Worship – Living Hope CRC

2025 Lent Newsletter Excerpt | Weekend of Service

Living Hope CRC — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 20:23:42 +0000

Lent Newsletter Excerpt | Weekend of Service

Written by Pastor Steve Berkenpas, Lead Pastor

Weekend of Service | Year 1

n June 15, 2024, members of Living Hope and Gateway set out to love and serve the city that they live in. It was an opportunity to do something we haven’t done in a while, partner between churches in Abbotsford to show that we are people of the same kingdom, working together. Through stormy weather, serving hands from different churches sought to be salt and light as they removed invasive weeds in local parks, did clean-up for those impacted by the flood, and helped with landscaping projects in our partner organizations. We even had a crew cutting vegetables at our local Gleaners, who prepared soup mix in areas in the world were relief work is needed. The day finished with the groups coming back together and sharing a meal with each other. It was a gift to sit with people who served in varied areas in the city, swapping stories, and enjoying new connections made between churches. This year we are planning on doing this for a second year! This time around, Living Hope will be providing team leaders and hosting a few of our own service projects as we look to team up with Gateway once again in serving the city together. If you are interested in being a crew leader, let Pastor Steve know!

What was it like volunteering?

A note from an Invasive Species Removal Group

The crews serving with invasive weeds got to learn how stubborn ivy can be! This invasive species really glues itself to trees and weaves its way through the undergrowth in the forest, preventing anything else from being able to thrive. We also learned how quickly we could remove sections of this when we all worked together. While just a couple people would hardly make a dent, having a crew of 20 or so people meant that we really got to see our progress. Kids, young adults, parents and grandparents all worked alongside each other as we helped the plants and trees breath as we removed the ivy. Working outside felt like one continuous downpour and we joked that it would lighten up as soon as we finished for the day. Sure enough, as some warm coffee and hot chocolate arrived to signal the end of our day – the first glimpse of sunlight started poking through the clouds enabling us to warm up from some chilly hours of serving. We enjoyed coffee and conversation with our new

A story of God’s Provision

As we partnered with Gateway on this, we wanted to contribute financially to some of the costs. Unaware of the total budget and funds available, the deacons decided on a number. On the morning of the event, Gary Veeneman delivered a cheque on behalf of Living Hope. It turned out that the cheque was exactly the amount that was needed to cover the remainder of the costs for the service opportunities. Praise be to God for the way he works in answering prayers and giving us glimpses into the variety of ways he is at work behind the scenes!

2025 Lent Newsletter Excerpt | A Reflection on Being a Body (Poem)

Living Hope CRC — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 20:21:42 +0000

Lent Newsletter Excerpt | A Reflection on Being a Body (Poem)

Read the rest of the newsletter here

Written by Leanne Bandstra

Introduction to A Reflection on Being a Body

An onset of acute illness as a teenager left me with lasting chronic illness, characterized by a lot of pain and fatigue. Over the past couple decades different diagnoses were layered upon each other, and it’s taken a lot of hard emotional and spiritual work to come to an understanding that my body is not working against me, but rather trying to tell me something and keep me safe. A recent study of The Wisdom of Your Body by Hillary McBride with my book club forced me to confront a lot of what I continued to push to the side – that I am my body and my body is me. Poetry is one way that I am able to express myself and find healing in that expression. As we enter into Lent, may you find healing and wholeness in the knowledge that Christ became flesh, just as you are flesh, and that your body is good, because it is where you reside.

Complicated.
Relationships with our bodies are
complicated.
How do you love your home,
when all you seem to know
is pain,
a house on fire,
walls caving in?
You feel
limited.

A world that says
you’re too old
or too young
not pretty enough
not strong enough
you don’t fit in enough
to keep up with what
the world
demands.

So you try to change your body,
or push it aside.
Mind over matter.
Body doesn’t matter.
Strive for more
produce more
ignore the pleas
of a body
that needs
rest.

Where is the breaking point?
Because this is unsustainable
and ideals are unattainable.
And did you ever stop
to consider that
maybe
all your body wants
is to be
your
friend?

Breathe.
Start with the breath.
Inhale the mystery
spanning all of human history
of bodies
created
animated
by the One
who made
everything.

Delighting in humans,
He called us very good.
When did we lose the connection
that we are a reflection
of the Creator
who became flesh
and lived as humans do?
God, a Living,
Breathing
Body.

So,
run your hands through warm sand.
Eat foods that make your taste buds sing.
Dance wildly to music that fills your soul with laughter.

And,
cling to those you love.
Weep when sorrow overwhelms you.
Yell, stomp, and protest when it’s all too much to bear.

So,
delight,
rejoice,
revel,
in being here
alive.

And,
when you can’t,
(because sometimes you can’t)
then simply
keep breathing,
being,
bearing witness
to all that it means
to be at home
in a
body.

2025 Lent Newsletter Excerpt | Prayer: God’s Gift to Us

Living Hope CRC — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 20:16:24 +0000

Lent Newsletter Excerpt | Prayer: God’s Gift to Us

Read the rest of the newsletter here

Written by Ko Spyksma, Ladies Bible Study Leader

One of the greatest blessings I was given in my life was a mother who was a woman of prayer. Her gift of walking and talking with God was evident in how she lived, what she said, how she used her time, and how she related to others. My father would pray, “Bless our grandchildren, Lord.” My mother would pray for each one by name and need, all twenty-seven of them. She prayed as she walked, she prayed as she worked, she prayed as she listened, and she prayed as she spoke. She talked to her Heavenly Father naturally and intimately. Our family learned much from her life of prayer. Recently, the ladies of the Ladies Bible Study have focused on prayer. We have considered many passages in scripture which call us to pray, invite us to pray, even command us to pray. We have considered questions such as: Is God listening? Why do answers seem so far away? Does prayer change God or change me? If God knows everything, why pray?

Many books have been written on prayer, and many methods we can use to pray have been suggested as they teach us how to pray. Praying is so unique to the individual and can be as natural as breathing, and as simple as talking to a good friend. It is not a serious chore, something to fit in between the busy schedules of life. It is not a performance, practiced to create beautiful phrases. It is not a wish list for God to supply.

Prayer is many things: Praise, Confession, Thanksgiving, Intercession, Meditation and more. Simply put, prayer is being in the presence of a loving God; it is listening to what He has to say and sharing your heart with Him. Prayer is a gift from God to His children. Connecting with our God fills our deepest need, our strongest longing. It is, for us broken and redeemed sinners, to stand before the Great “I AM”, knowing His mercy, His love, and His daily care. Prayer raises our sights beyond our own limitations to the beauty and vastness of our Sovereign God who desires to be in communion with us. God knows our deepest needs well before we ask Him, and answers our prayers in His wisdom, His way.

It takes courage to come before Him with our pain, our doubts, our complaints, our shame, and our regret. We come before Him with our praise, our thanksgiving, our blessings. We come! He hears! He loves! Prayer is cultivating a deep life-changing relationship with our Living Lord. What an amazing privilege it is to pray. It takes courage and commitment to live in communion with God. Prayer is “the chief part of thankfulness”. (Heidelberg Catechism).

During this season of Lent, when we remember the price Jesus paid so we can be in intimate communication with God, our prayers reflect our deepest thankfulness.

My mother led a Bible study for many years. It was called, “Ora et Labora” or “Pray and Work”. She taught me that we pray when we say “Amen” and rest in the knowledge that God holds us, and He knows everything we need. Then we go and do the work He has gifted us to do – to bless others and glorify Him. The theologian named Spurgeon said, “Pray to God, and keep the hammer going”. “Ora et Labora”.

GROWING TOGETHER | February Electives 2025

Living Hope CRC — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 20:38:05 +0000

GROWING TOGETHER | FEBRUARY ELECTIVES

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

You are invited to 4 evenings of learning together with others at Living Hope!

From February 9 to March 2 at 7:00pm at Living Hope, we are offering opportunities to get to know some others in the church community while learning more about how we can grow in our understanding of who God is.

You will have one of FOUR options to choose from. You will attend your chosen option all four times, as each option is designed as a four-part curriculum. Descriptions of each elective can be found below!

Grace and Truth: How Do We Have Conversations Around Sexuality?

Led by Pastor Steve Berkenpas | Lead Pastor

A few of years ago we did listening circles centered around the Human Sexuality Report. During this time members were invited to a process of reading a 170+ page report with section titles that included words like pornography, homosexuality, and gender dysphoria. The denomination realized that these subjects could be divisive, so they put together material that helped from discussions that focused on hearing from each person. It was encouraging to see that these circles were able to give a space for something that is hard to do: providing a way of talking about the human sexuality report with people from diverse perspectives without it becoming something that divides us.

As the listening circles finished we have been asking the question ‘what’s next?’ How can we continue to have conversations about sexuality? We know that this is something that we need to continue to discuss, we need to continue to find ways of talking about it because it is something that is meaningful in the culture around us. We need to be thoughtful, intentional, and proactive in these conversations and a major part of this is continuing to learn how to have these conversations.

In light of this, I led a group of leaders at Living Hope through material titled Grace and Truth last January and February over the span of 9 weeks. This provided a meaningful space to engage this subject and there was much encouragement from our leaders to give an opportunity for others in the congregation to reflect on the same material. So, this year we are going to do this, covering only some of the material in a 4 week span. If you have any questions or concerns about the material please let me (Pastor Steve) know and we can discuss this.

I am looking forward to meeting with more people in the church to discuss this. I think this is important, not just because it is a challenging subject, but it is a place where God is on the move and at work. As I’ve said in the past, whenever culture is undergoing change, there is always missional opportunity. God is always at work in our world and in our culture and that should give us confidence in having these discussions. We can step in asking ourselves how we are to bring the beauty of God’s vision of sexuality into words and into practice.

Canons of Dordt: One Flower in the Reformed Bouquet

Led by Pastor Ben Wimmers | Pastor of Youth and Family

One of my favourite things I have had the opportunity to do here at Living Hope has been to lead our youth and young adults through the Heidelberg Catechism and the Belgic Confession. I love seeing how digging deeper into these documents opens up appreciation and enthusiasm for what we believe for our youth and I am looking forward to extending a similar invitation to the whole congregation.

The Canons of Dordt and their theology are perhaps the most misunderstood facets of Reformed Theology. It is also the least referenced of our three forms of unity and at first glance it is not hard to see why: dealing with the particularities of salvation, providence, and free will is not an easy task. It might lack the attractive Q&A format of the Heidelberg Catechism of the prose or the Belgic Confession, but taking a deeper look will reveal that there is something of beauty within this document. While it doesn’t summarize all of our teaching, we will see how it represents a beautiful flower in the Reformed Bouquet.

If you have wondered at all about divine election and human free will, this will be the place to wrestle and discuss the substance of these teachings and how they impact our understanding of the work of God in the world and our participation in that work.

Worshiping Together: How Does Living Hope Form Itself in Worship?

Led by Alyssa Berkenpas | Worship Coordinator

Are you curious about how worship shapes us as a community? Do you serve – or feel called to serve – on a worship team? Whether you’re a musician, singer, or simply someone who loves to engage in worship and conversations around worship – this four-week elective is for you!

Together, we will look deeper into what it means to be part of a worship team and explore how worship forms us as individuals and as a church. Over four weeks, we’ll unpack the why behind what we sing, the role music and worship has in spiritual growth, our posture towards technology in worship, and what it looks like to be a welcoming worshipping community.

Whether you’re part of a worship team or just want to understand more about how worship shapes our hearts and community, these conversations will be a great opportunity to grow together in our understanding and practice of worship.

Personality Dimensions: Developing Understanding, Discovering Strengths & Honouring Diversity

Led by Jan Contant

Why do some people – colleagues, family members, students – get “under your skin” more than others? How do you deal with people that “just don’t seem to get it” when it’s so obvious to you?

Have you ever wondered why you react to some people the way you do?

Studies have shown that temperament styles affect the way we process information, communicate, and achieve our goals and self-esteem. Understanding one’s own temperament helps to better recognize and value similar and different temperaments. Different types sometimes misunderstand or even annoy each other. Yet, it is important to recognize that each type has unique strengths to offer our church community. Come and explore this together!

PERSONALITY DIMENSIONS IS…

Edu-taining = educational + entertaining
A tool to help increase understanding
An exciting approach to personal understanding

PERSONALITY DIMENSIONS IS NOT…

Intended to “label” or “stereotype” people
An attempt to fully explain the complexity of human behaviour

HIGHLIGHTS…

Identify your temperament in a fast-paced, fun setting with practical applications
Become knowledgeable so you will understand and appreciate the commonalities and differences of various temperament and personality preferences
Identify strengths, values, and motivations of different temperaments
Learn to adjust communication and understanding for greater effectiveness
Gain insight into what makes others tick… as well as what annoys them
Recognize behaviors that indicate when another may be stressed or struggling
Applications for relational and team-building, stress management, and parenting

SUMMER SONG SHARE | LYRICS

Living Hope CRC — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 20:04:05 +0000

August 21, 2024 | SUMMER SONG SHARE LYRICS

JUST AS I AM

Verse 1
Just as I am without one plea
But that Thy Blood was shed for me
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee
O Lamb of God I come I come

Verse 2
Just as I am and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot
To Thee Whose Blood can cleanse each spot
O Lamb of God I come I come

Chorus
I come to Thee
Forever I come, I come to Thee

Verse 3
Just as I am Thou wilt receive
Wilt welcome pardon cleanse relieve
Because Thy Promise I believe
O Lamb of God I come I come

Verse 4
Just as I am though tossed about
With many a conflict many a doubt
Fightings and fears within without
O Lamb of God I come I come

Chorus
I come to Thee
Forever I come, I come to Thee
Jesus I run, I run to Thee
Forever I come, I come to Thee

Verse 1
Just as I am without one plea
But that Thy Blood was shed for me
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee
O Lamb of God I come I come

Charlotte Elliott, William Batchelder Bradbury
CCLI Song #23206
CCLI License #600739

ONLY A HOLY GOD

Verse 1
Who else commands all the hosts of heaven
Who else could make every king bow down
Who else can whisper and darkness trembles
Only a Holy God

Verse 2
What other beauty demands such praises
What other splendour outshines the sun
What other majesty rules with justice
Only a Holy God

Chorus
Come and behold Him
The One and the Only
Cry out sing holy
Forever a Holy God
Come and worship the Holy God

Verse 3
What other glory consumes like fire
What other power can raise the dead
What other name remains undefeated
Only a Holy God

Chorus
Come and behold Him
The One and the Only
Cry out sing holy
Forever a Holy God
Come and worship the Holy God

Verse 4
Who else could rescue me from my failing
Who else would offer His only Son
Who else invites me to call Him Father
Only a Holy God
Only my Holy God

Chorus
Come and behold Him
The One and the Only
Cry out sing holy
Forever a Holy God
Come and worship the Holy God
Come and worship the Holy God

Dustin Smith, Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, Rich Thompson
CCLI Song #7073332

BE THE CENTRE

Verse 1
Jesus be the centre
Be my Source be my Light
Jesus

Verse 2
Jesus be the centre
Be my hope be my song
Jesus

Chorus
Be the fire in my heart
Be the wind in these sails
Be the reason that I live
Jesus Jesus

Verse 3
Jesus be my vision
Be my path be my guide
Jesus

Chorus
Be the fire in my heart
Be the wind in these sails
Be the reason that I live
Jesus Jesus

Ending
Jesus be the centre
Be my Source be my Light
Be my hope be my song
Be my path be my guide

Michael Frye
CCLI Song #2650429

A THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS

Verse 1
Who else would rocks cry out to worship
Whose glory taught the stars to shine
Perhaps creation longs to have the words to sing
But this joy is mine

Chorus
With a thousand hallelujahs
We magnify Your name
You alone deserve the glory
The honor and the praise
Lord Jesus this song is forever Yours
A thousand hallelujahs
And a thousand more

Verse 2
Who else would die for our redemption
Whose resurrection means I’ll rise
There isn’t time enough to sing of all You’ve done
But I have eternity to try

Chorus
With a thousand hallelujahs
We magnify Your name
You alone deserve the glory
The honor and the praise
Lord Jesus this song is forever Yours
A thousand hallelujahs
And a thousand more

Bridge
Praise to the Lord
To the Lamb
To the King of heaven
Praise for He rose
Now He reigns
We will sing forever
(Repeat)

Chorus
With a thousand hallelujahs
We magnify Your name
You alone deserve the glory
The honor and the praise
Lord Jesus this song is forever Yours
A thousand hallelujahs
And a thousand more

Brooke Ligertwood, Phil Wickham, Scott Ligertwood
CCLI Song #7190270

I WILL RISE

Verse 1
There’s a peace I’ve come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There’s an anchor for my soul
I can say it is well

Pre-Chorus
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

Chorus
I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow no more pain
I will rise on eagle’s wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise I will rise

Verse 2
There’s a day that’s drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

Pre-Chorus
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

Chorus
I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow no more pain
I will rise on eagle’s wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise I will rise

Bridge
And I hear the voice of many angels sing
Worthy is the Lamb
And I hear the cry of ev’ry longing heart
Worthy is the Lamb
(REPEAT)

Chorus
I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow no more pain
I will rise on eagle’s wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise I will rise

Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Louie Giglio, Matt Maher
CCLI Song #5183450

GREAT ARE YOU LORD

Verse
You give life You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope You restore ev’ry heart that is broken
And great are You Lord

Chorus
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You only

Verse
You give life You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope You restore ev’ry heart that is broken
And great are You Lord

Chorus
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You only

Bridge
And all the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry these bones will sing
Great are You Lord
(REPEAT x3)

Chorus
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You only

David Leonard, Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan
CCLI Song #6460220

CORNERSTONE

Verse 1
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name

Chorus
Christ alone cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Saviour’s love
Through the storm He is Lord
Lord of all

Verse 2
When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
My anchor holds within the veil

Chorus
Christ alone cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Saviour’s love
Through the storm He is Lord
Lord of all

Verse 3
When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless stand before the throne

Chorus
Christ alone cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Saviour’s love
Through the storm He is Lord
Lord of all

Edward Mote, Eric Liljero, Jonas Myrin, Reuben Morgan, William Batchelder Bradbury
CCLI Song #6158927

GOOD TO ME

Verse
I cry out
For Your hand of mercy to heal me
I am weak
I need Your love to free me
Oh Lord my rock
My strength in weakness
Come rescue me oh Lord

Pre-Chorus
You are my hope
Your promise never fails me
And my desire
Is to follow You forever

Chorus
For You are good for You are good
For You are good to me
For You are good for You are good
For You are good to me

Craig Musseau
CCLI Song #313480

THY WORD

Chorus
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path

Verse 1
When I feel afraid
And I think I’ve lost my way
Still You’re there right beside me
Nothing will I fear
As long as You are near
Please be near me to the end

Chorus
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path

Verse 2
I will not forget
Your love for me and yet
My heart forever is wandering
Jesus be my guide
And hold me to Your side
I will love You to the end

Chorus
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path

Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith
CCLI Song #14301

FROM EVERLASTING (PSALM 90)

Verse 1
O God before the mountains were brought forth
Or days of spring and summer filled the earth
From everlasting You are God

Verse 2
We dwell beneath the stars in ancient skies
A thousand years are nothing in Your sight
From everlasting You are God

Chorus
And all our days are held within Your hands
Your perfect love and favor have no end
We rest within the wisdom of Your plan
Everlasting God

Verse 3
O God when joy and tragedy collide
And loss reminds us life is but a sigh
From everlasting You are God

Chorus
And all our days are held within Your hands
Your perfect love and favor have no end
We rest within the wisdom of Your plan
Everlasting God

Verse 4
O God of light our ways are known to You
But by Your grace You’re making all things new
So satisfy us in our numbered days
Establish every effort while we wait
From everlasting You are God

Chorus
And all our days are held within Your hands
Your perfect love and favor have no end
We rest within the wisdom of Your plan
Everlasting

Chorus
And all our days are held within Your hands
Your perfect love and favor have no end
We rest within the wisdom of Your plan
Everlasting God

Lacy Hudson, Lisa Clow
CCLI Song #7190362

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

Verse 1
Great is Thy faithfulness
O God my Father
There is no shadow
Of turning with Thee
Thou changest not
Thy compassions they fail not
As Thou hast been
Thou forever wilt be

Chorus
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning
New mercies I see
All I have needed
Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness
Lord unto me

Verse 2
Summer and winter
And springtime and harvest
Sun moon and stars
In their courses above
Join with all nature
In manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness
Mercy and love

Chorus
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning
New mercies I see
All I have needed
Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness
Lord unto me

Verse 3
Pardon for sin
And a peace that endureth
Thy own dear presence
To cheer and to guide
Strength for today
And bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine
With ten thousand beside

Chorus
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning
New mercies I see
All I have needed
Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness
Lord unto me

Thomas Obediah Chisholm, William Marion Runyan
CCLI Song #18723

BE UNTO YOUR NAME

Verse 1
We are a moment You are forever
Lord of the ages God before time
We are a vapor You are eternal
Love everlasting reigning on high

Chorus
Holy holy Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain
Highest praises honor and glory
Be unto Your name
Be unto Your name

Verse 2
We are the broken You are the healer
Jesus Redeemer mighty to save
You are the love song we’ll sing forever
Bowing before You blessing Your name

Chorus
Holy holy Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain
Highest praises honor and glory
Be unto Your name
Be unto Your name

Gary Sadler, Lynn DeShazo
CCLI Song #2177476
© 1998 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #600739

2024 Summer Newsletter Excerpt | Spring 2024 Women’s Conference

Living Hope CRC — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 19:49:04 +0000

2024 Summer Newsletter Excerpt | Spring 2024 Women’s Conference

Read the rest of the newsletter here

Written by Kristen Olthuis

The Women’s Conference this past April was an amazing success! We had over 110 ladies attend from 11 different churches!

The weekend was filled with worship, food, fun, prayer, testimonies, and listening to our speaker, Grace Fox, talk about Psalm 23 and the Good Father’s Love!

Many ladies commented on how much they loved listening to Grace speak as she was very easy to listen to, easy to understand, and relatable to all generations no matter where you were in your journey of life.   The worship was another thing many ladies really enjoyed. There is something amazing about over one hundred ladies gathering to worship Jesus.   The breakout sessions and food were loved by everyone.

The ladies enjoyed being together again after so many years of separation due to Covid. You could really see it in the way they socialized with each other!

It was also mentioned numerous times by different ladies including our speaker. If you were quiet just for a second, you could hear all the conversations going on around you; there was excitement in the voices! Joy was shared among everyone; it was a beautiful sound.

One of the goals of our Women’s Conference organization team was that each lady would leave the weekend feeling special, loved, and filled. Reflecting on the feedback, we realized those goals were achieved! In fact, most ladies are asking for another conference in a year.

So, if you missed this one and wanted to join, there’s a possibility that we will have another one!

We want to thank all the ladies who attended and all those who helped in any way or form! It takes a team of people to put something like this on, and we were so blessed to have that team!

2024 Summer Newsletter Excerpt | What I’ve Learned

Living Hope CRC — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 19:33:55 +0000

2024 Summer Newsletter Excerpt | What I’ve Learned

Read the rest of the newsletter here

Written by Alyssa Berkenpas, Worship Coordinator

Alyssa Berkenpas, our Worship Coordinator, completed a one-year certificate focused on worship ministry. This is what she has to say about it:

The program was called Music Fundamentals for Worship through Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. It is a program designed for church staff and volunteers to learn more about planning worship through an online platform. I heard about it through the CRC Worship Ministry group on Facebook. I’ve had a lot of experience in leading worship throughout the years, but this provided formal training specific to worship ministry and looked at the background of worship music. It looked like this could be something that could help me grow in areas that I am less confident in. Thrive Ministries was offering a grant to CRC worship planners, so I thought I’d apply to see if I would get in; however, I did notice the program happened to start exactly on my due date! I decided it would probably be fine to take care of a newborn, a toddler and take courses online, as well as stay on top of all my regular duties as worship coordinator… so I registered anyways and got the grant!

The program consisted of four courses: Music Theory, Music Leadership, Worship Technology and Production, and finally Building the Music Ministry. Each class was discussion-based, meaning that at the beginning of week, the teacher would pose a question and each person in the class would then answer this question as well as respond to others’ answers. I appreciated this way of participation as I learned a lot about how other churches, and even denominations, worship differently. My classmates were worship planners from various environments, from many places around the world. There were those from large campus churches with a handful of staff to very small churches who were volunteer run. As we responded to each other’s comments and assignments, it was as if we were helping one another out in our roles as worship planners. I will miss having this community around to support me.

This space isn’t large enough to share everything I learned with you, but I thought I would give you a glimpse into my year and how this will help me in my role at Living Hope.

Class 1 | Music Theory for Worship

In this class I learned the fundamentals of note reading, scales, key signatures, chord structures, symbols and charts, basic rhythms, and standard harmonic progressions. Some of it was not new to me as I’ve had music lessons in the past, but it was a helpful reminder – especially as it pertains to worship music. This was helpful as a starting class in the program as it worked as a building block for the other courses. I needed an understanding of theory before moving onto the rest. I’ve been able to use all this theory to arrange music better for our musicians and understand what is happening musically in many of the songs we sing. Understanding this makes some hymn’s tunes stand out more. For example, Great is Thy Faithfulness has a lot going on in the music to make it so singable and memorable!

The homework for this course was hard. I spent hours at my piano trying to wrap my head around some of these elements, particularly voicing and certain rhythms. It will be something that will be a lifelong practice for me.

Class 2 | Worship Leadership for Worship

This was a very practical course, looking at what all goes into leading a band or choir, focusing on rehearsal techniques, arranging songs, even conducting! Something I really appreciated was how this course looked at each instrument and how to communicate with each one. This is vital when you are leading a team; knowing how to speak the language of drums, bass, or even with vocalists, makes playing together more enjoyable for everyone. And isn’t it such a valuable thing to be able to enjoy worshipping together?

Along with knowing the language, we looked at the importance of each team member and the roles they play within the band. Learning and reading about the worship team, helped me finish something I had been working on with our worship leaders here at Living Hope. If you look at our website, and follow the link to the Worship Ministry tab, you’ll find we have listed what we value in our worship as the body of Christ and what to expect if a visitor attends a worship service with us.

Class 3 | Worship Technology & Production

This course looked at the best practices and resources for utilizing AVL (Audio/Visual/Lighting) technology. I thought this class would teach more on how to use all this technology but instead the instructor concentrated on the philosophy and theology of technology; what is the reason we do what we do? Is there a thoughtful process behind all the decisions we make when it comes to technology?

For our final project, we had to create a philosophy of technology for our own churches. I loved this project as it caused me to consider how to be more pastoral in our technological choices; to think about it in a deeper way. It doesn’t necessarily mean we will do things differently, but it will make me look at something and question it – for example: why do we light the sanctuary the way we do? Why don’t we do certain things that other churches are doing? What types of images are we projecting on the screen? Do they draw us into worship or distract?

This course also taught us to nurture relationships with our tech teams: spiritually and communally. Since the pandemic, churches have come to totally rely on tech in our services. It doesn’t matter if you belong to a small neighbourhood church, or a large four-campus megachurch – we all use it in some capacity. The people who serve in our AVL ministry are so vital to our gatherings; not everyone can do what they do each week. Something that our instructor said will stick with me: the person who switches your slides on Sunday mornings is basically the worship leader. What she’s getting at is that when we sing together, lyrics are one of the most important parts of our worship. And your slide switcher is going to be guiding the congregation through these songs. That’s a lot of responsibility! (But also, if you would like to volunteer to do media, please don’t hesitate to contact me!)

In short, we need to be sure to truly appreciate what our AVL people do each Sunday.

Class 4 | Building the Music and Worship Ministry

The title of this course rightly depicts how broad of a class this one was. Here, we focused on the Monday to Saturday elements of the work. Most folks in church only see the Sunday morning parts, but most of a worship planner’s job is during the week. This course looked at some administration factors like organizing workflow; planning a service; the theology behind selecting songs; writing prayers rooted in scripture; the importance of licensing; how to set goals; recruiting volunteers; spiritual formation for your teams; and how to use your time wisely and get all of this done, especially if you’re part-time like me.

I appreciated that all the assignments for this course could be used in services for our own congregation. For example, I wrote a prayer for an assignment and used it that same week in our Sunday gathering.

One thing I’ve struggled with is goal setting; for one assignment we had to write out an outline for a 5-year long-term goal, with mid-term and short-term goals alongside it to show how to get to that end goal. This was a great practice for me who tends to work very spontaneously.

Our final project was to create an outline for the entire church year, listing all events and a quick summary of each. Then to take four of those events and create an outline for each, including readings, prayers, and songs.

This course was one of the more challenging ones to keep on top of with my busy life, but it also was the most rewarding as it was so practical.

I’m very grateful to have had this opportunity, and I hope the knowledge and resources I have gained will slowly trickle out into the rest of the worship ministry. I have seen that some of the constructive ideas have already helped with rehearsals and team dynamics. These types of educational opportunities are so beneficial in bringing passion and encouragement back to something that is susceptible to become mundane if you get stuck in the week-to-week tasks. If you’re interested in knowing more, I’m hoping to lead a study on worship next year!

2023 Fall Newsletter Excerpt | Reflections of a Worship Coordinator

Living Hope CRC — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 01:03:00 +0000

Fall Newsletter Excerpt | Reflections of a Worship Coordinator

Written by Alyssa Berkenpas, Worship Coordinator

As I look ahead to my new official title of “Worship Coordinator,” I get excited about all the spaces and places I will continue working towards and building on. Just in this last year as the interim coordinator, I have learned so much and gained a newfound appreciation for worship from a reformed perspective as I designed services, wrote liturgies, and collaborated with our worship leaders and staff on various events.

There are so many highlights from the last year that I want to continue to learn from and build off.

Last September I did a book study with Pastor Steve reading You Are What You Love by James K. Smith. It looks at how we need to be constantly re-calibrating our hearts and desires as this is what forms us. We do this through liturgies, or in other words, habits. This has been a great foundation for me in appreciating how worship forms us into our weeks. It also was a great read to start out with as the worship coordinator. Every week, as I plan the service, I dive into scripture, look at different readings, and go through hymn books; I feel as though I am consistently surrounded by the services liturgy that it has, as Smith says, re-calibrated my heart in beautiful and transforming ways. I look forward to how this will continue to grow in the future. As a bonus: I believe this book is in our library if you want to take a look at it! It’s an easy read and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it if you do pick it up.

Another highlight comes from my favourite season in the church calendar: Lent and Easter. It naturally lends itself to be reflective and melancholy. It’s dark, gloomy, then suddenly, with Easter, it’s so incredibly joyous and celebratory. As I was looking at planning Easter weekend, I wanted to create spaces that reflected these moods. So with a lot of designing, writing, and dreaming; using resources I found in Reformed Worship (a fantastic magazine focusing on worship services that I use frequently for ideas and inspiration), I planned three services that we, as a congregation, could participate in together. A particular highlight was Saturday, the Walking With Jesus event where we took time to come into a space of quietness and go through the different stations on the way to the cross. I’m looking forward to future years of how we can intentionally set aside time to prepare ourselves for Easter joy.

In between all these major events and services, there are many behind the scenes things that happen on a week-to-week basis. Working with staff on different projects has been great, and I look forward to more of this happening as our team is so well rounded which enables us to do more creative projects together. I also love meeting regularly with our amazing worship leaders who I get to learn from and pass on whatever I’ve been learning to them. We have amazing discussions about worship and worship specifically at Living Hope. It’s been such a privilege to get to know them more.

Lastly, I want to let you know about a project I’m starting during my maternity leave. I’ve just begun a year-long certificate in Music Fundamentals for Worship. This will give me time to grow in my understanding of the basics in music. The four courses will focus on music theory specifically in worship music, music leadership for choirs and bands, worship technology and production, and building a music and worship ministry. I found this course through Thrive, a CRC ministry aimed for equipping the church. It is great to be part of a denomination that supports leaders and they even gave me a grant to pay for part of the tuition. It feels a little odd to be back in school again, but it’s also great timing for me as I’ll be at home with our new baby, Nell, a lot these next few months instead of in the office. I’m looking forward to what it teaches me and how I can apply what I’m learning once I’m back.

I’m proud of the worship ministry we have here at Living Hope, and I’m excited to get back into things more regularly again.

Read the rest of the newsletter here

2023 Fall Newsletter Excerpt | David: A Mess After God’s Own Heart

Living Hope CRC — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 18:56:00 +0000

Fall Newsletter Excerpt | David: A Mess After God’s Own Heart

After a brief kickoff series we will spend some time looking at one of the most famous Biblical figures: King David.

id the series title catch your attention? It certainly did the first time I heard it: “Shouldn’t it read A Man After God’s Own Heart?” I mean, that’s what I’ve been taught. So often King David has been looked at as a moral example, as a person who through his passion and zeal for God’s heart, paves the way forward for faithfulness for future generations. We could make the mistake in thinking David is the example that we are meant to follow, a story full of useful tips in how to be a better person, so we too can raise our David’s and slay our giants.

But looking at David’s life, we find that his life also includes a lot of messiness. We will see that David isn’t the example to follow, but that there is something more going on in the story directing us towards God. We’ll be reading with our eyes attended to what this story has to teach us about God and how it anticipates Jesus – rather than just providing us with a broken example to follow.

As we lead up to the series, your invited to read the stories of King David yourself – especially as it is recorded in 1 and 2 Samuel. If you read it ahead of time, come to Pastor Steve (or Ben) with your questions or insights. I’d love to hear what you think of these stories as we dive into the life of David.

FUN FACT

Did you know that the line “A man after God’s own heart” is derived from one verse (1 Samuel 13:14), and it might not mean what you think it means? Check out a variety of translations and paraphrases to see the different ways it can be translated.

One way of reading it is found in Peterson’s paraphrase “The Message” where he phrases it: “God is out looking for your replacement right now. This time he’ll do the choosing.” Why do you think he chooses to translate it this way?

Read the rest of the newsletter here

2023 Summer Newsletter Excerpt | What Your Worship Does For Me

Living Hope CRC — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 23:01:31 +0000

Summer Newsletter Excerpt

What Your Worship Does For Me

By Interim Worship Coordinator Alyssa Berkenpas

Read the rest of the newsletter here

Why do I go to church each Sunday? It’s a question that has been asked by some friends, especially after the pandemic lockdown when church could be watched online, and not just the church you have attended for the past while but any church, anywhere. I remember tuning into an amazing church service based in New York. The video started by panning around a beautiful sanctuary full of stained-glass windows with beautiful, reflective music played in the background. The way they spoke scripture and sang songs wasn’t flashy or loud but allowed for the viewer to truly feel the presence of God surrounding them, while in their own living room. It was so beautifully done.

So if I can experience the presence of God in my own home, why do I go to church?

John Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship says:

Christianity is a first-person plural religion, where communal worship, service, fellowship and learning are indispensable for grounding and forming individual faith.

What he’s saying is that it’s not only important to have a personal relationship with God. You need to have a community surrounding you week to week. It is essential for growing in our faith. And not only should this be seen on a Sunday morning, but it should be reflected in the whole life of the congregation. Our worship services are like a spring, a source from which flows all practices of the Christian life, shaping the life of the church.

If you’ve read my past entries to these newsletters, you may have read a few times that worship is an active dialogue: God speaks, and we respond. God invites, and we participate. We are not merely spectators on a Sunday morning. In worship we give and receive from one another. I like how Joyce Ann Zimmerman, director of the Institute for Liturgical Ministry in Ohio, puts it:

If I am bored, this rubs off; if I am angry, this rubs off; if I am enthusiastic, this rubs off; if I am genuinely concerned for others when I make intercession, this rubs off; if I am committed to being there, this rubs off. All this makes a difference not only by affecting others’ participation ability, but it also affects how we are as the church, the body of Christ.

Each and every person attending the worship service is absolutely essential and should be actively involved in corporate worship, not only for the glory of God, but for the building up of the entire body.

Wouldn’t it be so much easier if being a Christian meant staying comfortable, in your loungewear on the couch each Sunday? Or even if it meant coming to church just to listen and leaving the service as soon as it’s done? But that’s not what we’re called to. It’s all-consuming being in a relationship with God. It requires awareness and deliberate effort on our part. Each week we begin our service with a call to worship; here we are invited to gather and present ourselves before God and to say ‘yes’ to the divine activity we’re about to engage ourselves in. It might mean letting go of our likes and dislikes, our own needs and desires and surrender ourselves to the body of Christ. I find it interesting that the word liturgy means ‘the peoples work.’ What happens on a Sunday morning in corporate worship is not just singing songs and listening to a sermon, but our full and conscious participation in the work that God is doing.

This type of participation leads us from doing to being the body of Christ. When we participate in corporate worship like this with others, it takes us beyond ourselves and the gifts God gives us and opens our eyes to our brothers and sisters worshipping all around us. I had this image once, when I was too weary and weak to sing worship songs in a service one Sunday, that the church surrounding me was lifting their arms on my behalf. Their arms became extensions of my own. When one in our body is hurting, we all feel it. When one is rejoicing, we all feel it. In Ephesians 4, Paul writes of the importance of all the members of God’s temple, working together to accomplish the purpose for which God created the church:

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly… He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts… working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. (Ephesians 4:4-13, MSG)

We are called on the same road and same direction. We walk the path together, even though our experiences may be very different from each other. Walking this means that we will have times where we carry others, and other times where we are carried. It means that we need each other to be formed, as we become more and more in the pattern of Christ together. The fact that you are sitting in church each Sunday matters, and even more so, it matters that you participate in worship along with your brothers and sisters so we can all be transformed into being the body of Christ.