Welcome Back! ... Though you have never left my heart.

"Wherever you are it is your own friends who make your world." (William James)

Shhhhh... come closer.  Let me tell you a secret. I am most selfish pastor that I know of. Selfish because I would fight anyone tooth 'n nail if they were to take over my pastorate. That's because I don't know of any other pastorate where God sends you a continuous stream of young people who are keen on learning Scripture, full of life and hope, inspired to discover and develop their spiritual gifts, and are unleashed into the world to become impact players for Christ.
We have recently been inviting back alumni from various years to share about how God has taken and transform their lives from their university days to where they are today - to tell of how God has used them and challenged them.  It has been a rich and fulfilling blessing to be part of their journey. And I selfishly am proud to know each of these former students.
Though we cannot possibly invite everyone back to share their testimony (if we ever did, it would make CCF sharing night like a sketch in comparison and this would be more like a Russian novel), I would love to hear from any one of you who have passed through our doors. With communication means at everyone's fingertips, it would not take much effort for anyone to send me an update as to what God has done in your life. I look forward to hearing from you.
In exchange, I will be posting more frequently and keeping everyone abreast of what is happening personally and corporately here in this small corner of the world.

In His service,
PT

Another Year is Dawning

As I grow older I cannot help but reflect back on the past. (This is one of the signs that you are getting older because you keep on talking about the "good ole' days")  Of the many constants at New Year's (including Mrs. Kaan's chicken congee, a church prayer vigil and prayer meeting, and very cold weather) was the singing of one of the few and great hymns of consecration. Written by Frances Ridley Havergal, (1836–1879) in 1874, "Another Year is Dawning" is one of the finest New Year's hymns ever written (actually it is the only New Year's hymn that I know of). A reminder of what lies ahead and what I should expect of this coming new year.  May you find the same reflective meaning as I do in the words. The lyrics are as follows:

1. Another year is dawning;
Dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting,
Another year with Thee;
Another year of progress,
Another year of praise,
Another year of proving
Thy presence all the days.

2. Another year of mercies,
Of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness
In the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning
Upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting,
Of quiet, happy rest.

3. Another year of service,
Of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training
For holier work above.
Another year is dawning:
Dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in heaven,
Another year for Thee.

A Perpetual Season of Change

As I replace all the sunshades in my vehicles with snow brushes to scrap the fallen leaves and frost from the cars in the morning, I realize that one of life's relentless realities is that we all face ongoing changes - changes in relationships, in living arrangements, in our work, at play, our physical bodies, our spiritual life, and the list goes on and on.  Sometimes, I do wish that I could find that perfect Groundhog Day and re-live that day over and over again (perhaps tweaking it just a little bit here and there). And for those of you too young to remember Groundhog Day, here is a link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day_(film)

We just had an Australian family come to visit us for a week, having not seen them for a decade, and it was wonderful to recall and reflect on all those memories that we had treasured within our hearts - memories built on a year-long mission project with their home church in Adelaide.  They were joyous and glorious memories and experiences that we shared.  In some ways, as we laughed until we cried telling stories after stories, i believe that we wished we could do it all over again.

But the reality is that we cannot and the fact remains that those cherished memories are the result of two main factors: 1. We embraced change.  Change is inevitable and a constant in our life and the sooner we come to grips with it, the accepting we become of change.  2.  As we embrace change, we learn to step out in faith and place our trust in God. As perfect as our Groundhog Day may be, it is still pale in comparison to what our final destination has to offer.  As much as we want to stop and smell the roses, we must not forget that we are ultimately going to meet the gardener.

“Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home.”― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Certainly at Simply Church we are undergoing some growing pains and are facing some changes and challenges ahead. Our current facility at St. Paul's is getting a little tight - just like my pants.  Our tent-making model is being revamped so that I would become a full-time pastor. This requires that we move from a church-plant to a fully independent church. Of course this will impact my computer business as I remove myself from the daily operation of the company by hiring more staff and implementing more structure to replace my role.  Pastor Lew Worrad will be taking on more teaching and preaching responsibilities in the interim in order to help us through this migration and growth period and we are thankful for his help.  As well, we are helping Pastor Lew establish a living legacy of his teaching and preaching material - much of which we will be posting online and possibly publishing in the near future.  I am certainly, to be frank and honest, fearful and intimidated by what lies ahead. But on the other hand, the possibilities of what may lie ahead excites me greatly. And I hope that you will join with me and the Simply Church family and be part of this great journey.
For His Glory,
PT

Parents and Children

From my friend Stephen Chu and his daughter's show and tell presentation.

Show & Tell:
Photograph of Me and Daddy

This is a photograph of me and my dad. It was taken way back when I was only two years old. My dad has been one of the greatest impacts on my life. Ever since I was little he always taught me to be an obedient little girl and often reminded me of who I am and whose daughter I belong to. I am my Father's daughter. I've made a handful of mistakes in my life already, and some of them I will remember for the rest of my life because of what my dad did to teach me right from wrong.

When I was in third grade, I got in trouble with two other friends for taking the victim's pencil case and hiding it somewhere in the school. I wasn't the one who came up with the idea, I just laughed and thought what my friends did was funny; however, when the principal found out, she called all three of us into her office and scolded us. I felt useless. None of us considered what we did as stealing, but the principal did. When I got home, the first thing I heard was my dad asking me how my day was. Thankfully, the principal didn't call my parents to tell them what happened, so that was probably why my dad didn't seem upset or anything. So I answered my dad, “It was fine.” My dad is such a smart man. He could tell that something wasn't right by the tone of my voice, so he asked me again, “How was your day?”, and for the second time, I hid my wrongdoings and said the exact same thing. My dad simply nodded and went back to his reading while I went in my room and quietly shut the door.

I couldn't believe what my dad did, as if he didn't care at all. I sat in my room with silence just thinking about the tiring school day, and decided that I needed to tell someone about this. A few moments later, I broke the quietness of my room, opened the door and slowly walked to where my dad was. I hesitated for a while, but I went on telling him what happened at school that day anyways. My dad wasn't mad at what I did; however, he punished me in a very odd way. Instead of lecturing me or beating me with a belt, like other parents do to make kids obey, my dad got his belt out, wrapped it around one hand and started to hit his other hand. I was wondering why he didn't hit my hands, and before I started to weep, he asked if I knew what he was doing. I shook my head and faced the floor. My dad looked at me and said, “You are my daughter, you are God's daughter, I am your father, God is our father, we do not steal, we do not take what belongs to others. You should have known better, but it was my responsibility to teach you that, and I didn't do a good job, so do you understand why I'm hitting my own hand?” Without a word, I silently nodded and wept. I gave my dad a hug and told him how sorry I was and it was one of those memories I know I will never forget, because I really learnt something that day.

My dad is an excellent teacher, he's really good with explaining things. Whenever I don't understand certain things—whether it's about homework, life or even Christianity—my dad is really good at explaining them to me. Once, when I was in grade seven, I was cyber bullied by a group of my “friends” because I'm a pastor's kid and I wasn't allowed to do many of the things my friends did. Anyways, I felt extremely horrible, betrayed and hated. I honestly did not understand why my friends would suddenly ignore me and tease me gossip behind my back on the internet. This happened throughout most of my grade seven school year, it became a habit for them to continue making things up and for me to accept it.

As soon as I got off of school, I would get home as soon as possible and run to my room and have my quiet space and just think, reflect and sometimes if the day got too rough, I would cry until my mom gets home from work and she would hug me tightly and tell me everything was going to be fine. Although I'm pretty tight with my mom, I always felt like I have a special connection with my dad, different from the way my mom and I get along. I don't know why, but whenever I get into terrible situations like such, I would go to my dad for advice first. The love of a father is great, but the love of a Father in Heaven is the greatest. Full of knowledge, my dad explained to me that innocent people suffer too, like Jesus. He died on the cross to save us, but before that, he was crucified and teased at, and people lied about him. My dad kept reminding me that when I feel useless and hopeless, Jesus had suffered even more, and because Jesus suffered for us, we have forgiveness. I never forgot about this and I hope I will never forget, because this was another great lesson I learned from my dad. After the advices and reminders my dad gave me, I slowly and painfully learned to forgive those who betrayed me, let go of what lies in the past and renewed the friendship with that group of friends and till this day we are closer than ever! Years passed by, as I grew older, my dad always told me how proud he is of me, from being a bully at school to being bullied online to knowing what it means to forgive others.

My dad also taught me that life is just a short period of time compared to eternity in Heaven. Back home, I usually have a lot of questions about faith and Christianity, so I would constantly ask my dad questions like: where do people really go after they die? Or why people such hypocrites? Sometimes my dad would answer me with a question, and sometimes he would literally explain it to me.

This photograph really brings back a lot of the lessons my dad taught me and his love for me. My dad is truly one of the greatest inspiration and role-model to me, he's taught me right from wrong and constantly reminded me of forgiveness and that there's something so much better lying ahead of my life. He's been there for me through thick and thin, and I love my dad so much. But the one that I should really thank is Jesus, if He didn't die on the cross to save our sins, there would never be forgiveness.

Christmas is a time...

How would you finish that sentence? For me, I would have to say that Christmas is a time to get really sick. Traditionally, or I should say routinely, I would spend the beter part of Dec. 25th onwards extremely sick. The reason? Well I could attribute it to many factors - the change in weather; the increased number of people whom I would see and shakes hands with or some sort of physical contact; the increased workload above and beyond the normal pastoral duties (Christmas pageant, Christmas banquet, late night carolling, Board reports, annual reports, finance reports, year end reports, etc); many late nights or all nighters due to said workload; decreased in the body's immune system because of said activities; increased stress levels due to said activities; invitations to many Christmas meals near and far; and finally the body just crashing once all said activities are over.

I just watched the Christmas episode of Duck Dynasty and laughed at how Miss Kay had everyone in the family running ragged to get Christmas and all its elements just perfect (especially when she and Pa went hunting for the perfect Christmas tree). And yes I do like watching Duck Dynasty especially with Annie in spite of the scripted nature of the show. At the end of each episode, the family gathers together around the dining table for prayer, some words of wisdom, and some together time when all is forgiven and what is most important is celebrated - family and food! I must admit, that in recent years, I have not suffered my Christmas flu.

Since pastoring Simply Church, I have come to really appreciate the down time during the Christmas season because of the closure of the University and the simplicity of the season to celebrate and concentrate on what is important. I'm reminded of a song from the Maranatha Kids from the album "Psalty's Christmas Calamity" called "Christmas is a time". The lyrics, with its words of wisdom, reads as follows:

Christmas is a time Christmas is a time Christmas is a time to love. 

We often start to worry And people get upset If things don't go alright on Christmas day. What we should remember In all the push and shove Is Christmas is a time to love. 

Christmas is a time Christmas is a time Christmas is a time to love. 

Maybe things don't sound right Or look the way they should And maybe they're not perfectly in tune. It really doesn't matter Lets keep our eyes above Cos' Christmas is a time to love. 

Christmas is a time Christmas is a time Christmas is a time to love. 

From my family, and the family at Simply Church, to your family - may you have a stress-free and flu-free Christmas season. And may you focus on what is truly important - that Jesus is the reason for the season.

Have a blessed Christmas,
PT

Ingratitude Attitude I was going to title this entry after the Oscar nominated and winning film by Tarantino in 2009 but was overruled and edited out. Nevertheless I think readers can guess the gist of what I am talking about. I don't like the Thanksgiving season. It's not because i have to suffer eating all those Thanksgiving meals. It's not because it is my sister, brother in-law, and mother's birthday. It's not because I have to come up with another new twist on preaching a Thanksgiving sermon. It is because in preparing the sermon I realized what an ingratitude b@#!@#$ I have become. Every year it is the same deal. I realize that I have forgotten how to be grateful and deliberately expressive with my thanksgiving to those around me and most importantly to God. Certainly "giving thanks in all circumstances" is something that I am reminded of during this season and something that I have failed to do during the past year. In fact it seems to be a yearly pattern. Certainly as I preached on Luke 17 and the incident with Jesus and the 10 lepers, I realize that I am that 90% who don't return to Jesus to give thanks to the one who healed them. We ended our sermon with an opportunity for people to respond by writing some words of thanksgiving to one or more particular person on some thank you cards provided. I'm not sure there were enough cards for me to write to all those people whom I need to acknowledge this past Sunday so I will use my blog to simply say, "Thank you from the depths of my heart". Without many of you and your support, Simply Church would not be possible. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, labour, and sacrifice. Thank you for believing in me even when I have my doubts. Certainly I can give a detailed account of each person's contribution in my life's journey (and maybe at some time during my retirement years I may have time to recount all those experiences) and hopefully we will have all eternity for me to thank each one of you personally. Until then, I just will give one word of thanks to my wife. Thank you Chris. The End.

Doing the Happy Dance Quebec launched the country’s first provincial lottery in 1970. The 1982 roll-out of Lotto 6/49 with its “Just imagine” slogan made the lottery a national pipe dream; the 2009 arrival of the $50-million jackpot Lotto Max, which admonishes Canadians to “Live your dreams to the max!” serves to further stoke the frenzy. Not that lotteries are marketed as high-stakes gambling: they’re wholesome fun to be celebrated by a “happy dance.” – an euphoria that is expressed with people dancing wildly in joyous celebration. The happy dance isn’t a new thing. In my childhood days, it was Snoopy who first did the happy dance. Later on, Calvin and Hobbes showed their excitement in their version of the happy dance. And more recently, Mumble, a little Emperor penguin who had a horrible singing voice and couldn’t find his “Heartsong”, discovers his joy in life expressed through tap dancing. I’m not one for dancing. In fact, I am not one for expressing my emotions on my sleeve. My sister called me Mr. Spock while I was growing up. Not much excites me into a physical or emotional outburst. Roller coasters, buffets, sports cars, women, pets, money, etc. none of these things ever excites me. Do you want to know what excites me? Sunday mornings playing on the worship team, speaking the words of God, praying with one another, fellowshipping, celebrating, and mission trips to faraway places. My most exciting times are when I can celebrate the power of God at work with other people who too have been transformed by the power of God. I certainly have been blessed to hear about how God’s power has transformed the lives of people I have met, and even more, privileged to be part of God’s transformational power at work in this world. I hope that I might continue to bring more people and to share with more people a happy dance - not just at Simply Church on a Sunday morning but every day for a long long time.

Prizes! Giveaways! Freebies!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! Now that I got your attention. I have some important information to share with you. Due to the construction delays at MacKirdy Hall, Simply Church will move (from our current temporary location at the Aboriginal Centre) to the new Lecture Hall on the ground floor of St. Paul's University College. We will continue to use the Aboriginal Centre as well on a Sunday morning. Directions will be posted once you enter St. Paul's. There are two main entrances to the Lecture Hall. You can enter by the traditional method through the main doors on Westmount Rd. North and make your way downstairs, past the cafeteria, past the chapel and into the new foyer that faces Ring Road. If you are coming from Village or the main campus, you can enter through the back entrance of St. Paul's which faces Ring Road. A couple more updates as well. 1. SCO has one bookcase filled with books to borrow in the church library now. We are looking forward to receiving more books soon. Come visit the church office for a refreshing drink and snack and come see what renovations have taken place. 2. Sunday school returns this week with a chance to win prizes. (Yes I wasn't kidding about the prizes, giveaways and freebies). Come and find out what Sunday School is all about and challenge yourself spiritual and academically. Humbly yours, PT

Summer days, drifting away, To, uh oh, those school days!

September is just around the corner. Sigh. I cannot remember where the summer days have gone to or how the last 4 months has so quickly and silently passed by. Nevertheless, we are days away from receiving a new batch of froshies and, in their wake, the many returning students as well. So many things have yet to be done. So many things that I wanted to do. So many that I have failed to do. In a way I lament over the passage of time this summer. I cannot believe how the years have just flown by. I was in a retail store just the other day when I was confronted by a man who asked me "Are you a pastor?" I couldn't deny it so I said, "Yes I am." "You married my daughter.", he replied. "Most certainly not!", I thought to myself. My wife's father died when she was a young - at least that is what I have been told - and I don't recognize you from my wedding day. And certainly polygamy is out of bounds morally and beyond my comprehension. I have one wife and that's enough thank you very much. "Peter and Julie Chang." he said with a twinkle in his eye as if he had caught me in a senior moment. "It has been 13 years since you married them." he reminded me. I am not so convinced it was so much as a senior moment as it is just one of the many people and faces I have met in 20 years of full time ministry. We probably spent only a few minutes during the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner and perhaps a few minutes during the wedding day. I'm sure the wedding day of his daughter some 13 years ago was a very significant life event for him and I am thankful to be privileged to be part of that memorable event. Certainly being tributed as being a major part of someone's life has been a significant motivator for me in ministry. The joy of being a part of people's lives is beyond any earthly rewards. This summer Chris and I had a chance to reunite with some old old friends and with some newer friends. Some were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary of which Chris was a bridesmaid. Others were just celebrating their 3rd wedding anniversary while others are 10 years from graduating from University. Those bonds of friendship established during their university years continue to be strong unto this day. I attribute that to the fact that the one bond which binds us so closely together is our common love and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. As the new term is about to begin, I look forward to a whole new batch of young people to bond with, to grow with, and to spiritually grow and serve with. The returning students are always a joy to see once again. A little older and a little wiser. A little more experienced in the faith and a little stronger as well. If you are coming to Simply Church for the very first time, I invite you to consider making us your spiritual home. We welcome you to be part of this wonderful family whose bonds are deep, wide, and long.

Moving on, moving forward, moving rooms!

MOVING ON - Alas, another semester has passed and we bid adieu to many students who have graced our church scene these last few years. They are moving on with their lives. Another chapter of their lives has closed and a new and exciting chapter is about to be written. Many hope to join the ranks of the tax-paying demographic portion of society while some prefer to stay within the familiar confines of academia. "Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same." ~Flavia Weedn. May I say it has been a privilege to be a small part of your life and a pleasure to have you worship, serve, and grow together in Christ. I am certainly not the same because of you.
MOVING FORWARD - We reached another milestone as a church with our first baptismal service. I am certain that it will not be the one and only baptismal services here at Simply Church and look forward to many more to come. But I must say that it was the most memorable baptismal service I have ever witnessed or have been a part of. I think it was rather appropriate that the vessel used for the baptism was a water trough, since it follows in our Lord Jesus Christ as he was born and laid in a manger. There are many postings on FB and perhaps we hope to release a video of the blessed event on youtube in the very near future.
MOVING ROOMS - Very important!!! For the spring term (May - August) we will be worshiping in the Aboriginal Center at St. Paul's rather than our usual MacKirdy Hall. This is due to the renovations that will be done through the spring term. The Aboriginal Center is located in the new wing of St. Paul's just down the corridor from MacKirdy Hall. There will be signs posted to help people find their way.

 *** UPDATE *** Sunday May 6 - due to a conflict in room booking, we will be meeting in the Chapel of St. Paul's instead. Please pass on the message to everyone.

New Year New Hope New Start

The new year always brings with it a perceived sense of being able to turn over a new leaf and start afresh. Of course the truth of the matter is that those burdens, fears, and problems don't magically disappear with the turn of a page. But we just take on a fresh perspective, a new hope, and a certain enthusiasm to tackle all that the new year throws in our way.

As we have been learning through our study in Galatians, true change and freedom only comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Perhaps this is where we should start off the new year. A good foundation and everything else will fall in place. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; And all these things will be added unto you." Mt.6:33

At SC this week...

We are very excited to have Elena Wang back with us after her STM with EMI. She will be sharing of her experiences this coming Sunday (Jan. 15).

A reminder that there is a new pick up location for Sunday Service. CLV Community Center at 9:55 a.m.

Keep posted for more news and announcements.

A blessed new year to one and all.

PT

Updates.

We have a NEW PICKUP location besides our existing 2 locations. 1) the PetroCan at Philip and Columbia at 9:40 a.m. and 2) the Burger King at Philip and University at 9:45 a.m.NEW: CLV Community Center @9:55a.m. If you require a pick up outside of those two locations, please contact us and we will make sure you get a ride. If you drive, parking is free at the Gold Lot.

Weekly grocery runs are also being offered. Please contact us for more info.

Sunday School classes are finished until Jan. 8, 2012.

Upcoming Events:

Dec. 18th - 2nd Anniversary Celebration & Luncheon

Christmas Hiatus - We will be taking a brief holiday from Dec. 23rd, 2011 - Jan. 2nd, 2012. We will return to our normal schedule Jan. 8, 2012.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Plugged In

Yes I know an update to my blog is long overdue. My apologies to all. Not that I lack a plethora of ideas/topics to write about (probably some that should be censored) but rather, unfortunately (as someone pointed out to me), I tend to craft my blog with more care than I would a Sunday sermon.

Ironically, as I looked down at my power bar, I was reminded that although I have all these communication tools yet I am very poor at communication. I have a charger for my Win7 phone, Android phone/tablet, landline cordless phone, Blackberry playbook, HP Touchpad, and laptop all plugged into my charging station. All these devices are useless without their daily dose of power to replenish them after their productivity has been exhausted. It's a reminder to me that I need to be plugged in daily as well. Yes, sleep and good nutrition are necessary, but more importantly the need to be plugged into God daily to restore and renew me in order to face the challenges of each day. So just as you plug in your BB, iPhone, Android remember to plug yourself into God as well.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, the will walk and not be faint." (Isa. 40:28ff)

Progressive ... ?

Someone said to me that people don't change. That change is bad. That we should stick to the tried and true. Don't change horses in mid-stream. Well perhaps when it comes to the selection or choice of some things we are creatures of habit. Consider the following. What we have here in the above photograph is the progression of my glasses over the last 3 decades. Can you see a common theme? Apparently my style of glasses is making a styling comeback. I am actually leading the eye-wear fashion parade. Can you guess the style of my next pair of glasses? If you said, "Exactly the same" then you are correct... kinda. The hidden change is that I have made the transition into progressive lenses. "Progressive" - not bi-focal, not old-fogies glasses, not tri-focal.... they are "progressive". Perhaps it is just a marketing terminology to make the transition into old age more palatable. But after getting a refresher course in the physics of lens making, progressive is a very appropriate terminology for the complex shape of the lens.

That being said, though I may not have changed my style of glasses over,... well let's be honest here and say my lifetime, I do believe that people can and do change. Actually I am in the business of people-change. God is in the business of people-change. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2Co.5:17) I can understand the skeptics who have tried to implement self-change and have failed. The reality is that true change can only come about through faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

As Christians, we are in the business of change - personally, corporately, socially, and globally. If we cannot see change happening within ourselves from our past life before Christ, to our current life in Christ, then something is wrong. Unlike getting progressive lenses to correct our vision, our lives require a more radical measure to make a change. It isn't just a matter of a change in perspective but a matter of change in personhood.

As we have been investigating the life of Abram and his journey of faith, we have seen quite a bit of change in the person of Abram. From his initial calling to learning obedience to having faith in nothing else but God, Abram slowly and progressively is changed into the man that God was able to credited to him righteousness and honored in the Bible as a man of great faith. His journey of faith has been... well... progressive. In our instantaneous society, sometimes it is hard to understand and accept progressive. As the old saying goes, "Slow and steady wins the race". How is your race going? Have you left the gate? Are you out of steam? Or has it been ... progressive?

Easter vs. Christmas

When Christmas rolls around, the Bluevale house is full of activities - mass cleaning, decorations, baking, calendar adjustments to accommodate all the get togethers, gift wrapping and church events - but when Easter rolls around, there isn't so much preparation going out around the house.

If we were to do a comparison, which event is more significant? The birth of Jesus or the death and resurrection of Jesus? Certainly in terms of a worldly perspective, there is much more hype for the Christmas season than Lent, Passover and Easter weekend. Can we truly compare the wonders of the incarnation with the power of the atonement? The manger to the cross? Is it really like comparing apples to oranges? Hummmm something to ponder about.

We have been preaching through a series of sermons on "Reflections of the Cross" - a selection of some of my most favorite passages about the cross of Christ. We have looked at the "Foolishness of the Cross" and the "Fragrance of the Cross". Last week we encountered "The Formidable Cross". And as we end our series on Easter Sunday we directly encounter the "Cross - Friend or Fraud".

If you want to see a portion of the sermon on "The Fragrance of the Cross", click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwoGqXCqzIU&feature=share

Have a blessed Easter Season.

PT

It’s Good To See You Again My Walking Shoes

I dusted off my summer walking shoes this morning and put them on my feet. Ahhhh. The re-emergence of the walking shoes signifies the end of the dreary winter months and the insurgence of spring. With an anticipated high of 12C today, and many hours of waiting in the hospital, I thought it would be best that I don’t cook my feet with my winter boots today.

There is something comforting about slipping back into my summer shoes. A certain familiarity and liberation that comes in comparison to the waterproof, weatherproof, insulating winter boots that have protected me during these past 4 months. I think the same feeling comes over us when we reunite with friends of old.

This past weekend there was somewhat of a reunion of my old church friends from my youth. Though the circumstances were not for the most part a joyous occasion (my condolences and prayers to the Au Yeung Family), the sight, hugs, and sounds of the voices and faces from my youth certainly brought back many memories and a certain comforting familiarity when I was surrounded by the “uncles and aunties”, “brothers and sisters”, and the “young ones”. The older generation still called me by my nickname, and then apologizes and addressed me as “Mook Si”… which was often followed by a laugh or giggle. There were still a lot of “Tim Gor gor” and “Uncle Tim”, though in reality we are now all peers – equals before the eyes of our God – brother and sisters in Christ. The one thing that binds us all, now that most of us are separated by miles, oceans, and even continents, is that which brought us all together in the first place. Montreal Chinese Alliance Church was more than just a building. It was, for most of us, the origin and motivator for who we’ve become today. It was a place where the gospel message was boldly proclaimed; where the love of God was demonstrated to all ; and a place where worship and service to our living God was practiced.

Of course, shoes become worn. And as much as I love my summer walking shoes, I know that I will need to replace them soon. Many of us have moved away from our MCAC shoes and put on new shoes – shoes that have brought us to many new and great adventures for our God. Simpychurch is my new shoes. I hope that it will be yours as well.

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News”

Walking in His Steps,

PT

Oreo's Social Network

My cat has always been an indoor cat, though Oreo has on the odd occasion escaped the confines of the house and ventured out into the wild. I suppose we do this for her own good. No fear of a car running her over. No fear of some other wild animals attacking her (since she is de-clawed and hence at a disadvantage in a fight). No fear of some person snatching her and imprisoning her for themselves (though I suppose we are just as guilt in terms of keeping her as an indoor cat). What is her motivation for wanting to leave the house? Why can't she just be satisfied with everything she has here with us? Is the proverbial catnip really greener on the other side of the door?

We hope that we have provided the best environment possible to meet her every need, to show her all the love we can, and to be her friend and relational support. But obviously this is not enough. Since her fore ray into the outside world has been trumped, she has decided that the cyber world will become her outlet. Her new facebook page has become her social medium allowing her to leave the confines of Bluevale to open a whole new world for her to explore. (Oreo Wai on FB)

I suppose that Naomi had similar hopes when she left her homeland and ventured into the forbidden land - an adventure that would result in her becoming "Mara" and turning that bitterness against God. But in fact, she had become her own worst enemy.

If you want to know more about this story, come visit simplychurch for the next few weeks as Pastor Lew preaches through the book of Ruth.

Until next time,

Meow.

Resolved

From JAARS' website (www.jaars.org)

" In the early 1950s, the Waorani were called “Auca,” meaning “naked savage,” by the surrounding Indian groups. Even the nearby oil companies and the Ecuadorian government referred to them by this name.

The Aucas were feared because they speared all cowodi (foreigners) who came into their territory. More than 60% of the tribe died by homicide, due to revenge killings within their own group. They were slowly annihilating themselves.

On January 6, 1956, the five missionaries landed their plane. For two days they established friendly contact with the Indians on a sand bar nick-named “Palm Beach” by Nate Saint. Many were praying for the success of this venture. But then, on the third day, a lie and a culture of violence turned what had been a growing friendship with the cowodi into martyrdom.

The shock from this event permeated the mission community worldwide.

Miraculously, within several years after the martyrdom of the five, violence within the Waoranis (the name they had always called themselves) dropped 90%! Why? The fact that the young missionaries had not defended themselves with guns, but had willingly laid down their lives, spoke volumes to this tribe.

Also, within two years, Dayuma, a Waorani who had left the group, along with a wife and sister of one of the five, returned in the spirit of love and forgiveness. They brought with them Wangongi’s carvings—God’s Word—a powerful witness.

Gikita, the leader of the spearing party, put it this way: “My heart was black with sin! But Jesus’ blood dripped and dripped and washed my heart clean.”

And Mincaye, another on Palm Beach in 1956, declared, “We lived badly, badly until they brought us God’s carvings. Now, walking His trail, we live happily and in peace.”

Later, as Mincaye grew in his faith, he added, “God does not see it well that we should walk His trail alone. Going first, we must speak God’s name well wherever we go. Then, going to God’s place we will take many others following after us.”

In the fall of 1955, when Nate Saint circled overhead and exchanged gifts with the Auca Indians, neither he nor the world knew the impact that contact would make on the Waoranis—or on the use of airplanes in reaching isolated people groups of the world—or on the thousands of young people who would be challenged to joined the mission endeavor in the 20th century.

On January 8, 2006, at the very spot where they were murdered in Ecuador exactly 50 years prior, a memorial service for Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully and Jim Elliot was held.

The Waorani Indian church leaders planned and led a three-day conferencia that culminated with baptisms and a communion service. Among those leading were two of the men who had participated in the spearing of the five missionaries."

And now you know the rest of the story. Jim Elliot's journal entry for October 28, 1949, expresses his belief that missions work was more important than his life. His famous quote, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." has often been the motivational battle cry for many Christians.

But I wonder if those 5 men, if they had known what fate awaited them when they landed on that “Palm Beach” in 1952, would have still made that fateful missionary trip? What about you? What if God called you to a future that was filled with possible pain and suffering, hardship, loneliness, poverty, persecution, and even possibly death? Would you still step out and fulfill God’s call?

In my last post we were in Acts 19-21 where Paul takes a radical new direction and begins a trek back to Jerusalem. First we established the sequence of events that transpired. Then we looked at the possibility that Paul perhaps had made an error in judgment out of arrogance and self-interest. What if I have been wrong in my assessment of Paul? What if the evidence truly reveals Paul as a faithful follower of the will of God, resolved to go to Jerusalem in spite of the hardships, pain and suffering, and ultimately imprisonment that awaits him?

Is the Christian life wide and easy or is it narrow and hard? Or does it have to be such a dichotomy? Listen to my defense of the Resolute Paul.

Announcements:

1. Charity tax receipts are ready for pick up. Those who are not in the Waterloo area, the receipts will be mailed out to you.

2. Next Sunday: (March 6) We will be meeting downstairs in the Chapel instead of MacKirdy Hall.

3. Rev. Lew Worrad will begin a preaching series on the book of Ruth starting this Sunday for 4 weeks. "Being Your Own Worst Enemy". Don't miss it!

Blessings,

PT

Free Skate Cancelled

Due to a booking error on UW's part, tmr's free skate has been cancelled. We will update you when another suitable time is found.

Nobody's Perfect

I will be the first to admit that I am certainly not perfect.... BUT... I have an insatiable need to be right. Can you relate? Certainly as Christians we have accepted and professed an underlying principle that we are all sinners and yet, having to admit that we are wrong certainly contravenes certain fabric of our being. Nobody likes being told that they are wrong, especially when it comes to matters of personal choice. So we call upon logic, reason, and/or a higher authority to set up our defenses. Naturally, what greater defense can you have than that of God! So you pull out the "God-card" and lay it down. Then they lay down their "God-card" and then you are at a standstill and all everyone can do is say, "The Lord's will be done!" (Acts 21:12-14).

Certainly the Apostle Paul has become one of the most endeared early disciples of the New Testament. We recognize his passion, the strength of his character, his love and compassion, spiritual maturity and wisdom, and the zeal of his spirit. And certainly to attribute any fault to Paul is almost sacrilegious. To accuse Paul that he deliberately disobeyed the Holy Spirit seems to be an impossibility but yet, a close examination of Acts 19-21, with some insight from Romans 9 and 11, seems to point to the possibility that Paul might not have necessarily gone to Rome in chains. (You can listen to my sermon defending this view on Dropbox)

But not so fast. Maybe there is another side to this story. Perhaps Paul was in the right and everyone else was in the wrong. If you want to hear the argument of this view you will have to come this Sunday to SimplyChurch.

Announcements:

1. Exciting event this coming Sunday Jan. 30th. Free skate at CIF 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Bring your skates along for a time of fun, fellowship and falling!

2. Do you have a heart to serve and yet you don't know where you can fit in at SC? Please speak to Pastor Tim. There are many serving opportunities available.

3. We have 2 fixed pick up locations for Sunday Service - the PetroCan at Philip and Columbia at 9:40 a.m. and the Burger King at Philip and University at 9:45 a.m. If you require a pick up outside of those two locations, please contact us and we will make sure you get a ride.

Blessings,

PT