and leadership. I created this teaching around the idea that if you want to maintain your spiritual integrity in ministry, then you need to view ministry leadership through the lens of orienteering. Orienteering is a cross country sport where one navigates their way through unknown territory using only a map and a compass. I spoke about 4 different areas that one comes upon during the trek - the open field, the trail, lost in the bush, and the lookout. The open field represented Sabbath rest. As I was preparing this I kept feeling this prodding about practicing what I teach.

I try to do Sabbath rest, but I may as well be honest...'try' is not really accurate. I 'think about it' - that's as far as I usually get. Why? Lots to do!

Sabbath means quitting or stopping - on purpose! I know that the benefits are huge. But there is something inside me that sees all the work that has to be done...and it's a killer to NOT do it. So I'm feeling...really feeling that the Lord is putting a challenge in front of me: Take 24 hours straight, once per week and quit from doing things. I want to argue that this is not the season for this. We have begun to restructure, how can I possibly afford to take a full 24 hours off? But then I hear this other whispery voice saying - "you can't afford not to!"

My desire has always been to live like Jesus lived. You would think that by quitting [Oh yeh...quitting doesn't mean get busy around the house and do those chores - but to take time to do those things that bring me life - to rest - to read - to STOP.] Taking 24 hours totally off is radical for our culture - our culture measures our value by what we accomplish. And I've bought into that. So am I up to the challenge? I think so - I hope so, anyway.

So now the tough part - examining my schedule and life and fitting in this time...first. I invite you to follow me on my journey...
s

V Course Challenge

2009-11-05T10:14:00.005-05:00

We just completed the V course with a group of 9 energetic people. We had 3 Sundays of exploring who Cambridge Vineyard is - everything from our history and values, to our core teaching of Jesus - the kingdom of God, and ending off with the challenge to engaging with other followers of Jesus - in other words, being part of community.
The last class was more experiential, so we had them participate in 2 team building activities. The object in the picture was the result of their second challenge...and this is what they came up with. I'm not going to tell you what it is because then we'd have to come up with a new activity! Can you guess what this is and why they needed to construct it? And you're not allowed to ask anyone from the group, either!

If you want to find out more, make sure you join us for the next session in the winter. Remember, it's not just for the newbies...but also for the oldies who may need a refresher!
s

Shauna's last supper

2009-11-04T11:07:00.003-05:00

take a look at the photos of our last lunch with Shauna. we will miss her.

Vineyard Days Nov.6,7- Seminars

2009-10-22T01:04:00.004-04:00

Remember their is child care at the conference.

Seminars available.
Theology
Missional Churches- are they a myth, or just trendy? Missional is the new in word in Christian circles, what does it mean, is what churches talk about today new, or is a reinvention of something old. Join Daniel Schuster, Brad Culver and Bob Buckley in a panel discussion about this.

Grace and Invitation: Participating in God's Work.
Join Frank Emanuel as he shares his passion for Theology. Christians believe that the expression of grace is God’s powerful answer to the problem of sin.... that whenever we observe, give or receive acts of grace we are seeing God actively confront and undo sins effects. What does this mean for us personally? What does this mean for society?

This workshop will explore how our eyes may be opened to see God’s work of grace in our jobs, our homes, our schools, and in our marketplaces; and how we, taking our lead from Jesus who always did what He saw His Father doing, might participate in this great labour of redemption.

Spiritual Health and Leadership
Orienteering Through Ministry. Engaging in ministry leadership is much like the sport of orienteering, navigating from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain. Scott Roe (pastor at Cambridge Vineyard) will discuss the essentials of maintaining spiritual integrity in ministry.

FAMILY AND CHILDREN
Family Devotions @ Work- passing on faith to our kids is a big deal. Come to a practical seminar with resources, and ideas to help you as parents pass on faith at home. leader:Jacqui Pylypiw

Children's Ministry Gathering- are you involved in a children's program at your church? Want to share the griefs and glories of it. Join Jacqui Pylypiw and the other leaders of the children's ministry from across Ont.

WORSHIP
A time of encouragement for worship artists (whether as worship leader or worship band member). Each of the folks from the worship development group will take a few minutes to speak value, purpose and direction to us world-weary worship leaders. These will be pointed, life-lived messages that will seek to build us up, point us forward and encourage us to dig deep as worship influencers.

Reclaiming imagination in our worship. This interactive workshop will focus on encouraging creative thinking/active listening during our times of worship. We want to learn together how to move past simply following along with our corporate liturgies into very personal meaning and intent. How can offering our imaginations to God create a far richer corporate gift for Him than simply gathering together and singing songs? This is ultimately about demonstrating how creative liturgies are best thought of as launching pads, not destinations. Look to move past theory into some experimental practice during this session.

Practical Ministry Leadership
Leaders who Launch Leaders- Every wondered how you multiply a ministry, or have you needed to find a leader to take over something? John Wright will be following up on his morning session with a discussion about the practical skills that help every leader move to being leaders who launch others into leadership. This will have practical outcomes for every leader in the church.

Ministry to New Immigrants- Ed and Marnie Kolar will tell of their experiences in helping care for new immigrants and Muslims. The Kolars have had opportunities to befriend and support refugees, as well as build friendships with Muslims and share Jesus with them. Learn some practical lessons for overcoming barriers of interacting and caring for people of other cultures. Get a taste of the ministries that are taking shape across the province in our various Vineyard Churches.

Great News

2009-10-22T00:51:00.002-04:00

last week i had an unusual dilemna. I had a group of grade 8 boys disappointed that there was no youth program until they were in grade 9. This is unusual because boys in grade 8 aren't really thinking much about bible study.

This unnerved me a bit because I love jr high programs. They help build relationships and the spiritual foundation that kids need before they get in the competitive world of high school. In highschool kids compete for attention from friends, teachers, for marks, for spots on sports teams. Without a firm grip on their faith most kids fit in faith where ever there is room left over.

So when you have group of boys sad.....God's gotta do something. To answer my prayer i was approached sunday by someone who wants to help lead it. All we need is an occasional volunteer, the kids to buy in and we are off!!!!!

We hope in Nov. we will run Jr. High for grade 8's the same time as Ngage. (wed 7-9). We will run it 2x a month.

cool eh!

What a Great Neighbourhood!

2009-09-30T10:46:00.000-04:00

I find it interesting how 1 person talks to 1 person, and then that can start a whole chain of events. A couple of months back, Kylie Portaccio was at a board meeting to discuss our preschool starting up, and she happened to mention to me about the Alison Neighbourhood Community Centre. She was talking to Courtney who runs the centre and relayed some info about the neighbourhood where CV is planted. I was intrigued. I contacted Courtney and set up a meeting. I met her and learned lots about the demographics of the area, what they are doing, and light bulbs began to come on as to how we could partner.
So I had Courtney come to our Leadership Team Gathering in mid-September to chat with us about our neighbours...more ideas began to flow from that.

Yesterday, the Community Centre was having a party to celebrate the clean up and restoration of the tunnel at the end of Elgin St. There were around 10 folks from CV there - really cool. And the networking that took place and connections with the neighbours was even better. Ideas were flowing and it's so great to be a part of this neighbourhood. Take a walk around and thank God for planting us here. What a huge blessing!

Check them out at www.alisonneighbourhood.org

God Wants to Meet with Us

2009-09-27T16:09:00.004-04:00

Hi CV. This morning I had the opportunity to emcee the services, since Scott and Rob were both away at the men's retreat.

I want to tell you an interesting thing that happens to me every time I have the mic and stand in front of all of you. Whether I am up there to speak or just to make one announcement, or whatever, I am overwhelmed with a feeling of intense longing and love - And I know it is the Lord's heart for you all. The feeling is something like how much he longs to meet with us, with each of us. It is intense - it's longing and love and compassion and both a bit excited and teeny bit sad at the same time, like when you want something and you love it but you can't quite get enough of it either. You may have noticed that often when I am up there I am trying not to cry as I share. And that is why. I am overwhelmed with this feeling of how much Jesus loves us, how much he longs to meet with us, and that he is waiting for each of us to invite him - to tell him that we want Him to be involved and to meet with us. It is beautiful and intense and it gets me every time!

So come to church next time with that in mind - that Jesus is waiting for you, wanting to meet you wherever you are at, intensely longing to connect with you and love you and give you some of himself.

Announcement for Sunday Sept 30 2009

2009-09-25T15:29:00.000-04:00

Prophetic Picture- Sept 20 2009

2009-09-23T14:48:00.002-04:00

Patrick shared this picture with the elders this summer. They discerned that it would be important to share with the church and have the church prayerfully consider it.

If people have words, pictures, prophesies for the church put it in writing and approach the elders who will consider it and get back to you as quickly as possible.

thanks.

Vineyard DAYS

2009-09-23T10:44:00.003-04:00

So I have finally got up the website for Vineyard Days. Nov. 6,7. I had a bit of trouble cause it actually meant making a webite for the ontario region. At some point I hope it will look cool, but at least it is functional.

http://www.ontariovineyards.org/

THE GREAT NEWS is we are hosting the other vineyards gathering here. I always feel like I have family coming when we get together like this.

Mark it on your Calendars
AND
if you have space to billet someone please let me, donna, or reception know. We want everyone to come who wants too.

Vineyard Days Nov 6,7

2009-09-22T12:50:00.000-04:00

Hey we are hosting a conference for Ontario Region here in Nov.

Nov 6,7 2009

It’s better Together
Ontario Vineyard Churches gather in Cambridge this November for a worship, teaching, and loads of practical seminars. This conference answers the question, ‘why do training alone when we can do it together?’ Partnering with Vineyard National Development groups we are offering seminars for every person in your church-from parents, to theology professors, from worshippers to board members.

Highlights- worship with leaders from across Canada (worship to be by leaders from the National Worship Development group and may include: Monique Tute, Kris MacQueen, Adrian Wilson and friends)
- Daniel Schuster- the Vineyard’s landlocked surfer who loves the poor will be sharing his journey at JLYS and Epic.
- Training for- children’s ministry, small groups, mercy ministry, worship leaders
- A special Children’s program- preschool to grade 4 (Saturday only)- Super Book Olympics

Cost for weekend $40 and evening sessions free
*register in advance for child care
**to make the conference feasible, we are offering billets (first come first serve)

Key note speakers

Daniel Schuster - SpeakerCalgary, AB. Canada
Daniel Schuster spends a large portion of his day along the dirty streets of the ‘Beltline’ in Calgary, AB. As the director of a family centre in the inner-city (JLYS), what you’d find him doing most days is hugging his friends on the street and speaking ‘life’ over them. What you’ll hear from him, are stories of what love does as it leaks out into the lives of broken people. Daniel belongs with his lovely wife Jennifer, and together they have three crazy boys who do the best job possible of creating all sorts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness…and bloodshed.

John Wright- will be sharing about creating leaders who develop leaders. Many of us have figured out how to lead something, but the next hurdle is passing leadership on to new people, even a new generation. Sharing from scripture and from his leadership experience, John will help identify the skills necessary for stewarding new leaders. Has a long list of credentials, head of the board for Vineyard Canada, Pastor of Guelph Vineyard, and Leadership coach for CEOs through his work with Eagle’s Flight.

Dunkin' - baptism video Sept 09

2009-09-15T11:40:00.000-04:00

Love Incarnate

2009-09-13T15:19:00.004-04:00

So I am reading Jean Vanier this aft...after a great morning of worship! And this part is so great I have to tell you, because it is about us at CV.

Jean writes "L'Arche (his organization of group homes for the mentally handicapped) is special, in the sense that we are trying to live in community with people who are mentally handicapped. Certainly we want to help them grow and reach the greatest independence possible. But before 'doing for them', we want to 'be with them'. The particular suffering of the person who is mentally handicapped, as of all marginalized people, is a feeling of being excluded, worthless and unloved. It is through everyday life in community and the love that must be incarnate in this, that handicapped people can begin to discover that they have a value, that they are loved and so are lovable." (bold and italics mine)

This is what we want to do at CV - to 'be with them' before 'doing for them'. And when we do that, they become a part of us, and we are all changed into the image of Jesus. And then together we 'be with' the next person, and the next...He is Emmanuel - God with us. May we reflect Him, every day.

Tour to Windsor

2009-09-09T22:53:00.004-04:00

Kate, Genevieve and I went to Windsor to preach and lead worship. We had a great time. Here are some photos:

Here is Ed, pastor of the Windsor vineyard. You might be interested in knowing the Windsor is the oldest vineyard in Ontario...

When we walked in the front door this is the scene. A pile of bottles ready for the next water giveaway. Now if you talk to people who have been through windsor, you know that giveaways play a huge part in the ministry of the Vineyard. Not only have they been faithful in practical demonstrations of God's grace for 20 years. Now that is faithful.. What was really cool is I meant 2 people who had been saved because of this simple ministry. Everything works.

God bless, Ed and Marnie and the rest of the Windsor Crowd.

Amen.

Labour Day Outdoors- Photos.

2009-09-09T22:13:00.004-04:00

Here are some photos from our outdoor service Sunday.

A gift of a bible- afterthought

2009-08-31T09:40:00.002-04:00

here is the illustration from scott's sermon sunday.

Learning To Receive

2009-08-24T14:08:00.012-04:00

Have you ever been given a gift, a reward or an encouraging word that you just couldn't understand why or where or even how it came to be for you?

Were you able to accept it wholeheartedly or did feelings of guilt, undeserving or even shamefulness stir inside of you?

When a few of us were in Toronto a couple weekends ago we met an amazing man named Richard. He took us on a walk through the streets of T.O. and shared with us pieces of his story and the world he continues to live in, but is no longer a part of.

At the end of the weekend Em (leader of UrbanX) received a text message from Richard and took note to mention that he never sends messages unless it's about an excursion. He said he had a message for me and went on through five text messages to say that basically, I had greatly inspired him.

I was speechless. In fact it still stumps me.

I've been finding it really hard to accept this amazing blessing and encouragement because I didn't do anything that night, in my eyes, that would initiate such beautiful comments from another. Especially one who has come out of a much darker place than I have ever been.

Richard is the inspiring one. He's the one who has strength, love and compassion on the sleeve of his arm.

Rob asked me if I felt guilty and undeserving of the gift given. After thinking about it for a bit I thought, "Ya kind of... it's just... I didn't do anything!"

This has not been an easy blog for me to write (ask Julie). I think it's because I've been trying to make sense of why, out of five other people I was centered out as an inspiration when all I did was look Richard in the eyes and listened. I've been trying to work it out so I could give God all the credit and not have to receive the gift.

Sometimes we have encounters with people and to us, we may just feel like us (maybe not even the best version of us), but to another, in that moment, something within us touches them.

Richard saw something in me that moved him...

God blesses us because we are His children...

Receive it. Accept it. Share it.

To Blog Or Not To Blog - What's The Big Deal?

2009-08-19T13:16:00.015-04:00

I was informed by the BBM yesterday that there was a specific reason he made it a requirement for me to write blogs. He informed me last week that I was three blogs behind and I had not realized he was keeping track. I had been keeping track. I knew I was behind, but I also thought it wasn't a big deal if I didn't complete them all... they're just blogs.

What is so important about blogging anyways? What are blogs for?
Why do we blog?

1. To communicate. To share our ideas, thoughts and resources with one another.

2. To share stories. It is beneficial for others to hear what pain, frustrations and victories we have and face. It can be of great encouragement to those who are in the midst of their own battles and triumphs. It is also beneficial for ourselves to share our stuff.
Shelley ended one of her blogs back in July with a statement that really impacted me. Paraphrasing she said, that being a witness to Jesus is about being open with our lives and inviting people to see into our struggles, hurts, lessons learned, joys and gifts.

3. To have a voice. We all have things to say. We all have good days and bad days, times when we don't know where we're at in our heads and hearts. We all have God moments or moments of truth, as some may put it. We all have different perspectives on how we see and feel about what's going on in our world and the world at large. These are valuable things to share.

This leads me to my final point, which I think is the reason Rob is adamant about me blogging.

4. Our person has value. This means what we do, what we think, what we use, how we feel, how we are, who we are... these things are important and hold such great value we need to share them with others.

So, you're thinking, "well yah Genevieve, that's obvious". Well, the thing is, I have a love hate relationship when it comes to blogging. (This happened in university in Dan's class as well.) I want to blog because I enjoy writing, but unless what to write about is obvious I never know what to write.
Rob is always pointing out things I could blog about and I think he's crazy, "I can't write about that," I say...

Why?

Because someone might disagree with me (which means I'm wrong -in my head).
People would know how I really feel or think (which makes me vulnerable).
I might offend or hurt someone (which would make them mad at me, which means they don't like me -in my head).
Who really cares about what I think anyways (shut-up youstis! - the name Sarah Compton gave her negative inner voice and shared at the 2008 Women's Retreat).

Rob said to me this morning that it's generally not our stories/messages that people remember, it's everything that makes up our stories and how we choose to tell them -the stories within the Story. How we interact with our family, what we do for fun, what challenges us, what we do when we're sad, what books we read, what movies we watch or don't watch, what inspires us, what makes us mad, what is our art.

All these things reveal pieces of who we are as individuals. Each one is an expression of the uniqueness God has put in us and shows how we are choosing to form our journey's.

Why is it important for me to blog? Because it challenges me to look for the value within my environment, my community and most importantly the value I have within myself - all of the elements that make up who I am are valuable and worth sharing with others.

Having this knowledge move from my head and root itself in my heart is a big part of my journey.

How True it is...

2009-08-18T16:59:00.003-04:00

I'm in the middle of a week of vacation and haven't really done all that much...which is just the way it's supposed to be! I'm doing a bit of this and that - no real projects. Any reading that I'm doing is mostly light. I'm reading a bit from Fred Smith (he was a model Christian leader) and thought I'd pass this little quote he made. He wrote this in the context of being a mature leader and that at some point, maturity will bring us to the crossroads of the here and the hereafter - and mature leaders live their life with an understanding of the hereafter. And then he adds this:

If I see any one danger sign in our society, it is losing our consciousness of God and the hereafter. The Puritans were strongly motivated by their sense of God’s ultimate judgment. In my many years of living I have never known a devout Christian come to the end of his life and wish he had lived unChristianly. On the other hand, I have known many non-believers who felt they missed the bar and wanted a do-over. A priest for street people told me, “I’ve never known a dying man to call for his therapist.”

I think he's right...but then again, maybe it's because 50 is crouching at my door ready to pounce!

Attention Worship Leaders -- It can be easier.

2009-08-18T15:04:00.006-04:00

One of the great benefits I recieved from being a student in the former program, The Institute of Contemporary Emerging Worship Studies (ICEWS) at St. Stephen University, is that I became a member of a fantasitic worship resource called, WorshipTeam.com.

This is a web-based program that has pretty much everything a worship leader needs to build a set, enter new songs, share songs and most importantly communicate with the rest of their team and the church. And it's incredibly simple!

The program allows you to brows through thousands of songs, change the key of songs with one click, as well as hear the songs in the same chosen key... Amazing!

You can edit, revise and save songs to fit yours and your bands needs. When you create a set list you give it a title, when the set is complete you can tell your team the title of the set, they log in from home and click the set title and all the songs, chord charts and mp3's are there before them. They can then print them off and practice.

It can also come in handy on a Sunday morning as the person on PowerPoint just pulls up the program, clicks on the set title and clicks export to set-up the viewing screen -- Quick and Easy.

This program has saved me time, energy and basically from going crazy, especially on days or nights that I'm in a hurry to prepare sets and get chord charts and lyrics together.

http://www.worshipteam.com/ I encourage all lead worshippers and team members to check out this link. You can explore and research the site. It does cost money to join, but it is not at all unreasonable and if all leaders and teams feel this will work best for them, you can make a proposal to the church.

If you want a deeper look at the program I'd be happy to go through my account with you -- just let me know.

This program really has changed my life as a worship leader.

Cleaning your cup

2009-08-18T11:59:00.004-04:00

So,

The nagging thing about cleanliness is, 'how do i clean my cup?' 'Will I ever be clean?' It can be such a nagging thing that often Christians resort to thinking, 'well, at least jesus loves me when i am dirty, so I guess I'll just stay that way.' This is basically restorting to the idea that God forgives my sin, so it doesn't matter that I keep on sinning.

Romans 6,7 address this when Paul says, 'should I keep on sinning, so that more grace abounds?- NO. Galatians 5 talks about freedom that we receive as Christians, that we no longer need to sin, because God gives us the power to live differently. Freedom means, we are free to choose the right thing.

Needless to say, that being dirty, separates us from others. Nobody likes dirty stuff. Being dirty is discouraging because we feel our inadequacy, our shortcomings. The hope is that God loves us, and can change us. Faith is walking this change out. By walking it out, this faith, that ignores the dirt, and our hopeless, godless emotions, we find that God makes us, clean and makes our dirty lives valuable.

Sunday, I talked about Sunje, the guy doing rock balancing on Queen st. in toronto. I have his website linked here. Check it out.

Ironically I also was listening to CBC on the way home where the program Tapestry, was dealing with the idea of cleanliness in world religions. It is well worth the listen.

The program we went to be a part of is called URBAN X. Check them out, they are a fantastic group who take people to be with and learn from the poor. Challenge yourself to go beyond thinking the poor are projects to be fixed.

Who's reading the blog?

2009-08-11T20:21:00.002-04:00

I thought I'd throw this up as a human interest story.... Here is a sample of the people checking us out from around the globe.

It's nice to know someone is reading...hope you're enjoying it.

God's Rhythm...My Rhythm

2009-08-04T11:52:00.005-04:00

When does the day begin for you? If you're like me, it begins when the alarm goes off...for me, around 5:30.

I'm curious...when I read Genesis, I read 'there was evening, there was morning...". Is it possible that according to God, the day begins when we think it ends? From my perspective, 'activity' begins when people get up. So from God's perspective, does activity really begin when we stop all of our activity and efforts? Something tells me that when I am asleep, God is at work in his world and in the hearts of people. And when I wake...rather than beginning something, am I being invited to join God in what he's already started? If that is so (and something tells me that it is), then it changes things drastically for me and it should for all lovers of God.

If a new day is being created just when my body is winding down, then I have this thought that sleep should be sweet and restful. Think about it...according to Genesis, my day starts with a meal shared with family or friends; followed by casual talk and hanging out with family and maybe some friends; then I get to sleep. When I wake up, I am aware that He has already been at work in me and in others. What a difference that makes for me as I begin my day. I still don't know what I'm going to face that day, but I think there is a better chance at approaching it with anticipation rather than fear and trepidation.

God is good (and smart)!

Neighbourhood Life

2009-07-29T16:11:00.003-04:00

So how do you like living in your neighbourhood? Better still, if you have lived there long enough, have you ever wondered what the neighbours think of you? Usually how we see ourselves and how others see us can be worlds apart. I hope my neighbours like me, because I like them...at least most them anyway.

As the Cambridge Vineyard, we live in the Alison street neighbourhood. And believe it or not, the folks that live around here have opinions about their neighbourhood. I found that out when I was handed the results of a survey taken by the Social Planning Council of Cambridge and North Dumfries. Here are some of the things our neighbours had to say:
- it's a good place to live
- good place to raise children
- safe

Some things they really liked
- mosque
- sense of community
- quiet
- school

Some of the things they least like
- using the tunnel
- dirty
- bullying
- theft and vandalism
- lack of interaction with neighbours

How they like to be communicated with
Favourite way - word of mouth, followed by newspaper, newsletters, posters, flyers, church bulletins...

Things they see as assets in their community "the park, mosque, Alison Community Centre, the Vineyard Church, St. Anne's School."

Some things they would like to see:
- an English language learning centre
- increase safety by the tunnel
- foot paths
- more open space for kids to cycle and play
- clean up the scary night life
- someone from the community who can speak the same language as the women who cannot speak English well
- a program to link new Canadians with their surroundings and new neighbours
- a community centre that is more accessible to all age groups

I love John's words in describing the essence of Jesus' mission - The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. (John 1:14) So simple...

God's Left Hand

2009-07-29T11:27:00.000-04:00

Last week I was reflecting in Psalm 118. There are some heart piercing verses there like:
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever.
or "In my anguish I cried tio the Lord, and he answered by setting me free." or 'The Lord
is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man to to me? The Lord is my helpr." or
'I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength
and my song; he has become my savation."

Then my eyes lighted on "The Lord's right hand has done mighty things!
The Lord's right hand is lifted high; the Lord's right had has done mighty things!"

I pondered then asked the Lord, "So what do you do with your left hand?", and I
though I heard Him say, "That's the hand I hold you with."

Jacqui P

Finding Jesus

2009-07-29T08:48:00.003-04:00

I am reading Jean Vanier, a guy who has devoted his life to finding Jesus in the poor**. Here is a quote that I think applies to us all at CV, since we are pursuing the mission of Jesus as described in Isa. 61.

"...God chose the weak and the despised in order to accomplish his work of love. The world seeks human and technical knowledge; God wants the heart and love. So he chooses the little ones in order to confound the clever. That is the folly of the Gospels and of God, whose ways are often just the opposite to the ways of culture and reason. Our world is a world of scientific discoveries, materialism, search for money, power and independence; it is also a world of confusion, oppression, tyranny, apartheid, a breakdown of values and the rejection of God. L'Arche and Faith and Light*, (and Cambridge Vineyard) as small as they are, have a message for the world and good news for the poor** and for those who are close to them: God loves them and watches over them. "God has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the humble and the lowly."
In a world that constantly urges people to climb the ladder of human promotion, the Holy Spirit is teaching us to go down the ladder in order to find light in the hearts of the poor**. That seems crazy and even impossible. It is a secret Jesus has entrusted to us...and to many others in our world today. However, in order to live this secret folly, each one of us needs to grow in the love of God. In order to discover Jesus in the heart of the poor** and to be faithful in living with them, our hearts must grow in Jesus. To become a faithful friend of the poor** we must become a faithful friend of Jesus."

"Are there not two dangers that confront all followers of Jesus: either to be too distant from the poor**, too closed up in our own spiritual life, or else to be too distant from a union of love with Jesus and his Father because of too much involovement in social matters? Is this not the challenge of L'Arche*: to try to find a harmony beteween an intimate union with Jesus, an interior life in the Holy Spirit, and at the same time a loving presence to and with the poor**? We need to ask Jesus and his Holy Spirit to give us the grace to live this unity."

"Each one of us is called in an urgent way to become a man or woman of peace and reconciliation wherever we may be. We are called to open our hearts and minds to people who are different from us and who disturb us - to let the Holy Spirit come in to our beings and take away our fear of others, so that we may become less intimidated in welcoming others and listening to them."

After a visit to a large institution in Romania filled with handicapped children Jean writes...
"As I went from room to room and from bed to bed in that insitution, seeing all the little faces that were looking at me with such a thirst for love, I felt almost physically ill. It was too much. But how to help these people in Romania discover that all these little faces are faces of prophets who are calling us to tenderness and to love, that these faces in search of love are revealing the deepest thirst in the heart of all human beings, that the anwer to war is to welcome one of these little ones in the name of Jesus?"

"God is hidden in the weak and in the poor**, and as we enter into communion with them, we enter into communion with Jesus and the Father."

"There is a tendency everywhere today to want a victorious religion, a successful Jesus, as proof of our goodness and our truth. We forget the true Jesus who was persecuted, abandoned, lonely, who suffered agony, wept and was crucified. We forget that Jesus continues to live today in those who are persecuted, abandoned, lonely, crucified, in agony and in those who weep. They are waiting for friends who will be with them, who will accompany them on this journey of life and whose presence will transform the pain of loneliness into the joy of communion."

*(organizations which work to build relationships and commununities with the intellectually disabled and their parents)

**From dictionary.com
poor
–adjective 1. having little or no money, goods, or other means of support
2. dependent upon charity or public support.
3. meagerly supplied or endowed with resources or funds.
4. characterized by or showing poverty.
5. deficient or lacking in something specified
6. faulty or inferior, as in construction
7. deficient in desirable ingredients, qualities, or the like
8. excessively lean or emaciated
9. of an inferior, inadequate, or unsatisfactory kind
10. lacking in skill, ability, or training
11. deficient in moral excellence:cowardly, abject, or mean.
12. scanty, meager, or paltry in amount or number
13. humble; modest
14. unfortunate; hapless

Synonyms:
needy, indigent, necessitous, straitened, destitute, penniless, poverty-stricken. meager.unsatisfactory, shabby. sterile, barren, unfruitful, unproductive. thin, skinny, meager, gaunt. miserable, unhappy, pitiable.

Summer Childrens schedule

2009-07-27T13:39:00.001-04:00

Afterthought- A Question about Fasting

2009-07-26T00:09:00.004-04:00

Matt 9. 14-17

So there are a few things that seem to be a fact of life....

1. is that people get old-Now don't get me wrong, I am the first to admit my lack of youthful gusto. But it seems to me that...something that defines adulthood is- stability By the time you have kids you have become who you are..change is harder. I notice that people in their 50’s don’t often like new things…they can teach others, and lead them into new things, but their preference would be to stay the same. That means to bring in young people into leadership, what we often do is tell them inadvertanly, 'well you gotta fit into our thing.'

This message today for all us oldies might seem hard. But I think the awesome thing that I see is that the motivation of the kingdom is to pursue new containers, not get rid of old ones. Old wine needs its container too. (I love that there are churches that play organ music. It affirms that even when I get old there will be a place for me)....but in seeing so many old churches full of resources and no people it makes me wonder.....how can we grow old better?

I think Jesus' words to us are....

Find a new container for the New wine.
A great example of this might be Tim Kellers mega church in the states. He has decided to retire and realizing there is no one to take his place he has said, you know what we are going to do is....CHANGE. We are going to find 4 young pastors and plant 4 new churches. You can choose where you want to go, but this thing is going to end.
This approach:
doesnt sacrifice a new piece of cloth (a young preacher) on a old cloth
it allows people to reevaluate and contextualize what God is doing now in 4 new and unique ways, and provides the stretch the new thing will need to contain the new wine.

how do you see this passage?

Strangers in Black

2009-07-23T12:53:00.009-04:00

A couple months ago I preached a sermon about how strangers are a gift of the Holy Spirit to us. God uses us to bring the kingdom to them and them to us. Far from being able to just walk by and ignore them-the people we bump into can profoundly impact our life. This should just be an expected occurence for Christians.

Tom Vogel, our resident story teller, here recounts an experience of his as an infant encountering the men in black.

Summer Preaching Schedule

2009-07-23T12:40:00.003-04:00

people have been asking....here it is..

WHAT IS burning on your heart to share with the church?

July 5 - Scott
July 12 - Cyndi
July 19 - Kim
July 26 - Rob
Aug 2 - Outdoor Service W. Galt
Aug 9 - Chris Land
Aug 16 - Rob
Aug 23 - Jason Baskerville
Aug 30 - Scott

The Candle of Devotion

2009-07-17T11:41:00.012-04:00

When I was at university this past year, I had the privilege of being inspired, taught and guided under the wing of Dan Wilt M.Min, an honourable child of God, who teaches through the abundance of his experiences as an International Worship/ Creative leader. It was definitely one of the better years of my life.

Something Dan would do at the beginning of every class we had with him was light a candle and recite a phrase, "Lord, as I light this candle we recognize that You are completely devoted to us and we say in response that we are completely devoted to You." We would then follow with a prayer and sometimes worship and then go on with the teaching time. I really enjoyed this action and I began doing it on my own. When I got up in the morning or before I started writing a paper, and also at the beginning of my quiet times. I found it helped to centre me, bring my thoughts to One focus; a stillness before my Maker.

When I came home for the summer and began leading worship for our youth again, I had a sense to include this symbolic action at the beginning of our worship time. In doing this I noticed a great calm that would wash over the kids. I haven't had to fight for their attention as much to begin the worship and one of them usually asks if they can light the candle. It seems it has given them something to focus on and opens a space for them to worship Jesus.

Below I have included a link to a YouTube clip of Dan explaining in more detail why this simple action can be useful in our personal times of daily devotion. He'll explain it much better than I ever could. It's about 6mins and worth a watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7MF9OWJRNo

Hostess'

2009-07-14T14:26:00.007-04:00

Fresh faces!

One more thing to look forward to this summer as part of our services, other than Chris Land, Kim Maxwell, and Jason Baskerville preaching is.....Genevieve and Stephanie Wahl Hosting the services. This is a great opportunity for some public speaking. It is also a great opportunity for us to include some new faces- (we're glad they agreed to it!). If you like it be sure to cheer each Sunday for them.

Cheers

2009-07-14T14:26:00.001-04:00

Mining Wisdom

2009-07-10T20:22:00.004-04:00

I admire leaders who are full of integrity and godly wisdom. Either listening to them or reading their words is like drinking a hot cup of dark roasted coffee - you savor every mouthful!

Fred Smith Sr. is a man who loved Jesus, was full of wisdom, and was a brilliant leader. Although I've never met him, I feel like I know him quite well. The other day I read something by him that was so rich, that I need to share it with you. It's entitled:
Fundamental People Principles

Here are three simple things that I have learned about people.

First, I have learned that I waste time in trying to correct other people's mistakes. I should use the time to utilize their strengths and buttress their weaknesses. A lot of training programs I have seen are geared to overcoming weaknesses - what a waste of time!

Second, I have learned that you can't change anybody else. Each person has to change himself or herself - you can't do it for them. You can set up pressures or you can be there to encourage, but the action can't be taken for another. You might even create fear that will cause a temporary change but nothing permanent. We spend an awful lot of time putting temporary situations in place, thinking that we have changed a person, but in the end it is only a short-term fix.

Third, I have learned that people are the way they are because they want to be that way. I haven't always believed this. In fact, when I started out in life, I wanted to be a social worker and I became extremely disillusioned with people. Now I am totally convinced that each of us is the way we are because we want to be that way. We rationalize and give all kinds of reasons that it's not true, but bottom line: You are choosing to be who you are.

When you have an opportunity to change and you don't take it, you are deciding to stay where you are. And of course, when you grow through personal challenges, you are becoming who you want to be. People who want to change make a plan. Too often lack of a plan is an easy way to rationalize the unwillingness to make changes.

Now that's rich! Here are 3 questions from Fred that you can ponder:

1. How am I choosing to stay stuck in life?
2. What is the best choice that I have made in the last six months?
3. Who is my mentor, or coach?

What's Your Piece?

2009-07-09T14:48:00.009-04:00

In Elder's Team meetings lately we have been discussing the biblical, historical and present role of elders in our church. The subject came up for a couple of reasons, one being when we add new elders to our mix they naturally want to know what it is they need to be doing. The other reason is, as with any job, when the expectations are high and the instructions are vague, much stress and burnout may result. Our expectations are high not because we serve a demanding bunch, but because we want to see the kingdom come and the gospel lived. And because we always want to see more. So in order to better serve as elders and to stay healthy as individuals, we are discussing, praying about and contemplating our role.

There are some things that are very clear to us. We want to be a church that is about all of us living the gospel, not a church where the leaders do everything and the people come to watch. When people come and join us we want them to participate with us and to be a disciple of Jesus. I think of it sometimes as though CV is a big picture, and each of us are a part of it, like in a puzzle. Together as we serve Jesus the whole picture becomes visible. I personally like this idea, since I often tend to look at my piece all on its own, and think that it doesn't look like much of anything. But of course, when you put a puzzle together you know that each piece on its own shows pretty much nothing at all of the whole picture!

So what piece of the picture am I? What piece are you? This month we had elder homework. We are each contemplating some personal questions to help us zero in a bit more and better identify our roles, or our own piece of the puzzle.

Since CV is the sum of its members, I thought I would put the questions up here, re-written to be applicable to all of us - they are great 'food for thought'!

What questions do you have about being a part of CV (Cambridge Vineyard)?

Why are you a part of CV?

Do you feel you have a specific role in the team?

How does your role fit with the other members of CV?

Finish the sentence: I am a disciple of Jesus to _____

If you are in a small group this might make an interesting discussion. And of course you can also comment on here if you wish, or talk to any of us in person.

Shelley Maw

P.S. Something to think about: Allowing others to witness your life as you learn and love and struggle and hurt and serve and give and receive...this is being a witness to Jesus.

Insect Questions - Here!!

2009-07-08T22:23:00.003-04:00

K. so every once in a while I get asked insect questions.....your garden variety usually. I love to answer them, so if you have one...by all means send it to me. It is just one way i justify all the money and 4 years spent on an agriculture degree.

BUT....here is the answer to a riddle that Bruce had for me while he was weeding the gardens at the church- thanks Bruce!! It seems the canna lilies and the roses at the church were being eaten....but by what? We found these little wonders on the roses eating small holes.

It is called the Japanese Beetle.

Popillia japonica

The beetle species Popillia japonica is commonly known as the Japanese beetle. It is about 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) long and 1 cm (0.4 inches) wide, with iridescent copper-colored elytra and green thorax and head. It is not very destructive in Japan, where it is controlled by natural enemies, but in America it is a serious pest of about 200 species of plants, including rose bushes, grapes, [hops], canna, crape myrtles, and other plants.

SO BRUCE....I got bad news. Planting Canna, and roses together means.....hungry, hungry, Japanese Beetles....

BUT.

There may be good news.

During the larval stage, the Japanese beetle lives in lawns and other grasslands, where it eats the roots of grass. During that stage, it is susceptible to a fatal disease called milky spore disease, This may mean nothing....but at least it is something.

BUT wait there is more.....

Natural repellents include catnip, chives, garlic, and tansy [3], as well as the remains of dead beetles. Additionally, when present in small numbers, the beetles may be manually controlled using a soap-water spray mixture.

other good news....

There is only one generation per year. Adults emerge from the soil in late June through mid-July, feeding actively in sunny locations for 30-45 days

For further information....

check out omafra which has info on almost every insect found in Canada

now you know.

Macintosh Musing

2009-07-06T11:50:00.011-04:00

It was a beautiful day, a perfect day to work outside. I was standing under what appeared to be an apple tree, though before that day I had not realized the existence of it's fruit bearing abilities -- a strand of Macintosh at that. It had been a couple of weeks since Rob had announced to me that we were going to prune the apple trees on the property. "Apple trees," I had exclaimed, unknowing that we even had one. We have four! Four (decent kinds of apple) trees in the backyard of the Cambridge Vineyard. One more new discovery since I've started working here six weeks ago.

So, there I was standing under the first chosen tree to prune, apparently a first experience for both us. Rob was already fully immersed in chopping off limbs and branches at the top of the tree when I walked over. I had a memory flash of an apple orchard and thought out loud, "Aren't apple trees supposed to be fairly sparse in branches?" Rob grinned and chuckled as he jumped out of the tree and answered me, "Yep. Apple trees are generally sparse -- we've got a lot of cutting to do," and he handed me the clippers.

For the trees to bear good fruit they need partial sun and partial shade, so the branches need to be spaced in a way that allows the sun to shine through, yet at the same time provides some coverage from too much heat. This is why typically the structure of an apple tree is shaped like a pyramid/triangle. The tree we were standing under was shaped like a big sphere. It took me a little while to figure out "what branches would get to live or die," as Rob so eloquently put it. At first I was timid and thought I was going to screw up the tree if I cut the wrong branch, but after my first few cuts I started seeing and understanding the process a bit more. As I looked up from the ground and surveyed the direction the branches were growing in, I was able to recognize what branches were good and what one's were deterring healthy growth.

"This is why we can be thankful that Jesus is gentle and only prunes us a little bit at a time." Rob's one sentence sermon ended as he finished sawing through a large branch with a 3.5-4" diameter. I should say it was more like the top of a limb he was cutting off. It was full of leaves and looked healthy, it had many smaller branches sprouting from its thick trunk. The limb fell to the ground with a thud. The leaves rustled and shook from the impact, then rested peacefully. "Yea, it's a good thing Jesus is gentle," I thought as I witnessed what looked like harsh treatment of a perfectly fine living structure, "..because the chopping off of a limb that size on my own body would really hurt."

I think it's hard for us to recognize pruning because all it really feels like is suffering. We may have a branch that is bearing good fruit of love and joy, but because of the great abundance of goodness there begins to sprout a lot of branches. So many, in fact that the weight of the branches become overbearing and because of the coverage, the limb begins to die from lack of warm sunlight. This may look like weariness, bitterness, resentment or frustration. This is a good branch that the Father needs to prune. Pruning may be Jesus asking you to step back from leadership for a while, or it may be needing to ask your son or daughter to choose only one sport per season. It may be making the decision to commit to only two nights out a week and the other three you stay home or it may be resolving some conflict between you and someone. Whatever it is, it is usually uncomfortable, hard and possibly hurts a little bit depending on the situation.

Well, I have now turned Rob's one sentence sermon into a six paragraph thought. I'm going to bring it to a close by saying, I'm really glad that I have Jesus to stand under me, look up and see the branches that are deterring good fruit from growing. And I'm really glad that He doesn't just walk away and leave me to grow into something that the Father did not create me to be. He only asks me to trust and obey.

Over-growth and bad fruit is self produced.

Is this What you Expected?

2009-07-01T13:14:00.003-04:00

By Matte Downey, Montreal Vineyard.

I was reading Luke 7 this week and the question that John the baptist asks jumped out of the page at me. He was in prison and sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?" Despite John's extensive preparation work for the long-awaited messiah, he still wasn't sure that what Jesus was bringing was what he had been expecting. Sometimes this life of following Jesus is not what I expected, either. I'm with you, John.

read more...click on this link. Trust me, it's worth the read!
Shelley

http://outword.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-this-what-you-expected.html

Lars and the Real Girl

2009-06-30T10:15:00.002-04:00

At the Supporter's Support Group last night we watched Lars and The Real Girl. It is a great movie about the importance of community, acceptance, support and participation in one another's lives, whether we have 'issues' or not.

In the movie, Lars has issues and he does something very strange - you will have to watch it - I don't want to give it away.

But his community, after they get over the shock and stuff, rally around him and participate in his life without passing judgement or telling him what to do. I think this response from them expedites his healing, since he was then able to go through the process without needing to deal with those around him at the same time. It is a powerful lesson for us all.

They were initiatly judgemental and horrified, and then they decided to lay that down in humility and love.
They decided to let go the fact that they thought he was crazy and wrong, and love him anyway.
They didn't just tolerate him, they supported him.
They followed his lead and didn't try to make it into something it wasn't or to direct his process.
They put their own reputations on the line for him and they supported each other as they supported him.
They were willing to be in embarrassing situations in order to support him.
Their support of him was contagious.
They didn't shun him or hide him, in fact his family went to the community and asked them to support Lars.
They challenged him when he got his boundaries messed up.
They didn't patronize him.
They laughed and partied and loved and grieved with him.
They didn't rush him.
They didn't argue with him and insist he get over it.
They dealt with their own issues that came up as a result of Lar's behaviour, esp. his brother, and owned their own stuff.
They didn't try to fix him, they loved him.

In not trying to fix him, they actually enabled him to be fixed.

I think in doing what they did they became a stronger community as well, and Lars brought out the best in them.

May we learn to be such a community.

Baptism's Sunday

2009-06-29T09:12:00.006-04:00

Here are some pictures from sunday... awesome testimonies, 6 people baptised, tons of new people at church...who were they all?

more photos on the website www.cambridgevineyard.on.ca

BBQ on Lumbsten Cr.

2009-06-29T09:07:00.003-04:00

Steve and Judy Quinton have been headed out around the neighbourhood, building relationships. June 21st we had a big bbq. Can you imagine that in 21 houses there are 97 Kids??

check it out!!!

StoredUp - June 24th 2009 Youth Benefit Concert

2009-06-28T22:45:00.026-04:00

What a night! One-hundred tickets were pre-sold and more kids showed up to purchase at the door. Michael Davison with Rob Hall as his side kick, organized this benefit concert to expose the youth in our city to a fun Christian atmosphere as well as, raise money for the Storehouse. Jeanne Hill, Diane Saramango and Debbie Runstedler came and sold tickets and goodies. We had Hamburgers and Hot dogs for a buck along with water, pop and snacks.
$300 was raised for the Storehouse (lower level of our Sanctuary that provides free food, clothing, showers and friendship to the community in Cambridge).

Take a look below to see the chronicles of the nights events.
There is also some video footage at the very end.

**The band pictures are not the most focused pictures you'll ever see,
but I did my best without using a flash.**

Is this a commercial?

Another commmercial break.

This event was brought to you by: Foot Washing Ministries...

Let Jesus Cleanse and Renew your weary soul from head to toe ;)

Some of our fabulous youth hanging out before the bands started. In the foreground is one the band members of Hello Kelly chillin' before the show.

Jim Cheshire and Rob Hall BBQing

Rhonda was fantastic help running all over town last minute grabbing extra water, hot dogs and buns. She also brought her daughter Cortney and her friend Paula as extra helpers. Thanks ladies, you were a great help!

Issac Maw and Sally Ellis trying to weasl hotdogs out of Rob... check out the video at the end to hear the full conversation and if Sally would really do anything for a hotdog.

After every band there would be a massive wave of youth that would flow out of the Auditorium as they waited for the next band to set up. It was nice to have the night broken up like this because it allowed the kids to socialize with each other and also for us to be able to socialize with them. It was also a chance for fans of the previous band to get autographs and pictures.
Good times!

Tim McLean showed up and we put him to work as bouncer.

Tom Portaccio: Doorman.
George Lakatos was also a doorman, but couldn't resist the excitement of the bands inside.

The foyer was full of each bands memorbila.

Way to go Chris Patterson for braving the LOUD and Hayley Davis for your moral support and teardown help. You both ROCK!

The kids eased into the evening by sitting and watching the first band.

A local high school band was the first band to start the night.

They had a heavy metal sound... I stayed outside for the majority of their set.

Second band was ChasingAmee had an alternative sound and
much more melodic than the first band.

Tuck the bass player.

Ryan Matthew Faist - guitar and keys.

Nathan Bulla - drummer - great drummer.

They were very good at interacting with the crowd.

It was hard but I managed to tear these guys away from giving autographs and getting pictures with the cute girls for a moment to take a group shot.

Third band up was To Tell -- this was the best pic I got of them unfortunately.

These guys, I think, were David Rae's favourite band of the night.

The lead singer had A LOT of energy.

Guitarist tending to his instrument after the set.

HELLO KELLY

Through the blur you can see Ben Patterson up-close and personal watching the band...

He was enthralled with Francois (lead vocals).

Francois is a very intense performer with great vocal abilities.

The band as a whole was tight and very entertaining to watch and listen to. Check out a couple videos at the end of the pictures to get a small taste.

Francois struggles with stuttering, but when he sings and performs you would never know. He wrote a song that shows his heart surrounding his struggles and where he puts his trust (J.C.) His music and lyrics bear honesty and vulnerability to the audience.

Artsy shot :)

Group shot of the band.
They are a great bunch guys - very friendly and authentically genuine.

Below are a few videos from the night just for fun - they're probably about 8mins in total.

Rainbow Promises

2009-06-28T09:43:00.002-04:00

It's 45 minutes before our 20th Anniversary celebration service begins. Our 'outdoor' service is now 'indoors' because of threatening rain. All week it has been sunny and hot, and then overnight the temperature drops, clouds come in, and I wake up to the sound of rain drops falling on the leaves. I looked out my bedroom window, and although there was some sun trying to show itself, the cloud cover was huge. I knew what to pray - "Lord, if everything stays as it is, we'll be moving indoors for our service. Regardless, thank for you this day and for the rain. Both come from you and they are a blessing. However this day may end up unfolding, your name rises above it."

I went into the bathroom and was drawn to look out that window...and as I did, I saw the most beautiful rainbow in the western sky. It felt like I had been given the most wonderful gift. A promise that the rain would stop? No - something better. A promise of God's unfailing love towards his people in this life and in the life to come. Life is good!

Worship LEADERS and Want to Be's...

2009-06-27T10:26:00.004-04:00

Do you need training?

Looking to learn more about worship?

Dan Wilt leader of the Institute of Emerging Worship, at St. Stephens University not only has training courses, but relevant workshops, articles and seminars from world class Leaders, Thinkers, and Worshippers. His blog is a who's who conversation of every conceivable thing to do with worship. His webinars are fantastic.

It is totally easy to sign up for weekly updates, and be kept informed about devotionals, thoughts, videos, new songs, how to's....

To sign up....

1. go to http://essentialscourse.com/
2. add your name and email to the free resources segment.

Also check out Dan's personal blog at: www.danwilt.com

Teaching Old Dogs

2009-06-24T14:38:00.003-04:00

I like to convince myself of two things - one, that I'll never become like the rickety old people who will never change. And two, that I can embrace different methods of communication. At our staff meeting, Rob dropped the 'blog question', and of course for those of us who have maybe made 2 or 3 posts, we winced and said, "Yeh...it's a great idea." Which led to the next question - "So how do I get you guys to commit?" That's when I felt the encroachment of the 'rickety' stage and that maybe I'm not all that willing to change with the times. But I refuse to accept that - and this post proves it! I may be an old-er dog, but I can run with the best of them!

Kindergarten and the demise of the healthy family?

2009-06-18T13:58:00.003-04:00

I wanted to pass along and begin I suppose some discussion around what the Ontario Government is planning in terms of full time Jk and Sk. It is a discussion that for me is personal in that it will affect my kids. And so you know I can't fathom how my kids would survive full time school at 4 years.

What is clear is that there are a lot of good economic reasons for it. Parents can go back to work, make more money and therefore be able to provide ($) for their kids. BUT, since when is money the only thing? Well, it isn't and I don't think anyone would think that it was. What are the repricussions in the family?

You can hear a great discussion on the cbc the current involving the government education ministers, the author of a report called 'our best future' (a little scary) and a guy who has studied this issue internationally. One interesting thing he says is, ' yes there are economic gains, yes it pays for itself, but in countries that implement full time daycare, and jk, the social repercussions are significant. His major concern is 'attachment' issues that children suffer, and stress.

I wonder personally, what involvment the church can have in modelling something different?

cheers

The Purpose of Paperwork

2009-06-18T13:42:00.004-04:00

Last Saturday I went into work to try to catch up after a week's vacation. I spent the first 15 minutes crying out to God about howdisorganized my mind felt, how behind I was and was I even doing what I was supposed to be doing. There came a knock on themain door and there stood a man and his wife (I'll call them P & R).

They were looking for a pastor. My "I'm not really a pastor" shield went up and I started to tell them there was no one here today. I asked them what they wanted and they just wanted someone to talk toabout their kids, their marriage, their lives. My shield came down, and I invited them in and we sat together for an hour. They shared, their fears,
frustrations, and their sense of hopelessness.

They have four children ages 12, 10, 8 and 1. All are in foster care. F & CS has told this couple
that there is nothing they can do to get them back. P & R had been walking around the neighbourhood this morning trying to figure out what to do because their kids are with them for 7 days and they have no food to feed them and no money to buy any. "I am frightened" said P. During our time together I asked a few questions but mainly listened, which as it turned out, is what they needed me to do, then I took them to the grocery store and
drove them home.

I pondered this encounter as I drove back to the office and a realization came over me - "I don't have to try and fix this situation. I did what I was asked and that is enough." (a friend later reminded me that Jesus asked us to give a cup of water to some one in need, not to go and
build them a well.)I came back to the office and started into my paper work with a lighter heart. About three hours later there was a knock on the main door. Standing outside were two men, a woman, and four kids. They were from the neighbourhood BBQ, Ken & Pam and Keith. and
had come to see the property.Their kids had to go to the bathroom so they all trooped in and we talked for a while.

They had had a great time at the BBQ, in fact Ken had helped Steve do the cooking.Keith, a single dad on disability who had custody of his three kids, would like to come and volunteer
on the property.I told them all about Kids Club and I'm sure their kids will come. They are all looking forward to coming on June 28th. It was a great encounter.After they left I went back to my office, "Wow God, this is why I do paperwork, so I'm here when You need me."

Perhaps I should work more Saturdays........

Hospitality

2009-06-16T09:36:00.005-04:00

I thought I would share some photos Terry Black sent me. They are pictures of his hosting of the Tour de Grand pitstop...1000 people showed up at his door. CRAZY!!

It reminds me that we all have our own capacity for hospitality......Terry's happens to be 1000.

What is yours?

Ngage - FunFoodFrenzy!

2009-06-12T12:41:00.034-04:00

We decided to have a night at Ngage that was just a fun night hanging out together. We played games and cooked food over the fire and the kids left with some goodies to get them through the craziness of exams. It was a great night! Check out some of the pics.

It began as a peaceful evening...

Rob was ready with some games...

Then David Rae showed up...

Followed by others...

And they were off!

This is their version of hacky-sack... it's like extreme hacky-sack.

I don't really get it...

I think if you miss the ball it becomes free game and...

they fight for it and then whip it at each other... They enjoy it!

Hanging out in the parking lot.

The game was Pirates and Tea Bag Traders. Very similar to capture the flag, though much shorter and in a smaller area. The goal was for the TBT's to get there tea bags from the boat to their port... without being captured by the Pirates.

Isaac Maw

Great imagination...

Gotta love him. lol

And the game began.

Amanda K...

Nabbed her tea bags from Jesse B.

Hostages... Sally's not too upset about it.

Tim's quick...

David S... just can't get him.

4th time in jail begins to weigh on Sally E. and Alyssa G.

Bethany Wilson was the Pirates speedster... she plays rugby.

Two games definitely worked up the kids appetites.

Hamburgers and hotdogs roasted over the fire... yuummm.

Chillin' around the fire.

David V. Nevin W. Sally E.

Hangin' Out

David V. Davy V. Amanda K.... Check out Rob in the back making faces for the camera!

We made exam packs for the youth filled with candies, chocolate, a stress ball, prayer, study tips, etc. They really seemed to enjoy them, it was great!

They just couldn't wait to eat the goodies inside the packs.

Idolatry and witchcraft

2009-06-11T10:54:00.002-04:00

I was just listening to mark Driscoll sermon on Galatians. He gave a healthy reminder of what each of these are.

Idolatry- having a substitute for God, or THINKING GOD IS LESS THAN HE SAYS HE IS. (that is the thing that struck me......how many times do i do this?)

Witchcraft- incantations we make towards God to get HIM/Her to do what we want. Another way to put it is....doing something to get a good result from God. EG. praying harder, fasting for God to answer us, doing good so we are in God's good books- these are all more or less.....witchcraft.

check out more of mark at

www.marshillchurch.org

RE-pentance

2009-06-08T14:33:00.004-04:00

In yesterday's service, people were asked, 'how many like the word 'repentance''. In both services no one admitted to liking the word. What's up with that?? I actually think the word is a very healthy word and we should welcome it. But then again...how many of us like the words 'healthy', 'exercise', 'discipline'...exactly! I was looking at the word and thinking of other words that begin with 're' - repair, restore, redo, relax, rerun, release. I was focusing on the second part of the word (pair, store, do, lax...) and trying to figure out 'pentance' - no such word. However, it is very closely related to penitent, which is feeling sorry for wrongs or sin. But then I thought about 're'. 'Re' means going back, doing something again and again, a backwards motion.

Repentance is a great word! I mess up all the time and God says to me, I can go back again and again. That when I get caught up in sin, and wake up to the reality that I am offending God and feeling full of regrets, there is an allowance for a backwards motion. I can turn around again and again and REturn to him. What's bad about that??

A Little Bird Came to Play...

2009-06-05T15:35:00.002-04:00

So I was mowing the lawn behind the Admin building the other day. I noticed that everytime I circled around and out on to the open field in the back corner there was a little black/metalic blue coloured bird that would fly around me. I didn't pay it much attention at first, but as the majority of my grass cutting was ending up in the back corner, I found this neat little bird keeping me company.

It was as if it was just playing. It wasn't flying in any particular pattern, it just kept swerving and diving towards the grass and then shooting straight up in the air. It would twist and turn all around the area that I was mowing, then swoop towards me and swiftly dash up and around me, as if it was saying, "Look at me. Look at what I can do!" It was very intriguing and difficult to try and get a glimpse of the shiny blue feathers this bird was clothed with. When I finished cutting the lawn, I decided I would stop and turn the mower off and just watch the bird for a couple minutes. As I turned the key and the mower went silent, I looked up and the field was still. No little bird.... Strange.

Spring Cleaning

2009-06-02T10:27:00.044-04:00

It was a perfect day for Spring clean-up. We had about 30 people show up ready to work. The property looked beautiful by the end of the day thanks to everyone's hard work.

I think lunch was the favourite time of the day for most people. Everyone really enjoyed eating and hanging out with each other in between the work time.
Thank You very much to David and Sarah Sparks for providing an awesome lunch and for helping Jeanne Hill out with cleaning up the Storehouse afterward.

Below are some chronicles of the days events.

Whoo Hoo to Luke Brunskill for fixing the hole in the roof that the raccoon's have been using as an entrance.

True brilliance done by Carl Lilley in the down stairs Admin Bathroom. He fixed the major whole in the ceiling and the peeling plaster on the wall and window. He even recreated the original technique. Brilliant!

Great job Rob for fixing up the wall at the top of the stairs and for...

creating another project.

Steve and Judy

Rob Merrick

Terry Black

These trimmers were intense and persistent. As a team they clipped the rough edges all around the front walls of the church, around the Admin, Aud and Cottage and also around all the trees and hard to get places. You folks ROCK!!

Terry Black is crazy!!

Beautiful work done by our very own Joe Braga. He cleaned out the prayer room and cleared the driveway and walk ways of all the loose grass and leaf shavings. Thanks Joe!

Kylie Portaccio did an amazing job cleaning the Auditorium with 4 children constantly flocking to the drum kit. You are amazing and brave Kylie thank-you. Helen and Kathy finished putting the screens in the windows after Josh Portaccio's great job of hosing them down.

Thanks Les Joaquin for doing almost all of the windows on the outside of the Administration Building... That's a lot of windows!!

"Might as well while I'm at it."

Fantastic job to Heinz , Scott Roe, Lori McLean, Helen Snyder and Kathy for cleaning up the parking lot's of the leaves and going around the rest of the property weeding and clearing the fence lines of leaves and debris. Abbigail and Katrina had lot's of fun riding around in the Gator all day.

Props to Phil Snell for helping supervise the day as well as pushing around the hand mower for a bit. You da best brother!!

Wonderful thanks to Len Runstedler for spending the day mowing the massive amount of lawn we have. Thank you also to Luke Brunskill for finishing up the job... even through the rain.

Great job to Tim Lewis, Art and Joel Webster, Tim McLean and Isaac Maw for clearing out the barn of old appliances and other unneeded odds and ends.

Thank You to Bruce Snyder, Stewart Mauer, Danette and Leah Webster and Brett Evans for making our gardens beautiful and filling them with colour.

A full bin of junk/garbage metal and a full bin plus of household garbage cleared out the barn and other places on the property.

One more chance to ride the Gator... look who's fighting.

Tim dumping Phil after he lost the battle.

Way to go Julie for braving the second bathroom storage space. We have two usable washrooms in the cottage now.

Cortney used her great organizational skills cleaning up the Party Zone.

The cottage smells soooo good now thanks to Rhonda and Cortney Davison,
Isaac Maw and Julie Lewis.

No Rain or Hail kept us down.

Some final shots of the property.

Wow that's purrty.

How picturesque.

Look Up... I Dare You To.

2009-05-29T16:29:00.006-04:00

It has been two weeks now that I've been working for the church and a good two weeks it has been. The first week I was thrown into leading Ngage fully on my own, meaning myself and Ariel led worship and I also led the discussion for the youth. It was great. The Holy Spirit showed up at one point - which always rocks and we had some awesome discussion go on with the youth about grace and unfairness. At the end we had the youth fill out 'I Dare You' cards, which was an exercise for them to challenge one another to offer love to people through actions of grace. Each morning I have been sending the youth FB messages, emails and text messages with a dare, a scripture and the prayer to focus on for the Global event. I found out this week that many of them have been very diligent in reading the messages and doing the dares. If you pass by one of the youth, ask them if they have any neat stories to share.

On the other side of my job, mowing the lawn has allowed me to discover how truly beautiful this property is and how blessed as a church community we are to call this place our home. The coolest thing I discovered last week was that the tree beside the cottage is a HUGE oak tree!! I had no idea. To be honest I have not ever looked up (we miss so much by not raising our chins every-so-often), to view the whole tree. I've always just stared at its trunk and thought... "That's a big tree." By driving around on the lawn mower and cutting the grass in that area I suddenly had this opportunity to look at the tree at all angles... my goodness is it ever beautiful!! And BIG. The branches that extend from the trunk are gynormous. I think it's definitely worthwhile to take a walk back there and look up... especially while the tree is not in full bloom because you can see the amazing trunk. Oak trees are special trees. The seed they come from is an acorn... I'll tell you more about them sometime. . . :)

Vineyard goes Global

2009-05-28T11:59:00.003-04:00

the Cambridge Vineyard will be participating in the Global Day of prayer, and its 10 Days of prior prayer of repentance.

Special Service

Sunday, May 31 10.30 at the

ARMENIAN CLUB

Dunbar Rd.

******Services will Not be at the Monastery.

For more information on the day of prayer go to, www.gdop.com or, listen to scott's message on May. 17th

Fresh Blood

2009-05-21T14:05:00.004-04:00

Introducing Genevieve....

Many of you know her, but this summer we are happy to welcome her on staff to fill our youth position. What a great thing!! She will be doing a ton of organizing, developing and serving. Get to know her a little by reading on.....

Well, to start off my name is Genevieve Amy Pylypiw. I was born thirty-one years ago on a Good Friday afternoon on the 24th of March. I am a daughter of David and Jacqui, the eldest of my brother and sister and I have owned three cars since I was 20. So, now you know my basic stats I can give you the good stuff and tell you a bit about who I am.

I spent the first fifteen years of my life going to church and then left for ten years on my own ventures. Thankfully God was pursuing me and called me back when I was twenty-six. I was almost immediately drawn to worship and soon thereafter found myself being stretched and challenged to grow as a worship leader.

This past year I was at St. Stephen University in New Brunswick and have since received a diploma in The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies. I will be returning at the end of August to begin working on a degree in psychology. SSU has been an amazing place for me to grow and develop personally. I've been watching God open doors in areas I thought were walls of concrete, so I am excited to continue the process. It's definitely an expensive journey, but undoubtedly worth it.

About a year before I left for university I began leading worship for our youth. The more time I spent with them the more I realized I really care about them and want to be apart of these important years of their lives. So, it made me very happy to accept the summer youth-intern position with the church. I am excited to have this opportunity to join a team who are working to create a place where our youth feel they belong and have value within our community. God has great plans for our youth as a group and as individuals. My hope is that as a team we can encourage growth in our teenagers by actively engaging in hearing God's voice, as we support and guide them in understanding and knowing His love for each one of them.

Some Random Facts:

My worst subject in high school was math - I hated it.
My favourite movie is Moulin Rouge - nothing beats Ewan McGregor singing!
My favourite thing to wear is funky jewelry.
My life scripture verse is Isaiah 43:1-7 (an answer to prayer given through a good friend at our first youth retreat)
Two of my pet peeves are drivers who randomly hit their brakes - even when there is no one in front of them AND when drivers don't signal - especially on the highway - it's all about communication people!!
I take a size 9 shoe
One of my favourite authors is Don Miller
My favourite Nintendo game was the first Mario - Duck Hunt comes as a close second
I love to watch clouds and one of my new obsessions is to take pictures of them.
Coffee: 1 MILK, 1 sugar - never ever cream

Genevieves' Job is sponsored by IGNITE

furry friends

2009-05-21T09:52:00.004-04:00

I found some folks on the property last night, thought i would share....

I love coming to work here. How many get to see these things at work??

Thoughtworks Intensive- Finances

2009-05-20T11:34:00.005-04:00

Money, Posessions and Eternity

JUNE 5,6 2009, SARNIA

Don Rousu is a theologian, a bible scholar, a great teacher, a friend and all around good guy. His wife Ruth is a real sweety too. We are very blessed to have Don and Ruth come to us in our area. He planted the Edmonton Vineyard and they have, most of the time, enjoyed financial blessing. This will complement our last seminar with David Hick on "Healing your Financial Soul". Why another financial seminar...why not?

Are you thinking "I have all the financial resources I need to do Kingdom work", or could you use some help? This seminar has somehow just landed in our laps and I believe it is a "God thing". He is trying to get our attention and wants to speak to us on this subject.We are all too busy...but too busy doing what? I think it is time to stop, rethink, and hear what God is trying to show us. Church is not what it was 5 years ago, so let's get into God's new groove and stop lamenting about the past. I believe this seminar is a stepping stone for us to see what God is doing.

Things you should know- parking

2009-05-14T14:07:00.002-04:00

Parking at the church, if you haven’t found out yet, can be a challenge . Not only are there not enough spots for everyone, but the traffic between services can leave you out on the road. We know this, we would love to offer a more permanent and adequate solution in the future. Till then here are some things to keep in mind…

Where to PARK
Park on the road (it will give you a great walk to prepare for worship)
Seasonally (a.k.a. summer) it is great to park on the lawn providing it hasn’t rained. But remember it is park at your own risk.
The lower parking lot (in front of the storehouse)
The upper parking lot only if room permits at the 9AM service

Don’t PARK
WARNING- don’t park in the bus stop on Elgin, you may get ticketed or towed
In the upper parking lot at 11AM. The upper parking lot has a lot of children coming to and from. Too much traffic is dangerous for our kids.
Don’t over park….don’t squeeze in- there are people parking along the shoulders of the road (especially in the upper parking lot) which isn’t great because it makes it very awkward to back in and out.

Things to consider
It is a human condition that we look for the premium, best spot to park, but that may also mean that someone with small kids, or a new person may not get a spot. Please consider parking further away and leaving spots close to the buildings for elderly, disabled people and moms with small kids.

Vision and Focus

2009-05-05T15:04:00.002-04:00

About 6 weeks back, while away on retreat, it became clear that I was falling back into that rut of divying up my energies into many 'good' things. That's okay if you have no desire to excel at anything...but that's not the case for me. I love to sink my teeth into those things that give me energy and stick with it to its completion. The thing is...when you have your hand in so many different pots, nothing really gets done. God told me that the great was being robbed by the good...again. So I pulled out my priorities and realized again that things had to go - I had to learn to say no to some 'good' things. Funny thing is, when I did, I had more time for the 'best' and about double the energy. Something else I have noticed...I go to bed satisfied and wake up ready to grip hold of another day! I like that. What I have noticed though is that from time to time I run into people who aren't that crazy about me saying no...especially when it comes to their needs. And so with patience and love and grace...I am being tenacious with what God has called me to...and it's life-giving.

I think about our church and I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that if we could apply the same principles - saying no to the good and yes to the best. Then watch out Cambridge!!! We would see a dynamic force unleashed. Wouldn't that be nice?

Take my pulse please.....

2009-05-05T14:58:00.002-04:00

We had a bunch of people volunteer to be a part of a vineyard canada survey in March of 09. If you wondered what a Vineyard pulse looks like.....take a look.

This is Gary Best giving the summary of results.

What Love Does

2009-05-05T14:54:00.003-04:00

Wondering what the Vineyard is all about. Check out this video about who we are. This is produced by Vineyard Canada and gives a great introduction to our values as a movement.

There are more vidoes like this on YouTube. Check them out.

Vineyard Regional Commitments for 2009

2009-05-05T14:47:00.003-04:00

Hey folks,
here are the regional commitments from across the country for 2009. Listen and get an insight into what is going on across the country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf1FinEP_o8

Strange Encounters- the afterthought

2009-04-28T11:35:00.006-04:00

Speaking about encountering, and expecting to encounter strangers is like.....EASY for some.....and incredibly difficult for others. So much so that we would be tempted to think that because we are introverts, we somehow should not expect that this type of message is for us. I think the thing that challenges me is that this is a Kingdom Story. God is about it. The faith part I think for all of us, whether talking to strangers is easy or hard is that God can make it happen.

I can't wait for our deep coffee encounters to come in.....exciting stuff.
If you want, tell your strange encounter in a comment below...

Here is a strange encounter by tom vogel.....check it out.

http://www.cambridgevineyard.on.ca/index.cfm?i=2581&mid=18&st=13782

Belonging

2009-04-22T08:55:00.001-04:00

...I am doing a book study on the book "Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You" and our last meeting was on the chapter called Belonging. The issue of belonging is a much discussed one in our church. Like a 15 year old discussion. Over the years the accusation, explanation, comment, or observation that it is very hard to belong in our church, to get 'in', to be noticed, recognized and welcomed, has been made over and over again. I don't disagree with that assessment, as I have been on the receiving or more accurately the the 'not-receiving' end of that feeling in our church myself. So I don't think people are wrong when they make comments about this and bring this concern to leadership.

....read more...http://shelleymaw.blogspot.com/2009/04/belonging-ball.html

A New Support Group

2009-04-22T08:38:00.005-04:00

I have been on this learning curve for awhile now - can I learn to love without fixing? It is a huge challenge, driven by my desire to see the gospel bring life to everyone, no matter how big the brokenness...and to learn how to be consistent and authentic, not always jumping in and out to help and to recover, not giving out of religious duty but out of love and humanness.

I am starting a support group for anyone interested in this, to get together once a month in order to re-focus, to affirm each other, ask questions and maybe learn a thing or two as well - a bit like a water stop in the middle of a marathon. If you are accompanying someone (see quote below), or want to do this, you are invited to this support group. We will be meeting once a month, first Meeting Wed. April 29th, 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room at the Cambridge Vineyard...(The next meeting date will be decided based on everyone's availability.)

"When we honestly ask which persons in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving much advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not-knowing, not-curing, not-healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness...makes it clear that whatever happens in the external world, being present to each other is what really matters." -Henri J.M.Nouwen

"Accompaniment is necessary at every stage of our lives, but particularly in moments of crisis when we feel lost, engulfed in grief or in feelings of inadequacy. The accompanier is there to give support, to reassure, to confirm, and to open new doors. The accompanier is not there to judge us or to tell us what to do, but to reveal what is most beautiful and valuable in us, as well as to point towards the meaning of our inner pain. In this way, an accompanier helps us advance to greater freedom by helping us to be reconciled to our past and to accept ourselves as we are, with our gifts and our limits. (p. 129 Becoming Human by Jean Vanier)

Talk to Shelley Maw for more info.

Easter- Resurrection

2009-04-21T21:28:00.006-04:00

Every once in a while I feel like.....A complete amateur. Easter Sunday was one of those times. We had a great ministry time (thanks Jim for leading) and who knows what all happened. But as we were praying I approached a young person I didn't know and asked if I could pray. Having not seen them before, I thought....maybe she needs healing?

As it turns out she was at church to give her heart to Jesus. And as it turns out....I forget any scriptures, any great and wise words, even how to pray.....everything. I was dumbfounded that here is someone on Easter Sunday, being resurrected from a life without God. I don't know why I didn't expect that.

Thank you Jesus. Keep up the good work! It clearly isn't up to us.

National Youth Development Group??

2009-04-21T20:59:00.010-04:00

So, the reason I went to Kelowna was to talk..... But it was also to.....

Throw rocks...... and

I Forget what that was about!!!

But in the end I met with a bunch of really passionate people, to spread the idea of starting a national youth development group for the vineyard in Canada. This has been a dream of mine for years, and as it turns out a dream of theirs as well. The synergy was amazing and it was as if years of dreams became reality. Although we are in the initial stages the group is well off and running.

The huge benefit for this group is going to be felt nationally, by every congregation. The group plans to do 2 things, resource leaders of churches to create relevant, youth programs and to be a creative group who will nationally offer events that will creatively engage youth culture in a kingdom dialogue, that the vineyard in Canada is uniquely positioned to do.

WOW!

Mission Hill Winery- Kelowna

2009-04-21T14:57:00.004-04:00

I was in Kelowna for a pastors gathering...talking pastor things. Part of the time was spent going to the Mission Hill Winery tour (pictured above).

AWESOME. WHAT A PLACE!!!

The owner sank 50 million into developing a world class winery. Did I say, AWESOME?

What a picture to us pastors, who sometimes wonder, 'are we winning or losing?' Imagine the investment of your life in the things you labour to see actually happening. Imagine that when you look back your investment will be worth something. Something as valuable, and beautiful as this.

It makes me think of the things we are embarked upon here in Cambridge. We own a beautiful property that we inherited by a small group of monks who had the vision to get it this far----and look how awesome the results are. Think of what will happen over the next 50 years when we 300+ get at it.

We are stewarding great things, when we work in seeing 'God's Kingdom come,' so be blessed and encouraged.

House Guests.....

2009-04-02T15:05:00.005-04:00

Well.....
Chester is going to be holding down the fort while I am gone....so any questions....just knock on the ceiling outside my office and he will immediately pretend to be asleep.....kind of like me on a Monday....

I'll be sure to have a daiquiri, or blue lagoon, or pina colada or long island ice tea.....for each and everyone one of you while I'm gone....

Property Planning Meeting

2009-04-02T13:28:00.003-04:00

On April 18th we are holding a Property Planning Meeting, in order to develop an eventual "master plan." The end result will be a number of viable options that we can go to the city with, and receive feedback and direction on what they will support. This will help us to determine in a more definitive way what the future hold for the property at the Cambridge Vineyard.

One of the first questions that we need to answer is what does Cambridge Vineyard need? So, in thinking about this, we need to have a vision for the ministry activities in the future! Once we can clearly answer that question ... we can then look at what else we are able to do.

In looking at the needs question, we also have to understand our present financial position. How can the plans for the property support, and move us forward financially. We need to reduce and remove our mortgage!

Another question we must consider is how would we finance any new development, including a building? Our plans for the property must be able to support that in a very clear and tangible way!

If you want to attend that meeting ... let me know! April 18th, 9-3 pm, in the Children's Centre.

Just a few thoughts ... lots more coming!!

Chastity- afterthoughts

2009-04-02T12:52:00.003-04:00

Thanks everyone for all your comments about Sunday's sermon. Man it felt like a long time since I last preached. A couple of thoughts in reflection:

1. Chastity really hits home when we realize that it isn't about practicing a discipline, but 'When we find ourselves in that position'. It really does seem trite to think of practicing something when for many people they have no choice. Single people deal with this everyday.

2. The bible is quite clear about sexuality, even if our culture isn't. We often I think make excuses for the 'idols' in our life. In our sexuality what are those 'idols'? Mostly it comes back to- are we willing to die to our needs and desires?

If you want to find some great sermons on this topic look at http://www.marshillchurch.org/ (mark driscol speaks quite frankly about sex and marriage issues")

Actually I just noticed that mars hill has an applicable sermon series coming up called
'how to be sure you don't marry a coward'.
check out the promo videos....

Resources
Katheleen Norris- Cloister Walk
Dallas Willard- The Spirit of the Disciplines

God's Map

2009-03-23T11:18:00.003-04:00

This is a little activity we have been doing with the youth. It is God's map. Basically the idea goes like this. We tend to think that God is only with us, in the good time, or when we are doing the right things. The truth is God is with us all the time. He even leads us to tough times, hard times, desert times.....they are all part of his map. This means if I am experiencing difficulty it isn't that God has left, or the devil is after me.

If this is true, then we can then at any time ask God by looking at the map.....'God show me where I am on YOUR map.' AND when he leads us somewhere tough we can say 'Even though I go to the valley of the shadow of death.....I will not fear."

God is relevant EVERYWHERE.

Practice, by finding yourself on the map, or by putting your own place on the map.

Shelley's doing well

2009-03-23T11:16:00.003-04:00

Many know that Shelley Maw has donated a kidney to her brother Daryl. Both are doing well after the surgery. Thanks everyone for your prayers.

Spiritual Disciplines...??

2009-03-18T10:43:00.000-04:00

Children, Can You Hear Me?

2009-03-12T19:11:00.000-04:00

This Sunday is our first second large group of the month, month. Confused. Well every other month we have two Large Group Sundays, March will be our first time. Tab and Jeff Fellman have been teaching the kids about prayer in the regular large group and we are going to continue this in the second large group. It's going to be all about prayer and we will have a Pray Kids! club using some fantastic stuff from The Navigators. But this Sunday we will be reading to the kids, 'Children, Can You Hear Me?' a wonderful book for kids on listening prayer. We will do a prayer activity, a craft and practice listening prayer. Check back here next week for update on what happens this Sunday.

Faith at Home - Take it Home Event.
On March 29, at the 11:00 am service we will be having a Take it Home Event for the Grade 2 kids and their parents. The topic is Family Prayer and parents will receive 'Creative Family Prayer Times' (another wonderful resource from The Navigators). The kids will receive 'Children Can You Hear me?" Although this book is written for kids it has incredible stuff in the back for parents to help them teach their kids and engage them in conversations with Jesus.
It's written by a Canadian, Brad Jersak from Fresh Wind in Abbotsford, B.C.
Wanna read this book? Come, take five, sit on the couch in my office and read it. It will pierce your soul as you hear Jesus speaking to your very heart. I'll probably be weeping as I read some of it to the kids on Sunday. I'm planning on giving my spiritual companion a copy. It's spiritual exercises for kids.
I'm pondering changing the name of Take it Home Events to Equipping the Home.
Reason: Parents haven't connected with Take it Home - they don't 'get it'.
Any thots.

Well there it is. The first blog of my life. It wasn't actually that hard. Hope I did it write!

Elders - What DO they do?

2009-03-11T15:57:00.000-04:00

Just exactly what do elders do anyway?

are they responsible for your spiritual life and care?

what does 'setting vision for the church' look like?

what decisions do or should elders make?

what should they be involved in in the church?

they pray - what should they be praying for exactly?

We elders are talking about all these things...over the next couple of months. Jump in and comment here. What do you think?