March 1st, 2026 News
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MOUNTAINVIEW NEWS
Join us Sunday morning at 10 am in person or online. Pastor Erick Schuringa continues our Lent Series “The Passion Story - Journey to the Cross” with a look at Matthew 26:17-30 - “Supper of the Lamb”
As we consider the Last Supper, we will connect it to the Passover meal that was meant to be happening which Jesus transformed into what we now call communion. There is a lot going on in this story and this meal that help us see how God works. During the service we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
Our passage this morning will be presented as a Tableau. (A scripture tableau is a dramatic technique where a group of people in costume create a silent, frozen scene (a "living picture" ortableau vivant) to illustrate a passage from the Bible.)
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...
Upcoming Offering:
March 8th – Smithville Christian High School is providing an authentically Christian education to teens from all over central Niagara. Smithville Christian High graduates are serving God and bringing shalom all over the world. Your gift will be used to keep tuition in check so that many families can have access to the exciting programs that enable our students to thrive. Thank-you for your part in keeping Christian education affordable at all levels.
2026 Cambodia Discovery Tour - World Renew invites you on a learning journey to explore Cambodia! Grow in your understanding of World Renew’s work from communities already leading change, while experiencing the history, traditions, and culture of Cambodia. Join us from November 6-16, 2026 and come discover what God is doing in Cambodia. Registration is limited. For more information and to register, visit: https://bit.ly/cambodia2026info
Support 'The Banner' Sunday, March 1 - Our congregation is encouraged to support a 160-year-old member of the CRC! 'The Banner' is the official magazine of the CRC and is available for free, in print and online, to every member of the denomination. A special offering will be taken next week to help continue the journalistic ministry of this historic magazine. Discover how you can get it and best support it at: thebanner.org/signup
Other…
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
& OPPORTUNITIES
Looking for a family to Room and Board, from Monday pm until Friday pm, March 18 - middle of May. A Female Student from a Christian family has a teaching placement at the West Niagara High School. If you have some space in your home and a spot at your kitchen table, please consider helping this young woman out. Please contact Veronica DeBoer if taking in this student for a short period of time is possible for you.
Prepare your Heart for Easter - with the Discover Your Bible: Easter study. This 6-lesson series traces Jesus’ journey, connecting Old Testament promises with New Testament eyewitness accounts. Great for families, small groups, or personal study. Try it free: visit our website to download a sample of Lesson One and experience again the power of Christ’s sacrifice. resonateglobalmission.org/globalcoffeebreak
You’re Invited to Prayer & Praise Night at Smithville CRC Sunday, March 1 @7pm. We’re going to be singing and praying our concerns and love for our great God!
Beyond the Headlines: Faith, Community, and the Stories that Shape Us - Join a new justice education series from Thrive, World Renew, and the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue. This four-part series explores immigration, food justice, climate justice, and gender justice through a biblical lens—equipping participants to recognize harmful narratives, understand root causes, and take meaningful, faith-informed action. Learn more and register today: tinyurl.com/yrhe9a6b
We are once again hosting our annual Euchre Night this year on March 7@ 7:00pm. Brand new to the game or a seasoned professional, this event is for you. It’s a progressive style tournament, so you don't have to come with a partner. There will be snacks, prizes, and a lot of fun playing euchre. Best Part: All money raised supports programming for youth in Lincoln. Cost: $20/person. Location: 3874 Victoria Ave, Vineland. Details linked here. Contact Peter peter.j@yfclincoln.com for more info.
The annual Inter-Classis Safe Church Conference will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026 from 9 AM – 3 pm at Waterloo CRC.
At a time of history when truth is being challenged and when power is being abused, join us for a time of learning and discussion. Our plenary speaker will be Dr. James Watson who will be joined by speakers Cathi Watson, Dr. Stephen Vander Klippe, and Julia Rathbun. For further information and registration go to https://crcna.regfox.com/2026-classis-huron-safe-church-conference. This conference is for all ministry leaders and those interested in making our churches safe places to work, volunteer and worship. For additional information, contact Pastor Carel Geleynse (Classis Huron Safe Church Coordinator) at carelgeleynse20@gmail.com. We would love to see you at the conference!
Choose Life Niagara Annual Dinner: Saturday, March 7, 5:00 p.m. at Club Roma in St. Catharines. Abortion survivor, Lauren Eden, will share her powerful story of discovering the truth of her survival, finding healing, and learning that God's purposes are never thwarted by human plans. Join us for dinner, fellowship and an inspiring guest speaker. Details and tickets ($60, Students $30) available at ChooseLife.ca/Events or call 905-684-7505.
Wolters Centre Natural Sciences and Mathematics Lecture - Join us on March 9 for a free public lecture hosted by the Wolters Centre, featuring Dr. Channon Visscher.
Visit Redeemer – Next Campus Visit Day on March 18.
Musical Showcase - On March 18 at 7:30 pm, join us for a free musical showcase by students and faculty in the Redeemer auditorium.o Grand Opening of H. Evan Runner Reading Room - Join us on March 27 at 11 am in the Redeemer library for the public grand opening of the H. Evan Runner Reading Room, featuring a ribbon cutting, refreshments and remarks from Dr. Al Wolters.
Spring Concert: Christ's Death - Our Life - On March 27, come and enjoy a concert of sacred choral music at Redeemer's annual Spring Concert. Presented by the 60 voices of the Redeemer University Concert Choir with guest instrumentalists, under the direction of Dr. Roger Bergs. Tickets go on sale March 4 at the Redeemer Box Office.
Senior Art Exhibit - Join us on March 28 at 7 pm in the Redeemer Art Gallery for this year's Senior Art Exhibit, featuring artwork by fourth-year Redeemer students.
Hope Canadian Male Choir is excited for their March Easter concert series ‘Worthy is the Lamb’: Thursday March 12 – Copperlight, Stratford; Friday March 13 – Ancaster CanRef Church, Hamilton; Saturday March 14 – Pathway Bible Church, St. Catharines. Directed by Martin Mans, the choir will be accompanied by Martin Zonnenberg on piano and André Knevel on the organ, and will feature Josh Overbeek and Menze Feenstra, our choir’s tenors. For tickets visit: hopecanchoir@gmail.com, call/text 226 338 5459 or visit hopecanadianmalechoir.com. Tickets also available at the door. Start Time 7:30 pm; doors open 7:00 pm.
You are invited to an evening with ARCADY as they present Handel's Messiah at Grace Community CRC in Ancaster on Friday, March 27 at 7:30 pm. Handel's Messiah was originally intended for the Easter season. The first Messiah performance, held during Lent in April 1742, featured an intimate chamber ensemble who also form the chorus, a tradition continued by Arcady. The result is an intimate, chamber-style performance and word clarity that brings the audience especially close to the performance. Tickets are $46, available through arcady.ca or by calling 519-428-3185. Contact John VanderLaan for more info: 905-648-3170/john_vdl@hotmail.com
Join us Easter long weekend (April 2 – evening, and April 4 – daytime) for Safe Families Niagara’s first-ever Hockey Tournament Fundraiser! This fun, family-friendly event will feature team competition, opportunities to volunteer, a family skate, and plenty of action on and off the ice. Teams of 10–15 players are invited to register. Local businesses and community partners are also encouraged to participate as sponsors—an excellent way to support families in our community while gaining local visibility.
For more information or to register a team, volunteer, or learn more about sponsorship opportunities, contact Danica at niagara@safefamilies.ca or call/text 289-257-4846. We hope you’ll join us for this exciting weekend in support of local families!
Tickets are now available for the Hosanna Choir & Mattaniah Christian Male Choir concert at FirstOntario Concert Hall (1 Summers Lane, Hamilton) on Saturday, April 4 at 7:30pm. The choirs will be accompanied by Ryan Vandenberg (Organ), Andre Knevel (Organ), and Naomi Noorduyn (Piano) and the 16-piece Scott Harrison String/Brass/Percussion Ensemble. Tickets are $25 & $35, and can be purchased through the choir’s website (www.hosanna-choir.org). Questions? Contact Wendy den Hollander at 905-628-1211 or at hdenhollander@yahoo.com.
Awake to Praise Choir: This spring, we will hold 3 concerts at the Vineland Free Reformed Church: Friday, April 10 at 8:00 pm and Saturday, April 11 at 5:00 & 8:00 pm. Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, March 11, at 7:00 PM. We respectfully request that no infants or children under 5 attend to ensure a peaceful and enjoyable experience for guests and musicians. All ticket purchasing as well as more information can be found on our website - www.awaketopraisechoir.com
Paul’s Missionary Journeys in Turkey & the Seven Churches of Revelation (Oct 9-19, 2026): Visit ancient sites connected with Paul’s First, Second, and Third Missionary Journeys as well as the seven churches to whom John wrote the Book of Revelation. Join Jeff Weima, professor at Calvin Theological Seminary and leading biblical scholar, for this inspirational biblical 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
Focus on the Cross - Lent is a season to focus on the hope of Jesus Christ. Receive a free Today devotional email series to help you refresh, refocus, and renew your faith during Lent. Or download the ebook! Subscribe at todaydevotional.com/lent.
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: In the Garden of Gethsemane: Jesus Prays, Judas Betrays, and Jesus is Arrested - As Lent begins, let’s prepare our hearts in this season by following Jesus to Golgotha and studying the biblical events that comprise the traditional stations of the cross. Join Groundwork as we begin our journey by studying Matthew 26:31-56 to reflect on what happened to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and consider the effects of his prayer, betrayal, and arrest for Jesus and for us. Listen now at Groundworkonline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.
Check out this week’s Kids Corner Devotion, “Self-Control: Say Yes to God,” at www.kidscorner.net. Discover how practicing self-control can help you be kind, helpful, and filled with joy every day! You’ll discover fun ways to put others first and show big love in small moments. Prepare for Easter with all the great content at kidscorner.net, like Kids Corner’s Lent Devotional.
Thrive Faith Formation Tip - Right before his forty days in the wilderness, Jesus presented himself for baptism. When John objected, Jesus said, “It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). We administer baptism—a sign of dying and rising—to mark the beginning of every new life in Christ. Sometime this week, dip your finger in water and reflect on these words often declared during baptisms: “You are sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ’s own.” Brought to you by Thrive: crcna.org/Thrive
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.
Call for Nominations to the Canadian National Gathering - The 2026 Canadian National Gathering is creating space for a diverse and well-rounded group of participants from across Canada, representing different regions, generations, and experiences. Nominations are open to any member of a CRC in Canada. If someone comes to mind, please nominate them! This is a meaningful way to affirm their gifts and invite them into something that will have a lasting impact on our wider church community. Learn more and make a nomination: www.crcna.org/canada
JOBS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Cairn Christian School Seeks Executive Director - Cairn Christian School, a Christian elementary school system operating campuses in southern Ontario (Smithville and Stoney Creek) is seeking an inspiring Executive Director to begin August 1, 2026. Application deadline is February 28, 2026. To learn more about this position, please reference: https://bit.ly/cairned
Smithville Christian High School is seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Financial Administrator to join our team. This is a 3 day week, part-time role. This position is vital in ensuring the financial health of our school, managing budgets and overseeing accounting processes. Our website has more details about the job opportunity. https://smithvillechristian.ca/smithville-christian-high-school-job-opportunities/
As Shalom Manor & Gardens expands operations into Hamilton (operating as Faithstone Manor & Gardens), we are seeking Primary Care Physicians to provide care to our long-term care and retirement home residents. This will involve weekly visits to the home at a time that works for your schedule (with flexibility for vacations/illness), and some after-hours phone support for urgent medical issues. You would work in a team consisting of a full time Nurse Practitioner, and other Physicians. We are seeking individuals who align with the mission, vision, and values of the organization, and who respect the sanctity of life until natural death. We have a strong need for this type of candidate, so please prayerfully consider this opportunity. If you are looking for more information about this opportunity, or wish to put your name forward, please contact the Chief Nursing Officer, Celeste Pols at cpols@shalommanor.ca / 905-945-9631 ext. 1133.
We're Hiring! Please consider joining our staff of professional journalists by applying for the Editor-In-Chief of The Banner! Do you love and consider yourself in touch with members of the Christian Reformed Church? Are you a discerning and effective communicator interested in highlighting the many good things happening in our denomination but also willing to help readers find their way through the challenging issues? The application process requires an editorial-length sample of your writing that would resonate with The Banner's audience. The editor-in-chief will be responsible for the content of The Banner, particularly for theological review, denominational relevance, and reader service to fulfill the magazine’s mandate as determined by synod. Apply at crcna.pinpointhq.com
Hiring! The Director of Thrive will provide overall direction and leadership for Thrive, ensuring that strategic planning, fiscal management, programming, resource development, staff care and development, achievement of goals, and administrative functions are effectively carried out. The Director will ensure the overall implementation, assessment, and success of Thrive’s mandate serving churches in both Canada and the US. This is a full-time, hybrid position based in Burlington or Grand Rapids. Apply by March 23: crcna.pinpointhq.com
We are seeking a committed follower of Jesus to serve as a Part-time Faith Formation Coordinator at Faith Church. The person we hire will work closely with Pastor Cara, alongside our other staff, elders, deacons, and volunteer leaders. They will work about 20 hrs/wk and must be willing to become a member of Faith Church. He or she will help people at Faith, from youngest to oldest, to grow in faith and pursue spiritual transformation. We pray for the Spirit’s guidance as we seek someone who will grow our capacity to fulfill our vision. Deadline: Friday, March 13. More info: https://faithcrc.ca/now-hiring/
Christian Stewardship Services (CSS) is seeking a faith-driven Ontario Stewardship Consultant to help individuals and families steward God’s gifts through Biblically grounded estate and gift planning. This ministry-focused role involves meeting with donors, providing estate planning guidance, and strengthening Christian organizations through legacy stewardship. Hybrid (home-based or Cambridge, office). Salary, RRSP contributions and comprehensive benefits. Visit: Csservices.ca/posting. Apply to , send your resume to Maynard Wiersma at maynardw@csservices.ca.