JUNE 2020
Quick Calendar WEEKLY Sun
10am Sunday Worship Online 11:30 Virtual Coffee Time 1pm Life Group - Connect for Community
Tues 10am-12pm Pastoral Team Meeting Wed 10am Refresh, Women's Group - Online 7PM Kids Wednesday Hangout
Thur 8:30pm Evening Prayers - Online
pg 21 pg 13 pg 21 pg 21 pg 21 pg 21 pg 13
UPCOMING June 7
Bike Blessing
pg 14
June 12 June 14
YOUTH: Bob Ross Night
pg 16
Annual General Meeting
pg 14
June 26
YOUTH: Virtual Year End Party
pg 16
See more on page 21-22 or on our Events page at www.springgardenchurch.ca/events.
Delve submissions are due June 22nd. 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 Monseigneur Bienvenu 3
Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education 9
Community Corner CONNECT ONLINE Virtual Coffee Time & Evening Prayer 13 Now Hiring Summer Camp Help 13 EVENTS Virtual Bike Blessing 14 Annual General Meeting 14 Day Camp 2020 14
Discipleship Ministries
Spring Kids 15 | Spring Youth 15-16
Resource Centre
Resource Recommendations 17
More Info How to Give 19 Leadership Directory 19-20 Weekly Calendar 21 21 Upcoming Calendar 22
Our Values
(back page) Design, Cover & Editor: Dale Forder Contributors: Sam Lee Mary Simpkins Jeremy Ranasinghe Karen Cassel Copy Editors: Greg Kay Karen Cassel
Monseigneur Bienvenu By Sam Lee
In the story of Les MisĂŠrables, a character named Jean Valjean has just come out of jail after 19 years in jail: 5 years for stealing a loaf of bread and the rest for multiple escape attempts. When he is finally out of jail, he is not able to find a place for lodging as he had to identify himself as a criminal with his yellow passport. Even when he can pay for it, no one would welcome him in. He has nowhere to go and stumbles to the house of the Bishop of Digne who was called Monseigneur Bienvenu.
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When he knocks on the door, Jean Valjean is surprised by the willingness of the Bishop to take him in. He explains to the Bishop that he just got out of jail and has a yellow passport, but the Bishop does not care and invites him for a meal and a bed to sleep in. In the middle of the night, Jean Valjean wakes up and decides to leave before sunrise with the Bishop’s silverware. The next morning, Jean Valjean is brought back by the police for stealing the silverware but before anyone can say anything about what has happened, this is what the Bishop says to the police:
"Ah! here you are!" he exclaimed, looking at Jean Valjean. "I am glad to see you. Well, but how is this? I gave you the candlesticks too, which are of silver like the rest, and for which you can certainly get two hundred francs. Why did you not carry them away with your forks and spoons?" The police assumed that Jean Valjean stole the silverware (which he did) but the Bishop in his kindness and mercy offers Jean Valjean his candlesticks as well. He knew that Jean had stolen his silverware but, in his kindness, decides to forgive Jean Valjean and get him out of trouble by pretending (and lying?!) that he had given Jean Valjean his silverware and that Jean Valjean had forgotten to take the candlesticks too. The Bishop saves Jean Valjean from going back to jail for good and while being released by the police, this is what happens in the story. 4
"Do not forget, never forget, that you have promised to use this money in becoming an honest man." Jean Valjean, who had no recollection of ever having promised anything, remained speechless. The Bishop had emphasized the words when he uttered them. He resumed with solemnity: — "Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you; I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.� This act of kindness and mercy rocks Jean Valjean to his core and softens his heart that had been so hardened by his life in prison. I love the lyrics from the musical and Jean Valjean’s response.
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Yet why did I allow that man To touch my soul and teach me love? He treated me like any other He gave me his trust He called me brother My life he claims for God above Can such things be? For I had come to hate the world This world that always hated me He decides that there is hope and the ability for him to become a new man. He commits to be a different person and we see later in the story that he does become a benevolent and honest man. I love this story because of the kindness and mercy shown by the bishop that transformed the life of Jean Valjean. It is an example of kindness, mercy, grace, and forgiveness all wrapped up in that one moment that changes the life of Jean Valjean. It makes me want to be like the Bishop. I want to be like this man who was able to be so generous and forgiving, even when he was taken advantage of. But what would have happened if Jean Valjean didn’t change his life around? What if Jean Valjean after receiving the Bishop’s generosity kept to his ways? Well I think this is where Jesus speaks a profound word to how we are to treat our enemies. Jesus says in Luke 6:35 Instead, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Even if our kindness, generosity, and love does not change a person (although I would argue that for the most part it would), our acts of kindness, mercy, and forgiveness would change us. It would make us people who are of virtue and in the end will display the goodness of God in this world. We would display that we are the children of God by our kindness. 6
I want to be like this fictional man even if it doesn’t seem ideal. I want to be like this man because I know this man exemplifies how Jesus would want me to be. Have you noticed in this story that this man of God lied? I’m sure if you were to ask the Bishop in a vacuum if we should lie, he would say no. That lying is a sin and is harmful. But it really depends on the circumstance doesn’t it? In this case, the sin of lying was overruled by the virtue of grace. Is this what it means to follow the spirit of the law instead of the letter of the law? How do we become a people who care about doing good (i.e. telling the truth) yet be flexible and wise enough to know when we are to not let the rule of the law keep us from listening to the spirit of the law or rather the Spirit of God? I think the story of the Bishop gives us some insight into this. You do not see this in the movie or the musical but in the book Les Miserables, Victor Hugo gives us some backstory to who the Bishop was. He was affectionally called Monseigneur Bienvenu. He was called this because of the way he lived. He cared greatly for the poor and lived a life of poverty. He would give all that he had to the poor and kept very little for himself. He was called Monseigneur Bienvenu (or Welcome) because he welcomed everyone in. He cared for all people no matter who or how they were. What he was able to do with Jean Valjean was not at a whim but rather was prefaced by a life lived in hospitality. It was not a singular event but rather the fruit of a life in the Spirit. This is what led to a moment in time where he was able to act with great generosity. Isn’t this how character and virtue is built upon? It is about starting small and letting those small acts of kindness become the way we live. As we shift in small degrees, it has a lasting change in the direction we are heading. What would your candlesticks be? I ask it in this way because the Bishop went above and beyond being kind. He could have just told the cops that he gave the silverware to Jean Valjean but instead, the Bishop gave Jean Valjean even more! You could make the argument that in this situation, Jean Valjean was the Bishop’s enemy. Jean Valjean stole from a man who was trying to show him kindness. Monseigneur Bienvenu did not consider Jean Valjean his enemy or a stranger, but his brother. He calls him his 7
brother and treats him like his brother. Monseigneur Bienvenu lived out what it means to welcome the other, to welcome the stranger, to welcome the poor, to welcome Jesus.
Matthew 25:37-40 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
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Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education By Mary Simpkins
This week we learned that schools will be closed until September. Between strikes and quarantines, it has been a very challenging year for those of us with kids in the public school system so it seems particularly relevant that the next Sustainability goal outlined by the UN is Education. (The previous goals, in case you have lost track, were eradicating poverty and hunger, and providing health care to all.) The previous goals were about basic survival but this one has a slightly different aim. This goal, to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” is about empowerment and betterment. It is about giving people the opportunity to choose their path but it cannot happen without the previous goals. Families need reliable incomes before they can send their children to school instead of to factories and mines. Girls need to be seen to have value and potential in order to be educated instead of sold off as child brides. Malala spoke of the inequality in education in her Nobel Prize acceptance speech: “One of my very good school friends, the same age as me, who 9
had always been a bold and confident girl, dreamed of becoming a doctor. But her dream remained a dream. At the age of 12, she was forced to get married. And then soon she had a son, she had a child when she herself was still a child – only 14. I know that she could have been a very good doctor. But she couldn’t … because she was a girl. …In my own village, there is still no secondary school for girls. And it is my wish and my commitment, and now my challenge to build one so that my friends and my sisters can go there to school and get quality education and to get this opportunity to fulfill their dreams. This is where I will begin, but it is not where I will stop. I will continue this fight until I see every child, every child in school.” Here in Canada we take the availability of education for granted. Our kids complain about homework and do not realize how privileged they are to be literate in a world where 115 million youth (aged 15-24) are illiterate and so have little chance of ever improving their lives or the lives of their families. (https://data. unicef.org/topic/education/literacy/). They say knowledge is power, so by extension lack of knowledge is powerlessness. So how can we make a difference and empower the world's youth to build a better future for all of us? • Maybe you can sponsor a child in a third world country. • Maybe you can donate to an organization that builds schools. • Maybe you can volunteer your time and share your knowledge in your community. • Maybe you can break down stereotypes by gifting your niece a robotics set or your nephew a box of paints. • Maybe it’s as simple as being supportive and excited about what the kids in your life are learning and encouraging them to be curious.
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COLOURING PAGE
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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
NEW Virtural Coffee Time SUNDAYS 11:30 AM
Join us for our virtual coffee time after our online Worship Gathering. Get some coffee and snacks and log on to our Zoom meeting where you can talk with other Spring Gardeners. We will be breaking up to smaller groups. Prayer room is available. You can even just come for the first 10 minutes to say hi! Email office@springgardenchurch.ca for the log in info.
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: 107-508-336 For the login and password, email: OFFICE@ SPRINGGARDENCHURCH.CA.
NOW Hiring Summer Camp Help If you would like to apply, click below on the position you would like to apply for. <Camp Counselor> <Camp Co-Director>
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EVENTS
WE WILL UPDATE YOU IF THESE EVENTS CHANGE OR GET CANCELLED
Virtual Bike Blessing June 7th
Do you enjoy going on a bike ride? Walk, jog, run, stroll or maybe you like to get around on a scooter or other non-motor (electric or gas) modes of transportation? Please send us pictures of yourself and/or your family enjoying these activities and we will display them as we are doing the blessing during our Online Worship Gathering. Email them to office@springgardenchurch.ca. Please have them in by June 4th.
Annual General Meeting June 14th
Our Annual meeting will be held on Sunday June 14 at 11:30am through the online video conferencing platform (Zoom). If you want to join and did not get an email from us on how to, please email office@springgardenchurch.ca. <READ MORE>
Day Camp 2020 - 4 Weeks of Fun! July 20th - Aug. 14th
We do not know if this will occur physically or virtually. Please keep checking our website for more details. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jeremy at jeremy@springgardenchurch. ca.
MORE POSSIBLE EVENTS (click to see more info online): Spring Garden Camping Trip - July 9 - 12
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Partnering with Families
Discipleship Ministries
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 June!
Spring Kids Wednesday (Online) Hangouts!: We are continuing to meet each Wednesday online using Zoom. We have changed our time to 7:00pm-7:30pm. For more information email Jeremy (jeremy@ springgardenchurch.ca)
Spring Youth
As we are now entering our third month of social distancing, we have some updates on our youth ministry flow detailed below. Sunday Life-Groups - We have decided to move our youth life groups to Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. We will be gathering online after worship using Zoom to meet and catch up with one another. We will then split off into online breakout rooms for our lifegroups. Youth are encouraged to watch and take part in the Sunday morning Livestream at 10am. Link - http://tiny.cc/SGCYouth Time: Sundays 1pm-2pm
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Youth Events: Galatians Study: June 5th, 19th - We will be continuing our study on the book of Galatians. Youth are encouraged to create a profile on the Bible app and join our study. Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm June 12th: Bob Ross Night - Jeremy will be dressing up like Bob Ross, and the youth will have an opportunity to help him paint and create â&#x20AC;&#x153;happy little accidentsâ&#x20AC;? Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm June 26th: Virtual Year End Party - As we conclude another ministry year together, we want to celebrate. We will be meeting online and celebrating together virtually with some indoor and potentially outdoor, activities. Time: TBD **Meetings May End Earlier depending on online activities**
Online Engagement: Minecraft Server
We are trying something new during this time of isolation. We will be hosting a minecraft server until the current pandemic subsides. For those who may not know, minecraft is a popular video game where players can build a world using in-game resources. More information of the game can be found through this website: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/about-minecraft In hosting a minecraft server, we are able to create a safe/ monitored online space for youth to meet and interact with each other virtually. This form of online engagement is optional and will only be accessible for youth who have purchased the game. If you would like more information on this please contact Jeremy. If this is something your youth would like to participate in, or if you would like more information on this please contact Jeremy (Jeremy@springgardenchurch.ca) for further details. 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://tiny.cc/YouthCal 16
Recommendations
The Resource Centre
The Compassion Series website has many very good resources for families. This series is a growing and multifaceted social justice program designed to inspire, challenge and educate children and youth, and to support and encourage parents and educators. Our ultimate aim? to raise a generation of hope givers. You can find these resources at https://compassionseries.com/resources/
children may have.
Here is an excellent book for your children, Am I Safe, which you can read online for free. While it does not deal with COVID 19 specifically, it is very helpful for exploring the many fears
https://compassionseries.com/amisafe/ Also on this site are thank you colouring pages and I love you and miss you colouring pages.
Continuing in the Fruit of the Spirit series, here are some recommendations on Faithfulness,Gentleness, and Self Control
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The Allure of Gentleness, by Dallas Willard, available online at the Toronto Public Library, https://toronto.overdrive.com/ media/1473660
Boundaries, by Henry Cloud and John Townsend, available online at the Toronto Public Library, https://toronto.overdrive.com/ media/3200166
If you are interested in adding a few new books to your personal collections, here are two recommendations on faithfulness from Sam Lee, that you can purchase from Amazon. Paul and the faithfulness of God, by N.T.Wright
Faith unraveled: how a girl who knew all the answers learned to ask questions, by Rachel Held Evans
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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
(Subject to change after June 14th)
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
ELDERS
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
(Subject to change after June 14th)
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 20
Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Happening Life in Spring Garden
Weekly
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
10am
Join us Sundays online as we explore the fruit of the Spirit as life in Jesus after his death and resurrection. Streamed at: www.springgardenchurch.ca
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Sunda
VIRTUAL COFFEE TIME
11:30am
Join us for our virtual coffee time after our online Worship Gathering. Get some coffee and snacks and log on to our Zoom meeting where you can talk with other Spring Gardeners. We will be breaking up to smaller groups. Prayer room is available. Email office@springgardenchurch.ca for the log in info.
LIFE GROUP - Connect for Community
Together through bible study, prayer and sharing. Meet online, see page 13 or online here.
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Monda
ay d s e n
Wed
PASTORAL TEAM MEETING
1pm
1pm - 3pm
We meet online every Monday. Please pray for us for wisdom and inspiration.
REFRESH 10am - 11:30am Friendship, care & spiritual growth for women. Please see more on page 13 or here.
Kids Wednesday Hangout
7pm - 7:30pm
A forum for our children to gather, learn and grow. To join or ask questions, please email Jeremy.
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da s r u Th
EVENING PRAYER
8:30pm
We are inviting you to a virtual time of liturgical prayer. Please see page 13 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 June
7 June
7 June
14 June
26 JULY
9 JULY
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Life in Spring Garden
Bike Blessing during our Worship Gathering See more on page 14.
Bob Ross Youth Night See page 16.
Annual General Meeting See page 14.
Virtual Year End Youth Party See Page 16.
Spring Garden Camping Trip
Likely will be cancelled but keep checking here.
SGC Day Camp See Page 14 .
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.