January 10 - January 16

I’ve been thinking a lot about my camcorder lately.

Let me explain. At the end of every year for the past decade-plus, I have put together a video montage of our family’s (mostly the kids) life for that year. The montage has its share of still photos included, but I always like to have at least half of it made up of video footage. And although my (ancient, as my daughter reminds me) iPhone has a decent camera, its zoom functions and holdability are no match for the trusty camcorder when it comes to recording content for what have become known in our house as the “Year Videos”.

Accordingly, on family vacations, at sports games, birthdays, etc., I become the default videographer. My family makes fun of me for it. My friends and co-workers laugh about the dorky dad holding the 2013-era Canon Vixia at his daughter’s middle school graduation. It’s OK. I’m 43. I can accept that I’m not cool. I’ll have it recording at her next basketball game, too.

Here’s why I do it though - because I will forget otherwise. It is so easy for me to get caught up in the day-to-day busyness of life, ministry, and parenting four children that my memories of the past simply vanish into thin air. I am right in that stage of life where I am lucky to remember what I did a week ago, let alone the stuff my kids were up to five years ago. The Year Videos serve as a reminder for my fragile and finite mind. (Plus, the kids like to watch them now and then too!)

This inability to remember the past is not just my problem - it is something endemic to fallen humanity. When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, He prefaced them with a reminder of the recent act of His mighty hand: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). After Moses delivered the Law to the people of Israel, they were enthusiastic: “And all the people answered with one voice and said, All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.’” (Exodus 24:3b)

Yet, a mere matter of weeks later, when Moses had seemingly disappeared on Mt. Sinai, the people found themselves worshipping a golden calf and ascribing to it the power and deeds of God Himself. Somehow, their immediate surroundings had already led them to forgetting the truth of the past - and the character of their God. Maybe if the Exodus had been captured on a camcorder…?

God has preserved and revealed His Word through the Scriptures in part because it serves as a reminder to us of His character, His might, and His deeds. One of the reasons why we encourage regular Bible reading is because we need this reminder - not just of the imperative commands and moral directives, but also of the stories that tell us about just who God is and what He has accomplished for us through Jesus.

And why is it important to remember God’s character first? Because those imperative demands and moral directives don’t exist in a vacuum; they flow directly from His character. So, if we let ourselves forget who God is, then we run the risk of an empty formalism in our religious actions, or even falling away from Him altogether. 

So, make sure you take the time to revisit the “Year Videos” of the Bible. Camcorder or not, it will be worthwhile.

Join us this weekend as we worship and explore how Ephesians 4:11-16 instructs us to think about why we gather together and what it means to grow as a church.

Our Children's Ministry programs are back in action this weekend, and the Higher Ground Bible study for middle schoolers is also a go!

You are welcome to join us for our Pre-Service Prayer time at 4:15pm in the Basement Lounge. And, as always, dinner is served in the gym at 4:30pm.

See you at church!

SATURDAY MEALS

Join us at 4:30pm in the gym for a delicious meal before the service. 

Invite your friends and neighbours!

PRE-SERVICE PRAYER

At 4:15pm we pray for our campus & our neighbourhood. Join us in the Basement Lounge off of the main foyer.

NORTHVIEW KIDS 

Check-in for kids ages 6 months through grade 5 begins each weekend at 5:15pm. Want more info? Click here.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

The Higher Ground bible study happens every other weekend. Click here for more info. Higher Ground will be running this weekend.

Did you know that our Christmas Eve offering, designated for The Pantry (at Northview Mission Campus—more info HERE) and The Markit (a ministry run out of Northview Central Abby—more info HERE) will be providing a total of $85,000? Thank you so much for your generosity in supporting this work, which helps those experiencing hardship. These ministries offer very practical help by supplying groceries and even meals to those who desperately need it. 

Bonus: Did you know that we have now submitted our application for a building permit for the new Worship Centre at Downes Road? Please pray for the application to move quickly through the various city departments.

Well, now you know!

We have a Baptism Class this weekend! If you have accepted Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, if you're interested in becoming a member at Northview and have not yet been baptized, or if you just want to learn more about what baptism means, we would love for you to join our class.

Our class will happen at Central Abby on Saturday, January 11th after the service (about 7:00pm). You can register and find more information on our website by clicking the link below or by emailing [email protected].

Exciting plans are in motion for a short-term trip in 2025! Join us as we travel to South Asia to experience the beauty of the communities we visit, share the Good News, support children in education programs, and contribute to leadership development.

For more details and to apply, click the button below.

As we get closer to starting construction on the new Worship Centre, we would like to show you the updated plans and give you the chance to ask any questions that you may have.

*Please note the date for this informal drop-in session has changed to Wednesday, January 29, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Downes Road in the Atrium. We look forward to seeing you there!  

If you haven’t heard, Northview is planting a new campus in Chilliwack. As we start to work towards launching Northview Chilliwack, we will host two interest nights to share our vision for the plant and our timeline and invite anyone interested to join us in this opportunity to work together to get Northview Chilliwack started.

If you live in Chilliwack and call Northview home, or maybe you live in Abbotsford or Mission but sense God calling you to be a part of this church plant, we want to invite you to our first interest meeting on January 26th at 7pm at Central Community Church in Chilliwack! Click the button below to learn more! 

Do you or someone you know have doubts or questions about Christianity? Questioning Christianity is a place where men and women with doubts, hang-ups, barriers, and/or questions about Christianity can discuss and seek answers without judgment or bitterness.

Columbia Bible College is opening space for Questioning Christianity from January 29 to February 26. This opportunity is for those who have questions, both big and small, about Christianity. Whether you are a Christian or not, Questioning Christianity is designed for you to ask your questions about Jesus, the Bible, and the Church. Anything! We can’t promise we’ll have all the answers but we’ll listen, discuss, and seek together with you. So, if this describes you or someone you know, register today! The sessions will deal with 5 big questions of faith, including death, morality, and purpose.

Andy Steiger, the director of Apologetics Canada, and Graham Nickel, one of the elders at Northview, will be leading this group.

Space is limited so please register ASAP.

If registration is FULL, please email us at [email protected] to have your name put on the waitlist!

Bryan and Terry Harms serve in Brazil with Communitas International focusing on Bible teaching, community building, and training church planters. They also coach and mentor young couples.

Please pray for:
        •        the seamless adjustment of a new pastoral couple who have joined them for a church plant
        •        their teaching ministry; that they would effectively serve and share Gospel truths with both new and seasoned believers.

Your prayers make a difference in their work!

Whether you need prayer, have questions, or want to get plugged in, we're here for you! Check out the links below and we would love to connect with you.

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