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Bikers gone good
Christian bikers will be celebrating Christmas In July 2009, to raise funds for
addiction recovery work at Wagner Hills Farm. The fun starts at 10:30 am July
25, at Barnes Harley Davidson in Langley. The ride runs till 5 pm, and will culminate with a BBQ at Wagner Hills. A prize
will be given for the best Christmas theme bike. Deadline for pre-registration
is July 10. People wanting to make donations can find a list of needs at
Wagnerhills.com; or call 604.580.1853.
They don’t mean reruns
Eternally Yours, a weekly Christian TV program produced by Burnaby-based
evangelist Audrey Mabley, is offering to highlight local ministries over the
next few months. The program is broadcast on The Miracle Channel (Bell System
channel 652; Star Choice channel 357) Saturday mornings at 11:30 am and on
JoyTV (local channel 10) Sundays at 4:30 pm. The program can be contacted at
604.437.5500 or through the website: www.eternityclub.org.
Not the underground economy
On May 29, the Canadian government announced it was providing $409,000 in
ongoing funding to MCC’s Youth Keep Working (YKW) program in Abbotsford. YKW provides participants with
seven weeks of skills training, and guided work experience at a store called
Above the Underground. Participants receive computer training, a first aid
certificate and instruction in job search skills. YKW also gives them an
opportunity to give back, through a six-week community project.
Info: findingyourway.ca or 604.859.6790.
Walk for water
Samaritan’s Purse has organized a four-kilometre ‘Perimeter Pathway Safe Water Challenge’ walkathon for July 18 in Vancouver. The event is intended to raise money for
the organization’s Turn on the Tap program, which “helps families in the developing world get safe water (and hear about the Living
Water) through BioSand Water Filters and health and hygiene training.” So far, the agency and its local partners have installed about 100,000 filters,
bringing safe water to more than 700,000 people. For more information, go to
www.turnonthetap.ca or call 778.858.4494.
Church now an event
Jericho Ridge Community Church has moved its worship services from Mountain High
School to the new Langley Events Centre. Jericho Ridge is a four-year-old
contemporary church affiliated with the B.C. Conference of Mennonite Brethren
Churches. Info: www.jerichoridge.com.
If anybody cares . . .
CARES (Counselling and Restoration Services), a non-profit agency founded in
Abbotsford in 1992, is struggling to keep operating. Tough economic times mean
that donations are down and demand for services is up. The agency currently
serves 170 clients and is adding three new clients every day. Clients pay about
half the $80 per session cost for counselling services. The agency serves
people in the middle who can’t afford to pay the full rate for professional counselling but who don’t qualify for low-income subsidies.
Contact: 604.853.8916 or cares.ca.
Mending broken homes
Aldergrove Seventh Day Adventist Church raised $40,000, much of it from local
businesses, to renovate the Aldergrove home of Joyce Myckatyn and her four
children in May. Joyce bought the dilapidated home five years ago, and, with the help of friends,
she and her two sons managed to replace the roof and install proper drainage to
prevent basement leaks. However, the home still needed new drywall, insulation,
upgraded wiring, new flooring and other repairs. This is the sixth year the
church has provided an Extreme Home Repair for a deserving family.
Meet the new neighbours
Kingcrest International Neighbours is having an outreach barbecue from 12 to 4
pm, July 18 at First United Mennonite Church, 660 East 51st Avenue. Kingcrest
is an interdenominational group of Christians who reach out to newcomers to
Canada through friendship, international dinners, ESL classes, Alpha and other
avenues. Co-founder of the 20-year-old ministry Doug Graham and his wife will
be back from China as special guests. For more information, see
www.kingcrest.org or call 604.327.6262.
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Pastor gets a pass
George Tabert, pastor of South Langley Evangelical Fellowship, won a contest to
be the first to cross the new Golden Ears Bridge across the Fraser River when
it opened June 14. Tabert was one of about 40 people to suggest the same name
for the bridge, and he was chosen in a draw to receive the honour. Tabert has
also been issued the first QuickPass transponder, which facilitates the paying
of a toll. The device enables travellers to cross the bridge without stopping,
and pay the toll later.
Tower of glass
The True North/Lux Nova tower at Regent College in Vancouver has been awarded
the Design Merit Award for Sacred Landscapes from the American Institute of
Architects. The 13-metre triangular glass wind tower is situated in the middle
of a park, and provides passive ventilation for the underground Regent library
below. The tip of the tower points to the North Star, the one still point in
the night sky. On the south face is a luminous column of glass inscribed with
the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic. The glass contains photovoltaic cells which collect energy
during the day and light the tower at night. Architect Clive Grout and glass
artist Sarah Hall received the award at a ceremony in San Francisco.
Tower of complaints
The Roman Catholic parish of Our Lady of the Assumption plans to erect a new
church on its Shaughnessy Street site in Port Coquitlam. The new sanctuary
would seat 900 people compared to 400 in the old building. The old building and
Our Lady of the Assumption Elementary School will also remain on the site. A
city council meeting was held on June to get community input on allowing the
church’s dome and bell tower to exceed zoning bylaws by two metres. However, some
residents used the meeting to complain about increased traffic, increased
street parking, dust from an alleyway (which will be paved) and noise from the
bell tower on Sunday mornings. City council postponed a decision pending more
study.
The end is looming
Diane Loomer retired as co-conductor of the Elektra Women’s Choir, after a final performance titled ‘From the Heart’ May 31 in Ryerson United Church, in Vancouver. Loomer co-founded the choir 22
years ago. Sacred choral music has always been an integral part of its
repertoire. Loomer will remain with the choir as conductor emerita. The Diane
Loomer Commissioning Fund has been established to further the creation of new
work for female voices. elektra.ca
Off Topic
Neale Adams retired as communications officer for the Anglican Diocese of New
Westminster at the end of June after serving in the position for nine years. He
was also editor of the local Anglican newspaper, Topic.
His final editorial ended with observations on the church’s acrimonious conflict over same-sex blessings. He concluded with a comment: “Could we all have shown more love to each other? I think so; we always can.”
July 2009
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