Week of Jan. 24-30, 2021.

Deborah, by Lauren Wright Pittman.

Cultivating Bravery. 

When we think of bravery, we usually think of actions. Often, however, before a brave action there is a pause. In that space of seconds (or days or months), fear, the desire to stay safe, and longing, the desire for a better way, pull against each other. We saw Jesus in such a liminal space as he sat in the wilderness for 40 days. We saw it again when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane.

It’s here, in this place of wrestling, that clarity and courage take root and grow. You feel in your bones the risks. You gain clarity on what is the real threat. As you move from denial to reality, you consider the possibility that there might be a course of action that will lead to a better outcome. You consider what that action might be. You discern the kairos moment. This is the silent, unseen inner work that undergirds brave speech and actions.

There is a big difference between wise, brave actions that protect, challenge, heal, and transform, and the foolish, brazen actions that jeopardize and harm. Brave actions flow out of meditation, a weighing of reality, a sifting of one’s motives and desires.

Instead of numbing out the pain, you press into the discomfort and figure out an appropriate response. Brazen, foolish risks are simply reactions to the stimulus of life, often done to avoid pain or seek pleasure: a reaction – fight, flight, flee, or fawn – rather than a wise response. In the moment, it can be hard to know the difference.

In this week’s passage we encountered Deborah sitting under a palm tree. From the description of Deborah, we can conclude that searching for the brave, wise action has become her way of life. We see that Deborah cultivated this habit of discernment. She searches more than her own heart. She also searches for the Spirit of God. People seek out her wisdom as she sits under the palm. Her wisdom is recognized by others.

What does Deborah teach us about bravery? That clarity, confidence, and courage to speak and act come as we align ourselves to God’s Spirit and our own true selves. We learn that we can cultivate bravery by practicing this art of attunement.

–  Anne

 

Together @Southpoint 

 

2020 Annual General Meeting 

Held by Zoom
Wednesday 24, February, 7:00 pm

Members of Southpoint (and those in the process of becoming one!) will receive an email  by February 10 containing the AGM package – including the agenda, (unapproved) minutes from the 2019 AGM, membership list, reports from our Staff, Leadership Team and Committees, the 2020 financial statements and the proposed 2021 budget.

Please set aside an hour for this important meeting in our church life. Everyone is encouraged to attend although only members can vote.

Still thinking about membership? Contact Anne (778-878-4352, email).

Southpoint Central Lenten Conversations 

“We grow in the direction of the questions we ask.” – Christie Goode

Wednesday evenings, 8:00-9:30 pm
Beginning Feb. 17, Ash Wednesday

This Lent we will be hosting a series of weekly Southpoint Centrals (on zoom). Our desire is to create a space for each person at Southpoint to deepen their own inquiry into the wider conversation happening within Christianity around the full acceptance of LGBTQ Christians.

We want to cultivate productive, brave, respectful discussion so each person can engage this significant conversation. At Southpoint, unity grows from our level of love and respect for each other, rather than from uniformity of opinion.

Why is this conversation is so important? Please see David Gushee’s article printed in the Baptist News Global: On LGBT: What I have learned since ‘Changing Our Mind’.

Our conversations will begin Ash Wednesday. We will explore the ethical grounds for inclusion by watching a video of David Gushee, a foremost expert in the field of Christian ethics and author of Changing Our Minds.

Stay tuned for the complete list of conversations in next week’s Southpoint News.

 

Worship

This link will provide you with the information you need to join Sunday’s service at 10:00 am.

Epiphany Series:
Bravery

Jan 31    Queen Vashti
Esther 1-2:17

Feb. 7    Lydia
Acts 16:11-15, 40

Feb 14    Ethiopian Eunuch
Acts 8:26-40

Feb 17
Ash Wednesday

Care

Prayer Circles
Wednesdays at Noon, by Zoom
If you would like to join in, please contact Anne (778-878-4352, email).

Prayer Chain
If you have a confidential prayer need, please contact John Hardy (email).

Pastoral Support
If you’re needing to talk or to pray, please contact Anne (778-878-4352, email).

 

Supporting Southpoint 

Thank you for considering your giving while we are not meeting in person. Possible means of giving include:

Pre-authorized debit (monthly or one-time) with our linked form.
Cost to Southpoint is $0.50.

Paypal to the The Church at Southpoint. Cost is 3% of the donation. No Paypal account is required, only a credit card.

Charitable Impact Foundation.
Cost is 2.8% of the donation.

Thank you!

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