A Poem for the Last Few Days of Summer

There is a bittersweetness to this time of year. Summer is winding down. The grass is drying, the leaves are starting to fall, the spiders are spinning webs in the forest. You can just FEEL the change in nature. And, there is also this increased energy in human spheres. There’s one last weekend before it all kicks into gear again. Families are purchasing school supplies, growing kids are being fitted for new shoes, and young adults are heading off to university.

There’s this mix of excitement with a tinge of sadness. Pause, for just a moment, to make room for it all, whatever you are carrying around in your body, your head, your heart.

As we leave behind our summer theme “Refresh”, and prepare for the Season of Creation, I’d like to share with you a poem by John O’Donohue. It’s an invitation to “take refuge in your senses” in this last week of summer vacation, and find refuge throughout the year. There’s going to be a full moon Wednesday night, a blue super moon, the biggest full moon of the year. Step outside in the setting sun and savour:)

Cheers to you, Creator God, for a splendid display of glory! 

Deep peace and blessing,
Anne

Rev. Anne Baxter Smith
Pastor, Church at Southpoint

You have traveled too fast over false ground;
Now your soul has come to take you back.

Take refuge in your senses, open up
To all the small miracles you rushed through.

Become inclined to watch the way of rain
When it falls slow and free.

Imitate the habit of twilight,
Taking time to open the well of color
That fostered the brightness of day.

Draw alongside the silence of stone
Until its calmness can claim you.

? John O’Donohue
Excerpt from “For One Who Is Exhausted, a Blessing”
To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings, 2008

Worship Calendar

Location & Zoom. We meet on Sundays at 15639 24 Avenue, Surrey. Zoom is offered if you cannot attend in person. If you have trouble with the zoom link, use: meeting ID: 831 1690 9977 with password: 753319

Sermons Are Podcasted
Catch up on Southpoint sermons by finding the podcast “Meditations from the Church at Southpoint” on Spotify, Apple and Google. They’re also available on our website: www.southpoint.ca.

This Advent We’ll Lean into A Sanctified Art’s “How Does a Weary World Rejoice?”

Sun Dec 3 Anne Baxter Smith
We acknowledge our weariness
Lk 1:1-23, Ps 80:1-7, 17-19

Sun Dec 10 Anne Baxter Smith
We find joy in connection
Lk 1:24-45, Is 40:1-11

Sun Dec 17 Anne Baxter Smith
We allow ourselves to be amazed
Lk 1:57-66, Ps 126 
& Sing Stories of Hope
Lk 1:46-55, Lk 1:67-80

Sun Dec 24, ** 4:00-5:00 pm ** At Kingfisher Farm
Christmas Eve Service (NOT in the Sunnyside building)
We make room 
Lk 2:1-20

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.