It seems that all creation really does sing. Here is an amazing little symphonic electronica number that, at this very moment, is reverberating throughout the universe. It’s well worth the 12 minute watch – kind of like a little glimpse of what God may be hearing around his throne right now – singing along with the stars and the whales!
Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! – Psalm 96:11
We began our current series by referencing Isaiah 27:2-3.
“In that day,
sing about the fruitful vineyard.
3 I, the Lord, will watch over it,
watering it carefully.
Day and night I will watch so no one can harm it.”
Our intentions were to revisit who we are, explore the characteristics that mark us, and call us to embrace our identity that God has set for us. We’ve heard from a number of people sharing personally what it was about the Vineyard which initially drew them to this worshipping community. We’ve also explored a number of distinctive characteristics that, like a good tattoo, mark all Vineyard communities around the world. Of course, our ultimate intention is to bear good fruit – that is, to be a people who are indelibly marked by Jesus, and a community that invites others to this same reality.
We’re wondering what you’ve taken from this series. What has stood out to you? What have you learned? What has God done in your life as a result of this “A Fruitful Vineyard” series? Please take a moment to respond via the survey below. It’s only one page and can take as much or as little time as you want. Alternatively, you can use the comment section below which is publicly viewable.
Thanks!
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Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent for Western Christians. Lent is the 40 days that lead up to Easter. During this time Christians have engaged in a number of practices designed to prepare themselves for Easter. Often it is a season marked by fasting. We will be fasting together in March (more details to come), but for now, here is a visual meditation on Isaiah 58, in which God describes the kind of fast he prefers.
Enjoy.
Hey Vineyard & Flatlander Artists,
This is the official first email about the annual Vineyard and Flatlanders community art show party, which is coming up Friday, March 6th.
Because the show is in spring this year, we came up with the name Awake. What’s interesting about this name is that I have begun to see this theme of awaken in our community in 2015. So if you need idea’s and a theme to get you thinking about what you can create for the show, maybe using “awake” as a spring (no pun intended) board might help you get inspired. But you don’t have to follow this theme, you can do whatever you feel drawn (no pun intended) too. And remember, kids art is most definitely welcome – we want to celebrate kids art and encourage their creative minds.
The show is called Awake, and the opening show and party is Friday, March 6th, from 6:30pm – 9:30pm.
Email me back if you want to be a part of this show. As usual have about three art pieces ready, with the understanding that there may only be room for you to put one or two pieces in the show so we can fit everyone in.
Let’s make this a party. This means we don’t just need art on the walls, we also want performers of all kinds. Musician’s and songwriters please feel fee to email me so we have live music. Dancers, videographers, poets, spoken word, crafters, etc, all feel welcome to join and include your art in this party which also wants to celebrate the performing arts.
As I already stated, but wanted to reiterate, kids art is more than welcome in this show. Isn’t it great to have kids art alongside everyone else’s art! I think the kids especially get a kick out of seeing their art included with “the big kids” – it makes them feel included and valued, and grown up, ha.
Maybe you don’t really make art but you like making food. Well making food is an art and we want to include you as well. Be a part of this show by sharing your enthusiasm for cooking by blessing us with a delectable treat for the opening party.
Email me back if you want to be in the show, this includes all artistic expression and food! And email me back even if you don’t want to be in the show so I don’t keep bothering you 🙂
Thanks for all of your efforts in advance – I’m excited to see what we can all create together.
Blair Barkley
Curator
3rd Floor, 782 Main St, WCV
Check out what happened in the Upstairs Gathering last Sunday. Geoff Reimer shares about how God healed his toe. I checked in with him a few days later and it’s at about 90%. Don’t you love how God shows up when we ask? It may not always be how we expect, but he really does love to come and be with his kids. Do you have a healing story, or another example of how God has shown up for you lately? Let us know!
Many of you’ve been asking, and here it is. The slideshow that was shown at Raymond Funk’s funeral. Thanks, Amanda Leighton, for creating it.
Hey Parents and Youth,
Father wants you to know Him loving you right now!
Many people have said that it is difficult to take a week off to do the Fatherheart A Schools that we’ve hosted in the past. These “taster sessions” are for those who want to find out what it’s all about, but who can’t commit to a whole week.
Trevor and Linda Galpin are international Team Leaders with Fatherheart Ministries and will be teaching these sessions. Their passion is to teach a prophetic revelation of the Father’s love that brings us to live as sons and daughters. They travel extensively as the International coordinators of Fatherheart World, which is the relational network of friends and supporters of Fatherheart Ministries around the world. The Galpins speak at churches, conferences and lead “A Schools” in the US, Europe and Africa. One of Trevor’s passions is church history and he teaches this at the Inheriting the Nations School in New Zealand. He loves to write about their traveling and journey with the Father. If you’d like to read more about them, you can visit their blog.
Sunday, March 15th, 2:30pm-4:00pm
Monday, March 16th, 7:00pm-8:30pm
$25 per person for both sessions.
Payment is appreciated with registration but can also be brought to the first session. Cheques should be made out to “Winnipeg Centre Vineyard” with “Fatherheart sessions” in the memo line.
This will help pay for the costs involved in bringing them here.
Winnipeg Centre Vineyard – 782 Main St.
Available upon request.
Contact Jason & Theresa Eheler for more info.
Please fill out the form below to sign up. Also, payment is appreciated beforehand, but can be brought to the first session.
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…He leads me beside quiet waters… Psalms 23:2
Last year a number of people in our community participated in a sharing circle and art project entitled Living Well Together. It explored issues of decolonization and racism. They’d like to do it again this year, but need some financial support. Here is a flyer describing the event. Perhaps you’d consider offering a pledge in support of this worthwhile initiative (tax receipt-able through WCV). It’s especially salient given the recent attention Winnipeg has gotten regarding racism.
Last fall, we embarked on a process to discern who God was inviting into eldership at the Vineyard. As we mentioned then, Cliff and Krista Heide’s names came to the forefront of discussion and prayer. We’ve since invited them to be prospective elders. This means that they will come to our meetings and participate in normal elder activities in the Vineyard. At the end of this prospective period (March 2015) we will determine if they would like to have their names stand to be elders. If it seems good to us and the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28) the formal membership of WCV will vote on them. Go here for more info on formal membership.
Until then, let’s pray for Cliff & Krista along with the rest of the elder team. We are in a season of prayerfully envision WCV’s future. The current elder team includes, the Pastoral staff along with Ben & Debra Kelly and Paul & Sherry Ansloos.
Hey folks. Here is a great subscription service in which brings a verse of the day straight to your inbox. You can subscribe here. They are artful and insightful. Sometimes all it takes is a little verse to help you on your way.
The images and service is from Biblia.com
We’re postured for another great year with the Outer Circle process. 63 people were involved in 2014. If you were one of these, please let the office know if you will be in again for 2015. If you are just joining the Outer Circle for the first time, please let us know. We’ll need to know if you’re going to be at the first gathering on Jan 17 and who is in your Triad for the year as well. We need to keep accurate records for a two reasons:
We want to know who is participating in the OC so we can plan the gatherings. But even if you don’t come to the OC gatherings and you are still meeting regularly in a Triad and doing the process, it is still helpful for us to know what’s going on with everyone who calls the Vineyard home. We are about discipleship and the OC is one of the primary tools we’re using.
By the way, it’s fine if you are part of the OC and don’t come to the OC gatherings for whatever reason (it’s about the relational process and not primarily about the gatherings!). Just make sure your Triad is meeting together regularly.
The second reason is that the OC (or an equivalent) is WCV’s legal membership. Every charity in Canada is required to have a membership roster and we’ve chosen to make the Outer Circle ours. This means that every year, all the “members” need to let us know if they are in for another year or not. This allows us to keep fresh and updated records of who is tracking with the vision of WCV. This applies to everyone in the OC.
We have also specified “an equivalent” to WCV’s membership to give room for flexibility to those who are intentionally gathering, getting into each other’s lives and engaging actively in spiritual growth but who aren’t committed to the OC process. Let us know if this is your case. You can still be a formal member.
A quick note about membership – formal membership is a governmental distinction and if you’re not a formal member (participation for this year in the Outer Circle process or an equivalent), then you are still part of WCV. We hope that’s clear, but we just want to make it very obvious! Everyone can belong! (only formal members can vote).
You can contact us with the form below, or just email the office. If you want a refresher on the Outer Circle Process, go here.
Thanks!
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As the pastoral staff and elders have been praying and seeking direction for the coming year, we’ve been drawn to the idea of knowing who we are and who we’ve been called to be as a Vineyard family. It’s important to tend the roots of a plant if you want to produce good fruit. So, we’re going to be taking the beginning part of this year to explore not only our history but the soil in which we’ve been planted. We’ll ask:
We’ll explore all these questions and hopefully posture us to continue to grow into the kind of people God would like to visit! In the end, we want to be a Vineyard that is fruitful – one that both encounters God in real and tangible ways, and extends this awareness and reality to those around us.
Isaiah 27:2, 3 & 6
“In that day,
sing about the fruitful vineyard.
I, the Lord, will watch over it,
watering it carefully.
Day and night I will watch so no one can harm it….
The time is coming when Jacob’s descendants will take root.
Israel will bud and blossom
and fill the whole earth with fruit!
Let this be said of us!
