The Way Church is still quite young, but it has already planted churches in Strathcona, West Point Grey and North Vancouver – and is now initiating The Way College.
The college, which will launch in September, is “a four-year accredited program designed to give students a comprehensive view of the Bible, a robust experience of Christian community and opportunity to grow one’s leadership within local church ministry.”
Who is the college intended for?:
Year one is designed for anyone desiring to deepen their walk with God, grow in maturity, and explore a call to and set a foundation for vocational ministry.
Years two to four are designed for graduates of the first year program that are looking to pursue vocational ministry and/or pastoral leadership.
Darrell Johnson will be Scholar in Resident at The Way College.
Darrell Johnson will be Scholar in Residence. Currently on the pastoral team at The Way, he is widely known as a pastor, professor and preacher.
He has taught preaching for Fuller Theological Seminary, Carey Theological College and Regent College, and has written eight books, including The Glory of Preaching and Discipleship on the Edge: An Expository Journey Through Revelation.
Several other members of the pastoral team will also teach: Chris Price (Head of Theology and Teaching), Elita Friesen, Jeremy King, Daniel Smith and Jason Ballard.
An online information event will be held April 5, 7 – 7:45 pm; go here to register.
Faith Igniting Creativity
It has been some time since we have had a major Christian writing event in the area.
That lack will be remedied by the 2023 Surrey Writers’ Conference; Faith Igniting Creativity will be held at Peace Portal Church May 5, 1 – 9 pm.
Here is how it came about, and what to expect:
For the past few years Surrey Christian Writers, a chapter of The Word Guild, has met at Renew Fellowship church in Surrey. After Covid restrictions were eased, the group’s attendance was nudging towards where it had been before pre-pandemic. It was decided to plan an evening event in celebration of writing.
Given that a number in the group are also visual artists, the idea of an ekphrastic writing challenge was raised and met with enthusiasm. Ekphrastic writing is done in response to a visual work.
Carolyn Arends will be the guest speaker and will lead a workshop.
As planning began, Rose Scott, one of the leaders of the initiative, received a phone call from David Kitz, president of The Word Guild.
He relayed an earlier conversation with Sheila Webster, president of InScribe Christian Writers, an organization based out of Alberta, with members throughout Canada.
The two groups were interested in working together on initiatives such as workshops.
Quickly, the small local event grew into an almost full day gathering, Faith Igniting Creativity, with workshop leaders coming from Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario.
Several award-winning writers will participate, and singer-songwriter Carolyn Arends will be the keynote speaker at the dinner event.
Sheila Webster will lead a workshop ‘Pain into Purpose’ and David Kitz will speak on developing your platform by blogging. Ruth Snyder’s workshop will be on building community. Other workshop leaders include Colleen McCubbin of Siretona Creative Publishing, and local writers Ann Griffiths and Brenda Jones.
The conference offers breakout sessions and the ekphrastic writing challenge. Artwork for that challenge will be on display. A limited number of blue pencil sessions will be offered as well.
To see the schedule and to register: https://thewordguild.com/2023-surrey-writers-conference/
Knights’ housing
Last week I posted a story about St. Vincent’s Heather, a $207-million, 240-bed long-term care home, on the former site of St. Vincent’s Hospital in Vancouver.
This week, Roman Catholics are behind another major housing project.
Here is the beginning of a March 23 article in The B.C. Catholic:
The Lower Mainland’s critical housing shortage received a Catholic infusion this week with the Knights of Columbus, Providence Health Care and the Archdiocese of Vancouver contributing land and money to senior housing projects that will deliver more than 300 beds.
In their first new senior housing project in decades, the Knights announced on Monday they will partner with Senior Citizens Housing of South Surrey and the B.C. government to build a new five-story, 89-unit apartment complex in Cloverdale.
The Columbus Homes residence will replace two aging apartment buildings with a combination of studio and one-bedroom homes. Construction is expected to start in the fall.
Go here for the full story.
Jobs & Events
Go here for more than 200 job listings in the Metro Vancouver / Fraser Valley area and here to find several pages of local events.
Mar 2023
The Man of the Shroud Exhibition – March 29, 2023 - April 2, 2023 at 6:30 pm - 1:30 pmBook Conversation on Faith Formation in a Secular Age by Andrew Root – March 30, 2023 at 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Belonging: How has racism affected your sense of belonging within Christian churches? – March 30, 2023 at 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
You Can't Take it With You – March 30, 2023 - April 1, 2023 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Evangelical Missiological Society Canadian Regional Conference – March 31, 2023 at All Day
Learning How to Grow Restorative Churches – March 31, 2023 - April 1, 2023 at 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
The Seven Last Words of Christ – March 31, 2023 at 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Valdy – March 31, 2023 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Apr 2023
Lectures on Distinguishing Heresy (two events) – April 1, 2023 - April 2, 2023 at All DayIron Sharpens Iron Men’s Conference – April 1, 2023 at 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Garage Sale & Thrift Shop – April 1, 2023 at 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Rheinberger’s Mass in C major (op. 169), and Cherubini’s Requiem in C minor – April 1, 2023 at 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
St. John Passion – April 1, 2023 at 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Leeroy Stagger – April 1, 2023 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Palm Sunday Service – April 2, 2023 at 10:00 am - 11:15 am
Watoto Children's Choir – April 2, 2023 at 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Watoto Children's Choir – April 2, 2023 at 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Rheinberger’s Mass in C major (op. 169), and Cherubini’s Requiem in C minor – April 2, 2023 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
TWU's Sustainability Week – April 3, 2023 - April 6, 2023 at All Day
Planetary Health Lecture: Plastic Pollution & the Microbiome Menace – April 4, 2023 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Climate Change 'Smart' or 15 Minute Cities – April 5, 2023 at 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Fire From Heaven: Michael Faraday and the Dawn of the Electrical Age – April 5, 2023 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Kinbrace Virtual Open House – April 5, 2023 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
The Way College Info Night – April 5, 2023 at 7:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Jazz Evensong @ Brentwood: Dan Reynolds – The Sower Suite – April 5, 2023 at 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Sarah Kurbjuweit: Rhythms & Roots – April 6, 2023 - April 12, 2023 at All Day
At the Still Point of the Turning World: Music & Poetry for Holy Week – April 6, 2023 at 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
How to Talk to Your Kids About Doubt – April 6, 2023 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Black and Rural – April 6, 2023 - April 15, 2023 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fort Langley's Stations of the Cross – April 7, 2023 at 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Good Friday City-wide Gathering – April 7, 2023 at 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Good Friday Combined Service – April 7, 2023 at 10:00 am - 11:15 am
Good Friday / DTES Joint Gathering – April 7, 2023 at 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Good Friday Joint Service – April 7, 2023 at 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Good Friday Service (First Baptist, Westside, Coastal) – April 7, 2023 at 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Good Friday Service with Haydn's Seven Last Words of Christ – April 7, 2023 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Easter Bash – April 8, 2023 at 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Easter Bash – April 8, 2023 at 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Resurrection Egg Hunt – April 8, 2023 at 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Family Easter Carnival – April 8, 2023 at 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Easter Sunday Service – April 9, 2023 at 10:00 am - 11:15 am
Gardening Course: Grow Your Own Food! (every second Tuesday) – April 11, 2023 at 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Book talk by Naoko Kato on Kaleidoscope: The Uchiyama Bookstore and its Sino-Japanese Visionaries – April 12, 2023 at 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
David Moffitt: What Happened After Easter? – April 12, 2023 at 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Jazz Evensong @ Brentwood: Laura Crema & Bill Coon – April 12, 2023 at 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
SIMinar: Explore South Asia – April 13, 2023 at 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Book Launch: Amazing Grace – the Life of John Newton & the Surprising Story Behind His Song – April 13, 2023 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Martyn Joseph – April 13, 2023 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Five Days of Prayer for Sikhs – April 14, 2023 - April 19, 2023 at All Day
49th Annual Delta Leadership Prayer Breakfast – April 15, 2023 at 8:15 am - 10:00 am
A Rocha Volunteer Day – April 15, 2023 at 9:30 am - 2:00 pm
Bible Saturday: Dr. Iain Provan: All Creatures Great & Small – the Psalms' Global Perspective – April 15, 2023 at 9:30 am - 11:45 am
Easter Pipe Organ Concert with audience singing – April 15, 2023 at 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Elvis Easter Extravaganza: Elvis Tribute Artist Ben Klein – April 15, 2023 at 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Gardens: A Sacred Oratorio by David Owen Squires – April 15, 2023 at 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Barney Bentall – April 15, 2023 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Jazz Vespers in the Valley with the Bonnie Northgraves Band – April 16, 2023 at 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Indigenous Voices of Faith – April 17, 2023 at 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Caught in the Current: British and Canadian Evangelicals in an Age of Self-Spirituality – April 18, 2023 at 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Let the Healing Begin – April 18, 2023 at 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm
New Survey Results: Young Christians Want Church Engagement on Creation Care – April 19, 2023 at 11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Daniel Du: A Beauty Eclipsed – Opening Reception- – April 19, 2023 at 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Jazz Evensong @ Brentwood: Linda Szentes & JazzLinks – April 19, 2023 at 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Discipleship in Our Complex Age: A Digital Gathering with Mark Sayers – April 20, 2023 at 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Innovating Failure: Ethical Issues on the Path to Health Care Advancement – April 21, 2023 at 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
The Boy Who Preferred to be Angry – April 22, 2023 - April 23, 2023 at All Day
Cuckoos in Our Nest: Truth & Lies About Being Human – Seminar with Iain Provan – April 22, 2023 at 9:30 am - 1:00 pm
Eternity Club presents Jesus Revival & Healing Ministry – April 22, 2023 at 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Catholic Social Teaching & Development and Peace – April 22, 2023 at 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Community Coffee House – April 22, 2023 at 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Good Seed Sunday – April 23, 2023 at All Day
Marcus Mosely: Safe in the Everlasting Arms – April 23, 2023 at 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Metro Vancouver Alliance: Solidarity Action Assembly – April 23, 2023 at 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
[ACLE] Cleaning Up the Mess of the Sexual Revolution – April 23, 2023 at 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Canadian Association for Spiritual Care: Reconnect, Renew, Recreate – April 23, 2023 - April 25, 2023 at 6:00 pm - 10:30 pm
Raising Kids in a Hyper-Sexualized Culture – April 23, 2023 at 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Conversations on Hopeful Citizenship in a Divided World – April 23, 2023 at 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Jazz Evensong @ Brentwood: The Brentwood Katz – April 26, 2023 at 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Kinbrace Educational Award – April 27, 2023 - April 30, 2023 at All Day
The 51st Greater Vancouver Bible Study and Recreation Conference – April 27, 2023 - April 30, 2023 at All Day
Jesus Collective Regional Gathering – April 27, 2023 - April 28, 2023 at 6:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Better Workplace: Corporate Chaplains Canada – April 27, 2023 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Gardens of Gethsemani Open House – April 28, 2023 - April 29, 2023 at 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Income Tax Service – April 29, 2023 at 9:30 am - 2:00 pm
Spring Fair – April 29, 2023 at 10:30 am - 4:00 pm
Young Families Spring Gala 2023 – April 29, 2023 at 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Evening Peace: a spring concert with the Amabilis Singers – April 29, 2023 at 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Jazz Vespers in the Valley with Diane Lines and friends – April 30, 2023 at 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Jazz Vespers with Tom Arntzen – April 30, 2023 at 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm