November 2020
Quick Calendar WEEKLY Sun
10am Sunday Worship Online Spring Kids/Youth login after Children's Blessing 11:30 Virtual Coffee Time - Online
pg 23 pg 23 pg 13
Tues Wed Thur Fri
10am-12pm Pastoral Team Meeting
pg 23
10am Refresh, Women's Group
pg 13
8:30pm Evening Prayers - Online
pg 14
12pm Friday Bible Discussion
pg 14
UPCOMING Nov 6
YOUTH: Online Hangout
pg 17
Nov 13
YOUTH: Adventures In North York
pg 18
Nov 18 Nov 20
YOUTH: Jr. High Girls Life Group
pg 17
YOUTH: Boys and Sr. High Girls Life Groups
pg 17
Nov 28
SGC Virtual Games Night (SAVE THE DATE!)
pg 14
See more on the last pages or on our Events page at www.springgardenchurch.ca/events.
Delve submissions are due Nov. 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 The Religious False Self 3 Industry, Innovation, & Infrastructure 7 SGC Garden 10 Words of Encouragement 11
Community Corner CONNECT ONLINE Virtual Coffee Time & Refresh 13 Evening Prayer & Friday Bible Discussion 14 EVENTS SGC Virtual Games Night 14
Discipleship Ministries
Spring Kids: Online Worship Gather 15 | Spring Kids 16 Spring Youth 17 | Youth Events 17
Resource Centre
Resource Recommendations 19
More Info How to Give 21 Leadership Directory 21 Weekly Calendar 23 23 Upcoming Calendar 24
Our Values
(back page)
Design, Cover & Editor: Dale Forder Contributors: Sam Lee Mary Simpkins Alice Mg Bouwma Victoria Shipmaker Jeremy Ranasinghe Karen Cassel Copy Editors: Greg Kay Karen Cassel
The Religious False Self by Sam Lee
We have been talking about the difference between the true self and the false self for a while now. We are our true selves when we are living our lives with Jesus as the reference point of our lives and our false selves when we are living our lives with ourselves as the reference point. Most of you who are reading this article would consider yourselves Christian and therefore would take what I wrote above as a given. Of course, Jesus is the center of my life. I go to church every Sunday, give my offering, serve, and volunteer my time, I read the Bible and attend other religious activities. Of course, Jesus is the center. I do so much for him. I want to spend some time exploring the idea of the false religious self. For many of us, growing up in a Christian family and being engrossed in the Christian world, the danger for us isn’t whether or not we are not living as our true selves with Christ but rather if we are living under our false religious selves. The false religious self is when we use our religiosity and God as a way to get what we want. M. Robert Mulholland Jr. writes about the false religious this way: Our religious false self presumes, because we are religious, that everything is fine in our relationship with God. Oh, to be sure, there may be a need for some “fine-tuning” of a few 3
aspects of our life, a polishing up of a few of our rough edges. Our religious false self may be rigorous in religiosity, devoted in discipleship and sacrificial in service---without being in loving union with God.2 It’s so very easy for us to fall into the trap of thinking that because we are religious, we are fine. I know for myself that I can deceive myself and can fall into the trap that because I am doing this or that for God, that God should somehow do what I want him to do. I may use words like, “thy will be done” but then secretly hope that his will be done the way I want it done. It takes much more work and self-reflection to see whether or not we are “being in the world for God or being in God for the world.” We want to people who are in God for the world. At the end of the sermon of the mount, Jesus tells his disciples that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. He makes it clear that just because a person goes around saying that they are a Christian, is able to drive out demons using the name of Jesus, and/or even perform miracles in Jesus’ name doesn’t necessarily mean that they are his disciples. In fact, he will say to them, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” So how do we know if we are living in the state of this false religious self? Mulholland gives us some characteristics and signs of the false religious self. Fear The fear of letting God be God and building up a “God” on our own terms that fit our life and desires. The “God” we can control. Anger is another manifestation of this. Protection No room for different views of God and desire to protect and defend our “God.” Manipulation Using God as a way to get what you want. Whether in gaining influence and power to push your understanding of God, your agendas and purposes become God’s agendas and purposes. 4
Possessiveness Possessive of both material possessions as well as their religiosity. Want others to have the same kind of faith as they do. Destructive A divisive spirit. Judgemental and exclusive. Self-Promotion Religious facade. Pharisee who prays in front of everyone to look religious. Indulgence Self-indulgent in religiosity and in non-religiosity. Amassing of religious practices that lead to pride. Excusing indulgences due to other areas of religiosity. Distinctions Categorizing of others as a way of give us an advantage. How did you feel when you read some of these characteristics? Were there any of these that you resonated with or felt defensive about? It is important for us to recognize that we can so very easily be like the Pharisees. We who want to seek God and follow Him can become so engrossed in our own growth and holiness that we can become blinded to the reality that we are using God and religion as a way of propping our own selves up and/or to work on ourselves. I have to remind myself constantly that when I start pointing fingers and saying that others are being like the Pharisees, to recognize that I myself might be the Pharisee pointing my finger at others. Mulholland argues that the crux of the journey from the false religious self to that of our true selves is the “ever deepening abandonment of the construct we call “God” and an ever more profound willingness for God to be whatever God will be in our life at any given moment.” This speaks to our baptistic identity that we die to ourselves (including our own understanding and ideas about God) and to let God be God. We can’t control God nor put Him in a box because God cannot be controlled. 5
In the Chronicles of the Narnia series, Aslan is often referred to as the lion that cannot be tamed. In one story, Lucy is sad because Aslan is leaving, and she wants him to stay. Aslan says he will be back some time in the future. Coriakin the Magician says this to Lucy once Aslan had left, “you can’t keep him; it’s not as if he were a tame lion.” We often want to control God and want him to do things on our own terms. I love the way in which C.S. Lewis portrays Aslan as someone who is not tameable but is good. Instead of trying to tame God, we are to trust in His goodness. Questions to prayerfully consider: • Are you on a genuine journey for radical abandonment to God in love, or are you simply seeking a stronger form of the religious false self? • I am sure you want God in your life. But do you want God in your life on your terms, or on God’s? • How much of your present spirituality is the manifestation of a religious false self? • Is your journey one of abandonment to God or one of acquisition from God? That is, is your journey energized by the desire to get something for yourself spiritually or is your journey energized by the desire to abandon yourself to God?
_____________________________ 1 The content of this article is a summary from Chapter 3 “Idol in a Box” from the book, The Deeper Journey: The Spirituality of Discovering Your True Self. 2 Mulholland, M. Robert. The Deeper Journey: The Spirituality of Discovering Your True Self. Expanded Edition. (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Books, an imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2016), 47.
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Industry, Innovation, & Infrastructure by Mary Simpkins
This month's SDG, #9, is called Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure which I have to admit sounds boring, but then I started thinking about some of the incredible innovations that are happening. This is a crazy time as humanity is waking up to the mess we are making of the planet God created and asked us to steward but it is also an amazing opportunity for us to use the gifts of ingenuity, creativity, and collaboration that we have been given to start fixing our mistakes and to show respect to the beautiful and bountiful home we have been given. Clearly our current approach is not working. We are creating alarming volumes of plastic waste with no idea how to dispose of it. We are generating greenhouse gases at rates never before experienced by the planet. Ice core data shows that carbon dioxide rates have fluctuated between 200-300 parts per million over the last 800,000 years. We are now at 413 ppm with no plan to slow down, let alone reverse this trend. What's more, we are systematically destroying the forests, wetlands, and oceans that are nature's carbon sinks, the planet's way to re-absorb carbon from the atmosphere. Carbon retains the sun's heat, hence the term "greenhouse gases". In nature, God created balance and nothing goes to waste but we have reached the point where the oceans are
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absorbing so much CO2 than they are acidifying and it's still nowhere close to enough absorption to balance the carbon dioxide we continue to produce. Our planet is heading in a downward spiral and to have any chance of keeping it inhabitable, we need to intentionally change our own behaviour and drive change at a global level. It is time to support innovations that do good and start to reverse the damage that each of us as consumers contribute to every day. So what can we do to support this particular Sustainable Development Goal?
• Be open to new ideas and support innovations that support the planet. In a couple of minutes on Kickstarter for example, I found belts, sneakers, and luggage made from ocean plastic, jeans made from coffee and recycled plastic, backpacks made from pineapple leaf fiber, energy bars made with cricket flour, battery-free bike lights and doorbells. Retail products only exist because people buy them so put your financial support behind companies that are doing good. You will find loads of them if you look. • Decide what kind of country you want and vote / lobby / petition for that infrastructure. Do you want bike lanes and better public transit? Do you want oil pipelines? Citizens' opinions matter and there are lots of Canadian and international organizations that would love your support as they try to drive positive change. • Support companies that are trying to make a difference, even if it's fast food restaurants trying to promote plant-based food (Timmies cancelled the Beyond Sausage breakfast sandwich due to lack of interest) like Panera's new "Cool Food" menu that identifies low carbon footprint food options. These may seem like small changes but they create awareness and they show organizations that you do care. And if we are truly committed to looking after our planet, that is where change starts.
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More on carbon sinks: http://www.activesustainability.com/climate-change/ carbon-sinks-what-are/ More on man-made carbon sinks: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/ carbon-sinks.php#:~:text=Man%2Dmade%20carbon%20sinks%20can,of%20 man%2Dmade%20carbon%20sinks. More on the new "Cool Food" labels: https://www.meatpoultry.com/ articles/23975-world-resources-institute-introduces-cool-food-meals-atpanera
Additional reading: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Goal-8. pdf Why Is It So Hard for Clothing Manufacturers to Pay a Living Wage?
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SGC Garden by Alice Mg Bouwma
Many thanks for the garden team (Brenda, Eva, Cliff, Victoria, Suzanna, Martin, and Alice), for making the Spring Garden community garden truly a community one this year! During social distancing and restrictions, the garden offered a space for people to plant their own vegetables alongside the ones we planted and also harvest some. The team connected with neighbours inviting them to join church when things open up and some people offered to join in the watering and weeding on a regular basis and to keep an eye on the garden. The green space was enjoyed by people resting from a walk with their dogs, having a haircut on the bench, and exercising on the grass and bike racks. With the Drop Inn closed this year, we connected with Eva’s Satellite, a harm reduction shelter for youth in the Willowdale community. From July to October, we were able to harvest and make eight deliveries which included lettuce, radishes, lots of beans, zucchini, beets, and a variety of herbs. The vegetables were warmly received and added fresh food to the Eva’s onsite kitchen. During this very different season, the garden was not only a blessing to the team but also the community and Eva’s. We were able to reach people and made connections with Eva’s. We look forward to further opportunities to partner with Eva’s.
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Words of Encouragement by Anne Barron
Dear Spring Garden Family, To say that I have missed you, the fellowship, the sense of community, the feelings of family, since COVID began would be an understatement. At the beginning there were feelings of loss and grief, but as October came and COVID case counts rose, I became overwhelmed; a tsunami of sadness and heaviness that I couldn’t explain. It was not until Greg acknowledged this heaviness at the beginning of his sermon on Thanksgiving did it begin to lift. I write this to encourage you to reach out to God, to a trusted friend. If you are struggling, you are not alone. As the heaviness lifted God gave me this poem/song and I share it with you in hopes that it speaks to you. My prayers are with you all.
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Only You I am not what I do. The striving, the running, pursuing my dreams, None of that matters to You. I am not what I have. Possessions and prizes, the clutter and mess, Wanting much more, but needing much less. I am not what they see. Wearing a mask made of lies and deceit, Making impressions, ignoring the truth. This is not what You’ve made me to be. I change and adapt, but none of that’s true. Help me to see that my worth is in You. God of all comfort and sorrow and pain Wash me and fill me again and again. For I am Your child, free and alive Blessed and called in Your name. That’s what You want me to do, That’s what You want me to have, That’s what You want others to see, Only You.
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Life in and around Spring Garden
Community Corner
CONNECT
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.
REFRESH
WEDNESDAYS 10:00 AM For the fall semester we will be looking at the prayers of Paul in his letters in the New Testament and Jen Chrystman and Faith Holwyn will be sharing the leadership of the sessions. Bev Holtzman will continue to be our ‘communicator’ – and she will send out the topic and Bible verses for each session and the link for Zoom for anyone who chooses to join that way. We welcome new members – women who want to learn more about God and share and pray with each other. We are all on a journey to know God better and so individuals who are exploring their own faith and beliefs are welcome to come and join us. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact one of the leaders: Faith Holwyn - 416-805-7529 - faith.holwyn@gmail. com Jen Chrystman - 647-688-9046 - jenchrystman313@ hotmail.com
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Beverly Holtzman - 416-809-8046 - holtzb@rogers. com
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.
Friday Bible Discussion FRIDAYS 12:00 PM
We still have room for a couple of people if you are interested in dropping in for Bible Discussion on Fridays. We are meeting in the lounge by the elevator with social distancing, sanitising, screening and masks. 12 noon - gather and catch up 12:30 - Bible Discussion 1:30 - bulk of Bible discussion is done, those who wish to leave may do so without missing anything 2:00 - end of gathering If you wish to come mostly for the Bible Discussion please come for 12:30. You do not need to commit to every week but come as you like. I will email a reminder each week and if we need to suspend our meetings due to Covid. Bring a sweater - if the room is stuffy we will be opening a window or using a fan for air circulation. At the moment we are using a less "academic" approach to Bible Discussion by discussing Max Lucado's Next Door Savior and applying the Bible stories he uses to our own lives. The book uses the theme of what it would look like if Jesus was our next door neighbour using the context of the culture today. For more information please call or text Vicki Shipmaker 647 444 9320 or email her victoriashipmaker@gmail.com
SGC Virtual Games Night
November 28th at 7:00pm to 9:00pm SAVE THE DATE! More info to come in Weekly Email or at: https://www.springgardenchurch.ca/upcomingevents/2020/11/28/virtual-games-night
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Partnering with Families
Discipleship Ministries 15 15
Spring Kids: Online Worship Gathering Our kids worship gathering will meet in person once we are certain it is safe to do so. Until then our kids will meet on zoom every Sunday following the children’s blessing. The only exception to this is on the first Sunday of each month. On these Sundays we’re encouraging youth and children to join their families to worship together. Here is the overall flow: Children’s Blessing Ends • Kids Log in to Zoom (information for doing this will be sent out prior) • Big Group Teaching (Lead by one of our big group leaders) • Split into small groups (Our Zoom Moderator will sort people into their groups) • 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 We emailed the information needed to join our online meetings. If you have received the email, please do not share it with other families. If you or anyone you know should have received the email, please 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
Nov 8
God Is Provider (Wandering) God Is the One True God (Ten Commandments) God Initiates Relationship (Mount Sinai) God Dwells with His People (Building of the Tabernacle)
Nov 15
Nov 22
Nov 29
Bible Passage
Remember Verse Ex. 15:22—17:7 Prov. 3:5–6 Ex. 19—20
Prov. 3:5–6
Ex. 24
Prov. 3:5–6
Ex. 25—40
Psalm 136:12
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Spring Youth Sunday Morning Worship Gatherings: **Please be aware that our Youth Worship Gatherings will be held online until further notice, even after the building is open to the public.** November 8th, 15th, 27th, 29th: 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 www. http://tiny.cc/SGCYouth **Please be aware that our gatherings will not begin until after the children’s blessing during the Sunday Morning Livestream**
Life Groups:
Life Groups this month will happen on November 18th for Jr High Girls (Gr 6-8) and November 20th, for the Sr High Girls (Gr 9-12). The Guy’s Life Group (gr 6-12) will also be meeting on November 20th, online.
Youth Events November 6th: Online Hangout - We will be meeting online to play some games, and hang out with each other. We have a variety of online games as options for youth to choose from. The current games planned include, Among Us, Uno, Scribble io. Time: 6:00pm-9:00pm
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Novmeber 13th: Adventures In North York: We will be meeting outside the church building in the parking lot. For this youth event, we will explore the different areas in the neighborhood of Willowdale. Time: 5:00pm-8:00pm Cost: $10 (includes food)
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)
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Recommendations
The Resource Centre 19
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.
Where is God in a coronavirus world? by John Lennox We are living through a unique, era-defining period. Many of our old certainties have gone, whatever our view of the world and whatever our beliefs. The coronavirus pandemic and its effects are perplexing and unsettling for all of us. How do we begin to think it through and cope with it? In this short yet profound book, Oxford mathematics professor John Lennox examines the coronavirus in light of various belief systems and shows how the Christian worldview not only helps us to make sense of it but also offers us a sure and certain hope to cling to.
Christ in the storm: an extraordinary blessing for a suffering world by Pope Francis Preaching to an empty St. Peter's Square during the pandemic, Pope Francis encourages the faithful to persevere in the face of the coronavirus. The Gospel reading he chooses is that of Jesus calming the fears of the disciples during a storm on the Lake of Galilee. Instead of nervous Nellies, we should be as stalwart and resolute as our Saviour.
God and the pandemic: a Christian reflection on the coronoavirus and its aftermath by N.T. Wright Discover a different way of seeing and responding to the Coronavirus pandemic, an approach drawing on Scripture, Christian history, and the way of living, thinking, and praying revealed to us by Jesus. What are we supposed to think about the Coronavirus crisis? Some people think they know: "This is a sign of the End," they say. "It's all predicted in the book of Revelation." Others disagree but are equally clear: "This is a call to repent. God is judging the world and through this disease he's telling us to change." Some join in the chorus of blame and condemnation: "It's the fault of the Chinese, the government, the World Health Organization‌" N.T. Wright examines these reactions to the virus and finds them wanting. 20
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 Chair
416.399.0493 krystencameron@hotmail.com
Ben Reynolds
Children and Youth Discipleship
Martin Dewar
Missions and Membership
Monica Kim
Vice Chair& Adult Discipleship
Joanne Laing
Secretary & Property
Shannon Loewen
Community Life/Refreshments
Jeff McGee Finance
bereynolds@gmail.com 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 Worship
cheryl.chapman@live.ca
ELDERS Anne Barron Gonzalo Librado
416.724.9329 anne.barron020@sympatico.ca 416.435.9691 gonzlibrado@gmail.com
Margaret Sutton margaretsutton242@gmail.com Koon Wah Leung Clem Lee
416.225.7092 koonwleung@gmail.com 416.508.7355 crazymonkeyfamily@gmail.com
Myrna Frost
416.225.4986 ​mfrost2254986@rogers.com 22
What’s Happening Life in Spring Garden
Weekly
LIFE GROUPS - Connect for Community
ALL WEEK LONG
Together through bible study, prayer and sharing. Meet online and possible in-person, please email SamLee@ springardenchurch.ca for more information or to join one.
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
y
Sunda
10am
Join us Sunday mornings as we explore together how our emotional health impacts our spiritual formation. After the children's blessing, the children can login our Spring Kids Online (more: page 13) Streamed at: www.springgardenchurch.ca
VIRTUAL COFFEE TIME
y Tueda
PASTORAL TEAM MEETING
y
sda e n d
We
y
a d s r Thu ay d i r F
10am - 12pm
We meet in-person every Monday. Please pray for us for wisdom and inspiration.
REFRESH 10am - 11:30am Friendship, care & spiritual growth for women. Please see more on page 13.
EVENING PRAYER
You are invited to a virtual time of liturgical prayer. Please see here.
Friday Bible Discussion
8:30pm
12:00pm
All welcome. Please call, text or email Victoria if you plan to attend. 647 444 9620 victoriashipmaker@ gmail.com
SGC COMMUNITY - Facebook 23
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.
A group to encourage each other, share resources, connect, etc. Find us through groups in Facebook.
What’s Happening Upcoming Nov
6 Nov
13 Nov
18 Nov
20 Nov
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Life in Spring Garden
YOUTH: Online Hangout See more on page 19.
YOUTH: Adventures In North York See more on page 19.
YOUTH: Jr. High Girls Life Group See more on page 19.
YOUTH: Sr. High Girls and Boys Life Groups See more on page 19.
SGC Virtual Games Night
7pm-9pm. For sign up and details, keep your eye on our weekly email and/or https://www.springgardenchurch.ca/upcoming-events
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.