Embedded in the heart of advent is the longing and anticipation of Jesus "coming to" us. As Philip H. Pfatteicher, respected liturgical historian and scholar, and former Professor of English at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, notes as he reflects on Advent, "Since the time of Bernard of Clairvaux (died 1153), Christians have spoken of the three comings of Christ: in the flesh in Bethlehem... more

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you... more

"Everything Jesus said and did was done in a place, just as everything we do is done in a place. All living is local: this land, this neighbourhood, these trees and streets and houses, this workplace, these people. One of the seductions that interferes with mature Christian living is the construction of utopias, ideal places where we can live the good life totally without inconvenience...But it always... more

"When you go to the doctor you show him the bit of you that is wrong—say, a broken arm. It would be a mere waste of time to keep on explaining that your legs, and eyes, and throat are all right."

C.S. Lewis

It's been some time since we've communicated with any substance beyond some updates and general check ins. One stellar exception has been Cathy Grahams PULSE quarterlies which have had such positive... more

Many of us associate sacred space with a religious site or a church, but in reality, it can be any place in which we encounter the Spirit of Jesus, any place that is set apart by and for the presence of God. A bush in the back side of the wilderness became a sacred space when it caught fire; its unusual flame attracted Moses to a missional encounter with YHWH. The muddy water of the Jordan River became a... more

Jesus gave me a gift today.

A beautiful gift.

I met Kareem.

It's certainly been a full week and a bit. Certainly blew me out of any social media presence as I've been pretty focused on serving with our amazing team of Vineyardites who were the blood and guts in pulling off our Canadian #VTribe National Celebration here in Montreal. Amazing time. My people. My home. Much to unpack about that later, and... more

Well it certainly has been quite the journey these last several years since Anita and I stepped into the National Director role for the Canadian #VTribe.

Moving through a national repositioning in 2015 which we identified as "From Silos To Integration," we tackled what it meant to be a people "Dwelling In The Borderlands" in '16. Upon much reflection, sifting through prophetic nudges coast to coast and... more

Summer in Canada is notoriously short, so this year our faith community took a pause from sitting in someone's living room for mid-week Bible and book studies, and we went outside.

We planned regular walks around the city which included the following elements: 1) getting to know a neighbourhood and its story from someone who lives or works there, 2) praying for the local institutions and the... more

Montreal is home to people from all over the world, and our church is a reflection of that. We have several people in our faith community who have friends and family in Venezuela, so when we heard about the political instability and economic hardships there, we wanted to help. Through the connections of the people in our church, we were able to send funds to two churches in Venezuela. Last week, Julia... more