Online Bulletin
Daycare Request: The daycare committee is looking for volunteers to help do a search for a 25 passenger bus or a 15 person van for the daycare. The current bus recently broke down and it was an expensive repair for the daycare. Currently the vehicles for this church ministry are functional, though the bus is in dire need of replacement. Please contact, Wendy Hoytema (gwhoytema@gmail.com) or Kim Breedveld (klbreedveld@gmail.com) if you are able to serve in this capacity and for more information.
1Life August Newsletter: 1Life exists to curate a curriculum of resources that equips individuals and congregations to become increasingly whole-hearted, vibrant communities of Christian worship, discipling & mission. Click here for the August newsletter.
Update from the Refugee Sponsorship Team:
Our sponsored families are settling in and adjusting to life in Canada step by step. Here are some updates and opportunities:
· The Altahas and AlRubayes are doing well! Some members of each family have begun working, others are searching for accessible employment which is a good fit, and all are working hard at growing their English language skills by attending classes.
· Looking ahead ... if you have or know of a vehicle, in good condition, that could be donated "in kind" to Willoughby CRC (in kind means you would get a tax receipt for the value of the vehicle), please let Peter Roukema know. phroukema@gmail.com.
· If you are able to help out by driving the AlRubayes to and from church on Sunday mornings, please email Helen Vandenberg and she will put you on the schedule. helenjvdb@gmail.com. They live near 56 ave and 208 st. Let her know how many seatbelts you have and she will supply the address. You don't have to be able to transport all six family members ...there are two volunteer drivers each Sunday. The AlRubayes love being part of the fellowship at our church and they also love meeting new people -- they are very grateful for these rides to church!
· We, along with our new families, continue to be grateful for your prayers, financial support and hospitality. Starting over, especially after traumatic experiences in their home countries and years of waiting as refugees in another country, can be challenging in many ways. We are blessed to be part of their new beginnings, as we were for several other families in the past.
Garden Sharing Table: Many of us have gardens that produce more than we can eat ourselves! If you have extras, you are invited to take it to the sharing table in the front hall at church on Sundays, we will continue the table throughout the rest of the summer!! Feel free to leave some or take some, regardless of whether you brought anything yourself. (Anyone with spare plastic bags is welcome to bring those as well). Any leftovers will be brought to a local food bank. If anyone would like to volunteer to be that person to take extras to the food bank, please let Tamara know!
ICS Fall 2022 Courses - Check out the Institute for Christian Studies' Fall 2022 course offerings: Biblical Foundations: Narrative, Wisdom, and the Art of Interpretation offered online on Tuesday evenings; Grace as an Aesthetic Concept offered online on Wednesday afternoons; Imagining the World with Ricoeur offered online on Thursday mornings; and The Craft of Reflective Practice offered online asynchronously with periodic synchronous Zoom meetings. Tuition is $400 for first-time auditors, $600 for returning auditors, and $1500 to take the course for credit. Classes start on September 12; the last day to register is September 16. Email Elizabet Aras at academic-registrar@icscanada.edu for more information or to register!
Do Justice - Justice Prayers: Do Justice is a conversation space for justice in the Christian Reformed Church, from the Office of Social Justice. Justice Prayers is a weekly post addressing justice issues from around the world. Click here to pray and read more!
The Bible Tells Me So: Invitation to Join LDN 2022-23 In the middle of all the deep convictions and confusions of the present moment, The BC LDN (now a 1Life Servant Leadership intensive) continues its mandate to foster a deep and deeply relevant Biblical imagination in the leadership of our BC CRCs. To discern if our 2022-23 year of reading the Old Testament and practicing various ministry skills its themes invite, is for you, come to one of our summer on-line information evenings: Monday August 22 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. You can register here. Also see crc1life.ca for our curriculum and unique application process. Questions? Email wilma@crc1Life.ca
Ableism Training Hosted by CRC-RCA Disability Concerns - Join us online August 11 & 12 (from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm EDT) for our annual training event. We will unpack ableism and consider ways we can help reduce the impact of ableism in churches. This event is open to everyone interested in learning more about this very important topic. We will continue to release more information about this event on our dedicated website: Let’s End #AbleismAtChurch Register at https://bit.ly/ableismatchurch
Office of Social Justice: Season of Creation - Celebrate this time on the liturgical calendar starting September 1st. During this season the church praises God for Creation’s beauty, focuses on their call as caretakers, and laments the brokenness and the groaning of all creation. For resources go to: network.crcna.org/biblical-justice/seasons-creation
Office of Diversity: Diversity Sunday - August 14 - In two weeks we will recognize and celebrate the growing number of non-Anglo congregations in the CRC. Learn more about the CRC Office of Diversity and its mission to serve and grow diverse leadership throughout the denomination. Check out the website: crcna.org/Diversity
Here are the current song selections for this Sunday's service, please feel free to familiarize yourself with the music ahead of time by clicking on each song below. * Please note that adjustments may be made prior to Sunday morning.
CRC NEWS:
Do Justice: Reflections on Pope Francis’ Penitential Pilgrimage: Moving from wrongs to rights. Click here for the full article.
Showing Hospitality At Church: When money is tight, here are some no cost/low cost ways to improve hospitality. Click here for the full article.
Love Like Jesus: Riding the bus home from the swimming pool several years ago, I found myself in a communication conundrum. Click here for the full article.
Groundwork: When Discipleship Growth Stalls - Sometimes the things we do and say are out of sync with the faith we profess to believe. Study Acts 10:34-48, Galatians 2:11-16, James 1:22-27, 1 John 1:8-10, and Philippians 3:12-14 with Groundwork to understand what God does for us in these situations and what we need to continue growing again as Christ’s disciples today. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.
At-home Faith Practices Reflection Tip - Reflection and Discussion Starter—the Practice of Service: Read Deuteronomy 10:12-13 and ponder or discuss the following questions. What does serving the Lord “with all your heart and with all your soul” mean to you? How would you know if you were indeed serving God with all your heart and soul? What might be different about your daily life? What might be the same? How would you describe this type of wholehearted service to a child? (For more on faith practices from Faith Formation Ministries, visit bit.ly/FaithPracticesProject)
Christian Stewardship Services: Conversations about your estate are always difficult. Christian Stewardship Services is hosting open Q&A sessions every week this summer to answer all of your questions on charitable giving and estate planning, Explore the topics and register on our website at: https://csservices.ca/summer-conversations-series/. Each session will have a 10-minute introduction, then an interactive Q&A on any charitable giving and estate planning questions. The last four topics are: Executor and POA choices, Joint Accounts, Estate taxes, and Out of Country issues. These are conversations you do not want to miss! Click the link to register today!
Job Postings:
Now Hiring: OFFICE COORDINATOR (ABBOTSFORD, BC) – Bethesda. The office coordinator is a forward-facing position and highly rewarding for a person motivated by finding ways to make life easier for others and cultivating a strong support network among the office team. As office coordinator, you are the go-to person for the office staff team, as well as the first person visitors meet when they enter the office. This is a full-time position. Competitive salary: $21.95-$26.35/hr.*Please note that as per current provincial health orders, all Bethesda staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19*. Interested applicants may apply online at https://bethesdabc.com/careers or submit a resume, cover letter, and references to the Chief Human Resources Officer via email (careers@bethesdabc.com) or mail (2775 Emerson Street, Abbotsford BC V2T 4H8) by August 21, 2022. Applicants should reference posting #825 (full job description is available on Bethesda’s website).
The Banner: The July/August 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
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