Week of July 12th, 2009

The highly anticipated (and Christian-controversial) 6th installment of the film adaptation of "Harry Potter" will be release this week. Of course I will have to preview it for quality control purposes. I think I gave up reading the series around the 4th or 5th book. Somehow the books got thicker and thicker and the print got larger and larger with greater line spacing as well. Not to mention the price for one of these books. Perhaps it is a reflection of the fact that the readership was also aging as the books were slowly released... and our eyesight worsen with age.
Well you can bug me about a review of the latest Harry Potter movie in about 4 hours after I post this.

Announcements:

Grocery run – Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. meet at Mikey’s. Hoping to catch some $1,2, and 3 deals


Next Sunday – We will celebrate The Lord’s Supper. We welcome all who are practicing and professing Christians to join with us.


Sunday Rides – rides are available at 9:45 a.m. at the side of the HMV store on University and Philip. Please confirm with Pastor Tim beforehand to ensure there will be a seat for you.


Worship teams – if you are interested in helping out for worship, please contact pastortim@gmail.com as soon as possible.


Are you web-savvy? We are looking for talented people who would be interested in helping design the simplychurch.ca website and bulletin.


Please continue to pray that God will guide us in finding an appropriate rental location.

Rice Boy

Ok. I love my rice. I realized tonight after a big bbq dinner, that I just didn't feel "full". The think that was lacking was a good dose of starch.... rice to be exact. Perhaps I have been brainwashed from birth but I just don't feel like a meal has satisfied me until I ingest a large allowance of rice. I know what dietitians says about consuming too much carbs, especially at my age. But I just love my rice - a big huge bowl to go along with yummy chinese dishes with just the right amount of delectable sauce to accentuate the rice.
The word of God is like rice. Not only is it a basic staple, it goes along well with everything in life - the perfect accompliment to the delectable things of life. I just wish my desire for the word of God was as strong as my desire for rice and would come as easily as reaching for a big bowl of rice. If God's word is my daily rice (bread), then I think I am either really mal-nourished or extremely underweight.

Announcements:

Grocery run – Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. meet at Mikey’s. Hoping to catch some $1,2, and 3 deals

Sunday Rides – we have one pick up spot at 9:45 a.m. HMV.

Worship teams – if you are interested in helping out for worship, please contact pastortim@gmail.com as soon as possible.

Are you web-savvy? We are looking for talented people who would be interested in helping design the simplychurch.ca website and bulletin.

Please continue to pray that God will guide us in finding an appropriate rental location.

Next week - Ruth 3

Week of June 28, 2009

Announcements for the week of June 28th:

Grocery run – Tuesday night this week 7:30 p.m. meet at Mikey’s. Hoping to catch some deals.
Canada Day – July 1. Celebrate Canada Day at Columbia Lake. There will be fireworks (weather permitting). If you want to watch it together, please contact Pastor Tim for arrangements.
Sunday Rides – we have one pick up spot at 9:45 a.m. HMV.
Worship teams – if you are interested in helping out for worship, please contact pastortim@gmail.com as soon as possible.
Are you web-savvy? We are looking for talented people who would be interested in helping design the simplychurch.ca website and bulletin.
Please continue to pray that God will guide us in finding an appropriate rental location.

A Fixture

"Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose" (Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr).

Someone called me a "fixture" today as I witnessed my 18th UW convocation ... 18th I think... well I should clarify that and say that I took pictures with UW grads for the 18th year. To be honest, I've lost count... but I do know that I've only witnessed one convocation and after that one, I had come to the conclusion that there are just some things in life in which your time is much better spent elsewhere than to sit for several hours for a 12 second glimpse of someone significant to you walk across a stage, shake a hand, and grab a piece of paper. Now, if the student who was giving the valedictorian speech is someone of significance to me, then I might be able to convince my gluteus maximus that it would be a worthwhile investment of time.

Some of us were talking the other night about setting some survey up on FB or some website for some feedback on the question, "Name three events/activity/things that you wish you could get your time back". It was amazing how quickly that list grew as we spurred each other with events in our lives that just made us angry and we want to reclaim our lost time - sitting through a convocation was on the list, along with joint baptismal services with translation, university lectures, bad movies, music recitals, grade 1 and grade 2, BGR's, customer service calls, cable TV or phone installation and I am sure that by now certain personal events have come into your mind.

Photos on convocation day is like that. Is it time well spent for an outsider like myself? Sure it is but a tiny few hours expended in one's treasury of hours here on earth; and probably miniscule in comparison to the hours one has procrastinated and squandered away. How much impact is made during that one photo? that one captured moment in time? To be honest, not a whole lot. But what that one photo represents is the completion of time, sweat, blood and tears invested - to them, achieving their degree, to myself... well....
The privilege of the pastor is that there is a title and a position by which you impose upon and impact a person's life. But isn't that the privilege of all who have been called by God? A privilege that does not require a title nor sanctioned by an organization? The title "Christian" and our adoptive position as "children of God" becomes our privilege of being impact players for God. Christ called it "salt and light".

Young people come and after 3,4, 5 or more years, they leave this place - close a chapter of their lives and open a whole new one. Being a pastor to these group of young people has always been a privilege. The names and faces all change but the ministry has, is and always will be the same. Same old same old? To me, it might seem the same but it never gets old.

Congratulation graduates.

Speaking of same old ... next Sunday SimplyChurch will have a slight change of time for worship service. Instead of the usual 10 a.m. we are moving it to 2:00 p.m. due to some hockey conflicts. As well, Pastor Lew Worrad will be preaching and teaching. You certainly don't want to miss that golden opportunity to hear him speak.

And now for the rest of the announcements...

1. Sunday Rides – we have one pick up spot at 9:45 a.m. HMV.

2. Grocery run – Wednesday night 7:30 p.m. meet at Mikey’s.

3. Worship teams – if you are interested in helping out for worship, please contact pastortim@gmail.com as soon as possible.

4. Are you web-savvy? We are looking for talented people who would be interested in helping design the simplychurch.ca website and bulletin.

5. Please continue to pray that God will guide us in finding an appropriate rental location.

May 19, 2009 Burn Baby Burn

The May long weekend is the starting point of the beginning of the summer months ahead, of warmer weather and of course ... BBQ season! There is nothing like a sunny day innodated with the smell of charred flesh on a ceramic grill surface infused with carbon byproducts, unburnt propane, and seared grease drippings on lava briquettes. Mix in with a good dose of fireworks on a clear and calm night and you have the perfect Victoria Day holiday.
What is it with man's fascination with fire? Fire has always played an important role in mankind's history - culturally, religiously, philosophically, and scientifically. It has its practical usage - if you watch Survivor, it is one of the first and foremost items that the contestants vie for - in providing heat, energy, purification, cooking, light. It is mystical - one of the 4 classical elements in Greek philosophy and a symbol for many religions and gods. It is metaphysical - often representing the passion and creativity and fervor within a being. That being said, I'll take what's behind door number 3 for SimplyChurch. I would love to hear people say that SimplyChurch is on fire. Need i say more?

Announcements:

1. Car Cell – This Thursday 7p.m. to learn about front disc brakes. 427 Albert St. (between Columbia and Philip) If you are interested please send an email to pastortim@gmail.com.

2. Grocery run – Wednesday night 7:30 p.m. meet at Mikey’s.

3. Worship teams – if you are interested in helping out for worship, please contact pastortim@gmail.com as soon as possible.

4. Are you web-savvy? We are looking for talented people who would be interested in helping design the simplychurch.ca website and bulletin.

5. Next Sunday we will begin a Sunday school series on Eschatology starting at 10:30 a.m.

6. Pastor Lew Worrad will be speaking June 21 in our worship service and Sunday school.

7. Please continue to pray that God will guide us in finding an appropriate rental location.

May 20th 2009

No time no time no time... The most valuable commodity we have is time. Strangely enough it is the one thing that we do not seem to cultivate, nurture, invest, appreciate. In reality, time is something that we cannot grow, extend, control, manipulate. The only thing we can do is to manage ourselves to make the most of our time. That being said, here are some announcements this week to help you better manage your time.

Announcements:

1. Car Cell – Want to get down and dirty? Some people have expressed interest in learning some basic car maintenance and repair. If you are interested please send an email to pastortim@gmail.com as to when you are available.

2. Grocery run – Wednesday night 7:30 p.m. meet at Mikey’s.

3. Worship teams – if you are interested in helping out for worship, please contact pastortim@gmail.com as soon as possible.

4. Are you web-savvy? We are looking for talented people who would be interested in helping design the simplychurch.ca website and bulletin.

5. Next Sunday is the long weekend. There will be no Sunday School. Instead we will take a luncheon together. Please send an email to pastortim@gmail.com to confirm if you will attend.

6. Pastor Lew Worrad will be speaking June 21 in our worship service and Sunday school.

7. Please continue to pray that God will guide us in finding an appropriate rental location.

Spring is in the Air

Well time certainly flies by when you realize the distance between this post and the last one. Rather than relaying history, I prefer to proclaim the future. Not that what has transpired is of inconsequential significance, but I am more excited about the future than retelling of the past.


I have been encouraged by the consistent attendance and anticipation of the full inauguration of Simplychurch. Four months have passed and support for this endeavour has been found in so many ways. It is never easy to be enterpreneurial - there is much uncertainty, anxieties, fears, unknowns, expectations, failure - especially when the statistical odds of a successful church plant is less than 30%. There are always those difficult questions to answer from my harshest critics - What is your vision? Is this God's will? How will you fund this? Who's your targeted demographics? Why don't you come out to visit more often? When are you going to cut your hair? Well mom, I got my hair cut. :)


Spring is always a reminder of new life, of hope, of vitality, and in essence so it is with Simplychurch. As the spring term students return, there is a rejuvenation from within - some new faces, some old faces, some who have not yet been part of the Simplychurch family. And with the warmer weather, there are many more options for activities and ministries. As well, the urgency of finding larger facilities to accomodate our growing family. We have even resorted to printing a bulletin for announcements for news and contact information for newcomers.

So, a fresh start to Simplychurch. Cheers to a glorious spring!


Announcements:

1. Car Cell – Want to get down and dirty? Some people have expressed interest in learning some basic car maintenance and repair. If you are interested please send an email to pastortim@gmail.com as to when you are available.

2. Grocery run & Farmers’ Market – Is your cupboard getting a little bare? Tired of the frozen pizza in your fridge? Summertime is a great time for grocery runs and trips to St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market. Market runs are Saturday mornings at 8:00 a.m. while grocery runs are Wednesday or Thursday evenings 9:30 p.m. (TBA depending on availability).

3. Worship teams – if you are interested in helping out for worship, please contact pastortim@gmail.com as soon as possible.

4. Are you web-savvy? We are looking for talented people who would be interested in helping design the simplychurch.ca website and bulletin.

5. Next Sunday is Mother’s Day as well as our Communion Sunday.

6. Pastor Lew Worrad will be speaking June 21 in our worship service and Sunday school.

7. Please continue to pray that God will guide us in finding an appropriate rental location.