Advent Begins

Our Advent wreath is woven around a purple cloth this year. I chose to use this cloth to represent time. We belong to a love story woven into the wrinkles of time, a story that is woven into the generations behind us and before us, a story of a love that is circular, repeating and never ending, like this cloth. It will not let us go. 

This Advent, we are looking backwards to the generations behind us that have harboured the lineage and legacy of Christ. From generation to generation, people have been sheltering Jesus in their hearts. Enfleshing Jesus in their lives. Sharing Jesus with the next generation.

But we are also looking at our own stories, beautiful and holy in all their complexity. We, too, get to be enfolded into the wrinkles of time, folded into the unfolding story of God’s mercy and healing of the earth. There is room for us in this unfolding story. There is room in this narrative for you.

Deep peace and blessing,

— Anne

Rev. Anne Baxter Smith
Pastor, Church at Southpoint

Room

I asked God—
what about my
fingernail-biting habit
or the way I leave all the cabinets
open in the kitchen?
What about the way I can be dramatic,
drumming up a fight, only to
hand out apologies like souvenirs?
What about the way I second-guess myself,
let shame drive, or stay quiet when I
have something to say?
What about the way I chase accomplishments
like a dog with a bone?
What about the doubt, or the fact
that I’m terrible at prayer and
cannot help but yawn during church?
What about
What about
What about?
My baggage might be too big for the van.

But then
God called me by my first and middle name,
which always means business,
and said:
Who told you that you were too much?
Sugar, there is so much room for you here.

So that’s when I grabbed a seat
and we hit the road
and I knew right then
that the rumours were true.
There is room.
There is room.
There is room.

Poem by Rev. Sarah Speed
A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org

Sun. Dec 4, 10:00 am
Second Sunday of Advent

Sun. Dec 11, 10:00 am
Third Sunday of Advent

Sun. Dec 18, 10:00 am
Fourth Sunday of Advent

Sat. Dec 24, 4:00 pm
Christmas Eve service 

Sun. Dec 25
NO service

Sun. Jan 1, 10:00 am
Christmastide 

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.

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