Canvas Church Media - Canvas

This week we start a new series on paradox: both-and, befriending the grey areas. In order to have a resilient faith, we need flexibility - and that requires that we realize that the extremes of life are often a lot closer than we like to think. This week we talk about (literal and figurative) death & resurrection, joy & sorrow. What if the trick to paradox isn’t asking Why things happen, but simply accepting that they do?

This week we talk about the reality that we all function in a system, and we all have a role. What does that look like for us as a spiritual community? What does it look like to be healthy in that?

Being healthy doesn’t mean things will be easy. It means we have the coping skills and strategies to do hard things. This week we talk about what that looks like as a community.

Being in healthy relationships don’t mean we won’t experience conflict. The trick is to do conflict in healthy ways.

What do healthy communities look like? We at CANVAS are committed to being a safe spiritual community so that all people feel like they can be their most authentic selves. One way we do that is by knowing what our boundaries are. This week we look at what that means: I am safe and free to be Me; you are safe and free to be You. Each person has several layers to their self. Any time someone tries to use any of their layers to change any of ours (or vice versa), that is a boundary violation.

When we look at the Christmas narrative, who are the main characters? And what does that mean for us as humans today? The hope and good news is that the Christmas story is for everyone!

The human desire to seek power, control and resources over the lives of people - children - is timeless. What does the Christmas narrative tell us about those kinds of power structures? This week we look at ‘The Slaughter of the Innocents’ in Matthew 2 and see the deep, powerful Hope of God’s nearness in the midst of chaos and corruption.

If Emmanuel is ‘God WITH US’, what does that mean for our humanity? What does it mean for women? This week we look at the Christmas story at the role of women.If our religion only resonates with masculinity and male language, we will ALWAYS have subconscious and spiritual barriers to seeking wholeness and equality for women [i.e. ALL people].

Luke 15:11-32It requires radical safety & compassion for people to be their most authentic selves. People will not reveal their most candid selves if belonging & relationship are threatened to be removed. CANVAS is committed to being a place of prodigal compassion:There is nothing anyone can say, or do, or be that would rend you unworthy of love, connection & belonging.

One of our most sacred tasks and callings as a spiritual community is to be a space of radical belonging: that every person can be Seen, Heard, Valued. That we would be a SAFE place for all humans: a place of friendship.

Today we explore how The [global] Church participates in God’s Ministry of Reconciliation: seeking shalom and expanding God’s blessing, favor, and goodness to others. Texts:Genesis 1:26-31Genesis 12: 1-3Matthew 4:23-24Mark 9:1-2

Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as the results of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and practice these principles in all our affairs.

Step 8: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. Step 9: Made direct amends to such persons wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

Step 6: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Step 7: Humbly asked God to remove all our shortcomings.

Step 5: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

This week we look at the 4th Step: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. 

Step 3: Made a decision to turn our will and lives over to the care of God as we understood God.