Southpoint News September 15, 2017

New Beginnings

Addicts in recovery talk about hitting bottom. They talk about how hard they had to fall, and how much they had to lose, before they were willing to name their addiction, take responsibility for the damage they had caused, come clean, and undertake the journey of a new beginning. This past Sunday we looked at the Exodus account. What did Pharaoh have to lose before he was willing to break his addiction to slavery and abuse? How much tragedy had to befall the nation of Egypt before Pharaoh allowed God’s beloved a new beginning? We prefer to cast ourselves in the Exodus storyline as the sufferer, waiting for God’s redemption. But let’s put ourselves into the character of Pharaoh, for just a moment. As a mom who took my daughter to university, am I willing to truly let Johanna go and relinquish her into God’s hands as she makes this new beginning? Or will the inner Pharaoh in me make me manipulate and control the outcome of her choices, so that she serves my purpose or fulfills my desires? Are we willing to let our children differentiate from us and grow up? I applaud Alain for his softness of heart, for blessing Karin’s new beginning as she goes back to school to be a registered massage therapist, even though it means he will pick up much of her former tasks at home. As spouses, do we release one another into the callings, desires, and new beginnings that God extends to them, or do we demand that they stay stagnant in order to maintain our status quo? What of the people in our lives who have broken our trust and hurt us but who have taken responsibility for their mistakes and are actively working out a new beginning in their lives? Are we willing to forgive them? Are we willing to release them from slavery to their past mistakes and bless them as they grow into a new beginning? And what about those who are trying to forge their way into our communities? Are we willing to welcome strangers and outsiders into our circle of acquaintances and friends so that they can find a new beginning? Are we willing to let go of our superiority, our sense of rightness about how we do church, community, or family and allow the perspective of newcomers to shape our own new beginning? It’s easy to look at the fault of the religious right in America and ask why it’s members aren’t willing to let go of the privileges and power of dominion so that all races and cultures can flourish and thrive? But are we – who work, play, and worship on unceded territory of first nations peoples – are we willing to support reconciliation in word and deed so that indigenous people experience new beginnings in Canada? And what about the earth that groans beneath the heavy load of human activity? Are human beings willing to set creation free of our careless use so that creation can be restored to all that God created it to be? Or, have we hardened our hearts? Have we become the obstacle to God’s desires for God’s beloved? Is the Spirit of God patiently waiting for us to see the error of our ways? Is God sending us messengers to soften our hearts and lead us into a new beginning?

Pastor Anne Smith

Southpoint All In: New Beginnings

Sunday 24th September:  Our All In participatory worship will be followed by a brief “family meeting” and a potluck lunch. Bring plates, utensils, cups for your family and generous amounts of food to share:) There will be no soup or hotdogs, just what we come up with by pooling our resources. Let’s make a feast!! See you then!

Tuesday Lectio Divina
This week we had our first lectio divina group around this week’s lectionary reading. The Word’s out and some THIRDSPACE / community folk might be joining us. We’d love to have you there if it fits into your life!

Community Highlight
Anne’s office is now in THIRDSPACE, a community project of the Peninsula UCC church. ThirdSpace is a safe space in the community – welcoming, accepting engaging – a community hub where friendship grows. See below for events happening in the Third Space. Help spread the word. You are more than welcome!

Drop-In Cafe: Wed & Fri, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Sit & Stitch: Tues, 7:00 – 8:30 pm

Death Cafe First Thursday, 7:00 – 8:30 pm

Forgiveness Film: 7:00 pm   Wed. 20 & 27th  (This is a 2-part documentary.)

Calendar
Ongoing:

Lectio Divina with the Lectionary Tuesdays at 9:00 am @ Third Space

September

Lectio workshop at Kingfisher Farm 7:30 pm, Tues. 19th

+13 Youth Small Group 6:00-8:00 pm, Fri. 22nd

All In Service Sun. 24th
 

October

Leadership Team meeting: 7:00 pm, Tues. 10th

+13 Youth Small Group 6:00-8:00 pm, Fri.13 & 27th

Lectio workshop at Kingfisher Farm 7:30 pm, Tues. 24th:  Child/family friendly

November

+13 Youth Small Group 6:00-8:00 pm, Fri. 10 & 24th

Leadership Team meeting 7:00 pm, Tues. 14th

Lectio workshop at Kingfisher Farm 7:30 pm, Tues. 21st