September 2021
Quick Calendar WEEKLY Sun
10am Sunday Worship Online & In-Person starting pg 23 September 19, 2021 Spring Kids discipleship after the Children's Blessing pg 23 11:30 Virtual Coffee Time - Online
pg 23 Tue 10am-12pm Pastoral Team Meeting Wed 10am Refresh, Women's Group (In-person Sept. 22) pg 15 pg 23 Thur 8:30pm Evening Prayers - Online
UPCOMING Sept. 8
Policy Training for Discipleship Kids & Youth
pg 13
Sept. 11
YOUTH: Jr High Welcome BBQ
pg 18
Sept. 15
Policy Training for Discipleship Kids & Youth
pg 16
Sept. 19
Fall Launch Kick-Off, Ice Cream and InPerson Worship!
pg 15
Sept. 26
YOUTH: In-House Youth Fun Event
pg 20
October
Church Wide Worship and Life Group Series
pg 16
See more on the last pages or on our Events page at www.springgardenchurch.ca/events.
Delve submissions are due Sept. 22nd. 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 My Sabbatical 3 | Life Together in Life Groups 5 Vocational Missionary Update Clem Lee @ YU 7 Partners in Ministry 12 | About our new series 14
Community Corner Wednesday Refresh 15 Fall Launch Kick-off and Ice Cream! 15 Discipleship Kids & Youth Ministry Policy Training 16 Life Group Information 17
Discipleship Ministries
SGC Kids: (In-Person) Worship Gathering 17 Spring Youth 19 | Youth Events 20
The Resource Centre
New Non Fiction 21 | New Children's Books/Audio 23 New Fiction 24 | New DVDs 25
More Info How to Give 27 Leadership Directory 27-28 Weekly Calendar 29 Design, Cover & Editor: Dale Forder Contributors: Sam Lee Abby Davidson Clem Lee Faith Holwyn Jeremy Ranasinghe Karen Cassel Copy Editors: Greg Kay Karen Cassel
My Sabbatical by Sam Lee
So how was your sabbatical? It is a question that I have been answering and mulling over for the past few weeks. One thing is for sure: I am so thankful to my church family for gifting me the space and time to have this season of sabbath. It was good to be able to change gears and live in a different rhythm for the past four months. It was good to be able to let go of ministry responsibilities, to trust that God is the one leading the church, and to trust that SGC was in good and capable hands. Let me share with you what I did for the last four months. During May and June, I replaced my work hours with school hours. I used my "work hours” to focus on my school work. The first few weeks were very difficult. I was overwhelmed by the task at hand and got stuck a few times, not knowing what to write. In those moments, I would pray, take a step away, and come back later. By the end of the two months, I was able to finish the bulk of my thesis. Thank God! During this time I used my mornings connecting with God. I particularly enjoyed beginning my mornings slowly and deliberately without feeling the need to rush to my work. By the end of June the rest of my family was off for summer vacation. We decided to go to Alberta to visit my mom and to see Banff and Jasper for two weeks. It was a very full two weeks of sightseeing and hiking. The majesty of the mountains in Banff and Jasper were breathtaking. “The mountains are calling and I must go” by John Muir truly resonated with me. The exercise was good for my body, and the act of hiking with my family, breathing in the fresh air, and being one with nature, was a great spiritual experience. I felt closer to God, was awed by His creation, and thoroughly enjoyed exploring all that He has made. It became my thin space. I was reminded of the passage from Psalm 121:1-2: 1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 3
2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Every time I climbed a mountain or saw a beautiful lake, this verse would come to mind and I would feel a sense of peace, knowing that I could trust in the God who is the maker of heaven and the earth. I could lift up my eyes to the mountains and feel His presence. God has given me so much I just need to but slow down and recognize it. One thing I learned about mountaintop experiences is that eventually we have to climb back down. We can’t live in the mountains (well some can) and life is to be lived on flat ground. This doesn’t mean that God is not present in those mountaintop moments. He is. Whether we are up in the mountains or in the valleys, God is with us in all places. He is calling us to journey with Him through the ups and downs of life; this journey is good, hard, exciting, painful, and beautiful. As I have come down from the mountains to live the normal life, I am reminded that the mountains will always be there, beckoning and calling us not to itself but to a God who created such beauty, calling us to Himself. “The mountains are calling us and we must go God.”
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Life Together in Life Groups by Abby Davidson
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 1:24-25 Several years ago I joined a small group at the church I was attending. There were eight of us and we gathered together each week for food, bible study and prayer. It was a bit awkward at first. Our group was made up of my husband and I, two couples with teenage kids (one couple from Canada and the other who had immigrated from Southeast Asia), a retired grandma and a pastoral intern originally from Eastern Europe. I remember our first meeting together where the intern who was very eager, dove right in and asked us all a very personal question. I’m not answering that, I thought and it seemed everyone else was thinking the same as the room remained silent. Despite how uncomfortable that evening was, we went back week after week and slowly got to know the people in our group. Each week one of us would bring dinner. I remember I was so excited to 5
cook my chicken-broccoli-stuffing casserole for everyone. Surely serving stuffing when it wasn’t even thanksgiving would make me everyone’s favourite person. As I was putting my casserole together I realized that I had accidentally bought the boxed stuffing that contains rice. I didn’t have time to back to the store so I threw everything in the oven and (as I usually do when I cook) prayed it would turn out well. We arrived at the house of our hosts and I put the casserole on the table. I was relieved when everyone was digging into their food and expressing how good it tasted. I put my fork to my mouth only to bite down on pieces of raw rice. I wouldn’t say the casserole was ruined, but it was full of interruptions. I looked around the table and started to apologize. But everyone shrugged it off and insisted that it was still an amazing casserole. I don’t remember our bible study topic for that evening, but I remember feeling so loved by this group of people willing to eat my mistake. And yes, they asked me (or maybe they asked Bruce) to cook again. Soon after, the people who hosted us every week asked us to pray for their neighbour whose husband had died suddenly, leaving her a widow and leaving her teenage girls without a father. We prayed week after week for this grieving family. One day, I showed up to our group and the widow (we’ll call her Anna) was there. She had known about God her whole life but was looking for a deeper connection with Him and with a community of believers. She was a fixture in our group from that point on. Our group continued to grow. Four university students who heard they could get a home cooked meal started coming. A couple of others joined and over time our group grew from 8 to 16 people. We had to get creative with the food at that point but we all really enjoyed our time together. One of the men who attended suggested one night that we start the practice of Audacious Prayers (my term, not his). Basically, in addition to the prayer requests we had each week, we would also each share a large request at the beginning of the year and commit to praying for each other. At the time Bruce and I were just learning about our infertility diagnosis and trying to decide how to build our family. I remember not wanting to share with anyone but sitting with our group I felt the nudging of the Holy Spirit and so I blurted out what we were going through. The man taking prayers requests was silent and 6
then let out a “Hhhhhhhuuuuaaaaat?”. I laughed out loud before repeating what I had said. And so the group began to pray for us and for the baby that might one day be ours. Everyone was supportive but especially Anna. She would text me encouraging messages and assure me that God was working for our good. Life continued and we grew closer as a group. We supported each other through job losses and moves, family deaths and illnesses. We found opportunities to serve both in church and outside of church together using our various gifts and resources. Some of us even took trips together (okay, I invited myself on someone’s family trip to Hawaii but that’s a story for another time). When Bruce and I found out that had been chosen to adopt a baby everyone in our group cried and celebrated with us. When Miles was born and we brought him home, our small group showed up. They cooked meals, folded laundry and held this little life that they had all spent 2 years praying for. Our small group had become more than a small group over the course of time that we were together, we had become a beloved community; praying for each other, seeking God’s will together and working through difficult questions of faith together. Small groups, or Life Groups as we call them here at Spring, are a place where we can grow in community. When I look back at my group, they were people that I probably would not have gathered with in any place other than the church. We were all in different life stages, from different backgrounds and didn’t have a lot in common, except the fact that we all loved Jesus and good food. But, as it turns out, loving Jesus and good food are enough of a foundation to connect people from all different walks of life. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said “it is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian [brothers and sisters]”. As disciples of Jesus we are meant to do life together. Life Groups provide a space for community and growth. They are small so that we can get to know each other on a deep level. They meet regularly so that they become part of our rhythm of life. They are safe so that we can ask questions, share prayer requests and be ourselves. Being in a Life Group is not about 7
having another commitment on your calendar, it’s about receiving the grace that God offers us when we gather together and then sharing that grace with others. If you are already in a Life Group then I encourage you to invite someone into your group who could benefit from the love of a gospel-centered community. If you aren’t in a Life Group, then I challenge you to join one in the Fall as we begin our 8-week series on unity in diversity. We have groups meeting at different times on different days of the week (see page 16). If none of them work with your schedule then let me know and we’ll see what we can work out. You can come to my house and we’ll talk about it over a chicken-broccoli-stuffing casserole. I promise I’ll leave out the rice this time.
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VOCATIONAL MISSIONS UPDATE Here at Spring Garden we support several local missionaries. Each month we will be highlighting a different missionary so that you can hear about how they are serving God. This month we hear from Clement Lee. Clem serves as the Jane-Finch Community Director with Youth Unlimited, a faith-based charity investing in the whole life transformation of youth, their families, and their communities. His role is to lead, support and develop staff, volunteers and ministries in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood. You can learn more about YU by visiting the YU website at www.yugta.ca/. Tell us about YU and how long you have served with them. Youth Unlimited Toronto partners with local churches and organizations throughout the GTA in grassroots programming to foster the wholistic transformation of young people and their communities. I started volunteering with Youth Unlimited here in Willowdale in 2011. Jesse James and Rodway Daniels were starting up a YU cycling program in the area and were in need of a bicycle mechanic. This seemed perfect as I was passionate about both youth ministry and fixing bicycles. After volunteering for a year I ended up joining YU as staff. So, I’ve been with YU for 10 years, 9 as staff.
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How did you receive your call to serve as a local missionary? After having gone on a few short term mission trips (Guatemala and Belize) and working at Yonge Street Mission summer camps throughout university, I had a pretty strong desire to be serving in some way. I loved having the opportunity to share God’s love through my vocation. For me, it seems that God has always been opening and closing doors. I’m fortunate to have been presented with different opportunities at the right time. With YU, I had been a stay at home dad for 10 years when this chance to volunteer came up. As I mentioned earlier, this blending of my interests in cycling and youth ministry made it seem like an ideal fit. Being in a volunteer role really gave me a chance to confirm my fit with YU as an organization and to take the step to become a vocational missionary with them. Is there a book/person/resource that helped prepare you for service? I feel that the culmination of my past experiences, successes and failures have brought me to where I am today. The reality is there’s much I don’t know and much I can still learn. I’m fortunate to have had a lot of great leaders at YU as role models and examples for my current role. A recent read of mine was “A Dream Too Big” by Caylin Louis Moore. This book has helped to give me more perspective on the challenges our brothers and sisters face growing up in marginalized neighborhoods. Tell us about the community you serve in. Jane Finch is a diverse community in the north west part of the city. It is a very ethnically diverse, multicultural neighborhood that has a high population density. There is a higher than average youth population in the area (in comparison to the rest of the city) as well as a greater number of single parent households. Our team sees Jane and Finch as a place full of hope and potential. What does your ministry look like during a pandemic? Really different! Prior to the pandemic, a large part of our programming involved indoor sports and gatherings. As that was not an option, our team had to pivot and creatively come up with new ways to engage with youth in the community. Our afterschool kids 10
club went from meeting at a local church once a week to meeting over Zoom. Instead of indoor soccer and basketball, some of our sports outreaches switched to outdoor boxing drills and ice skating. For the most part, less was more. Numerically, we were connected with fewer kids, but we were able to be more focused and intentional with the youth with whom we were interacting. What do you enjoy about the community you serve in? I was drawn to the staff team serving here. The heart my team has for this community goes really deep. I love being able to support them and help them flourish in transforming this community. The media often paints Jane and Finch in a negative light. This is a vibrant, beautiful community. How have you seen God moving?/What have you learned about God this year? In a year full of uncertainty, God has been the great provider. We’ve had a new person join the team as an associate director, increasing our capacity, especially in regards to volunteers. God’s also taken care of our team's finances. In a year where we weren’t sure how some of our financial needs would work out, God has brought along faithful ministry partners at the right time. What are some ways we can support you as your church family? Prayer is always appreciated. Our team really sees Jane and Finch as an area with a lot of spiritual warfare going on. There always seems to be something trying to throw our team off track; so prayers for protection, for health, and for our families would all be appreciated.
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Partners in Ministry by Abby Davidson
“I will make you a light to the nations so you can bring my deliverance to the ends of the earth.” -Isaiah 49:6b Over the past few months you’ve been hearing from our local missionaries who serve in different capacities in our city. in addition to the local missionaries we support as a church, Spring Garden partners with different local organizations who are reaching out with God’s love. Below you can get acquainted with these organizations and read a brief description of how they are reaching out to show God’s care and share God’s story. If you would like more information on how to support them, please visit their websites or get in touch with Abby.
Canadian Baptist Ministries Groups of Hope
Our Baptist Mission partner, CBM, has been facilitating Groups of Hope for pastors and leaders in the regions they serve including Bolivia, Cuba and Costa Rica . This 8-week program encourages groups of 10-12 participants to begin to trust each other and to rediscover the reality of God walking with us through difficult times. Groups of Hope was developed by Faith Holwyn and has helped women and men find healing and transformation through the truth of the gospel. How to support them:
To support this program visit www.cbmin.org/donate/ and indicate that you want to support “Groups of Hope”.
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Christie Refugee Welcome Centre
CRWC provides emergency shelter and a warm welcome for refugee families from all ethnic, racial or religious backgrounds. Approximately 300 homeless refugee claimants from war-torn countries world-wide arrive at the Centre each year. CRWC offers them care, support, and the assistance that they need to pursue their refugee claim and to reconstruct and begin their new lives in Canada. Sam Chaise is the Executive Director of CRWC. How to support them: You can support the ministry of CRWC by visiting their website www.christiestreetrc.com. If you are looking for a more active means of support, Sam Chaise will be captain of a Spring Garden Team in RIDE FOR REFUGE 2021. To join the SGC team, Register on the Ride for Refuge site or sign up here.
Matthew House Toronto
Matthew House takes their name from Matthew 25:35 – For I was a stranger and you welcomed me. They have been welcoming refugees for over 20 years. Their primary goal is to restore refugees’ dignity by providing shelter and support in a welcoming, home-like setting, helping them heal from their journeys and establish new lives in Canada. They provide practical assistance and offer a deep sense of belonging to those who have lost so much and yet have the potential to ultimately enrich the city of Toronto greatly. How to support them: Matthew House takes in-kind and monetary donations. They will also be participating in the Scotiabank Toronto Charity 13
Marathon on October 17th. To learn how you can participate visit www.matthewhouse.ca and click on the events tab.
The Dale Ministries
The Dale creates a safe welcoming space in which all people, particularly the vulnerable and broken, are encouraged to participate fully, to the best of their abilities and journey together toward a deeper experience of the life God has given us. They seek to empower those who are experiencing poverty of spirit or space. The Dale is a community and church without walls and everything they do takes place in partnership with others. The Dale is also part of our CBOQ family of churches. How to support them: Visit www.thedale.org to learn how you can be involved with their community.
September Series (September 12, 19, 26)
What Remains: Faith, Hope, Love This fall will be a new season in so many ways, and we want to enter this season by celebrating and holding fast to what will remain even when all else fades away: Faith, Hope and Love. 14
Life in and around Spring Garden
Community Corner
Wednesday Refresh
Friendship, Care & Spiritual Growth for Women Hard to believe that summer is winding down and we are almost into September. REFRESH is starting up towards the end of the month - the 22nd with in person meeting in the upstairs lounge. We will follow the church and Public Health guidelines and hope that as the fall progresses we will be able to continue to meet on Wednesday mornings from 10:00-11:30. The format will be: a short time to connect and catchup with each other, then 1/2 hour of Bible Study as we explore God’s promises for our changing times. We then have 1/2 hour to share and pray for each other. We will not be providing childcare, however, we are not bothered by little voices in the room if mom’s want to bring a baby or toddler. Come and join us if you are lonely, or if you are feeling the need to connect personally with other women. Our experience tells us the hour and a half goes by quickly and the benefits are deeply felt and far reaching in our lives.
Fall Launch Kick-Off, Ice Cream and I.Person Worship! September 19, 2021
Sept. 19th will be our first Sunday with the doors open! We are welcoming people into the building to join us for worship and for children and youth ministry. For information on how to register to come for on-site worship as well as children and youth ministry go to sgcworship.eventbrite.ca. To celebrate, we will have an ice cream truck on site! Please come and join us from 11:45-12:30 for ice cream, even if you are not joining us inside for worship or Children/Youth discipleship.
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Join the team of volunteers that run the slides, cameras and sound! No experience needed. Please email: daleforder@springgardenchurch.ca
Discipleship Kids & Youth Ministry Policy Training September 8 & 15, 2021
Our Discipleship Kids and Youth ministry will be having policy training on September 8th and 15th from 7:00pm-8:00pm. This is for anyone wanting to serve with either our children’s or youth ministry. If anyone is interested, they can email Jeremy@springgardenchurch.ca.
Life Groups Info
Life Groups are a place where we do life together in a community centered around the gospel. They are designed for you to pursue spiritual growth, community and mission together. We offer Life Groups so everyone can have a place to belong. Life Groups are small gatherings of people who form a community. Group members share life together through friendship, learn from the Bible and other resources, pray for and give support to one another, and participate in God’s mission together. They are safe places where you can meet new people, discover your gifts for service, grow as a follower of Jesus, and have a lot of fun together. Groups gather in homes or online throughout the week. Each group is as unique as the people in it. No matter where you are in life, there is a Life Group for you.
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUEDAY
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
Kevin & Suzanna Sunday afternoons, Every other week At 112 Spring Garden Ave.
Anne & Garth Monday evenings Weekly ONLINE
Jen Tuesday evenings, Weekly Avenue/ Eglinton
Jeff & Phylllis Wednesday evenings Weekly ONLINE
Scott & Kate Sunday evenings Every other week ONLINE
David Webb Thursday evenings Weekly ONLINE
This October we will be doing a series on unity and diversity. If you are interested in joining a Life Group for this 8 week series, please sign up by visiting the link below. https://forms.gle/TkdeZd5REKbRZp1k9 16
Partnering with Families
Discipleship Ministries
SGC Kids: (In-Person) Worship Gathering As we transition into the fall and begin a new Ministry Year, we are incredibly excited that we will be having In-Person Worship Gatherings and teaching for the children who are part of our church. As we prepare for this shift back into in-person worship, we will also be moving away from Sunday online ministry and will not be providing worship for our kids through Zoom, starting September 19th, 2021. To help keep everyone safe from the spreading of Covid-19 and other variants, we will be registering families in accordance with the policies and guidelines that our church has established. If you would like to register your family for Sunday worship, you can do so through the following link: http://sgcworship.eventbrite.ca Structure and Flow: We have modified our structure to help with our numbers, as well as to ensure safety regarding covid. This year, we have the following groups for our kids: Nursery -Pre-K (0-3 Years) - Orange Door Room JK/SK - Grade 2 (4-7 years) - Children’s Theatre Grade 3-5 (8-10 Year) - Hallway Next To Youth Lounge Following the Children’s blessing, parents/caregivers can escort children in their care into the basement of the building from the Northwest entrance facing the parking lot.
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In the basement, we have marked out two paths to help regulate the flow of traffic and help ensure 6ft of distance while checking kids into their areas. We encourage families with children in multiple areas to first sign-in older children and follow the path for additional drop-offs. The flow of movement allows all of our parents/caregivers to exit through the same door after finishing the dropping off of children. After our announcements in the adult worship, we encourage you to follow the same procedure for picking up. **Please be aware that while we are operating under covid guidelines and restrictions, parents/caregivers are responsible for signing in and signing out children in their care** Additional Information: • All SGC Kid’s volunteers are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 • All of our kids will be asked to remain masked while together inside • Unlike previous years, our children’s ministry will not be providing snacks. • We are using a new curriculum this year and excited for what we’ll be talking about! Here is what we will be talking about on Sundays! Lesson Date Sept 19 Sept 26
THE BIG IDEA We can spend time with God People can help our faith grow
Scripture Focus Memory Verse Luke 10:38-42; Psalm 119:105 Colossians 4:2. Mark 2:1-12; Psalm 119:105 Galatians 6:2.
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Spring Youth Sunday Morning Worship Gatherings: September 19th, 26th- We will be having regular worship gatherings for youth in grades 6-12. Following the children’s blessing, youth will move to the youth lounge to continue in worship. Due to limited space, youth will need to register their spot through http://sgcworship.eventbrite.ca
Life Groups: Our youth life groups will begin meeting in October, and we are excited to provide 3 areas for our youth to meet in person, Jr High Girls (Grades 6-8), Sr High Girls (Grades 9-12), and the Guys Life Group (Grades 6-12). This year the 3 main contacts for those groups are: Jr High Girls: Brittni - brittni@sgbc.ca Sr High Girls: Kaitlyn - Kaitlyn.ranasinghe@sgbc.ca Guys Life Group: Jeremy - Jeremy@springgardenchurch.ca
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Youth Events September 11th: Jr High Welcome BBQ - We are hosting an inperson BBQ to welcome all the new Grade 6 youth joining us. This BBQ is also for any of our current Jr High Youth (Grades 6-8) Time: 11:00am - 2:00pm September 24th: - We are planning a fun in house event in our building. We’ll be playing some big games including a group favourite, Gotcha! Time: 6:00pm-9:00pm Cost: $5 - Includes food
Staying Updated: To stay up to date on what is happening for your youth, please visit our google calendar which has all our planned events. http://tiny.cc/YouthCal
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Recommendations
The Resource Centre
New Non Fiction Helping without hurting in church benevolence, by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert Jesus was generous, but he was also wise. When the blind beggar asked him for mercy, Jesus gave sight, not money; He knew what the beggar truly needed. The church desires to be like her Savior and give the poor lasting relief. But the issues of poverty are so complex that we often don't know what to do. Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert understand this well, and have written a tool to address this exact dilemma. Helping Without Hurting in Church Benevolence is a guidebook for walking with someone who approaches your church for financial assistance
Broken signposts: how Christianity makes sense of the world, by N.T. Wright N. T. Wright argues that every world view must explain seven “signposts”, indicators inherent to humanity: justice, spirituality, relationships, beauty, freedom, truth, and power. If we do not live up to these ideals, our societies and individual lives become unbalanced, creating anger and frustration - negative emotions that divide us from ourselves and from God, he contends. Using the Gospel of John as his source, Wright shows how Christianity defines each signpost and illuminates why we so often see them as being "broken" and unattainable. Drawing on the wisdom of the Gospels, Wright explains why these signposts are fractured and damaged and how Christianity provides the vision, guidance, and hope for making them whole once again, ultimately healing ourselves and our world.
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Waiting for God: trusting daily in God’s plan and pace, by Xochitl Dixon When painful or desperate circumstances seem overwhelming, our hope can fade. Shifting our focus onto God's loving and constant presence can ease our burdens and doubts and allow us to rest in Him. Through her daily struggles with chronic pain, the author realistically shares what she has learned while waiting for relief. Reclaim your peace and joy through biblical truth and Scripture-based prayer, confident that God has not forgotten you.
Everywhere you look: discovering the church right where you are, by Tim Soerens What's the point of the church anyway? The emerging generation is opting out of the church in large numbers. They're embarrassed at how the church is portrayed in the media and dismayed at what appears to be their options for participation. Is church really necessary anymore in our day? Is it even possible? Tim Soerens sees this unsettled state of affairs as an extraordinary opportunity: the church, he says, is on the edge of a new possibility at the very moment so much of it feels like it's falling apart. In his extensive travels in all kinds of neighborhoods, Soerens has seen the beginnings of this movement firsthand. In Everywhere You Look, he lays out practical, actionable steps for building collaborative communities in any neighborhood. Here is a vision of the church grounded in a grassroots movement of ordinary people living out what it means to be the church in their everyday lives.
Faith after doubt: why your beliefs stopped working and what to do about it, by Brian McLaren Faith After Doubt is for the millions of people around the world who feel that their faith is falling apart. Using his own story and the stories of a diverse group of struggling believers, Brian D. McLaren, a former pastor and now an author, speaker, and activist shows how old assumptions are being challenged in nearly every
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area of human life, not just theology and spirituality. He proposes a four-stage model of faith development in which questions and doubt are not the enemy of faith, but rather a portal to a more mature and fruitful kind of faith. The four stages―Simplicity, Complexity, Perplexity, and Harmony―offer a path forward that can help sincere and thoughtful people leave behind unnecessary baggage and intensify their commitment to what matters most.
New Children’s Books/Audio
Kindness is my superpower : a children’s book about empathy, kindness and compassion, by Alicia Ortego This charming story with peaceful rhymes and colorful illustrations will explain to your child that it is okay to make a mistake and say I’m sorry. Lucas will teach your child good manners and positive behaviour at home, at school, in the store, and on the playground. With the perfect examples, this book offers, your child will have more understanding for others, accept diversity, thrive in a multicultural and inclusive environment, and show more empathy. Throughout the story, little superhero Lucas will learn what kindness means and understand what it is like to be kind, sensitive, caring, and generous
David and his giant battle. Dramatized read along story of CD with 10 sing along songs Watching over sheep isn’t a very exciting job, so David’s life is simple and quiet. At least most of the time. But when a ferocious lion tries to attack, David jumps into action without fear. And when a mean giant threatens his nation’s army, David knows exactly what he must do.
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New Fiction Chasing shadows, by Lynn Austin Lena de Vries lives on her Dutch farm with her husband, Pieter, and their children. Her eldest, Ans, longs for something more and gets a job in Leiden, where she meets Miriam Jacobs, who relocated there from Westerbork, a Jewish refugee camp. Ans is not worried about the threat of Hitler because the Netherlands are neutral, until 1939, when the Nazis invade and throw the three women's lives into dangerous turmoil. Ans starts working for the Resistance, though she must keep it from her boyfriend, a cop who wants to lay low until the war is over. Soon Lena is driven by her Christian faith to hide Jews and deserters on the farm, while Ans ferries information, avoiding Nazi patrols. Miriam must hide separately from her husband and infant in order to survive. Their stories intertwine throughout the war, revealing a less-told history of WWII to historical fiction readers.
A woman of words, by Angela Hunt (Jerusalem Road Bk.3) Disciple Matthew, a former tax collector, is invited to work with Peter, James, and John in Jerusalem. He dreams of preaching and performing miracles like his fellow apostles, but he finds his dreams postponed because of a request from Yeshua's mother. Well aware of the passing years, Mary asks Matthew to help her record the stories of Yeshua while the eyewitnesses are still alive. Reluctantly, he agrees, though the longer he and Mary work together, the more difficult their task becomes. Not only are they pressured by opposition from friends and foes alike, but Gaius Caesar, better known as Caligula, is determined to raise a statue of himself in the Holy Temple, even if it means killing every man in Israel. As Matthew works to save his people, Mary encourages him to come to terms with issues from his past. When they finally near the completion of their project, Matthew realizes that the job he reluctantly accepted might be his God-given destiny 24
New DVDs Breakthrough Based on the miraculous true story of John Smith, the then 14-year-old boy who fell through an ice-covered lake and remained submerged for 20 minutes. ER doctors were ready to give up hope---but not his mother, Joyce! She cried out to God in prayer, and John's heart began beating again, to the astonishment of those present. Trailer: https://youtu.be/ go1jaIRQc-o Faith under fire After an exhausting night of saving a little girl from a raging house fire, Fireman Tom Hatcher is at the end of his rope. He couldn't save his wife from cancer – and worse yet – his six-year-old daughter, Tiffany, is now facing the same possible fate. When he finds himself in a cold jail cell after punching a pastor out of frustration with a seemingly absent God, Tom begins to reflect on his downward spiral into despair. But with the help and persistent friendship of the very man he attacked, Tom is challenged to face his grief and embrace faith in the darkest hour of his life. Trailer: https://youtu.be/1SzM7uvOXW4
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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. 226
Abby Davidson Pastor of Missional Discipleship
abbydavidson@ springgardenchurch.ca Ext. 221
Dale Forder Office & Communications Administrator
daleforder@ springgardenchurch.ca
Spring Garden Church
112 Spring Garden Avenue, Toronto ON M2N 3G3 www.springgardenchurch.ca office@springgardenchurch.ca Prayer Line
Tel 416.223.4593 Fax 416.223.6126 416.223.4038
Giving is one of the ways in which we can
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respond to a generous God. We give because it is a part of our discipleship and an act of worship. Please give as you feel led. For more information please go to our website at: https://www.springgardenchurch.ca/giving.
DEACONS Krysten Cameron
416.399.0493 krystencameron@hotmail.com
Ben Reynolds bereynolds@gmail.com Darlene Boyd
647.223.2483 darlene.boyd@gmail.com
Martin Dewar
416.229.2695 martin.dewar@sgbc.ca
Debbie Tempelmeyer Scott Moore Jeff McGee
905-301-2323 tempelmeyerdeb@gmail.com 647-227-5465 scottgmoore@mac.com 416.493.2102 jeff.mcgee@sympatico.ca
Cheryl Chapman cheryl.chapman@live.ca
ELDERS Anne Barron Gonzalo Librado
416.724.9329 anne.barron020@sympatico.ca 416.435.9691 gonzlibrado@gmail.com
Margaret Sutton margaretsutton242@gmail.com Koon Wah Leung Clem Lee
416.225.7092 koonwleung@gmail.com 416.508.7355 crazymonkeyfamily@gmail.com
Myrna Frost
416.225.4986 mfrost2254986@rogers.com 28
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 abbydavidson@ springardenchurch.ca for more information or to join one.
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
y
Sunda
10am
Join us Sunday mornings as we go through a series called 'What Remains: Faith, Hope, Love' starting on the 12th. Join us in-person by signing up at: http://sgcworship.eventbrite. ca/. Streamed at: www.springgardenchurch.ca
VIRTUAL COFFEE TIME
11:30am
Join us for our virtual coffee time after our online Worship Gathering. Get some coffee and snacks and log on to our Zoom meeting where you can talk with other Spring Gardeners. Email office@springgardenchurch.ca for the log in info.
ay Tuesd ay d s e n
Wed
y
da s r u Th
PASTORAL TEAM MEETING
10am - 12pm
We are meeting on Tuesday. Please pray for us for wisdom and inspiration.
REFRESH 10am - 11:30am Friendship, care & spiritual growth for women. Start meeting on September 22nd. See page 15.
EVENING PRAYER
You are invited to a virtual time of liturgical prayer. Please see here.
SGC COMMUNITY - Facebook
8:30pm
A group to encourage each other, share resources, connect, etc. Find us through groups in Facebook.
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What’s Happening Life in Spring Garden
Upcoming Sept.
Sept.
8
15
Sept.
11 Sept.
19
111
Sept.
24 Oct
Policy Training for Discipleship Kids & Youth 7pm. See more on page 16.
YOUTH: Jr High Welcome BBQ 11am-2pm. See more on page 20.
Fall Launch Kick-Off and Ice Cream! 10am. See more on page 15.
YOUTH: In-House Youth Fun Event 6pm-9pm. See more on page 20.
Church Wide Worship and Life Group Series See more on page 16 (bottom right in bold).
If you would like to receive a weekly e-mail update on what’s happening in Spring Garden, please visit the SGC website (www.springgardenchurch.ca) and add your email address on our home page to subscribe to our weekly e-mail. Also keep your eye on our Events page at: www.springgardenchurch.ca/events.
SEE OUR EVENTS PAGE FOR MORE INFO ON ANY OF THESE EVENTS. springgardenchurch.ca/events 30
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.