April 2020
Quick Calendar WEEKLY Sun
10am-11:30am Sunday Worship Online 1pm Life Group - Connect for Community
Tues 10am-12pm Pastoral Team Meeting Wed 10am Refresh, Women's Group - Online Thur 8:30om Evening Prayers - Online
pg 23 pg 15 pg 23 pg 15 pg 15
UPCOMING Apr. 10
10am - Good Friday Worship
pg 24
Apr. 12 Apr. 12
6am - Easter Sunrise Worship
pg 25
10am - Easter Sunday Worship
pg 25
Apr. 25
Earth Day Community Clean Up
pg 25
See more on page 24-25 or on our Events page at www.springgardenchurch.ca/events.
Delve submissions are due April 20th. Delve submissions are due on the MONDAY before the LAST Sunday of each month. To submit for the next issue of Delve, e-mail: delve@springgardenchurch.ca
Features Cleanup in Aisle 3
Eradicating Hunger 6 Searching for Solitude in a Noisy World 11
Community Corner CONNECT ONLINE Life Group, Refresh, Evening Prayer & SGC Community 15 EVENTS Day Camp 2020, Leaders in Training, More Events 16
Discipleship Ministries
Spring Kids 17 | Spring Youth 18
Resource Centre
Resource Recommendations 19
More Info How to Give 21 Leadership Directory 21-22 Weekly Calendar 23 Upcoming Calendar 24
Design, Cover & Editor: Dale Forder Contributors: Greg Kay Mary Simpkins Brenda Forder Jeremy Ranasinghe Karen Cassel Darlene Boyd Copy Editors: Greg Kay Karen Cassel Esther Penner
Digging a little deeper into Spring Garden
Features
Cleanup in Aisle 3 by Greg Kay
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I’ve always had a strong dislike for grocery shopping (I was tempted to use the word ‘hate’, but my wife wisely encourages me to be reserved in using that word for normal life chores). Even before a worldwide pandemic, grocery shopping raised my anxiety level with a tightening in my chest and need for deep breathing. That eight aisle search for one random item (today it was taco powder, which for some reason is in the same aisle as the paper towel…), going back to the same section over and over again, feeling like I’m trapped in an old episode of the Twilight Zone, imagining that someone who works at the store keeps moving what
I’m looking for a row over just before I get there… And now add to that the unknowns of unstocked shelves (also in the paper towel aisle), who’s touched what, that guy who pulled up beside me in aisle 3 trying unsuccessfully to mask that he desperately needs to cough, which only means that when he does it will explode out of him like Old Faithful spraying a warm mist over me and my groceries... “First world problems” some of you are probably thinking, and you’d be right in a way. Though there are hundreds, and now after many people have been let go of their jobs and/or are in isolation, there are thousands in our communities and boroughs for whom the ability to buy food for three meals a day is increasingly out of reach. And this is only a short time into what will no doubt be months of living with COVID-19 and likely years of living with the resulting economic downturn. For many of us this is the first time we’ve ever really felt personally the fear, anxiety and panic that comes with the insecurity of not knowing if we’ll be safe, if we will be able to return to the life we once lived. While I am aware that I have little to offer in the way of wisdom that isn’t already being offered, and said more eloquently and wisely, there are three simple reflections on this that I’d like to share that I hope might be encouraging. The first is, as strange as it sounds, when we have these thoughts and experiences of insecurity and upheaval, welcome them and embrace them. Not in a way that makes you fearful or fall into despair, but in a way that you are aware of and attuned to those feelings--how are they impacting me mentally? Physically? Emotionally? Spiritually? What is it like to live in these feelings? For it is in these moments that God opens our hearts to have true empathy and compassion for the thousands in our city and the millions around the world for whom insecurity and lack of safety, food, and medical care is part of their daily life. Let’s allow this moment in our history to awaken deeper compassion within us for the hungry, the under-housed, the refugee, the abused, the abandoned. Though I don’t believe for a second God caused this pandemic, I do think perhaps this is one of the ways we can come 4
out of it more like Jesus than when we went into it. The second is to encourage you not to feel ashamed when you have feelings of anxiety and fear. Yes, it is good for us to gain a healthy perspective on the reality of deep suffering in the world and how our personal suffering may be small in comparison. At the same time, your suffering, your fears, your anxiety, are yours. They are real, they are valid, regardless of how they compare to someone else's. Victor Frankl was a Jewish survivor of the Nazi holocaust concentration camps where he was tortured and bore witness to the murder of hundreds of prisoners in the gas chambers. And even living through the worst humanity has to offer, he validates the suffering of others by writing this: “A [persons] suffering is similar to the behaviour of gas. If a certain quantity of gas is pumped into an empty chamber, it will fill the chamber completely and evenly, no matter how big the chamber. Thus suffering completely fills the human soul and conscious mind, no matter whether the suffering is great or little. Therefore the “size” of human suffering is absolutely relative” Your suffering is valid, no matter how it compares. The more we try to ignore our places of suffering, fear, or anxiety because we guiltily feel they are ‘invalid’ in comparison to the great pain in the world, the more we live in shame and the less we are able to find peace for ourselves and be present to others. And so the third thing I would like to offer is this. Instead of belittling your suffering, fear, or anxiety as invalid, identify it, acknowledge it. Instead of dismissing it or stuffing it down, hold it in your hands, and give it to God. Ask for his gift of peace, knowing you’ll have to ask over and over as these feelings, thoughts and experiences arise. Even in the midst of the hardest situations, God wants to give you peace. There is one practical tool that I personally find very helpful--it helped me today at the grocery store to get home without having an anxiety attack. Well, I said it was a tool that helped me, but really it’s a tool that enables me to make space for God to give me peace. It’s an ancient and simple form of prayer called a breath prayer. Similar to the increasingly used technique of deep breathing (slowly breathing in through the nose, out through the 5
mouth), it is a short prayer (around six to eight syllables) that you can pray in time with your breathing. Praying it repeatedly and slowly with each breath helps to centre the mind, body, heart and spirit on one thing, silencing inner noise and distractions so that God’s Spirit can speak and bring peace. The content of a breath prayer can come from any words or phrase that is meaningful for you, whether it be your own or from Scripture or from tradition. However, author Ruth Haley Barton in her book Sacred Rhythms has a method for writing your own breath prayer that I found extremely meaningful. In it she invites us to be in touch with our deepest desire so that our breath prayer cuts to the heart of who we are while being in the heart of who God is. If you are interested in trying this, you can click here. As we go through this season of unknowns and social distancing, I pray that we all are able to receive God’s gift of peace, and that we all come through this more compassionate, more secure in who God made us, and more in love with Jesus.
If you are struggling with anxiety, depression or grief, please do not hesitate to reach out to us, a trusted friend, or a counsellor. Here are a few links that I have found helpful myself: Coping with Stress and Anxiety Resource from CAMH https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-health-and-covid-19#coping
Understanding the Grief you may be feeling
https://hbr.org/2020/03/that-discomfort-youre-feeling-is-grief?fbclid=IwAR09jt R5AwGIWGYcCTmzj87IVJIz4upS-jJWp569MsLd7bA5-vkko4hc8Tc
Reflecting on what God might be up to in this time
https://transformingcenter.org/2020/03/that-the-works-of-god-might-be-revea led/?fbclid=IwAR2xRsdWYtiKdoAY59_EJKPCE_PIXsvTrlMxtLRjysS4lIbYGvRYcinOVzI
The place of Christianity and Lament in a time of COVID19 https://time.com/5808495/coronavirus-christianity/
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Eradicating Hunger By Mary Simpkins
Last month we looked at the first United Nations Sustainability goal: Ending Poverty. As the world becomes more unfamiliar every day, the second UN Sustainability goal feels a lot more relevant than it might have done a month ago: "To end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture". In the last week we have been faced with the unfamiliar sight of empty store shelves and the, hopefully temporary, closure of local businesses especially restaurants. Suddenly the fragility of our food supply has become more real and the livelihood of people in our communities has been put at risk but there are practical things we can do in our everyday lives to help both the immediate concerns and the larger issues of the sustainability of life on the planet. Wait, what does eradicating hunger have to do with sustainability? Right now, our soils, freshwater, oceans, forests and biodiversity are being rapidly degraded. Climate change is putting even more pressure on the resources we depend on, increasing risks associated with disasters, such as droughts and floods. Many rural 7
women and men can no longer make ends meet on their land, forcing them to migrate to cities in search of opportunities. Poor food security is also causing millions of children to be stunted, or too short for their ages, due to severe malnutrition. A profound change of the global food and agriculture system is needed if we are to nourish the 821 million people who are hungry today and the additional 2 billion people expected to be undernourished by 2050. Investments in agriculture are crucial to increasing the capacity for agricultural productivity and sustainable food production systems are necessary to help alleviate the perils of hunger. (from the UN SDG website) There are passages throughout the Bible about how those who feed the hungry will be blessed, Isaiah 58:7, Isaiah 58:10, Proverbs 22:9, and of course Matthew 25:34-40. So, as we saw with the first goal, this goal devised by years of research by the UN is aligned with the Bible's direction on how we should behave. Hunger and your daily food choices are tied to sustainability for several reasons: • some foods (like beef and heavily processed foods) have much higher carbon footprint than others. Think of the processing and transportation of food for livestock, their water requirements, the forests cut down for grazing / growing the food that livestock need compared to the resources required to grow the same consumable quantity of beans. • food waste in landfills creates methane which is a significantly more damaging greenhouse gas than the carbon dioxide that would be created by the same food if it were composted. • buying organic is healthier for you, farm workers, the water and soil in the farms, and the local wildlife • buying local reduces the carbon footprint of transporting
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So what can you commit to doing differently to impact hunger around you? Here are some general suggestions from the UN to get you started:
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Do some research on one of these five actions and share your learnings with a friend. If your kids are at home, get them to do the research and present their results to you! Here are some links for more information: On actions you can take: https://davidsuzuki.org/queen-of-green/ food-climate-change/ On the carbon footprint of various foods: https://www. businessinsider.com/the-top-10-foods-with-the-biggestenvironmental-footprint-2015-9
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Searching for Solitude in a Noisy World By Brenda Forder
Growing up in the country surrounded by farmer’s fields, I never had to go very far to find quiet. I don’t remember looking because I never needed to. It was just there. I could curl up for a nap in the window sill or in a snowbank, go off beyond the hedge for a pinecone picnic under the pear tree, or even just hideout in the bathroom chatting with my sister (where no one seemed to bother us or ask us to do the dishes...). Slowly, like one does, I graduated from the carefreeness of childhood to the responsibilities of adulthood. And I moved to Toronto. I traded the sights and sounds of horse and buggies and combines for city buses and emergency vehicles. How does one think, let alone find a space for God amidst this chaos and concrete? A few years ago I suddenly found myself running mostly in survival mode and burning out on many ends without very many options for refuelling. I knew I needed a break and I desperately had to figure out a way to make it happen. And while I had been attracted to the idea of a silent retreat for a long time, I had never made the time to actually do it. It was long overdue. So I 11
took a vacation day from work and spent the day at The Sisterhood of St. John the Divine. Under some wise advice, I took with me simply a Bible, journal and pen, and tried to not have too much of an agenda for what I intended to accomplish during my time. But, as a task oriented person, I have to admit I was pretty determined to seek out and experience the labyrinth. Labyrinths had become a bit of a recurring theme in my life and I was looking forward to having the time and space to experience it more fully. But it was covered in snow. Ummm, well then, I’m-not-leaving-here-without-doing-thislabyrinth-because-I-don’t-know-when-I’ll-get-this-chance-againso-I-guess-I-will-just-have-to-figure-it-out. I’m grateful I did. It was the one place I was able to focus, stop fidgeting, tune out the traffic, listen to God, and have the clarity to hear. While poetry has never been my thing, I wrote down the words and thoughts that came to me in those moments and in the moments that followed. For me, it was a beautiful interweaving of my physical, emotional, natural, and lived experiences, combined with the spiritual experience of God transcending all of that. While this was written out of a deeply personal experience and unique circumstances, I hope it can be applied more universally. Especially right now. There are a lot of unknowns before us daunting, scary, overwhelming and challenging unknowns. Like the journey of the labyrinth, the path is not direct, and our experiences are vastly different. But we can all be rooted together to the same God, the Prince of Peace.
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Grey skies above White carpet beneath Colourless land void of life The way is not clear, Buried beneath the breath of winter... crashing tumbling racing chasing... Bitter wind ripping Frozen tears slipping Poison dripping Here is where the healing of the soul begins Chipping away at the impenetrable walls of (hu)man Drawing strength from the solid Rock of Heaven A fleeting ray of light, a moment of warmth, Remember. Beneath this colourless, frozen land the vibrant greens of a new season have begun to grow. Yet, I cannot see it I cannot hear it I cannot smell it I cannot taste it And I cannot feel it.
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Is it there? Imagine. Believe. Mystery. Embrace it. It is beautiful. It is painful. I, am powerless. Sunlight returns The skies are blue The quiet waters of peace fill the crevices of Doubt and insecurity Pain and frustration Helplessness and hopelessness Rest for the weary. Shadows still linger, dark clouds return. But there is hope for a new season Embraced by a powerful mystery.
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Life in and around Spring Garden
Community Corner
CONNECT ONLINE
For the most updated list, please go to: www. springgardenchurch.ca/connect-online
LIFE GROUP - Connect for Community SUNDAYS 1:00 PM
Together through bible study, prayer and sharing. Computers: Go to https://yorkvilleu-tfs.zoom. us/j/6011890492 (601 189 0492) Phone or Tablet: Download ‘Zoom Cloud Meetings’ Join with 601 189 0492 Audio Phone: 647-558-0588 ID: 601 189 0492
REFRESH - A Online Gathering of Women WEDNESDAY 10:00 AM
A online gathering of women from our church and the community finding God together, reading and reflecting on scripture, sharing life stories and praying and supporting each other. Small children welcome, just let us know. To join or ask questions, please email Beverly Holtzman (holtzb@rogers.com)
EVENING PRAYER THURSDAYS 8:30 PM
We are inviting you to a virtual time of liturgical prayer. If you would like to join us we will be using Zoom. <Join Zoom Meeting> Meeting ID: 851 072 803 One tap mobile +16473744685,,851072803# +16475580588,,851072803#
SPRING GARDEN CHURCH COMMUNITY Facebook A group to encourage each other, share resources, connect, etc. Find us through groups in Facebook. 15 15
EVENTS
WE WILL UPDATE YOU IF THESE EVENTS CHANGE OR GET CANCELLED
Day Camp 2020 - 4 Weeks of Fun! July 20th - Aug. 14th
Come join us for one, two, three, or four weeks of camp! At our day camp, we strive to create a safe, loving, and inclusive atmosphere where the children can engage in fun activities and learn about God’s love for them. We believe that this is done through intentional relationships and thoughtful programming. The camp runs from 9am to 3:30pm and are for children currently in grades 1 - 5 (ages 6-10). Please sign up for each week you choose to attend online through our Events page. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jeremy at jeremy@ springgardenchurch.ca.
SGC: Leaders In Training (LIT)
July 13th-17th 9:00am - 3:00pm (Lunch provided) Cost: $50 We are planning an LIT program that is designed for youth 12 - 17 years old. This program will offer an introduction to leadership techniques and Camp Counselling. LIT's will participate in a variety of activities geared towards enhancing their leadership skills and abilities. Youth who participate in this program will have the opportunity to volunteer in different areas within our church, however, the main focus for them will be our 4 weeks of day camp. SIGN UP FOR LIT online on our Events page under Daycamp. Any questions can be addressed to Jeremy Ranasinghe (Jeremy@ springgardenchurch.ca)
MORE POSSIBLE EVENTS (click to see more info online): • Earth Day Community Clean Up - April 25 • Bike Blessing & BBQ - June 7th • Spring Garden Camping Trip - July 9 - 12 • Click above to sign up now. 16
Partnering with Families
Discipleship Ministries 17
Discipleship Ministry Update: In light of the current pandemic, we are taking steps to continue our ministry to both children and youth. We are still figuring this out and appreciate your willingness to venture with us as we navigate this time together as people of God. Here is what we have for April!
Spring Kids Wednesday (Online) Hangouts!: Each Wednesday this month we will be meeting online using Zoom. Parents and caretakers, please use this link http:// tiny.cc/SpringKids to help kids get online with us.
Spring Youth
Sunday Hangouts - We will be gathering together online using google hangouts to meet and catch up with one another, as well, we will be discussing issues relating to our present circumstances and reflect on this through scripture.
Link - http://tiny.cc/SGCYouth Time: Sundays 2pm-3pm April 3rd, 17th: We will be meeting online on Friday to play some online games with each other.
Time: 6:00pm- 9:00pm **Meeting may end earlier depending
on online activities**
Life Groups: Our Life group meetings this month are on pause as we navigate how to best do this keeping to the current regulations concerning social distancing.
Staying Updated: To stay up to date on what is happening for your youth, please visit our google calendar which has all our planned events http:// tinyurl.com/SGCYouth 18
Recommendations
The Resource Centre
Spring Garden’s online library catalog can be accessed at springgardenchurch.ca/library. If you know of books or DVDs that you’d like to recommend to the Resource Centre, please contact Karen Cassel (karen.cassel@bell.net)
This month, during a time that we are required to stay home, I am recommending that you check out the Toronto Public Libraries’ online books. Go to Toronto.overdrive.com
For Easter books for your children, do a search under “Easter” and you will find a large number of books that you can download.
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For adults, do a search under “Christian faith” or “Christian hope” to find many books that may be of interest. I have browsed through the titles, looking specifically for books for Lent/Easter and for the troubling times that we are all currently experiencing. Here are some suggestions. • Women of Easter, Liz Curtis Higgs • The hope of glory: reflections on the last words of Jesus from the cross, Jon Meacham • The power of knowing God, Kay Arthur • Show me the way, Henri Nouwen • The passion and the cross, Ronald Rolheiser • Traveling mercies, Anne Lamott • Ten prayers that changed the world: extraordinary stories of faith that shaped the course of history, Jean-Pierre Isbouts • Uplifting prayers to light your way, Sonia Choquette • Following Jesus: finding our way home in an age of anxiety, Henri Nouwen • Surprised by hope, N.T. Wright
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Directories and What's Happening
More Info
Leadership Directory PASTORAL TEAM
416.223.4593 Ext. 224
Greg Kay Co-Lead Pastor
gregkay@ springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 227
Sam Lee Co-Lead Pastor
samlee@ springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 223
Jeremy Ranasinghe Children and Youth Pastor
jeremy@ springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 221
Dale Forder Office & Communications Administrator
daleforder@ springgardenchurch.ca
Spring Garden Church
112 Spring Garden Avenue, Toronto ON M2N 3G3 www.springgardenchurch.ca office@springgardenchurch.ca Prayer Line
Tel 416.223.4593 Fax 416.223.6126 416.223.4038
Giving is one of the ways in which we can
respond to a generous God. We give because it is a part of our discipleship and an act of worship. Please give as you feel led. For more information please go to our website at: https://www.springgardenchurch.ca/giving.
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DEACONS Krysten Cameron Vice Chair, Worship
Sam Chaise Finance
Martin Dewar
Community Life, Refreshment
Monica Kim
Pastoral Care, Membership
Joanne Laing Missions
Shannon Loewen
Chair, Children & Youth
Jeff McGee
Adult Discipleship
Peggy Moore Property
416.399.0493 krystencameron@hotmail.com 437.925.2813 sam_chaise@yahoo.com 416.229.2695 martin.dewar@sgbc.ca 604.710.3224 monicakim2000@gmail.com 416.617.6582 joannelaing@gmail.com 647.202.0701 shannon.loewen1@gmail.com 416.493.2102 jeff.mcgee@sympatico.ca 416.225.2406 peggylouisemoore@gmail.com
ELDERS Anne Barron Garth Barron Darlene Boyd
416.724.9329 anne.barron020@sympatico.ca 416.724.9329 garthbarron@sympatico.ca 416.385.2483 darlene.boyd@gmail.com
Koon Wah Leung Clem Lee
416.225.7092 koonwleung@gmail.com 416.508.7355 crazymonkeyfamily@gmail.com
Brad Sider
647.200.6853 â&#x20AC;&#x2039;bradsider@yahoo.ca 22
Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Happening Life in Spring Garden
Weekly
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP 10am - 11:30am
y Sunda
Join us Sundays as we journey with Jesus to the cross, drawing on the Stations of the Cross in reflecting on the Suffering Messiah. Children and Youth go downstairs. Live Streamed: www.springgardenchurch.ca
LIFE GROUP - Connect for Community
Together through bible study, prayer and sharing. Meet online, see page 15 or online here.
y
Monda
1pm - 3pm
We meet online every Monday. Please pray for us for wisdom and inspiration.
y
REFRESH 10am - 11:30am
y
EVENING PRAYER
sda e n d
We
PASTORAL TEAM MEETING
1pm
da s r u Th
Friendship, care & spiritual growth for women; child care provided. Please see more on page 15 or here.
8:30pm
We are inviting you to a virtual time of liturgical prayer. Please see page 15 or here.
SGC COMMUNITY - Facebook
A group to encourage each other, share resources, connect, etc. Find us through groups in Facebook.
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You may find more info at springgardenchurch.ca, in the welcome brochure or call us at 416-223-4593.
What’s Happening Upcoming APR
10 APR
12 APR
12 APR
25 JUNE
7 JULY
9 JULY
20-
Life in Spring Garden
Good Friday Worship
Join us via live stream at 10am on our Home Page.
Easter Sunrise Worship
Join us via live stream at 6am on our Home Page.
Easter Sunday Worship
Join us via live stream at 10am on our Home Page.
Earth Day Community Clean Up
This event is likely going to be canceled, please check here.
Bike Blessing & BBQ
For more updated information please click here.
Spring Garden Camping Trip
For more updated information and to sign up, please click here.
SGC Day Camp See page 16.
SEE OUR EVENTS PAGE FOR MORE INFO ON ANY OF THESE EVENTS. springgardenchurch.ca/events If you would like to receive a weekly e-mail update on what’s happening in Spring Garden, please visit the SGC website (www.springgardenchurch.ca) and add your email address on our home page to subscribe to our weekly e-mail. Also keep your eye on our Events page at: www.springgardenchurch.ca/events.
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Our Values We believe in a humble God who came not to be served, but to serve. Therefore we engage in sacrificial and active service to those around us. We strive to be good stewards of God’s gifts and talents by serving one another in humility. We aspire to regard others as higher than ourselves, which liberates us to creatively take risks in serving others for God’s glory. We believe in a God of grace who came to save the world, not to condemn it. Therefore, as we are continuously receiving the gift of God’s grace, we seek to grow in that grace and extend it to others. We strive to define ourselves by what we are for, not what we are against.
We believe in a God who knows us, and who desires to be known. Therefore we embrace a journey of faith that requires us to constantly strive for a personal, intimate and transformative knowledge of God. We strive to be led by God’s Spirit in supporting and encouraging one another in working out our faith.
We believe in a creative God. Therefore we are open to expressing our faith in new and creative ways that reflect the beauty and complexity of our creator. We are called to use our creative gifts in worship and service as we engage with our world. We take joy in the diversity of gifts that allow us to delight God and participate in His ongoing story. We believe in a triune, relational God who calls us to come together as a diverse community of believers. Therefore, we want to walk together, supporting one another physically, emotionally and spiritually. We strive to be a welcoming, inclusive family that goes through the joys and the trials of life together, acknowledging that God uses this community to deepen and mature our faith.
We believe in a God who loves this broken world and wants to reconcile us to Himself. Therefore we are commissioned by Christ to go out into the world, meeting the holistic needs of the local and global community. God calls us to participate in a redemptive work that he has already initiated; in humility, we will partner with others to work alongside and chase after Him.
We believe in a God who is our centre. Therefore where we are on the journey is less important than that we are moving towards a deeper relationship with Christ. We believe and participate in God’s redemptive work in all people, which gives us the freedom to come as we are, and to accept others as they are.
We each are on a unique journey to become who God has created us to be.
