Hey All,

Just a heads up that we'll be meeting this Sunday at 10:30am at the Schultz residence. Bring your lunch along if you'd like to hang out afterwards. Our friends Mac and Joanne will be joining us. It was great to have our friends the Kungs with us last week and hear a little of their story. We look forward to seeing who God adds to our family circle this year.

This weekend is the Pointen's anniversary, and it sounds like they're getting away for a romantic weekend...so Happy Anniversary, Paul and Shari. Man, I can still remember that day and thinking what a fine couple you were. Thanks for the privilege of officiating at your wedding and allowing us to be a part of your lives all these years. We love you guys!

Our family went to the Bowness Community meal on Weds. night and had a great time connecting with some of our Bownessian community. I sat with a first nations gal and her daughter. They were sitting at the far corner of the room and though I didn't feel like it, I felt prompted to just go sit with them and welcome them. They had just moved into the Bowness from Morley. I asked her why she left and she said she had to get away from a 'bad' relationship. Again I realized how small yet big a thing it is to just 'be' with people and to make them feel like they are welcome and belong.

Another guy named Fraser shared with me that evening how he used to live on the streets, but now has been sober for almost a year, and has a place of his own. He then shared his suffering of the last couple of years. Both his mom and common law wife have recently passed away. Inspite of all the pain, he has chosen to live and get his life back on track. I felt honoured that this man who barely knew me would be so free to share his story. I also recognized that all of us are looking for someone who will simply listen to us. So often I am to busy to listen or feel like I have to have answers to people's problems which are often so over whelming. Yet in reality all we are looking for is someone who has the time to listen and that listening is one of the most powerful ways to show care or be missional which simply means to be and do what Jesus would do...so the lessons for me out of the evening are to keep learning to be a better listener and to embrace people by welcoming them and making them feel like they belong! I can do that by just showing up and taking that first step of welcoming those on the outside! By the way, it turns out that Fraser and the aboriginal gal had met 10 years earlier, though they hadn't seen each other since.


Tim