Simplicity and Stuff

According to Richard Foster, “Simplicity is freedom.”

It’s freedom from a spirit of greed and control. It’s freedom from the diabolical lust for more. In his book, The Freedom of Simplicity, he writes,
“But the wonderful thing about simplicity is its ability to give us contentment. Do you understand what a freedom this is? To live in contentment means we can opt out of the status race and the maddening pace that is its necessary partner. We can shout ‘No!’ to the insanity which chants, ‘More, more, more!’ We can rest contented in the gracious provision of God.” Foster, Freedom of Simplicity, 110.
It seems like Foster isn’t alone in his perspective on consumerism and our obsession with stuff.
Check out this great video from www.storyofstuff.com:

Is it time to stop Fasting from Fasting?


Fasting. It’s an ancient discipline that is rarely practiced today. At least in the part of the world where I live.

Most people don’t question the importance of prayer and Bible study in spiritual formation. But fasting–that’s for the Medieval weirdos.
Or, maybe not.
Take pastor, theologian, and founder of Methodism, John Wesley (1703-1791) for example. He wrote, “the man that never fasts is no more in the way to heaven than the man that never prays.”
Dallas Willard–a modern day theologian, professor, and spiritual formation guru–says, “We of course tend to think of ascetic practices perhaps as oddities of human history, prominent only in ‘pagan India,’ perhaps, or in the spiritually degraded ‘Dark Ages’ of Western Europe. But such thinking is far from the truth. It’s an illusion created in part by our own conviction that our unrestrained natural impulse is in itself a good thing and that we have an unquestionable right to fulfill our natural impulses so long as ‘no ones gets hurt.'” (Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines, 99)
In our obsession with ‘the easy life’ we’ve tossed aside uncomfortable spiritual practices and buried ourselves under the pillows of cushy Christianity. The kind of religion that promises genuine growth but instead swallows us in a hollow ‘form’ of Christian spirituality.
If we want to act like Jesus we are going to have to get comfortable with discomfort. Not pain for pain’s sake; but self-imposed discomfort. Like an athlete’s painful workout that leads to greater effectiveness on game day.

Lord, Please Grant Me The Open Hands of a Child

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (New International Version, ©2011)

Generosity Encouraged

 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

He sits in a stench of non-apologetics, wild beard like unkept dread-locks, this misplaced Rastafarian, invisible and oblivious to the hustle and grind of the PATH – Toronto’s underground walkway.  Passed by like nothing more than a shadow – like nothing more than a speed bump on the ramp reaching up into sunshine.  Like nothing.  His sad little nickels jingle weakly in a dirty paper cup, a tired attempt to draw attention.  There’s no guessing his age, he appears ancient, wrapped up like a mummy in rolls and rumples of faded plaid.  Eyes, moist and glassy, peering through matted hair and pain, begging for a moment of human contact, slumping deeper into his bed of torn Toronto Stars with each hurried step that avoids and shuns.

We are a group of twelve, a jovial rainbow of chaos echoing off the tiles.  We see him from a long way off, a lump in the centre of the floor.  I am tightening my grip on my purse, plotting a path that will keep me as far from his pile as possible, already deciding that I won’t meet his eyes.

The twelve year old breaks away, rustling through her bag until she finds her wallet, kneels down right in front of him – fake cowboy boots on a corner of his paper – empties every coin she has into that dirty paper cup – *plink*, *plink* ,*plink* – looking him right in the face, eyes void of disgust and rich with compassion.

And then her brother, eleven years old, breaks away, digging in his jeans pocket, letting his treasure *plink* onto his sisters and with every *plink* that man sits a little straighter and with every *plink* my heart breaks a little bit more because I realize just how selfish I am.

Lord, please grant me the open hands of a child.  Give me a generous heart that will set aside my own selfishness in order to better someone else’s life.  Make me a joyful giver,  a willing giver, a generous giver.  Make me like a twelve year old girl who would give it all for nothing more than a smile.  Lord, make me more like You.

Alanna Rusnak shares her life with her husband, three children, and a cat she’s trying hard not to love.  She has attended HMC for her entire life and been on staff since 2003, currently fulfilling the role of Creative Communications.  You can find her over at her own blog, SelfBinding Retrospect.

Laying It Down

On Sunday, Pastor Paul challenged the congregation to lay something down as an act of sacrifice because “with less of you there is more of God…” Matthew 5:3b The Message.  Responses varied from the giving up of physical items to the commitment to set aside negative character traits.  Below is a list compiled from the responses.  Feel free to add your own sacrifice to the list or to let us know how God’s been working through your offering by using the comment link below.

Activities

  • blogging
  • decorating
  • drawing
  • eating out
  • extra sleep (if it takes away from devotions)
  • going out for coffee/tea
  • hockey
  • movies
  • unnecessary shopping

Character

  • always being “right”
  • anger
  • doubt
  • entitlement
  • fear
  • grumbling
  • judgmental thoughts
  • laziness
  • need to control others
  • negative thinking
  • procrastination
  • self indulgence
  • selfishness
  • unkind thoughts and words

 Food/Drink

  • bread 
  • candy
  • chips
  • chocolate
  • coffee
  • diet pop
  • dessert
  • doritos
  • foolish eating habits
  • hamburgers
  • overeating
  • pizza
  • sweets

Media

  • 1/2 hr television a day (to read God’s Word instead)
  • celebrity television shows
  • computer/video games
  • facebook
  • psp
  • television

Money

  • control of money
  • give more to those in need
  • new furniture

Time

  • 20-30 minutes every day (to write a note of encouragement for another)
  • busyness
  • making time for more Bible reading
  • my one hour after work to myself (give this hour to others (my kids, parents, etc)
  • wasted time

Other

  • live more simply
  • occupational privilege

[click here to listen to Pastor Paul’s sermon]

A History of Lent

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Written by: Brian Austin
For me, Lent has always been more of a puzzle than a practice. Forty days of fasting sounded like a long time. A lover of good food who has always associated fasting with eating nothing, I had selfish reasons for not looking closer. I found it baffling as well, that the 40 days actually add up to 46. Is my math that bad, or is it someone else’s error?
The word Lent itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words lencten, meaning “Spring,” and lenctentid, which literally means “Springtide,” or “March.”
As early as 203 AD, confusion existed over how one should prepare for Easter. In a translation from Greek to Latin, a 40 hour fast came to be understood as a 40 day fast, a significant change that became firmly established at the council of Nicea in 325 AD.
This preparation time carries remnants of the Jewish celebration of the Passover – fittingly enough, for Jesus was crucified during Passover as “The Lamb of God.” The language has changed from the “unleavened bread” and “bitter herbs” of the Passover meal, yet a surprising number of parallels exist. Shrove Tuesday (Feast or Fat Tuesday March 8, 2011) is celebrated much like the preparation for Passover week, eating everything that will be abstained from in coming days. From that point on, some type of fast or abstinence is practiced in many Christian traditions. Most of these traditions predate Catholic or Protestant designations, although they are preserved predominantly within the Catholic church.
The 40 day fast at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry seems to be the strongest link to the duration of Lent. But Sundays, celebrated by the early Christian church as “Resurrection Day,” continued to be celebration days even through this somber period. In some traditions Sundays are feast days in the midst of the fast. In others, specific abstinence is still practiced, especially from any red meats. Almost all traditions permit fish.
The fast itself is but a small part of the tradition—perhaps not even the most important part. Confession to God and confession and restitution to others shows up repeatedly in ancient and modern writings about any authentic practice of Lent.
What would it do in my life if, as I anticipate the pivotal point in the Christian calendar each year, I intentionally gave 40+ days to preparing my heart, my mind, and even my body, for an intense focus on the sacrificial death of Christ, followed by the triumph of His resurrection? What would it do in the lives of those around me if for 40+ days I actively searched for ways I could bring healing and reconciliation?
Maybe – just maybe – Lent deserves more than a shrug. Just maybe, the early church and more traditional present day churches have it right in choosing to give up something for these 40+ days, while making an extra effort to focus on the One who made Easter a reason to celebrate and THE pivotal point in history.
For further reading, much of it scholarly but still fascinating, go to:

Something’s Happening…

Is there more to being a Christian than having my sins forgiven?  What does spiritual growth look like?  
How do I know if I’m growing  in Christ?

If you’ve pondered these questions and failed to find a good response, or you’ve been struggling to grow in relationship with Jesus, then our SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL COURSE is for you.

Join us, beginning on March 20th, for a 5-week, Sunday afternoon (1-2:30 pm) journey as we dig deeper into the morning message and learn how to practice the ancient disciplines.  Growing in Christ is our goal.

This family friendly course will include intergenerational worship, age specific learning times, opportunities for practical application and it will culminate with a weekend retreat at Stayner Conference Bible Grounds (May 6-7).

Because good things aren’t usually free, there is a small cost involved.  The whole series (5 afternoon sessions and the retreat, including travel, meals and accommodation) will cost an adult $52, a child (3-10) $26, or a family $130.

Sign your family up for this adventure by March 16.

More information will be available on the registration form (which you will receive in your bulletin this Sunday or download from the HMC home page).

Jesus and the O.T. Law


The Old Testament Law. It’s the subject of this week’s sermon (taken from Matt. 5:17-20).

It’s not a simple subject. Actually, there are massive rabbinical commentaries written about even the most subtle of commands.
And one of the Law’s greatest commander-zealot, before he met Jesus, was the apostle Paul–aka Saul the Pharisee.
However, once he was changed by Jesus, Paul changed his mind about his radical devotion to obeying the law. He didn’t throw it out; instead he followed it by seeing it through a Christian lens.
Put simply: he stopped inviting people to “do” or “obey” the law. Instead, he called people to “fulfill” it by following Jesus.
Here are some of the texts he wrote in reference to the O.T. Law:
“Doing” the Law (Gal. 3:10, 12; 5:3; Rom 10:5)
“Fulfilling” the Law (Gal. 5:14; Rom. 8:4; 13:8, 10)
So, how about you? Are you more of a “doer” or a “fulfiller” of the law?

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit



Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God.  Matthew 5:3  (NIV)

You are blessed when you are at the end of your rope.  With less of you there is more of God and his rule.  (The Message)

In Matthew 13:44 Jesus tells this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.”

I think it is by realizing that nothing we have on this earth is worth more than God’s Kingdom that we become the poor in spirit.  We are to live with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favour and salvation, regardless of our outward conditions and dwell in the knowledge that nothing we may have is worth more than the kingdom of God.

When we think of possessions, undoubtably we think of things like our homes and cars, or our televisions and computers.  But what about our families?  Our health?  Our careers and reputations?  Our possessions are anything and everything we hold valuable and it is only by faith that we can put that into the hands of God and trust him to manage our accounts.

We are selfish creatures.  Media and peers bombard us with messages contrary to the will of God: buy, expand, bigger is better.  But a preoccupation with hoarding up earthly treasures makes little practical sense.  Making eternal investments are much more profitable.  “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) so, “do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal.”  (Matthew 6:19-20)

This is not to say that God doesn’t celebrate our good fortune along with us.  I believe He does.  I believe He wants us to succeed, to strive, and to be “good stewards” of our money without loving it.  And this may be the hardest thing he asks of us.



A rich man was near death, and was saddened because he had worked so hard for his money, and he wanted to take it with him to heaven. So, he began to pray that he might be able to take some of his wealth along. An angel heard his plea and appeared to him. “Sorry,” the angel said, “but you can’t take your wealth with you.”

The man implored the angel to speak to God to see if He might make an allowance. The man continued to pray that his wealth could follow him.

The angel reappeared and informed the man that God had decided to allow him to take one small case with him. Overjoyed, the man fetched his small executive attache case, filled it with pure gold bars, and placed it beside his bed. Soon afterward he died and showed up at the gates of heaven to be greeted by St. Peter.

But St. Peter, seeing the attache case, said, “Hold on, you can’t bring that in here!”

The man explained to St. Peter that he had permission, and asked him to verify his story with God.

St. Peter checked and came back saying, “You’re right. You are allowed one item of hand-luggage, but I’m supposed to check its contents before letting it through.”

He opened the attache case and stared at the amount of gold bars in shock. After a moment, St. Peter looked up and said,

“Of all the things you had to bring …why did you bring pavement?  (churchforchrist.com) 

I like my home.  I like my car.  I like my toys.  I like the job security both my husband and I have.  But what if it was taken?  Would I remain strong like Job or crumple in my own despair?  Would I blame God and shake my fist in anger or would I have a servants heart and pray, “Thy will be done”?  Would I scramble to rebuild my shattered life or would I dwell in God’s presence free from all those physical distractions, trusting Him to provide?  The truth is, I don’t know.  I’ve lived a comfortable, blessed, untested life and for that I’m incredibly thankful.  I hope, that if the time ever comes, I will be one who is blessed in poor spirit, and finds joy in the knowledge of God’s salvation for with less of me there is more of God.


Alanna Rusnak shares her life with her husband, three children, and a cat she’s trying hard not to love.  She has attended HMC for her entire life and been on staff since 2003, currently fulfilling the role of Creative Communications.  You can find her over at her own blog, SelfBinding Retrospect.

Inside Out

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“Listen, and take this to heart. It’s not what you swallow that pollutes your life, but what you vomit up.” (Matt. 15:11 – The Message)


My mentor said it like this: “Garbage in; garbage out”. It was his way of reminding me: what I consume, I will produce.

This Sunday we begin a sermon series looking at Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount. We’re calling it Inside Out: Kingdom Anatomy Lessons. It’s an up close and personal look at who’s who in God’s world, the radical expectations that Jesus has for his followers, and the harsh reality of what people’s lives are producing–or vomiting up.

We’ll explore Jesus’ teachings about the Old Testament, salt, light, anger, lust, and divorce.

So, if you’re interested in seeing what life looks like from the inside out, why not join us some Sunday between January 16th and February 27th.