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[cam-laura]

Benediction.

The time has come to write our final blog update (cue the shocked-face memes). For us, this feels like a huge closing of a chapter, because it also marks the end of our ‘pilgrimage year’ that started back in May of this year. I remember where we were at this point in April-- longing for this journey that would help us come closer to what God wanted us to do with our lives.

The year took a few unexpected turns, taking us more quickly than we thought away from Scotland and landing us in England where we weren’t necessarily planning to go. The roller coaster continued when we looped right back to my hometown, and soon after, another twist to Winnipeg. And now the rollercoaster has ended, we are catching our breath, collecting our things, and exiting the year (in a calm and orderly fashion).

This week brought a lot of lasts for Winnipeg. Monday marked our last time eating at “Feast”-- an Indigenous eatery we loved too much in our neighbourhood. It marked the last time we would have our West End Wanderers time-- working for small change in our neighbourhood. It marked some of the last times we would have our morning check-ins-- a time we would come together in the morning, and talk about how we are doing, what we’re thinking about, and perhaps struggling with. Though seemingly small things, these are just a few of the routines that made up our weeks as students. And we are feeling the weight of it.

This morning, Cam and I both presented our final projects for the school. We have spent the entirety of our time in Winnipeg working through some topics/issues of justice that we are passionate about, and narrowing them down to one we would research in depth, and eventually come to a conclusion on how we would respond in our own contexts.

Cam had chosen to study Christian Peacemaking and Nonviolence, and the creative ways in which we can respond to violence in our society’s. Through the process, he has used his creativity and photography skills to create a magazine called “A Third Way” (link here:  https://www.flipsnack.com/camphillips/a-third-way.html)  Along with being enrolled in the Masters of Theology program at Conrad Grebel this January, he has committed to being more involved in practical peacemaking through conferences, trainings, and local initiatives in our area. It has been a huge gift to watch him come to this place of zealousness for peace theology after the 5 years we’ve been together. To see him come to this place and dig out the specifics of what God has laid on his heart is a pretty special thing that I believe really came about through God leading us to this school.

As for me, I feel like I have really come into myself through being here in Winnipeg. Throughout my project, I have been looking at a collection of things I have been passionate about for years: creativity, mentorship, women & girls, compassion, mercy ministry, and pursuing Christ in different ways. I landed on a topic that encompassed all of these things-- looking into sexual abuse, harassment and objectification, and its effects of women and girls. Through the process, chatting with our directors and friends, and lots of difficult experiences, we have learned a few things about ourselves and our future in mercy ministry work.

Our creativity CAN be used to bring about change in the world-- it is not a selfish gift

Working for justice isn’t limited to working in drop-ins, or in situations that make us very anxious

Introverted people can in fact make a difference in God’s kingdom

We definitely want to pursue work in justice, mercy & peace ministry in the RANGE of ways that looks

We don’t need to figure it out this year… there is time

It is certainly not glamorous, and it is slow work, but it is beautiful

This work needs to be sustainable-- God’s plan for us is not to go hard for a couple years and then burn out

The kingdom of God is more beautiful and as it should be when it is made up of a mosaic of people from different backgrounds, interests, gifts, abilities, voices and opinions-- it CAN work

And this is just the beginning. I think that the lessons we’ve learned this year will follow us for the rest of our life. Our questions are not all answered, and we certainly don’t feel like life is a complete puzzle now, but we do understand the urgency and the centrality of the work of peace and justice in God’s kingdom.

This work is a heavy load, but man is it gorgeous.

In the last 3 and a half months we have seen so much more of God’s heart than ever before. We have seen his hurting heart for the Indigenous Peoples in North America and beyond, who have been and continue to be treated cruelly on their own land-- we have advocated for them and marched with them in walks for peace. We have seen his heart for those chained in the shackles of trauma, abuse and stigma. We have seen that his table is large and inclusive, and is made for those that don’t fit into our perfect Christian boxes.

We have tasted the sweetness of God’s plan for his world-- and it is NOT racism, sending away the refugee or giving scraps to the poor. It is not abuse of power, salvation through politics or destroying Palestine. It is not ripping up land for our own selfish use, clusterbombs or storing up wealth.

It is vulnerability. It is radical inclusion and love for neighbour. It is hospitality and welcoming in. It is giving away our best for others. It is spending our lives on eachother and breaking down walls. It is finding alternatives to violence, saying we’re sorry and doing something about it. It is giving a voice to the voiceless, learning from those we come to serve, and not assuming we know it all. It is like a mustard seed. It is small and not glamorous, but when it is watered and tended to, it is a bright shade of glory.

We are so thankful for my time here at the School of Peace and Justice. It was not what we expected, and there were times we thought we had to give up in the face of the hardships in our neighbourhood. But coming out on this side, we are ever grateful for the changes in our hearts, the friendships we’ve made, the stories we’ve heard, the places we’ve seen, and the road it has paved ahead. 

We’re SO thankful for all of your support, and for taking this journey with us. Peace and justice are not individual endeavours and we know that your support has enabled us to learn more about God’s heart, serve others, and be changed. You are our friends, our allies, and our brothers and sisters and we are so grateful to the gift you are in our lives.

We invite you to walk into the work of peace and justice in small ways in your life-- whether it is extending a hand in hospitality, giving your time to justice initiatives in your area, reading about peacemaking, or having conversations to initiate small change-- it is all Kingdom work.

So, what’s next for us?

Like we mentioned, Cam has been accepted to be a Masters student (wahoo!) at the University of Waterloo-- Conrad Grebel to pursue a Masters of Theological Studies. He is starting part-time, and will eventually enroll full-time. Here, he will learn about his passions of peace theology from an Anabaptist perspective.

We have signed a lease for a cute little 1 bedroom in Hamilton for January. After months of treading through the muddy waters of renting (can I get an amen?) we connected with an old landlord of mine who was excellent. This is a huge blessing because if there is one thing we’ve learned, reliable and respectful landlords make all the difference!

I (Laura) will be starting a small side ‘creative enterprise’ inspired by my time in Winnipeg. I will be launching my Etsy shop in the new year, where I will be selling my handmade crafts from recycled wood, and donating a portion of each sale to a non-profit dedicated to helping women find freedom from abuse & trafficking. I will also continue to pursue work in the Hamilton area that combines my passions for writing, justice and creativity. I am praying God opens doors to work that would be inspiring and stretching.

We will continue to seek out opportunities in Hamilton to be living our justice in our own community. Through volunteering, attending advocacy events, conferences, engaging in discussions of change, and learning from and with diverse communities, we pray God continues to mould out hearts in the way of mercy and justice, to shadow His.

As we close, we will leave with a benediction prayer that has been ours in these last months, and that we pray would be yours too as you pursue Christ in your day to day lives.

“Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.”

-St. Francis of Assisi

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Protests, Hot Cocoa & Theological Heroes

So, if you haven’t been following us on Facebook, you’ve probably (maybe I’m being presumptuous...) been wondering,”What’s going on with these guys?!”

Well we’re happy to tell you! Here’s a little peak at what we’ve been doing and how God’s been challenging us.

Things We’ve been Doing

We joined with Christian Peacemaker Teams for their peaceful protest in front of our local MP’s office, to remind him, and others of the promises the government has made to vote YES to Bill C-262 (implementing basic human rights to indigenous peoples as law). This reminded us of God’s deep love for these people and how Canada has and continues to push them to the fringes of our society and with hold basic human rights. To learn more, visit www.adoptandimplement.com 

Halloween here was FREEZING COLD, so we decided to serve our community by handing out hot chocolate on one of the busier street corners, just to show some care. We got to meet some local residents through this and make some connections

We had two amazing guest speakers spend a week with us at a time-- Dave Skene from Kitchener, ON who is the founder of Global Youth Network. He is also Métis, and shared with us a lot about his heart for creation, and how God has called us to reconcile our relation with ALL of creation. We also spent a week with Idelette McVicker (one of Laura’s theological heroes). Idelette grew up in South Africa in the time of the apartheid, and shared her heart for undoing the shackles that racism has twisted among people everywhere. She also spoke about how we breathe life into the dry places of our society in step with the Holy Spirit (just like Ezekiel’s prophecy of the Valley of Dry bones). Read Laura’s full reflection of her teaching below

We are continuing to embark on our weekly neighbourhood outreaches. We most recently researched the goals of the neighbourhood through the neighbourhood association website. We were able to go on a prayer walk through the neighbourhood and pray into the city’s goals for this neighbourhood-- for safe and adequate housing, for continued children’s and youth programs to help them stay away from gang violence, for the community gardens that grow food for local food banks, and more. This was a powerful witness to how God is already working through local organizations-- Christian or not-- to bring redemption in this little corner of Winnipeg.

Things Coming Down the Pipeline

This week, we are heading on a retreat with the other two students, and our school leader. The hope of the retreat is to have some time of reflection and quiet, to get out of the busyness of the city, and really take time to see how God has been speaking to us through this program

In a couple of weeks, each of us will be doing our second placement at a local nonprofit community program. Cam will be serving with a community housing initiative that provides creative and affordable housing to local families who can’t find housing ( www.thewestendcommons.ca/). Laura will be serving at St. Aidan’s Christian school, an affordable faith-based middle/high school that has many Indigenous youth and newcomers to Canada (staidansschool.ca).

Things to Pray For

Safety for tenants in our apartment building-- with living in the inner city often comes some risk of unwanted things such as bugs, break ins, and things going missing. Please pray that the tenants who live here long term would feel safe, and that it would continue to be a place of refuge for those who have had bad experiences in the rental system

For continued provision in our next season-- we are continuing to figure out what God has for us after our program is over in January. God has been opening some doors. Please pray he would continue to lead us to the community he would have us live and serve in next

The government will be voting on Bill C-262 on December 4th-- pray for wisdom and a real sense of compassion of our political leaders towards our indigenous brothers and sisters. 

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Laura’s Reflections from a Week with Theological hero,                                           Idelette McVicker

See, Immerse, Contend & Restore.

These are the ways in which we work alongside the Spirit to breathe life into the dry and hopeless corners of our world.

I was delighted to have the chance to spend 3 days with Idelette McVicker—writer, speaker and lover of Jesus + Justice. As someone who is passionate about women’s ministry and justice, it was really life-giving to break bread with, laugh with, and learn from Idelette. Her sessions allowed for deep vulnerability, as she intertwined her own story of racial injustice with her desire to untangle injustice within her community and with the people in which she speaks to.

As resurrection people, Jesus models to us the slow process of reconciliation in our communities—to live out “ubuntu”: the idea that my neighbour’s freedom is my freedom. So—how do we walk this out?

This is where our SICR acronym comes in. We must first SEE the issues—awaken from our blindness to the injustices outside our doors. We then IMMERSE ourselves in the story of our brothers and sisters, and even into the story of our enemies. We CONTEND or we take on the burdens of those brothers and sisters—we become present, available, kneeling with a servant posture. And then we can work with the Spirit to RESTORE these places that Ezekiel 37 poetically refers to as the valleys of “dry bones. “ We try to bring beauty to these places, we use our prophetic imagination as Walter Bruggeman puts it, to help usher in the kingdom to that place—bring light to the darkness.

This is the concept I have been sitting with and stewing on this past week. The coolest part about the work of justice is that God already knew there would be places of darkness, dryness, racism, sexism, slavery, hatred and more in the world. The prophecy in Ezekiel shows that God told Ezekiel to GO to the valley of dry bones, to SPEAK to the valley of dry bones, and to share with them that God was going to breathe LIFE into the bones to bring forth LIFE.

This is God’s heart for the Valleys of Dry Bones we come across. This is God’s heart for the MERC, for Siloam Mission, for West End Winnipeg, for my hometown, for the darkest corners of the world.

Restore. Revive. Renew.

That is the God we serve, and the Spirit we walk in step with. What a privilege and a prophecy this is. I pray that I, and you, would not loose sight of that and think that our work in justice is separate from our intimate relationship with God. They are beautifully woven, and may we let him breathe in us when we become heavy with the task.

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Thank you, friends for your continued support, prayers and thoughts of us on this journey. it has been so fruitful and could not have happened without your support-- so God bless you! 

[cam-laura]

Finding Strength in my Weakness

The past couple of weeks have been eye-opening. They have also been hard.

Two weeks ago we were volunteering every day at Siloam Mission, a ministry for people experiencing homelessness and poverty in Winnipeg. They serve three meals a day, have an emergency overnight shelter, counselling services, free clothing, free health care clinic, and more. Most of our time at Siloam was spent volunteering in the kitchen and in the drop-in. I used to think that doing this kind of ministry would be a good fit for me, but I found that it was incredibly draining and tiring. Serving food and chatting with over 500 homeless folks each day is a lot. My heart hurts for the people I met who are experiencing poverty and homelessness, and it hurts more knowing that I can’t do more for them at this time.

I feel very conflicted after my time at Siloam. On the one hand I now know that working with the poor and homeless in that kind of setting is something that doesn’t give me life. But as a Christian, isn’t that my duty? Aren’t we all called to do push ourselves and serve the least of these? Aren’t we called to pick up our cross and follow Jesus? I want to learn how I can use my skills and passions to serve the poor, but I’m struggling to know how to do that.

It was encouraging to have Jaymie Friesen from Mennonite Central Committee speak to our class about trauma and healing. She herself admitted that working directly with people in crisis was not suitable for her personality, and that she now works in educating churches and schools about the effects of trauma.

Both Laura and I are struggling to know how we should be doing this in our work, but also in our neighbourhood. We are discerning where we should be after this school is over, but honestly we are not sure if we could live in a neighbourhood like the West end. It can be hard to live here. We have had such a strong determination to live and serve in a neighbourhood with needs. But when the going gets tough, the daily reminders of pain can be hard to take. The syringes on the sidewalk, the garbage strewn across lawns, the gang graffiti outside our window, the empty shopping carts lining the streets...it can all be hard to take when you yourself are struggling with bouts of depression, anxiety, and a bad cold.

Hanging out with the neighbourhood kids at our weekly Wednesday outreach is a time that can create uneasiness in me. They can be a lot to handle. But playing games with them, serving them good food, and acting goofy while playing 3-on-3 basketball was a highlight. It allowed me to just let loose and be a kid with them. It was a reminder of the small, beautiful things in this neighbourhood and in this city.

I think I need to be reminding myself that God loves me even when I struggle to know how to love his people. After all, this work of peace and justice needs to come out of a place of love and not legalism, guilt, or anger. I need to let myself have bad days, and to let my body heal. I need to do things for myself that bring me joy, even if it’s spending a couple of hours at a coffeeshop or walking in a quiet park.

I’m determined to stay encouraged through the difficult times by keeping up with my Common Prayer liturgy, and a small book by Dorothy Day called The Reckless Way of Love: Notes on Following Jesus. I’m praying that the lives of the ordinary radicals who have come before us will inspire us to seek Jesus daily and to find rest in him. 

I am learning that we have all been given gifts to serve God’s Kingdom, and they can look very different from each other. I am thankful for the encouragement and grace from the staff and students here, and from my beautiful wife. I am thankful that God has made each of us so different from each other, and am praying I can embrace my unique gifts and abilities to serve his people with love. 

Keep us in your prayers as continue on this amazing journey with the YWAM School of Peace & Justice in Winnipeg!

Grace & peace,

Cam

Just some of the books we use to stay encouraged in our relationship with God.

Safeway shopping carts always appear along our street.

Syringes are not uncommon to find in our neighbourhood.

Gang graffiti outside our window. The red “P” design is for Indian Posse, a notorious gang in Manitoba. It has been crossed out by someone.

Sometimes getting out and enjoying a cup of tea and coffee can do wonders for the soul. The Strong Badger is a great little cafe in our neighbourhood.

[cam-laura]

2 Weeks in Winnipeg & Lots to Think About

After almost two weeks of joining the YWAM School of Peace & Justice (SOPJ) here in Winnipeg, it’s time for me to share my first blog post of my experiences. This will be a space where I reflect on classroom sessions, my project and book reports, our weekly outreaches to inner city kids, our experiences living in Chiara House (an affordable apartment building for people from low-income background and mental illnesses) and what I feel God is showing and teaching me through all of these experiences. I hope this can be a dialogue with fellow students and staff of the SOPJ, people I’m getting to know here in Winnipeg, and friends and family around the world.

When Laura and I first settled into the Spence neighbourhood in the West end of Winnipeg, we marvelled at how beautiful it is. Large, leafy trees seem to line almost every residential street. We noticed the cultural diversity in our neighbours, and the number of unique restaurants within walking distance. It wasn’t until our first guided walk around the neighbourhood that we began to notice the pain and struggle evident in the streets of the community. We noticed discarded syringes and condoms on the sidewalk. We saw many buildings with boarded up windows. We noticed that there were at least three pawn shops within a block of each other. We noticed that an apartment building down the street was in the news recently for a case of sex trafficking. We saw a young, First Nations man sleeping in the lawn of the church next to our apartment. We saw another man carrying his entire life possessions in a shopping cart.

Poverty is hell, and seeing it firsthand is hard. It can be easy to become numb to it, or think of yourself as superior because of your wealth and privilege. It’s easy to see wealthier, prosperous people and think ‘they have it together’.

And yet I am reminded that this brokenness and pain is also prevalent in our society’s middle and upper classes, it just takes different forms. We can obsess over making as much money as possible, only to miss out on important and intimate moments with friends and family. We can put our hope and trust in the latest gadgets, only to let them collect dust in our closets and basements. We can move to quiet, gated communities, only to grow isolated, detached, and unaware of who are next door neighbours even are. We can make our country, our weapons, our Prime Ministers, and Presidents to be the last, great hope in the world. We can be quick to judge each other based on ethnicity, profession, and physical appearance. We can be quick to think that we aren’t as bad as that politician, or that criminal, or that guy on the corner asking for change.

I am learning that we are all mutually broken, and have missed the mark in some way. I am learning that the people in this neighbourhood have a lot to teach me about my own brokenness and sin. I am learning to see Jesus in neighbourhood kids, in the eyes of the man asking for change outside of 7-Eleven, and in my neighbours of Chiara House. I am learning to see the Gospel not just as our souls being saved from Hell, but our bodies and our lives changed here and now.

I’m also learning to see different ways of doing church, and that the word ‘church’ certainly does not mean a physical building. Little Flowers Community is a house church planted by Jamie and Kim, connected to YWAM and Mennonite Church Manitoba. It was a privilege to get to eat, worship, and learn alongside people from the neighbourhood. This experience at Little Flowers Community was an important introduction to the topics we would go on to learn about in the week.

In the classroom (aka, Kim and Jamie’s living room) I’ve been reminded through Jamie’s teaching on God’s Shalom that Jesus didn’t just come to die for us. He also came to teach us how to live. Jesus has come to restore our relationship with God, with ourselves, with each other, and with creation. His death and resurrection shows us that the Good News is that another way of living is possible, and that the Kingdom of Heaven is both now and not yet.

And how do we express this Good News? One way I’ve learned this week is through radical hospitality. Jamie taught us hospitality was once central to the ecclesiology of the church. Welcoming all people in for food and rest was of great importance to the early Christians, but has been lost due to nominal beliefs and the institutionalization of hotels, etc. I was also very challenged through watching the film Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story. Her story of starting the Catholic Worker movement with Peter Maurin can often be idealized and romanticized. The film showed us how much sacrifice was made by her and other Christians to care for the poor and marginalized in New York during the Great Depression.

I felt like her life story was the perfect segue into Kim’s talk on gender inequality. Kim shared her passion for women’s equality and her own personal struggle of being a woman in ministry. She shared that it wasn’t through any feminist literature or movements that made her long for equality, but through Jesus himself. For it was Jesus who so often broke traditional, societal bounds to show women that they were loved. Heck, the first witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection were women! This would have been such a scandal in that culture, and it still can be today. I am thankful to have Kim leading this school and for her passion and insight on topics like this.

With these teachings in mind, we headed into our first week of getting more involved in the neighbourhood. Our first day of volunteering with kids in the neighbourhood was tiring, frustrating, but also life giving and incredibly eye opening. They loved to run around, play basketball, and sometimes get into fights with us and each other.

It was easy to get frustrated and overwhelmed, but a small moment making crafts with some of them reminded me of the peace and grace I needed to show them. During craft time I was lifting a stack of paper off of a table to give to a particularly fidgety and loud little boy. When he turned around and saw my arms in the air, his immediate reaction was to cower and protect his face. My heart immediately broke. Was this a reality for him at home? Were adult hands raised in the air a symbol of danger or hurt for him? It is little moments like these that remind me of the hospitality and grace I need to show to people, no matter how difficult they can be.

We also had a chance to get involved in the neighbourhood through the 7th annual March for Peace in the West End organized by various neighbourhood associations and organizations. This march was originally inspired by the levels of violence in the neighbourhood, and seeks to continue to end the culture of violence and hostility today. It was beautiful to see such a diverse group of people coming together in the name of peace. I was encouraged to see so many of the kids we were volunteering with join us in the march. I was also encouraged to see the First Nations women in leadership who organized and led the event.

I’m looking forward to these next months of learning, living and growing in this community. I look forward to the joys and challenges that lay ahead, and to truly learn what it means to live justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

-- Cam

[cam-laura]

Justice for the Poor—It’s Not a Secondary Issue

I’ve so often heard and believed that the primary focus of Jesus’ gospel or good news was that he came, lived and died to save us from our sins and bring us to the perfection of the kingdom heaven—somewhere out there, away from all the mess we’ve made of the world. This mentality came with the idea that the soul is our primary concern in regards to others, and everything else is considered “secondary issues.”

 What I mean by ‘everything else’ is anything that focuses on social justice, creation care, poverty alleviation etc. These things were typically left for the good humanitarian organizations, but we as Christians were the churchgoers, small group leaders, youth group retreat planners, and bible readers.  Things such as these are beautiful and a core aspect of what the good news is, but I am convinced that when we only focus on these things as the church, we are missing out on half of the gospel. This is one of the most potent ideas I’ve been meditating on in my two weeks here at the School of Peace & Justice Winnipeg. 

 The fullness of the good news is that Jesus did not only preach the coming of the Kingdom, calling all to repent of their sins—but in each of his interactions, he practiced reconciliation in his contact with everyone he met. Whether is was defending a woman caught in adultery, healing those who were plagued with sickness or other ailments, bringing dignity to the outcasts, or defending the weak. His words of the coming kingdom were always coupled with acts of peace and reconciliation.

 I think as the Western evangelical church, we have become so enthralled with conversations surrounding pro-life and sexuality & gender disputes, that we’ve forgotten the core of Jesus gospel, which was “sharing food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—to clothe the naked…to do away with the yolk of oppression and malicious talk, and to spend ourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed.” (Isaiah 58:1-3, 5-10).

 Though healthy conversations about more “popular Christian topics” are not wrong in and of themselves, I think we need to challenge ourselves to remember what Jesus did when he was on earth. As Brian Fikkert writes in his book, When Helping Hurts;

 “How useless it would have been if Jesus had only used words and not deeds to declare the kingdom. Imagine reading the story of Luke 18:35-43 about the blind beggar who was sitting on the roadside. Learning that Jesus was walking by, he called out, ‘ Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ What if Jesus had said,’ I am the fulfillment of all prophecy. I am the king of kings and the Lord of lords. I have all the power in heaven and earth. I could heal you today of your blindness, but I only care about your soul. Believe in Me?’ Who would have believed that Jesus was the promised King if He had not given ant evidence to prove it?” (pg.35)

 I think this may be a reminder for us to stop thinking of ‘social justice issues’—poverty, inequality, racism, exploitation and sickness to name a few—as secondary to the soul issues, but rather pair them together again in equal importance, like I believe Jesus did in his time on earth. After all, he did say he came to “bring good news to the poor” (Luke 4:17).

 How can I bring reconciliation on earth today? Or bring good news to the poor? I hope that we can all reflect on how God has gifted us individually and how we can use those gifts to bless the marginalized. This is my prayer for my life right now, as I continue to figure out what practicing resurrection looks in my life and in my career. I want to continue to learn more about the injustices happening in my present community and how my small and bigger choices can make small but significant changes. I want to start walking the walk instead of just talking the talk. I want to challenge myself to commune with people over meals that I wouldn’t get a chance to normally. I want to stop and talk to the person on Portage asking for change. I want to see how I can use my gifts of creativity and compassion to plant kingdom seeds right here on the streets of West Winnipeg.

 “What is the task of the church? We are to embody Jesus Christ by doing what He did and what He continues to do through us: declare—using both words and deeds—that Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords who is brining a kingdom of righteousness, justice and peace. And the church needs to do this where Jesus did it, among the blind, the lame, the sick and outcast, and the poor.” (When Helping Hurts, Corbett & Fikkert)

 This is what is so cool about Jesus. He didn’t come to be served but to serve—unlike any other king that has come or will come. That’s why I can’t help but follow him.  I want to live in a world that works in an upside down way.

-- Laura

[cam-laura]

“Make me an Instrument of Your Peace”: Some Summer Updates

Well, it’s been a while since we’ve written—we’re sorry for that! We have been through a whirlwind of changes of plans and have been holding off on updating until we figure out our next steps. It’s been a crazy journey, but we are so excited for where God is taking us next and feel confident in it (after weeks of praying, discerning and stressing). So—here it goes:

As you know, we spent some time at the L’Abri Fellowship in England from June 1st- June 24th. This was an amazing experience that we are so grateful to have been apart of. Here, we lived with a community of students, families, and volunteers who worked and studied in a manor on the southwestern countryside of England.

We learned a lot through personal study time as we explored the large library at the manor. We also learned from staff through intentional lunch conversations and through lectures. We’ve gained new perspectives on our faith that we will take with us on our continued journey in ministry. Some of these things included learning how to share the gospel through the Old Testament laws, the effect technology has on our faith in everyday practice, having intentional conversation to help each other work through questions in our faith, the impact of prayer, the importance of liturgy in the modern church, how God speaks his truth through creation, art, books, music, and the Bible—and that’s just a few!

If you are interested in hearing lectures from L’Abri, you can access them here: http://www.labri.org/england/. It was here that we once again learned that our Christian faith is an integral part of every stream of our lives—our chores, our mundane tasks, our conversations, our careers, our meals, and even our gardens.

It was about halfway through our time at L’Abri that we realized how important it was for us to be apart of community. We felt that if we were to stay in the U.K until January (which was the 24/7 Prayer program we were hoping to be apart of started) we should make sure we were in a good community rather than hopping from place to place volunteering on farms and B&Bs. We became tired of jumping around from place to place, especially without a solid plan, so it seemed like the best decision to fly home to Canada for a bit and intentionally pray and think about what our next step should be.

We have been staying in Newmarket, ON since July 1st, which has allowed us to visit with family, and be present for some important occasions at home. After praying, talking and envisioning where we believe God has gifted us, we have decided to participate in a 3-month inner city missions school through YWAM Winnipeg, MB called The School of Peace and Justice. Here we will be living in downtown Winnipeg learning about issues of peacemaking, poverty, human trafficking, creation care, hunger and more and how we as Christians are to respond.

Something we are grateful for is that God created us both very compassionate people who have felt called to practical ministry in the city and are excited to learn more about how we can live out our calling as peacemakers. Our theology has been greatly influenced by Jesus’ words, in particular the Beatitudes (in Matthew 5: 3-12).:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Beatitudes (and the rest of the Sermon on the Mount) are some of the most challenging and amazing words ever spoken. Every day we wrestle with what they mean for how we live. Over this next season we will be learning how to do this through serving in various ministries in downtown Winnipeg, through classroom sessions, and through readings and personal reflections.

As a couple, we are looking forward to surrendering our privilege, wealth, and power in what Catholic priest/author/theologian Henri Nouwen calls ‘downward mobility’:

“Surrounded by so much power, it is very difficult to avoid surrendering to the temptation to seek power like everyone else. But the mystery of our ministry is that we are called to serve not with our power but with our powerlessness. It is through powerlessness that we can enter into solidarity with our fellow human beings, form a community with the weak, and thus reveal the healing, guiding, and sustaining mercy of God. We are called to speak to people not where they have it together but where they are aware of their pain, not where they are in control but where they are trembling and insecure, not where they are self-assured and assertive but where they dare to doubt and raise hard questions; in short, not where they live in the illusion of immortality but where they are ready to face their broken, mortal, and fragile humanity. As followers of Christ, we are sent into the world naked, vulnerable, and weak, and thus we can reach our fellow human beings in their pain and agony and reveal to them the power of God's love and empower them with the power of God's Spirit.”

God has been leading us in this journey one day at a time. We thought we knew exactly what this year of serving and learning was going to look like, but God has changed our plans many times and placed us in a better direction. We are not sure what our long term plans will be once we finish the School of Peace and Justice. We’re confident that God is in control and that the Holy Spirit will be guiding us each step of the way.

Thank you for following us in this journey. We will try to keep this blog updated with text and photos as much as possible over the next season. We will leave you with a prayer attributed to one of our favourite ‘keepers of the faith’, Francis of Assisi, one that God really laid on our hearts in the U.K:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

To learn more about The School of Peace and Justice, visit: http://www.ywamwinnipeg.com/peace-justice-initiatives/

[cam-laura]

Sheep, Ferries & Liturgies

It’s been nearly a month since we’ve left Canadian soil. In a way it feels as if no time has passed.

The first day after landing in Scotland consisted of a long (but beautiful) trek to our destination, the Isle of Iona. To give you an idea of the remoteness of this island, our transportation route consisted of...

1 bus to downtown Glasgow, a 3 hour train to Oban, 1 ferry to Craignure, 1 bus from there to Fionnphort (~2 hours), and 1 more ferry from there to Iona...

Exhale.

The Isle of Iona itself is completely gorgeous. It is a mixture rich green hillsides, ancient brick architecture, sheep (everywhere), roaring Atlantic tides, hues of blues, rain, sunshine, then rain again.

The Iona Community, where we volunteered, was inspired by St. Columba who created a Christian community on the island in 563 AD, which essentially brought the Christian faith to Scotland. The organization itself was formed in the 1960′s-- a place of solitude, yet close relationship, where people from all over the world could come to be apart of prayer pilgrimages, corporate liturgical worship, restorative and justice focused retreat weeks, and connecting with God through the beauty and history. There are also volunteers and staff who helped make these activities run, which was the group we were apart of.

We enjoyed our experience living, working and worshipping with people from all over the globe, and being immersed in a Christian tradition that was much different than we are used to. The style of worship that is very much prominent in the community is inspired by the Celtic Christian tradition. It is liturgical, formalistic and unified. If you ever get a chance to look at some of the liturgies in the Iona Worship book, you will sense the richness and fullness of the words that speak truth and authority.

It’s amazing to see up close and personal people from every tribe, tongue and nation worshipping the same God, all from different walks of life, different stories, and different burdens. Though we don’t all believe the exact same things, or agree on everything, there is still something beautiful about seeing the God you worship in your home town be the same God that people on a remote Scottish island worship. That was a huge reminder of how vast, deep and wide the love of Christ really is.

We are still wrestling with and processing all that we had experienced in our time at Iona, but we are excited to begin the month of June with our next endeavour-- a season of more studious, contemplative learning at the community of L’Abri in Greatham, England.

The L’Abri Fellowship was founded by Francis and Edith Schaeffer in the 1960′s and 1970′s.This community focuses more on independent study and learning about different parts of our faith through discussion, lectures, and reading. We will also receive one-on-one mentorship from L’Abri staff.

We are anticipating another month of stretching and growth, however God wants to do that, and are excited to know that we have a community at home praying for and spurring us on in this fresh adventure.

We’ll leave off with a poem Laura wrote on the Isle of Iona;

“The island stones show the grounding that you give. Their smooth edges, your mercy-- their vastness, your breadth.

The abbey shows your ancient words-- ever true, ever transformative, and firm through the throws of time.

The deep blue waters, your furious love. They crash over the shore with authority, covering the shores with their fingertips. The waves, relentless as your concern for your children.

The vast hills are your ways-- the way up is not easy. I have to catch my breath every once in a while and get my bearings. When I arrive at the top, I see your goodness again. I see the full picture.

The stone cross-- the one covered in moss by the beaches, the one that sits quietly upon the marble alter, the ones that decorate this gift shop: they are your authority. They stand alone. There are no other answers to the questions of purpose but in your death and rising.”

Peace & Much love,

C & L

The Iona Abbey

Puffins on the nearby isle of Staffa

There are so many beautiful beaches on Iona

Views from Iona

[cam-laura]

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