Delve An
Of
Intersection
Faith
And Life
June 2015
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Features Studying the Bible: Translations Thank You – Pass it on Departments
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Resource Centre 8 Discipleship Ministries 12 Financial Update 17 Information Career Guidance Sessions: Interviews and Success 15 Contact Information 19 Community Corner 20 Calendar 22
Contributors: Karen Cassel Mary Ellen Hopkins Geoffrey Moore Suzanna Lai Sam Lee Ben Reynolds
Bob and Arlene Stiles Margaret Sutton
Copy Editors: Greg Kay Suzanna Lai
Delve submissions are due on the LAST MONDAY of each month. To submit for the next issue of Delve, please email: delve@springgardenchurch.ca
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Studying the Bible: Bible Translations Almost every English Bible translation recommends itself as being accurate, reliable, readable, clear, or some other similar adjective. As I was preparing to write this piece, I received an email about a new Bible translation (the Modern English Version), which is billed as “Clear ∙ Reverent ∙ Accurate.” The New International Version (NIV) is declared to be: “Accurate, Clear, Beautiful, Trustworthy.” The tagline for our pew Bible the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) is “Faithful and Clear.” The obvious concern with accuracy (and clarity!) has to do with the Christian belief that the Bible is God’s Word and that it is an authoritative source of witness to God’s work in creation and in the lives of his people. This belief makes the desire for an accurate translation of the Bible of greater concern for believers than an accurate translation of any other text not originally written in English (e.g., Augustine’s City of God, Martin Luther’s sermons and commentaries, John Calvin’s Institutes, or Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Cost of Discipleship, to name a few). The reality is that almost all English translations of the Bible may be considered “accurate.” What one means or expects by “accuracy” will determine whether one might use the term for this or that translation. I suspect that most people would automatically assume that a literal, word-for-word translation would be the most “accurate.” While this generally may be the case, the translation of one language into another language does not typically function with simple one-to-one correlations between words or concepts. In other words, a literal, word-for-word translation of one language into another will not always make 3
sense because of figures of speech, idioms, metaphors, similes, etc. There are multiple examples of this aspect of language in our officially bilingual context. During the 2010 Vancouver games Cheerios initiated a “Send your Cheer” campaign. Purchasers of Cheerios cereal were able to cut the word “Cheer” out of the word “Cheerios” on the box and send it as a postcard to an Olympic athlete in order to cheer them on. Since this does not quite work in French, the French side of the box had a postcard that read “J’♥ nos athletes.” You could say the sense and intention was there, but it isn’t as clever as “Cheer” in English. This lack of cleverness has nothing to do with French as a language, but serves as an example of how in any sort of translation something of the original language can be lost in translation. When it comes to English Bible translations there are essentially three different translation philosophies which lie behind our better known and lesser known translations. These three philosophies are Formal Equivalence, Dynamic or Functional Equivalence, and Free Translations. Although not technically translations, I will also mention Paraphrases as a fourth category of English Bibles. Formal Equivalence may also be referred to as a word-for-word translation philosophy. The translations in this category try to stay as close as possible to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek of the biblical texts. However, any truly word-for-word translation would result in English that makes little sense. So even the Formal Equivalence translations are not purely wordfor-word in every instance. A drawback of Formal Equivalence translations can be readability. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) is one of the most word-for-word translations, and it often retains the syntax of the original language but at the expense of making decent sense in idiomatic English. Other well known Formal Equivalence translations include the Revised Standard Version, the New Revised Standard Version, and the English Standard Version, and I would also include our pew Bible the Holman Christian Standard Bible. 4
Dynamic or Functional Equivalence is a translation philosophy that focuses on translating parts of sentences at a time rather than one word at a time. Translators using this translation philosophy work with the ideas of a sentence and consider how best to express those ideas in the target language (English in our case). The New International Version is the best known example of this type of translation. The recent update of the NIV in 2011 was an attempt to keep this popular translation consistent with current English usage. Other Dynamic Equivalence translations include the New Living Translation (2004 edition) and the recent Common English Bible (CEB). Free Translations, the third translations philosophy, will often consider full sentences or multiple sentences in their translations. These translations will often make more use of English colloquialisms and typically shorten sentences, choosing to use more periods or full stops than commas. The reading level for these translations is typically lower, which makes them more accessible for younger readers. Translations in this category include the New Century Version, the New Living Translation 1996, the Contemporary English Version, and the Good News Bible. A fourth category of English Bibles, which are not actually translations, are Paraphrases. These Bibles are much more free than the free translations. They are either loosely tied to the original language or they tend to be much more interpretive than the three translation philosophies noted above. For example, the Living Bible is actually a paraphrase of the King James Version. The most well-known paraphrase is Eugene Peterson’s The Message. Peterson actually worked from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, but as should be obvious, his English is extremely colloquial. The Message has its benefits in serving as a devotional paraphrase of the Bible, but its tagline would not be “accurate.” So, what is the “best” or “most accurate” Bible translation? My suggestion for those wanting to closely study the Bible is to choose one Bible from each of three translation philosophies (or at least one from the Formal Equivalence and one from the 5
Dynamic Equivalence categories) and compare the translations. (In making this suggestion, I am taking my cue from Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart.) Most of the time, the various translations you choose will say essentially say the same thing because they are translating the same original language texts. When they do not agree, you can assume the original language does not easily translate into English, but by comparing a few translations you can gain a general idea of what the original text says. If you are not making a close study of the Bible but reading for more devotional purposes, I recommend using a translation with which you feel most comfortable, as the English style will likely influence your decision. Personally, I use both the ESV and NIV depending on if I want a translation that is more formal or more dynamic. Like most things in the West, we are spoiled for choice. There are many languages throughout the world that still lack a single translation. The number of English translations (and debates about which is the most “accurate” translation) can distract us from what should be the main point of all English Bibles, reading God’s Word! Ben Reynolds Related Topics (maybe for another day): Gender inclusiveness in Bible translation; the textual basis of our translations; and the King James Version. For Further Reading: Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All its Worth (4th ed.; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014).
Thank You – Pass it on Thank You Spring Garden family. When we arrived at Spring Garden twenty years ago, Ray and Fay Binkley welcomed us into a small group in their home. They watered seeds in us that we have benefited from and been able to share with others over the past twenty years. Spring Garden is younger than it was twenty years ago and it is heartwarming to see the next generations growing in the knowledge of God, His Son and His Spirit. It was especially fitting that we witnessed Carter’s baptism on our farewell Sunday. His message that Jesus calls us right where we are is very important. Arlene arrived at Spring Garden newly baptized and I was baptized here. Our prayer for each of you, is the one our spiritual friend, Ray Binkley first shared with us. We “pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. [We] pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3: 16-21) We have learned that each day is a life of its own unto itself. And we pray that each day you, being the called people of God at Spring Garden and commissioned by your church family will live and be in the peace of God sharing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23) with each one you encounter. Pass it on in love. May the Love of God, His Son and His Holy Spirit and Peace be with you all.
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Bob and Arlene Stiles
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Recomendations From 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
Fully Alive: A Biblical Vision of Gender That Frees Men and Women to Live Beyond Stereotypes, by Larry Crabb
Books Third Target, by Joel Rosenberg (Fiction) When New York Times foreign correspondent J. B. Collins hears rumors that an al-Qaeda splinter cell—ISIS—has captured a cache of chemical weapons inside Syria, Collins knows this is a story he must pursue at all costs. Does the commander of the jihadist faction really have the weapons? If so, who is the intended target? The U.S.? Israel? Or someone else? With tensions already high, the impending visit of the American president to the region could prove to be the spark that sets off an explosion of horrendous proportions. Knowing that terrorist forces are already trying to bring down two Arab governments in the region—Iraq and Syria—can Collins uncover the truth before it’s too late? Or will the terrorists succeed in setting their sights on the third target and achieving genocide? 8
Gender roles have been the subject of much debate and confusion over the last several decades. What is expected of a man? What is expected of a woman? And where do those expectations come from? But the Bible is clear--God created men and women to be unique, and He did so for a purpose. In Fully Alive, author and psychologist Dr. Larry Crabb offers a life-changing, biblically dependent understanding of gender uniqueness. He shows you how to appreciate and exhibit your God-given femininity or masculinity to reveal God’s loving character to a world that is desperately in need of understanding. Discover who you are truly meant to be and how you are meant to live. Teaching Kids About God: An Age by Age Plan for Parents, from Birth to Age 12, by Kurt Bruner and John Trent From the parenting experts at Focus on the Family comes a practical resource to help 9
Contemporary Color
10 pop artists including
David Byrne, Nelly Furtado, Ad-Rock + Money Mark
and St.Vincent sync steps with 10 colour guard teams in a flag-flipping spectacle
you teach your children what they need to know about God at every age and stage. This book will help you steer your child along the path of knowing, loving, and living with God, offering age-appropriate milestones from the time your child is a toddler until he/she enters his/her teen years. From giving your toddler a firm faith foundation to helping your preteen make the right choices, Teaching Kids about God provides specific ways to give your child a solid spiritual base so he can grow up to be all God made him to be.
A POC A LY PSIS
10 0 0 p e r fo r m e r s. 1 e p i c e x p e r i e n c e.
Brent Carver, Ta n ya Tagaq and more Unsound Toronto El pasado es un MUSIC animal grotesco TECHNOLOGY two electrifying nights of and
at the infamous
a multi-layered mega fiction from Argentina
Hearn Generating Station
7 Monologues
Malpaso Dance Company HAVANA
a little slice of
A two-day festival with performances by
featuring
award-winning actress
Cuba’s hottest dancers
MY ONE DEMAND a live, interactive film
about unrequited love — screened online and at Cineplex theatres across the nation
Charlotte Rampling Daniel MacIvor
and prolific writer
TimesTalks at Luminato with and
Nelly Furtado, St. Vincent Charlotte Rampling, hosted by The New York Times
DVD’s Love Covers All Having grown up without a father, Michael has a better future in mind for his own family. But when his wife goes into labor while he’s stranded out of state, he comes face to face with his greatest fear--becoming the man he struggles to forgive. Will he be able to let go of the past---and embrace a fresh start?
Festival Hub
Plus, the Toronto’s biggest backyard garden
the heart of Luminato transformed into
Orchestra Karaoke, Jason Collett’s Basement Revue, public art, cabaret, block featuring
parties, food festivals, literary talks and more.
it. it. nce e See i f r e o t it. Exp par e om Ju ne 19-28, Bec 2015 Tickets: l u minatofes tival.com Programming presenters
for Contemporary Color
for My One Demand
for An Imaginary Rose Garden
for Apocalypsis
for Basement Revue
Major sponsors
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10 Date: Apr 06, 2015 Filename_ Version#
Discipleship Ministries - Partnering with Families Discipleship Ministries Volunteer Luncheon - June 14, 12pm1:30pm, multipurpose room. During our child dedications, we as a congregation commit to walking alongside families, partnering with them to raise their child in life long discipleship to Jesus Christ. Every Sunday, we have dedicated volunteers who live out this promise. We know this cannot happen without you. As a way of appreciation, we want to invite you a luncheon for you and your family.
Youth Ministry June 12th - Sanctuary Service Project - 5:30pm- 10:00pm Sanctuary is a Christian charitable organization that seeks to establish and develop holistic, inclusive and healthy community. We will be joining them on the 12th to do a street outreach. Cost: $10 per person - Includes rides to and from venue, and dinner.
Children’s Ministry Superhero City Day Camp Dates: July 6 - 10 Time: 9-12 am Age: 4 year olds (must be toilet trained) to grade 5 Cost: $40 per child, $30 for multiple child discount Registration is now open. Please go to www.springgardenchurch.ca to download the registration form. Spaces are limited to 40 children.
June 20th - Year End Party! - 9:00am- 10:00pm **Event is weather permitting** A couple from our church have graciously allowed us to use their cottage in Wasaga as a venue for this event. We will be heading there to celebrate the end of the school year on June 20th, where we will be doing a bunch of different beach activities as well as have a bbq, and a possible campfire. There are limited spots available for this event, so if your youth would like to join us, please email Jeremy at jeremy.ranasinghe@springgardenchurch.ca Cost: $5- includes food and rides
June 30th - Archery District - 3:00pm - 8:00pm
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Archery District is the first and most popular Archery Tag facility in the GTA. We will be able to participate in a new style of competitive archery that combines elements of paintball, dodgeball and traditional archery. After the game, we will be heading back to the church where we will have dinner together and watch movie to end off the night. We have a limited number of tickets available for this event, so if your youth would like to 13
participate, please hand in forms (attached to this email) and money to Jeremy or Sam as soon as possible to reserve their spot. Spots will be reserved on a “first come first served” bases.
Career Guidance: Interviews and Success June 6 @Spring Garden Church, West (main) Lounge
Cost: $15 - includes Archery game, rides to and from the venue, and food
10:30-12:00-Part 1
**Youth must bring indoor shoes for this event**
1:00-2:30-Part 2 (optional) Creating a great resume is just the first step, next comes the interview. For many this can be a confusing and intimidating process. This two part interactive session lead by run by Derek Smith, an Employment Consultant by profession, will explore what an interview really is and how to prepare for one. We will look at what different types of interviews there are and how you can present yourself with confidence and clarity. The first 90 minute session will explore the components of the interview and the second (optional) 60-90 minute session will give you the chance for practice by conducting mock interviews. Please bring a job advertisement of interest with you.
Youth Parent’s Meeting: June 21 - 9:00am-10am, youth lounge
To attend, please RSVP to events@springgardenchurch.ca with “interviews” in the subject line. If you need child care, child care can be made available if needed. Please RSVP by June 3.
This fall, there will be some changes to our youth program that you should be aware of. Sam Lee will be leading this meeting to share our vision and plan to partner with you and your family. If interested, please RSVP by emailing samlee@springgardenchurch.ca with the subject as “Youth Parent’s Meeting.” Coffee and snacks will be provided.
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M A T T H E W H O U S E Matthew P R EHouse S E NFundraiser T S
SPRING GARDEN BAPTIST CHURCH BUDGET Update – April 30, 2015 17 Weeks
JOIN US FOR OUR 2015 SPRING FUNDRAISER! WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015 Doors open at 7 p.m.
The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema 506 Bloor Street West (at Bathurst) Tickets are $30 (with popcorn and a drink) or $500 for the V.I.P experience (includes a pre-screening reception with special guests, priority seating and 8 tickets)
2015 Budget Budget to April 30, 2015 Donations to April 30, 2015 Shortfall /week Cash Position:
$525,000 $171,632 $134,296 ($37,366) ($2,196) $36,299
Tickets will sell out fast! For more details, visit our website or phone 416-364-8287 www.matthewhouse.ca
WATCH A MOVIE. CHANGE A LIFE.
Matthew House Toronto invites members of Spring Garden to a screening of the TIFF acclaimed film The Good Lie (staring Reese Witherspoon and Emanuel Jal) about the story of Sudanese refugees and the journey from war and danger to resettlement in North America. The film will be followed by a short presentation about the work of Matthew House and our vital work of resettling newly arrived refugees! The date is June 10th, at 7pm at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema. It is a great opportunity to come with your friends or small group and learn about and support an important issue! Tickets are $25.35 each before May 1st and $30. each thereafter. For more information please visit our website www.matthewhouse.ca or call 416-364-8287.
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Note: Donations in 2014 to April 30, 2014 …$131,758 : Very important to make up the shortfall by June 30, 2015 as givings fall off in July & August.
Thank you for your generous support of our ministries. Geoffrey Moore & Mary Ellen Hopkins
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Leadership at Spring Garden Pastoral Team Gene Tempelmeyer, Pastor genetemp@springgardenchurch.ca Greg Kay, Worship and Mission Pastor gregkay@springgardenchurch.ca Margaret Sutton, Pastoral Care/Seniors margaretsutton@springgardenchurch.ca Sam Lee, Pastor of Discipleship, samlee@springgardenchurch.ca Suzanna Lai, Church Office and Communications Manager suzanna@springgardenchurch.ca Jeremy Ranasinghe, Youth Intern jeremy.ranasinghe@springgardenchurch.ca Nazli Bashiri, Children’s Intern nazli.bashiri@springgardenchurch.ca
Ext. 222 Ext. 224 Ext. 226 Ext. 227 Ext. 221
Deacons Anne Barron - Missions Marion Cameron - Worship Mary Ellen Hopkins - Finance Koon Wah Leung - Discpleship Ministries Mike Penner - Community Life/Board Secretary Derek Prinsloo - Chair Matt Silver - Adult Ministries/Membership Judy Tranter - Pastoral Care Jim Turner - Property
416.724.9329 416.491.8542 905.731.0492 416.225.7092 416.227.1840 647.349.4610 416.391.5479 416.229.0494 416.512.1360
Elders Garth Barron Darlene Boyd Cindie Chaise Jennifer Moore
416.724.9329 416.385.2483 647.345.2476 416.786.8727
Spring Garden Church T 416.223.4593 112 Spring Garden Ave. F 416.223.6126 Toronto ON M2N3G3 www.springgardenchurch.ca office@springgardenchurch.ca
Prayer doves we offered up to the Lord! 18
Prayer Line 416.223.4038
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Community Corner
Life around Spring Garden
Spring Weed Picking Party Sunday June 7 @ 12:00pm Lot of help is needed to keep our church lawn from becoming a sea of yellow. Therefore, we will be having a SPRING WEED PICKING PARTY on Sunday June 7 after worship gathering. Please bring your own lunch, picnic blankets, gardening gears and weed removing tools. We will have a picnic lunch on our church lawn first, then we will work together to get rid of the weeds on our lawn. We need everyone’s help! Cold drinks and freezies are provided! Come join the party and don’t forget your hats!
Tyndale University is hosting a Sports Camp run by Scripture Union Canada July 27-31, 2015 at the new Tyndale campus. Campers will learn sports skills and be taught Bible stories and verses. Ages: 6-12 When: 9am-3pm, July 27-31, 2015 Location: 3377 Bayview Avenue, Toronto Cost: $110 Register here: http://scriptureunion.ca/tyndale.
SGC Active Church Members List
people aren’t assuming membership without taking the needed steps. We have posted our list of Active Members in the lounge near the Welcome Centre. If you think you are a member but do not appear on the list, please speak with Joanne Laing (joannelaing@gmail.com), Matt Silver (silver.r.matt@gmail.com) or Gene Tempelmeyer (genetemp@springgardenchurch.ca). If you would like to become a member, please speak with Gene or Matt. Subway Extension Public Meeting July 17 @ 6:30pm The City of Toronto will be using SGC facility to host a public meeting on the Scarborough Subway Extension on Wednesday July 17 at 6:30pm. Please plan to attend if you would like to have an input in the future of Toronto’s subway system. Please invite others who may be interested in the meeting. For more info, please visit: http://www. scarboroughsubwayextension.ca/
Congregational Meeting June 28 @ 12:00pm There will be a brief Congregational Meeting after worship gathering on Sunday June 28. The purpose of this meeting is to receive our annual reports and vote to fill the positions of various lay leaders including Elders and Deacons. Nominations to these positions will be posted around the building. We hope to see you there!
The Deacons have been reviewing and updating our list of Active Church Members. Formal membership is not automatic. We want to be sure that our list is accurate and also that 20
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What’s Happening Life in Spring Garden
Weekly Tuesdays
2:00 pm - Pastoral Team meeting 7:00 pm - ESL Café (last meeting June 30th)
Wednesdays
9:45 am - Refresh Women’s Bible Study (meet through the summer in the park)
This Month Saturday June 6th - Career Guidance: Interviews and Success - 10:30am (pg. 15) Sunday June 7th - Spring Weed Picking Party - 12:00pm Friday June 12th - Youth Sanctuary Service Project - 5:30pm- 10:00pm (pg.13) Sunday June 14 - Discipleship Ministry Volunteer Luncheon - 12:00pm-1:30pm (pg. 12)
Thursdays
Saturday June 20 - Youth Year End Party - 9:00am-10:00pm (pg. 13)
Sunday June 21 - Youth Parents Meeting - 9:00am-10:00am (pg. 14)
12:00 pm - Adult Bible Class, Thursday’s 12-2:30 p.m. Last meeting until fall is June 4, 2015.
Sundays
Sunday June 28th - Congregational Meeting - 12:00pm
9:00 am - Morning Bible Study: meeting room (last study June 28th) - ESL Bible Study: basement (last study June 28th) 10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship (communion on the first Sunday of the month) - Young Adult Life Group (alternate Sundays)
Tuesday June 30 - Youth Archery District 3:00-8:00pm (pg. 13)
Programs that break for the summer will start again in September. If you would like to receive a weekly email update on what’s happening in Spring Garden, please visit the SGC website (www.springgardenchurch.ca) and add your email at the bottom of our home page to subscribe to our weekly update 22
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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 center. 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. 24