Equipping Deacons
Community Garden puts People before Plants
When asked where the idea for a community garden came from, Pastor Marcel deRegt noted that the idea came to him as he was looking out over some of the church property, wondering how that “resource” could be better utilized to serve their broader community. He also shared about Gateway’s desire to be so involved and impactful in the community, that if they were to close their doors, the broader community would not just notice the vacant building, but would be grieved at the loss. He wondered if the community gardens could be another way the church could invest in and work with their local community.
Read MoreOvercoming Spiritual Roadblocks; Devotion #6 – Resistance
Read: Acts 17:1-9 Often when we start a new ministry project, we find that we run into resistance. Sometimes, resistance happens as minor irritations, like communication challenges with people missing emails or text messages. Misunderstandings can occur within the organizing team. Sometimes it seems that there is challenge after challenge which has to be overcome,…
Read MoreBowmanville Church Remains “Wide Open” to Local Community During Pandemic
As the pandemic closed the physical doors of Rehoboth CRC last spring, the church continued to look for ways to be ‘wide open’ to their local community in new and creative ways.
They were able to do this with the help of a Covid-19 Grant from Diaconal Ministries Canada and World Renew Canada.
Read MoreSome New Faces at Diaconal Ministries!
We’re excited to welcome three new people to our awesome team!
Let’s get to know them a bit better…
Read MoreBC Youth Centre Provides a Safe Harbour with Help of NewGround Partnership
Mission Youth House, also known as MY House, in Mission, BC, is a collaborative initiative to provide a place for youth to eat, shower, do laundry, access medical care and other services and receive help from caring adults. Mission Hills Community CRC has been a key partner in providing counseling to staff, prayer support, financial donations and volunteer support. In order to grow the ministry and move more into the spiritual transformational work within the ministry, they knew they needed some help.
Enter NewGround…
NewGround Partnership Helps Church Love Refugees
“The refugee crisis desperately needs churches to show up in ways that further hope, healing, and reconciliation in the world,” Danielle Steenwyk-Rowaan, Open Homes Hamilton’s team leader, shared.
With the help of a NewGround grant, New Hope Church in Hamilton, ON showed up to partner with Open Homes Hamilton. This new partnership has allowed New Hope to welcome refugee claimants into communities of belonging and has reminded them of the transformative power of the ancient Christian practice of hospitality.
Read MoreOvercoming Spiritual Roadblocks; Devotions #4 – “Letting God Speak”
When we listen to the directions on a phone app, we have to listen and follow the directions we receive, and they guide us to where we need to go. Similarly, as we listen to the Lord in prayer, He guides and directs us in the best route.
But how do we hear God’s voice when we pray?
Read MoreTeen from Sonlight CRC Cares for Homeless with a Covid-19 Grant
Hope Booy is a young adult at Sonlight CRC in Regina. She was awarded a COVID-19 grant from World Renew and Diaconal Ministries Canada to put together a backpack of essential supplies for the homeless people she saw in her community.
Watch this story now!
Overcoming Spiritual Roadblocks in Ministry – Devotion #3; Why Pray?
What exactly is prayer, and how does it fit into the work which the Lord calls us to do?
At its heart, prayer is a form of communication. It is a conversation with our Heavenly Father. But dialogue is only the start. Just as in earthly relationships, communication is essential for growth and health. It is the same with our relationship with God. As the apostle John reminds us, we need to abide or remain in Christ. As we remain, we grow in relationship with him.
Read MoreCovid Grant Helps Church Address Mental Health
Video Produced by; Victoria Veenstra We recently chatted with Jenn Burnett, the lead pastor from The Well in Kelowna, BC. Their church received one of our Covid-19 grants last fall to address mental health with their community. In spite of changing lock down protocols, The Well has continued to be creative in the use of…
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