Online Bulletin

May Special Offering:  This month we're joining Advokate Life and Education Services in their Annual Baby Bottle Campaign to support their hope for women pregnancy services initiative. All funds raised go directly to supporting vulnerable women and families facing unplanned pregnancy.  Thanks to services including pregnancy counseling, ultrasounds,  postpartum support,  they've seen countless lives saved and changed.  Let's help make a difference in these young lives. 

Mission Request:  Hi Willoughby Church! As some of you may have heard I am entering into full time missions with Youth with a Mission. I have many fond memories of growing up and learning at Willoughby and I want to extend you an invitation to partner with me on my mission journey. I will be staffing the Discipleship Training School in YWAM Netherlands at the Heidebeek base. This will involve mentoring young people who are hungry to learn more about God and then leading them on outreaches to make God known. I need to raise $3000 CAD per month in order to cover living and travel expenses. If your interested in supporting me financially and/or in prayer please contact me at (250) 307-1490 or jennaroelanne@gmail.com  Thank-you, Jenna Rodermond 

Volunteers Needed: Do you want to serve??  We need volunteers for all areas of the church. If you are interested in being involved in any way including on tech teams, greeting, or in hospitality.  Please see Tamara or email tamara@willoughbychurch.com, thanks!!

Youth Group (Grades 8-12):  Here is the May Youth Group Schedule! 

• May 7 Study at Willoughby 7 to 830 
• May 14 Games at Willoughby 7 to 830
• May 21 Long weekend NO YOUTH
• May 28 Youth Dinner 5 to 7  

Women's Bible Study: The following are all the sessions offered at the church for Women's Bible Study, please feel free to join any session at any time.  All are welcome!

• Friday, May 12, at 10:00am, studying Daniel 6. 

Langley Ukulele Spring Concert: On Saturday, May 6th the Langley Ukulele Association is presenting their Spring Concert here at Willoughby Church, concert starts at 7:00pm.  Come support Ryan Scott as he plays in the Ensemble!!  Tickets are $8.00 and they are available at the door or from Tracy or Ryan Scott. 

Community Meal Share Program: Are you tired of meal prep? Or have extras to give? The community meal share is a way for each of us to bless and be blessed by our community on a regular basis with culinary delights. On Sundays, and throughout the week, during office hours the church will be open for meals to be dropped off or taken home whenever is convenient for you. This is not charity, it's just community. Grab a meal for no other reason than you want to, or you're having a busy week. Bring a meal just because you had leftovers! Swap a meal if you're dropping off and another meal looks good! Labels to provide the date and any common allergens will be provided, and there will be a space in the freezer for the meals. 

Coffee Break, along with Story Hour and nursery care meeting at Langley Immanuel Church will celebrate the end of our season on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 with our Closing Social Morning Brunch. We invite everyone who attended this past season to join us, bring a friend and/or neighbour as we look forward to another Coffee Break season in the fall. We enjoyed a good study and fellowship together. Thanks to all who attended. For more details please connect with Elsa at coffeebreak@licrc.ca or Rose at coffeebreak@willoughbychurch.com 

1Life Learning Hub Conference w/ Andrew Root - Join us Friday, May 12 through Sunday, May 14 for a 1Life Learning Hub Conference w/ Andrew Root, Will there be Faith? Following Christ in a secular age. Author & cultural critic Andrew Root (Luther Seminary) and jazz musician Mark Glanville (Regent College) will unpack Jesus’ big question at the first-ever 1Life Foundations conference at Fleetwood CRC in Surrey. For more info or to sign up, see crc1life.ca. Sign up for the whole conference or for single events.

CLAYBURN COLLECTIVE | SPRING ARTISAN MARKET Mark your calendars for Mother’s Day weekend as Living Hope CRC is hosting a Spring Artisan Market! Dates: Friday, May 12 | 5pm-9pm & Saturday, May 13 | 10am-2pm  Location: 34631 Old Clayburn Road, Abbotsford 

Walk in the Spirit of Reconciliation: Join us May 26, 27 and 28 for the 8th annual Walk in the Spirit of Reconciliation! We walk on the land between Fort Langley and Mission in lament and solidarity of First Nations peoples remembering the harm done by Indian Residential Schools. You can choose to do a self-guided walk with family & friends, attend a larger event, walk together as a big group, or do a solidarity walk in your own community. Walk any portion of the walk, whether it's 1 KM or more, or join one of the organized groups that are walking together this year. Maps are provided, receive a free t-shirt and read Indigenous stories and info posted online. Check out https://www.reconciliationwalk.com/walk 

Women's Connect Social: We are having another Women's Social on Saturday June 3rd at 10am.  This time we'll be making a Succulent Planter!!  The cost is $20 per person to cover the cost of materials.  Refreshements will be provided.  You can sign up in the foyer before or after the service.  Please bring a friend! All are welcome!!

SUMMER HOMESTAY OPPORTUNITY ~ Langley Christian School is excited to be welcoming Grade 9/10 students from Japan to our community this summer and we are looking for families to host students in their home. Here are the details for this summer’s program:

Dates: August 2-14

Activities: Mon - Fri. students will be on-campus from approximately 8:45 am to 4:30 or 5:00 pm. ELL classes generally take place in the morning and the afternoons are reserved for sightseeing. Host families are encouraged to take opportunities outside those times to introduce their student(s) to Canadian culture.

Remuneration: Students are housed 2 per household (required). They can share ONE bedroom with two beds or be placed in separate bedrooms. The fee for hosting two students is $1320.00 for the duration of the visit. Host families are responsible for providing daily transportation to and from school, three nutritious meals per day (and snacks) as well as a comfortable bedroom with a bed, dresser/closet, desk and a working window.

The Homestay Application Form can be found on the International Program page (found in Programs tab) of the Langley Christian School website or by following this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfa08MYBs3D0NlHlYgGa_dZF0XSfSm7HTvhej9DMxF5pjCwJA/viewform

We look forward to hearing from you!

Pray for Synod 2023 - Join believers across the denomination for 40 days of prayer in preparation for Synod 2023. Beginning on April 30 and concluding on June 8, 2023, each day readers will receive a Bible text, a prayer, and some suggested questions for reflection or conversation. All of the prayers are intended to reflect the theme of Synod 2023: Longing to be Like Christ, which is based on Philippians 2:1-11, summarized by verse 5: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” Learn more and sign up at www.crcna.org/longing-to-be-like-christ

Student Fund Committee Classis BCSE: Students intending to go into ordained ministry in the Christian Reformed Church may apply for financial support after their undergraduate studies are completed and they qualify for entry at Calvin Seminary or a comparable institution recognized by Classis. Applicants need to receive an endorsement of their home church. Contact licrc.pvanhuizen@shaw.ca for an application form and funding criteria. (Deadline May 31, 2023) 

Serve in Mississippi with World Renew - After the damage caused by tornadoes that stayed on the ground for approximately 100 miles across Mississippi, join World Renew this October for one week with your church to serve homeowners by repairing homes. Will you answer the call to rebuild hope in Rolling Fork, Mississippi? If interested, email cgibson@worldrenew.net to sign up or with questions.

1Life May Newsletter: 1Life exists to curate a curriculum of resources that equips individuals and congregations to become increasingly whole-hearted, vibrant communities of Christian worship, discipling & mission. Click here for the May newsletter.

Do Justice - Justice Prayers: Do Justice is a conversation space for justice in the Christian Reformed Church, from the Office of Social Justice. Justice Prayers is a weekly post addressing justice issues from around the world.  Click here to pray and read more!

CRC NEWS:

Building Bridges: CRC’s first long-term African American missionary serves in Liberia.   Click here for the full article.

Women’s Conference Reflections: The Inspirational Women’s Conference brought 700 women to Burlington, Ont. for a day of worship, learning, and fellowship.  Click here for the full article.

Agenda for Synod 2023 Available: Discussions about human sexuality, a code of conduct, ecclesiastical marriage, and bivocationality are expected at Synod 2023.  Click here for the full article.

Groundwork: Follow: Jesus on the Shore - The disciples’ story of meeting Jesus on the shore helps us recognize that Jesus is in the ordinary and that he’s willing to fellowship with us right where we’re at. Join Groundwork as we study John 21 to learn how keeping our focus on the resurrected Jesus and his simple command for us to follow him cultivates our faith. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.

Donation Opportunities:

NewGround Sunday - For over 40 years, NewGround has helped churches across Canada love their communities. And today, over 80% of the community ministries that were started or expanded are still going strong today! Listen to one story from Thunder Bay, Ontario: https://vimeo.com/814360869. Check out the poster hanging in your church, which has more information about NewGround and its expanded activities. Use the QR code on it to donate or visit Diaconal Ministries’ website: diaconalministries.com/donate-now/. Because of your generous gifts, we can help even more churches love and bless their communities in the name of Jesus!

Share Christ’s Love and Hope with Vulnerable Women - Next week, we celebrate the women in our communities who support and inspire us – through gestures of love, kind words, or by setting an example of strong faith and commitment to justice. World Renew understands that denying a woman a chance to flourish is an injustice. Women who are supported physically, mentally, and spiritually are better equipped to support their families and their communities. Please consider honouring a special woman in your life with a gift to World Renew – a gift that will help share Christ’s love and hope by equipping vulnerable women with the training and support they need to flourish fully as God intended. To learn more, visit: worldrenew.ca/womenofhope

The Banner Needs You! - The Banner is the CRC’s award-winning monthly magazine. It is delivered free in print and online to every household in the CRC, and their annual donation appeal makes it possible. Please support this journalistic ministry and keep the community conversation going. You can give online now at: TheBanner.org/Give

Job Postings:

Worship Director: Nelson Ave Community Church (Burnaby, BC) seeks a part-time (16 hours/week) Worship/Music Director. The successful candidate will be a mature Christian with a servant heart, gifts in worship ministry, able to work collaboratively with others, and good leadership and administrative skills. Nelson Ave Community is a vital, small church in the Metrotown area of Burnaby, with roots in the Reformed tradition - CRCNA. We have a diverse weekly gathering of attendees and long-time members of various nationalities and all ages. The worship services blend traditional and contemporary aspects with a value placed on music and the arts. Job description and compensation package are available upon request at office@nacchurch.org. If applying, please send a cover letter and resume.

Campus Chaplain Position:   The Campus Ministry in Prince George BC has an opening. If you have an interest, information is available at: https://network.crcna.org/job/campus-minister-unbc-prince-george-british-columbia-0 

The Banner: The April 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

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