Over the past several months, Vineyard Canada has been engaged in a prayerful and intentional process of discerning the future leadership of our movement. Following a season of nominations and discernment, two candidates entered the National Director succession process. After a thorough evaluation and discernment process, neither candidate reached the 80% threshold of affirmation established by the National Team for appointment to the role.

While this was not the outcome many anticipated at the outset, there is a deep sense of confidence that the process was marked by careful discernment and a shared conviction that it "seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us." (Acts 15)

In light of this discernment, the National Team unanimously affirmed David Ruis to continue serving as National Director in a half-time capacity for up to an additional two years, through the end of 2028 if needed. This season will provide space to continue strengthening our leadership structures, investing in emerging leaders, and prayerfully preparing for the next chapter of Vineyard Canada.

As we continue to steward the implications of these decisions, we have also made several adjustments within the staff of the Foundations Team to best support the ongoing health and growth of our movement. Nathan Rousu will step into the role of Managing Director, providing operational leadership and oversight across Vineyard Canada. Joyce Rees will serve in a new role focused on Church Growth, helping to cultivate and strengthen our existing churches while encouraging healthy multiplication. Anita Ruis will continue to serve as Spiritual Life Director, and Tina-Marie Axenty will continue in her role as Administration and Communications Director.

We also want to let you know that David Ruis will be taking a well-deserved sabbatical during the months of June, July, and August. We invite you to join us in praying for David during this season, that he would experience deep refreshment, renewed vision, and the presence of God in meaningful ways. We are grateful for his faithful leadership and look forward to welcoming him back in the fall.

As we continue to steward these decisions over the coming months, we remain grateful for the faithfulness of the Lord and for the commitment of those who have invested significant time, wisdom, and prayer into this work. We are deeply grateful for the prayers, encouragement, and engagement of leaders across the movement throughout this process. We continue to trust that the Lord is faithfully guiding Vineyard Canada, and we look forward with hope and expectation to all that He has ahead for us.

Join us at the Sevenoaks Alliance Church Facility in the large sanctuary at 4pm. Use the Main Auditorium Entrance.

We have Sunday School for the bigger kids and a self-serve nursery for you and your little ones.
 
Past Sunday Services are available on our AV YouTube site.

email the office

Sunday Pre-Service Prayer: 3-3:45pm at Sevenoaks

Mid-Week Prayer: Mid-week prayer will take a break for the summer, June - August.

Friday morning Zoom meeting: 6:45am, join the digital chatroom 10-15 minutes early in case of technical difficulties.

https://zoom.us/j/91461855353
Meeting ID: 914 6185 5353

Covid created a huge disconnect in our society as we were unable to socialize with friends and family as we had in the past. One of our collective challenges is to reconnect with our relationship circles. To help with this, we've created several casual opportunities to renew acquaintances with our AVC family this summer.

We're planning 3 rain-or-shine picnics this summer. These will be "bring-you-own-everything". We've booked shelters at Mill Lake Park to keep us dry or in the shade, depending on the weather.

On June 12, the picnic will be around Shelter 3, in the southwest corner of Mill Lake Park. This is the shelter in the vicinity of the Water Playpark. The best place to park would be on Emerson by the ball fields.

July 10 and Aug 14 we'll have the shelter by the playground on Bevan Ave.

In anticipation of our National Celebration this July, David and Anita Ruis are travelling across the country, leading evenings of "Worship, Waiting, and Weighing".

Join us for a rich time of communal discernment and worship!

Friday, June 24, 7pm
Chilliwack Vineyard Church
45892 Wellington Ave, Chilliwack, BC

On Day 1 of the Nations 2 Nations conference, Edwin told of a surprising response he had when a former white racist asked for forgiveness.

Nations 2 Nations (N2N), an international movement that is embedded in Youth with a Mission, has been pursuing reconciliation of the nations, inspired by the vision of John, quoted above. They have been holding conferences in Oslo, Antananarivo, Brisbane, Hawaii, Amsterdam, Caracas, Cape Town, Davao and many more cities, catalyzing healing, fostering unity, and prompting a new kind of missions.  N2N conferences sparkle with colourful cultural expressions, testimonies, ministry, worship, and teaching.

N2N are eager to partner with Our Hero in restoring all the nations of the world into their identity, dignity and destiny. They believe that Canada has an incredible gift to bless the nations with, but first, they want to bless Canada with delegates from such places as South African, Brazil, Samoa, USA, Switzerland, and the Philippines.  Their starting location in Canada is Abbotsford, in our auditorium.  They’ve invited AVC to partner with them.

When is this?
June 3, 4, with sessions at 9 am, 2 pm and 7 pm.  They will also be at our church service on June 5 at 4 pm.

How much does it cost?
It’s free!  Nations 2 Nations wants to make a biblical understanding of reconciliation accessible to everyone. A love offering will take place. 

Worship with Genesis on Friday, June 3, at 7 pm!

What is the Schedule?

Friday, June 3
9-10am- Welcome, Announcements, Worship
10 am- IDENTITY- Edwin Fillies
11:30-12 - Break
12-1pm- IDENTITY -Edwin Fillies
1-2:30 pm - Lunch
2:30-3pm- Worship
3-4:30pm - IDENTITY & RECONCILIATION - Edwin Fillies
4:30-5:30pm - Processing Time & Intercession
5:30-7pm - Supper
7pm - Celebration of The Nations
7-7:45pm - Worship with Genesis, Announcements
7:45- 8:30pm - Message

Saturday, June 4
9-10am - Worship with Andy Park and team
10-11am - DIGNITY - David Ash
11-11:45am - Intercession
11:45am- 12:45 pm - RECONCILIATION & FORGIVENESS - Edwin Fillies
1-2:30pm- Lunch
2:30- 3:30pm - Testimony Morrison Bartsch
3:30- 5pm - Breakout Sessions
5-5:30pm - Processing Time
5:30- 7 - Supper
7 pm - Celebration of The Nations
7-7:45pm - Worship -Andy Park and Team
7:45- 8:30pm - Message DESTINY and Dreams

Sunday, June 5
GOD’S HEART FOR THE NATIONS
4-4:30pm - Worship with Billy & Team
4:30-4:45pm - Spoken Word - Evy Klassen
4:45-5:30pm - Message - Edwin Fillies
Special Item- Marlene Bartsch

If you want a sense of what it's like to listen to Edwin, here is a preach on discipleship

This is the leadership team.  I'm so excited to be working with these folks this weekend!

Then the YWAM team came.  After they left, the place was transformed!

Join us for the 12th Annual Casa de Luz Fundraiser! 

Date: June 1, 2022
Location: We have two exciting options you can choose from this year!
You can expect laughter and fun with comedian Cliff Prang, exciting stories that will take you right into the heart of Casa de Luz in Primo Tapia, and many more special moments you won’t want to miss!
Option A 6:30 pm: Online Event you can watch from wherever you are in the world!
This option is free! (Register so we can send you a link to join us) You will receive a link the day before the event so keep an eye out for it.  
Option B 6:00 pm: Come to our Live Viewing Party at The Other Place in Abbotsford, B.C. and watch the event with others, including some of our CDL staff.  

Your ticket purchase includes: 

• reserved seat at a table 
• dessert 
• door prizes
  
  

Apart from dessert, all food purchases will be your own expense.
Whichever option is right for you, we can’t wait to have you be a part of it!
Registration and information available at https://give.casadeluzmexico.com/annual-fundraiser

“What if we could cover every street of our city with prayer!?”

Sign up and let’s see how God will use this expansion of united prayer
for His purposes and glory.

For more info and to sign up.

Years ago AVC enjoyed a regular event called Table Sunday. The Sunday Service would include a meal and everyone sat around tables instead of in rows. The formal part of the service was shorter, leaving time for fellowship and connection. We think it's a good time to revisit this forgotten tradition!

We'll meet at 4pm, but in the gym instead of the sanctuary. The gym entrance is across the breezeway from the foyer entrance we usually use. Find a table and share it with friends you know or friends you will make.

This will be a potluck meal and we'll need crock-pots filled with casseroles, stews, etc, and some desserts. Deets below. If you can help, please send an email to the office.

This should be fun, don't miss it!

• People with last names A-S bring a casserole
  
  People with last names T-Z can bring a dessert
  
  Singles/ Young Adults can bring a salad or buns

We'll supply plates and cutlery, butter, coffee and tea and water.

We'll need volunteers to come early to set up coffee machine and other volunteers to clean up afterwards.

Sign up sheets will be available May 8 and 15

Recently Jim White shared some of his experiences in a Residential School as well as background about Indigenous spirituality. When asked, "What can we do?", he said the most important thing is to become educated about the issues. One way to do that is to read through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Reports.

Highland Community Church hosted an oral reading of the 94 Calls to Action as created by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. This was a very informative and impactful event! The readings were recorded as a video that can be seen in the link Highland Reading, along with more information about indigenous relations.

AVC now has access to an extensive, new video library called RightNow Media! It’s like the "Netflix of Video Bible Studies" and has a HUGE library of faith-based videos that you can access whenever and wherever you want—on your phone, iPad, computer, or at home on your TV.

RightNow Media will be a tool to serve you as you live out your faith at home, at work and in your neighbourhood. RightNow Media has videos for everyone—kids, youth, parents, married couples, college students, single adults, working professionals—all aimed at helping you grow.

You should have already received an official invitation email to give you FREE access to RightNow Media. If you haven't received it yet, check your mail filter (because it came from RightNow's system, it may have gotten caught there). If you did not receive an invitation by email, you can request one by emailing office@abbotsfordvineyard.com. 
Once you find the email, simply click the link, sign up for an account, and you’re all set to explore more than 20,000 videos. We pray that RightNow Media will be a blessing for you and your family!