Delve September 2014

Delve An

Of

Intersection

Faith

And Life

September 2014

1

Features Sunday Worship Series Discipleship Ministries Baptized into the Body of Christ Billy Graham Association Meet our Vocational Missionaries Responding to Ebola

3 6 8 10 13 18

Departments Resource Centre

20

Information Contact Information Community Corner Calendar

25 26 27

Cover photograhy by Jay McIntyre Contributors: Karen Cassel Becki Lee Theo Spears Tim and Colleen Stevens Gene Tempelmeyer Copy Editors: Greg kay Gene Tempelmeyer

2

Sunday Morning Worship Series: Surprising Hope and the Book of Revelation

Ebola. Iraq. Gaza. Syria. Ukraine. It feels like nothing could surprise us anymore. Except, possibly, hope.

What is our hope? That one day soon God will snatch us away from planet earth with all its pain and suffering so we can spend forever in heaven with Him? Or hope that one day – perhaps it has already even begun – God will come and heal His creation?

Heaven. Where is it? What is it? What does the Bible actually teach will happen to us when we die? A long sleep? Harp lessons? I know it’s not up in the clouds, but where is heaven? How far away?

These are questions we will be exploring together this fall. These are not merely theoretical theological musings – how we answer these questions will determine how we live in this world.

From Sunday, Sept. 21, until Sunday, Nov. 2, Gene will be speaking about the fascinating last book of the Bible: Revelation. In the meantime our Life Groups (the small group ministry at Spring Garden) will be working through a 3

six-session study based on N.T. Wright’s book, “Surprised by Hope.” In six 15 minute DVD presentations N.T. Wright will help us understand the cluster of issues around the future, resurrection, heaven, the kingdom of God and how these matters inform the church in the world.

While Gene’s explanation of Revelation does not come from Wright’s book, the themes of Revelation move in harmony with it. We will see the interplay between earth and a spiritual world that overlap each more often than we might imagine.

One of our congregational values states: 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.

It is going to be an inspiring and fun time as we support and encourage each other figuring this stuff out!

Small Group participant guides for the “Surprised by Hope” study are available in the lounge for a suggested donation of $10. If you would like a copy of the original book we also have those available at a discounted price of $30 each.

What you need to know about a Pot-Luck lunch after worship on September 14…

• This is for everyone of every age in the church family! The 4

lunch is hosted by our Life Group Leadership Team, but you do not need to be involved in a life group or even want to be involved in a life group to participate.

• The Life Group Team will be providing drinks. We need you to bring enough of something to eat – enough to feed your family and two or three others. We’ll put all the food on a central table and share.

• We love food from all over the world! Please, please don’t restrict yourself to “Canadian food.”

• We will not be serving coffee in the lounge on this date. If you are here early enough you may take your food to the downstairs kitchen. Otherwise (due to safety policy in our Children’s Ministry area) you may leave it on the large bar in the lounge and bring it down after worship.

• We need lots of help – sign up sheets are in the lounge.

• There will be two very brief presentations about the “Surprised by Hope” study and how we connect with one another as a church family.

• If you wish to join a group you will have an opportunity to connect with group leaders to discover which group is the best fit for you.

• While this is not found in either NT Wright’s book or the Book of Revelation, our pastor is persuaded that meals in heaven will be mostly pot-luck. So this is your chance to experience a taste of heaven in advance!

5

Discipleship Ministry News and Dates…

• Sam Lee joins our team as Pastor of Discipleship Ministries on September 15! We are looking forward to having Sam, his wife, Jin, and their three kids as part of our church family. Please keep them in your prayers as they make the transition into a new church and ministry.

• This year we have specialized curricula for the grade 5/6 and a newly added Junior High class. We searched high and low to find something engaging and helpful to urban kids at this inbetween age.

• “Jumping for Joy”, Sept. 7 – We kick off the new school year with a fun-filled activity day. We want to encourage kids to bring a friend.

• We are using the “Tru” curriculum for the preschool/ elementary groups. This is an experience based teaching resource to help kids have practical, hands on experiences being disciples of Jesus. Our goal is not, for example, so much to teach kids about people who prayed as it is to help kids learn how to pray alone and in groups.

• We believe the most important Children’s Ministry happens at home, so we are providing resources for spiritual parenting to accompany what kids learn here.

This will include weekly activities for home, a monthly magazine and an app for your smart phone that will keep 6

you up to date with what your child is learning and doing.

• Training for Pre-School and Elementary teachers and leaders will happen on Thursday, September 11. We’ll meet in the youth lounge at 7:30 pm and tell you almost everything you need to know and who to call for everything else.

• An important aspect of caring for kids is making sure they stay safe. We want to protect from physical, emotional or spiritual harm. One way we insure that children are in a safe environment at Spring Garden is the requirement that every volunteer have a police background check on file with us. Another is safety training for each worker. The required safety training will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 24 in the multipurpose room and Monday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 pm in the youth lounge. You don’t have to come twice, just choose which session works best for you. We are happy to provide anyone with a copy of our “Plan to Protect”.

• We need every family to register with us each year.

Registration forms are available in the lounge. If you need any help please ask someone to point you toward Joanna James or Debbie Tempelmeyer.

• We are hugely grateful for the Launch Team that has been hard at work preparing for the coming school year so everything is in place when Sam arrives on the scene.

The Launch Team consists of Koon Leung, Joanna James, Debbie Tempelmeyer, Victoria Shipmaker, Martin Dewar and Heather Prinsloo.

• We are planning to launch Wednesday night Youth Group on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

7

Baptized the Body

of

into

Christ!

We celebrate with two lively young followers of Jesus as they are baptized this month. Patricia Tsolis and Theo Spears will retell the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and their own story of His forgiveness and new life as they are immersed during our Worship Gathering on Sunday, September 14.

Patricia is a student at L’Amoreaux Collegiate Institute. A couple of years ago she asked one of her high school friends if she could come to Youth Group with him. That was Patricia’s introduction to Spring Garden. Over time she has become friends with other students here and has found that what she is learning about God’s grace has helped her form a more constructive image of herself in Christ.

Patricia’s plans after high school: TBA. 8

You have probably already met Theo as he helps his dad, George, greet at the parking lot entrance. Or perhaps he has served communion to you. As he thought about the picture of resurrection enacted by baptism Theo wrote this reflection on Easter: When you think of Easter you may think yes chocolate bunnies coloured eggs and of course a 3 day weekend for the kids. But to me Easter means a lot more than chocolate, coloured eggs and that good old 3 day weekend. To me Easter means the resurrection of the lord Jesus Christ who lived and died for my sins. When I think about Easter I also think of the song “The Altar/The Hammer/Feel the Nails” by Ray Boltz to quote the song : “ I was in the crowd the day that Jesus died and when he fell with the cross his mother cried, I saw the crown of thrones he wore the blood on his back. Does he still feel those nails every time I fail does he hear the crowd cry crucify again and again do I know I am causing him pain then I know I have to change cause I bear the hurt of hurting him, for he is holy, holy, holy is the lord, holy, holy, holy is the lord.” In years ahead and down the road Easter will come and go the true meaning of still stands. That what Easter means to me.

We are blessed by Patricia and Theo as they become part of our family and we bless them as they are baptized this month!

9

Billy Graham Association Board Member and the Festival of Hope

In business life Geoff Moore works with all types and sizes of shopping centres, bringing the right stores together in the right location. Geoff’s business expertise has become useful to a number of Christian organizations. Since 1994 he has been on the Board of Tyndale University and Seminary focusing his energies on resource planning.

In 1995 Billy Graham was coming to Toronto for a crusade at the Skydome. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association was looking for someone from Ontario to take a place on the Canadian Board. Geoff agreed to fill that role.

A short time later the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, a world relief agency led by Billy’s son, Franklin, merged into one organization.

Geoff assisted with the development of a new property that is now used, among other things, to house Operation Christmas Child which has in the last twenty years or so sent over 100 million shoeboxes filled with school supplies to children around the world.

Geoff says he has met both Billy and Franklin Graham on a number of occasions, finding both men inspiring in their own way. Billy Graham is, “Soft-spoken, a very caring man who is 100% committed to the gospel,” a gentleman in the truest sense of the word.

The passion for the Gospel has been passed on to Franklin and to Will, Franklin’s son who seems likely to carry the Graham flame into the next generation.

That passion has created a few problems for Franklin.

“Sometimes people are uncomfortable and even offended with his boldness,” Geoff acknowledges.

When reminded of some of Franklin’s more controversial political and social stances Geoff replies, “I 10

respect what he says. But that is not to say that I agree with all of it.” Geoff goes on to add that he does not expect any of these issues to be on Franklin Graham’s mind as he prepares for the upcoming Festival of Hope in Toronto.

“Franklin will Geoff Moore at his local Tim Horton’s be very well briefed” about Toronto and ways such an event needs to be different here from one in the United States.

Geoff also observes that the core of Samaritan’s Purse seldom makes the news. One of the doctors recently airlifted from Africa after being infected by patients bearing the Ebola virus works for Samaritan’s Purse, for example. Last year Samaritan’s Purse carried on relief and development projects in El Salvador, Niger, Sudan, the Philippines, Senegal, Kenya and Haiti – just to name a few.

As Geoff points out, “These projects are very consistent with our values.”

The Festival of Hope will be taking place at the Air Canada Centre September 12-14 with events providing something for every generation. Geoff is enthused. “So many people who don’t know the Gospel will learn about the saving grace of the Lord.” Canada is one many nations to host a Festival of Hope, “And there are always people who come to the Lord.”

11

12

Meet Our Vocational Missionaries: Becki Lee, Athletes In Action I have some exciting updates in my life and ministry with Athletes in Action that I want to share with our Spring Garden community. After ministering to university athletes at the University of Alberta for the last six years, I am once again moving on. This past January, my Athletes in Action leadership asked me to prayerfully consider relocating to Saskatoon in order to form a new staff team at the University of Saskatchewan. Our vision for Athletes in Action Canada is to have a spiritual multiplier (someone who makes disciples who make disciples) on every team and in every sporting community in Canada. In order to contribute to this vision, I feel that God is indeed calling me to move to Saskatoon. I made this move at the end of August and would appreciate prayers for this emotional time of transition. God has been clear in his calling, and I am choosing to step out in faith and start over again in a new city.

The Lord continues to provide for me in many ways, including financially. As Spring Garden revamps the mission budget and changes focus and priorities, I am happy to report the Lord is providing for me through other sources. An amazing story about this is when the Spring Garden budget in March changed and my support was reduced, the Lord provided for that deficit within the month through two unexpected ways. One was through friend who was able to give monthly to a higher level than she originally anticipated, a friend who was actually 13

aid.com

utions online

Weʼre coming to a city near you to start a compelling series of conversations about spiritual formation and family ministry. Youʼll hear from ministry leaders all over the world as we explore these questions:

Kansas City, KS

Hamilton, Ontario Canada Richmond Hill, Ontario Canada Fresno, CA

Winnipeg Canada Tulsa, OK

9/25/2014 9/27/2014 10/7/2014 10/9/2014

If youʼre a senior pastor, childrenʼs & family ministry leader, youth pastor, or

10/16/2014

see more clearly what God envisions for family.

Atlanta, GA

10/10/2014 a volunteer, we invite you to join other 10/14/2014 like-minded leaders in our pursuit to

Denver, CO

10/23/2014

Clinton, NJ

Orange County, CA San Diego, CA

11/5/2014 TBD

Seattle, WA

11/17/2014

Milwaukee, WI

1/15/2015

Portland, OR

Detroit, MI

Dallas, TX

Omaha, NE

Twin Cities,MN

12/4/2014

1/15/2015 1/29/2015

1/29/2015 2/5/2015

Greensboro, NC

2/10/2015

Central Coast, CA

2/26/2015

Calgary, Canada

3/11/2015

Chicago, IL

Bay Area, CA

Jacksonville, FL

Edmonton, Canada

Vancouver, Canada

14

9/16/2014

What direction is the global church headed in family ministry?

What are Godʼs intentions for families versus what the world offers?

What does creating spiritually healthy environments in our churches and homes look like?

2/12/015 3/3/2015

9:00 Welcome and Refreshments 9:15 God is on the Move through Family Ministry in the Global Church 10:00 Families Compelled by the “Abundant Life” 10:45 Creating Spiritually Healthy Environments in Our Churches and Homes 11:00 Clinging to the Source of our Strength 11:45 Lunch Provided 12:30 & 1:30 Practical Ministry Breakouts

3/12/2015 General Admission : $30.00 US Group Discount: $25.00 US

3/12/2015 (more than 5) 3/17/2015

VIDEO CONFERENCE General Admission : $20.00 US Group Discount: $15.00 US (more than 5)

We will be taking a group from Spring Garden. If you need help with the registration fee, let us know. In Hamilton, Sept. 25. In Richmond Hill, Sept. 27.

introduced to me by a friend from Spring Garden. The second is from a gentleman that I met on a plane traveling to attend my grandmother’s funeral. Although I knew the Lord would provide the funds that were no longer coming from Spring Garden, I am amazed how quickly and effortlessly I was able to recoup that financial support. God is so good!

Thank you so much to the Spring Garden church family for all of the ways you have supported me and my ministry with Athletes in Action. I really appreciate it!

Meet Our Vocational Missionaries - The Stevens Family: Serving the World that has come to us!

We continue to serve and host international students with I.S.M.C., International Student Ministries Canada, leading events, trips, and ESL classes around the GTA. Based in Three Hills, AB, I.S.M.C, is excited that God has recently brought us a dynamic young National Director, Dr. Yaw Perbi, from Ghana, Africa to Montreal, Canada. His focus is raising young leaders to reach their own nations and people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

God is bringing these students, often the- cream- of -thecrop, from many countries, including China, Japan, South

Â

15

Korea, Saudi Arabia,

Eastern Europe, Turkey, Iran, India, East-Asia, and South and Central America. They study in Universities, Colleges, and ESL schools. This coming year, our government plans to double the number of international students (half of whom are in the GTA and Southern Ontario), from 100,000 this year to well over 200, 000. We have our work cut out for us!

Let us introduce you to our family!

Colleen: Willowdale Neighbourhood missionary, international students’ host Mom, and busy mom of two boys, Christopher 10, and Andrew, 8. This past year was a monumental one for Colleen, completing Teachers College at Tyndale University here in Toronto, and embarking (this past summer) on a teaching career, working a few weeks in a Montessori school, and applying to various GTA school-boards. She enjoyed an exciting summer of family camping, hosting international student World Cup BBQ’s, helping new neighbours from China.

Christopher - 10 Years-Old, and entering grade 6 in a new school, Cummer Valley Middle School. Christopher enjoyed making friends this past year from many countries, including Chu from Japan, son of a Japanese diplomat, Arton, a Persian friend and ice-hockey buddy, Nathan, an Inuit Canadian classmate. Being part of a kids club all year, his skills and hobbies include, robot-making, fishing, bike-riding, tennis, survival techniques and paleontology (fossil hunting). Scientist, fisherman, actor, and comedian, Christopher particularly enjoys Spring Garden Church, 16

worship and Sunday School, and the Willowdale neighbourhood and all it offers.

Andrew- 8 Years-Old, and entering grade 3 at Mckee Public School, Andrew’s friends and classmates are international, coming from India, Arabia, Egypt, and EastAsia. He continues to love lego-building, mathematics, and memorizing and calculating such things as people’s birthdays! His newest passions (with his brother) are hockey card collecting, playing and mastering goalie in every sport, swimming, and boxing.

Tim- Born in India to Missionary parents, Tim’s passion is connecting international students to local churches and Christians. He is engaged in teaching ESL and Bible Classes and in helping churches to start and run International Student outreach programs, including ESL, hosting events, trips, Bible classes (such as ESL Alpha), and adaptation to Canadian life and customs. He recruits and trains volunteers and students to reach out to international students and their families. Highlights for him this past year included: teaching IceSkating, English and the Bible to Arabic medical students working at Sick Kids hospital; teaching Canoeing to 48 students at a Summer event in Ottawa, Enjoying food and late night talks about God and the Bible during

Ramadan with his Saudi Arabian, and Afghan students, and sharing his camping knowledge with students from Iran.

Please pray that God would continue to use us as we continue our work with International Students this coming year.

17

Showing God’s Care:

Responding to the Spread of Ebola

As of late August the Ebola virus had infected 2,615 people in the West African nations of Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria resulting in 1,427 deaths. Meanwhile, a number of international health organizations, including the Public Health Agency of Canada, have had to pull workers out of some regions because the threat of infection has become so high. More than 240 health care workers have developed the disease; half of these have died.

As Disciples we are committed to show God’s care.

How can we do so when the crisis is so far away? We can be consistent in prayer. We can also work through churches on the ground in the affected area.

Canadian Baptist Ministries (our tribe of churches) is partnering with the Zion Grove Baptist Church in Brewerville, Liberia, to prevent the spread of Ebola in their area. The plan is to distribute sanitizers and sprays to over 5,000 people in this threatened region.

Through the month of September we will be receiving a special offering to help pay the cost of this effort. There is nothing in our budget to cover this – so these gifts need to be over and above our regular tithes and offering. When we give through Canadian Baptist Ministries we know that 100 cents out of every dollar will actually go to Liberia.

18

CBM is committed to “Embracing a broken world with word and deed.” So are we. One of our SGC values is stated: 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. This is exactly what we are trying to do as we partner with CBM and the Zion Grove Baptist Church to prevent the spread of Ebola.

If you’d like to help please designate a donation on your regular offering envelop for “Ebola Relief” or place a donation in an envelop with your usual offering envelop number or, if you don’t have envelopes, with your mailing address. (By the way – if you would like regular offering envelops please speak with Gene Tempelmeyer or George Vanderwerf.)

You might also want to visit www.cbmin.org to see some of the other amazing projects and partnerships we share around the world.

19

Recomendations From The Resource Centre

Books Get your teenager talking: everything you need to spark meaningful conversations,

by Jonathan McKee In this book, veteran youth expert Jonathan McKee shares 180 creative discussion starters to help teens open up about issues that matter. You’ll also find tips for interpreting their responses and followup questions. From light-hearted to more serious, these conversation springboards will encourage even the most reluctant teen to talk about friends, school, values, struggles, and much more.

The truest thing about you: identity, desire, and why it all matters, by David Lomas There are many true things about you – true things you use to build an identity.

Parent. Introvert. Victim. Student. Extrovert.

Single. These truths can identify you, your successes and failures, your expectations and disappointments, your secret dreams and hidden shames. But what if your true

20

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

identity isn’t found in any of these smaller truths, but in the grand truth of who God says you are? In this book your are invited to discover and live out the truth of who God created you to be: you are loved, you are accepted, and you are made in God’s image.

Soulful spirituality: becoming fully alive and deeply human, by David Benner David Benner has spent 35 years integrating psychology and spirituality.

Here he presents an expansive, psychologically informed understanding of spirituality, probing the contrasts between soulful and soulless spirituality, deep and shallow religion, and healthy and unhealthy relationships with God to affirm the vital role of human development in the spiritual journey. Benner then suggests soulful practices for cultivating the Christian spiritual life. This book will appeal to readers seeking depth and substance in their quest for authentic spirituality. It will also be a helpful resource for mental health professionals and spiritual directors.

21

DVD’s

Grace unplugged.

Grace, an 18-year-old singer’s relationship with God is put to the ultimate test when she flies out to Hollywood to try to become the chart-topping superstar she’s always dreamed of being. Along the way she endures a number of pitfalls and faces the ultimate challenge or either giving up her Christian faith entirely or rediscovering it for the good of her family.

The Encounter This movie very clearly presents the Gospel in a story about five people who find themselves stranded in a storm. They find refuge in a roadside diner, where the owner immediately begins to demonstrate ability that astounds them. Questions that haunt humans about God and His love are answered by this strange man, who claims he is Jesus.

22

WHERE: Spring Garden Baptist Church 112 Spring Garden Ave. North York ON, M2N 3G3 416 223 4593

WORKSHOP

WHEN: Saturday, September 13th, 2014 9 am to 3 pm.

COST: $60.00 (subsidized spaces are available – please contact Faith) (Includes lunch and nutritional breaks) The handbook for the Groups of Hope will be available for $25.00 This workshop will give you the opportunity to participate in four sessions of the groups of hope as well as hear stories of how the program is being used in various parts of the world.

It will also include pointers on how to facilitate the sessions.

REGISTRATION: Make cheque payable to Groups of Hope and send attached registration form to: MS FAITH HOLWYN 280 Hollywood Avenue Toronto, ON M2N 3K9.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL: FAITH @ 416 850-7529 OR E-MAIL faith.holwyn@gmail.com

23

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.

24

Leadership at Spring Garden Pastoral Team Gene Tempelmeyer, Pastor

genetemp@springgardenchurch.ca Greg Kay, Worship Pastor

gregkay@springgardenchurch.ca Margaret Sutton, Pastoral Care/Seniors

margaretsutton@springgardenchurch.ca Sam Lee, Pastor of Discipleship, starting Sept. 15

samlee@springgardenchurch.ca

Ext. 222 Ext. 224 Ext. 226 Ext. 227

Deacons Anne Barron - Missions Marion Cameron Mary Ellen Hopkins Koon Wah Leung - Discpleship Ministries Mike Penner - Adult Ministries/Board Secretary Derek Prinsloo - Chair Matt Silver - Community Life Judy Tranter - Pastoral Care/Membership 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

25

Community Corner

Life around Spring Garden

Kevin and Suzanna are looking for babysitter(s) for their life group meeting to look after preschool age and above children, 1 or 2 Sundays of each month from 4-6pm. Volunteers or students who require community service hours are welcome. Alternatively, they are also willing to pay for the service at $12 an hour. The location is 15 min walk from the church on Spring Garden Avenue. Anyone interested please contact Suzanna Lai at suzinc2000@gmail.com or (416) 846-8197.

Attention all ESL learners interested in improving their speaking and listening abilities. Spring Garden will be hosting an ESL Bible study every Sunday morning at 9 am before worship. The study will be held in the basement of the church. All levels of English ability are welcome. We will be covering various different topics from the Bible. Hope to see you there!

We would like to extend our deepest thanks to the Pastoral Staff and to the Spring Garden Community for the planting of a commemorative tree with a plaque in memory of our late daughter, Vanessa Ann Smith.

In Christ, Derek, Corinna and Rachel Smith

26

What’s Happening Life in Spring Garden

Weekly Tuesdays

2:00 pm - Pastoral Team meeting

7:00 pm - ESL Café - resumes Tues Sept 9th.

Wednesdays

9:45 am - Refresh Women’s Bible Study - resumes Wed

Sept 10th.

Thursdays

12:00 pm - Adult Bible Class; 12 noon lunch, 1 pm

study, begins Sept 11th Sundays

9:00 am - Morning Bible Study will be starting on

Sept 7th. - meeting room

- ESL Bible Study - basement

10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship

(communion on the first Sunday of the

month)

This Month Saturday, September 13th - Groups of Hope Workshop, 9 am

to 3 pm.

Sunday, September 14th - Baptism

- Lifegroup Pot Luck Lunch

27

Refresh for Women REFRESH BEGINS AGAIN SEPTEMBER 10th Wednesdays 9:45 am. to 11:15 a.m. in the lounge at Spring Garden Church Friendly, open, fun...these are just a few of the words that describe the Refresh experience. Refresh is a time of gathering where the Bible is read, life’s stories are shared and new friends are made. Prayer for each other as we journey and learn about each other is also an important part of our time together. Though a Christian group we are open to anyone who is interested in hearing about Jesus and how to apply His teachings to our lives. We will be meeting on Wednesdays starting around 9:45 am until about 11:15 am. At the moment the group is comprised of young new mothers to grandmothers and every age in between!

BABIES WELCOME AND CHILDCARE PROVIDED. Please contact Tanya Salituro for more information: tanya@canprev.ca

28