Connexus Community Church

Meeting Jesus...for Real

So let me ask you a simple question:  if your friends could meet Jesus, do you think they would like Him?

I mean on the one hand that sounds kind of silly...but on the other, ask yourself that question. I think you know the answer:  they would jump at the chance to have an authentic encounter with the real Jesus.

One of the things I think we've done too much -- I've done too much of -- is to erect barriers between people and Jesus.  In the old days, some of the barriers were old music, old ways, old religion, old everything.  I think I can still create bridges to Jesus or barriers against Him with the words I use when I speak, by the way I live day to day, by the way I interact with people and in many ways, by the way we are the church.  We can be an opportunity for people to meet Jesus, or an impediment. 

Imagine if in 2008 we just took as many of those barriers down as we possibly could.  What would be some of the hallmarks of a church that lost the barriers so people could actually meet Jesus?  What if:

• What if we created a space on Sundays and in community groups where people could be themselves -- no masks, no hiding?  Where no one felt they weren't good enough to meet God?
• We got authentic and told the truth about who we really were and where our spiritual lives were really at.  What if we admitted we didn't have it all figured out?  What if any pretending that was left, stopped?
• What if in everything we did we prayed deeply enough that we became more transparent in all we said and did. Less of us, more of Jesus?
• What if we reflected the character, humility and actual love of Christ more in every interaction with every person?
• What if we were known for our compassion, generosity, and humility, not for our "stand" on issues?
• What if we really got more excited about some else's spiritual progress than our own?
• What if we gave our lives away, instead of always hanging on to them in a sad effort to save them?

What if we could rip down the barriers and simply lead people into a real and growing relationship with the authentic Jesus?

Would cities be changed?  Would families be transformed? Would you be changed? 

What if Connexus could play a part in that?  This is certainly some of the DNA that went into the core of what Connexus is...but I would love to see it blossom and bloom in 2008.

What do you think?  Could it happen?  Could a church do that?

Looking Back...Looking Ahead

A quick post to say thanks for this incredible last few months to God and to all of you for these incredible months that have launched Connexus, a ministry we pray will lead thousands of people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ through relevant environments. 

Hard to believe that two months ago, Connexus didn't yet exist.  A lot of great things have happened, haven't they?  What are your memories?  What are the things that will live in in your heart for months and years?

I honestly think the thing that is most remarkable for me has been people's incredibly generous hearts with time and resources.  I can't believe that the faces that show up at 6 a.m. every Sunday and give sacrificially smile so brightly.  Your spirit and love for God is contagious!  And people have given resources so sacrificially to launch Connexus praying God uses the money to change lives.  He is, and He will.  And we're so grateful.

Some news/highlights before I say "Happy New Year":

 

• Thanks for Christmas at the Waterfront Christmas Eve.  Wow!  What a great night  Thanks to all the paid and volunteer staff who spend over 9 hours from start to finish to set up and tear down the gear to host this amazing event.  The spirit was contagious and something we'll remember for years.  People ask how many came.  Truthfully, no one counted (drat). It was hard to count, actually.  But apparently we handed out over 470 programmes and there were many kids and tons of hot chocolate consumed. So it was hundred and hundreds.  And I think everyone who was there would come back in a heartbeat.  Thanks all!  What are your memories?

• We are gearing up for a great 08 -- our first full year!  We launch the new year with H-Bomb, a series about killing the hypocrite that lives inside each of us.  We're going to talk honestly about why our words don't match our actions, and how to change that.  Hypocrisy is one of the major reasons people are leery of Christians.  I think it would be great to invite your friends.  They might be amazed that Christians are finally ready to talk honestly about our hypocrisy.  And they might discover that it can help them a lot too.

• You've got two weeks to invite a friend or family member to join you at Connexus in 2008.  H-Bomb in so many ways is the perfect series for this too. Far more effective than flyers, billboards and radio ads in reaching people, a personal invitation is irreplaceable.  If we each invited one person next year, we would double the scope of our ministry in a single year (that would mean over 1600 people would be part of what God is doing through us each week at this point next year).

• Just a reminder there's no service at either campus on Sunday December 30th.  Our volunteers have worked so hard to launch Connexus that we're giving everyone a week off.  Think of it as extra time with God, without all the pressure of pulling together a weekend service.  We'll all come back with a spring in our step January 6th at both campuses.

I'll be praying for you and your friends. Thrilled by what is behind, and excited at what is ahead!

Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor
Connexus Community Church

Christmas Weekend At Connexus

I'm so excited about the next few days at Connexus.  See the full page ad that ran in the Barrie Examiner and the Barrie Advance yesterday? 

We just want everybody to come to Christmas Eve...kind of like God announced the good news of Jesus' birth to everybody.  You can invite your friends right off the home page of our web site with our e-vite.  Hope you do that today!  The forecast looks perfect for an outdoor service -- just below zero and a light snow. I really am praying for a deep move of God this Christmas on Sunday and Monday in all our venues.

But before we get to Christmas Eve, we've got services on Sunday the 23rd at both campuses. So here's what's up:

• Barrie Campus 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. Sunday, December 23rd -- Bring Me Some Figgy Pudding is Part 4 of A Very Dysfunctional Christmas.  I'll look at why we overindulge and the hole we are trying to fill.  Pat Dryburgh leads worship.

• Orillia Campus 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. Sunday, December 23rd.  I'll give a message called Happy Christmas (War is a Over). It's all about how to handle difficult relationships from God's perspective -- and most of us have at least one of those each Christmas.  Toronto band Turn off the Stars leads worship.

• Christmas Eve, 6:30 p.m. Heritage Park Barrie, we gather for our first all-campus Christmas Eve celebration.  We've invited everybody, and I hope you are changing plans so you can join us for what I think will be a fantastic, yet simple celebration of the forgiveness Jesus brings through His coming to earth.   The service will be under an hour and should be relevant for kids and parents with great music, hot chocolate and a message that even engages kids and teens. 

Every Christmas, something happens to our culture.  Soldiers feel it.  Stores shut down.  People who don't even really know God sense something is different.  Let's tell the world this Christmas what that's all about.  Can't wait.  I hope you'll be praying with our team as we head into Sunday and Monday, and that you'll be bringing your friends and family with you all weekend long.

See you then!

Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor
carey.nieuwhof@connexuscommunity.com

Inviting Your Friends for Christmas Gets Easy

So...you've been intending to an invite a friend to join you at Connexus this Christmas, but you haven't quite done it yet.

We want to make it as easy and natural as possible, and one click can get you there. If you go to the Connexus home page and check out the bottom right corner, you'll see an e-vite.  Fill it out, and it will automatically email your friends an invitation with a description of the service plus any personal message you want to send with it.  Try it.

We've set up the current e-vite for Christmas Eve. So take a minute right now to invite a friend to our all-campus community-wide outdoor service Monday night at 6:30.   After Christmas Eve, we'll re-cast the e-vite for our next series.  So you'll always be able to send a relevant message to the people you care about.

The number one reason people don't go to church: no one invited them.  I was so encouraged that so many of you brought friends with you to our opening weeks.  Let's build on that, because I believe God is about to write hundreds of new stories.  And the next story He writes might actually be no further than a click away.

Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor
carey.nieuwhof@connexuscommunity.com

Connexus Featured on Orange Site

Smile Connexus!  You're being featured on the Orange Conference website.

As you know, Reggie Joiner and Betsy Wright along with some friends from North Point Ministries flew up to be part of the final launch weekend at Connexus two weeks ago. 

Reggie leads a pretty incredible ministry and is planning an April conference for 5000 church leaders on family ministry.  This morning, he uploaded a couple dozen photos he took at Connexus onto the front page of the conference website.  Click here to go to the main page, then look at the upper right hand box and read the short post "Orange Speaker Opens 2 New Churches."  The photos are great!

The people of Connexus continue to amaze and astound our entire leadership team and many others.  You guys really rock the house!

Team Member of the Week! Rob Pinches

We want to take time out to honour a member of our incredible volunteer team that we recognize as going above and beyond in so many ways. In a very real sense the people we honour here are really just one of dozens of people we could thank at Connexus.  Thanks for serving!

Rob serves on a number of teams around Connexus.   If you've had a chance to bump into Rob while he's serving you know that he is high energy and focused on our purpose.  He's been helping us trouble shoot (and solve) our electrical issues at both our campuses - who knew that plugging in so much stuff would be challenging!  He also serves with great passion on our Student Ministry team.  His love for God is so evident and bubbles out of him with every conversation.  If you see Rob around say thank-you and give him a big hug!

So today we name Rob Pinches "The Chief Passion Spark Plug of Connexus" for his work on eteams, electrical, Student Ministry and more!  Thanks Rob! 

Rich Birch
rich.birch@connexuscommunity.com
Executive Director of Operations
Connexus Community Church

p.s. If you have people you want to nominate for next week's Team Member of the Week email me.

Community Anyone?

What a great win today...to be able to do our full services in a huge blizzard, and then actually have people come.  (Over 550 between the campuses, if you can believe it!). 

I'm watching the e-teams, family ministry and host team do something amazing every weekend.  Sure, they're there to set up environments and do the pretty incredible work of going from having nothing set up at 6 a.m. to being fully operational, which is exceptional.  But something else is happening: community is being built.

There is a bond that comes from getting up at a crazy hour and hauling trailers and unpacking in the snow and making the impossible possible.  There's a bond that comes from doing something important together than is bigger than you.  There's a bond that comes from serving together in children's ministry, knowing that you are actually important in a child and parent's life. There's just a bond.

People always ask how to get to know people in a growing, multicampus environment.  You'll hear me talk about community groups till I die.  But the other way to connect is to serve.

We're looking to add dozens more to our e-teams, Waumba Land and Upstreet environments by January 1st.  Why don't you sign up?  In the process, you'll get delightfully connected in a way you never imagined.  And you'll open yourself to being used by God to change lives in ways few of us ever dreamed He'd use us.

I just love our teams. 

Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor
carey.nieuwhof@connexuscommunity.com

Connexus is Open This Morning -- Both Campuses

Sunday, December 16th: 4:47 a.m.

Given that the actual weather in our region is good early this morning, Connexus is open at both campuses this morning for a full ministry experience.  The storms appears to be staying to the south of us for now.

Naturally, watch weather conditions and give yourself plenty of extra time to get to Connexus this morning just in case.  And be sure to thank those e-team drivers and amazing volunteers who got up extra early to make it all happen. 

Looking forward to a great worship experience this morning in all environments!

If It Snows, We're Probably Open

So...more snow in the forecast for tomorrow.  How can you know if Connexus will be open Sunday mornings when we get hit with a load of snow? 

Here's a really simple rule we're going to follow.  If the highways are open, Connexus will be open.  Our drivers set out extra early on snowy mornings to pull the trailers safely into the theaters for 6 a.m. set up. Our whole volunteer team will just set out a bit earlier so we can be good to go at 8:30.

Looking forward to all God has in store tomorrow! 

And when you get to the theaters, make sure you say a special thanks to our e-teams and volunteers who worked double hard to make it happen in the weather!  Better yet, sign up to join the team and be part of the reason we're sold out on opening space for people from every community to move into a growing relationship with Jesus each weekend

This Weekend at Connexus

So what can you expect at Connexus this weekend?  Lots.  Here are the highlights.

• Orillia moves into week two of full operations with part two of A Very Dysfunctional Christmas with a look how to best invest your Christmas spending.  Jackie Wright leads worship at the Orillia campus.

• Barrie hosts part three of a Very Dysfunctional Christmas with a message that's all about relationships -- one of the most difficult tensions many of us experience at Christmas. Our friends from Turn Off the Stars will lead worship at Connexus Barrie.  This Toronto band has toured with  acts as diverse as Switchfoot, April Wine and the Tea Party and does a fabulous job leading worship.  Watch for them at both campuses in the upcoming months.  I'll bring a message aimed at helping us all work through relational tension in our lives at Christmas.

• You get a chance to serve.  We're looking to add several dozen more people to our e-teams and Waumba Land and Upstreet environments at each campus by January 1st.  Our teams are filled with fantastic people (check out our team member of the week), and they have worked so hard to launch Connexus.  You can sign up Sunday to join one of these amazing teams.

• Watch for constant improvements in each of our environments. Not only are we growing our teams, we're improving the quality of the experience. Every week, we flag new things to work on to make the experience better.  We installed new video playback software for Orillia this week that should improve video quality, and a new syncing device to improve the Barrie video experience.  We also anticipate getting all of our environment gear delivered in the next month or so.  Watch for more signage and lots of other constant improvements.

So think about who you might bring with you this weekend as we completely anticipate what God might do in our lives as we gather this weekend.

Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor
carey.nieuwhof@connexuscommunity.com

P.S.  Rich Birch and I staked out Heritage Park in Barrie yesterday for our Christmas Eve service. It should be so much fun.  Prepare to bundle up, invite your friends, drink lots of hot chocolate, and celebrate the birth of Jesus outside together December 24th at 6:30.