Fiona

A great read and a book that is putting words to some of my thoughts and feelings, is "Tangible Kingdom" by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. The church is the bride of Christ, and sometimes the bride can look like Fiona from Shrek, but God still loves his bride, and wants to work in and through it. I need to be reminded of that, and certainly as New Hope revisits its call in this community and reflects both on the past year, as well as some inevitable shifts in the future, we will need to be reminded of that.

From CCG Mobile Justice

August, 2008

TO THE CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA

As the Church of the Lord in what is known as the "Southern" part of the world, moved by the Holy Spirit to fight for the abundant life that Jesus Christ offers, we address our Christian family in North America, a Church of the same covenant, faith and love. Grace and Peace to all of our brothers and sisters.

We know your works of love; these works have allowed millions of human beings for many generations in our countries in the South to receive the gospel, the Grace of Jesus Christ and the power of His Salvation. The North American church's untiring missionary effort planted in our lands Hope in Him who came to reconcile EVERYTHING.

Nevertheless, the political, social and economic situation in the places where this hope has been announced is increasingly distressing. Millions of people in the global South are dying of hunger, violence and injustice. These situations of poverty and pain are not simply the product of the internal functions of our countries; rather they are the results of the international policies of the governments that wield global power.

Therefore, we have this against you, brothers and sisters, that along with this powerful announcing of the Gospel, the Church from North America has not also raised its voice in protest against the injustices that powerful governments and institutions are inflicting on the global South—injustices that afflict the lives and ecosystems of millions of people who, centuries after the proclamation of the Gospel, still have not seen the sweat of their brow turned into bread.

The worsening inequality and poverty in the South is alarming. Seven years since Canada, the United States and 191 other nations publicly promised to cut extreme global poverty in half by the year 2015 through the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), your countries have made only a little progress towards fulfilling their commitments.

The MDGs should stir us to action because they echo the calls of the biblical prophets for justice and equity. Further, they are achievable and measurable markers on the roadmap to end extreme global poverty.

And so we ask you as sisters and brothers, citizens of the wealthiest, most powerful nations on earth, to publicly challenge your candidates and political leaders—now and after your elections are over—to lead the world in the struggle to cut global poverty in half by 2015. If you who know the Truth will not speak for us who will?

The Church in North America has the opportunity today to be faithful to the Hope that it preaches. We urge you to remember that the Hope to which you were called as a messenger demands that you seek first the Kingdom of God and God?s justice.

Out of love for us, the global Church, in holiness, use your citizenship responsibly for the benefit of the entire world; it is for this very reason that the Lord poured out His life on the Cross.

All who have ears, let them hear what the Lord says to His Church.

Poverty in Canada

As the election approaches, do you know what "our" political leaders plan to do in the area of poverty? Check out the videos on the links below.


Hello,
All the federal party leaders except Stephen Harper have gone "on the record <http://list.makepovertyhistory.ca/e/lists/lt.php?id=KRpXVAFfDg0ABBhSAA5PB1dVBVUH> " answering questions on video about what they would do to tackle global, domestic and Aboriginal poverty.

Check out <http://list.makepovertyhistory.ca/e/lists/lt.php?id=KRpXVAFfDg0AAhhSAA5PB1dVBVUH> what the leaders of the Bloc, Greens, Liberals and NDP would do about poverty if elected. And make sure to ask Stephen Harper what he would do <http://list.makepovertyhistory.ca/e/lists/lt.php?id=KRpXVAFfDg0ABRhSAA5PB1dVBVUH> , because he won’t tell us.

In these short video clips <http://list.makepovertyhistory.ca/e/lists/lt.php?id=KRpXVAFfDg0AAhhSAA5PB1dVBVUH> , Stéphane Dion, Gilles Duceppe, Jack Layton and Elizabeth May talk about their support for Make Poverty History goals and answer specific questions about reaching the target of giving point seven percent of our income for foreign aid, a national plan to end poverty in Canada and what they would do to narrow the living standards gap between Aboriginal people and the rest of Canada.
Once you have seen the videos, send a message to Stephen Harper <http://list.makepovertyhistory.ca/e/lists/lt.php?id=KRpXVAFfDg0ABRhSAA5PB1dVBVUH> asking him to say what he will do to make poverty history. We believe that before Canadians go to the polls they should know what all the party leaders would do to end poverty so that they can make an informed decision about which party is best able to help make poverty history.
Maybe you can get Mr. Harper to go ‘on the record <http://list.makepovertyhistory.ca/e/lists/lt.php?id=KRpXVAFfDg0ABRhSAA5PB1dVBVUH> ’ with his plans to fight poverty.

Many thanks,

Poverty in Hamilton

Is the "Persistence" of Poverty something that we had better get used to? Why not read this blog http://poverty.thespec.com/ and share your thoughts and feelings on poverty.

Motley Crew

Well, the flyers for school supplies has been out for a couple of weeks, a sure indication that summer is coming to a close. We have had a good summer, meeting lots of new people, lucking out with great weather on our Service Worship Sundays(service projects in the community), lots of rain for keeping humidity bearable and the flowers we planted at the Memorial school growing, and a few holiday trips for some New Hopers. At New hope we are beginning to refer to ourselves as the 'Motley Crew', and that certainly captures it! The diversity of people we are beginning to see on a regular basis, who are willing to associate themselves with New Hope is both amazing and eclectic. A few of us were reflecting on the type of regular conversations you can expect to hear at New Hope on a Sunday morning: shaving legs, having a terrible hang-over all Saturday because of Friday night, the best of music from Leonard Cohen,Frank Zappa, and Neil Young,as well as the aspirations of being a Gynaecologist (don't ask). Looking forward to more crazy conversations and fun activities in the community before hybernation sets in!

Open House

OH - a late entry, but we had our Open House on June 13, 2008 (or the weekend of) and the weekend was a great 'success'. Along with a fun evening of entertainment on Friday night where we were dazzled by several bands, we had a great number of people come on Saturday to our barbecue, rummage sale, kids games and to listen to the local children's band "Turkey Rhubarb". And, now that we finally have our New Hope sign up, we can say good-bye to Sam Merulla - horray! God is blessing us as a community by continually answering our prayers far beyond what we could imagine and the number of people who are starting to become a regular face at New Hope is quickly matching the number of those who were part of the 'Launch team'. Cool eh!

CrownPoint Update

We have had our 4th meeting as a newly emerging community focused group. Consistently we have had attendance of 15 or more people and the enthusiasm and eagerness of the group to begin to do things in the community is fantastic! Along with narrowing down an identifying name for ourselves (we are located in what has traditionally been referred to as CrownPoint), getting familiar with one another, assigning roles for our meetings and highlighting particular areas that we would like to address within the community, we have identified two specific projects that we will work towards. The first is on August 1, 2008 where we hope to have a table at the Open House/Carnival that the AAT school is putting on. There we will begin share who we are and what we are all about - why we exist (which, by the way, is to make CrownPoint community a better/healthier place to live). Through exposure like this we hope to invite more residence to join our meetings so that they can share in the work being done to strengthen our neighbourhood's resources, and work towards filling the gaps that exist. The second event is the Ottawa St Festival on September 27, 2008 where we hope to have more promotional material and perhaps offer an interesting table/activity and serve the organizers of that event, as best we can. Book those two dates in your calendars as well as August 18, 2008 which is our next CrownPoint meeting. Let's be part of transforming this community!

Crown Point Community

Nothing like God’s timing to put things in perspective and affirm He is still active in our world and continues to orchestrate great things in Hamilton. Had you asked me a year ago what’s so great about Hamilton, I would have probably first mentioned the host of natural and creational beauty all around the city (seen in the escarpment, waterfalls and green spaces). Now I would talk about how the city of Hamilton has begun to momentously address the effects of poverty. One strategy that is catching fire is the introduction of community “launch pads” in different neighbourhoods across the city. New Hope has been able to be a part of such a ‘grass roots’ initiative of organizing the community in the area that our church finds itself located in – Crown Point Neighbourhood. The 2 meetings we have had so far included a cross-sector of service providers, businesses and residents. The focus of these meetings was to share the positive assets that already make this a great community and what things we would like to change. The main goal is to build on a large representation of local residents who are already aware of the strengths of this community as well as the needs that are within this community. These residents will not only voice but work towards addressing these issues in a way that uses their strengths and using the help of resources within Hamilton where necessary. The number of people who have attended has been more than we expected, and the positive momentum that has filled the room when we have met just proves that God is shaping and leading Hamilton and particularly our community towards some healthy efforts of community development and capacity building. We are so excited that as one church (among several others represented at the table) we can be an example of what God calls our churches to be and do, and that is to seek the peace of the city. Jeremiah 29

A Community of Hospitality

Let me introduce "our" neighbour (let's call him Robert) to you. Robert is an artist who lives in an apartment on Main St East near New Hope. Let's remember and pray for Robert and others who contribute to the success of an art studio (www.cottagestudio.ca) that is located on James St South.

Let's also pray that New Hope strives to be a community of hospitality. Hospitality, says Christine Pohl in her book, Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition "emerges from a willingness to create a time and space for people (179)."

Others part II

It is a death [of a church] that will take us from a maintenance mentality to a mind-set of mission-before-everything-else; from a concern about formal membership to a commmitment to call men and women to radical and authentic discipleship; from an emphasis on denominational policies and practices to an energising pragmatism that is willing to try whatever works in communicating the whole gospel to the whole person in the whole community; from a strategy of invitation, which tries to figure out how we can get people to 'come to church', to a missiology of incarnation which is willing to take the church and the Lord of the the church to the people wherever they are...pg 68 Chick Yuill

Others

"The ultimate test of our relationship with God, of our desire to know him and our willingness to serve him, is found not in the aesthetic quality of our ritual acts of worship or even the emotional and spiritual depth of our religious or mystical experiences. Rather, the ultimate test of our relationship with God is in how we react to our fellow human beings who are created in his image, especially those in need." p13 Chick Yuill

...and He shall give you even MORE than you ask for

On April 29 we had our first Crownpoint community meeting to address poverty. Marg from the Hamilton Roundtable helped facilitate this meeting while Hans and I got more anxious about the outcome of this meeting as each day approached - just praying that we wouldn't have felt like we wasted people's time. Well, the meeting has come and gone and what can I say, but God is good. Its not to say that there weren't still some nerves about yesterdays meeting, but God certainly answered our prayers for our community meeting.
More people showed up then we had anticipated! There was a great diveristy in representation [variety of residences, schools, community leaders and agencies - even Larry Dianni snuck in the back part way through (previous mayor of Hamilton)]. The conversation, dialogue and 'energy' in the room when talking about this community, its assets, needs and what to do about it, was full of life and interaction - many people contributed (and probably wanted to stay to continue talking)! AND...one of my worries (along with many others) was that at the end of the meeting, when talking about the 'Next Steps' and who would like to take leadership in and continue to work at addressing these 'realities' of our community, that no one would step up to take it on. Well - if my counting of this list is correct ... 24 people!!!! 24 out of about 31 people who were there want to move this forward (and many were mentioning names of others who should be at the table).

Ha!

Thank you for your prayers, God has shown that He continues to be at work in this community, and He responded to our prayers!

Sam Merulla confusion

It wasn't what we had been looking for, not even what we were hoping for - but we're now renting a space on Main St. E., and it is even better than what we could have imagined. The store front (and adjacent apartment) is located on the corner of Main St. and Park Row with large green and white 'Sam Merulla' (a city ward councillor) signs for everyone to see. We had originally had our eyes set on Ottawa St., a revitalizing street with several real estate options. Main St. is busier - heavier traffic (both of cars and pedestrians) and many store fronts are vacant -but that only creates great potential. So, what are we doing with our new home? We're scoping out the neighbourhood, the traffic that walks by (did I mention that there is a bus stop right in front of our facility!), the use of our space and the purpose of our location. We have a list of things that we would like to do in this neighbourhood including beautification, offering games night and karaoke nights, free coffee and drop in times, and whatever else God puts on our hearts. This past week a couple of us opened the door, sat outside with a large sign that said "Free Fair Trade Coffee" and waited to see the responses. We are just 2 blocks from Delta Secondary School so there are lots of kids that stream by during the day. I think God is guiding us in many ways and teaching us many things - one of those is that although a few highschool students like coffee, more would rather have juice:) What is funny to observe are people who see activity inside this building, or the coffee sign, or the new flower planters from the city around the building and want to know what's going on - and so of course, they look up at the sign and it says 'Sam Merulla'. They look down, and look up again. I hope that while we work on changing the signs, we can give Sam Merulla a few more votes!

Clearly the Author and Designer

Just got back from a Community Gardens information session and, though an amateur gardener, I can't wait to start a community garden here. As I sit and listen to the initiatives taking place across Hamilton, specifically in regards to community gardens, I am excited about the potential this city has for rejuvenation and health. The gardens all operate with different activities: growing food locally, creating more beautification across the city, bringing school curriculum together with gardening, intertwining gardening with public art, building relationships between markets and communities, creating opportunities for immigrants to grow their own food etc, but ultimately the outcome is the same - they build community. God is orchestrating so many neat initiatives. At the same time as this conversation about developing community gardens there are other conversations taking place. The Hamilton Roundtable for poverty reduction is looking at ways to address the issues of poverty, the city is increasingly motivated to invest in more community development, and there is a desire to see more activities that create 'community' like community gardens. I just leave these kinds of meetings smiling dumbly and shaking my head at how God is clearly the author and designer. How he is bringing certain themes, hopes, conversations, and realities together to influence and compliment each other, and lifting Hamilton out of a gloomy, hazey, fog of complacency and hopelessness, into a vital, flourishing city of beauty, peace, and restoration.

Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction

A couple of people from New Hope are a part of an initiative by the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction (HRPR) to mobilize 'neighbourhood launch pads.' Neigbhourhood launch pads are community focused conversations that lead to strategic actions to address the impact of poverty on children.

We have been talking with both local residents as well as a number of city-wide persons who are open to being part of a conversation on April 29, 2008 to look at the particular strengths and needs in the Crown Point neighbourhood in the east end of Hamilton. We also met with a local teacher who hopes to encourage her class to describe their hopes and dreams for their community in a writing assignment - thereby adding the voices of children at the table!

Pray that God will help us to hear and see the strengths of this community and their concerns as described by those living here - that we may walk with them in addressing poverty.

We have a 3rd Space in the community!

"Third spaces" are informal gathering places where people in a particular community or neighbourhood meet to develop friendships, discuss issues, and interact/network with others. They have always been an important way in which the community has developed and retained cohesion and a sense of identity."Third places" are crucial to a community for a number of reasons:

• They are distinctive informal gathering places.
• They make people feel at home.
• They foster relationships and a diversity of human contact.
• They help create a sense of place and community.
• They invoke a sense of civic pride.
• They provide numerous opportunities for serendipity.
• They promote friendship.
• They allow people to relax and unwind after a long day at work.
• They are socially binding.
• They encourage sociability instead of isolation.
• They make life more colourful.

There are essential ingredients to a well-functioning "third place". They must be free or inexpensive to enter and purchase food and drink within. They should be a place where a number of people regularly go on a daily basis. It should be a place where the person feels welcome and comfortable, and where it is easy to enter into conversation. And a person who goes there should be able to expect to find both old and new friends each time she or he goes.....and that's where New Hope enters the scene. We have the opportunity to be and provide that 3rd space in this community. God is calling us to be a community (an incarnational presence) filled with grace, love and forgiveness, accesible and safe for the people of east Hamilton that He so desparately loves. With a physical place to call home, we know God is calling us to be that presence, that open, useable, welcoming presence each and every day of the week.

(the beginning description of 3rd spaces is found on the Freeway Cafe's website - check it out for further description)

Being a presence in the Community

Why community involvment? New Hope Church is excited by God's call to continue the mission of Jesus Christ in East Hamilton.

And, just as Jesus was affirmed by the Spirit to be the liberator of the captives, the healer of the blind, and the bearer of good news to the poor (Luke 4:18), New Hope also longs to be an agent of transformation, immersed in the neighbourhoods in the east end of Hamilton.

How about you? Are you interested in participating in this risky new venture? We invite you to get involved!

Community Involvement

Join a program at the YWCA

Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club: Kiwanis provides many programs from athletics to theatre to after school -home work assistance and is open to volunteers for their various programs. See http://www.kboysandgirlsclub.com/

Wraparound Facilitator: In collaboration with the Kiwanis Boys and Girls club there is the opportunity to walk alongside a particular family in the east end who is striving to overcome some hurdles and achieve some identified goals and are looking to have the encouragement and assistance of a facilitator. Training happens a couple of times a year through Wraparound and the commitment of involvement varies from family to family, but the aim is to assist them to reach a point where they feel capable enough to move forward with their goals on their own (anywhere from 6 months to year, about 1-2 hours a week). Contact the Kiwanis B and G club.

Schools: Classroom aids, breakfast programs, after school programs…

Elementary:

A.M. Cunningham:

Queen Mary: Anger Management and Rights of Passage program. Breakfast program.

King George: Breakfast program

Memorial:

Holy Name of Jesus:

Secondary: Delta

Ottawa St. BIA – Help service the Ottawa St. area by volunteering time to be in the office (store front on Ottawa St.), it would consist of being available to those needing some direction or information about the Ottawa St. area. (times/days have yet to be determined). See http://www.shopottawastreet.com/find.php

Friends Of Gage: A group of individuals dedicated to keeping the life and wellness of Gage Park are open to members who will assist in the beautifying, maintenance and promoting use of Gage Park

Kiwanis Service Club: A group of interested community members who meet twice a month. They think and act both locally and globally supporting both the local Kiwanis Boys and Girls club (through fundraisers and other supports) as well as other global initiatives. It is a great place to meet and network!

Neighbourhood Associations: A good way to get the pulse of and have an impact on concerns, events and activities within the community, is to join a Neighbourhood Association. (There are currently none functioning in the Delta and CrownPoint area – but that leaves room for the opportunity to start one!!J)

City Kidz: They are expanding their program to Ottawa St and looking to move even further to Kenilworth. One of our greatest needs for Saturdays are to have adult volunteers, as a lot their volunteers are teens who use to be City Kidz kids and are learning what it means to 'give back'. I would recommend coming out to one of their Saturday Tours of City Kidz that happen every Saturday from 10:15-11:15am. Just book ahead to confirm a spot for Saturday! See http://citykidz.ca/home/

Good Shepherd Centre: An inner city ministry has various elements for community involvment including working in their warehouse or taking a day at the hot food program. See http://www.goodshepherdcentres.ca/

Welcome Inn: An inner city ministry has a long standing presence in the north end of Hamilton, addressing the concerns of marginalized peoples. They offer various avenues for volunteer involvment. Recently they have started a new thrift storem that needs both items and volunteers. They have a 'Learning and Fun' after school program, emergency food pantry, and a program to help establish or expand a small business. See http://www.welcomeinn.ca/

Farmer’s Market: As the Farmer’s Market moves to Ottawa St., there will be need for individuals to help keep the transition a smooth one; communicating with the business owners and assisting with traffic flow and direction etc.

Dream Centre: The Dream Centre offers many programs to the community including a clothing and food bank as well as some life skills resource. See http://www.thehamiltondreamcenter.org/

St. Giles…

STAR program…

Family/Movie Night with Kiwanis: If there are enough interested persons willing to commit to an (once a month - likely Friday?) evening where a family movie can be shown and a place and space are provided to interact with families in the community. This would be an opportunity to provide a healthy alternative and family activity for kids and parents to do on a Friday evening…This is more an idea in the works and needs volunteers to put legs on to it.

Café Adonai:

God Loves the Hammer

A wonderful Truecity conference this weekend (churches in Hamilton coming together for the good of the city), and I am once again reminded of Jesus' subservient life and actions. Changing water into wine, making clay out of mud on the Sabbath, asking for water from a Samaritan woman at the well - these were all activities that broke down the cultural ideals and barriers that placed rules on who to love and when and how. I look forward to how God will use us at New Hope challenging us to break lose of the fears and barriers that are created in our neighbourhoods preventing us from seeing Christ in each other.

The latest conversations....

Well, the community ministry team (still waiting for a catchier title to replace that name) has met several times now and we have shared with each other some of the conversations we have been having in the community as well as the 'word on the street'.

The word on the street:

• The Farmer's Market is moving to Ottawa street the second weekend in March and they will have a grand opening sometime in May.
• The owner of the Spice Imporium is looking to move across the street and expand his business to include coffee/latte's (hooorrraay), baked goods etc.
• There is a Pentecostal church meeting in the old Dofasco building. The pastor there is new and it was suggested we connect with him at some point to explore interests etc.
• Most of the vendors from Centre Mall are looking on Barton, Ottawa and Kenilworth to open up a store
  

Some of the people we have connected to:

• Patty Despinic of the BIA (gave ideas for how as a community we could serve this neighbourhood together)
• David Milmine. Former employee of Dofasco, currently connected with City Kidz, Wraparound, Promise Keepers. He is very well connected with business owners in the Ottawa St. area and encouraged maintaining Kiwanis as a resource in order to get to know and be connected with the families in this community.
• Marg Kowalski from the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction (they should also invest in a shorter/catchier name). The new motto for Hamilton is "Hamilton, the best place to raise a child". The recognition for the involvements of neighbourhoods to be instigators for change has led to a conversation with Marg about the Ottawa St. neighbourhood and we are working together to pull voices from the community with other leaders to address the issues identified.
  
• Jorge from Poco Loco's. He shared some of the things he hears about the neighbourhood through the customers that come (much of it revealed some of the negative perceptions of others who live here)

Community Ministry Team

So an update on the conversations happening here in the east end and the kind of ideas that have generated possible ways to serve...
First, Patty from the BIA is a wonderful resource for getting involved and has given several suggestions on things to do...

Service Worship Opportunities:
<>< Graffiti removal (particularly off of city mailboxes)
<>< Garbage clean up on the streets
<>< Assistance with the move of the Farmer's market to Ottawa St.
<>< Volunteer hours in the BIA office to allow Patty to network with the businesses

We have also explored areas in the community where individually people may get plugged into...

Volunteer Opportunities:
<>< Kiwanis Boys and Girls club has many programs for kids (homework, sports), youth, and parents (with child care provided during life skills courses)
<>< City Kidz is expanding to Ottawa St. and looking to continue to Kenilworth, and they could use volunteers to spend time with the kids as well as meet with parents
<>< BIA office hours
<>< Wraparound is expanding into this community and connecting with Kiwanis - there are opportunities/need for facilitators to work directly with families, supporting them as they establish and implement some identified goals

Get plugged in! I would like to ask everyone to continue networking; keep your ear to the ground and your nose....well, just keep your nose. Questions? Want some more details on some of the above opportunities? Want to share some interesting conversations or leads as to how we can be more involved in this community? Call,email,...find me!!

Frequent Acts of Kindness

Why Random? Why not make the most of any opportunity to add to someone's day?

<>< Pay for the coffee of the next person in line at good ol' Tim Hortons

<>< Bring the recycling bins and garbage cans in from the curb for your neighbours

<>< Send someone a note of encouragement

What other ideas are out there?