We've moved...

We've moved

2011-02-08T10:20:00.003-05:00

We've moved! Check out the new site over at www.hillsidelondon.com

Christmas Eve Service: Fri Dec 24th, 7pm

2010-12-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

Join us this Christmas eve at 7pm for an evening of celebration as we walk through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John's accounts of Christ's birth.

Expect song, reflection, and - of course - a whole lot of candlelight...

See you there!

Advent Pilgrimage (Week 4) | Wed Dec 22nd, 6:30pm

2010-12-14T22:53:00.004-05:00

We are gathering Wednesday Dec 22nd from 6:30-7pm at The Arts Project (203 Dundas Street) for our final advent service.

Candlelight Service @ 7pm on Christmas Eve

2010-12-13T14:09:00.001-05:00

Our annual Candlelight Service on Friday, Christmas Eve. Join us for an evening of celebration at 7 pm.

Advent Pilgrimage (Week 2) Cancelled

2010-12-07T18:30:00.001-05:00

Due to "Snowmageedon" we've decided to call off our 2nd week of Advent celebrations scheduled originally for Wednesday night at Hillside.

Hopefully this post finds you warm and dug out of the drifts...

Avent Pilgrimage

2010-12-01T08:23:00.002-05:00

Wednesday, December 1st

6:30-7pm @ Metropolitan United
468 Wellington St Map

Tonight marks the first leg of our Advent pilgrimage.
We begin by revisiting our ancient roots where we will encounter the chants and liturgies of generations gone by. Brad and the crew at Metropolitan have crafted an experience specifically intended to pull us back — waaaaay back — to some of the church’s ancient Advent traditions, words and sung chants.

While we may be separated by hundreds of years from these traditions of Advent, we find ourselves waiting for the same hope, grace and restoration…

Don’t miss the first chapter in our Advent journey!

Retreat Reflection from Steph Card

2010-11-23T20:42:00.000-05:00

This from Steph Card....

"What an amazing weekend.

I left the retreat with many things; a full stomach (thanks Hilary and Margie), sore arms from playing Frisbee, a new group of people that support my distaste for Cilantro, and of course a challenge about how to follow Jesus' example of being TABLED.

In the morning we learned about how Jesus was a relational person who shared his message with people, often the outcasts of society, at a table or by sharing a meal together. We were challenged to follow Jesus' example and invite people into your home for a meal - as often as we can, and with as diverse group of people as possible. We were also encouraged to provide a meal for someone else by signing up to provide a hamper to one of the many needy families that look to us for help during the holidays.

In the afternoon we shared communion together. We came to the table, just as the disciples did and accepted Christ's gift to us. Tabled. Its in that story, that I found myself reflecting again. On that night, when they partook of the passover meal together, Jesus bows down and washes his disciples feet. One disciple in particular didn't like this, and forcefully tried to reject the gift of servanthood and sacrifice that Jesus was offering.

As I considered these things; A challenge to be tabled with others, inviting them to eat or providing a meal for them to eat with their loved ones, and the story of Jesus eating with his closest friends and then sacrificing himself, I came to the realization that it is not hard for me to provide a meal for others; the difficult part for me, is to be the invitee. For someone to open themselves up, and for me to accept their hospitality and possibly even acknowledge my own need, therein lies the challenge.

Inviting the sinner in to dine with us, in order to be like Jesus, may be easy for some, maybe even make us feel good for doing a good deed and being more like Christ, but for others, accepting the invitation to dine - or maybe even inviting ourselves over for dinner - is more outside of our comfort zones, and perhaps even where Christ is leading us.

So, we came back from spending a weekend being together. It was full, as were our stomachs and hearts after leaving. May that continue, whether you are doing the inviting, or you are the invitee."

Advent

2010-11-21T21:15:00.002-05:00

Well, our Ecclesiastes series is over... for now. We may continue on in Ecclesiastes sometime in the new year... who knows? But for now we will pause to spend the next several weeks focussing on Advent. Ecclesiastes was a thought-provoking series which created some good conversation about some deep issues as relevant to our culture today as to Solomon's culture when he wrote the book roughly 2900 years ago.

Advent is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Christ. Next Sunday, the first week of Advent, Norm Wiseman will lead us in some discussion about the idea of “Hope”. Is hope just another strategy for getting through difficult days? What is it that you are hoping for these days? How would life be different if we truly placed our hope in the One we celebrate at Christmas?

We hope you'll join us on Sunday morning.

Retreat Map etc

2010-11-18T08:22:00.000-05:00

View Larger Map

Here's a quick map to the location of our day-Retreat this Saturday Nov 20th.

We'll have coffee and muffins available at 9am, and will "officially" get our program started around 10am. Dinner will be around 5:30 and you're welcome to head home after that...

Travel time from Hillside to the centre is just over half an hour.

Things to bring:
- Warm clothes to enjoy the numerous hiking trails (if it's nice out).
- Board games etc to enjoy during free time (if it's cold out).
- A bible
- An appetite

Also, there should be some room in Hillside's parking lot to leave your extra cars if you wish to carpool with friends.

If you've got any other questions, feel free to contact the office or send James an email via james@hillsidelondon.com

See you there!

Hillside Weekend (Nov 19-21)

2010-11-09T11:49:00.000-05:00

We'll have more information about the following as things shape up over the next two weeks, but for now, here's a quick snapshot of our upcoming "Hillside Weekend."

--

The weekend of November 19-21st offers three great opportunities to spend time building up our community and getting to know each other just a little bit better.

We kick things off Friday Nov 19th down at the John Labatt centre to cheer on the London Knights (thanks to everyone who helped us sell this event out - we should have your tickets ready for pickup this Sunday!).

On Saturday Nov 20th we'll head to Pearce Williams Christian Retreat Centre for a day to pray, to talk, to laugh and to share in some great food. Saturday's retreat runs from 10am-7pm and everyone is welcome to join us for the day.
Registration is open Sunday at the info centre or via james@hillsidelondon.com. Cost is $5/adult or $10/family (no matter how big the family).

Finally, to wrap things up, we're hosting a number of dinner parties around the city on Sunday night. Hosts will provide the main course, while guests are asked to provide salad or dessert. Sign up sheets (for hosts and guests) will be open this Sunday Nov 14th at the info centre or via james@hillsidelondon.com

Coming soon...

2010-11-08T14:53:00.002-05:00

Information regarding our upcoming "Hillside Weekend" (Knights game, day-retreat, dinner parties) will be up and on this site soon. Thanks to everyone who has bought tickets, signed up and volunteered so far!

Stay tuned...

P.S. In the meantime, if you've got any questions about any of the above mentioned events, feel free to shoot James Kingsley an email via james@hillsidelondon.com

The New Math: Let’s Commit To Each Other

2010-11-05T10:54:00.000-04:00

We agree with Bono when he sings “Sometimes you can’t make it on your own” - we were not created to be islands unto ourselves. Rather, we were created to be in deep and beautiful and messy community. Join us as we dig into Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 this Sunday Nov 7th to see what else we can turn up...

Card as Goodyear

2010-11-02T15:57:00.000-04:00

For those of you still wondering what was up with Steph's attire on Sunday morning: perhaps these pictures - and the reminder that it was Hallowe'en - might make the connection a bit easier :)

And they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

Stuff N' Lunch: Retirees Lunch

2010-10-25T06:29:00.000-04:00

Retirees are invited to join us Wednesday Oct 27th at 10:30am to help the Navigators stuff some envelopes before sitting down to enjoy a lunch together!

Cost is $5 and anyone wishing to take part is asked to RSVP via office@hillsidelondon.com as soon as possible.

Meaningless, Meaningless

2010-10-22T16:29:00.001-04:00

We start a new series based on the book of Ecclesiastes this Sunday Oct 24th entitled Ebb and Flow: Confronting our pursuit of wealth, pleasure, and wisdom.

Our first message centers around Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 and will challenge us to examine our lives, asking about "the point in life"and wondering if the way things are is the really the way they're supposed to be?

Limberlost Clean-Up

2010-10-20T11:45:00.000-04:00

Who: All are welcome!
What: Helping Judy clean up her new Chaplaincy unit
Where: Limberlost Housing Complex
When: Saturday Oct 23rd, 1-4pm
Why: Many hands make light work :)

Judy Dickinson is looking for a few hands to help her clean up the chaplaincy in the Limberlost housing complex where where she's recently started serving. The plan for the day is to clean up some graffiti, wash some windows and walls, and do some other work "fixing' up" around the place.

If you're able to pitch in, you can get in touch with Judy via office@hillsidelondon.com

Keeping the discussion rolling...

2010-10-19T21:07:00.001-04:00

Thanks to those of you who made it out to last week's Open-Elders meeting regarding Hillside's policies on women in ministry roles. Despite a smaller turnout than we'd anticipated we had some great conversations and are looking forward to hosting another discussion soon.

In the meantime we would appreciate your continued prayer, thoughts and feedback. Questions, comments, and the like are welcome via elders@hillsidelondon.com

Note: If you missed picking up a copy of the working discussion paper, you can download a copy here.

Open-Elders Meeting tonight (Oct 14th)

2010-10-14T11:22:00.000-04:00

Everyone is invited to an open-elders meeting tonight at 7pm at Hillside to discuss the suggestion of a vote to change our Policy on Women in Ministry to embrace an "egalitarian view."

Those unable to attend are invited to talk to any of the Elders personally or email comments/feedback via elders@hillsidelondon.com. A draft of the working discussion paper (and current policy) is available for download here.

The Week of October 11th

2010-10-13T06:31:00.001-04:00

Note: We've started a weekly e-newsletter for those of you interested in receiving updates similar to the following via email. To subscribe, send us an email with the subject "Newsletter" and we'll get you on the list!

To get further involved, or for more information regarding any of the below, email James Kingsley via james@hillsidelondon.com.

Enjoy!

Around Hillside

NOTE: We're currently re-assessing the best time and place to get together for youth "group" as Tuesdays haven't proven to work with everyone's schedules. Those interested in upcoming events should contact James Kingsley via james@hillsidelondon.com for more information.

Thursday Oct 14th
PLAYGROUP
10-11:45am @ Hillside
Parents and caregivers are welcome to join us at Hillside for a morning playgroup. Kids under 18 months will be in the nursery while activities are offered for those older than 18 months.
Contact office@hillsidelondon.com for more info.

Thursday Oct 14th
OPEN-ELDERS MEETING RE: WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP ROLES AT HILLSIDE
7-9pm @ Hillside

The Elders at Hillside Church wish to open the question of “Women in Leadership” for discussion and eventual vote to change our Policy on Women in Ministry to one that embraces an egalitarian view. A draft of the current discussion paper is available for download here.

Those unable to attend are invited to talk to any of the Elders personally or email comments/feedback via elders@hillsidelondon.com

Saturday October 16th
Hope For Rural Children and Orphans (HORCO)
6-9pm @ Hillside
Enjoy an Ethiopian Buffet dinner and the sounds of the "Joy in the Harvest Drum Choir" while learning about safe-water sanitation projects in Ethiopia.
Tickets are $15 and more info is available from Bob Kline via bob@horco.ca

Sunday October 10th
COVENANT SUNDAY + HILLSIDE LUNCH
Gathering: 10-11:30am
Lunch: 11:30am-1pm'ish
Pernell Goodyear will be wrapping up our series on Hillside's Values with a discussion of John 15:1-17 before we gather for a lunch together at the Church! We'll also be taking the time to Covenant together for the year ahead.

Around Town (& Thereabouts):

Saturday October 16thLimberlost Community Work Bee

Our very own Judy Dickinson has recently taken work as a Chaplain with the Limberlost housing complex and is looking for a few extra hands to help with washing windows, yardwork, organizing and cleaning the townhouse unit where she is serving. If you are able to come alongside and help with this need feel free to get in touch with her via office@hillsidelondon.com

Prayer & Needs:

- We need Salads and Desserts for Sunday's meal together. If you can bring either (or both) please email james@hillsidelondon.com to let us know!
- Please pray for our new and already-formed Community Groups as they gather regularly to live life together....
- We're looking to match up adults with our kids to form some "secret prayer pals." To get paired up contact julia.motherwell@gmail.com

Upcoming/Save-the-Date:

Wednesday October 27thStuff N’Lunch

Retirees are invited to help Navigators with their mailing and have lunch together! Cost is $5. Sign up on Sunday at the welcome desk or email us to let us know you're coming via office@hillsidelondon.com

Friday November 19th
London Knights
Tickets go on sale this Sunday during our Hillside Lunch.

Saturday November 20th
Hillside Day-Retreat
We're headed to the Pearce Williams Christian Centre for a day together as a community. More details coming soon...

Recommended Listening:

Seeing as how we're wrapping up our series on Hillside's Values this Sunday, why not go back and have another listen to what we've covered so far?

- Bob Kline, Joanne Whiteside, and Steph Card challenge us about "Community"

- Nathan Colquhoun differentiates between "Opportunity" and "Freedom" and introduces some Spiritual Disciplines to help along the way.

- Jeff Knight re-focuses us on "Worship"

- Due to the collaborative nature of the morning, we didn't get a recording of our week studying "Spirit"

- James Shelley breaks it down when it comes to how we recognize and react to "Truth"

Congrats to Ride for Refuge

2010-10-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

A big congrats/thanks goes out to Dianne, Wyatt, and the rest of Team Livestrong who rode through the rain and wind last weekend to raise money and support for the displaced, the vulnerable, and the exploited with Ride for Refuge. Their team in particular raised $4,000 of the total $42, 000 that London's teams brought in together.

A particular thank-you comes from Dianne and Wyatt to the people of Hillside for their prayers and sponsorship.

Here's to next year's ride!

The Week of October 4th

2010-10-06T06:35:00.000-04:00

Note: We've started a weekly e-newsletter for those of you interested in receiving updates similar to the following via email. To subscribe, send us an email with the subject "Newsletter" and we'll get you on the list!

Around Hillside

Tuesday Oct 5
YOUTH "GROUP"
7-9pm @ the Vejvoda's
Youth from grades 6 thru 12 are invited to Paul and Lori Vejvoda's for an evening of hanging out and getting to know one another.
For more info email james@hillsidelondon.com

Thursday Oct 7th
PLAYGROUP
10-11:45am @ Hillside
Parents and caregivers are welcome to join us at Hillside for a morning playgroup. Kids under 18 months will be in the nursery while activities are offered for those older than 18 months.
Contact office@hillsidelondon.com for more info.

Sunday October 10th
Value Series: Truth
10-11:30am
James Shelley joins us for a morning focused on Hillside's value of "Truth."
If you're looking for some homework in preparation: grab your favourite notebook and a pen and reflect on this question... "What is truth?"

Around Town (& thereabouts):

Vital Signs 2010 released....
London's "Vital Signs" is an annual check-up conducted by the London Community Foundation that measures the vitality of our community and identifies significant trends in a range of areas critical to quality of life. In terms of getting to know our city (and what part we can play in loving/serving it better) this yearly resource consistently proves itself to be one of the best.
- View the full report online at http://londonvitalsigns.ca/
- Download the full report here
- Read more in the London Free Press

The Real Issue
The Chlid and Youth Network (consisting of over 140 groups from around London) has recently launched a new website to help inform the city of some of the stats surrounding poverty in London. While it doesn't paint a pretty picture (1 in 5 children in London are born into poverty) it does put a face to the numbers and offers a variety of ways to get involved in making a difference.
Read more about it in the London Free Press or check out the website at www.therealissue.ca

Park(ing) Day London 2010
If you missed London's inaugural Park(ing) Day event (where Londoners "took over" downtown parking spots and got creative) you can watch a mini-documentary of the day's events here.

Prayer & Needs:

- With fall settling in, we're looking to replenish the stocks of our food cupboard. As a frequently used resource to the surrounding community we'd be grateful for; peanut butter, jam, coffee, tea, canned salmon/tuna, pasta, cookies, crackers, juice, cereal and the like. Donations bins are located in the auditorium and lower welcome center. Thanks.

- Remember to keep Hillside's shut-in's in your prayers.

- We're looking to match up adults with our kids to form some "secret prayer pals." To get paired up contact Julia Motherwell via office@hillsidelondon.com

Upcoming/Save-the-Date:

Saturday October 16th
Hope For Rural Children and Orphans (HORCO)
6-9pm @ Hillside
Enjoy an Ethiopian Buffet dinner and the sounds of the "Joy in the Harvest Drum Choir" while learning about safe-water sanitation projects in Ethiopia.
Tickets are $15 and more info is available from Bob Kline via office@hillsidelondon.com

Sunday October 17th
Hillside Lunch
Stick around after the service for lunch together!

Friday November 19th
London Knights
More info coming soon

Saturday November 20th
Hillside Day-Retreat
More info coming soon

Recommended Reading:

Remember to Rest
Wayne Muller c/o Daryl Dash

Jeremiah 29:4-7

Youth "group"

2010-10-04T06:22:00.001-04:00

If you're in grades 6 through 12 you're invited to hang at the Vejvoda's Tuesday night (Oct 5th) from 7-9pm for an evening of good grub and good conversation. For directions etc contact james@hillsidelondon.com

The Week of Sept 27th

2010-09-28T05:52:00.001-04:00

Tuesday
7-9pm @ the Vejvoda's
Youth from grades 6 thru 12 are invited to Paul and Lori Vejvoda's to enjoy a bbq kickoff to the fall. The plan is to enjoy some food and conversation and set the course for the next few months.
For more info email james@hillsidelondon.com

Thursday
10am-11:45am @ Hillside
Hillside Playgroup: a weekly co-op preschool format for kids 18 months and up. No experience necessary! Let’s get together to play and plan for the fall.

Saturday
10am @ Hillside
Kids Science days: You're invited to bring the kids out as we learn about Cryogenics through everybody's favorite treat: ice cream!

Sunday
10-11:30am
Jeff Knight continues our current series on Hillside's values with a look into "Worship."

Around Town (& thereabouts):

Sept 30, 7pm
Ron Sider @ University College, Conron Hall, Room 224
Author Ron Sider is coming to UWO to speak on the topic “Rich Canadians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity.” Christianity Today hailed Sider’s groundbreaking book "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger" as one of the top 100 influential books of the 20th century. The event is free and open to the public.

Oct 2nd
Ride For Refuge @ North Park Community Church, London
Cheer on London's team (which includes a few Hillsiders) as they cycle to raise money and awareness for a number of groups working to better the lives of the displaced, the vulnerable, and the exploited.
Learn more about the ride here.

Oct 1-2
8th Letter Conference @ St. Paul's, Toronto
The writer of Revelation delivered seven letter to seven churches - This year's 8th Letter Conference asks what letter would be written to the Church in North America today? Join a diverse group of speakers as they seek to discern what God has to speak into our unique cultural context. Watch the trailer for the conference here.
BONUS: Tickets just went on sale as 2-for-1's. Register by September 30th to get the deal.

Prayer & Needs:

- We are looking for adults who we can pair up with a child as a secret prayer pal. They could send letters of encouragement to each other and pray for each other. To get connected, contact Lynne Currie via lynnecurrie@hotmail.com

- Hillside's food cupboard is frequently accessed by members from our community and the surrounding neighbourhoods. So much so that our stock is currently running low. Donations are welcome Monday thru Friday from 9am-3pm as well as Sunday morning during our service. Prayer for those facing hard times is equally requested.

- In an effort to reach out to a mom whose kids’ bikes were stolen, we are looking for used bikes in good condition. See Pernell or pernell@hillsidelondon.com.

Recommended Reading:

- "Celebration of Discipline" - Richard Foster
Following Nathan's sermon this past Sunday on Freedom, Opportunity and Discipline, we thought you might be interested in this classic.

- Live More Musically - Andy Crouch
In this article, author Andy Crouch makes the case for finding our satisfaction through practicing rather than purchasing.

Primer for Sunday Sept 26th

2010-09-23T06:34:00.000-04:00

Nathan Colquhoun is back for another visit this Sunday to explore Hillside's value of "Freedom." We asked him for a hint at what direction he'd be taking and he kindly sent along the following:

So, since we’re out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we’re free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it’s your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you’ve let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you’ve started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!
See Romans 6 for more...

--

Nathan Colquhoun planted a church called theStory (thestory.ca) and runs a media company in Sarnia, he also keeps himself busy throwing conferences with Epiphaneia, the next one being Eighth Letter (eighthletter.com).

This week etc

2010-09-22T06:26:00.005-04:00

Around Hillside

Community Groups
Fall is upon us and we're setting up to launch a renewed focus on getting together throughout the week in smaller groups. Stay tuned for more information, but in the meantime: all those interested in joining, hosting, or facilitating a group should get in touch with James Kingsley or Mary Beth Anderson via office@hillsidelondon.com

Food Drive
Hillside's (increasingly accessed) Food Cupboards are running low and we're looking for your non-perishable items to fill it up. Donation can be brought to Hillside Monday through Friday from 9am until 3pm or on Sunday mornings. Thank you.

Baby Bottle Drive
We are currently collecting donations for the London Crisis Pregnancy Centre. Get in touch with the office to pick up a baby bottle to fill with loonies and toonies by Oct 17th.

Playgroup
Hillside is starting a regular playgroup on Thursdays as a co-op for 18 months and up, and a nursery for infants. For more information contact Lori Vejvoda via office@hillsidelondon.com

Science Day for Kids
Our next Science Day for kids is Saturday Oct 2nd where we'll learn about cyrogenics as we make icecream! Registration info available via office@hillsidelondon.com

Youth Group Launch on Sept 28th
Hillside will be kicking things off with a BBQ at the Vejvoda's on Tuesday Sept 28th from 7-9pm. Grades 6-12 are more than welcome to join us. For more info talk to the Paul and Lori Vejvoda or James and Hilary Kingsley this Sunday.

Around Town

Car Free Sunday/Artfusion
- Sunday Sept 26
- Downtown (Dundas St between Ridout and Wellington)
Returning for it's second year, London shuts down a good portion of Dundas St. for a four hour street festival and giant Mural Painting.
Read more about it in the London Free Press or check out www.ourstreet.ca

A Slow Taste of Town and Country
- Sunday Sept 26
- Ilderton Fair Grounds
Celebrate the local harvest with this annual showcase of farmers, artisans, and chefs from around the county.
Learn more here or download Flyer/Map

Walk a Mile photos

2010-09-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

Here's some shots of the team taking part in this past Sunday's "Walk A Mile in Her Shoes" event.

In all, Walk participants raised over $30 000 for for London's Women's Community House, and helped focus a much needed spotlight on the travesty that is violence toward women in this city.

Thanks to all those who pledged their support.

And the heels on the last pic belong to Jeff Kadlecik - just in case you see him limping about still :)

Hillside's Slo-Pitch Finals! Sept 20th

2010-09-20T08:35:00.001-04:00

Summer may be winding down, but Hillside's Slo-Pitch team isn't quite done yet. Join us tonight (Monday September 20th) at 6:30pm to cheer them on as they battle rivals West Park Baptist for the League Championship.

The game is at the Southwest Optimist Complex (formerly "Dreamers") just off Exeter Road.

Southwest Optimist Complex (Dreamers)

View Larger Map

Primer for Sunday September 19th

2010-09-16T06:49:00.000-04:00

While a good chunk of our men join Team Hillside for a lap around Victoria Park in bright red high heels, Gordon Russell will be leading the congregation through a morning of liturgical reflection on Hillside's value of "Spirit."

Primer for Sun Sept 12 | "Community"

2010-09-10T08:06:00.000-04:00

Join us Sunday September 12th as we kick off a series on Hillside's core Values with a "Sermonette Sunday" featuring three Hillsiders and their favorite "One Another" passage(s) of Scripture.

We'll also be hosting a bbq after the service, so clear your lunch plans now and plan on joining us for the festivities!

Related:
More One Anothers

Hillside BBQ - Sept 12

2010-09-04T10:20:00.003-04:00

We're kicking off our series on Hillside's core Values with a BBQ following a morning discussion of "Community" on September 12th and need a hand to fill out our menu...

If you're able to bring either a Salad or Dessert (peanut-free please), talk to James Kingsley this Sunday or email him via hillsidecomlife (at) gmail (dot) com.

School Supplies needed

2010-08-22T18:09:00.001-04:00

We are once again collecting school supplies for some of London's children as they head back to class next month. If you can, feel free to drop off any of the following items listed below at Hillside over the next few Sundays!
Items we need:

Backpacks

Crayons

Markers

Pens

Pencils

Rulers

Calculators

Lined paper

Duo-tangs

Binders

Pencil cases

Erasers

Open-Elders meeting re: Seniors

2010-08-19T10:53:00.000-04:00

Following on the heel's of two meetings this summer focused on youth and small groups, the elders invite anyone interested in our seniors' ministries to join us tonight (August 19th) at 7pm!

Primer for Sunday August 22nd

2010-08-19T07:23:00.000-04:00

Brad Johnson joins us this Sunday for "The One About the Lost Coin" from Luke 15:08-10. Brad serves in downtown London as Director of Student Ministries at Metropolitan United Church.

Primer for Sunday Aug 15th

2010-08-12T07:44:00.000-04:00

Our very own Gordon Russell, chair of Hillside's elders, joins us this Sunday August 15th for The One About the Mustard Seed from Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 4:30-32 and Luke 13:18-19.

Youth event at the Vejvoda's | August 6th

2010-08-05T12:29:00.000-04:00

Youth from Grades 6 thru 12 are invited to join us at the Vejvoda's this Friday August 6th from 7pm to 11pm for an evening gathered around a 'custom-made' outdoor movie-screen and firepit!

For more details/directions, feel free to contact us via office@hillsidelondon.com

Primer for Sunday August 1st

2010-07-29T14:41:00.001-04:00

Michael Krahn joins us this Sunday for "The One About the Clever Manager" from Luke 16:1-15.

Michael serves as Associate Pastor of Worship/Missions at Aylmer EMCC and can be found blogging on the topics of faith, music and life here.

P.S. Don't forget to bring a picnic lunch and your swimming trunks to join us after the service for a backyard picnic/pool party!

Backyard Picnic | Sunday August 1st

2010-07-21T11:29:00.002-04:00

Join us after our service on Sunday, August 1 for a 12:30 backyard picnic/pool party!

Bring your own picnic lunch (drinks will be provided), lawn chair and swimming trunks for an afternoon spent hanging out with each other and enjoying the summer weather.*

Directions and more info will be available Sunday at the information desk!

*Unless, of course, it's raining. We'll make the call Sunday morning at the end of the service.

Hillside Day Camp (July 19-23)

2010-07-07T09:04:00.000-04:00

Children going into Grades 1-6 are invited to join us this summer for a week-long Day Camp offered at Hillside from 9am to 4pm on July 19-23.

The theme of the week will be learning about God's creation and there will be numerous games, team activities, and other opportunities to enjoy it in many different ways.

Contact: Lynne Currie via office@hillsidelondon.com

Download your registration forms here.

Photo: Mads Boedker

Job Postings: Pastor of Teaching Ministries, Pastor of Community Relations

2010-07-06T12:57:00.000-04:00

We are pleased to announce the posting of two new positions to join Hillside's leadership team: Pastor of Teaching Ministries, and Pastor of Community Relations.

Applications will be accepted until Saturday July 17th and we would ask all interested parties to send their Cover Letter and Resumé to resource@hillsidelondon.com.

If you would like to recommend a candidate, please encourage that individual to apply for the position directly. Questions are also welcome via the email above or in person to any member of the Resource Team (Stephanie Card, Jeff Kadlecik, Bob Kline, Tanya Rock, Grace Russell, Johan Strydom).

Job Postings:
Download: Pastor of Teaching Ministries
Download: Pastor of Community Relations

Fun Fair Photos

2010-06-29T17:38:00.000-04:00

For those of you who missed last weekend's Hillside Fun Fair, we've got pictures online here!

Fun Fair Tomorrow!

2010-06-25T07:13:00.018-04:00

Don't forget to join us tomorrow (Saturday June 26th) from 4-7pm at Hillside for our Fun Fair!

The event is set to include face painting, bbq, a photo-booth, and a magician that should keep everyone entertained.

See you there!

Primer for Sunday June 27th

2010-06-24T08:34:00.000-04:00

"Field Under Cloud and Shadow" - Nathan Birch

Brian Carney returns this week to continue looking into the "Crazy Love Parables" with "The One About Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price" from Matthew 13:44-46.

We're also planning to announce that the application process for two new staff positions will be open in a matter of days....

Youth Meeting - Thursday June 24th, 7pm

2010-06-23T08:13:00.001-04:00

Over the summer the elders are opening up their regular meeting and inviting the community to join us for conversation around some specific ideas/topics.

Things kick off at 7pm tomorrow night (Thursday June 24th) from Steve Mawdsley's office (126 Wellington) where anyone interested in talking about loving and serving youth is welcome to join us!

Looking ahead, we'll be discussing Small Groups on July 22nd, and then turning our focus to Seniors on August 19th...

Primer for Sunday June 20th

2010-06-17T11:17:00.003-04:00

Brian Carney joins us over the next two weeks for a look into "The One About the Lost Sheep" from Matthew 18:12-14/Luke 15:3-7 and "The One About Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price" from Matthew 13:44-46.

Speaker Bio
Brian lives in Waterloo with his wife and three children where he founded Blue Sea Philanthorpy and runs the international "Ride for Refuge."

Primer for Sunday June 13th

2010-06-10T06:51:00.001-04:00

Nathan Colquhoun joins us this Sunday for a look into "The One About the Pharisee and the Tax Collector" from Luke 18:9-14.

By way of introduction...
Nathan planted a church called theStory and runs a media company in Sarnia, he also keeps himself busy throwing conferences with Epiphaneia, the next one being "Eighth Letter."

In case you missed Hillside's AGM...

2010-06-02T13:23:00.001-04:00

May 30th was a busy day for Hillside as our Annual General Meeting took up a good portion of the morning. Here's a quick snapshot of things for those of you who weren't able to join us...

We're grateful for the discussion and support surrounding the elders' recommendation concerning changes to our process of welcoming those interested into Covenant Community Membership at Hillside. As mentioned during the service, the elders will be following up with the community to help clarify some of the questions which arose during our discussion. At this time, we wish to make it clear that Hillside is – and will continue to be – a community that encourages Baptism (by full immersion) in obedience to Christ and to the witness of His Church.

We were also encouraged by the community's affirmation of Jim Heene as an elder. Jim's pastoral heart and love for the people of Hillside is sure to be a blessing to all of us as he joins the board.

On that note, we'd also like to thank Brian Caslick for the time he has spent on the board. That said, as he leaves his position as elder and shift his focus to the Management Team, we're pretty sure he'll remain just as involved as he's ever been. If you can catch him standing still long enough, make sure to give that guy a pat on the back!

Finally, it was good to hear an update from our resource team on the work they've invested over the last few months in regard to some of our staffing and structural needs (see below for the full text of their announcement).

Again, thanks to everyone who calls Hillside home - we're blessed to serve alongside you.

Sincerely,
Gordon, Jim, James, Jeff, Steve

***

Update from the Resource Team
Over the past couple of months the resource team has been meeting to discuss the new staff required to meet the needs of our community. It has taken longer than we thought to gain an understanding of what the elders are looking for and what the current needs of our community are.

The biggest challenge we currently face is our hiring budget. The elders and committee recognize our community has many needs, many of which will not be met by the new staff. Our current budget and desire for this community allows us to hire individuals who are bivocational. However, we recognize that our hiring process will leave many needs unmet. In the past, we have been very blessed to have members of our community step-up to meet needs when staff have left or gone part-time. In the future we are hoping that our new staff meet some needs, but also that our community will draw together to meet the needs that cannot be fulfilled by paid positions.

Thank-you,
The Resource Team

Rick Warren on "One vs Many"

2010-05-28T08:35:00.001-04:00

I thought the following quote from Rick Warren was a wonderfully succinct explanation of some of the key reasons behind Hillside's recent moves toward fostering a community where everyone is enabled, empowered, and equipped to serve at the grassroots level.

"Here’s what I want you to think about -- most churches are structured where the lay people do church maintenance and the paid staff do ministry. So you end up with, say, two hundred members responsible for the maintenance of the church while one pastor is supposed to do all the ministry! How stupid is that? This kind of structure will not only burn-out the pastor, it will also keep members, who God gifted to minister, from being mobilized to serve....The more organizational machinery your church sets up, the more time, energy, and money it takes to maintain it. That is precious time, energy, and money that could be invested in ministry to people instead."

You can read the rest of what Rick has to say here.

Primer for Sunday May 30th

2010-05-27T07:04:00.010-04:00

This Sunday is our annual AGM, which makes it kind of fitting that Tim will be speaking on "The One about the Wise and Foolish Builders" (Matthew 07:24-27, Luke 06:47-49). As we look over 2009 it'll be great to re-align ourselves with this great story.

On that note...
If you haven't had a chance to read through our Annual Report for 2009, there should be some hard copies available at the back desk, or you can download a copy from here. Either way, we'd be suggest you give it a read as it's packed full of great stories from 2009...

Mothers' Day at Rotholme

2010-05-26T13:47:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back now, a group from Hillside put together a "Penny Sale" for the kids staying at the Rotholme Women's and Family Shelter. Throughout the day, about 30 kids were able to "buy" gifts for their mothers, have them wrapped, and make a Mother's Day card.

Thanks to all the volunteers who showed up for the day, and also to all those from Hillside who were able to donate gifts for the event!

In case you missed it yourself, here's a few pictures from the day:

Hillside Fun Fair | Saturday June 26th

2010-05-21T12:41:00.000-04:00

Who: Everyone!
What: Hillside Fun Fair
Where: 250 Commissioners Rd East
When: Saturday June 26th, 4-7pm
Why: Need we say more than face painting and a magician?!

Bring the whole family out Saturday, June 26th for an early evening of face painting, a dress-up photo booth, and a magician!

Children, Youth and "Who" to ask...

2010-05-15T13:33:00.000-04:00

There's so much going on at Hillside right now you'd hardly know the lazy days of summer are nearly on our doorstep. Here's some updates to help keep you plugged in and in the loop...

Children's Ministries
Julia Motherwell and Lynne Currie are settling into their new position as Directors of our Sunday Children's ministries quite well and we're excited to see them continue to grow into their role as the summer progresses.

We've also seen some great growth in our "Moms n' Tots" group that happens every other Friday; there's some great overlap and community building happening there which we're seeing affect our Sunday gatherings really positively.

Youth
The elders sat down with all our youth leadership two weeks ago and we're happy to say that our Wednesday and Thursday youth group nights will be continuing on through June as in years past. The team will then continue to focus on our youth as we take the summer to ensure we're kicking the fall off with as much support and intentionality as we can give them. It is definitely a priority for us, and we feel very blessed that Daryl was able to pull together such a great team of leaders who are so passionate about the youth they love and serve.

"Go-to-person" vs "Go-to-people"
In light of our current leadership structure (ie. plural, shared, grassroots) we get a lot of people asking "who should I ask" about a variety of things. As we continue to flesh out our pastoral/lay team structure please consider any one of the elders as your "go-to-people!" That team currently includes Gord Russell, Brian Caslick, Jeff Kadlecik, James Kingsley, and Steve Mawdsley. You can always send the group an email via elders -at- hillsidelondon -dot- com as well.

The Week of May 10-16

2010-05-11T21:49:00.002-04:00

Wednesday May 12
7-9pm - Fusion (Grades 6-8) "Drops In" in the youth room

Thursday May 13
7-9:30pm - Edge (Grades 9-12) continues in the youth room

Sunday May 16th
9am - Join us for pre-service Prayer in the teller room

10-11:30am- Weekly Service
Jay Gurnett joins us to continue our series on "The Parables" with a look into "The One About the Rich Fool" (Luke 12: 13-21).

By way of introduction: Jay is a former newspaper editor and college faculty member. He has participated in the leadership of three Western Canada church plants and currently works with Vision Ministries Canada as their "Master Networker;" a role where he gets to travel the country and keep his finger on the pulse of what God is doing in and through His Church. To learn more about the ministry visit www.vision-ministries.org.

Primer for Sunday May 9th

2010-05-07T08:43:00.000-04:00

Pernell Goodyear joins us again this Sunday for an introduction to our summer series on the Parables of Jesus.

See you at 10!

Primer for Sunday

2010-04-30T08:20:00.002-04:00

We're pretty excited to have Pernell Goodyear join us over the next two weeks to share from Luke 10:1-11 on May 2nd, and then again on May 9th when he'll kick off our summer series with an introduction to "The Parables."

By way of introduction...

Pernell and his family moved to Hamilton in 2001 to begin a holistic Christian community known as The Freeway (where he is currently the pastor) in one of Canada’s most under-resourced neighbourhoods. In 2005, The Freeway renovated an old CIBC bank building and opened an innovative, non-profit, fair trade coffee house, art and music venue, and community commons that functions as a third place and is committed to re-investing in the local and global community.

Library online

2010-04-20T23:35:00.001-04:00

Looking for a good book to sit down and cuddle up with? Kate and co. have been working hard to get our library organized - and we're happy to announceyou can now find a good chunk of it online! Check it out all ye book lovers!

Kids Science Days | April 24th

2010-04-20T12:30:00.000-04:00

Budding scientists aged 6-13 are invited to set up in our Kitchen Lab on Saturday April 24th from 9-11am for morning of Kitchen Science.

What can you learn about swimming pools from a cabbage?

What can iodine teach you about potatoes?

Learn the mysteries of milk, learn about different inks.

We may even have time to make slime!

Registration is now open via 519.681.7317 and
office@hillsidelondon.com

Photography, Scrapbooking, Stamping, Shopping...

2010-04-19T09:54:00.000-04:00

Ninabrook Designs'

Heather Brooks and Sharon Ninaber,

and Sue from Stamp Shack in London
are coming to Hillside,

Saturday, May 1.
Invite your friends.

Click poster to enlarge for details and registration

poster design courtesy of The Design Project

Primer for Sunday Apr 18th

2010-04-16T10:15:00.000-04:00

James Shelley joins us this week where he'll be taking on Philippians 3:12-16. In his own words...

"I'm primarily going to explore Paul's use of the word teleloo (we translate it as 'goal' in vs. 12 and then as 'mature' in vs. 15; whereas in most other places we translate it more verbatim as 'perfect' or "perfection") -- so it's Paul's wrestling with 'the goal of perfection' that I'm going to grapple with as the main theme."

--

James Shelley is a self-described "historian, story-teller and fitness instructor," living here in London. He's also heavily involved with Presence and can be found blogging over at Inventing a Planet.

Clean up the Coves (Euston Park)

2010-04-16T09:28:00.001-04:00

Just a reminder that Hillside is pitching in with the rest of the city and will be meeting at 9am Saturday morning to help clean up Euston Park (map).

Last year's event collected quite the haul and time the families and friends who showed up to join in the effort all had a great time.

See you then and there...

Clean up the Coves 2010

2010-04-06T12:58:00.000-04:00

Join us Saturday April 17th from 9am-noon as we join Love London to "clean up the Coves" as part of London's Clean and Green initiative.

Last year's event drew a great crowd from Hillside and we're looking to pitch in with even more help this year - so spread the word.

Parking is at the end of Phyllis St. (just past Rachel St). Map

Related: Clean up the Coves 2009 by the numbers

Good Friday

2010-04-01T13:55:00.010-04:00

Journey to the Cross

Everyone is invited to participate
in this interactive prayer experience.

Friday, April 2, anytime between 10 o'clock in the morning though 8 o'clock in the evening, travel the ancient path and see where it leads you.

Depending on how long you spend, your experience will take anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour.

This event is for all ages; the elevator will be available for those who require it. Coffee is available.

Thanks for a great meeting!

2010-03-10T23:43:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who made it out to our open-meeting the other night - it was great to see and hear so much passion about where we're headed and how we're hoping to get there!

For those of you who missed the meeting: make sure you find somebody who was there and get their take on things. Of course, you can feel free to get in touch with any of the elders or staff anytime as well.

Stay tuned....

Pictures of food distribution from Haiti

2010-03-10T07:51:00.000-05:00

We just got a link to these pictures from the recent food distribution in Haiti...thought you'd be encouraged to see them! Check 'em out.

Open-Elders meeting tonight (March 9th) 7pm

2010-03-09T10:01:00.001-05:00

Just a quick reminder that the elders are opening up their leadership meeting tonight (Tuesday March 9th) to anybody who wants to swing by and hear/discuss some of our recent moves to a more pluralistic leadership structure (including Tim's move away from a paid teaching position).

The plan is to leave lots of room to answer your questions, get your opinion and cast some vision and you can expect the following:

7:00pm (open)
Welcome and follow up to Sunday’s announcement – Gordon Russell
Review of our Values – Stephen Mawdsley
What are our needs? - James Kingsley and the community
What are the thoughts of the leadership team – James Kingsley
Moving Forward – Gord Russell
8:30pm (close)

If you've got any specific questions you'd like to pose beforehand (or if you can't make it tonight) feel free to email us via elders at hillsidelondon dot com.

Update on Last Sunday's Announcement

2010-03-03T13:04:00.002-05:00

If you missed our time together this past Sunday (Feb 28th) we wanted to give you a quick update on some new developments in our continued efforts to fully realize Hillside's vision of a "community of freedom worshiping God in spirit and truth."

Tim and Gord kicked off our teaching time by announcing to the congregation that Tim will be stepping aside from his paid role as Hillside's primary teaching pastor this May.

The decision comes as part of a conversation the leadership team has been involved with since the fall about Hillside's opportunity to start "building up" the community. After five steady years of re-imagining our community's values, we believe that we're at a point where it's time to get creative with the number of voices we hear from on Sundays. Having a steady and constant Teaching Pastor in Tim has been foundational - we're simply now looking to lay some bricks upon that foundation.

Obviously, this may come across as "big news" to some, but we believe the "bigger" news is that Hillside is healthy, focused and intent enough to go through such a transition with Tim, Connie and the rest of the family still very much involved in our life together. We'll continue to make use of Tim's obvious gift for teaching - just on a less regular basis and in a variety of different formats; in fact, at the moment, Tim is putting the wheels in motion for a mid-week series sometime in the fall.

We've posted the full audio from Sunday's announcement below and would encourage all those not with us to hear it originally to give it a listen today.

(Download instructions: right click on this link and "save link as.")

We'd also like to invite everyone at Hillside to join us on Tuesday March 9th from 7 to 8:30pm for an opportunity to discuss things further with the leadership team.

If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to talk to any of the elders or staff or email us via elders at hillsidelondon dot com.

Thank you from Haiti

2010-02-13T10:21:00.000-05:00

Richard and Arron have returned from their trip to Haiti where the combined love of Hillside, Newheart Church, and a number of individuals has brought emergency food and hope for the future to a community we are in the process of deepening a relationship with.

If they're not too jet-lagged we're hoping to have Richard and Arron share a bit of their journey this Sunday, but for now here's some initial thoughts from Richard:

"Let me first say that relationship is one of the strongest forces in the world. Nothing that we accomplished today could have been done without all of you, without Cris, Ivan, and Felipé traveling with us from the DR, and without their relationships with members of immigration. Every step of this journey – that was only conceived 6 days ago – has resulted from relationship.

Second, nothing conquers love and love conquers all. Your love for the people of Haiti; your love and support of me and my family; the way Thimothee and Nahum love the people of Gilbert-Mirebalais; the incredible love we have experienced in the care of Dominican friends; and the belief that I have that love travels to the extent that it can because if we love one another the world will not stay broken… experienced so vividly today I find myself truly overwhelmed.

More than 18,000 lb of food delivered and more than 13,000 multivitamins not to mention various medications and a couple of tents… delivered to care for more than 3500 people in 600+ families. You have brought hope, love, and life to save and sustain them for at least the next four weeks.

You did this. You did it because you believe the world does not have to stay broken and because you believe that love overcomes obstacles. I am grateful to have each of you as partners…"
Read more about the trip here

Hillside Games Night | Feb 12

2010-02-11T11:54:00.000-05:00

All Hillside...bring your friends, bring your kids, and join us in the youth room from 6:45-9'ish on Friday Feb 12th for a night of food, fun, and board games. Bring a game or three to share... and some snacks. Beverages will be provided.

Olé! for Taco Lunch

2010-02-01T21:29:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the all señors and señoritas who showed up early to prep the food and stayed behind late to clean things up - last Sunday's Taco Lunch wouldn't have been possible without you!

And to the 200+ people who stuck around to enjoy good food and good conversation: thanks for making the lunch a great time to get to know each other just a little bit more.

Stay tuned for details about our next meal together...

Primer: Panel + Tacos = Sunday Jan 31st

2010-01-28T17:05:00.000-05:00

Bring your appetites this Sunday as we're wrapping up our January series with a panel-discussion of sorts before celebrating a "year of getting (it) together" over a homemade taco lunch!

Haiti Relief effort

2010-01-26T00:01:00.002-05:00

Well, the money has been collected, converted to the following items and is ready to roll.

To the people of Hillside, New Heart Community Church, and an inspiring number of individuals: thank you for making this happen - it is beyond what any of us could have imagined on our own.

"The list"
15,625 lb of rice. 125 sacks @ 125 lb apiece (~$8000)
$2000 worth of dried beans
64 bottles of children's multivitamins
16 bottles of adult multivitamins
20 tubes of eye medication
4 industrial size bottles of advil
5 cases of protein bars
2 thirteen-person tents

Please keep Richard and Arron in your prayers as they oversee the delivery of these goods.

PLEASE NOTE: We'll post as much info as we can during the week, but due to security reasons, we'd ask that the specific locations where this aid is heading to be kept off the internet please. Please don't mention it in any facebook comments or responses to this blog post. Thank you.

Laura Mawdsley says "Yes"

2010-01-25T18:29:00.000-05:00

Congrats to Laura Mawdsley & Tim Pippus on their recent engagement!

Be sure to ask Steve and Bonnie for the story on how it all went down...

Moms 'n' Tots pics

2010-01-23T11:07:00.001-05:00

Cute Alert: here's some pics from a recent gathering of our "moms 'n' tots" group.

Feel free to join us every other Friday at 10am for a chance to connect while our kids play in the pre-school area...

Save-the-date for "Shared Space"

2010-01-23T09:38:00.003-05:00

Expect to hear more about this in the coming weeks, but we wanted to let you mark your calendar March 6th's "Shared Space: Intentional Community Forum" here in town.

From their website:
Shared Space is a one-day event for people considering (or currently) living in intentional Christian community. By "intentional community" we mean the sharing of resources and living space. But the "goal" of these living arrangements is not merely to have roommates to help pay the gas bills, but to actually slug through life together for a greater purpose. Living intentionally means thinking through everything in life: your ecological footprint, your capacity to exercise hospitality to others, and even your overall assumptions about what "Christianity" might really look like in action.

To learn more about the March 6th event visit www.sharedspace.eventbrite.com

(Photo of Heather Bennings' "Dollhouse" c/o Motherhen0three)

Primer: Hope amidst the broken

2010-01-20T19:37:00.011-05:00

We wrap up the "formal" part of our January series this Sunday January 24th with a discussion about light, dark, and the call to live as hope amidst the broken; indeed to be broken ourselves, that God's light might shine through us.

As we have the past two weeks, our conversation will be kicked off with a video interview conducted by Donald Miller. This time he sits down with Dr. Dan Allender and Dr. Tremper Longman for a discussion about serving in the darkest corners.

We'll also give you an update on our continually evolving response to the devastation in Haiti...

Trailer for Frustration & False Gods from All Things Converge on Vimeo.

Haiti response trickling in...

2010-01-16T14:38:00.000-05:00

Word is starting to trickle in from the ministries (and ministers) we know in Haiti. We'll post more here as it solidifies, but expect to get some more details tomorrow morning (Sunday) when we gather.

The good news is that many lives have been spared, the bad news - of course - is the devastation surrounding these families.

Forming a response to the Haitian Earthquake

2010-01-15T08:33:00.003-05:00

We'll be tweaking our service plans this Sunday to allow time to pray for the people of Haitia and discuss how we might best get involved in the aid effort on a corporate level.

It's no overstatement to say Haiti is dealing with an absolute catastrophe and we're hoping to join the response through some of the connections we've made in the country over the past few months.

As of right now we're working out the logistics of collecting an offering to devote to the crisis. We'd also like to recommend a few organizations whose efforts to the cause we support. (By no means is this list exhaustive or definitive, it's just meant to get the ball rolling – as we pray and discuss things on Sunday we're sure our response will take greater shape.)

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders
“The first reports are now emerging from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams who were already working on medical projects in Haiti. They are treating hundreds of people injured in the quake and have been setting up clinics in tents to replace their own damaged medical facilities.”
www.msf.ca

World Vision
“With an international response team flying in from around the globe to assist, our relief efforts are underway. World Vision Haiti is now distributing emergency supplies to families and children struggling to deal with this catastrophic disaster.”
www.worldvision.ca

Canadian Red Cross
“The Red Cross response includes evacuation support, search and rescue efforts and providing shelter and first aid. Local Red Cross volunteers continue to work around the clock to help the many people affected by this disaster.”
www.redcross.ca

Compassion Canada
“Compassion’s Haiti Disaster Relief and Recovery will provide urgent essential supplies and immediate care to Compassion-assisted children, families and projects affected by this major natural disaster, plus ongoing support to repair and rebuild damaged homes and centres.”
www.compassion.ca

If we get any updates between now and Sunday, we'll be sure to post them here. Otherwise, God bless you as you follow His lead to love and serve our neighbour.

Primer: Meeting God in the Everyday

2010-01-14T08:40:00.000-05:00

We continue our introduction to "A Year of Getting (it) Together" this Sunday with a look into some common disciplines many of practice regularly for the express purpose of allowing God his rightful place at the center of our lives.

Specifically we'll delve into the ideas of prayer, fasting and sabbath to help us paint a bigger picture of what it means to "meet God in the everyday."

As we did last week, we'll stasrt our conversation this week with an interview between Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz) and Dr. Lauren Winner (Girl Meets God) about the topic...

p.s. We've been trying to track down the artist behind the image we're using for this week - if anybody out there in the internet can point us in his or her direction, that'd be mighty appreciated.

Thanks for two great meetings!

2010-01-13T11:26:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everybody who made it out these past two evenings to take part in our continuing conversation about children's ministries at (and through) Hillside.

Both evenings generated some great "big picture dreams" for ministry and also helped us pinpoint some areas where we need to establish some very concrete short-term goals.

We'll be taking the next week or two to organize the notes we took and get them out there circulating throughout Hillside. In the meantime, stay tuned to this website, our announcement time on Sundays, and the bulletin to be keep yourselves in the loop.

Primer: The Importance of Story and Place

2010-01-07T08:58:00.002-05:00

Join us this Sunday January 10th as we kick off a four-week series aimed at laying the foundation for A Year of Getting (it) Together.

We'll start with a look at the importance of "story" and "place" to who and where we are as a community;
asking such questions as "Why do we need to know each others' stories?" and "How important is 'place' in forming our understanding of ourselves?"

To get things started, we'll be sitting in on a conversation between Donald Miller (author, Blue Like Jazz) and Pyllis Tickle (author and founding Religion Editor for Publishers Weekly).

Here's a little sneak peek of what you can expect:

See you Sunday!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T07:54:00.000-05:00

Welcome to 2010, we trust everyone had a safe and celebratory new year.

For those of you who were out and about over the holidays, make sure to listen to our wrap up of 1st Thessalonians and our introduction to "A Year of Getting Together."

Stay tuned for more as the new year continues to unfold...

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T15:01:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! All the best to you and yours this day...

On Candlelight and Christmas

2009-12-23T08:55:00.001-05:00

As we prepare for our own Candlelight Service (Dec 24th, 7pm) we wanted to pass along this great little reflection from writer/blogger Brett McCracken about what has become a highly anticipated yearly tradition at Hillside.

"This baby—born into strife, squalor, in a nondescript cave—was more than a feared little rebel threat and chink in the armor of the Roman machine. In time this humble little child set in motion a movement that surpassed Rome and all other empires in size, scope, and revolutionary impact. From Bethlehem the light spread through the dark sanctuary of the world, from the Middle East to Europe to the ends of the earth....

How fitting that in such a dark week, we celebrate the entry of light into the world. When the world was at it’s darkest—on that silent, cold night 2,000 years ago—cosmic light and eternal hope took human form as a baby (a baby!) born into the humblest of conditions for the sake of a dark, desperate world...."
Read more

See you tomorrow night!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

2009-12-16T18:29:00.001-05:00

Join us Thursday December 24th at 7pm as we celebrate Christ's incarnation with an evening of song, reading, and light.

The Big Question 1/3: Inclusivity

2009-12-03T12:10:00.000-05:00

Flowing out of a leadership meeting last summer, the elders and staff wanted to get the community at Hillside thinking about a couple "big ideas" over the next few months.

We value all your opinions and we're excited about offering more opportunity for the community to collectively think about our future together.

With that in mind we'd love it if you could take some time to watch the first in our series of "Three Big Questions for Hillside" and let us know what you think.

Let the conversation commence...

Of Transit Strikes and Car Pooling

2009-11-30T10:03:00.000-05:00

If anybody out there is struggling to make it out on a Sunday in light of the bus strike (or for any other reason) feel free to contact the office and we'll do our best to hook you up with some wheels.

Likewise, if your car has an extra seat or three on a Sunday morning, drop us a line and we'll hook you up with some company for the drive.

office@hillsidelondon.com
519.681.7313

Related: Drive My Car

Coming soon...

2009-11-25T14:47:00.002-05:00

Here's a few things to be on the lookout around Hillside in the next few weeks
- Plans are in the works for this year's Christmas celebrations at Hillside...ah, candlelight.
- The elder's are opening up their monthly meeting in January for anyone interested in talking about loving the kids at Hillside and around London...stay tuned for the finalized date.
- Sneak peeks at the new pictorial directory has revealed a pretty fun design - and you're all looking good!

Got something to add to the list? Send us an email via office -at- hillsidelondon -dot- com and we'll do our best to spread the word.

Book Review: Dallas Willard's "The Great Omission"

2009-11-08T18:43:00.001-05:00

Dallas Willard's 2006 book called "The Great Omission" is an important reminder that the mission of the church is to make disciples, not converts (Matthew 28:18-20). "The Great Omission" is about the church's failure to pursue the "Great Commission".

Willard says he knows of no church that has a serious plan for making disciples, but this is not just a leadership issue, it is also the failure of individual believers to take seriously the responsibility for spiritual formation (or using an older term, discipleship). Like others before him, Willard emphasizes the need for "spiritual disciplines" (solitude, silence, prayer, fasting, Scripture memory, simplicity in living, etc) in order to partner with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God in growing in Christ-likeness.

In our fast-paced, knowledge-based culture there seems to be little value placed on taking time and making the effort to really understand what it means to become a disciple of Christ, and to live in obedience to all that Jesus commanded. It's an active process - and it won't happen if the Sunday morning Christian experience is all that the church offers and all that we have time for.

Willard's background in theology and philosophy, along with a keen intellect and engaging writing style enables him to challenge the reader in understandable ways. It's a hard critique on the church and our Christian culture. This is a bothersome book.

Friday, November 27

2009-11-08T02:00:00.001-05:00

Just a reminder to all you moms (and tots who can read) that every other Friday is Moms and Tots. Join us at 10am for a place to connect while our children play in the pre-school!

Hillside's Photo Directory

2009-11-07T09:34:00.002-05:00

We're looking forward to putting some names to faces with our photo directory. Thank you for everyone who participated to make this project a success, and for all of our volunteers: Lisa, Bonnie, Phyllis, Grace, Cindy, Ron, Charlie, Doris, Sharon and Lynn.

If you missed out, give the office a call to make alternate arrangements.

Argos Game/Party | Nov 7

2009-10-27T11:16:00.002-04:00

Who: Everyone
What: Argos Game/Party
Where: Toronto
When: Saturday November 7th (9am-9pm)
Why: Football!
How Much: $30 (by donation)

Tickets are now on sale for Hillside's trip to Toronto on Saturday November 7th where we'll watch the Argos rock the Alouettes and then stick around for a post-game party as Nova Scotia's Life Support performs between speeches from current Argo players and Pinball is slated to speak as well. More details (including video) about the day are available here.

If you and your family are interested, please RSVP pronto as tickets are limited.
Phone us at 519.681.7313 or email the office today!

Grubby Sunday | Nov 15th

2009-10-25T08:29:00.000-04:00

Wear your grubbies on Sunday November 15th and join us after the service to help clean up the leaves around the property before taking it easy for a hot lunch together.

Last year's effort was a blast and we're looking forward to keeping the tradition rolling this time around...

Community Groups

2009-10-21T11:32:00.000-04:00

Take Your Community Group

to the Next Level

Sunday, October 25 from 4-6 PM

with special guest from Georgia, Irene Ecker

Refreshments provided.

Please RSVP to Mary Beth /the office.

Online booking for Photo Directory Portraits

2009-10-17T11:15:00.000-04:00

We are now booking appointments for our upcoming Pictorial Church Directory!

Click here to book your appointment today.

(And no, we're not sure if they'll have the "laser background" available or not...it might be worth asking though)

Sunday Primer | Steph Card on Motivation, Aid, and Development

2009-10-14T12:51:00.000-04:00

Steph Card joins us October 18 for a look into our motivation behind getting involved in the lives of the poor and oppressed. We'll be looking at the differences between relief and development and what sort of example Christ gives us to carry it out...

One Homeless Night | Saturday Oct 10th

2009-10-03T09:10:00.005-04:00

Looking for a way to get involved with the city and serving out of your thankfulness this upcoming thanksgiving?

Daryl has organized a number of events for Saturday October 10th in partnership with Mission Services London and Rotholme Women 's and Family Shelter

We encourage you to invite your friends, neighbours, and family to join us. We realize that over the Thanksgiving weekend, families have a lot of plans. So we have provided a few options to partner with One Homeless Night. Pick which option(s) fit your thanksgiving weekend schedule.

Let us know which option(s) you are choosing by calling Hillside Church at 519-681-7313 or emailing Daryl at hillsidelondon dot com.

Option A: Bowling
We’re going bowling @ Fleetway on Saturday OCT. 10TH. We are inviting the Rotholme Family Shelter to be our guests. We would need to pick-up our friends living at Rotholme at 3:30PM. We will be sharing a pizza meal at Fleetway and return to Rotholme for around 6:30PM.

We need your help with transportation (Rotholme location: 42 Stanley St). Also, this option will cost $20/person for unlimited bowling for 2 hours and pizza dinner. This event will be free for our Rotholme guests.

Option B: Prayer Tour
At around 7:00PM we will be gathering at Mission Services of London - Men’s Mission. When everyone has arrived we will be participating on a prayer tour of downtown London and learning about the services provided for our friends, who are homeless. After the tour we will be serving a snack at the Men’s Mission. We will be done around 11:00PM. The Men’s Mission is located at 459 York St. * (Limited space)

Option C: Breakfast
For Guys only! Space has been provided at the Men’s Mission for us to stay overnight and help serve breakfast. We will be helping with breakfast around 6:00AM and done around 8:30AM. *(Limited space)

Facebook listing

(Special thanks to Kevin Van Lierop for the use of his photo in the above ad)

A few more "Walk a Mile" Pics

2009-09-22T08:51:00.001-04:00

Pics from this past Sunday's "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" keep rolling in. If you haven't had a laugh yet today here's a few links for those of you on Facebook c/o Matt Jarry, Jeff Kadlecik, Richard Dew , Lisa Martin, and Steve Caslick.

~~(We'll have some pics up on flickr for those of you not on facebook soon enough..)~~

For those of you not on Facebook, here's a link to Matt Jarry's photos, and slideshow.

Man enough indeed...

2009-09-20T18:33:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all the guys "man enough" to take part in this morning's walk to raise money for Women’s Community House and be part of an international movement to end violence against women.

There were a lot of camera's out and we're sure there will be more pictures posted here over the next few days...but here's a little proof that our fellas were looking good!

Slo-Pitch Champs

2009-09-20T08:19:00.000-04:00

Congrats to Hillside on taking yesterday's slo-pitch championship!

It took an epic 11-run comeback in the semi-finals to make it to the day's final game, but their bats stayed level and their gloves sure as they played on to victory.

See more pics here.

Steve "in action"

2009-09-17T11:01:00.000-04:00

We promise we'll get pics of the rest of the Hillside guys taking part in this Sunday's "Walk A Mile in Her Shoes" fundraiser for the Women's Community shelter...but here's one more shot of Steve traffic stopping walk yesterday.

See the original photo and accompanying notes in the London Free Press here.

Steve Stops Traffic

2009-09-16T13:03:00.001-04:00

Since he couldn't join the rest of the team at this Sunday's "Walk A Mile in Her Shoes" fundraiser, Steve was able to score a pair of "official" heels on his lunch today...which he promptly donned to cross the street and collect his colleagues' pledges.

Nicely done Steve: you're looking good.

Stay tuned for more coverage of Steve's "strut" on tonight's news and in tomorrow's paper.

And, of course, why not go ahead and sponsor some of the other guys on the team!?!