Issuu

July/August 2021

Quick Calendar WEEKLY Sun

10am Sunday Worship Online

pg 23

Spring Kids discipleship after the Children's Blessing

11:30 Virtual Coffee Time - Online

Tue 10am-12pm Pastoral Team Meeting Wed 10am Refresh, Women's Group (Summer Break) Thur 8:30pm Evening Prayers - Online

pg 23 pg 23 pg 23 pg 23

UPCOMING June 18 Aug. 13 July 2 July 12 -16

Summer Communal Devotional

pg 13

YOUTH Year End Party

pg 18

Camp Policy Training

pg 19

July 19-30 Summer Camp & Aug. 2-20 Missions Night: Helping Without Hurting July 27 part 2

Aug. 24

Mission Night in Manila

pg 17 pg 13 pg 13

See more on the last pages or on our Events page at www.springgardenchurch.ca/events.

Delve submissions are due Aug. 23rd. Delve submissions are due on the MONDAY before the LAST Sunday of each month. To submit for the next issue of Delve, e-mail: delve@springgardenchurch.ca

Features Contemplation 3 Vocational Missionary Update Kathy Webb @ YU 7 Know your Neighbour 10

Community Corner Missions Night 13 Summer Communal Devotional 13 Refugee Fund 14 Wanted, we need your help 14

Discipleship Ministries

Spring Kids: Online Worship Gathering 15 Spring Kids 16 | Summer Camps 17 Spring Youth 18 | LIT: Summer 2021 19

More Info How to Give 21 Leadership Directory 21-22 Weekly Calendar 23 Upcoming Calendar 24

Our Values

(back page)

Design, Cover & Editor: Dale Forder Contributors: Greg Kay Kathy Webb Victoria Shipmaker Dale Forder Jeremy Ranasinghe Copy Editors: Greg Kay Karen Cassel

Contemplation by Greg Kay

On Sunday mornings this early summer we have been reflecting on “Thin Places”—places in our lives where we have had transformative experience(s) of God. As we have noted, the concept of Thin Place comes largely from the Celtic spirituality of Ireland where Christians, seeking to love the Celts, saw and incorporated the Celts care for creation and aspects of their holistic spirituality. The Celts were a people deeply connected to creation and therefore recognized creation as an integrated place where they could connect with the Divine. Because of this, the Christian spirituality that developed in Ireland, instead of outright rejecting the indigenous connection between the earth and the spirit, placed Celtic spirituality under the lordship of Jesus in a way that enriched and incarnated the Good News of Jesus. Within this holistic Celtic Christian spirituality was the concept of Thin Place: physical places where spiritual contemplation was experienced to be more powerful; physical locations where there was something ineffable (which means “incapable of being expressed in words”) about the space—where people experienced moments of revelation, peace, joy, presence, etc. A common descriptor of Thin Place is where the distance between heaven and earth collapses. Other ways I think if it are the space where the transcendent and the common touch, or where the mysterious and the apparent meet. While it is true that all spaces/places are sacred in the sense that God is always present and heaven is always near (this is what theologians might call an ontological reality), there are spaces/places in time where the holy is perceived and experienced as more present (what theologians might call an experiential reality). As we have been seeing through our Sunday morning worship times together, there are some physical locations where many 3

different people have similar experiences of Thin Space, such as world renowned natural wonders or major religious centres. However, because of the intimate nature of meeting with God, most of experiences of thin places are deeply personal. Which of course for some of us will beg the question, “what if I don’t have any ‘thin places’ where God’s met with me?” To this I would say (while deeply hoping God is who I think He says he is…) that God has met with you. You may not have seen God’s presence in that place or that moment, but God’s Spirit has been calling to you in your life. I would encourage all of us, but especially those of us who do not have any meaningful recollection of a time God has met with us in a Thin Space, to take some time to reflect and pray. Invite God to reveal places He has met with you. If you’re not sure how to do that, the simple answer is simply to take time to be quiet and still, invite God to speak and reveal. And give the space for a response. It may not happen right away or in that first sitting (or quite frankly, in any of your ‘sittings’), but I believe wholeheartedly that God loves you and wants to connect with you. So be patient and hopeful. If you’re like me and you find it helps to have some structure or flow to help you pray, here is one way of praying. It is based off of two methods of prayer, one often called “Imaginative Prayer” and the other “Prayer of Examen”. 1. Centering: find a quiet space where you can sit comfortably and without tension. Be aware of your breathing and quiet your mind and heart. Invite God to meet with you 2. Ask God to reveal a ‘thin place’ in your past. Invite God to lead you through memories to places where you have had moments of transformation or transcendence (peace, joy, jubilation, insight, etc) 3. Picture yourself there. When a memory comes to mind, picture yourself in that physical location—where were you? What did it look like? What do you see? Was anyone else with you? What sounds did you hear? What did you touch or taste? 4. Pay attention to your heart, mind, body, spirit—What did it feel like? What was going through your mind? What was your body experiencing? 4

5. Ask God to show you where he was in the midst of this moment. Where was God? How did you perceive or experience God? What did God want you to receive from this Thin Place? What was the gift for you in the moment? What is the gift for you now? 6. Give thanks and praise for that experience in the past and for this time with God. 7. Respond: As you prepare to come out of this time of prayer, ask, what can you do to ‘mark’ this as a memorial so that you can return to it? Journal? Photograph? A pilgrimage back to where this Thin Place occurred? As we have gone through this time of contemplating the gift of Celtic spirituality for Christianity, I have often wondered what similar gift Canadian Christianity could have received if our ancestors had approached Turtle Islands indigenous peoples with love and learning rather than oppression and genocide. It strikes me that perhaps part of our role in pursuing truth and reconciliation with the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples is not only repenting of our fear of other religious beliefs, a fear that historically has led to a form of religious persecution against indigenous spirituality working hand in hand with holistic cultural genocide. Think of Scriptures like Psalm 24:1 “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” and Psalm 19:1-4a: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no works, no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” It seems to me that Scriptures call is to see and experience God through the goodness and beauty of creation—a call which, when seen not as consumers and narcissists but as lovers and worshippers, should lead those who have faith in the God of Scriptures to embrace creation with affection, respect and 5

honour. This depth of holistic spirituality found in Scripture, but until recently ignored in Western Christianity, is a gift that Turtle Island’s indigenous peoples offered to us. But I suppose one cost of sin—in this case religious participation in the systemic genocide of indigenous culture and peoples—is what could have been blessing wasturned to death and destruction. As we recently passed Canada day and continue to come to terms with the unmarked mass graves of residential schools, collectively as Canadians, and particularly as Canadians who love Jesus, it is important that we see this time that we are in as an opportunity; an opportunity to right some of the wrongs that have been done, particularly those wrongs that have become enshrined systemically in our culture and politics; an opportunity to come alongside indigenous communities to mourn with them; an opportunity to educate ourselves and our children so that we as a country and we as people can move forward in pursuing reconciliation. Author Ray Simpson in his book “Celtic Christianity” writes, “today, a longing is resurfacing to make blighted places holy.” As a Canadian, I cannot think of any places more blighted than the land where stolen children are buried in unmarked graves. How can we work alongside God that these lands can be made holy? If you are looking for some resources to learn more about residential schools or the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, here are a few places you can begin. A Summary List of ‘Principles of Reconciliation’ coming from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission https://www.wmspcc.ca/wpcontent/uploads/Principles-of-reconciliation-web.pdf

A Pictorial Timeline of Residential Schools - https://nctr.ca/exhibits/ residential-school-timeline/

Stories of Survivors (video with content warning) - https://legacyofhope.ca/ wherearethechildren/stories/ A Book on the History of Residential Schools by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission https://uofmpress.ca/books/detail/a-knock-onthe-door

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Website with vast amounts of information and stories. - https://nctr.ca/ https://www.coursera.org/learn/indigenous-canada

VOCATIONAL MISSIONS UPDATE Here at Spring Garden we support several local missionaries. Each month we will be highlighting a different missionary so you can hear about how they are serving God. This month we hear from Kathy Webb. Kathy Webb with Youth Unlimited, a faith-based charity investing in the whole life transformation of youth, their families, and their communities. 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/Youth for Christ has been in Toronto for over 75 years. Our vision is that every young person in the GTA will be transformed by God's love and life-changing power and will be a redemptive presence in their family, community, and beyond. Our staff and volunteers build relationships with youth in order to help them learn and grow in all areas of life and show them the love of Jesus. They do this through programs for young parents, outreach to street-involved youth, sports outreach and leadership development to name a few. I have served with YU as an administrative assistant since 2004. How did you receive your call to serve as a local missionary? In university, I studied music and concurrently took an Arts Administration program at college. I loved music and, more broadly, saw the value of and need for music/the arts in our world, but I knew I was far from having what it took to make a living at it. So, my plan was to do administrative work for an orchestra, or other arts organization. After I graduated though, I had a difficult time finding work in that area. Around the same time, I was challenged by someone to consider the depth of my relationship with Jesus. I had grown up in the church, but for most of my teenage years didn’t want much to do with God. I had returned to my faith by the time I was in university and 7

was learning and growing, but I felt lost in a way, for a variety of reasons… I wasn’t sure what to do with my life. I found myself praying that God would show me what He wanted me to do and, maybe for the first time in my life, was really open to listening for and responding to His voice. To make a long story short, I ended up coming to Toronto to go to Tyndale. My purpose in going to Bible college was to grow in my faith and learn theology, rather than to prepare for vocational ministry. While I was there though, God grew in me a clear desire to do ministry by using my abilities and interest in administrative work at a Christian organization. I am in no way saying that one cannot follow Jesus and have ministry in the arts (or anywhere else). It just was no longer what I felt was the path for me. Eventually, after a couple other opportunities that didn’t work out long-term, I saw a job posting for an admin role at YU - the right thing at the right time! As far as I’m concerned, our youth workers who are working in communities with youth and their families, building relationships, running programs, bringing God’s transforming love… they are the true missionaries. I consider it a huge gift and a privilege to be able to serve alongside them. Is there a book that helped prepare you for service? This is not a book that prepared me for service when I started, but one I read more recently… Let Your Life Speak by Parker J Palmer has been an influential book as I was in a season of uncertainty around my own calling and vocation. He talks about vocation as living an authentic life, as listening to “the truths and values at the heart of my own identity, not the standards by which I must live - but the standards by which I cannot help but live.” Essentially getting to know and accept how God has created you - looking internally - and living/serving out of that, rather than holding an ideal that comes externally and trying to live up to it. This book has helped give me clarity and affirmation in my calling to serve God in my work with YU. Tell us about your role. What do you enjoy about it? I provide administrative support in a number of different areas at YU, including helping new staff get oriented and set up, setting up fundraising pages, editing our publications, putting together a monthly prayer calendar, and working on our 2 marathon 8

fundraising events each year. There are so many things I enjoy… the variety of things I do, supporting the vision and mission of YU in my work; the people I get to work with... those are some of things at the top of the list! You work with several other local missionaries. What have been some of the big challenges for people serving in a pandemic? Yes, that’s one of the other things I enjoy about my job… I get to work with other Spring Gardeners (Clem, Monica, Scott and John)! They will have their own perspectives too, but one of the big challenges has been just keeping up with all the changes. Every time the government either adds or removes restrictions, it means adjusting and adapting. It’s difficult to plan ahead. For many, it has been a big challenge to shift ministry online. What do you do with a soccer outreach that is all about getting groups of people together? How do you keep people engaged? How do you continue to serve them, to connect with them in meaningful ways? Zoom has many limitations. Youth (and indeed people of all ages) are feeling isolated and lonely. How have you seen God moving? It’s really been amazing to see God at work bringing creativity and new ideas for ministry in the midst of Covid. For example, the staff person who does the soccer program I mentioned raised funds to buy pizzas for his youth and their families and delivered them as a means of caring for and checking in on them. Another started a ministry of encouragement through daily text messages to youth. What are some ways we can support you as your church family? Pray for the weeks ahead as things are starting to open up again. Our youth, and our staff (both at the office and in the field) have different feelings around that… some are excited and eager to jump back in. Others are more cautious or fearful. There will be a need for wisdom and sensitivity to each other. Pray also for me and the rest of our Central Services team as well as we get to know and begin working with the 3 new leadership staff who recently joined us. There will be adjustments to be made, but It’s an exciting time as we anticipate what lies ahead! 9

Know your Neighbour by Victoria Shipmaker

I thank Kaitlyn Ranasinghe and Abby Davidson for bringing to our attention the community feedback regarding the plan to place module housing near 175 Cummer Avenue. I had heard that there were some residents that were supportive of the measure but others that had mobilised to try to prevent this needed housing from being placed in that particular area. I have lived in a square area bordered by Sheppard Avenue East to York Mills Road between Bayview Avenue and Victoria Park for over 30 years. I have lived as the poorest among some very nice homes and among the middle class in areas of townhomes. In the working world I knew many stories of hardship. One of my friends lived in Rosedale. I was amazed until I saw her unit. It was basically a room with a kitchen with a bathroom at the end and a sitting area in the front. The entire home had been divided into small units. Her unit in the basement was one of the dreariest I have seen and conversation stopped when the subway rumbled by. 10

While I worked at NeighbourLink I noted that the calls often came from people living in homes. They were low income in terms of what they earned due to lack of private pensions but at the same time living in expensive homes. I rarely received calls from those living in subsidized housing. I noted at the time that the percentage of people living around the church with a low amount of money at the end of the month for necessities was higher than in the Jane and Finch area. There are many reasons for this and not easily put in a small article! When I joined the church world I was surprised to hear how often we would talk about the poor as if they lived somewhere else. On a day dedicated to discussing how to serve the poor I asked "Are there any poor Christians"? My point wasn't to be difficult but that there never seemed to be an intersection between the class called the "poor" and "us". I had to fast track into learning about church and the poor as I interned, attended and worked in different churches during the first ten years. I came to understand that feeding the poor meant a sandwich run to the downtown despite the underhoused hanging around the Finch Go Station near our university. A church downtown filled up backpacks of necessities to hand out in the evening. As soon as I hit the intended location a voice called out "Are you from the church?!" "What did you bring?" We were done handing them out in less than half an hour. I can't say that I felt that I had made any connection to anyone and felt as stereotyped as the people who were receiving the gifts. Subsidized housing - also called Rent Geared to Income has drawn much of the Church's attention all over the city throughout time. The desire to help the poor has us go to the easiest place to find them. It makes sense for long term missions to partner with an agency or group of people that are identifiable. However, as individual churches, we miss those in our midst - even in our pews that have insight to the problems facing those in our neighbourhood. There are problems hidden by the appearance of wealth. Even how we discuss money as a congregation can make people hide their troubles. I remember being encouraged to go to the Mandarin with a group of women and it was too awkward to tell them that I couldn't afford that while we were struggling on Employment Insurance. I wasn' t 11poor but also not able to budget a meal that costly.

The homeowners who fought against the modular buildings at Cummer made me laugh and cry. They cited the "retirement home" and how the residents in the retirement home would be affected by people lacking housing from moving into a subsidised living right at their doorstep. I laughed because Willowdale Manor is part of the Rent Geared to Income offerings available to those who can't afford to find a place to rent. The only difference between it and Willow Tree is the fact they are seniors. I cry because the dignity we offer to seniors struggling to find a place to live is not offered to those in other forms of subsidized housing. The truth is that the "poor" already live in our communities. Some are struggling day by day by believing that they have to own real estate in order to be successful. Some are fortunate enough to keep some money back from rent to spend on other needed items. Others are on the 7 year waitlist to obtain subsidized housing. If it was a 7 year wait before Covid 19 what will happen when CERB stops? Where will all those people go? My remarks aren't meant to belittle any organisation which works to alleviate the sufferings of others. I think we are blessed to have Abby in this new position to help us do a bit more listening, seeing and learning as we worship in the community in which we find ourselves. We have always been a unique church and I think we are meant to be in this area of Toronto. May we be a blessing to many in the year ahead!

Life in and around Spring Garden

Community Corner

MISSIONS NIGHT: Helping Without Hurting (part 2) July 27 from 7:30-9pm

Join us as we watch the final sessions of "Helping Without Hurting" and have a time of discussion and prayer around what it means to participate in poverty alleviation. If you missed our last gathering, you can find sessions 1-4 here: https:// chalmers.org/resources/videos/reconsidering-the-meaning-ofpoverty/. Contact Abby for the Zoom details. For more information as it becomes available, go to our events page at www. springgardenchurch.ca/events.

SUMMER COMMUNAL DEVOTIONAL July 18 - Aug 13

Join us in a communal daily devotional this summer! Sunday mornings through the summer we will be going through the letter to the Philippians together. As a way of deepening our journey through the letter, we invite you to join us for a communal online daily devotional called “Philippians – Choosing Joy”. We will be doing this through the YouVersion Bible app where you can read the devotional and participate in sharing with one another. You can also access the devotional through their website if you are not able to use the app. https://bible.com/p/43851256/ cd7eb20287913a749264aaf4a57e2dec

Mission Night in Manila Aug 24 from 7:30-9pm

13 13

Join us as we visit the Welfareville slum in Manila. We will do a virtual prayer walk and hear OMF staff and other ministry participants share about how the church in Manila is reaching out to share God's love with the urban poor. www.springgardenchurch.ca/events

Looking for a Summer Camp for your child? Please see page 17. THE REFUGEE FUND The Leadership of Spring Garden Church has agreed to sponsor the Raso family as Refugees. By making this commitment, we as a church are committing to provide the Raso’s 1 year of financial support, personal care and assistance integrating into Canada. We are partnering with the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec (CBOQ) who have the refugee sponsorship relationship with the Canadian government. We expect the process to take about a year before they will arrive in Canada. At present we are busy completing Canadian government application forms with Soleman, Tariq and Sam. While we are waiting for approval by the Canadian government and for COVID international travel restrictions to be lifted, we will need to raise the necessary funds. Contributions can be made to Spring Garden Church Refugee Fund. Go to www.springgardenchurch. ca/giving and choose which way you want to give. In the process, please make sure to indicate that these funds go to the Spring Garden Church Refugee Fund. Thank you for you help!

WANTED, we could use your help. We are still in need of volunteers to work the cameras/slides and the sound board. You do not have to be a master at these things to join us, we will train you. Being a little Tech savvy is a positive and musically inclined for the sound board. Please email us at office@springgardenchurch.ca if interested. We are also looking for a paid short term: Systems Tech, to help improve and develop our online and technology infrastructure. The systems technician will be responsible for learning about our present IT system and improving it based on our needs. Web designer, to help improve and develop our online presence starting with our website. The web designer will be responsible for learning about our church and helping to represent us online. The web designer will work under the direction of the Office Manager as well alongside our Systems Technician to create the infrastructure of our ministries. Find more information at https://www.springgardenchurch.ca/hiring.

Partnering with Families

Discipleship Ministries 15 15

Spring Kids: Online Worship Gathering July - August 2021: As we switch over to Summer Sundays, our kids worship gathering will meet every Sunday on zoom following the children’s blessing. Here is the overall flow: **Children’s Blessing Ends** • Kids Log in to Zoom (Contact Jeremy if you don’t have this information) • Big Group Teaching • Split into small groups (Our Zoom Moderator will sort people into their groups) • Small-Group Time • Finished - Kids and leaders sign off and enjoy the rest of their Sunday In order to ensure online safety, we previously emailed the information needed to join our online meetings in September 2020. If you received the email, please do not share it with others. If you know of any families who would like this information to join us on Sundays, please direct them 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

July 4th God Speaks (Lydia and Philippi)

Acts 16:6–15

Remember Verse Isaiah 41:10

July 11

Feast: Tabernacles Gal. 5—6

2 Cor. 5:5

Phil. 3—4

2 Cor. 5:5

1 Thess. 3—4 2 Thess. 2

2 Cor. 5:5

1 Cor. 12—13

1 Thess. 5:23

James 3

1 Thess. 5:23

July 18

July 25

Aug 1

Aug 8

Aug 15 Aug 22 Aug 29

Ponder Point

Remember & Celebrate Weekend God's Spirit Renews (Fruit of the Spirit and Galatia) God Is Contentment (Letter to the Philippians) God Is Hope (Letters to the Thessalonians) God Is Love (Letter to the Corinthians) God Is Wisdom (Letter from James) Jesus Is Invincible (Return of Christ) Remember & Celebrate Weekend

Bible Passage

Rev. 19;21—22 1 Thess. 5:23 Festival: Jubilee

Summer Camps This summer, we are planning 4 weeks of day camp, and we are very excited! Due to the pandemic's ongoing state, we are uncertain about what this year's camps will look like. However, with recent news regarding summer camps, we are hopeful and confident that we will have the opportunity to host safe in-person day camps this Summer 2021. As we continue our planning, we are doing so with the intent of camp being in-person but will have virtual camp back-up-plans if we cannot do so safely, or have to switch at a moment's notice. If you sign up for any of our camp weeks and they become virtual for unforeseen circumstances, you will have the option for a full refund. Our Day-Camps strive to create a safe, loving, and inclusive atmosphere (both online and in-person!) where children can engage in a variety of activities to experience and learn God’s love for them. We believe that this is done through intentional relationships and thoughtful programming. The camp runs from 9:00am to 3:00pm and is created for children in grades 1 - 5 (ages 6-10) for the upcoming school year (September 2021). If you’d like to sign up for camp you can do so through the following registration links which will also have more details regarding payment. Week 1: July 19-23 - https://forms.gle/t6LHUUseW3DJoMoX8 Week 2: July 26-30 - https://forms.gle/XtqnpJ6Agi7giBC28 Week 3: August 9-13 - https://forms.gle/QXafqJ1r8AtBbsSq7 Week 4: August 16-20 - https://forms.gle/qtdPbDvYyteV2fNh6 Cost: - In-Person Day Camp: $65 per child ($55 for additional children of the same family). - Camp T-Shirts and Outings Included - **Food Not Included** 17

Spring Youth During the summer months our youth ministry takes a break from our regular meetings and gatherings. However, we will have informal meetings throughout the summer to connect and catch up with each other. We are encouraging youth to watch and participate in the Livestream Worship on Sunday mornings at 10am through our church’s website https://www.springgardenchurch.ca.

Life Groups

Our Life Group leaders are planning different impromptu hangouts this summer and will communicate plans with parents and caregivers individually. If you need to contact our leaders regarding our life groups, here is our contact information: Jr High Girls - Brittni Lewis (brittni@sgbc.ca). Sr High Girls - Kaitlyn Ranasinghe (Kaitlyn.Ranasinghe@sgbc.ca). Guys (Grades 6-12) - Jeremy Ranasinghe (Jeremy@ springgardenchurch.ca).

Youth Events July 2nd: Year End Party - We have moved our YEP to July 2nd, in order for us to celebrate the year in person. As we are now in step 2 of Ontario’s reopening plan, we want to end the ministry year as best we can. Weather permitting, we will meet at our church’s building and enjoy some food and conversation with each other and will have other games as well. Time: 11:00am - 3:00pm Cost: FREE

LIT: Summer 2021 With recent news regarding summer camps, we are excited to offer youth an opportunity to volunteer with us this summer as part of our LIT (Leaders In Training) team. Our LIT program is something that started with our camp ministry, and allows for youth to discover and use the various creative talents they are gifted with to teach and show care for the kids in our camp. At the same time, LIT exists to provide a safe and healthy community for youth to learn, grow and be themselves. Youth wanting to volunteer this summer can register using the following link, and selecting "Summer Camp LIT Team (Policy and Camp Training July 12-16)”. LIT Registration Form: https://forms.gle/je3EssqqbVXECxQm9 July 12-16: Policy and Camp Training - In order to work with us this summer, all summer LIT’s must be part of our policy and camp training. If you are wanting to be involved but are not available for this week, please email Jeremy (jeremy@ springgardenchurch.ca) to make different arrangements. Cost: $10 (Lunch Included) Time: 9:00am-3:00pm per day **Due to the unpredictable nature of this pandemic, we may have to change or cancel what we have planned for the safety of everyone involved** 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

Directories and What's Happening

More Info

Leadership Directory PASTORAL TEAM

416.223.4593 Ext. 224

Greg Kay Co-Lead Pastor

gregkay@ springgardenchurch.ca

Sam Lee

On Sabbatical April 12 - Late August

Co-Lead Pastor

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 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.

DEACONS Krysten Cameron

416.399.0493 krystencameron@hotmail.com

Ben Reynolds bereynolds@gmail.com Darlene Boyd

647.223.2483 darlene.boyd@gmail.com

Martin Dewar

416.229.2695 martin.dewar@sgbc.ca

Debbie Tempelmeyer Scott Moore Jeff McGee

905-301-2323 tempelmeyerdeb@gmail.com 647-227-5465 scottgmoore@mac.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 22

What’s Happening Weekly

Life in Spring Garden

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.

Sunda

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP

10am

Join us Sunday mornings as we go through a series called 'I AM...'. We will then be going through the book of Phillipians for the Summer. After the children's blessing, the children can login our Spring Kids Online. Streamed at: www.springgardenchurch.ca

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.

ay Tuesd ay d s e n

Wed

rs u h T

day

PASTORAL TEAM MEETING

10am - 12pm

We are meeting on Tuesday for the Summer. Please pray for us for wisdom and inspiration.

REFRESH 10am - 11:30am Friendship, care & spiritual growth for women. SUMMER BREAK, WILL BE BACK ON IN SEPTEMBER.

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.

What’s Happening Life in Spring Garden

Upcoming July

YOUTH: Year End Party See more on page 18.

July

12-

July

Aug

18-

July

19-

July

26-

July

Summer Communal Devotional See more on page 13.

Summer Camps: Week 1 See more on page 17.

Summer Camps: Week 2 See more on page 17.

See more on page 13.

Aug

16-

See more on page 19.

MISSIONS NIGHT: Helping Without Hurting pt2

Aug

Policy and Camp Training

Summer Camps: Week 3 See more on page 17.

Summer Camps: Week 4 See more on page 17.

Mission Night in Manila See more on page 13.

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 24

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.