As part of living out our mission to welcome and love all people into the joy and freedom of Jesus, Marineview is sensing a call from God to practical action as a congregation.
Our Why
Why are we doing this? Our sense of God's invitation to participate with him in this way of welcome comes from the recognition that:
God has extended an unconditional welcome to each of us, one that is not earned but is freely and graciously given
We are in a relatively privileged position in Vancouver; our resources have been generously given to us by God, and we desire to share them for the benefit of all
While many of us are individually involved in reaching out to people on the margins, by combining our resources and focusing our energy in the same direction, there may be more that God can do through us
We want to be faithful in seeking the peace and prosperity of our city, and of our world (Jeremiah 29:7)
We have much to learn from those on the margins and are more whole when we come together and participate in each other’s healing and restoration
Our What
What will this look like? The short answer is that we're still figuring that out. But we do sense God nudging us to consider a couple of different pathways.
Sponsoring a refugee family
We are joining several members of our community in providing financial and logistical support in sponsoring a refugee family originally from Pakistan (mother, father, 2 young daughters) and currently living in a refugee camp in Thailand.
Serving the needs of the marginalized locally
We are also in the process of discerning other ways that our congregation can meaningfully walk alongside those who are experiencing challenging circumstances in their lives (e.g. joblessness, mental health issues, addiction issues).
We are asking God how he might want us to use our building, our finances, our education, our skills, and our life experiences to make space for those on the margins that together we may contribute to each others’ experience of healing and restoration. These plans could take a variety of forms, and we are still in the dreaming and wondering phase, trusting, again, that God will lead us in his good way and with his good timing.
Our How
How are we going to do it, and what's next? As we continue on this path of discernment, we are:
Listening to how God is speaking to us, by prayerfully paying attention to:
What He is already doing in and around us
The people he is bringing us
Where he might be calling us
Learning about what has worked in other local organizations and churches
Asking for God to give us:
Imagination and creativity to dream beyond the possible
Courage to be open to new things
Compassion and love in all that we do
We fully trust that God will equip us to do everything to which he calls us, and so we step out into this new season of welcome with joy and anticipation. Stay tuned for more details!