2017 Community Camp-Out Reflections

Posted on July 13, 2017July 13, 2017 by WCV Administrator

The annual Community Camp-out was a wonderful success. We had a huge range of folk come out, ranging from young to older, singles to families, and even dogs to poison ivy (oh yes, tonnes of that). The weather was very favourable, and there were plenty of opportunities for organic connection, not only with each other, but with nature and with God!

Sunday morning we had a smaller service in Birds Hill at our Group Use Area, led by Nathan Rieger, and Jeff & Amanda Leighton. A beautiful moment during worship occurred. Some of our youth (and one mom!) engaged in some play with a volleyball, reminding us that we can worship with our bodies while we play too!

After a wonderful feast provided by Bill Feniuk & Katherine Peters that fed everyone to overflowing, some trekked and some drove down to the beach where we gathered for the baptisms. We drew many eyes and curious glances as we witnessed two lovely ladies, Georgette and Ramona, confess their faith and Jesus Christ, and be baptized in the chilling lake. And as is our custom, we surrounded these two individuals and lifted them up in prayer and blessing for their new path set before them.

Did you miss the camp-out? There are more opportunities to connect in fun ways this summer! July 19th is our Community Potluck, and July 30th is our Farm Day out at the LBE farm! Hope you can join us!

Women’s Retreat Survey & Reflections

Posted on July 6, 2017 by WCV Administrator

While the weekend at Clearwater Bay is still fresh on your memories, please share with us any exciting stories, or God moments, or any reflections you may have had from the Women’s Retreat. Whether it be a sweet moment during a session, any revelation from our Father, even a goofy moment with friends.

We’d love to hear your stories!

Grief & Joy – Needs of the Community

Posted on June 29, 2017June 29, 2017 by WCV Administrator

There are a few families in our community that are going through immense grief and great joy. Please keep these families in your prayers.

Joe & Michelle Saunders – are mourning the passing of Joe’s mother, Eileen Saunders. She passed away last week. Her funeral will be at the Vineyard, 782 Main Street, on Thursday June 29th at 1 p.m. Joe & Michelle are also celebrating the birth of their daughter, Lovely Eileen Faith Saunders, who was born during the same week. To celebrate and mourn at the same time is immensely difficult. Please pray for this family and consider blessing them with a meal by signing up for their meal train.

AJ & Ang Falk – are celebrating the birth of their newborn son, Oliver Solomon Falk, born on Friday, June 23rd! Please consider signing up for their meal train to bless this family.

Ian & Jessica Williams – are mourning the death of Jessica’s father, Gary Knight, who passed away this past week. The funeral is in California. Please contact Ian & Jessica if you want to bless them in any way or to help them travelling to California.

Winnipeg Mural of the Year

Posted on June 22, 2017 by WCV Administrator

Earlier today, WCV hosted an award ceremony for Winnpeg’s Mural of the Year in our Flatlanders Greenspace. The beautiful mural ‘Mending‘ on our south wall facing Main street won first place among the 30 new murals in Winnipeg for 2016!

The following are a few thoughts and reflections from John Rademaker regarding the ceremony:

“The Vineyard Church feels privileged and honoured to be the venue for the 2016 Mural of the Year. This project has turned an ugly wall into a significant statement in this locale for the entire city to see and enjoy.

The artistic Craft has been loud and victorious in its expression of a message for all to see. This location has a history of tragedy and compassionate responses to events that have blighted our city in the past. From finding the body of a young aboriginal lady behind the now demolished Yellow Warehouse, to the Memorial Garden commemorating the loss and hurt murdered and missing aboriginal women, this new reminder of our hearts response adds to the voice and sigh of who we as a city really want to be. From the most violent to the most compassionate seems to fit well with who we really are as a city. The mural depicts the many acts of heart mending that occur every day. Whether it’s a humanitarian or spiritually motivated response, the end result is good and right. A broken heart is not something for anyone to carry. Only through our compassion can we help to heal.

It is a message and picture for all to see and own. Many have already driven by or sat in the park and contemplated the message. And many more will.

This church is a patron for healing. The musk ox (on the hat) have their own way. The weak go to the middle of the pack for protection until they are strong enough to come to the outside circle of strength. As a church, we expose the spiritual healing of Jesus’ love and compassion for mankind. Over the years many have seen comfort in this.

Today as we celebrate all the people that made this mural happen, let’s meditate and internalize the “spirit of mending” towards others and for ourselves.

We thank the committee, the artists, and the organizers for selecting this venue for this marvelous work of art. It will be a lasting tribute to the heart and direction of our city.” ~ John Rademaker

See the MyToba website for more.

Flatlanders 10 Year Anniversary Reflections

Posted on June 8, 2017June 8, 2017 by WCV Administrator

Ten years ago, Flatlanders Inn officially opened its doors on the second floor above our heads, and eight people moved in. Some were leaders, others interns, and others were people who needed a safe place to live. There were even children! Since then, Flatlanders Inn has expanded to the third floor, adding a second kitchen, a second living room area, and a dozen more suites (including two family suites) in 2009 and 2010. Right now, Flatlanders Inn is home to 24 people, and its mission continues to be “to cultivate a positive, nurturing, and relational place to live for people who want to get their feet back under them”.

Community Supper

Over the past 10 years, 112 people have called Flatlanders Inn their home. The community has celebrated many good times and weathered a number of hard times as they continue learning to live in the way of Jesus by loving each other and our neighbourhood. Flatlanders Inn continues to be home to a diverse group of people, including interns, leaders, children, and transitional members.

10th Anniversary Celebration

On May 28th, the Flatlanders Inn community celebrated its 10th anniversary with Flatlanders alumni and with our church. We heard from current and past Flatlanders residents on making friends at Flats, on enjoying the food and community meals, on the things (good and bad) that community teaches our children, and on living with each other on bad days. Flatlanders Inn thanked some of the people who have supported us over the years, and we took a minute to remember and pray for the relationships that have ended badly, where reconciliation has yet to take place. We got to tour the Flatlanders space, and enjoy soup and desserts. To hear the audio from this morning, see here.

There was an art station, a jumping room for the children, and some Flatlanders Inn residents graciously agreed to leave their rooms open so we could see what the suites look like.

Flatlanders Inn is grateful for the support of our church family as we celebrate this milestone together, and to those who have supported us through the years. We named a few people at the anniversary, but there are many more who have cared for us over the years, and we appreciate each one of you.

If anyone is interested in connecting more with Flatlanders Inn or even in talking about living at Flatlanders Inn, please contact the Flatlanders Administrator by calling 204-338-3528 or by email.

To learn more about Flatlanders Inn, visit our website, or browse through a copy of our 10th anniversary newsletter, where numerous Flatlanders residents and alumni describe their experiences living here. The newsletter can be found here, or pick up a paper copy at the info table at church.

School of Spiritual Direction (Years 1 & 2)

Posted on May 24, 2017October 31, 2017 by Suhail Stephen

Year Two Graduates (June, 2017).

In light of our tremendous experience with the School of Spiritual Direction this past year at WCV, we are very pleased to offer along with Sustainable Faith another Year One School and a Year Two School this fall. Below, you can find information about Spiritual Direction, the schools, and register.

Note: Year Two is only for those who have completed Year One.

What is Spiritual Direction?

God is always working (John 5:17) and communicating (Psalm 19:2) yet despite being all around and even within us, we are often so profoundly unaware of his presence, activity, and voice, as well as how we want to respond to these things. Many of us also sense an invitation to learn more deeply how to pray.

Spiritual Direction is an ancient practice intended to facilitate a deeper experience of God in our lives, both in terms of our conversation with God (speaking and listening) and our attention to him (noticing and discerning God’s presence and activity).

Spiritual Direction is a shared, collaborative experience whereby a director and directee “come together for the primary purpose of focusing on the presence and activity of God in the directee’s life. In a word, Spiritual Direction is co-discernment. We learn to ‘see what the Father is doing (John 5:19),’ not just in that moment, but over the months and seasons of a person’s life. The goal is to deepen the relationship with God by growing in attentiveness [Introducing Spiritual Direction, p. 1].”

Introducing Spiritual Direction [PDF]

Why a “School of Spiritual Direction?”

There are two primary purposes of the school, broadly understood in terms of an inward and an outward dynamic. First, inward: the school is designed to promote personal growth in love for and devotion to God, in experiencing him, and in discerning the movement of the Holy Spirit. We believe that you will be enriched significantly in your faith and deepen your intimacy with Christ.

Second, outward: the school is designed to strengthen your ability to be attentive to others, especially in relation to accompanying them well on their own journey with Christ. We believe that you will develop honed listening skills and be equipped to offer Spiritual Direction to others in your own context.

Ultimately, the School of Spiritual Direction is intended “to cultivate excellent pastoral care and deeper spiritual formation within the local church” [Introducing Spiritual Direction, p. 2].

Who is Involved?

Sustainable Faith is responsible for running Schools of Spiritual Direction and has been doing so all over the U.S. and the Netherlands since 2007; we hosted Canada’s first school two years ago. We are thrilled to be offering this in the Vineyard and to have Danny Mullins (pictured below) facilitate it once again this year.

Danny began full-time vocational ministry in 1979. He has since served as an Associate Pastor in three different congregations in Texas and Arizona, including eight years as a Senior Pastor. He has spent the past fifteen years as Associate Pastor of Vineyard Community Church, Gilbert, Arizona. He has also served as a worship leader for more than forty years. Currently, his primary emphasis in the church is in the area of spiritual formation. He completed a Masters of Ministry Diploma at St. Stephens University and became a certified Spiritual Director through Sustainable Faith’s School of Spiritual Direction. He is now a part of the teaching staff for Sustainable Faith and is actively involved in training others in the ministry of Spiritual Direction. He and his wife Janet have been married for forty-one years and are the proud parents and grandparents of four grown sons and four grandchildren, respectively.

School Information and Dates

The school is comprised of seminar intensives, practicing spiritual disciplines, receiving and offering Spiritual Direction, reading, and written reflections. The syllabi below may be subject to change but will give you an overview of what to expect.

Year One: Five seminar intensives, each two days, 9am-5pm each day.

Year One Syllabus (2017-2018) [PDF]
Module 1: October 13-14, 2017
Module 2: December 1-2, 2017
Module 3: February 2-3, 2018
Module 4: April 6-7, 2018
Module 5: June 1-2, 2018

Year Two: Five seminar intensives, each two days, 9am-5pm the first day; 1pm – 5pm the second.

Year Two Syllabus (2017-2018) [PDF]
Module 1: October 15-16, 2017
Module 2: December 3-4, 2017
Module 3: February 4-5, 2018
Module 4: April 8-9, 2018
Module 5: June 3-4, 2018

Financial Information

Year One: US $1,850/person (~ CAD $2,520)
Year Two: US $1,850/person (~ CAD $2,520) + CAD$70 for communal meals
There is an additional US$40 (~ CAD $51.19) to cover the debit/credit card charges incurred by the school for tuition. This charge can be avoided by using Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT); tuition invoices will provide details regarding this.
- Note: Books (approx. US$120 (~CAD $153.57)), travel, and accommodation are not included in tuition. Meals (lunch) are not included in Year One.
After paying an initial US $440 (~ CAD $563.09) deposit to secure your place in the school, you can either pay the remainder of your tuition up front or pay a portion each month for the duration of the school (9 payments of ~ CAD $211.14 for Year One or Year Two, for example).
You will be invoiced directly from Sustainable Faith.
- Note: Given that Sustainable Faith establishes tuition in US$, all above fees (except for Year Two communal meals) in CAD$ are approximate. Amounts in CAD$ may fluctuate based on currency exchange rates with the US$.

Who is the School for?

You do not have to be part of the Vineyard to be part of the school. “The School of Spiritual Direction is open to pastors, church leaders, and laypeople alike, and is geared to serve not just one denomination or church tradition, but the larger body of Christ. The training is Christocentric and guides people to embrace the contemplative life; helps us honour sabbath and observe life-giving rhythms; draws us toward healthy, embodied spiritual practices; nurtures self-awareness and vocational clarity; and ultimately, launches Kingdom enterprises” (Introducing Spiritual Direction).

Note: Each school typically has no more than 12 students.

Application and Deadlines

September 15, 2017: Registration due
September 22, 2017: US $440 (~ CAD $563.09) deposit due to secure your place

We encourage you to apply as soon as you can as spaces may fill up.
Once you apply, we will get in touch with you for an interview (for Year One students only) and provide payment information.
The link below will take you to Sustainable Faith’s website. Please select the appropriate school (Year One or Two), select Winnipeg Manitoba as the location, and then fill in your personal information.
APPLY FOR THE SCHOOL OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

How Can I Get More Information?

Contact Winnipeg Centre Vineyard.

Community Camp-Out Sign Up & Details

Posted on May 18, 2017June 15, 2017 by WCV Administrator

The summer months are approaching soon! And with it comes our annual Community Camp-out at Birds Hill Park. We are so excited to celebrate Canada Day (150 years this year!), the warm weather, and the Lord’s beautiful creation altogether as community!

Friday, June 30 – July 2, 2017. Our site this year is Group Use Area 1, Site 6. Cost is $30 per family/tent for the whole weekend. Online sign-ups are closed, but you can still come! Make sure you bring your own tent, sleeping bag, and adequate food + water for the weekend. You can also bring payment for yourself to the camp-out and you can give it to Vanessa Lewis.

We will also be including our Outer Circle gathering in the Sunday morning service on July 2nd with a BBQ lunch following! Everyone is welcome to join us for our Sunday morning service. There will be no service at 782 Main street, but a bus will be leaving in the morning for those who need a ride. Stay posted for more details about this.

Celebrating 10 Years of Flatlanders Inn

Posted on May 17, 2017May 30, 2017 by WCV Administrator

In the summer of 2007, Flatlanders Inn opened its doors. In the 10 years since that time, we have been through many changes, including several expansions, and we have been home to a total of 112 people!

It is now 2017, and we are celebrating our 10 year anniversary! We invite you to join us in the celebrations.

It’s hard to sum up what the past 10 years have meant for us. How do you describe 10 years of the joys and challenges that come with living in community and taking in people who need a safe and nurturing place to get their feet back under them? To get a sample of some of the things it means, we invite you to check out our special edition 10th Anniversary Newsletter, where we have collected writing from current Flatlanders residents, memories from friends and former Flatlanders residents, and photos from across Flatlanders’ lifespan. Look it up on our website or pick up a copy at the info table.

We will be celebrating on Sunday, May 28, 2017, and you are invited to come celebrate with us! Flatlanders Inn will be running the morning church service (10am), then at noon we will have lunch, live music, an open house, and a living museum.

~ Tara Glowacki

Artist Talk: Freedom & the Power of Imagination

Posted on May 11, 2017 by WCV Administrator

The artist talk for Freedom: The Power of Imagination is Friday, May 12th, 2017 in the Flatlanders Studio. The arists Cliff Derksen, Wilma Derksen and Odia Reimer will be talking about their work and what it means to them.

Their daughter Candace Derksen was abducted on Nov. 30, 1984. With large paintings by Wilma Derksen, installation works by Odia Reimer and sculptures by Cliff Derksen, all three artists deal with the theme of loss, forgiveness, and parenthood in diverse and varying ways.

Wilma’s paintings deal with forgiveness as space and the ‘white places’: “In my work on forgiveness, I have learned the importance of spaces — and for me they are white spaces. My work is about moving beyond one’s own control – a leap of faith into a white space.” Wilma is also an internationally best selling author of eight books.

Cliff’s sculptures depict his pain and his courage with the loss of his daughter. This show is also the unveiling of his new sculpture, “David and Goliath”!

Odia’s approach is through modern fabric installation pieces that hang effortlessly from the wall.

Artist Talk: May 12, 2017 @ 7:30pm

Exhibition Showing: May 5 – June 30, 2017

Gallery Hours: Wednesdays 7pm – 9pm, Saturdays 1pm – 4pm

They are huge models of walking through the hard path and choosing to forgive. We should be coming to hear them on Friday. Odia and Larry were a part of WCV for years before moving to Altona.

Prayer & Prophetic Community Interest Gathering

Posted on May 4, 2017 by WCV Administrator

We will be holding a community interest gathering on June 4th right after church for those interested in cultivating intercession, prophecy, healing prayer and prayer ministry. You are welcome to come participate and contribute!

We’ll gather together, meet others interested in these areas, evaluate where we’re at with these things, and envision the future together.

Everyone is welcome!

Sunday, June 4th (right after church).

Winnipeg Centre Vineyard

Worship . Community . Justice

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