Southpoint News April 20, 2018
This week remember to meet at Brooksdale for Good Seed Sunday!
See you at 10 am. Details below.
There will be NO service at the Sunnyside building.
The Face of Love
Jesus stirred the pot. His actions and teachings pushed the boundaries of the Purity Laws that were so much a part of his religious community. These laws stated which people, places, and activities were clean or unclean, pure or impure, holy or unholy, in or out. By Jesus’ lifetime, these laws had grown complicated and difficult to sustain, yet protected Israel’s cultural identity and distinctiveness as God’s chosen people. Repeatedly, Jesus undermined these distinctions. Jesus focused much of his ministry on people labelled outsiders, unclean, and impure, like the woman at the well and the woman with an issue of blood. Jesus also playfully sabotaged these categories in his teachings, often holding up outsiders such as the good Samaritan as models of faithfulness or love. As if this wasn’t provocative enough, he intentionally chose to cross the boundaries of these purity laws by picking grain and healing on the Sabbath, eating with sinners, calling a tax collector to be his disciple, letting a woman anoint his feet with her hair, and so on, In these ways, Jesus consistently shook up the categories of clean/unclean, insider/outsider, pure/impure, sinner/saint, chosen/not chosen, modeling and preaching a gospel that included rather than excluded, with special welcome to those deemed “lost” and “least”. The fact that he did this in the name and authority of God made him all the more subversive. Jesus also made it clear that if anyone were to play the IN/OUT game with him, they had better be careful. His words and actions communicated this message: “If I do draw lines of whose in and whose out, they will be much different than you think. I’ll include those who love the poor, and I’d exclude those who are hoarding their money in barns and bank accounts. I’d include the woman who just oiled my feet because of her great love, and I’d exclude you, Simon, because even though you invited me for dinner, you didn’t even wash my feet.” Jesus was offensive. I’m sure the religious leaders thought they were doing the right thing by killing Jesus. It was in the name of God that Jesus was run out of town, accused, mocked, spit upon, exiled, arrested, tried, and murdered. He was scapegoated by our sins, bearing the full weight of our gospel of exclusion on his perfect body. But then, on Easter morning, he did the unthinkable – He returned. He came back for the very ones who had excluded, exiled and executed him. He came back, not to demand an apology, not to label his attackers the new “OUT”. He came back to extend forgiveness. He came back to us. He returned for us. Come to me, all you who are heavy laden. Come to me with your regulations and your regrets, your sorrows and your certitudes, your broken attempts to love and forgive. Come to me and discover that I forgive you. That I already have forgiven you. Come to me, and know the face of lovePastor Anne Smith
We now have an calendar of events available on our website.
Curious about what’s coming down the pike? Check it out!
Community Events
- Good Seed Sunday: Sunday, April 22nd: We are ALL OUT at Brooksdale, 1620 192 Street, Surrey. Come join us at A Rocha’s Brooksdale Environmental Center for our annual Good Seed Sunday onion planting party! Wear clothes for kneeling in the garden. Baked Potato potluck to follow. Bring: A topping – about 6-8 cups of whatever topping you choose; Plates, cups, and utensils for your family; A picnic blanket or garden chairs. Note: There will be NO service in the Sunnyside building Sunday 22nd! Just our gathering at Brooksdale.
- Sunday, 29 April: Service at Sunnyside
- Sunday, 6 May: Service at Sunnyside
- Sunday, 13 May: Service at Sunnyside
- Sunday, 20 May: Pentecost – Service at Sunnyside
We’re Growing!
The Leadership team is aware that we are beginning to burst at the seams on Sunday morning. We would like to begin praying with us as we seek a way forward. Two services just isn’t an option – we love each other too much! What awaits us?!? If you have any ideas, please pass them along to Theresa Fryer.
Soulstream: Labyrinth Prayer: A Pilgrim Journey Close to Home
Saturday, May 26; 8:30 am – 3:30 pm at Kingfisher Farm 512 172 Street, Surrey.
“To journey without being changed is to be a nomad. To change without journeying is to be a chameleon. To journey and be transformed by the journey is to be a pilgrim.” Mark Nepo, The Exquisite Risk (2005)
Are you yearning for time away with God but unable to go on an extended pilgrimage? Why not choose a pilgrimage close to home? With a backdrop of picturesque Kingfisher Farm, come and explore walking the labyrinth as a Christian spiritual practice. Labyrinth Prayer is a contemplative spiritual discipline based on the ancient practice of pilgrimage. Join us, as pilgrims, for a facilitated day retreat offering worship, instruction, periods of silent prayer on the Labyrinth as well as on nature trails, reflection through the creative arts and small group sharing.
Facilitators: SoulStream Community Partners Brent Unrau, Roland Balzer and Janet Scott. Proceeds will go to SoulStream Initiatives, a non-profit organization that seeks to support the contemplative lifestyle and encourage others to live authentically with Jesus.
Please bring a bag lunch. Tea, coffee and snacks will be provided.
Cost: $50. To register: Please go to the SoulStream website. Registration is limited to 30 people so register early to avoid disappointment. soulstream.org
No comments