Online Bulletin

This is the last Sunday to give to either of the Special Offerings for the month of June!!!: The second special offering for this month is for The CRC Indigenous Ministry, which is made up of a national committee (Canadian Indigenous Ministry Committee), three Urban Indigenous Ministry Centers (Winnipeg, Regina, and Edmonton) and a Senior Leader for Indigenous Justice (Adrian Jacobs). The Canadian CRC Indigenous Ministry cares deeply about the relationships between Indigenous peoples and non-indigenous Canadians. It works to help churches learn to live as reconciled people by raising awareness of the shared history and of the present lived reality of Indigenous people in Canada.

* The Deacons will be doing two Special Offerings per month, The King's University will run for the first two weeks, with Indigenous Ministry CRC for weeks 3&4.  You are invited to give to either or both offerings as they will both be available on tithe.ly for the whole month of June! *

Urgent Need: A fire last Sunday at Kinsman Gardens in Langley has left 4 families homeless and with all their belongings destroyed. They urgently need housing, clothing and furnishings, but primarily they need housing. Does anyone have either temporary or permanent housing to assist these people. Anyone who can help please call Eleanor at 778-298-7770 or Ghazala at Langley community services at 778-726-0550.

Pastors Away: Please note that Pastor Martin (and Sue) will be away in Nova Scotia from June 27 – September 21, and Pastor Jenna and her family are away June 30 – July 25.  If any immediate needs or pastoral concerns arise, please contact your pastoral elder or Tamara at the church office.

Garden Sharing Table: Summer 2024 - This is the time of year when home vegetable gardens are beginning to produce vegetables ready for picking. Many of us tend gardens that produce more than we can eat ourselves. If you have extras, you are invited to bring them on Sundays to our Garden Sharing Table located in the front hallway of the church. We will continue the sharing table through the summer months.

New Directory 2024: The new directory is completed and ready for print!! - Last Chance - Please email Tamara at tamara@willoughbychurch.com if you would like a printed copy of the directory. A copy will be in your mailbox, for pickup on Sunday, June 30th. Please note that we are still having issues with updating addresses on the website, so even though the directory is updated as well online, there may be some addresses that still need to be updated.  The printed copy will have all the correct information! Thanks!

Living Word - Canada Day Celebration: Living Word is inviting us to their Canada Day Celebration on Saturday, June 29th from 11-3 pm.  There will be Food & Drinks, Music & Songs, as well as Fun & Games. Food coupons cost $1-$2 each and can be purchased on a cash basis during the event. Come on out and celebrate with them!!!

We Need You: Re: Activate Volunteer Sign Up 2024 - This year Re: Activate will be hosted by Langley Immanuel CRC from Friday, September 6 to Sunday, September 8, 2024. This event takes a lot of hands to make it happen and if you are interested in volunteering, please click here to sign up!  Thanks!

Blood Donor Clinic: This month we will be hosting a Blood Donor Clinic on Tuesday, July 2nd starting at 1pm. If you are able, please join in saving lives together by donating blood.  Appointments are necessary and can be booked at blood.ca.

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.

Henri Nouwen Society: Spend time every day being encouraged to grow spiritually.  Sign up today to receive free daily meditation emails from the Henri Nouwen Society: www.henrinouwen.org. 

Start your crafting!!: On Saturday, November 9, from 10 am-4 pm Immanuel CRC will host a Christmas Craft and Bake Fair. We invite all crafters to reserve a spot. The cost is $50 for one 8x6 area. For information, please contact Miriam deWinter at mbdewinter@gmail.com.

The Coffee Break ministry would like to make note of the Summer Park Schedule. Every Tuesday at 9:30 am we meet in parks around Langley! You are welcome to invite a friend and join those who meet each week. The upcoming Dates and Parks are below! Check with Denise for more info/questions at 778-386-4944

• July 2 James Hill Park (playground, sport court) 22144 Old Yale Rd, Langley
• July 9 Nicholas Park (playground, splash park, sport court) 5055 209A Street, Langley 
• July 16 Al Anderson/Dinosaur Park (playground, splash park) 4949 207 Street, Langley 
• July 23 Penzer Action Park (playground, bike track) 4748 198C Street, Langley
• July 30 Brookswood Park (playground, splash park) 4078 200 Street, Langley 

Campus Ministry Update - Okanagan: Click here for a Campus Ministry update for the congregations of Classis BCSE, from our campus chaplain, Todd Statham in Kelowna at UBCO.

Regent Summer Programs 2024: You’re invited to Regent's 2024 Evening Public Lecture series! Join us in the chapel or tune in online to explore theology, culture, and much more with this year’s summer faculty. INNOVATION IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY: CREATIVITY, HISTORY, AND THE CHRISTIAN CALLING Wednesday, Jul 3, 2024 at 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM (Pacific Time) with Han-Iuen Kantzer Komline, you can attend this lecture in Regent’s chapel, or watch it live online at rgnt.net/live. A video recording will be available for free online for a limited time after the event.

Hannah van der Kamp - Resonate: My dear friends, There was a wonderful gift waiting for me upon returning to the island of Lesvos. The student from Syria you met in in my video, Khalid, was baptized in the Aegean sea on Sunday morning after the church service!  He had connected with the rest of the team and had begun attending a bible study. He was amazed to receive a full bible in Arabic. He will soon leave the island as he has been granted asylum. Thanks be to God!

Come and See What God Is Doing! You are invited to Gather in Calgary on September 23-25, 2024

Join us for fellowship, and worship, and to celebrate the wonderful ways God is working in your community. Over the next twelve months, we’re bringing together five Christian Reformed classes at a time to strengthen our faith and mission by learning from each other. Classes Alberta South / Saskatchewan, British Columbia Southeast, Central California, Ko-Am, and North Cascades - we are thrilled to invite YOU to participate in our next event in beautiful Calgary, Alberta.

Sometimes what we see happening in our congregations can leave us feeling discouraged and isolated – but we’re not alone. Gather aims to come together, form new relationships, and recognize where God is already at work among us. We’ll talk about our challenges, but we will also seek God, share how we’re fostering disciples in our churches, and discern where God is leading us in our renewed mission.

We hope that you will leave this event feeling equally encouraged in your journey. Our goal is for everyone to encounter God through the text, prayer, worship, and fellowship; to name unmet expectations about their church; to tell and hear stories of God at work; to identify themes of how God is at work in CRC churches; to celebrate our common desire to follow Jesus together; and to leave prepared to share these stories with people in their congregations and communities. Check this link: https://www.crcna.org/gather for more information!! Interested in Attending? Those interested in attending a Gather event should indicate their interest to the stated clerk or other leadership of their classis. Each classis will be asked to select a delegation of 10 people. Travel costs, food, registration, and accommodation will be paid for by all participants through the generous support of Gather sponsors.

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:

Synod 2024: A Note Following Synod Synod concluded its annual deliberations last week Thursday with an encouragement from president, Rev. Derek Buikema, to be gentle.

Mercy & Justice: Braille Resources Find Home Braille resources have been shared with CRC members for use in ministry.

The Banner: A Stagnant Church While church leaders are understandably concerned about the church’s future, most people today are instead asking about what the gospel means for their life.

Groundwork: Adopt the Mindset of Christ - As Christians, many of us long to make the world a better place. Join our Groundwork conversation as we study Philippians 2:1-11, Matthew 22:15-45, 1 Peter 2:21-23, and Matthew 20:24-28 to study the servant mindset Jesus modeled. Together we’ll glean biblical wisdom for discerning the relationship between faith and power and we’ll discuss the importance of developing Christlikeness. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.

Thrive Faith Formation Tip - The faith practice of remembering centers our attention on what God has done in our lives, deepening our assurance that God is with us here and now, and expanding our hope and anticipation for what God will yet do. Take some time this week to make a “faith timeline” to remember what God has done in your life and in the lives of people you love. Learn more at crcna.org/FaithPracticesProject

Job Posting:

The Banner: The May 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

Banner Writing Contest for Young Adults: Peacemaking - Cash prizes and winners published; enter by June 23. For details visit thebanner.org.

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