Chiastic

Chiastic - a literary structure used in the Torah, the Bible, as well as in other (older) texts. Concepts or ideas are placed in a special symmetric order or pattern in a chiastic structure to emphasize them.
(Wikipedia).

For those who were at SimplyChurch today, you will understand chiastic. Unbelievably as it might sound, admittedly, I like structure. In the midst of chaos (which I admit is a norm in my life) I like structure. Recently I renovated and re-organized my work office. It has a new paint job with a very bold color but more importantly the place has been de-cluttered, re-organized and ... in the words of several people ... looks more professional. Strange how structure, organization, and a little fresh paint creates the perception of professionalism. And people are willing to pay for that perception, give credibility even when there is no real proof that professional equates to credible, and set it as a standard by which all businesses must strive and achieve.
However, (for those who knows me well, there has to be a however to this...) I'm conflicted with a Christ who didn't have a well organized office, manicured walls, and a scheduler to coordinate his day. Yet God is a God of order and structure (cosmological argument). Somewhere along these lines there must be a balance... a balance between being scattered, cluttered and free-flowing ... and structure, organizational, and "professional".

Perhaps that is what I hope SimplyChurch would be. A church that emphasizes the primary concerns of Christ with intent, clarity and determination (like Christ's path to the cross) but with a little bit of organization and structure.... just a little bit... so we can look professional.

And now for those who weren't at SimplyChurch this Sunday... here are the announcements:

Announcements:

1. We welcome you to our new location for SimplyChurch. If you are here for the first time, we would like to get to know you. Please contact pastortim@gmail.com.

2. Sunday school starts today following Worship service at 11:30pm (Today’s topic: “God: From the Fathers to Moderns”)

3. Grocery run – Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. meet at Mikey’s. Please confirm ahead of time so that we have enough vehicles to accommodate everyone.

4. Next Sunday – Thanksgiving Praise, Prayer and Potluck. Bring some yummy edible and a word of thanksgiving to share with one another. There will be no Sunday school next week.

5. 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. If you require a ride and that pick up point is not suitable, please inform us and we will arrange an alternative pick up point.

6. Servant-hearted – if you are interested in helping out with worship, greeting, caring, ushering, Children Sunday school, set up, please contact pastortim@gmail.com as soon as possible.

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

8. Pastor Tim will be away for the Thanksgiving weekend (October 7-13).


Have a very thankful Thanksgiving.
PT

Week of September 27

It was a very memorable inaugural worship at the Wesley Chapel in St. Paul's University College on Univ. of Waterloo. Small and quaint but very intimate. Anyways, it will be our place of worship for a little while. In some ways, the desire to stay there is great and yet there is a strong desire to out grow it quickly.
Eyes are burning so I'll just put up the announcements for this week.
Blessings.
PT

Announcements:

1. We welcome you to our inaugural new location for SimplyChurch.
2. We thank Pastor Lew Worrad for speaking this morning.
3. Sunday school starts today following Worship service at 11:30pm (Today’s topic: “God is…?”)
4. Grocery run – Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. meet at Mikey’s. Please confirm ahead of time so that we have enough vehicles to accommodate everyone.
5. 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. If you require a ride and that pick up point is not suitable, please inform us and we will arrange an alternative pick up point.
6. Servant-hearted – if you are interested in helping out with worship, greeting, caring, ushering, Children Sunday school, set up, please contact pastortim@gmail.com as soon as possible.
7. Are you web-savvy? We are looking for talented people who would be interested in helping design the simplychurch.ca website and bulletin.
8. Pastor Tim will be away for the Thanksgiving weekend (October 7-13).

Happenings

This is what is happening this week:

Thursday 7:00pm - Car Workshop @ 427 Philip St. (Meetz' Small Engines). Learn about oil change and brake repair.

Saturday - Stem Cell Drive: Want to save a life? You could be a possible winner to save someone's life. But you won't know until you play and it is simple - Just a simple cheek swap from you will increase the Chinese "Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide Database". Guelph-Cambridge Chinese Alliance Church will be conducting a Stem Cell Drive this coming Saturday. Bus transportation is provided (see schedule below) from William G. Davis Center. Remember to bring your OHIP card. Please consider this possible life-saving test by adding to the database.

Depart Trip: 12:15pm Waterloo University to 31 Tannery St. W. Cambridge
(William G Davis 2:30pm Waterloo University to 31 Tannery St. W. Cambridge
Computer Research 3:15pm Waterloo University to 31 Tannery St. W. Cambridge
Center)

Return Trip: (From the church back to William G Davis Computer Research Center)
1:45pm 31 Tannery St. W. Cambridge to Waterloo University
2:30pm 31 Tannery St. W. Cambridge to Waterloo University
4:30pm 31 Tannery St. W. Cambridge to Waterloo University

Sunday - We are moving! Just a reminder that we will hold our very first worship service at St. Paul's University College Chapel. Dr. Lew Worrad will be delivering the sermon that morning and Sunday School will follow.

On the Move!

SimplyChurch is on the move! I say this both literally and dynamically.

Literally because we have outgrown the gracious hospitality of Mr. Wong's home and are moving to the facilities of St. Paul's University College Chapel on the grounds of the University of Waterloo. This is both exciting and challenging as we inflitrate directly onto the hallow grounds of high education and into the world of the largest demographic group of SimplyChurch.

Dynamically because along the way to this juncture, we have picked up a few first and a few friends. Our first partnership with another church in lending us their communion equipment for our communion service. Our first missionary sharing with Volodya and his family from Kazakhstan. Our first marriage (Emily and Joseph). Our first church family with children. Our very first expense (rental fee). As well, Pastor Lew Worrad has been gracious to assist in the preaching and teaching ministry, so in some sense we actually have our first pastoral team.

To misquote CS Lewis, "There is a bit more than hope, SimplyChurch is on the move."

St. Paul'sUniversity College Chapel
University of Waterloo
190 Westmount Road North Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G5

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.