Fellowship – Our Family has Grown
Hello Family,
Over the last year an amazing transformation has been taking place right before our eyes – this is the growth of Bikers’ Church. We are truly blessed to have many new faces coming out month after month, bringing diversity and different thinking to our wonderful family .† 
Last night I was approached by an individual that came a from a ‘recognizable’ background for which I could relate. It was their 2nd week at CCBC. This has a special place in my heart as it was just a short while ago that I put unrealistic ‘conditions’ on who I ‘thought’ were likely to accept God’s gift of grace. How Stupid I was in thinking this way! I myself, fit in the very same category that I was judging others on – as being a hopeless chance of feeling God’s mercy in its fullest.
He’s God, I’m NOT!
Our family has grown and this is wonderful, except when it comes to spending time with everyone on a Thursday evening! I guess from an unselfish point of view, this is a good thing… I wanted to express my appreciation for each and every that attends CCBC, we are a truly amazing, eclectic group seeking to grow in Christ’s image.
I am totally stoked about our move to Vanier, and our partnership with City Church. The Master Weaver (God) started building these relationships in the last few years in preparation for His work in Vanier. It started with Rob filling in as the CC Pastor for 6 months, the Celebrate Recovery and Life’s Healing Choices groups, and the CC Men’s breakfasts. God was building communion between our Churches before we ever dreamed of a partnership… That’s why He is the ‘Master Weaver’ coming into each of our lives, adjusting this and that, and ultimately shaping us and our hearts for His work.
I wish I had time to spend with all my friends old and new on Thursdays, but there just doesn’t seem to be enough time. So please understand that I welcome fellowship with all, and hope to find a way to accomplish this in our busy schedules.
Godspeed,
Lo-Boy
WHEN DOING THE RIGHT THING FEELS SO BAD!
Last week was not a very easy one for me to deal with. I was in a position of having to make decisions that would have an incredible impact on other people. Those choices have caused the severing of certain relationships, and have created mistrust and anger for those influenced. Actually, with one simple conversation, 5 years of trust and work have effectively gone out the window. Yet, I stand behind my choice.
Most of you already know what I do for a living, but for those of you who do not, well, I work with people. My job is exceptionally rewarding to me, especially since last October, when I made the decision to work for God, rather than my employer. Sure, the City pays me my salary, but how I interact with the people in front of me is based on my Faith and principles. Since then, I have seen tremendous improvement in my own personal experiences, and coming to work is, for the most part, a pleasure. Yeah, I love my job, but there are days that are extremely difficult.
Last Wednesday was one of those days. My morning started off with a man who had relapsed, and as a result, was not able to go home to his family as originally planned. We discussed his situation, the consequences of his actions, and the pain that he was in. Yes, he has re-committed himself to his program, but it’s going to take some time for him to rebuild his trust. After that meeting, I met with his previous spouse. She is a lovely woman, clean for 19 months, and raising the two children on her own. I was able to provide a little support and encouragement. I was also able to join her in her sadness, since the life that she expected to begin this week, has now been put on hold for another 6 months to a year. She is a strong woman, and I know that she will overcome this obstacle, but still, it sucks that she is going through this at all.
Then came the next issue to deal with, and this was the hardest thing I ever had to do in the role that I am responsible to live at this time. You see, there is one person who has been a client of mine for 5 years. This man has experienced tremendous heartbreak, struggles, and grief. He also has some pretty serious mental health issues. In the past I was able to get him to see doctors, and convince him to do what he needed to “get better”. He would do well for a while, then slowly slip deeper and deeper into what I call “darkness”. This time around however, the depth of his issues created concern, not only for himself, but others as well.
I had to make a choice. Do I maintain the trust that I have managed to build with this person, or do I call the crisis unit, and have him picked up for an evaluation? Well, the decision was not a hard one to make. Crisis unit it is. What surprised me however, was the emotional reaction that I experienced after hearing his response.
He felt betrayed, and angry. He vowed never to speak with me again, and stated that he was devastated with what he perceived as being the wrong that I committed. He just did not understand the reasons behind my actions. To be honest, I knew that this would happen. I knew that by making the call, or even the suggestion that I would call, would destroy all of the progress that had been made with him. He would start to see me as a threat. Trust is out the window.
I did the right thing. I know that I did. Without the “forced hand” I fear this person will succumb to the illness that he has battled for so long. I understood the consequences of making the call, but I was also very aware of the consequences if I didn’t. I just never imagined that it would be this hard. You see, I like the guy. We work well together, he has taught me more than I ever think I was able to give him. He brings hope into my life. I have witnessed beauty in a man that can only see dark, and I have walked beside him as he stumbled, fell, and picked himself up again.
I am hoping that someday he will understand the choice I made. But even if he never comes to that realization, and the anger lives on in his heart, I need to have Faith and Hope. What I hope happens, is that he will get the help he needs, and discover a life worth living. I wish for him the same joy that I feel, knowing that I am never alone. I hope he sees color and light, in ways that he never imagined. I pray that his demons are taken away. I hope that he sees that in doing nothing, I would have only been making things worse. I hope that he gets hope.
For now, this is what I ask God to show him. I also pray that God can support me through the feelings I am experiencing, because even as I am confident I did the right thing, I still feel awful for the perceived pain I have caused. Life is funny, because even when you do the right thing, you can still feel so, so bad!
Chantal
(side note: a few days after I wrote this, I received a call from the man! He told me that he was afraid, but understood why I did what I did. He said that I had always been honest with him, and knew that I was holding his best interest at heart. He also agreed to seek help again! At this point, all I can really say is that God continues to work for us all! Thank you God, for offering hope, even when I lost sight of it myself).
Lead me ’cause I can’t do this alone
Thursday night I made the conscious commitment to give my life to God…I took part in the water baptism. I was baptized as a child but that was my parents decision. Thursday it was my decision to follow Christ and commit my life to Him. It was an exciting and emotional experience.
I read the following out to the group gathered to witness the baptism.
I had rejected God for a period of many years and then I wanted to reconnect with the church but couldn’t find the right fit. The moment I walked into Biker’s Church I knew I had found that fit. I started a new journey to follow God and His word. I’ve been with Biker’s Church for going on 5 years. Since becoming a member, my life has changed drastically but for the better. I’ve had many ups and downs over the past 5 years and I’m certain I was able to deal with them because of my renewed Faith and with the help and support from all of you here. My church family. I can’t imagine not being in relationship with God. My water baptism today is my commitment to God in front of all you as my witnesses. I commit my life to God and will serve Him faithfully.
I was the first person to go and then two others that had planned to be baptized this night went after. The amazing thing was to see several others step up and take the plunge with us. My friends son, Jake, one of our youth members stepped up and made the commitment. Yes, there were tears from Mom and the rest of us. We thought we had finished and there were no others when it was brought to the attention of Rev that there was one other person that wanted to be baptized as well. One of our members in a wheel chair and who has difficulty communicating verbally, wanted to take part as well. Well, you should have seen the support of our men once they heard Ross wanted to be baptized. They lifted him out of his chair and helped him into the water. As I looked around I saw people wiping their eyes and beaming with emotion. For me this was the highlight of the evening. Ross spoke before they performed the baptism and I watched him raise his eyes to the sky and what I thought he said was “thank you God”.
Thank you God for giving me this experience and thank you for my church family.
Another song this week.
The song is Lead Me by Sanctus Real. It’s a powerful song for husbands and fathers but also sends a message of how vulnerable we can be and that we need to lean on Him for strength.
Lyrics – Lead Me by Sanctus Real
I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying
“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?
Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone.”
I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They’re just children from the outside
I’m working hard, I tell myself they’ll be fine
They’re independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying
“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?
Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone.”
So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I am called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won’t you lead me?
To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can’t
Don’t want to leave them hungry for love
Chasing things that I could give up
I’ll show them I’m willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this a home
Lead me, ’cause I can’t do this alone
Father, lead me, ’cause I can’t do this alone
Don’t even know where this came from but….
Well Hello All!
It is Monday night and I am sitting here in front of my computer. Actually, I just walked through the door, took off my shoes, grabbed my laptop, and this is the first place I am visiting tonight. I realize that my post is due in just a few short hours, and this is the first opportunity I have had to contemplate what I am going to write.
So, here is my question. Can a person actually be completely free of Sin? Wow, in my head you all just screamed “No way” and proceed to tell me multiple valid examples that I have personally committed. I’m not a stupid girl. I know that I fall prey to sin. The reason I asked in the first place, is that in our lives, we can sway from issues to issues, thoughts and beliefs, sins and salvation. We are all guilty, regardless of our status, our deeds and our aspirations. Nothing we can do will ever fully remove sin from our hearts.
So, I’m going to ask the questions again. Can a person actually be completely free of Sin? Well, if we are to take the word of God as truth, then the answer is a resounding “YES!”. The price for our sins has been paid in full ( ohhhh, how Christianese was that ! LOL). What I am trying to say is that God knew that we were faulty from the beginning. He knew that there was no way anyone of us, past, present or future, would be able to live up to HIM. He knew our hearts were weak, and that we could be manipulated so easily. God, understood that perfection was not ours to achieve and that by giving us free will, we would never ever be able to make the right choices all of the time.
Yet, He loves us. He loves us in such a way that he has given us all an opportunity to know him. He can look into our hearts he sees innocence. God gave us something greater than anything we could ever deserve. He gave us His Son. He allowed Jesus Christ to walk among us, to learn and understand our humanness, and to feel just like you and I do. God knew what was going to happen to his Son. He knew that we would be manipulated, and grow angry. He knew that we would turn against Jesus, mock Him, beat Him, and ultimately crucify Him.
Jesus died in order to grant us forgiveness for our sins. This sacrifice opens the doors for a wonderful relationship with God. I’m not just talking Heaven here, I’m saying it’s for here and now. In this moment, we can walk with Him, experience him, and live abundantly. Through him the past is wiped clean.
Yes, we can be completely free of any and all sins. All we have to do is accept Jesus Christ. We have to do it daily, but if I have learned anything at all in the few years I have been getting to know HIM, it’s all worth it.
Psalm 103:1-12
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us
We’re Moving To Vanier!
Earlier today, I posted the following on my personal blog. I thought I’d share it here for those who don’t read robdale.ca
Dear people of Vanier,
Like you, I’ve read the newspaper articles. I’ve heard the stories. I know what some say about your community. They say bad people live in Vanier. Drug dealers, addicts, prostitutes, bikers. They say it’s a rough community. It’s not safe to walk the streets late at night.
Some have tried to change what others say about your community. Some suggest that things are not as bad as the reports suggest. And yet, the articles continue to be written. The papers tell the stories of police raids, prostitution stings, and drug busts.
Is there any hope for Vanier? Again, some say no. They suggest that crime will always be a problem in this community. They have given up. They have no hope for Vanier.
It’s a good thing they are not God. You see, the Bible is clear: in places where it seems like people struggle with sin the most, God’s grace is more evident. (Romans 5:20) In other words, God looks at a community like Vanier and showers his grace upon it. Upon you.
I want you to know that God loves you. He has something incredible in store for your community. He believes in you. He has a purpose for each of you.
A month ago, Ken Jackson wrote an article for the Ottawa Sun describing the arrest of a twenty year old girl on prostitution charges. The arrest happened in Vanier. As he wraps up his report, he observes that the arrest is happening right below a bright neon blue cross. His final words are a quote from the police officer that Mr. Jackson has been riding along with: “It’s all happening under the watchful eyes of the cross.”
That neon blue cross can be found on the side of City Church. An amazing church in the heart of Vanier. And, beginning this Fall, the new home for Bikers’ Church. That’s right, Bikers’ Church is coming to Vanier. And we can hardly contain our excitement.
You see, many of us who consider Bikers’ Church our home know what it’s like to be on the negative side of reports. We know what it feels like to be written off. To be dismissed. To be told that there’s no hope. And yet, we discovered that the reports are simply not true. There is hope. We are not too far gone for God’s grace. We can live a life of purpose and calling.
We’re coming to Vanier because we want to take that journey with you. We think you have something to offer us. And, hopefully, we might have something to offer you as well. We believe that together we can take a journey into discovering God’s amazing and unconditional love. Some of us have been on that journey for many years. Others are just discovering it. We believe it’s an amazing journey and it will be even more amazing to enjoy it with you … the people of Vanier.
Some may wonder why we’re bothering. Why not stay in the comfortable suburbs of Arlington Woods? Why go into the heart of the city … into Vanier? Again, it’s because we believe God has something amazing in store for this community, and we want to be part of it.
Many years ago, Sir George MacLeod, an incredibly influential but unconventional Scottish Clergyman wrote these words:
“I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town garbage heap….at the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble. Because that is where He died. And that is what He died about. And that is where churchmen should be.”
I couldn’t agree more. And I can’t wait until we are moved in to your community.
