June 2022
Quick Calendar WEEKLY Sun
10am Sunday Worship Online or In-Person
pg 21
Tue Wed Thur Thur Thur
10am-12pm Pastoral Team Meeting
pg 21
10am Refresh, Women's Group
pg 21
10am Bible Discussion
pg 21
10am Moms' Meet Up
pg 21
8:30pm Evening Prayers - Online
pg 21
UPCOMING June 3 June 5 June 6 June 9 June 17 June 25 June 25 July 4 -6
YOUTH: Games Night pg 12 SGC Annual Meeting pg 7 YOUTH: Jr. and Sr. High Girls Life Groups pg 11 YOUTH: Guys Life Group pg 11 YOUTH: Craft Night pg 12 Yard Sale pg 6 YOUTH: Year End Party pg 12 Toronto Mission Experience pg 19
See more at www.springgardenchurch.ca/events. Delve submissions are due June 23rd. 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 Freedom for the Prisoners 3
Community Corner SGC Creation Care Network 5 Yard Sale Day 6 SGC Annual Meeting 2022 7 SGC Day Camp 2022 7
Discipleship Ministries SGC Kids: (In-Person) Worship Gathering 9 Spring Youth 11 Youth Events 12
The Resource Centre Book Recommendations 13
More Info How to Give 15 Life Groups 8 Leadership Directory 15 Weekly Calendar 17 Upcoming Calendar 18
Our Values
(back page) Design, Cover & Editor: Dale Forder Contributors: Abby Davidson Brenda Forder Jeremy Ranasinghe Karen Cassel Copy Editors: Sam Lee Karen Cassel Esther Penner
Freedom for the Prisoners by Abby Davidson
In Luke 4:18 Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah when he says “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me… to proclaim freedom for the prisoners”. A couple of us from Spring Garden joined Restorative Justice Housing Ontario (RJHO) for two nights in May to learn more about volunteering with their ministry and about the struggles that ex-prisoners face as they re-enter the community. Throughout each meeting, I kept thinking about that verse in Luke and it was clear to me that being released from prison isn’t the same as being free. The more stories I hear about the people in our prison system, the more I understand how difficult it is for them when they re-enter the community and how many barriers they face trying to live a ‘normal’ life. As part of the RJHO training we watched a clip from the Compassion Prison Project documentary in which prisoners are invited to listen to a list of childhood traumatic events and then “step inside the circle” for each one they experienced. As you watch each person respond, you see how they were all traumatized as children, often repeatedly, and how they didn’t have the love and support of a community or a family. This 3
doesn’t mean that people in prison shouldn’t be penalized for committing crimes. But it does mean that taking a close look at those who are in prisons will reveal that it’s much more complex than simply painting them as ‘bad people’. When you look at the prevalence of childhood trauma and mental illness among prisoners, as well as the racial and economic disparities that exist within our justice system, it becomes clear why a release from prison does not equate to freedom. I encourage you to take a few minutes to watch the clip below. It may give you a new understanding of the ‘type’ of people that are in prison. I also encourage you to pray about how God wants you to respond to the invitation to set the prisoner free. You never know how God might use you to bring healing in someone’s life. Link to the Compassion Prison Project clip https://youtu.be/FVxjuTkWQiE If you are interested in being a part of the the Spring Garden Team that will support RJHO, please get in touch!
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Life in and around Spring Garden
Community Corner
SGC Creation Care Network
Creation is full of networks...just one example of this is a watershed - many creeks and streams and rivers connecting to each other and to the land, and joining together with a much larger body of water. Just like our very own Don River Watershed and just like the body of Christ. How can we, both as individuals and together as a community, become more connected to each other and to God as we walk this journey of Creation Care? How can we empower each other, learn from each other, encourage and support each other, and expand our understanding of and connectedness to what God has made and how our actions (or in-action) impact others in our neighbourhood and around the globe? How can we challenge each other and hold each other accountable? Join us as we strive to love God and our Neighbours through acts of Creation Care, in the midst of our daily lives wherever we are and in whatever we are already doing. Contact Brenda Forder for more information or to sign up - nobleb14@yahoo.ca
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(Photo: Art Installation at the Evergreen Brickworks of the Don River Watershed).
Take note, there will be no parking in our parking lot on Saturday, June 25th till 3pm. Shop your neighbours, meet your neighbours!
Willowdale
YARD SALE
sat. june 25 10am-2pm
Day
Host in your driveway or Join us at Spring Garden Church. Mom2Moms, Artisans & Businesses Welcome! Spots are limited, Early Bird Pricing until June 15.
To register or check out our Yard Sale Map visit:
neighbourlink.org/yardsale
We will be hosting a table for the Yard Sale here. Any questions, please contact Victoria at: victoriashipmaker@gmail.com 6
SGC Annual Meeting 2022 June 5th, 2022, after Worship.
Come one, come all, to our Annual Meeting, but only members can vote. In-person on online via Zoom. Email office@ springgardenchurch.ca if you want to join via Zoom. The purpose of the meeting is to: 1. Approve the minutes of the Feb 27, 2022 meeting. 2. Elect Deacons and Elders: The Deacons and Elders, working alongside the Pastors, are called by the church to bring leadership over a three year term. The Nominating Committee is a 2 year term of leadership whose responsibility is to prayerfully discern and invite new Deacons, Elders and Officers. 3. Acceptance of Audited Financial Statements for 2021 and appointment of Auditor for 2022 (Norton McMullen LLP). See reports here: tiny.cc/SGCAM
SGC: Day Camp 2022
This Summer, we are planning 2 weeks of day camp and 1 week of our Adventure Camp, July 18-22, July 25-29 & Aug. 15-19. Following the success of our in-person camps from 2021, we are doing so with the same intent but will have virtual camp back-upplans if we cannot meet in-person safely. If any of the weeks you sign up for end up changing to virtual, you will have the option for a full refund. 7
Our Day-Camps strive to create a safe, loving, and inclusive atmosphere (both online and in-person!) where children can engage in a variety of activities to experience and learn God’s love for them. We believe that this is done through intentional relationships and thoughtful programming. Our day camp runs from 9 am to 3:30 pm and is created for children in grades 1 - 5 (ages 6-10) for the upcoming school year (September 2022). WEEK 3 IS FULL. Sign up at: springgardenchurch.ca/daycamp
Life Groups
Life Groups are a place where we do life together in a community centered around the gospel. They are designed for you to pursue spiritual growth, community and mission together. We offer Life Groups so everyone can have a place to belong. Kevin & Suzanna Life Groups are Sunday afternoons, small gatherings Every other week of people who ONLINE and In-Person form a community. Scott & Kate Group members Sunday evenings share life together Every other week through friendship, ONLINE learn from the Anne & Garth Bible and other Monday evenings resources, pray for Weekly and give support ONLINE to one another, Jeff & Phyllis and participate Wednesday evenings in God’s mission Weekly together. They ONLINE are safe places David Webb where you can Thursday evenings Weekly meet new people, Online and In-Person discover your gifts for service, grow as a follower of Jesus, and have a lot of fun together. Groups gather in homes or online throughout the week. Each group is as unique as the people in it. No matter where you are in life, there is a Life Group for you. Please email Abby at abbydavison@springgardenchurch.ca to join or for more information.
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Partnering with Families
Discipleship Ministries
SGC Kids: Family Registration Forms: In order for us to provide our ministry to the children of our church, we require new registration forms to be filled by their family every year as part of our policy to protect. Please fill out our form through this link http://tiny.cc/SGCFamilyRegistration
Kids (In-Person) Worship Gathering We have updated our Sunday sign-ups for our children’s worship. For more information on registering or the structure and flow for Sunday mornings, please use the following link: http://tiny.cc/SGCKidsWorshipInfo *Highlights* - By registering online through http:// sgcworship.eventbrite.ca, parents and caregivers will no longer be required to sign in children in their worship spaces using the form.
Online Resources For Home To help serve your family better, we have uploaded all our SGC Kids’ curriculum online. The following link can be used to access our curriculum and use at home, as well as find info pamphlets for following up with kids on what was discussed during their worship on Sunday mornings. SGC Kids Curriculum Link: tiny.cc/OnlineCurriculum Here is what we will be talking about on Sundays! Ever After: The Story of Ruth
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Fairytales are full of fantasy and imagination. We love them because they take what could be real and add extraordinary circumstances. But what if there was a story where the extraordinary circumstances were real? Could a story like this exist?
This month, we are going to look at the story of Ruth to see how God truly writes the best stories for us — full of companions, hope, boldness, and the knowledge that God is always taking care of us! WEEK 1 Kids meet our heroine Ruth as she leaves Moab with Naomi. THE BIG IDEA: God gives us companions. THE BIBLE: Ruth 1; Acts 2:1–6
WEEK 2 Kids are introduced to the character of Boaz in Ruth’s story. THE BIG IDEA: God gives us hope. THE BIBLE: Ruth 2; Romans 5:1–5
WEEK 3 Kids watch the plot thicken as Ruth asks Boaz for help.
WEEK 4 Kids get to see Ruth and Boaz’s happily ever after!
THE BIG IDEA: God gives us boldness. THE BIBLE: Ruth 3; Psalm 42
THE BIG IDEA: God always takes care of us. THE BIBLE: Ruth 4; Psalm 16
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Spring Youth Sunday Morning Worship Gatherings:
June, 12th, 19h, 26th We will have our regular worship gatherings for youth in grades 6-12. Following the children and youth’s blessing, youth will move to our lounge to continue in worship. Due to limited space, youth will need to register their spot (preferably with their family) through http://sgcworship. eventbrite.ca June 5th, 2022 - Youth are encouraged to join us in the main worship area. Youth who would like to serve in worship (either through music, tech team, children’s ministry, or another area) should speak with Jeremy.
Life Groups:
Our youth life groups will meet this month at our building. As we began a new video curriculum our Jr and Sr girls will have their life groups combined but will split into small groups for discussion. Here are the days we’re meeting as well as who to contact: Jr High Girls • Brittni - brittni@sgbc.ca • Monday, June 6th, 2022 - 6:30pm - 8:30pm Sr High Girls • Kaitlyn - Kaitlyn.ranasinghe@sgbc.ca • Monday, June 6th, 2022 - 6:30pm - 8:30pm Guys Life Group • Jeremy - Jeremy@springgardenchurch.ca • Thursday, June 9th 2022 - 7:00pm - 9:00pm
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Youth Events June 3rd: Games Night - We will be meeting at our building to play some of our favourite games. To ensure enough food is prepared please email Jeremy to reserve space by June 1st, 2022. Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm Cost: $10 per youth ($5 for additional youth of the same family) (Dinner included) June 17th: Craft Night - We will be meeting at our building to work on personal crafts and art projects together. We will have a variety of craft options available, for youth to do, as well as a larger team project for our youth lounge. To ensure enough food is prepared please email Jeremy to reserve space by June 15th, 2022. Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm Cost: $10 per youth ($5 for additional youth of the same family) (Dinner included) June 25th, 2022: Year End Party - As we come to the end of a ministry year, we are grateful for the time and opportunity to be with each other in-person. To celebrate the year we will be having our Year End Party on Saturday June 25th, 2022. We will have a potluck dinner together as part of our time, and we encourage youth to bring their favourite dinner meal to share with each other. Time: 1:00pm-7:00pm Cost: Free 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
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Recommendations
The Resource Centre 13
The Passover mystery: how the cross creates a new human, by Gene Tempelmeyer (our former lead pastor) The cross remains the most familiar symbol of Christianity and the church, so common it is easy to forget it recalls one of the most vicious forms of execution devised. Perhaps an electric chair at the peak of our steeples would say to us what the cross said to the first believers. Why did Christ have to suffer in such a brutal death? Did Jesus die on a cross because God is angry and violent, or because we are angry and violent? How does the cross create the possibility of a new kind of humanity ready for a new kind of world? What does the cross have to say about racial, economic, gender, and other human divisions? How does the cross offer forgiveness and end our shame, thereby freeing us from the wounds life has inflicted on us? What lessons does the cross teach about sharing life in community with others? “With the precision of a learned theologian, and the heart of a wise, guiding pastor, Gene Tempelmeyer‘s book helps us to recover a sense of awe, reverence, understanding, and application of this mystery to our journey as followers of Christ. “ Jeff Crosby
Introducing Christian ethics: core convictions for Christians today, by David P. Gushee People typically have two ways of thinking about spirituality. Either they have accepted the false reality that they can only know about God, without knowing him personally, or they have romanticized spirituality
to such an extent that it becomes far too otherworldly. In either case, expectations are lowered, and they live in spiritual bankruptcy, feeling like spiritual failures. Pastor and musician Matthew Jacoby sets the Psalms to music as they were intended, performing them with his band, Sons of Korah, for over fifteen years. In the Psalms, he has discovered a portrait of authentic spirituality that helps us journey from deep sadness to profound joy. Jacoby gives readers an in-depth look at the Psalms as a pathway to intimate and satisfying relationship with God.
Forgiving what you can’t forget: discover how to move on, make peace with painful memories, and create a life that’s beautiful again by Lysa Terkeurst COMING SOON. Please speak to Karen Cassel if you wish to be put on a waiting list for this book. Expected arrival is mid June. Have you ever felt stuck in a cycle of unresolved pain, playing offenses over and over in your mind? You know you can't go on like this, but you don't know what to do next. Lysa TerKeurst has wrestled through this journey. But in surprising ways, she’s discovered how to let go of bound-up resentment and overcome the resistance to forgiving people who aren’t willing to make things right. With deep empathy, therapeutic insight, and rich Bible teaching coming out of more than 1,000 hours of theological study, Lysa will help you:
• Learn how to move on when the other person refuses to change and never says they're sorry. • Walk through a step-by-step process to free yourself from the hurt of your past and feel less offended today. • Discover what the Bible really says about forgiveness and the peace that comes from living it out right now. • Identify what's stealing trust and vulnerability from your relationships so you can believe there is still good ahead. • Disempower the triggers hijacking your emotions by embracing the two necessary parts of forgiveness.
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Directories and What's Happening
More Info
Leadership Directory PASTORAL TEAM Greg Kay Co-Lead Pastor
*Greg Kay is on Sabbatical (away) from April 19 - Aug. 19th 2022*
Ext. 227
Sam Lee Co-Lead Pastor
samlee@ springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 223
Jeremy Ranasinghe Children and Youth Pastor
jeremy@ springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 226
Abby Davidson Pastor of Missional Discipleship
abbydavidson@ 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 Tel 416.223.4593 office@springgardenchurch.ca Fax 416.223.6126 Prayer Line 416.223.4038
Giving is one of the ways in which we can
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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/give.. https://www.springgardenchurch.ca/give
DEACONS
(THIS WILL CHANGE IN THE NEXT DELVE)
Krysten Cameron Chair
416.399.0493 krystencameron@hotmail.com
Ben Reynolds
Children\Youth Discipleship & Property
bereynolds@gmail.com
Martin Dewar
416.229.2695 martin.dewar@sgbc.ca
Community Life & Missions
Debbie Tempelmeyer
Adult Discipleship & Pastoral Care
905-301-2323 tempelmeyerdeb@gmail.com
Scott Moore
647-227-5465 scottgmoore@mac.com
Vice Chair & Secretary
Jeff McGee Finance
416.493.2102 jeff.mcgee@sympatico.ca
Cheryl Chapman Worship
cheryl.chapman@live.ca
Esther Penner Membership
ELDERS
esther.penner@sgc.ca
(THIS WILL CHANGE IN THE NEXT DELVE)
Anne Barron Gonzalo Librado
416.724.9329 anne.barron020@sympatico.ca 416.435.9691 gonzlibrado@gmail.com
Margaret Sutton margaretsutton242@gmail.com Koon Wah Leung Clem Lee
416.225.7092 koonwleung@gmail.com 416.508.7355 crazymonkeyfamily@gmail.com
Myrna Frost
416.225.4986 mfrost2254986@rogers.com 16
What’s Happening Life in Spring Garden
Weekly LIFE GROUPS - Connect for Community ALL WEEK LONG
Together through bible study, prayer and sharing. Meet online and if possible in-person. Please email abbydavidson@springardenchurch.ca for more information or to join one. See more on page 16.
Sundays
Tuesdays
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
10am
PASTORAL TEAM MEETING
10am 12pm
Join us Sunday mornings as we go through different series (read more). Join us at: www. springgardenchurch.ca/live or come in-person (no need to register). We meet mostly on Tuesday. Please pray for us for wisdom and inspiration.
Wednesdays REFRESH
10am 11:30am
Thursdays
BIBLE DISCUSSION (ON SUMMER BREAK)
10am -
MOMS' MEET UP
10am 12pm
EVENING PRAYER
8:30pm
Friendship, care & spiritual growth for women. Contact Jen Chrystman (jenchrystman313@ hotmail.com ) or Faith Holwyn (faith. holwyn@gmail.com) for more info.
Join us this coming fall as we learn and 11:30am discuss different stories about God and His people. Contact Victoria Shipmaker for more information at victoriashipmaker@gmail.com. Mothers coming together for fellowship in a baby and kid friendly environment. Contact Abby at abbydavidson@springgardenchurch. ca You are invited to a virtual time of liturgical prayer. More information at springgardenchurch.ca/events.
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What’s Happening Upcoming
Life in Spring Garden
June 3
YOUTH: Games Night
pg 12
June 5
SGC Annual Meeting
pg 7
June 6
YOUTH: Jr. and Sr. High Girls Life Groups
pg 11
June 9
YOUTH: Guys Life Group
pg 11
June 17
YOUTH: Craft Night
pg 12
June 25
Yard Sale
pg 6
June 25
YOUTH: Year End Party
pg 12
July 4 - 6
Toronto Mission Experience springgardenchurch.ca/events FUTURE EVENTS: Day Camps -Go to springgardenchurch.ca/daycamp. Camping Trip -Go to springgardenchurch.ca/upcoming-events/camping-trip-2022
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 at the bottom of our home page (scroll down). 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.