April 2015 delve web

Delve An

Of

Intersection

Faith

And Life

April 2015

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Letting Children Bring Praise Features Letting Children Bring Praise No Fear in Love Meet Spring Garden’s Vocational Missionaries The Miracle of Spring

Departments

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Resource Centre 6 Discipleship Ministries 9 Information Contact Information 25 Community Corner 26 Calendar 27

Cover art: Caroline Lee Contributors: Thelma Bampton Anne Barron Richard Burgess Karen Cassel Marion Goertz Brittany Harvey Greg Kay Suzanna Lai Sam Lee Jane McClean Gene Tempelmeyer Copy Editors: Greg Kay Gene Tempelmeyer

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Of all the practices utilized in our worship singing is the most ancient. Moses wrote a song to commemorate the way God saved the Children of Israel when they were trapped between Pharaoh’s chariots and the Red Sea. David was a guitarist – or close to it. On the night of the Last Supper between initiating the Lord’s Table and praying in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus sang Psalms with his disciples.

During the Great Worship Wars of the 1990’s Paul’s encouragement to sing “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” was often twisted out of context in a variety of torturous ways to justify one style of music or prohibit another. I think rather than trying to define into which category “Shine, Jesus, Shine” might fall, it is more faithful to the text to say, “Be filled with the Spirit as you make use of all kinds of music written for the worship of God.”

We have been keeping our children upstairs an extra few minutes one Sunday each month to teach them how to engage in some aspect of our regular Sunday worship. This month we want to focus on the inspiration of singing together. It is a little different this month because we already keep children upstairs to sing several songs with us.

There are some ways we can help our kids engage more deeply in singing their praise to God:

• We select at least one song of the first three each week as a children’s song. (We do this on an on-going basis.) If it is a song that includes motion, be sure that you do the motions, too. Kids want to be able to do what they see grown-ups doing. Perhaps you feel silly doing this, in which case you should take a moment to reflect on what Jesus said about becoming like a child and the kingdom of God! 3

• As songs are being sung, sing with your children.

Catch their eye as they see you singing. If you think they may not understand what we are singing, quickly explain what we are saying to God in the chorus of the song.

• Some weeks this month we will have a dance instructor in the corner at the front of the sanctuary on your right side teaching the kids how to move and dance in conjunction with the music.

• If you have some simple children’s percussion instruments at home bring them along on Sunday and teach your kids to keep time with them.

• Play worship music at home or in the car. Perhaps you want to encourage them to sing or dance along.

• Think about having a simple song or the chorus of a song that could be used as your “table prayer” of the week. Sing your thanks to God together.

• As a resource we have a YouTube channel (springgardenchurch http://bit.ly/1yAnPgU) with some of the songs we’re singing on Sundays. You and your children can use this for worship at home but also to familiarise yourselves with the songs so that you can engage deeper on a Sunday morning.

On Palm Sunday Jesus referred to Psalm 8 when he said of God, “You have prepared praise from the mouths of children and nursing infants.” We have an opportunity to cooperate with God in this preparation! Our kids may not sing, dance or keep time perfectly, but God loves to see them try.

Gene Tempelmeyer

Today as I was resting at home I was reflecting on 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” We live in a world riddled with fear – fear of the unknown, fear of other people, fear of our futures, and yes, fear of our own inner demons.

My boyfriend Robert is very much a lover of reading the newspaper.

He’s constantly keeping me updated with what’s happening in the world and sharing with me things that he’s been reading (that’s one of the many things I love about him). However, there have been stories that he’s told me, and things I’ve been reading on my own that have been increasingly difficult to read and comprehend. Reading and hearing about such things happening in our world forces us to realize that the world we live in is bombarded with fear.

Not only is there that kind of fear, there is the fear many carry of memories of their past- from anger, fear of rejection fear of losing a loved one, fear of being less than perfect .

Whether from without or within, the feeling of fear can cripple. God however tells us a very different way in which we are to love. Believing in God, loving God and knowing that He loves us with an unconditional love. The kind of love that keeps no records of wrongs, knows no bounds and can set any captive free!

I have found this is to be very true in my own life. I often struggled with fear of the future and the unknown. It can, and sure is, a scary place.

Not knowing which direction is next can often be very stressful. But I just want to encourage you that God is with you, He’ll never leave you! He is near you, as you draw near to Him. You can cast out any fear and fill that space with the love that knows no bounds. Love that shouts no matter what happens, no matter what you’re afraid of, I AM WITH YOU. Because Perfect love, truly, casts out fear!

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Brittany Harvey

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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

World Religions: a guide to the essentials,

by Thomas Robinson and Hillary Rodriguez

Books

This masterful survey of world religions presents a clear and concise portrait of the history, beliefs, and practices of Eastern and Western religions.

The Trinitarian Dance: How the triune God develops transformational leaders,

by Sharon Tam The Trinitarian Dance presents a model of leadership development based on the Holy Trinity. Sharon Tam, a member of our congregation, has been dancing with the Trinity for over thirty years. She is an ordained pastor and a trained spiritual director who thoughtfully loves God by genuinely loving others. She developed this paradigm of leadership training to equip lay leaders in the church, but soon discovered how applicable it was for preparing future leaders and resourcing pastors. She continues offering this training to local Toronto churches.

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For Young Readers A Horse for Kate, by Miralee Ferrell When 12-year old Kate Ferris moves with her family to her late grandfather’s farm, she leaves behind her friends and the riding lessons she loves. But when she discovers a big barn on the property that’s perfect for a horse, Kate’s dream of owning her own horse is renewed.

To reach this dream, she’ll have to jump a lot of obstacles---including solving the mystery of Capri, the horse who seems abandoned in a nearby paddock.

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Discipleship Ministries - Partnering with Families Children’s Ministry Easter Sunday This Easter Sunday, everyone will stay in the worship area for our Easter gathering. The children will head out for a part of the gathering to have an Easter Egg Hunt. They will gather in the Children’s Theatre where they will be given instructions.

DVD’s

Home Front

God’s Not Dead.

We provide a weekly take home sheet called Home Front. We encourage you to take this home and use it with your kids. It is a great way to supplement what they are learning at home.

A story of intersecting lives, each on a different path but all on the same journey - an atheist Philosophy professor, a converted Muslim, a callous businessman, a desperate reporter, an anxious pastor, and an abused girlfriend. Their stories weave together a journey of faith, denial, doubt, and trust leading to a decision that will change all their lives.

Save the Date!

We are planning a half day camp for July 6-10, 9am-12pm for PreK-Grade 5 kids. We are looking for any volunteers who will be available during this week. Please speak with Sam if you are interested.

Youth Ministry Sunday Morning Gatherings: April 12th, 19th, 26th - As usual we have our regular worship gathering at 10am in the main worship area, followed by a youth bible study in the basement. However there will be no study on April 5th due to our Easter gathering. Youth are encouraged to join the rest of the church congregation for the whole gathering.

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Good Friday and Easter Gatherings: April 3rd - We are having a Good Friday gathering which starts at 10am in the sanctuary. All are welcome to join.

April 5th - Concluding our Easter celebration, everyone from the congregation will be invited to join a continental brunch.

Youth Events April 10th - Paintball - 6:30pm-9:30pm We will be heading to Defcon paintball for a night of pure adrenaline. Paintball is a sport in which players compete in teams or individually, to eliminate opponents on the opposite team by tagging them with paint, using a paintball marker. This event is open to everyone, however this sport does involve some pain. So if your youth is a little more sensitive to pain we don’t recommend they play the game. They are of course more than welcome to cheer and hang out with us between paintball sessions.

There are a limited number of spots available for this event, and preference will be given to those who want to play the game.

If your youth would like to play please email me back and I will hold a spot for them.

Cost: $15 (youth playing paintball) - includes food, rides, and paintball equipment $5 - (youth not playing paintball) - Includes food and rides.

April 24th - Service Project Service Projects are events geared towards helping the youth serve the community around them in various ways. For this event, we are looking into possibly serving at a soup kitchen or food bank. More details about this event will be sent later in April.

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Faith Holwyn has been mentoring the Groups of Hope both in Canada and internationally since 2003. This is a program that she wrote in 2003 and over the past 12 years she has mentored 15,000 individuals in how to use the program worldwide.

She has recently completed a second series of eight sessions entitled: ‘Hearing God’s call to a closer relationship’.

She is facilitating this series at two different times at Spring Garden during April and May, starting the week after Easter.

The sessions are being held on: Wednesdays from 10:0011:30 am and Thursdays from 7:30-9:00 pm, starting April 8 and 9th. Both groups will be held in the Youth Lounge. You are invited to come to all eight sessions or to as many as you can.

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Meet Spring Garden’s Vocational Missionaries Thank you for praying and getting to know the vocational missionaries featured in last month’s issue of Delve. Please continue to pray for them as you get to know the rest of our vocational missionary family.

Vocational Missionary Care Team – Anne Barron, Jane McClean, Marion Goertz Becki Lee serves with Athletes in Action Saskatchewan I serve with Athletes in Action, the sports ministry of Power to Change. I am currently serving on campus at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) in Saskatoon, with U of S Huskie athletes. My passion and calling is to help university athletes know Jesus better and to use their platform to make him known. I also give leadership to our national strategy “Student Link” whereby we launch and support student-led Athletes in Action movements on university campuses across Canada that do not have Athletes in Action staff.

Prayer Request: for the Lord to be drawing athletes to himself, for Christian athletes to gain a vision for sharing their faith and making disciples. Pray for me for spiritual protection, that I would be surrender to the Spirit, and against discouragement.

Monica Kay serves with Youth Unlimited Toronto – (Family: Greg, Chloe, Neve) I am the Director of LAUNCH, Youth Unlimited’s GTA wide leadership development program. LAUNCH comes along side young leaders from 14-25 years old, helping them to grow spiritually, in character and in leadership. LAUNCH partners with camps, churches and schools to run a variety of group interactions from “Hearing 12

God” to “Inspiring Change,” and helps with over all leadership training. LAUNCH also runs a 1:1 coaching/mentoring program where young leaders with a Kingdom dream are paired with a coach who helps them develop spiritually and grow as a leader as they launch their new initiative, or maximize a volunteer opportunity. This is also offered as a Gr.11 credit! I would be delighted to share with you some of the young leaders’ dreams! It is a joy to come along side these inspiring youth, as well as the LAUNCH team.

Prayer request: for wisdom as I lead the LAUNCH team, helping them to grow and serve in their strengths. LAUNCH currently has more young leaders than ever before, and has had many new partnership opportunities. Please pray for balance and health for the team as each person only works part time, Monica included!

Emily Flett serves with Athletes in Action British Columbia – (Family: Joel, Luke, Abigail) AIA is a worldwide ministry and I serve in BC, Canada with our basketball division. Sport is a way to unify cultures. AIA works with amateur, varsity and professional levels of sport around the world to encourage players and coaches to discover a relationship with Jesus, to experience the power of the Holy Spirit and to inspire others towards Christ.

My husband and I just recently had our second child, Abigail, born in December 2014. I am currently on Maternity leave and viewing ministry in the family context. Until Abigail was born I had been getting acquainted with various parts of our basketball ministry, as I had recently switched from the Campus Division.

I’m involved with discipleship of university players and our summer interns for AIA, a support to our basketball national director, and had been working with a local bible schools women’s team.

It is my passion and desire to see people grow closer to Jesus, whether that is for the first time or journeying deeper in their 13

relationship with Him. Prayer request: Time of transition for our family as we (my husband Joel and our son Luke) welcome Abigail to our family. We also moved from Langley to Abbotsford in the fall.

Both are significant changes and we would welcome God’s guidance in both aspects, to give us insight and perspective, for good relationships and for us to remain abiding in Christ through it all.

Tim Stevens serving with ISMC Toronto – (Family: Coleen, Christopher, Andrew) International Student Ministries Canada welcomes international students studying in Canada from many nations through: free ESL classes, tutoring, trips, events, Bible studies, home stay accommodation with Canadian families- helping them adjust to life in Canada. My responsibilities as Toronto City Director include helping manage staff, coordinating volunteers and educating and training churches about the needs of international students, helping connect these university, college and ESL school students to local churches, small groups and friendship partners. Students include young men and women undergraduates up to PhD students with their families, who all appreciate help and friendship during their struggles and challenges here. Many whom have never read the Bible or been introduced to Jesus Christ before are profoundly impacted with Gods love while here and return to share the message of Christ among their families and friends upon return (40% stay in Canada).

Prayer Request: God’s grace and guidance for me starting a UofT outreach to international students with other ISM ministry workers and churches.

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John Wilkinson and his wife Trish serving with Youth Unlimited I am the Executive Coach and Strategist for Youth Unlimited here in Toronto as well as Youth for Christ Canada. I coach/resource Scott Moore and the YU Board as well as being their Central Services Team Shepherd. In addition, I work with the local YFC Chapter Boards across Canada guiding them in their succession planning and in the coaching/ training/resourcing of the new Executive Directors. I have been with YFC for 35 years. After 35 years of teaching French and Music, Trish is “retired” and enjoying being “Nana” to Grace, Josh and Lily and helping out behind the scenes with my work.

Prayer Request: Pray for John as he takes on a major project for YFC Canada researching and writing about “Succession Planning” John Vanderwerf serves with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Scotland - (Family: Veronica, Penelope, Gwendolyn, Ciaus) I serve in Scotland with Youth With A Mission. I work in the area of staff care and development, training and equipping staff for Discipleship Training schools as well as helping develop an internship program. I also support community ministry by partnering with a local church and serving as part of its leadership team. Veronica is very busy with three children, Penelope, Gwendolyn and Caius.

Prayer Request: for John as he leads and builds relationships with staff and for Veronica as she is a busy mom.

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Ron and Idàlia Fairbanks serve with Greater European Mission - (Family: Hannah, Tamara, Jason, Joel) We, along with our four children, have been serving with Greater Europe Mission (GEM) in Portugal since 1993. We have served in different ministries like teaching at the Portuguese Bible Institute, Church Planting with Acçao Biblica, coordinating the Marriage Encounter with Christ ministry and leading small groups in their local Church Plant. Our passion for evangelism, discipleship and mentoring continues to motivate us in all that we do. I am currently the Director of Mobilization for GEM Canada and the Portugal Field Director. We long to enable a new generation to find their God given identity, embrace the call of God to missions and motivate others to join them in this adventure.

Prayer Request: that we will be able to balance our time and resources well. We have recently become more involved with GEM Candidate Orientations as well as Mission Prep which has stretched us considerably. We are rejoicing in what God is doing. Thanks for your partnership with us.

Scott Moore serves with Youth Unlimited Toronto – (Family: Kate, Ava, Claire, Hailey) I serve Youth Unlimited as its Executive Director in the CEO role. I am responsible for the strategic direction of the organization, as well as leadership, team and resource development. Central to my responsibilities, I provide spiritual leadership to YU, caring for the wellbeing of his staff as they reach out to the young people of the GTA. Prayer Request: for YU’s ministry 16

planning process - where all of the ministry teams and programs are discerning the impact they sense God calling them to in the year ahead and mapping out how they will seek to make that impact among the youth of the GTA. Faith Holwyn serves as a Strategic Associate with Canadian Baptist Ministries.

I have been mentoring the Groups of Hope program for the past 12 years, through workshops and sharing in churches and with groups. It is a program I developed in 2003, to bring healing and hope to women and men who have experienced difficult times in their lives. As the program has spread the eight one hour long sessions have been shared in Canada – from coast to coast, including in First Nation communities and with the Inuit in

Rankin Inlet.

Internationally I have mentored the program in Bolivia, Colombia, India and Kenya and expect to go to South Africa in July. My main focus at present is writing a new series of eight sessions which I hope to publish by the summer. The original eight sessions: ‘Walking with God in difficult times’, has been translated into six languages, French, Spanish, Telugu and Oriya (in India) and Kiswahili (in Kenya) and Portuguese.

Prayer Request: Please pray for me as I explore with Canadian Baptist Ministries a transition to allow Brenda Halk, another CBM missionary to take charge of the Groups of Hope within CBM by September 1st. Over the next few months there will be many things to organize - including a 10 day trip to Johannesburg, South Africa in July to lead workshops for the Groups of Hope.

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The Miracle of Spring

Personal Item Donations for Neighborlink North York

A brand-new day the Lord has given,

It is morning.

And from my window I felt the warm sunshine

With its promise of Spring.

All nature is beginning to spring back to life; Birds are warbling their songs of praise; New-born buds deck the barren trees

In Spring’s perennial charm.

Sap is running its sweetness through the maple branches; Spring thaw is flooding the waters and fields Helping to transform the death of winter

Into the new life of Spring.

Yes, the Miracle of Spring has begun.

My mind flooded with thoughts of Spring in my life When God’s love awoke my worth,

And faith sprung anew.

Faith’s blossoms are forever opening To the Turth of Righteousness in Jesus Christ And my soul knows the Miracle of Spring.

In April we will be collecting personal items for Neighborlink North York. Personal items are anything you might store in your bathroom. Collection boxes are available at the parking lot entrance.

I serve a Risen Savior. He’s in the world today.

May you, too, find faith in Christ And experience God’s love

In the Miracle of Spring.

Neighborlink North York collaborates with churches in the Willowdale area to provide practical support such as transportation, shopping, visitation, household repairs, yard work, moving, information and referrals and much more to North York residents in need. For more info, please visit http:// neighbourlink.org/index.htm

Thelma Bampton April 1994 18

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I always try to live with the old Boy Scout moto “I promise to do my best, to do my duty to God, the Queen and my country and to do a good deed for someone everyday.”

One particular day about twenty years ago, I was walking along Riddpath Road, on my way to do some shopping and a few morning errands when I heard a dog barking and growling and an elderly women screaming for help. I noticed a woman laying on the sidewalk screaming. She had been knocked over by a huge Rottwieler, that had her pinned down and was growling at her.

The dog had been tethered to a railing with its puppy and as the woman passed by, the dog pounced on her and knocked her down and had her pinned down on the sidewalk. I ran to the woman’s aid and fought off the dog then pulled the woman to safety, put my jacket around her and had an employee of a coffee shop call 20

“911”. The ambulance and police arrived in 3 minutes. The police took my statement as to what happened and the woman was treated for shock and bruises and was taken to the hospital for further examination.

One week later I received a letter from the woman’s sonin-law thanking me for saving his mother-in-law. I was a person just doing my civic duty and through the power and courage of God, I was able to rescue a woman from being mauled by a vicious dog.

Richard E. Burgess

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CBOQ Assembly 2015: Growing Up Together

WALK Homeless Youth FOR EVERY YEAR, 10,000 YOUTH IN TORONTO DO NOT HAVE A SAFE AND WARM PLACE TO SLEEP.

You can help!

APRIL 26, 2015.

Join Walk for Homeless Youth, have fun and raise money to help Eva’s support Toronto’s homeless youth.*

REGISTER NOW AT EVAS.CA/WALK *$30 registration fee, $100 fundraising minimum

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Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec is having its annual assembly from June 11-13 this year at the International Plaza Hotel (655 Dixon Road in Etobicoke). All are welcome to attend as visitors. If you are interested in attending as voting delegates from SGC, please contact pastor Gene before April 15 for further details. For more information about the assembly and registration, please visit http://baptist. ca/assembly/.

Early bird deadline is May 9.

“Take Heart” Bereavement Seminar R.S. Kane Funeral Home is having its annual “Take Heart” Bereavement Seminar on Friday May 1. The topic this year is “Grief in the Village - Social Support in Complicated Grief”. It will be held at the Peoples Church from 8:30am - 12:00pm. Registration deadline is April 17. If you are interested in attending this FREE seminar, please contact Margaret Sutton - margaretsutton@ springgardenchurch.ca or 416-223-4593 x 226 or visit http://www.rskane.ca/Grief_Councilling_-16125.html to register.

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Leadership at Spring Garden Pastoral Team

The Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it! Psalm 24:1.

Sunday April 26 is “Good Seed Sunday”; the Sunday following Earth Day when churches are invited in their worship of the God of creation to encourage, equip and engage one another in caring for creation.

Community Cleanup @noon: Following our morning 10am worship we will be heading out across our parking lot into the ravine, park, and adjacent pathway to collect garbage littering our neighbourhoods green-space. Not only is it a way to care for creation, but also a chance to be a good neighbour to the community where God has called us!

We will be making more resources available from Good Seed Sunday leading up to and on April 26.

For more information or to help organize Spring Gardens involvement please contact Greg Kay (gregkay@springgardenchurch.ca) For more information about Good Seed Sunday and the conservation work of A Rocha Canada go to: goodseedsunday.arocha.ca

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Gene Tempelmeyer, Pastor

genetemp@springgardenchurch.ca Greg Kay, Worship 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 Line 416.223.4038

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What’s Happening

Community Corner

Life around Spring Garden

2015 Community Directory The 2015 Community Directory will be ready in April. Please pick up a copy when it becomes available. You can also request an electronic copy by emailing the church office (office@springgardenchurch.ca).

I am an incoming InterVarsity intern who is looking for a room to rent at very little cost for the two to four weeks this June in Toronto (near TTC). I will be meeting up with potential ministry partners who live in the city. I am a great cook, and I am willing to house sit/pet sit. Contact Information: Alan Thorimbert, email: a.thorimbert7@gmail.com, cell phone (call or text): 343-363-7983

SGC Prayeline

Please note that the SGC Prayerline is now only available by dialing 416-223-4038. The same content is on the SGC website www.springgardenchurch.ca/prayer. You can access through either phone or via web to leave prayer requests or see the prayer requests posted by spring gardeners. Let’s pray for one another!

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Weekly

Life in Spring Garden

Tuesdays

2:00 pm - Pastoral Team meeting

7:00 pm - ESL Café Wednesdays

9:45 am - Refresh Women’s Bible Study Thursdays

12:00 pm - Adult Bible Class; 12 noon lunch, 1 pm

study Sundays

9:00 am - Morning Bible Study: meeting room

- ESL Bible Study: basement

10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship

(communion on the first Sunday of the

month)

12:00pm - Young Adult Life Group If you would like to receive a weekly email update on what’s happening in Spring Garden, please visit SGC website and add your email at the bottom of our home page to subscribe to our weekly update

This Month Sunday April 12: 10am Communion and Caring and Sharing

Offering Sunday April 26: 12pm Good Seed Sunday and Community Clean

Up (pg. 24) Sunday April 26: 2pm Eva’s Satellite Walk for Homeless Youth

(pg. 22) Wednesdays @ 10:00am, Thursdays @ 7:30pm: Groups of Hope (pg. 11) All month: Neighborlink Personal Care item donations (pg. 19) 27

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.

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