Summer Series: A Healthy Place

“Just as God gives us sanctuary, let us be a sanctuary to one another’s mental health.”

Each summer, we take a break from “sermons” and make room to hear voices from within our community share around a specific theme.  This summer’s theme,  “A Healthy Place”, reflects a desire that we, as a church, grow into a community that advocates, understands, and values the mental health experience of all people. We want to be a healthy place for mental health!

We have much wisdom right in our community. Some of us live with ongoing mental health challenges personally or in families. Some of us are mental health practitioners who provide support to individuals and families. All of us experience the ebbing and flowing of our own mental wellbeing.   This summer, we will create space for conversation around issues that affect our mental health. We will hear people share personal stories. We will hear ways to honor and protect our mental health, including not shaming ourselves or others who are struggling with emotions or issues that don’t easily go away. We will seek after God’s tenderness within the thriving and withering of our minds, bodies, emotions, and spirits.

Nepal 2020 Trip!?

For some time now, we have been brain storming about a Southpoint mission trip to visit Himalayan Life in Nepal. Could 2020 be the year? What if we were able to pull together 6-10+  people for a trip over spring break in March 2020? We would love to have a meeting with those who have any interest or are curious about this. Send an email to Markku if you are interested.

Our Next ALL OUT…

You are invited to join the campers up at Mt. Seymour Provincial Park, group campsite on Sunday June 30.  We’ll have a time of singing and share communion around 10:30 and then potluck lunch.  Bring weiners or something to grill and then something to share (salad/chips/dessert)

Baptisms this Summer:

Zoe, Klein, and Katya,  three young people in our church, want to be baptized, so we’ll have a service of baptism at the end of the summer! Rather than the usual class, I will be having a “retreat” day with them on Sunday, August 4th in preparation for this moment in their lives. If any one else is interested, please let me know:)

A Summer of Sundays:

June 23rd:  Sanctuary Mental Health

June 30th: ALL OUT at Mt. Seymour

July 7th: David Morrison: “Integrity in Brokenness: Mental Illness and Spiritual Wellness in the Family”

Text: Galatians 6:1-6, 7-16; 2 Kings 5:1-14

July 14th: Donelda Seymour,  “Withering and Thriving: How to Support the Mental Health of Our Youth”

July 21: Leah Kostamo, “Centering Prayer as a Way of Receiving Life”

July 28: ALL OUT – Gathering Group

Aug 4: Kate Morgan:  “While It Was Yet Dark: Learning the Gentle Journey Of Living With Anxiety And Depression”

Text: Psalm 40:11-17

Aug 11: Markku Kostamo: “Polar Bears and Dark Nights”

Text: Deuteronomy 30: 19-20, John 10:10

Aug 18: TBA:  I am still looking for a person to fill this date. If you are available and willing to share, please let me know.

Aug 25: ALL OUT – Gathering Group

September 1st: Baptism Sunday

Anne’s Holiday:

I will be away June 24th – July 19th for our family vacation, which will begin with a reunion with old friends and a theological conference in Cambridge, England and end with time in Czech with Jaro’s family. Adam, who has been abroad doing course work and travelling, will join us in Prague, along with Johanna and Jaro. We are really looking forward to some rich family time together. We are saddened that the dates of this trip and the church camping trip clashed. A big thank you to Angela and all those who are holding that space without me.  See you in July!!

Have an Announcement?

If you have an addition you would like included in this newsletter, please send a prepared announcement as you would like it to appear to: office@southpoint.ca by Tuesday and we will get back to you.

Prayer

If you have a need for prayer that you would like to pass on to the prayer chain, please contact John Hardy.
johnandwendyhardy@gmail.com