Easter Weekend Plans (UPDATED April 14)

This post was updated April 14:

We’re excited to be heading into the Easter weekend! Because of the weather we have decided to transfer our Good Friday Service to online only. Our Resurrection Sunday Gathering on April 17 will be in-person and online.

Good Friday

Our Good Friday service will be at 10am – streamed live to our Facebook page. Please come prepared to celebrate communion – we will join with Jesus as one of the disciples who celebrated the Last Supper on the night Jesus was betrayed. Also, to help the interactive and tactile nature of this service please feel free to bring:

  • a twig from an evergreen tree
  • a stone
  • a piece of cloth
  • some essential oil or spice (like cinnamon).

We will walk through some of the key stations of this weekend, hearing the story from scripture.

Resurrection Sunday

We will celebrate the Resurrection on Sunday in-person and online.

Public Health protocol – what it means for us & our posture

Dear WCV Community,

As you know there are some changes in the Manitoba Public Health orders taking effect March 15 which will impact our church activities. Here’s a little update about our approach and how these orders impact us.

Throughout the pandemic we have taken a posture of:

  • Honouring the orders and recommendations put in place by Manitoba Public Health (1 Peter 2:13-17, etc)
  • Seeking to create a safe space for and prioritizing the vulnerable in our community (Galatians 2:10, etc)
  • Walking without judgement toward the diversity represented in our community (Matthew 7:1-2, etc)

In light of this we will be moving forward in the following ways:

  • We will not mandate the use of masks for participants in any WCV activity. While masks are not required by Manitoba public health they are still recommended. There are those who may continue to wear masks based on their individual risk or personal preference as well as those who will choose not to wear them. In either case we will walk in a non-judgemental posture. We will continue to provide both KN95 and triple-ply blue ​masks for those who choose to wear them.
  • While we welcome the opportunity to take this next step into a post pandemic world, we recognize there are still significant risks and considerations regarding Covid-19. We will continue to encourage hand sanitization and will remind everyone in the community that if they are showing any symptoms of Covid-19 it is an act of love and respect to stay home. We will continue to make online options available for our Sunday morning gatherings, AGM and other events as we are able.

Regarding Kids and Youth Ministry activities:

  • We will no longer require volunteers to do a rapid test prior to ministry.
  • We will no longer be taking temperatures as kids enter our ministry area. Instead we ask that all families do a self-health check prior to coming into the building and to stay home if exhibiting any symptoms of illness.
  • We will ask that volunteers who are floating and offering direct assistance to kids to continue to wear masks.
  • We will not mandate the use of masks but if children or their families wish to they are welcome to do so.
  • We will relax the 2-meter radius for physical distancing in the kids church area but will continue to spread out workstations throughout the available areas.
  • We will continue to require hand sanitizing upon entry into the kids church area.

Thanks! If you have any questions or comments please contact the office or talk to anyone on the Leadership Team (BOD, Pastoral & Lay Elders).

 

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

Core Connection Course 2022

We are going to be hosting three evenings of storytelling and teaching designed to connect you with the heart, vision and practices of WCV. Sometimes we all need a reminder of why we’re here, what God wants to do among us and through us, and what kind of community we are becoming. These evenings will do just that.

They are for newcomers to the community, old-timers who’ve been around forever, and anyone in between.

Connect to:

  • Our Vision,
  • WCV’s Core Practices & Vineyard Values,
  • Where we’ve come from and where we’re going,
  • The kind of community God is calling us to become, 
  • Each other!

Mondays March 14, 21, & 28 at 7pm at WCV

For those unable to come in-person, please contact the office as we will have an alternate solution for you!

Register Here

 “You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.

John 15:16 (Msg)

 

Looking Forward – about Elders & Flow

Healthy Flow

Over the past few years we have been working to create a healthy leadership culture. In part this means having clear roles as well as establishing good flow in and out. This is why we have terms for Lay Elders and BOD members. Terms allow for continual inflow of fresh people in leadership as well as putting good limits on lengths of service. Of course, terms can be extended, but the basic idea is to create opportunity, growth, and movement in our leadership. Ideally, we would be visiting this question yearly in order to allow for strong continuity in leadership as well as opportunity for new leaders to emerge in this particular area.

Looking forward we can see we are at a time where we need to explore in-flow of leadership into the Elder team.

Below is some information about what being an Elder in WCV is all about, what we look for in people who are elders, what exactly elders do, and the process for discerning new elders.

Would you take a moment to look at this information and consider who in your circles might be a good fit based on the criteria below? We are interested in your perspective and want to hear from you. Read on to find out exactly how. Thanks!

 

The Role of the Elders at WCV

In the Vineyard, Elders function as overseers who tend to the spiritual health and vision of the community.  They are a small group of seasoned leaders and followers of Jesus who gather regularly to prayerfully seek God’s direction and counsel for matters relating to church life and spiritual growth. There are two kinds of elders in Winnipeg Centre Vineyard – Pastoral Elders (typically paid staff members)* and Lay Elders (volunteers from the church community).

There are a number of examples of Elders’ roles in scripture including: leading the church [1 Tim 5:17; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 5:1–2], teaching and preaching [1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:9], encouraging, challenging and protecting the church according to scripture [1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 3:13–17; Titus 1:9], visiting the sick and praying [James 5:14; Acts 6:4], and weighing issues of doctrine [Acts 15:6]. They are charged with the care of the community – to help, equip and lead.

In WCV, the Pastoral and Lay Elders work together, however the Pastoral Elders have the added responsibility of implementing the daily tasks associated with our vision. Currently the Elders are led by our Lead Pastor who is accountable to the whole leadership team (BOD & Elders).

The Pastoral and Lay Elders have the authority to tend to the needs and spiritual affairs arising from the vision of the church community. However, if their proposed actions will have an effect on the macro vision of the church or the legal, managerial, or financial affairs of the church community, they must obtain the approval of the Board of Directors before moving forward.

Current Pastoral Elders:

  • Andy (lead) & Beckie Wood (lay elder)
  • Violet Rademaker (non-paid)

Current Lay Elders:

  • Cornelius (BOD Chair) & Tania Martens (term ends Fall 2023)
  • Lindsay & Lois Ward (term ends Fall 2023)
  • Christy Chan (term ends Fall 2023)

*Note: Not all WCV staff members are automatically Pastoral Elders.

What we look for in Elders:

1. Biblical requirements for Eldership as explained in 1 Timothy 3 & Titus 1.

2. Walking out and dialoguing with our 15 Core Practices. Of particular note are: Devotion to Jesus (elders should be devoted to their walk with God), Circles of Sharing (a hallmark of eldership is hospitality) and Generosity (elders should be tithing to the local church).

3. A good fit with the current team and the season the Vineyard is in. While there are many people who generally qualify as elders, the current elders must prayerfully discern who is the best fit for right now.  What skills and gift mix will best suit the team that exists? Do we have a good representation of the voices of our community in our leadership (young, old, male, female, married, single, etc.)? This is not a popularity contest – it is a serious process to discern who God has prepared and gifted to serve the whole community at this time.

4. Already serving in ministry in some form in the church (worship, children, youth, house group, hospitality, etc.). Elders carry a pastoral heart for the community which finds expression.

5. Elders, while not always older, are all seasoned leaders and followers of Jesus.

6. Elders can be married couples, singles, or one partner in a marriage.

A few points to keep in mind:

  1. Leadership is servanthood. It’s not about ordering others around, but rather serving others (Luke 22:25-27). Being an elder isn’t a promotion. Rather, it’s a recognition of the way a person is currently serving and influencing our community.
  2. Leadership is action. It’s not about position or titles. While specific roles can be very helpful, true leadership is never about titles. If someone has a position of leadership, but doesn’t have anyone following, then they’re just going for a walk.

What Serving as a Lay Elder Looks Like:

While we normally choose elders who are already “eldering” in our community, there are several added responsibilities for those serving on the Eldership Team.

  1. Communication and Minutes. Elders are put on the email thread for weekly staff minutes, BOD minutes, and other church leadership news items. Elders should be reading these forms of communication to keep a pulse on what is going on. They should also ask questions, and add input as needed, as well as regularly pray for the church.
  2. Monthly Elder Meetings. The Pastoral and Lay Elders gather together once a month. The purposes of these meetings are two fold: a) to spend an time in worship and prayer, listening for what God is doing in our midst, and discern what He is inviting us to. b) Talking through spiritual needs in our community, and making plans for extending care.
  3. Leadership Team Gatherings.  The Lay Elders, Pastoral Elders, and Board of Directors will occasionally gather together to be face to face with one another as we seek God’s vision and direction, and collaborate in aligning our strategies to walk forward together. Additionally, there will be other opportunities to gather with other leaders in WCV for training, connection and envisioning. 
  4. Yearly Retreat. Once a year (typically May / June) the Elders go on a two day retreat with a focus of praying and seeking God together. During this time we reflect on the highs and lows of the last year, and begin to dream and envision the next year. In the past few years these retreats have been modified due to public health realities. 
  5. Regular Connection with Community. Elders need to commit to being available to serve and extend care to the community. This involves welcoming newcomers, gathering to pray for those in need, showing hospitality, and meeting with congregants to listen to questions, concerns or suggestions.

New Lay Elder Process:

New Lay Elders are nominated and selected through a several month process. The regular term for elders is three years. We want to be engaging in the process of bringing in new lay elders every few years as current elders step down. This creates a healthy rhythm in leadership.

Here is a detailed look at what the new Lay Elder Process looks like:

  1. Nomination and Discernment (February – March 31, 2022). During this time the community and the elder team nominate those they see are currently functioning as elders (even if they don’t have the position). Prayerfully ask, “who do I naturally look to for counsel, support, care, etc?”  Chances are, those are the people who are already functioning as elders. At the same time, the Pastoral and Lay Elders are prayerfully discerning if people qualify and are a good fit for the current team and season of life the church is in.
  2. Proposal & Mutual Consideration (March 31 – April 30). The Pastoral Elders will contact potential new elders and invite them to prayerfully consider. This is a period in which we see if this “seems good to us and the Holy Spirit”.
  3. Prospective Elder Period (May – Oct).  This is a (typically) three-month period during which prospective elders come to monthly elder meetings and are in communication with Pastoral Elders.  At the end of this period it’s determined if it is a fit.
  4. Membership Vote (Meeting in Fall 2022, or Spring 2023 at the AGM). Those who are formal members of WCV are able to vote on the prospective new elders. If the new elder is ratified, this begins their 3-year term.  Bear in mind that this is a vote, not on who should become elders, but on whether those who’ve been identified via the above process are the right decision for the Vineyard at this time. 

An Invitation:

We invite you to prayerfully consider who the Lord may be inviting to step into serving the community for the next season of our life together. We will be using the above criteria to prayerfully discern who to invite into this area of leadership and service. Please submit names to the office or Andy until April 7, 2022.

 

 

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Photo by Nicholas Ng on Unsplash

Community Catalyst Opportunity

Our next Community Catalyst event is March 9 – and we need your input!

During our next gathering we’re going to review our Core Driving Needs with each other and then apply them to the church as a whole. How are they being met, or not? How are we creating a culture and community that energizes people, or not? In what ways could we adapt or shift the way we do things in order to unlock more of the Spirit’s gifts of belonging, security, freedom, significance and meaning in our community’s life?

It’s going to be interactive and practical. We expect that some of what we discuss and hear at this meeting will have a direct impact on our AGM April 11. We would love to have your input and perspective.

 

>>Wednesday, March 9, 7 – 9pm<<

 

Community Catalysts is our new yearly rhythm for everyone who wants to or is leading, influencing or serving the WCV community in some way shape or form. We’re calling you “catalysts” because you initiate activity, events or change within the WCV community in a positive way.

catalyst [ kat-l-ist ] “Something (or someone) that causes activity, an event or change.”

With this in mind, the goal of Community Catalysts is threefold:

    1. to encourage each other with connection and fun
    2. to equip each other with relevant training
    3. to envision each other to what God is calling us to

 

This is why we call you catalysts (1:22):…

 

What if Jesus was Serious?

What would happen

if we actually lived as if Jesus was serious in his famous Sermon on the Mount? How would our lives change if we actually lived out Jesus’ teachings in those three chapters in Matthew? What kind of impact would the church have if we learned to “go the extra mile”, or “turn the other cheek”, or practice “enemy love” (Matt 5:39, 41, 44)?

The English poet G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936) famously said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” Many approach the Sermon on the Mount this way.  They understand it to be a list of ideals that that are impossible to attain. They think the incredibly high standards only serve to remind us how much we suck and need help – a way of God rubbing our noses in the fact that we really don’t measure up.

While we do need grace (lots of it these days!), my hunch is that Jesus was actually serious (besides the hyperbole and humour he clearly used) about his teaching. He intended for his followers to actually give it a go. The crowds who had gathered to listen to him seem to agree. Matthew records that they were amazed because Jesus taught with real authority – quite unlike the religious teachers among them (Matt 7:28-29). Jesus was articulating truth about the Kingdom of Heaven and our role in it as we follow and obey him.

So, what would happen if we took Jesus’ teaching seriously? My guess is that we would have remarkably different lives, we would be a remarkably different church, and we would have a remarkable impact on our neighbourhood(s). My suspicion is that this is exactly what our world needs right now – Jesus followers who actually take Jesus at his word.

This is exactly what our world needs right now.

Over the next year we’re going on a deep dive to discover just what life in the Kingdom of God looks like as Jesus laid out in the Sermon on the Mount. We’re going to gather with the crowds to hear Jesus teach. We’re going to pay special attention to the areas the Holy Spirit is nudging us. We’re going to follow Jesus more closely in our life together as we follow the Spirit’s lead. There will be good stories to tell as a result.

Are you ready?!

 

Getting Ready:

We’ve divided the Sermon on the Mount into four parts (using Charles E Moore’s categories in “Following the Call: Living the Sermon on the Mount Together“):

Part 1 – Kingdom Character. This section is all about the kind of people who are blessed in the Kingdom of God. Known as the Beattitudes, Jesus flips common understandings upside-down.

Part 2 – Kingdom Commands. This section outlines some of Jesus famous re-framing of the law. He attempts here to get to the heart of the matter.

Part 3 – Kingdom Devotion. This section is about three acts of worship: almsgiving, prayer and fasting. It contains the Lord’s Prayer.

Part 4 – Kingdom Priorities. This section is a collection of wisdom and warnings.

1. Read it – a lot.

Matthew chapters 5, 6 & 7. We will be using Matthew as our primary text, but Luke 6 also records what is referred to the “Sermon on the Plain”.

It will be helpful for you to read these passages regularly. Make them part of your regular devotional focus. Meditate on them. Chew them. Marinade. You get the idea.

2. Engage together.

I’d also like to encourage you to engage the scripture together. Whether that is in a weekly House Group, a Triad, or some other setting, this teaching is meant to be corporate. One resource that is particularly helpful and accessible is this book: What if Jesus was Serious?: a visual guide to the teachings of Jesus we love to ignore by Skye Jethani.

 

 

If you’re a House Group Leader, contact the office – we have a copy for you!

 

We begin Feb 2022.

Call to Prayer & Fasting: Jan 13 – 23

Reposted from Vineyard.ca:

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ear attentive to their cries
Psalm 34:15  

“When we join as a family across the country to fast and pray, we collectively turn our hearts and minds towards His Spirit. It’s like a vast array of solar panels moving in unison as the sun arcs across the sky.  We soak up His light, His warmth and in turn receive the power to keep moving forward during uncertain and fearful times”.
Cathy Graham VC Spiritual Life Coordinator

Prayer allows us to be ready to cooperate with what the Spirit of God is initiating and where God is moving.  It helps to align us with His way, with His heart, with His purpose. It enables us to stay in sync with the wind of His Spirit, helping us navigate the winds of life, of culture, of change, even when we’ve hit the doldrums where our own sails can feel so empty. It’s in this place of prayer that we gain perspective and catch a fresh glimpse of the One who has called us His own, something which we so need now!

It is critical for us in the Vineyard that our engagement in prayer is from this deep place of rest. Hebrews 4 makes it clear that from this place we approach the Throne of Grace confident that we will receive all that we need. Charis Rousu, who with her husband Nathan are our National Catalysts in the area of prayer, which we lovingly call PULSE, reminds us as we enter this time that as we do this together, “we practice surrender and devotion to the One who fully knows and fully loves.”  This is so critical in shaping our perspective. Our prayers are not transactional, designed to get guaranteed results.  Neither are they formulaic.

Though prayer touches a variety of expressions, “petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving” as noted by Paul, it is born and sustained in the exchange of unabashed love and devotion. As Jesus told us, we are not engaged in empty repetition, nor are we to be hypocritical – as the Greek illumines, “play acting” – as we pray, but to be deeply authentic. Real. Relational.

As we all lean into this time of waiting and listening beginning the morning of the January 13th-23 contact your local Vineyard Canada church to find out how you can participate.

Grace & Peace
David & Anita Ruis

 

What are we doing at WCV?

There are two invitations:

1. Engage personally. We are inviting everyone to 10 days of personal prayer and fasting. Here are some resources to help you engage in fasting and prayer:

  • Fasting Basics
  • Here is a sermon entitled “Why We Fast: an invitation to fasting & feasting” which provides more insight into the spiritual discipline of fasting.

2. Engage together. We will be meeting together for corporate times of prayer and worship both online and in person at 782 Main St. (25 people max).

  • Thursday, Jan 13, 7pm
  • Sunday, Jan 16, 7pm
  • Thursday, Jan 20, 7pm

The Zoom link to participate online will be sent in the Here@ newsletter on Thursday Jan 13.

What are we praying for?

This season of prayer is primarily dedicated to bringing ourselves before the Lord to ask for a fresh and renewed sense of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and community. We pray, “Come, Holy Spirit!” in every area of our lives.

Honest Advent

It seems like this Christmas season, perhaps more than any other in recent memory, God is inviting us to peel back the layers of glittery seasonal branding and get honest and gritty about what God-with-us means in our hurting, broken and beautiful world.

This Advent season join us as we explore the shocking nature of the Creator of the universe showing up in the womb of a 1st century young woman. We will ponder this wondrous act of vulnerability. We will marvel at this brazen act of love. We will place ourselves in the story of redemption that began in a climate of tension, upheaval and uprising.

We will allow a young peasant woman’s simple shaky “yes” to point the way forward amidst our own confusing and disorienting times.

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” 

Luke 1:38

Let’s awaken to the wonder of God-with-us as we follow Mary’s lead and say:

  • Yes to God…
  • Yes to Mystery…
  • Yes to Love…

This is gritty and real. And powerful. 

It’s what our world needs. 

It’s what we need.

 

Join us Sundays as we explore an Honest Advent. 

  • Nov 28 – Andy will explore Mary’s “yes”.
  • Dec 5 – Celebration Service
  • Dec 12 – Krista will help us pay attention like the Magi.
  • Dec 19 – We will engage the wonder of the incarnation through music, art and interactive stations.
  • Dec 24, 6pm – Christmas Eve Service – “A Light is Given”
  • Dec 26 & Jan 2 – We will have shortened services (no Kid’s Church)

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. 

John 1:4-5

You might want to include this new release from Vineyard Worship in your Christmas soundtrack this year. Enjoy it on Spotify, Apple Music or Youtube. You can get it here.

Sundays, 10am

  • In person at 782 Main St. (masks and physical distancing required)
  • Streamed live on Facebook
  • Viewed afterwards on Facebook or on our Sermon page.

 

Download the Honest Advent Artshow Guide – Dec 19, 2021 Gathering

This series is based on the book “Honest Advent” and on art by Scott Erickson.

www.scottericksonart.com

@scottthepainter

 

Community Catalyst Invitation – Nov 24

We’re coming up to our second Community Catalyst event (Wed, Nov 24, 7 – 9pm). It’s been awhile since our last (and first) gathering back in May. That pesky little virus has certainly hindered our momentum in building these into a regular rhythm in our community. So, allow me remind you why we’re doing this, and how we see these Community Catalyst events being key in our unfolding WCV 2.0.

You might recall that these events are designed to Encourage, Equip and Envision catalysts in our WCV community. Catalysts are people who make stuff happen – leaders, influencers, servers, volunteers. In other words, they are people who have said, “I’m in” and are keen to pursue the mission God has given the WCV community to live out.

Everyone’s invited but especially leaders and those curious about leadership and service. 

Once we get into a rhythm these will be times of re-articulating the mission God’s called us to pursue. They will be times of equipping and teaching. They will be places in which different ministries of WCV will be able to cross-pollinate and work together. They will be times of prayer and encouragement. 

Speaking of equipping and encouraging, we’ve chosen to start these events with a series of teachings from Brady Wilson (author, speaker, innovator, leader of Juice Inc, Vineyard Canada National Team member). This is a gift to our community from Vineyard Canada.

The goal of this teaching is to bring a level of understanding and revelation around what makes us tickwhat makes and keeps us energizedhow God uses the way each of us has been uniquely wired to influence those around us in positive, Kingdom centred ways – how to love each other well. This teaching has the potential to dramatically shift they way we live our lives, how we operate in the teams we are part of as well as in our church community. 

You may recall from our previous gathering in May with Brady, as well as when Sherry and Andy spoke a few weeks later (Sunday June 13) about the 5 Core Driving Needs and how God meets us in them:

  • In God we are Secure.

  • In God we find Belonging.

  • In God we are Free.

  • In God we find true Meaning.

  • In God we have Significance. 

We hope to see you there on Wednesday evening. There will be some review and some new material – focussing especially on application. Bring your House Group if you regularly meet on that day. 

We will be in person in the sanctuary.

Wednesday, November 24, 7-9pm

For planning purposes, please take a moment to register on Eventbrite here.

 

Pumpkins and Pirates…pictures and recipe!!

We had a great time on Sunday with our Pumpkins and Pirates event. It was really fun to see all the costumes and the pumpkin carvings were fabulous! We learned that there are all kinds of treasures to be gleaned from the depths of a pumpkin.

God chose us, he cleans us up and he transforms us so that we can shine the light of Jesus to the world.

If you weren’t with us or didn’t get the handout with the pumpkin seed recipe…here it is:

Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

  • cleaned (de-goopified) and dried pumpkin seeds from one pumpkin
  • 1 tablespoon butter or oil of your choice for every cup of seeds
  • kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
  • add in some other spices: rosemary, paprika, seasoned salt (omit kosher salt), curry powder, chili powder

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
  2. Toss the seeds with the oil or butter and the spices you’ve chosen
  3. spread seeds in one layer on a cookie sheet
  4. place the cookie sheet in the oven. About seven minutes into cooking, stir the seeds around.
  5. Toast the seeds until they’re crunchy and golden, about 15 minutes. (Test a cooled seed to make sure they’re crunchy and not chewy!)

Want the full download?  Go to Family Life – Gospel Pumpkin