World Renew -  Hunger for Good: The special offering this month is for World Renew and its efforts to end hunger for over 1.6 billion people around the world. With a surge in food prices this year and the slow recovery of global food systems post COVID-19, food insecurity around the world is on the rise. Prayerfully consider how you can support the work of World Renew and help put food on tables around the world.  

Potluck Lunch: Soup & Buns - Sunday, November 27, 2022 - We will be celebrating the first Sunday of Advent with a potluck lunch of Soup & Buns on Sunday, November 27th after the church service.  Please join us for lunch, fellowship and getting together as a church community. The church will be supplying dessert, coffee & tea, and juice for the kids!  See you all there!

Refugee Sponsorship Team: The Willoughby Church Refugee Team is looking for a car 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.   Thank you!

Council Updates:  The monthly Council Notes for the October & November meetings are available on the website.  Please click here to review.

Youth Group:  Here is the upcoming November Youth Group Schedule! 

November 13 - Bible Study with Will at Willoughby - 7pm

November 20 - 20:20 at Immanuel - 6:30pm

November 27 - Study with Will & Joanna at Willoughby - 7pm

Guatemala Missions 2023:  We have 12 folks already signed up to go but still have a few more spots open if more people are wanting to be involved with house building, wheelchair distribution, and visiting homes to get to know the people. It’s a busy week of seeing the great things God is doing in this country! If you are interested in being involved with this team please email Al Vandenberg al@scouttg.com and/or Hank Hamstra hankhamstra@shaw.ca for more information about costs. Dates are February 25 – Mar.4th 2023. 

Bible Study:  Women's Bible Study hosted by Grace doing the book Life Lessons from the Book of Mark by Max Lucado, will be doing Lesson 4 this Tuesday, November 22th at 10 am. 

Coffee Break:  Over the next two weeks we hope to complete the study of the prophet Isaiah in   “The Word of the Lord-Seeing Jesus in the Prophets” by Nancy Guthrie.  This will lead us into the coming of the Christmas season. We will end with our Coffee Break-Story Hour Christmas Social  with a special morning of delicious treats and fellowship at Langley Immanuel Church (21713-50 Avenue, Langley) on Tuesday December 6, 2022. Doors open at 9:15 a.m. We are planning to resume in the new year on Tuesday, January 10, 2022  with the study of the prophet, Habakkuk.  We look forward to celebrating together! For more details please connect with Elsa at coffeebreak@licrc.ca or Rose at coffeebreak@willoughbychurch.com  

Handel's Messiah: Celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas with The Gloria Dei Chorale, under the direction of Rob Workman, as they present HANDEL’S MESSIAH, with orchestra, on Sunday, November 20 at 3:00 pm at Calvin Presbyterian Church, 33911 Hazelwood Ave., Abbotsford, BC and on Saturday, November 26 at 7:30 pm at New Westminster Christian Reformed Church, 8255 – 13th Ave, Burnaby, BC.  Tickets available from members, at the door and on Eventbrite.ca.  Adults: $30.00, 12-18: $20.00, 11 and Under: Free. Contact Tina at 604-588-6377 or Elaine at 604-271-0283 for more information. 

Handel’s Messiah: Saturday, December 10th at 2:00 PM Central Heights Church, Abbotsford   Join the Valley Festival Singers and the Pacific Spirit Choir along with four outstanding soloists for this timeless work - led by concertmaster Calvin Dyck and conductor Gerry van Wyck. Tickets at calvindyck.com or on Eventbrite. 

Christian Stewardship Services: “Gain peace of mind and answers to your charitable giving and estate questions by participating in Christian Stewardship Services’ upcoming Partner Community Will Clinic! You can support your church or learn more about some our Partner Charities and others. Our online Partner Community Will Clinic will be on November 24th as well at 8:30pm EST. Register HERE for the online will clinic.    

Sierra Leone:  Check out the latest October newsletter from our ministry partners.  Click here to read the newsletter.

Safe Church 2022 Webinar Series: Safe Church Basics - Webinar 5: Responding to Abuse with Compassion and Justice - This webinar will feature Rev. Amanda Benckhuysen and Rev. Eric Kas as they walk through the basics of responding to an abuse allegation. This fifth step will premiere November 30th at 12 pm ET as a pre-recorded video resource on our YouTube Channel: Youtube.com/SafeChurchMinistry. We will also be hosting a watch party with many Safe Church Coordinators of Classes - all are invited as well to share via chat, ask questions, and connect briefly together at 1 pm ET (10am PT). You may register for this Collective Zoom Watch Meeting here: https://bit.ly/SCwebinar5

 SoCo Beach Project: Summer Young Adult Discipleship Experience Are you or is someone you know a young adult (18 - 29) looking to dig deeper into the life of faith and what impact that has on their unfolding life story?  Check out the SoCo Beach Project - an intentional Christian community experience from May - August located in Port Dover, Ontario.   Applications are open for SoCo 2023- deadline is Jan. 16 '23.  For more information or a deeper conversation about this experience, email Pastor Willemina Zwart: info@southcoastbeachproject.org.  Hear the reflections of last year's participants and check out the latest newsletter: click here

Tour the Biblical Lands of Israel - March 6 – March 17, 2023. Experience a refreshing renewal of your faith, and gain a deeper understanding of the Bible, as you tour the biblical lands with teaching host, Pastor Peter Tuininga, and Sindbad Tours of Israel. See many of the biblical places (Jerusalem, Galilee, Caesarea, Jericho, and much more), and gain spiritual and historical insights which will make the Bible come alive for you. For complete information, cost, and registration, go to toursofisrael.wordpress.com or call Peter Tuininga: 1 289 877 8433 or e-mail: peter.tuininga@gmail.com

"Prepare the Way" - Free Advent Devotion - Prepare the Way is an email devotional series put together by World Renew, Resonate, and CRCNA Social Justice that features reflections from people with CRC ministries around the world during Advent 2022. Sign up to receive the email devotions every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in Advent at crcna.org/advent.

1Life November 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 November newsletter.

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!

Living the Call:  This informative report gives you a brief overview of the work that you are a part of as a congregation of the Christian Reformed Church. The report goes out in February, April, June, August, and October, and each one has as its theme one of the five callings of the CRC: Global Mission, Mercy and Justice, Gospel Proclamation and Worship, Faith Formation, and Servant Leadership. To read the new report, click here.

Share the gift of a World Renew Catalogue! - Did your church or household find yourself with multiple copies of this year's World Renew Gift Catalogue? Great! We're hoping you can help us share about this wonderful initiative. Whether it's sending one along to school, leaving one in your doctor's waiting room, or bringing a few to your next family event, World Renew relies on you to help spread the word about how great it feels to give! worldrenew.ca/gifts

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.

  1. Blessed Be Your Name
  2. O Come To The Altar
  3. I Will Wait For You
  4. Acient Of Days
  5. I Lift Me Eyes Up
  6. Be Thou My Vision

CRC NEWS:    

1.Chief Administrative Officer Named - At a special meeting of the Council of Delegates, Shirley DeVries was named to a new role of chief administrative officer.  Click here for the full article.

2. New Director of Synodical Services Appointed - Meeting via video conference, the COD appointed Rev. Scott DeVries to the role of director of synodical services.  Click here for the full article.

3. Conflict: A Bridge to Hope - Abruptly,  a friendship I viewed as being unbreakable—a mighty oak tree—had been hit by lightning. Click here for the full article.

At-home Faith Formation Tip - In Liturgy of the Ordinary (IVP 2016), Tish Warren writes, “In my daily life I’ve developed habits of impatience—of speeding ahead, of trying to squeeze more into my cluttered day. How can I live as one who watches and waits for the coming kingdom when I can barely wait for water to boil?” As the Advent season draws near, how might you more fully embrace the discipline of waiting in your everyday home life? (Tip from Faith Formation; bit.ly/CRCFaithFormation)

Groundwork: Dry Bones and God's Promises of Restoration - Have you ever felt so hopeless that anything and everything remotely good seems impossible and out of reach? Join Groundwork as we study the hope-filled imagery in Ezekiel 37 and 47 to remember God’s great love for his people, how seriously he takes his promises, and how deeply we can trust that one day he will fully restore us too. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.

The Banner: The November 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