Wow what a spring so far! So far I've managed to squeeze in between the snow squalls two practices with my U-12 soccer team. When I want to start complaining about the weather, I'm reminded of the folk in the States who are getting hammered with tornadoes, the Japanese who are recovering from tsunamis and earthquakes. So in light of that a few snow storms ain't so bad!
We are meeting this Sunday evening from 5-8pm for house church at our place. It will be a "Bring Your Gift" time so bring something to share with us all...a poem you've written, a song you would like to sing or one you've composed, a painting...if I may I would to boast in Shari P. and Linda Mae Hill who are turning out to be amazing artists...would love to see some of your art! Or if like me all you can do on the artistic side of things is draw stick figures and press the play button on the stereo, feel free to come with a story, Scripture that God has been speaking to you through.
We also want to eat together so bring enough food for yourself and to share with the rest of the community. As is our custom we will share some bread/rice and juice in celebrating King Jesus in our midst.
For anyone who wants to hang out after, you can join our family tradition of watching the Amazing Race...though our boys are bummed that the Cowboys are out!
Those of you who are planning to come would you just give us a shout to let us know so we can plan accordingly.
Keep praying for Doug R. who is still in the Middle East till Sunday. He's having a great time and being treated like family or royalty. Look forward to hearing the stories when he gets back.
Jon and I are doing a bottle/can drive for our Africa trip so if you have any cans or bottles that you would be willing to part with let us know or bring them on Sunday if you're coming. Every little bit helps:)
Peace on you all,
Tim and Esther
Friday, April 29, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
House Warming For Doug
Hey Everyone, We will be gathering this Sunday from 4-7pm at Doug Rempel's new house! The address is 2405 Pinewood Drive, S.E. It will be a potluck so bring enough food to share around. As Doug will be leaving this next Weds. on a Kingdom adventure, we want to spend some time praying for him and waiting on the Lord for any Spirit-inspired words about the trip. It really is an exciting opportunity and we get to be a part of it! We also want to bless Doug's new place and pray about how God would want to connect Doug with what He is doing in the Forest Lawn area to extend His Kingdom. The Forest Lawn area is one of those places in our city where there are alot of ethnic folk especially from Asian countries like Vietnam as well as from India, Pakistan and other parts of the world. It has also had a reputation for being a crime 'hot spot' with lots of gang and drug activity. Yet these are the kinds of places where Jesus loves to show up! So we want to pray that His Kingdom would come, and that the Holy Spirit would guide Doug in his desire to partner with the Father in His Kingdom activity in the S.E. and possibly form a simple Jesus community there with people who don't know Jesus yet. Doug has sensed a call to this area, and we're excited about what is in store for him and his family in days to come. See you on Sunday, Tim and Esther
Friday, April 1, 2011
Rest and Replenishment
Hi All, We as a family are leaving today for a week in Canmore of rest and replenishment. Really looking forward to getting into nature, no meetings, less schedule, and having some fun with the fam. Being in the cathedral of creation is one of my primary ways of connecting with God and its been awhile. You can read my blog on the toxic nature of city life on the Mosaic website if you want to hear my rant and rave. Thus we will not be around for the next two weekends. If any of you would like to host or plan a gathering some type or sort over the next couple of wknds....Go for it! On the 16th or 17th it would be fun to gather at Doug Rempel's new place. Doug, let us know if these dates work for you, and why don't you plan what the time together would be like. It would be great to have the Behrang clan at this gathering and pray for your Iran trip coming up at the end of April. If you would like to support Doug on this trip which he will share more about when we gather. You can do that through Mosaic Ministries...just talk to Doug about it. Heaps of peace and joy on you all, Tim and Esther
Friday, March 25, 2011
The Power of Forgiveness
Hi Everyone,
Here's a cool story of how God is able to 're-cycle' and 'redeem' even the most horrific of situations. Good friends of ours, who are missionaries and pastors from Japan to the Japanese community in Calgary, shared this story with us. Last weekend, the youth group at the Japanese church our friends have planted decided to do a fund raiser to help out the over 500,000 Japanese who have become refugees in their own land because of the earthquake and tsunami. They held the fund raiser at a Chinese supermarket, which is ironic when you realize the deep seated bitterness and hatred the Chinese have for the Japanese due to all the pain caused by the Japanese during World War II. One elderly Chinese lady, who would have lived through World War II and been deeply affected by the atrocities committed by the Japanese, placed an envelope in the donation box with 10 $100 bills in it. Wow, that sure fleshes out Jesus teaching of what it means to love your enemies!
This Saturday we again will meet at our place at 5pm. Yes, it will be a potluck so bring enough food for your fam. and to share! We know that for some the mention of a potluck means another thing to prepare for in the midst of a busy schedule...yet food and hospitality and sharing are so much a part of Kingdom culture, we want to encourage you to keep it simple and plan in advance so that its not a huge deal. Our times together are not to be so much a meeting as a family gathering. We want to be a family on mission together!
We again want to give opportunity for everyone, including our kids, the chance to 'give and receive'....so come prepared to offer up a poem you've written or a peom you like that someone else has written, a song you've composed or a song you'd like to sing together, a story, a short devotional, a painting or a Scripture. We'll go around the room and have everyone share their gift. We'll also have opportunity to prayer for one another at the end and any of our friends, neighbours who don't know Jesus yet! Woven into our time will be a chance to give a hearty toast and thank you to King Jesus!
Peace on you all,
Tim and Esther
Here's a cool story of how God is able to 're-cycle' and 'redeem' even the most horrific of situations. Good friends of ours, who are missionaries and pastors from Japan to the Japanese community in Calgary, shared this story with us. Last weekend, the youth group at the Japanese church our friends have planted decided to do a fund raiser to help out the over 500,000 Japanese who have become refugees in their own land because of the earthquake and tsunami. They held the fund raiser at a Chinese supermarket, which is ironic when you realize the deep seated bitterness and hatred the Chinese have for the Japanese due to all the pain caused by the Japanese during World War II. One elderly Chinese lady, who would have lived through World War II and been deeply affected by the atrocities committed by the Japanese, placed an envelope in the donation box with 10 $100 bills in it. Wow, that sure fleshes out Jesus teaching of what it means to love your enemies!
This Saturday we again will meet at our place at 5pm. Yes, it will be a potluck so bring enough food for your fam. and to share! We know that for some the mention of a potluck means another thing to prepare for in the midst of a busy schedule...yet food and hospitality and sharing are so much a part of Kingdom culture, we want to encourage you to keep it simple and plan in advance so that its not a huge deal. Our times together are not to be so much a meeting as a family gathering. We want to be a family on mission together!
We again want to give opportunity for everyone, including our kids, the chance to 'give and receive'....so come prepared to offer up a poem you've written or a peom you like that someone else has written, a song you've composed or a song you'd like to sing together, a story, a short devotional, a painting or a Scripture. We'll go around the room and have everyone share their gift. We'll also have opportunity to prayer for one another at the end and any of our friends, neighbours who don't know Jesus yet! Woven into our time will be a chance to give a hearty toast and thank you to King Jesus!
Peace on you all,
Tim and Esther
Friday, March 18, 2011
A Belated Happy St. Patrick's Day to You All,
We had a great Feast Gathering last week with various communities from Calgary and beyond. It was so fun to see our kids go on the scavenger hunt to find Jesus! One cool story from the evening is that a friend of mine was surprised with a $1000 dollar bill, in the form of a scholarship, for his daughter to go to Prairie Bible College! The way it all came about is really one of the main purposes of the Feast: people finding one another and the Holy Spirit organizing the sharing and receiving of gifts. My friend from Calgary was chatting with another friend from the community in Three Hills about how his daughter had recently mentioned that she wanted to go to Prairie to pursue her dream to work with children. During the conversation, my friend from Three Hills remembered receiving this $1000 scholarship bill as an alumni to pass on to a potential student. He just happened to have it in His Bible and was able to pass it on. Yeah, God! I love it when I hear how the Holy Spirit puts these things together.
Once again we want to gather this Saturday at 5pm at our house. We want to continue the practice of 'sharing our gifts' together. So come all, yes, even the children, and be prepared to share a song you've written or want to sing together, a peom you've written or just one you really like, a devotional that's impacted you, a short teaching, a painting, a prophetic word for the group or an individual, something to give away to another who might be in need, or simply your presence.
We will be eating together, so don't forget to bring a main dish and salad and desert for your clan and to share with others.
The Tweedies, our friends who have just moved back from Malaysia, may be joining us which will be lots of fun.
Keep praying for the people of Libya and Japan with all the upheaval and suffering the people are going through because of war, tsunamis, earthequakes, and the nuclear crisis. I've been meditating on Psalm 46 as I ask the questions: "Where is God in all of this and what is He desiring to do throught these catastrophic events?"
Love,
Tim and Esther
We had a great Feast Gathering last week with various communities from Calgary and beyond. It was so fun to see our kids go on the scavenger hunt to find Jesus! One cool story from the evening is that a friend of mine was surprised with a $1000 dollar bill, in the form of a scholarship, for his daughter to go to Prairie Bible College! The way it all came about is really one of the main purposes of the Feast: people finding one another and the Holy Spirit organizing the sharing and receiving of gifts. My friend from Calgary was chatting with another friend from the community in Three Hills about how his daughter had recently mentioned that she wanted to go to Prairie to pursue her dream to work with children. During the conversation, my friend from Three Hills remembered receiving this $1000 scholarship bill as an alumni to pass on to a potential student. He just happened to have it in His Bible and was able to pass it on. Yeah, God! I love it when I hear how the Holy Spirit puts these things together.
Once again we want to gather this Saturday at 5pm at our house. We want to continue the practice of 'sharing our gifts' together. So come all, yes, even the children, and be prepared to share a song you've written or want to sing together, a peom you've written or just one you really like, a devotional that's impacted you, a short teaching, a painting, a prophetic word for the group or an individual, something to give away to another who might be in need, or simply your presence.
We will be eating together, so don't forget to bring a main dish and salad and desert for your clan and to share with others.
The Tweedies, our friends who have just moved back from Malaysia, may be joining us which will be lots of fun.
Keep praying for the people of Libya and Japan with all the upheaval and suffering the people are going through because of war, tsunamis, earthequakes, and the nuclear crisis. I've been meditating on Psalm 46 as I ask the questions: "Where is God in all of this and what is He desiring to do throught these catastrophic events?"
Love,
Tim and Esther
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Dear Friends,
Esther and I hope you are all doing well. It's been quite a week for some of us. Doug moving into his new home only to have a sewer backup last Saturday that is requiring some major work. For us, we've been stricken with various maladies. Joel, Mike, and myself came down with a wicked flu/cold of which I'm still recuperating, though much better than a week ago. Then yesterday Mike thought he had misquito bites, because he was itchy all over. Turns out his best friend that he had been spending alot of time with doing a school project had contracted chicken pox, and so had Mike! This is all after they had been vaccinated...go figure! We are so thankful because this morning Mike woke up and the pox weren't itching and had begun to disappear. Mike was thrilled that Jesus had answered his prayers as his hockey team is playing in the semi-finals of the playoffs tonight, and he was selected to be the captain for this game, and so Lord willing he's game to play tonight sniffles, hack, and all. Needless to say we have felt like we were living in a fog this week. With the Feast coming up on Sat., Esther working extra time due to tax season being upon us, running Jon around for pit band practices for the school play, and all the rest of the normal things of life, we've been wondering how in the world we'd make it through the week! The Scripture that has kept coming to me from II Cor. 12: 9-10 "...my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." This Kingdom journey is so upside down. We think we need to act like we are strong and have it all together to qualify to be successful. Yet in the Kingdom its the other way around. So if you feel weak overwhelmed, under resourced, like we do, be encouraged because you are a candidate for God's grace-His resources and power to do what you cannot do!
This Saturday is the Mosaic Feast Gathering from 4-8 down at JLYS. Folks will be coming from Taber, Three Hills, possibly Drumheller, and from all around Calgary. If you can make it, invite a friend. It will be family friendly and a great time of celebrating the unique pieces of the Mosaic that when put together give us a clearer picture of who Jesus is. We are looking forward to the diversity represented in the different age groups, colours of skin, and flavours of food.
It will be a potluck so please bring a main dish, a salad or desert, and some drinks to share with all. We will also be taking an offering for the Mosaic General Fund so ask the Father what you should give and come prepared to do so. Cheques can be made out to Mosaic Ministries. Don't forget to bring your Bibles as well!
Hope you all can make it and if not have a great weekend....Go Flames and Go Bow River Bruins!
Tim and Esther
Esther and I hope you are all doing well. It's been quite a week for some of us. Doug moving into his new home only to have a sewer backup last Saturday that is requiring some major work. For us, we've been stricken with various maladies. Joel, Mike, and myself came down with a wicked flu/cold of which I'm still recuperating, though much better than a week ago. Then yesterday Mike thought he had misquito bites, because he was itchy all over. Turns out his best friend that he had been spending alot of time with doing a school project had contracted chicken pox, and so had Mike! This is all after they had been vaccinated...go figure! We are so thankful because this morning Mike woke up and the pox weren't itching and had begun to disappear. Mike was thrilled that Jesus had answered his prayers as his hockey team is playing in the semi-finals of the playoffs tonight, and he was selected to be the captain for this game, and so Lord willing he's game to play tonight sniffles, hack, and all. Needless to say we have felt like we were living in a fog this week. With the Feast coming up on Sat., Esther working extra time due to tax season being upon us, running Jon around for pit band practices for the school play, and all the rest of the normal things of life, we've been wondering how in the world we'd make it through the week! The Scripture that has kept coming to me from II Cor. 12: 9-10 "...my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." This Kingdom journey is so upside down. We think we need to act like we are strong and have it all together to qualify to be successful. Yet in the Kingdom its the other way around. So if you feel weak overwhelmed, under resourced, like we do, be encouraged because you are a candidate for God's grace-His resources and power to do what you cannot do!
This Saturday is the Mosaic Feast Gathering from 4-8 down at JLYS. Folks will be coming from Taber, Three Hills, possibly Drumheller, and from all around Calgary. If you can make it, invite a friend. It will be family friendly and a great time of celebrating the unique pieces of the Mosaic that when put together give us a clearer picture of who Jesus is. We are looking forward to the diversity represented in the different age groups, colours of skin, and flavours of food.
It will be a potluck so please bring a main dish, a salad or desert, and some drinks to share with all. We will also be taking an offering for the Mosaic General Fund so ask the Father what you should give and come prepared to do so. Cheques can be made out to Mosaic Ministries. Don't forget to bring your Bibles as well!
Hope you all can make it and if not have a great weekend....Go Flames and Go Bow River Bruins!
Tim and Esther
Friday, March 4, 2011
Hello All,
Congratulations to Doug on moving into his home in the S.E. We look forward to the kingdom adventures that the Father has in store for you there, and how He connects you to folks who are searching for Jesus, and to be a part of a Jesus community there. A hearty toast to Beth as well who just got a new job with Servants Anonymous, a really cool organization that works in the human trafficing arena. We know that helping those who are oppressed has always been part of God's call for Beth and a passion in her heart. Furthermore the oppressed, the widow, and the orphan are very close to God's heart...so way to go Beth.
This Saturday we will meet at our place at 5pm, and since we didn't meet last week, Beth will share and teach on what she has been learning on our theme: Growing Up in Jesus: How Do we Become Mature? Yes, it will be potluck again so bring enough food for your clan, and to share with others. We want to also encourage all coming to bring something to offer Jesus during our worship: a song you like or one you've written, a poem, a prayer of thanks, or Psalm to read. We want to offer up to Jesus a symphony of worship together.
Next Saturday we will be having our Feast gathering from 4:30pm to 8pm down at the JLYS building in downtown Calgary. There will be folks from various simple communities in Calgary and beyond who have been connecting to the Mosaic network. Again because food is so much a part of kingdom living, please bring a main dish, salad, desert if you like and some drinks to share. Invite your friends to join us as well as we celebrate Jesus and the beauty of His diversity expressed through us in our gifts, personalities, and so on.
Also if you have not signed up to receive regular posts from our Mosaic website please do at www.themosaicnetwork.net. This way you get sent to your e-mail regular posts from the Mosaic on upcoming events, blogs to encourage and stimulate your thinking, great teaching videos to help you grow, and so on. It is very easy to do, so even if you're not a computer wizard you can do it. Just go to the site, and you'll see where to type in your e-mail address and click the submit button...so just do it!
Love to you all,
Tim and Esther
Congratulations to Doug on moving into his home in the S.E. We look forward to the kingdom adventures that the Father has in store for you there, and how He connects you to folks who are searching for Jesus, and to be a part of a Jesus community there. A hearty toast to Beth as well who just got a new job with Servants Anonymous, a really cool organization that works in the human trafficing arena. We know that helping those who are oppressed has always been part of God's call for Beth and a passion in her heart. Furthermore the oppressed, the widow, and the orphan are very close to God's heart...so way to go Beth.
This Saturday we will meet at our place at 5pm, and since we didn't meet last week, Beth will share and teach on what she has been learning on our theme: Growing Up in Jesus: How Do we Become Mature? Yes, it will be potluck again so bring enough food for your clan, and to share with others. We want to also encourage all coming to bring something to offer Jesus during our worship: a song you like or one you've written, a poem, a prayer of thanks, or Psalm to read. We want to offer up to Jesus a symphony of worship together.
Next Saturday we will be having our Feast gathering from 4:30pm to 8pm down at the JLYS building in downtown Calgary. There will be folks from various simple communities in Calgary and beyond who have been connecting to the Mosaic network. Again because food is so much a part of kingdom living, please bring a main dish, salad, desert if you like and some drinks to share. Invite your friends to join us as well as we celebrate Jesus and the beauty of His diversity expressed through us in our gifts, personalities, and so on.
Also if you have not signed up to receive regular posts from our Mosaic website please do at www.themosaicnetwork.net. This way you get sent to your e-mail regular posts from the Mosaic on upcoming events, blogs to encourage and stimulate your thinking, great teaching videos to help you grow, and so on. It is very easy to do, so even if you're not a computer wizard you can do it. Just go to the site, and you'll see where to type in your e-mail address and click the submit button...so just do it!
Love to you all,
Tim and Esther
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