Online Bulletin

Celebration Sunday: Join us as we celebrate each other and our Church Community at Willoughby! As we start a new ministry year, we want to celebrate you our church body!!! It's a time to get together and have some fun!! We'll be serving a pancake breakfast before the church service at 9:30am, with cake and games after! Hope to see you all there!!!  

Women’s Connect – Save the Date! 

Date: Saturday , September 13
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Event: Fun Social + Sign-Making Class!

Join us for a time of creativity, connection, and fun! We’ll enjoy fellowship while making beautiful signs together.

Cost: $15 per person (cash or etransfer only)
Due to limited space, payment is required to reserve your spot.

Sign-up begins Sunday, August 17
Look for the sign-up sheet in the lobby!

"FAN INTO FLAME” MEN’S CONFERENCE : Registration is open for the 2025 Fan into Flame Men’s Conference on Oct 31-Nov 1 with Aaron Baart. In 2 Timothy 1:6-7, Paul urges Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God”— a reminder that the fire doesn’t keep itself burning; it needs to be stirred, fed, and fueled. It is our hope that through this Men’s Conference, God’s Spirit would reignite our passion, lead us to step boldly into our calling and to strengthen us to stand firm in faith. Come for a time of meaningful teaching, heartfelt worship, and authentic connection with other brothers in faith to be encouraged and equipped to live out the calling as godly men. Visit newlifecrc.ca/fanintoflame to learn more and register. We hope to see you there!

Get Involved with Generation Spark - Generation Spark offers hands-on coaching, practical strategies, and extensive support to help all generations form meaningful relationships that result in sustained, lifelong faith. Thrive, the CRC's congregational support agency, invites you to learn more about what it might look like for your church to invest in intergeneration mentoring! An informational webinar will be offered on September 11, 11:30am ET. Register here: shorturl.at/d7DEO

Registration for the 3rd Annual BC Leadership Conference closes on Sept 13! This conference will be held at New Life CRC in Abbotsford, BC on Saturday, September 20. Eight Christian Reformed Churches in the Fraser Valley decided to pool funds and resources together to form one large conference for any and all interested churches. Our goal is to provide a well-planned conference to bless our elders and deacons, staff and ministry leaders. For this year's event, we have invited gifted leaders to teach us on important topics that include, but are not limited to: safe church, church governance, pastoral care, crucial conversations, missions, diaconal and mercy ministries, spiritual formation, and more. We are also excited to welcome Tim Sheridan as the General Session Speaker. Each participant will be able to choose from a variety of different breakouts based on interest, and their role within the church. Registration is only $25. Register at newlifecrc.ca/2025leadershipconference/.

Worship Conference: You’re invited to a special, one-day worship conference on Saturday October 4th at Langley Immanuel Christian Reformed Church! Join together with other worship leaders, volunteers, and worshipers for a special day of praise and learning shaped around the theme of bringing our entire selves into the presence of God. Sometimes we have heard the message that we must leave our cares and struggles, hardships and challenges, trials and doubts at the door when we enter worship - but what happens when we bring the whole of who we are into the presence of all of who God is? God calls all our inmost being to praise his holy name (Psalm 103:1). Part of that includes shining the light of worship on our fears, sorrows, and tears—along with our hopes, joys, and gratitude. For more information and to register click “Learn More”.

Blood Donor Clinic: For the month of September we will be hosting a Blood Donor Clinic on Tuesday, September 23rd starting at 1pm. If you are able, please join in saving lives together by donating blood. Appointments are necessary and can be booked at blood.ca.

Campus Ministry Update - Okanagan - August 2025: Here is a brief update for the congregations of Classis BCSE, from our campus chaplain at UBCO in Kelowna, Rev Dr.Todd Statham. Click here to read the Newsletter!

Naji & Anne's News & Notes: We are happy to share this newsletter from our Ministry partner who we support through Resonate Global Missions.  Pursuing Spiritual and Social Transformation with the Middle Eastern Church.  Click here to read!

Garden Sharing Table 2025: If your vegetable or flower garden is producing more than you can use, why not share the abundance? Starting this Sunday, you're invited to bring your extras to our Garden Sharing Table, located in the church’s front lobby. Whether you have a handful of herbs or a bumper crop of rhubarb, all contributions are welcome. Let’s bless others with the bounty and enjoy the gifts of the season together. The table will be available every Sunday throughout the summer. Happy harvesting—and happy sharing!

A Rocha: Summer Shindig in the Barn, September 20th @ 5pm - A Fun + Festive Fundraiser - Help us raise funds to renovate our historic yellow barn! Join us for an evening of delicious farm-fresh Hearty Appetizers + Beverages, both a Live + Online Auction, a Raffle, and a Concert by The Coveralls! The online auction will launch two-weeks before the event – these items will be highlighted during the Shindig, with bidding closing at midnight on September 20. 

Come ready to:

• Hear about some dreamy Nature Getaways for online bidding;
• Bid on a homemade Quilt, Half a Cow, or other farm items;
• Participate in our Raffle for locally grown items, like A Rocha Flowers or a Basket of Veggies.

Don some farm chic garb, and bonus if it includes a splash of yellow as a nod to the colour of the barn! To purchase tickets click here!!

DO YOU LOVE TO SING?: IF SO, THE LANGLEY FIRST CAPITAL CHORUS Invites you to attend our open rehearsals starting in September 2025 and discover the world of 4-part Acappella harmony. We’re looking for new members and our rehearsals are open to guests of all ages and genders, who might be interested in attending either as an observer, or, to participate by sitting in and singing with us to experience the joy that we share every time we sing together. Either way, we would welcome you to join us for an evening in a relaxed cordial environment and to share the fun. If you can carry a tune we can teach you the rest in a fun, inclusive and friendly atmosphere. We’d love to see you on Thursday evenings at 7:00pm, at Willoughby Church.

GLORIA DEI CHORALE, a Christian Community Mixed Voice Choir, is excited to start a new season of singing on September 8, 2025, under the direction of Cathrie Yuen.  New and former members are invited to join the choir this fall.  If you love to sing, you've come to the right place!  We are especially interested in male voices, but welcome all who are eager to sing.  Rehearsals are at 7:15 pm on Monday nights at New Westminster Christian Reformed Church:  8255 - 13th Ave, Burnaby.  Contact Tina 604-588-6377 or Elaine at 604-271-0283 for more information.  http://www.gloriadeichorale.com/

Hearts Exchanged - It's back to school -- regardless of what age you are, what do you want to learn this year? If you answered 'more about reconciliation' consider joining a Hearts Exchanged cohort to walk alongside others interested in reconciliation. Learn more at: crcna.org/hearts-exchanged

On October 25, M2W2 will host Raising Hope: A Night of Dignity and Belonging, our annual gala to support individuals transitioning from incarceration into new lives. These are men and women seeking restoration, healing, and connection, and this event makes that possible by providing funding for mentorship, housing support, and employment opportunities rooted in Christ-centred compassion.

Telecare Crisis & Caring Line seeks volunteers to support hurting people via phone and chat services. Training for this meaningful ministry begins September 18, 2025 online. For more information, go to Support Worker Training. 

Help Families Affected by the Afghanistan Earthquake - On August 31, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Afghanistan, killing more than 1,400 people and injuring more than 3,000 people. World Renew is planning a response to bring emergency assistance to vulnerable families affected by this disaster. Please join us in prayer for Afghanistan and give generously to help earthquake survivors at worldrenew.ca/afghanistan-earthquake, by calling 1-888-975-3769, or by mailing a cheque made out to World Renew, with "Afghanistan Earthquake 2025" in the memo line, to: 3475 Mainway, PO Box 5070 STN LCD 1, Burlington, ON L7R 3Y8.

Hymn Text Contest - Calvin University will host an Anniversary Worship Celebration in honor of its 150th year on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at the Calvin University Covenant Fine Arts Center for community worship. You can help us celebrate by participating in our 150th  Anniversary Hymn Text Contest! The planning committee invites hymnwriters to submit a hymn text to be sung at the worship service; submissions must be sent via email by November 1, 2025. The winner of this contest will receive a $1,500 award. Find details at calvin.edu/150/hymn-contest

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

Global Mission: Global Partners Eager for Bible Study Training Resonate’s Global Coffee Break program is expanding worldwide.

The Banner: Being Your Denominational Magazine Serving the Christian Reformed Church under an altered mandate.

The Network: Commemorate the Nicene Creed Check out resources to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed.

Thrive Faith Formation Tip - A new school season has begun. The rhythms and activities of a new school year can make it challenging to include space for God in your everyday family life. One way you can do that is by reviewing the “highs and lows” of your day, giving thanks for God’s many blessings and asking for God’s presence in the midst of hard situations. See Everyday Family Faith (FaithAliveResources.org) for more ways to make time for God with your family. Brought to you by Thrive: crcna.org/Thrive

Groundwork: Living as Citizens of God's Kingdom Now - We’ve learned that Jesus brought God’s kingdom near -- so near, in fact, it’s within us. Join Groundwork as we study Matthew 6:9-13, Romans 14:17, Micah 4:1-5, Matthew 25:35-40, Philippians 2:5-8, Acts 2:42-47, Revelation 11:15, and 1 Corinthians 15:58 to learn what it means and looks like for us to live in God’s kingdom here and now, even when we can’t fully see it. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.

The Banner: The July/August 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 donating. 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