Weekly Update-Snow

We woke this morning to a thin dusting of snow across our urban landscape.  It is by no means deep, but enough to paint our streets white and remind us of the changing of the season.  Tonight we have our Fellowship @ Locke meeting, but after that is over I just may head over to Locke St.  The Cristmas wreaths are already hung, and when evening falls, the wreaths and street lamps glow, reflecting off the newly fallen snow.  With a cool, crisp bite in the air, the warm glow, and the slight crunch of snow under foot a late night stroll in the calm and peace could be a beautiful easing into the Christmas season; a needed dichotomy from the loud brash intro thrust upon us by the marketing machines. 

With December so quickly approaching, we have a lot in the go!  We are planning our next LoveLoud street outreach for Dec. 15 and are busy collecting blankets, coats, hat and gloves.  We are also beginning to prepare our annual gift baskets for our friends at The Beer Store.  If you are interested in participating or donating to either of these initiatives please send me a message.  

We are also planning a few things for Christmas Eve.  We will be hosting an open house, Dec. 24th from 4-7.  This is a drop in event especially for those who may not have family close by to spend Christmas with.  If you know of anyone in Hamilton without plans on Christmas Eve please invite them!  We will follow our open house with a small initmate Christmas Eve service at 9:00pm.  

Although December is quickly approaching, I don't want to forget the rest if November!  Tonight is Fellowship @ Locke's game night so if you are in the area please feel free to drop by!

On a more personal note.  My dad starts cancer treatment on Dec. 9, so we appreciate your prayers as he goes through this time.  The doctors are encouraged and going for a cure, but there will be some challenging days ahead.

Update Tuesday-thanks Milton!!

Ecclesiastes 4:9 says:

Two are better than one because they have a a good return for their labour.

I recognized this again on Sunday as folks from our sending church, The Sanctuary Milton, helped us by providing sandwiches for our latest LoveLoud outreach.  We had plenty of food (enough to cover the next few weeks of Beer Store Church as well) and we had some extra labourers join us on the street.

The Sanctuary has been a huge blessing to us in so many different ways.  We are so greatful for their continued support!!

I am looking forward to the opportunity to go back and visit Milton this Sunday where I have the priviledge of giving the message.  If you are in Milton this Sunday come on by, we would love to see you.

A big thanks also goes out to those of you who continue to pray and support our work, we could not do it without you.

As Christmas approaches I am often asked about donations to the ministry.  The easiest way is to visit www.hamiltonfellowships.com and follow the on-line giving link.

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Update Tuesday - The Inevitability of Storms

I have grown up on the Great Lakes.  While in Oakville, and now in Hamilton I have lived on Lake Ontario, I worked at a camp on Lake Eerie and five generations of my family have enjoyed summers at a cottage on Georgian Bay (a part of Lake Huron).  Just recently, I had the opportunity to visit Lake Superior on a cold, rainy, grey and ominous day.  As well as a love for the water, I have also developed a healthy appreciation for its power.  The thing about the Great Lakes is that they are huge, it looks more like looking out over the ocean than a lake, and when a storm comes in it can be ferocious.  I have only been caught on the water in one storm, and really only the beginning of a storm, but I can tell you that it was terrifying.  The combination of the driving wind and rains and the white caps that it produces can be awe inspiring.  Perhaps the most incredible things are the waves.  They waves are huge, they roll and rock back and forth and the grand heights are made that much more spectacular by the dramatic depths  to which the waters drop in between each cap.  From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in a matter of seconds makes trying to ride out one of these storms exhilaratingly terrifying.

Jesus spoke of storms, using them as a metaphor for the challenges in life.  I have been looking at the parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24-27 as I prepare to preach in Milton next week.  I was struck by the inevitability of the storms; two builders, two homes but they both face the storm.  I was reminded again of the inevitability of storms in my own life recently, and like the waves produced by the gales of November on the great lake the call Gitchegumee (Lake Superior) I have seen the ups and downs.

Late October saw my family head out on a two day road trip to New York City where we had the awesome privilege of seeing my brother preform on Broadway in the hit music Once.  A few weeks later and we again took a road trip north to Sault Saint Marie Ontario where my daughter T.J. is shooting a film entitled A Masked Saint.  On this film she has had the privilege of working with such greats as Tony and Golden Globe winner Diahnn Carroll.  In between these highs, however, we have had a fairly dramatic low as my dad has just been diagnosed with esophageal cancer.  He has consultations with specialists this week to determine the best coarse of action.  So, we face another storm of sorts.  The history of our work here in Hamilton seems marked but such occurrences.  Liam's brain tumour that really began the journey that led us to Hamilton, our first year that saw two separate breast lump scares for Kim and T.J. (both thankfully were not cancer) and the subsequent struggle to find a doctor so we could address them and mental health issues that took up most of the previous two years.   We come to the close of another year with another health storm to weather.  We have learned much over the last few years, the least of which is not that God is good in everything.  He loves us and He is here with us.  It does not always feel like it, and I have not always recognized it day in and day out, but non the less, that is the truth.  We can take comfort in Him.

Towards the beginning Sermon on the Mount we have the call to let our light shine in the darkness that men might see our good deeds and give glory to the Father.  The teachings that follow are among the things that we do to let our light shine.  They are also the things we do to secure our building on the strong foundation to withstand the inevitable storms.   I am praying that we as a family, and as a ministry, continue to do those very things Jesus called us to do, and that our witness might be that much stronger by the ways in which we weather the storms.  We would appreciate your prayers in the days and months ahead. 
 

Update Tuesday - The Art of Church Planting

One of the most daunting things about creating a new artistic expression is the blank white page upon which to write, the blank white canvas upon which to paint or the block of wood or stone to carve.  The possibilities are endless but they are also intimidating and sometimes paralyzing.  We often, therefore, start with an idea, or image and even create an outline, model or template from which to begin.  In other fields we might fashion detailed and specific blueprints from which to create an exacting and precise structure.  In artistic endeavors, however, often (although not always) the exercise is a little less defined.   Though we begin with an idea, image or model, there is a lot of room for the process itself to influence the direction of our final work.  The medium in which we have chosen to work,  the style in which we will work and the materials themselves all have a huge role in determining how our work of art may turn out.  Carvers, for example, are always in a dynamic relationship, responding to the particular whims and natural forms within the stone or wood  as they bring their vision to life.  Art is a dynamic, evolutionary process and beauty seems to emerge from the reaction between the image or vision and the process. 

Sometimes I think Church Planting can be similar.  Yes, one could take an existing model or blueprint and recreate it with exacting precision.  Maybe because I have an artistic bent, I see it a bit differently.   I had an image in my mind, and a very clear but general framework.  What we have begun is a process of bringing the image to life in which some of the specifics are now beginning to emerge.  It has seemed at times like carving, where slowly but surely specific shapes and images have begun to appear from the block of stone.   Or perhaps like a painting for which we began by prepping a canvas,  painting an undercoat and blocking in the basic forms.  At each step we learn something new, sometimes learn some new skills or techniques, we respond to the raw materials God has provided including people - and let's face it, we are all unique, flawed and idiosyncratic.  And of course there are mistakes from which we learn and try to see new opportunities arise.  Slowly, however, each step brings us clearer and more refined images as we come closer to the beautiful work of art we are creating.

As we continue to work on bringing this beautiful work of art that God has laid on our hearts to life, we so appreciate your prayers and financial contributions.  In particular I am sensing that this next year will see some more specific, detailed images emerge.  Join us in praying specifically that our means to grow disciples would become even clearer.  I am excited to continue to refine our notion of "interdependence" and to see some clarity in our idea.  We also continue to see beautiful things appear around our sense of community.  I am also optimistic about some focused insight into how we might continue to best be on mission here in our communities.  Thanks again for your continued love, support and prayers.