: CORE STRENGTH : winter/spring teaching series : 2009 :

... as the teaching planning team of Dennis, Alan and I began thinking about 2009's first 6 months of teaching/preaching at SBF way back in November, we felt that the progression from Fall 2008's "Se7en Churches of Revelation" into Advent 2008, and into Haggai this month of January would lead beautifully into something based on the spiritual practices, or disciplines, or habits that build a life of consistency and stability necessary to navigate the challenges staring us down spiritually in the 21st century.

We looked into a number of approaches to that, asked around some, bounced a few ideas off the elders, and did a bit of research and reading into it. What we came up with, after some give and take, was what we are calling ...

CORE STRENGTH : spiritual practices for a twenty-first century faith

A number of leaders in the area of spiritual formation have articulated some of these disciplines in written form : Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline, Dallas Willard's trilogy, Brother Lawrence's writings, and some others. In some way, shape or form each explains and defines these practices in different ways, but corporate, outward and inward disciplines say it best.

So as Dennis wraps up the Haggai series this Sunday at Communion, he will also introduce this series ... and through February, March and April, after Easter and Sunday February 8th we will launch into looking at Confession, Guidance, Worship, Celebration, Prayer, Simplicity, Submission, Solitude, Service, Fasting, Meditation and Study.

CORE STRENGTH is a sports medicine term, referring to essential, deep, basic muscle groups that when taken seriously, taken care of, developed and used properly bring overall health, stability, longevity and balance to our lives. Well, we thought ... we could do no less than teach our way through the same idea spiritually, identifying and addressing and together as a faith community working through these practices.

There are no shortcuts to CORE STRENGTH, but there are also significant benefits from understanding what is and isn't going to mature our faith. CORE STRENGTH is the opposite of cosmetic muscle work, or faddish body sculpting, it is deep, difficult, but rewarding effort.

: SBF's search has begun ... again ... Phase II :

... well, Phase II of SBF's pastoral search is up and running in earnest.

Search2009, as I am calling it, looks good to me.

We learned a tonne in Phase I last fall, with 3 potential candidates going through structured interviews with the SC, as the elders affectionately refer to the Search Committee. Two of them returned for a less structured, more conversational get-to-know-each-other afternoon, and one visited SBF early in Advent and spoke.

While all around there was mutual agreement with these first three men that the fit between them and SBF wasn't quite there, the process and the three different perspectives created a great learning experience for the SC, and the elders when they joined the process part way through. So now, as we re-enter the search in earnest, we have much more to go on, more clarity about the pastoral role, and a sense of direction and a comfort level with the challenge that I believe will be productive.

So, as you think of the SearchComm as we meet most Tuesday evenings, say a prayer for wisdom, direction, unity, great process, the right contacts, and a connection with the right person to join the SBF leadership team is this pastoral role. We will be getting some profiles and information out to you in the next few weeks as we finish off that refinement process. Until then? keep us in your prayers, and especially a special meeting next week with Jay Gurnett of Vision Ministries Canada. He knows a LOT of people in pastoral circles, and we will be picking his brains about the opportunity here at SBF.

dlc

: first and belated post of 2009 the new year upon us :

... Happy New Year SBF! I've taken the liberty of 'deleting' the last few posts about snow cancellations ... hope that's over!

: Advent 2008 @ SBF : O Come, O Come Emmanuel :

... hard as it may be to believe, Advent 2008 begins in less than two weeks.

At SBF we will turn towards our Advent focus beginning this Sunday, even as Dennis begins wrapping up the "Seven Churches of Revelation" teaching series with the second last church, Philadelphia. We will look to a visual, object lesson type reminder of what took place so many years ago. This year November 30th is Advent I ... December 7th Advent II, December 14th Advent III, December 21st Advent IV.

Each Sunday will have a unique focus and emphasis as SBF prepares, as a faith community, for Christmas in the 21st century. This Sunday an introduction, or better put, a welcome to the journey. November 30th ... the first candle, as Dennis concludes with the Church @ Laodicea. December 7th ... communion, and the second candle. December 14th, the third candle, and our kids bring us a pageant. December 21st ... Christmas Sunday, and the fourth candle. Advent culminates on Christmas Eve, as we celebrate "O Holy Night" ...

As we began planning for Christmas 2008, the theme of beautiful, scriptural Christmas carols came to mind, and we will allow them to direct our thoughts these next weeks.

One of those rich, biblical carols referred to above is 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' ... "O Come, Thou DaySpring, come and cheer, our spirits by Thine advent here" ... "O Come, Thou Wisdom from on high, and order all things, far and nigh" ... 'O Come, Desire of Nations, bind, all peoples in one heart and mind" ... let's look forward to Advent 2008, letting it shape us, slow us down, direct us and deliver us to December 24/25 prepared, even against the commercialized 'Christmas" many would want to deliver us into.

: one for the 'food-for-thought' category :

"NOT everything that can be COUNTED counts,
and not everything that COUNTS can be counted" ...

Albert Einstein

: a visit from marco faasse :

... Marco just dropped in here, probably to get out of the rain, but wanted to update SBF on developments at his end. A couple of things ... the Shawnigan mobile home deal has hit some snags, but they are proving to be part of the learning curve about permits and all manner of necessary, but frustrating hoops to be jumped through. There are a couple of other options surfacing ... maybe a combo of trailers from N.Van and/or Sooke? Time will tell, but Marco asks us to keep praying. The Faasse family are thrilled to be able to house sit for Tara and Dan Cummings over December-January ( while the C's are visiting family in Thailand ).

Marco is headed downtown Victoria now with four kids from Tsawout, and two from Tsartlip, to do a sort of 'meet 'n greet' lunch and cross-cultural experience in Chinatown. This is Justin, one of the kids going with Marco.

So, while Marco is looking at some options for a Faasse Family First Nations ministry 'blog, here's his 'homeland' website for those of you who can manage the Dutch ...

later,

dlc

: fellowship pot-lunch :

Hi SBF ... wow, time flies. I am just getting my photos from October 6th's Communion and last Fellowship Pot-Lunch and here it is again this Sunday! I did get a few pics of the elders praying for SBF's youth ministry leadership team. Those photos are up on the SBF page on FaceBook.

I only got four, but four good ones, of these three special ladies. I think there is a story behind the sequence of pictures. I'll add my 'hypothetical' running commentary between the pictures as Sybil's and Rosemary's conversation with Betty develops. How does this sound?







Betty ... "do I have a deal for you two" ... note Rosemary and Sybil's 'hands on hips' posture.









Moving in a little closer, Betty says... "no really, look at this brochure, it explains everything! no strings attached, no contracts to sign, no extra fees!"





Betty's pitch completed, Sybil responds ..."Look Betty, I signed up for one of those potluck luncheon deals once, and for 5 years I was the one bringing a cheese tray".

Rosemary seems to be aware of the presence of the paprazzi?






Rosemary pulls it all together for her two dear friends ... "all is fair in love and potlucks, Sybil. Let's go in together and start a new trend, a 3-cheese cheese tray!"



Betty is still not sure whether to trust the photojournalist ( me ) or not.

Probably not.

See you Sunday, for Fellowship Pot-Lunch #2 ...

dlc