Jonathan Manafo

I just posted an NTW quote, but before that I haven’t written since the beginning of the month. So what has gone on…if you’re interested, keep reading.

- September came in like a storm. Like most churches, we ramp up in September. My friend ‘Dom Ruso’ wrote something on seasons in the church that we really should pay attention to, while anything else is simply an adaptation to culture.

- Our lobby cafe started again last Saturday. We had a pretty good showing, with 6 people showing up for the first time. I’m excited to see how the Cafe develops this season, hoping it serves its purpose (networking Christian Young Adults & providing a safe place to invite friends to church).

- My son started his second year of school - SK! Glad to see him learning to connect letters and turning them into words. My daughter also started school - nursery school. She wanted to go to school so badly that we decided to sacrifice a little and enroll her. It costs us money, but we feel it’s worth it.

- I got my vintage bass worked on recently. I sent it to a place in Montreal called, ‘La Luthier MF’, by far the best and coolest custom shop in Ontario and Quebec. I had them put fret marking lines on my 77 Fender Jazz Bass. It was always a beautiful bass, now it’s just a little easier to play in tune.

- Mark, my lead pastor will be in Africa for 2 weeks co-teaching at a pastor’s conference. While he’s gone I’ll be doing some teaching at CLC. I get to end our vision series, ‘discovering life together’ and start our next series, ‘ordinary heroes’. I’m looking forward to it.

- Last thing, I’m back in school this semester. I’m continuing my Graduate degree at Wycliffe College, UofT. I was only going to take one course, History, but I was able to squeeze in another one. It’s a course with Brian Walsh (Colossians Remixed), Postmodernity and a Biblical Worldview. I really hope to be done by the end of next year. It’s been a long process, but very worthwhile.

I think that’s it for now.

Comments(2)

“This great drama is a great play in search of actors, and there are parts for everyone, you and me included” (NTW)

Comments(0)

So the other day I’m playing a classic game with my son (5 yrs old) Jacob - hotwheels. He called me downstairs and sat me down on the carpet. Little did I know that he had already prepared the game for us. He had two lines of cars facing each other. Before we proceeded he began to describe every car’s power (i.e. one could blow strong wind, the other could speed, another could penetrate you with noise and so on…). I asked him how he came up with all their unique powers and he responded with confidence (as he usually does), “Dad, it’s easy, I just look at how the car was made and designed and pick a power that matches…ya…every car is different and can do different things”. Once again I sat and looked at my son in amazement. I, of course, think he’s a genius and quite creative. But what Jacob didn’t realize is that he described, in his own way, how God designs each of us. I Corinthians 12 says that we are the body of Christ, and that each of us are not only part of that body, but have something unique to offer to the church and the world. Our designer and creator, God, made us with a purpose in mind, to use our unique giftings and passions to serve within the world and the church.

Most of us keep our gifts neatly wrapped up on the shelf and never use them. God’s intention was for us to roll up our sleeves and offer our gift to the communities we are a part of - our family, our church, our cities, and our world. Jacob figured out what his hotwheels were made for…I’m sure if we tried hard enough, we could figure out what we were made for too.

Let the games begin.

Comments(0)