Mark your Calendars for a special Online gathering. On Sunday, May 31, 2020 – Pentecost Sunday – Vineyard Canada will be hosting a nation-wide Sunday service for all of us to join together! The service will include input from leaders across the nation and will be a great chance to worship together with our big Vineyard Canada family from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
For our timezone here in Winnipeg (CDT) the service will be at 11 am. Please note that we will not be meeting at our regular 10 am timeslot. The service will be streamed live to the Vineyard Canada Facebook page (we will make sure there will be links on WCV’s page) and will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube on the same day for those not on Facebook.
Vineyard Canada Sunday Gathering: May 31, 2020, 11 am (CDT).
Front Page
CarePortal Heart – by Sara Epp
Here are some thoughts about CarePortal from Sara.
“If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” James 2:16
Anyone else ever have that verse just rankle? As much as I’m learning that prayer really can make miracles happen, sometimes it just feels like a cop-out. “Hey, that sucks – but I’ll pray for you!” Sometimes, we need to be the answer to the prayers that are made. Sometimes, we are the hands and feet of Jesus.
When I started learning about CarePortal, I just knew I had to do it. Here’s how I can be a part of ministering to our community! Now, I haven’t been called to live in the North End. (Total respect and awe for those that have and do!) But CarePortal lets me see the needs of those around our church, and help be a part of the community that we are trying to create. CarePortal allows people like social workers to identify needs in the people and families they see, and share those needs with us – the church. Just like the classic starfish-on-the-beach story (google it if you haven’t read it!), we can’t help all needs – but we can help some. Sometimes we help because we know we just have to.
Sometimes, we do just pray. Sometimes, we leave this one to God. Sometimes, we help … because we’ve been helped, because we’ve been loved, because we’ve been in a bad spot and because someone helped us, because Jesus asked us to.
How does it work? CarePortal requests are generally entered by a social worker, and then shared with the nearest churches to that need. Churches can choose to answer a request, and then work together with the social worker to deliver the item(s) to the individual/family. Strollers, tables, mattresses – right now, sometimes it’s an old laptop and printer for schoolwork. The stories are simple, and the stories are beautiful.
All around us, there’s a broken world. The Kingdom hasn’t come yet. But it’s coming! Every act of helping, every act of love, it mends something – it brings us together and it brings the Kingdom a little closer. Every time we choose to reach out to someone else, it builds some community. It fights the darkness around us by lighting one little candle.
This isn’t the only way – I hope this is happening all around you, large and small. But if you’re looking for a way to connect with some of the needs around us, some of those who just need a little help: strangers in a strange land, single moms and struggling families who could just use a little boost, a little help when the road is rough – CarePortal helps to connect us all. It’s that simple, and that profound. We (the CarePortal team) are really encouraging you to join CarePortal, not because this is the magic solution that will fix everything, but because it’s a really practical way to connect us to each other, and to those around us – to choose acts of kindness, one choice at a time. Building community, building the Kingdom, one piece at a time.
Reach out to Lillian Poetker if you’d like to be a part of the CarePortal team, and help build community and the Kingdom.
Song Lyrics for Sunday – May 10
Hey there folks,
Here is the set list for this Sunday’s worship set! You can either print these pages, or view it on your screen. Jocelyn will be leading us in worship this coming Sunday!
Some Updates to CarePortal
Dear WCV,
We are thrilled to announce that WCV has officially launched CarePortal! Within one week we had 9 people join our response team. We would love for you to join as well!
CarePortal is a platform that identifies the needs and mobilizes the church. 73 children in Winnipeg have been served already since November 2019. There are currently 13 other churches in Winnipeg that have joined CarePortal.
Our biblical roots can show our resilient faith, radical hospitality and outrageous generosity. We officially responded to one request so far.
If you can respond to this following request please let Lillian know.
- Single mattress for a four-year old girl
- Single mattress for a nine-year old girl
Description of the need: A single mom with two girls, ages 4 and 9, does not have a strong network of people in her life. Recently concerns have come up with respect to the girls sleeping arrangements. Once looked into it was discovered that the girls would benefit from having new mattresses. The mother has limited resources, hence this request. Here at WCV we are committed to serving the most vulnerable. As things change in our world we can serve in an even greater capacity. To hear about the needs we’re working to meet, please join our CarePortal Response Team by taking 30 seconds to fill out a simple form here.
Once you are on our Response Team you will receive emails with current needs both from within our own community and from child-serving professionals. When you receive an email you have the opportunity to pray and to respond to the need. Simply click the button in the email and let us know how you can help! If you or someone you know has a need, you can submit it to Lillian Poetker or if you are on the CarePortal Response Team you can submit the need through our church landing page.
~ Lillian Poetker
Spiritual Direction Offerings
If you’ve been around WCV for the past five or so years, you’ll probably have heard talk about Spiritual Direction, the Schools of Spiritual Direction, and perhaps have had a conversation or two with one of the number of people who have either participated in receiving Spiritual Direction or have taken the training to become a Spiritual Director (via Sustainable Faith’s School of Spiritual Direction). Pete Scazzero also mentioned Spiritual Direction in the The Emotionally Healthy Spirituality course we did last Fall. I believe this is all part of a slow transformative work of the Spirit which continues to bubble just beneath the surface.
I first experienced Spiritual Direction in the context of my studies over 15 years ago and have had a Spiritual Director for the past six years. These monthly meetings have become a major part of my spiritual development. I can’t imagine life without them. Despite the name, the process of sitting with a Spiritual Director has nothing to do with them directing you to do certain activities or assigning various exercises. It is simply and solely the process of sitting with you in order to help you notice what God is doing in your life. It is to direct your attention to God’s presence and activity through thoughtful and gentle questions and observations.
I know there are many who are struggling during this unprecedented time. Perhaps you are discovering that you need something else to anchor you. Maybe the practices that have worked for you in the past just aren’t making the cut anymore. Maybe your rhythms have been thrown off by this virus and you’re not sure what to do. This time of quarantine may be a good opportunity to explore what sitting with a Spiritual Director (online these days) could do for your spiritual life.
There are a number of trained Spiritual Directors in WCV who are willing to consider sitting with people in WCV. They are at all different places in their practice (some may charge a fee, others may not – some have space for just one person, others have more flexible schedules), but each on the list below is willing to explore what sitting with you could look like. If you’re interested, please email the office for their contact information, or if you already know how to contact them, go ahead and do so. If you are interested but would prefer to engage someone outside of WCV, please contact me (Andy) and I’d be happy to forward you some options.
Available Spiritual Directors in WCV:
- Cliff Heide
- Luanne Hill
- Rick Hill
- Barb Johns
- Daile Unruh-Peters
- Beckie Wood
- Andy Wood
Image Credit: Photo by JOHN TOWNER on Unsplash
“Kids Klip” – Jesus Invites Us All
Hey WCV Kids – here is another “klip” for you! In this video Dynel Davidson tells the story of John 6 where Jesus feeds 5,000 people.
Parents, make sure you’re receiving emails from Dynel! If you want to be added to the list, contact her at kids(at)wcvchurch.ca.
Zoom meeting Best Practices
Our friends at Epic Vineyard in Calgary shared a best practices document with us. If you’re in Zoom meetings (like our online Prayer Meetings on Wednesdays, or in House Groups), please take a moment to review this so that our meetings can be the best possible experiences.
Vineyard Creative: Online Festival
This Saturday is the first ever online Vineyard Creative Festival – an opportunity for Creatives to share what they’ve been making / writing / singing / painting / etc. in lockdown. It’s open to anyone with an internet connection and will be streamed live. To contribute something, there is a contribution form that needs to be filled out in advance. If you want to just show up and take in all the creative offerings, you can do that as well.
May 2, 2020.
The stream will be all day. Check the Vineyard Canada facebook page for details.
Song Lyrics for Sunday – April 26
Hey there folks,
Here is the set list for this Sunday’s worship set! You can either print these pages, or view it on your screen. Paul & Sherry will be leading us in worship this coming Sunday!
“Kids Klip” – the Story of John 13
Hey WCV Kids – here is another “klip” for you! In this video Dynel Davidson tells the story of John 13 where Jesus washes His disciples’ feet.
Parents, make sure you’re receiving emails from Dynel with resources and ideas. You can contact her at kids(at)wcvchurch.ca if you want to be added to the list.
How to Help – CarePortal
Here is a personal message and invitation to join CarePortal from Lillian Poetker:
Dear WCV,
I am sure many of you are inundated with emails, especially families with school age children. Although, I know many of you are wondering “How can we help in a unprecedented time like now?” Joining a response team from Winnipeg Centre Vineyard with CarePortal is one way we can respond. We can meet needs in our community around WCV, and also in our own church community. This might be overwhelming for you (and sometimes the thought of it overwhelms me). But it does not have to be.
To launch CarePortal we are looking for at least 5 people to join our response team. Please note the link below to respond to fill out the form. Once we have the 5 people we will officially launch and will be able to use CarePortal to respond to needs! There are amazing stories out there how families, singles & professionals have been blessed by the churches that have joined CarePortal. (See a testimonial).
Here at WCV we are committed to serving the most vulnerable. As things change in our world we can serve in an even greater capacity. To hear about the needs we’re working to meet, please join our CarePortal Response Team by taking 30 seconds to fill out a simple form here.
Once you are on our Response Team you will receive emails with current needs both from within our own community and from child-serving professionals. When you receive an email you have the opportunity to pray and to respond to the need. Simply click the button in the email and let us know how you can help! If you or someone you know has a need, you can submit it through our church landing page or by contacting Andy Wood or Lillian Poetker.
~ Lillian Poetker
Devotional Downloads – for families
Vineyard Resources has made available some great resources for families. Check out these free downloadable resources below:
“We just put together 5 NEW, 5-day devotionals for families to use around the meal table throughout the next month during the challenge of the COVID-19 crisis.
Each devotional has 5, one-per-day devotionals that have been road-tested for use with younger children to early teens. Older kids can help the younger ones as you go through these simple, encouraging, Scripture-based devotionals.
That’s 25 total devotionals you can use on weekdays over the next month, or any way you choose! Download them all, and blessings as you grow and learn together!”
Song Lyrics for Sunday
Hey Folks,
For those who find it easier, you can either print this list, or view it on your screen while Paul & Sherry leads us in worship this coming Sunday morning.