As I'm writing this blog, I can see large snowflakes coming down quietly yet incessantly, reminding me that winter is just around the corner! Anyone up for a trip to the tropics? Well in a matter of days, I will be off to the lands of 30 + C. and 90% humidity. The main objective of my trip is not to flee winter, although I do love hot weather, but to follow through on our commitment to keep going back to the same places (fishing holes), and serving people that are dear friends and who have become lifers - those that God connects you with, and who you have the privilege of walking with through valleys and mountain top experiences on the journey this side of heaven. So I will visit Trang, our spiritual daughter and friend to many of you in our community and Andrew and Michelle Ong -Vineyard pastors in Singapore to celebrate the 10 anniversary of their church.
If you've been around me long enough you'll have heard me use the phrase "a few faithful, forgiving friends". In a succint the verse John 15:13 "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." sums up what church is to be like. This kind of friendship is such a rare treasurer, but when you find it, one feels so rich. What Esther and I have found is that there are two ways to find these kinds of friends: Through the passage of time and weathering conflict or crisis together. This last weekend we tasted of it as we had the privilege of being with Paul and Shari - who we've known for a gazillion years and who have walked with us through many ups and downs - as well as Linda Hill our dear friend, as the family had a spreading of Steve's ashes on Moose Mountain. Being there was such an honour. So the long and skinny of it, is that we want to encourage all of you to find your band of faithful and forgiving friends and don't settle for 'church light'. This kind of friendship costs something but is worth more than gold.
This Sunday we will meet at the Schultz abode at 10:30am. Since most were out of town last week, we canceled house church. Thus we will have a bring your gift Sunday - INCLUDING THE CHILDREN! Bring a song you've written or is on your heart to sing, a poem, some food, a story, a Scripture, a painting, or whatever else to share with the group and let's see what the Holy Spirit says to us through each other.
I would also appreciate being prayed for as I leave on Tuesday for Asia. Still praying in some more bucks for the trip so would appreciate prayer on that and if you'd like to contribute let me know on Sunday.
Esther and I are so blessed to watch the friendships that are growing in our community and how people are laying down their lives for one another in small yet significant ways like baby sitting, prayer and counsel, sharing and giving to one another in practical ways such as help in moving or finances. Keep it up and let's invite others into the circle!
Love,
Tim and Esther
Friday, October 15, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Blessed to be a Blessing
Happy Thanksgiving to You All,
Welcome back Paul and Shari from your family getaway down to Disneyland. Sounds like it was just the tonic that you guys needed. Though we didn't have 30+C weather here at home, it sure has been a much desired Indian summer.
This Sunday all those of you who are in town are welcome to our place at 10:30am. Please come prepared to share a gift--a song, poem, Bible verse that is meanful to you, something you have created, a food item to share, a God story, etc. We call it "Bring Your Gift Sunday". Of course, your presence is also a gift. Also, we want to spend some time sharing how God has blessed us over this last year, and offering up our thanksgiving to God, maybe around a campfire in the back yard. After we share how God has blessed us, we want to pray for others in our lives that still haven't met Him yet, so our theme could also be "Blessed to be a Blessing." If anyone wants to stay afterwards, we thought we could keep the fire going and roast hot dogs or sausages. If you plan to stay for that, please bring your own meat and buns and roasting sticks, as well as a salad or some veggies. We want to keep it simple because many of you may already be involved in hosting or contributing to Thankgiving dinners.
I leave a week next Tuesday for Asia, so appreciate your prayers for that as I prepare to go and still prayin in some bucks for the trip. Next Sunday I would love to be 'commissioned' or given the 'left foot of fellowship' out by our community.
Have a great weekend with family and friends,
Tim and Esther
Welcome back Paul and Shari from your family getaway down to Disneyland. Sounds like it was just the tonic that you guys needed. Though we didn't have 30+C weather here at home, it sure has been a much desired Indian summer.
This Sunday all those of you who are in town are welcome to our place at 10:30am. Please come prepared to share a gift--a song, poem, Bible verse that is meanful to you, something you have created, a food item to share, a God story, etc. We call it "Bring Your Gift Sunday". Of course, your presence is also a gift. Also, we want to spend some time sharing how God has blessed us over this last year, and offering up our thanksgiving to God, maybe around a campfire in the back yard. After we share how God has blessed us, we want to pray for others in our lives that still haven't met Him yet, so our theme could also be "Blessed to be a Blessing." If anyone wants to stay afterwards, we thought we could keep the fire going and roast hot dogs or sausages. If you plan to stay for that, please bring your own meat and buns and roasting sticks, as well as a salad or some veggies. We want to keep it simple because many of you may already be involved in hosting or contributing to Thankgiving dinners.
I leave a week next Tuesday for Asia, so appreciate your prayers for that as I prepare to go and still prayin in some bucks for the trip. Next Sunday I would love to be 'commissioned' or given the 'left foot of fellowship' out by our community.
Have a great weekend with family and friends,
Tim and Esther
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Greetings and Salutations to You All,
Esther and I leave this afternoon for the grand metropolis of Winkler, Man. for our Vineyard Regional Meetings. We'll be gone for the weekend and would appreciate your prayers for safety in travel and over our kids that we have farmed out to friends. Also pray for God's guidance in these meetings as the Canadian Vineyard is in transition from one leadership couple to a leadership team. We would also appreciate favour for us as we continue to communicate what we are doing with our coaching stuff and how it may be of service to churches in the region.
There will be no formal gathering this weekend, but feel free to spontaneously gather or visit another church community or just take some time to get out in nature and enjoy the beauty of the changing leaves.
I would appreciate your prayers as I get ready to go to Asia on October the 19th. The trip is coming together and I have a good chunk of what I need in bucks for the trip, but still praying in $1500. I will be doing some training with the leaders of the Singapore Vineyard, celebrating with them their 10 year anniversary, and then going to see Trang, our spiritual daughter in Vietnam to encourage her. If you want to contribute, you can do that through GHS.
We had a great time at our Mosaic Feast last Sat. So cool to see the diversity in colours, all the great food, and the cool missional stories of how God's Kingdom is breaking in. We had at least 9 different simple missional communities represented.
Have a great weekend and we love you all.
Tim and Esther
Esther and I leave this afternoon for the grand metropolis of Winkler, Man. for our Vineyard Regional Meetings. We'll be gone for the weekend and would appreciate your prayers for safety in travel and over our kids that we have farmed out to friends. Also pray for God's guidance in these meetings as the Canadian Vineyard is in transition from one leadership couple to a leadership team. We would also appreciate favour for us as we continue to communicate what we are doing with our coaching stuff and how it may be of service to churches in the region.
There will be no formal gathering this weekend, but feel free to spontaneously gather or visit another church community or just take some time to get out in nature and enjoy the beauty of the changing leaves.
I would appreciate your prayers as I get ready to go to Asia on October the 19th. The trip is coming together and I have a good chunk of what I need in bucks for the trip, but still praying in $1500. I will be doing some training with the leaders of the Singapore Vineyard, celebrating with them their 10 year anniversary, and then going to see Trang, our spiritual daughter in Vietnam to encourage her. If you want to contribute, you can do that through GHS.
We had a great time at our Mosaic Feast last Sat. So cool to see the diversity in colours, all the great food, and the cool missional stories of how God's Kingdom is breaking in. We had at least 9 different simple missional communities represented.
Have a great weekend and we love you all.
Tim and Esther
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Hey All,
Here is a picture of Sparticus the wonderful creation that Esther and the kids put together out of pieces of junk and trash. Pretty cool! So remember this week that God can take any of our mess and turn it into a thing of beauty!
This week we will not be gathering on Sunday, but instead will gather for the Feast on Saturday at 5:30 pm - 8pm down at JLYS with other communities who are part of the MOSAIC.NET.
If you are coming, invite some friends along and remember to bring a main dish, salad, and desert for your clan and enough to share with some others. It will be a time of eating, hearing God stories, ministry, and celebrating the beauty of Jesus found in all the uniques pieces of the Mosaic.
See All of You who can make it on Saturday!
Tim and Esther
Friday, September 17, 2010
Hey Everyone,
This Sunday we'll be gathering at the Schultz residence at 10:30 am. Parents remember to bring a pair of gloves for each of your kids and a couple pieces of junk or rubbish. We will be creating a work of art out garbage we collect from a field trip into the neighbourhood depending on the weather-thus the need to bring some junk. The theme is how God can create something beautiful out of our mess- remember the Hebrew phrase 'tohu bohu' from Genesis chapter 1 -God took what is formless and void and created all the diversity and beauty of creation.
Doug will be leading us in a discussion from the book of James.
Next Saturday, Sept. 25th is our Mosaic Feast gathering with other communities from Calgary and the surrounding area. It will start at 5:30 pm down at JLYS downtown with a potluck meal. So invite some friends and bring enough food for your clan and to share with others. After the meal, there will be worship, missional stories, communion, different stations to connect with God, and so on.
Should be a great time.
See you on Sunday!
Tim and Esther
This Sunday we'll be gathering at the Schultz residence at 10:30 am. Parents remember to bring a pair of gloves for each of your kids and a couple pieces of junk or rubbish. We will be creating a work of art out garbage we collect from a field trip into the neighbourhood depending on the weather-thus the need to bring some junk. The theme is how God can create something beautiful out of our mess- remember the Hebrew phrase 'tohu bohu' from Genesis chapter 1 -God took what is formless and void and created all the diversity and beauty of creation.
Doug will be leading us in a discussion from the book of James.
Next Saturday, Sept. 25th is our Mosaic Feast gathering with other communities from Calgary and the surrounding area. It will start at 5:30 pm down at JLYS downtown with a potluck meal. So invite some friends and bring enough food for your clan and to share with others. After the meal, there will be worship, missional stories, communion, different stations to connect with God, and so on.
Should be a great time.
See you on Sunday!
Tim and Esther
Friday, September 10, 2010
Hey All,
We'll be gathering at the Schultz residence at 10:30 am this Sunday. Doug will be leading us in a discussion from James and Scott will facilitate us in worship.
The Pointen's are away in Edmonton celebrating their anniversary and Pauline is in Winnipeg catching up with friends at a women's retreat...so Godspeed to you guys as you travel and enjoy some R & R. We pray for peace over Scott and the kids this weekend!
There is a single mom and her kids in our neighbourhood who are in need of some beds for the kids, so if you're aware of some beds that are available let us know so we can get them to her.
See you all on Sunday!
Tim and Esther
We'll be gathering at the Schultz residence at 10:30 am this Sunday. Doug will be leading us in a discussion from James and Scott will facilitate us in worship.
The Pointen's are away in Edmonton celebrating their anniversary and Pauline is in Winnipeg catching up with friends at a women's retreat...so Godspeed to you guys as you travel and enjoy some R & R. We pray for peace over Scott and the kids this weekend!
There is a single mom and her kids in our neighbourhood who are in need of some beds for the kids, so if you're aware of some beds that are available let us know so we can get them to her.
See you all on Sunday!
Tim and Esther
Friday, September 3, 2010
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
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
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