If any of you actually lived in the Cityview building, which I am glad to say none of you do, you would have a great walkability score. Cityview, at 4370 Sophia St., has a walkability score of 90! Check out your own score at www.walkscore.com. Cityview is both a community and a regional congregation. Our people walk, bike, transit, and drive to go to and from our gatherings. I am so glad that the Main Street corridor is thriving!
vancouver
high school graduation and SHIFT
Growing up for some of us is like driving an automatic: we shifted gears almost without thinking. And for others of us growing up has been like learning to drive a standard: we shift, jolt, restart, look for the sweet spot, and try again; every transition requires us to think, stop try. Nothing feels automatic.
High school graduation is a major marker in the journey of growing up. Today I was privileged to be a part of graduation interviews at Tupper High School. I’m so impressed with the students I met and deeply appreciative of the variety of strengths they have landed on and are seeking to develop in the next years. Some of them are shifting well almost on automatic, and others are in the midst of learning to shift.
I have been thinking during the day about the kinds of shifts that are needed and one hopes are well on the way by graduation. Here’s a short list of shifts that I believe high school graduation signals are in order. What do you think, are these expectations realistic?
1. From dependence to independence to interdependence.
2. From working on my weaknesses to living in my strengths.
3. From trusting that others will solve problems for me to seeking solutions with others.
4. From simply absorbing the values of others in order to please them to sorting out what really matters to me.
5. From living for myself as an end to living for something greater than me.
6. From fear of challenges to facing challenges.
7. From the inertia of the familiar to the exhilaration of learning something new. And from depending on others to do this for me to taking the initiative to sharpen my growing edges.
8. From intoxication with power to the just application of power.
9. From having others pay the bills to paying the bills myself.
10. ……….hey what shift do you believe high school graduation signals?
the drift, 2009
Attention local artists and friends of art: The Drift Society has announced the next dates for the 2009 Arts on Main St. adventure! Saturday October 3 and Sunday October 4. Discover more details and how to be involved in the latest newsletter. Last year I really enjoyed the venues and the art on Main St. We turned it into a family outing and had a wonderful time.
grounds for violence–welcome to the wild wild west
Yesterday violence erupted again in my neighbourhood and someone lay dead on the ground for the second time in as many weeks. For the most part I live my life from the space in between Main and Fraser in Vancouver. I enjoy these two streets and the different stories they are telling about the City. However my heart broke yesterday in hearing the account my neighbour told of taking children home and having to walk past the body of a young man absorbed in the darkness of lawlessness.
This morning I sat a few blocks from the corner where he died and reflected on what grounds for violence he and others in his realm have. The Lower Mainland is seemingly awash with those who would turn this western edge of the continent into their own wild playground. What has consumed their conscience and heart? Why have they abandoned the delight of life? Have they been deceived by the attraction of power? What vision of strength have they enshrined? What honour has been constructed that must be preserved? Do they truly want a life built on the survival of the strongest? What lies has the Evil One weaved into the fabric of their hearts?
Law is the tutor that highlights reality for the deadened conscience to recognize that something is wrong. But what’s next? Changed hearts and restored relationships are possible from a Christian worldview through the grace of God in Christ Jesus His Son. Into the grounds of violence God has planted a cross and empty tomb; He is shouting “you matter to me.”
This morning I prayed for our City in the tradition of Jesus a prayer that seeks to take back the ground and the lives of those sullied and sickened by violence, apathy, greed, denial, revenge, selfishness, bravado, and pain. Perhaps you will join me in voicing again the prayer of all Jesus’ disciples:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliever us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9-13
love main street
Hey thanks to all of you who helped us “Love Main Street” on Sunday after the service at Cityview. About 25 of us went out for an hour and did a clean sweep of gargabe on about 3 blocks, passed about 400 Camino fair trade chocolates to the Main Street shoppers, and about 30 tins of goodies for the merchants. You all were awesome. Thanks. And Thanks to Sarah as well for creating the card for us.
urbanfoot 