Sunday Service – Feb. 18, 2024

Westminster 170 Steel Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

This Sunday is the first Sunday in Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Good Friday and Easter, excluding Sundays. It is a time of preparation and spiritual refinement. The service begins at 10:01 am and we will praise, pray and encourage one another in hope. We continue our teaching series on the book of Esther and review chapters 3 and 4. Esther is promoted to Queen and needs to decide whether or not she will risk her own life in order to save her own people. Her uncle Mordechai asks: “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Volunteers are preparing to teach our children, care for them in the nursery, prepare snacks and coffee, and usher and answer questions. Let’s start Lent right—together at worship.

Coldest Night of the Year Walk 2024

It's that time again! Grab your hats...lets walk! If you can't walk...see the 5 other ways to support this outreach (below). We walk on Feb. 24, 2024 in Support of Youth Haven, Barrie. Join us in this, our 8th year! Wow! Julie Cunha heads up our team again! We are so thankful for her consistent support of this outreach and the work she puts into it every year. Thank you Julie!  A little bit about Youth Haven (taken from their website)... 'Youth Haven provides youth experiencing homelessness and at-risk youth between the ages of 16-24 with the love, support, guidance, programs and life skills needed to foster their sense of well-being and security. As Simcoe County’s only emergency shelter for youth experiencing homelessness, Youth Haven also provides outreach services and programs to at-risk youth in Barrie, Orillia, Midland, southern Georgian Bay and south Simcoe.' Would you like to walk with us and raise funds? Click here to join our team, The Westminster Walkers! There are also 5 other ways to support this outreach... 1. Follow this link and click 'donate to team'. You can choose a specific walker to give to, or choose the team name at the bottom and input your credit card information to give whatever amount you choose. 2. On Sunday's, mark an offering envelope 'CNOY' and insert cheque or cash – Then put into an offering box. 3. Send an e-transfer to the church with a note that the funds are for CNOY - etransfer@westminsterpc.ca 4. Julie will set up a pledge table during fellowship time on the last couple of Sundays before the walk. You will have the opportunity to donate cash, which she will deposit toward our goal. 5. Share this link on your social pages so that others can support our walkers.  ...

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Sunday Service – Feb.25, 2024

Westminster 170 Steel Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

This Sunday is the second Sunday in Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Good Friday and Easter, excluding Sundays. It is a time of preparation and spiritual refinement. The service begins at 10:01 am and we will praise, pray and encourage one another in hope. We continue our teaching series on Esther. She approaches the king, he responds favorably, Mordechai is exalted, and Haman is brought to a tragic end. It is a blunt illustration of Proverbs 16:18–that pride goes before destruction… then and now. Each week, volunteers teach our children, care for them in the nursery, prepare snacks and coffee, and usher, answer questions, and pray for you. What a gift! Let’s continue our trek toward Easter—together at worship.

Sunday Service – March 3, 2024

Westminster 170 Steel Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

On Sunday we share the Sacrament of Communion. This will happen in the last half of the service (and our young people will rejoin the wider group in the sanctuary when this happens). Jesus said: “Do this in remembrance of me.” Through The Lord’s Supper, we are spiritually nourished by Christ himself. (See separate announcement for teaching children about the meaning of Communion.) Pastor Ruttan will teach through Esther 8. Things are getting very messy in ancient Persia! And yet, God continues to work in less-than-ideal circumstances (both then and now). If you’re in a position to do so, you can share a financial offering (in person or digitally) for our Deacon’s Fund—a fund which exists to help people who are struggling either inside or outside the congregation. Many people have been helped in practical ways by this fund through the years. This is something we do every time we celebrate Communion. Just mark your gift ‘Deacon’s Fund.’ Volunteers will teach and bless our children, take care of them in the nursery, prepare coffee and snacks, usher or work behind the scenes, and pray for you! Let’s continue to journey through Lent together at worship.

Sunday Service – Mar.10, 2024

Westminster 170 Steel Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

On Sunday, March 10th we will hear the final installment of our series on the book of Esther. Pastor Ruttan will take us through chapters 9-10, share some thoughts about armed conflict and how this does (or doesn’t) relate to stories like Esther, and encourage us to identify the big picture providence of God working in the lives of his people. We will be blessed by song, we will pray together, there will be Sunday School and nursery care, and we will share fellowship and, of course, some snacks. Let’s continue to journey through Lent together at worship.

Sunday Service – Mar.17, 2024

Westminster 170 Steel Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

On Sunday, March 17th, Pastor Ruttan is away on vacation and our Coordinator of Youth and Outreach, William Min, will be leading the service. William will be looking at the story of how Jesus resurrects Lazarus from the dead and how it is one of 4 Messianic miracles. He will focus on how we will soon be wrapping up Lent as we look towards Easter in a couple of weeks… and the resurrection hope we have in Jesus, which leads us to repentance, because He IS the resurrection, the truth, and the life. We will be blessed by song, we will pray together, there will be Sunday School and nursery care, and we will share fellowship and, of course, some snacks. Let’s continue to journey through Lent together at worship.

Sunday Service – March 24, 2024

Westminster 170 Steel Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

On Sunday, March 24th, Pastor Ruttan is away on vacation and our Coordinator of Youth and Outreach, William Min, will be leading the service. This is Palm Sunday. You will receive a Palm as you enter for the service. We will look at the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, some of the cultural context around its timing, and how Jesus seldom works according to our expectations and desires, but counterintuitively does God’s incredibly work through His faithfulness. We will be blessed by song, through our music ministry, led by our Music Director, Nena LaMarre, and we will pray together. There will also be Sunday School and nursery care, led by caring and dedicated members of our congregation. There will be a free Soup and Bun lunch following the service in our fellowship hall. We encourage everyone to join in. We are blessed with kitchen volunteers who regularly give their hearts to the mission of organizing, shopping, cooking, baking and preparing treats, refreshments and meals for our congregation to share in. Let’s worship together on this Palm Sunday, as we prepare our hearts for our coming Easter Services.

Easter Sunday Service – 10:01 a.m.

Westminster 170 Steel Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

MARCH 31 at 10:01am: Easter Sunday! Easter Sunday is when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ! We gather to joyfully sing, pray and marvel at God’s power and goodness. “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said” (Matthew 28:5-6). There will be Sunday School and nursery care.

Maundy Thursday Service – 7 p.m.

Westminster 170 Steel Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

MARCH 28 at 7 PM: Maundy Thursday In this 40-minute service we will remember Jesus’ new commandment to ‘love one another’. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34). Candles will be distributed as you enter (like on Christmas Eve) and we will do some singing in the dark. We will also celebrate Communion. You will be invited forward to receive the bread and juice. Please Note: There is no Sunday School or nursery care on this evening.

Good Friday Service – 10:00 a.m.

Westminster 170 Steel Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

MARCH 29 at 10am: Good Friday We gather at the foot of the cross to remember the sacrifice and crucifixion of Christ. This is a reflective service of gratitude. “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). At the end of the service, after the special Kid’s Program (see below), we file out in silence. The Good Friday Youth Program will be for children aged 4 to 12+ years at the same time as the service. This is an experiential hour for the children and includes the story of Jesus from Maundy Thursday to Easter morning. We will meet in the church hall at 10 am (promptly). At the end of the hour the youth will walk up the back aisle in the sanctuary carrying the cross and tomb to the front; then we will file out in silence. (Questions about this youth program can be directed to Mandy Hillyard at 705-539-1203 or at barriegirl57@gmail.com)