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MOUNTAINVIEW NEWS
Join us Sunday morning at 10 am in person or online as Pastor Jolene Veenstra presents a message entitled “Care, Abuse, and Jesus in the Produce Aisle”. She will be looking at the book of Deuteronomy chapter 21 verses 10-14; and the book of John chapter 13 verses 1-5 .
God designed his people for care. He made Adam and Eve and placed them in paradise. He told them, "Care for this world and for one another." But then what happened? Soon God's people were abusing one another, even killing each other. God has been calling his people back to their caring purpose ever since. We see it in the harsh world of Old Testament warfare, the sacrificial love of Jesus, and in how God calls church leaders to become caring servants for their community.
LET’S BUILD SOME COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS!
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JOYFUL GIVING
Sunday’s offerings are for our Ministry Promise (a.k.a. Budget) AND for...
Double Your Gift to Resonate - There's Still Time! - The deadline is almost here, but there’s still time to double your gift to Resonate Global Mission by visiting www.resonateglobalmission.org/Double. Any amount you give to this special campaign by April 30 will be matched dollar for dollar by a generous donor! Don’t wait—give today while your gift will go twice as far. www.resonateglobalmission.org/double.
Upcoming Offering:
May 4th A.M. – GEMS Local – GEMS stands for Girls Everywhere Meeting the Saviour and is a relationship building club which was established more than 40 years ago. The ministry of GEMS continues with the purpose of bringing girls into a living relationship with the Lord. This is done through bible study, singing, crafts, games, and fun outings with dedicated counsellors and junior counsellors. Your donations help us to mentor and nurture girls in our church and surrounding community, in their walk with God.
The Annual Banner Appeal is underway! - The 2025 appeal for The Banner, the CRC’s award-winning monthly magazine, has started. The Banner is delivered free in print and online, and this annual donation appeal makes it possible. To help keep this community conversation going please give online now at: TheBanner.org/Give
Other…
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
& OPPORTUNITIES
SOCO Beach Project Update:
Join the SOCO Light the Way new monthly donor campaign. Save the date for the SOCO Camping Retreat in July! Read all about it in this week's newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/southcoastbeachproject/soco-update-april-24-8568940
On April 29 at 7pm, Grimsby Life Centre will be holding a free community information session about substance use and its impacts. This session is suitable for highschool-aged teens and their parents. You will learn about common substances in this region, how to navigate social pressures and tools for holding tough conversations. Where? Living Light Canadian Reformed Church. For more information, please call the office at 905 309 0944. We hope to see you there!
St. John's Presbyterian Church in Grimsby will be hosting a May Speaker Series geared towards Seniors in our Community and led by our Seniors Ministry Coordinator, Rev. Maria Lallouet. Each Wednesday in May we will host a special guest speaker on various topics that include, Fraud (Bank Manager and Police), Fire Prevention and Safety, Falls in the home and prevention. This free event is open to the general public. We invite you to join us! Speaker timing: 10:30am-12:00pm in Memory Hall.
March for Life: Choose Life Niagara invites high school and post-secondary students to join us on our annual March for Life trip to Ottawa! Leaving Vineland Carpool at 5:00 am Thursday, May 8 and return at 9:30 pm Friday, May 9. Cost is $120 and includes the National March, the Youth Conference, the Rose Dinner, accomodations, and coach bus. Register at chooselife.ca/events OR email info@chooselife.ca.
CORAM DEO CHOIR: Join us for our Spring Concert entitled "He Has Made All Things New." Where? Heritage Reformed Congregation, Jordan Station on Friday May 9th @7:30, and at Maranatha Free Reformed Church, Hamilton on Saturday, May 10th @7:30. Tickets can be purchased through our website https://www.coramdeochoir.ca/tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!
Momentum is back and ready to make you laugh and sing! Monday, May 12, at 7pm. We all could use a good laugh these days. Momentum Choir will bring you to tears with songs and jokes about dogs, cats, foxes, pirates, more specifically romance with pirates :), duct tape, pizza and SO much more. Come and see Momentum Choir at it's finest, making the audience laugh and sing together! Buy tickets here! (First Ontario Performing Arts Centre, St. Catharines).
A ‘Securing Your Legacy’ Seminar will take place at Riverside CRC in Wellandport on Monday, May 26 at 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm. Did you know that the average age of a widow is just 56? Being prepared can ease the burden on your loved ones during a difficult time. Joanne Schreuders (Van Tuyl), a widow, retired homeschooling mom of ten, a Christian author and speaker, will be sharing personal stories and practical tips on how to prepare for more than 87 decisions your family may face amid grief. You are guaranteed to come away with new insights and helpful information. Open to all ages. No charge, just a free will offering.
Feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, stress or loneliness? Want to talk to one of our psychotherapists or counsellors? We are here to help ! Please call 905.309.0944. We will be answering the phones Monday - Friday daily between 9am – 4pm. Sessions typically run about an hour. All of our services are free and confidential. Sometimes we all need help!
Has ALCOHOL OR DRUGS taken over your or a loved one’s life? Family Outreach Ontario can help. There are literally thousands of Christian recovering addicts out there… you may be sitting beside one in church next Sunday. Confidentiality guaranteed. Visit our web site for more info at www.familyoutreachontario.com, contact us at 905-933-3994, or e-mail us at info@familyoutreachontario.com.
Paul’s Missionary Journeys in Greece - October 13-24: Travel by motor coach (6 days) and cruise ship (4 days) to sites connected with Paul’s second and third missionary journeys, and other major sites of biblical, archaeological, and cultural interest. Jeff Weima, professor at Calvin Theological Seminary and leading Pauline scholar, hosts this inspirational tour. Contact Dr. Weima at 616-328-3110 or weimje@calvinseminary.edu.
NEWSLETTERS FROM OUR MINISTRY PARTNERS
Links are available on our website under
“Community Connections” - “Partnerships”
Paper copies can be requested from the church office.
DENOMINATIONAL NEWS
The Classis Niagara Ministry Leadership Team invites students intending to go into ordained ministry in the CRC to apply for financial support after their undergraduate studies are completed and after they qualify for entry at Calvin Seminary or a comparable institution recognized by Classis. Applicants need to receive endorsement from their home church. Contact Pastor Mike Vandyk (mike.vandyk@gracecrc.ca) for an application form and funding criteria. (Deadline May 31, 2025).
40 Days of Prayer for Synod - You’re invited into 40 days of intentional, guided prayer leading up to Synod 2025. The theme, Journey With Jesus, has been engaged with by a wide variety of CRC contributors. Learn more and sign up for either daily Scripture and prayers OR a week’s worth of Scripture and prayers that will be emailed to you. crcna.org/synod/prayer
Pre-Synod Prayer Gatherings - Synod 2025 will be held June 13-19 at Redeemer University in Ancaster. In preparation for synod, on Wed., June 11, there will be a Pre-Synod Prayer Gathering at Grace CRC in Ancaster 9am - 5pm to spend time in worship, and intercession all those who will be participating at Synod. Lunch will be provided with registration. From 7-8:30pm, there will also be a Synod prayer service that is open to all. On June 12, 9-11 am, there will be a prayer walk starting on the floor of Synod and then throughout Redeemer's campus. Learn more and register at crcna.org/synod/prayer
ReFrame Ministries Provides Devotions, Podcasts, and Blogs - Start a new Biblical habit with resources from ReFrame Ministries. DEVOTIONS including the Today devotional offer short daily meditations and scripture. Kids Corner includes devotions, especially for children and guardians. PODCASTS help you dig into scripture with Groundwork, explore pop culture and Christianity with Think Christian, or energize your church communications with Church Juice. BLOGS offering spiritual advice for parenting, dating, and more are available in new posts from Family Fire. Learn more about the spiritual habit of praying with ReFrame’s prayer ministry.
Groundwork: Christian Civility: Defending Our Faith without Being Defensive - How do we disagree without being disagreeable, or handle conflicts when people slander or talk against us? Join Groundwork as we study 1 Peter 3:8-17 and Titus 3:1-11 to seek biblical wisdom for responding to and navigating a divisive culture in faithful and Christlike ways. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.
Kids Corner: Needed: Grand Friendships - Check out this week’s kids’ devotion “Needed: Grand Friendships” www.kidscorner.net. Spending time with mentors helps us grow in faith, share love, and remember that God is always with us. We can learn to see God’s goodness and share it with others, whatever their age. Check out kidscorner.net, and KC’s Earth Day Collection.
Thrive Faith Formation Tip - Abuse Awareness Sunday is a day when the church acknowledges the sad reality of abuse in our world and in our communities. Abuse happens when one person treats another with cruelty and violence, hurting them physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually. Jesus came to put an end to such suffering and to the cruelty that causes it. Thrive invites our congregation to imagine a more holistic approach to nurturing a safe and healthy church community where abuse itself becomes unthinkable and where survivors feel supported and safe. Please consider supporting this valuable ministry that empowers all CRCs by giving now at their website: crcna.org/SafeChurch. Brought to you by Thrive: crcna.org/Thrive
Finding Hope in Hospitality: A Faith-Based Conversation on Welcoming the Stranger - On May 15, from 7:30–9:00 PM EST, we invite you to a cross-border virtual gathering. In a time when refugee resettlement and immigration spark complex emotions and conversations across North America, Thrive, the Centre for Public Dialogue, Exodus World Service, and World Renew’s Canadian Refugee Sponsorship and Resettlement Team invite you to a different kind of gathering—one rooted in hope, hospitality, and faith. Learn more and register today! network.crcna.org/topic/justice-inclusion/biblical-justice/refugees/finding-hope-hospitality-faith-based-conversation
Family Fire - Family Fire is an online community exploring Spirit-led family, marriage, parenting, in-laws, blended families, and intimacy. Find encouraging articles and devotions at familyfire.com. Subscribe for regular email updates and connect with our Family Fire community on Facebook.
JOBS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Board Member Needed - Do you: Like having your voice heard on important issues? Like collaborating with other like-minded individuals to bring positive change to the local church through the ministry of the deacons? Have time to volunteer to help deacons across Canada flourish? Then become a Diaconal Ministries Canada Board Member for your local classis! Email our Board Chair today to find out more: Peter VanHarmelen, pvanharmelen@gmail.com.
Treasurer Needed: Classis Niagara is seeking an individual to serve in the role of Treasurer. This is a part-time position that comes with a $6500 stipend. Familiarity with QuickBooks is essential. Ideally the individual will have some experience with bookkeeping work for non-profit organizations, however this is not a prerequisite. The workload fluctuates around the meetings held in February, May and October, along with additional year-end responsibilities. If you would like more information of what is involved or to apply, please reach out to our current treasurer, Diane Zantingh, treasurer.niagara@gmail.com, or call 905-975-6630.
Join EduDeo’s team as the Communications Specialist. Visit https://edudeo.com/careers for more info. Applications are due on April 27, 2025. About us: EduDeo Ministries believes education rooted in the Gospel is the best way to bring about whole-life transformation for children and their communities. We exist to advance Christ-centred education for children in the majority world.
We Are hiring at Shalom! Working at Shalom is a great opportunity to share your gifts and talents in a wonderful workplace and to become involved in the community! We take pride in offering the best possible care and making Shalom home for our residents. Become part of the team! We are always accepting resumes for potential future hiring.