This conversation was mentioned recently in our latest Elders’ meeting as we were praying and talking about the church, our roots, the Drop-in, the street parish, etc. This is a great view into some of the early foundational stories, and ideas from which WCV was planted. It’s a conversation with David Ruis on the Ferment Podcast.
It’s a free-flowing conversation but if you need to skip, at about 20 minutes, David discusses worship and justice and at about 30 minutes, WCV is brought into the discussion.
But the whole conversation is worth your while if you have the time.
Dear WCV Community,
This past season has been a difficult one. Thank you for hanging in there. The purpose of this letter is to communicate what’s been going on in Winnipeg Centre Vineyard since the shocking news of Nathan’s arrest on August 10, 2018, his immediate resignation from WCV, and his conviction on December 14, 2018.
We know the events and information surrounding this ordeal have been hard to digest. Each new media report stirred up many emotions. For some of you this has triggered past trauma – for others you’re ready to put it all in the past. We want you to know that no matter where you find yourself we are committed to walk this out in the best way possible.
Our Pastoral Staff, Board of Directors and Elders learned about Nathan’s arrest between August 12 -14. Immediately we sought counsel from the Vineyard Canada National Team, legal advice, and the Winnipeg Police. A joint leadership team meeting occurred on August 17th, and the community was informed of Nathan’s arrest on August 18th at our Sunday morning gathering and via email.
Corporately there have been three grief and prayer evenings, a grief run, as well as one sharing circle time. Resources on grief, trauma, and talking to children and youth about loss have been compiled. Many hours of pastoral care have been given to those most vulnerable and most directly affected. Some have also accessed our list of available and qualified counsellors who are willing to support WCV people through this season. (If you’d like to receive this kind of care please contact anyone on the leadership team). Additionally, we’ve accessed outside support from other Vineyard pastors and leaders, including members of the Vineyard Canada National Team who have come to be with us at regular intervals. This national support will continue.
This situation has magnified a few weaknesses in our leadership structures as a church. We sought wisdom and guidance from leaders in Vineyard Canada and elsewhere in order to strengthen how we work together as a leadership team.
Since August, the Pastoral Elders and Staff, the Lay Elders, and the Board of Directors have begun meeting together as a whole “Leadership Team” in order to increase collaboration, communication and effectiveness. This coming together has allowed for more voices to be in the mix while at the same time maintaining each team’s unique function. Besides leading the congregation through this time, the team has initiated a number of conversations looking at staff roles, leadership functions, policies and procedures. Specifically, our abuse policy, kid-check system, as well as support and accountability structures for leaders in WCV have been reviewed and are being updated accordingly.
To make this work, the team is relying on Ben Kelly (BOD Chair), Krista Heide (Lay Elder Point Person) and Andy Wood (Pastoral Executive) to provide leadership and collaboration.
Many of you have inquired about care for Nathan throughout this past season. Our Vineyard Canada National Directors, David and Anita Ruis, have been walking alongside Nathan since the beginning and are committed to carrying this for the next season. We recognize that there are many vulnerable and affected people in our community, and for this reason, as David Ruis stated in our gathering on December 9, Nathan will not be returning to Winnipeg Centre Vineyard. As time goes on, there will be talks about how and what reconciliation looks like, but this will not happen on a Sunday morning and will not be forced. We commit to do everything we can to provide a safe place for those who are most vulnerable in this situation.
We are all deeply affected and grieved by this situation. We apologize for the parts of our functioning that is clunky. As we seek to follow God’s leading we are committed to continue to grow and improve as well as continue to care for those most vulnerable.
This process of helping our community and any others affected will take considerable time. As we continue to offer resources, gatherings and support, please know that we want to make a safe place for healing to happen. If you need support, want to share concerns or want to have someone meet with you, please contact anyone from our leadership team.
In the end the church is built on one person: Jesus. Hard situations make this even more clear. Though this season has been difficult, it has been so good to see our level of desperation and focus increase. Jesus truly is our centre, our strength, and our light – especially in suffering. Just as we regularly pray for our whole church, would you keep praying for us?
If you have any questions or need to talk for any reason, we’re here.
Sincerely,
The WCV Leadership Team
| Pastoral Elders
Andy (Pastoral Executive) & Beckie Wood John & Violet Rademaker Jodi & Mike Labun
|
Lay Elders
Krista (Lay Elder Point Person) & Cliff Heide Paul & Sherry Ansloos Jason & Theresa Eheler Rod & Elisa Jersak
|
Board of Directors
Ben Kelly (Chairperson) Stephen Fligg Paul Ansloos Andrew Chan Marlese Hazeu Cornelius Martens John Rademaker |
As we plan for the new year we can see that we are in need of a few new volunteers for our Sunday morning gatherings. If you would like to give to the community in this way we’d love to have some new faces join our serving rotation in 2019!
Please prayerfully consider the following roles:
(*Orientation will be provided for all roles, some will have additional training.)
Sound Board Technicians: 1 volunteer needed-This job requires an niche for music and an early morning (8:15am) arrival. *Additional training will be provided.
Ushers: 2 volunteers needed – A simple but important responsibility on a Sunday morning. The lead usher coordinates passing the offering baskets, fills out our Sunday morning tally (head count), receives newcomer registrations and locks up the offering after it has been collected. *Women are welcome!
Projectionists: 1 volunteer needed – The projectionist should arrive by 9:15am to make sure all music, power points & slides are in order. *Additional training will be provided.
Communion: 1 volunteer needed- Communion preparation requires a 9:15am arrival to fill the cups and break the bread. There is space for creativity in this role with how the table is set & prepared. Post service clean up takes approximately 15 minutes.
Beckie and Andy are opening their doors for a family friendly New Years Eve Bash and they’d love for you to come! 729 College Avenue. Drop in any time after 7pm. Bring a suit and a towel for the sauna and a snack to share. There will be a campfire and games as well. Everyone is invited!
Hi everyone, as part our creative initiative around Advent this year Beckie Wood is spearheading a community art project and is inviting all ‘yarners’ to come together on Sunday, Dec. 23.
BEING TOGETHER: Sharing, listening, hearing, grieving, discovering hope
The civil rights movement in 1950’s was started by people sitting around in rocking chairs.
God among us and working as we gather and talk, share experiences, listen, hear reality, grieve together and discover hope.
It’s no hype.
No official meeting or prayer service.
It’s simply showing up for one another and gathering with each other; with our community.
God is in this.
Rocking chairs are art. They’re rhythmic, soothing, beautiful, and good ones are noteworthy – usually simple designs but difficult to build.
During the service on Sunday Dec. 23rd, yarners will be sitting in chairs around the room (and some in rocking chairs) crocheting and knitting. They will make squares about the size of a hand.
It is a symbol of gathering together.
Being together in the waiting.
In a calm and soothing posture.
(We will have a basket of yarn and needles, but please bring your own if you have.)
At the end of the service, as we come together at the communion table, we can take the squares we have created and pin them up as a bunting. On this Sunday, we will attach the squares to a string with clothes pins. Later, Beckie will attach them together with a simple crochet chain. It will hang in our space as a visual reminder of our collective waiting.
We’d love to have you participate. And please – invite a fellow crocheter or knitter! We are in this all together.
(If you won’t be at church this particular Sunday, you can still participate. Create a square on your own and give it to Beckie and she will make sure it is added to the bunting).
We are now into the season of Advent – the beginning of the Christian calendar. This year we are going to be exploring humility in Jesus’ incarnation. The astounding wonder that God chose to reveal himself as a baby, a working class carpenter, a Saviour who washed his disciple’s feet, as the Lord who was obedient, even obedient to death on a cross… this is an amazing picture of humility. The Almighty God becoming an all-vulnerable human.
We will be centring our reading in the ancient hymn in Philippians 2:1-11. We encourage you to stew in it each week (we will help you with this because we’ll be praying it together each Sunday). We’ve also provided a booklet to help you follow along – just a little gift to you in this season. Also, we’d like to encourage you to invite a friend to church during this season! Perhaps they too, can encounter this astounding humble king who changes everything.
They’re available at the Info table.
David and Anita Ruis (Vineyard Canada National Directors, and WCV Founding pastors) will be with us.
Our Kids and Youth will be leading the service and we will have our annual WCV Community Feast after the service.
We are grieved to share that Ray passed away on November 9, 2018, at his residence. Ray was born August 13, 1968, and was a part of our drop-in community. He participated in communion and prayer and approached faith with wisdom and sincerity. He enjoyed his musical career, especially playing with his band, JD and the Sunshine Band.
He was predeceased by his parents, Clement and Marnie Guimond; mother of his daughter, Ernestine. He leaves to cherish his memory: his brother, Laurie (Kandis); sister Elaine (Richard); daughter Marnie; numerous aunties, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Wake services will be held on Thursday, November 22 from 7 pm – 12 midnight at Eternal Grace Funerals 1111 Logan Ave at McPhillips St. Reverend David Sinclair officiating. Cremation to follow.
The family would like to thank the staff at H.S.C., the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, and Siloam Mission for always being there for Raymond.
In August our body was rocked and many of us have been reeling as we attempt to deal with the impact of that news. We recognize that there is a wide range of reaction to this, and we know that for many of us there is a need to continue to process all that has happened. We have had a few times of gathering together to lament, to worship, to talk and to pray. We know that many have continued to process in house groups, in triads, with close friends, with counsellors and in a variety of other ways. Here is another way of continuing the healing dialogue for those who feel they need it.
As a part of an ongoing process of recovery and healing we’re hosting a talking circle, looking at the August news through creative process. Anyone who identifies as creative or has been since August (1st time creatives are welcome) is invited to gather with us. It’s good to be together and to know what state we’re in. (1Cor 12:26)
“The talking circle platform provides a safe space for everyone to share and for every person’s voice to be heard.”
A Word on the Process:
The talking circle platform provides a safe space for everyone to share and for every person’s voice to be heard. The format will be quite simple. We will open in prayer. We will each be given an opportunity to share our creative processing or our inability to process the August news. (Sharing is not required.) During this time there will be no questions asked or feedback given to the person sharing – the rest of us will be listening. The person sharing is welcome to share as much or as little as they like. After everyone who wants to has shared once, we’ll go around the circle once more and reflect on how we’ve been impacted by what we’ve heard. The focus will centre on personal reaction, feelings evoked, your new perspective, etc., to what we’ve heard; not critique, disagreement or engagement with the details of what others have shared.
A Word on the Vision:
Why would we do this? Deep listening is important. Safe spaces need to be made for people to be real with each other. With the recent news many of us have been isolated in and because of our feelings. Just as a community is made of individuals, so too individuals make the community. Each person connected to our community and who is impacted by this news needs space to process and heal as an individual who is a part of a complex web of relational ties. This is one way to seek healing: by being open about how we’ve been doing and to be moved by the pain (and potentially hope) of others. Paul suggests that “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it.” He also suggests that “if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” We’re in this together. Let’s listen and honour each other.
-Jeff Leighton
The Talking Circle will take place on Tuesday, December 4th at 7pm at Winnipeg Centre Vineyard.
Here’s a prayer we’re praying along with the rest of Vineyard Canada:
And as we pray, let’s also remember these wise words from Eugene Peterson:
Our very own WCV Youth have come together to plan and prepare some open worship evenings for our whole congregation. The heart behind this is to provide a space to come together in worship and to engage in what God is doing among us. We want to nurture deeper relationships with God and with each other. Our next Encounter God Night will be on Thursday, November 29th at 7pm in the Sanctuary. We’d love for you to join us.
Here is a special message from Gloria Fligg summarizing the fall session of Kid’s Church:
“For the past two months, we’ve had lots of fun upstairs in Kids’ Church! We learned about lighthouses and how they illuminate our path, and keep us from danger. We compared God’s word to a lighthouse, and learned the verse, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps. 119:105). We also talked about how God’s word is like a double-edged sword, and we heard about the Bible story of Samuel and how he heard God speak to him, even as a very young boy.
“This is truly an amazing group of children; I have so enjoyed working with them.”
The adventures continued with our “Roaming through Romans” lessons and the accompanying centres (at each one, the children learned about a different concept found in Romans). Last Sunday, we also spoke about the life of Paul (the author of Romans), and how Jesus radically changed his life. We will wrap up our fall with a fun lesson about how even though it can be scary to “let go” and trust God, our lives will always be rewarded when we do. Stay tuned for a fun object lesson involving apples and some delicious apple crisp. Every week, we also participated in praise and worship, learned Bible verses, and did lots of art projects. This is truly an amazing group of children; I have so enjoyed working with them. Thanks so much to all the leaders and helpers too. Kids’ Church wouldn’t be possible without all of you!” -Gloria Fligg
Next Sunday Gifts4God will begin. Leaders are in place and our elementary kids are looking forward to the fun. There is so much joy that comes as we nurture and explore the gifts inside of us. This is what Gifts4God is all about! Over the next six weeks our kids will participate in cooking, sports, arts & crafts, dance, drama and comic art. A very big “thank you” to everyone who has come alongside the Kids’ Church ministry to help make this happen!
It’s wonderful to have our Youth Calendars finalized for the fall! We’re looking forward to all God has for these groups this year.
There are three different youth groups at WCV.
>>Our Senior Youth Group is for all youth grades 9-12. They meet as a small group every second Thursday night at Jodi and Mike Labun’s place.
>>Our Junior Youth Group is for all youth grades 7-8. They meet every other Saturday night in host homes.
>>Club 56 is for kids in grades 5-6. They meet one Saturday night each month at WCV.
Additional Youth Events are scheduled and you can access the full calendar below, or pick up a schedule at WCV on the information table.
Sr. Youth Schedule Fall & Winter Schedule 2018
