March 22nd, 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 26:47-68 - “The People and Power.”
There are many twists on the theme of power in this story: mob rule, fake greeting, brandished weapons, manipulative conversation and physical abuse. The accusation of Jesus is a study in humanity's struggle to understand power.
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 29th – Bible League Canada: All Peoples. Everywhere. Transformed By the living Word of God. Through our various ministry programs led by local champions, we continue to see evidence of God’s transforming power in amazing ways. It’s local champions who can best understand and love their local communities. The bibles you send equip these champions to continuously work in nearly 50 countries around the world to provide Scriptures and training so that people prepared by the Holy Spirit will be brought into relationship with Christ and His Church.
The Annual Banner Appeal - The 2026 funding drive for The Banner, the CRC’s award-winning magazine, has started. The Banner is delivered free in print and online, and your giving to this annual donation appeal makes it possible. To help keep this community conversation going please give online now at: TheBanner.org/Give
This Event is taking place at Mountainview!
You’re Invited to Cairn Christian School's Board Dinner 2026 – Woven Together
Join us on April 25th, 6-9pm at Smithville Christian Reformed Church for an inspiring evening celebrating how God is weaving our school community together in faith, learning, and love.
Our annual Board Dinner will feature a delicious meal, meaningful stories from our community, and a plant sale (details coming soon!). It’s a special opportunity to gather, give thanks, and invest in the continued growth of our school.
Reserve your tickets here!
Would you consider partnering with us as a sponsor? Details here! We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful night together!
Other…
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
& OPPORTUNITIES
Come Celebrate with an Easter Sunrise Service on April 5th at 6:45am. Join us bright and early at the Firepit behind The Fort (116 West St. Smithville). Rain or inclement weather? The service will move to Smithville united Church. Bring lawn chairs. Enjoy connecting after with hot cross buns. All are welcome!
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
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
Celebrating 150 years of Calvin University - Hamilton event: Calvin University is celebrating 150 years of God's faithfulness, and we're bringing the celebration to Hamilton! Join us on Wednesday, March 25 at 6 pm at The Gasworks for an evening of Inspiring campus updates, meaningful connection with alumni & friends, heavy appetizers & beverages, a joyful celebration of Calvin's legacy and future. $10/pp. More information and registration available at Event info & Registration.
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.
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
"Great Lakes Christian High School Youth Rally - Registration is now open for our annual Youth Rally, a weekend of worship, fun, learning, and friends for Grades 6-12. Youth Rally is April 17-18. You can find out more about this event on our social media pages (@glchs) or on the registration page (bit.ly/GLYouthRally2026)."
Healing Hearts, Transforming Nations Workshop - Co-hosted by Resonate Global Mission and the CRC’s Indigenous and Intercultural Ministries, this 4-day immersive workshop will engage you in meaningful practices of healing and reconciliation, and equip you to repair and rebuild relationships in your local communities. You will experience: Personal healing and forgiveness, Tools for Intercultural teamwork, Examples of trauma-informed ministry, and Biblical frameworks to care for divided communities. Join us July 6–10, 2026, at the Five Oaks Retreat Centre in Paris, ON. Cost: $400 ($500 after May 1st). Learn more and register: tinyurl.com/yj972wxe
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: The Daughters of Jerusalem and Jesus' Crucifixion - At the ninth Station of the Cross, Jesus gave a warning to women he called “Daughters of Jerusalem.” Then comes the tenth Station of the Cross: Jesus’ crucifixion. Join Groundwork as we study Jesus’ words in Luke 23:26-38 and Matthew 27:39-43 and discuss his meaning, what he accomplished on the cross, and what it all means for our lives today. Listen now at Groundworkonline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.
Check out this week’s Kids Corner Devotion, “The Not-So-Triumphal Entry” at www.kidscorner.net. Ever wonder why Jesus chose to ride a donkey? By selecting a donkey, he declared that he was there to get to work—God’s work—and he wasn’t threatening anyone. Donkeys aren’t flashy. Check out all the great content at kidscorner.net, like Kids Corner’s Lent Devotional.
Thrive Faith Formation Tip - This is the final week of Lent. Next week is Holy Week, during which Christians will mark the end of Jesus’ journey to the cross. Those final hours of Jesus’ life were extremely lonely, as Jesus was abandoned by family, friends, and even his heavenly Father. As Jesus’ disciples today, we share in this suffering—but we are never alone. Colossians 3 describes the diverse community of believers, exhorting us to “bear with each other” as we support one another in faith. This week read and reflect on Colossians 3:11-14, and make time to connect with and encourage members of your church community. 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.
JOBS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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’re pleased to announce that the Director of Communications position at World Renew is now live! This full time, hybrid role—based in Burlington, ON or Byron Center, MI—leads World Renew’s voice, narrative, and public presence. The Director oversees brand storytelling, media relations, editorial direction, and a binational communications team, ensuring mission aligned, faith rooted, and ethical content. Interested? We encourage you to apply at https://world-renew.breezy.hr/
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.
EduDeo Ministries invites you to consider the role of Donor Stewardship Coordinator. In this position, you will strengthen our support community through donor engagement, stewardship, and thoughtful administrative coordination - helping sustain Christ-centred education around the world. Visit https://edudeo.com/careers for more information. Applications due March 30.
Bethel CRC (Dunnville) is seeking a part-time (24 hrs/wk) Director of Ministries to lead children, youth, and young adult ministries and support small group discipleship. This role works closely with the pastoral team to foster spiritual growth and equip volunteers. Position description available upon request. Please apply with your resume, cover letter, and statement of faith to bethelcrchiring@dunnvillecrc.ca by April 30.