By Jim Coggins

ABBOTSFORD has a new web presence. churchinabbotsford.com is the brainchild of Peter Biggs, founder of b1 initiatives.

The site brings together every church, ministry and Christian school in the city.

“It presents the diverse body of Christ as one,” said Biggs.

“Along with that, the site has extensive networking features, allowing leaders in various common roles (such as youth pastors and children’s pastors) to have their own group social networking page.”

Ministerial involvement

All this has been made possible through the active involvement of the Abbotsford Christian Leaders Network (ACLN).

ACLN chair Mitch Borrows commented, “I have found that most churches and church leaders do hold to a theology of unity and, while retaining their denominational identity, believe the church should be better connected. This unique proposal gave us a concrete and practical way to advance things in Abbotsford.”

Ministries benefit

Local ministries are also seeing that this will increase their profile. Arthur Enns is CEO of Menno Place, which provides long term care and housing to almost 700 residents.

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“I believe this new resource will prove to be a growing hub of communication and collaboration among churches and other faith-based organizations,” he said.

The large Abbotsford Christian School was churchinabbotsford’s first ‘site sponsor.’

ACS executive director Julius Siebenga commented, “It is good to know that we are a part of larger network of Christian people who seek to accomplish what no single organization could do alone. We are honoured to be a part of the launching of the site.”

Church support key

Churches will be approached by the ACLN to ‘register’ and have a presence on the site in return for a modest donation.

With 98 churches in Abbotsford, if many of them donate a small amount, they can together support a longterm ACLN networker, who would advance unity and collaboration between churches and ministries on an ongoing basis.

Christian Info Society is donating (via RSS feeds) news and other content from its own site, canadianchristianity.com. (Peter Biggs works part-time for Christian Info.)

For more info: churchinabbotsford.com.

October 2010