Children & Youth

Welcome to Kids and Youth Ministries!

We exist to build a safe community that invites all children and youth to worship Jesus as they extend God’s justice on the earth.

At WCV we value the emerging generation! We know that Jesus has a special place in His heart for kids especially from what we know of his interaction with his disciples. In Matthew 19:14 Jesus knew kids would come to Him that’s why he told his disciples to let the kids come and not to stop them. He knew what kids/youth were about. That’s what we’ve set out at WCV to do. We want to provide a platform where kids and youth and families can find Jesus, run to Him and find life, healing and wholeness.

We want to have an integrated church; a place where kids and youth from the community and from our church families co-exist, find community and worship God together. We have a dream of being this kind of place; a church talked about in Revelation where all nations are together. Kids don’t have the stereotypes adults develop. This must be one of the reasons Jesus said we got to be like the kids in order to enter God’s kingdom.

 

Children & Youth Blog

EAT THIS BOOK CHALLENGE

We are in Week 2 of the Challenge and it is NEVER to late to join in.

FAQs

Who is it for?

This challenge is primarily for kids in Grades 1-6 but we’re allowing a little stretch on either side if someone wants to participate!

What is it?

A way to engage with the Bible, read it, consume it, and fall in love with God’s Word. Using a workbook to guide them through the weekly challenges, participants read, interact and memorize scripture accumulating points along the way.

Are there prizes?

You bet there are. Grand prizes will be announced in week 4 (it will be something that the whole family can enjoy)!! Along the way, we’ll be giving out a few other surprises to encourage everyone to keep on ‘eating’!!

Does my child need a workbook to participate?

I’ll be posting the weekly challenge in the WCV Parents Round Table Facebook Group, if you aren’t there you can join us by using THIS LINK.  

However, ALL the extra challenges AND super challenges AND the rules are all posted in there, so yeah, you kinda do need a workbook. You can request one by emailing the church at hello@wcvchurch.ca or lani@wcvchurch.ca.

How do we keep track of points?

The kids have gone home with a ‘scoresheet’ to keep track of what they’ve done that week. This week we’ll hand out the whole set for all the weeks.  Every week they can hand that in AS WELL AS keeping track in their workbook. Parents, you need to initial each completed challenge. We’re going with the honor system, please help your child out with keeping an honest record.

At the end of the challenge, everyone will hand in their workbook, we’ll double-check the points and hand out the prizes.

Why is it called Eat This Book?

In Ezekiel chapter 3, God interacts with the prophet telling him to, ‘Eat this scroll!’ When the prophet had done that and found it sweet like honey and filled his belly, the Lord said, ‘Now go and speak.’ We currently don’t use scrolls, so the nearest equivalent is book. Our prayer is that WCV kids will ‘eat the book’ find it sweet and fulfilling and speak about what they’ve consumed.

Any other questions – don’t hesitate to ask!

We Are Hiring… 2 positions open

We have some exciting news… we’re hiring!

We currently have two positions we are looking to fill (and soon to have a third – stay tuned about that one):

 

Assistant to the Director of Kids and Youth Ministry

Posted April 20, 2022. Application deadline May 16, 2022

 

Administrator

Posted April 26, 2022. Application deadline May 17, 2022

 

 Check Job Descriptions for full details. 

To apply please forward a cover letter and resume to Andrew Chan!

 

 

We Are Hiring…

We have some exciting news… we’re hiring!

If you are an energetic person with a passion to see kids and youth grow in their love for God and a servant heart to serve in our KidMin and Youth Ministry, consider applying.

We invite you to:

  1. Join with us and pray for the right person.

  2. Forward this opportunity to someone you think might be a good candidate, or  

  3. Apply yourself.

 

Job Description – Assistant to the Director of Kids and Youth Ministry

 

>>Applications (resume and cover letter) can be submitted to Andrew via email, or dropped off at the WCV office. Check Job Description for full details. 

 

>>We will be accepting applications for this position until May 16, 2022.

 

 

Choose Your Own Adventure – Kids Church Calendar (October)

Ahoy mateys! We’re about to set sail on a grand adventure!

We’ll be learning this verse with our shipmates this month! CLICK HERE to learn the sign language for this verse.

Navigating life is a tough business, these are the skills we’re picking up this month:

October 3 – Week 1 – I can be wise by not choosing sides (favoritism)

October 10 – Thanksgiving and Baptism (NO Kids Church)

October 17 – Week 2 – I can be wise by choosing my words carefully

October 24 – Week 3 – I can be wise by choosing to do good

October 31 – PUMPKINS AND PIRATES EVENT  – a Sunday morning mainstage event for the whole family, dress up in your pirate-y best, bring your pumpkin and carving gear and strap in for some great sailing!

*Kids Church is available online (live through Zoom) and in-person. If you are planning to visit us in either capacity please contact our office for more information.

Jouth-Youth Activity Calendar for October

It’s hard to believe that the leaves have turned and pumpkin (or apple) season has arrived. Please see the calendar below for Jouth/Youth activities for the month of October.

Due to the small size of our Jouth/Youth team, we’re asking parents to take turns helping out at our Jouth and Youth events. A current Vulnerable Sector Check is mandatory, if you’re not sure when yours expires please check with the office, we’d love to help you get an up-to-date one. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

Jouth – Fear+Busters – God is bigger than our problems, my faith is stronger than my fear!

Youth – We Are One – (wk 1)Diversity was God’s idea! (wk 2)We are ALL equal! (wk 3) Open hearts lead to open doors!

Preparing for Kid’s and Youth in-person activities

We’re excited and getting geared up to be starting in-person Kid’s church on Sept 19. There’s a lot swirling to get this going. At the same time there’s a lot swirling in our world. A few words about that:

First, let’s hold on to love. This is our priority as a church. Please know that you are loved. Period.

Second, we’re not giving in to fear. That isn’t the kind of spirit that God gives.

Third, we’re really excited to open up the doors to kid’s church again.

In order to do all three, AND to respect the restrictions and protocols the government has put in place, we’re going to do our best to provide a safe environment by using the following measures for our in-person gatherings, particularly where we intersect with our more vulnerable sectors:

  1. Masking, social distancing, and sanitization will remain our standard for Sunday morning gatherings, Kids Church, Jouth, Youth, and any other in-person public events.
  2. Rapid tests for anyone unvaccinated 24 hrs prior to working with vulnerable sector individuals – (kids, youth, vulnerable adults). This includes any volunteer who will be serving in close proximity (<2m) to other individuals for a period of time likely exceeding 10 minutes.  Individuals exhibiting a positive result will be asked to refrain from coming to whatever event they were volunteering for and will be encouraged to seek out further testing.  Rapid tests will be supplied by the church.
  3. Temperature testing for kids and youth attending in-person events – anyone displaying a temperature over 38C will be asked to return home.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the above protocols please direct them to our office.

 

Feature image credit: Vultar Bahr on Unsplash

Advent & Christmas

Wait a minute… We’re talking about Advent and Christmas already?! Wasn’t it just yesterday we were walking around in sandals? In this year of incredible disruptions, we now find ourselves at the front end of the season of Advent. Of all the things we don’t know, one thing we know for sure is that this season won’t be like any of the other Christmases we’ve experienced. Yet, the core reason we celebrate remains unchanged. The challenge is to find ways to root ourselves in the beauty of the CHRISTmas season while living in the times we do.

What does it mean for us to wait for the Messiah in this season with many of our regular traditions stripped back? There will be no huge parties, no group celebrations or traditional fanfare and, most likely, no large extended family gatherings. That’s a lot of “no”s! What does it look like for us to say “yes” to Jesus and still prepare to celebrate his coming in a time like this? This year our guiding idea for Advent is “Getting Ready to Celebrate”.

Each Sunday there will be a theme leading us in progression to Christmas Eve – all aimed at helping us get ready to celebrate Jesus’ coming and presence among us: Invitation > Preparation > Waiting > Arrival. Along with each Sunday’s theme there will be an “engagement activity”. These will be fun and simple opportunities to explore the topic in a practical and creative way. Advent packages explaining these activities will be delivered before advent to every household with a child or youth – but this does’t preclude others from participating. As everyone does participate in the activity, we’re encouraging us all to take pictures and post to our Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag: #WCVadvent2020. Instructions will be given online every Sunday morning.

A Ham for everyone: Sadly, we’re not going to be able to gather together as we have in years past to enjoy each other’s company at our annual feast. However… we have purchased a whole hog-load of hams (say that fast 10 times!) and we’d like everyone in WCV to get one. The idea is simple: to bless everyone in the community and provide opportunities for connection. We are going to package up the hams along with some extra supplies for our Christmas Eve service this year. You can watch for these deliveries mid December.

Speaking of Christmas Eve, we’re working on plans and will update you as they are firmed up.

Lastly, if find yourself struggling this season, please don’t do so alone… reach out to your Home Group leader, a member of the Leadership Team, Andy at the office, or a trusted friend. If you know of someone who could use some extra groceries, please contact the office and we can make arrangements to share some food (we will give you an extra ham and you can add to it to make a meal). We are here to help.

Cover Photo by Cristian Escobar on Unsplash

Advent Package Deliveries

Good Thursday WCV,

In the next two days (Nov 27-28) someone will be delivering an Advent Engagement Package to your door! So glad that deliveries are A-okay during Covid! We hope that this will be a fun way for our whole community to engage in Advent activities as we prepare together, while we’re apart.

The theme for this year is ‘Getting Ready for a Party’. We want to engage in all the activities that you normally do as you anticipate gathering together, except that our focus is preparing for Jesus’ arrival. You can expect to engage in some party planning activities throughout the season. 

We hope that you’ll enter into the spirit of the season and enjoy the activities that we’ve put together for you. Please post your pictures on FB or Insta with the hashtag #WCVadvent2020

– Lani (Kids & Youth Ministries Director)

Cover Photo by Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash

Kids & Youth Ministries Director

We are excited to announce that we have hired a new Kids and Youth Ministries Director. After receiving quite a number of applications and conducting interviews with a few very strong candidates, the hiring team felt a strong sense that Lani Wiens was the right choice for us. She brings with her a wealth of experience in both kids and youth ministry, is creative and is ready to go! We are excited to welcome her to the team, and to the community. You’ll be hearing more from her in the coming weeks but in the meantime below is a little bio.

Welcome Lani!

Lani Weins

Hi, I’m Lani Wiens. Kelly and I left our organic farm in Saskatchewan and moved to Winnipeg on my birthday, Aug 24 of this year (we still own the farm but that’s another story). We’re following God’s invitation to start a new ministry called Firerunner under the supervision and in partnership with Multiply through the Trek program, so we’ve been ‘upstairs’ every day for the last two months. The building feels very much like home. One of our fellow Trek participants posted your ad in our group chat and I felt like it might just be for me. I’ve been involved with children and youth ministry for close to 30 years in one way or another.

Kelly and I have six kids (4 boys and 2 girls), our oldest is married and presented us with our first grandbaby earlier this year. The two youngest (and our dog) are with us and the other three are in Saskatoon, Montreal and Hepburn. We are looking forward to getting to know you and serve you. We like swimming in the creative stream through music, writing, storytelling, fabric, paint, renovating things, decorating things and general mayhem. We’re always up for a good board game, too.

Image Credit: Photo by SHOT on Unsplash

We Are Hiring! Kids & Youth Director

UPDATE (Oct 29): Please note the deadline for this position is passed. We are no longer accepting applications for this position.

We have some exciting news… we’re hiring! If you have energy and passion to see kids and youth grow in their love for God and want to inspire volunteers to do the same, perhaps this is for you.

We invite you to:

  1. Join with us and pray for the right person.

  2. Forward this opportunity to someone you think might be a good candidate, or  

  3. Apply yourself.

Job Description – Kids & Youth Director 2020 

 

>>Applications (resume and cover letter) can be submitted to Andrew via email, or dropped off at the WCV office. Check Job Description for full details. 

 

>>We will be accepting applications until October 28, 2020

Planning Meeting for Kid’s and Youth Ministries

Parents, guardians, and those who are passionate about kids and youth:

Please join us Sunday evening September 13th at 7:00 pm at 782 Main St. We would like to consider together how to best come alongside our kids and youth in their walks with God and we need you!

Kids are not the future church, they are the church of today. These years are critical. The majority of people who follow the Lord make a decision at some point between 4 and 14 years of age.  The next decade of their lives is the season where they deepen that faith and make a decision whether to continue this faith into the rest of their lives.

We have put a great deal of thought into the kids and youth ministries. Please consider the following questions that we explore
further on Sunday.

  • What are you longing for in regard to your children’s and/or youth’s spiritual formation?
  • Would you be comfortable bringing your kids or youth to an in-person ministry if chairs were set up to maintain physical distancing? What measures would you feel are important to ensure safety?
  • Are you comfortable with you kids/youth attending an in-person small group? If so, how many people or families would be a reasonable size for you?
  • What priorities would you have for kids and youth ministry in this next season?
  • What do you/does your family have to offer to join in or volunteer in the area of kids and youth?

We look forward to connecting on Sunday.  If for some reason you are
not able to attend, we would still love to hear from you
You can send in your responses to the questions above to the office. You can also let us know if you’d like to speak to someone in leadership directly. Thank you!

Photo by Anna Kolosyuk on Unsplash

CarePortal Heart – by Sara Epp

Here are some thoughts about CarePortal from Sara.

“If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” James 2:16

Anyone else ever have that verse just rankle? As much as I’m learning that prayer really can make miracles happen, sometimes it just feels like a cop-out. “Hey, that sucks – but I’ll pray for you!” Sometimes, we need to be the answer to the prayers that are made. Sometimes, we are the hands and feet of Jesus. 

When I started learning about CarePortal, I just knew I had to do it. Here’s how I can be a part of ministering to our community! Now, I haven’t been called to live in the North End. (Total respect and awe for those that have and do!) But CarePortal lets me see the needs of those around our church, and help be a part of the community that we are trying to create. CarePortal allows people like social workers to identify needs in the people and families they see, and share those needs with us – the church. Just like the classic starfish-on-the-beach story (google it if you haven’t read it!), we can’t help all needs – but we can help some. Sometimes we help because we know we just have to. 

Sometimes, we do just pray. Sometimes, we leave this one to God. Sometimes, we help … because we’ve been helped, because we’ve been loved, because we’ve been in a bad spot and because someone helped us, because Jesus asked us to. 

How does it work? CarePortal requests are generally entered by a social worker, and then shared with the nearest churches to that need. Churches can choose to answer a request, and then work together with the social worker to deliver the item(s) to the individual/family. Strollers, tables, mattresses – right now, sometimes it’s an old laptop and printer for schoolwork. The stories are simple, and the stories are beautiful.

All around us, there’s a broken world. The Kingdom hasn’t come yet. But it’s coming! Every act of helping, every act of love, it mends something – it brings us together and it brings the Kingdom a little closer. Every time we choose to reach out to someone else, it builds some community. It fights the darkness around us by lighting one little candle. 

This isn’t the only way – I hope this is happening all around you, large and small. But if you’re looking for a way to connect with some of the needs around us, some of those who just need a little help: strangers in a strange land, single moms and struggling families who could just use a little boost, a little help when the road is rough – CarePortal helps to connect us all. It’s that simple, and that profound. We (the CarePortal team) are really encouraging you to join CarePortal, not because this is the magic solution that will fix everything, but because it’s a really practical way to connect us to each other, and to those around us – to choose acts of kindness, one choice at a time. Building community, building the Kingdom, one piece at a time.

Reach out to Lillian Poetker if you’d like to be a part of the CarePortal team, and help build community and the Kingdom.

Some Updates to CarePortal

Dear WCV,

We are thrilled to announce that WCV has officially launched CarePortal!  Within one week we had 9 people join our response team. We would love for you to join as well! 

CarePortal is a platform that identifies the needs and mobilizes the church.  73 children in Winnipeg have been served already since November 2019.  There are currently 13 other churches in Winnipeg that have joined CarePortal. 

Our biblical roots can show our resilient faith, radical hospitality and outrageous generosity. We officially responded to one request so far. 

If you can respond to this following request please let Lillian know.

  • Single mattress for a four-year old girl
  • Single mattress for a nine-year old girl

Description of the need: A single mom with two girls, ages 4 and 9, does not have a strong network of people in her life. Recently concerns have come up with respect to the girls sleeping arrangements. Once looked into it was discovered that the girls would benefit from having new mattresses. The mother has limited resources, hence this request. Here at WCV we are committed to serving the most vulnerable. As things change in our world we can serve in an even greater capacity. To hear about the needs we’re working to meet, please join our CarePortal Response Team by taking 30 seconds to fill out a simple form here.

Once you are on our Response Team you will receive emails with current needs both from within our own community and from child-serving professionals. When you receive an email you have the opportunity to pray and to respond to the need. Simply click the button in the email and let us know how you can help! If you or someone you know has a need, you can submit it to Lillian Poetker or if you are on the CarePortal Response Team you can submit the need through our church landing page.

~ Lillian Poetker

“Kids Klip” – Jesus Invites Us All

Hey WCV Kids – here is another “klip” for you! In this video Dynel Davidson tells the story of John 6 where Jesus feeds 5,000 people.

Parents, make sure you’re receiving emails from Dynel! If you want to be added to the list, contact her at kids(at)wcvchurch.ca.

Jesus Invites Us All – Story of John 6

“Kids Klip” – the Story of John 13

Hey WCV Kids – here is another “klip” for you! In this video Dynel Davidson tells the story of John 13 where Jesus washes His disciples’ feet.

Parents, make sure you’re receiving emails from Dynel with resources and ideas. You can contact her at kids(at)wcvchurch.ca if you want to be added to the list.

How to Help – CarePortal

Here is a personal message and invitation to join CarePortal from Lillian Poetker:

Dear WCV,

I am sure many of you are inundated with emails, especially families with school age children. Although, I know many of you are wondering “How can we help in a unprecedented time like now?” Joining a response team from Winnipeg Centre Vineyard with CarePortal is one way we can respond. We can meet needs in our community around WCV, and also in our own church community. This might be overwhelming for you (and sometimes the thought of it overwhelms me). But it does not have to be.

To launch CarePortal we are looking for at least 5 people to join our response team. Please note the link below to respond to fill out the form. Once we have the 5 people we will officially launch and will be able to use CarePortal to respond to needs! There are amazing stories out there how families, singles & professionals have been blessed by the churches that have joined CarePortal. (See a testimonial).

Here at WCV we are committed to serving the most vulnerable. As things change in our world we can serve in an even greater capacity. To hear about the needs we’re working to meet, please join our CarePortal Response Team by taking 30 seconds to fill out a simple form here.

Once you are on our Response Team you will receive emails with current needs both from within our own community and from child-serving professionals. When you receive an email you have the opportunity to pray and to respond to the need. Simply click the button in the email and let us know how you can help! If you or someone you know has a need, you can submit it through our church landing page or by contacting Andy Wood or Lillian Poetker.
 
~ Lillian Poetker

CarePortal Vision

CarePortal is an online platform specifically designed to connect real-time needs of children and families with local partnering churches. Congregation members & community are promptly able to respond relationally to local needs through the local church.

God is using the church to have a direct impact on Child Welfare! Please take a look at the 2-minute testimonial video about CarePortal and the impact they are having on lives in our community.

We will be launching CarePortal in our own church very soon! We will host an interest lunch after Sunday morning service in the coming weeks. Please stay posted for more details!

CarePortal Launch @ WCV

CarePortal is an online platform specifically designed to connect real-time needs of children and families (identified by partnering child serving organizations, such as SafeFamilies & CFS) with local partnering churches. Congregation members & community are promptly able to respond relationally to local needs through the local church.

CarePortal started piloting in Winnipeg May 2019 and officially launched November 2019. So far, they have 12 churches working together to serve the needs of 2 referring agencies. They have seen 51 children’s needs met through CarePortal and are looking forward to being a part of the greater number of over 50,000 children served through CarePortal Internationally.

God is using the church to have a direct impact on Child Welfare and they are answering the call by saying yes to caring for the vulnerable children and families in our communities.

>>>Please note: WCV is postponing its launch date and interest lunch that was scheduled for this Sunday, March 22nd.

Growing with the Kids

The New Year is here and with it comes a new season of Kid’s Church.  If you are interested in growing with the kids at WCV, here are some ways you can do that. We are currently looking for volunteers to join our teams in these areas. Please contact Andy Arthur to find out more details. 204-999-1292

Junior Youth Helper – Saturday Evening

Elementary Small Group Leader

Grade 5&6 Co-teacher

Sunday Morning Youth Teacher

KidCheck Volunteer

Plan to Protect Training Nov 10th

WCV has implemented a Plan to Protect, to ensure the safety of our kids, youth and volunteers.  This training is essential to attend, for everyone who will be involved in any of the Kids and Youth activities this year. The training will take place at WCV on Sunday Nov 10th after church, beginning at 12:00pm and going till 1:30pm.  
Lunch will be provided, so please let Andy Arthur, andyarthur@wcvchurch.ca, know if you are able to attend and if you have any dietary restrictions.

New Kids & Youth Ministries Director

We’re excited to let you know that we’ve just hired Andy Arthur as our new Director of Kids and Youth Ministries! Andy will begin immediately, working to ensure our emerging generations and their volunteers have quality care, are prepared and ready to hit the Fall running. Andy has a lot of experience working with both children and youth as well as managing volunteers. I remember the day, a number of years ago, that Jodi mentioned there was this guy who came to her on his own initiative to offer to volunteer his time with kids. Since then, Andy has served our children with dedication and intention. We’re excited to see him leading in season. This position is a one-year term for the duration of the 2019-2020 school year.

Welcome, Andy!

We Are Hiring! Kids and Youth Job Postings

We have some exciting news… we’re hiring! We have a few meaningful and impactful roles working with our kids, youth, and the volunteers who work with them. If you have energy and passion to see kids and youth grow in their love for God and want to inspire volunteers to do the same, perhaps this is for you.

There are three job positions posted below: A director position that combines both Kids and Youth, and two other job descriptions that separate the two.

We invite you to:

  1. Join with us and pray for the right person or people,

  2. Forward this opportunity to someone you think might be a good candidate, or  

  3. Apply yourself.

Job Description – Director of Kids and Youth Ministries

Job Description – Director of Youth Ministries

Job Description – Director of Kids Ministries

>>Applications (resume and cover letter) can be submitted to Andy via email, or dropped off at the WCV office.

>>We will be accepting applications until August 4, 2019

>>Update: The position has been filled! Thank you!

Last Encounter God Night – Invitation

Encounter God Night is coming to a close, at least for this season. We’re not sure what the next season will look like, but we invite you to participate in the possible last one! Encounter God Nights are an opportunity to meet God through worship and prayer.

Our WCV youth have so faithfully led these evenings over the months, so we as a community thank you! Thank you for your heart to serve our community and minister to the Lord in worship and prayer!

The details: Thursday, June 27, 2019 @ 7 pm, 782 Main Street.

We hope to see you there!

Help Needed in the New Year

As we plan for the new year we can see that we are in need of a few new volunteers for our Sunday morning gatherings. If you would like to give to the community in this way we’d love to have some new faces join our serving rotation in 2019!

Please prayerfully consider the following roles:

(*Orientation will be provided for all roles, some will have additional training.)

Sound Board Technicians: 1 volunteer needed-This job requires an niche for music and an early morning (8:15am) arrival. *Additional training will be provided.

Ushers: 2 volunteers needed – A simple but important responsibility on a Sunday morning. The lead usher coordinates passing the offering baskets, fills out our Sunday morning tally (head count), receives newcomer registrations and locks up the offering after it has been collected. *Women are welcome!

Projectionists: 1 volunteer needed – The projectionist should arrive by 9:15am to make sure all music, power points & slides are in order. *Additional training will be provided.

Communion: 1 volunteer needed- Communion preparation requires a 9:15am arrival to fill the cups and break the bread. There is space for creativity in this role with how the table is set & prepared. Post service clean up takes approximately 15 minutes.

New Years Eve Party

Beckie and Andy are opening their doors for a family friendly New Years Eve Bash and they’d love for you to come! 729 College Avenue. Drop in any time after 7pm. Bring a suit and a towel for the sauna and a snack to share. There will be a campfire and games as well. Everyone is invited!

 

Encounter God Nights

Our very own WCV Youth have come together to plan and prepare some open worship evenings for our whole congregation. The heart behind this is to provide a space to come together in worship and to engage in what God is doing among us. We want to nurture deeper relationships with God and with each other. Our next Encounter God Night will be on Thursday, November 29th at 7pm in the Sanctuary. We’d love for you to join us.

A Light Unto My Path

Here is a special message from Gloria Fligg summarizing the fall session of Kid’s Church:

“For the past two months, we’ve had lots of fun upstairs in Kids’ Church! We learned about lighthouses and how they illuminate our path, and keep us from danger. We compared God’s word to a lighthouse, and learned the verse, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps. 119:105). We also talked about how God’s word is like a double-edged sword, and we heard about the Bible story of Samuel and how he heard God speak to him, even as a very young boy.

“This is truly an amazing group of children; I have so enjoyed working with them.”

The adventures continued with our “Roaming through Romans” lessons and the accompanying centres (at each one, the children learned about a different concept found in Romans). Last Sunday, we also spoke about the life of Paul (the author of Romans), and how Jesus radically changed his life. We will wrap up our fall with a fun lesson about how even though it can be scary to “let go” and trust God, our lives will always be rewarded when we do. Stay tuned for a fun object lesson involving apples and some delicious apple crisp. Every week, we also participated in praise and worship, learned Bible verses, and did lots of art projects. This is truly an amazing group of children; I have so enjoyed working with them. Thanks so much to all the leaders and helpers too. Kids’ Church wouldn’t be possible without all of you!”  -Gloria Fligg

Next Sunday Gifts4God will begin. Leaders are in place and our elementary kids are looking forward to the fun. There is so much joy that comes as we nurture and explore the gifts inside of us. This is what Gifts4God is all about! Over the next six weeks our kids will participate in cooking, sports, arts & crafts, dance, drama and comic art. A very big “thank you” to everyone who has come alongside the Kids’ Church ministry to help make this happen!

Youth Groups @ WCV

It’s wonderful to have our Youth Calendars finalized for the fall! We’re looking forward to all God has for these groups this year.

There are three different youth groups at WCV.

>>Our Senior Youth Group is for all youth grades 9-12. They meet as a small group every second Thursday night at Jodi and Mike Labun’s place.

>>Our Junior Youth Group is for all youth grades 7-8. They meet every other Saturday night in host homes.

>>Club 56 is for kids in grades 5-6. They meet one Saturday night each month at WCV.

Additional Youth Events are scheduled and you can access the full calendar below, or pick up a schedule at WCV on the information table.

Sr. Youth Schedule Fall & Winter Schedule 2018 

Jr. Youth Schedule Fall & Winter Schedule 2018

Club 56 Brochure

Wilderness Edge Youth Retreat

We are so happy to let you know that our Youth Retreat has been rescheduled! All youth (grades 7-12) are invited to join us! The retreat will be held at Wilderness Edge in Pinawa, Friday, October 19th to Sunday, October 21st. We are looking forward to spending this time with our youth and we’re expectant of all that will be nurtured in them through it. This will be a time to play, laugh, explore, connect, worship, encourage and enjoy the company of one another. The facilities at Wilderness Edge include beautiful scenery, great food, outdoor games, campfires and a hot tub!

You can register below! Payment can be made by cheque  written out to “Winnipeg Centre Vineyard”, or by e-transfer using the email address admin(at)vineyard.ca. *Waiver is required.

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>>>Youth Retreat Waiver

Help Needed in the New Year

As we plan for the new year we can see that we are in need of a few new volunteers for our Sunday morning gatherings. If you would like to give to the community in this way we’d love to have some new faces join our serving rotation in 2019!

Please prayerfully consider the following roles.

MAIN GATHERING NEEDS: *Orientation will be provided for all roles, some will have additional training.

Sound Board Technicians: 1 -This job requires an niche for music and an early morning (8:15am) arrival. *Additional training will be provided.

Ushers: 2 – A simple but important responsibility on a Sunday morning. The lead usher coordinates passing the offering baskets, fills out our Sunday morning tally (head count), receives newcomer registrations and locks up the offering after it has been collected. *Women are welcome!

Projectionists: 1 – The projectionist should arrive by 9:15am to make sure all music, power points & slides are in order. *Additional training will be provided.

Communion: 1 – Communion preparation requires a 9:15am arrival to fill the cups and break the bread. There is space for creativity in this role with how the table is set & prepared. Post service clean up takes approximately 15 minutes.

Kids Church Update

We are in a new season of Kids Church at WCV and we’re off to a good start. Here is a word from Gloria Fligg on what our elementary kids have to look forward to in the months ahead:

“This last week we had an amazing time as we began Kids Church for another year! For the next two months, our theme will be “lighthouses.” We will be comparing God’s Word to a lighthouse that illuminates our way, especially as we go through storms in this life. We are learning the verse, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” We decorated our own “lighthouse” bulletin board, drew our own paths and finally we painted our own “footprints” on them. Next week, we are doing more artwork: we will be making our own lighthouses for our paths, after we learn how we can use God’s word to speak the truth over our lives. It’s such a privilege to lead this awesome group of kids! If your child is in Grades 1-4, we hope to see them there!”

Thank you to Gloria and to all the other volunteers who serve our children in this way. We’re so grateful for you!

Kids Church at WCV

We are excited for this season of Kids Church at WCV. As we prepare, there are a few things we want you to know.

Leaders are in place and ready to come alongside our children and youth to be a positive presence and a source of love and encouragement in their lives. One important aspect of WCV’s Generations Ministry is the safety of all children in our care. Our Plan to Protect policy helps to insure that WCV is a safe place. Kid Check is an important part of this. As has always been the case, it is mandatory that every minor (age 18 and under), every guardian and every Generations Ministry worker is registered through Kid Check and wears their name tag every Sunday. There are no exceptions to this rule. We love the young people God has entrusted to us and we want to do everything we can to make sure they know that they are safe with us so they can be free to learn and grow into all God has for them. Please help us by being responsible in this way as Kids Church resumes this fall.

We also want to highlight a few changes this year. Our “Jouth” (Jr. Youth, Grades 5-6) will meet every Sunday  in the youth room. Our Youth (Grades 7-12) will be meeting every other Sunday. When there is no youth they are welcome and encouraged to remain in the service.

Lastly, we are still in need of leaders who will step up in different areas including Kid Check, Gifts4God and Pre-School leaders. If you can help please contact Jodi Labun.

Welcome back, everyone! We look forward to having you with us.

 

 

Kids Church Start Up

Our WCV Kids Church will resume next Sunday, September 16th. This Sunday’s service will continue to model our typical summer schedule. A video series is being shown in the Comfy Couch Room during the sermon as an option for the kids. Parents are asked to stay with their children if they are watching the video. All are welcome to remain in the service as well.

Some Resources on Grief

Hey everyone,

Here are some resources on grief that were available on Sunday, August 19, 2018. They will also be available at church during our meetings this week:

The Open Care Night, August 21, 2018 at 7 pm in the Sanctuary. This will be a come-and-go evening that will have people ready and available to talk and pray, a quiet space in the sanctuary for prayer, and some resources on how to process this in a good way. We will also have suggestions on who to contact if you need professional counselling.

Prayer Night, August 23, 2018 at 7 pm in the Sanctuary. This will be an evening during which we gather together to call out to God for mercy, wisdom and healing for all involved. Be assured that so much prayer has already covered us, but we need to continue to turn to God in this time.

And lastly, if you need to talk about this, please reach out to any of the staff, elders or BOD members. If you don’t know who to reach out to, you can call Andy’s office phone at 204-582-2900 x13. The team will be organizing care from there.

Characteristics of Grief

Grief – Stages & Characteristics

Grief in the Bible

The Mourner’s Code

Supporting a Child who has been through Trauma

Trauma – Children & Adolescents

Talking to Children about Loss – Simple DOs and DONTs

 

Serving Opportunities

Looking to serve? We are excited to start kids church in the fall but we are in need of leaders who are willing to love on our kids. Contact Jodi if you can be on a rotation to serve our younger ones.

Want to paint? Some of our kid’s church rooms are in need of some paint touch ups. Contact Jodi if you have experience in painting and have a few hours to serve in this way. Also a huge thank-you to the Miles Mac Key Club for a beautiful job of painting the Dragonflies room. Thanks to Joseph for organizing this!

Looking to help in a practical way? We are looking for a couple of servants who would be willing to clean our toys in three large areas of kids church. Contact Jodi if you have a few hours to serve in this way.

“Your Sons and Daughters will Prophesy.” Acts 2:17

This past Sunday we gathered together to celebrate Pentecost, an important day on the church calendar that commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit to all people. If you were there, you may have noticed the kids (and some adults, too) working away on a community art project as we worshiped. The children were asked to respond to the question, “What is God like?” It was a moving experience to watch their answers unfold. This is what they said:

“God is the best, God is a protector, God is comfort, God is light, God is joy, God is nice, God is mercy, God is happy, God is strong, God is humble, God is caring, God is aware, God is peace, God is life, God is forgiving, God is kind, God is a loving father, God is a mama bear, God is encouraging, God is hope, God is powerful, God is love, God is powerful love.”

Above all of this, we wrote the words, “They were praising God together.” This is one way to describe what happened at Pentecost and what happens among us now. If you have a chance to look closer at this wall, please do. The children’s joy was palpable and their whimsical wisdom flowed free.

 

 

Coffee House Pictures

The coffee house Saturday, April 7th, was amazing! Thanks to all who contributed by donating a raffle prize, donating a dessert and by coming. We are so blessed by the support. What a beautiful night of performances by our youth! And thanks to the Janzen boys for contributing to the dance party!

Here are some pictures from Saturday evening:

Thanks to Jodi for working so hard and putting this amazing event together!

Thank you Andrew Reimer for taking all the photos!


We are looking for support for our youth in 2 ways for the trip that is coming up in June:

  • First, we are looking for available vans to use to drive our youth to Duluth June 25 – July 1.  Talk to Jodi or Jason if you have a reliable van that you are wiling to lend for this trip.
  • Second, if you are interested in sponsoring a couple of youth who are not able to afford the cost of Project Timothy, please email Jodi.

The cost per youth is $350 USD.

Rhythms of Rest: Jodi’s Sabbatical

We all need rest and rest always produces life. It’s a natural law that applies to us humans as much as any other living thing. This is especially obvious during this time of year when we see dormant trees slowly waking up after a long period of “rest”. When we notice the first tulips and prairie crocuses pushing their way through the freshly thawed soil we’re reminded not only of the beauty of new life but also the bulbs and various seeds that were “resting” in the ground before they germinated. We humans are the similar, and we can surmise from the Genesis narrative, so is God (who rested on the 7th day). We’re made to live in rhythms of work and sabbath.

With these rhythms in mind we want to let you know we’re sending Jodi on a sabbatical.  It’s not that she’s burned out. Rather we want to give her time and space for extended rest, refreshment and rejuvenation.  The intertwining of pastoral and personal life is a delicate mix and sabbaticals are a normal part of staying fresh in pastoral life.  Her sabbatical will be May – July. Because of the interweaving of family life, Mike will also be stepping away from volunteer responsibilities during this time.

Here are the relevant hand off details in case you need to know who’s covering for what responsibilities:

Sunday am:

  • Caterpillars (Nursery):  Christy Chan
  • Butterflies (2,3 &4 year olds):  Tania Martens
  • Dragonflies (Pre K & K):  Merv Scott
  • Elementary (Grade 1-4):  Gloria Fligg & Andy Arthur
  • Kid Check:  Janet Blatz & Andrew Chan
  • Youth (Grade 5-7):  Doug & Rachelle Houlbrook & Kristin Kennedy
  • Youth (Grade 8-12):  Jason Eheler

Sat evening:  

  • Club 56:  Jeff Leighton & Kristin Kennedy
  • Sat Junior High:  Brent & Steph Woelke & Ian & Jess Williams
  • Senior & Junior Events:  Jason Eheler

Thursday:

  • Senior High:  Jason Eheler & James Ryan
  • Project Timothy:  Jason Eheler

Summer video series:  Tania Martens

Imaginative Prayer in Kids Church – Spring Update

We are having fun continuing our journey into Imaginative Prayer with the Grade 1-7 gang!

Last Sunday, Grade 1-4: We explored chapter 16, “Forgiveness means we can forgive the sins of others.” What a valuable Jesus-focused message! As Jared Boyd states, “We’re trying to paint a broad picture of ways we can experience forgiveness: between us and God, between God and those who are lost, and between God and the people we interact with.” (136)

Pray that as we explore forgiveness that this generation would grasp how wide and deep and high the love of God is.

I wanna give a big shout out to our Sunday morning leaders, who are helping our kids know that they belong and are loved. Last week Marlese Hazeu, Josiah Koppanyi and Cliff Heide led small groups, while Gloria Fligg led the kids in a large group game called “bigger and better.” These kids not only had a lot of fun stealing gifts, but they were able to experience the path to forgiveness firsthand.

Last Sunday, Grade 5-7: Mike Labun led the Grades 5-7 on the same topic using an escape room/scavenger hunt he created. Kids hunted for clues and solved puzzles so they could break into a vault to retrieve an audio message on a USB stick. All of this led to a discussion on forgiveness.

Pray and Follow Along: We love our kids and youth at WCV. Pray that as we explore forgiveness that this generation would grasp how wide and deep and high the love of God is. As parents, keep on using this great resource by following along and trying the ideas in Imaginative Prayer. Here is the schedule:

  • April 22 – Week 18
  • April 29 – Week 19
  • May 6 – Week 20
  • May 13 – Week 21
  • May 27 – Week 22
  • June 3 – Week 23
  • June 10 – Week 24
  • June 17 – Week 25

 

Imaginative Prayer

Hey parents of kids Grades 1-7!

We’d like to help you understand how the Imaginative Prayer book can power you up in spiritually leading your kid/youth/family.

What we’ve been doing: After a wonderful season in Gifts4God, we are back in our regular rhythms in Kids Church and Youth Sundays. We are really excited about how we’ve been exploring the Imaginative Prayer book with the Grade 1-4 class @ WCV. The Grade 5-7 class are also following along! The first six weeks we’ve had various leaders lead in the Imaginative Prayer in the large group. All four of us who have led in some way so far, have been a part of Spiritual Direction in these last two years. What a delight it is to now be able to lead the kids in this. Jared Boyd, the author of Imaginative Prayer, was our teacher and is our friend! Thanks to Gloria Fligg and all of our small group leaders in Kids church.

Using the “Imaginative Prayer” book to power your spiritual leadership:

The parent or mentor section: It can be easy to go through our week, not giving time or space for God to speak to us, especially with the busyness of our schedules, but the book can save you time by giving you something to build off of. We encourage you as parents to briefly/deeply look at the “parent or mentor” section of the chapter with your kids.

This past week: Small group leaders led the kids in week 8. This coming Sunday, Jan 28th, we are exploring week 9. Dig in and find out how you can follow up and discuss with your child. See Jodi if you do not yet have a copy of Imaginative Prayer.

We’re in sync: If you have kids in elementary and youth (grade 1-7), you will be happy to know we are in sync with them, so we’re using the same chapter on the same week.

Talk to Jodi if you have any questions. As the spiritual influencers in your home, we pray that God would lead you and nudge you as you parent your most precious gifts.

Gifts 4 God & Imaginative Prayer

Hey parents of kids Grades 1-12!

We’d like to catch you up with what we have been doing in Elementary kids church and to prepare you for the break as we launch into our Gifts4God season. You literally can “catch up” as we break until the regular program resumes on Jan 14th. We’d like to help you understand how the Imaginative Prayer book can power you up in spiritually leading your kid/youth/family.

What we’ve been doing: We are really excited about how we’ve been exploring the Imaginative Prayer book with the Grade 1-4 class @ WCV. The Grade 5-7 class are also following along! The first six weeks we’ve had various leaders lead in the Imaginative Prayer in the large group. All four of us who have led in some way so far, have been a part of Spiritual Direction in these last two years. What a delight it is to now be able to lead the kids in this. Jared Boyd, the author of Imaginative Prayer, was our teacher and is our friend! Thanks to Gloria Fligg and all of our small group leaders in Kids church; we’ve had a wonderful start this fall.

Using the “Imaginative Prayer” book to power your spiritual leadership:

  1. The parent or mentor section: It can be easy to go through our week, not giving time or space for God to speak to us, especially with the busyness of our schedules, but the book can save you time by giving you something to build off of. We encourage you as parents to briefly/deeply look at the “parent or mentor” section of the chapter with your kids.
  2. This past week: Cliff led us in Chapter 6.  Dig in and find out how you can follow up and discuss with your child. See Jodi if you do not yet have a copy of Imaginative Prayer.
  3. We’re in sync: If you have kids in elementary and youth (grade 1-7), you will be happy to know we are in sync with them, so we’re using the same chapter on the same week!

 

What’s coming up: Gifts4God starts this coming Sunday Oct 29th-Dec 3rd.

What is Gifts4God?   Gifts4God is a time when we get to celebrate how God has made all of our kids and youth in a special way. When we read Psalm 139, we discover that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Kids get to choose what they love to do, whether it’s art, sports, dance, drama or cooking and they can sign up for what they love! We are so excited to begin this season again.

When?  Gifts4God will be for the next 6 Sundays Oct 29-Dec 3.  The Christmas Kids & Youth service will be on Dec 10th.

Why?  “I was just getting into the Imaginative Prayer book with my child. Why the change?” Gifts4God is an annual rhythm at WCV. The kids and youth look forward every year to this special time. This break in the regular program will give you some space to check out the book more and discover how it can work for your family in the New Year. We will be on Week 7 on Jan 14 and look forward to having families follow along. Please see Jodi for your free copy and read more about how to use the book.

Please note which class your child has signed up for, so when you are at the computers on Sunday am, you sign them up for the correct class. The list will also be available by the computers on Sunday. Any adjustments that need to be made, we will make them as we go! Please be aware of the various drop off rooms at WCV and pick up spots that will be new for these six weeks. The times remain the same as a regular Sunday with drop off at 10:45 and pick up at 11:45. (Please note that sports will start 5 minutes earlier due to the walk to YFC building. As well any kids or youth in sports must have a waiver signed by parents).

>>WCV Youth Waiver

~ Jodi Labun

Sunday Morning Kids Check – Download the App!

During Sunday mornings, parents are missing part of worship because of the line-up at the KidCheck computers.  You might be one of them! If you have a smart phone, we want you to make the line-up shorter by following the instructions. If you don’t have one of those phones, be glad that people are doing this so you can get in faster too!

Get your password and app:

  1. On your phone: Download the KidCheck app from your app store OR at a computer: go to go.kidcheck.com
  2. Choose: “Forgot My Password”
  3. You will be asked to enter an email.
  4. You will be emailed a password (re)set link
  5. Create a password
  6. Log onto the app using the password

Time-saving tip: Before you click “Submit,” click on the gear key in the bottom right hand corner.  You will see “Remember Username,” and “Remember Password” appear, with little sliding circles to the right. Slide them so a blue area appears, and you won’t have to input the information again, unless you delete and reinstall the app.

Signing into Kidcheck on Sunday – When you get to church on Sunday, sign in like this:

  1. Open your app
  2. If you didn’t sign in, see #6, above
  3. In the bottom left corner, choose “Check-In”
  4. Choose “Use Express Check-In”
  5. Choose “New Check-In”
  6. Follow the prompts
  7. Pick up the tags at the station without a computer

Note: If you’re in the downstairs gathering, you can get your seat and sign in from there, then go and pick up your tags!

Imaginative Prayer Launch in Kids Church

Parents, we are so excited as we launch into Imaginative Prayer with the Grade 1-7 this fall and winter!

Jared Patrick Boyd is the author.  Jared was my spiritual direction teacher in my first year at the School of Spiritual Direction.  He is a pastor and a father to four children.  His heart is amazing and you can read all about his vision in his introduction to Imaginative Prayer or hear Jared here.

In Kids Church we will be going through a lesson per week.  You can follow along as parents and follow-up with your child.  As Jared states on page 25-26 “This book is not a guide for busy parents.  It’s an invitation for busy parents to slow down, take some deep breaths, and recognize that you are the most important person in your child’s life and spiritual formation.  There is no environment your church can create to compete with the kind of connection that you are able to nurture with your child.”  You’ll find if you give yourselves to this process (even if you can’t do all the exercises), you will experience growth.

Here’s what our fall calendar will look like.  Feel free to follow along!

  • Sept 10 – Week 1
  • Sept 17 – Week 2
  • Sept 24- Week 3
  • Oct 1 – Week 4
  • Oct 8 – Thanksgiving – No Kids Church
  • Oct 15 – Week 5
  • Oct 22 – Week 6
  • Break for Gifts4God until the New Year . . .

There are also some new changes to our structure.  Grades 1-4 will continue to meet upstairs in Kids Church with our AMAZING team. Grades 5-7 will have a new youth team meeting with them in the youth room.  Grades 8-12 will meet in the Comfy Couch Room.

This book is about connection because of the way Jesus asks us to imagine our life with him – he is the vine, his Father is the gardener, and we are connected to him.  This is how we bear fruit.  This is the image he give us.  This is what he asks us to imagine.”  (13, Imaginative Prayer)

WCV is providing one copy per family.  (More copies of this book are on order and will be here the week of Oct 13)

Filled with hope at what’s ahead . . .

~ Jodi Labun

A New Season of Breathe – 2017

It’s almost that time of year again. A new season of Breathe is on the horizon, and anticipation is in the air! 

We are starting out with a Welcome Party, September 20th, followed by: Stories of Us, Worship, Skill Workshops, Special Guests, a Workshop Series facilitated by Naila Janzen, and more.

All women of all ages are welcome! Looking forward to seeing you there!

~ Naila Janzen

Project Timothy Update

We’ve had an incredible week in Landenburg, PA @ Project Timothy.  We’ve grown together with over 100 youth.  We’ve worshipped together, absorbed teaching, allowed for personal formational time with God, participated in prayer ministry, small group and outreach.  We’ve discovered more about ourselves and become more aware of God’s movement in our lives.  We’ve created friendships from all over the US Vineyard to help us forge ahead on this journey we are called to as we go our own ways…until next year!

Thank-you WCV’ers for supporting our youth this year and investing in these young lives.  We could not have done this without you!

Jodi

Youth Leaving for Project Timothy

The apostle Paul met Timothy when Timothy was very young.  Paul saw his potential and spent years investing in Timothy’s gifts, training him as a leader, and releasing him into meaningful ministry.  Project Timothy’s goal is to inspire, motivate, train, and release a group of young leaders in the Vineyard!

We are so excited to send seven of our youth to PT to be in this environment and have God continue His work of transformation in their lives.

Pray for our team as 7 youth and 2 leaders fly to PA. Seven of us are flying out on Friday morning, and the other two on Monday.

We will be in PA from July 28-Aug 5.

Thanks for your prayers!

Project Timothy Coffee House Fundraiser

Hey everyone, our event is around the corner.  This event is to raise money for Project Timothy, a US Vineyard discipleship bootcamp.  It’s a life-changing event for our youth.  God has used this camp to change lives and transform some of our youth.  Come on out and support them!  We have a group of 10 people from WCV going this year!

  • Saturday, April 29, 7pm

  • Flatlanders Studio (3rd Floor) 782 Main.

  • Tickets available at the door for $10 / person.

PS and bring lots of cash for our amazing gift raffle prizes and 50/50!  Dessert, coffee and entertainment…come on out….

Second Annual Youth Coffee House

The youth are fundraising again for Project Timothy! Please consider joining them at their Second Annual Coffee House Fundraiser on April 29th at Winnipeg Centre Vineyard. All the great things from last year are back! That includes live music, coffee, great eats and treats, raffle prizes and a 50/50 draw!

Tickets are only $10 if you buy them in advance!

We would love to have some amazing dessert donations or prizes for the raffle gift baskets! Please contact Jodi Labun if you are able to donate to support our youth.

Youth Fundraiser Lunch

Come to our youth fundraiser lunch this Sunday, Feb 26th following the service to support our youth as they raise funds to go to their discipleship bootcamp!

Lunch is $20/family or $5/person.  Contact Jodi if you are able to donate a pot of chili or help out in any way.  It’s great when we can eat together!

God’s Expression of Love for Us ~ Kids Service Sunday

Every year before Christmas, we designate a special Sunday for our kids to lead us throughout the morning. For the past 6 weeks and during advent, our kids have been putting together this special Sunday for us. Here are some things you can expect for this coming Sunday, December 18th, 2016:

There are many ways we can worship God. One of those ways is to worship God through “play”.  There will be three four-square stations available during our musical worship that folks of all ages are invited to come so they can play & worship.  The 4-square on the stage will be reserved for the youngest children.

During these past 6 Sundays, the kids and youth have had a chance to reflect on how God has made them and what their interests are. They’ve selected a class based on their interest.

Some of the kids chose sports. In that class they learned that God made all the places we play in and the stuff we play with, and described it as good. God is creative, intelligent and relationship-oriented. We are made in His image, and our play reflects our creativity, intelligence and need for community. In this way, play can be an expression of gratitude to our God for His good gifts to us.

We normally worship by having musicians, dancers, and artists “play” or create in front of us and they invite us to join them. This coming Sunday we are including sportive play as well. All are invited to watch or participate in this play as an act of worship to God.

So, how do we play as an act of worship? Just like singing, each of us does it in our own way.  But here are some keys:

  • Remember that play includes cooperating and competing at the same time. Each player has different talent and skill levels but all are valuable and loved creations of God. Treat your fellow players accordingly.
  • Thank God for all the components of play that He created, e.g. the air in the ball and your lungs, the playing surface made from trees, your body that can move skillfully, the joyful emotions that you are experiencing, and the people you are playing with/against and those enjoying watching you.

Other activities the kids chose were Flags, Dance, Drama, Cooking, Creative Arts, and Musical Worship. Some of these activities you will be able to see and experience this coming Sunday, but let’s recognize and appreciate all our kids this Sunday as they have poured their hearts out into their passions and interests.

Our kids @ WCV…

God is our Redeemer.  We’ve been looking at Joseph’s life and how God redeemed his life in amazing ways.  He can work through our difficult situations and redeem them!

What a joy to be with the kids upstairs @ WCV;  to see their smiles and feel their energy.

Matthew 19:14 “God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.”  – Jesusimg_6083

Family Potluck Reminder

Hey Folks!

Don’t forget about our family potluck happening today, August 17th! We hope to see you and your whole family out there.

There will be a slip-n-slide, badminton, food, and lots of fun for the whole family!

It kicks off at 5 p.m., and ends around 7 p.m. at Winnipeg Centre Vineyard (782 Main Street) and in the Flatlanders Greenspace.

Bring a dish to share and join us!

slipnslide2015 Neighbourhood Potluck

Project Timothy youth are back!

We are back! Nine of us just came back from Landenberg, PA where we were a part of Project Timothy;  a US Vineyard discipleship bootcamp. (There are a few in this photo who we sort of adopted and they couldn’t resist joining our team pic)! While there, we participated in teaching, worship, prayer, outreach and more.

We were challenged to be leaders who die with nothing left in our bottles. We get filled up by being at events like Project Timothy. A lot of Christians just want to keep the water. Sometimes there’s comfortability that comes with experiencing this living water. It’s amazing and we want to keep it! As Christian  Dunn stated on Friday, “Jesus didn’t say, I’ve come to give you stagnant puddles.”

We want to live like those Paul talks about in Philippians 2:17…those who are poured out as a drink offering. We can drink living water, get filled up from Jesus (at events like this) and pour out our lives to love Him and others. (Giving to the needs to those around us: the sick, broken, hungry, lonely). “Those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”  John 4:14

Screen Shot 2016-08-09 at 1.05.00 PMThere were over 130 leaders and adults (over 100 youth, 30 adults) together for a week. Together we experienced God’s presence. We laughed, we ate, we jumped at sky zone (even me!), we swam, listened, prayed, worshiped, made new friends and renewed old friendships, and we served. Our faith was deepened and our stories have changed. There’s a fresh, bubbling spring within us and we look forward to sharing it!

Look out for the updates for when we will share in Sept.

Thanks again WCV-ers for all your generosity in our fundraisers, your time, and your prayers!

 

 

Project Timothy Prayer Requests

After a year of fundraising, the youth are finally heading out to Project Timothy! Below are a few prayer requests from Jodi Labun:

“Hey folks, nine of us this week are heading out to Landenberg, PA where Project Timothy (youth discipleship bootcamp) is being held from July 29-Aug 6.

Please pray for our youth as they prepare this week and as they go.  Please pray for smooth travels as this group is travelling by air on three different dates on the weekend beginning on Friday.  Pray for safety for James as he drives to and from the church and airport over the weekend.

Pray for our youth that the Lord will stir new things and move in ways in our youth that we can’t ask or imagine.  Pray that as they are immersed in this environment their love for the Lord would deepen, and the desire and invitation to head into what God has called them to would increase.  Pray that this wouldn’t just be an event, but it would be a space where transformation would happen as we are challenged to be great lovers of Jesus and others.

It’s breathtaking to be in an atmosphere where teens are hungry for God.  Thanks to all of you at WCV who have supported us on this adventure.  There’s been enormous financial support through our fundraising efforts;  for this we are so grateful.

Thanks for joining us in prayer over this next week,
~Jodi ~”

Youth-jumping

Project Timothy Coffee House – Fundraiser Report

Hey folks, Project Timothy Coffee House was amazing!  Thanks to all who donated desserts, and funds.  Thanks to those who participated in performing.  Thanks to those who served all evening.    We are so thankful.  Total funds raised through the coffee house are $1, 655.00!  The funds will go towards a van rental in PA as well as the costs of plane tickets and tuition.  We are so blessed by you all supporting the emerging generation in their efforts to be discipled this summer at this Vineyard Bootcamp.

~ Jodi ~

Coffee House Youth Fundraiser

Our youth are planning on going to Project Timothy again this year.  They’ve been busy babysitting, serving chili, and now they’re going to be hosting an amazing coffee house – all so they can get back to Pennsylvania to join with a bunch of other Vineyard youth for the amazing discipleship bootcamp called Project Timothy.

April 23, 7pm.  Flatlanders Studio.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

Coffee, Desserts, Prizes and music by: The Labun Sisters, The Janzen Boys & Brian James!

View the Facebook event here.

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Kids Helping Kids – Nepal

Hey kids and youth (and parents of them too!).  Here is a great little initiative that we are spearheading that is going to build a youth centre in the village of Gatlang in Nepal.  The whole village was destroyed in the earthquakes last Spring.  Many of the people in the Gatlang Vineyard did not own land, so the Earthquake fund has purchased new land for homes to be built on.  One of the plots of land has been set aside for a small building to be built in which children can have a safe warm place to play and for the youth to hang out.  There are a number of other Vineyard churches in Canada who are also contributing to this project.

Jodi will be letting all the children and youth know that they can contribute to this project during the next two Sundays.  Collections will be taken on Sunday, January 31 – so make sure your children and youth remember to bring some donations at that time. Every little bit helps!

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Project Timothy – an opportunity for youth

Hey Parents and Youth,

Here’s a reminder as you make your summer plans, to carve out 7 days for your teen to go to Project Timothy, July 31-Aug 7.  
 
This week has the potential to be a life-changing week for those willing to pursue God and dig deeper into becoming a leader.  Don’t miss it!  My kids were so impacted last year by this week of being surrounded by youth and young adults who were passionate to worship Jesus and expand God’s kingdom in their circles.  (all of this in an environment with Vineyard DNA)
What to do:
  1. Let Jodi know if you can come!  So far I have interest from a handful of youth.  We are prepared for 9 youth and more if possible.
  2. Apply in spring to Project Timothy in Landenburg, Pennsylvania (Vineyard at the Barn).  More info will be sent when it is available.
  3. Continue to fundraise whenever possible.  Begin now to write letters of support to family and friends.  Let me know if you need help with this and I will help via email.  Also, participate in WCV lunch fundraisers (next one is March 15th).
Tuition costs: $250/youth.  This includes lodging and food.  Some spending money can be given in addition if desired.
Approx. flight costs: $500.
Total approx costs: $750.00
Here’s a 3 minute video that captured some participant’s thoughts on why we should join them again this year.  Have a listen with your youth!
Expecting great things from a great God,
Jodi

Nepali Fast – Monday

Welcome to the first full day of our Nepali Fast!  These daily updates are meant to inspire and inform us in our prayer and fasting activities this week.

Drawing Near to God

Draw near to GodPart of what it means to draw near to God is to pray that we have his heart – that we see the world from his perspective and are moved by it.  Somehow when we are close to him his heart is transferred to us.  What he cares about, we begin to care about.

Pay attention to the movements of your heart today.  Where is he inviting you closer?  What does he want to share with you?  In the activities of your day, pay attention to the moments his Spirit is whispering.

Drawing Near to Others

Part of our fast, by way of Isaiah 58, is meant to help us draw near to others in healthy ways.  Understanding the lives and burdens of our Nepali brothers and sisters will help knit together the bond of love we have.  Also, we want to pray for others.

Misal, Amit and Lakpa play in the Katmandu Vineyard courtyard.Today is the “Global 4-14 Day“.  It is a day to pray for the generation between the ages of 4 and 14.  Across the world, 71% of the people who are currently following Jesus begin to do so within this age range.

Today let’s pray for the kids and youth of the Himalayan Region and Winnipeg.

  • Reaching children – that Kids and youth would come to know and passionately follow Jesus.
  • Calling children – that God would sovereignly reveal himself.
  • Protecting children – from all manner of evil (slavery, malnutrition, gangs, prostitution, homelessness, hopelessness, etc).
  • Releasing children – to lead in prayer and praise.
  • Resourcing children – that God would send workers.
Photo Credits (excluding the hand): Matthew Sawatsky

Tips from Parenting Beyond Your Capacity

Hey families, here’s some encouragment in the daily life of raising up our kids.  Ever feel like you’ve tried it all and right now you are just coasting cause  let’s face it life feels full?  Well, here’s some oil for your tank…

Let’s look at Deut 6:4-9  Moses knew the Israelites were about to go to the promised land and be distracted by the many comforts there.  He felt the urgency when he addressed the community about what to do with the emerging generation.  What did he say exactly?  He said in so many words “Hey community (uncles, aunts, parents, friends), love God with all your heart, soul and with all your strength.  Put these commandments on your heart and tell your kids!”

“Impress it on their hearts”, in otherwords means, get it inside of them!

What?  I can’t imagine adding another thing to our busy, crazy life.  Well, Moses must of thought of that because he gave four ways of “impressing these truths on our kids”.  These four ways are naturally a part of our lives!  They are a part of our lives  because we all eat, we all travel, we all sleep and we all get up again.

1.  When you eat together (try to do this regularly- it’s a beautiful rhythm) Parents role:  Teacher (establish values) Keep the flow natural, fun and interactive.

2.  When you travel (walk or drive kids and teens) Parents role:  Friend (interpret life)

3.  When they go to bed (utilize this intimate time to connect and  pray) Parents role:  Counselor (build intimacy)

4.  When they get up (encouragement – even just a few words, quick prayer)  Parents role:  Coach (instill purpose)

Try establishing this structure into your weekly life…let’s see what happens!

If you are hungry for more of this, get a copy of Parenting Beyond Your Capacity by Reggie Joiner or borrow mine!

 

 

VBS 2014

What if we had a whole community of kids and teens embrace the truth that God’s love is unconditional?  Come and be part of our VBS @ WCV for 5 afternoons July 1-5.    We willl pick kids up around the community and have lunch together everday.  Then we will enjoy 5 afternoons of exploring weird animals as we learn more about God’s love.

Kids ages 5-9 come join the adventure and learn about God’s unconditional love!

Grade 5 to 100 years old:  You can have fun too and we need you!  Plus you will be trained, stretched and have great community!  Sign up under volunteer registration.  If under 18, please indicate.

 

Register now!  

Cost is $40/child.  Spots are filling up fast – in the past we’ve been at capacity so register now!