For the past 15 years I have thoroughly enjoy the Main St. corridor in Vancouver. During that time Cityview has experienced the ebb and flow of urban change. I think the best way to get to know a community is to go take a walk, have a coffee and a talk, get connected with a group of people and make a contribution that improves life for others. Having said that though, blocktalk.ca has applied data provided by the Canada Census and analysed by Environics, to create community profiles for Vancouver. Blocktalk.ca is intended to be a tool for prospective home-buyers. Check us out. Cityivew is located at 4370 Sophia St.
cityview
got walkability?
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!
pastor lalpi’s testimony at BC Christian News
A few of us at Cityview had a lot of fun teasing Pastor Lalpi yesterday seeking his autograph on our own personal copy of BC Christian News. However, teasing aside, Jesus gets the credit for doing the tough and graceful work of saving us and changing our lives. Take a look at Lalpi’s testimony and then stop over and listen to some of his music. Lalpi’s music files are under the “media” section. I am thankful to be able to serve Jesus with such a thoughtful and Spirit-filled worship leader and pastor.
integrity test: will I stand with the friends of Jesus?
Here’s the reality: there are forces subtly and not so subtly arraigned to divide the friends of Jesus from Him and from each other. The disciples experienced this pressure early on when Jesus called Levi, the tax collector to follow Him.
Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners.’?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:27-32
The party has been crashed. The Pharisees are making a scene. And Matthew (Levi) stands to be embarrassed. Perhaps the music stopped and everyone gets quiet to see what would happen next. Its Matthew’s party…but its Jesus who gets in the face of the Pharisees and challenges their self-righteousness with a statement of defence crafted not on the merits of the tax collectors and sinners, but rather on the merits of His own mission. Jesus will not be divided from the people He has called out even when others call them down.
In our setting, self-righteousness comes in many forms and has many preachers. The “new” self-righteousness may not be religious, but may actually pride itself in not being religious. This self-righteous non-religiosity creates a pressure that can divide many followers of Jesus from living an integrated life. It happens on Monday morning. “Hey, how was your weekend.” Great. “What did you do?” uhm…watched the game, went hiking with the family…
What’s missing? A vibrant confession: “I got to hang out with some friends who have been accepted by Jesus Christ and consider how God is making a difference in… I’m amazed that this group of imperfect, diverse, people are drawn to Jesus and have been given life. I’m really happy to be a part of this group.”
Or whatever…but that’s the integrity test. Its in the subtle ways we avoid pressure, question, conflict, and therefore never create the space to address one of the hot deafeaters of faith in Jesus: the weaknesses and failings of Jesus’ own people. Unless we confess with absolute joy and awe at what Jesus has done in accepting us–all of us who call Him Lord, then we will rarely have the opportunity to proclaim the gospel as a way of living that is neighter religious or irreligious, moral or immoral. Unless we celebrate the mission of Jesus to us–to meet the sick and to heal them–and to call the sinners to repentance–then we will struggle on Mondays and Tuesdays and Fridays–and even Sundays to stand with the church.
praying with Patrick
On the weekend 16 of us went out and braved the snow and rain to serve and connect with people on Main Street. Great adventurers! Thanks for going out on the street with me. Besides doing a “green sweep,” we also gave almost 200 people a card that invited them to celebrate St. Patrick’s day with us by praying with Patrick a portion of his famous Breastplate prayer. I have included the prayer below.
I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to secure me—
against snares of devils,
against temptations of vices,
against inclinations of
nature,
against everyone who shall
wish me ill, afar and anear,
alone and in a crowd.
Christ to protect me today.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today through a mighty strength, the
invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness towards the Creator.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of Christ.
May Thy salvation, O Lord, be ever with us. AMEN.
This prayer is part of the Breastplate of St. Patrick, missionary to Ireland. Born 385 AD in England. Enslaved in Ireland at age 16. Escaped but returned to Ireland to proclaim the way of Jesus. Died March 17, 461.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
urbanfoot 