DEACON'S CORNER FOR CONSCIENTIOUS GIVING

                                                                                     April 2024

Please prayerfully consider how you can support this month's offering causes and consciously plan your donation

“First Bag” Collection Causes   

April 07: World Renew- "Living Justice, Loving Mercy, Serving Christ"- Compelled by God’s deep passion for justice & mercy, World Renew joins communities around the world in working to renew hope, reconcile lives, and restore creation. World Renew has joined the Humanitarian Coalition’s joint appeal for the Ukraine Crisis through their membership in Canadian Foodgrains Bank. World Renew is working with their global networks in the region to respond to the needs of vulnerable families impacted by the conflict in Ukraine. World Renew is supporting peer organizations by providing essential items for people fleeing for safety to neighbouring countries. In Slovakia, World Renew is providing temporary shelters, emergency food, and emergency non-food items such as blankets, linens, mattresses, and basic hygiene items. In Poland and Romania, World Renew is responding with health support by supplying health packs that will be used by local health centers. Learn more about World Renews vision and initiatives at https://worldrenew.net.

April 14: Ministry Shares – Classical -- The vision of Classis Alberta North is to be “a gathering of mutually supportive, healthy churches expressing the good news of God's Kingdom that transforms lives and communities". Classis works with the churches in Northern Alberta to assist, support, and encourage faithful and creative local ministry, promoting healthy churches. It also works with local churches to unite in shared ministries of evangelism and diaconal involvement through denominational and common initiatives. Some of these ministries include Classical Services, Healthy Church, Home Missions, Student Fund, Campus Ministry, Youth Ministry, Northern Alberta Diaconal Conference, Cuba Connection, Safe Church, and Leadership and Prayer Summit. The funds collected will not be going to a particular ministry, but to all of them.

April 21: Hope Mission -- Hope Mission is a not-for-profit Christian social care agency founded in 1929 in Edmonton, Alberta. It exists to serve, strengthen and uplift men, women, youth and children through the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ. Each day over 500 impoverished and homeless men, women and children are blessed as they come to Hope Mission for basic and emergency care and shelter. Over 1000 meals are provided, and counselling and referral services are available. Hope Mission operates an inner-city community church and a 24/7 rescue van to provide emergency care for people in need. Specialized care and treatment is offered for men and women through faith-based addiction treatment programs. In addition, Hope Mission facilitates an after school recreation and hot meal program for children, summer camps for inner-city children and youth, and operates a year-round Youth Sports Centre. Please give generously to help Hope Mission provide compassionate care and hope to hurting, hungry and homeless people in Edmonton.

April 28: GEMS -- is a ministry devoted to bringing the Good News of Jesus to girls around the world. The mission of GEMS Girls’ Clubs is to help bring girls into a living, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. Our vision is to see girls around the world actively and enthusiastically expressing love for God and others-girls equipped, motivated, and passionately engaged in living out their faith. To help foster this all-important relationship between each girl and Christ, the girls and their leaders together explore how to love and care for each other, other people, themselves, and their relationshipwith God. They do this by learning about Jesus, what He has done, and His plans for each of their lives. The girls also participate in team building, and develop important life skills through dynamic singing, badge activities, engagement in thoughtful discussions about real life issues, and making creative and fun crafts. The money collected for this offering will be going towards all the GEMS clubs in Canada, who are a part of Dynamic Youth Ministries, which coordinates and manages the GEMS at the national level.

 “Second Bag” (blue bag) Collection is for the church budget – We as a congregation have committed to a church budget.  The budget provides revenue used to pay for ministry staff, classical and denominational shares for the Christian Reformed denomination, Power Hour and Catechism curriculum, janitorial services and supplies, and the maintenance of the building.  Operational expenses such as printing weekly bulletins, electricity, telephone and internet services and the coffee you enjoy on Sunday are all included.  Let’s work together to contribute to the financial well being of our church.