FRIENDSHIP NEWSLETTER Faith. Friendships. Belonging. FIRST QUARTER 2018 A Publication of Friendship Ministries
FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Some of you who know me well, know that I graduated from college with a degree in Philosophy. Those of you who know me well also know that I rarely quote (or even recall) much from my studies of the famous, historical philosophers. Fortunately, there are people like theologian/ philosopher Jean Vanier who help us remember some of the wisdom from the past. I recently heard an interview in which Vanier quotes Aristotle, saying: In order to really get to know someone, you must eat a sack of salt with them. When I heard this, my first thought was wow, that would be a really salty meal. But as I began to remember how to think like a student of philosophy, I realized what both Vanier and Aristotle wanted to convey: to really get to know someone, you must eat enough meals together to use up a full sack of salt. Even with my taste for salt, this would require numerous meals multiple opportunities to come together and share food. True friendship takes time, recipes, and commitment. I am struck by how this analogy gets at the core of what we are doing with our new Bible study, TOGETHER. Taking time together to study how God s word applies to our lives is very important. But it is also important, as we gather for Bible study, to create opportunities for us to share our lives with one another, to come together and be engaged with each other. As people who are created in God s image, don t we all belong together in the family of God? Don t we all belong around that dinner table, laughing, crying, praying, talking about our day, and eating together? My prayer is that as we continue to look for ways to share our lives together, we will remember that true friendship takes time, day after day, month after month, and year after year. Let s set our minds and our hearts to look for those opportunities in every aspect of our lives: our work, our rest, our play, our worship, and yes even our meals. Please pass the salt. In Him, Tom Tom VanWingerden Executive Director, Friendship Ministries tomvw@friendship.org 888.866.8966 For more information about TOGETHER, visit www.togethersmallgroups.org 2 Friendship Ministries
NOTAS DE AMISTAD NEW YEAR- NEW AMISTAD GROUPS! Thanks to your contribution, we have been able to send Amistad programs to the following new Amistad groups: Elizabeth Rodriguez Ministerio Amistad info@ministerioamistad.org 954.514.7960 ARGENTINA 12 Friends at Iglesia Sociedad Cristiana (Christian Society Church) of General San Martin, Mendoza, Argentina at the Bread of Heaven Foundation with Pastor and Director Juan de Dios Lucero. 12 Friends at Iglesia Movimiento Cristiano Misionera (Christian Missionary Movement Church) of Santa Cruz, Argentina with Sunday School Director Analia Pinto. 10 Friends at Iglesia Asociacion Cristiana (Christian Association Church) of General Alvear, Mendoza, Argentina with Pastor Libera Fabio. 7 Friends at Iglesia Cristiana Pentecostal de Victoria (Pentecostal Church of Victoria) of La Pampa, Argentina with Pastor Jaime Olivares. 5 Friends at Iglesia Pentecostal Siloe (Pentecostal Church of Siloe) of Mendoza, Argentina with Pastor Alvarez. 12 Friends at Ministerio de Capellania en Los Hospitales (Ministry of Chaplaincy in Hospitals) of Palmira City, San Martin, Argentina with Pastor Fernando Ocampo. Iglesia Evangelica Pentecostal (Evangelical Pentecostal Church) Ministerio Real del Padre (Our Father Ministry) of Provincia Sur Mendoza, Argentina with Pastor Jorge López. 6 Friends at Iglesia Refugio de Dios (Refuge of God Church) of Chapanay, Argentina with Pastors Santos y Daniela Muñoz. CUBA 5 Friends at Redes de Esperanza (Network of Hope) of Provincia Cienfuegos, Cuba with Pastor and Director Emilio Ercia Jáuregui. 7 Friends at Fraternidad Bautista, Baptist Fellowship, of Sancti Spiritus, Cuba with Director and Pastor Osmanys Denis Perez. First Quarter 2018 3
WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO? Heather DeBoer I d like to tell you a wonderful story about a church in Leduc, AB. They started a Friendship Club some ten years ago, and have seen a steady increase of friends through the years. This club is well run, they have lots of mentors and other volunteers, and it s a place where both friends and mentors love to be. When I visited them recently, thirteen of their friends were in church for a Sunday service. No, not a Friendship service, just a regular, cold January Sunday. What a blessing for the friends and for the whole congregation! We are starting to see many of our friends become more involved with church, something that has been in our prayers for years. Thanks in part to the resources and support provided by Friendship Ministries, our churches are finally becoming true places of belonging for ALL of God s people, no matter their heritage, their socioeconomic standing, or even their intellect. It is your continued support, both in prayer and with your tangible gifts, that makes this happen. Would you consider supporting Friendship Ministries with your hard-earned dollars? We promise to use them well, to help churches and communities become what God wants them to be places of belonging, places where we can share God s word and grow together in faith. A celebration of community and belonging from a Friendship group in last summer. We are still offering FREE curriculum to Canadian small groups due to your generosity during Ride for Refuge! For more details, visit togethersmallgroups.org Is your group interested in receiving a visit from Friendship Ministries Canada staff? Contact Heather at canada@friendship.org for more information! E-NEWS SIGNUP www.friendship.org/newsletter-signup Did you know that HALF of all 224 CRC churches in Canada have a Friendship group? If you know a church that should be on that list, please introduce them to us! canada@friendship.org 800.730.3490 x 4279
FROM INCLUSION TO BELONGING By Sherry TenClay, MPA, CPP Our church has recently incorporated a set of congregational values: Ours are Kingdom Values because we are a new creation in Christ Faith is important to us. We grow in faith individually and together. Family is important to us. Everyone belongs and each one is valued. Integrity is important to us. We can be trusted to do what we say we will do, and be honest when we fail. tiger during our greeting time. Each Sunday when he saw me walk to the front and pick up a microphone, he smiled and pulled his own microphone out of his pocket. For many weeks he lined up everything in the front pew, then sang into his microphone whenever we sang. His entire face lit up during this part of worship. One Sunday morning, Tom stood to sing, then moved to the front, sandwiching himself between two of us. He grinned at me, laid his head on my shoulder, and lifted his microphone to his lips. Concerned that his caregivers would think this had violated some boundary, I told them how overjoyed I was to see this demonstration of moving from inclusion to belonging. Now, he s part of the worship team in front every Sunday morning, sometimes with his tiger, and always full of smiles ready to praise God, knowing that he truly belongs. Articulating values is great; but it is one thing to to create a list of intentions and another to see them come to life. About a year ago, several adults from a nearby group home began attending worship with their caregivers. One of the participants chose to sit in the front row rather than in the back with his housemates. Each Sunday, Tom (not his real name) lined up his teddy bear, tiger, and books. Each Sunday we all shook hands with Tom, the teddy, and the REJOICE ALWAYS, PRAY CONTINUALLY, GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; FOR THIS IS GOD S WILLFOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS. I THESSALONIANS 5: 16-18 Looking for a fresh perspective, new tools, and an infusion of inspiration for your conversations with God? Released in January, this unit on PRAYER will invite you into new ways and reasons to pray continually. TOGETHER is an innovative, inclusive Bible study that is designed to enable us to create a more welcoming community where all can participate fully as part of the body of Christ. togethersmallgroups.org
CHURCH PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Heartfelt thanks to these new and renewing members of our Church Partnership Program: Sustaining Barrhaven Fellowship CRC of Nepean, ON Covenant CRC of Appleton, WI Covenant CRC of Woodstock, ON Crosspoint CRC of Brampton, ON Dresden CRC of Dresden, ON First CRC of Artesia, CA First CRC of Ripon, CA First CRC of Vancouver, BC Fourteenth Street CRC of Holland, MI Friendship Bible Ministries of Willmar, MN Hope CRC of Brantford, ON Hope CRC of Stony Plain, AB Maranatha CRC of Cambridge, ON Mountainview CRC of Grimsby, ON Providence CRC of Grand Rapids, MI Rehoboth Fellowship CRC of Etobicoke, ON Trinity CRC of Edmonton, AB Westwood CRC of Kalamazoo, MI Growing Anaheim CRC of Anaheim, CA Aylmer CRC of Aylmer, ON Beaverdam CRC of Hudsonville, MI Bethel CRC of Lacombe, AB Calvin CRC of Millgrove, ON Cornerstone CRC of Chilliwack, BC East Strathroy CRC of Strathroy, ON Ebenezer CRC of Leota, MN Emmanuel CRC of Calgary, AB First CRC of Kingston, ON First CRC of Red Deer, AB First CRC of Sarnia, ON Friendship Club of St Catharines, ON Maitland River Community Church of Wingham, ON Maranatha CRC of Calgary, AB Maranatha CRC of Lethbridge, AB Medicine Hat CRC of Medicine Hat, AB Orangeville CRC of Orangeville, ON Shawnee Park CRC of Grand Rapids, MI St Albert CRC of St Albert, AB Stratford CRC of Stratford, ON Trinity CRC of St Catharines, ON Westmount CRC of Strathroy, ON Williamsburg CRC of Williamsburg, ON Expanding Clearview CRC of Oakville, ON Ebenezer CRC of Leduc, AB Faith CRC of Burlington, ON Fellowship CRC of Brighton, ON Goshen CRC of Goshen, NY Grace Community Church of Oak Lawn, IL Heritage Fellowship CRC of Brampton, ON Immanuel CRC of Caledon, ON Palmerston CRC of Palmerston, ON Riverside CRC of Wellandport, ON Smithers CRC of Smithers, BC Waterloo CRC of Waterloo, ON Global Outreach Community CRC of Demotte, IN Community CRC of Kitchener, ON First CRC of Ripon, CA Immanuel CRC of Caledon, ON Plymouth Heights CRC of Grand Rapids, MI WELCOME TO FRIENDSHIP MINISTRIES Join us in welcoming the following groups: Friendship Group of Santa Rosa, CA Greenridge Baptist Church of Boyds, MD Mountain View United Church of Aurora, CO Mt Pleasant United Methodist Church of Terre Haute, IN Northview Church in Indiana (Carmel Campus) St John s Lutheran Church of Effingham, IL 6 First Quarter 2018
UPCOMING EVENTS Aging: Challenges and Opportunities April 21, 2018 Woodstock, Ontario We all age, including people who have disabilities. Although this training event doesn t necessarily have a disability focus, it will include some helpful resources for Friendship group leaders and mentors. Plus, you can stop by the Friendship Ministries booth to meet Heather and learn more about our program. WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU: 888.866.8966 friendship@friendship.org www.friendship.org www.friendship.org/blog facebook.com / friendmin @ FriendsMins Learn more and register at friendship.org/events Friendship Festival May 12, 2018 Oakville, Ontario Join us at Clearview Church in Oakville, ON, from 10:00-2:00 for a day of games, music, and fun! Please RSVP to Marlene (marlene.nirula@gmail. com). Learn more at We LoveOurFriends.com, or join us on Facebook at Friendship Festival Ontario. Friendship Ministries 2215 29th Street SE, Suite B6 Grand Rapids, MI 49508 SUPPORT FRIENDSHIP MINISTRIES Friendship Ministries Canada PO Box 1636 Stn LCD 1 Burlington, ON L7R 5A1 Golf Outing 2018 August 13, 2018 Grand Rapids, MI Save the date for our next Golf Outing at Railside Golf Club! WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR GIFTS IN MEMORY OF: Jerry Lee Bouwkamp Paul Buursma Your financial gifts enable us to carry out the work of this ministry. Give online at: www.friendship.org/give Mail a check to: Friendship Ministries 2215 29th Street SE, Ste. B6 Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Mail a cheque to: Friendship Ministries PO Box 1636, Stn LCD 1 Burlington, ON L7R 5A1 HERE S A TIP: Minister to caregivers of Friends by bringing in a guest speaker - perhaps a yoga instructor to share relaxation and stretching techniques, or a grief recovery counselor to explore issues related to grieving. - First United Methodist Church of Saline, MI, published in 2006 WE NEED MORE STORIES Does your Friendship group minister in a unique way? Share your story with us to be featured in upcoming newsletters and spread the inspiration! Please send tips to admin@friendship.org. First Quarter 2018 7
Friendship Ministries PO Box 1636, Stn LCD 1 Burlington, ON L7R 5A1