Montreal: Learning the Ways of Faithfulness

My name is Matte.  My husband and I have been actively trying to plant the good news (God is not silent and he is not mean, either!) in the city of Montreal for 12 years.  For the most part, our context is a Vineyard church, but it goes beyond that to include other faith communities we have been part of and remain connected to, our day jobs, and the many visitors that stream through our home.  Over the course of our 10 years with VM (Vineyard Montreal), our group has held its weekend meeting in over 20 locations in this city.  We have had anywhere from 6 to 50 people at these meetings.  Transient seems an understatement at times.  Most of us are not from here.  Most of us don’t speak French well.  Many pass through but not many stay.  I’ll be honest with you.  About every 6 months or so I find myself asking these questions:  is what we do really making a difference in this city? Does anyone want to do this besides us?  Should we just pack it up and call it quits?

And then I realise that I am asking the wrong questions.  Elijah questions, really (see I Kings 19), that reflect how alone and tired I feel instead of the reality of who God is and what he is about.  When I stop and listen to a Spirit more generous than mine, better questions surface:  does God love this city?  Do I realize in how many places I have had the privilege of worshipping and praying?  Do I see how many people have crossed my path and made me richer in relationships?  Do I recognise that God’s mercy and compassion as a father never run out for the people of this place?  Or for me?  Has God provided everything we have ever needed?  And more?  Do I want to see how this story of God Loves Montreal continues to unfold?  Yes.  A hundred times yes.

I love our small, mobile, hard-to-define community of people.  We are trying to learn the ways of faithfulness.  We are being challenged to expand our notions of love.  We are being moved to act on behalf of our fair city.  Because God first loved us, we love Montreal.  Yes.  Even if I have to I remind myself a hundred times.  Yes.

Besides being on the leadership team of Vineyard Montreal, Dean is a Business Manager at an international music company and Matte is a doctoral student in theology and theatre.   Come and visit us.  Let Montreal get in your heart.  Check out www.vineyardmontreal.com.