Our Spiritual Development Ministry On this page . . . Bible Study Children Curriculum Funding Ladies United Circle Men's Breakfast Club Stewardship United Church Women Vacation Bible School Youth A Curriculum For All Ages Seasons of the Spirit is a curriculum for all ages based on Bible passages selected from the Revised Common Lectionary, interweaving three vital aspects of faith: service, worship and learning. This engaging resource assumes that the context for learning extends beyond the classroom to worship at home, into the community and the wider world. Seasons uses emerging technologies to encourage connections between faith and everyday life, calling us into the ecumenical, global and inclusive heart of the church. The program provides: weekly Bible background and reflections planning calendar extensive worship resources such as sermon suggestions for all ages reproducible prayers suggestions for creative ways to engage with scripture and music weekly learning resources like material lists, planning agendas weekly service resources contributes to the program's ease of use for teachers and learners. Seasons ignites the learners' imaginations through music, visual arts, the Internet, science, media, connects faith and life through topical examples and suggested activities. A place for children Children are very important to us We welcome children to our worship services prior to their Sunday School sessions. Children three years and older are invited to go to their Sunday School classes after the first section of the service. Most services have a theme conversation time when the children are invited to the front to be introduced to the theme for their lesson (and our sermon time) by one of our ministers. You may register for Sunday School during the coffee hour at the table in the Gathering Place on Sunday or at the church office during the week. Children and youth are an important part of the whole people of God. We need them in our midst. A special word is shared with the children during each worship service before they go to their "Seasons of the Spirit" graded classes for ages 3 and up. Our nursery area is located just off the south side of the sanctuary so that parents are able to care for their younger children while still being able to participate in the worship service. Youth Activities We strive to provide a safe and loving environment where youth may explore and grow in their own spirituality, leadership abilities and church involvement; as well as to share these experience with others. Two active groups of youth at Northwood participate in a variey of activities: Friday night senior youth group Sunday morning classes for junior and senior youth Leadership training for youth Presbytery events - dances, retreats Confirmation and membership classes Fellowship events ~ hockey games, movie nights, swimming, roller blading What is Christian Stewardship? Stewardship is everything we do after we say, "I believe." "Stewardship is about making choices, as individuals and in community. It is more than giving money to the church. Stewardship is about being faithful disciples, caring for and managing all that God has given us." James Hudnut-Beumler Christian stewardship is: our grateful response to the love of God as revealed in Christ and expressed in terms of the management and care of all resources available for the sustenance and enrichment of life. A Christian steward: is one whose life, abilities and resources are committed to God's purposes so that the spirit of God flows through such a person in a blessing to the world feels a responsibility for the well-being of all people, giving them the opportunity to develop their full potential as well accepts the family as a trust from God and seeks to provide the atmosphere in which each member can realize his or her fullest potential accepts the church (as the fellowship of the committed ones) as a trust from God, and seeks to assure through this fellowship the extension of God's mission into the community and into the world accepts the gospel as a trust from God, seeking to understand it, and endeavor to be faithful custodians of its liberating and reconciling truth accepts material resources as a trust, from maximizing the use of these resources to increase the productivity of the world without exploitation and to make it possible for others to share in this bounty accepts power and influence as a trust from God endeavoring to administer them according to the purposes of God accepts this world with its tremendous resources as a trust from God, seeking to understand what God is doing in the events of history and through technological developments, and endeavoring to be involved in the decisive issues facing society strives to penetrate the arena of secular society with the good news of the gospel. Spiritual Development Funding Sources For all ages from Northwood's Spiritual Development Ministry Participants in the life and work of Northwood can apply for financial assistance to attend events, conferences and retreats. Contact for this fund can be made through the church office. Fraser Presbytery Youth Ministry Bursary Fund is available for youth 13-18 for events taking place in Fraser Presbytery. Applications are available from the youth office. The Anne White Memorial Bursary Fund is available for BC Conference sponsored events. For information contact 604-431-0434. The Baxter Fund provides for young adults 18-30 to maintain involvement in the church. Personal support, program initiatives and developing world education grants all available through the Youth Ministry.