Welcome to March and the slow “march” towards spring. As of the beginning of this month, there are no longer capacity limits at our Sunday services. Masks are still required so if you’ve been wanting to come back to in-person services you are welcome to come without having to let the office know.
Communion on Sunday, March 6th
As a reminder, for those attending in person, we have pre-packaged wafers and cups that you can pick up as you enter the auditorium. For those watching through our live stream, we are asking that you prepare the elements beforehand if you like to participate from home.
This month, Jennifer Charlton, one of our elders will be leading our Communion time.
Remember to Set Your Clocks
Sunday, March 13th is Daylight Saving Time which officially arrives at 2:00 am. Remember to set your clocks ahead an hour. Remember, church starts at 10:00 am so you don’t want to be late!
March Updates!
Volunteer Sign-Ups: Starting the first Sunday of March there will be a whiteboard at the church with spaces for volunteers to sign up for various ministries. As we continue to see the province curb restrictions we are also seeing the need to be prepared as people return to in-person services. Please take time to observe the different volunteer opportunities and consider signing up.
Life Groups: This Life Group session concludes the week of March 13th and the next session will start again the week of April 3rd. There is the possibility of some groups returning to meeting in-person and we will announce those groups when they become available.
Open Sundays: Two of our elders will be speaking the last two weeks of March. Jason Snelgrove will be speaking on March 20th and Dale Mackness on March 27th.
Volunteer Training: Coming on March 19th at 10:00 is a training session for Kid’s Connection and Youth ministry volunteers. It will be held at Village Green and also be available for those who want to participate online.
Budget Meeting: On March 27th, right after the morning service there will be a budget meeting for all members. There will be an opportunity to join in online but we are encouraging members to be present for this meeting as we vote for the new 2022-23 budget. There are copies at the church and if you would like a digital copy, just contact the church at office@villagegreenchurch.com.
Day Camps!
Village Green Community Church will be partnering with two camp organizations, Forest Cliff Day Camps and Adullam Camp, to provide Day Camp opportunities in July 2022. The two camps will be held at Village Green Community Church.
Forest Cliff Day Camp will run from Monday, July 11 – Friday, July 15, 2022. Click here to register for Forest Cliff Camp
Adullam Camps will run from Monday, July 18 – Friday, July 22, 2022. Click here to register for Adullam Camp
Scholarships are also are available for these camps. If you are interested you can get an application from the church at office@villagegreenchurch.com
Easter is Coming
We have entered the season of Lent as we prepare for the Easter services at Village Green. This year we are planning special elements for each service as we take time to reflect and celebrate the hope we have in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We hope you will join us. The schedule is as follows:
April 10 – Palm Sunday
April 15 – Good Friday service at 10:00 am
April 17 – Easter Sunday
Memorial Service
Over these last two years, many in our church experienced the loss of loved ones. As difficult as this is, what is equally heartbreaking is that many were not allowed a memorial service due to Covid restrictions and limitations.
We are presently in the stages of planning a service specifically for everyone who experienced loss. This will be a dedicated service that will allow us to come together and lament as a community while honouring the ones that we have lost.
We are also monitoring the situation with reopening as we want this service to not be limited by capacity restrictions. Stay tuned for further updates as we consider possible dates and times for such a service.
Pastor Jon’s New Book Is Now Available
Touching God: Discovering Prayer that Moves the Heart of God is now available. You can grab a copy from pastor Jon for $20 (and have it signed) or find it on any site where books are sold. You can contact pastor Jon at leadpastor@villagegreenchurch.com to reserve your copy.
Lastly, this is my personal plea to you. If you do purchase a book, please take a few moments to post a review on Amazon or other bookstore retailers. This is one of the best ways to help promote the book to a wider audience.
Theology Jam – New Episodes Have Been Released
A reminder to check out the podcast with Matthew Burkholder and Jon Korkidakis. New episodes have just dropped with many more to come. You can find them on your favourite podcast apps such as Spotify and iTunes. If you have an idea for a topic or a question, you can contact us at theologyjam@gmail.com.
Ways to Give – Grateful for Your Generosity
We continue to be thankful for the many who faithfully give to the ministries of Village Green.
1. Drop off your offering at the church in the basket when entering service on Sunday mornings. You can also simply drop off your offering in the mailbox at the church.
2. Use the following link to go to the Giving Page on our website, www.villagegreenchurch.com.
3. You can give through e-transfer by going to envelopes@villagegreenchurch.com. please make sure your address is up to date and on file if you use this option. This option is also now available as a link on our website.
For Such a Time as This!
It has been striking to be studying the book of Esther together as a church. At a time of crisis for the Jewish people, God showed himself faithful to his Word, his plan, his purpose, and his people.
Today, as Covid winds down, another threat has suddenly arisen – the reality of war in the Ukraine. As I write this, stories continue to come in on the devastation that is happening as the Russian military drives further into the country, affecting the lives of millions of people. We are already hearing of the staggering number of refugees this war has created.
Though we are removed geographically from the crisis unfolding in Europe, we can be praying. I have included a couple of links below that may be helpful. The first is the prayer list from the Mission Agency, Send International, and the second from another Missions group, ABWE. Both have missionaries serving in Europe and provide insights into the best ways we can be praying.
https://send.org/story/hh_pray_for_ukraine
https://www.abwe.org/blog/9-ways-to-pray-for-ukraine
Lastly, I have included a link to a European news site that presents the Ukrainian/Russian conflict in 7 graphics. It is an interesting overview and gives context and understanding of the history that has brought about the conflict. It makes for interesting reading.
https://www.dw.com/en/russias-invasion-of-ukraine-in-7-graphics/a-60909241
Let’s be in prayer together throughout the month of March as we seek the Lord in the midst of troubling times.
Stay hopeful,
Jon Korkidakis
