Making Connections

Small Group Ministries

There’s A LOT going on this winter…West End is brimming with opportunities to get involved – and better yet – to get connected.

We have many Adult Small Groups, and volunteer opportunities that provide SO MANY ways for everyone to grow in faith, hope and love.  Take a look at this year’s ministry options to find out where you can connect. If you would like to register as a participant for any groups, please contact the church office: admin@westendcrc.ca or 780-454-8151

If you would like to volunteer for any of these groups, please use the sign up button below.

SMALL GROUP MINISTRIES

REFORMED: WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT MATTERS

Reformed: What it Means and Why it Matters?

Are you new to West End or the Christian Reformed Church? Or maybe you’ve been a member for a long time and need to brush up on your Reformed theology? Then this class is for you! We’ll meet Sundays from 11:30 am -12:15 pm, beginning January 22.

FAITH AND SCIENCE GROUP

This group will continue from last season its discussion of Origins: Christian Perspectives on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design, by Christian and Reformed physicists Deborah and Loren Haarsma. We hope to cover Chapters 12-14 this season. If you didn’t participate last year but are curious about how the world and humanity came to be, and you don’t mind “Jumping into the conversation midway,” you’re certainly welcome to join us. This group meets on ZOOM and is led by Bob DeMoor, bi-weekly, starting January 9.

SHORT STORIES BY JESUS (AKA SENIORS’ BIBLE STUDY)

Parables, some only a sentence or two long, are often seen as the hall mark of Jesus’ teaching. These parables are sometimes mysterious and difficult – they challenge us to look into the hidden aspects of our own values, or own lives. They bring to the surface unasked questions, and they reveal the answers we have always known, but refuse to acknowledge. Led by Pastor Lisa, bi-weekly beginning January 25 from 10 -11 am @ the church.

MORE WITH LESS

This cooking group will share favorite recipes, cook the grub, and divvy up the food amongst themselves for at-home consumption. Mornings, bi-weekly @ the church – start date and leader TBA.

ACCESSING THE STEWARDSHIP TOOLKIT

Led by our newly-formed Stewardship Committee, this study will adapt the Diaconal Ministries Stewardship Toolkit webinar into a weekly study group.

BREAKING FREE FROM BODY SHAME: HOW TO RECLAIM WHAT GOD HAS NAMED GOOD

It’s one thing to know if your head that you were created in the image of God. Yet it’s quite another to experience this belief in your body, against the cultural ideals of a person’s worth. An between the two lies a world of frustration, disappointment, and the shame of somehow feeling both too much and never enough in your body – whether because of your gender, your size, your age, or ability. Far from a superficial issue, self-image is a spiritual issue, because God has named your body good from the beginning. Whether your struggle is with eating and exercise habits, chronic illness or aging, stress or trauma, infertility or injury, this group makes space for you to experience God and ring his freedom bell over your body in a whole new way. 4 sessions, led by Pastor Lisa.

EPIC OF EDEN: PSALMS

An 8-week deep dive into the book of Psalms led by Bible Professor Sandra Richters. This video series will do three things: (1) it will tutor us in what honest faith in hard times looks like; (2) we will be reminded of who we are and who God is; and (3) we will see that we do not walk alone, but we will find out way back to the Lord of Heaven and Earth who has never ceased to hear the cries of his people. Time and dates TBD.

THE NEW TESTAMENT YOU NEVER KNEW

Do you know the real story behind the New Testament? We all share a fascination for discovering “the rest of the story.: Through reading the New Testament we discover that God indeed keeps his promises, but those promises don’t always look like what people expected. Especially when it comes to Jesus. In this 8-week video series we will join well-known Bible scholars N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird as they team up to take you on a tour of the explosive story behind the story of the New Testament.

DINNER AND A BOOK

Everyone Welcome! Young and Not-so-young alike for a simple dinner, and all sorts of Nintendo, board and card games. Come once or more than once. Sundays: January 29, February 26, March 19 and April 23, beginning at 5 pm @ Pastor Lisa’s. Please RSVP and provide any dietary needs.

NEWSHOUND'S SPECIAL

This informal group of seniors will gather once or twice a month in church during the daytime during weeks when the Senior’s Bible Study does not meet. The group will discuss current events as we try to apply our Christian faith to what’s going on out there in God’s world. We will agree to share our honest opinions and agree to disagree graciously wherever necessary. Pastors Bob and Cecil will lead the conversation and, when it comes to sharing their own pet opinions, have agreed to behave themselves. Led by Bob DeMoor and Cecil Van Niejenhuis, bi-weekly, Wednesdays @ 10 -11am, starting January 18 @ the church.