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The Community

  • Worship Gatherings

  • Discipleship Opportunities & Small Groups

  • Hospitality & Student Dinners

  • Social Justice Initiatives

 

Worship Gatherings

BASIC--Brothers and Sisters in Christ

The very bride of Christ--the church--is a splintered reality. BASIC is a student-led worship event that celebrates our unity in Christ and that seeks to break down the classic dividing lines. Students from all four Christian student groups, as well as those not already connected to the Christian community, are all invited to gather in the Bullring, the "living room" of campus. We worship together on the third Sunday of every month starting at 6:00pm.

 

Discipleship Opportunities & Small Groups

Desiring the Kingdom

Dr. James K.A. Smith is an incredible Christian scholar, who's willing to wrestle with postmodernity. He also happens to be joining us on this year's winter retreat. At the GCM retreat, we'll be talking about the cultural liturgies of our day and the Christian practices that are formative in our own lives. This also happens to be the subject of his latest book, which will be serving as the basis for one of our small groups. If you're interested in participating in this group are invited to email javander@uoguelph.ca.

The Twenty-Piece Shuffle

The subtitle says it all: "Why the Poor and Rich Need Each Other". Greg Paul is the pastor at The Sanctuary, a downtown Toronto church ministering to and with the poor. His incredible storytelling is coupled with God-given wisdom. The journey that he highlights takes us from isolation to intimacy, from productivity to fruitfulness, from suffering to glory. Together, we'll be reading and reflecting on this journey. Again, those interested in participating in this group are invited to email javander@uoguelph.ca. 

Women's Group

This women's group is set to take a closer look at the lives of various people throughout the Bible. One can hardly imagine a better opportunity to open God's Word, share in each other's lives and pray for one another. Meeting in McNally House, this group will be co-facilitated by Julie Kikkert and Elaine VanderBerg. If you're interest in joining this small group, e-mail Julie (julie.kikkert@gmail.com).

Graduate Student Group

Our graduate student group is full of warm-hearted welcomes, boisterous laughter and genuinely serious conversation. We meet every Thursday afternoon, from 1:30-2:30pm, at McNally House. All graduate students are welcome.

OVC Bible Study/SOUL FOOD

A place of vibrant fellowship and engaged conversation, the OVC Bible Study welcomes faculty and staff to a time of sharing and biblical exploration. This is an opportunity to read and to be challenged. The OVC Bible Study is a weekly event, taking place from 12:00-1:00pm and meeting in Pathobiology Room 1101. For more information, e-mail javander@uoguelph.ca or bmallard@ovc.uoguelph.ca.

 

Hospitality & Student Dinners

Community Dinners

For someone who came to usher in a new Kingdom, Jesus spent a great deal of time eating and drinking. Jesus ate with his disciples, with prostitutes and with tax collectors. Traditional barriers were broken down over a good meal served in a spirit of hospitality.

GCM hosts weekly dinners for students and friends. It's an opportunity to bring the community together, gathering people who are involved in our small groups or our worship opportunities or our social justice initiatives. All are welcome to share some great food and matching conversation on Wednesday evenings, 5:30-7:00pm, in McNally House. This casual affair is open to all and is a mere $2, and even that goes directly to a local charity.

OVC Christian Fellowship

In addition to the Graduate Student Fellowship, which meets every Thursday over the lunch hour, the OVC Christian Fellowship is an opportunity to gather veterinary students and graduate students at the Ontario Veterinary College. The OVC Christian Fellowship meets the first Wednesday of each month, usually over a potluck dinner. For regular updates or more information, e-mail javander@uoguelph.ca.

 

Social Justice Initiatives

At any given time, we're involved in a host of different projects, including:

Agape Cafe

Agape Cafe is an incredible ministry to those living on the streets of Guelph. An adult drop-in centre run through Royal City Christian Life Centre, Agape is always in need of volunteers to serve in the evening hours. It's open every night except Sunday. If you're interested in helping out one evening of the week, let Michelle Scheere or Hannah Douglas know (msheere@uoguelph.ca or hannah@uoguelph.ca).

Run and Read

Run and Read is an after-school program run out of a primary school on Willow Road. It's connected with the Navigator's ministry. Those children involved in the program come from low income families or are recent immigrants to Canada. They are given the opportunity to be tutored and trained, developing their reading skills and getting ready for a 5km run. The program runs on Tuesdays. If you're interested in volunteering, contact Tim Martin (martint@uoguelph.ca).

Peace Week

Peace week is a collaborative effort that will be started this year with a Places of Worship Tour, hosted by the Multi-Faith Resource Team. Peace Week runs from November 9-15.

Masai Project

The Masai Project is a campus initiative that's partnered with a city-wide campaign. Students on Guelph's campus have raised over $100,000 of the city's $1 million that has been collected for an HIV/AIDS clinic in Lesotho, Africa

Tumaini 2009

In August of 2010, two communities will once again come together--one from Guelph and one from Kenya. We will be travelling to Butula, Kenya, for a month to work in solidarity with the local community, to learn from their church leaders and to interact with the AIDS orphans supported by the Children of Bukati. For more details check out Tumaini 2010.

 
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