Southpoint News December 21, 2017

Be Not Afraid

Do you remember the cold mornings last week when the fog lay thick and dense on the ground? Do you remember how the cold air felt when you breathed it in, or how the grass crunched beneath your feet? Do you remember how the dew hugged the roads and left a thin sheen of invisible ice? The night after the first early morning fog, I had a dream. I was driving down a narrow tree-lined road in the early morning, while it was still dark. Descending an incline, I noticed the sheen of ice lit up by the headlights while simultaneously observing that the road ahead came to an abrupt dead end. After the jolt of adrenaline, I noticed that I was seated at the very back of a large passenger van, and that there was no one else in the van. I scrambled over the seats to the driver seat, attempting to buckle my seatbelt and get my feet on the pedals, while watching as the dead end hurtled towards me. Just as I sensed the futility of my efforts to avoid the crash, the car, of its own accord, slowed down and then came to a full stop. “Be not afraid,” the dream whispered. “God, is that you?” I whispered back. Since the dream, I have felt strangely held by a conviction that there is something deeper, more powerful, than the danger that appears around me, and that perhaps not being IN control doesn’t mean we are OUT of control, heading for disaster. Wasn’t this at least part of the message of the Nativity? Each person intricately involved in the nativity was caught up in the outwardly suspect activity of God. Each individual was invited to surrender to Some Thing contained within a reality that appeared dangerous, suspect and unseemly. Mary surrendered to having a child conceived out of wedlock to Joseph. Joseph surrendered to choosing Mary, even though she appeared to outsiders like “damaged goods.” The Shepherds neglected their duties to the sheep in order to go search for the appearance of a newborn baby, while the wise men disobeyed the local authorities in order to protect the divine appearance. Each of these individuals in some ways “disobeyed” or “displeased” communal expectations in order to protect, honour, or safeguard the presence of the infant Christ. Perhaps they appeared, and even felt at times, like they were out of control, hurtling through space, breaking all the rules, going WAY too fast down a SLIPPERY SLOPE which would surely lead to DISASTER. Yet in reality, while they hurtled down the hill, they were held by a momentum much larger than themselves, passengers in the Divine Journey. “Be not afraid”, the angel spoke to them, again, and again, and again, as the vehicle picked up speed. “You don’t need to be terrified, for I am with you.”

Pastor Anne Smith

Loonie Drive Concludes Christmas Eve
The NET will match your loonie with another loonie! All our loonies will go to Lifewater Canada to build WELLS that provide clear, sweet, fresh, living water to a community. One of our core images is a well – let’s help build one! Check out: http://www.lifewater.ca

Don’t Miss Southpoint’s Christmas Party

5:30 – 7:30 pm Friday, Dec. 22nd ?at Centennial Arena, 14600 North Bluff Rd. The skates, skating, and hot chocolate are on us. Come early to rent your skates and drop off your food. Ice time is 5:45-6:45 pm. Please bring a plate of goodies to share!

New Year’s Eve Candlelit Labyrinth Walk

Brent invites you once again to tread the labyrinth at Kingfisher Farm as the old year passes. Drop in between 8:00 pm and midnight. You are welcome to invite your friends for this special time of reflection and preparation. (The candles will be lit except in the event of real rain.)

Life at the End of Us vs Them: Book Study
Paul Neufeld and Andrew Sawatsky would like to invite you to a book study of Life at the End of Us Vs Them written by their friend, Marcus Peter Rempel. We’ll gather on Sunday mornings from 8:30-9:45, starting January 28. We’ll meet in the church vestibule for coffee and conversation on the chapter(s) we’ve read ahead of time. Markus writes, “whether or not you are ‘conservative’ or ‘progressive’, my prayer is that this book will provide a meeting place for you and your ‘other’, and shine some light on the confusing, surprising moment we all find ourselves in, where an outcast beckons as host, to a banquet where we are sat down with the ones we thought were our enemies.” To learn more about the book, visit: http://www.marcuspeterrempel.com  You can order a copy of the book via Paul (paul.neufeld@arocha.ca) before December 30 (for $20, ordered directly from Markus). Ordering a copy doesn’t oblige you to attend the book study, but you should seriously consider joining us!

Calendar: December

Sunday the 24th Advent week 4: Luke 1: 26-38  Christmas Eve Communion & Carol Service, 4:00-5:00 pm, Brooksdale Environmental Centre Main house, 1620 192 Street, Surrey

Sunday the 31st Advent week 5: Christmastide.  Speaker: Brian Oger. Suunnyside church building, 10:00 am

Sunday the 31st Candlelit Labyrinth Walk, drop in from 8:00 pm – midnight at Kingfisher Farm, 512 172 Street

Calendar: Januay

Sunday the 7th:  Epiphany Speaker: Anne Smith, Sunnyside church building, 10:00 am

Sunday the 7th: Welcome Pizza Party after church. The Leadership team invites anyone new to Southpoint or interested in hearing more about membership to a pizza party after church. Bring your curiosity and your questions, and hear a bit more about who we are and what we value as a church.

Sunday the 14th: Speaker: Jodi Spargur at Sunnyside church building, 10:00 am

Sunday the 21st: Speaker: Anne Smith at Sunyside church building, 10:00 am

Sunday the 28th:  ALL IN Service & Potluck Lunch at Sunnyside church building, 10:00 am.  A short congregational meeting after the service to welcome new members will be followed by a potluck downstairs. Bring food to share and celebrate these new members.