Southpoint News – Week of November 3rd, 2019

Oct 30, 2019

Today my heart is heavy with the unexpected weight of shared grief.  On Monday, Peter and Miranda Harris, co-founders of A Rocha, and Chris Naylor, A Rocha International CEO, together with his wife Susanna, were involved in an horrific car accident in South Africa. While Peter and the driver of the car are being treated at a local hospital and are in a stable condition, Miranda, Chris, and Susanna did not survive. This comes as a profound shock to everyone in the A Rocha Family, as well as  many others around the world, including the many in our church with relational ties to Peter, Miranda, Chris and Susanna.  May our love and prayers surround all those, near and far, affected by this loss.

This poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins inspired the title to Peter’s book, “Kingfisher’s Fire”.  I share it with you to honor 3 beautiful “selves” which “spoke and spelled” an incarnational message of hope and love for God’s creation.

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;

As tumbled over rim in roundy wells

Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell’s

Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;

Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:

Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;

Selves — goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,

Crying Whát I dó is me: for that I came.

I say móre: the just man justices;

Keeps grace: thát keeps all his goings graces;

Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is —

Chríst — for Christ plays in ten thousand places,

Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his

To the Father through the features of men’s faces.


Fall Sunday Calendar

11/3 –  Actions
         1 John 3:16-24 

11/10 –  Responsibility and Accountability
         Gal 6:1-6

11/17 – Inspiration
         Romans 12:9-21 

11/24 – ALL IN: Christ the King Sunday –  Joy
         John 15:1-17


Pledge Drive:

Our pledge drive for the 2020 budget year is underway.   We will be collecting the pledges for the month of October so we can begin to build our new budget in the beginning of November. Please email your pledges by the first Sunday of Nov. or bring your pledge card to church.

Thank you!


Budget Update:

Our donations to date are $76,400 for the year.  To meet our projected giving which we based on last year’s pledges, our donations need to be at 75%. We are currently at 70%, leaving a shortfall from our projected giving of  $5000. Life is unexpected and circumstances change. If you find yourself in this situation with either an increase or decrease in your income, we understand. You can confidentially adjust your pledge with Sarah for the rest of 2019. Keeping her informed will give us an idea of what adjustments need to happen this year to stay within our budget.  We trust in the abundance of God at the heart of all things.


Week at a Glance:

NEXT Southpoint Central:

Nov 20th at the Hardy house.
Time: 6-7:30

Bring a pot-luck dish to share!


Up and Coming:

Winter Retreat at Camp Tulahead:

Save the date!!! February 14-17, 2020 (3 nights).  PLEASE TURN IN YOUR REGISTRATION TO COLIN.


Have an Announcement? Prayer Request?

If you have an announcement for the newsletter, please send it fully prepared and edited to: office@southpoint.ca by Tuesday.  If you have a prayer request to share with our prayer chain, please contact  johnandwendyhardy@gmail.com

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