Southpoint News – Week of January 27th, 2019
Epiphany: A Community of Light
Do remember the soccer players trapped in the cave in Thailand? Do you remember the harrowing journey the rescuers made to save them? What if we contemplated this rescue as an image of incarnation?
God looked upon our isolation with compassion, and longed to draw near us. God clothed his divinity in the flesh of our humanity and dove down into the dark waters of our human experience, swimming straight into our sorrowing, so that he might rise up inside our isolation. The healing presence of Christ comes to each of us in this way, piercing our isolation with his presence, joining us in that place of stale confinement and fear.
The presence of Christ searches the deep until he finds us, buried alive. He sits with us, bringing to our mouths the fresh air of the Spirit. He calms us. Thank God – at last we are no longer alone. God is with us – our rock, our refuge in this place of darkness and death.
This is only the beginning of our rescue. God’s intention is not just simply to keep us company in the dark. Christ has come to draw us out of isolation and into communion, out of death and into life. When we are ready, Christ asks us to follow him back down into the deep, black waters that threaten to undo us. He guides us through the waters until we emerge into the light, reuniting us with our kin, ushering us back into the greens and blues of life. We are delivered out of isolation and into community. We are brought back into love, belonging, purposeful service, delight, connection. We are created for communion. This is our birthright.
This is Epiphany: We rise up on our feet and follow the One who leads us towards the light. We follow where he leads us, even into the waters of death, trusting that at the end, life awaits us. We rise up and follow the one who risked everything to find us and bring us home. This is our act of worship.
ALL IN SUNDAY: A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION!
Worship followed by POT LUCK!
Bring and share!
During Epiphany, we have have listened to individuals share their journeys and how they experienced the manifestation of Christ’s light breaking into their life. This week, we’re going to remember and tell our communal journey! We’ll be reflecting together on our journey as the people called Southpoint.
Imagine us, a tribe, gathered around a tribal campfire, swapping stories, like the people of Israel must have done when they slept out in the wilderness, guided by a pillar of fire.
Who remembers those early days at Morgan Creek Elementary? Remember when the only place we could find to worship was the Fellowship Baptist church on Sunday afternoons with its ugly plastic palm trees and painted on clouds? Then we found a space to gather in the mirrored hall of the Surrey Rec Center. Who remembers the kids climbing on the painted bear outside the iceskating rink? Who remembers when we moved to Sunnyside? Some folk thought the move a bit quite, but Craig was delighted not to be dragging all our sound equipment out of the quonzet every Sunday morning and loading it into our family minivan! What meaningful stories do you remember from these places? Which ones remind us who we have been?
Change is the one constant in life. We are always changing and becoming new. But which stories help us remember who we always want to be, deep down in?
What sacred memories do we carry with us of those who’ve moved on from our midst? When did your story join the community of Southpoint’s story? How have you experienced the light of Christ manifested amongst this community? What stories might you want to remember and tell?
Here’s how you can get ready for the celebration:
We’re going to gather in a circle, campfire style, with song sheets. What food would you like to pass around the circle?
Imagine our kids, listening in, learning from the stories of the ‘elders”, What would help get them in a campfire mood? Coming in PJ’s? Wrapping in a blanket with a stuffy? We’ve got an activity prepared so they can listen with their fingers as well as their ears…what snacks or toys might help them listen…Raisins? cheese blocks?
And don’t forget, after the sharing comes the feasting! Come with food to share to help us throw a MEAN pot luck!!
PIZZA PARTY FOR NEWBIES!
Sunday, Feb 3rd, after church.
Are you new-ish to Southpoint? Want to hear a bit more about us? Meet a few more folk? Twice a year we hold a pizza party after church just for you and a few families on our leadership team. This gives us a chance to tell stories, answer questions, and help you feel more at home. If you haven’t been to a pizza lunch before and would like to join us, we would love to have you. Please let Anne know: RSVP to aksmith64@gmail.com or office@southpoint.ca
Save the date for our AGM!!
Our AGM will be Wednesday, February 27th. We begin with a celebratory pot luck desert bar (fruit, cheese plates, baked goods) @ 6:30 followed by the AGM where we will, among other things, vote on our budget for 2019.
SEEDS UPDATE:
News about Kids and Youth at Southpoint
Turning 13??
We have a ritual at Southpoint that honours that passageway from childhood to adulthood. When a child turns 13 we offer them a blessing and they have a symbolic “crossing over” from childhood to adulthood – recognizing that this is a process but honouring that there is a transition. This is not something that Anne or Angela initiate. Rather, we rely on parents to let us know your child is turning 13 and would like to participate in this ritual. Some have chosen not to because they are shy. However, we are happy to explore ways of making it more comfortable for your child if they would like to consider this. It can be quite meaningful for us as a congregation and the individual. So – if we’ve missed someone – or if you child is coming up to 13 – please let us know – we’d love to include them in this ritual.
Interested in Baptism?
We have baptisms at Southpoint when a youth or adult expressing a desire to be baptized. To prepare youth for baptism, Anne takes them through journey of preparation by meeting weekly for the weeks following Easter. Two youth have expressed a desire to be baptized. Are there any other youth/children/adults interested? If so, please communicate with Anne so she can follow up and explore this with you.
Saplings
We’re off to a great start with our Older Saplings group. The kids have welcomed being together as “older” kids and have enjoyed the first 2 storytellers and the interaction/hot chocolate part! We are grateful to Katie and Dan, Cheryl, and Loree for facilitating this group and for Adam, Jarrett Wall, David Wayne Morrison, Crista, and Rheagan for being willing to come and tell a piece of their story.
Worship Night at the Hardy House
If you love to sing worship songs, listen to worship songs, or/and play worship songs then this night is for you! Bring yourself, instruments if you have them, music sheets if you have them and drinks or food to share if you have them! All ages, all abilities, everyone welcome!
6:45-8 pm
Wednesday, February 6th (if it’s fun we’ll try to do this more often)
14386 32nd ave.
January Calendar
Epiphany 2019: “In Search of Light”
“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who set their hearts on pilgrimage.”
– Psalm 84:5
Throughout the Sundays of Epiphany and up until Lent begins, we will listen those in our community who have set out on a journey this year and returned with stories of epiphany. What would it look like if we too said yes and set our hearts on pilgrimage anew this new year? What if we began to listen, seriously listen, to our own holy hunger? What if we began to seek for the manifestation of God wherever our feet take us? Where would we find Christ?
Sunday, Jan. 27th: ALL IN
Sunday, Feb. 3rd: Stories from Himalayan Life in Nepal – Markku’s Epiphany
Sunday, Feb. 10th: Stories from Nagaland – Craig’s Epiphany
Sunday, Feb. 17th: Stories from Australia – Jarret’s Epiphany
Prayer
If you have a need for prayer that you would like to pass on to the prayer chain, please contact John Hardy.
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