WEC International (Canada) has set up a special fund called ‘Tsunami Recovery Sri Lanka’. All funds coming into this account will be wired to Columbo to be channeled to LEADS (Christian relief organization) for what is now the most important work, reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Reconstruction: Sri Lanka has received sufficient emergency relief aid and the refugee camps are well supplied with basic necessities. The refugees are now beginning to go back to their homes, but they cannot simply rebuild where their homes were before.  The extent of the damage requires heavy machinery to clear away the rubble…Building low-cost, structurally-sound houses for poor families will now become LEADS’ priority.

Rehabilitation: When Sri Lankan church leaders met the President Chandrika Bandaranaike-Kumaratunge recently, she appealed to them to take the lead in 2 vital areas of the national recovery effort-taking care of children and trauma counseling.  She is not a Christian, but was educated in a Roman Catholic school and is obviously convinced that the Sri Lankan Christian community is experienced and capable of assisting in these areas.  This is an important opportunity to demonstrate the love of Jesus! 

Children: Children need to go back to school and resume a normal life as soon as possible.  This is essential for trauma recovery.  Not only have many school buildings been damaged or destroyed, thousands of children have lost all their books and clothes and shoes, and do not have what they need to continue their education.  LEADS is putting together aid packages for school children which will include stationary, school bags and money for uniforms and shoes. 

Thank you for your practical expressions of Gospel compassion and Christian partnership.

With Much Love and Gratitude,
[name removed]

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“I have found for 30 years that preaching and teaching about God’s demand that we delight in him more than anything else breaks and humbles people, and makes them desperate for true conversion and true Christianity…Nothing shows the direction of the deep winds of the soul like the demand for radical, sin-destroying, Christ-exalting joy in God.

…I say again: God and God alone is the final, ultimate goal of our quest.  All that God is for us in Jesus is the Object of our quest for joy.  When I speak of fighting for joy, I mean joy in God, not joy without reference to God.  When I speak of longing for happiness, I mean happiness in all that God is for us in Jesus, not happiness as physical or psychological experience apart from God.” p. 31   

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Coffee House 2005 was a brilliant success with close to 40 oXyGEN volunteers, 35 performers, and 130 people of all ages in attendance!!  At five dollars apiece, tickets sales raised over $675.00 for Philpott’s International Ministries.  Thank you to all who bought a ticket or donated money!

“What a tremendous evening!”

The Philpott gymnasium was transformed into a warm and inviting livingroom ambiance, with soft floor lighting, comfortable couch and lounge space, and green plants placed from one end to the other. 3-foot snowflakes floated above the musical stage, tealight candles decorated the tables, and artwork was displayed around the room.

Performances alternated between 2 stages-one for music and the other for poetry, comedy and book readings.  As a grand finale, acrobatic artisans from Cirque de Philpott entertained the multitudes with juggling, handsprings, flips and highflying acts.

On the menu was a wide array of fancy treats, fruits, vegetables, cheeses & desserts. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cider and sparkling punch were replenished throughout the evening.

With only 1 intermission during 3 hours of entertainment, spectators left feeling satisfied and happy.  One high school student was heard commenting “Incredible!”, and one second service attendee remarked, “What a tremendous evening!”  Truly a good time was had by all.

We hope to see you again at Coffee House 2006! 

A special thanks goes to Adam Brown, Laura & Edu Pallek, Liz Buzza, Larisa Long, Evan Fusilier, Jason Brown and Ricky Chan for their hard work on the organizing committee.

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Over the last several weeks, the oXyGEN group has had a number of discussions that have forced us to think about how our faith affects the world.  Early in January, we heard 3 SISO-involved young adults (from Afghanistan, Mexico and Somalia) tell their stories as refugees, now living in Hamilton.

That same week, we also heard from David Collins of Canadian Food for the Hungry International (www.cfhi.ca) who challenged us by proposing that the real need in international disasters is for our hearts to be changed, not only the physical circumstance of the victims.

Finally, the group also considered the Micah Challenge (www.micahchallenge.org), and how we as believers can and should become involved in the disentanglement of some of the world’s most pressing global inequalities.   One of the main points that came through as the refugee youth shared was that each had struggled to find a place to belong and express themselves. 

In the aftermath of Coffeehouse 2005 (a fantastic event that seemed to be enjoyed by all!), I have been thinking that the next time we plan an evening of artistic expression, should it really be to raise money for International Ministries? 

Perhaps it should instead be for intentionally engaging those who are involved in various International Ministry programs-by providing them with an outlet for their creativity and an opportunity to share their cultural stories.

In fact, it could be quite amazing to create and provide a space for that purpose.: to welcome new members of the community to a comfortable, non-institutional space where we could all have the opportunity to hang a painting on the wall, write a song or design a new computer program.  Let’s take the opportunities our surroundings provide us with to challenge ourselves in prayerful consideration of how we can make disciples of the nations-both on the other side of the world, and here in Hamilton.

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Tired eyes full of experience, David Collins, President of Canadian Food for the Hungry International, succinctly and poignantly challenges, What is the sin of Sodom? 

Answers spring up of debauchery and sexual immorality.  More specifically, the town demanding that Lot release his two [angel] guests so that they might have sex with them (Genesis 19:5).  Perhaps Lot himself is a part of it as he offers his virgin daughters in lieu of his guests.  Understandably God would be upset with this city and want to cast judgement upon it. 

What is the sin of Sodom?  Ezekiel 16:49 tells us this:

“She and her daughters were arrogant,
overfed and unconcerned: they did not
help the poor and needy.” (NIV, emphasis mine)

Not the answer we were expecting.      

Theology teaches us that God can do anything; Why then does poverty still exist in the world (as it directly opposes His desire)?  We must believe that either God cannot do everything, or that God chooses to allow it-a snap of a finger would eradicate strife, hunger, need.  Similarly, God does not need us to take care of it.  He could do that Himself if that were the goal.

Rather poverty-having been created by our own sin-is but a mirror in the human experience-recognition of having, or not having is a state of circumstance, not of right or achievement.  When we stare at poverty, we stare at ourselves, battered, torn and hungry.

That introspection inspires humility, recognizes the Grace of God, and demands action.  We love others because we love God, and we love ourselves!  There is no dichotomy of Conservative vs. Social Gospel, as if God does not exist when we want to help others.  We help others because God stands in contradiction to the sin of Sodom: the arrogant, overfed and unconcerned.

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Pat Harvey, Marge & Larry McDonald are off to the Cayman Islands January 26th.  Have a wonderful time!

Connie Carter is returning to our choir!

12 of our church members are headed for a Caribbean Cruise next month to celebrate retirement and anniversaries.

John & Mary Harvey return today (Sunday, January 30, 2005)  from a 2 week trip with Medical Missions International to Columbia. 

The ABF is changing its name to Perspectives.  They are presently halfway through the Book of James.  Newcomers are welcome to join anytime! 

Sr. High: February 4-6 : Snowflake Retreat in Niagara Falls.  This year’s speaker is Dwayne Cline , Sr. Pastor of Hughson Street Baptist Church, Hamilton ON. 

Sr. High: Extreme Dodgeball Challenge, Feb. 19.  Contact Matt Collins: youthguy@getchurch.org for more details.

Jr. High:  Tobogganing Party-Feb. 17.  Contact Matt Collins: youthguy@getchurch.org for more details. 

oXyGEN (College & Careers) is currently studying 1 Corinthians.  Please join us after the 1st service in the Vine St. Building (there’s always great food!).

Renovations have started  on the main floor of the Vine St. Building.  Volunteers are needed to help with the renovations. Please contact John Van der Mark if you are interested in helping. 

Ravi Zacharias spoke at Hamilton Place on Tuesday January 25 as part of Christ at Mac Week-a week centred around Christian Unity.  Over 2,000 people attended this event, the majority University students.    Please continue to pray for God’s spirit to be stirring the hearts of those who heard the truth of Jesus Christ shared at this event and throughout the week. 

Boxes are located in the hall outside the sanctuary for non-perishable food items and other basic necessities (soap/shampoo etc).  These items are distributed to refugee families in need. 

To submit “Family News” Items or an Article for the next edition of Inside, please contact Pat Major pekmajor@sympatico.ca or at the Church: 905-527-4802.

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Over the past month, Philpott has expanded its relationship with SISO (Settlement Integration Services Organization) in an exciting way.  Each Wednesday afternoon, Philpott opens its gym for a number of SISO youth who would otherwise not have an opportunity for extra-curricular physical activity.  Most of the youth who attend are from Somalia and Sudan, and as a result, the most frequently played sport is soccer. 

The sports and activities are organized by the youth themselves, and it is amazing what a self-directed group this is.  It is evident that they very much appreciate the opportunity to have a place where they can enjoy friendship and activity (especially during these cold winter months).

…Prayerful consideration of how we can make disciples of the nations, both on the other side of the world, and here in Hamilton. Over the next few weeks the program will be expanded to include basketball on Monday afternoons.  This continues to be an excellent way for Philpott to become involved with those in the larger community who surround us everyday.   

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I leave church every Sunday blessed and with a mind full of things to think about during the week.  After the January 16, 2005 service, I left church thinking about dancing!  One of the songs we sang was “Do you feel the mountains tremble?”  The chorus goes:

“I began to wonder how we, as a church, dance on injustice?”

Open up the doors and let the music play
Let the streets resound with singing
Songs that bring your hope
And songs that bring your joy
Dancers who dance upon injustice

This is one of my favourite songs, but on this Sunday the words “dancers who dance upon injustice” spoke to me in a way they have never done before.  I began to wonder how we, as a church, dance on injustice.  At our church, and in other churches across the nation, the music plays, singing resounds, we find hope, we find joy, but do we really dance on injustice?

Maybe this chorus raised these questions for me because Lane has been urging us, as a church, to stand up in Hamilton and make a difference in our community.  Or maybe I was asking these questions because the day before was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.  Now there was a guy who knew how to dance!  I wonder, if he were listening and watching us sing, what he would say about the way today’s churches tackle social injustice.

To dance, as King and the churches that followed him did, requires us to first be clear about what the issues of social injustice are in our city, and second
to act in unison in addressing those issues. 

Of course, we will never agree on all the issues or on all the ways to tackle them, but Hamilton has enough social injustice that is we started with the issues that we are most likely to agree on, like the need to tackle poverty, homelessness and racism, this would keep us dancing for quite some time before we would have to worry about issues we do not agree on.

So does anyone want to dance?!
Happy Birthday Martin Luther King Jr.

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Re-create is an open arts studio in downtown Hamilton, where street-involved youth can begin to re-connect to themselves, others, and their community through the creative arts while gaining valuable life skills.  It seeks to provide a non-judgmental studio space for the youth.  Re-create believes that the act of creating is not only a form of self-expression but also provides the potential for imagining new possibilities. 

Re-create is a non-profit organization based on the principles of Christian love and compassion.  We are building partnerships with the community -with local churches, schools, businesses, individuals and government organizations. 

This fall we received funding from the Hamilton Community Foundation to run Creative Connections:

You Me Art Time , a focus art expression group for street-involved and/or at risk youth and their young children.  The initial group will meet at Philpott on Friday afternoons for 4 weeks.  Courtney Wilson, a member of the oXyGEN group volunteers and helps to organize the program.

Focused art activities will be provided to encourage the development of healthy parent-child interaction.  Creating together provides meaningful, memory-building times which enhance the healthy bond between parent and child.  This time will provide an accessible art experience for socially and economically disadvantaged youth-parented families.

Both Courtney and I are excited about this program.  We are very thankful to Philpott for its warm hospitality and generosity in providing us with a space to meet.  We ask for your continued prayers for Re*create Outreach Art Studio and the youth and their children who will be attending.

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