Ministry Fair & Cookie Contest

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This Sunday is our annual Ministry Fair, following the worship service. This is a time for you to acquaint yourself with all the different ministries that are a part of our church. It is also a time for you to consider how you might like to be involved. AND this year there will be a cookie bake off! Each ministry area will have some cookies for you to try and you can help vote for the winner. Please do plan to stay and check it all out.

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Welcome Ana!

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We would like to welcome Ana Loewen as our new permanent Part-time Office Administrator! Many of you already know Ana, as she is also our worship pianist, so she will now be wearing 2 hats at Altadore! Feel free to introduce yourself to her on Sundays or in the office during the week, as she looks forward to meeting everyone here. Please bear with her as she  slowly but surely learns the ropes in this new role.

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Outreach Update

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Please pick up the latest edition of Mosaic in the foyer. Both of our Partners in Mission have written articles. David Nacho’s article is titled “A Holistic Approach to Mission: equipping churches in Latin America”. Elie Haddad has written an informative piece on the ministry of the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary - bearing fruit in the Arab world.

This coming Sunday, Dennis and Sharon are at High River Baptist church to present our cheque for the Foothills Growing Project on behalf of Altadore.

Indigenous History Month

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June is Indigenous History Month and also includes Aboriginal Awareness Week in Calgary. The Calgary Public library offers several opportunities to learn more about our neighbours:

  • ·Indigenous drumming circle at Memorial Park Library, Saturday June 1, 1:00 - 2:00 pm.

  • Documentary about the Making of Treaty 7 in partnership with the Making Treaty 7 Culture Society at Central Library, Monday, June 1,
    6:00 - 9:00 pm.

  • Blackfoot family story time at Forest Lawn
    Library, Saturdays, June 8 - June 29, 1:30 - 2:30 pm

  • The Indian Relay: opening reception and talk at Central Library on June 10, 6:00 - 8:00 pm

For further information go to: calgarylibrary.ca or calgarylibrary.ca/indigenous.

As well, the O’Brien Institute for Public Health will host a free screening of Indian Horse (based on book written by Richard Wagamese) on Wednesday, June 5th at the Plaza Theatre. Doors open at 6:00 pm and movie starts at 6:30 pm. Following the film, a panel discussion will explore the topics of colonization, residential schools, and their intergenerational effects on health.

Easter Offering Update

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Thank you to every one who gave so generously to our special Easter offering! $2,310.00 will be sent to CBM for the Foothills Growing Project. High River Baptist church welcomes and appreciates very much our financial support again this year as well as our prayers as they begin a new season of planting, growing and harvesting. When Sharon L spoke to Dawn G she was thrilled with the amount of our gift to help them with this year’s Growing Project.

 

Church Announcements

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  • Congratulations to Pastor Sebastian on his graduation with a Bachelor of Ministry degree from Ambrose University and Seminary. Join us in the gym after this Sunday’s service as we celebrate his achievement!

  • We are excited to explore the ‘I Am’ statements of Jesus, in Adult Sunday School. Keith MacLeod has graciously agreed to teach us about these important teachings of Jesus for the month of May after the service. Please plan to grab a cup of coffee/tea and meet in the lounge.

  • This is the last week to give to our Easter offering, supporting the work of CBM and the Canadian Food Grains Bank through High River Baptist’s 2019 Foothills Growing Project.

  • Thank you to all of those who are on our prayer chain. Your faithfulness in prayer is greatly appreciated. A reminder for all of us, if you are in need of prayer, our prayer warriors feel privileged to be able to pray for you. Contact the office for more information on the prayer chain.

Leadership Update

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At the Church Annual Meeting we received the summary result of the Flourishing Churches survey conducted last year.  A couple of questions centered on values:

  • What 3 areas of the church do YOU value the most?  Those who responded to the questionnaire indicated community with others, music & worship, preaching & teaching.

  • Our congregation is clear on its core values and priorities. 71% responded strongly agree/agree.

  • Congregation clearly communicates its core values to members and attenders. 62% strongly agree/agree.

  • Our core values and teachings shape our culture.  64% responded strongly agree/agree.

Altadore’s values come out of a vision collectively developed some years ago.  The Vison and values are always published in the Annual Report and you can read complete statements there or ask in the office to email you a copy. The short version of the vision is:

  • Deeper in our relationship with God.

  • Higher in our expression of our love for God.

  • Further in our service to all of God’s creation.

It is good to remember that this vision is personal as well as corporate.  How can you assist Altadore in fulfilling the vision and what do you need personally to do to make them even more central to your life?

Over the next several weeks, the Leadership Core is committed to referring to the values so that we as a congregation can together continue to live out these values in our teachings, our actions and our worship.

Easter Offering

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As part of moving through the Lenten season, we would like to encourage you to participate in the work of CBM and the Canadian Food Grains Bank through High River Baptist’s 2019 Foothills Growing Project. It costs the farmers $250.00 per acre to buy the seeds and fertilizer. They donate their land and labour in seeding and harvesting. High River Baptist is very grateful that for the third year Altadore will be partnering with them to make a difference in the world. Matt. 25:35 reads “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat”.

Thank You Rundle Academy!

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Thank you to the Grade 12 students from Rundle Academy next door. Part of their curriculum includes “being in service to others”, and for the past few years they have come here to spend an hour cleaning pews, chairs, tables and toys around the building. They do a lot of work in a short time and we very much appreciate their efforts! We also thank Ron Willson and Jill Malcolm for coming in to help supervise.

International Development Week

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Next week is International Development Week 2019 & we are inviting you to take the time to celebrate & support the difference Canadian aid is making around the world. This year’s theme is “Together for Gender Equality.” Women are often more affected by hunger & shoulder a disproportionate responsibility for growing food for their families in many developing countries. We will be talking about this more. In the meantime here are some things you can do:

 Create & post a video on social media saying why you support & celebrate Canadian aid, or reading the postcard text, using the hashtags #IDW2019, #MoreCanada & #CanadaforHer.

 Send a note to your MP encouraging the government to increase its commitment to international assistance, so that more people can enjoy full, peaceful & productive lives.

 Visit the IDW2019 website to share your story about making a difference, get ideas for taking action, or to find events happening in your area.

Thank you from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank for joining with thousands of other Canadians and taking action this International Development Week!

Coldest Night of the Year

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Consider helping raise funds and awareness to support The Mustard Seed by participating in the Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk on Saturday, February 23rd. They even have a generous donor who is going to match all funds raised at the Calgary East event, up to a total of $20,000. When you run, walk or help spread the word about this event, what you’re really doing is giving a hot meal, a cup of coffee or a safe place to sleep, to a person who is homeless and hungry in your own community. Last year The Mustard Seed showed that when people come together they can accomplish amazing things! With so many people out of work and in need of food and shelter, they need all the support they can get! So, consider running, walking, volunteering or supporting someone who is participating. More info can be found at www.cnoy.org.

Advent Giving

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Advent offerings will be going towards the gift of a home for Syrians refugees. Some have started to return to Syria because they long for their homes. However, many have lost everything and are left with nothing to go back to. Returning to their country or hometown can be even more uncertain than staying where they have sought refuge, but still some are returning. One of the important ways to rebuild one's life is to have a home. As a church we are asking you to contribute to a gift from the Hopeful Gifts for Change Gift Catalogue from CBM (Canadian Baptist Ministries) by using the special Advent envelopes or by marking a regular envelope. We hope through your gifts to be able to give at least $1000 to CBM to help build a home for a Syrian refugee family. At Christmas it is especially meaningful to consider helping refugees since Jesus was a refugee as a child with his family in Egypt. Please consider giving to the Advent Gift.

We are also collecting tangible gifts on our Giving Tree for clients of the Mustard Seed:

  • underwear (new)

  • transit tickets

  • warm hat/toque

  • flashlight or book light

  • warm gloves (not mittens)

  • travel mug (no ceramics please)

  • Tim Horton’s/McDonald’s/Dollar Store gift card

  • men: sport hat / women: costume jewelry

  • crossword/word game puzzle/etc.

  • ear plugs, travel size tissue, small first aid kit

  • Hygiene items (toothbrush/toothpaste, soap, shampoo & conditioner, deodorant, hairbrush /comb, lip balm, disposable razors, nail kits, etc.)

  • Christmas card or note of encouragement
    (sign with first name only)

Please do not donate: candy, chocolate, hand warmers, hand sanitizer, mouthwash, or perfume. If you would like to give money, it will be used to buy backpacks to put the above items in.

Christmas Concerts to Enjoy

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  • First Baptist Church Christmas Concert, Sun Dec 9 at 7 pm, enjoy choir, handbell, piano and pipe organ music. No charge, but donations for Mustard Seed.

  • ARCS 15th Annual Something Christmas, Dec 9 & 10, River Park Church, tickets at www.archoirs.org.

  • CORE Christmas Celebration, Dec 16, 7 pm, First Baptist, an evening of Christmas carol singing, traditional Christmas music with selections from Handel's Messiah by choirs, soloists and orchestra.