It’s warm, but Main Street is coming! November 9, 2009

It is so beautiful out today – you would hardly believe that it is November. I want to drag out my sandals again…but alas, I know it’s just for another day or two – and then we will be back to the scarves and boots!

It is hard to believe that Main Street Christmas is 4 weeks away (I try to avoid writing that, because it makes my heart race a little bit) This is a great event that we have coming up. It’s probably the best chance that you will have all year to INVITE friends and neighbours to church, to have a wonderful time and to experience Christmas in a loving environment. I remember last year – just feeling so thrilled at seeing everything come together and people enjoying the weekend!

A few weeks ago as a staff exercise, we had to think about our Top 3 things that give us the most excitement in our areas of ministry. On my top 3 list was definitely big outreach events. I mean, everyone goes away blessed. At Main Street Christmas, we are giving our children a chance to shine and use their gifts, we have a chance for the whole church to come together and serve as one to our community, and we have an opportunity to invite people to an excellent event that will share Jesus through our concerts and children’s musical performances.  Any way that you look at it, it’s good for everyone! That is what makes me excited and gets me pumped -  seeing service and outreach all rolled up into one!

So, please take time to pray for this weekend, that it will have a big impact on our community. And if you are looking for a place to serve, this is a great chance for you! It’s going to be a great weekend, and it’s all about Jesus – the reason we do what we do!

Shelly

A Smash of a Bash…now onto Main Street! November 3, 2009

We had a fantastic time on Saturday at the Big Top Bash! Wow. I got to live out my dream of having long pink hair and being a highlighter (well, the highlighter was not really part of the dream, but it was fun!) Again, as always we have amazing people here at Compass Point. From all of you who donated CANDY, thanks so much! We had all that we needed! Then I had the group of super duper candy counters, followed by the stellar group of candy baggers, followed by a great set up crew, then all the amazing people who showed up to help run events, and then the dedicated ones who stayed behind to vacuum up millions of pieces of popcorn and help get things ready for Sunday morning. WOW! What a team! I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

We had a great night of fun and community (I even met the fire chief of Burlington!) and I hope that all children went home knowing that they were in place where they were loved! Our light shined bright, and that was the goal! I just packed away the last of the Bash items and I already look forward to next year!

So, time to change gears REALLY fast onto our next event – Main Street Christmas! Wahoo! The children are busy learning music and drama and many other plans are underway for our next big outreach event. I love this time of year – it’s crazy but the potential for reaching out is huge and it is exciting to see everyone coming together to serve!

So, stay tuned for more excitement – and don’t worry – in the midst of it all is Jesus – because it’s all about him!

Still slightly on a sugar high,

Shelly

Orange is not just a fall colour…….. October 27, 2009

I had the pleasure of attending a really great conference last week. We are currently using a curriculum called 252 Basics which is put out by the Rethink Group. There is a book that has been written by Reggie Joiner of Rethink called “Orange”. I am currently reading it, and it is a great book on family ministry. The concept is that the forces of two things combined produces a greater impact then when on their own (like red and yellow together – make orange).  How churches and parents partner together in the faith journey of their children. I have read many books about family ministry – this one has really captured my attention. In my role as a children’s pastor – I need to be thinking of innovative, creative and intentional ways to partner with parents in our ministry. I can say that I am TRYING to do that. However, we are not there yet and I know that we are just scratching the surface with the power that can happen when the church and family effectively partner. It’s the #1 thing on my radar and I think about it constantly. This conference was a great refocus day for me, and has gotten me thinking even more strategically…….

One thing exciting that we have for families this week is our Big Top Bash on Sat, October 31st. I am excited about this night! I love big events and seeing people come together to serve – It makes me very happy! I also love facilitating opportunities like this where we can invite friends and neighbours to attend. It’s a great bridge from community to church, and allows us to just show love through serving and blessing families. It’s a fun night, but it is also a night with purpose. I will admit that I like to have fun, and I make no apologies for that. Our walk with Jesus is one that is filled with joy and excitement as we love and serve him! God’s truths remain steadfast and constant, but as his children – we can have fun in his presence celebrating him and the hope he has given to us!  On Saturday I pray that we will see many happy children having a great time in a safe and loving environment!

So, have a great week…..think about Orange and see you at the Big Top Bash!

Shelly

Vine and the Branches October 19, 2009

I love living in the Niagara Escarpment. We live in a little town called Beamsville, and it is right in the heart of fruit country. Can you say Yummy? Right now, one of my favourite sights to look at is all the vineyards in the area. As we were driving through the lovely fall country yesterday, I loved seeing the rows and rows of  vines heavy with grapes…such a beautiful site. It makes me want to be a vineyard owner and just walk among the vines everyday! (in a long flowing white dress…..)

The sight of the vines also spoke to my heart as I was reminded of something that Jesus said in the Bible.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Jesus uses the imagery so beautifully here to describe us as fruit bearing. The key is that we need to stay close to Jesus – us and him, working together, remaining together. Without him, we can do nothing. With him, we bear fruit. It’s a powerful picture in my mind.

Yesterday I saw much fruit being grown here at CP. Walking through classes and hallways, I was blessed to see children excited about Jesus and seeing leaders serving with excellence. This month we are talking about Individuality and how God has made each one of us special. Yesterday the focus was, “If you use what you have, you can make a difference.”  Looking out into a sea of children’s faces, it is powerful to think that each of them has been created uniquely, with special gifts, gifts that can be used for God’s glory. Gifts that we can have a part in discovering and nurturing. 

We have many young lives with great fruit-bearing potential. With Jesus at the centre of their lives, nothing is impossible and with him as their true vine there are many great things ahead! I look forward to seeing the harvest!!

Yikes, it’s the middle of October! October 13, 2009

Hi Everyone!

I hope that you had a really wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, and that you had some great time with family and friends. This year, I overcame my fear of being lost forever in a really giant corn maze, and I also had my once a year candy apple, and freshly popped kettle corn. Life is good!

So I feel like Thanksgiving is like the start of a race for me. It’s like the day after, I am at the starting gate and then it’s “READY, SET, GO!!!”   The starter gun goes off and then I run a really fast marathon until December!  But that’s cool – bring it on! I will admit I had a slight moment of panic this past weekend thinking that Main Street Christmas is 9 weeks away. But it’s ok. I can do everything through him who gives me strength (not to mention a great team, super volunteers and lots of coffee!!)

So, here is the scoop – First Things First!

 

Big Top Bash – October 31st – a great night for the family!  6:30-8:30pm, for ages 12 and under, must be accompanied by an adult. Inflatables, pony rides, face painting, carnival games, train, candy, popcorn, maze – and lots more!! Come for a great time. Costumes welcome, no scary ones please!! Free Admission! We are accepting candy donations all month – your support is appreciated!

 

Main Street Christmas – Dec 3-6th. Come visit Main Street – a wonderful winter weekend!! Children will start rehearsals this week for the musical, Meet me at the Manger – it’s going to be a TON of FUN!

 

Stay tuned for more info – and as always – there are so many places where you can serve!

So, have a super duper week.

Take some time for Jesus, it’s all about him!

Shelly

Thankful for a BIG God October 8, 2009

As we enter a weekend of focussing on thankfulness, I know that we have so much to be thankful for. I have overwhelming gratitude for my family and my friends, a wonderful place to minister in, food on my table – all the blessings we have in our everyday life. But most of all, above everything in my life – I am so thankful for JESUS. Without him, my life would be empty and I would not know the comfort of his presence and the peace that comes with serving him. I would not have salvation, I would not have a hope in the future, and a hope for those around me that are hurting and lost. 

So this weekend, among the turkey and the fun family time – I know that I will take time to be thankful for Jesus – it’s all about him.

Shelly

Big Top Bash! September 29, 2009

So, today I wore a fall sweater. I just thought I should share that because it made me happy. Enough with this hair destroying humidity. I want crisp air!!! That reminds me that it is almost OCTOBER!! (that is really scary on a number of levels that I won’t get into right now..) But it does mean that the BIG TOP BASH is approaching. Our SECOND annual Big Top Bash – to be exact – a super fun family event to be held on October 31st from 6:30-8:30 at our Kerns Campus. I am very excited about this night. It’s a night to provide a safe and fun place for families to come. Children can get dressed up (no scary costumes please), and we can open our doors to the community and let our light shine bright!! We’ll have lots of fun events for the family and all children will receive a bag of candy. Which reminds me, PLEASE START BRINGING IN CANDY DONATIONS! There are bash booths at Kerns and Eaglesfield for drop off! We don’t want sad kids…we want happy kids! Stay tuned for some exciting candy announcements coming up….(and by exciting, I mean embarassing….)

I am looking forward to this night….It’s one of my fav’s and such a great chance to bring our community together and for us to serve!!!

Stay Tuned for more details!

Following Jesus…

Shelly

Midweek Madness Week! September 22, 2009

It’s hard to believe that today is the first day of fall (I am pretty excited about that), and it is also the week of kicking off our MIDWEEK KIDZ KLUB programs! Yahoo!

Last week I met with 2 teams of fantastic leaders and I know that we have a great year ahead. Tonight we begin our program at our CP Ellis Campus in Hamilton at 6:45, and tomorrow at 7:00 we kick off at Kerns in Burlington with Christian Service Brigade, Nav-i-gation and Navigate Girls. Wahoo! I am believing for a great year of discipleship and mentoring for these children as they grow in their faith – that is what we are all about. Throw in some fun and friendship and it’s a great time for everyone! (you also can come and join us at 6:00 for Kerns Bistro – a great family dinner before club starts…..families can eat…..kids go to club, and parents can go to bible study! It’s win win!!)

Midweek provides a great chance to connect with children more personally than on Sundays, and relationship building is key. Being new last year at CP, midweek was a great chance for me to get to know children and families. If you are looking for a place for your children to connect and make friends, then midweek is another great venue for that! I also pray that it will become a great outreach – that we will attract children in our community to come to our clubs!

So, come on out and join the fun as we continue to follow Jesus in all that we do!

Shelly

U shaped Magnets September 14, 2009

We had a fantastic kick-off Sunday yesterday. I was so excited to see the halls full of children and parents, and all the buzzing that was going on. I love hearing buzz! It was super to have our leaders all back, ready to serve and I hope that everyone was as excited as I was.  We had our fabulous fall fair after the morning service – a perfect family time! I would like to apologize to any child who got their face painted by me….it’s not really my gifting, and I was in a cold sweat when I got a request for a half spider man/half batman face. I fear I let that little boy down deeply…..

Yesterday was a day of energy! I love energy. It’s contagious and magnetic (I stole that from Pastor Micheal’s staff devotion a couple weeks ago) and it attracts people. We want to attract people! I have a picture in my head, it’s probably from an old cartoon when I was a kid – of a giant U shaped magnet, and everything in its vicinity get’s pulled and stuck to that magnet. Fridges, stoves, car, etc – nothing can resist it’s pull! It’s so strong!

The love of Jesus is magnetic too. It draws people, it has pull, it is attractive. We as leaders and followers of Christ, have that magnetic love of Jesus in us.  We should be like the giant U shaped magnet. People should see something in our lives that they are pulled too. Unconditional love and acceptance.  Help and service. affirmation and care. Kindness and openness. These are attractive things. These are transforming qualities that people are longing to see genuinely displayed. That people are searching for.  They want to be around people who have that pull. And that pull, can lead them to Jesus.

Real heavy duty magnets are strong. If you have ever stuck a couple of them together, it’s very hard to take apart. I pray that Compass Point Kidz will be a place of Magnetic Love. That through all we do, we will show the love of Jesus without compromise or discrimination and that children and families will be drawn closer to the unfailing love of Jesus.  A love that they can hold onto, and that will pull them closer and closer to him in their faith journey and relationship.  The ultimate magnetic love. I am excited about the days ahead of us  and the opportunities that God will give us to be magnetic for him, drawing people into his kingdom! Let’s be U shaped magnets for him! Attracting people with the love of Jesus! It’s all about him!

Shelly

Hello Fall… September 11, 2009

Well, it is Thursday evening and I must say that it has been quite a week. I have cleaned, organized, phone called, swept, dis-infected, picked stuff up, stapled stuff up, photocopied, purged – and the list goes on…..However, all that work has paid off – WE ARE READY FOR FALL! (and I must add that I had some fabulous kidz leaders come in and give me a hand – thanks team!)

I love fall. I am itching to pack away summer clothes (I know just a few months ago I was excited about flip flops, but I am over them now…) and get out cuddly sweaters, drink pumpkin spice lattes (I love you Starbucks) and take cool walks at night. Most of all, I am excited for a new season of Compass Point Kidz to begin.

I am the type of person who just naturally expects that good things are going to happen. I believe that each year we have the opportunity to do better than the year before, that we learn as we go and that we continually have new and exciting avenues to take us to the next step that God has for us. I don’t want this year to be the same as last year, I want it to be better. I pray that we will see children growing more and more in Jesus as they are discipled… I am excited to see leader’s coming more and more into their gifts, serving with confidence and purpose. I pray that our community will be transformed by the love of Jesus – and that we can show them that love. It’s alot to expect. And I have been sometimes accused of expecting too much. But I serve a God that has a vast amount of greatness that I can depend on. With HIS leading and guiding, no dream is too big! Even in my most overwhelming moments and feelings of inadequacies, HE is there, lifting me up, reminding me that it is HE who works through me (and you) and that with HIM, nothing is impossible.

Sunday morning, campuses will be buzzing with children and families, getting back to our routine. In a few weeks our new campus in Hamilton will be doing the same. It makes me happy, it makes me excited – it’s a new season for God to continue to do great things – and I am blessed to be a part of that!

Hope to see you Sunday

Shelly