Dare To Love

The past couple years my former church, Grace Community Church, has been organizing a couples retreat in Niagara Falls, ON.  They have extended the offer to their daughter church in Milton, Village Community Church, and us to join them!

This years theme is Dare To Love.  It's modelled after the book called The Love Dare used in the movie Fireproof and challeneges wives & husbands to love each other in real ways.  The retreat starts February 4th at 6pm and finishes on Saturday February 5th at 4pm.

Packages
Each package includes access to the 2 main seminars & 2 optional breakout sessions (@ Fallsview), deluxe buffett breakfast for two, parking (@ Courtyard), and shuttle service between the two hotels, and a room at the Courtyard Marriott

• $135 per couple - Basic Package - Room with 2 Queen sized beds
• $155 per couple - King Package - Room with 1 King sized bed and a jacuzzi whirlpool tub
• $175 per couple - Jr. Presidential Package - Room with 1 King sized bed, jacuzzi whirlpool tub, fireplace, and larger more luxurious room

Registration
The deadline is January 30th.  Please register ASAP so the hotel can prepare for numbers.  A $50 desposit will reserve a spot for you.  Please make cheques payable to Grace Community Church.  Babies are welcome in the sessions as long as they do not create a distraction.

Schedule
Friday, February 4th
  2:00 PM - Early check-in at Courtyard for those attending 3:00 seminar (no shuttle service)
  3:00 PM - Electives at the Fallsview
  6:00 PM - Shuttle between Courtyard & Fallsview begin
  7:00 PM - First General session at Fallsview

Saturday, February 5th
  10:00 AM - Shuttles between Courtyard & Fallsview begin
  11:00 AM - Ellectives at the Fallsview
  NOON - Lunch break (many local restaurants to choose from)
  2:00 PM - Final general session at Fallsview
  3:45 pm - Shuttles between Fallsview and Courtyard begin

About Grace
Grace Community Church is an evangelical church.  It was planted in 1998 by Grace Brethren Canada, a church planting organization created by the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.  They planted the Village Community Church in Milton in 2006, Community of Hope in Surrey, BC in 2007, and soon Grasslands Church in Medicine Hat, AB in the fall of 2011.

Words Are Cheap

So I've been toying with this idea for a piece for a while.  The idea is that we are all hypocrites.  Our word is worthless and actions speak louder than words.  You can even see it in expressions like "a picture is worth a thousand words".  Instead of celebrating the creativity of language shown by poets, authors, teachers, storytellers and comedians we treat actors, directors, and sports stars as the celebrities.  The whole thing is a mirage, all image with no substance.

So here is a couple lines I threw down when the idea first came to mind:

Words Are Cheap:

Word is bond or so we say. Until circumstances get in the way.
They say one picture is worth a thousand words. And we watch TV shows
and movies with thousands of thousands of frames in high definition
widescreen.
So it's no wonder that words are cheap.
Movies are staffed, under production, and being marketed without a script.

I know it's still in the early stages.  I thought maybe I would share how I go through the process of writing.