Polish up your rake...

On Nov 13th a group of StoneRidge Fellowship peeps and their friends are going to pile into a bus, and hopefully, many cars as well, and head off to different neighbourhoods in the Sackville area.

If home owners will allow us, we plan to rake up their leaves, leave them by the curb for pick-up and be on our way to yard number 2 and then number 3 and then number 4 and so on.

Doesn't that sound like fun?

Piles of leaves, laughing children, people excited to care for their neighbours and a community that is touched by "many hands making light work".

It's still a couple weeks away.
I'm already wondering how many families will blessed by this small act of kindness. Aren't you?
I'm already curious to know how many families will take the offer to attend our Christmas Drama: This Very Night. Aren't you?

Fun times are definately awaiting anyone who joins the the Rake Crew.
A surprise along with some VIP seating are awaiting our community.

What will be the outcome?
The possibilities are endless, absolutely endless! Which only adds to the fun of this kind of adventure.

Go polish up your rake.
Anyone can join. Absolutely anyone. That means Y... O... U.

Sat, Nov 13
8:30 AM - Noon
Meet at 85 Temple Terrace, Sackville
Bring: a rake, warm cloths, drink of water for yourself

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Girl's Night Out... aka: GNO

This Saturday evening, October 23rd, at the home of Sheila Margeson.

All things fiction and all things fondue.

Any, absolutely any, lady welcome.
The fun begins at 7:30 - who knows when it ends. Sheila, what says you?

Bring a friend or come to meet friends.

Bring a snack that can be dipped in either cheese or... chocolate, of course. YUM!

Bring your thoughts on a recent read (fiction or non).

18 High road, Fall River
RSVP to GNO@SRFconnect.com


Oh my - don't some of you just wish you lived closer?
I do.

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Preschool, the best school...

Anyone of you who have been involved, in any way, with a preschool know that they can be terrific places of fun and adventure of the little people we love so much.

PebbleStone Creek Preschool is one of the ministries our church is able to offer.

I come from an Early Childhood Education background so, for many different reasons, I believe this to be a wonderful opportunity for our church family, for children, and for our community.

This school year Mrs. Debbie and Mrs. Fran are introducing a French language component into the program. I love that.

Mrs. Debbie writes a blog, included on our church’s webpage. You moms may want to check it out from time to time.

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GLSUmmit - aka: fire hose... part 3

I feel a wee bit like an Aerobics Instructor... three more, two more, ONE MORE!

You can do it people... one more day of shared, "new" and "review" lessons.

Here goes, again:

Blake Mycoskie (TOMS Shoes, Inc)
1) A company may not be able to incorporate "one for one" (every one bought, one is given away) into the culture. But it is possible to incorporate "giving" into any company culture.
2) Strategic partnerships!

Jack Welch
1) Be yourself and be comfortable with yourself!
2) Teams with the best players, who work together as a team, win.
3) Do everything you can to stop the meeting after the meeting.
4) Hiring is hard.
5) Succession is brutal.

T.D. Jakes
1) Leadership is always about transition, NOT maintaining.
2) People are passionate to do something that is within their reach.
3) People work best with people they read well. So you must be willing to show your team who you are. Otherwise it all becomes about trying to understand.
4) Sometimes, when you spend tons of time encouraging people, they go home with your courage.
5) If you only bring people like you, around you - they will compete with you, NOT complete you. Good teams add to you, they accessorize (accessorize - talkin my language!!)
6) Make confidants out of people who are FOR you.

My purchases
1) CRAVE: The Documentary hosted by Erwin McManus
A quote from the DVD cover, "What role does our deepest human cravings for intimacy, destiny and meaning play in our search for God? Crave: The Documnetary explores how regardless of race, background or spirituality, we all have one thing in common: the cravings of our soul."
2) A book titled "GOING MISSIONAL - Conversations with 13 Canadian Churches Who Have Embraced Missional Life". I have read half this book, so far. It is really interesting to learn what other church families do to help their communities.
3) A book titled "The Land Between - Finding God in Difficult Transitions". This has been a great read, also. Who has not been in a difficult transition? Who has not questioned God?

TA DA! There you have it.
Now we all feel fed with a fire hose.

Like I said in part one, I don't look any different.

But I sure think differently.

Global Leadership Summit - September 20-30, 2011. Mark your calendar.

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GLSUmmit - aka: fire hose... part 2

So, what did you think?
Were my first batch of shared "new" and "review" lessons interesting to you?

I hope so.

Here goes again:

Adam Hamilton
1) No matter how you handle crisis, there are going to be people who leave the church.
2) No one is beyond redemption because God is the God of second chances.

Andy Stanley
1) Every organization has problems that should not be solved and tensions that should not be resolved.
2) Progress depends on successful management of tensions.
3) Don't think in terms of balance, think in terms rhythm.

Erwin McManus
1) Be still and know.
2) Be where you are.

Jeff Manion
1) There is a difference between complaining about my condition and complaining against God.
2) How do I prepare for years of disappointment?
3) There are some people who do not heal over time. Time makes some people bitter and caustic.
4) Good movement pushes out bad movement and bad movement pushes out good movement. Good movement is trust.

Terri Kelly
1) In order to be innovative you have to have people who want to work together, for collaboration.
2) Leaders have to lead through influence.
3) Leadership is defined by followership.

Daniel Pink
1) We make WRONG assumptions about people - a) humans are machines and b) humans are blobs.
2) Everything good in life began with a conversation.
3) A study has shown that the single, largest motivator at work was... progress.

Pheeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwf!
Stay tuned for one more day.

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GLSummit - aka: fire hose... part 1

When does your brain hurt? I mean, really hurt?

After snarfing down an ice-cream cone?
After hours and hours of meetings?
After a long, or short, drive with a backseat full of children?
After grocery shopping?
After paying the bills?
After watching "his" favorite movie?

Mine hurts after it has been stretched, pulled, twisted and contorted like a Cirque de Soleil performer's body, for hours on end.

Let me borrow a familiar phrase and describe my head, post Global Leadership Summit, in this way... I felt as though I had been fed through a fire hose. Can that be good? Yes. And this is a familiar feeling, it happens each and every year.

Have no fear, however as I really don't look any different. There is no water gushing out of my ears, eyes, nose or mouth.

I told you I would share some high points for me. Some were new lessons and some were terrific reminders. Here goes:

Bill Hybels
1) Leaders move people from "here" to "there"... to a preferred future. And, what keeps people on the journey is a sense of hope that they are going to get "there" some day.
2) One of the greatest joys of leadership is assembling teams of fantastic people.
3) When putting teams together one should look for character, competence, chemistry and culture
4) Pay attention to the whispers of God. He does whisper.

Jim Collins
1) Good is the enemy of Great. I love that.
2) Are you (me) interesting or interested?

Christine Cane:
1) You do what you WANT to do from passion, no one has to make you. You do what you HAVE to do from obligation.
2) Check this site out and make sure you poke around information concerning the A21 Campaign.

Tony Dungy:
1) Stubbornness is a virtue, if you are right.
2) Do not mistake hours, for productivity.
3) You can be mentored from a distance.
4) Why would you let anyone stop you from doing something you enjoy?

Stay tuned... more tomorrow.

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Leadership SUMMIT...

Every August, since 2002, I have attended the Leadership Summit simulcast. First in Moncton, NB, then we (StoneRidge Fellowship) began hosting it right here, in good ol' NOVA SCOTIA!

I have never come away from the Summit without learning. Learning many lessons, actually.

Much of the information is practical for leadership, for any type of leadership. Which is wonderful as we are all leaders in our own sphere.

Some of the information is specific for corpporate leadership.
Which is wonderful as many attend who desire new ideas and refreshment for their work place responsibilities. And it is transferrable information.

Still more of the information centers around church leadership.
Which is... you guessed it... wonderful. Bill Hybels believes that the local church is the hope of the world and since I serve at a local church, this is tremendously relevant to me.

Check it out. Read up on the speakers. Come!


I'll keep you posted on my fav sessions/speakers. I know there will be more than one.

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Many hands make... less weeding...

StoneRidge Family - remember we are having a couple different weeding/planting parties this week.
Tuesday evening from 6-9:00PM and all day on Wednesday, 9am-9:00pm (all or anytime in between).

Come in grubby clothes, bring garden gloves and tools. Don't forget water and any snacks you might require for bionic energy boosts.

And, yes, children are welcome because we have a great paved parking lot that is absolutely perfect for bicycles, tricycles, rollar blades and skateboards.

So, weed you there!
I mean, seed you there!
No, I mean SEE you there, we need you there!


PS: friends and neighbours welcome

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Sail away...

Girls Night Out, or GNO, as we affectionately label such events, is an opportunity for women to get together approximately 4 times a year for the purpose of meeting new people, chillaxin with friends, and leaving responsibility behind for a few hours.

On July 11, 2010 we are headed to downtown Halifax to sail away on the MarII Tall Ship for a wonderful sailing experience. Arriving at the dock at 3:45pm for a 4:00pm sail time.

Sign-up is at the Welcome Center on Sunday. Pre-payment is required to hold reservations ($25.98). Spots are limited.
Erica MacKinnon and Leanne MacKinnon will be our captians.

Welcome aboard!!

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They're back....

That same group of senior friends (aka: party animals) who travelled to PEI on Friday, arrived home, safely last evening.

Time away gave them opportunity to get to meet new people as well as get to know one another better.

Good weather, good food, good fun, good friends, sound faith = good life.

Welcome home, we missed you.

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PEI bound, party animals...

This very morning a group of 20 seniors, mostly ladies, (which makes me wonder over and over again - where are all the men?) left for a weekend adventure to Prince Edward Island. http://www.tourismpei.com/

My goodness, these women are busy.
Many of them serve in our Cubbies program on Wednesday mornings. Many of them attend a Care Group together on Thursday afternoons. Our Hospitality Committee is comprised of many of them.

They take care of each other and they keep each other company. They enjoy one another. The have been known to play the odd card game together, to take in the odd play, and cook/share the odd meal together.

In the Contempory English version of the Bible, Titus 2:3 says this, "Tell the older women to behave as those who love the Lord should. They must not gossip about others or be slaves of wine. They must teach what is proper,..."

Phwefff! I'm so glad it says older women. Aren't you?
I mean, afterall - we're not...

Oh my, might there be a 'younger lady' in your life, watching all you do and listening to all you say?

MORE than one you say.
Me too.

Thankfully, we have examples before us in the lives of these PEI bound, party animals. They work hard, serve hard and play hard. Their life is full. It seems they are very comfortable with the instruction Titus 2:3 gives them - they seem to be working it out.

Let's keep watching and listening.

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S l o w d o w n Day

You may have heard this before, "Sunday is a day of rest." Yes? No?
This comes from the book of Genesis. Genesis 2:2 to be precise. After God created the world He rested.

For me, Saturday is the day I try to take as my day of rest day. I work at my church http://www.stoneridge.com/ and get to see all my peeps on Sunday. So Saturday is my s l o w d o w n day.
My:
read a book day
sweat pants day
no make-up day
maybe stay in bed all morning day
enjoy a good cup of coffee day (Coconut flavor from Dominican Republic... yummmmm)
avoid stores, if possible, day
let's play day

However, from what I have observed and heard, Saturday is anything but a day of rest for most. It seems that Saturday is a very busy day in many households throughout HRM, maybe even throughout Nova Scotia, and dare we say - even across our nation.

Saturday is:
errand day
shopping day (prom is coming fast)
birthday party day
mow the lawn day
clean the house day
wash the car day
looking forward to the babysitter coming day.

Saturday is not everyone's day of rest day.
Whether is is a day of rest or a day of business, Saturday is different than Monday thru Friday. And change is as good as a rest.

What are you doing today?
I'm going shopping ;o)

PS: I just got a whiff of fresh cut grass through an open window. My mother is out mowing the lawn - no lie. Not her day of rest either.

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The wheels on the bus…

Are supposed to go round and round. However, today our church bus decided it was quite done. And, just like that our Pre-school class was stranded at the Wildlife Park.

Can you imagine the mind aerobics taking place within Mrs. Debbie and Mrs. Fran?

But it all worked out.
Some kiddies got home with their parents who were there volunteering. Hey - you guys are the best!
Some kiddies got home via the generosity of Rock Church staff who brought their church bus “to the rescue”. Hey – you guys do Rock!

We all need to be rescued at one time or another. And while our needs can ensue differing levels of panic, and while we can’t always predict how it will happen… rescue does comes. Rescue does come.

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