November 2021
Quick Calendar WEEKLY Sun
10am Sunday Worship Online & In-Person (http:// pg 21 sgcworship.eventbrite.ca/) Spring Kids & Youth Discipleship after the Children's Blessing
Tue Wed Thur Thur
10am-12pm Pastoral Team Meeting
pg 21
10am Refresh, Women's Group
pg 21
10am Bible Discussion
pg 21
8:30pm Evening Prayers - Online
UPCOMING Nov. 5
YOUTH: Movie Night
pg 16
Nov. 10
YOUTH: Jr High Girls Life Group
pg 15
Nov. 14
Celebration of Life Memorial for Margaret Irwin
Event Page
Nov. 19-20
YOUTH: Retreat
pg 16
Nov. 23
Missions' Night: Survivors
pg 10
Nov. 25
YOUTH: Guys Life Group
pg 16
Nov. 25
YOUTH: Sr High Girls Life Group
pg 16
See more on the last pages or on our Events page at www.springgardenchurch.ca/events.
Delve submissions are due Nov. 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 I like it 3 Vocational Missionary Update Scott Moore @ YU 5 Rama's Dream? 8
Community Corner Refresh 9 Bible Discussion 9 Missions' Night: Survivors 10 Life Group Information 10 Launch 11 Celebration of Life Memorial for Margaret Irwin 11
Discipleship Ministries
SGC Kids: (In-Person) Worship Gathering 13 Spring Youth 15 | Youth Events 16
The Resource Centre
Resource Recommendations 17
More Info How to Give 19 Leadership Directory 19 Design, Cover & Editor: Weekly Calendar 21 Dale Forder Upcoming Calendar 22 Contributors: Sam Lee Refugee Action Committee Victoria Shipmaker Beverly Holtzman Abby Davidson Monica Kay Jeremy Ranasinghe Karen Cassel Copy Editors: Greg Kay Karen Cassel
I liked it by Sam Lee
What does it mean to worship God? Why do we go to a church on Sunday? There are many reasons we gather together for worship. You may like the music or you go because you enjoy the sermon. Whatever the reason may be, does it really matter whether or not you liked it? Is worshipping God really about what you like about worship? Is that what matters? Perhaps we need to consider why we go to communal worship. Why do we gather together on a Sunday morning when we can listen to a great podcast or listen to a professional worship band that we can enjoy? Maybe worship isn’t so much about what we like but rather who we worship and the people whom we worship God with? In Matthew 15:8-9, Jesus quotes Isaiah to rebuke the Pharisees who saw worship as a set of preserving traditions and human rules. For Jesus, worship was not so much about what happens on the exterior versus what happens in the heart. Jesus cared about motives and why we do things versus how we look doing it. We know that God has always cared about what’s in people’s hearts. So when we ask the question about whether or not we liked worship or that we were entertained in worship, it is important 3
to ask the question for ourselves, what is worship? Is it really about what we get out of worship or is it about what we can offer to God? Is worship about being comfortable or being entertained or is it about giving glory to God and meeting God in community? This doesn’t mean that worship can’t be enjoyable or that it can’t be fun. But worship really is more about who we worship and what God has to say to us than how much we liked the music or the sermon. How can we then enter together in worship that is about meeting the eternal God, who speaks to us and call us His own? If you go to the worship section on our website, you will be able to read the rationale and the reason behind how we view worship. “In Spring Garden, we believe that communal worship is when God’s people gather together as a particular community for ENGAGEMENT in ROOTED and COMMUNAL worship, giving glory to God and witnessing to His Kingdom.” I would encourage you to take the time to read over why we do what we do. One question that may be helpful to ask is “why am I here?” Is it to hear from God? Is it to listen to a good sermon? Is it to meet my friends? Is it for my children? All of those reasons are not bad reasons but they are not the primary reason for why we come to worship God. Worship is God’s way of drawing us in: to turn our eyes off of ourselves and to look to Him. Worship is about God and not about us. The more we can focus on God and less about what we like, the more we can give space for God to speak to us.
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VOCATIONAL MISSIONS UPDATE Here at Spring Garden we support several local missionaries. Each month we will be highlighting a different missionary so that you can hear about how they are serving God. This month we hear from Scott Moore. Scott serves Youth Unlimited as its Executive Director in the CEO role. He is responsible for the strategic direction of the organization, as well as leadership, team and resource development. Central to his responsibilities, Scott provides spiritual leadership to YU, caring for the well-being of his staff as they reach out to the young people of the GTA. You can learn more about YU by visiting the YU website at www.yugta.ca. Tell us about YU and how long you have served with them. Youth Unlimited has been reaching young people in Toronto for more than 75 years. What started as large rallies in Massey Hall has adapted over the years to have become what we are today - grassroots initiatives partnering with local churches and organizations across the city. We currently have 61 active initiatives, a staff team of over 70 and more than 300 volunteers. We are rooted in the person, teachings and work of Jesus as we bring wholistic care to young people through long-term mentoring relationships. I have been serving with YU since February 2008 and am grateful to have been a missionary of Spring Garden for all my time! I was YU’s North York Area Director for 5 years and have been serving as Executive Director for over 8 years now. My role is to bring strategic and spiritual leadership to the organization How did you receive your call to serve as a missionary? I was living in Victoria and was planning to build a life on the west coast in business after a career as a national team athlete. 5
To make a long story short, God very clearly spoke to me one night through a picture of being a pastor. Soon thereafter, I returned home and studied at Tyndale seminary to complete my Masters of Divinity. It was a serious life turn! I expected to be pastoring a church when I graduated but once again God redirected my path. When John Wilkinson invited me to consider joining YU, it was so clearly the right place for me to exercise the gifts God had given me. And here I still am - joyfully - after 14 years. Is there a book/person/resource that helped prepare you for service? Wow! I read a lot so that’s hard to narrow down. I do remember Dallas Willard’s book The Divine Conspiracy being very formative while I was living in Victoria. It opened my understanding to who Jesus was and what he taught. Tell us about the community you serve in. Our vision is to serve the one million youth of the GTA! Right now, we serve a broad spectrum of youth aged 10 to 25(ish!) - from young Christian leaders to those on the most vulnerable margins of our city. Our primary organizational focus is having staff rooted in neighbourhoods across the city - and these are often communities that are under-served. What does your ministry look like during a pandemic? It looks flexible, adaptive, and innovative! I’m so proud of how our staff demonstrated their love and care for young people over the past 20 months by doing whatever it took to connect. Some of our programming, like the LAUNCH leadership course went online and flourished. Our care to the most vulnerable remained in person however we could do that safely - often through personal care packages and groceries delivered to doorsteps (and encampments). Then there was a whole bunch of ‘in between’ work from parking lot hangouts, outdoor skating, podcasting, and more. How have you seen God moving?/What have you learned about God this year? Wow! All of our teams have shared tear-inducing stories of how God has given us the privilege of coming alongside youth in the midst of a tumultuous year. I have seen God moving by bringing our largest intern cohort and 10 new staff to our team over this past year - 6
during the pandemic! I have seen God moving by the faithful and committed generosity of our more than 3,000 ministry support partners - each one we cherish and celebrate. God continually draws me to the cross. Whenever I’m ‘wanting something to happen’ or wishing God would intervene in a situation as I would like, He reminds me that His power is made perfect in weakness and His power was most fully displayed when He gave himself over to us on the cross. It’s so humbling and brings me always to the point of focusing on self-sacrificial love as the hallmark of our lives. What do you want us to know about Youth Unlimited? We know how much Spring Garden supports YU. So I want you to know how grateful we are for you. What are some ways we can support you as your church family? Join our prayer team! You get a short daily email to pray for a specific ministry need. We cannot fully fathom the impact of God’s people praying, but I know from the bottom of my heart and from the stories of Scripture that it makes a world of difference. There are so many ways to participate in our vision of seeing transformed youth transforming our city. Any one of our YU’ers would be happy to chat about that with you!
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Rama's Dreams?
by Jen Chrystman on behalf of the Refugee Action Committee Imagine growing up in a war-torn country, fleeing to another nation where Islamic culture is also strong and having dreams. Some of the dreams are for days with more food and safe places to play. Some of them are for a land where mommy and Daddy can work legally and not be afraid of the police. Rama is only 11 years old, but she dreams of becoming a fashion designer! These are the drawings that she’s done recently. Rama may never have seen these kinds of dresses on the streets of Syria or Lebanon, but ladies dress up under their hijabs and look amazing when they celebrate together. She dreams of being able to go to school and eventually design beautiful things for ladies to wear – a place like Canada. I wonder if she’ll soon meet the people who are helping her family to come to Canada? I wonder if any of them enjoy fashion design and can share ideas, coloured markers and creativity? Perhaps she dreams of laughing together with us. Please pray that it will be months and not years before the Raso family has permission to come to Canada. Lord, expedite the process! Pray that in the meantime, they’ll have enough food and warm clothes. Pray for the $62K funds needed, as well as the thousands for Rama’s dental care after years of under-nutrition. Lord, bless Rama’s dreams and help us to be part of that.
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Life in and around Spring Garden
Community Corner
REFRESH
Wednesday from 10:00am-11:30am
We welcome all women to join us online or in person, Wednesday mornings from 10:00-11:30 when together we explore a story from the Bible - asking God to show us what we can learn from what we have read. We take time to share our joys and our burdens with each other and to pray. If you want to join, please be in touch with Beverly Holtzman who will send you the Zoom link at holtzb@ rogers.com or 416-800-8046.
Bible Discussion
Thursdays from 10:00am-11:30am Onsite or In-person
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Our group invites you to join us as we learn and discuss different stories about God and His people. Generally we read from the Bible learning about the people of that time and God's relationship with them. We then talk about how what we have learned is relevant to our own lives. Everyone is welcome to attend as we try to explain the readings using simple language and assume no previous knowledge of the Bible. Our conversations are open to questions and to sharing different ideas. We end with a short time of prayer. Masks are required while onsite. If you are curious to learn more please email Victoria at victoriashipmaker@gmail.com.
Missions' Night SURVIVORS
November 23 at 7:30pm Join us on Nov. 23 for a screening of the documentary survivors. This is the story of residential school survivors from the Cree Nation of Mistissini, Quebec. We will hear their stories and then have a Q&A session with the filmmaker, Stephanie Vizi and Ben Peltz, a pastor who has collaborated with James Bay Cree Christians to serve youth in their community. This is an in-person event that will also be livestreamed. To register visit: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/198293078937.
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 Sunday afternoons, Life Groups are small gatherings Every other week of people who form a community. At 112 Spring Garden Ave. Group members share life together through friendship, learn from the Scott & Kate Bible and other resources, pray for Sunday evenings Every other week and give support to one another, and ONLINE participate in God’s mission together. They are safe places where you can Anne & Garth meet new people, discover your gifts Monday evenings for service, grow as a follower of Weekly ONLINE 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.
Jeff & Phyllis Wednesday evenings Weekly ONLINE David Webb Thursday evenings Weekly ONLINE & at 112 Spring 10 Garden Ave.
EARN a CREDIT for changing the world? GROW your leadership at the same time? Visit www.321LAUNCH.ca/leadership-course to learn more.
Dear Spring Garden Family and Friends, What a joy it is to be together (mostly!) once again. Thank you for your continued support in regard to my work with LAUNCH (a leadership development program of Youth Unlimited). I am very thankful that we have been able to move the majority of our program to online and God has continued to move in amazing ways through the 1:1 coaching and our Gr. 11 Leadership Course. We have officially moved to a semestered system and have been blessed with a full class this fall (see photo). These are students from all over Ontario and one from Trinidad and Tobago who attends an Ontarian International school there. They are an amazing bunch of students! Please pray for them as they work toward their community projects and grow spiritually and in their character as well. Last year we had several students work to help the homeless. One student was able to provide a home for a young man who was about to exit his orphanage. Several other students ran projects that helped the environment, increased awareness of social 11
justice needs in their respective areas, and worked to create deep Christ-centred communities. We look forward to how this current group of students will make a difference in the world. Thanks for being a part of it all! If you know any students in grades 1012 ANYWHERE in Ontario please pass on information about our upcoming Spring semester Gr. 11 LAUNCH Leadership Course (GP3O)! 12 Saturday mornings where young leaders connect and learn together. Feel free to direct people to me or to our website for more info. 321launch.ca. Thank you Spring Gardeners! (And if you are one of our youth.... feel free to join! ). Monica Kay LAUNCH Director 321launch.ca
Celebration of Life Memorial for Margaret Irwin Sunday, Nov. 14th at 11:30am Onsite or In-person
November is the 1 year anniversary of Margaret's death, for whom we were unable to have a service due to COVID. Join us at Spring Garden Church in person or online at www.springgardenchurch.ca, as we remember and celebrate her life together.
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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 To help keep everyone safe from the spreading of Covid-19 and other variants, we will be registering families in accordance to SGC guidelines and policies. Parents and caregivers will need to reserve space for themselves and their child(ren) when registering for Sunday worship. To fully register children for our SGC Kid’s Ministry, please also select the correct “add-on” tickets for their worship group. To register for Sundays please use the following link: http://sgcworship.eventbrite.ca **Please note you will be prompted to enter your child’s names twice during the registration** Structure and Flow: We have modified our structure to help with our numbers, as well as to ensure safety regarding covid. This year, we have the following groups for our kids: Nursery -Pre-K (0-3 Years) -Orange Door Room JK/SK -Grade 2 (4-7 years) -Children’s Theatre
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Grade 3-5 (8-10 Year) -Hallway Next To Youth Lounge
Following the Children’s blessing, parents/caregivers can escort children in their care into the basement from the Northwest entrance facing the parking lot. In the basement, we have marked out two paths to help regulate the flow of traffic and help ensure 6ft of distance while checking children into their areas. We encourage families with children in multiple areas to first signin older children and follow the path for additional drop-offs. The flow of movement allows all our parents/caregivers to exit through the same door after finishing the dropping off of children. After our announcements in the adult worship, we encourage you to follow the same procedure for picking up. **Please be aware that while we are operating under covid guidelines and restrictions, parents/caregivers are responsible for signing in and signing out children in their care** Additional Information: • All SGC Kid’s volunteers are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. • All of our children will be asked to remain masked while together inside. • We have structured our seating for children to have 6ft of distance between them and others. • Our children’s ministry will not be providing snacks during their time together. • We are using a new curriculum this year and excited for what we’ll be talking about! Here is what we will be talking about on Sundays! Plate It: Children love to be in the kitchen. They may even love helping prepare something delicious! Having a plan or a recipe usually helps, too. Just like having a plan in the kitchen helps the meal we hope to enjoy, the stories of the Old Testament prophets are like a cookbook that helped people prepare for the Savior that God would send one day. Even though there’s no exact recipe, children will find that they can prepare themselves for a loving relationship with God when they 1) trust God, 2) talk to God, 3) listen to God, and 4) leave the results to God. 14
Lesson Date Nov 7 Nov 14 Nov 21
Nov 28
THE BIG IDEA Step one, trust God. Step two, talk to God. Step three, listen to God.
Scripture Focus Memory Verse Kings 17:8–16; Mark 12:38–44 Samuel 1:4–20; Psalm 16 Samuel 3:1– Ephesians 2:10 10, 19–21; Proverbs 2:1–5 Jeremiah Step four, leave the 33:14–16; Luke results to God. 21:29–33
Advent Packs 2021 This year the Advent season begins on November 28th, 2021. Advent is the season of waiting, and we would like to provide you with care packs to help observe the season, together at home. If you would like a care pack made for your family please sign up by November 16th, 2021 using the following link http://tiny.cc/SGCKidsCarePack
Spring Youth Sunday Morning Worship Gatherings: November 14th, 21st, 28th - We will be having our regular worship gatherings for youth in grades 6-12. Following the children’s blessing, youth will move to the youth 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 and selecting the correct add-on. November 7th, 2021 - 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.
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Life Groups: Our youth life groups will begin meeting this month, and we are excited to provide 3 areas for our youth to meet in person, Jr High Girls (Grades 6-8), Sr High Girls (Grades 9-12), and the Guys Life Group (Grades 6-12). Here are the days we’re meeting as well as who to contact: Jr High Girls: brittni@sgbc.ca - Wed., Nov. 10 Sr High Girls: Kaitlyn.ranasinghe@sgbc.ca -Fri. Nov. 26 Guys Life Group: Jeremy@springgardenchurch.ca -Thur., Nov. 25
Youth Events November 5th: Movie Night - We will be meeting at our building for dinner and a movie theatre style. We will have a selection of PG rated movies for us to choose from. Time: 6:00pm-9:00pm Cost: $5 (Includes Dinner) November 19th & 20th: Youth Retreat Normally in the fall we would have our retreat at a venue outside of Toronto. This year we are planning a Toronto In-City Retreat where we will explore the area of Toronto together and still have intentional times of worship and teaching. Days: November 19th, 6pm-9pm, November 20th, 9am-9pm Cost: $50 Registration Deadline November 3rd, 2021: http://tiny.cc/ SGCYouthRetreat 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 17
This month’s recommendations are focused on issues related to our current series, Kaleidoscope Community: God’s design of unity in diversity. Stewards of Eden: what Scripture says about the environment and why it matters, by Sandra Richter, 261.8 RIC As an expert in ancient Israelite society and economy as well as biblical theology, the author walks the reader through passages familiar and not so familiar, showing how significant environmental theology is to the Bible’s witness. She then calls Christians to apply that message to today’s environmental concerns.
Healing our broken humanity: practices for revitalizing the church and renewing the world, by Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Graham Hill, 261.8 KIM We live in conflicted times. Our newsfeeds are filled with inequality, division, and fear. We want to make a difference and see justice restored because Jesus calls us to be a peacemaking and reconciling people. But how do we do this? Based on their work with diverse churches, colleges, and other organizations, Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Graham Hill offer Christian practices that can bring healing and hope to a broken world. They provide ten ways to transform society, from lament and repentance to relinquishing power, reinforcing agency, and more. Embodying these practices enables us to be the new humanity in Jesus Christ, so the church and world can experience reconciliation, justice, unity, peace, and love.
Roadmap to reconciliation 2.0: moving communities into unity, wholeness and justice, by Brenda Salter McNeil, 234.5 MCN This book gives an overview of the biblical basis for racial reconciliation and pushes us towards true and lasting answers. We can see the inequality, we understand the problems, but are we ready to rise up in faithful action? Based on her extensive work with churches and organizations, Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil has created a roadmap to show us the way with gospel-centered, wholistic, spiritual answers.
Recovering from Biblical manhood & womanhood: how the church needs to rediscover her purpose, by Aimee Byrd, 248.84 BYR Byrd explores the feminine voice in Scripture as synergistic with the dominant male voice. Steering a course between the extremes of radical feminism and biblicism, she puts forth the stories of prominent biblical heroines such as Mary and Elizabeth, and emphasizes the need for all believers to be active and equal participants in discipleship to Christ.
Intersectional theology, by Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Susan Shaw, 230 KIM Intersectionality is a tool for analysis, developed primarily by black feminists, to examine the causes and consequences of converging social identities (gender, race, class, sexual identity, age, ability, nation, religion) within interlocking systems of power and privilege (sexism, racism, classism, heterosexism, ableism, ageism, nativism) and to foster engaged, activist work toward social justice. Applied to theology, intersectionality demands attention to the Christian thinkers own identities and location within systems of power and the value of deep consideration of complementary, competing, and even conflicting points of view that arise from the experiences and understandings of diverse people.
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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. 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/giving.
DEACONS Krysten Cameron Chair
416.399.0493 krystencameron@hotmail.com
Ben Reynolds
Children and Youth Discipleship
Martin Dewar
Community Life & Missions
Debbie Tempelmeyer
Adult Discipleship & Pastoral Care
Scott Moore
Vice Chair & Secretary
Jeff McGee Finance
bereynolds@gmail.com 416.229.2695 martin.dewar@sgbc.ca 905-301-2323 tempelmeyerdeb@gmail.com 647-227-5465 scottgmoore@mac.com 416.493.2102 jeff.mcgee@sympatico.ca
Cheryl Chapman Worship
cheryl.chapman@live.ca
ELDERS 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 20
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 possible in-person. Please email abbydavidson@ springardenchurch.ca for more information or to join one.
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
y
10am
Sunda
Join us Sunday mornings as we go through a series called 'Kaleidoscope Community: God's design of unity in diversity' starting on the 3rd. Join us in-person by signing up at: http://sgcworship.eventbrite.ca/. Streamed at: www. springgardenchurch.ca
ay Tuesd
PASTORAL TEAM MEETING
y esda
n Wed
y
a d s r Thu
10am - 12pm
We are meeting on Tuesday. Please pray for us for wisdom and inspiration.
REFRESH 10am - 11:30am Friendship, care & spiritual growth for women. Contact Jen Chrystman or Faith Holwyn for more info.
Bible Discussion
10am - 11:30am
Join us as we learn and discuss different stories about God and His people. See more on page 9.
EVENING PRAYER
You are invited to a virtual time of liturgical prayer. Please see here.
SGC COMMUNITY - Facebook
8:30pm
A group to encourage each other, share resources, connect, etc. Find us through groups in Facebook.
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What’s Happening Upcoming Nov.
5 Nov.
10 Nov.
14 Nov 19&20
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Nov..
23 Nov..
25 Nov..
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Life in Spring Garden
YOUTH: Movie Night See more on page 16.
YOUTH: Jr High Girls Life Group See more on page 16.
Celebration of Life Memorial for Margaret Irwin See more on page 12.
YOUTH: Retreat See more on page 16.
Missions' Night: Survivors See more on page 10.
YOUTH: Guys Life Group See more on page 16.
YOUTH: Sr High Girls Life Group See more on page 16.
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. SEE OUR EVENTS PAGE FOR MORE INFO ON ANY OF THESE EVENTS. springgardenchurch.ca/events 22
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.
