Southridge

We are two weeks away from our Annual General Meeting; maybe you're wondering what that entails, why it matters, and why we think it's so important for YOU to be a part of it. Join us on this week's podcast, as Jeff sits down with the chair of our Board of Elders, Joan Hyatt, as they discuss the upcoming AGM, and why it matters. southridgechurch.ca/findingourway

What would you say is the most important factor in achieving the life you've always wanted? Some people believe that it is money that makes the world go round, while others insist that politics has the greatest influence on the quality of our life. Others believe that education matters most, or marriage and family, or travel and entertainment But what if there was something more powerful than all of these things, a power that can actually do what we hope and set us free to experience what Jesus described as "life until it overflows"? And what would it look like to cooperate with that power for our world? Join us online tomorrow morning at 10am for the launch of The Great Liberator - our next series in the journey through Exodus.

Pssst! We miss you! We’d love to be able to take a second to say hi, so plan to join us after the online service on Sunday for our Virtual Lobby! This is a super casual Zoom call, with a chance to say hi to a bunch of faces from across all three of our Southridge sites. See you then!

Were you looking for a way to connect this winter? A chance for some rich conversation on a topic of interest? A chance to explore faith in a new way? Check out one of our Short Term Winter Life Groups! There are several different groups, gathering online to grow through conversation around a wide variety of topics. Many groups are kicking off this week, so get signed up soon if you haven’t already! ... You can find more info and a registration link here: https://southridgechurch.ca//short-term-winter-life-groups/

Last night we celebrated Christmas dinner at the Shelter - as well as delivering 150 meals to friends in the community. It’s definitely not the same as our usual Christmas dinner party, but still an amazing evening with friends. Would you join us in praying for our whole Shelter community this Christmas?

Tonight’s the night! We are so excited to bring you A Southridge Christmas Special! Turn on the twinkle lights, have your hot chocolate & cookies ready, and settle in for an evening of Comfort and Joy. The fun is happening at southridgechurch.ca/christmas - we’ll start setting the mood at 6:30, and the service will officially start at 7:00.... (And if tonight doesn’t work for you, it will be available at anytime after that as well) See you soon!

Once again, Niagara's Mobile Closet has blessed our community in a huge way. They showed up with winter clothes, lunch, and overflowing love for their community. We are so thankful for them, and all of the other community partners who came together to make this amazing afternoon possible.

Christmas can bring a lot of challenges and hard emotions, and this year even more so. If you’re feeling the weight of it all this week, take a moment to read this Prayer for the Broken-Hearted, by author Sarah Bessey. May it bring you some comfort, peace, and the knowledge that you are not alone.

Yes! It’s back! After a summer break, we will be resuming the Southridge Virtual Lobby, immediately following the service, on the first Sunday of the month. We’ll kick it off this week, and the Zoom link will be available below the video player on our Online Service page.... This is a great way to connect with a few other friendly faces in a casual setting - all from the comfort of home. Hope to see you there!

Check out these new short term groups that will be running from mid-October to the first week in December. It’s a GREAT way to check out a Life Group for the first time, to get reconnected, or to dive deeper into a topic you want to learn more about. You can find more info and sign up on our website or app. https://southridgechurch.ca/event/fall-life-groups/

Throughout this season of COVID-19, we have been incredibly blessed by the response to specific Shelter needs. For those who are still looking to help make a difference in the lives of our Shelter community, here is an updated wish list of needs we are feeling at this time. If you are able to help out, donations can be dropped off to the Shelter directly. Thank you so much for your continued support!

You may recognize Jenessa Galenkamp from the powerful Land Acknowledgement spiritual practice that she led our community through during the summer. She's joining us on the podcast today to talk about the Southridge Good Relatives team and what it looks like for Southridge to be listeners and learners from the Indigenous community, in a spirit of truth and reconciliation. It's a powerful conversation - you won't regret taking the time to hit play on this one! southridgechurch.ca/findingourway

In addition to navigating the pandemic, this season has been marked by another theme: racial injustice. And again, strong feelings emerge that have greater potential to further divide than unify. What ought the church's role to be in such a time as this? And is there a "right way" to fight for what's right? How would God intend His people of faith to advocate for justice and equality? And what would God desire for justice-hungry believers to become in order to advance ju...stice and equality in ways that result in greater degrees of oneness instead of greater division? Is it possible to be advocating and unifying? If so, what could the church and the world become if we discovered the power of leveraging both of those values dear to the heart of God? Join us Sunday morning online at 10am as we continue on with our series, 2020 | Vision Over Visibility.

Earlier this month, local Habitat for Humanity Niagara / Niagara Habitat ReStores launched an amazing ReStore our Community food donation drive. All donations from their St. Catharines location (which totalled 118lbs of food!) were dropped of at the Shelter. We will never take for granted the love and support from our Niagara family. Thank you to all who donated, and to Habitat For Humanity for organizing this amazing initiative!

We walked through this prayer experience on Sunday as a way to see the regional mask mandate to refocus our hearts. Take this midweek opportunity to pray through this practice again today.

We had a BLAST at last week’s Pizza in the Park Young Adult gathering- so we thought we’d do it again this week! Check the link below for further details about signing up, and safety protocols to be followed. https://southridgechurch.ca//young-adults-students-pizza-/

We are continually blown away by the outpouring of love that our greater Niagara community has for the residents of our Shelter. A huge thanks to the Muslim Society of St.Catharines who stopped by with gift bags full of goodies for each resident. We appreciate your generosity and thoughtfulness so much!

Looking for a bit more connection your life? Whether you’re new to Southridge in this online season, or looking for a way to get more involved...whether you have questions about who we are as a church, or you just miss seeing people in person - Next Step is for you. Join us tomorrow at all three of our locations for an evening of food and great conversation together. (To make sure we have enough food on hand, it would be great if you sent Jessica a message to let her know you’ll be there - [email protected]). See you tomorrow!

It's no secret that the conversations surrounding "Back to School" have been complicated and nuanced this year. We're excited for you to listen to this podcast with Kristy Duncan; Kristy is a leader in our Movers & Shakers Kids Ministry Program and is an elementary school teacher in Niagara. Join us for for this insightful look into the Covid pandemic from the teacher point of view. southridgechurch.ca/findingourway

We still have room at our Young Adults & Students pizza in the park event tomorrow so RSVP to [email protected] if you’d like to come. But in light of the new limits on social gatherings, we’ll probably have to split into two separate groups at the park. Here are some important instructions to be aware of: 1. We will meet near the main parking lot on the right-hand side where you can see the playground. 2. If (once) we are more than 25 people, we will split into two... separate groups to stay within the new Ontario social gathering limits. 3. Please bring a mask and wear your mask when going through the pizza serving line. 4. Please honour appropriate physical distancing at all times. Can’t wait to see many of you there!