Offering for weeks 1 & 2 of August:
One of the special offering for August is Raphael House , they are a community-based organization serving families in Langley, who are experiencing food insecurity and life challenges. Their Mission is to support these families by providing them with groceries, life skills, and resources in the community.
What began as a small neighbourhood effort has grown into a trusted food support hub, now serving hundreds of families each week through our Food Hub and community programs. We believe food support is about more than groceries — it’s about dignity, stability, and hope.
Today through a collaborative partnership with local churches, the Langley School district and community agencies, Raphael House supports over 400 families with fresh food and groceries, English, cooking and art classes, friendship, and advice, and connecting families to each other. Over 65 countries are represented by families who access the services provided by Raphael House and is supported by 150 volunteers. Please give generously to this local organization.
To learn more click here for their website!
* The Deacons do two Special Offerings per month, Raphael House will run for the first two weeks, with ReFrame Ministries for weeks 3&4. You are invited to give to either or both offerings as they will both be available on tithe.ly for the whole month of August! *
WCRC Family Fun Day - Come join us for a Family Fun Day on Saturday, August 8th from 10am to 2pm. The youth will be here doing a car wash to raise money for their Re:Activate trip to Salmon Arm in September! We'll have outdoor games on the front lawn and a BBQ for lunch. Hope to see you all there!!!
Don't forget to tell your family, friends and neighbours about the car wash!!
Join Our Team: Starting in September, we're going to be introducing a new group of volunteers that will include our current structure of ushers and greeters. Our 'Weclome Team' will be a crew of 5-6 people each Sunday that are tasked with welcoming people into the building, answering any questions they might have, and showing them where they can find a bulletin and sit down.
If you have a welcoming presence and are looking for a way to get involved, please let Pastor Jenna or Tamara know! The commitment is to serve once every 6 weeks, and it only requries about 30 minutes of your time on a Sunday morning.
This will be a great gift to our community, so please consider joining!
Donation Request: Looking for two girls bikes (suitable for teens) in good working condition for our newcomer family that arrived last week! If you have any bikes that would be suitable, please contact Evelyn Bouwman. Thanks!
Short Term Community Groups: Sign up this Fall to be a part of a short-term community group! These groups will meet every other Wednesday evening, starting on September 16. For 8 weeks (until the end of December), the group(s) will be studying the gospel of Mark together.
These groups are intentionally meant to be self-driven. Once we have all the registrants, Pastor Jenna will organize the groups, give you the resources you need to do a deep dive into Mark's gospel, and then away you go! Click here to sign up!
Quest Adult Discipleship: Join us in the Fall as we study the story of Scripture and seek to find ourselves in it! Starting on September 23 we will meet every other Wednesday for 20 weeks (until the end of June) to dig ourselves deeper into the narrative of the Bible, encounter God's purpose and intention for us, and seek to find our source of identity in Him. We will do this by reading and discussing Scripture, engaging with the CRC Contemporary Testimony, "Our World Belongs to God," praying, and offering our questions and ideas within the safety of one another's company. There is no 'homework' required ahead of time, but there will be suggestions for follow-up Bible reading.
Click here to sign up, which will help determine the approximate size of the group for planning. Each week Pastor Jenna will be sending an email to the whole group to offer the topics for the evening and other ways to help you prepare.
Although there is no expectation to come every week -- and anyone can join at any time -- please be aware that the more you invest into this, the more you will get out of it.
Garden Sharing Table: Are your vegetable or flower gardens, fruit trees or bushes producing more than you can use? Why not share the abundance? Bring your extras to our Sunday morning Garden Sharing Table, located in the church’s front lobby. Let’s share the bounty of our gardens and enjoy the gifts of the season together. Everyone is welcome to take home items from the table to enjoy! The table will be available every Sunday throughout the summer.
Blood Donor Clinic: For the month of August we will be hosting two Blood Donor Clinics on Friday, August 7th at 12pm and Friday, August 21st at 12pm. If you are able, please join in saving lives together by donating blood. Appointments are necessary and can be booked at blood.ca.
Help Needed: The Mission Thrift Store (formerly Bible for Missions) is celebrating 35 years! We plan to celebrate this in December and are asking for help to find photos and documents from the early years. Do you have any or know someone who might have something? Please call or text Pat Storteboom 604-787-0256, or Arlene (Manager) 778-878-8694 or drop it off at the store anytime it’s open. Thank you so much!
Wisdom in the Age of AI Conference - How should Christians respond to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in church, education, business, healthcare, and the arts? The Wisdom in the Age of AI Conference will be held at Calvin University from October 8-10 and features top keynote speakers and parallel sessions dealing with each of these topics. For more information and register to join the conversation, visit: https://calvin.edu/wisdomAI
Biblical Study Tour to Italy (April 12-22, 2027) - Visit the Vatican with its Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Cathedral; the impressive monuments of ancient Rome; Hadrian’s Villa; Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius; the spectacular Amalfi Coast; and much more! Join Jeff Weima, professor at Calvin Theological Seminary and leading biblical scholar, for this inspirational tour. Contact Dr. Weima at weimje@calvinseminary.edu or 616-328-3110.
Reflecting a Lifetime of Blessings - As we look back on God’s faithfulness throughout our lives, we often feel a nudge to "pay it forward." A gift in your will is a beautiful way to honour the journey God has led you on. Whether you wish to support justice, global mission, or local leadership, we can help you tailor a gift that reflects your passions. Explore your options with a free consultation from our partners at Christian Stewardship Services at info@csservices.ca or 1-800-267-8890.
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:
Ministry in Canada: Canada Reconsiders MAID Expansion Explore updates on Canada’s MAID legislation and how CRC leaders are advocating for protection, care, and hope.
The BANNER: Good Ol’ What’s Her Name I was disappointed with myself that I hadn’t been able to remember her name.
NetWork: Ordinary Healing Faith Healthy, vibrant Christian faith redeems us to a greater fullness of our humanity.
Thrive Faith Formation Tip - The God of the Bible is radically curious. God was curious about taking formless things and creating something beautiful. God was curious on the first day as God spoke light into existence and gave darkness a place in creation. God was curious enough that creating sky, land, and oceans was life-giving and affirming in the world. God was curious enough to believe diversity in plants and animals was cool, creating them in a variety of dimensions, shapes, and colors. God’s curiosity led to the creation of two beacons in the sky to serve the earth. In the mind of God, curiosity was God’s radical bent of being in relationship, always moving toward life. This week reflect on what makes you curious about God, God’s world, and your world. Brought to you by Thrive: crcna.org/Thrive
Groundwork: What Happens After We Die? - What happens after we die? Where do we go? Where do our bodies and souls go while we’re waiting for Jesus to return on Judgment Day? Join Groundwork as we study Luke 23:39-43; Philippians 1:20-26; Ecclesiastes 9:5-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 2 Corinthians 5:1-9, 16-17; Romans 8:34-39; and Philippians 3:20-21 to better understand three Christian views on life after death, and to receive the rich assurance and deep comfort God’s Word provides. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.
The Banner: The May/June 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
