April Special Offering Weeks 1&2: Resonate Global Mission: Formerly Christian Reformed World Missions and Christian Reformed Home Missions, we came together in 2017 as Resonate to walk alongside Christian Reformed churches as they join God’s mission in their own neighborhoods and around the world. As Jesus is taken up into heaven, he reserves his final words to send his disciples on their most important mission: being witnesses and living out the things he taught them. That’s why Resonate exists—to help you in living out that mission. Our Christian Reformed congregations are our most important ministry partners.
Your help is needed. Your gift to Resonate's 'Where Most Needed' fund will be matched by a generous CRCNA donor dollar for dollar up to $175,000! I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity and donate now, while your gift will go twice as far!
* The Deacons we will now be doing two Special Offerings per month, Resonate Global Mission will run for the first two weeks, with Covenant Kids Daycare for weeks 3&4. You are invited to give to either or both offerings as they will both be available on tithley for the whole month of April! *
Women's Bible Study: Women's Bible Study meets weekly on Wednesday, starting on April 17th at 2pm. We will be studying from Micah 2. Everyone welcome! Please contact Pat Storteboom for more info.
Youth Group: Here is the schedule for April:
- Apr 7 Study with Joanna and Will 7 to 830pm
- Apr 14 Vancouver Canadians Baseball Game
- Apr 21 Youth Dinner 5 to 7pm at church
- Apr 28 Study with Joanna and Will 7 to 830pm
Thanks! The Youth Team - Amanda, Will & Joanna
Women’s Bible Study: You are welcome to join a Women’s Bible Study that meets at church every other Tuesday at 9:30 am. Please contact Grace Groot at ngroot@shaw.ca if you plan to attend. On Apr 16th, we will be studying Ephesians 6.
Preteens: Preteens will be meeting Wednesday, April 17th @ 6:45pm! If you are interested in joining or want to know more about the program please contact Brooklyn at preteens@willoughbychurch.com.
Nominations for Office Bearers: Willoughby Church Council is once again engaging in a nomination process for selecting new persons to serve in the office of elder and deacon beginning September 2024. For this process to be both meaningful and comprehensive, the council invites and encourages all members to prayerfully consider our congregation’s leadership needs and to suggest people to serve in the office of admin elder, pastoral elder and/or deacon. Submit your suggestions by April 30, 2024. New Office Bearers Needed: Admin Elders: 2, Pastoral Elders: 2, Deacons: 2. Please click here for the Nomination Process information and form. Hard copies of the nomination forms will be available on Sunday morning, or are available at the church anytime during office hours!
Potluck Lunch: We will be getting together as a church and community for a potluck lunch on Sunday, April 28th after the church service. The theme for our first potluck this year is "Soup & Buns & Salad". Please ensure you bring enough soup, buns or salad to share. There is a sign up below for the dish you will be bringing! Dessert, coffee & juice will be provided by the Church. See you all there!
Send in your poems! We want to do a worship series during the summer where we include a poem every week in our liturgy. So if there is a worship-appropriate poem that you know and love, or that you yourself have written, please send it in! Our hope is to have poems from many different cultures, influences, and languages included. Every poem will be reviewed by staff to see where it might fit and if it is appropriate to include in a worship service. Please direct any questions to our worship coordinator, Jamie-Lynn Ravensbergen, and send all poems to worship@willoughbychurch.com.
Council, Leadership & Staff - Safe Ministries Training: Saturday April 27, 2024-9:30am - Noon: This interactive workshop looks at the Church & Council’s roles/responsibilities in Responding to Allegations of Abuse & Leadership Misconduct in the church, a CRC process, how misconduct/abuse happens, red flags and a case study discussion. Facilitated by Faye Martin – BC CRC Abuse Prevention & Response Coordinator. BC Safe Church Ministry equips & supports churches & leaders in building safe & healthy ministries. www.bcsafechurch.com
Rewriting the Financial Story: Stories and Practical Tips for Navigating Financial Stress, Monday, April 22 - 7:00-8:30pm at Langley Immanuel CRC, 21713 50 Ave, Langley. Money makes things messy. Maybe you're helping a friend through a complicated financial situation, or navigating end-of-life paperwork for a loved one, or overwhelmed managing your own finances. Here's a chance to connect, in-person with expert, Anja Attema, who has 30+ years in the financial advising and problem-solving business. While an introduction on what she's learned over the years, this conversation could shed light on what you don't know, get tips on navigating the CRA or banking institutions, help you move beyond the Band-Aid of handing out gift card after gift card, and more. If anything, come for the coffee and donuts!
Coffee Break and Story Hour at Langley Immanuel Church: We invite women of all ages to come study from Global Coffee Break Discover Your Bible Study Guides: “Shalom-The Promise of Peace —Every day there are countless reminders of the lack of peace in our world and nations; perhaps also within our own families, lives, or minds. Peace is something we all long for. Peace is a significant theme in God’s Word, the Bible. In this study, we invite you to discover together what the Bible says about peace. We will trace the idea of peace throughout the Bible and connect it to our lives, our community, and our world. How does God bring peace to our world—to your life?” This session will end with a closing social on May 14, 2024. Interested? Check with Elsa for more info at CoffeeBreak@licrc.ca
This Spring, join the Valley Festival Singers and Gloria Dei Chorale for an incredible concert titled “Life, Love, and Loss.” With Mozart’s “Requiem” as the cornerstone of this programme, we are thrilled to collaborate with Calvin Dyck, the Abbotsford Youth Orchestra, and some of the Lower Mainland’s greatest instrumentalists. Please join as we delve into an emotionally charged performance focusing on the themes of life, death, and the love we find along the way. It is our hope that this concert will leave you feeling inspired and uplifted. We hope to see you there! Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 7:00 pm, at New Westminster Christian Reformed Church, 8255 13th Ave., Burnaby, BC. Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 3:00 pm, at South Abbotsford Church, 32424 Huntington Road, Abbotsford, BC. Ticket Advance Sales: General Admission: $30, Student - $20 and Eventbrite. Tickets at the door: General Admission $35, Students - $25. Contact Tina at 604-588-6377 or Elaine at 604-271-0283 for more information.
Ministry of Seafarer's Spring 2024 Newsletter: Please check out the good work Rev. Gary Roosma and his team are doing at Roberts Bank and the Waterfront Center. Providing ministry to all the seafarers that dock here in Vancouver. To read the newsletter, click here!
WCRC Library: Did you know Willoughby Church has a library? Find the 'Willoughby Faith Formation Library' through the offices or look online on our website! Whether you are looking for a devotional or a book on reflection, there are books available for all ages. This resource is open during office hours and after the Sunday service. For inquiries, email Natalie at natalie@willoughbychurch.com.
THE GATHERING: BLOOM WHERE YOU’RE PLANTED: We're building a community of pastors and church leaders for connection, learning, and growth. Join us this May! Date: May 9–May 10, 2024, Location: Regent College, 5800 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC V6T 2E4. The Gathering is an annual event for church leaders and pastors seeking to refresh and build lifelong friendships for resilient pastoral ministry. As a non-conference conference, we focus on encounters over information-exchange. Through worship, prayer, teaching, dialogue, sharing food, and recreation, we will grow our pastoral imagination. Come and refresh with us in the beautiful surroundings of Vancouver, BC.
Bethesda's Lend a Hand Campaign is underway! Will you ‘lend a hand’ by joining Bethesda in its efforts to strengthen and extend valuable services to people with disabilities and their families? If you say “yes! I want to support this important ministry,” you have three different ways of donating:
- mail your cheque made payable to Bethesda Christian Association to 2775 Emerson St, Abbotsford, V2T 4H8
- go online to BethesdaBC.com and click on Donate,
- or, if you live in the area, feel free to drop off your donation.
Visit our webpage at https://bethesdabc.com/lend-a-hand/ to learn more about the Lend a Hand campaign. If you have questions, please email life@BethesdaBC.com or phone us at 604-850-6604 (locally) or toll-free at 1-866-455-2231.
World Renew Tanzania and Kenya Discovery Tour - Join us on an enriching journey to East Africa, travelling to Tanzania and Kenya from June 11-25, 2024, where you will experience a little bit of everything—meet vibrant communities, learn about East African culture, experience a safari, and witness firsthand the power of compassionate action! This is your invitation to be a part of something truly meaningful—a journey of inspiration, hope, and transformation with World Renew. Registration Deadline is May 11th, 2024. For more details on this life-changing tour, please visit: https://bit.ly/2024tourtkflyer
1Life April Newsletter: 1Life exists to curate a curriculum of resources that equips individuals and congregations to become increasingly whole-hearted, vibrant communities of Christian worship, discipline & mission. Click here for the April 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!
CRC NEWS:
Mercy & Justice: A Celebration ofChange in Uganda When severe drought prevented the people of Karamoja from growing enough food, World Renew stepped in to help.
The Network: Crucial Conversations at Synod, Part How can we have helpful, kind conversations, even when we have different opinions?
The Banner: Must I Reject My Non-Western Culture When Becoming a Christian? The gospel of Jesus was preached in Africa and Asia before Europe and North America.
Groundwork: Justice and Righteousness in Amos - Amos was a shepherd until God called him to deliver a searing message to Israel. Join Groundwork as we study Amos 1-9 to hear God’s message of justice and righteousness and to be reminded of the strong connection between how we live our daily lives and how God sees our worship. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.
Thrive Faith Formation Tip - Practicing celebration early in the day can help adjust our mindset and focus us on God’s goodness. Consider beginning each morning by praying a Scripture passage of celebration, such as Psalm 103:1-5. Learn more at crcna.org/FaithPracticesProject
Job Posting:
Director of Youth & Young Adults Ministries: Willoughby Christian Reformed Church in Langley is seeking to hire a Director of Youth & Young Adults for 30 hrs per week.
Position available – The Director of Youth & Young Adults at Willoughby Church is called to be an exemplar and spiritual leader who will help to inspire the WCRC young people to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Director of Youth & Young Adults will focus on nurturing the faith of our youth and young adult members (Grades 9-12, and ages 18-30), seeking to support them in developing their love for Jesus and for others.
To apply please contact info@willoughbychurch.com or (604) 530-5959 for more information. A full job description for this position is available by clicking here.
Part-Time Worship Coordinator | Victoria CRC:
Victoria Christian Reformed Church is hiring a part-time Worship Coordinator (15h/wk) who has an authentic relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and who will coordinate, develop, and lead all aspects of the VCRC music ministry. The Worship Coordinator will be responsible for leading church members into God glorifying, faith building worship and will work in conjunction with pastors, worship team leaders, worship committee, sound technicians, media presenters, musicians, and live stream technicians. The successful candidate will have attested musical skills and competence. The ability to play piano/keyboard is an asset. The complete job description, including rate of pay, is available HERE. Please apply with letter and CV in pdf format by email to personnel@victoriacrc.org before April 30, 2024.
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 donating. www.theBanner.org/Donate
Support The Banner! - By supporting The Banner, the monthly magazine of the Christian Reformed Church, you extend the reach and expand the impact of this journalistic ministry. To help keep this community conversation going please give online now at TheBanner.org/Give
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
