What happens when churches go beyond their respective four walls, join together with other churches, worship and pray together for our beautiful city?
We don’t know, but we can definitely find out on July 1st, 2013 at Rogers Arena at Voices Together, a worship and prayer event for all churches of all denominations. The hope is that as the church as a whole comes together in unity on behalf of the city, that it will be inspired to truly be on mission in the city. Visit this link for more information: http://voicestogether.info/
Today, September 23, 2012 I had an opportunity to visit and minister God’s Word to Surrey-JRAM Church. More importantly, it was my first time to attend their worship venue at the Empire Theater in Guildford, Surrey. What I discovered today gave me an important lesson that if a theater can have such pleasant venues to provide the public such a wonderful place to watch movies, why can’t the church use it as a venue to honor God also? The simple fact of church experience nowadays is this: any place can be used to transform as a haven for a worshipping community like Surrey-JRAM even a very nice movie theater.
Jesus Rock of Ages Ministries -Surrey Church meets here Sundays @9:30am
The most interesting part is the irony of it all. While we as a family go to the same place to watch movies, today, we went to meet God and His people to come together to worship Him in the same theater. Entering the theater today to worship God gave me another level of understanding that God and the worship of God’s people can never be limited by any space but it can be elevated higher even inside a theater. Thus, I liked the venue of a theater to worship God with His people. Thanks Surrey-JRAM for the worship experience in a movie theater. You have the best place to lift Jesus the Rock of Ages…. God bless!
Another wonderful day was provided by God’s favor as JRAM-BC hold its last joint outdoor activity for the summer, “SportsFest 2012.” It was held at Hawthorne Park, Surrey, BC last August 26, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. There were more or less 700 people who attended from the different JRAM congregations of Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Abbotsford and North Vancouver.
JRAM-Richmond “chanting Jesus Rocks!”
Indeed, it was a day filled with fellowship, fun and food having
JRAM-North Vancouver “Tug-of-War”
cheering competition and relay games in the morning, and volleyball matches in the afternoon. Without forgetting that it was a Sunday, a time was set aside for every church to have praise, worship and exhortation of the Word before any event was started.
JRAM-Burnaby “Cheering joyfully”
Afterwards, churches were gathered to prepare for a special
Parade beginning with Ptr Aldrin and Monette including a special drummer, Lucas Pangan, behind the banner.
parade with their assigned colored t-shirts to begin the festivities of the day. Throughout the day, seeing the varied colors of every church made the celebration truly colorful and wonderful to look at. The cheering competition, Tug-of-war and relay games provided an opportunity for people to root for their church teams. It was entertaining to watch as each church gave their best to cheer and win for their team.
JRAM-Abbotsford “Tebowing” before their Volleyball game…”
From the children to the grandparents, every age bracket present joined in the enthusiasm and participated eagerly, one way or another.
JRAM-New Westminster “Over-All Champion of Summer SportsFest 2012”
Then, the whole afternoon was spent playing volleyball as each church racing to get the maximum points to be declared the over-all champion of the JRAM-BC SportsFest 2012. At the end of the day and after all the thrills of the day, JRAM-New Westminster was declared the over-all champion of the event.
Congratulations for a job well done! And to all other churches, there will always be next year. Therefore, get ready! But most importantly, what was achieved was a genuine time of great fellowship and fun that yielded lasting effects of brotherly love for all to see.
Food, food, food….
Last but not the least, no JRAM activity will ever be complete without the sacrifice of many who shared their time, labor and foodstuff for all to enjoy in this year’s event. Also, a special thanks to JRAM-Surrey for hosting
JRAM-Surrey “Host Church: Summer SportsFest 2012”
this year’s event and to their Men’s Group who went very early in the morning to secure the park for the day’s activities. I do believe that your lost of sleep was rewarded in seeing God’s people filled with rapturous joyfulness. God will always reward you more than you can ever think or pray. Thank you all for doing such a great job!
Wheelbarrow Relay
In addition, as pictures are worth a thousand words and they do speak well of what happened that could always be seen to enjoy and laughed about, we give thanks to our photographers and videographers, both official and
JRAM-Vancouver ” Shout for Joy”
unofficial for taking great and wonderful pictures for all to see. May the Lord bless us all as we continue to pursue the utmost for His Highest in all that we do for His glory alone. Let’s all look forward for next year’s summer events. I hope that with JRAM Whistler and JRAM Kelowna will join us also because their presence was surely missed in this event.
This last weekend, some JRAM congregations from Burnaby, New Westminster, Calgary, including representatives from Richmond, Vancouver, Surrey and Abbotsford took some family time to be in Kelowna for fun, fellowship and food. At At the same time, another purpose was done to coincide with this special road trip; all of them attended and participated to support JRAM in its official launching in Kelowna last August 5, 2012. The special venue for this great occasion was held at the Kelowna Rotary Center for the Arts at the heart of Downtown Kelowna. Music Team from New Westminster and Burnaby provided the Praise and Worship part leading the congregation of 200+ attendees.
In, addition, a special number was shared by the JRAM Kelowna brethren that ministered to all. The preaching message I’ve shared, “Going Deeper in order to Go Higher” focused on the three foundations of being rooted and grounded in the three aspects of Christian values, i.e., Love, Truth and Faith. Altogether, it was a very successful service that ultimately honored God as the Rock of Ages for His people. Lastly, a special prayer for the JRAM Kelowna brethren was done to formally launch JRAM in Kelowna, the largest city in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. After which, no event is ever complete without picture sessions (picture above is one of many) to remember what transpired for God’s glory alone!
Aldrin Navo 