Another week is upon us which means another week of updates and information to keep you in the know. But before we get to those items related to the church, we need to speak to a very important matter.
When Hate Comes Home
This week, our city made headlines around the world. Not for anything that would acknowledge the heart of this fair city or the wonderful people who generally make up our communities, but for an act of evil so heinous it is impossible to imagine it happened right here.
Frankly, I am still processing how a twenty year old could have so much rage against a family walking down the street because of their ethnicity and religion that he would intentionally drive his truck into them.
Four family members dead. One lone child left an orphan. That. Happened. Here. In. London.
Hate has come home. Let’s face it, hate has been here all along, lying under the facade of many who feel threatened or insecure about the growing cultural diversity of our city. For others, they rationalize their hatred due to their perceived victimization, whether real or imagined. Whatever twisted reasoning the haters use to justify their actions, we must be clear and firm when we say that hatred, especially as demonstrated this week, will not be tolerated!
As a church and as followers of Jesus Christ we acknowledge that hatred has no place here. We remain committed to demonstrating the love of Jesus and upholding the work of reconciliation that he began when he died on the cross. That reconciliation confirmed through his resurrection from the dead.
Our city is going to need time to heal. Take time to pray for that healing and for God to reveal himself in the difficult days ahead. Let us be practical in our expressions of love, especially to those who may not share the same values as we do, in order that the heart of Jesus and the Gospel can shine through us. That way, we will be doing our part to keep the darkness at bay and to remind the world that hate will never have the final say.
In-Person Attendance
As of today, the government has entered Step 1 of its reopening plan. That means that beginning this Sunday we are back to an allowance of 15% capacity in the auditorium.
If you want to attend in person, please let us know at office@villagegreenchurch.com
Looking forward to seeing people back in the building. Of course, masks and physical distancing are still required so thanks for being considerate of others.
The Gathering – Coming This Sunday – Don’t Forget to Sign Up!
The Gathering, scheduled for this Sunday will run from 11:15-12:15. This is a time for our online community to connect and meet one another. The deadline for sign-up is today at 3:00 pm. Contact the office at office@villagegreenchurch.com
The link will be sent to you just prior to the Gathering so make sure you keep the link handy.
Our focus question for Sunday revolves around the topic of prayer. “Is prayer simply talking to God, or is there more to prayer than talking?”
June 27th Congregational Meeting
Coming June 27th is our annual congregational meeting, the first one in almost two years. It will be held virtually and be broadcast right after the morning service.
We will have budget updates as well as the new slate of candidates for Elder, Board Chair, Treasurer, and Church Clerk.
If you are a member, please plan to join us on the 27th. Stay tuned for further details on time and link. The documentation for the meeting has already been sent out but if you have yet to receive it contact the office at office@villagegreenchurch.com
Life Groups and Summer Series
Our Life Group session is coming to a close with the final week on June 13-19th. Groups will have a break for the summer and begin again in September.
Beginning June 20th is our series for the summer, Stories that Move the Heart. This 10-week series looks at one of Jesus’ most popular teaching tools: the parables. Some were often shrouded in mystery while others made their point clearly. In this series, we unlock the lessons of these stories-lessons that were meant to move the heart.
We have an exciting lineup of series coming your way. Not just topics of theological import but with application and relevance to the world around us.
Youth and YFC Update
We have been in discussions with YFC to use our church as a hub for their outreach events for youth in the Westmount area. This will be a partnership with our own youth program here and we are excited by the potential this has to reach more youth in our community.
Two dates have been scheduled for BBQ and youth gathering events. These will be done in accordance with provincial guidelines but is an opportunity to begin re-gathering some of our key ministries.
The two dates planned so far are July 28 and August 25. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
Heritage College and Seminary
Do you know someone considering Bible College or Seminary? Are you considering possibly taking courses to increase not only your biblical knowledge but expand your practical understanding of your faith?
Why not consider Heritage? The school has a wide range of courses and degrees to satisfy everyone. From auditing courses for interest sake to full-time Masters degrees in a variety of disciplines, Heritage has everything you need to get you to the next level.
Here is a promotional video if you would like to find out more.
We Just Want to Remind You
As we close out this week’s newsletter we want to remind you of a few things.
- Our website continues to be under construction and will be for the next few weeks. You may have already seen the improvements and we look forward to having a site that will serve you better.
- As the weather improves we also see a decline in attendance and offerings. A simple reminder that as you enjoy some well-deserved time away, please do not forget the church.
- To the point above, we wanted to tweak your memory of our COVID Service Code that was presented in the closing message of our Things God Uses series. We gave five points for building and maintaining community and spiritual growth in this season.
- Pray
- Encourage
- Connect
- Give
- Reach
- Lastly, please continue to like and share the messages and relevant social media posts to help us as a church reach more people.
Thanks again for staying connected,
We hope you are staying safe and healthy and until next time,
May the Lord bless you and keep you!
Jon Korkidakis
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