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SOAR Heartland 2010 - Seeds Team

SOAR Heartland prep is on the way and I am happy to announce that Seeds is sending a team into Inner City Winnipeg to help out with various New Comer and Refugee programs.  The team started off as a multi generational team, with ages ranging from 11-50+, however, do to the vast age difference a few of our members have moved to a Children's Team which has an adapted program for the week.  Micah Enns-Dyck (grade 6), Azhami Mali (grade 6), and Marina McGhie (grade 7) from Seeds, will be on the SOAR Children's Team and have an exciting week of different ministry opportunities adapted for their age group ahead of them. 

This leave 3 adults and 2 teenagers remaining on the Seeds team.  Ruth Bergman, Wanda Friesen, and myself (Erin Funk), will be serving at various outreaches, such as teaching ESL to Refugee Newcomers; working with teenage mom's, etc... Mackenzie Friesen (grade 10), and Annika Enns-Dyck (grade 8), will also be joining us and serving together.  As our official partner ministry is unknown, we will likely be split off in pairs and serve at various organizations throughout the city.  While we don't quite know how to prepare or what to expect, we feel confident that God is actively present and paving the way for what we are to experience throughout the week.

The preparation so far has not proven too stressful, but as next week Thursday's Orientation approaches I find myself being reminded to rest up and centre myself for the busy intense 10's days that are to come.  This will be the first time I have been apart of a missional experience since High School, and while I needed this break to truly learn and refine what I believe missions looks like for myself and what I believe about it; I am really looking forward being apart of this and am so excited to see what is all in store for us.

I will be posting updates on the blog during SOAR so keep watch if you're interested in hearing how the team is doing and what we're up to.

That's all for now....Cheers

Erin Funk

Radical Salvation: Saved from Religion

The phrase "saved from religion" may sound silly to some but to 
me it makes perfect sense. In fact it wasn't until I was liberated 
from religion that I found God, or opened myself up to the possibility 
of finding Him. Here's the stage... Christian home, Christian school, 
Christian upbringing... and yes growing up I had fine role models. I 
knew the rules early on, had a solid understanding of the bible and 
could dutifully recite parts of the Heidelberg catechism, tell you the 
issues behind the Reformation, talk about Martin Luther, John Calvin 
and the other more specific church history. Religion also met 
tradition in some confusing ways. For example we sang psalms from the 
Geneva Psalter, the way they were originally written. A small group of 
hymns were also acceptable but the ratio of psalms to hymns had to be  3:2. 

Every service was the same... we all stood, prayed, sang, gave an 
offering and listened to a sermon at the same time every week. 
Religion dictated what the bible said to us. That means everything was 
read through the filter of the church. Every sermon was given to back 
up a church teaching with scripture.
For years that was my reality. I believed in God in the way you 
believe the water is down there when you stand on the diving board. My 
church life was like a large group of people who talk about the water 
all the time, but stand on the diving board while we do it. Nobody 
actually gets wet, so nobody really has to experience anything. 
Religion kept me dry, but gave me a full knowledge of the water that 
was around me... so I thought.
Religion and I parted ways at some point, and I thought that meant God 
and I had parted ways. Years later, as I again began to read the 
bible, and go to Seeds I realized that God was right there all the 
time. It wasn't religion's fault that I didn’t find God, but it didn't 
help me either. I found God because I read His word. Because for the 
first time in my life I not only prayed but I listened. I finally 
prayed to God and not just at Him.
And God answers. He speaks in so many ways. And I don't really think 
God cares about what club we belong to on earth as long as our focus 
is on Him.
God saved me from a lot of things, and one of the biggest was religion.
I may not have as many answers as when I was standing on the diving 
board, but I'd rather be splashing around in the pool feeling and 
living in Him.

Greg Vandermeulen

Spring Grab and Run - Play Your Part

What could be better than a garage sale?  How about a chance to purge your closets of stuff you aren't even using so that someone could pick up what they need for nothing.  This is what a Grab and Run accomplishes as people from our community come to the eXchange on March 25th.

What part can you play?  If you have gently used clothing (especially Spring and Summer oriented) you can drop them off at the eXchange - 116 Main Street in Altona.

But that's not all.  Consider helping with setup, working during the Grab and Run or with cleanup.  To help out contact Wendy Klippenstein at 324-8609 or email to deanandwendy@gmail.com  

Ted's $1800 Haircut - The Shaves Win

It was hard fought, and their were some hard feelings on the losing side, but Ted finally got his haircut (more like a mow.)  The most important part is we raised over $1800 for Refugee Support through Build A Village.  Thanks everyone for you generosity and your fun factor.  You helped make February a joyful month.

Radical Salvation - New Series

 

The word "salvation" comes from the Latin word "salvus", meaning health, or healing.  It's a word that, if we grew up in the church, is familiar...but clouded.  Some people speak of the day they got "saved".  Others feel a great deal of pressure and baggage around the meaning  of "salvation".  What are we being saved from?  What are we saved for?

Salvation is not a word we use all that much in our regular life, and yet it represents something that is very common in all of our lives....a desire to be whole, healed.  We will explore God's radical salvation for the next 6 weeks, through the lens of the Easter story, and the book of Romans.  

Join us in March and April as we explore how Jesus saves.  Worship at 10:45am Sunday.

Coffee House - Erin Funk

Spring is in the air and what better way to usher it in then with music, art and caffeinated drinks.  Don't forget the Coffee House this Friday, Feb. 26th, at 7:30pm at the eXchange, 116 Main St. 

The evening will feature local musicians such as Amy Bergman-Loewen, Paul Bergman, Erin Martens, and Erin Funk.

Erin Funk, friend to Erin Martens and Amy Bergman-Loewen, has often played along many of her singer/songwriter friends but never entered the performance circuit herself.  With an indie/folk sound, Erin will be making her debut on the 26th to appease her roommates who repeatedly comment on how she MUST play, have given her no other option then to participate at this Coffee House.  Having sung and played guitar for the past decade, Erin is somewhat apprehensive yet excited about this opportunity:)

All proceeds from the Art Auction and Coffee House will go towards Build a Village - El Salvador.