Back/Forth: Volume 1

We’ve got lots to share this month. But first, a word about our new update letter format:

Recently we sent out a newsletter by “snail mail”. (If you didn’t receive it, please send us your address so we can add you to the mailing list!) We’d like to send out our newsletter by hard-copy a few times a year, but there is so much that we want to share with you in between those mailings that we thought we’d use email to give you more regular, shorter updates – and this way we can share more pictures!

We’re calling this monthly update Back/Forth because we’ll take a few moments to look back at some of the news from the last month, and then look forward to the things that are coming up. The purpose behind these updates is to keep you up to speed with what’s happening at The Centre so that you know what’s going on, can pray for us more effectively, and help spread the word about what we’re up to.

— Back —

Darin Martin visits The Centre

On Sunday May 6th Darin and Sarah Martin, friends and co-labourers in Christ, came to lead us through personal songs and stories.  He shared about living in community in Hamilton, the pain of watching his daughter suffer through a horrendous illness that almost took her life, and the joy of taking a cycling trip with their whole family and seeing God’s beauty and majesty throughout.

If you’d like to find out more about Darin Martin and his music check out his website.

Spring BBQ at Memorial Park

We kicked off the spring season with our third annual BBQ at Memorial Park in the south end (the train park!).  It was a beautiful day for games and fun. Some of the highlights include:

• We had new people attend the BBQ for the first time that were not invited by anyone connected to The Centre.  They were invited by two different families who have come out to our BBQ’s for the past two years! This is incredibly encouraging because this means those people we’re trying to reach and impact with the gospel of Jesus have now got to the place where they trust us enough to invite others out to hear and experience what The Centre is all about!
• We’ve been partnering with the Gideons and have had their material at our outreach events.  At the BBQ a lady picked up a NT as well as their magazine copy of the Gospel of John. She also was a first time attender!
• There were equal number of kids to adults, so the game time was full and fun!  At one point Amanda gave one young boy our digital camera to take pictures of the event and the pictures are amazing!!  You can check them out below.
• A local insurance group, The Cooperators, loaned us their community trailer that comes complete with a BBQ and propane, tables, and everything else needed to make the event run smoothly.  It was a wonderful blessing and made set up and tear down much more quick and efficient.
• Once again we were able to bless people with leftovers to take home as we always come well prepared with food.

[rev_slider alias=”BBQmay2018″]

Cub Cars at KAPS (King Albert Public School)

Back in February during our annual planning day we brainstormed ways that we could build more connections and relationships with the families of King Albert, while at the same time offer them something as a blessing to them.  Putting our creative minds together we came up with idea of holding a three session “workshop” that was for both students and their parents/guardians. Our first workshop that we hosted was building Cubcars and then racing them down a 40 foot long track!  Here’s what we did:

• We had over 30 students from grades 3-6, along with their parents/guardians, participate over the the three Fridays
• All of the materials (except for the Cubcar kits) were donated by the local Home Hardware.
• The school also partnered with us and made it an official school event so that we wouldn’t have to pay a rental fee!  Teachers and EA’s stayed behind after school so that it would be official! (Thank you Mr. Brillinger especially for being there each week!)
• The first Friday (May 11th)  we shaped and sanded the cars, and added weights to them.
• The second Friday was decoration day, and each car was painted up wonderfully and uniquely.
• The third Friday was race day!  One of our partner churches, Jenning’s Creek Christian Reformed Church, loaned us their track and supplied three volunteers to put it together.  We raced for over an hour to determine who was the fastest as there can only be one winner! Afterwards we went over to St. Paul’s Anglican (another partner church) for a pizza dinner and awards.  We had almost 70 people out for the dinner!
• At the dinner Pastor Mike shared about how we are all created with a spiritual side to us (borrowing from the local school board’s mandate to “Feed all Four: body, emotions, relationships, and spirit” as it still was a school event) and said that this is where the church can help.  Mike encouraged parents and students to feel free to ask us questions, and to know that we wouldn’t turn them away.
• After the races one father shared with Mike how encouraged he was, and that he remembered doing something similar with his father when he was a kid.  And now to be able to do the same thing with his son was such a blessing.
• Another family shared with Mike how excited they were to see the community working together to bless the school.
• All in all, through the three week event, we didn’t have one complaint or negative comment, and everyone said they were looking forward to next year’s competition!  

[rev_slider alias=”Cub Cars 2018″]

— Forth —

Coming up next month:

We’ll be sharing more about our recently launched Moms’ Drop-in, as well as our upcoming community BBQ that we are co-hosting with two other neighbourhood churches. Please also keep us in prayer as we plan for various outreach events through the summer.