September 2020
Quick Calendar WEEKLY Sun
10am Sunday Worship Online Spring Kids/Youth login after Children's Blessing 11:30 Virtual Coffee Time 1pm Life Group - Connect for Community
Tues 10am-12pm Pastoral Team Meeting Wed 10am Refresh, Women's Group - Online Thur 8:30pm Evening Prayers - Online
pg pg pg pg
25 15 13 25
pg 25 pg 25 pg 13
UPCOMING Sept 7
YOUTH: Jr. High Pizza Day
pg 19
Sept 12 Sept 26
Online Launch for Discipleship Ministries
pg 15
YOUTH: Tree Top Trekking
pg 20
See more on the last pages or on our Events page at www.springgardenchurch.ca/events.
Delve submissions are due Sept. 21th. 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 Helping Your Kid Navigate Their 27 Different Emotions 3 About Out Current Worship Series 6 Using Clean Energy 7 I Was Scammed 11
Community Corner CONNECT ONLINE Virtual Coffee Time & Evening Prayer 13 EVENTS Fall Launch for Discipleship Ministries 14 Small Group Series 14
Discipleship Ministries
Spring Kids: COVID Update 15 | Spring Kids (Online) 16 Spring Youth 18 | Youth Events 19
Resource Centre
Resource Recommendations 20
More Info How to Give 23 Leadership Directory 23 Weekly Calendar 25 25 Upcoming Calendar 26 Design, Cover & Editor: Dale Forder Contributors: Mary Simpkins Faith Holwyn Jeremy Ranasinghe Karen Cassel Copy Editors: Greg Kay Karen Cassel
Helping Your Kid Navigate Their 27 Different Emotions Forwarded by Jeremy Ranasinghe
Have you ever found yourself in tears for no real reason? Or have you ever been so frustrated that you wanted to throw something? (Maybe you even did!) Or have you ever woken up one morning with an overwhelming sense of anxiety but couldn’t quite pinpoint what exactly you’re so worried about?
27 Different Emotions Studies say that we have at least twenty-seven different, distinct emotions. Twenty-seven. Maybe that surprises you. Maybe you’re a fairly even-tempered, steady person who doesn’t experience super high highs or super low lows. Or, maybe you believe that stat because you’ve lived it. Maybe you’ve had twenty-seven emotions since you woke up today. Either way, the fact is that humans are capable of feeling a lot. A lot quantity-wise and a lot depth-wise. Have you ever stopped to think about how your kid is (or isn’t) navigating their twenty-seven emotions? Imagine being six years old and waking up with an uneasy feeling in your tummy and not 3
really knowing what it’s all about. You don’t even know the word anxiety—much less the source of your discomfort. That’s the situation some of our kids find themselves in— experiencing a wide range of emotions and not having the context, life-experience, or even the language to talk about them. There are a few simple steps you can take as a parent to help them navigate their variety of emotions and process what they’re feeling. 1. First, Recognize the moment. Whether or not your kid expresses their emotions openly, they’re definitely experiencing them. If you have a more reserved child, knowing when they’re feeling emotional may require you to observe changes in their behavior. Are they more quiet than normal? Have less of an appetite? Are they sleeping significantly more or less? Be a student of your kid and keep a pulse on when they’re not quite themselves. 2. Then, Remove them from the source. Tell your kid that it’s okay to respectfully walk away from a situation or person before they take action on how they’re feeling. Give them permission to go into the other room and scream into a pillow. Walking away helps them take control of their emotions. 3. Next, Tell them to breathe. It is scientifically proven that you will be incapable of thinking until you get blood and air back to certain parts of your brain once the adrenaline of a particularly emotional moment moves it elsewhere. Tell your kid to take deep breaths in and out until they seem calmer or more stable. 4. Then, Help them name it. You can’t manage your emotions if you don’t know what you actually feel. Create a feelings chart so they can easily and visually determine what they’re feeling. Or, if they already know how 4
they’re feeling, give them a sliding scale to rate it. For example, How angry are you? From “a little mad” to “ready to scream your head off”? Or, Are you more sad or less sad than that time it rained out your birthday party? It may seem silly, but giving them context for what they’re feeling will help your kid weigh and process the levity of their current emotional state. 5. Finally, Refocus. Give them a next step in addressing their emotion. If they’re bummed about failing their math test, suggest the two of you sit down and look at the incorrect responses to see where they went wrong. If they’re mad that their sister got a playdate and they didn’t, get out the family calendar and make a suggestion for the next time they get to have a friend over. Don’t solve their problem—just redirect their focus. The most important thing you can do when it comes to helping kids navigate their emotions is to communicate that all emotions—even ones that make us uncomfortable are okay. There is no “bad” or “wrong” way to feel—only unwise or hurtful ways to respond. Reassure them that what they’re feeling is temporary, but that the way you feel about them will never, ever change. Article written by Holly Crawshaw https://theparentcue.org/helping-your-kid-navigate-their-27-differentemotions/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=082820&inf_ contact_key=9f3d4575ffd24bc0554bd963f721ec1d680f8914173f9191b1c0223e68310bb1
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About Our Current Worship Series We're Not in Kansas Anymore "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." In this time of COVID 19, we are all keenly aware that we are not where we used to be. We are not in Kansas anymore because what we’ve known to be familiar (i.e. home) has been replaced with uncertainty and the unknown. In the book of Psalms, each psalm can be categorized into psalms of orientation, disorientation, reorientation. These categories can reflect and describe human life in the actual experience of one of these things or is in movement from one to another. In this series, we will explore what it means to be the people of God in a season of disorientation and how longing for home can be a way of living into a new season. This series will run from September 13th to the 27th, 2020.
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Using Clean Energy by Mary Simpkins
Here Comes Sweater Weather! When it comes to reducing our impact on the planet and ensuring that our children inherit a habitable world, Energy is one of the most well recognized problems - but it is also an absolute necessity that we take for granted in our lives. For many of us, it takes a major power outage to realize how completely dependent we are on electricity (remember the ice storm?!). We all know that we should reduce our consumption and switch to renewable energy sources where possible but the other part of the mandate is ensuring that everyone has access to clean, affordable energy:
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How big a problem is this?
Over 10% of the world's population live without electricity One billion people have unreliable electricity 1.5 billion people rely on kerosene for light And 40% of the world's population, nearly 3 billion people, cook with wood, charcoal, manure, or coal.
Why does this matter? • Because these are polluting fuels that release carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere • Because trees are one of the best ways for nature to reabsorb carbon dioxide so deforestation for fuel not only causes pollution and soil degradation but reduces the planet's ability to fight that same pollution • Because the family member who spends their day collecting firewood for family meals is not in school or contributing financially • Because kerosene can cause burns, fires, and produces pollutants that can damage lungs and eyes and significantly increase the risk of tuberculosis • Because kids can't do their homework late into the night without a reliable and affordable light source So what can we do? 1. Since heating and cooling our homes is Ontarians' biggest fuel consumptions, you can do something right now! Reset your thermostat one degree cooler for the winter and one degree warmer for the summer. This simple suggestion always gets push-back and excuses but it is such a small sacrifice to help the planet (and will save you money). Talk to the members of your household about why this is important and agree to give it a try. The issue of energy emissions and our planet's future is so much bigger than one degree of discomfort and I KNOW you have a sweater and socks you can wear when it starts to 9
get cold! 2. Make sure your home is well insulated and energy efficient. 3. Support ventures that are building local renewable energy projects like Bullfrog Power which offset your home's energy consumption with green power creation. 4. Support international organizations that are developing sustainable energy grids in the developing world.
https://www.iberdrola.com/sustainability/affordable-and-clean-energy https://in.reuters.com/article/india-villages-solar-lanterns-kerosene-l/solar-lanternsreplace-kerosene-lamps-in-indian-urban-slums-idINKBN0D101L20140415 https://www.engineering.com/DesignerEdge/DesignerEdgeArticles/ArticleID/11330/ Replacing-Kerosene-Lamps-with-Solar-Lighting.aspx
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I Was Scammed By Faith Holwyn
I wanted to write this article for Delve, because maybe it will help someone else from being ‘caught’. It was a Wednesday morning in early August and I was preparing for our Zoom Refresh call, when I received an Email that I thought was from ‘Pastor Greg’. He was asking me to help him as he had been very busy during the week visiting cancer patients and had not had a chance to pick up the Google Play cards that he had promised to bring to them. He asked me to buy $400.00 worth of the cards and he would reimburse me. After our Zoom meeting I went to Shoppers and bought the cards, following his instructions to take a picture of the pin numbers and send him the picture. That is when I stopped! This was crazy! What was I doing! I asked him where he wanted me to drop the cards off and his rapid response of “I am right here you can send me the picture right now,” led me to call the church. Dale explained that Greg’s Email had been hacked into and to ignore the scammer. It is hard to describe the incredible shame and embarrassment I felt! How could I have been taken in so easily! Fortunately I had not sent the scammer the picture of the cards! A friend is trying to sell them for me – difficult to do because of course scammers are on the lookout for the cards. However, I have sold two for $85.00 each and the other two will go to family 11
members. Looking back I could see all kinds of red flags that I did not pick up! So what have I learned: 9 Always send an Email to the person from the address you usually use to clarify if they are actually at the other end of the one you received. The scammer was using a gmail account and I usually Email Greg at his Spring Garden address. 9 Check with someone you trust before proceeding with the instructions. I think someone younger and more experienced would have seen through the scam right away! 9 Be suspicious if anyone is asking for Google Play or Bitcoin currency – I expect it is safe to say you are dealing with a scam – often from India or some other country. 9 DON’T beat yourself up for getting ‘caught’ by the scammer. Greg emailed me later that day and assured me that they are looking for people who trust the name on the Email – his support helped me to stop calling myself ‘stupid’ – something that is not helpful!
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Life in and around Spring Garden
Community Corner 13 13
CONNECT ONLINE
For the most updated list, please go to: www. springgardenchurch.ca/connect-online
VIRTUAL 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 into 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
You are invited to a virtual time of liturgical prayer. If you would like to join us we will be using Zoom. For the login and password, email: OFFICE@ SPRINGGARDENCHURCH.CA.
EVENTS Full Launch for Discipleship Ministries September 13th 2020
Around this time every year, we prepare to launch our fall Discipleship Ministries for Sunday mornings. We contact and find volunteers, get the rooms ready, buy the supplies and snacks. But most importantly, we put together a framework to allow our kids to worship and know more about God by having in-person relationships with each other and their leaders. We believe those relationships are important because they help all involved become more like Jesus. This will be a different year than what we’re used to. As the pandemic continues, we are adjusting how we do things, but our vision and desire remain: Partnering with families to nurture children and youth to life-long discipleship to Jesus Christ. Until it is safe for us to have our children’s ministry in-person, we will be meeting online starting September 13th, 2020. Read more on Page 15.
Small Group Series Based on the Book "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality" by Peter Scazzero October
The small group series, subtitled "it's impossible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature", looks at how our spiritual health and emotional health are tied together and how we can mature in both in our discipleship as followers of Jesus. For those who are interested, we will be offering different times throughout the week, and encouraging existing Life Groups, to gather online for small group journeys through the themes of the book. More information to come! 14
Partnering with Families
Discipleship Ministries
Spring Kids: COVID-19 Update Around this time every year, we prepare to launch our fall Discipleship Ministries for Sunday mornings. We contact and find volunteers, get the rooms ready, buy the supplies and snacks. But most importantly, we put together a framework to allow our kids to worship and know more about God by having in-person relationships with each other and their leaders. We believe those relationships are important because they help all involved become more like Jesus. This will be a different year than what we’re used to. As the pandemic continues, we are adjusting how we do things, but our vision and desire remain; Partnering with families to nurture children and youth to life-long discipleship to Jesus Christ. Until it is safe for us to have our children’s ministry in-person, we will be meeting online starting September 13th, 2020. Here's how it will work! As our church continues to Livestream our worship gatherings, we will start our kids' online worship after their blessing. This is similar to how we had it before the pandemic. Here is the overall flow: Children’s Blessing Ends (approximately 10:20 am) • Kids Log in to Zoom (information for doing this will be sent out prior) • Big Group Teaching (Led by one of our big group leaders) • Split into small groups (Our Zoom Moderator will sort people into their groups)
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• Small-Group Time (Small Group Leaders talk with kids about what was said during Big Group time)
• Finished - Kids and leaders sign off and enjoy the rest of their Sunday Age Groups: Orange Group: Pre K - SK (3yrs - 5yrs) Red Group: Grades 1 & 2 Blue Group: Grades 3-5 We are emailing the login information to parents and caregivers who are registered with us. In order to keep these online meetings safe for our kids, we are asking all parents and caregivers to refrain from sharing the login information with other people and families. Instead, anyone interested who has not already been contacted by us should contact Jeremy. As we continue to adapt to what’s happening around us, we are praying for you and your families. If you have any questions or concerns about our children’s ministry this fall, please feel free to contact Jeremy (jeremy@springgardenchurch.ca)
Spring Kids (Online) Here is an overview of what we will be talking about on Sundays for Spring Kids. Lesson
Ponder Point
Bible Passage
Sept 13
God Is Redeemer (Fall of Humankind) God Is Worthy of Worship (Tower of Babel and Abram) God Is the Lord, Part 1 (Moses)
Gen. 2—3
Sept 20
Sept 27
Remember Verse Isaiah 40:28
Gen. 11—12; 15 Isaiah 40:28
Ex. 2—4
Isaiah 40:28
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Lesson
Ponder Point
Oct 4
God Is the Lord, Ex. 5—11 Part 2 (Ten Plagues) God Gives New Life Ex. 12—14 (Passover and Red Sea Crossing)
Oct 11
Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1
Nov 8
Nov 15
Nov 22 Nov 29
Dec 6
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Bible Passage
Remember Verse Isaiah 40:28
Isaiah 40:28
Remember & Feast: Passover Celebrate Weekend God Is Provider Ex. 15:22—17:7 Prov. 3:5–6 (Wandering) God Is the One Ex. 19—20 Prov. 3:5–6 True God (Ten Commandments) God Initiates Relationship (Mount Sinai) God Dwells with His People (Building of the Tabernacle) God Never Fails (Joshua) God Is Almighty (Hannah and Samuel) Remember & Celebrate Weekend
Ex. 24
Prov. 3:5–6
Ex. 25—40
Psalm 136:12
Josh. 1—4
Psalm 136:12
1 Sam. 1—3
Psalm 136:12
Feast: Unleavened Bread
Spring Youth
Covid-19 Guidelines:
As the pandemic is ongoing, we will have most of our youth events online using Zoom as our platform. However, our desire is to meet and gather in-person when we are able. Please be aware that our youth group will only be gathering inperson if we are certain we can do so safely regarding Covid-19. For this to be possible, all youth and leaders will be expected to comply with the following rules and guidelines when our youth group gathers in-person: • Youth are to bring and wear a face mask when we are together • We will keep a minimum distance of 6 feet between each person present at the event • Wash hands and sanitize often throughout the event (Leaders will remind youth to do this when we are together) • Refrain from physically touching any person you do not live with. Upon arrival, youth and leaders must also be able to honestly answer with “no” to the following questions before entering: • Do you have any of the following symptoms: fever/feverish, new or worsening cough, and difficulty breathing? • Have you traveled internationally within the last 14 days (outside Canada)? • Have you had close contact with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case? • Have you had close contact with a person with acute respiratory illness who has been outside Canada in the last 14 days If any youth or leader's answer results in “yes”, that person will not be permitted to join our event and will be sent home. We will also no longer be offering rides to and from event venues as part of this. If this is a barrier for you and your family, please let me know and we will work together on how your youth can be involved. 18
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our Covid-19 guidelines, please contact Jeremy (Jeremy@springgardenchurch.ca). Sunday Morning Worship Gatherings: Our church is still discerning when and how we will re-open the building for worship. However, our Youth Worship Gatherings will be done online until further notice, even after the building is open to the public. September 13th, 20th, 27th: We will have worship gatherings for youth in grades 6-12 following the Children’s Blessing during our Sunday Morning Livestream. Youth will be able to connect online and we will have our own time of worship and teaching similar to how we did before the pandemic. Youth who want to join us for worship on Sunday's can do so through this link http://tiny.cc/ SGCYouth **Please be aware that our gatherings will not begin until after the children’s blessing during the Sunday Morning Livestream**
Youth Events September 5th: Jr High Pizza in the Parking lot: In the last few years we began our year with a Jr High BBQ to help new youth connect with others their own age, as well it offered an opportunity for parents to get to know us better. This year we are changing the structure of the event to allow for CovidSafety while keeping the desired intent. We will be gathering on September 5th to meet, and get to know each other in the church parking lot. This event is open to all youth in Grades 6-8 and their parents/caregivers to join. If your youth would like to join this event please email me back to confirm their attendance and whether or not you will be with them. In order to have food, we will be buying individual pizzas for those attending. If you plan on attending with your youth, we will be ordering a pizza for the total of your family. Date/Time: September 5th, 11:30am-2:30pm Cost: Free 19
September 26th: Tree Top Trekking: We will be meeting at Treetop Trekking:Stouffville (3291 Stouffville Rd, WhitchurchStouffville, Ontario L4A 7X5) to participate in a zip line adventure. For more information please see their website here. Date/Time: Sept 26th, 11:20am- 3:30pm Cost: $35 **All the equipment used for this activity will be cleaned/washed and dried the night before** Staying Updated: To stay up to date on what is happening for your youth, please visit our google calendar which has all of our planned events. http://tiny.cc/YouthCal If there is anything you’d like more clarification on, please email me (jeremy@springgardenchurch.ca) Peace and Blessings - Discipleship Ministry Youth Leaders
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Recommendations
The Resource Centre 21
A Word from out Librarian For the time being, I will not be attending Sunday services in person, and no one will be staffing the library on Sundays. Books are available for circulation at your discretion, and the returns box is open for you to drop off your returning books. Over the summer, I was able to put our books into good order, and I completed an inventory. Our online database was updated accordingly. Some of you have received an email from me about books you had checked out prior to the pandemic. There is no concern regarding getting these books returned, but rather, your responses helped me to determine what was still available to be returned at some future date. -Karen Cassel Am I safe: exploring fear and anxiety with children, by Iona Snair and Tim Huff. PIC HUF Am I Safe? is the fourth book in the Compassion Series, written for children and the grown-ups in their world. It offers a journey of understanding into the topics of fear and anxiety, landing in a place of empathy and courage. Complete with a discussion and activity guide, this tender and honest book invites parents, grandparents, and teachers to explore these important topics alongside the children in their care so they can discover how to stand well together. For an anxious child, this book can provide a place of validation and strength to stand against fear’s “bullying� power. For their friends and family, it can
provide a window into the common experiences and impact of fear. And for all of us, it is a much-needed reminder that everyone needs someone to stand close by – even you, even me.
It will be Okay: trusting God through fear and change, by Lysa TerKeurst. PIC TER Growing up brings change, and change triggers fears. How do kids learn that in the midst of these uncomfortable times, they don't have to be afraid? Little Seed and Little Fox are facing fears, changes, and brand new things. And they don't like it one bit! Through this unlikely friendship, children will discover that no matter how new or fearful their circumstances, God is always with them. Just as Little Seed and Little Fox learn to trust that the Farmer is good and kind, children will also learn to trust God.
When God interrupts: finding new life through unwanted change, by Craig Barnes. 248.86 BAR Our lives are constantly changing. It's hard to keep up, to keep our balance. It's hard to keep trusting in God. And it's especially difficult when the changes we're faced with are unwanted: the death of a loved one, a child leaving home, an illness, a frustrated dream. Here is a book for all who have known disappointment, bereavement or the shattering of faith, a book all the more valuable because it promises hope without denying despair. In When God Interrupts a sensitive, insightful pastor shows us how we can be found by God in the middle of unwanted change
It’s okay not to be okay: moving forward one day at a time, by Sheila Walsh. 248.8 WAL In It's Okay Not to Be Okay, Walsh helps women overcome the same old rut of struggles and pain by changing the way they think about God, themselves, and their everyday lives. She shares practical, doable, daily strategies that will help women move forward one step at a time knowing God will never let them down.
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Directories and What's Happening
More Info
Leadership Directory PASTORAL TEAM
416.223.4593 Ext. 224
Greg Kay Co-Lead Pastor
gregkay@ springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 227
Sam Lee Co-Lead Pastor
samlee@ springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 223
Jeremy Ranasinghe Children and Youth Pastor
jeremy@ springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 221
Dale Forder Office & Communications Administrator
daleforder@ springgardenchurch.ca
Spring Garden Church
112 Spring Garden Avenue, Toronto ON M2N 3G3 www.springgardenchurch.ca office@springgardenchurch.ca Prayer Line
Tel 416.223.4593 Fax 416.223.6126 416.223.4038
Giving is one of the ways in which we can
respond to a generous God. We give because it is a part of our discipleship and an act of worship. Please give as you feel led. For more information please go to our website at: https://www.springgardenchurch.ca/giving.
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DEACONS Krysten Cameron
416.399.0493 krystencameron@hotmail.com
Ben Reynolds bereynolds@gmail.com Martin Dewar Monica Kim Joanne Laing Shannon Loewen Jeff McGee
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
Cheryl Chapman 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 24
What’s Happening Life in Spring Garden
Weekly
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
10am
Join us Sundays online as we explore what it means to be the people of God in a season of disorientation and how longing for home can be a way of living into a new season. Read more on page 12. After the children's blessing, the children can login our Spring Kids Online (more: page 13) Streamed at: www.springgardenchurch.ca
y
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 into 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 online here.
y Tueda
PASTORAL TEAM MEETING
y
y rsda
Thu
10am - 12pm
We meet online every Monday. Please pray for us for wisdom and inspiration.
sda e n d
We
1pm
REFRESH 10am - 11:30am Friendship, care & spiritual growth for women. Please see more here.
EVENING PRAYER
You are inviting to a virtual time of liturgical prayer. Please see here.
8:30pm
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 or call us at 416-223-4593.
What’s Happening Upcoming Sept
7 Sept
13 Sept
26 Oct
Life in Spring Garden
YOUTH: Jr High Pizza Day See more on page 19.
Full Launch for Discipleship Ministries See more on page 15.
YOUTH: Tree Top Trekking See more on page 20.
Small Group Series
Small Group series based on the book "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality" by Peter Scazzero. The small group series, subtitled "it's impossible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature", looks at how our spiritual health and emotional health are tied together and how we can mature in both in our discipleship as followers of Jesus. For those who are interested, we will be offering different times throughout the week, and encouraging existing Life Groups, to gather online for small group journeys through the themes of the book. More information to come!
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.