Join us on Mar 25 at 3:30pm for our annual journey into the neighbourhood and into the sufferings endured on the cross. We’ll share some stories from our neighbourhood and tie them into Christ’s journey to the cross.
3:30pm – 5pm.
Meet at the church – dress for walking outside.
Rain, shine or snow!
Hey there WCV – we’re hosting a new kind of national gathering this year! People from all across the Vineyard landscape in Canada will be converging here, for a Vineyard Metanoia (means think again – usually translated as repent) initiative called “Dwelling in the Borderlands.” It will be a time to come together in a posture of prayer, reflection, worship and liturgy to hear and discern what the Spirit is saying to us as a community of communities.
For speakers, schedule, registration, etc, go here.
Space is limited, so you’ll want to register soon. If you can’t attend for some reason, the sessions will be broadcast live online.
We’d really love to be great hosts for our national family. If you would like to contribute, here are a few ways we need help:
Please contact the office if you’re interested in any of these.
A team of 5 Canadians and Sukit from Thailand just returned a couple of weeks ago from a most powerful trip to Thailand, Nepal and India… Here is one story told by Todd Rutkowski. It took place on February 20th, 2016.
When desperation is overcome by hope
His name is Mohan and he lives in Siliguri, India. A bustling city in north east India at the crossroads between Bangladesh to the east, Nepal to the west and China to the north. Mohan’s wife Asha had connected to the Vineyard community in Siliguri for support and courage. There she encountered Jesus. Recently in a drunken rage Mohan burned his home to the ground. A father of 5, he was caught in the cycle of addiction. Feeling guilt and shame for his actions, while in the rage, he sold his possessions for his addiction to further silence his pain. The cycle continued until he sold almost all their possessions and eventually their two oldest daughters, who were about 7 and 9 years old.
Mohan’s wife
The Vineyard community came around this family in their despair and desperation and instead of condemning Mohan they fought for hope and freedom for this family. The Vineyard Community took to action and rebuilt the home in a new location on squatter land. With the help of some friends they purchased a Rickshaw and hired Mohan as the driver, looking to rebuild his sense of worth as the family provider. Using various contacts they eventually tracked down the 2 daughters, who were sold as slaves, and purchased them back for the family. The daughters had returned a week before we arrived on the scene.
Mohan’s two daughters…
As we connected, we too tried to support what God was doing in this family and the gracious efforts being made by the community. That night the Vineyard community was holding a prayer and worship night. It was a Saturday night. After some time Sukit, a Vineyard leader in Thailand, was sharing up front and leading the group in prayer. He asked several people to lay their hands on Mohan, who had come to the meeting. Mohan was raised in a Hindu family and had not encountered Jesus to date. At first they prayed and saw little or no visible signs of God’s working… but God was very much at work. After some time they asked Mohan if he wanted to meet Jesus and he said, yes. However, Mohan had already been encountering Jesus, we just didn’t know he was. The prayers continued and after some time Mohan started to experience some freedom in his heart, soul and body.
Mohan sharing his encounter
Mohan later that evening stood up to share what had happened to him that night as people prayed for him. Through a translator he told us that a wind came rushing into the room at one point as people were praying for him. That wind went right through the middle of his being and he heard a “bang” on the inside, he said to us. Mohan then started to experience the sensation of spikes being pulled out of his stomach and abdomen. He was encountering the power of God in a most profound way and in a way he had never known. Animated and with a big smile on his face he told us of the great work of the Holy Spirit in his life that night.
May God continue to meet this family, heal this family and restore this family! It is just the beginning for them.
Mohan driving his rickshaw
Ang Falk and Christy Chan recently made the icy trek to Edmonton to participate in the annual Vineyard Prayer Summit and Worship Symposiums. These are some of Ang’s reflections:
I enjoyed the Summit thoroughly. It was the first time for me to travel without my boys, or be away from them for longer than 3 days. I found getting ready, scheduling boys school pick up and drop offs, and events etc. took A LOT more work than I had anticipated. By the time Christy and I pulled away on the Wednesday morning I was exhausted. Excited, but exhausted.
God’s Kingdom is marked by justice. Wrongs are made right wherever and whenever his will is done. Yet we all have basic assumptions about what is right and how to go about welcoming his activity in our lives and communities. In “Justice Flow” we will explore 8 essential movements that just communities embrace. These 8 shifts in thinking and practice are critical as we walk faithfully and effectively with the marginalized in our societies, cultures and economies. These movements, like a river, are always flowing – always inviting us to jump in. We can stand on the banks, or we can jump in and let the current of God’s Kingdom take us to new places as we join him in his restorative work.
This event will be filmed and used as the basis for a new Vineyard Institute course on justice. Footage will also be used in new Vineyard Canada material. However, we’re not content with the “talking head” format of teaching – we want to create an engaging learning environment in which participants are challenged, inspired and encouraged through teaching, storytelling, activities and creative interaction.
If you want to get a taste of what some of the teaching in the Vineyard School of Justice is like, this is a great event for you!
Everyone is welcome to attend. There are no special requirements other than you want to engage in the material!
Beth Wood is the community connections pastor at the Metro Vineyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She brings a wealth of experience working in the public and private sectors in Canada, Brazil, Angola and Rwanda. Her teaching is thoughtful, engaging and practical.
Andy Wood is a pastor at Winnipeg Centre Vineyard. He founded the Vineyard School of Justice in 1999 and has lived and worked in the inner city in Winnipeg for the past 18 years. He draws on local experience, like starting Flatlanders Inn, and international work in the Philippines and Nepal.
April 8 – 9, 2016
A light lunch will be provided on Saturday.
Winnipeg Centre Vineyard, 782 Main St. – Flatlanders Studio, 3rd floor.
Because of the nature of the event, we ask that you not come and go since this will disrupt the filming. There is no cost to this event, but there will be an opportunity to contribute to the snacks and lunch that will be provided on Saturday! If you have any questions, please contact Andy.
Our youth are planning on going to Project Timothy again this year. They’ve been busy babysitting, serving chili, and now they’re going to be hosting an amazing coffee house – all so they can get back to Pennsylvania to join with a bunch of other Vineyard youth for the amazing discipleship bootcamp called Project Timothy.
April 23, 7pm. Flatlanders Studio.
Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
Coffee, Desserts, Prizes and music by: The Labun Sisters, The Janzen Boys & Brian James!
View the Facebook event here.
