Diaconal Ministries Canada offers dozens of resources to help deacons live out their mandate and calling. But sometimes we wonder, do deacons and churches in Canada even know what we have to offer them?! And then along comes a church that asks for it all!
May 24th was the Annual Ministry Networking Day - a day when past, present, (and potential!) NewGround partners gather to learn together, acquire valuable resources, and support one another in their ministries.
Many of the ministries now make up Thrive were, and still are, bi-national so when information goes out to the churches, it will include things that don’t necessarily pertain to Canadian churches, but are helpful and relevant to our US neighbours. We know this may cause confusion for some of you so let us explain!
A recent "Deacon Chair Conversation" with six Classis tackled the following question:
"It takes new deacons a year to get up and running, and before you know it, we lose them when their term finishes a couple years later. What can we do to onboard them better?"
Since its inception, NewGround has partnered with over 100 Canadian Christian Reformed churches. As we reflect how so many began with just a seed of hope and see how many have grown into flourishing community organizations, we acknowledge God’s goodness; how He has blessed NewGround to be a blessing for some many!
After a few years' hiatus (due to the pandemic in 2020), a group of deacons and church members from the Maritime provinces gathered at John Calvin CRC the weekend of Apr. 26-27 for Spark! 2024. Several ministry leaders from the denomination led talks and workshops under the theme "Work in Progress – Joining God Where He's At."
Hearts and lives are being impacted by the work of deacons in Classis Huron. About 40 people came together at St. Mark’s Place in Kitchener on the evening of April 18th to hear and celebrate how God is at work in and through diaconal ministry.
“Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless.” -Isaiah 58:7 (NLT) Members of First CRC in midtown Toronto have been picking up garden tools, cooking chili, hosting information sessions, and packing backpacks and baskets in an effort to live out this verse in their own neighbourhood.
How has the "Offering Time" changed in your church in this post-pandemic era? What has changed about the way congregations are giving money to the church and its ministries?
An inspiring story of how one deacon at Hope Fellowship in Courtice, ON, impacted one family. A follow-up post by guest writer, Amanda Mason.
