Online Bulletin

Council Announcement: Council would like to thank all of you who attended the Special Congregational meeting this past Monday.  We appreciate your participation in the table groups and thoughtfulness you put into the questions for Council.  As noted at the meeting, Council continues discussions with Classis BCSE and is scheduled to meet on May 10th. For those that could not attend the meeting, we will be communicating further information after the council meeting on May 10th. 

May Special Offering:  The special offering for this month will be for the South Fraser Pregnancy Options Centre Society in Surrey.  The Pregnancy Options Centre is a faith based organization, that supports women and their partners to explore their pregnancy options and offers practical and emotional support for them.  They are having their annual fundraiser in May this year and hope to raise up to $100,000, which represents 60-70% of their annual operationg costs.  Willoughby Church has supported the Society for the past few years with their Bably Bottle Campaign and at Christmas with gifts for the clients.  Please consider giving generously to this worthwhile cause.

Willoughby Refugee Team: The Refugee Sponsorship Team is excited to announce that the AlRubaye family will be arriving on June 2!  We are so happy for them and we are looking forward to finally meeting them in person.  We are busy preparing for their arrival -- stay tuned for more details in the following weeks.  For now, we have heard that they love to ride bikes!  If you have one to donate, please let Evelyn Bouwman know.   bouplumb@telus.net or 604-910-8859. 

Invitation to Seniors: Seniors of all ages! Come join us Thursday, May 5th at 10 am for coffee time and to hear John Marek speak about’ Living in the Czech Republic as a Christian in a Communist Country’.  Our annual bus trip is planned for May 19 for Harrison Hot Springs. Be sure to sign up for a seat on the bus. Questions? Ask Marion Griffioen or seniors@willoughbychurch.com 

Coffee Break/Story Hour:  We are nearing the closing of Coffee Break/Story Hour for this season. Next week we will conclude with the study of Psalms 95 and 150 “Adoration” as outlined in the Gospel In Life studies by Tim Keller. Then on Tuesday, May 10th we will close with a celebration social at Langley Immanuel Church at 9:30 a.m. (Nursery and Story Hour will be available as well). We have been blessed to share this time together, in person and look forward to another season in the fall. A special thank-you to all our volunteers in the nursery and to the Story Hour staff for their wonderful gifts they share with our children each week. Blessings for sure! Elsa Huberts, Coordinator 

Walk in the Spirit of Reconciliation:   Join us May 27, 28 and 29 for the 7th annual Walk in the Spirit of Reconciliation! We walk on the land between Fort Langley and Mission in lament and solidarity of First Nationspeoples remembering the harm done by Indian Residential Schools. You can choose to do a self-guided walk with family & friends, attend a larger event and walk together as a big group, or do a solidarity walk in your own community. Maps are provided, receive a free t-shirt and read Indigenous stories and info posted online. Check out https://www.reconciliationwalk.com/walk and register today at: https://walkinthespirirtofreconciliation2022.eventbrite.com/. 

Preaching the Sermons to the 7 Churches of Revelation - Friday, May 13, 8:00AM - 5:30PM PST - Dr. Jeffrey Weima, leading New Testament scholar, seasoned preacher, and experienced tour guide to the lands of the New Testament, explains the meaning of the seven sermons of Revelation 2-3 and shows how these ancient messages are relevant for the church today. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3knKUnG

How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth - Saturday, May 14, 8:30AM - 2:30PM PST - What is the right way to read the Bible? What are the guidelines that believers should follow in interpreting scripture? Can we know with confidence what God is saying? Join Dr. Jeffrey Weima for an informative and entertaining day on this important topic. Expect to change the way you read and understand God’s word! Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3kkUpnp

May 2022 Safe Church Webinar: Step 2 Making and Revising Policy - Join us May 18 at 12pm (Eastern) for Webinar 2 of our Safe Church Basics Series. In this webinar, Safe Church Ministry staff will highlight common myths hidden within many abuse prevention policies, share a new model policy, and hear from other leaders about ways they have navigated the tedious task of revising and making policies. Register at: https://bit.ly/SCwebinarMay22

ART SHOW and SYMPOSIUM – A CREATURE CHRONICLE: April 22  -  May 21, 2022. This art installation, created by artist Betty Spackman, former art instructor at TWU and Redeemer University, and hosted at Swallowfield Farm (J and D DeGroot) encourages visitors to ask questions of themselves and each other about what it is to be human. Deliberately handmade and personal, the agenda of the exhibition and the symposium is not to prove points but to open up different perspectives in order to see ourselves better and inspire true dialogue.  “It specifically addresses the Christian faith, “ says Spackman, “as this is the only tradition I can legitimately critique, and also one that has held perceived and real tensions with science. I hope this installation might increase curiosity, challenge complacency, and cause us all to celebrate creation in all its forms with wonder.” A CREATURE CHRONICLE is a 15-panel double-sided circular installation approx. 24 ft. in diameter and 8 ft. high. The symposium includes weekly lectures, presentations, talks and performances by guests from around the world. Click here for more information.   

Spring Book Club - We will be offering a Spring Book Study for all Moms & Dads, though everyone is welcome.  The book club will begin sometime in May, please sign up by the end of April.  Mom's will be reading "Ragged" & Dad's will be reading "Being Dad" Once all interested parties have signed up the schedule will be worked out by the group for the best dates and times.  Register Here.

Theology of Parenting Conference, Saturday, May 7, 2022, 3-9pm - Come join us for a conference dedicated to modern Christian parenting in a digital age. There will be two workshops with dinner for $35 hosted by Rob Rhea of TWU & Greg Gerber of NYIT.  With a public evening lecture by Ivan Desilva of TWU.  Everyone is welcome to the lecture at 7:30pm. 

Join Together for 40 Days of Prayer Before Synod 2022 - As part of the CRCNA's year-long prayer initiative, Together Seeking God's Face, you are invited into a 40-day season of intentional, guided prayer leading up to Synod 2022. Sign up for daily Scripture and prayer prompts to be sent to your email for 40 days at crcna.org/pray

You Are Worthy: Worship Conference - Friday, May 6, 7:00PM - Saturday, May 7, 3:00PM PST - Immanuel CRC in Langley is hosting a FREE Worship Conference for our Worship Ministries leaders and volunteers, in part for professional development, but mostly because we want to say thank you for everything they do for the worshiping life of the church. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3s0aF1r

Paul’s Missionary Journeys in Greece (Oct 6-18, 2022):   Travel to biblical sites connected with Paul's missionary journeys in Greece: Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth as well as Meteora and Delphi. Included is a fabulous 3-day cruise to Mykenos, Ephesis, Patmos, Crete and Santorini. Contact Dr. Jeff Weima, Professor at Calvin Theological Seminary and leading biblical scholar at weimje@calvinseminary.edu or 616-328-3110.     

CRC NEWS:

Agenda for Synod 2022 Available: The agenda materials for Synod 2022, which will gather in person June 10-16 in Grand Rapids, Mich., are available online. Click here for the full article.

Indigenous Justice Leader Hired: Adrian Jacobs has accepted the position of senior leader for Indigenous Justice and Reconciliation for the CRC in Canada.  Click here for the full article.

Grant Makes Way for ‘Sacred Play’: Using creative ways to cultivate children’s spirituality, “we can help pass on our faith to our children.”   Click here for the full article.

Share the Gift of Christ’s Hope with Vulnerable Families on May 8th - A child should look into their mother’s eyes and see hope for the future. But too many children around the world see fear–the fear that comes with food insecurity. Next week, through your gift to World Renew’s Free A Family® program you can help provide women in vulnerable communities with training in income-generating activities, proper health and nutrition practices, and more, so they are equipped to become Moms of Hope. Please share Christ’s hope. To learn more, go to: worldrenew.ca/momsofhope

Groundwork: Understand: Jesus on the Road - On the road to Emmaus, two of Jesus’ followers listened as their companion explained the Scriptures to them. As their understanding of Scripture grew, so did their faith. Join Groundwork as we study this story in Luke 24:13-35 and discuss how we too cultivate our faith yet today as we develop a greater understanding of God and his ways through Scripture. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.

Faith Practice Reflection Tip - Reflection and Discussion Starter—the Practice of Prayer: Read Matthew 6:9-13 and ponder or discuss the following question. In Whistling in the Dark, Frederick Buechner writes, “‘Thy kingdom come . . . on earth’ is what we are saying. And if that were suddenly to happen, what then? What would stand and what would fall? . . . To speak those words is to invite the tiger out of the cage, to unleash a power that makes atomic power look like a warm breeze.” What are we asking when we pray for God’s kingdom to come on earth? (For more on faith practices from Faith Formation Ministries, visit bit.ly/FaithPracticesProject)

Scriptoria: An Interfaith Writing Workshop - Morning workshops. Afternoon instruction. One-on-ones with editors. Deep faith conversations. Think boot camp for your writing—whether it’s fiction, nonfiction, or poetry—on June 20-24, 2022 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Scriptoria: An Interfaith Writing Workshop with Gary Schmidt, Hugh Cook, Patrice Gopo, L. S. Klatt, Robert Hudson, Nikki Grimes, Vinita Hampton Wright, and more. Visit scriptoriaworkshop.org

Sunday Song Selection:

Donation Requests:

NewGround Sunday - Today is NewGround Sunday! For over 40 years, NewGround (formerly Operation Manna) has helped numerous churches across Canada love their community. NewGround empowers churches to be courageous and creative with ministry opportunities in their community. Our partners across Canada are showing and sharing the love of Christ and growing God’s Kingdom in beautiful ways! Watch our 2022 campaign video at vimeo.com/696647289. Your generous gifts will help even more churches and communities. Make a one-time donation or become a monthly partner on Diaconal Ministries’ website: diaconalministries.com/donate-now/

Job Postings:

 We’re HIRING IN Western Canada!  Christian Stewardship Services is seeking a Stewardship Consultant for Western Canada to assist Christians in planning, giving and managing their God given resources to accomplish His work.  This is an opportunity to join a team of positive and knowledgeable individuals who are passionate about helping people steward God’s gifts. Find the full job posting here: Western Canada Consultant.  More detailed information about CSS can be found on our website: CSSERVICES .  Please email your resume to the attention Maynard Wiersma, Executive Director care of: lindad@csservices.ca 

The Banner: The April edition of the Banner is now available at the church. You can also access a copy online at The Banner.  To support the Banner's ongoing journalistic ministry, consider making a donation.  www.theBanner.org/Donate

Get The Banner Straight to Your Inbox - The Banner, the magazine of the CRC, will send you news, features, and columns straight to your email inbox! Sign up for the weekly e-newsletter by visiting thebanner.org/signup. 

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

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

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