SOAR SASK 2023

Every year at SOAR SASK we decide on a THEME word or concept to bring a flow and a focus to the mission training program that Multiply has been helping host in Saskatchewan for almost 11 years. This was modelled after SOAR Heartland (Winnipeg’s SOAR program) which has been going for almost double the time of SOAR SASK and obviously it’s not a Multiply idea at all - having a theme for an event is a pretty basic concept! Terri and I have been leading SOAR SASK coming into our 5th year. In 2019 the theme was “Together” with a logo of a bunch of squares in a grid, bringing to mind how a quilt comes together from a bunch of pieces. In 2020 it was “I Am” and we taught on the 7 statements that Jesus makes about himself in the Gospel of John. In 2021 we were smack-dab in the middle of Covid and so the theme was “Camp Hope”. We focused on the hope of the gospel and had a lot of fun with everything camp themed including a virtual campfire night which was better than anyone had planned with a group from Colombia leading all of SOAR in some worship songs “around the fire” that night! Last year there was a sense of everyone coming out of their shells after the pandemic and so to focus that sentiment straight to the empty cross and tomb the theme was “Revive”...This year, however, felt different. As our leadership team for SOAR came together in fall of 2022 and we spent time as a group praying and asking God for His leading, it was very difficult to land on any set theme. When we tried to test a number of words or phrases it didn’t quite seem to “land”, it felt like we were trying too hard, it felt like the whole process was taking away from what SOAR already was in itself - an experiential mission program designed to unify and reignite the churches and groups that participate to live their entire lives as if they actually believe that God wants the whole world to be blessed and to give Him glory! That’s a beautiful concept, one that Jesus personifies and proves that it doesn’t come without many challenges, even challenges when we are living into it perfectly and with power! (Jesus is the ultimate example of this, but re-read Acts 14 if you want another example) We as a SOAR leadership certainly don’t live on mission perfectly, but we do believe in the concept, and we are willing to live it out and encourage others to do the same across the whole province if they are willing to participate. We don’t have a theme this year, it’s just SOAR SASK 2023, but maybe the beauty mixed with the pain of this incredible mission of God is why our logo this year is a rose with its thorns.

Ryan T Epp, STM Coordinator