Online Bulletin

Monday's Bible Study: The bible study group meets on Mondays at 7:30pm in the prayer room! Come join us on Monday, April 7th to read and reflect on Psalm 138. All are welcome! For any questions, call or email Pat.

2025 Nomination Process: Willoughby Church Council is once again engaging in a nomination process for selecting new persons to serve as Office Bearers beginning September 2025. 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 as these Office Bearers. Council will then approach and interview potential nominees and make recommendations. We encourage you to pray for God to lead us through this process of choosing new Office Bearers. Submit your suggestions by April 30, 2025. Hard copies of the nomination forms will be available on Sunday morning, or are available at the church anytime during office hours! Blessings, Council

Women's Connect: Save the date! Our next Women’s Connect event hosted by Willoughby & Living Word is Saturday, May 3rd @ 10am. Join us for a "PreLoved Fashion Show" presented by The Upper Room Boutique. You can also, Redeem… Repurpose… Renew your gently used clothing & accessories at our clothing swap!! Limit of 10 pieces can be donated and please indicate size on the bag to assist with sorting. Clothes can be dropped off at the Church office up to Thursday May 1st. Hangers are appreciated. Don't forget to bring your shopping bags!! Tickets on sale, starting Sunday April 6th for $5.00! Hope to see you all there!! All left over clothes will be gratefully donated to Raphael House.

Tenebrae Service: Join us on Thursday, April 17th, at 7:00pm for this year's Tenebrae Service.  Although it is similar to a Good Friday service, Tenebrae is a service that focuses specifically on the story of Jesus' passion and is characterized by a gradual extinguishing of candles to symbolize the coming of His death.  There will be songs and Scripture readings, of the story of Christ's journey to the cross. Join us as we prepare our hearts in commemorating Christ's death and looking forward to His resurrection on Easter Sunday. Hope to see you there!

Guess Who's Coming to Lunch: We are doing another mystery lunch here at Willoughby on Sunday, April 27th!! If you are intersted in hosting or being a guest sign up, by filling out a card after the service in the lobby!!  They will be available from March 30th to pick up and hand in to Rose or Tamara by April 20th, or email rose.scholtens@gmail.com and include all of the information in your email. Guests bring Dessert & Hosts prepare Lunch!! You will recieve an email prior to April 27th, on the address you will be having lunch at or how many you will be hosting!  Hope you all join in to build our community here at the Church and make new friends!!

Coffee Break: Bible Study will be taking a two week break during Spring Break. We will resume on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. For more info please contact Elsa at CoffeeBreak@licrc.ca or Rose at coffeebreak@willoughbychurch.com. 

Easter Pipe Organ Concert with audience singing with organist, Aart Bijkerk, (Yarrow) Seasonal sacred music by Bach, Guilmant, Widor, Pikethy, VanVliet and Zwart. A concert for the whole family! When:  Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 2:30 PM Where: Maranatha Canadian Reformed Church, 12300 - 92 Ave, Surrey, B.C. Admission by donation. Refreshments served following the concert. Contact: maranathaorgan@gmail.com

Blood Donor Clinic: This month we will be hosting two Blood Donor Clinics, one on Tuesday, April 8th starting at 1pm and one on Wednesday, April 9th 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 or click the link below.

The GLORIA DEI CHORALE, under the direction of Cathrie Yuen, is pleased to lead the Palm Sunday Worship Service, featuring choral selections, including three from Stainer’s Crucifixion, readings, and congregational songs, on Saturday, April 12 at 7:00 pm in the Oasis Room at Elim Village, 9025 160 Street, Surrey, BC, and on Sunday, April 13 at 7:00 pm at the New Westminster CRC, 8255 13th Ave, Burnaby, BC.  A free-will offering will be received.  Contact Tina 604-588-6377 or Elaine at 604-271-0283 for more information.

Surrey/Abbotsford Area CRCNA Airlines - Board the “CRCNA Airlines”, where your flight attendants will lead you on a wild adventure following our ministry share dollars across the globe. We'll jet off to Cambodia, Uganda, traverse Canada and the USA, explore our Urban Indigenous Ministries, and so much more. You'll leave feeling inspired and empowered, knowing that your ministry share dollars are hard at work, making a significant impact on countless lives. Are you ready for a fun adventure? Join us for this epic Ministry Shares workshop and be part of something truly extraordinary! DATE: Saturday, April 5th, 2025 @ 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: Fleetwood CRC, 9165 160 St., Surrey, BC, V4N 2X7 RSVP: crcna.regfox.com/crcna-airlines-surrey or April 6th, 2025 @ 7:00 p.m. LOCATION: New Life CRC, 35270 Delair Rd, Abbotsford, BC V3G 2E2 RSVP: crcna.regfox.com/crcna-airlines-abbotsford

Join us for an afternoon of singing with the Vancouver Orpheus Male Choir & Langley Community Chorus, who present for The Joy of Singing a Choral Concert here at Willoughby Church on Saturday, April 26th at 3:00pm. Tickets $25, $15 for Students and children 12 and under are free.  Tickets are available at the door or on line at www.langleychorus.org.

Come and join us at the Abbotsford Young at Heart Senior’s Expo and visit all the amazing exhibitors who are joining us. The Young at Heart Expo: Redefining Our Aging Years in Abbotsford at the Abbotsford Curling Club & Events Centre, 2555 McMillan Rd., Abbotsford, B.C. May 7th, 2025, from 10:00AM - 3:00PM. Our Young at Heart events have proven to be vital to our communities to allow our more senior community to get out, learn new things, discover new ventures and businesses, connect with the community, and have some fun with friends and family alike!

"Ministry to Seafarers" announces its 55th anniversary Port Tour Cruise planned June 28, 6-9 PM. Join us for a beautiful cruise, including light snacks and a narrated port tour. Cost is $100/person. Payment by e-transfer to finance@ministrytoseafarers.com, or by cheque to: Ministry to Seafarers Vancouver, 401 E Waterfront Rd, Vancouver, BC V6A 4G9. Contact Gary at crcvanportchaplain@gmail.com for more information.

Cascade Family Bible Camp – July 3-7 at Warm Beach Camp, Stanwood, WA: Join us for a summer of faith, fellowship, and fun! Whether you're single, a couple, a family, or a senior, this retreat offers a refreshing time of worship and connection in a beautiful setting. Enjoy inspiring speakers, engaging programs for kids (preschool through post-high), and a variety of activities—including swimming, mini golf, tennis, basketball, volleyball, bocce, a ropes course, rocket launching, and new this year – a ZipLine and Laser Tag!  Choose to camp with your tent or RV, or opt for comfortable lodging with meals included. First-time attendee? Discounts are available! Register online: https://cascadefamilybiblecamp.org/registration-info For questions, contact rona718@hotmail.com or dean@lithocraft.com.

CASCADE CHRISTIAN COUNSELLING – Our nine counsellors have been very busy this year meeting the great demand of individuals, couples and families seeking counselling. We have two Cascade offices, one in Surrey and one in Abbotsford. We also have counsellors available in Chilliwack. All therapists offer online counselling options as well. Feel free to read through their bio’s on our website to gain a sense of which one might be the best fit for you. Cascade is committed to removing the financial barrier for Christ-like, professional support services. The sliding scale is from $90.00-$130.00. For more information or to book an appointment, go to www.cascadechristiancounselling.com or call our office at 604-585-1411.

Paul’s Missionary Journeys in Greece - (October 13 - 24, 2025) Travel by motor coach (6 days) and cruise ship (4 days) to sites connected with Paul’s second and third missionary journeys, as well as visit other major sites of biblical, archaeological, and cultural interest. Jeff Weima, professor at Calvin Theological Seminary and leading Pauline scholar, hosts this inspirational tour. For more information, contact Dr. Weima at 616-328-3110 or weimje@calvinseminary.edu.

Help Families Impacted by the Recent Earthquakes in Myanmar - Magnitude 7.7 and 6.4 earthquakes rocked Myanmar on March 28, claiming the lives of at least 2,700 people, destroying homes and infrastructure, and displacing families. World Renew is working with our network peers to share Christ hope with displaced families and the most vulnerable people impacted by this disaster. Your gift will help us deliver much-needed essentials. To donate, call 1-888-WRLD-RNW or visit: worldrenew.ca/earthquake

Your Gift Will Go Twice as Far - As we prepare to celebrate our Savior who is the Resurrection and the Life, let’s go out with joy in our hearts to join God’s mission! This Easter, you can help Christian Reformed church planters, missionaries, and campus ministers live out the good news by making a gift to Resonate while your gift will go twice as far! Find out how at www.resonateglobalmission.org/Double

40 Days of Prayer for Synod - You’re invited into 40 days of intentional, guided prayer leading up to Synod 2025. Echoing the Emmaus Road theme from Gather events, we hope to "Journey With Jesus" as we ask for God's guidance, with prayers written by a wide variety of CRC contributors. Learn more and sign up at crcna.org/synod/prayer for either daily Scripture and prayers OR a week’s worth of Scripture and prayers that will be emailed to you. The 40 days of prayer will begin on Sunday, May 4.

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:

Synod 2025: Agenda Materials Available Reports and other components of the Synod 2025 agenda are being posted online as they become available. 

Disaster Response: Response to Myanmar Earthquakes World Renew is planning a response to help survivors of two earthquakes that struck Myanmar on Mar. 28.

The Banner: Prepared or Ready? One Church’s Story The doorbell rang. We weren’t prepared for what happened next.

The Network: The Challenge of Three What can church leaders do to encourage stewardship in their congregation?

Groundwork: What Jesus Taught in His Final Days - As Jesus’ time on earth brought him closer to the cross, he wanted his disciples, and now us, to understand some important lessons. Join Groundwork as we explore Mark 9:30-37, Mark 10:13-40, Luke 12:35-40, Matthew 24:36-51, and Matthew 25:31-45 to learn what it means to be a watchful servant as we wait for the day when Jesus will return. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.

Thrive Faith Formation Tip - Katherine Wolf, coauthor of Hope Heals, said, “Before Jesus worked all things together for good, he wept over all the things that were not good. He made himself vulnerable to every kind of hurt to guarantee that we would never be alone in our pain. He offered us solidarity within his sovereignty.” What are you, or the people in other parts of the world, weeping about right now? What can we do to be reminded that Jesus weeps with us? Brought to you by Thrive: crcna.org/Thrive

The Annual Banner Appeal is underway! - The 2025 appeal for The Banner, the CRC’s award-winning monthly magazine, has started. The Banner is delivered free in print and online, and this annual donation appeal makes it possible. To help keep this community conversation going please give online now at: TheBanner.org/Give

The Banner: The March 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

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