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Happy St. Patty's Weekend

2012-03-16T14:17:00.002-08:00

Yes, for all those of you who are of Irish decent, or for all of us wannabees, this Saturday is St. Patrick's Day...so get out and have your green beer and dance to an Irish jig. Perhaps we should try this out on Sunday as a form of worship:---)...anyone want to lead us.

This Sunday we'll be meeting @ 10:30am at Beth's place at 4301A - 70st NW in Bowness. We'll be sharing God stories from the week, praying for one another, and continuing on in our Engage series. This week's subject is called Know Nothing.

There was a cool story that happened right after we prayed for some Bownessian youth last Sunday...but I won't steal Emily's thunder...so we'll keep you curious till Sunday, where you'll just have to come and hear for yourself.

Bring some food to share and hang out after if you like. If you would also rsvp us by phone, text, or e-mail if you are coming that would be great.

Well that's all for now,

Tim and Esther

Serving In The Hood

2012-03-09T10:34:00.003-09:00

Would love to hear the responses and take aways for those of you who were able to make it to Simply Jesus this last weekend. Will spend a little time doing that this Sunday.

We as a family really connected naturally with Carl and loved the way he presented who Jesus is, and how Jesus is at work all around us drawing people to Himself. We are not here to peddle the religion of Christianity, but to be and speak of the Good News of Jesus. The truth of the matter is that we don't have to try and convince or convert anyone. That's God's business! We simply need to be prepared to tell our story of what Jesus means to us, and what He has done in our lives. It helps to know the parables Jesus told and weave them into our conversations as stories that illustrate what Jesus and His Kingdom are all about. So here's a challenge to read through the Gospels and become so familiar with the parables that you can re-tell them in your own words to someone else!

This Sunday we will be meeting at our place at 10:30am and beginning the Engage series done by Carl and Jay, a Vineyard pastor in Denver, when they spent 9 weeks in a trendy bar in Denver doing Q & A about Jesus. This is a tool that will help us connect to what Jesus is already doing in the lives of those we live around, work with, recreate with, or go to school with. It is also a tool for helping us learn how to converse about Jesus with those who are turned off to Christianity, but open to Jesus.

We also want to talk about how we can serve in our neighborhoods together. Something is percolating with youth in Bowness bubbling up out of the Boys and Girls Club. Stephanie now works there, and Emily has been blessed to start something. Not sure exactly what God is up to, but we want to partner with Him.

Bring some food to share and hang out after if you'd like.

Mike's hockey team the Sabres are in the playoffs this weekend. If you want to see a different side of Esther you should see how fanatical and competitive she gets when cheering for her son's hockey team:---)...so shoot up some prayers for the eardrums of our fellow fans. I think I've gone partially deaf from sitting beside her at some of these games. On a more serious note, we would appreciate your prayers as we continue to build friendships with our 'hockey community' and very shortly 'soccer community'. Over the years we have built a trust with some of these folk who live in Bowness, and we know that God is at work. We simply want to care for them, and see community form around them where they experience Jesus for themselves.

Peace on you all,

Tim and Esther

Celebrating Family Weekend

2012-02-17T10:44:00.002-09:00

Hello All,

This weekend is family day weekend. It looks like the weather will be fine, so get out and do something active as a family. Go skating, skiing, take a walk, play shinny on a pond or even try snowshoeing! If you have grandparents around, spend sometime enjoying their company. So there's the pep talk for the day.

On Sunday we will be meeting here at the Schultzes for house church. If you are coming please let us know in advance for our planning. You are welcome to hang out over lunch, but if you plan to do so bring a main dish and drink to share with everyone.

Next Sunday we'll be meeting at Beth's place. We'll put out an e-mail with her address next week.

The following weekend is the Simply Jesus conference on March 2nd and 3rd. This is a great event to bring your family as we'll have something for the kids. As well, we encourage you to invite a friend or family member who is a seeker. Our main speaker Carl presents Jesus in such a natural and attractive way that anyone who is open to discovering what Jesus is really like will feel comfortable. So this event is a chance to continue the dialogue that you may have been having with some friends, family, neighbours, or co-workers about your relationship with Jesus. Carl is funny, down to earth, and has some really amazing stories of finding Jesus in the most unlikely places. It will be like having a chat with a friend over coffee. He really addresses the notions and tainted perspectives that folks have about Jesus based on their negative experiences with overly zealous condescending Christians or the fear based approach to Christianity and church. You can still register at www.themosaicnetwork.net

Have a great weekend,

Tim and Esther

Milestones in Our Lives

2012-01-26T14:10:00.002-09:00

Today is the 49th birthday of my gorgeous wife and soul mate, Esther Yvonne Schultz! She surely doesn't look or seem that old to me. Like a good wine, she has aged well. Choosing her to be my wife was one off the smartest decisions I've ever made. Hard to believe that in one more year I will be able to say that I'm married to a 50 year old woman. Though Esther isn't much for a lot of hooplah or drawing attention to herself, I want her to feel special. She is throwing a party Friday and all you lady folk have received an invite. There will be some ladies from the community at the party as well. If you can't make it, no worries. Feel free to phone her or come on Sunday as we'll celebrate her life with some prayer and cake. If any of you feel inspired and want to make a cake let me know. If I don't hear from anyone on making a cake, I'll buy one.

To top it all off this year we will be celebrating 25 years of being married. Wow, it sounds like we are so ancient...though we don't feel that way. To think that if kids had arrived a year after getting married, we could be grandparents by now. We truly do not take this milestone for granted as we know that some of you have suffered the heartache of divorce and gone through some painful relational stuff! It really has been the grace of God.

Here are the gathering opportunities for the next few weeks:

This Sunday we will gather at 10:30am at our place-if you are coming and want to hang out over lunch bring a main dish to share with all. For those of you that were there last week, remember the one or two things that you wanted to practice this week in answering the question: How can I make a difference in learning to live from the heart? We shared these things with each other so we could be accountable for following through. Boy have my kids been keeping me accountable for what I voiced. Talk about mutual accountability that you can't hide from:--)
Next Saturday there will be a Worship Circle at Mac and Jo's place starting @ 6pm. Bring a main dish and desert or salad to share as we eat together as part of our time. Their address is 2163 Country Hills Circle NW
Sunday is the Super Bowl: For any of the men or ladies that like football you are welcome...bring some wings, or munchies and your favourite beer!
Monday, Jan. 30th is the last day to get the early bird deal for the Simply Jesus conference on March 2-3. So go to www.themosaicnetwork.net to register and pay online. Keep praying for this event as it will be a wonderful opportunity to be encouraged and equipped.

Love,

Tim and Esther

Gathering In Bowness

2012-01-19T14:40:00.003-09:00

Hope you are all surviving this cold snap of the last week! Wouldn't it be nice if we could all jump on a plane together and head off to Cuba for the week. Hey, not a bad idea if one of us wins the lotto in the next week or so.

Congratulations to Stephanie on her new job posting right here in the hood at the Boys and Girls Club! We know that Jesus has some cool stuff in store for you as you connect with kids and their families here in Bowness. Hope you and your mom can join us this Sunday.

This Sunday we will gather at Beth's cozy home right here in Bowness at 10:30am. The address is 4301A - 70st NW. Phone # is 403-237-8477. We look forward to worshiping Jesus, sharing the highs and lows of our last week, digging in to the Bible, and praying for one another. If you are coming and want to stay for lunch please bring a main dish and salad or desert to share with all.

A reminder to get your registration in for the Simply Jesus Missional Training Event by Jan. 30th if you want to get in on the early bird deal. Momentum is growing for this, and you will not want to miss hearing Carl and all the cool stories of how he has seen Jesus at work in the Middle East, and in America in mosques, bars, and with folks we would have considered our enemies...stories of the Good Samaritan in our day! You will be deeply encouraged, and the Holy Spirit will stir faith in you. Some of his stories make you laugh, and some will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up!

The cool thing is that what Carl shares is not just for the 'jedi type' evangelists but a way of talking about Jesus that is real, natural, and attainable for all. The main sessions are family friendly for kids ages 5 and up. We'll also have some of our local friends share how they are living a missional 24/7 lifestyle with the poor, oppressed girls off the streets, youth, through the arts, in their neighbourhoods and work places, and are seeing Jesus communities form around tribes on the margins of our culture. There will be forms of worship that are Celtic, Vineyard, and even some Next Gen. stuff. We will pray for the sick and see how God might show up!

So go to www.themosaicnetwork.net and sign up this weekend! Get the word out to your friends as well!

Love you all,

Tim and Esther

A Happy New Year to You All

2012-01-06T11:50:00.002-09:00

A Blessed, Joyful, Healthy, and Peaceful 2012 to you all,

It's been so nice to unwind, get together with family and friends, play games, eat great food especially chocolate, and celebrate the coming of Jesus.

We will be gathering at 10:30 am this Sunday at our place for the first gathering of the New Year. We want to reflect back and give thanks to the Father for all that He has done for us in 2011. We will do this through a prayer exercise called the Examen in which we share our Consolations (Highlights) and Desolations (Low-lights) of the past year. We then want to pray for one another in pressing into God for some things on our hearts for 2012.

If you haven't registered for the "Simply Jesus-Missional Training Event our Mosaic Network is hosting on March 2-3rd, do so before Jan.3o to take advantage of the early bird registration of $49...there is a family rate as well. The 3 main sessions are family friendly. Duane and Laura will have a team of folks from YWAM mentoring kids 5 and up as they create an artistic master piece right in the sessions. We highly value the family worshiping together and 'family on mission together'. We want to see youth and kids soaking in God's presence and becoming a part of sharing Jesus in natural and supernatural ways. To register go to www.themosaicnetwork.net and click on the Events tab!

The motivational speaker we are bringing in is Carl Medearis. He's a man who walks the talk, who is down to earth, and will inspire you to become involved in what Jesus is doing here and around the world. So invite your friends as well and help us get the word out!

There will be break-out sessions on how to live out justice, reaching youth, arts and beauty as a way to communicate the Good News of the Kingdom, starting missional communities where people belong before they believe, becoming ' healed up and whole' apprentices of Jesus through authentic community, and such. We want to hear stories of how people are coming into the Kingdom, share some tools that may help us in sharing Jesus with are friends, neighbors, and family, and leave with a couple practical actions steps to live out.

Love,

Tim and Esther

Rhythms For December

2011-12-02T11:29:00.002-09:00

Seasons Greetings to You All,

Yes, it is almost Christmas folks! Time to get the Christmas decorations and tree up. If you're like us, that tradition usually happens later rather than sooner with all the other stuff like hockey, school programs, homework, work, and other Christmas events going on filling our schedules. We're really looking forward to the break and chilling out over the break. With that in mind, we don't want to fill our calendars up with to many other meetings, yet we'd love to catch up with some of you and celebrate Jesus and have some fun!

We thought we would propose two intentional gatherings:

This Sunday we'll meet at 10:30 am at our house for an Advent celebration of God coming as Jesus and moving into the neighborhood. I love how The Message translates John 1: 14 "The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish."
The other gathering we are proposing would be either a pre-Christmas carol sing on the Friday night Dec. 23rd or a skating/hot chocolate party at Bowness park after New Years...more info to come on this! Let us know if you are interested in either of these ways of connecting.

A reminder that if you haven't signed up for the Simply Jesus Conference on March 2nd-3rd 2012 and want to get in on the early bird deal, do so before Jan.10. If you haven't heard Carl Medearis speak, you won't want to miss this event. He has some incredible stories of how Jesus is showing up and drawing people to Himself from the Muslim world to the bars of Denver, Colorado. You will be inspired and encouraged through 'normal' people who will be sharing their stories of how the Kingdom of God is coming in their neighborhoods through friendships, hospitality, and simply loving the widow, the foreigner, and the orphan. There will also opportunity to connect to God through worship and ministry to one another.

If you get a chance, ask Doug about what is happening up in his neck of the woods. Some cool stuff going on as he simply practices the rhythms of being present and available with and for his neighbors. Through simple acts of kindness he is tripping into the Kingdom in the midst of the mess and chaos of people's lives! Or ask Beth what she has seen happening through her work with Servants Anonymous as she cares for women at risk.

Esther and I hope you all have a rich time with family and friends over this holiday season. Take some time to dial down and reflect on all the blessings we have and ask the question: "What has Jesus done for me or us lately."

Love,

Tim and Esther

Rhythms For November

2011-11-08T10:25:00.002-09:00

I leave for Asia this Thursday for two weeks...so we wanted to get the word out on our gathering times for this next month.

This weekend there will be no Close2Home gathering in Bowness. Doug will be hosting a potluck up in the S.E. with some of his neighbors and friends who are on a journey to becoming followers of Jesus. If you do want to join him for this, please let him know before hand. We don't want to inundate this gathering with to many 'Christians' that are not living in close proximity to his neighborhood. Yet, Doug's desire is to form a small team of Jesus followers from that end of town who would want to see apprentices of Jesus developed. So go for it Joel and Amy if that is how the HS is leading you. We keep praying that a community of folks who are Jesus followers and those on their way into the Kingdom would form over the next year. Great job, Doug at being faithful in practicing friendship, hospitality, and loving your neighbors and friends!

On Sunday, Nov. 20th there will be a Close2Home gathering in Bowness at our place @ 10:30am. Just let Esther know if you're coming and whether you would like to facilitate a worship time or if God puts something on your heart to share from the Book.

I would really appreciate your prayers for my trip to Asia. I leave on Thursday and return on Weds. the 23rd. I think most of you get our prayer letter which has the details of my trip in it...so I won't bore you by repeating the details in this post.

If you haven't registered for the Simply Jesus Event on March 2nd and 3rd, we would encourage you to register now before the Christmas rush. The early bird price lasts till Jan. 10 and then the price goes up. Go to www.themosaicnetwork.net site to register if you didn't get the poster.

We love you all,

Tim and Esther

Goin To Taber

2011-10-20T10:16:00.002-08:00

A belated Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, especially those we haven't seen in awhile.

Thanks, Beth for hosting us last week. Your home oozes warmth and a welcoming spirit. So cool to have Emily with us and to see her freedom to share so openly. Loved watching all the kids connect so naturally. There truly was a feeling of real, not forced, community and family. We really sense that the Holy Spirit wants to work in our kids and the next generation. In moving forward we want to create space for them to express worship in their style, and be cheer leaders for them as they explore and experiment with what church would look like for them. We are brain storming about some ideas of how to do this.

Doug, it's so cool to hear how God is connecting you to your neighbours and other like minded Jesus followers in your neck of the woods in the S. E. We pray that a community of Muslims, single parents, and seekers forms around a longing to learn how to love one another and be Jesus followers...the belonging before believing way! You should check out the Carl Medearis tool called Engage. It may be the tool that you are looking for to take the next steps with some seekers without them feeling like you are trying to convert them. Mac has order the Engage tool and will be trying it out with some from his tribe.

We had a sweet time of worship with Mac and Jo's circle a couple of weeks ago. It is so rewarding to see the kids involved in singing and your daughter's passion for Jesus. A hearty amen to your groaning 'to hear the church sing'. It really happened that night. Love hearing the kids participating in the ministry time as well. Oh that Jesus would not just be a word or a theory for them or us. Esther and I long that our boys develop a real relationship of their own with God and take risks to see Him show up in the mundane and the miraculous!

So here's our rhythm for the next few weeks for you to dive into as you can:

This weekend Esther and I will be heading down to Taber with Mac and Jo to join the Taber and beyond circle of the Mosaic that is forming with Mike and Andrea. Don and Kerstin will be coming from Three Hills as well. We'll have some Mosaic advisory team business to cover on Saturday afternoon, and then we get to have some fun...rumour has it that Mike and Andrea will be taking us to the roller derby. We'll miss not having you, Doug. For those of you that are not aware our Mosaic board is made up of Mike and Andrea from Taber, Don and Kerstin from Three Hills, Mac and Jo from Calgary, and Doug Rempel from Calgary. On the Sunday we will be diving in with the community that is forming down there. Love the green shoots of the Mosaic that are sprouting up. May the Father water and guard over them! Thus this Sunday there will be no Close2Home gathering.
Next Friday, October 28th from 10am - 3pm we are hosting a day retreat at Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre. It costs $50 for the day including lunch. If you want to join us let me know. It will be a chance to prayer, sleep, be in silence and be introduced to simple forms of prayer. We hope to do these one day retreats 6 times a year alternating between a Friday and a Saturday depending on what works for folks
On Sunday the 30th we will meet at our place @ 10:30am for a time of worship and discussing or applying the words of Jesus.
Nov. 5th is possibly another Worship Circle at Mac and Jo's. Will let Mac confirm if this is a go
A heads up that on March 2-3rd we will be having a Missional Training event with Carl Medearis called Simply Jesus...so get these dates on the calendar. In the next couple of weeks you will be able to register and get the early bird special. Go to www.themosaicnetwork.net and click on the event page to register. If you haven't heard of Carl get his book Speaking of Jesus: The Art of not-evangelism. It will be a family friendly event for kids 5 and up. Duane and Laura will be doing a work of art in the main sessions over the two days with the kids...yippee!

Well that's enough stuff for now.

Peace on you all,

Tim and Esther

2011-09-15T10:05:00.002-08:00

Wow, does the summer ever seem to go so fast. Here it is the middle of September already with the leaves starting to change colour, the sun rising later and setting earlier, and the kids back into school routines. Though many of us hate to see summer go, we are looking forward to all that the fall has in store, including for me the upcoming hunting season:) We hope all of you had a restful summer and got the opportunity to slow down and hang with your family and friends.

After a summer of spontaneous gatherings, we are ready to be get back into the rhythm of some more structured gatherings. Last weekend some of us were able to participate at the Urban Sanctuary Retreat. What a sweet time we had together exploring ancient yet simple and practical forms of praying from various streams of the church. The FCJ Centre run by a branch of the Catholic Church in the heart of Calgary was the perfect place to learn together how to create sacred space in the middle of the chaos of city life. We hope to plan some day retreats sprinkled through out the year to help us be intentional about the disciplines of silence, solitude, and slowing down. If you would be interested in this let us know.

Here are some forms of Gathering over the next 3 weeks to put on your calendars:

This Sunday we'll be gathering at our place @ 10:30am for a time of worship, reading and applying the Scriptures, storytelling, sharing our joys and struggles, and praying for one another. If you would like to hang out over lunch feel free to bring it along. Remember to bring or make enough to share with others. Eating together will give us a chance to catch up and hear about each others summer adventures.

On Sept. 25th we want to gather some of our neighbours and friends to see Africa pix, and hear some of our stories. It will be a potluck/barbie. If you would like to come please RSVP and let us know as soon as possible for our planning.

On Sat. night Oct. the 1st we are thinking of gathering @ Mac and Jo's for a time of worship and encountering God by listening to His voice and responding through prophetic words, prayer for healing and such. We want to create a context for our kids and their friends "to do the stuff" with us grey heads cheering them on and coaching a little bit as needed. More details to come on this.

Well I think that's enough details for now. Look forward to seeing some of you who we haven't seen face to face for some time.

We love you all,

Tim and Esther

SUMMER HAPPENINGS

2011-06-24T14:18:00.002-08:00

Hey Everyone,

We love this time of year with school winding down and the long aniticipated break from the more scheduled grind or routine of life. Looking forward to getting out into creation is my cathederal, and to having a little more white space on the calendar...I hope:)

Here are a very few planned events and opportunities to gather this July. We want to make sure that we don't overly crowd the schedule, but still connect.

1. This Sunday we'll gather @ our place @ 11am. We'll share a meal together and share, pray, and celebrate Jesus around the table...Shoko our Japanese friend who doesn't know Jesus is coming and bringing some food.

2. On the July long weekend, anyone who would like to join us down in the Crow for a camping and fishing trip are welcome. We will be leaving Friday and you can stay through Sunday, come for the day, or stay for just a night. Let us know if you'd like to come. My friend and our neighbour Darol is coming with his kids and bringing his small fishing boat which should be fun. We will be staying @ the Castle Campground.

3. Jon and I leave for Africa on July 9th for three weeks...coming up quickly. A big thank you to all who contributed to make this trip possible. It really has been a community effort. Infact, Mike's soccer team that I coach are chipping in to support us which is pretty exciting...people who aren't church folk wanting to be part of our Kingdom adventure!

4. The rest of July will be pretty organic and spontaneous as far as gathering goes...so go for it and initiate with some folks you haven't seen for a while.

Love,

Tim and Esther

2011-05-13T15:27:00.002-08:00

Oh how sweet it is when spring finally comes with longer days, grass going from brown to green, and being able to sit on the porch and soak in the sun.

We will be meeting this Sunday at our house at 10:30am on Sunday. Come with a song/hymn you want to sing together or one you've written, a poem you've written a story or scripture to share with the rest of the group during our worship time. Kids are welcome to participate in this as well. We want to all bring a gift of worship to Jesus!

The focus this Sunday will be "Joining the Father on His Mission To Reconcile People From All Nations into relationship with Him." Doug will share his cool God stories from His trip to the Middle East and show us a video clip of him baptizing some friends in a shower! The Tweedie family will be with us and we will hear about how the Father has been leading them after coming back from Malaysia. Then Dave Henry will lead us in a prayer time for and Indian family that he supports in India, who are planting churches.

Of course we love to eat together as well, so please bring enough food to feed your clan and share with the rest of the crew. Bring along your favourite drinks as well.

If you have any pop bottles, milk jugs or cans that you would be willing to part with, Jon and I would gladly receive them as a contribution towards our Africa trip this July. So if you remember bring them as well on Sunday.

Love,

Tim and Esther

Spring is Here, I Think?

2011-04-29T15:33:00.002-08:00

Wow what a spring so far! So far I've managed to squeeze in between the snow squalls two practices with my U-12 soccer team. When I want to start complaining about the weather, I'm reminded of the folk in the States who are getting hammered with tornadoes, the Japanese who are recovering from tsunamis and earthquakes. So in light of that a few snow storms ain't so bad!

We are meeting this Sunday evening from 5-8pm for house church at our place. It will be a "Bring Your Gift" time so bring something to share with us all...a poem you've written, a song you would like to sing or one you've composed, a painting...if I may I would to boast in Shari P. and Linda Mae Hill who are turning out to be amazing artists...would love to see some of your art! Or if like me all you can do on the artistic side of things is draw stick figures and press the play button on the stereo, feel free to come with a story, Scripture that God has been speaking to you through.

We also want to eat together so bring enough food for yourself and to share with the rest of the community. As is our custom we will share some bread/rice and juice in celebrating King Jesus in our midst.

For anyone who wants to hang out after, you can join our family tradition of watching the Amazing Race...though our boys are bummed that the Cowboys are out!

Those of you who are planning to come would you just give us a shout to let us know so we can plan accordingly.

Keep praying for Doug R. who is still in the Middle East till Sunday. He's having a great time and being treated like family or royalty. Look forward to hearing the stories when he gets back.

Jon and I are doing a bottle/can drive for our Africa trip so if you have any cans or bottles that you would be willing to part with let us know or bring them on Sunday if you're coming. Every little bit helps:)

Peace on you all,

Tim and Esther

House Warming For Doug

2011-04-15T07:55:00.002-08:00

Hey Everyone, We will be gathering this Sunday from 4-7pm at Doug Rempel's new house! The address is 2405 Pinewood Drive, S.E. It will be a potluck so bring enough food to share around. As Doug will be leaving this next Weds. on a Kingdom adventure, we want to spend some time praying for him and waiting on the Lord for any Spirit-inspired words about the trip. It really is an exciting opportunity and we get to be a part of it! We also want to bless Doug's new place and pray about how God would want to connect Doug with what He is doing in the Forest Lawn area to extend His Kingdom. The Forest Lawn area is one of those places in our city where there are alot of ethnic folk especially from Asian countries like Vietnam as well as from India, Pakistan and other parts of the world. It has also had a reputation for being a crime 'hot spot' with lots of gang and drug activity. Yet these are the kinds of places where Jesus loves to show up! So we want to pray that His Kingdom would come, and that the Holy Spirit would guide Doug in his desire to partner with the Father in His Kingdom activity in the S.E. and possibly form a simple Jesus community there with people who don't know Jesus yet. Doug has sensed a call to this area, and we're excited about what is in store for him and his family in days to come. See you on Sunday, Tim and Esther

Rest and Replenishment

2011-04-01T09:30:00.002-08:00

Hi All, We as a family are leaving today for a week in Canmore of rest and replenishment. Really looking forward to getting into nature, no meetings, less schedule, and having some fun with the fam. Being in the cathedral of creation is one of my primary ways of connecting with God and its been awhile. You can read my blog on the toxic nature of city life on the Mosaic website if you want to hear my rant and rave. Thus we will not be around for the next two weekends. If any of you would like to host or plan a gathering some type or sort over the next couple of wknds....Go for it! On the 16th or 17th it would be fun to gather at Doug Rempel's new place. Doug, let us know if these dates work for you, and why don't you plan what the time together would be like. It would be great to have the Behrang clan at this gathering and pray for your Iran trip coming up at the end of April. If you would like to support Doug on this trip which he will share more about when we gather. You can do that through Mosaic Ministries...just talk to Doug about it. Heaps of peace and joy on you all, Tim and Esther

The Power of Forgiveness

2011-03-25T08:47:00.002-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Here's a cool story of how God is able to 're-cycle' and 'redeem' even the most horrific of situations. Good friends of ours, who are missionaries and pastors from Japan to the Japanese community in Calgary, shared this story with us. Last weekend, the youth group at the Japanese church our friends have planted decided to do a fund raiser to help out the over 500,000 Japanese who have become refugees in their own land because of the earthquake and tsunami. They held the fund raiser at a Chinese supermarket, which is ironic when you realize the deep seated bitterness and hatred the Chinese have for the Japanese due to all the pain caused by the Japanese during World War II. One elderly Chinese lady, who would have lived through World War II and been deeply affected by the atrocities committed by the Japanese, placed an envelope in the donation box with 10 $100 bills in it. Wow, that sure fleshes out Jesus teaching of what it means to love your enemies!

This Saturday we again will meet at our place at 5pm. Yes, it will be a potluck so bring enough food for your fam. and to share! We know that for some the mention of a potluck means another thing to prepare for in the midst of a busy schedule...yet food and hospitality and sharing are so much a part of Kingdom culture, we want to encourage you to keep it simple and plan in advance so that its not a huge deal. Our times together are not to be so much a meeting as a family gathering. We want to be a family on mission together!

We again want to give opportunity for everyone, including our kids, the chance to 'give and receive'....so come prepared to offer up a poem you've written or a peom you like that someone else has written, a song you've composed or a song you'd like to sing together, a story, a short devotional, a painting or a Scripture. We'll go around the room and have everyone share their gift. We'll also have opportunity to prayer for one another at the end and any of our friends, neighbours who don't know Jesus yet! Woven into our time will be a chance to give a hearty toast and thank you to King Jesus!

Peace on you all,

Tim and Esther

2011-03-18T08:03:00.002-08:00

A Belated Happy St. Patrick's Day to You All,

We had a great Feast Gathering last week with various communities from Calgary and beyond. It was so fun to see our kids go on the scavenger hunt to find Jesus! One cool story from the evening is that a friend of mine was surprised with a $1000 dollar bill, in the form of a scholarship, for his daughter to go to Prairie Bible College! The way it all came about is really one of the main purposes of the Feast: people finding one another and the Holy Spirit organizing the sharing and receiving of gifts. My friend from Calgary was chatting with another friend from the community in Three Hills about how his daughter had recently mentioned that she wanted to go to Prairie to pursue her dream to work with children. During the conversation, my friend from Three Hills remembered receiving this $1000 scholarship bill as an alumni to pass on to a potential student. He just happened to have it in His Bible and was able to pass it on. Yeah, God! I love it when I hear how the Holy Spirit puts these things together.

Once again we want to gather this Saturday at 5pm at our house. We want to continue the practice of 'sharing our gifts' together. So come all, yes, even the children, and be prepared to share a song you've written or want to sing together, a peom you've written or just one you really like, a devotional that's impacted you, a short teaching, a painting, a prophetic word for the group or an individual, something to give away to another who might be in need, or simply your presence.

We will be eating together, so don't forget to bring a main dish and salad and desert for your clan and to share with others.

The Tweedies, our friends who have just moved back from Malaysia, may be joining us which will be lots of fun.

Keep praying for the people of Libya and Japan with all the upheaval and suffering the people are going through because of war, tsunamis, earthequakes, and the nuclear crisis. I've been meditating on Psalm 46 as I ask the questions: "Where is God in all of this and what is He desiring to do throught these catastrophic events?"

Love,

Tim and Esther

2011-03-10T08:10:00.002-09:00

Dear Friends,

Esther and I hope you are all doing well. It's been quite a week for some of us. Doug moving into his new home only to have a sewer backup last Saturday that is requiring some major work. For us, we've been stricken with various maladies. Joel, Mike, and myself came down with a wicked flu/cold of which I'm still recuperating, though much better than a week ago. Then yesterday Mike thought he had misquito bites, because he was itchy all over. Turns out his best friend that he had been spending alot of time with doing a school project had contracted chicken pox, and so had Mike! This is all after they had been vaccinated...go figure! We are so thankful because this morning Mike woke up and the pox weren't itching and had begun to disappear. Mike was thrilled that Jesus had answered his prayers as his hockey team is playing in the semi-finals of the playoffs tonight, and he was selected to be the captain for this game, and so Lord willing he's game to play tonight sniffles, hack, and all. Needless to say we have felt like we were living in a fog this week. With the Feast coming up on Sat., Esther working extra time due to tax season being upon us, running Jon around for pit band practices for the school play, and all the rest of the normal things of life, we've been wondering how in the world we'd make it through the week! The Scripture that has kept coming to me from II Cor. 12: 9-10 "...my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." This Kingdom journey is so upside down. We think we need to act like we are strong and have it all together to qualify to be successful. Yet in the Kingdom its the other way around. So if you feel weak overwhelmed, under resourced, like we do, be encouraged because you are a candidate for God's grace-His resources and power to do what you cannot do!

This Saturday is the Mosaic Feast Gathering from 4-8 down at JLYS. Folks will be coming from Taber, Three Hills, possibly Drumheller, and from all around Calgary. If you can make it, invite a friend. It will be family friendly and a great time of celebrating the unique pieces of the Mosaic that when put together give us a clearer picture of who Jesus is. We are looking forward to the diversity represented in the different age groups, colours of skin, and flavours of food.

It will be a potluck so please bring a main dish, a salad or desert, and some drinks to share with all. We will also be taking an offering for the Mosaic General Fund so ask the Father what you should give and come prepared to do so. Cheques can be made out to Mosaic Ministries. Don't forget to bring your Bibles as well!

Hope you all can make it and if not have a great weekend....Go Flames and Go Bow River Bruins!

Tim and Esther

2011-03-04T08:44:00.002-09:00

Hello All,

Congratulations to Doug on moving into his home in the S.E. We look forward to the kingdom adventures that the Father has in store for you there, and how He connects you to folks who are searching for Jesus, and to be a part of a Jesus community there. A hearty toast to Beth as well who just got a new job with Servants Anonymous, a really cool organization that works in the human trafficing arena. We know that helping those who are oppressed has always been part of God's call for Beth and a passion in her heart. Furthermore the oppressed, the widow, and the orphan are very close to God's heart...so way to go Beth.

This Saturday we will meet at our place at 5pm, and since we didn't meet last week, Beth will share and teach on what she has been learning on our theme: Growing Up in Jesus: How Do we Become Mature? Yes, it will be potluck again so bring enough food for your clan, and to share with others. We want to also encourage all coming to bring something to offer Jesus during our worship: a song you like or one you've written, a poem, a prayer of thanks, or Psalm to read. We want to offer up to Jesus a symphony of worship together.

Next Saturday we will be having our Feast gathering from 4:30pm to 8pm down at the JLYS building in downtown Calgary. There will be folks from various simple communities in Calgary and beyond who have been connecting to the Mosaic network. Again because food is so much a part of kingdom living, please bring a main dish, salad, desert if you like and some drinks to share. Invite your friends to join us as well as we celebrate Jesus and the beauty of His diversity expressed through us in our gifts, personalities, and so on.

Also if you have not signed up to receive regular posts from our Mosaic website please do at www.themosaicnetwork.net. This way you get sent to your e-mail regular posts from the Mosaic on upcoming events, blogs to encourage and stimulate your thinking, great teaching videos to help you grow, and so on. It is very easy to do, so even if you're not a computer wizard you can do it. Just go to the site, and you'll see where to type in your e-mail address and click the submit button...so just do it!

Love to you all,

Tim and Esther

Celebrating Jesus this Saturday

2011-02-17T08:56:00.002-09:00

Hello all,

This Saturday we'll gather at our place at 5ish pm for a potluck....so, yes bring some food to share with all. We will be having the Rose family-Mike, Andrea, and kids with us. They will be sharing with us whatever the Father has laid on their hearts...so come prepared to receive from God through the Roses, and also ask the Holy Spirit for something to encourage them with. I know they would appreciate that.

Just a heads up on some upcoming events involving our community. Next weekend Mac, Linda Hill, and myself will head down to Taber to minister to the simple church that the Roses are a part of. There will still be a gathering at our place on Sat. evening, and Beth has something she'd like to share or teach on our theme for this year of Growing Up in Jesus...should be good!

Doug is moving next weekend and could use a hand on Friday night or Sat. morning, so if you can help out let him know. His cell # is 403 -807-3679

On Saturday, March 12th we will be having another Feast Gathering in the early evening with some communities in Calgary and the surrounding area...so mark it down on your calendar....more info will be forthcoming.

See all of you who can make it on Sat.

Tim and Esther

2011-01-21T13:45:00.002-09:00

Greetings and Salutations to you all,

It's already Friday, and I can hardly believe how quickly this week has gone by.

Tomorrow which, yes is Saturday, we're back to meeting at 5pm at our place. Seeing that sharing food together is a big part of community, please bring enough food for yourselves and to share with others: a main course and side dish or desert usually works, and if you have some drinks kicking around feel free to bring some along.

Feel free to invite a friend if you'd like to our time together.

This week we would like everyone to bring a gift to share with us. It may be a story, a song you've written, a poem, something you've learned from your Bible Study or devotional time and such. It's always cool to see how the H.S. weaves it all together and speaks to us the same message in all kinds of creative ways.

A reminder that if you haven't signed up for the MOSAIC website to do so. The site is www.themosaicnetwork.net You'll get regular posts with blogs, stories, upcoming events and gatherings, resources, and such.

Have a great weekend,

Tim and Esther

Change of Meeting TIme For This Week

2011-01-14T08:50:00.002-09:00

Hey Everyone,

It sounds like for this weekend it would be better for us to gather on Sunday morning rather than Saturday night...this is one of the advantages of simple church...we can be flexible!

So let's meet Sunday morning at 10:30am. If you want to stay for lunch bring enough food to share and you're welcome to stay.

Let us know if you got this message and if you're planning to come on Sunday or not. Our theme will be "Where do I need to Grow this Year!"

Have a great weekend,

Tim and Esther

Where and How Do I Need to Grow this Year?

2011-01-12T14:33:00.003-09:00

Hope all of you have had a good week, survived the cold, and that you're back in the swing of things.

At last Saturday's gathering we took some time to wait on God, and listen for one word that would describe what this New Year has in store for us. Here are some of the words for those of you who couldn't make it:

ADVENTURE
LIGHT
HOPE
RENEWAL
REJUVENATION
ANOTHER STEP
"ON THE WING" with a picture of gliding, soaring like an eagle catching the thermals
CONVERGENCE - a coming together of what has been disconnected or disjointed
FRUITFULNESS
SURPRISES and BREAKTHROUGHS

What we'd like to do this Saturday evening is to talk about what the personal application of these words are for each one of us. These words are invitations from God, but require a response on our part. What practical ways are we to live out these words? Another way to say this would be framed around the question: Where do I need to grow this year? We'll look at a few Scriptures that talk about "How to Grow Up in Jesus and What keeps us from Growing up and How can we help each other grow in Jesus?"

We'll start again at 5pm this Saturday evening with potluck, so please bring a main dish and side dish to share with everyone.,

We'd like to encourage you all to go to the www.themosaicnetwork.net and sign up to receive e-mails with regular blogs, stories, upcoming events, and so on from the collective of communities that are part of the Mosaic. It is real easy to do. Just look for the box that asks for your e-mail address, name, and click on submit.

Love,

Tim and Esther

FEASTING AND LISTENING

2011-01-05T07:59:00.002-09:00

A Happy New Year to You All,

This Saturday evening we are planning for a deer roast dinner at our house at 5pm. We'll be supplying the deer roast, so if everyone could bring a side dish of say rice, potatoes, or soup, and a salad or desert to add to the feast that would be great. We need to know who is coming so PLEASE PHONE OR E-MAIL TO LET US KNOW, SO WE CAN PLAN HOW MANY ROASTS TO PREPARE!

After the meal, we plan to have a time of waiting on the Lord to see what He wants to say to us about the New Year and then close with a time of communion and prayer for one another.

Earlier in the afternoon we will be having the first Mosaic Ministries board meeting, and one of the board members from Three Hills, Don Maxwell and possibly his wife Shestin, will be joining us for our gathering. We would appreciate your prayers for our meeting that afternoon as we embark on this new adventure. We only want to do what the Father is doing...no more and no less. Pray for unity, creativity, and a comraderie as we learn how to work together.

Love,

Tim and Esther

Mac & Jo's New Year's Eve Gathering

2010-12-21T13:47:00.000-09:00

Hey folks!

We're gathering a few friends and families from Close2Home, The Mosaic and The Arts Farm on New Year's Eve to welcome in the New Year and we're hoping you can come!

We'll be gathering at 2000 (8:00 pm). Please bring an appetizer/snack/dessert and a beverage. There will be time to visit with friends, eat, play board games, build puzzles and just hang out. Around 1100, we'll gather everyone for a song or two, perhaps some poetry, sharing, and prayer. And after we welcome the new year in, there'll be a light meal for those that want to stay a little longer.

So there you have it! Please let us know if you can make it and I'll send you the address.

Merry Christmas!

Mac
8--|~

The Master Story Teller

2010-12-17T14:18:00.000-09:00

God. Master of all master story-tellers; his voice a feather floating gently upon the wind and then, all at once - without warning - a raging, uncontainable tempest of burning passion. Author of the greatest story ever told; his pen forever deftly skimming across the pages of time and space, filling it with lives, stories and history. God. Producer and Director of the Divine Cosmic Drama we know as 'life'.

Photo credit: Lars Hammar, Tuscon, Arizona

As I was preparing to worship God in the sharing of Bread and Wine last week, I began to write down these and a few other thoughts about God and how He has weaved His story into the very fabric of our lives and into the simplest of things and the humblest of practices; the practice of followers of Christ sharing Bread and Wine for instance. Here is some of what I wrote that day:

***

“This bread and this wine…this is God’s story. Jesus on the night that He died, said “Do this in remberance of me.” Who is Jesus, but God himself? Incarnate and clothed in humanity. So, this my friends, is God’s story (speaking of the bread and wine) - from the beginning to the end - from creation to re-creation - climaxing at the cross; complete, though we do not see it’s completion just yet.

This is The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit- Three In One - the mysterious Trinity - imagining, thinking, speaking, and working to create a world of unparalleled beauty; setting in place the lands and the seas and all that is seen and unseen.

This is the Creation of Humanity, whom God created in His own image - spirit, soul and body - flesh and blood - to be like him in every way.

This is Paradise Lost, when sin entered the world through a single act of selfishness and disobedience resulting in chaos and death. It’s Cain mudering his own brother out of selfishness and envy. It’s the broken body of Abel, his lifeblood flowing out on soil that had never known the taste of blood.

This is a Broken, Bloody World; a world in chaos. It is pain, suffering, brokeness, and the struggle for power, prestige and wealth. It is the taint and stench of sin; an insidious poison which only leads to death and eternal separation from God. It is war, homelessness, and poverty, known in every age of human history. It is the blood of the martyrs down through the ages who gave their lives in the service of God, but who’s message was rejected by a world consumed by it’s own lusts and desires.

This is The Incarnation of God clothed in flesh, born of a woman, becoming one of us; living among us, teaching us, healing us, calling us, guiding us and helping us when we were helpless to help ourselves.

This is The Death Of Christ, the God-man who of his own free will, took upon himself the punishment for every selfish thought, intention, dream, act and deed that ever was, is and shall be - by every person that ever lived, lives and shall live. It is Jesus, God in human form, freeing us from the power of sin and death, who’s body was broken on a cross and who’s blood was poured out on the rocks of the hill known as Golgotha, for our salvation.

This The Resurrection of Christ, who’s mangled body was placed in a tomb with the full expectation that it would remain there until time turned it’s essence to dust. It is the mystery of Jesus Himself, descending into the place of the dead, preaching liberty and freedom to the captives. It is Jesus awakening from his mortal slumber, breaking free from the clutches of cold Death and rising from the dead, immortal, yet in bodily form; conquering sin and death once and for all, that all who believe in Him will live in freedom and know eternal life. This is Jesus, who met with his disciples, showing Himself to them; sharing meals with them, talking with them, teaching them, allowing them to see and feel His wounds; putting to rest their doubts and fears and settling in their hearts and minds once and for all that He is truly alive!

This is The Ascension of Jesus, who, as He was blessing his disciples was taken up into Heaven and who now sits at the right-hand of the Father, interceding for us.

This is the Coming of The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who is equally God and who, as our friend, helper, teacher, guide and comforter walks with us as Jesus did with His disciples during His time on earth. This is the Holy Spirit who reveals Christ to us, leads us to salvation, abides in us, performs the work of sanctification and who is faithful to empower us to live as followers of Christ upon the earth until we are all brought to the perfection of Christ on the day of Christ’s return.

This is The Church, the body of Christ, who has gathered in many forms throughout the millenia, sometimes in homes and sometimes in Cathedrals, to worship, pray, learn, fellowship, give, help and become the incarnation of Christ in every culture, language, and generation. This is the Church gathering here and now, to break the Bread and share the Wine of Life.

This is the Kingdom Come, the redemptive work of God in the world throughout time, as the Holy Spirit continues to change the hearts and lives of people everywhere and in every age. It is the will of God being done on earth as it is in heaven.

This is the Completion of God’s Work. Though it is complete in the finished work of Jesus Christ, we who live in linear time still do not see it’s completion and will not until the day that Christ comes again to establish His physical Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. Until then, God’s work continues and His people, in anticipation of the Coming say, along with the Holy Spirit, “Come Lord Jesus.”

This is the Great Celebration, where the the people of God from the beginning of time itself, will gather in the presence of God to celebrate the completion of God’s work. It is the great promised Rest for those who will not give up, but who with the help of the Holy Spirit, will perservere to the end and enter into Eternal Life where we will be with God, and enjoy Him forever."

***

Pax vobiscum.

Mac

Photo credit: Lars Hammar, Tuscon, Arizona.http://www.flickr.com/people/7603557@N08/

2010-12-17T13:15:00.002-09:00

An Early Merry Christmas to You All,

For church this weekend, we're planning to head downtown on Sat.(tomorrow) at 1pm from our place to give away coats, socks, gloves, sweaters and such to our street friends. We want to put into practice Proverbs 19:17 which says, "He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done." and I John 3:17 "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need, but has no pity on him how can the love of God be in him. Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

So if you can make it bring any of the above items and meet at our house at 1pm.

Next weekend is Christmas and with all the family shindigs going on we will not be gathering.

On New Year's Eve, we're planning a party at Mac and Joanne's place. If you're interested in coming let us know. I will post their address and further details in the next couple of weeks.

Peace and rest on you all,

Tim and Esther

Just a little note

2010-12-14T13:04:00.005-09:00

Hi dear all of you.

Just a little note from the 5 of us. 11 more days until Christmas. Oh my are the days flying by. We just wanted to write you that we are so thankful that you are all part of our lives. We so enjoy each one of you and are looking forward on spending more time with you all. What a journey we are on. Thanks everyone for wanting to get to know us. For loving our kids and loving us.

We pray God will be close to each one of you when we enter in this new year! That he will surprise you and encourage you. Don't give up on Him.

Stay close to Him and have a sweet Christmas with all the ones you love!

Shalom, Scott, Pauline, Reuben, Rachel and Naomi Kolochuk

2010-12-09T09:07:00.002-09:00

Hello Everyone from the Schultz Clan,

We had a sweet time last Saturday evening at our house. What I really enjoyed and what brought a smile to my face was watching how 'interactive' and 'participatory' our gathering was- "everyone got to play", and it was totally intergenerational...two values that Esther and I so believe in. It was so cool to watch the kids dive in on the 'Lectio Divina'- an ancient way of reading the Bible and letting the Scriptures speak to us right where we're at. What an amazing thing when 6 active boys are actually attentive and engaged in worship and the Scriptures. Thanks, Mac for taking the complicated and making it simple! Oh yeah, the food was awesome capped off with celebrating Jesus around the table with communion. We ended the evening with our families gathered around the globe and praying for some nations and current events. I love it when I see kids praying out loud with really insightful stuff.

This week we will again be gathering on Saturday evening at 5pm at the Schultz abode. We are experimenting with Saturday evenings to give folks Sunday off or to facilitate anyone who wants to go to a larger Sunday gathering.

We start with a potluck so bring your favourite main dishes and a salad or desert. A few drinks would also be helpful. Beth will be sharing a Christmas poem or two that she's written. Mac will facilitate us in a time of worship, and Esther creatively teaching us about community from Phil. 2. Mike has offered to lead us in our time of prayer for friends or folks we are relating who have not entered the Kingdom yet as well as praying for a country together.

Next week we would like to do something missional together. The idea we had was to gather some of our 'extra' jackets, sweaters, sleeping bages, or socks and on Sat. or Sunday down to the bottle depot on 10th and give these items away to the street folk who need them. If someone would like to make some hot chocolate or if we'd like to take sandwhiches down that would be cool to. We'll talk about it this Sat. and come up with a game plan.

Doug, will be invloved in the Christmas Concert and Play going on at 1st Alliance this weekend. So if he comes to mind pray for him. Have a great weekend, Doug and we'll be cheering you on. I know you've invited some work friends to come, so we'll be praying for their spiritual eyes and ears to be opened to the Father's invitation for them to return home to Him. Let us know what happens.

A new thing on the horizon for us is that we are formally getting Mosaic Ministries licenced with the gov't. Mosaic Ministries will be an umbrella for Esther and I as missionaries and as coaches/catalysts to other simple churches, as well as a home for other simple churches like Close2Home to link into if they want. The board of Global Hope Society has decided that the mandate of Gobal Hope Society is done, and all have agreed to shut it down. Thus for all of you who are financially supporting us, cheques in the New Year will be made out to Mosaic Ministries not GHS. We are forming a board for Mosaic which will include Doug R. and Mac from our community, and a couple others from other simple churches we have relationship with. So without further adieu, and so I don't put you to sleep, I'll stop with that. Keep praying for us as we take the next 'faith steps' forward and for financial provision for us as a family. The Rocky Mountain College teaching opportunity for this winter did not pan out, so we're trusting the Father to provide in other ways. If you have any questions let us know.

We love you all and remember to keep initiating with each other outside the context of our regluar gatherings.

Tim and Esther

2010-12-02T14:21:00.002-09:00

Hey All,

You're all welcome to come to our home for a potluck at 5pm this Saturday. Bring a main dish and salad or desert. We want to celebrate and welcome Jesus through a time of communion and sharing any stories of how you see Jesus at work in your spheres of influence. We will then have a time of participatory worship and discussion from the book of James flowing into a time of prayer or application.

A quick reminder that if you are interested in going to Christmas program that Doug Rempel is a part of at 1st Alliance let him know this Sunday. Last time I checked the tickets were almost sold out.

See all of you who can make it on Saturday.

Tim and Esther

2010-11-26T06:43:00.002-09:00

Hi All,

Welcome home Pauline and kids from you visiting your family in Holland! Sounds from talking to Scott that you had a great time.

Well if your November has been anything like ours, then you've also been experiencing the juggle of work, kids with homework and all their activities, things ramping for the holiday season with all the parties and events that go with this season. Then for some of us guys its been hunting season and trying to squeeze in a few days getting into the great outdoors!

It seems like its been a few weeks since we've been able to find a time when we could all be together as a community. Yet what Esther and I are learning and trying to live is that its not so important when you meet or how you meet, but that we gather in all kinds of different ways to encourage one another in our walk with Jesus as well as to build significant relationship with those who are not yet in the Kingdom. This has been happening through the women's group on Thursday nights, hunting excursions, connecting with parents through our kids school activities, going out for coffee with a friend and sharing the 'deeper' stuff, and so on. The main and the plain as it comes to when or how we gather is summed up in Hebrews 10:24-25 which says "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

So this weekend is another full one for us. On Sunday we have hockey stuff all day and I hope to get out hunting with Paul as the season is quickly coming to an end. We know many of you also have a busy weekend so we thought we would gather with anyone who can on Sat. night from say 4-7 pm. If anyone can make it, please let us know by tomorrow morning. We would have a potluck meal together and then an opportunity for people to share and pray for one another. If no one can make it no worries just let us know one way or another.

Have a great weekend and keep your eyes open through all the activities for Jesus and how he is at work in the most unlikely places and even in the hearts of the most unlikely people.

We want to encourage you all to keep putting your stories about how you are seeing Jesus at work, your devotional ideas, faith questions you have, a poem-come on Beth, pictures or such on this blog site.

We'd also appreciate your prayers for our Matrix to sell this weekend.

Love,

Tim and Esther

2010-11-12T07:44:00.002-09:00

Hey One and All,

A quick note to let everyone know that we'll be meeting this weekend at the Pointen's farm at 10:30am on Sunday for house church. Come ready to share around the question: Where do you see Jesus at work in your family, work place, neighbourhood or elsewhere? Where would Jesus being showing up? We may watch a podcast by a guy named Carl Madearis.

We also want to begin to process the questions that I posed in the last blog. Though I can't remember the wording exactly the gist of the questions were: Where are you at with how we have been 'being' and 'doing' church? What do you like about what we have been doing and what would you change? What is God speaking to you personally and for the group?

Pauline and and two of the kids are in Holland for a few weeks. Have a great time Pauline and eat some good Dutch licorice for me!

Love,

Tim and Esther

2010-11-05T12:56:00.004-08:00

Hey Everyone,

I'm back from my sojourn in Asia and will be sharing a little bit about the trip this Sunday. Thank you all for praying and supporting me on this trip. I really do feel like our 'small' community is like a mash unit that is being used to draw people to Jesus here and all around the world. It starts by being 'a few faithful forgiving friends' who link arms and travel together in seeing a bit of the dream of His Kingdom coming here on earth. We want to share these missional stories this Sunday. I will share about our friends and extended family in Asia and we'd like to hear the stories of How Jesus is showing up here in Calgary. Then we want to pray for our friends and family who are not yet in the Kingdom, but are close.

For next week, we want everyone to start pondering a couple key questions concerning how we move forward as a community: Where is everyone at with how we've been doing church? What do you like about what we're doing and what would you like to see changed? Are we committed to traveling the next leg of the journey together and what does that look like?

So see all of you who can make it on Sunday. Paul and Shari would it be possible to meet at the farm next week?

Love,

Tim and Esther

BRING YOUR GIFT

2010-10-15T09:00:00.003-08:00

As I'm writing this blog, I can see large snowflakes coming down quietly yet incessantly, reminding me that winter is just around the corner! Anyone up for a trip to the tropics? Well in a matter of days, I will be off to the lands of 30 + C. and 90% humidity. The main objective of my trip is not to flee winter, although I do love hot weather, but to follow through on our commitment to keep going back to the same places (fishing holes), and serving people that are dear friends and who have become lifers - those that God connects you with, and who you have the privilege of walking with through valleys and mountain top experiences on the journey this side of heaven. So I will visit Trang, our spiritual daughter and friend to many of you in our community and Andrew and Michelle Ong -Vineyard pastors in Singapore to celebrate the 10 anniversary of their church.

If you've been around me long enough you'll have heard me use the phrase "a few faithful, forgiving friends". In a succint the verse John 15:13 "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." sums up what church is to be like. This kind of friendship is such a rare treasurer, but when you find it, one feels so rich. What Esther and I have found is that there are two ways to find these kinds of friends: Through the passage of time and weathering conflict or crisis together. This last weekend we tasted of it as we had the privilege of being with Paul and Shari - who we've known for a gazillion years and who have walked with us through many ups and downs - as well as Linda Hill our dear friend, as the family had a spreading of Steve's ashes on Moose Mountain. Being there was such an honour. So the long and skinny of it, is that we want to encourage all of you to find your band of faithful and forgiving friends and don't settle for 'church light'. This kind of friendship costs something but is worth more than gold.

This Sunday we will meet at the Schultz abode at 10:30am. Since most were out of town last week, we canceled house church. Thus we will have a bring your gift Sunday - INCLUDING THE CHILDREN! Bring a song you've written or is on your heart to sing, a poem, some food, a story, a Scripture, a painting, or whatever else to share with the group and let's see what the Holy Spirit says to us through each other.

I would also appreciate being prayed for as I leave on Tuesday for Asia. Still praying in some more bucks for the trip so would appreciate prayer on that and if you'd like to contribute let me know on Sunday.

Esther and I are so blessed to watch the friendships that are growing in our community and how people are laying down their lives for one another in small yet significant ways like baby sitting, prayer and counsel, sharing and giving to one another in practical ways such as help in moving or finances. Keep it up and let's invite others into the circle!

Love,

Tim and Esther

Blessed to be a Blessing

2010-10-08T08:29:00.002-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to You All,

Welcome back Paul and Shari from your family getaway down to Disneyland. Sounds like it was just the tonic that you guys needed. Though we didn't have 30+C weather here at home, it sure has been a much desired Indian summer.

This Sunday all those of you who are in town are welcome to our place at 10:30am. Please come prepared to share a gift--a song, poem, Bible verse that is meanful to you, something you have created, a food item to share, a God story, etc. We call it "Bring Your Gift Sunday". Of course, your presence is also a gift. Also, we want to spend some time sharing how God has blessed us over this last year, and offering up our thanksgiving to God, maybe around a campfire in the back yard. After we share how God has blessed us, we want to pray for others in our lives that still haven't met Him yet, so our theme could also be "Blessed to be a Blessing." If anyone wants to stay afterwards, we thought we could keep the fire going and roast hot dogs or sausages. If you plan to stay for that, please bring your own meat and buns and roasting sticks, as well as a salad or some veggies. We want to keep it simple because many of you may already be involved in hosting or contributing to Thankgiving dinners.

I leave a week next Tuesday for Asia, so appreciate your prayers for that as I prepare to go and still prayin in some bucks for the trip. Next Sunday I would love to be 'commissioned' or given the 'left foot of fellowship' out by our community.

Have a great weekend with family and friends,

Tim and Esther

2010-09-30T07:49:00.002-08:00

Greetings and Salutations to You All,

Esther and I leave this afternoon for the grand metropolis of Winkler, Man. for our Vineyard Regional Meetings. We'll be gone for the weekend and would appreciate your prayers for safety in travel and over our kids that we have farmed out to friends. Also pray for God's guidance in these meetings as the Canadian Vineyard is in transition from one leadership couple to a leadership team. We would also appreciate favour for us as we continue to communicate what we are doing with our coaching stuff and how it may be of service to churches in the region.

There will be no formal gathering this weekend, but feel free to spontaneously gather or visit another church community or just take some time to get out in nature and enjoy the beauty of the changing leaves.

I would appreciate your prayers as I get ready to go to Asia on October the 19th. The trip is coming together and I have a good chunk of what I need in bucks for the trip, but still praying in $1500. I will be doing some training with the leaders of the Singapore Vineyard, celebrating with them their 10 year anniversary, and then going to see Trang, our spiritual daughter in Vietnam to encourage her. If you want to contribute, you can do that through GHS.

We had a great time at our Mosaic Feast last Sat. So cool to see the diversity in colours, all the great food, and the cool missional stories of how God's Kingdom is breaking in. We had at least 9 different simple missional communities represented.

Have a great weekend and we love you all.

Tim and Esther

2010-09-22T08:08:00.002-08:00

Hey All,

Here is a picture of Sparticus the wonderful creation that Esther and the kids put together out of pieces of junk and trash. Pretty cool! So remember this week that God can take any of our mess and turn it into a thing of beauty!

This week we will not be gathering on Sunday, but instead will gather for the Feast on Saturday at 5:30 pm - 8pm down at JLYS with other communities who are part of the MOSAIC.NET.

If you are coming, invite some friends along and remember to bring a main dish, salad, and desert for your clan and enough to share with some others. It will be a time of eating, hearing God stories, ministry, and celebrating the beauty of Jesus found in all the uniques pieces of the Mosaic.

See All of You who can make it on Saturday!

Tim and Esther

2010-09-17T15:51:00.002-08:00

Hey Everyone,

This Sunday we'll be gathering at the Schultz residence at 10:30 am. Parents remember to bring a pair of gloves for each of your kids and a couple pieces of junk or rubbish. We will be creating a work of art out garbage we collect from a field trip into the neighbourhood depending on the weather-thus the need to bring some junk. The theme is how God can create something beautiful out of our mess- remember the Hebrew phrase 'tohu bohu' from Genesis chapter 1 -God took what is formless and void and created all the diversity and beauty of creation.

Doug will be leading us in a discussion from the book of James.

Next Saturday, Sept. 25th is our Mosaic Feast gathering with other communities from Calgary and the surrounding area. It will start at 5:30 pm down at JLYS downtown with a potluck meal. So invite some friends and bring enough food for your clan and to share with others. After the meal, there will be worship, missional stories, communion, different stations to connect with God, and so on.
Should be a great time.

See you on Sunday!

Tim and Esther

2010-09-10T17:51:00.002-08:00

Hey All,

We'll be gathering at the Schultz residence at 10:30 am this Sunday. Doug will be leading us in a discussion from James and Scott will facilitate us in worship.

The Pointen's are away in Edmonton celebrating their anniversary and Pauline is in Winnipeg catching up with friends at a women's retreat...so Godspeed to you guys as you travel and enjoy some R & R. We pray for peace over Scott and the kids this weekend!

There is a single mom and her kids in our neighbourhood who are in need of some beds for the kids, so if you're aware of some beds that are available let us know so we can get them to her.

See you all on Sunday!

Tim and Esther

2010-09-03T08:42:00.002-08:00

Hey All,

Just a heads up that we'll be meeting this Sunday at 10:30am at the Schultz residence. Bring your lunch along if you'd like to hang out afterwards. Our friends Mac and Joanne will be joining us. It was great to have our friends the Kungs with us last week and hear a little of their story. We look forward to seeing who God adds to our family circle this year.

This weekend is the Pointen's anniversary, and it sounds like they're getting away for a romantic weekend...so Happy Anniversary, Paul and Shari. Man, I can still remember that day and thinking what a fine couple you were. Thanks for the privilege of officiating at your wedding and allowing us to be a part of your lives all these years. We love you guys!

Our family went to the Bowness Community meal on Weds. night and had a great time connecting with some of our Bownessian community. I sat with a first nations gal and her daughter. They were sitting at the far corner of the room and though I didn't feel like it, I felt prompted to just go sit with them and welcome them. They had just moved into the Bowness from Morley. I asked her why she left and she said she had to get away from a 'bad' relationship. Again I realized how small yet big a thing it is to just 'be' with people and to make them feel like they are welcome and belong.

Another guy named Fraser shared with me that evening how he used to live on the streets, but now has been sober for almost a year, and has a place of his own. He then shared his suffering of the last couple of years. Both his mom and common law wife have recently passed away. Inspite of all the pain, he has chosen to live and get his life back on track. I felt honoured that this man who barely knew me would be so free to share his story. I also recognized that all of us are looking for someone who will simply listen to us. So often I am to busy to listen or feel like I have to have answers to people's problems which are often so over whelming. Yet in reality all we are looking for is someone who has the time to listen and that listening is one of the most powerful ways to show care or be missional which simply means to be and do what Jesus would do...so the lessons for me out of the evening are to keep learning to be a better listener and to embrace people by welcoming them and making them feel like they belong! I can do that by just showing up and taking that first step of welcoming those on the outside! By the way, it turns out that Fraser and the aboriginal gal had met 10 years earlier, though they hadn't seen each other since.

Tim

2010-08-27T09:38:00.002-08:00

Hey All of you Sojourners,

Here is a tentative schedule for this Sunday's gathering and then forms of gathering and 'missional living' for September:

This Sunday we'll gather at the Schultz's at 10:30 am. Bring your "Tangible Kingdom" and we'll discuss Chapter 4 on the U-Haul.
September 5th we'll gather at the Pointen's and Scott, would you facilitate us in a discussion around Chapter 5 from the Tangible Kingdom. Doug would you have something for the kids, and Shari would you lead us in some worship and communion?
September 12th: Would it be possible to meet at your place, Scott and Pauline? Doug, if you would prepare to lead us in a discussion from James that would be great.
September 19th: We want to gather with Doug's Iranian friends who are close to the Kingdom and want to experience what church is like. Doug, will get us more details on this.
September 25th, yes I know a Saturday, is when we will be gathering with some other communities across the city who are part of the forming Mosaic for a Potluck, missional stories, worship and communion. More details coming on this.

Other gathering and missional opportunities are the Weds. night supper for the community of Bowness, the women's group on Thursday, the boys getting together for beer, wings, and accountability, and on Tuesday nights starting September 21st, if you or anyone else is interested I'll be starting The Discovering Your Dream course -this basically a discipling/mentoring course-both to be discipled and to give a framework of how to disciple others. Let me know if you or anyone you know would be served by this course.

Peace on you All,

Tim and Esther

2010-08-22T14:35:00.002-08:00

Esther, the boys, and I are back from our quick odyssey down to Oregon where I officiated at my niece's wedding. The wedding was alot of fun and we really enjoyed have some real summer weather down south. . .like 90 +F.

We were wondering, Paul and Shari, if we could meet next Sunday at the farm. If the weather is warm enough we'd love to check out your swimming hole. Scott, I was wondering if you would lead us in a discussion of chapter 4 from the Tangible Kingdom?

A few of the simple missional communities that Esther and I have been connecting with and coaching would like to come together for a gathering called the Feast. The tentative plan for this is Sat. Sept. 11th though we may bump to Oct. due to the challenges of planning something like this over the summer months when all good Canadians migrate to the mountains or elsewhere to enjoy the great outdoors. More details on this to come!

We would like to try again at having church with Doug's Iranian friends who are very close to the Kingdom, especially the sister who is visiting from Iran. The plan is to do this on Sept.19th so mark that on your calendar.

Sometime in Sept. we are also working towards a block party with some of our neighbours here in Bowness. We haven't finalized the date yet for that.

Guys, it would be good to get back in to a regular time of meeting. What would work best for you all...Sat. mornings...an evening?

That's all from the Schultz clan for now.

Upcoming Events

2010-07-13T10:34:00.003-08:00

Hey All You Fine Folk,

Here is a heads up on what is happening in our community the next few weeks:

Had a great time at the Pointen ranch on Sunday with the sharing, encouragement, discussion from James, watching the World Cup-so sorry Pauline about the Dutch- and target shooting-thanks so much Paul and Shari for being great hosts.
This next Sunday Esther and I will be away in Penticton at the National Vineyard Conference for 5 days. Doug Rempel will be facilitating a gathering of our community on Sunday if anyone is around so please get back to him if you want to gather.
On Sunday July 25th, we could meet at our place or the Kolochuk's. Beth, would you be willing to facilitate a discussion from Chapter 3 of the book "Tangible Kingdom"?
The back packing trip is going ahead from July 29th or to August the 1st. If you are interested in coming, I need to know by July the 24th. We will get more details out to those who are going.
Worship and Prayer for Breakthroughs on August 8.

A praise item from our end is that we got approved for a grant to do our roof which is a major faith booster for us. Now we're praying in the $2000 for our soffit and fascia that needs to be done. Esther and I would appreciate prayer for protection over us as we travel to Penticton on Sunday. The kids are staying with friends and Joel is staying with my parents- so pray for health and protection over them as well.

Tim and Esther

Holland in the semi finals of the soccer world cup.

2010-07-06T12:59:00.004-08:00

Wow, what a game! Tim and Esther and Michael came over to our house to watch Holland play soccer against Uruguay. 3-1 for Holland! We won! Some of our dutch friends were here as well. Love the color Orange these days. Love Holland, love celebrating sports and having fun yelling and being happy!

Hup Holland Hup..! See you all this Sunday at Sherrie's house! 12.30 pm.. the finals..

Gathering This Sunday

2010-07-01T08:47:00.002-08:00

We'll be meeting this Sunday at the Schultzes at 10:30am. Please bring your Tangible Kingdom book and make sure to read chapter 2 as we'll discuss it together. If you want to stick around and barbeque you are welcome to do so and try out our new barbie that we just received thanks to airmiles. A couple of upcoming events:

Next Weds. if you would like to join Doug at the Community meal in Bowness let him know
Next Sunday, July 11 we will meet at the Pointen farm at 10:30am and after some sharing and teaching from the book of James, we'll watch the final of the World Cup
Every Weds. at our Lady of Assumption School soccer fields in Bowness there is family soccer for anyone interested. It starts at 7pm and is alot of fun
There will be a backpacking trip from July 29th to August 1st in the Highwood country for any dads and sons or daughters.

I had a good trip to Winkler, Man. so thanks for all your prayers.

See you all Sunday or somewhere in between.

Tim

Gathering this Sunday with Epic

2010-06-24T07:43:00.002-08:00

This Sunday our community will be joining Epic at 10:30 down at JLYS for a morning of Celtic story telling, poetry, and music by the group Filid. The link for more info is below:

http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0Bwy0oLxJI8B5NzM2MjYzNDEtYjNmMi00MzE0LTgyZTctY2IzZWEyMTlkNmFh&hl=en&authkey=CIqE05YE

I, Tim will be going to Winkler Manitoba this weekend to speak at the Cornerstone Vineyard and to do some coaching on missions. I would appreciate your prayers.

Heart Creek trail on Fathersday Part 3

2010-06-20T18:32:00.000-08:00

Okay.. I admit it.. I took way to many pictures.. I just think in pictures. I hope I am not taking up to much space on this site.... but they are just so much fun.

Heart Creek Trail on Fathersday part 2

2010-06-20T18:16:00.000-08:00

Yip. Here I sit... posting the photo's and all the stuff we had packed today, is still all around me.. I gotta clean up here. I just love to show you all these pictures. The kids had a bath and are sound a sleep in their beds. Awesome! They were so excited about today. If it wasn't for the older ones helping us out today, they would have had a way harder time making the walk up the river. Thanks everyone for helping Reubs and Rachel doing something they did not think they could have done.. They are so proud of them self! Love it! We are such a great group of people together.. you all mean so much to our family! Thanks!

Heart Creek trail - Part 1.

2010-06-20T18:08:00.000-08:00

Wowh, I loved this day! Today we met with our housegroup at Heart Creek trail. Did we have one sunny day. What a day to celebrate the fathers in our midst and their families. Here are some pictures. Enjoy. I have so many Beautiful shots! It was hard to choose! I might have to make another post of today..

Connecting as A Community this Weekend

2010-06-19T11:27:00.000-08:00

This Sunday some of community are heading out to Hart Creek near Canmore for a picnic and short hike. Bring a picnic lunch and another set of clothing for your kids incase they wade in the creek. Feel free to invite any friends to join us. Our friends the Cripps from Langley will be joining us. They love what we are doing with the Mosaic and are part of the extended Mosaic. Meet our house at 11:00 am if you want to drive out with us.

Anyone interested in getting involved in a Bowness community supper on Weds. nights talk to Doug or myself. Our family is thinking of doing this once a month.

Also if you are interested in going to Asia in late October for two weeks with me let me know and I can give you the details.

Tim

Edworthy Birthday of the 3 young ones

2010-06-19T09:02:00.001-08:00

Thank-you everyone who came out to our family birthday last week at Edworthy Park. The kids had a blast and are now enjoying their new trampoline that we were able to buy with help from generous contributions at the party. We definitely couldn't have asked for better weather. It was just perfect in that regard.