🏞 Join our meeting at Mount Pleasant Elementary School at 11:00 AM in person! 🧺

Our vision for Boundless is Deep Life. Wide Love. The summer is a season when we can GO WIDE. We invite our families and neighbours into our community of hope. God invites you to, 

Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. - Jeremiah 6:16

You know what? I didn't type the last part of that verse! It reads, "But you said, 'we will not walk in it.'" We have a real choice to participate in community and spiritual experiences where space is created for God. As God’s people, we stand at a crossroads and must choose life - together. Will you join us in discovering the practices that form people and communities to live out God's mission in the world?

Each Gathering in the park will include:

👋🏼 Welcome - A short introduction to Boundless Vancouver as a Community of Hope. We will describe the Deep Life and Wide Love we share. We belong in Hope, with Help to find our Home in God.

💗 Hope Story - A community member will share their journey of hope and why they belong in Boundless Vancouver.

🧘🏽‍♀️ Activity - We will explore accessible, engaging and deep "ancient path" (spiritual practice) that forms people and communities to join in God's mission in Vancouver. After each activity, we will debrief because we are all learning and experimenting.

🧺 Picnic - Now that we can truly see each other - some for the very first time - we want to form a deeper and wider community. Food draws people of different backgrounds to share in the Creator's goodness. Everyone is welcome to bring their lunch or grab something to eat at the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market. Kids like to play in the playground while parents chat (physically - distanced, of course). It's a great time to introduce your friends to your community of hope.

🏞 Bring - something to sit & refreshments.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 AM, Chelsea leads us in devotions and prayer.

Social Isolation can be difficult. Meeting with one or two others can have an enormous effect on your walk with Jesus:

• FaceTime, Text or call other church members or with your Hub Group, read the Scripture and pray together.
• Check on your neighbours to see if they need any help or care. Take church out of the building and bring it to life for others!
• Head out for a prayer walk in the neighbourhood and discover what God is saying and doing. Please tell us about it here!

March 18, 2021

"There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about." – Margaret J. Wheatley

Even with Dr. Bonnie Henry hinting that there will be an opportunity for in-person religious gatherings, our community has weighed in. We are not yet ready. This is a compassionate and reasonable response. We are not fearful but careful and hopeful. The new strains of COVID seem to be more infectious, and many people have either contracted the virus or know someone recently who has been exposed to COVID. We want to make the best decisions for everyone, with special consideration for those most vulnerable (1 Cor 12:21-26).

What we heard is that most people were feeling glad about a return (40 %). Others are angry or anxious (25%). Most people will return right away (67%), but most of us are not sure, will wait and have concerns (67%). We have to hold these tensions together and provide understanding and care for everyone. It seems that when there is a potential return, our community is discerning that meeting outdoors is a natural first step (67%) and that the preferred location is near our community ministries office (59%).

This is because Boundless Vancouver is called to be a missional church. God is asking us to reach people where they are at and where we share a lot of life. Positioning ourselves where we can encounter neighbours and invite them into a community of hope is important to us all. Regarding our times, 78% of our people agree that Sunday mornings are not the best time to gather in-person. We need to respect and figure this out for 3 families that responded that Sundays are essential for them. At this time, we are not moving away from our Sunday morning gatherings until we can present a comprehensive plan for our mission and worship. This will likely coincide with our proposed renovations.

Click to view all the SURVEY RESULTS! Here you will find all the anonymous responses and helpful comments to hear what each member is experiencing and try to discern what The Holy Spirit is saying through His people.

Feel free to reach out and let me know where you are at and what you're looking towards.

Peace,

January 14, 2021

"Commit your way to the Lord" - Ps 37:5a

People talk about a new normal. Some expect things to just get back to the way things were. I believe firmly that the Lord is preparing us to be more effective missionally and as a community through the pandemic. May God's ways be our ways as we surrender our best laid plans before him.

Here are some ideas:

• Online Access. Our Tuesday and Thursday devotions and prayer are more accessible than ever because we've gone online. When we resume in person meetings, we will still be putting things out there for those who can't be there physically.
• Going underground. Small groups, Prayer Walks, Disciples initiating their own Bible Studies and groups are happening. We don't record or control these things... but they are happening. We expect more.
• Church Partnerships. Many of us are jumping in and out of other church's prayer and missional opportunities. We are a community of communities and encourage interchange, worship, prayer and mission with many other Christians.

Do you have any ideas of how we may adapt to be better at prayer, discipleship, evangelism and service? Contact me to let me know how!

Grace,

Jonathan

November 7, 2020

I want to share some thoughts and updates with you in light of the COVID pandemic.

First, this has been a real challenge for our church. Some of the things that our congregation held dearly like sung worship and in-person gathering are not possible. There has been grief and disillusionment as a result. Our community ministry involvement and volunteers have increased and this has taken much of our thought and planning. Where you sow is where you reap and consequently our congregation has shrunk. Our hope in integrating community ministries and our congregation does not yet have a specific plan beyond invitation to participate and pray. We continue to consider our Conversation Day and discern what we can do. There will be a follow up in late January where we can imagine specific and attainable actions out of our hopes.

Right now, what we really care about is that people are not prey to worldly pursuits, the enemy's schemes and temptations of the flesh. We require new ways to reach out and meet to care for your soul. In addition to text messages, online meetings, emails and some in-person coffees, we want to figure out how we can keep the flock together and safe (1 Peter 5:2).

After Christmas, expect our pastoral team to be reaching out and seeing how you would best like to be cared for and contributing to the community. There are online, small weekday in-person, volunteering, prayer walking and other options we would like to explore. If you have an idea that we should reach out with. Please CONTACT US.

If you need pastoral care, a friendly visit or some prayer requests, please reach out. We are trying to touch base with as many people as possible but we know that can't be one-sided. Besides, it feels good to be approached.

Lastly, and most importantly, thanks to those who have encouraged, prayed, stepped up and blessed Carla and me during COVID. Our hope remains strong in God despite the discouragement and stresses we have constantly faced. We are not alone because of your love and prayers.

In His Grace,

Jonathan

Sept 7, 2020

It seems important to again provide an update on the coronavirus pandemic and our response at Boundless Vancouver.

We have been reading the news, getting instructions from headquarters and prayerfully considering precautions to keep our congregation safe. It hasn’t been appropriate to communicate until this time where community infections are now taking place in the Lower Mainland. The spirit among our staff is one of calm and of confidence in God’s control. We believe that at this time God will use us to bring strength and life to our neighbours and family.

The situation is concerning, but concern is not the same as fear. We don’t want to be reactionary nor do we want to be careless. We simply want to be alert and do all we can to create a safe practices for worship. Taking precautionary measures is an act of love for our church family and community.

I have observed two things from this situation:

1) We all have different comfort levels about sickness: some people are very conscientious about not spreading germs and others never give it a second thought. Let’s live wisely, healthily and be gracious with each other.

2) We all have various levels of knowledge regarding this virus. Some of us have been following reporting on it intensely for a month or more while others of us are just now becoming aware of it, and may even think there is a lot of hype. We are all at different stages and responding accordingly.

Lastly, this is a time to consider HOPE. Our hope has always been in Jesus, but over time our tendency can be to misplace our hope in people, government, doctors, the economy, or elsewhere. These times can be alarming and we can learn about our own internal environment. Let’s take each mention of coronavirus to say a prayer. Yes, let’s do our best to stay healthy and safe, AND let us put our full hope in Jesus. It’s a wonderful time to share the hope we have in Christ with how we talk and live.

With Grace,

Jonathan

Jonathan Evans - Ministry Team Leader

Preventative Measures

We have been designated an essential service by the province of British Columbia. That means at this time we are still open, working with volunteers to get food to those who need it the most during these times. The health and safety of our neighbours and congregation are a top priority and doing our part with preventative measures can lessen the impact of this virus. We are making the following adjustments:

Recommended Practices

We encourage everyone to help prevent spreading any virus by following these BCCDC recommended hygiene practices:

• Practice social distancing at all times.
• Please stay home when you are sick (10 days consecutively).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Sing the chorus of Waymaker while you wash your hands. 🙌🏼
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Greeting

We are avoiding handshakes and hugs and instead, greeting each other with a simple a wave. At this time it is best to not take “Greet each other with a Holy kiss” literally.

Cleaning

We will be cleaning and disinfecting doors and surfaces at our ministry office. Due to the lack of hand sanitizer, we ask you to kindly bring some with you.

Additional Links

• World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019)
• Government of Canada (https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html)
• B.C. Centre of Disease Control (http://www.bccdc.ca/about/news-stories/stories/2020/information-on-novel-coronavirus)
• Vancouver Coastal Health (http://www.vch.ca/about-us/news/vancouver-coastal-health-statement-on-coronavirus)