Delve An
Of
Intersection
Faith
And Life
November 2014
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Features The Visist Showing God’s Care and Sharing God’s Story Budget Update Groups of Hope Thoughtfully Loving God Departments
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Deacon’s Bench Resource Centre
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Information Contact Information Community Corner Calendar
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Contributors: Karen Cassel Faith Holwyn Phyllis McGee Geoffrey Moore Barry Porter Sharon Tam Judy Tranter Copy Editors: Greg kay Gene Tempelmeyer
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THE VISIT
About 20 years ago I was still driving buses and it was my practice to go over to the Salvation Army North Toronto Corps located across the road from the old Eglinton division where I was working at the time. I had gotten to know the officer and staff that worked there and he very kindly allowed me the use of their library located in the basement. A wonderfully quiet place, where for an hour or two I could be sure of some undisturbed peace and rest whenever I liked. And where I would pray during my split; that is to say the time between shifts that not surprisingly fell between morning and afternoon rush hours. Additionally I was in the practice of meeting with a friend from Spring Garden church on my split. And so on a regular basis we could hang out, eat and pray together. It was a good, lively, mutually supportive relationship that continued for a number of years. I’m sure that even to this day I still feel the effect that Ray and his family had on me. It also didn’t hurt that despite some slight cultural differences, we shared the same quirky sense of humour. One mid morning in November 1993, I called to make sure we were still on for that day. Ray answered the phone and right away from his tone of voice I could tell something was wrong. Thinking he was sick, I used some old church jargon and asked, “are you cast aside upon a bed of sickness brother?” “No, he answered, we’ve just got a phone call from Moscow.
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Laura has been murdered”. The words hit me like a physical blow; I can’t remember what we said in the following moments, beyond that we would meet up soon. Then I went across the road and let myself into the silence of the library. I couldn’t think straight, my mind reeling. My breathing seemed to be noticeably loud. In fact I didn’t want to think, to start pulling words out of the pain; tried not to run the words through my mind because to do so felt that what had happened to my very close and loved friend must be true. I fell to the floor. I believe I started trying then to give words to what I was thinking and feeling, but at the same time I know The Holy Spirit began to help me speak and cry. Friends who know me are aware that I have difficulty connecting with my emotions, especially when it comes to expressions of hurt and sadness for myself. I experienced an abusive childhood, both physically and emotionally and learned, as a defensive means, to hide my true feelings. As well as I can remember, the words I spoke came at last with sort of child-like confirming endings like, “If I were to simply come to You, You’d welcome me, wouldn’t You?” “You’d understand me and what is going on right away without my trying to do a lot of talking, I know.” “And it could be just like visiting You at Your house, right? Where I could come to the door and knock and You’d let me in, wouldn’t You?” I then began to “see” myself approaching an old solid looking half-timbered house, walking up to the front door and knocking. I noticed its large threshold and the low lintel. There was a front garden, trees and grass and a stone path from the gate. It was clear from the depth of the door enclosure that the walls of the house were thick. Like some places I remember from England, where it is still possible to live in a house that is more than three hundred years old.
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As I try to think back and recall as well as I can, it seems to me that as a whole the experience was strongly visual and tactile. There were even particular smells. And instantly I felt safe and at ease. I’m sure that there was conversation; questions and answers and a lot of attentive listening. And the spaces between the words were important too; time given to allow things to sink in properly. As for the older gentleman who opened the door I am sure he gave me a welcome, but more; the house itself and the presence of my host felt welcoming. The more so as I followed him down the passage that led to the back of the place and into the kitchen. Like a dream I was alternately adult and child. Settled into a comfortable chair by the fire place, even though through the windows overlooking the garden I initially saw a beautiful expanse with many birds and a Summer’s day. I heard the comforting solid ticking of the old clock on the wall. My host was in many places at once. At one point crouched and earnestly looking into my face as I explained something, but when I looked over his shoulder I could also see him at the large gas stove, turning down the heat under the kettle. I enjoyed a cup of tea, then later as darkness fell and I could hear the sound of wind-blown rain, I was given some stew. Later, [again as a child], I was tucked into bed, kissed and may even have been prayed over. In the going to sleep I received peace and rest and a sense of protection. The visit was not complicated. I can’t call to mind any words that were spoken. I was given what I needed in order to cope and carry on at that particular time in the midst of my distress. It changed me in many ways I’m sure, and gave me a lot that remains and still moves me even now.
Barry Porter
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Spring Garden Church: An ethos of Showing God’s Care and Sharing God’s Story in Willowdale and Around the World Recapturing a Spring Garden Church vision for mission is vital for each new generation of church membership and church leadership as we seek to show God’s care and share God’s story to a broken world right at our doorstep. Re-evaluating our mission responsibility on a regular bases is essential to be a vibrant church body within our community, our city, our country and our world. The recent publication of the newly revised Spring Garden Mission Policy is a testament to the hard work of a representative committee on our behalf, this Policy will provide a structure and guidance for our corporate engagement in mission in our ever changing community of Willowdale and for those whom we “send out” as vocational missionaries. Although many churches and denominations in the Western world have held to the views outlined as the context in which the Spring Garden Mission & Evangelism Policy as written in the early 1980’s; this was not the contextual experience of Spring Garden Church. The context in which the policy was written was the signing of the Lausanne Covenant in 1974, and the values and beliefs held by its members. As a Church body we cannot rest on the laurels of what was done in the past; however we should understand the crowd of faithful witnesses that line the aisles of Spring Garden Church. First, mission in Spring Garden was not conceived as a compartmentalized program of the church. The church lived out their belief that they were each called to participate in His mission from its earliest days. In the early 1970’s, church members went out in groups of three to knock on the doors in the neighbourhood and shared the Gospel with all who would listen. For ten years, Spring Garden had a ministry to seniors living at the Sheppard Center; 25 to 30 seniors gathered for a soup and sandwich luncheon and a time of bible study. The Keenagers, for those over sixty, met weekly at Spring Garden for bible study and shared a monthly luncheon attended by 80 to 100 people. This ministry continues today on Thursday afternoons. Each Christmas many food baskets were delivered in the community.
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As in the present, many members worked at camps in the summer, volunteered to go on short-term medical mission trips, volunteered their time at Inner City missions, or were members of the Boards of parachurch organizations. Life Groups are a great example of mission within Spring Garden, as members minister one-to-another. At one time, wanting to be obedient to God’s call on His Church, the Senior Pastor, Mission Elder, and Mission & Evangelism Chairperson met for breakfast at 7am on a weekly basis to pray. From the beginning Spring Garden has understood God’s call on His people to actively participate in the redemptive work of the Gospel. Missions in Spring Garden is unique for Convention Baptist Churches. It is customary for Convention Baptist Churches to support the work of Canadian Baptist Ministries fairly exclusively, which could contribute to the compartmentalization of mission from the ministry of the local church body. Since the early 1970’s Spring Garden has supported individuals and families sent out from within our congregation to numerous different global and local ministries. Being a sending church has at times been costly: 1) Laura Binkley was brutally murdered in Moscow in October 1993 while serving in an orphanage with the Adam’s Children Fund; 2) David Michell was tragically killed in a headon collision on the way home from International Student Camp
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on Christmas Eve in 1997; 3) Myles & Janet Leitch and Mac & Marlise Wigfield were rescued from the Congo by the French Military in 1997 after spending several days in their homes with bullets flying all around them; 4) Bev & Ruben Ramirez were in Armenia Columbia when an earthquake hit in 1999, and 4) even this summer Tamara Fairbanks was potentially in danger when her team was not permitted to enter North Korea to teach English to 650 students. Several of our mission family have had personal crisis that have ended their ministries. And yet, won’t it will be wonderful when in the fullness of time we will learn about the impact our faithfulness as a congregation has been in Willowdale and around the world. Second, mission in Spring Garden Church was not conceived as convincing people towards an intellectual ascent that would save them from hell into a disembodied heaven, without concern for their temporal reality. Rather mission at Spring Garden was defined by our Statement of Faith, and influenced by the Lausanne Covenant (1974) in which both the proclamation of the Gospel and demonstration of God’s love is clearly articulated as essential. Perhaps this is best summarized in the Capetown Commitment written by the Lausanne Movement: We commit ourselves to the integral and dynamic exercise of all dimensions of mission to which God calls his Church. · God commands us to make known to all nations the truth of God’s revelation and the gospel of God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ, calling all people to repentance, faith, baptism and obedient discipleship. · God commands us to reflect his own character through compassionate care for the needy, and to demonstrate the values and the power of the kingdom of God in striving for justice and peace and in caring for God’s creation. [The Capetown Committment (2011), The Lausanne Movement.] May this ever be Spring Garden’s commitment.
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Phyllis McGee
Spring Garden Baptist Church Financial Update – 41 weeks January 1st, 2014 to September 27, 2014 2014 Budget
…………………….. $519,500 – ($9,990/week) approved March 2, 2014
Budget from 1/1/14 to 9/27/14 Offering & Rental Income received Shortfall to Budget Savings to Budget to 9/27/14 Actual Cash Shortfall to 9/27/14
Total $400,485
/Wk $9,767
318,899 ($81,586) 32,459 ($49,127)
7,778 ($1,989)
Comments:
• Cash position at 9/27/14 is only $19,272.
• At the end of the year we should aim for at least $80,000 in cash as we always run below Budget through the first 9 months of the year.
• Our objective should still be to meet the Budget of $519,500. We had unbudgeted roof repairs in October of $8,500.
Remember it is our Budget as a Church Body! Thanks Geoffrey Moore Treasurer A Verse to Remember “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house…and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it” (Mal.3:10). 9
The Deacon’s Bench
The church has several people who really go unheralded. They are behind the scenes repairing, painting, getting quotes to keep up the maintenance on our church. Wes Chapman is one of these people. He is a reasonably quiet fellow, who doesn’t talk a lot but “does” a great deal efficiently. Wes has been a regular attendee of Spring since the 1970’s. During his paid career he worked for the Toronto District School Board where he spent his time doing Special Events/Media Production Services and later on he shifted to computer repair and maintenance for many schools. He is supposedly retired now and should be relaxing and doing some traveling most of his time. Pure Fantasy! He and his wife Cheryl ( who has been at Spring almost all of her life), babysit their 3 grandchildren 3 to 5 days a week. No easy task as little people keep grandparents busy! Over the years Wes has often headed up the property committee, been a Deacon for Property, or simply been a committee member. During 2009 -2010 when the extension was built on the church, Wes and other fellows with a hard hat on his head and heavy boots, could be found doing clean up 10
or working odd jobs at the construction site. Every Sunday the worship team plays music and there is Wes strumming his guitar very contentedly. He feels really energized by the music and truly loves practicing and playing. He believes very strongly that this is where God wants him to be. Last but not least, Wes assists on the Nominating Committee to find new Deacons and Elders. Wes is a fine example of a happy man who knows that throughout his life The Lord had been at his side.
Judy Tranter
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To purchase tickets leave a message at:416-221-8283 or contact Myrna Frost at: 416-225-4986 Email: mfrost2254986@rogers.com
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THE GROUPS OF HOPE PROGRAM It has been a busy three months with the Groups of Hope ministry and I wanted to share some of the highlights with you. Maybe I should start by giving you an idea of what the Groups of Hope program is. In 2003 I was working at a church in Armenia, Colombia when I was asked to start a group for 7 women who were experiencing depression. I am a retired Psychiatric nurse and I developed this program with God’s guidance: eight sessions, each one hour long, that presented a Bible story or some aspect of healing, through drama and illustration. Since that very small beginning in my apartment, the program has grown to include groups in India, Bolivia, Mexico, Honduras, Venezuela, and the United States and across Canada in churches, prisons, in First Nation Communities and most recently with the Inuit people. For the past eleven years you have supported me, through the Mission Committee, as a person who has been called to share the message of hope around the world. I am with Canadian Baptist Ministries and am supported by individuals and churches that want to be part of what God is doing through the Groups of Hope Program. I have mentored around 10,000 women and men in the program through workshops in the past eleven years in addition to making presentations in groups and churches to 14
close to 15,000 more. The Handbook that I wrote in 2009 is now in six languages: English, French, Spanish, Telugu and Oriya in India and most recently, Kiswahili in Kenya. The seventh language, Portuguese, is being proofed for publication: and Russian and Ukrainian are currently being translated. So you will understand that I am in awe! Something that began as a seed in my apartment in Colombia is now an international program and is growing exponentially as people in many places find how effective the simple program is in bringing healing and hope to individuals. October has brought exciting opportunities to share the program: first in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut where I introduced the program to four women counsellors who want to begin a healing program for women across the north. Then I have just returned from spending 10 days in Eastern Canada with 2 workshops, sharing in 2 churches and to a group of 50 Baptist women as well. It has been wonderful to see the program being used to include individuals who have not shown an interest in attending church. The latest completed translation of the Handbook is Kiswahili in Kenya. On November 16th I will fly to Nairobi, Kenya with another CBM Strategic Associate. Together we will do a workshop for ten women who will then introduce the program to women’s groups across Kenya, Rwanda and The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Then I will travel a few miles to Machakos, where I will 15
live on the Aki-River Base of YWAM for the next week and conduct a two day workshop for 80 leaders from across Kenya. It is an amazing opportunity and I am excited – but admittedly a bit scared! As someone asked me: “Why would you choose to go to Africa right now?” I answered that I believe God is leading me to go and He has promised me His presence – going ahead of me and holding my hand. I know that Ebola is a real threat – although there are no reported cases at this time in Kenya. I know terrorism and violence can occur – both in the air and on the ground. But I have peace that God is with me – and here is where you come in! I need your prayers! I could not do the work that I am doing in Canada and internationally without the prayers of those who are here and around the world, praying regularly for me. Please pray for safety, for freedom to share in the workshops and for joy in making new friends and connecting with those who are part of our global family – the family of God.
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Faith Holwyn
Thoughtfully loving God by genuinely loving others I have recently finished my spiritual direction training at Tyndale (together with Greg Drummond) and am thankful to Spring Garden for the use of the building for some directees that I see. In gratitude for the loving, caring community support that Spring Garden provides, I am offering a complimentary free session of spiritual direction to whoever is interested. For those who are unfamiliar, spiritual direction provides a sacred space to nurture greater intimacy with God with the goal being an ever-increasing capacity to live your life as Christ would. It has been my great joy and privilege to assist others in discerning God’s activity in their journey and in responding to these invitations. I offer spiritual direction, life coaching, mentoring, and pastoral counseling. My passion is to equip and enable people to dwell more fully in the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit. I have been companioning with people for nearly thirty-three years in many different contexts—as a missionary/teacher, counselor, pastor, spiritual friend and director. As someone who has a broadrange of ministry experiences (from lead pastor to highschool teacher), I am comfortable with mystery, paradox, and the messy realities of faith and ministry. I have been shaped by sages, like: Henri Nouwen, Dallas Willard, Parker Palmer, Gordon Smith, Leighton Ford, and others. I offer spiritual direction for pastors, leaders, missionaries, men, women, young adults, and small groups. I am experienced in facilitating one-on-one direction, group direction, 17
spiritual formation retreats, and the Ignatian exercises in daily life for a variety of people from a wide-range of backgrounds and cultures. I am also competent walking alongside people who have experienced or who are experiencing significant trauma in their journey. I offer inner healing sessions for those who sense God’s leading in this direction. I have a doctorate of ministry in spirituality and leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary and received spiritual direction training from Tyndale Seminary. I enjoy exploring nature, cooking and savoring ethnic foods, travelling, reading, visiting friends, watching action-packed movies and spy shows, continually learning, and eating chocolate and strawberries. I especially enjoy being surprised by God as people are set free to live with greater ease and delight in Christ’s kingdom. I’d love to be a spiritual friend to you on your particular adventure with God. If you are a member or adherent of the Spring Garden Community, please contact me if you are interested in this complimentary spiritual direction session. Sharon Tam
Date – Saturday, December 6, 2014 Time – 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM Location – Tyndale Bayview Chapel (3377 Bayview Ave, Toronto, Ontario) Ticket Price - $40 For More Info - Call 416.281.6721 or email events@tyndale.ca
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Recomendations From The Resource Centre
Books Praying for Your Elephant: Boldly Approaching Jesus with Radical and Audacious Prayer, by Adam Stadtmiller Get ready to re-ignite, re-imagine, and repurpose your prayer life while experiencing great intimacy with God. This is an invitation to identify your elephants—to name, through specific and strategic prayers, the 100 most important and audacious petitions you can imagine. These are the elephants that—if answered by God—would be game changers in your life and perhaps the world. Teach us to Want: Longing, Ambition and the Life of Faith, by Jen Pollock Michel The story of each person is a story of want— desires unmet, hopes dashed, passions pursued and ambitions fulfilled. Our wants cannot be ignored. But when desire is informed by Scripture and re-formed by our spiritual practices, it can root us more deeply in the fundamental belief that
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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
God is good and generous and invites us into active kingdom participation. Jen Pollock Michel guides us on a journey of understanding who we are when we want, and reintroduces us to a God who gives us the desires of our hearts. That same good God calls us into a new reality in which we seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and we discover our disordered desires burned away while our truest longings are happily fulfilled and purified. The disciples asked Jesus to “Teach us to pray.” This book asks, “Teach us to want.” Colliding with Destiny: Finding Hope in the Legacy of Ruth, by Sarah Jakes The story of Ruth is a journey of transformation. By allowing God to transform her circumstances, Ruth went from a widow who would be excluded from society to a wife with a secure and protected future, a future that ultimately paved the way for the birth of King David! Her story is full of collision--loss, heartache, poverty, even shame--but she never let her past define her. Instead, the most painful time of her life became her most pivotal, propelling her to a destiny she never imagined. Perhaps you have a past you’re struggling to overcome. If disappointments,
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whether a result of your own choices or the actions of others, have kept you from being your true self, this book is for you. Follow Ruth’s life and discover the hope available to each of us. Your yesterday does not have to dictate your tomorrow.
DVD’s
From the creators of VeggieTales, we have 3 new sets of DVD’s for the children: What’s in the Bible, v.1-3, In the Beginning, Let my People go, and Wanderin’ in the Desert Each DVD is filled with original music, animation, puppets, and creative writing that will teach kids about God and his Word. It’s Bible 101 with a twist. It’s the story of God and what He’s done for us, told through puppets, animation, music and more.
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On Friday November 21st, from 7:00pm - 9:00pm, YU North York is holding a fundraiser @ Spring Garden Church. This is an opportunity to see and experience the diversity of culture, food and ministry that is happening in North York. All are welcome though we ask that you RSVP with either Jesse or Clem if you plan to attend. jesse@ youthunlimitedgta. com clem@ youthunlimitedgta. com
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Leadership at Spring Garden Pastoral Team Gene Tempelmeyer, Pastor genetemp@springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 222 Greg Kay, Worship Pastor gregkay@springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 224 Margaret Sutton, Pastoral Care/Seniors margaretsutton@springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 226 Sam Lee, Pastor of Discipleship, Ext. 227 samlee@springgardenchurch.ca Suzanna Lai, Church Office and Communications Manager Ext. 221 suzanna@springgardenchurch.ca
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 ext1
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Community Corner
Life around Spring Garden
Ordination of Pastor Greg Kay Our beloved pastor Greg Kay is getting ordained! We are looking for delegates to attend his ordination examination council on Saturday Nov 22. Please let pastor Gene know if you are interested. Everyone’s welcome to be there to support Greg. Ordination Celebration on Sunday Dec 7th @ 6:30pm Mark your calendar! Come celebrate Greg’s ordination with us on Sunday Dec 7th. ESL Cafe Looking for Volunteers Interested in meeting new friends and helping new comers practice English? Our ESL Café is looking for volunteers to join our weekly gatherings. The ESL Café meets at 7:00pm on Tuesday evenings in the east lounge. If you are interested, please contact Garth Barron (garthbarron@sympatico.ca) Tyndale Faith Talks James K.A. Smith professor of philosophy at Calvin College will be speaking at Tyndale on Nov 4 11:15am, 7:00pm and Nov 5 11:15am. Anyone is welcome 26
What’s Happening Life in Spring Garden
Weekly 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)
This Month During the month of November, Spring Garden will be collecting items for the Personal Care Centre. There is a great need for shampoo, toothpaste, feminine products and diapers. Saturday, November 15th - The Dale Ministries Funfair (pg. 23) Friday, Novemeber 21st - YU North York’s “Flavours of North York (pg. 24) Saturday, November 22nd - Greg Kay’s Ordination examination (pg. 26) 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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