Westview Christian Fellowship

During the Winter of 2021, we're taking some time to reconnect and reevaluate our Anabaptist heritage. We want to honour this heritage by mining it for its moments of light and uncovering the times it has fallen short. In this way, we can dig deep into the fertile soil of our past while learning from mistakes. By exploring Anabaptism, we hope to better appreciate the diversity of the congregation at Westview. 

 

John and then Ruth kick this series off with a historical overview.

During the Winter of 2021, we're taking some time to reconnect and reevaluate our Anabaptist heritage. We want to honour this heritage by mining it for its moments of light and uncovering the times it has fallen short. In this way, we can dig deep into the fertile soil of our past while learning from mistakes. By exploring Anabaptism, we hope to better appreciate the diversity of the congregation at Westview. 

 

John and then Ruth kick this series off with a historical overview.

Recorded on Jan. 3, 2021, Caleb speaks on Luke 2:22-40, the story of Simeon and Anna. In this story, we find clues that Jesus will lead Isreal into a new way of being in the world but will diverge from the pattern set by David and Joshua. Jesus will listen to his parents and grow in wisdom and favour. We learn how Jesus’ life and mission are grounded on Mary’s sacrificial love. His life, like ours, rests on a mother’s sacrifice.

Recorded on Dec. 20, 2020, Victor speaks on Matthew 2:13-23 sharing about Joseph and his own relationship with tradition in the Mennonite church.

Recorded at Westview on Nov. 29, 2020. In this episode, Caleb Ratzlaff discusses Luke 1:38-56.

In this passage, Mary consents to partner with God in a very specific way, she says yes to being Jesus’ mother. Caleb discusses the implications of the vulnerability inherent in the incarnation. Mary could have said "no."

Mary says yes to God and for her, this means committing to raising a son who is willing to give his life in an effort to transform society into the type of world described in Mary's Magnificat. It is the possibility of this world, a possibility growing in Mary and Elizabeth's wombs, that fills them both with joy.

 

This episode's feature picture is by Ben Wildflower

Recorded at Westview on Nov. 22, 2020. Victor Ratzlaff reads Matthew 25:31-46, the parable of the Sheep and the Goats. This is Victor's first episode and our 20th!

 

Like all parables, the parable of the sheep and the goats aims to shake us from our complacency and get us to think about what it means to embody Christ's teachings. In our context, as we move into Advent, this parable talks in concrete terms about how the incarnation, how Christ, is found in food, water, clothing, strangers, sickness, and prisons.

Recorded at Westview on Nov. 15, 2020. Caleb gives rereads the parable of the Talents, arguing that we've read it wrong, very wrong. 

 

At the end of the podcast today, Rosilee Sherwood shares a beautiful reflection on peace that was composed by her 7-year-old students. If you only have 3 minutes, skip to minute 17.

Recorded on Nov. 8, 2020, at Westview Christian Fellowship. In this episode, we are honoured to hear from Heather Morgan. Heather shares parts of her life story, particularly her learning from LGBTQ+ Christians with groups such as Generous Space and https://wildgoosefestival.org/. These relationships invited Heather to wrestle with her reading of scripture and the world that told her she can't celebrate her trans child. Heather provides for us a grace-filled reading of scripture that has been emerging from her wrestling with the Bible. You can find Heather at https://poweredbylove.ca/

 

Heather Morgan's Bio:Heather has spent 17 years working with thousands of pregnant and parenting individuals through issues including general parenting skills, neurodiversity (autism/ADHD), trauma, physical/developmental disability, mental health issues (for parents or children), and parents who are learning to support their LGBTQ+ child/youth. She has experienced infant loss herself as well as raising two children, each with multiple disabilities, both of whom identify as LGBTQ+.

Professionally, Heather has worked as the Founding Support Director for the Trisomy 18 Foundation and has attended over 50 births as a High Risk Doula. She has trained under Penny Simkin on Childbirth After Sexual Abuse, under Leah Kuypers on Zones of Regulation, under Dr. Karyn Purvis on The Connected Child, and with the Gilbert Centre’s Family Support Team. Heather is a trained Life Coach with thousands of hours of clinical experience.

Recorded on Nov. 1, 2020, at Westview Christian Fellowship. In this episode, Ruth shares some of the insights she gleaned through her experience of Advent and the readings she’s been doing this year. Ruth focuses on the incarnation and the trinity, arguing the desire for a relationship built into the Trinity itself is expressed in the Incarnation and is something that’s always been.  

 

Be warned, the audio in this episode is poor, we need to get a new microphone for the pulpit.

Recorded on Oct. 4, 2020 at Westview Christian Fellowship. We are honoured to have David Hall share with us about his experience as a Christian who is also a member of the LGBTQ+ community. David also walks us through some of the steps Silver Spire United Church is taking to become a more affirming community. After sharing his story, David answers questions members of Westview have about what it's like to be both a Christian and a gay man. 

 

It was a gift to hear David's story and we hope it can serve to inspire other faith communities.