Online Bulletin

Contact for Online Bulletin: If you have anything to add to the bulletin, please email carissa@willoughbychurch.com

Contact Council: If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email the council at council@willoughbychurch.com

60th Wedding Anniversary!
Next week Tuesday, July 27th, Mike and Tara Van Steenbergen are celebrating 60 years of marriage!  Mike and Tara are thankful for their years together and for the many blessings they have received.  Consider sending a card or email, or giving them a phone call and congratulating them!

Passing of Former WCRC Member
On Tuesday, July 20, Chuck McMann passed away suddenly while biking with his wife, Margaret.  Chuck and Margaret were members of Willoughby Church before moving out to Qualicum Beach.  He was one of the coaches for the BC Lions, and Margaret taught in the learning assistance department at LCS.  There are no funeral arrangements as of yet.  Please pray for the family as they process this sudden loss and grieve the absence of their husband and dad.

Thank you from Langley Food Bank:

Dear Willoughby Christian Reformed Church,

Thank you for your very generous donation of two carts full of non-perishable food. Thank you for having a car wash and BBQ to collect food for those in need. Many people will benefit from your kindness.2021 – a new year and a new hope for needy families in the Langley area.  We are so grateful for the generous, caring people and businesses in this community who continue to look beyond themselves to how they can help others.  Between our two locations, we are providing 350-400 families each week with a healthy mix of fresh produce, dairy products, meat, bread and canned goods.  You are playing an integral part in providing hope to these families through increased food security.  God bless you for that. A new year also brings new faces. We continue to register multiple new families each week: single moms, the under-employed, ones struggling to stretch disability or pension cheques and those who are transitioning from homelessness. It has become clear that we will need to continue delivery service to those with severe mobility and/or health issues even after the threat of COVID has waned.  Your gift has allowed us to adapt to the changing situation as new needs arise.  Thank you once again for generously donating. I am honoured to be associated with people like you who have such a huge heart, who want to help us meet the needs of the Langley Food Bank as we honour and serve our clients together.

Thank you from Operation Baby Bottle:

Hello Willoughby Christian Reformed Church,
As Operation Baby Bottle 2021 wraps up, we want to take a moment to say thank you. This year, with your help, we raised a total of $70,461.79!
I am sending out this email to give you your final church total and to say thank you once again for all you’ve done. This fundraiser would not be possible without the hard work of our liaisons and volunteers. This year, your church raised $100.00!

Update from Coffee Break/Story Hour, a combined ministry of both Willoughby CRC and Langley Immanuel CRC, meeting on Tuesday mornings from 9:15 to 11:00 a.m. Read more here

Celebrate our Bethesda Family and God’s Goodness – 50 years Together!
Beginning July 13, as part of our celebrations we are inviting you to participate in a 50 Day Challenge to walk, stroll, roll or run 50 kilometers either individually or as a team. Our goal is to raise $5000 to support our Self-Advocates and $5000 to support people with disabilities in Guatemala. Join with your family, friends, and colleagues for this fun event to support two great causes and to celebrate 50 years! For more information and to register, go to https://bethesda50.myevent.com/ .

August Safe Church Webinar: On Being a Trauma Informed Congregation - Join us for our August webinar - Wednesday, August 4th, 12p - 1p Eastern. The webinar will be a conversation with Dr. Dawn Gibson and Pastor Anthony Gibson who will lead us in sharing a discussion on Trauma-Informed Congregations and being made whole. https://bit.ly/SCAugustwebinar

Who is Missing in My Church? A conference to explore how the church can create accessible spaces for millennials and Gen Z, generations that have grown up with an education system that understands and responds to their needs, but no so in our churches.  August 11 and 12th 8 am - 11 pm (PST).  Hosted online by Disability Concerns CRCNA. All welcome! Find out more at Who'sMissingInMyChurch?

Hearts Exchanged: Join a learning and action journey cohort designed to equip Reformed Christians to engage with Indigenous people as neighbours called Hearts Exchanged.  See also the church website. 

Online Information Evening for BC Leadership Development Network - August 16 at 7 p.m. - Join us for a midsummer hour online to see if BC LDN’s “joyful study” approach to leadership development is a good fit for you. LDN offers monthly gatherings in the lower mainland and the interior to engage scripture, theology, church history and various ministry skills in a flexible & conversational format. LDN is now part of the larger classis equipping collective known as 1Life. https://crc1life.ca/ To register & receive the link to the Zoom meeting, please contact Anne Duifhuis, LDN administrator: bcldn.contact@gmail.com

Responding to Residential Schools:  In the wake of the recent discovery of the unmarked graves 0f 215 children on the site of the former Residential School in Kamloops, we want to offer you and your families some options for responding to this news. Click here for resources and actions.

The Banner: The June edition of the Banner is available at the church! You can also access a copy online at The Banner. The annual Banner donation appeal was disrupted by COVID and may have been missed altogether. To keep the Banner community conversation going, give online now at www.theBanner.org/Donate

Today Devotion Books: The Today booklets are available at the church.

Breaking Barriers, the Newsletter for Disability Concerns is now online. Click here. 

The Bethesda Foundation provides bursaries for post-secondary students going into studies for Special Education, Education, Social Work, and Health Care. If you are looking to study in one of these fields, called Bethesda at 604-850-7242 for an application form. You can also contact Hank Hamstra for more information.

Job Opportunities:

Respite Opportunity (Privately Arranged): Preferably in the Langley area. Wendy is seeking a loving Christian person to provide some respite care to her son for 3 weeks in October. Her son has Down Syndrome and is independent in his personal care and has no behavioral challenges. Opportunity Details: Over-night support is a possibility, but not necessary. Even 5 hours per day would be a help. This is a private arrangement. If interested, please contact Wendy at wendy_g_petty@hotmail.com. 

Temporary FT Worship Director @ Cornerstone CRC - Cornerstone CRC of Chilliwack is in search of a  temporary, Full-time Worship Director to cover a maternity leave starting October 1, 2021.  If you have a heart for ministry and people, a love for Worship, a gift for music, and a mind for administration, this could be the job for you.  Hours are flexible, the pay is competitive, and the environment is unbeatable.  Contact Mike Koot, Lead Pastor, for a detailed position description or to apply (mikekoot@cornerstonecrc.ca; 604-997-9521).

East Hill Community Church (EHCC) Vernon B.C., is currently seeking applicants to fill the position of Youth and Worship Ministry Leader, a  0.75 part-time position - 30hrs/week. The successful applicant will be responsible for coordinating and leading the youth and worship ministries at EHCC. The role focuses on coordinating, equipping, and assisting our team of volunteers in fulfilling its ministry vision and mission that is consistent with the overall mission of the church. Contact clerkehcc@gmail.com for more information and/or to submit  resume. 

Early Childhood Educator Position:  Covenant Kids Christian Daycare (CKCD) is seeking to fill a position for an Early Childhood Educator for our 3-5 program and on occasion in our Before and After School program. This is a casual part-time position that could lead to a part-time permanent position in August (32 hours per week). Click here for position description.