It’s not about “you”… What if the moral lessons that we have extracted from the parables are not the whole story? We are returning together, to the source (the parables in light of the way of Christ) in the spirit of communal listening as we invite the stories to shape us.
We invite you to join us on Sundays this summer. To help coordinate this busy time, here’s our Sunday summer snapshot that you can use to see what we have planned for each Sunday in July and August.
Atonement remains to be one of the most mysterious aspects of Christian theology. Theologians through the centuries have used a rich tapestry of metaphors and other language in their journey, and in this series we walk humbly alongside them. With open hands, we approach this topic with humility.
In this series we explored how history, and evolving cultural thought has informed our thinking, our theology, and biblical interpretation. We can see connections between the historical/cultural context of a theory being developed. In this we can see humanity journeying together with God to struggle through these great questions. But the work doesn’t end with historical understanding. Hard questions must be asked about what the atonement means to us today, how it works, and how it fits meaningfully into our lives.
So, as we explored Christus Victor, Ransom, Satisfaction, Scapegoat, Substitutionary, and Moral theories we were often forced to recognize things that could not be reconciled with our personal convictions. In contrast, we could often find aspects of these theories which speak clearly to our understanding of a loving God, and help move us more clearly in the direction of Christlike love. Our hope is that as a community we can wrestle through these occasionally contradictory concepts, to find ourselves not just understanding, but living them more clearly.
We thank you for journeying with us through this series. Below is a list of resources suggested by the teaching team if you wish to dive deeper into this concept.
You have Permission Podcast with Bonnie Kristian, talking through 5 of the most popular and historic atonement theories: Christus Victor, Satisfaction Theory, Moral Exemplar, Penal Substitution, and Scapegoat Theory.
20 Minute Takes Podcast with Brian Zahnd, talking about the role of the cross as well as new ways of looking at the cross as a kaleidoscope, in order to inform how we respond to aspects of Christian life and to justice issues in our society.
This spring we’re exploring theories of atonement through the centuries. Our aim is to explore the topic with open hands, understanding that atonement (or at-one-ment) is both encapsulated in, and transcends these different theories. The authors of the Bible explored the themes of salvation and atonement using a rich tapestry of language, metaphors, and conceptual frameworks. Though the full truth may be beyond us, this encourages us to continually journey towards greater understanding together.
This past Sunday, we took time as a community to explore some of the contemplative prayer practices we’ve discussed throughout our recent What If? Reimagining Prayer series.
Together, we walked through practices that invited us into a deeper communal expression, while also providing space to explore prayer individually. It was a meaningful opportunity to reflect on how God is communing with us in all things.
Missed it? Listen now on our podcast and find resources for a selection of the contemplative prayer practices here:
Practice rhythmic breathing (4 seconds in, 6 seconds out) while repeating one of the following breath prayers.
Inhale:I am loved as I am…
Exhale:… and You are making me new.
Inhale:You collect my tears…
Exhale:… I am held.
Inhale:You are the God…
Exhale:…who sees me.
Inhale:This is not the end…
Exhale:…liberation is coming.
Inhale:Show me who I am…
Exhale:…and what is mine to do.
After a few minutes of breathing this prayer, take a moment to create a personal breath prayer and write it down on the cardstock paper. Take this card with you and come back to this prayer throughout the week.
Reflection Questions:
How did your body respond to rhythmic breathing?
What phrase emerged as most meaningful?
Reflective Prayer Journaling
Invitation:
Write freely for 10 minutes, guided by one or more of the following prompts:
Where did I sense the Sacred this week—in nature, in others, in silence, or in unexpected places?
What moments, people, or experiences brought me peace, joy or a sense of meaning this past week?
How did my words or actions contribute to healing and/or blessing and flourishing in the world this week?
Where did I encounter systems of injustice, exclusion, or harm this week—externally or within myself?
Were there moments where I prioritized certainty over curiosity, fear over openness this week?
What pain, grief or frustration do I carry from this week? How can I hold this with grace and gentleness?
When you are finished, read over what you wrote in your journal or on the paper.
If you’d like to, underline a phrase to share with someone at your Neighbours Group or someone close to you, and share with them what this journaling experience was like for you.
Reflection Questions:
What truth did your writing reveal?
How might this shape your prayers this week?
Neighbourhood Prayer Walk (Outside)
Invitation:
Walk with a posture of openness. Reflect on one or more of these questions and remain curious around what surfaces in your thoughts and feelings.
What do you notice around you?
What needs do you see around you?
What is hidden in plain sight?
What joys do you see around you?
Where might you see light breaking in?
Reflection questions for after your walk:
What did you notice that you’d previously overlooked?
Holy Week began this past Sunday with our Palm Sunday celebration—a time that marks Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. As we continue this sacred journey together, we invite you to join us in reflecting on Christ’s path to the cross and rejoicing in the hope of the resurrection.
Stations of the Cross – Thursday, April 17 (7–9PM) & Friday, April 18 (9AM–8PM)
Good Friday Service – April 18 at 6PM
Easter Sunday Celebration – April 20 at 9AM
After the sermon this Sunday, we’ll all gather in the gym for a time of Communion around the Eucharist table (after collecting our kids from KidsQuest). Afterwards, we’ll enjoy fellowship and community over coffee, tea, and donuts!
Please note: an allergy-friendly option (nut-, gluten-, and egg-free) will be available. If you have other dietary needs, feel free to bring along your own treat(s)!
