We are looking forward to having Christie Penner Worden join us this coming Sunday! Christie is the North American Director for RaiseUP Faith (The platform that produces the OneStory Curriculum that we use here at Elevation).
With a focus on equipping and coaching, resourcing and training, Christie is a strategic leader who is passionate about discipling children, empowering leaders and providing effective support to those who love and serve today’s kids. Christie will bring a fresh and broad perspective as she teaches from her own experience and expertise, helping us to imagine what inviting our Elevation kids into genuine faith and community could look like!
In our second week sitting with the crossing over story found in Joshua, we consider the role of endings and starts, as well as the importance of beginnings. We will look at Joshua 4 and the practice of markers in communal remembrance
Join us for the next three Sundays as we turn our attention to some ‘crossing over’ stories found in Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua.
Change management experts speak of ‘boundary events’ as those that mark our journey and help us move from one reality into a new one. As a church, we find ourselves on the cusp of a significant boundary event with the addition of a transition team to our leadership community.
This week we consider the stories of giants and grasshoppers found in Numbers 13.
We are entering the season of Epiphany this week. It’s a season of revelation, illumination, and light breaking in. It’s a season that invites us to consider the myriad ways God reveals the Divine to us, through us, and in us.
This week we’ll focus in on the story of Jesus’ baptism found in Matthew 3.
We will join together as a community for our Christmas Eve service at 22 Willow at 6pm. This will be an opportunity for us to sing together (including some special music from our youth and kids) as well as reflect on the hope of Christ through scripture and other spoken words.
Please note, there will be NO Sunday morning services on December 25 or January 1. We look forward to resuming our regular Sunday services on January 8 at 9 a.m.
This Sunday we continue our exploration of Advent Embodied as we embody hope together. We will meet in the sanctuary at 9 a.m. for a carol sing. After we have filled our hearts with the hope and anticipation of Christ’s birth, we will head to the gym to decorate sugar cookies and enjoy hot beverages. There will be gluten free cookies available that are also nut and dairy free. If you have additional dietary restrictions we invite you to bring a sweet treat from home to enjoy.
This Sunday we continue our exploration of Advent Embodied as we Embody Peace as we share a potluck breakfast together. In the video below, Sue Campbell reminds us how to potluck well. To register to participate, please click here. Please note there is no service at 9 a.m. Everyone is welcome! Please come even if you are not able to bring a dish or find yourself available at the last minute.
This Sunday we continue our exploration of Advent Embodied as we Embody Joy through service as a community. In the video below, Mel Martin invites us to participate in one of seven curated service opportunities. To register to participate, please click here. Please note there is no service at 9 a.m.
For the month of October, we’re moving our focus into the neighbourhood. In this last of three weeks, we will consider the pace of Jesus, the idea of proximity, and how we can make small shifts toward greater presence in the life of our community.
We are pausing our series on Neighbouring and Neighbour’s Groups to bring you a special Mission Sunday. Please join us to hear exciting updates of how God is working in the lives of our mission partners and their initiatives.
For the month of October, we’re moving our focus into the neighbourhood. In this second of three weeks, we will consider the spiritual practice of hospitality, building upon this possible way forward through Neighbours groups.
For the month of October, we’re moving our focus into the neighbourhood. In this first of three weeks, we will consider the story of the Good Samaritan, engage the question ‘who is my neighbour’, and lay out a possible way forward through Neighbours groups.
Here’s a Look at the Weekend: Saturday at 3pm – The Ride for Refuge (at 22 Willow) Saturday at 4:30pm – A Light Dinner as our Elevation Gathering Sunday Morning – No Service or Gathering Sunday at 1pm – Elevation Members Meeting
The cry of the people in the story of 1 Samuel 8 is for a king. “We want a king.” We’ll be spending two weeks looking at this story, reflecting on the church’s impulse to want a leader at the top to rule, to lead, and to make decisions for us.
On September 18 we will consider the story and it’s implications for the church.
Then on September 25 we will have a fishbowl conversation reflecting on this theme together.
The cry of the people in the story of 1 Samuel 8 is for a king. “We want a king.” We’ll be spending two weeks looking at this story, reflecting on the church’s impulse to want a leader at the top to rule, to lead, and to make decisions for us.
On September 18 we will consider the story and it’s implications for the church.
Then on September 25 we will have a fishbowl conversation reflecting on this theme together.
This Sunday September 11 isKidsQuestSunday at Elevation! That means our kids and teachers are taking over the service, reminding us who Jesus is by exploring what they’ve been learning this summer.
Our last long weekend of the summer is this coming Sunday. Join us on Sunday September 4 at noon for a time of reflecting on the goodness of God. If you’re feeling up for, bring something to share. We’ll set up a table for shareable food. But there’s no pressure to do that if you’d prefer to keep to your own food. As always, we ask you to bring your own chair or picnic blanket. We will not have a 9am service that morning either.
We’ll also be reflecting on this summer of learning. What has God been teaching you? What have you been reading or studying that is inspiring you? How has this series in the Psalms been good for your soul?
Our summer series on the Psalms wraps up this Sunday with Mark Dettweiler leading us through Psalm 121. We’ll also be celebrating communion together in the service.
At the outset of our Summer in Psalms series, Christin led us into Psalm 82 and a consideration of how God is like the picture we see in the Circle of Security: bigger, stronger, kinder, and wiser. This week we turn to two Psalms, Psalm 130 and Psalm 131, considering once again the Circle of Security attachment theory framework as a model for faith and community. The first Psalm paints a picture of exploration, the depths, and calling out for God, while the second Psalm paints a picture of safe hands to welcome us home.
In our Summer in Psalms series we now turn to a psalm of disorientation in Psalm 137. Containing one of the ugliest verses in scripture, this psalm offers us a raw emotional response, as well as a lingering question that resonates with us today: how shall we sing the Lord’s song in this strange place?
This week, Melodie will invite us to turn our attention to the well-known Psalm 23. As we explore what it means for us that God is our shepherd, we pray that you’ll experience an invitation to be grounded in who God is and to sit with the knowledge that God’s goodness and unfailing love pursue us always.
This Sunday we’re gathering outdoors at noon for a long weekend picnic. We’ll be celebrating communion together. Here’s what you need to know: we’re gathering at 12noon (not 9am) outside of 22 Willow out toward the back parking lot on the grass. We’ll have the side playground open for kids. Please bring your own picnic lunch and something to sit on if you have it.
In the continuation of our Summer in Psalms, Steve opens up Psalm 46 for us. These three stanzas are jam-packed with goodness for us, and they offer us a timely reminder: stop fighting and trust; be still in the awareness that God shows up in times of trouble.
This week, we study Psalm 82, a somewhat bizarre Psalm with a profound message: that our God is bigger, stronger, wiser, and kinder than any other power or principality. We can trust God with our hearts and lives.
The first weekend in July is the long weekend and we’re excited to host another picnic in the courtyard. This time we’ll be reflecting on the June series about the Holy Spirit. We know the conversations happen in the sanctuary (through teaching), in the gym (through discussion and reflection), and ongoing in various conversations. We’d love to hear what the Spirit has been speaking to you and what you’ve been reflecting on.
This week, Steve ends the “The Disruptive Spirit” series with this last message, “Disrupting a Culture of Power”. The scripture we’re drawing on come from Acts 2 and Joel 2.
We continue in our series on the Disruptive Spirit in Acts 2, this time turning our focus to the ways the Holy Spirit disrupts a culture of exclusion. If God is a wall-breaker, breaking down the barriers that get in the way of our relationship with God and with one another, are we joining Him in breaking down walls or are we building them up?
It’s Pentecost Sunday. For the month of June we’ll be looking at the holy disruption of a Holy Spirit. The Spirit comes as wind and violent storm in Acts 2, and we see a pattern of wind and storm all throughout the book of Acts. Perhaps we’re guilty of putting the Spirit in a box, or believing the Spirit is only ever like a gentle breeze. God shows up like a disrupting wind in our culture, in our communities, and in our lives.
The wilderness is a natural place of scarcity, chaos, and uncertainty. So often when we hit scarcity, chaos, and uncertainty in our lives, we find ourselves asking, “Is God even with us?” This week we will declare the truth that not only is God with us in the wilderness, but He is faithful to provide our every need during seasons of scarcity, chaos, and uncertainty.
Join us this coming Sunday for an outdoor gathering where we will reflect on our service and learning Sunday together, enjoying a picnic and communion together.
Pack your own picnic lunch and bring your own chair or blanket. Join us at noon at 22 Willow. All are welcome.
In our second week of locating ourselves in this season of change, join Steve as we turn to the story in Exodus 16 of longing for Egypt. We’ll be exploring the purgative way, recognizing that this season is both gift and grief, and asking reflective questions of what it is God is calling us to bring with us, and what it is we are being asked to let go of.
Transition can be difficult and disorienting. In this early part of our journey ahead, we’ll be taking a few weeks in the middle chapters of Exodus to locate ourselves in this season of change. Join us as we begin with an invitation to cross over with us, trusting God as our guide.
We are on the 5th Sunday of Lent. Through this journey of Lent, we’ve been sitting with the passages from the Revised Common Lectionary. We encourage you to read along, and we look forward to digging deeper into Psalm 126 as we hear from Christin Taylor this week.
On this, the fourth Sunday of Lent, guest speaker Mark Dettweiler continues our journey through the Common Lectionary with a sermon titled, “You Don’t Know My Father Very Well.”
This week, we look forward to hearing from Devon Wagler, who is newer to our Elevation community. He will be continuing our Lenten series through the Lectionary.
This week, we’ll be gathering on YouTube on Sunday at 10:00am for our service and we look forward to hearing from members of our Mission Team with updates around all things mission at Elevation. Thanks to Mel Martin for giving good leadership to this team!
This first Sunday of Lent we are dipping into Luke’s gospel to talk about the significance of the temptation of Jesus. Ron Kroeker will be leading us in this conversation. Looking forward to seeing you at 10:00am over on our YouTube channel!
Once a week or so, our collective worlds intersect at the Elevation worship service and we hear this invitation in the call to worship: “Imagine a world infused with the presence of God”. This week, Mark Dettweiler spends some time reflecting on these words.
This week, we are looking forward to worshipping together and hearing from Susan Fish as she shares from Psalm 19. Susan will be using readings from the Revised Common Lectionary.
To start off the new year, all are invited to join together for either an outdoor walk through the woods, or a ZOOM call for a time of interaction and reflection.
We will be watching the weather, as well as regional guidelines around COVID restrictions for gathering, and if our outdoor walk is not possible, we will all shift over to the ZOOM call option.
We’re looking forward to this meaningful time together – either outdoors or online!
As we move forward from ‘Anticipation’. The story is unfolding quickly now, as we move toward the arrival of the infant Jesus. The Light of the World. And in these darkest days of the year, we need that Light!
As we move from Preparation toward Anticipation on this Advent journey, may we be open and attentive to God’s movement in our lives and in the world. The scripture reading is taken from Mark 1:1-8.
A fitting preparation for Advent is to focus on the reality that Christ, as the Word, came to the world to effect a new creation in those who receive him.
As we move into Advent, we want to recognize the season of transition we are in as a community. We know that there are a variety of emotions and feelings, and we want to recognize those, but we also feel that moving forward through Advent can be a really hopeful and redemptive experience for us, especially this year. The word Advent means ‘arrival’ or ‘appearance’. It’s a gentle season, a season of slowing down and paying attention. A season of yearning. We are longing and yearning for what is to come.
The scripture reading is taken from Psalm 147: 1-5, 8-9.
When all is said and done, at the centre of the Christian faith stands Jesus. He was a profound teacher. He was a miracle worker. He was compassionate, insightful, and wise beyond his years. But Jesus is not just someone from the past for us to reflect on. The four accounts of his life that open the New Testament were written so that we can know him more today!
As we head into the Summer of 2021, our Pastoral Team is making plans to help our Elevation community balance the limitations of pandemic life with some creative opportunities to start connecting in person. Take a look at the schedule below and mark your calendars!
Everything here is subject to change based on local guidelines and provincial restrictions, and more details will be provided in our regular weekly email updates.
July 4 – Long Weekend (no online service—connect with your Neighbours! group, either virtually or in-person)
July 11 – Elevation Livestream and Neighbours! groups
July 18 – Elevation Livestream (plus outdoor Communion at 22 Willow @ 11:30) – No Neighbours! groups
July 25 – Elevation Livestream and Neighbours! groups
August 1 – Long Weekend (no online service or Neighbours! groups —distanced in-person bring-your-own-picnic at 22 Willow 11:30-1:00)
August 8 – Elevation Livestream and Neighbours! groups
August 15 – Elevation Livestream (plus outdoor Communion at 22 Willow @ 11:30) – No Neighbours! groups
August 22 – Elevation Livestream and Neighbours! groups
August 29 – Elevation Livestream and Neighbours! groups
September 5 – Long Weekend (no online service or Neighbours! groups —distanced in-person bring-your-own-picnic at 22 Willow 11:30-1:00)
Our tentative plan is to offer in-person worship alongside our Livestream starting on Sunday, September 12. More details to come!
It is absolutely incumbent on every follower of Christ to know the stories of injustice and pain that their closest neighbors continue to endure. And beyond just Christians, there is a responsibility for every person to know the story of the land they are privileged to call home.
At the end of 2011, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada submitted a report on the history, purpose, operation, and supervision of the residential school system, the effect and consequences of the system, and its ongoing legacy. The publication of this report can be found here.
In 2015 the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released a call to action to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation. The publication of these 94 calls to action can be found here. Although all of these calls to action are incredibly important, some of the most applicable for our context are in the section titled “Church apologies and Reconciliation” (58-61).
A website has been formed to monitor the progress of the journey towards reconciliation, based on these 94 calls to action. You can follow along in this journey here.
There has been a National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada. You can find the Executive Summary of the Final Report of this Inquiry here.
The University of Alberta offers a free course on Indigenous History in Canada. This course has 12 lessons and can be completed at your own pace. You can find more information and register for this course here.
The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada has created a guide to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in a format that is written especially for children. You can access this guide here.
Without wanting to rush this final stretch of summer, many of us have started to take the occasional glance at September, trying to imagine what life will look like, whether with respect to school, the workplace, or other commitments. Elevation’s Pastoral Team has been doing a bit more than glancing at the fall as we’ve been actively making plans to set our community up for success as we head into this pivotal season together!
Yes, we know, most of us are beyond tired of the change and uncertainty that has been looming over our world for the past seventeen months. But as author Richard Rohr reminds us, Our uncertainty is the doorway into mystery, the doorway into surrender, the path to God that Jesus called ‘faith.’ We like the sound of walking forward in faith, trusting that God is walking right there with us.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at some changes that are on the horizon for Elevation…
The Times They Are a Changin’
Pastoral Team
Around this time last year, Melodie Sherk (now Reinders!) joined our team to provide leadership to our Emerging Generations and has done a fantastic job helping us navigate these pandemic waters while continuing to engage our children and youth in meaningful ways. What you may not know is that Melodie took a year off of her graduate studies to work with us on a full-time basis, and one of the changes we have coming is that she will be reducing her role to half-time in September so she can continue to pursue her education goals. Melodie will continue to provide leadership for Elevation’s youth, but we are beginning a search for someone to join our team to provide leadership for Children and Family Ministries.
Shortly after Melodie joined us, we invited Connor Jay into the fold on a half-time basis to oversee Digital Community, which included overseeing key elements such as our livestream, website, social media, and communication strategy. Connor and his fiancee, Eryn, will be tying the knot in October and will be putting down roots in Hamilton, which means that he will no longer be in this role at Elevation as of the end of September. We will certainly miss Connor as part of our team, but are praying God’s best as he enters a new season of life this fall!
Our Staff Partnership Committee is working to help us find new additions in each of these capacities and will be getting a hiring process underway in the very near future. Please stay tuned for more information.
Sunday Mornings
A few weeks ago, members of our Steering Committee and Pastoral Team were invited to meet with representatives from Trillium Lutheran Church to discuss their plans for fall programming. In the past, we would have been part of the decision-making process whenever our ministry would be affected, however, in this case, we were informed that Trillium had already made some key decisions that they wanted to let us know about so we could alter our plans accordingly.
Trillium’s plans include moving their morning service to 10:30 and they have allocated 9:00 as the time available for Elevation’s in-person service as of September. We realize that this time change will be welcome news for some and challenging news for others, but rest assured, we are committed to making the most of our new situation in the short run while also considering the impact of these changes on the longer term.
Regardless of the time we gather, the really big news is that we are moving forward to providing an opportunity for in-person worship for the first time since March 2020—starting on September 12!
The last time we surveyed the community about gathering in person for corporate worship, the primary outstanding factors impacting a decision were high vaccination rates and low case numbers in our region. If we’ve learned anything about this pandemic, it’s that things can always change, but based on what’s happening in our region right now, we feel confident and excited about providing an opportunity for those who are ready and able to once again gather at 22 Willow on Sunday mornings.
What to Expect When You’re Expecting
As we’ve been thinking about our desire to move forward to in-person worship, one of the decisions we’ve made is that we will be making our plans in short bursts over the course of the next few months, approaching this as a season of discernment as we continue to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Today, we want to share our plans for September with you, then we will send an update in mid-September to talk about what October will look like, and so on. This will allow us to remain agile as the world around us continues to change in unexpected ways, providing us with an opportunity to both learn from our week-to-week experiences and listen to your feedback along the way.
Over the past few weeks, our Pastoral Team has been connecting with other church leaders around North America to see what the experience of offering in-person worship has been like for those who are a bit further down the road. We’ve been hearing a wide range of stories, but one thing that has stood out to us is the reality that everyone will resume gathering in person at their own pace—and that’s okay!
This unusual season has taught us that engagement in virtual services looks different than in-person services. Early on, we made the decision to make it a priority to create our services in a way that prioritized a more intimate and personal connection. Once the majority of us are back in person, we expect this personal connection will be filled in other ways and will become less important in the virtual services, but for now, we want to find a way to continue to create a space for meaningful virtual connection while also opening the doors for in-person worship.
With this in mind, September will feature two unique opportunities to gather: online and in-person. We will not be broadcasting the in-person service, but will be creating our online services in much the same way as we are now—with some creative tweaks! Those who continue to engage from home will have a similar experience to what has been offered over the past 17 months with a virtual service at 10:00.
At the same time, we will also provide an opportunity for people to gather in person on Sunday mornings at 9:00. We’d like to share a high-level overview of what we’re planning for September, with a more detailed version coming out after Labour Day so that everyone can make an informed decision. Here’s what you can expect:
All congregants (vaccinated or unvaccinated) will be asked to self-screen and will be reminded to clean their hands on entry/exit
Masks must be worn while indoors in keeping with the regional by-law
Every second and third pew will be roped/taped off and members of separate households will be instructed to leave six feet of space on the pews; we expect a maximum capacity of 85
Registration will be required and a record will be kept for two weeks
Members of the worship team will be properly distanced on the stage
There will be live musical worship but, in following current regional public health recommendations, congregational singing will not be encouraged
There will not be an opportunity to linger in the Sanctuary after the service, but conversations can take place outdoors with proper distancing in place
In addition, before the sermon begins, parents will have the option of having children remain with them for the sermon, or sending them to the Gym where there will be group programming for all children JK-Gr.5 in a safe environment (eg. distancing and masks will be required). The material for this time together will be similar to what has been included in the KidsQuest preservices online and will parallel the online KidsQuest experience each week. There will not be supervision for toddlers or infants at this time, but there will be space designated for parent supervision.
Depending on how guidelines for indoor gatherings change over time, we realize that we may reach capacity in the Sanctuary, which will require us to think about adding an additional service. We do not have any plans in place at this time, but are beginning to discuss what options might be available as we look to expand our capacity over time. We are still working out the details, but we do plan to continue offering opportunities to connect virtually in smaller groups for discussion (eg. Neighbours! groups) and more info on this will follow in September. Finally, if you would be willing to be part of a team that will help implement health and safety protocols on Sunday mornings, please reach out to a member of our Pastoral Team.
Talk to Us
As we walk into this pivotal season together, Elevation’s Pastoral Team and Steering Committee remain committed to listening to your comments and concerns. The plans we’ve made are based on past feedback received as well as what we see happening in our region today. We realize that you may need more information before you commit to how you will be engaging in the fall, but it’s important for us to gauge the level of in-person participation we should expect in September, so please take a moment to participate in this short survey as we make our final preparations:
Finally, as we stand here together at the water’s edge, may we have the faith of those who “passed through the Red Sea as on dry land,” and may the One who made a way then, make a way for us now!
During this short series in the month of June, we’re looking at How to Read the Bible. Author Pete Enns uses three words to describe the way the Bible ‘works’: that it is ancient, ambiguous and diverse.
Throughout the series, we’ll be updating this page with suggested readings and other resources to help you as you dive into this topic personally, and discuss with your neighbours’ group.
We recognize that there are many valuable resources available on the topic of Anti-Racism, and this list is far from comprehensive! However, for those who are looking for a place to dig deeper into this topic, some of the resources we would recommend are listed below.
As an Elevation community, we are continuing to explore this topic at a more systemic level as well, and we look forward to inviting our community to engage in that process over the next months.
Racial Justice Course:
We are excited about an opportunity our community has to take part in a course this spring called Racial Justice and Equity Practices for Faith & Spirituality-based Institutions: An Introductory Course for Community Members. This course will introduce members of our Elevation community to racial justice teachings and principles. You can find out more and register here.
“This eye-opening book challenges you to do the essential work of unpacking your biases, and helps white people take action and dismantle the privilege within themselves so that you can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on people of color, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.”
