YF "Hope in Suffering" discussion this Friday (30th)
Thanks for braving the rainy, cold night and hard sleeping surface last weekend. It was an eye-opening weekend to say the least and it was an awesome opportunity to raise close to $1000.00 for Ottawa Innercity Ministries ($983.17)! It seems there really is something special about you guys as many of those who have had experience with you guys (from P.Brent, Maxine, Grace, Meghan, Jason etc.) always go out of their way to share their encouragement from what they see in you guys (YF). Thanks for taking the time to raise funds and build your own awareness and compassion for the issue of homelessness! At Sunday school we got a chance to briefly share about the experience and discuss some of the questions that came up during our theology term, you all liked it so much and we have many more questions to cover so we encourage everyone to make it early for Sunday school :)
This Friday (30th) will be a discussion regarding "Suffering" after watching a brief Nooma vid in the youth room, it's CLEAR that YF members are not strangers to suffering (I don't think any of us are), some of those times are small but others have been overwhelming and hard to understand. We devoted a whole Sunday School term to the topic of suffering and God's sovereignty through it all in the study of Job last year.
This is something we all relate to and I'm sure can all offer something to the discussion. Why do we have to suffer? Why are there not always answers? Bring your Bibles and pens (multi-colored) :) too. Keep in mind that next Friday (Nov 6), we plan to have Bigger or Better night which we tried to have last year so keep in mind some friends to invite. You will start with a paperclip and trade up for bigger OR better items in the neighborhood :)
ALSO, Maria, Laura and Kim mentioned the Starfield concert coming up on Halloween, more information and tickets are available here. If you are interested, by all means e-mail Maria, Laura and Kim and maybe you can all meet up! For those who are presenting BGA to your principals, please do so as soon as your group is organized, time is of the essence. Please continue praying for one another, you can remember your younger siblings in Pure Energy too, they have a retreat this weekend, which I will join to speak after YF on Friday.
If you are praying/thinking of baptism, please fill out the form in your e-mail and let me know as soon as possible, there is a group thinking of baptism and we need to arrange for baptism classes soon.
We love meeting with you guys when you are able, so let us know if you want to set up a time :). Let us know prayer requests too,
See you all on Friday!
YF One Homeless Night this Friday (23/24th)
We missed you while we were away! Don't worry, you are in our thoughts and prayers every day :) I trust (and know!) that you had a good time of fellowship together going through Romans 4 last Friday and through Sunday School.
This Friday and Sat morning is One Homeless Night (23/24)! I've been in contact with Ottawa Innercity Ministries about the One Homeless Night and it looks like we'll have just enough adults going.
So please ensure that your form and pledges are complete for the nights ahead. Please keep in mind the purposes of the event: 1) It's not a social gathering: it's to introduce each of us to issues surrounding homelessness by giving us a real life (personal) experience of what it might be like to be a homeless person (EVEN for just one night). We will learn about homelessness from staff and then spend a portion of the evening on a self-guided tour of the downtown core in groups of three, carrying all of their overnight possessions with them. 2) It's also a fundraiser for the ministry of Ottawa Innercity Ministries.
It starts at 7:00pm at Salvation Army Church located at 391 Gladstone Avenue. Please go DIRECTLY to Salvation Army Church at 7pm on Friday and the event will end at 7am on Saturday morning. YOU will NEED: WAIVER and sponsorship form as well as $50 (all attached in your e-mail).BRING: Forms, donation, overnight clothes, sleeping bag, maximum of $1.50 to carry for the night.
NOT TO BRING: OIM specifically asked NOT to bring iPods or iPod equivalents AND even cell phones (Adults (over 18) are asked to bring cell phones).
If you are interested, there is a
missions conference night for our church this Saturday evening (24th) from 6:30-8:30pm. There is an international dinner at 5pm as well, please let auntie Blossom know if you plan to attend
. Currently there are about 75 people from church planning to attend.
If you are praying/thinking of baptism, please fill out the form in your e-mail and let me know as soon as possible, there is a group thinking of baptism and we need to arrange for baptism classes soon.
Let us know how we can pray for you and if you want to meet up for coffee/bbtea etc.
See you Friday!
YF 20th CCCO Anniversary this Fri and Sat (OHN Forms)
Are you loving the increasingly cold weather as much as I am?! Thankfully Brad knows more than I do about fixing the heater because, y-ikes. Whatever the case, thanks for participating in a very serious study of Romans 1:18-3 on Friday. It's a difficult passage to deal with and letting God's Word speak for itself - is a convicting passage. Our prayer for you is that as we continue through Romans, His grace will become increasingly evident to you in light of our shortcomings (which the previous chapters have set the stage for). What we've read so far is just acknowledging our NEED for grace.
This Friday (Oct 9, 7:30pm) is the beginning of our 20th Anniversary weekend at the church. We will be gathering in the upstairs sanctuary (as an English congregation (YF, h2o, adults) to honor God's faithfulness in our first 20 years as a church. There will be games, trivia, music and a special message from our first Pastor William Wan. We'll be together this whole weekend as there are events each day.
On Saturday (Oct 10), YF will be serving the dinner that evening and need to show up by 4:30pm to receive instruction from auntie Kitty. Pastor Francis just dropped in and let me know that
there will be over 370 people eating dinner with us Saturday evening, yikes... hopefully our fire code is up to it, someone just rang the doorbell to buy tickets for her family. So please decorate your aprons and dress appropriately (no jeans for either gender).
For
One Homeless Night (Oct 23/24), please confirm with me as soon as possible, I've confirmed a handful of adults for the event and h2o seems very willing to accompany us for the evening. I've attached a sponsorship form that I've received from Ottawa Innercity Ministries today and their waiver. If your parents have any questions, I'm totally willing to answer them. I just sent them a lengthy purpose and safety e-mail so hopefully that helps answer some questions. One common question is regarding the sleeping situation - we are sleeping safely inside the Salvation Army Church.
This Sunday is our special 20th anniversary service, so there will be no Sunday school this week, but the rest of our Sunday school term should be very thought-provoking and interesting as we discuss the questions that you guys have laid out. You came up with some really good questions, some of your questions are quite creative. We'll discuss those throughout the term, join us for Sunday school 9:30am.
Let us know your prayer requests or if you want to meet up,
God bless you all,
See you on Friday!
