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Church Potluck:  On Sunday May 22nd after the church service, we will be doing a Potluck to enjoy lunch and fellowship together.  On the May long weekend, the church would normally have been camping out in Vedder Campground and having the Saturday cookout.  This year due to COVID the group campsite was not available, though we still wanted to get together and share a meal.  Please bring a lunch item to share, and church will be supplying dessert, coffee & tea, and juice for the kids!   

Council Update: In prior communications, council promised an update after the May 10th meeting.  To see the current update addressing the topics reviewed by the council this month, please click here.  For any further questions, please email council@willoughbychurch.com

Praise:  Please give a prayer of thanks for Becky Baik from the Covenant Kids Daycare, her permanent residence has been approved and she will be able to return to work!

Living the Call:  You are invited to check out Living the Call, the ministry report to classis and councils on the work of the CRCNA. This informative report gives you a brief overview of the work that you are a part of as a congregation of the Christian Reformed Church.   In five issues each year, they focus on each of the five callings of the CRC: Faith Formation, Servant Leadership, Global Mission, Mercy & Justice, and Gospel Proclamation & Worship.

Looking for housing: Hello, my name is Leah Hart and I'm a recent university graduate from Ontario looking to rent a place in or around Langley or Surrey for July and August. I am tidy and quiet and will have a full-time job at a regenerative farm south of Langley. My ideal place would be a small apartment or bedroom for one, preferably furnished. If you know of any housing opportunities that might be a good fit, I'd love to hear from you! Send me an email at leahhart337@gmail.com or call/text 519-774-4618.  

Willoughby Refugee Team: The Refugee Sponsorship Team is excited to announce that the AlRubaye family will be arriving on June 2!  We are so happy for them and we are looking forward to finally meeting them in person.  We are busy preparing for their arrival -- stay tuned for more details in the following weeks.  For now, we have heard that they love to ride bikes!  If you have one to donate, please let Evelyn Bouwman know.   bouplumb@telus.net or 604-910-8859. 

Together Seeking God’s Face – Prayer for Synod - Monday, June 6, 7:30PM - 8:30PM PST - On Monday, June 6, join in a bi-classical worship and prayer time hosted by 1Life that invites us into prayer “to recapture the spirit of Jesus prayer in John 17 – that of loving God and each other so deeply that the world will know that Jesus is Lord” (quotes from Denomination Calls for Year of Prayer, July 2021). Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3MAq3cO

Summer Camp: Fleetwood CRC in Surrey is hosting three summer camps this year for a variety of interests and ages. NoteWorthy Music Camp, for ages 7-12, focuses on introducing young kids to music and teaching basic musical skills (June 27-30). Compassion Camp, our VBS for ages 5-10, tells the gospel through games, crafts, and stories (July 18-22). World’s Stage Theatre Camp, for high schoolers aged 12-18, is a week of writing, directing, and acting with a healthy amount of improv thrown in (August 1-5). Registration opens May 22nd. For more information, please visit fleetwoodcrc.org/SummerCamps2022 or email fcrc.interns@gmail.com.    

Sustainable Investing Workshop: Christian investing is about empowering the businesses and endeavors that are good for people, culture, and the broader environment. So what should that look like in practice? We’re hosting a webinar on “Sustainable Investing: Your Money Matters” with Kurt Holzhueter of ClearView Investments. This webinar will be on May 26, 8-9 p.m. (EDT), and will consider the pathways available to churches, congregations, and individuals who are looking for ways to get started in sustainable investing. Register now to reserve your spot!

Holy Spirit Inspired Prayer:  The mission of Dunamis Fellowship Canada is to mobilize, equip and deploy Spirit- empowered witnesses for Jesus Christ to take part in fulfilling the great commission, to make disciples of all people in all nations. They fulfill that mission by offering courses and conferences on the person and work of the Holy Spirit based on Christ-centered, Biblical teaching from a Reformed perspective, and anchored in practical, experiential learning. Dunamis is coming to the Lower Mainland BC with a conference on Holy Spirit Inspired Prayer. It will be held at Nelson Ave Christian Reformed Church (5825 Nelson Ave., Burnaby, BC), on Friday, May 27–Saturday May 28. $20 at the door, with lunch and light refreshments provded. Register by May 25 by emailing Pastor Jo: jschouten@nacchurch.org  For more information click here: Brochure 

Walk in the Spirit of Reconciliation:   Join us May 27, 28 and 29 for the 7th annual Walk in the Spirit of Reconciliation! We walk on the land between Fort Langley and Mission in lament and solidarity of First Nationspeoples remembering the harm done by Indian Residential Schools. You can choose to do a self-guided walk with family & friends, attend a larger event and walk together as a big group, or do a solidarity walk in your own community. Maps are provided, receive a free t-shirt and read Indigenous stories and info posted online. Check out https://www.reconciliationwalk.com/walk and register today at: https://walkinthespirirtofreconciliation2022.eventbrite.com/. 

Send Us Your Church Life Photos - Send us your photos of the church at work or at worship! If you attend a CRC church and like taking photos, we'd love to see photos of your church in action: worshiping, engaging with the neighbourhood, gardening...anything that brings church members together. We hope to share these photos on our Facebook page, on the homepage of the CRCNA website, on the Deacons' Offering Calendar, and in other ways that showcase some of the many faces of the CRC. (For that reason, please ensure that you have permission from the people in the photo to share it.) Send your photos to Communications@crcna.org

Join us in Praying for Synod 2022 - Synodical delegates, church leaders, and CRCNA members across the continent are praying for Synod 2022. Please join us! Prayer gatherings for synodical delegates are scheduled for May 11 and May 25. We will post prayer guides on the Network each time so that you can pray with us at a time that works for you as families, individuals, church councils, small groups, and others. Need some prayer points to pray through now? Find the April 27 prayer guide at https://network.crcna.org/prayer/prayer-guide-synod-psalm-13

Paul’s Missionary Journeys in Greece (Oct 6-18, 2022):   Travel to biblical sites connected with Paul's missionary journeys in Greece: Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth as well as Meteora and Delphi. Included is a fabulous 3-day cruise to Mykenos, Ephesis, Patmos, Crete and Santorini. Contact Dr. Jeff Weima, Professor at Calvin Theological Seminary and leading biblical scholar at weimje@calvinseminary.edu or 616-328-3110.     

Elder and Deacon Online Training Course (Free) - Are you a leader or incoming Elder/Deacon at your church? Register now to take the Thriving Essentials virtual training in June at no cost (limit 25 persons). The two, 2 hour-long Zoom sessions on June 2 and 9 can help get all church leaders on the same page concerning the key concepts of Mission, Discipleship, Discernment, and Leadership. Take the class for yourself, then decide if attendance would benefit your core church leadership. Website: crcna.org/Thrive

CRC NEWS:

New Discipleship Resource for Nigeria: One of the most urgent needs of the church in Africa is discipleship.   Click here for the full article.

Celebrating Renewed Life in Christ: Minato was convicted to stop taking his faith and his well-being for granted.    Click here for the full article.

Discover: Daffodils: God designed daffodils and other spring flowers in a unique way. Click here for the full article.

Groundwork: Sharing Your Faith Makes Disciples - Participating in evangelism can be an intimidating, but Jesus commands us to share our faith. Join Groundwork as we demystify ideas of evangelism by studying the stories of Jesus ascension to heaven in Luke 24:46-53, Acts 1:6-11, and Matthew 28:16-20 to discover what Jesus' command is, what it means, and what it looks like in our lives today. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.

Faith Practice Reflection Tip - Reflection and Discussion Starter—the Practice of Prayer: Read Mark 9:14-24 and ponder or discuss the following questions. This father’s utterance, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” is an honest prayer. He’s not trying to impress Jesus; he’s asking Jesus to meet him where he is. In what areas of your faith do you experience doubt? How is doubt handled in your church family? Is there room for people to experience both belief and unbelief as they grow in faith? (For more on faith practices from Faith Formation Ministries, visit bit.ly/FaithPracticesProject)

Scriptoria: An Interfaith Writing Workshop - Morning workshops. Afternoon instruction. One-on-ones with editors. Deep faith conversations. Think boot camp for your writing—whether it’s fiction, nonfiction, or poetry—on June 20-24, 2022 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Scriptoria: An Interfaith Writing Workshop with Gary Schmidt, Hugh Cook, Patrice Gopo, L. S. Klatt, Robert Hudson, Nikki Grimes, Vinita Hampton Wright, and more. Visit scriptoriaworkshop.org

Everything You Need for An Interactive Series on the Faith Practices - Want to try something new (and easy) at your church this summer? We’ve expanded the Faith Practices Project to include everything you need to plan a worship service, series, or gathering on a particular faith practice with people of all ages. Learn more at crcna.org/FaithFormation

Here are the current song selections for this Sunday's service, please feel free to familiarize yourself with the music ahead of time by clicking on each song below. * Please note that adjustments may be made prior to Sunday morning.

  1. Hosanna
  2. O Come To The Altar
  3. Mighty To Save
  4. How Great Thou Art
  5. King Of Kings
  6. Holy Holy Holy
  7. We Will Feast in the House of Zion

Donation Requests:

NewGround - “God creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do - work we had better be doing” (Eph. 2:7-10, MSG). Over the years, the NewGround program of Diaconal Ministries Canada has helped over 100 churches in Canada love their communities! Yet there are still churches that don’t have the resources or expertise they need. Will you help? Your generous donations to NewGround will help even more churches discover God’s dreams for their local community and how they can join Him. We have also added a Youth Justice Project to empower the next generation of justice-seekers! Learn more about this program and donate today by visiting Diaconal Ministries Canada’s website: diaconalministries.com/newground

Job Postings:

Resonate Global Mission - Member Care Coordinator - Resonate is hiring a Member Care Coordinator to coordinate member care services that contribute to the emotional, spiritual, psychological, and relational health of Resonate missionaries and their family members and volunteers with the goal of helping them to be resilient mission workers and families who can thrive where God has called them to serve. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more or applying to this role visit: crcna.pinpointhq.com/en/jobs/48442

Now Hiring: COMMUNICATIONS & ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (CANADA SUMMER JOBS – ABBOTSFORD, BC) – Bethesda. Join a welcoming and grace-filled office team that thrives by serving. You will be primarily contributing your creative and organizational skills to Bethesda’s communications and marketing team. Depending on your gifts and interests, you will assist with creating written and visual content, as well as coordinating organizational events and carrying out various administrative tasks. This is an 8-week summer placement at 40 hours/week from July 4 to August 26 with the potential of being extended as a casual, on-call position. Salary: $20.71/hr. *Please note that as per current provincial health orders, all Bethesda staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19*. Interested applicants may apply online at https://bethesdabc.com/careers or submit a resume, cover letter, and references to the Chief Human Resources Officer via email (careers@bethesdabc.com)  or mail (2775 Emerson Street, Abbotsford BC V2T 4H8). Applicants should reference posting #841. Deadline to apply is May 25, 2022. Full job description is available on Bethesda’s website

Now Hiring: HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER (ABBOTSFORD, BC) – Bethesda. As the human resources manager, you will join a team where the staff are dedicated to providing excellent service to the agency’s human resources. You will create a workplace that supports and empowers the human resources staff team to maintain administration systems that ensure effective and accountable operations. This is a full-time position available immediately. It is ideal for experienced leaders who have education in the field of human resources, a CPHR designation and/or significant experience in human resources with willingness to obtain additional education to qualify for the CPHR designation. Competitive salary range: $63,544 – $68,993.50. *Please note that as per current provincial health orders, all Bethesda staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19*. Interested applicants may apply online at https://bethesdabc.com/careers or submit a resume, cover letter, and references to the Chief Human Resources Officer via email (careers@bethesdabc.com)  or mail (2775 Emerson Street, Abbotsford BC V2T 4H8). Applicants should reference posting #838. Deadline to apply: until filled. Full job description is available on Bethesda’s website. 

Now Hiring: SUPPORT WORKERS (RICHMOND, LADNER/DELTA, SURREY, LANGLEY, MAPLE RIDGE, BC) – Bethesda. A support worker at Bethesda supports people with intellectual disabilities in a variety of sites, or resources. When you are hired, you may be assigned to a residential home or to a non-residential site where community inclusion is the focus. The position of support worker requires a high degree of Christian commitment and love to the people we support and to the philosophy of Bethesda. Confidentiality with respect to people receiving our services and the operations of Bethesda is required. The worker must have the desire and capacity to support people with diverse abilities, and must believe that the person receiving support is uniquely valuable. Training will be provided. Competitive salary: $21.63 – $25.19/hr. *Please note that as per current provincial health orders, all Bethesda staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19*. Interested applicants may apply online at https://bethesdabc.com/careers or submit a resume, cover letter, and references to the Chief Human Resources Officer via email (careers@bethesdabc.com)  or mail (2775 Emerson Street, Abbotsford BC V2T 4H8). Applicants should reference posting #818. Full job description is available on Bethesda’s website. 

Banner Delayed - Due to worldwide paper shortages, delivery of the June issue of The Banner will be delayed by up to two weeks. In the meantime, visit TheBanner.org for new features, columns, news, and more. All reporting leading up to and during Synod 2022 can be found at thebanner.org/synod

The Banner: The May edition of the Banner is now available at the church. You can also access a copy online at The Banner.  To support the Banner's ongoing journalistic ministry, consider making a donation.  www.theBanner.org/Donate

Get The Banner Straight to Your Inbox - The Banner, the magazine of the CRC, will send you news, features, and columns straight to your email inbox! Sign up for the weekly e-newsletter by visiting thebanner.org/signup. 

Today Devotion Books: The Today booklets are available at the church.

Contact for Online Bulletin: If you have anything to add to the bulletin, please email info@willoughbychurch.com 

Contact Council: If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email the council at council@willoughbychurch.com