Update Tuesday

As mentioned last week I am reserving Tuesdays at the blog for updates about our new work in Hamilton. I shared some of our thoughts and the things that God has been using to lay Hamilton on our hearts a few weeks ago. We have continued to pray about where that would mean more specifically. As we have been considering what our work will look like, we have begun to have a bit more clarity and direction and we will be sharing some of those thoughts in the coming weeks and months. One of our key goals, however, was to determine a neighbourhood in which we could plant ourselves as we seek people of peace with whom to begin discipleship and grow a fellowship. We have narrowed our focus down and have begun to pray very specifically about a particular area in the southwest section of the city commonly referred to as the Locke Street area, referring to the funky developing commercial strip in the heart of the neighbourhood. As we were praying about where we might begin to focus, a number of interesting incidents occurred that I thought I would share with you today.
Narrowing in on Hamilton was one thing, but then to try to figure out where specifically in Hamilton was another thing, and number of months ago we were a little overwhelmed and a bit discouraged. Where could we go where we would be able to make connections and most be used by God? We had been visiting the city, going to neighbourhoods, playing at parks with the kids and praying etc. There is no shortage of neighbourhoods or needs in Hamilton, so how do you look at a large city and determine where to plug in? Well, with all of this going on in our minds we decided to head into the city to attend a street festival that was in one of the neighbourhoods that we had heard about. We had actually visited the street once before and while we were in the cheese shop, the lady gave my son a free sample. I think that he had been sold on the neighbourhood before any of the rest of us would come to the same conclusion! Well, it was the Locke Street Festival during which the whole street is closed down and the neighbours, community groups, retail shops and restaurants get together and host a street party. There are booths and rides and entertainment etc. all along the street. We started at the south end of the street and began to make our way north. We were even not a block up the street when we met someone that we knew from Ryerson Family Camp where we have helped serve for the past number of summers. As it turns out, our friend lives in the neighbourhood, and although he goes to church in another part of the city, he began to introduce us to friends and neighbours, and by the time we were hitting the second block we had already begun to make connections and build relationships! We had not yet announced anything about our plans to move to Hamilton so our friend knew nothing about it. I was able to share with him a few weeks ago just what an answer to prayer he had been.
Well, as we continued down the street we made it to the end and then began to slowly make our way back south as we checked out the booths that lined the other side of the street. As we hit the half way point we came to the main stage on which a number musical acts were performing throughout the day. As we got to the stage there was an amazing acoustic group playing and so Kim and I stopped the kids so that we could listen. The musicians were incredible and so we stayed for a number of songs. It was the third or forth song when one of the lady performers began to sing. As I listened there was something really familiar about the voice and part way through the song I turned to my wife Kim and said, "I know that voice." So we waited around until the end of the set and I approached the singer to ask if she had sung in the Toronto band called Rang Tango back in the 80's. As it turns out, she was the lead singer in a band that my uncle had played bass in, the last band that he played in before leaving for Austin. It was a band that made quite an impact on the Toronto scene at the time. And for me of course, who remembers going to see my uncle at festivals and shows, and sneaking up to the Labatt tent at the EX (the national exhibition - a huge annual fair held in Toronto) to hear him play, it was an influential band in developing my own love of music and desire to play. So here I was, twenty some years later, meeting this person from my past in the heart of a Hamilton neighbourhood. We shared with her that we would be moving in the new year at which point she began to give us some advise about neighbourhoods etc. and then made a plug for the Locke area. As it turns out, not only was she playing there, but she lives there just a few streets over from the stage! She began to share about when and why she moved to Hamilton and it began to sound like the list of observations that Kim and I had begun to put together. She was a musician, she had begun a family, Hamilton was more affordable, the neighbourhood was great for kids and yet she could still be part of an urban arts scene etc. We were amazed.
So, we consider that day a real answer to prayer and have begun to focus specifically on that area. We are praying, continue to visit and prayer walk and are excited about what God may have for us there.

We want to thank all of you who have joined us in prayer. As I shared last week we continue to seek guidance form Luke chapter 10 and pray for workers, finances and people of peace. If I could add one more specific prayer we would appreciate prayer for a home in that area. Specifically we are praying that God would provide a home in our key target area and one that has enough space that we could rent out a part of the home. Our goal, as part of our financial plan, is to find a home that will pay for itself (cover the mortgage) through rentals which will significantly bring down our family's monthly payments.

I actually have another story about the neighbourhood that happened when we took some friends who were visiting from a church in the States for a tour, but I will save that for another time.

Thanks again for all the continued prayers and support!