In this series on being great neighbours, that ends this week, we’ve looked at 6 shifts:

Stranger -> Neighbour -> Acquaintance -> Partner -> Friend -> Family

We’ve encouraged you to learn neighbours’ names, stories, work together, become friends, and now your challenge is to find people of peace in your life.  Start sharing Redeem the Commute with them.  Perhaps you could do the Marriage course with your spouse and some other couples.  Or you could do the parenting courses with other parents.  Then take Christianity 101 together, and then the daily challenges.  Make a habit of eating together whenever you can, and talking about things that matter.

This is our vision, to be a network of small groups who are being the church.  We don’t want to be a church you go to, but a church on the go.  We don’t want you to just go to church, but to be the church every day.  We’ll be the church when we are scattered around the GTA at work, and scattered around our various neighbourhoods, but also when we gather for community events.  We started this with our outdoor movie night, and next we have a trivia night.

After that, we’ll have a Christmas event. We want it to be welcoming for local residents and families, generous for those in need, and introduces the story of the original Christmas party. We’re about to start planning, so let Ryan know if you would like to help!

In the next series, Becoming Like Family, we’ll look at what it means for you, and perhaps your own immediate family to be part of God’s family, called the church.  See you there!

Challenge: Ask your person of peace for help with the party you’re planning.  Then invite them to follow challenges, or another course, with you.

Ryan Sim - September 7, 2015

Monday - A New Idea - Structured Rest

Work and Rest

How do you rest? We all know we need rest, but that it can be hard to find, schedule, enjoy and protect. Resting doesn’t always come naturally, even though it should. That’s what we’ll look at this week, because our strategies for rest don’t always work. How many times have you said “I need a vacation?” Unfortunately, it’s not always the best thing for us! Did you know that studies have shown going on vacation, you face an increased risk of road or sports accidents, and depending on where you go, digestive ailments. Employees with high levels of stress show a greater incidence of colds, poor mood and minor physical ailments in the first three days of vacation. Sometimes we need a vacation after the vacation. Earlier this year, my family had a return flight bumped on us, and we could move it to the day before or the day after, and either shorten our time away by a day or lengthen it. We loved our time away, and were having fun, but still voted to shorten it and enjoy a day or two of recovery from vacation before everyone went back to work and school. We needed a vacation from the vacation! Question: How do you find rest?

From Series: "Work and Rest"

Just in time for summer's blend of work and rest, Redeem the Commute is starting a new series of daily challenges to help busy people restore life to the commuting lifestyle. This seven week series will look at the meaning and purpose of work, rest, and ancient practices that have helped followers of Jesus to keep the two in perspective and balance for centuries.

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