Connexus Community Church

This Weekend @ Connexus

Really looking forward to Sunday.  For starters, I'm pumped because I'll be preaching live in Orillia on Sunday with the final message in the I Doubt It series. Can't wait to see everyone in Orillia again on Sunday! And one of the best preachers going is beginning a new series in Barrie Sunday (hint, it's not me!). And, Barrie, you'll have some really cool people to host the service Sunday.  Some of our Orillia team is heading to Barrie to say hi. It should be a great weekend at both campuses!

Second, we've got some big stuff coming down the pipes for the summer/early fall.  Just when I thought June was a big month, our team did more planning.  Stay tuned!

So, I'm hoping you'll be here this weekend with some friends.  Hey, I'm even interrupting my holidays to come back to preach Sunday, and happy to do it (there's a neat story behind it)....

Here's the skinny:

Orillia Campus | Sunday July 6th 2008   

I Doubt It | Part Four: I Just Doubt

Are doubts an inherent part of the Christian faith? Do people ever reach a stage where we just stop doubting? Why is it that sometimes as we grow spiritually, we question more, not less? What does God think of our doubts? What do we do with our doubts? Join us as we see how doubts are an essential part of a life of faith.

Music:
I am Free
Filled with Your Glory
Blessed be your name

Barrie Campus | Sunday July 6th 2008

Simple | Part One:  Follow Me

There is a common misconception that the church is a gathering place for saintly, perfect people. Moreover, some think that being a Christian means observing a set of rules or commandments. The reality is that the Christian life is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. And at the heart of that relationship is an invitation that Jesus extends to people from all experiences of life: "Follow me."

Music:

Sing to the King
Blessed be your name
Rain Down

See you Sunday!

Carey

The Long Weekend Rocks @Connexus

I have to say probably more than any other series we've done so far at Connexus, I've loved the I Doubt ItOrillia and wrap it up with part 4 in Barrie.   It should be a great weekend.  series.  I'm really looking forward to this weekend as we move into part 3 of the series in

If you've got friends or family over, bring them out.  I don't want to say "I promise you it will be worth it", but I've really enjoyed doing part 3 and preparing for part 4 of the series.  Man, I'm pumped!

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Orillia Campus | Sunday June 29th 2008   

I Doubt It | Part Three: I Doubt God is in Control

With this much atrocity and evil in the world and around us, how could God possibly be good? Why would anyone believe in a God in light of all the suffering we see?

Service times: 8:30 am and 10:00 am

Galaxy Theaters Orillia 865 West Ridge Blvd.

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Barrie Campus | Sunday June 29th 2008

I Doubt It | Part Four: I Just Doubt

Are doubts an inherent part of the Christian faith? Do people ever reach a stage where we just stop doubting? Why is it that sometimes as we grow spiritually, we question more, not less? What does God think of our doubts? What do we do with our doubts? Join us as we see how doubts are an essential part of a life of faith.
   
Service times: 8:30 am and 10:00 am
Galaxy Cinemas 72 Commerce Drive Barrie

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Finally, thanks to our incredible volunteer crew.  We had a great bbq last Sunday to celebrate you, but I'm going to be celebrating you again on this long weekend Sunday when you do all the things you do to create great environments that help lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus.  You inspire me!  Thanks to all our summer serve people who will be stepping up this weekend for the first time too.

All for Jesus folks.  He's more than worth it!  See you Sunday.

- Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor 

Can You Beat Our Volunteers? Don't Think So....

So today our staff team (eight or so in all) got to say thanks to our volunteers.  Apart from what God is doing in people's lives, my completely favourite story of the first seven months of Connexus is our volunteers.  You folks humble us week in and week out with your incredible spirit and selfless service.

Today, over 200 volunteers gathered for a thank you barbecue.  We cooked lots of burgers and dogs, and ate enough salad to feed a small town.  It was SO much fun being able to serve YOU for a change.   

It was a thrill to give away some prizes to this crew.  We gave away two weeks of free camping for at Camp MIni-Yo-We, ten free massages courtesy of Georgian College, an iPod shuffle, some DQ and Tim Horton Gift Certificates, camping gear, kids toys and more.  Thanks to Camp Mini-Yo-We and Georgian for the donations, and to Shaw's Catering for donating the ginormous bbq today!

In typical Connexus volunteer fashion, our volunteers have already started thanking the staff for serving them.  You guys are nuts.  Hope you enjoyed the day!

Hey - thank you to ALL our volunteers. God is using you every day to shape and change lives! 

If you want to become part of our amazing team of volunteers, email us.  We'd love to hear from you!

- Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor

Even More This Weekend @ Connexus

We are completely excited about what God has been doing this month at Connexus.  Here's a summary/update:

Baptism
Well over 100 folks joined us last night at Bass Lake for our first Baptism service, where we had the privilege of baptizing 12 Jesus-followers.  Watch for the stories of the people who were baptized and video of their baptisms to be played back on various weekends over the summer during our Sunday services.  And for the many of you who missed this baptism service but want to be baptized soon, you can apply on line here.  We're planning the next Baptism Service for August.

Volunteer BBQ
We totally LOVE our volunteers. If you volunteer in any way at Connexus, do NOT miss the Volunteer BBQ immediately after services at Oro Memorial Park.  There will be burgers and dogs, games, and a chance for our volunteers from both campuses to connect and have some fun together. Kids are welcome! And, we'll be giving away a couple of really awesome prizes! Seriously.  You'll kick yourself if you miss it when you hear what we are giving away. 

I Doubt It
I'm loving the I Doubt It series. We've had some great feedback so far, and I'm really hoping your friends will be coming with you.  We've brought some friends already and are looking forward to more joining us in a few weeks.  Who will you bring this weekend as we talk about faith, doubt, and Jesus?

Here's what's up:

Orillia Campus | Part Two: I Doubt Jesus is God

Accepting that Jesus lived and was a great teacher is one thing, but is it actually true that Jesus is God? What evidence is there that Jesus rose from the dead, that He is the Messiah, that He actually was and is God? Can anyone actually unearth reasonable evidence that Jesus is who he said he is?

Service Times: 8:30 and 10:00 a.m.

Galaxy Theatres Orillia: 865 West Ridge Blvd, Orillia

 

Barrie Campus | Part Three: I Doubt God is in Control

With this much atrocity and evil in the world and around us, how could God possibly be good? Why would anyone believe in a God in light of all the suffering we see?

Service Times: 8:30 and 10:00 a.m.

Galaxy Theatres Barrie:  72 Commerce Park Drive

It's great to be even a small part of something BIG that God wants to do in people's lives.  See you Sunday!

Carey Nieuwhof

Lead Pastor

We'll see you at the Baptism Service Tonight!

Please come out and join us for our first baptism service at Connexus.

The weather has been giving us all a scare here but we are going ahead anyways. The baptism Service will start at 7:00 going to 8:30 and there will be refreshments and cake! The service also includes some music, scripture and then a dozen baptisms. Please bring your lawn chairs and blankets and come out and cheer them on. For details, including location and directions,  click here.  The baptisms will be taped tonight and then played back over the summer at our campuses on Sunday mornings.

Hope to see you there.

Doubt Your Doubts This Weekend @ Connexus

I'm really excited that both campuses are now full on into the I Doubt It series.  Weird things can happen at Connexus.  This man showed up last weekend and look at what happened to his hair (the guy on the right, not me).  Hardly a dull moment at Connexus.

We have some great things lined up on both campuses.  Please please please bring your skeptical friends and family members with you.  We are committed to entering into a meaningful dialogue that takes people's desire to doubt and believe seriously, so invite away.

Here's what's up at both campuses:

Orillia Campus: 8:30 and 10:00 a.m.
I Doubt It | Part One - I Doubt God Can Explain Away Science
Do intelligent people actually believe that a personal God created the universe?  Hasn’t science essentially ruled out God?  Is there any evidence for an intelligent designer behind life?  What does the evidence actually say?  Jackie Wright leads worship.

Location: Galaxy Cinemas 865 Westridge Place

Barrie Campus: 8:30 and 10:00 a.m.
I Doubt It | Part Two - I Doubt Jesus is God
Accepting that Jesus lived and was a great teacher is one thing, but is actually true that Jesus is God?  What evidence is there that Jesus rose from the dead, that He is the Messiah, that He actually was and is God?  Can anyone actually unearth reasonable evidence that Jesus is who he said he is?  Andrew Walker leads worship.

Location: Galaxy Cinemas 73 Commerce Park Drive, Barrie

See you Sunday!

Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor

You CAN'T Miss the Baptism Service

Okay, I have a new favourite activity at Connexus: baptism.

Tonight, we filmed a dozen baptism stories (from a teenager to a 70 year old) in preparation for our baptism service next week.  Over and over again tonight,  I was incredibly moved.  Other times, we were laughing out loud. Most of all, I was amazed at what God has been doing in people's lives.

Our actual baptism service is next Thursday, June 19th at 7 p.m..  For details, including location and direction,  click here.  Whatever you do, budget the time to be there.  Everyone's invited for some music, scripture and then a dozen baptisms.  (And, there will be cake!)  We filmed stories tonight.  We'll film the actual baptisms next week. Then over the course of the summer, we'll be playing back people's stories and their baptisms via video at our campuses on Sunday mornings. 

Can't wait to see what God does with all of this, but I promise you I found it incredibly amazing to see what God is doing in people's hearts and lives.

I love being part of this community!

Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor

Three BIG Things This Weekend @ Connexus

It is another HUGE weekend at Connexus, and given the forecast, I'm thankful all our weekend venues are air-conditioned!  Make sure your friends are ready to join you for what will be a weekend to remember in many ways.

We wrap up God and Sex in Orillia with a moment in the service you don't want to miss and that you haven't seen on-line.

In Barrie, we start a series on doubt called I Doubt It.  If you have friends who question whether God and science are at odds with each other, you don't want to miss this weekend.  The discussion in this clip will get you and your friends asking some intriguing questions as we move into week one of the series!

Finally, Irresistible happens Sunday night at 7:30 at the Rene M. Caisse Theater in Bracebridge. If you know ANYONE in Muskoka who is interested in launching a church they can bring their friends to, tell them about Sunday night.  I'm so looking forward to being there Sunday night to cast vision with Rich Birch about launching Connexus Muskoka. The music is going to be amazing!

Please pray for our communities and region this weekend.  Pray that God would move.  Pray that God would change lives.  Pray that we would hear from God in a powerful way.  Some of us are even fasting and praying on Saturday as we get ready for Sunday.  Maybe you can join us!

If you want the official skinny, here it is:

Orillia Campus | 8:30 and 10:00 a.m.
God and Sex: Part Three - Totally Satisfying Sex

Cosmopolitan aside, is it possible to have completely satisfying sex?   How do married people find sexual fulfillment?  What about singles?  Where does real joy in sex come, whether you’re sexually active or not?

Galaxy Theaters  - 865 West Ridge Boulevard, Orillia

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Barrie Campus | 8:30 and 10:00 a.m.
I Doubt It: Part One - I Doubt that God Can Explain Away Science

Do intelligent people actually believe that a personal God created the universe?  Hasn’t science essentially ruled out God?  Is there any evidence for an intelligent designer behind life?  What does the evidence actually say?

Galaxy Theaters  - 72 Commerce Park Drive, Barrie

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Irresistible | 7:30 p.m. Bracebridge
What sort of relevant environment would church need to be so we could invite our friends?  Let’s imagine together.

At Connexus we believe the church should be the most irresistible place in the community because we think it honours God and serves our communities.  Currently we have locations in Barrie and Orillia. There is a group of leaders from Muskoka that have asked us to partner with them to launch a new church right here in Muskoka. This event is going to be the first step towards that launch. 

The event will have music, video and a relevant message.  While we love kids (a lot!) but for this event we will not be hosting our children’s environments. 

Invite some friends with you who you think might be interested in learning more about what we need when we talk about church being irresistible.

Rene M. Caisse Theater - 100 Clearbrook Trail, Bracebridge

The All-Sex Weekend Continues at Connexus

It's been great to get feedback on how many of you appreciate the opportunity to tackle the issue of sex from God's perspective. God and Sex continues at both campuses this weekend.

This weekend we ramp things up even more at both campuses. Orillia, you are in for a really cool treat this weekend.  And Barrie, well, this weekend's service will either drive you out of the church or make you wish you'd brought all of your friends to see this.  I don't know which it will be...and I'm not telling till we get there.

Here's the weekend line up:

Orillia Campus | June 1st 2008
God and Sex | Part Two: How Far Can I Go?
If intimacy and sex have become separated, many people are determined to bring the two back together again, but often, we fail.  Porn, sex outside of marriage, masturbation, oral sex – where do these forms of sexual expression fit in God’s plan? How far can you go sexually? Will any of this lead to intimacy?

Ross McLeod leads worship.

Note: This service is rated PG 13.  We'll be talking honestly and biblically about sex.  There is great kids programming at Connexus at all services for kids aged birth-grade 8.

Barrie Campus | Sunday June 1st
God and Sex | Part Three: Totally Satisfying Sex
Cosmopolitan aside, is it possible to have completely satisfying sex?   How do married people find sexual fulfillment?  What about singles?  Where does real joy in sex come, whether you’re sexually active or not?

Andy Walker leads worship.

Note: This service is rated PG 13.  We'll be talking honestly and biblically about sex.  There is great kids programming at Connexus at all services for kids aged birth-grade 8.

Thanks to our amazing e-teams and volunteers who make Sundays happen every single weekend!

Looking forward to seeing you Sunday and learning and growing together!

Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor  

An Incredible Summer Lined Up

Looks like we are heading into an exciting season over the next few months at Connexus.  Who said summer had to be sleepy as far as church is concerned?  We believe God wants to keep doing great things in our midst all summer long.

We want to fully keep you in the loop.  If you haven't been to our website lately, it's been updated regularly with all the things are happening:

• Weekends are sizzlin'! We're holding nothing back on the summer weekend schedule:

• We've still got some great mileage to go on the God and Sex series before it's finished.  We're pumped about this one!
• I Doubt It... is getting ready to launch in June.  You can watch the trailer and view details here.  Use the evite to invite your friends, plus we'll have some small rave cards to hand out this weekend (June 1st) at both campuses that you can hand out to friends and family personally.
• The Stairway to Heaven | Highway to Hell series (oh man, will that be great) follows in July/August. 

• Summer Serve. Our unbelievable volunteers have been bringin' it week in/week out since launch.  We want to give them a break to let them come to church with their friends and family and will be asking you to step up to serve for one or more Sundays this summer.  Think now about when you can help!

• Irresistible happens Sunday, June 8th at 7:30 p.m. in Bracebridge.  That's where we'll cast vision for the launch of a Muskoka campus.  Make sure all your friends in Muskoka hear about this.

• Baptism You can now sign up for baptism on-line.  Our first all-campus baptism service will be Thursday, June 19th at Bass Lake, on the huge front lawn of Rob and Rose Meeder (who host the Orillia campus service most Sundays).  Everyone's invited, and if you want to be baptized, click here.

• Volunteer BBQ 2008.  If you volunteer at Connexus, don't miss this!  We are going to party on June 22nd after church at Oro Memorial Park.

• Vision.  Our vision document that lays out the next 12 months at Connexus is on line now. Check it out!

There's more, but this will get you started.  Thanks for being partners in this incredible adventure!