Connexus Community Church

Radical Followers

Often we can talk a good game in the Christian world, but the real issue is who lives a good game? The longer I live my life as a Christ follower, the more I ask why my life doesn't look more like Jesus' life. It's easy to talk compassion and sacrifice, I love it when Christ-followers go out and do it.  I want to foster that kind of atmosphere as a community.

So that's why I'm excited about some of the things our people at Connexus are doing to make an impact on our community and the globe - an impact that's costing them something and expressing their faith in real terms.

Sarah Flemming and Jessie Scott, two college students at Connexus, are heading to South Africa and then to Mozambique in early June to work with children through some local churches. They'll be taking some of the things they've learned here to provide a vibrant teaching environment there.   Sarah writes:

Here are some of our prayer requests. From what I have learned this far, men and women have very different places in the community, so it will be necessary for us (Sarah and Jessie) to abide by culture expectations in our actions and appearances.  It is winter in Mozambique, but temperatures are still soaring during the daytime, and living conditions will be rough and unhygienic, please pray for our health and safety as we work.  We will run into things that will break our hearts, please pray for our strength and courage. Most importantly, please pray for our unity as a team, and that we will be open to transformation in ourselves as we serve with the love of Christ and see what He sees.

I met with another Connexus volunteer on Monday who is going to India in November to work with some of the "untouchables" in the name of Jesus.  Way to go Bill!

Another Connexus couple is spending their honeymoon in Africa working among the poor in Jesus' name (isn't that awesome?)!  And I've spoken before about Bill Fitch (who will be part of our Muskoka campus) and his amazing work training African church leaders through Listen2Learn.

On the local scene, groups and individuals are serving at places as diverse as the Light House Men's Shelter and the Pregnancy Resource Center.

This is all in addition to the great work so many of our people have done and will be doing in Guatemala.  Last March, numerous Connexus families traveled over the March break to work with the people of Guatemala.  Guatemala will be a natural focus for GlobalX (our international mission arm) when it launches in the next twelve months.

We live out our faith when we give out our faith.  You're a community that makes me grateful to be your pastor.  Thanks for expressing your love for Jesus into the community and this world at large.  You inspire me!

Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor 

Jump into the stream . . .

"Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action."
- Benjamin Disraeli

Over the next couple weeks we're going to be turning up the volume on the next GroupLink.  GroupLink is a two-hour event where you will connect with others and form a community group. Community groups are small groups of around a dozen people that meet weekly in someone's home for fellowship, Bible study, and prayer.  That sounds so stale . . . so vanilla.  The fact is that we are all designed to be in community in our relationship with Jesus.  The Bible can't be understood by a loan person sitting on a hill somewhere attempting to understand it . . . its only through working it through with other people that you can understand it.  The bible was given to groups of people to be read by groups of people and understand by groups of people.  It was hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years later that we got to the point where we somehow believed we could "know it all" as individuals.   To put it simply . . . your spiritual life is being hampered by not being in a group.  But it takes work . . . it doesn't "just happen".

I love canoeing . . . there is nothing like being out in the middle of nowhere with just a small boat, three days of food, and a group of friends.  Canoeing on a river is even better.  Canoeing in whitewater is the peak of a good time.  The water flows the fastest in the middle of the stream.  That's where all the speed is . . . where all the fun is.  But you know at the same time your paddling to get to the middle of the stream the water is pushing you to outside.  But once you are in the flow of the water . . . what a ride!  It's the same with developing community.  It can take some work to get connected . . . to get into the middle of it all . . . but once you are in there . . . what a ride!  Don't miss out on community.  You next step in your journey in make it out to GroupLink.  Take the risk . . . it's worth it. 

Here are some words from people in Connexus who are connected to a Community Group.  Doesn't community life sound great? 

"We challenge each other, support one another and pray for our families and marriages.  The Word comes alive as we work through scripture together making reference to relevant life issues.  Thanks to the priority each member puts on our time, our small group truly 'Connexus'!"

"When we were going through some big decisions in February they all were there along side us cheering and praying for us..and when we made the leap to sell our house they waited anxiously and prayed again for us! Now that we have sold our house...first thing one of the couples said was...when is the moving date so we can write it on our calendar to be there to help you move!"

"Each one of us started looking for a small group because we wanted to meet other young Christian adults who we could relate with and really talk to and grow with. That's exactly what has happened. We've all bonded really well!"

"For me, my group helps keep my faith fresh and real.  It's like getting a front row seat on what God is doing here and now."

The next GroupLink is Saturday, April 26th from 7 - 9 pm at Georgian Manor Banquet Hall. 52 Morrow Road Barrie, Ontario   Email today:  groupsadmin@connexuscommunity.com

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

Proud to be at Connexus

I wanted to let you in on a funny thing happened on Saturday that I thought I would pass along to everybody.  Our Community Group serves at the Lighthouse in Orillia on the first Saturday of every month.   It's a highlight of the month for me.  I look forward to going with my kids to help Tim and his team out.  The Lighthouse does such a great job serving the people of Orillia.  It's a great community builder as our group grows closer together through shared experience.  Plus in a small way we are living out Jesus' direction to not just "proclaim the message" but also to "demonstrate the message".  It's just great all around. 

Picture this . . . Saturday morning we were all serving.  Some folks were cutting potatoes, others were upstairs cleaning bathrooms, a couple people were in the kitchen doing dishes.  In just a few moments Tim would open the doors and let our guest for the morning come in.  Then shortly before 10 am Tim calls me into his office.  He let me know that there had been a mix up and that he had double booked another group to come and help.  There was a group coming from Connexus to help make lunch today at 10 am.  He had thought that we were that group and that we arrived 1.5 hours early.  (Our reputation for liking to get things started early precedes us!)  He felt awful that he had double booked our group - when they called to book he thought that we were the same people! I was proud that there were so many groups of people serving at the Lighthouse that it confused him!  I'm so glad that people are making real efforts to serve the poor in our communities.  Oddly enough . . . it was one of the proudest moments in my Connexus life yet.  I like making Sunday stuff work well but seeing people live out the message of Jesus really fires me up!

So we had to leave and make room for the other group.  We went back to our place and hung out.  You know . . . built community and stuff.  It was a fantastic morning all around.  The kind of thing that makes me proud to be a part of this community.

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

p.s. If your Community Group isn't serving at a place like Lighthouse you are missing out.  If you want ideas of the sort of things that you could do drop me a line!

p.p.s. There is a group that is looking to add some new faces to their group.  Particularly if you have kids under the age the age of 10.  Drop me an email and we'll get you connected.

Good Fr-rr-rr-iday and some Good News

Two things happened in the last 24 hours I just have to share with you.

First, we shot our Good Friday message video today - outside. Why on earth did we pick the coldest day of 2008 to shoot the video?  I haven't been that cold in years.  In fact, tonight at home six hours later, I'm still cold!  The good news is I'm really excited by the format (we shot it at various locations -- all part of the script) and the message.  It's all about the cross -- and reflecting on the cross as I wrote the script earlier this week brought me to tears. 

Why did we shoot our Good Friday message video a month in advance?  We did it so that I could actually preach in two places at once on Good Friday (Barrie and Orillia at 10:00 a.m.). I'm deeply excited by what God might do through the message and the service. I think it could be incredible.  Please pray with us as the day approaches.

Second, I spent Tuesday night with about 20 small group leaders who serve in Waumba Land and UpStreet.  I wish you all could have been there.  We talked about why we don't do class room environments  for kids at Connexus, and why their role as your child's small group leader is so pivotal.  We want every child to have someone working with parents to personally help a child trust God in every season of life. The leaders in the room are simply amazing people who every week, carry the best interests of your son or daughter in their hearts.  I left so grateful for that crew!

Thanks to everyone who serves in our children and student ministry environments.  I also left grateful that I somehow get to serve as pastor of this place.  You folks just rock the house!

- Carey

Group Link -- Save the Date

So many of you have been asking...so we're so pretty pumped to share the news.

Group Link is ready to roll for Spring 2008.  Mark your calendars -- our Spring Group Link is Saturday, April 26th from 7-9 p.m..  It's an all-campus event hosted in Barrie.  Location will be announced soon.

GroupLink is how everyone at Connexus finds their way into a community group -- so don't miss it! Stay tuned, we'll keep you posted.

I am totally loving my community group -- we've been meeting since just before Connexus launched. It's such a huge part of developing an authentic walk with God and with others. 

For more on Group Link check out our the GroupLink pages on the Connexus website.

Get Connected at Connexus: GroupLink

Click To Play

Are you in a Community Group?  If not you are missing out on so much of the Connexus experience.  Sure our weekend stuff is good . . . but our Community Groups are great. 

If Connexus was a great meal the weekend would be the vegetables and Community Groups would be the steak.  If Connexus was a car the weekends would be the shell and Community Groups would be the engine.  I think you get the idea - Community Groups are what it's all about.  How do you connected to a Community Group?  Great Question! You're next step is to come to GroupLink and get into an 8 week "try before you buy" Community Group.

GroupLink is a two-hour event where you will connect with others and form a community group. Community groups are small groups of eight to twelve people that meet weekly in someone's home for fellowship, Bible study, and prayer.  They are the best place at Connexus for you to be exploring your faith and getting to know people!

The next GroupLink is this Saturday!  Saturday, January 26th, 2008, 7:00 p.m. - Best Western Mariposa Inn, Orillia

Email groupsadmin@connexuscommunity.com if you want to attend or simply want more information!  We'll see you on Saturday!

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