Last Sunday before I go home

Just threw some ribs in the oven but I’m using my own bbq sauce instead of the recipe so it’s probably goona be off.

Long hair don’t care.

Last Friday was the Base Dinner, so all my DEUs are still at B1, it was a good time from 11:30-bedtime I was with my coworkers so that was pretty neat.

Apparently it was much better than it had been in previous years so good to know.

Church @ The Gathering

Shorter service due to advent Christmas carol reading

Reading from Matthew 2,

The Christ birth

Speaker Lisa Chisholm-Smith

The original Christmas Gifts

Matthew 2:1-12

Multiple choice questions 

It doesn’t say how many wise men came

It’s just traditional with the three gifts I think.

Same with three kings, the text does not say

Connection with Isaiah 60, 1,3,6b

“King of the Jews”

...

Matthew 27:37

Date of dec 25, until the mid 300s.

Pope Julius of Rome declares it and it coincided with the winter solstice festival.

Cry of a tiny babe - Bruce cockburn

What gifts do you have to offer Jesus?

The Gathering after breaking the AirPod

This weekend I went to the board games night hosted by the anime club.

It was a good time, mostly played games that I brought.(wait nope I only played games I brought)

And then went to dinner afterwards, and after dinner I noticed I lost an AirPod, and I found it, take a look.

Yeah it’s rough, 

Rip Apollo(R), you will be missed.

Now The Gathering.

Announcements:

Bible study tonight,

Speaker: Rick Rowland

Beauty in small things matter 6:5-15

“Prayer”

The smaller you go you still see beauty and design and structure.

God is lavish with his creation.

We are impressed by immensity, but more impressed by gods attention to what should be obscurity

Story about his small home town school, and his smal hometown united church

The difference between small communities and big communities.

In prayer we merge our small needs with gods infinite provision for us.

Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the lord my soul to keep

And _______ I be a child of thee?

Learning about informal prayers, everyday language, etc

When you pray do you like spontaneity or a set prayer

Do you ask god for things or do you think he will provide

Do you think prayer strengthens your relationship with god and other people

Mr Dallas philosophy prof at Southern California university

Wrote the divine conspiracy

“Prayer is talking to god about what we are doing together.”

Jesus wasn’t against people being seen praying..

He was against people praying to be seen.

The Lord’s Prayer broken down:

Informal but respectful

Provision and protection

Giving god the glory. (Thine is the kingdom...)

Things that we cannot see are still real.

Heaven is very near to us

God is our father

Small is not a bad thing

God will provide and protect if we rely on him.

We have free will.

‘The Three Essential Prayers’

Help me, thank you, and wow

Story about riding a bike and dozing off.

Meal

Small group bible study

Acts 2:1-13

The Gathering after Cuba

Well that’s ends my vacation,

Overall it was very relaxing, a good chance to reconnect with my Bro’s and see who their current friend group is.

South America/Oceania was very enjoyable. Still quite touristy, but I enjoyed my time there.

I need to conglomerate my friends pictures soon

Announcements:

Something happening Dec 12,

Small group studying Acts later tonight

Speaker Georgiana Stewart

Do not worry?!? Matthew 6:25-34

Story, disaster befalls a town 

Pat did not leave the town.

I sent a car, boat, and helicopter to save you

Do not worry is a commandment, similar to ‘“love your neighbour’

Context to the passage,

What’s going on, previously? Afterword?

Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is teaching crowds and crowds and crowds about the kingdom of heaven, who gets in and how.

Earnings about hypocrisy, self deception, etc

No one can serve two masters, hate one, love the other, or be devoted to one and disloyal to the other.

Priorities.

What matters most in our lives?

Where do we look for security and sense of worth.

A grade, a degree, a legs status, a relationship etc

These are not bad or undesirable.

But, when we put something ahead of God in our list of priorities, it is not pretty

How do we tell we are striving for the kingdom?

Doing God’s will and not falling into deception?

Aside from full contrary things to the gospel we can’t.

Don’t we want exact gps coordinates, neon signs, etc

Striving for the kingdom feels like stumbling along, two steps ahead and it’s vanished.

Thomas Mertons Prayer

 Humility and uncertainty,

Our desire will hopefully please you, and I will trust you always

Discussion:

Think of something that might get in the way of striving for the kingdom of God for you.

The Gathering before Cuba

Announcements,

Regular gathering on 2 Dec, something else on 9 Dec

Normal Gathering on the 16th?

Today is all-saints day (the day/Sunday after Halloween) 

Speaker Sylvia Keesmaat

The law and the Kingdom: was Jesus joking?

Matthew 5:17-20

I’ll talk about the law! How thrilling...

I have not come to abolish. The law and the prophets.

- the whole story of who Israel was. The law embedded in that story.

It’s purpose is to shape us into a certain community and what that looks like as followers of Jesus

An idea of what the kingdom looks like on earth

The sabbath laws.

-traditions of not using money on a Sunday

The purpose of that in the sabbath is that it gives everyone a rest from labour and economic transactions

Historical Israel and obeying laws

Leaving for the widow the orphan and the poor, the refugee the immigrant and the alien

You don’t squeeze everything you can from your land

Leaving for nature as well.

Deuteronomy 22, don’t just leave your neighbours ox out. Build a parapet around your roof, don’t let people fall off the roof

Don’t wear clothes with wool and linen, it will fall apart know the limits of creation

Tassels on the prayer cloak

They are all about the health of community, about the vulnerable

Given the world/culture in which we find ourselves,  what kind of laws would create a community that demonstrates hope and _______ for the vulnerable.

Supper and discussion time

That’s all for now.

Almost November

I should get my registration done this week buuuut...

Speaker: Doug Caldwell

A Kingston Lawyer and law Christian fellowship leader

Should we even have enemies?

Matthew 5:43-48

“Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”

Putting the protagonist last, and then first.

The character roles are reversed from one verse to the next.

God provides for everyone equally, and regularly.

It is inevitable.

Presuming that we have enemies

Wouldn’t we prefer to not have persecutird or enemies? Or just not even deal with them

Inclined to appease enemies, reinterpret it as not MY fault

Jesus taught us to love our enemies.

...

Simple the presence of Jesus was enough to generate enemies.

“I am the bread of life”

Heading on the sabbath

Not giving them a sign when they said to give us a sign.

Obviously angering the religious leaders etc.

Jesus set out to be obedient to his father, meaning he generates enemies

We too will have enemies if we imitate and follow Jesus. We may be disliked for who we are, what we say and what we do.

...

Recreational league baseball story

A good assistant coach over the course of a season

Other parents and players berating the umpires, etc

Developing a rivalry, besting the rivals

“I’m sick and tired of your quiet and unassuming manner”

Story about the former queens grad student Nurse in Ottawa,

A really amazing nurse, but the other nurses/staff were threatened by her

Student who lived with his mom after his father had passed away

The school kept pursuing her to take the full time position as a math teacher

60% time at work and the rest for volunteering around Toronto.

The teacher confronted her asking how she expected to pay for her holidays to Spain and Colombia if she didn’t work full time? She didn’t. She needed to volunteer

It’s about living a life of faith

Doug is speaking about the reality of having enemies

Ask the question

How did Jesus respond to the enemies he had?

>clue about what it means to live our enemies.

That’s all for now.

3/4 through October

Announcements:

Amandas Bible Study on Wednesday’s

Reading from Matthew:

“If your eye causes you to sin ...”

Phoebe _____ 

The St. James music? intern

Speaker: Stephen Martin 

From Kings university in Edmonton

Topic:

“When is a look more than a look?” Matt 5:27-30

What would Jesus say about #MeToo?

• disappointed
• Focus on harmony
• Avoid mob mentality
• Avoid victimization? 

Don’t see people as objects, see....

Issue of how we should look at people.

Relates to Jesus shown the coin with Cesar’s head.

“Trick question, give unto Cesar...”

Human beings are created in the image of God,

A presence(sp) lamp

Represents that the sacrament is present

Desmond tutu(sp) former archbishop of cape town and leader of the ______ movement

Grew up in the johannasberg slum

Before apartheid

Sorry about Tutu and his fathers huniliation in a store

And his mother passing a priest in a cassock, Boeing before his mother as they passed on the street.

Tutu knew that if that could happen than anything can happen.

That was the moment that changed his life.

Tradition if the lamp is lit we genuflect(sp) to show respect.

Tutu says we should do that to each other out of respect. All of us are presence lamps. Cs Lewis said something similar in that people are carriers of the presence of God.

Do we see the “more than” that is within each person?

The Gathering

Announcements:

No meeting for the Gathering next week, no bible study either. 

Inductive method for Amanda’s Bible Study.

Songs

Matthew, the Beatitudes 5:_______

The story about Jesus and the centurion’s servant.

“I am not worthy, only speak the word and he will be healed...”

Series on Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount

Speaker: Doug ______

The parables and the SotM include Jesus central/core themes.

“A steep and difficult climb”

Deitcirch bonnhofer, ______, 

The teachings are so brief,

What do I think about this passage? Which opinion do I agree with more?

SotM, snippets of teaching.

More an overture than an oratorical, or a symphony.

More An abstract, less a book

A series of these.....

A bunch of brushstrokes, not the whole canvas.

It serves to give you a glimpse, a summary of things to come.

Stories of people’s encounters with Jesus; parables.

Those who mourn.... - jeras daughter, or Lazarus

Those who hunger - the motif of the persistent widow

The merciful - the unforgiving servant

The lure in heart - nathanial, the Israelite in whom there is no guile

The peacemakers - parable of the Good Samaritan

...probably not a great sermon, if someone delivered it in homiletics, there is too much there. But grade as an abrstact abstract, A++

Reading into the beatitudes

Jesus is on a mountainside, in Luke he was on the plains

Maybe he is repeating his teaching

Maybe there is subtext, Matthew places him in the mountain for a reason. Israel has a history with mountains

Moses received commandments

Noah’s ark came to rest on 

Holy of holies,

Mountains are where god shows up

It is Matthews shorthand for god showing up.

Each time there is an identification of Jesus is god on the mountain

Thesis statement; 

Story about his family.

His aunt gives him the keys to her, Chrysler New Yorker, 

It was a very fancy car.

Not just a stereo, an experience.

I understood that I was poor, in my car.

Chevette vs New Yorker

He was the cook in his 5 person apartment.

Story about bar Bar exam in Ottawa

The cook prepares a diffeeent meal,

He understood that he was poor in eating,

Thinking back to the centurion,

The centurion understood that he was poor in authority

When I compare myself to Jesus, 

I actually understand what it means to be poor in spirit

Discussion: whatever you all feel like

That’s all for now

Bible study

Church in Kingston

This should have been published the 23 of September I think. Whenever that Sunday was
I was sick all week and I’m just barely starting to feel better, hopefully it continues as I am done with being sick.

Church at The Gathering

Read from Matthew 3:7-17

Speaking: Eric  

Title: Step Into Water

Fire and Brinstone sermons

Not directed towards us

Political leaders and...

Abuse of power, courageous words of truth. Getting indignant when it’s aimed at us, the ‘good guys.’

‘Everybody loves to see justice done to someone else’

John said, you brood of vipers

They didn’t care, they were descendants.

It’s not enough to belong biologically or culturally to this group.

They are hiding rotten hearts

Then after John spoke he immediately wanted to be baptized.

It is necessary for us to fulfil every right and requirement

Jesus is identifying himself with the people he has come to save. Voluntarily giving up his power

Post script: Jesus gets tempted in the wilderness, 

Power can be twisted to serve evil purposes or divine.

We have to step into the water like Jesus did.

Is there an area we are being called to step back and say no?

Jesus was baptized in public, almost humiliating for him. Is there any way we can apply that to our public lives as christians and to our lives as a whole. To our church?

Discussion.

That’s all for now.

The Gathering

New faces and new names,

Church at St James Anglican, Union Street and Barrie?

Lisa and Andy are my points of contact, as well as Padre _____ who’s name I cannot remember.

Announcements:

Bible Study/Small Grouo starting next Wednesday September 26, 2018 led by Amanda.

Jonathan and ____ got engaged over the summer, he went to Serb for two months super neat.

Ruth and her Husband Bill are doing music and Speaking tonight

Reading from Matthew

Starting with the Genealogy, all the way through King David, Solomon, deportation in Babylon, to Jacob and Joseph and Mary-Jesus. 14 generations x3?

Jesus’ birth.

Affirmation of faith.

 

Speaker Bill Morrow “What to do when God goes off Script”

Ice breakers, life is expected and live is unexpected

That sort of experience is exactly what the Gosoel writers went through, especially Matthew (which is the  theme? for this church time).

...

...

And then, along came Jesus

Matthew is reassuring us that God is on script, and Matthew is unique in that it references the Jewish/Hebrew scriptures about this.

Matthew doesn’t have something about Jesus death and resurrection.

Matthew is imperfect? In the genealogies there are many recorded illigitimacies.

Historical placement of Matthew as a gospel in the Ancient Near East.

The legacy of the Church in Canada in the context of Residential Schools, etc. Also sexual abuse in the church.

Why bother having anything to do with the Christian Faith?

Take notes from Jesus’ life and death and resurrection.

Question: “Zero cultural support for The Gathering, why’d you bother coming out tonight?”

Meal

That’s all for now!

Weekend in Toronto

Whoops meant to post this August 12 maybe my edit worked maybe not.

I just got back from Germany this week, went to work for one day, and now I’m back in Toronto for a weekend with mom and dad.

Germany was quite amazing, I probably won’t do a post about it because I’m lazy, but it was a short one day trip to come ridge, then the train rides to Germany, and then the wedding and touristy things.

I saw the dom cathedral in Cologne, the Beethoven house in Bonn, and the huge coal mine taubertham(sic) by Julich Germany.

This weekend I went to the Gideons banquet.

We had a wonderful supper and I met Joel the Cambodian missionary and Division leader, Andrew the Alberta Division leader, and two others whose names I have barely remembered.

I also met Michelle Dw____, and a bunch of other people who knew my parents through the Gideons

We watched a short doc about the 250 000 bibles that Samson documented and requested in India in the B____ region. It was put together by the long haired Max ____, the Gideons ceo(?), and filmed and edited(?) by Amy Kennedy.

Basically it was a huge call for bibles and ministry for the Indian rural area, takes 34 hours to walk to the nearest city, an ethnic cleansing and bible burning a few years ago in 2008,  350,000 new names since the 250,000 bibles had been handed out, 500 pastors making those bible requests

Called the Samson Project

Church at Calvary Church

Barry _______  Global development manager and indigenous ministries manager

Talking about his Gideons experiences

The Gideons is more than just handing out bibles: sharing stories, linking up with local churches and groups

Three main recognized indigenous groups

First Nations - Barry is here

Inuit - do not mistake with Eskimo

Metis - 

Story about a young orphan girl from north of Winnipeg 

Juan Carlos Gideon regional manager for Latin America 

Share word global internationally 

Talk about praying for the world

Why?

How?

Matthrw 9:38 version ?

So pray to the lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into the fields.

Work

Acts 4:29-31 NIV

“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.”

‭‭James‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

http://bible.com/111/jas.5.7.niv

Janes. 5:7 

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

http://bible.com/111/gal.6.9.niv

Galations 6;9 

How many of you believe in Jesus Christ? In his words? In doing his work?

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

http://bible.com/111/rom.10.17.niv

Romans 10:17

“Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.””

‭‭John‬ ‭20:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

http://bible.com/111/jhn.20.21.niv

The peace that comes from Christ

Communion

Pastor Shawn van de visch 

That’s all for now!

Church again

More church stuff.

Still working in Kingston

Comsen next week

Working on conversations with my two roommates. Slow process there.

Haven’t gotten out and about in Kingston her, I had wanted to go slacklining at a park nearby but I haven’t made time yet, especially after work. Gotta get changed, eat food, make sure my phones charged, have some sort of audio entertainment ready, gotta carry all my stuff somehow, need to go down to my car to grab my actual slack line, and even after that I need to find someplace in this park I’ve never been in yet.

Basically I’m just staying inside and not getting out of my comfort zone. 

My goals aren’t bad when I’m at home, I’m watching through all of the Marvel Cimematic Universe, I have a bunch of anime that I’m watching with a couple different people(Rabb.it), and I have all the Netflix series and love action shows that I’ve downloaded. 

Additionally I’ve been playing PUBG, working on churning credit cards, making a plan for my phone and technology with the minimum purchase limit for the cards I’m churning.

Also looking for more long term plans, upgrading my car, buying a bed, buying furniture, buying a sound system, 

Church: Padre Mike Rundell

10000 Reasons 

Reading

Psalm 95:6-11

Sermon 

Mark 1:21-34

Hebrews 2:10-18?

Electiknsry readings

Impact and outreach in our community

Why do we come to church in the first place?

Cart before the horse

What does the chapel accomplish in our lives?

Why is this building different from any others on the base?

KMFRC is across the street, where are the differences?

Story about Mikes home church in Nova Scotia putting a call out for money for their roof. Within one week enough donations came in.

What did the church represent that it had such an impact on their community?

Money isn’t usually an issue.

Want to run a new program? There lies problems.

It has to go beyond the physical looks of the church (churches can be pretty run down) but it’s about the emotional and spiritual connection.

Canada day

So I’ve been in Kingston for a while now.

The work isn’t terrible, but it obviously wasn’t  what I was hoping for when I found out I was being posted to Kingston.

So far I’ve learned:

How to image windows 7/10 machines.

Our system for setting up and tearing down computers

Something about printers

Small bits of customer service

DWAN specific stuff

Kingston

Here in Kingston.

The course has been pretty awesome these four? weeks. Just finished our lineman week, those staff are pretty amazing. 

So far on course:

Climbed 70ft pole

Completed the PC (test) for mast setups

Did a week of crypto

Did a week of VP (voice procedures)

Got off indoc early

Had 3 full weekends

It’s been pretty good here, not goona lie. Learning about the four trades has been really valuable. With line week over I don’t think that one is going to move up my choices very much, the lack of career advancement isn’t offset by the job environment. Being a rad op sounds like a good time as long as I stay driven.

Lots of cool people on this course, not too many interpersonal problems but no course is perfect, and no one chooses their roommates either so that’s always fun.

The field exercise is going to be the most interesting portion, I think we’re 25 ish days away from that, and I don’t know who will be in my det either but I have a few hopes.

There were a few guys on the course ahead of us and they failed off their course so I think we’ll probably see them for at least our field portion, but no guarantees.

Been talking very very infrequently with people from back home, created a Christianmingle account but I obviously know how mobile an army lifestyle is so not too optimistic there.

Basically let’s see how my communication skills are and we’ll learn from there. Online dating can’t be that hard right?

That’s all for now.

Driving back East

I’m here at Bruce and Lisa’s place, I stayed a couple nights and I’m at the men’s bible study with Bruce.

It’s mostly bible study, less reflecting and more knowledge.

Bible study: The Life of Abraham

Genesis 17 The Covenant of Circumcision

Gen 17:1-8 Gods Promise:

Circumcision served as a reminder of the mother and fathers faith in the God of Abraham.

• A private sign
• Males only
• Distinct from baptism

Gen 17:15-16

Abraham’s response as a laugh of disbelief.

Not total unbelief, but such a huge impossibility

No substitute son was satisfactory. Only through Sarah could the covenant be established with Isaac.

Ishmael would have 12 sons/great nation

Gen 17:22-27

Abraham’s obedience

Took Abraham a lifetime to grasp the promise that only took 3 verses to record.

How long will it take us to grasp the riches of his grace?

A growth in Abraham’s knowledge, and also in his intimacy with God.

Later he would be known as a friend of God.

Even though God was silent for 13 Years he broke through to Abraham eventually.

Gods name change

El shaddai - almighty

Questions:

1. Gods use of el shaddai. Why is it significant at this time in Abraham’s life? What new name for God have we been given in the New Testament?

God is saying that He can do anything.

New name for God in the New Testament.

‘Our Father’ - in the New covenant we are made brothers of Christ and sons of God.

Hebrews 4 - discipline through trials, difficulties

2. Why did God choose circumcision as the sign of his covenant with Abraham?

A reminder of the covenant to each generations offspring. The seed coming through the man. 

3. What is significant about Ishmael having 12 sons?

Isaac had Jacob and Essau, and Essau would have 12 sons.

Common grace to all people.

4. In v.23 Abraham obeyed God ‘in that very day’. What other significant command did Abraham obey immediately and what commands should we obey immediately?

New Testament specifically, ‘as often as you do this’ communion.

Baptism, Matthew 4? Go forth making disciples and baptizing.

When Isaac was almost a sacrifice on the mountain. 

Abraham’s life defined by his relationship with El Shaddai.

That’s all for now!

Christmas Eve

I’ve spent most of this week hanging out with Hayden and his brother at their place. Me and Hayden exchanged gifts and we gave Bruin his Warhammer 40k Ork setup.

Bring back in Hythe has been good. Unfortunately I’ve been sick non stop, the first day after staying at Hayden’s I was sick all day. And my animal allergies have been bad this whole time, except for the days at home because I’m assuming Pumba doesn’t do much shedding.

I criticized Hayden and Terris’ place a bit but they’ve got a nice house there, they probably pay oilfield rates but from what I understand they needed to get out of their moms house. I’m sure that Francess is doing well, I haven’t heard from Havallind so I’m sure she’s doing well.

Bruin is working full time as a power engineer in a new company, so apparently he just has money saved in the bank but works so much he never spends it. Probably a good system, since he’s still staying at home, hanging out with Jon and Jacob.

I got my hair cut at Dani VanBergens new place with Jeri, that was nice, she put a lot of time into thinning it out which looks better than what I do which is just let it grow until I need to have it cut.

Played board games and watched movies and such there, Zombiecide and Unearth are fun.

I saw Bryce for a bit one night, he’s staying at Jeri and sams and being a decent roommate and looking after their house with all the squatters there.

Church at BAC - Pastor Greg

Greg’s story about Katrina’s North, and how she got her full name and the meaning and prophetic thoughts behind it.

Presence Manifest: Hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

Prov 13:12

John 1:5

Matt 4:16

John 1:9

1 John 1:5

Isa 60:19-20

John 8:12

Light of the world - song lyrics

Fourth advent candle lighting

Hopelessness - heavy blanket example

Prayer

Isa 40:28-31

That’s all for now!