August 2 – Midsummer Thanksgiving
Hello Friends,
I was all set last weekend to join the Dream in High Park’s production of “As You Like it”. However I got this note last week that the performances this week had been cancelled. It was a reminder that the past years have been tough times for us. As I looked back on this year though, I do see God’s hand in the work we do together.
We started something new in the Children’s ministry while at the same time giving our long standing helpers some rest. Thank you all who have stepped up to help in our Summer program and to the Children’s ministry team that carried our young people’s worship through the worst of COVID isolation.
We are seeing our young people’s fellowship grow and see more participating in different ministries and reaching out to their friends. Thank you to all the adult mentors who spend their valuable time with our younger generation. Last weekend we held a 2nds Teens camp and this week many are getting ready to help out in our Summer VBS from Aug 8-12.
We have brought the active ones from our Cantonese, Mandarin and English congregations together as we’ve organized Sunday sports and rec. It’s great to see this emerging generation interact and to see friendships form across cultures and congregations.
We are in the preparation stage of moving back to TCBC’s main sanctuary for worship. We are working out details about how to make the larger space friendly and maintain the feel of congregating together. We also hope to have more members join in the worship ministry and support our current team of helpers. For the next weeks we will still be meeting in the first floor chapel (please enter through the side doors).
There will be much to do getting ready for September. Before diving into all that needs to be done, I am reminding myself daily of how God has been faithful to us and to our church. God is transforming us to be the people that live not “As You Like it” but as God desires us to be. And that’s exciting.
Gentle nudge: It’s still not too late to sign up for our English Congregation retreat at Hidden Acres Retreat Centre (between Kitchener and Stratford)
Date: August 19-21, 2022
Cost:
$80 youth (under 18, attending without family)
$120 per person 13 years of age or older
$200 for 1 Parent with their Children (under 18)
$300 for 2 Parents with their Children (under 18)
Registration link: Retreat Registration
We have created a Google Doc file to list all our upcoming activities which is updated more regularly than the news page on the website. We encourage you to check it out (and bookmark it) to find out what’s going on.
Reminder: this Sunday is Communion Sunday. Hope to see you this Sunday either in-person or on-line.
Blessings,
Pastor Nolan