"There's Room for Every Story" - Advent 1
This Advent, may you remember that you belong—to a story etched into the wrinkles of time, to generations that have come before and will come after, to a love that won’t let you go. Join us this Sunday as we begin our Advent journey with the characters of the Christmas story, and recall that like a tapestry woven throughout time, the Christmas story weaves us in—there is room for your story!
Join us this Sunday for an All Ages Celebration:
"For everything there is a season..."
What is time? How do we mark time? From a faith perspective, every ending is a beginning, and in every beginning, there is an ending. Time is a circle. This Sunday marks the end of the liturgical year in the Christian Calendar. Next week a new year begins with Advent! Come, Join the Circle as we wonder together about the mystery of time.
Please Note: There is no separate Children's Program this Sunday.
Remembering
"I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love- not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!"
"Don't Lose Heart"
Jesus told a parable once "to pray always and not lose heart". It is easy to get discouraged. What does it mean to persist in the way of prayer and faith? (Luke 18:1-8)
This Sunday we also welcome our new music director, Martha Shaw.
Visions is a Spiritual Community where ... Hospitality. IS.
This week we gather in a 'Hospitality Cafe' and imagine together what is Spiritual Community when the welcome is wide, 'everyone knows your name', conversation is heartfelt, and compassion is practiced.
We will break open a few more 'Tools of the Trade' as we wrap up our Hospitality-talk, and put our 'tools of the trade' in practice.
Have a look at our digital 'Hospitality Audit' here:
“Seeing God-presence in Everyone”
What would you do if Jesus came knocking on your door? We encounter God-presence everyday in the people we meet. Hospitality is the first step toward dismantling the barriers of the world and living with an open heart.
Join us this Sunday as we continue to explore our Hospitality theme and the "Tools of the Trade" we have to practice a wide and radical welcome from our hearts, for our community.
- Revelation 3:20 & Matthew 25: 24-26, 40
Congregational Meeting notice
A special meeting will be held following the Spirit Gathering on October 16th, to vote on the implementation of the new governance model: "Governance as Spiritual Practice and Congregational Ministry through Circles of Service and Learning."
We will also approve the nominations for the new CLT and other representatives effective November 1, 2022.
The in-person meeting will begin at 11:10. You can join by zoom immediately after the livestream of the Spirit Gathering ends.
Terry MacTavish-Hawkes will host the zoom meeting room and admit on-line participants.
In preparation for the vote at this meeting, a draft document and appendix were distributed on October 2 at the Spirit Gathering and circulated by email on October 5. Please bring your copy with you.
Click here to view copies:
Thanksgiving Sunday
"We're so glad you're here! Let's celebrate" - What kind of welcome table will you gather around this Thanksgiving?
Join your Visions family as we give thanks and celebrate the blessings of life and faith.
World Wide Communion & Hospitality
We've all heard of the 'Golden Rule' and 'doing unto others what you would have them do unto you'. But have you heard of the 'Platinum Rule'? It makes all the difference in our ministry of hospitality! Join us as we welcome each other to the Table of Jesus, the Christ, and celebrate communion this World Wide Communion Sunday.
The 'Bread of Life and Forgiveness' is one of our many tools of hospitality.
Joining us on-line?
If you are celebrating with us on-line, we invite you to 'set' a table for worship with your symbols.
Bring a little bread and drink for communion.
