1949 2019
October 2019 70th Anniversary Edition
Quick Calendar WEEKLY Sun
9am-10am Bible Study 10am-11:30am Sunday Worship 11:30 Refreshments
pg 23 pg 37
Tues 1pm-3pm Pastoral Team Meeting Wed 10am-12:00am Refresh, Women's Group
pg 37
Thur 12pm-1pm Lunch Together
pg 37 pg 37
Oct. 4
Neighbourhood Potlucks
pg 21
Oct. 4
YOUTH Food and Games Night!
pg 27
Oct. 18
Fall Youth Retreat 2019
pg 27
Oct. 25
Youth Life Groups
pg 26
Oct. 27 Nov. 1
70th Anniversary
pg 34
Faith at the Table
pg 21
7pm-8:30pm ESL Café
1pm - 2pm Bible Discussion
pg 23 pg 23
See more on page 33-34 or on our Events page at www.springgardenchurch.ca/events.
Delve submissions are due Oct. 21st. Delve submissions are due on the MONDAY before the LAST Sunday of each month. To submit for the next issue of Delve, please e-mail: delve@springgardenchurch.ca
Features
3 - 20
Committing to our First Love 3 Dear Spring Garden Family 9 My Spring Garden Journey 13 Memories of Singing in the Spring Garden Choir 15 Life Happens Here 16 Why do we have Faith at the Table? 19
Community Corner
21 - 24
Faith at the Table 21 Neighbourhood Potluck 21 We Remember - Morale Mail Project 22 Youth Unlimited - Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon 23 Join us for our Friends Reception! 23 Fall Fundraising Activities 24
Discipleship Ministries
29 - 27
Spring Kids 25 | Spring Youth 26,27
Resource Centre
29 - 30
Resource Recommendations 29
More Info
31 - 34, 27 - 28
Design, Cover & Editor: Dale Forder
Contributors: Greg Kay Leadership Directory 31 Lily Cheng Weekly Calendar 33 Anne Barron Upcoming Calendar 34 Myrna Frost WHO AM I Game Page 27,28 Peggy Moore Sam Lee Victoria Shipmaker (back page) Scott Moore Sam Chaise Margaret Irwin Jeremy Ranasinghe Karen Cassel
Our Values
Copy Editors: Greg Kay Karen Cassel
Digging a little deeper into Spring Garden
Features 3
Committing to our First Love by Greg Kay
2019
marks the 70th anniversary of Spring Garden Church, from its first meeting of interested neighbours on January 14, 1949 to being formally organized on October 14, 1949. We have a lot to be thankful for as a church—for that original group of people who wanted to see the presence of a Christian community on Spring Garden Avenue, and for the seven decades of Spring Gardeners who have sought to bear witness as a community to the Kingdom of God in this neighbourhood and city. For our Sunday morning series called “Liturgy of Life: Abiding in the Vine,” I recently have been thinking a lot about the ways that Christian communities in the monastic traditions centre their communal lives around certain vows—“vows” being lifelong promises and commitments made before God and the community. The vows vary depending on the tradition. Some of the most well-known traditions are, one, the Benedictine tradition which has vows of obedience, stability, and conversion of life (transformational spirituality which includes chastity and poverty), and two, the Ignatian (The Jesuits, the Society of Jesus) and Augustinian
traditions which have the vows of simplicity/poverty, chastity and obedience. For each these traditions, their vows are to be lived out in a community centred around love. I personally feel the priorities and commitments of these vows are very relevant for us as we seek to abide in Christ in Toronto today, as well as when we reflect back on the past 70 years of Spring Garden Church. Stability: In the Benedictine Order, the vow of stability means a commitment to remain in the community for the rest of their life. In our present world of constant change and increasing cost of living, committing to never ever move may not be realistic, but I think when we keep in our lives (our hearts, minds, bodies and souls) an expectation of being transient, we are reluctant, consciously or unconsciously, to establish deep roots. When this happens it creates a feeling of being disconnected where we are, and so we move on in search of connection, which only causes the cycle to continue. Sometimes it’s true, God calls us to move on and follow to new adventures, but perhaps it’s worth contemplating resisting the temptation to move quickly from one thing to the next, whether it’s a relationship, a church, a job, a city; to ask if God is truly calling you away and if perhaps God may be calling you to remain and to go deeper instead. Over the past 70 years Spring Garden has had multiple opportunities to fulfill the suburban dream—get bigger and “better” by moving further out of the city. Instead, time and time again, the people of Spring Garden have chosen to remain where we are, willing to sacrifice bigger buildings and more space to remain faithful to God’s call to be at the corner of Spring Garden and Kenneth Avenue. Simplicity/Poverty: On some level, this vow is found within all monastic traditions. For some like the Franciscans it can be a call to extreme poverty, whereas with others like the Jesuits it is a call to simplicity to “moderate ascetism and healthy poverty.” Like the vow of stability that prioritizes fidelity and faithfulness over chasing bigger and better, the vow of simplicity prioritizes gratitude and freedom from the entrapment of material goods. There is a common adage that “what you own owns you.” The more we own the more our “stuff” takes up the real-estate of not only our physical world, but our mental, emotional, and spiritual worlds as well, and by doing so it minimizes our capacity for gratitude and for 4
graciousness, often making it difficult to see the things of life that are truly important and life giving. Living in excess does not lead to an excess of joy, graciousness or gratitude, in reality it usually leads to the opposite. Committing to live in simplicity on the other hand does not necessarily mean selling all you own, but pursing an abundance of life rather than an abundance of stuff. Letting go and releasing control does create the space in our lives to grow in gratitude and graciousness. A picture of this that I have seen in the community of Spring Garden is in the continual generosity of its members to make financial sacrifices for the sake of the kingdom and for those in need. Our monthly caring and sharing offering is money that could have gone towards our own needs; supporting missionaries and mission organizations is money that could have gone into our building; staff hours allotted for reaching out and resourcing local missional activities is time and money that could have gone into focusing care on ourselves. Sure we aren’t perfect and still have much to learn and to let go, but there are some beautiful acts and patterns of simplicity and sharing for the Kingdom worth celebrating. Obedience: The idea of obedience to another person can be a hard vow for us to understand in a culture that values autonomy and a right to do whatever we feel like. For monastics, the vow of obedience at its root is a vow to obedience to Christ, and so if Christ has called them to the community they’re committing to, therefore obedience to Christ means obedience to the Abbot, the “father” of the community, whom God has called to lead. One thing that I find fascinating and beautiful, particularly about the Rule of Benedict, is that the Abbot is called to love and serve those who vow to obey them in the same way Christ loved and served his disciples—a servant leadership not a self-exalting leadership. This being said, as a church leader myself, I do not feel that those committed to the community I serve are called to be obedient to me! In fact, I think that church leaders who do feel this need for congregations to do whatever they say are in a dangerous place of unhealth. But I do believe that vowing obedience to Christ will naturally (although challengingly) lead us to mutual submission to one another humbly in love, and I do believe leaders who vow obedience to Christ are called to lead as 5
servants. Christ calls us in humility to a life of looking not only to our own interests but also to the interests of others. I can’t speak specifically to this before my time at SGC, but in the 17 years I have been with the community (that’s almost 25%!) I have seen many leaders, both pastoral and volunteer, put others before themselves, humbly apologize for mistakes made, and make great sacrifices for the greater good. I have seen community members with divergent opinions put their differences aside and serve one another, forgiving one another for hurts caused, and caring for one another’s needs at great personal cost. Again, we aren’t perfect, but there is lots to celebrate about the character of Christ over the years made visible in the community of SGC. Conversion of Life: While this vow includes remaining committed to persevering in living life with the community (including poverty and chastity), it is fundamentally a vow to never stop pursuing transformational spirituality in Christ. None of us have fully “arrived” and are all in the process of ongoing conversion to Christlikeness. The vow to a conversion of life is to acknowledge and commit to a transformative relationship with Jesus, repenting (which means turning away from) of un-Christlikeness and actively participating in and pursing the Holy Spirit's work in of metanoia— spiritual transformational conversion of the mind and heart. Committing to a conversion of life requires a deep humility, an acceptance of and an acknowledgment of the fact that we aren’t perfect, that we make mistakes, and that we have a lot of growing and maturing yet to do. A characteristic of Spring Garden that I have always appreciated is its willingness to grow, change, be formed and re-formed by the movement of God in the midst of a changing culture, seeking out how to be incarnational. On occasion we’ve had some unhealthy pride, sure, but I pray we continue to be willing to hear from God, be humbled, and pursue a transformative relationship with Jesus our Christ, individually and as a community. Chastity: The vow of chastity is a vow that, in monastic and some priestly traditions, is intrinsically combined with celibacy, celibacy being abstaining from sexual intercourse or being married. However, chastity in and of itself is not the same thing as celibacy. I am married and I am committed to pursuing chastity
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in my life, in my marriage. Chastity does not mean refraining from sexual activity for your whole life, it means being morally pure, or a purity of love. In a marriage relationship, a vow of chastity is a commitment to purity of love where you pursue purity of relationships with your spouse and with others, which of course includes purity of sexual activity. Outside of a marriage relationship, while it may include celibacy, chastity isn’t limited to it. A purity of love, whether you’re married or single, means not treating others as objects of desire or for personal pleasure, even when it is consensual; it means pursing ways other than sex to give and receive love; it means committing to holiness, integrity and humility in all of your relationships, romantic or not. It some way, a vow of chastity is a vow to remain true to our first love, Christ, and allowing his love to flow through and form the character of all of our loves. Let’s be honest, long time Spring Gardeners remember too well seasons before my time where many individuals and the community as a whole were deeply impacted by the unchaste actions of a few. While Spring Garden is Christ's church, it is also made up of broken human beings with deep needs and desires to be loved, and so it has had its share of dark times. Yet even in the midst of these, Christ our first love has never given up on his bride. The church remains today on the corner of Spring Garden and Kenneth avenue as a testament to the faithful love of Christ, the never abandoning presence of the Holy Spirit, and the love of a heavenly Father who seeks to see the Kingdom of God be manifest in Willowdale. May we as a church family now, and all the generations of Spring Gardeners to come after us, as imperfect and messy as we are, be found to be faithful in our commitment to our first love, in Christ for the world.
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1970's Spring Garden and Kenneth
(top)1951 & (top right and below)1972 Spring Garden Church
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Dear Spring Garden Family, by Lily Cheng
T
his will be my last month on the pastoral team at Spring Garden Church in the Community & Mission role where I have spent the last 7 months. Alan and I would like to thank our pastoral team and congregation for the care, friendship and support I received as I sought to serve, support our Co-Lead Pastors during this interim period and do the things God placed upon my heart. When I first started this journey, God gave me two words - “Ignite” and “Conduit.” Because of the defined nature of my time at Spring Garden, I felt that igniting the congregation in caring for our surrounding community was the best approach. My hope is through initiatives like the Community Yard Sale, Easter Community Brunch and Egg Hunt, Yonge Street Tragedy Community Dinners, Lasagna
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for Single Moms and the Single Moms Mother’s Day Banquet, our congregation had the opportunity to see the blessing potential we hold when we open up our doors to our surrounding community. I pray you will carry the baton forward collectively as the church discerns next steps, not just for how the church is governed internally, but God’s purpose for us in loving our neighbours. The second word Conduit was harder for me to understand, but as the above mentioned ministries unfolded, I realized that as a church, we have great potential to be a conduit of blessing. For both the Single Moms Mother’s Day Banquet and The Willowtree Summer Camp we were a conduit to bring resources from the greater community towards kingdom purposes to bless those in need in our community. It was exciting to see God bring the resources needed to make this all happen. It is hard for me to believe this is now my last month in this role. My prayers for this month are about a positive transition for our church and for my family. Transitions for pastors are never easy because there is such a blurry line between friendship and ministry. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me in how I care for those I love while also recognizing my season in this pastoral role has been completed. Many of you have asked me, will my family continue at Spring Garden? This is something Alan and I are already praying about and will continue to pray until it is clear to us. We are grateful for how our family has been welcomed and how our children feel at home at Spring. It would be very natural and easy for us to continue. However, we want to go through an intentional discernment process together to make sure we are not simply doing what is easy, but honouring God’s desire for our family. For the first month or two we will be stepping away to seek clarity and for me to fully take off my “pastor” hat. I will however, continue to attend and serve in the ReFresh group. The second question many are asking me is “What is next?” God has begun to show me a vision for what is next in my life of ministry. I will be working towards crystallizing this vision and look forward to sharing it with you in a future edition of Delve. In the meantime, I invite you to join me in praying for the following ministries God has placed in my hands and heart: North York Moms, Single Moms 10
Toronto, Willowdale Church Coalition, the Willowtree Community and the Willowdale Action Group. What do you do when you don’t know exactly where you are going? Ask God to show you the next steps. He may not give you the entire map or 5 year plan, but God is usually pretty good at telling you what to do next. It could be “wait”, it could be taking a few steps of obedience, it could be seeking advice from some wise counsel. When you don’t know what to do, do what you know. The simplest obedience is spending time in quiet reflection and listening with Jesus. This will be my posture as I contemplate the future. I hope you will join me in this beautiful invitation. Some of you may be going through a season of transition right now. It is not easy to move forward when the future is unclear. But in my experience, it is seasons of transition that really deepen our walks with God and help us to grow faith muscles we never knew we had. If you are going through transition and would like to pray together, please email me and we can set up a time to meet: lilycheng@springgardenchurch.ca. Thanks again for the love and support I have received walking with you individually and collectively. I will be praying with you and for you as God reveals His exciting plans for this next season at our church. Much love, Lily (and Alan, Carter & Freesia)
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Thanks to the North York Moms who joined members of our gardening team for our big harvest last month.
Lily looks forward to continuing to fellowship and serve at ReFresh.
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My Spring Garden Journey by Myrna Frost
W
hen my husband Bill and I were married in 1961 and lived in our home on Church Avenue, we drove around Willowdale looking for a Baptist Church and discovered Spring Garden. We liked it from the first Sunday when Bill Sturgess was preaching and decided that Spring would be our church home. Soon Bill and I were involved in the Friday Night Youth Group with lots of kids from the Willowtree Housing Development. Our daughter Heather was born in 1966 and we adopted our son Andy in 1970. These were very busy years but several moms got together regularly at the church with their kids. One very special friendship that lasted decades was with Joy White and her husband Gord. Bill Lewis was the pastor then and we really enjoyed his thought-provoking sermons. The church was overflowing with 2 morning services and an evening service. Bill and I taught Sunday School and I eventually became the Childrens' Ministry leader. This was a good fit for me as I was a teacher with the former North York Board of Education. Heather was baptized in 1982 and I officially joined the church with her at that time. In the late 80's Bill and I connected with the Cell group led by Louise and Bruce Bell. We enjoyed many years of wonderful fellowship, Bible Study, prayer and fun with outings to the cottages of Hank and Leila Krupf and Doug and Judy Mewett. The minister at this time was Gordon Dalzell who impressed us with his intellect and inspiring sermons. His ministry was followed by John McLaverty and John Stevenett who both became very dear friends. I continued working with children assisting Miriam Little who became the Childrens' Ministry Director. Together we started Rainbows for Children, a ministry that helped children cope through the grief of losing a parent or the trauma of divorce. In 1990 Bill and I opened our Florist Business and created wedding flowers for many Spring brides ; Marie and Kendall Fullerton, and Greg and Monica Kay to name two. 13
When Rick Wukasch came in the early 90's he encouraged me to lead worship and to write Liturgy for the services. This has been very fulfilling for me and I have been blessed to have this opportunity. I served as the worship deacon for 3 terms during the Music leadership of Paul Osmond. Nellie? and Greg Kay. In 2009 Ruth Thompson Trish Wilkinson and I worked together to celebrate the the 50th anniversary of Spring. John Dozois came as our interim pastor to lead us after the resignation of John McLaverty. His wisdom and spiritual guidance helped us through a challenging transition time until Gene Tempelmeyer arrived. Bill was baptized in 2004. I attended Refresh (formerly Wednesday Women ) for many years taking my grandson Gabriel along to play with the the other kids. I became part of the Prayer Team which I have always been called to do. I have enjoyed the worship at Spring as it has transitioned from the formal services of the 60's to the more contemporary worship style of today. My life has been so blessed by the friendships I have made throughout at the years here at Spring. When my husband Bill developed Alzheimers disease and went to live at Carefree lodge for 7 years many faithful people visited him ; Faith Holwyn, Gonzalo Librado and Dale Houser. Gene came once a month to share communion with us which was such a blessing. When Bill died in 2016 I was overwhelmed by the love and generosity shown to me and my family by this church. I am so grateful for the support I received throughout Bill's illness and my years of widowhood. In 2009 I began attending the Thursday Bible Study led by Margaret Sutton and currently by Victoria Shipmaker. This time to share with other women has been a treasure in my life. It is my prayer that Spring Garden will continue to thrive and show God's love to those who worship here and shine a light into the community and that I will be around to share in it. It has been a marvelous 58 year journey. Love and Blessings to my Spring Garden family, Myrna Frost
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Memories of Singing in the Spring Garden Choir by Anne Barron
M
usic, worship, singing praise to God has had a long tradition at Spring Garden. I remember vividly my first Sunday at Spring Garden in June 1986. The service was filled will glorious organ music, hymns of praise, an inspiring soprano solo and an excellent choir anthem. I had been searching for a church for about 6 months and as a music student I realized I had found my home. That September I joined the choir. With over 30 singers, the choir sang an anthem each Sunday as part of the worship service. Many times, Alan Wiseman, the music Director at the time, would compose special anthems for us to sing. We performed large cantatas, including Handel’s Messiah and other special music for Christmas and Easter services. Joining with other church choirs to perform at the North York Center, Massey Hall and “Skydome� for the Billy Graham Crusade are all wonderful memories of making music together. The choir really functioned like a life group. We came together on Thursday nights to practice music, but also to pray for each other and to support each other through life. Weddings, the birth of children, illness, supporting a member going to the mission field brought us closer together. We had lots of laughs along the way as well; every week something would happen that had us all laughing and enjoying some fun. We tried to work hard and be serious, but some of us were often caught talking during practice instead of following our parts. We had potluck dinners with tasty devilled eggs or one time with at least 7 different kinds of potato salad. Through singing together, we forged strong friendships that have lasted for 30, 40, 50 years.
Slowly the Choir dwindled and gave way to worship teams as the culture of worship music changed over the years. Some of us who were choir members continue to make music together as members of the worship team; praising God and continuing to 15 make memories through music.
Life Happens Here by Peggy Moore
In 1963, fifty-six years ago, I moved with my parents, Douglas and Doris Gonder, from Winnipeg to Willowdale and they chose Spring Garden Baptist Church as our home church for worship and service. Rev. Bill Sturgess was our pastor, and my parents were very active in leadership. I remember attending Youth Group, and playing the piano. Some of the other ‘youths’ still attend SGC! As a teen, I was baptized at SGC. In 1971, Geoff and I were married at SGC by Rev. Bill Lewis. Over the years we were a part of many small groups, and some of those in our groups still attend. Each of our three children were dedicated to the Lord at SGC. The older two remember going downstairs during worship time to attend Junior Church led by our ‘Auntie Vi’, (Violet Roberts) and Olive Skeith. The funeral services for my father and, 10 years later, for my mother were held at SGC. Through the times of tears, we were supported and loved. Our youngest son, Scott, was baptized as a teen at SGC (the older two chose MiniYoWe camp for their baptisms). In 2004, our daughter, Monica, was married to Gregory Kay (the Worship Pastor!) at SGC. In recent years, all seven of our Toronto granddaughters have been dedicated to the Lord at SGC. But SGC has been more than milestones and memories for me. Over the 56 years, there have been times of change and challenge, renovations and revival, hurts and hope, the ups and downs of life in community....and God has been faithful. This is my church family, our church home where we can give and receive, and I am so grateful for it. 16
All images are of the 1970s
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Why do we have Faith at the Table? by Sam Lee
W
e believe that God has created us to be in community. In Christ, we are a part of a larger family than just our immediate family. This family of God is made up of people of all ages and stages. None of us can say that we are complete on our own but need one another. One of the ways in which we can build community is through eating together. Sharing the table with others is a sign of inclusion, a sign of hospitality, and a sign of Jesus who welcomes all to His table. This is why we want to be intentional in bringing all the generations together for a time of breaking bread and being with each other. This November, we have Dr. Holly Allen, who will be leading us in a time of breaking bread and being an intergenerational community. Her book is being used as textbook in many universities and we are excited to have her lead us. In her book, she has a section where she talks about the benefit of intergenerational communities and how each life stage can benefit from being part of such a community. One of her main points is that intergenerational communities create opportunities to enhance each other’s faith and psycho-social development. This is mutually beneficial in that each generation can grow and support one another. Here are some bullet points from her book of the ways in which each generation can benefit from being part of an intergenerational community:
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Children • Children learn by imitation and need older mentors to emulate • Children need other significant adult relationships besides their parents Teens • Need support as they negotiate Erikson’s identity vs. role confusion crisis • Wisdom & encouragement while navigating transitions from childhood to adolescence Emerging Adults • Physical, emotional, psychological & spiritual support when facing difficult situations • Opportunities to serve outside their bubble Young Adults • Opportunity to find examples and mentors among those further ahead on the journey • Support for transition into responsibilities of adulthood Middle Adults • Physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual support when facing grief or loss: teen pregnancy, a child on drugs, divorce, job loss, disability, etc. • Opportunities to pour into the next generation of young parents Older Adults • Opportunities to bless children & teens with unconditional love & acceptance • Opportunities to be examples and mentors A good question that we can ask ourselves is how many intergenerational relationships are we a part of? It does not need to happen all the time, but it should be a part of our social group. This is a good question that I need to ask as a parent of my own children. Do they have other people in their lives that are not of the same generation? How can I foster and create opportunities where different generations can speak into the lives of my children? We hope that you can utilize this November event as a way to practice being part of an intergenerational community where we can eat together and grow together. For more information, please go to our website. Please see more on the next page.
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Life in and around Spring Garden
Community Corner 21
Faith at the Table
Friday November 1, 6pm-8pm
Multipurpose Room (basement) $5 per person / $15 per family At this faith at the table, we are partnering with the CBOQ Family ministries who will host us for a night of food and intergenerational activities. At this event, Dr. Holly Allen (leader of intergenerational ministry and professor at Lipscomb University) will lead us in some intergenerational activities that will build community and encourage faith development in a multigenerational setting. This event is not an event just for families with children but is open to all ages and stages. Sign up or for more info, please go to: https://www.springgardenchurch.ca/upcomingevents/2019/11/1/faith-at-the-table
Neighbourhood Potluck October 4, 6pm
Some of you have been here a few months, and some have been here for years if not decades. We know that life is busy which can make it hard for us to connect. That's why we are organizing Neighbourhood Potlucks. Sharing a meal together is a great way for us to get to know more of the people we worship with each Sunday. Please sign up to either attend or host a potluck at a Spring Garden's home on Friday, October 4 at 6pm. We will group people by neighbourhood where possible. Everyone is welcome! If you would like to attend or host one, please sign up in the foyer or at https://neighbourhoodpotluck.eventbrite.ca/
We Remember - Morale Mail Project Did you know that Canadian soldiers serve in many places in the world even when we are not actively "at war"? Some are stationed to help teach, some to maintain boundaries in sea and air and others to monitor situations that are brewing. The one common thing with the soldiers of today with those in the past is the boredom, homesickness and uncomfortable living conditions. Last year we partnered with the charity (Toronto) Military Families Resource Centre (TMFRC) to send boxes of needed items and treats to soldiers overseas, Because a solider can only carry essentials both in the field and when assigned to quarters they are always happy to receive a fresh supply of Canadian snacks like ketchup chips and needed items like socks. Other items that are appreciated are flavouring for water, crossword puzzles, fresh wipes, hard candy for a dry climate...the list is extensive. This year we would like to offer this chance to serve others again. What we do is: 1. We provide you a box to fill with various items - cost can be as low as 25 dollars depending on what you choose to send. We will give you a large list from which to choose. You may customize your box for either a male or female recipient.. 2. Children (and adults) are free to put notes and letters into the boxes and decorate the boxes. 3. The boxes are collected and the TMFRC ships the boxes via. military transport overseas at no cost to us. Please check in with Cliff or Victoria Shipmaker to reserve your box. Call/text/email: Victoria 647 444 9320. victoriashipmaker@gmail.com Due date for boxes: Sunday, November 10, 2019. 22
Run for YU at the Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon!
Help transform lives one step at a time through this world-class event! Choose your distance and invite your friends to support your running/walking for the sake of vulnerable youth in Toronto. Email Kathy at kwebb@yugta.ca to learn more on how to register and join our team today.
Join us for our Friends Reception!
We would love for you to celebrate with us the public launch of our 4-year strategy, "Making Space", on Thursday, November 7th at 6:30pm. The reception takes place at the beautiful Universal Eventspace in Vaughan. There will be an opportunity to give to support the sustainability of our ongoing work in the city. Email Scott at smoore@yugta.ca for more info or to reserve your spot today. 23
The fall is an important time for many of our partner ministry organizations and vocational missionaries to raise support for the important work that they do. There are many ways you can support them this fall through fundraising activities. Saturday, October 5th - The Ride for Refuge is a family-friendly cycling and walking fundraising event that helps you support charities who provide refuge and hope for some of the most vulnerable people on earth. You can sign up to walk 5K, or bike up to 50K. Please consider supporting one of our two partner organizations: Christie Refugee Welcome Centre offers emergency housing and a warm welcome for refugee children and parents from all ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds. Sam Chaise is Team Captain (and is also Executive Director at Christie and a member of Spring Garden). Go to www. rideforrefuge.org and Search for the “Spring Garden Church & Friends� team to sign up! Or email Sam at sam_chaise@yahoo.com if you want more info! The Dale Ministries is a community in Parkdale (Toronto) that seeks to be welcoming to all, while empowering at their core people who often are not: those experiencing poverty of spirit or space. Their drop-in programs, advocacy, and outreach are facilitated by a staff of four and run by community members of all backgrounds and ability. All of their programming happens in partnership with local organizations and outside on the street. To register or donate in support of The Dale, please go to: https:// rideforrefuge.org/charity/canadarideforrefugeorgthedale Matthew House’s mission is to restore refugees dignity by providing shelter and support in a welcoming, home-like setting. Matthew House provides emotional and physical support to help residents heal from their journey and establish new lives in Canada. Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon: To register or make a donation, please go to http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/ stwm-charities/matthew-house-toronto/
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Partnering with Families and Singles
Discipleship Ministries
Spring Kids ROOMS IN OUR BASEMENT DROP OFF
Nursery (0 - 18 months) Toddler/Pre-K (19 months - 3 years) JK / SK Grade 1 Grade 2 & 3 Grade 4 & 5 Grade 6-12
Purple Orange Yellow Blue Green Blue Blue Red Youth Lounge
Here is an overview of what we will be talking about on Sundays for Spring Kids.
Jr Curriculum: Listen In this series, children will learn that they can learn to listen to God. When we listen to God, he helps us live the very best way. It doesn’t matter how old we are, we can begin to learn how to listen to God as he whispers “I love you!” “Be still, and know that I am God!” Psalm 46:10
Elementary Curriculum: • God is Provider • God is Lord • Remember and Celebrate
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PICK UP
Spring Youth
September Recap: September was a great start to our year together. We had some new youth join our group and we’re excited to get to know them better as we spend time together. One highlight was our Dave and Busters event where we had unlimited gameplay. It was fun, but we were all pretty tired by the end of it. Here is what's happening this October!
Sunday Morning Worship Gatherings: October 6th- We will have our worship gathering for youth in grades 6-12. Following the children’s blessing, youth will move to the youth lounge to continue in worship. October 20th - Youth Retreat **See next section for more details**- Any youth not on the retreat are encouraged to participate in the upstairs worship gathering. October 27th Sunday Upstairs- Youth are either in the large worship gathering, or serving in other areas in the discipleship ministry. (Please email Jeremy about potential areas to serve)
Youth Life Groups:
Life Groups will begin on October 25th. For more information for “Boys Life Group” email Jeremy (jeremy@springgardenchurch.ca) For more information on “Girls Life Group” email Kaitlyn (Kaitlynrenaa@gmail.com)
Youth Events: October 4th: Food and Games Night!- We will be meeting at the church building to eat some food and play some games. Time: 6:00pm-9:00pm Cost: $5 October 18-20: Fall Youth Retreat 2018- Our annual retreat is coming up very quickly. As space is limited, please reserve your youth’s spot asap. Money is due by October 10th, and can be paid by cash, cheque or E-transfer. More details to come. Cost: $85 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://tinyurl.com/SGCYouth
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a b c d e f g For each h letter, name i the person you think j it is in the k corresponding l photo (who are currently m attending n Spring o Garden). p *Bonus for q extra people in the photos r who are not s currently t attending Spring Garden. u Have Fun! v
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Recommendations
The Resource Centre
Spring Garden’s online library catalog can be accessed at springgardenchurch.ca/library. If you know of books or DVDs that you’d like to recommend to the Resource Centre, please contact Karen Cassel (karen.cassel@bell.net)
Liturgy of the ordinary: sacred practices in everyday life by Tish Harrison Warren
In the overlooked moments and routines of our day, we can become aware of God's presence in surprising ways. How do we embrace the sacred in the ordinary and the ordinary in the sacred? Framed around one ordinary day, this book explores daily life through the lens of liturgy, small practices, and habits that form us. Each chapter looks at something―making the bed, brushing her teeth, losing her keys―that the author does every day. Drawing from the diversity of her life as a campus minister, Anglican priest, friend, wife, and mother, Tish Harrison Warren opens up a practical theology of the everyday. Each activity is related to a spiritual practice as well as an aspect of our Sunday worship. Come and discover the holiness of your every day.
The magnificent journey: living deep in the kingdom
by James Bryan Smith
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"The Magnificent Journey" is intended to serve as a guide map that can help you on your journey as a pilgrim. It is written to enable you to locate pitfalls and snares as well as joys in the journey of Christian life. It seeks to help us understand what it means to live deeply rooted in the kingdom of God and to apply kingdom virtues in our lives. So, this book is written for anyone who desires to mature and go deeper in their relationship with Christ.
Here is a list of books in our Resource Centre that you may wish to read to supplement the theme of the messages this fall. Breaking old rhythms: answering the call of a creative God
Amena Brown
248.4 BRO
Close enough to hear God breathe
Greg Paul
248.4 PAU
Disciplines of the beautiful woman
Anne Ortlund
248 ORT
Daily disciplines for the Christian man: practical steps to an empowered spiritual life
Bob Belz
248.842 BEL
Finding our way again: the return of the Brian McLaren ancient practices
248.4 MCL
Giving church another chance: finding new meaning in the spiritual practices
Todd Hunter
248 HUN
Invitation to solitude and silence: experiencing God’s transforming presence
Ruth Barton
248.47 BAR
Longing for more: daily reflections on finding God in the rhythms of life
Timothy Willard
242.4 WIL
The making of an ordinary saint: my journey from frustration to joy with the Nathan Foster spiritual disciplines Noticing God: in mystical encounters, in the ordinary, in the still small voice, in Richard Peaace community, in creation, and more
248.4 FOS
231.7 PEA
Sensible shoes series
Sharon Garlough Brown
Fiction
The spirit of the disciplines: understanding how God changes lives
Dallas Willard
248.4 WIL
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Directories and What's Happening
More Info
Leadership Directory PASTORAL TEAM
416.223.4593
Greg Kay Co-Lead Pastor
Ext. 224 gregkay@ springgardenchurch.ca
Sam Lee Co-Lead Pastor
Ext. 227 samlee@ springgardenchurch.ca
Jeremy Ranasinghe Children and Youth Pastor
Ext. 223 jeremy@ springgardenchurch.ca
Lily Cheng Community and Missions Pastor (until Oct. 31 2019)
Ext. 226 lilycheng@ springgardenchurch.ca
Dale Forder Office & Communications Administrator
Ext. 221 daleforder@ springgardenchurch.ca
Spring Garden Church
112 Spring Garden Avenue, Toronto ON M2N 3G3 www.springgardenchurch.ca office@springgardenchurch.ca Telephone Fax Prayer Line 31
416.223.4593 416.223.6126 416.223.4038
Sam Chaise Michel Belzile
416.564.5400 mrbelzile@gmail.com
Martin Dewar
416.229.2695 martin.dewar@sgbc.ca
DEACONS
Krysten Cameron Joanne Laing
416.399.0493 krystencameron@hotmail.com 416.617.6582 joannelaing@gmail.com
Shannon Loewen
647.202.0701 shannon.loewen1@gmail.com
Peggy Moore
416.225.2406 peggylouisemoore@gmail.com
Jeff McGee
416.493.2102 jeff.mcgee@sympatico.ca
Monica Kim
604.710.3224 monicakim2000@gmail.com
Garth Barron Darlene Boyd
ELDERS
437.925.2813 sam_chaise@yahoo.com
Anne Barron
416.724.9329 garthbarron@sympatico.ca 416.385.2483 darlene.boyd@gmail.com 416.724.9329 anne.barron020@sympatico.ca
Koon Wah Leung Brad Sider Clem Lee
416.225.7092 koonwleung@gmail.com 647.200.6853 ​bradsider@yahoo.ca 416.508.7355 crazymonkeyfamily@gmail.com
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What’s Happening Weekly SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
Sundays 10am - 11:30am Up until the end of November, we will be working through a series called 'Liturgy of Life: Abiding in the Vine'. Children and Youth go downstairs.
Life in Spring Garden
SUNDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY Sundays 9am - 10am
Starting September 22nd. Held in the meeting room. Everyone is welcome, bring your Bible if you have one.
Communion will Please see page 23. be held on the 1st Sunday of the month.
REFRESH
Wednesdays 10am - 11:30am Friendship, care & spiritual growth for women; child care provided. Please see more on our Events page. Contact Beverly Holtzman @ holtzb@rogers.com
ESL CAFE
Wednesdays 7pm - 8:30pm We meet at Spring Garden Church in the East Lounge. A place to practice your English and meet new friends.
PASTORAL TEAM MEETING Tuesdays 1pm - 3pm
We meet in the meeting room every Tuesday. Please pray for us for wisdom and inspiration.
LUNCH TOGETHER Thursday 12pm - 1pm
Eat and Share some laughs and conversation with others and words of prayer. West Lounge. Text or call Victoria @ 647 444 9320
BIBLE DISCUSSION Thursday 1pm - 2pm
Bible Study that is open to the church and our neighbours. victoriashipmaker@ gmail.com Text or call Victoria @
647 444 9320
You may find more info at springgardenchurch.ca, in the 33 welcome brochure or call us at 416-223-4593.
What’s Happening Upcoming OCT
4
Life in Spring Garden
Neighbourhood Potlucks See page 22.
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SGC has a major meeting and calls our first Pastor into service, 70 years ago!
OCT
Fall Youth Retreat 2019
OCT
18 OCT
27 NOV
1 NOV
11 6
More to come.
From 18th-20th, see page 31.
70th Anniversary Celebration
Join us after worship for cake as we celebrate 70 years.
Faith at the Table
6pm-8pm at Spring Garden. Please see page 21.
Morale Mail
Morale Mail boxes are due. Please see page 22.
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 you 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 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.