Friday, May 25, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Update Tuesday 22/05/12
The weather has turned decidedly nicer these past few weeks, and although we really cannot complain about the winter that we had (to say it was mild would be an understatement) there is still something that happens when spring really hits or we begin to transition into summer. Something happens in the cities and towns, in the neighbourhoods and even within the soul of each Canadian and there is a real sense of new beginnings and new possibilities.
I spent some time planting a garden as we celebrated the first anniversary of our move to Hamilton. We planted a few plants, a tree and some vegetables. My neighbour down the street, who has quite a large and immaculate vegetable garden, saw me working and offered some tomato plants which I accepted gladly. As I was planting the tiny tomato plants, I could not help of thinking of my colleague Jim Danielson, with whom I served at our sending church in Milton On. for six years before coming to Hamilton. Jim has a huge tomato garden and at times was even a bit obsessive about it, ordering seeds from all over North America. It was a passion, and still is I imagine. That garden was a yearly reminder to us and it served as a key metaphor for the work that we were doing. It still serves as an apt image as we think about our work here in Hamilton. Sowing seeds, of course, has been a metaphor for sharing the word from the time Jesus spoke His famous parable. Working on that tomato garden, from the preparation of the soil through to mature fruit, has provided some further understanding as we seek to see a similar process in the lives of people. In the early days of Milton, and our early days here, it has been the idea of preparing the soil and sowing seeds that spoke most clearly to us. The reality is that if the seeds are to flourish, a lot of time must be put into preparing the soil. Hard ground must be broken up and softened and weeds must be pulled. Ministry in Canada can be very similar. There is an abundance of hard ground, hearts hardened towards Jesus and the gospel, as well as, an abundance of weeds of misunderstanding, preconceptions, distrust or negative experience flourish. And so, we spend a lot of time turning up soil, softening the ground and pulling up weeds through service and loving those around us, building relationships and pouring into people, that they may see a positive example of the Jesus, His church and what it really stands for. This is not an excuse not to sow, never to share the gospel, which is unfortunately how some proceed today. Instead we sow, we constantly sow as we plow and weed.
Planting my garden, thinking of Jim's garden, and remembering what it is that we are doing has been a good reminder this week.
Tonight, is our weekly fellowship meeting and once again we are expecting a few new faces to join us. We will continue to look at the Gospel of Matthew as we attempt to learn about who Jesus is, what He has done for us and what he wants to do in and through us. Again, we have found no better way to pull up some of the weeds of misconception then by inviting people to look at what Jesus actually said and did for themselves. Some of us are learning for the very first time, trying to make an informed decision about Jesus. Others of us are looking again, gleaning fresh insight as we spend time in the word and with each other. We are also reading with the thought that by the end we will read that Jesus asked his disciples to go and make more disciples and thus we can be learning how to do that as we go. Our group is growing in numbers but also in diversity, in just about every sense of the word and we are excited about what God is growing. We thank you for your continued prayer for our weekly times together.
As we think about softening soil, we also recognize that when it comes to the individual heart it really is the Spirit that prepares for the reception of the word and thus our greatest tool and investment is prayer. We truly thank you for your continued support of our ministry and for your prayers.
I spent some time planting a garden as we celebrated the first anniversary of our move to Hamilton. We planted a few plants, a tree and some vegetables. My neighbour down the street, who has quite a large and immaculate vegetable garden, saw me working and offered some tomato plants which I accepted gladly. As I was planting the tiny tomato plants, I could not help of thinking of my colleague Jim Danielson, with whom I served at our sending church in Milton On. for six years before coming to Hamilton. Jim has a huge tomato garden and at times was even a bit obsessive about it, ordering seeds from all over North America. It was a passion, and still is I imagine. That garden was a yearly reminder to us and it served as a key metaphor for the work that we were doing. It still serves as an apt image as we think about our work here in Hamilton. Sowing seeds, of course, has been a metaphor for sharing the word from the time Jesus spoke His famous parable. Working on that tomato garden, from the preparation of the soil through to mature fruit, has provided some further understanding as we seek to see a similar process in the lives of people. In the early days of Milton, and our early days here, it has been the idea of preparing the soil and sowing seeds that spoke most clearly to us. The reality is that if the seeds are to flourish, a lot of time must be put into preparing the soil. Hard ground must be broken up and softened and weeds must be pulled. Ministry in Canada can be very similar. There is an abundance of hard ground, hearts hardened towards Jesus and the gospel, as well as, an abundance of weeds of misunderstanding, preconceptions, distrust or negative experience flourish. And so, we spend a lot of time turning up soil, softening the ground and pulling up weeds through service and loving those around us, building relationships and pouring into people, that they may see a positive example of the Jesus, His church and what it really stands for. This is not an excuse not to sow, never to share the gospel, which is unfortunately how some proceed today. Instead we sow, we constantly sow as we plow and weed.
Planting my garden, thinking of Jim's garden, and remembering what it is that we are doing has been a good reminder this week.
Tonight, is our weekly fellowship meeting and once again we are expecting a few new faces to join us. We will continue to look at the Gospel of Matthew as we attempt to learn about who Jesus is, what He has done for us and what he wants to do in and through us. Again, we have found no better way to pull up some of the weeds of misconception then by inviting people to look at what Jesus actually said and did for themselves. Some of us are learning for the very first time, trying to make an informed decision about Jesus. Others of us are looking again, gleaning fresh insight as we spend time in the word and with each other. We are also reading with the thought that by the end we will read that Jesus asked his disciples to go and make more disciples and thus we can be learning how to do that as we go. Our group is growing in numbers but also in diversity, in just about every sense of the word and we are excited about what God is growing. We thank you for your continued prayer for our weekly times together.
As we think about softening soil, we also recognize that when it comes to the individual heart it really is the Spirit that prepares for the reception of the word and thus our greatest tool and investment is prayer. We truly thank you for your continued support of our ministry and for your prayers.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Free Art Friday 18/5/12
I am off to the cottage for a few days of relaxation so I will pull in some help for today's Free Art Friday installment. Here is a video taken live from a show in Houston that features a great interplay between Cindy Cashdollar and Lisa Pankratz on drums who were playing with Dave Alvin as part of the Guilty Women at the time. Lisa had the great fortune (or misfortune) of marrying into our family so we can claim her as ours!
Lisa Pankratz and Cindy Cashdollar
Enjoy!
Lisa Pankratz and Cindy Cashdollar
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Update Tuesday 15/5/12
It has taken some time. There have been weeks of ups and downs, weeks that were encouraging, weeks where I have wondered "what the heck am I doing." There have been times that I think I am fostering community and times where I have wondered "what type of community am I fostering...have I made things worse?" Yesterday, however, was an encouraging day. Yesterday was a day that seems to have confirmed the investment of time each Monday morning that I spend on the street corner outside of the Beer Store serving coffee and sandwiches to the homeless recyclers.
Yesterday, I headed to the corner like I do every Monday. I brought the coffee and sandwiches as usual, and I met with the regulars as well as a few new people. Ray was among the regulars who was there again, just as he is almost every week. This week, however, he let me know that he had tried to get in touch with me over the week. He had, unfortunately, lost my card and thus my number and was unable to track me down. I was really encouraged that he had tried! After things died down and I packed up I spent some extra time with Ray just chatting as we headed down the street to the store to try and get a patch for his bike tire. Ray is at the place where he wants to make some changes in his life. He has already changed some of his unhealthy relationships and is looking to change some other things. I asked about how it is that I might be able to help, and he talked about just hanging out some times and being a healthy relationship. I, of course, said sure. I specifically shared that I don't have a lot of extra money hanging around, I don't have any extra rooms in my home and I don't have a business that I could give him steady work but what I do have is Jesus and I would be more than willing to try to share that with him (I sort of adapted some words from Peter in Acts 3:6). We made a plan to get together each Monday after we serve the coffee and sandwiches and look at the bible together. He also specifically asked about church. All in all, it was encouraging. I would ask for your continued prayers as I seek to walk with Ray. I am not naive to the challenges and issues that Ray has but I am also confident in the power of our Lord. I am looking forward to see what God will do.
I am also happy to share that for the first time in about two months our whole family is home together and prayerfully will be out of the hospital for some time. Our oldest son has some new diagnosis and treatments that so far seem to be working well, praise the Lord. We are still waiting to hear about possible surgery for Kim, but they are confident that her lump is not cancer. We are still not sure what exactly T.J's lump is, but again they are confident it is not a cancerous tumour and we have an appointment next week to try to determine what her lump is. Thanks for your continues prayers.
Yesterday, I headed to the corner like I do every Monday. I brought the coffee and sandwiches as usual, and I met with the regulars as well as a few new people. Ray was among the regulars who was there again, just as he is almost every week. This week, however, he let me know that he had tried to get in touch with me over the week. He had, unfortunately, lost my card and thus my number and was unable to track me down. I was really encouraged that he had tried! After things died down and I packed up I spent some extra time with Ray just chatting as we headed down the street to the store to try and get a patch for his bike tire. Ray is at the place where he wants to make some changes in his life. He has already changed some of his unhealthy relationships and is looking to change some other things. I asked about how it is that I might be able to help, and he talked about just hanging out some times and being a healthy relationship. I, of course, said sure. I specifically shared that I don't have a lot of extra money hanging around, I don't have any extra rooms in my home and I don't have a business that I could give him steady work but what I do have is Jesus and I would be more than willing to try to share that with him (I sort of adapted some words from Peter in Acts 3:6). We made a plan to get together each Monday after we serve the coffee and sandwiches and look at the bible together. He also specifically asked about church. All in all, it was encouraging. I would ask for your continued prayers as I seek to walk with Ray. I am not naive to the challenges and issues that Ray has but I am also confident in the power of our Lord. I am looking forward to see what God will do.
I am also happy to share that for the first time in about two months our whole family is home together and prayerfully will be out of the hospital for some time. Our oldest son has some new diagnosis and treatments that so far seem to be working well, praise the Lord. We are still waiting to hear about possible surgery for Kim, but they are confident that her lump is not cancer. We are still not sure what exactly T.J's lump is, but again they are confident it is not a cancerous tumour and we have an appointment next week to try to determine what her lump is. Thanks for your continues prayers.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Free Art Friday - 11/5/12
Here is a painting I just finished. There was a great photograph of a leaf on an old log that I think my wife may have taken at the cottage. I used that as the inspiration and this is what I came up with.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Update Tuesday 8/5/12
One of the healthiest signs I can think of for a church is to see friends inviting friends. On the one hand it tells you a bit about how the members are thinking. I think it is a sign that they are committed and invested. It also helps to show that they recognize their role in evangelism and reaching out, that we are all disciples called to live out the great commission and be involved in sharing the good news as we go. I think that it also indicates that the members feel that there is something special about the community and the experience of gathering together with their particular group that is worth sharing. On the other hand it is encouraging because I really feel that the greatest likelihood of someone both coming to experience a group but also finding a place and sticking is when there is a personal connection. This is most likely to happen when a friend invites another friend. This is not the only way to engage with the community or to invite people, and in fact last week I shared a story of a new person that we actually met on the street, but I am encouraged when friends invite friends for all the reasons I shared above. This past week I had the opportunity to hear of two such instances.
Last Tuesday, we welcomed another international student to join us as we met, shared a meal, worshiped and opened the Word together. She is the friend of one of the other international students that joins us each week and with whom we have had the pleasure of introducing to Jesus and walking with as she grows in the knowledge of who Jesus is, what He has done and what He wants to do in and through us. These two students know each other from school, spend a lot of time together and have become quite good friends. When my wife shared with our one student that it would be absolutely fine (in fact encouraged!) that she invite her friend to join us, she jumped at the opportunity and the two joined us the very next Tuesday. I am encouraged that they would be joining our fellowship each week as community can be an important thing especially when you are half a world away from home and by yourself for the first time. I am also excited about the possibility of encouraging our one students to step up to the challenge of sharing what she has learned about Jesus with her friend.
I was also encouraged by another occasion this past week when another member of our group shared about a friend that they have who is moving back into our neighbourhood. This member was explaining that they had been sharing about our house fellowship as well as our homeless ministry both of which intrigued their friend. When this friend has settled back into the neighbourhood it is likely that they will want to come and experience the things that our group has been doing. We look forward to the opportunity to welcome one more interested individual and pray that they might find a home within our fellowship.
So, today I find myself encouraged about some of the things going on in our group. Welcoming new people and the prospect of welcoming more is always exciting. Watching people really find a place within the group, show commitment and even begin to invite others is also a very encouraging thing.
Last Tuesday, we welcomed another international student to join us as we met, shared a meal, worshiped and opened the Word together. She is the friend of one of the other international students that joins us each week and with whom we have had the pleasure of introducing to Jesus and walking with as she grows in the knowledge of who Jesus is, what He has done and what He wants to do in and through us. These two students know each other from school, spend a lot of time together and have become quite good friends. When my wife shared with our one student that it would be absolutely fine (in fact encouraged!) that she invite her friend to join us, she jumped at the opportunity and the two joined us the very next Tuesday. I am encouraged that they would be joining our fellowship each week as community can be an important thing especially when you are half a world away from home and by yourself for the first time. I am also excited about the possibility of encouraging our one students to step up to the challenge of sharing what she has learned about Jesus with her friend.
I was also encouraged by another occasion this past week when another member of our group shared about a friend that they have who is moving back into our neighbourhood. This member was explaining that they had been sharing about our house fellowship as well as our homeless ministry both of which intrigued their friend. When this friend has settled back into the neighbourhood it is likely that they will want to come and experience the things that our group has been doing. We look forward to the opportunity to welcome one more interested individual and pray that they might find a home within our fellowship.
So, today I find myself encouraged about some of the things going on in our group. Welcoming new people and the prospect of welcoming more is always exciting. Watching people really find a place within the group, show commitment and even begin to invite others is also a very encouraging thing.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Free Art Friday 4/5/12 - The Ballade of Billy Weir
Last week I shared some lyrics based on the story of a friend of mine named Billy Weir. Today I thought I would share a demo of the song that I managed to get recorded this week.
Bonus marks to anyone who can pick out the references to Hamilton, Ronnie Hawkins and the Band.
There are a few things that I have learned over the years that I was definitlely thinking about as I recorded this demo:
1) Laugh all you want but country bass is way harder than you think to play and to do it well.
2) Laugh all you want but country guitar is way harder than you think to play and to do it well.
Needless to say, I kept it simple. Maybe one day I will get a chance to record it with my favourite Austin A-team rhythm section who could really bring it to life!
Bonus marks to anyone who can pick out the references to Hamilton, Ronnie Hawkins and the Band.
There are a few things that I have learned over the years that I was definitlely thinking about as I recorded this demo:
1) Laugh all you want but country bass is way harder than you think to play and to do it well.
2) Laugh all you want but country guitar is way harder than you think to play and to do it well.
Needless to say, I kept it simple. Maybe one day I will get a chance to record it with my favourite Austin A-team rhythm section who could really bring it to life!
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