Awaken Bowness Podcast

Incarnation: Believing that Where We Live Matters

There's a lot of bad news going around - a system that thrives on anxiety and a fear of scarcity has captured our imagination and it seems impossible to imagine anything that would rescue us from ourselves. Then comes the God of the Incarnation - the God who moved into the neighbourhood (John 1:14 MSG) and invited us to participate in the only true resistance against Pharaoh's Kingdom: Neighbourliness. 
 
 

Incarnation: Interview with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove (unedited)

Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove took some time to chat with Nikayla about the gospel in his context of community living in a historically black neighbourhood in North Carolina. It was a beautiful and engaging challenge for all of us to live out biblical visions for justice with a gentle posture of love. 
 
Please check out more work he's been doing at jonathanwilsonhartgrove.com

Incarnation: Living Together

Miroslav Volf and Matthew Croasmun wrote a book called, "For the Life of the World" and Jonathan Wilson Hartgrove wrote a book called, "Awakening Hope" and these two books plus the legacy of the House of Commons and other vibrant expressions of community at Awaken have inspired this sermon about the Earth and every living thing as the Home of God and finding a Home here with God and one another.

Incarnation: Breaking Bread Together

 Advent is over and not because the presents are opened and the tree has been put away, but because Christ has come! So, how do we Awaken to the hope, peace, joy, and love we were embracing during Advent? In this Christmastide season, let's take a practical look at how the Incarnate God invites us into the incarnation. God becomes flesh here in Bowness -- Awaken Awakens. So what do we do? 
 
1. We Break Bread Together
2. We Live Together
3. We Believe that Where We Live Matters
4. We Make Promises (and we keep them!)
5. We Share Good News
6. We Practice Lament
7. We Embody Sacrificial Love

Advent Week 4: Impossible Love

This is a sermon about the impossible love between Ruth and Naomi and how this small story of radical, boarder-crossing, and risky love proclaims the gospel as it points to the birth of God, a board-crossing and risk-taking God who comes in the name of Love, bringing all of Heaven with him. 
 
Thank you Nicole and Kate for singing O Come O Come Immanuel as a benediction

Advent Week 2: Impossible Peace

On this second Sunday of Advent we lit the candle of peace. We heard a very humble story of struggle, addiction, trauma, and impossible new beginnings from Kerry Gladue. Kerry works at the Simon House in Bowness helping men in recovery.
From the website:
Simon House guides and empowers men to achieve long-term recovery from addiction and all of its effects. Through our Core Values of compassion, acceptance, respect, integrity, accountability, and innovation, we will lead the way in addiction treatment and lifelong recovery. Our mission and core values are guiding principles which you will experience at all times while engaged with our program, whether as a client, family member, staff, donor, community stakeholder, or visitor
To purchase Kerry's book follow this link here:
https://bravecommunications.ca/products/kerry-gladues-book
https://www.facebook.com/KerryGladueSecondChances/
https://www.simonhouse.com/

Advent Week 1: Impossible Hope

Abraham fell face down and laughed -Genesis 17:17
 
But in the daylight God disappears,running here and there,contending with the desires of people,shaking with laughter,then weeping.
Which recalls to him this singular concern:to keep dancing her crazy cosmic congaand coax all the broken circles back to love.
 - Stephen T Berg

How and Why to Engage the Scriptures PART6: Paul's Letters

Amy R led us in a discussion on Paul's letters on Christ the King Sunday. She talks about how to read Paul and hones in on Ephesians 1. What does it mean that Christ is the King and how does Paul communicate this to his beloved churches? 
 
Listen to this sermon and then slowly read Ephesians 1. What stands out to you? 
 
Thanks AMY!!

How and Why to Engage the Scriptures PART 5: Parables as Puzzles

Eric Reynolds in one of the masterminds behind Mobile Escape and Escape Mail and so, as you can imagine, he has a mind for puzzles and imagination. He leads us through a workshop on how to read the Parables and encounter the God of mysteries and messianic secrets. This isn't really a sermon but more of a workshop and so it won't feel like the podcasts you're used to. To see the full video with the amazing diagrams he has put together, please check out the video on the Awaken Facebook page or find the prezzi here:
https://prezi.com/view/ozLOdL2VbL9LQ1wgbKM0/
 
Discussion: Why would Jesus speak in parables instead of just making the message as clear as possible? After listening to this workshop on puzzles and parables, what stands out to you about the parable of the sower? How about some of the small parables in Matthew 13?
 
 

How and Why to Engage the Scriptures PART4: The Wisdom Literature

Maddie McBlain gave this sermon on Nov. 8th and it was really thought provoking.
 
When we come to the Scriptures and ask, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" you'll find a different answer in Proverbs than you do in Job and another different answer in Ecclesiastes. The Bible never answers the question in a clear conversation-closing way. Rather, a colllection of diverse perspectives remain bound together in the wisdom traditions as if these Wisdom Books were different people sitting around a table having a debate, pulling up a chair for YOU and inviting you into the pursuit of wisdom. 
 
Thank you Maddie!
 
Homework:
Read a chapter in Proverbs and highlight a verse that seems to be objectively untrue in your experience. How would Job talk about that verse in Proverbs? Read Ecclesiastes 1 and consider how the author of Ecclesiastes would respond. 
 
What bad things have happened to you in your life and how have you reconciled that experience with your faith? If you could ask the authors of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes any question, what would you ask? What might they ask you in return?