What God is Like

Hello friends –

I’m only slightly early, but welcome to Holy Week 2022. Holy Week is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity, and it begins with the commemoration of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, continues with the commemoration of the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, centers on the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday and the Silence of Holy Saturday, and reaches its apex on Resurrection Sunday. I’d urge you not to do the next few days mindlessly, but with some degree of intentionality. Here are some ideas:

Personally: Spend some time in the Gospels, specifically the Gospel of Mark chapters 14-16. For a lot more on engaging in Holy Week as a family, especially for those of you who have kids, a Google search on “Ideas for celebrating Holy Week” will link you to dozens of ideas. Please consider how you might focus your thoughts and activities around the sacrificial aspects of Christ as you move through these next few days.

Corporately: There are lots of options for engaging as a church community in the next 9 days, starting with this weekend’s conclusion of “A Fisherman’s Story,” our message series on the Gospel of Mark. In our Saturday and Sunday gatherings I’ll be slowing down our rapid survey through Mark just as the Gospel writers do. Jesus has been arrested, and the cross looms. These are the most pivotal events in history, and our faith hangs in the balance.

Easter weekend provides 3 unique opportunities to gather either in person or online. Good Friday Services will focus on Sacred Sorrow, as we look back on the losses of the past couple of years. Holy Saturday’s single gathering is very identifiable – it’s our reality, filled with hope, but not yet. It’s the day In Between. And then we celebrate together on Easter Sunday, the day of New Beginnings. Check out the Easter page for additional details and service times.

Finally, please think and pray about friends or family who might be a simple invitation away from participation. All that’s taking place in our world right now has created heightened interest in faith/spirituality, and there’s no better opportunity on the calendar than Holy Week for someone you care about to hear the Jesus story.

Be well everyone!

Greg Hochhalter | Lead Pastor

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Serving Opportunities at Easter Services

Easter is right around the corner and we are looking for volunteers to help welcome guests to our Easter services. There are multiple roles, dates and times to choose from. Sign up today and experience community through serving.

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Pizza with the Pastor

Registration  is required for either event.

We are offering two options for Pizza with the Pastor. April 10 is in person following the 11 am service or April 12 at 6 pm online. If you attend online we'll have pizza delivered to your house.

Pizza with the Pastor is a regular event we hold, as a way for you to meet others who are new(er), as well as some of the pastoral team.

If you are new or feel new, join us to learn more about our church. Discover how to get connected and enjoy the opportunity to meet others.

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Seniors Connect

Come and join us for the next Senior's Connect on April 12 at 1pm! Miriam Charter will be speaking about her book, reGeneration: Stories of Resilient Faith in Communist Romania. Miriam is a former Alliance International Worker and the book tells about how God was at work in Romania in her time there and the lessons God taught her.

She also served on the staff of Ambrose for some time. Recently retired, she has a unique perspective on Ukraine having served in the Eastern bloc before the Berlin Wall fell. She keeps in regular contact with her colleagues in Romania and is sharing fantastic and tragic stories of refugees fleeing Ukraine and being cared for by the church in Romania. Register to reserve your spot.

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Spiritual Life - Mental Health

Mental health is a huge topic and field of study and it's something our society is talking a lot more about these days. Jesus cares for our whole person - our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. God cares about our struggles and it's important to know that we are not alone.

Join Pastor Rita Penner and psychologist Dr. Shawn Reynolds on April 21 at 7pm as we talk about our mental health and Tools for coming out of a Pandemic. After the conversation you'll be empowered that you can improve your mental health and be given tools to help in the struggle. For more information and to register, please see here.

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Life Group Open House

Life Groups matter because they invite you into a place of deep community where you are known, loved and encouraged to grow in your walk with Jesus. We know community begins when we move from sitting in rows, to doing life in circles together. We know community begins when we move from sitting in rows, to doing life in circles together.

On April 23 and 24, immediately after each service, we want to invite you to our Groups Open House hosted in the atrium, where we want to help you journey into deep community. If you’re new and not connected we want you to come find out about our new Connection Group. This Connection Group will be offered in-person at our church; it’s a safe entry point for anyone who is looking to jump into community for the first time or willing to try again.

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Connections

If you are new or feeling unconnected and would like to find a safe entry point into a life group; we want to invite you out to our new Connections Group. This group will be offered in-person at our church; it’s a safe entry point for anyone who is looking to jump into community for the first time or willing to try again.

Connections will take you on a 4-week journey with others, in a medium sized setting. Here you’ll have opportunity to enjoy a meal, meet others, talk about faith through our current sermon series, and pray for one another. Connections is a quick and simple way for anyone to find community! Connections start April 26 at 6pm, see here to register.

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GriefShare

Often times, grief is so overwhelming we wonder if we'll ever find a way out. Know you don't need to grieve your loss alone. Find support, comfort, and community with others who have experienced a deep loss and discover how God can give you peace and hope through your grieving. GriefShare is a 13-week program designed to help you face death of a loved one and move toward rebuilding your life. Each session is “self-contained,” so you do not have to attend in sequence. You will find encouragement and help whenever you begin. Please register here 

Cost for the workbook is $20.00.

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Clothing Exchange

We are excited to hold our Clothing Exchange event at the end of this month! This is a free event that we hold twice a year for our church and community. As you come across items you've outgrown or don't use anymore, put them aside to bring in.

Drop off will start on April 29 at 4 pm to April 30 at 11 am. The Clothing Exchange event will be on April 30th, opening at 10:30 am. If you are able to lend a hand - we are looking for volunteers. For more information please check out spac.ca/clothingexchange

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Online Ministry Enhancement

The public weekend gathering is no longer the front door - the digital presence and online experience of church is overwhelmingly our first point of connection with the spiritually curious, and an essential method for initiating and fostering discipling relationships within our congregation. Streaming online is more than a broadcast - it's a platform with which to nuture meaningful connections with online viewers.

The hybrid church is the new normal.

To help support this new normal, we are launching an Online Ministry Enhancement campaign. For more information please see spac.ca/online.

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