Monday, April 23, 2007

I suppose I'm glad that only comes once every ten years

It's over.

And it was good.

The people of Gateway Covenant Church really stepped up and together created a smooth running, hospitable, caring space where people could meet, and God could care for his own.

This was the meeting where we as a church voted to close the Covenant Bible College. In the end it was a formality, but the significance of it was not lost on anyone. We took our time with that, and it was the overarching story of the weekend.

In spite of this, or more likely because of this, the worship was sweet and the presence of God was clear. People did a lot of individual talking and checking up with one another.

We heard the shocking details of God's amazing provision for some of our brothers as they connected with the Evangelical Covenant church in the Congo. ( I stayed at Rogers house last summer while in class at North Park)
We heard of successful and failed church plants.

We heard of churches being revitalized.

We saw new people moving forward into different aspects of ministry.

We saw how God is at work in Haiti. And in the inner city in Winnipeg.

We saw how God has been transforming the last CBC Class as they came and worshipped with us, leading us again into God's story.

But perhaps the best time for me was the Cafe.

The music was great with both nights being a very different flavour. Blues and Smooth Jazz. And the space it created for people to connect and visit and relax and enjoy, was just what I had envisioned it to be.

After the emotional demands of the weekend, I wanted a space where people could just be for a while. A place where they could sit and find their bearings again, and find rest, and a bit of healing in care and conversations with friends.

That really was my desire for the whole weekend. That we might be able to provide a place where people could find healing and rest for their souls, after the emotional tumult of the weekend, and spring.

And, it seems, that's how it went.

So thanks again Gateway for your hard work. Especially Janet and Dave and Mary Jane.

And thank you Canadian conference for coming up here and letting us care for you a bit.

4 comments:

  1. Steve MenshenfriendApril 23, 2007 at 6:21 AM

    Great work on the weekend. I loved it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Randall for everything. We never had a chance to connect, but I could see that you were a busy man. One thought kept popping into my little pointed head... that I hope YOU are part of the discussion about discipleship. I do believe, as Rob Peterson pointed out, that with every death there is ressurection. The form of the ECCC's discipleship will likely take a different form. I would be interested in your thoughts.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The weekend wasn't good...it was great. This weekend gave honour to the legacy of CBC. Cafe Randall was amazing.

    "How Great is our God" in the Sunday morning service...I will always remember that. Wow.

    Thank you for hosting us.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'll be a delegate at the Midwest Covenant Conference this weekend in Colorado and what I always love about these meetings is hearing what God is doing. Sometimes there is bittersweet news (as last year when we learned that CBC in Colorado was closing), but there is also a lot joy in the news of churches growing, and people coming to Jesus.

    It sounds like you did a great job with the meeting in Canada -- made me wish I was there. (especially for the Cafe :) )

    ReplyDelete



Play nice - I will delete anything I don't want associated with this blog and I will delete anonymous comments.