New Life News
NEW LIFE PROFILES – CYNDI BROERSMA
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with our staff Women’s Ministry support and Faith Formation associate, Cyndi Broersma. Being that October is “Women’s Ministry” month here at New Life, I wanted to find out more detail on the inner workings and heart behind this ministry. I always knew Cyndi to be a person of depth, but as we sat and chatted, I was taken back by the amount of heart and passion she displayed for the ministry areas in which she is involved. I also learned a few other interesting things about who she is and where she has come from. A couple of days after our interview, I was still thinking about some of the answers she gave to my questions.
So give us a brief overview of your life.
I grew up in a small town in southern Saskatchewan. When I was 14, I relocated to BC. My home was right here in the Fraser Valley area until I graduated from High School. After that, I moved a short distance to attended Western Pentecostal Bible College.
After Bible College, where did your path take you?
Well, I went to China for a year where I taught English in Macau; however, I was there during the handover of Macau back to China and was forced to leave. I then began teaching in Hoi Ping (mainland China) where it was illegal to be a Christian. I joined a missions team and cycled to many villages to spread the gospel. During my time in China I developed a love for missions and saw the need for medical care. When I came home I went to UCFV for nursing.
What kinds of places have you worked, where have you served and in what capacity?
The reason I went into nursing was to join the Red Cross and then go serve in war torn countries. However, I got married and started a family before I was able to serve out of the country. I have always wanted to be part of the healing journey for people both in a practical and also a spiritual way. I have compassion for those who are hurting, wounded, and sick. I’ve had many jobs where I served in both missions and health care locally.
Help us understand the heart behind what motivates you?
I love community. I believe that church is essentially the first form of government. We should be the hospital, the educators, those who provide financial aid for those in need, and those who care for those needing care. As for the role of women – in the Jewish tradition women had a powerful role in their families. They would actually sing proverbs over their children and grandchildren. I am passionate about seeing this same nurturing and loving spirit released in our community.
What is the greatest joy in the work that you do?
I live to see the “ah ha moment,” in a child. It is the freedom of identity that happens when all the loving and nurturing comes together, and in one moment, a child finally realizes who they are and who Jesus is to them. It is such a beautiful birth. But apart from that, I love to be part of redemption stories wherever they might happen. The greatest joy in my work is to celebrate the moments of breakthrough with those in my community.
What is the greatest joy in your personal life?
My relationship with Jesus is # 1, and then, without doubt, my family. I love spending time with my husband. I also learn so much from my kids. Kids teach you so much about compassion, patience, and kindness. When I see those qualities in them and I know that they really get what life is all about, it gives me a great deal of joy.
What are your greatest struggles, things that make you sad when you see them?
I am saddened when I see people not connected, all alone, and with no support. It breaks my heart to hear the phrase, “I had no one to cry with me.”
Tell us about your relationship with God, what is it like?
My relationship with God is beautiful and messy – sometimes I use the phrase, “perfectly-imperfect.” There have been a lot of struggles in my life, sometimes one right after the other, but there have also been a lot of open doors. I have come to realize that along with every open door is a mess so I always try to see the bigger picture. I believe that pain gives us a glimpse of eternity. My time with God looks like: silence, listening, dreaming, reading, and praying continually. There is never a time that my head is not in a conversation with God.
From your personal experience, if you could suggest one thing to another person when it comes to the pursuit of God, what would it be?
It’s not complicated …
What are your hobbies?
I love hiking, hunting, paddle boarding, reading, and a very little known fact – crocheting! I am also very competitive and I love fitness.
What are the practicalities of Women’s Connection at New Life?
For the Tuesday morning Women’s Connections, there are three semesters each year. The first semester is 12 weeks long and runs September through December. The second one runs from January through March. Then we also have a shorter spring session in April and May running for about 5 weeks. In each semester, there are a variety of sessions or groups. When the semester changes, most of the groups switch over to a new topic. There is also a Wednesday night Women’s Connection group that meets. The topics for the Wednesday night gathering are consistent throughout the year. For the most part, whichever event you attend, you can expect a time of worship, caring, small groups, and prayer, and there is always child care available on Tuesday mornings.
What is your heart for New Life women’s ministries?
My heart is that the women of our church would be able to find their identity in Christ and feel connected – part of a unit. Our goal is that each woman would have support, someone to rejoice with, and, if needed, someone to mourn with. I never want anyone to feel like they have to struggle alone, and if someone is excited, there should always be someone to share the joy with. I also pray that they feel empowered to lead at home and to serve in their community.
If you could say one thing to the ladies of New Life, what would it be?
You are valued and treasured more than you could ever imagine. You can never fully know how much God loves you and He created you perfectly – imperfect.
NEW LIFE WOMEN’S RETREAT
New Life Women’s Retreat 2017 – October 20-22
Our New Life Women’s retreat is fast approaching. Space is limited for the overnight stay at Camp Alexander and the cut off for registration is Wednesday, October 18th. We have heard a lot of comments from women planning to attend, but some of you have not yet registered, so if you are considering attending, please contact Cyndi Broersma at cbroersma@newlifecrc.ca and we will get your name on the list right away. The retreat is a combination of the camp stay as well as the Gather Rise conference.
Gather Rise is being held in Surrey this year. Women from coast to coast will gather for a day of bible teaching, worship, and to listen together for what God desires to do in our nation at this time in history. Gather Rise will feature the voices of Ann Voskamp, Stephanie Reader, Helen Burns, Cathie Ostapchuk, Anne Miranda, and other amazing Christian women from across Canada! If you are planning on attending just the conference, you can get tickets here.
WOMEN’S CONNECTION AT NEW LIFE
A few short weeks ago, the women of New Life church came together for the start of a brand new season of “Women’s Connections.” This ministry consists of two gatherings during the week. The first meeting is on Tuesday morning at 9:00 AM and it has two parts – a gathering for women, and an accompanying Story Hour for pre-school & nursery age children, allowing mothers with small children to attend. Time is spent in fellowship, worship and study. There is also time to connect over coffee and snacks, there is laughter, and sometimes there are even tears! It doesn’t matter if you have been coming for the last 20 years, or if you are thinking of attending for the first time, you are always welcome!
There is a second Women’s Connection meeting on Wednesday evening here at the church from 7:15 – 9:00 PM hosted by Gertie Fictorie. During the month of October, this group will be meeting on the 11th and the 25th. Please contact Gertie at gjfictorie@telus.net for more information.
Here are the study topic choices for the Tuesday morning sessions this season:
- Hebrews – Jenny Klein will facilitate a study on the book of Hebrews, one of the richest books in the New Testament. Come learn about a better Covenant founded on better promises, a better law written in our hearts, a better sacrifice and mediator between God and man, and a better remedy for sin! Experience the new Covenant and the fullness that is ours to enjoy in Christ Jesus!”
- Draw Near – Nicole Dudney and Nicole Sutherland will facilitate this exciting group, one that goes as the Spirit leads! There may be times to listen for the Holy Spirit, times to pray for one another, times to delve into scripture, times to support individuals in the group searching for help, or opportunity to follow the unique directions of the Spirit.
- James – Karitas Townsend will facilitate a study on the book of James. The book of James speaks to the realities of a living faith in Jesus—the kind of roll-up-your-sleeves and get-your-hands-dirty discipleship that is borne out of an authentic relationship with the risen Lord. This study is based on a 12 session model developed by Francis Chan, working through the book of James verse by verse. There will be weekly conversation points, questions, personal journaling topics, memorization challenges, and prayer focus.
- The Weekly Prayer Project – Nicole Maza and Melissa Westwood will facilitate this group. Challenge yourself to journal, pray, reflect, and connect with God. There are fifty-two scriptures broken down over the course of the study exploring different types of prayers found in the Bible. Each week’s journaling prompts will guide you to reflect on God’s work in your life and to pray with intention.
A LOOK AT CHANGES IN CADETS AND GEMS
Why the new Schedule? We are glad you asked!
The purpose of this newsletter is to explain to the congregation and participants of our GEMS and Cadets program the new changes ahead for the 2017-2018 ministry year. Essentially the big change is that Cadets and GEMS will now take place every other week on a rotating basis. The reasons for the change is three fold.
Firstly, we want to create a culture of sustainable volunteerism. The culture of volunteerism is changing as the culture around us places different demands on our schedules and available time as individuals and families. With life being the way it is, often ebbing and flowing in family schedules etc, fewer adults have time to serve in sustainable rhythms in the often multiple areas they are asked to volunteer. For example, roles like head counsellors 10-15 years ago were commonly filled by one “super volunteer”. We have had those kinds of amazing volunteers lead our ministries sustainably and well over the years and we are blessed by them. However, these kinds of leaders are not as common as they once were. Now different parts of those roles are divided up among a cluster of leaders with various skills and passions who lead in a team dynamic. These leaders are often also involved in multiple areas of ministry in the life of the church and outside of the church. We believe that rotating Gems and Cadets every other week allows for those interested in serving to thrive in ministry and in life.
Secondly, it gives each ministry maximum use of the facility. On any given night when GEMS and Cadets are both in the facility, space is at a premium. ALL rooms are being used and even routes for moving groups around the building have to be planned out. Rotating ministries every other week gives both GEMS and Cadets the full use of the facility. This also provides us some new opportunities. For example, GEMS can now use the Cadets shop for craft space and Cadets can use the different classrooms that are now being used by GEMS ministry.
Thirdly ministry sustainability is a goal we want to strive for. Ministry sustainability considers the goals, values and sustainability of each ministry. The reality is both GEMS and Cadets are five year ministries. Unfortunately, in church ministry we sometime treat them as annual ones, believing we only have Oct-April to achieve certain program or annual event outcomes. We do not feel that offering families a jam packed ministry calendar of events that “just need to happen each year” is always in the best interest of families who are themselves struggling to come to grips with what sustainable rhythms of work (ministry) and rest look like in their world. Our hope is that the rotating schedule provides our leaders opportunities to be discerning about what our key priorities are each ministry year.
Our key value for GEMS and Cadets going forward is building strong positive relationships between GEMS/Cadets and their adult leaders who loves Jesus Christ. In our GEMS and Cadets programs these adult leaders are able to mentor these young girls and boys through the study of God’s word, the development of unique sets of skills and talents and the beauty of structured and unstructured play. Being able to bring those values forward in a sustainable way for our church ministry schedule is a goal for this next year.
If you have any further questions or comments please email either:
Koenraad Beugelink kbeugelink@newlifecrc.ca
Cyndi Broersma cbroersma@newlifecrc.ca
NEW LIFE PROFILES – SHANNON VEENEMAN
Ever since I started working at New Life, something has been puzzling me. I have heard much talk of our “Life Group Elders,” but I had no idea who they were or what their role was. For this reason, since September is “Life Group” month at our church, I determined to search out a Life Group Elder, sit down with them, and learn what they do. My search led me to Shannon Veeneman. As it turned out, her answers to my questions were filled with great wisdom and some of them even surprised me. Here are the highlights from our conversation:
So Shannon, could you give us a brief overview of your life – you and Geoff, and your family?
Well, Geoff and I have been married for 22 years now, and we have 3 grown children. They are aged 17, 18, and 21. I grew up right here in Abbotsford but Geoff comes from Ontario. When Geoff’s family moved here from Ontario, his dad became the pastor at Trinity CRC for a period of time.
What do you do for work?
I am an insurance agent. I have been in this career for 4 years and I do insurance mostly for cars, houses, and boats. Before that, I was a stay at home mom and we also did a lot of cleaning for different businesses. In fact, we still clean here at the church.
Help us understand the heart behind what motivates you?
I am motivated by community. I feel like we are much better and stronger together than separated and isolated. There is something almost mystical about the body of Christ working together. In fact, one of the most important aspects of the body of Christ is the community that we share.
What is the greatest joy in your personal life?
Without doubt my greatest joy is Geoff and my and kids. My kids have grown into people who love the church and they volunteer in many different ministry areas. This is a blessing for which I am most grateful and it brings me great joy. Jobs also give joy. Our family is a hard working family. Working hard brings satisfaction and fulfillment.
What are your greatest struggles, things that make you sad when you see them?
I struggle when I see a problem that doesn’t seem to have a solution. Sometimes, for instance, I look at the homeless situation and it makes me feel so sad inside. When situations seem hopeless I am grieved.
Tell us about your relationship with God, what is it like?
I love coming to church and I am also passionate about prayer. I believe prayer is like a conversation. It is a relationship of talking and listening. We pray – that is the talking part, and then we also incorporate scripture reading – that is the listening part.
From your personal experience, if you could suggest one thing to another person when it comes to the pursuit of God, what would it be?
Learn to be still, clear your mind, and listen. Despite what you might think, you can hear God. Learn to listen, find out what He has to say, and know His heart.
You are a Life group elder here at New Life. What does that mean?
As Life group elders, we are the liaison between the life group leaders and the church. We help with the communication process. For instance, if something comes up beyond what a particular leader can handle, we facilitate the process. These issues could be financial, pastoral, or care related. Each Life group elder cares for a certain number of Life groups and we help with organization and sign-up’s. Apart from that, we are also community builders. From time to time you will see us hosting certain events such as our recent fall kickoff “Welcome Back Tacky Tourist party!”
What is your heart for NL Life groups?
For everybody who desires to be a part of a Life group, my desire would be that they could find a great fit, a really good group to be part of. I don’t believe in forcing people into Life groups but if people have the desire, they should be given every chance to experience this aspect of our community. I believe in organic Life group connections, where people learn and grow together, have each other’s back, care for one another, and invest in each other. This type of connection is what motivates me and it is the backbone of our community of faith.
LIFE GROUPS – WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER?
This coming Sunday (September 10’th) is an exciting one here at New Life Church.
First, it is our “Welcome Back, Where Have You Been, Tacky Tourist” party. During the service we will be focusing on the question, “Where have you seen God at work this summer?” Then, after the service, we will be having a big party out in the back parking lot. There will be food, fun, games, and plenty of community time.
Second, this Sunday is “Invite Sunday.” Every year we do a series of Invite Sunday’s where we, as a congregation, focus on inviting our friends and neighbors to church. This is the first one for the new ministry year (September – August end).
Third, this Sunday, September 10’th, we start with our Life Group sign-ups. Life Groups are an integral part of our New Life community and there are two different types. The first are long term groups. These groups meet year round with a committed core of people. The second kind are short term groups. These Life Groups work on a semester basis and run for 5 – 8 weeks. For this ministry year, our first short term Life Group semester starts on October 1’st and it is these groups that we are starting sign-ups for this Sunday.
These things being said, we are always looking for new Life Group leaders. In this week’s blog, I thought we would focus on what it takes to be a Life Group leader. Here are four qualities of a great leader:
- A love for people – Do you love people and have a desire to see them flourish? Then you have the seeds of a Life Group Leader inside of you. Life Group leaders are people who “host” others. They love to have people in their homes, and they love to share and do life with others.
- A desire to see others grow spiritually – Do you find yourself interested in the growth of others spiritually? Are you the kind of person who notices when people take steps forward in their faith? Then you very well could make an excellent Life Group Leader. Life Group leaders invest in others spiritually and care for their growth. They take a personal interest in others, and seeing spiritual advance makes their day!
- A desire to pray for others – Do you find yourself praying for others, either one on one, or as they come to your mind during the day? These desires will give you great mileage as a Life Group leader. You will have ample opportunity to pray for others and lift them up in prayer as you shepherd a Life Group.
- The ability to lead a discussion – There are a couple of different ways to lead a Life Group and you don’t need to have a theological degree to be a good leader. You just need to be able to draw out and direct discussion in a group. Some Life Groups use our New Life Link as a jumping off point for discussion. “New Life Link” is a document posted each week on our website highlighting the sermon subject and also giving group discussion criteria. Other Life Groups leaders come up with their own topics – something that is on their heart. Once again, this doesn’t require “rocket science,” just the ability to organize a topic into questions. Once the questions are in place, it is just a matter of leading a discussion on the subject of the week.
If you can answer “yes” to these simple questions, then you very well might have what it takes to be a Life Group leader. We would love to set up a time to meet with you and explore the possibilities and excitement that leading one of our Life Groups might offer. Why not step out in faith and try something you might not have considered before. The rewards could be glorious.
For more information, contact Pastor Mike at: mvanderkwaak@newlifecrc.ca
TACKY TOURIST INSTRUCTIONS
This is it! Sunday, September 10th – our “Welcome Back, Where Have You Been, TACKY TOURIST PARTY!” After the service there will be bouncy castles, games, food, and more! Bring a salad to share. As promised, here is a bit of instruction on exactly how to “rock” a TACKY TOURIST outfit. Also, stay tuned – next week there will be a photo voting contest on New Life Facebook for New Life’s Tackiest Tourist! Could YOU be the one to take home the prize?!
TACKY TOURIST PARTY
Sunday, September 10 – Hosted by our Life Group Elders
Come prepared to rock our “Welcome Back, Where Have You Been, Tacky Tourist Party!” This is our fall kick off “Invite Sunday” event. It all starts at 10:00 AM with our not-so-regular Sunday morning worship service. There will be high energy worship and a timely word from Pastor Nathan all set in a non-threatening environment. During the service, kids will be downstairs for a fun-filled time of stories and games. The theme for the day will be: “Where have you experienced God this summer?” Immediately after the service we will be moving out into the back parking lot for stage two of our party! There will be ample community time, food, bouncy castles, games, and more! Those attending are asked to bring a salad to share – and come dressed as a tacky tourist! Next week we will be updating this post with a more detailed description of exactly what a “tacky tourist” should look like!
Fun for all ages! For more information, contact the office at: office@newlifecrc.ca
SUMMER SUNDAYS & KIDS IN THE PEW
A Look at our vision for having kids in the service
by Koenraad Beugelink
We want to communicate the vision behind having our kids in the services (noted below) during the summer and also how we can best prepare for and welcome them with gladness on Sundays.
The vision behind a summer break from Kids Church is twofold.
1. New Life has a history of strong and vibrant Kids Church ministries that run from Sept-June each year. There are many passionate volunteers that serve during the year that need a break from the regular schedule of ministry. This cycle of serving and resting is our way to build a sustainable rhythm of Sabbath into our Faith Formation ministries. This enables us to see higher numbers of leaders return in the fall to continue leading their grade groups as they journey through Kids Church in a sustainable rhythm. This vision is also consistent with several area CRC churches. Relationally connected, passionate Kids Church leaders that are rested over the summer, blesses our kids and it gives these leaders a fresh wind to guide them through the next ministry year. Please be sure to thank your children’s kids church leaders when you see them.
2. We want New Life kids to recognize and experience that they belong to the expression of a greater community. We call this a demographically diverse community. We don’t want our children feeling like they really just belong to an age segregated small group downstairs.
Kids certainly need age appropriate instruction, and our Kids Church program does that well from Sept-June. Yet we are learning from recent Christian history that much more attention needs to be given by churches to forming strong attachment relationships between children and the intergenerational communities that make up churches. This value on belonging/attachment to the larger congregation is why kids are not dismissed until after the first part of worship, or even after baptism, and why they rejoin us on Lord’s Supper Sundays. It is a big part of why we make plans to have kids in our services throughout the year also.
At New Life we will continue to provide excellent spaces for kids to engage their faith and provide opportunities for kids to join the diverse community of Christ in lifting his name and engaging his word together.
So this summer as our wiggly little ones join us in our worship services, let’s together help them recognize and experience that they belong and that they are attached to God’s intergenerational family; a diverse community at New Life Church. The next article offers suggestions on how we can meet this summer with success.
Parenting in the Pew Planning for Success
I get it. Believe me I get it. You have wiggly kids and I have them too. At times I want a break just like you do. I enjoy my sermon time and my kids distract me and probably too often, distract those worshipping around me. But given the value of the cradle to grave faith forming vision we are moving towards, here is where I (we) might need to begin a mental shift on the Sundays where kids are in the church service.
Let us offer some simple ways that we might be able to serve our kids best as we settle in for a summer with kids in the service with us. Here are some practical suggestions that we can implement and/or adapt to suit our kids during the summer Sundays ahead.
Grace. Kids are kids and God loves them. God loves them even if they distract. “do not hinder them (even if we think they distract us)” So let ALL of us love our kids no matter what. With grace, gentleness and love let us welcome the kids around us. We can be that proverbial “village” it takes to raise our children in the faith.
Prepare. Our kids back packs are no longer in use for school. So we can re purpose them for these summer Sundays. We can pack a back pack with the items seen in the picture below. Having quiet activities, Kids Bibles or Graphic Novel Bibles to read, colouring books, paper and colouring felts, crayons and notebooks etc. and even storing your own parents Bible are great things to add to the bag. There will be an ALL Summer Kids Bulletin available on July 9th that the kids can hand in completed for a prize in Sept.
Engage. A) NL Leaders will do our best to engage your kids by recognizing they are part of the community and the worship service, ie: kid friendly sermon illustrations, kid’s stories and kids bulletin (Summer Sermon Series Booklet) for them to follow along in during the summer.
B) We would also ask for YOU to engage our kids. EG: if you are a kids church GEMS/Cadets or youth leader please use the 3 min fellowship and connecting time to make your way to a child tween or teen that you might already know in your class or small group and welcome them. In that welcome try to convey in the way only you can that you are glad they are here, and that they are welcome and belong in this space.
If you are not a children’s or youth ministry leader we encourage you to do the same for the kids that will inevitably be sitting next to you. Another way to say “you are welcome here” is to be that really friendly lady or man that gives the kids a peppermint or candy just as Pastor Nathan starts his message. Grace, Preparation and Engagement are key ingredients to making this summer a success for our kids.
Thanks for all you do as grandparents, parents and partners in ministry. If you are able to help serve on July 16, 30 or Aug 20 to make our Kids Zone safe and successful please contact:
Koenraad Beugelink kbeugelink@newlifecrc.ca or
Nathanael Van Deventer nvdeventer@newlifecrc.ca
SUMMER SPORTS CAMP 2017
New Life Church and Athletes in Action are proud to partner in offering an exciting Multi Sports camp from Monday July 24th- Friday July 28th 2017. The camp runs from 9am – 3pm.
Multi Sports Camp focuses on learning the basic skills (Striking, Catching, Offence and Defense) for multiple popular sports. Each day campers will learn and develop these skills and then translate them into the fun popular sports we all know and love.
Our AIA trained university and college athletes along with our New Life church assistant coaches will help your child develop their fundamental skills. Each day includes exciting competitions, fun fitness, and amazing tournaments. Every camper gets the individual attention they need to grow as a whole person, physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually.