Embracing the Metaphor: Safer Soil
-Anne Smith
This past Sunday we gathered as a community for an ALL OUT service activity at Kingfisher Farm. In the warmth of the greenhouses we plucked the last tomatoes from vines so tall they reached all the way to the ceiling. (Some tomatoes lingered, well beyond my reach:) The size of the vines and the plentiful array of tomatoes was another reminder of the richness of the soil. Later, Paul led us around the garden and talked with us about soil, and how as a farmer he has learned to enrich it. This was a way of embodying our discussions of what it means to be “Safe Soil” for one another as a community.
Prayer of Confession
Jesus, we want to be trusting and trustworthy. We want the same for our church. Yet we feel—just below the surface, deep in the soil of our bodies—a certain defendedness. It feels like hard rocks. It feels like tightly packed dirt. It feels like a tangle of roots. This defendedness keeps us safe from the full impact of trauma. Yet, this defendedness also squeezes out moisture, air, and elbow room. Something in us feels compressed. Something in us feels stunted. Come, Gardener God, and loosen up the soil, that there may be new softness within us, and between us.
Words of Assurance
As we slowly release the need to defend and justify, to pretend and cover up, as we slowly allow ourselves to be seen by God, we realize God isn’t going anywhere. We are safe. And when we learn we are safe, we soften. And as we soften our defences, things shift inside. New life cracks open the tightly buried seed and begins to grow.
As you ponder the many ways you armour up and the unique form of defendedness that occurs within the soil of your own heart, I offer up to you this prayer of confession which accompanies us this season:
Invitation to Confession
Jesus comes close, not to shame us, but to nourish and support our growth. With this reassurance, I invite you into this time of confession.
Worship Calendar
Location & Zoom. We meet on Sundays at 15639 24 Avenue, Surrey. Zoom is offered if you cannot attend in person. Zoom link. Meeting ID: 831 1690 9977 password: 753319
Listen to Sermons
Follow “Meditations from the Church at Southpoint” on Spotify, Apple and Google
Blogs
Catch up on Anne’s recent blogs under “News” on our website, southpoint.ca
Sun Apr 7
(2) Opening to Love
Rev Anne Baxter Smith
John 21:1-19
Sun Apr 14
(3) Receiving Clarity
Rev Anne Baxter Smith
Acts 3:12-19
Sun Apr 21
Rev Scott Swanson
Acts 4:5-12
New to Southpoint?
At Southpoint, it all begins with God’s love. Just as a plant grows, it receives sunshine, so we grow as we receive God’s love. At Southpoint, we are growing in our capacity to love God, ourselves, one another, and creation.
We seek to be a community of grace that is intentional yet organic, spacious yet authentic, grace-filled yet accountable. * We are fully welcoming. *
We encourage relationships rather than run programs, yet we recognize the importance of intentionality and structure as we nurture life together.
As a community, we seek to put our love in action. We value helping out on Sunday mornings, sharing food, and showing up in hard times. We keep our church life simple so folk have time to build relationships with family, friends, and neighbours. We encourage folk to serve in tangible ways within the wider community. We rent space rather than own a building, allowing us to do more with less, supporting missions at home and abroad.
Curious to know more?
These six slides express what motivates our ministry (best viewed on a monitor). Here’s the bio of our Pastor, Rev. Anne Baxter Smith.
If you’d like to really peek inside, sign up for our weekly Southpoint News (scroll to brown footer at bottom of page). The Southpoint News is a MailChimp distributed email—you can unsubscribe anytime and will not be added to our contacts list. Email us at office@southpoint.ca. Website: southpoint.ca.
Sun. Oct 30
Potluck lunch to follow service
Resistance and Vulnerability
Luke 7:31-50
Sun. Nov 6
Unsafe or Uncomfortable?
Luke 8:22-39
Sun. Nov 13
Holding Space
John 11:1-44
Sun. Nov 20
Right and Wrong
Luke 14:1-6
Joining by Zoom?
We continue to have a zoom offering if you cannot attend in person! The Zoom meeting link is here.
If you have trouble with the link, use:
meeting ID: 831 1690 9977
with password: 753319
New to Southpoint?
At Southpoint, it all begins with God’s love. Just as a plant grows, it receives sunshine, so we grow as we receive God’s love. At Southpoint, we are growing in our capacity to love God, ourselves, one another, and creation.
We seek to be a community of grace that is intentional yet organic, spacious yet authentic, grace-filled yet accountable. * We are fully welcoming. *
We encourage relationships rather than run programs, yet we recognize the importance of intentionality and structure as we nurture life together.
As a community, we seek to put our love in action. We value helping out on Sunday mornings, sharing food, and showing up in hard times. We keep our church life simple so folk have time to build relationships with family, friends, and neighbours. We encourage folk to serve in tangible ways within the wider community. We rent space rather than own a building, allowing us to do more with less, supporting missions at home and abroad.
Curious to know more?
These six slides express what motivates our ministry (best viewed on a monitor). Here’s the bio of our Pastor, Rev. Anne Baxter Smith.
If you’d like to really peek inside, sign up for our weekly Southpoint News (scroll to brown footer at bottom of page). The Southpoint News is a MailChimp distributed email—you can unsubscribe anytime and will not be added to our contacts list. Email us at office@southpoint.ca. Website: southpoint.ca.
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