Update Tuesday-Peace

This story actually begins months ago, back in the fall toward the beginning of the school year.  One morning I received a text from a student in Calgary.  She is part of a student ministry that my colleague Paul Johnson works with.  She informed me that while on a trip to China over the summer she had met a Chinease student named Roy.  As it turned out Roy would be coming to Hamilton to study at an international college.  She asked if I could connect with him.  

Fast forward to last Wednesday, and Roy arrived on my front  porch with four other friends and bags of groceries.  They had come to make dumplings (from scratch!) for our Fellowship gathering that evening.  Roy, who had been coming to Fellowship when studies were not too heavy, but who I was afraid was having trouble making connections being the only Mandarin speaker, seems to have found a place with us.  Not only that, but he is proving to be a real Person of Peace.

It seems fitting that as a Person of Peace begins to emerge, that our advent lesson for the evening would be Peace.  We looked closely at Peace as it relates to Christ and Christmas.  We looked at the Peace offered through Christ-Peace with God, Peace within from God, and Peace with others.  We continued our international focus by working together on a Haiku poem for peace as well as having two of our Japanese members teach us how to make oragami Peace Crane ornaments for our Christmas tree.  

It has been a great two weeks studying advent themes and watching people getting involved in a more in depth and intentional way.  I am really looking forward to this week's Fellowship meetings!

Update Tuesday - Hope

What does it mean to have Hope?  What does it mean to find hope in Jesus?  As we celebrated the first week of advent this past week, this was the theme that we explored.  Sharing thoughts over a meal together, songs of worship, an experiential learning activity for the kids (that the adults also shared was helpful for them!) and time in the Word we unpacked the idea of Hope so associated with our celebration of Jesus at Christmas.  We also had the opportunity to put into practice many of the things we observed and learned as we prayed for Gerry (my dad) who began chemotherapy and radiation this past Monday to treat esophageal cancer.  The truth of Christmas is that Jesus broke into the darkness; the hope and expectation of a lost, hurting world awaiting deliverance.  The same is true today.  There is darkness, despite "the Christmas feeling," but Jesus can still break in today to provide hope and comfort to a broken and hurting world.  My prayer is that we might recognize Jesus breaking in this season, that we might see lives transformed, that those around us who do not know Jesus might "see a great light" and awake to the reality of who Jesus is.
Yes,
there is darkness-there is illness around us, there are broken lives, poverty and addiction and many without a saving knowledge of Jesus- but Jesus is greater still and thus we have Hope. This is part of the beauty of Christmas.  Would you join us in praying for healing, restoration, transformed lives and salvation this season.

      

Update Tuesday - Christmas Wish List

Dear Lord,

Since I am uncertain about the validity of the man in red's actual existence, and since these things would not fit neatly into a stocking anyhow, I thought that perhaps You were the one to whom I would write my Christmas list this year.  When I think about our work here in Hamilton there are three things in particular that I would like to ask from You.

1)  Prayer - I thank you for all those who continually hold up this ministry in prayer.  I would ask that you might continue to bring us to the heart and mind of individuals and groups who would continue to turn to You on our behalf.  We truly covet the prayers of the saints.  Help us grow as people of prayer as well.   Everything else that we do or ask for is contingent upon prayer so this is my first request.

2)  Power - Again this does not fit into a stocking and it certainly is beyond the scope of the jolly, red jiggly one.   Would you grant that the power of your Spirit would become obvious and tangible in our ministry, that we might see lives truly transformed.  I am asking to see Your power, a power that is the gospel unleashed, God's power for salvation.

3)  People - We , of course, are always looking for new people to join us, but my Christmas request is a bit more specific.  There are two people in particular that I am hoping for, people who would help to complement what I am doing by covering some of the areas in which I am personally a bit weaker.

1. An Outgoing Type - although You have shown much grace and provided opportunities thus far, I am not naturally that outgoing and am not the best at meeting new people.  I could really use someone who is great at meeting people to get excited about our ministry and want to plug in.  Moving forward this would be such a valuable person to ensure we continue to grow and reach out.  
2.  An Administrative Type - apparently these type of people exist, people who love to organize and make little details happen.  I would be very appreciative to be able to benefit from the help of someone like this.  As the coming year approaches, and I think to all the things that could be accomplished, someone who loves to fulfill this type of role would be such a blessing.  

So that is my list.  I have no chimney for anyone to come down, and these things may not fit under a tree, but never the less, we would be so grateful should You see fit to bless us in this way.