something new for kids…

New Series starts February 7th

In a culture where many are running on empty, making decisions based on convenience or pleasure.  Where relationships are drained because there’s no other source to draw from.  Where identity often comes from possessions or success.

How would life be different when rooted in a deep love that can’t be found in any other source outside of God?

Join us for a new series exploring what it means to be rooted in God’s love and living life in the overflow of that.

A Focus on Prayer

We believe we need to focus more on prayer right now… so we’ve set up more opportunities to pray together.  Our prayer focus right now is seeking to engage God’s holy presence with the hopes of deepening our communion with God, community with each other, and compassion for others.

Join us…

Thursday, February 4th, 7:30PM
81 Woodland Ave., Beaconsfield – MAP HERE; 514-674-0675

Wednesday, February 10th, 7:30PM
(West Island College, 851 Tecumseh – Resource Room)

If you’d like to host a Community Prayer night in your home, we will be planning them monthly as of March.  (We’d love to see a prayer night in Laval or East End, just let us know).  Stay tuned for some prayer groups just for men or women…  maybe you’d like to help initiate one.

We are too busy to pray, and so we are too busy to have power.
We have a great deal of activity, but we accomplish little;
many services, but few conversions; much machinery, but few results.
—R.A. Torrey, How to Obtain Fullness of Power

Love Song For Haiti: Are You Listening

Watched this in our gathering this morning (Sunday, January 31st).  Enjoy.

Go HERE or HERE for more info on helping Haiti.

Continue to support the relief and rebuilding efforts in Haiti

100% of the funds donated towards HAITI will be split between 2 organizations.

1. Mennonite Central Committee has been in Haiti since the 1950’s and are on the ground helping in a variety of relief efforts

2. Christian Direction has created a special program called PARACLETE that is equipping Christian grief counselors to help people deal with the after effects of this trauma

See more about our help for Haiti HERE

This Sunday we continue to to take time to pray for Haiti during our gathering.

SNAPSHOT (for those who are new or newer to Westside)

So you’ve been coming to our gatherings for a while, possibly connected to a small group, maybe even served in a small way… and now you want to know a more about who and what Westside is all about.

Great.  SNAPSHOT is what you need to come to.

It’s an evening that will give you a window into Westside’s vision and values.

Friday, January 29th, 7:30PM
Includes: short presentation, Q&A, refreshments

Email David Manafo directly to sign up and get directions.

Community Prayer (Wednesday, Jan. 27th)

Join us for prayer this Wednesday.

Why? Our hope and prayer is that this whole year, 2010, would be surrendered to God.

Our church, families, and the whole of our lives.

How can we not bring that before God in prayer.

Wednesday, 7:30PM (for about 60-75min.)
Location: David & Franca Manafo’s Home
(you can show up anytime after 7:10)

*we might repeat this in the coming weeks so stay tuned for info

Sebastian Demrey joins us this week-end…

Join us this Sunday as Quebec Artist, Sebastian Demrey, leads worship and performs.

Find out more about Sebastian HERE.

Prayer and Support for Haiti continue this week.  100% of funds raise are going to organizations accredited for the Canadian Government matching grant.

Haiti needs prayer and support

Incredible tragedy has hit Haiti.  Many are asking how to respond.  Here are a few organizations we recommend:

MCC
World Vision
Compassion Canada
Health Partners Canada
Christian Direction

WATCH HERE to see some of the extent of the damage.

One of the first Canadians found dead was a women from Waterloo Ontario, Yvonne Martin, just arriving to Haiti with a 7 other nurses on a mission trip to set up a mobile medical units.  She was actually part of one of our association churches in Ontario.  Read more here.

(if you would like to give financially and cannot do it through one of the websites listed above, you can give through Westside, and we will donate the funds through MCC; please mark Haiti on your check/envelop)

Year End Fund 2009… where it went?

Our Year End Fund in 2009 was a special offering where many from Westside gave financially beyond what they normally/regularly give.

This year’s fund (as we did in 2008) went towards helping the millions in the world who have no access to Clean Water.

We raised 3200$, and 100% went to this organization: Water Ambassadors Canada (previously known as Living Water International).
WMC recently changed their name and expanded their reach to go beyond drilling for wells and sending missions teams (although they still serve in this way, especially with Living Water USA).
They’re expanded reach include some new technologies, some that especially help villages where larger digs are not possible.

3200$ has the capacity to give at least 1 village a water filtration system that saves people from disease often caused by bacteria.

Read more about Water Ambassadors Canada HERE.

THANKS to everyone who generously gave towards this important global need. This is part of what it means to be God’s Living and Local Presence in our world, even when we can’t be there in person.
Thanks of course to so many who consistently give generously to our local mission and ministry at Westside, it continues to fuel our efforts!