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Melissa Van Dyk

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Deacon People

Posted on January 26, 2012, 11:56 pm

The church is made up of people. Deacon teams are too. I'm thankful for the people who serve our congregations, and today we hear a brief reflection from an everyday deacon - someone like you! Read more »

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	Deacon Resources on The Network Posted on January 17, 2012, 2:09 am A gold mine of information exists in the realms of the Deacon network! When was the last time you checked out the "All Resources" section? If you've browsed it, you've noticed tabs for articles, blogs, resources and websites. The wealth of information you can access is phenomenal! Read more »
	Devotions For Deacons Posted on January 10, 2012, 4:54 am How do you start your deacon meetings? Would you be interested in devotions that explore your calling to this role, while helping you understand the charge to deacons? Diaconal Ministries of Canada has provided deacons with another great resource - Devotions for Deacons! Read more »
	The Sad Cherry Tree Posted on January 1, 2012, 2:06 pm There sits in the centre of our backyard a beautiful young healthy cherry tree, yet its story is a sad one of limited potential. As we begin a new year will your story be like the cherry tree's? Or will you embrace the opportunities and dreams God has given you? Read more »
	How We Enter Posted on December 19, 2011, 2:48 am It's been said that 90% of life is just showing up. I realized this week that HOW we show up is important. I think many of us (myself included) need to take a good hard look at the attitudes we are bringing to the table when we enter a particular situation, because it affects waaaaaay more than just ourselves. Read more »
	Diakonia Remixed: Terms for Deacons Posted on December 12, 2011, 4:45 pm \| 9 comments Melissa Van Dyk mentioned the results of the Diakonia Remixed survey in her blog post and raised some questions concerning terms for deacons. The task force would like to take the opportunity, in this blog post, to preview some of our work and hear your feedback regarding terms for deacons. Read more »
	The Results Are In! Posted on December 6, 2011, 10:56 am \| 1 comment The Diakonia Remixed Deacon Task Force has shared the responses from the survey taken earlier this year. With over 333 responses, it helps paint the landscape of diaconal ministry in the CRCNA. Reviewing the survey I had two responses... Read more »
	Giving Space For God's Voice Posted on November 29, 2011, 3:11 am \| 1 comment If God is present in each conversation we are having, can we allow his voice to be heard? Or are we too busy inputting our own opinions and advice to actually allow the Spirit to speak. What might happen if we became people who actually let God say what needs to be said...? Read more »
	Christmas Initiatives - What Does Your Church Do? Posted on November 22, 2011, 1:09 am We are entering the Christmas season and, as deacons, there are a lot of different initatives that we can undertake to help spread the hope and joy of this time. As we engage in these converations among our teams it can be helpful to brainstorm and share best practices from other congregations, so, let's do just that! Read more »
	You Add, God Multiplies Posted on November 15, 2011, 2:58 am \| 5 comments "You Add, God Multiplies" is more than a catchy phrase, it's the reality of what happens when, as churches, we pool our resources to accomplish more ministry than we could do each on our own. Unfortunately there is a lot of confusion about what Ministry Shares are and what they do... Read more »
	Companioning Case-Managers, Not The Experts Posted on November 8, 2011, 2:50 am When we offer help to someone we can have the crazy notion that we need to fix the whole issue ourselves. We would do more for those we offer assistance if we understood our role as referring folks to the resources of our broader community, without abandoning them. Read more »
	Over-Committed Seeks Sabbath Posted on November 1, 2011, 2:24 am \| 3 comments When we're running on empty, in overdrive, going from commitment to commitment, we barely seem to have time to sleep, let alone rest or take Sabbath time... but that's exactly what we need to do. We have to stop, and take a moment to ponder "is what I'm thinking, saying and doing WORTH thinking saying and doing?" Read more »
	Listening in on a Conversation Posted on October 25, 2011, 8:31 am \| 1 comment What should the church be doing, then, if government effort seems to have little effect, except maybe for providing ongoing relief? How should the church shape its own response? Can the church actually REDUCE poverty and dependence on programs that help? Even just in our neighborhood? Seems like that’s the ideal... Read more »
	As Easy As A.B.C.D. Posted on October 18, 2011, 2:32 am \| 2 comments We want to help people. We want to do the right thing, the good thing, the Godly thing. Often we discover that we need to learn how to help well. ABCD is a method of offering assistance which empowers those we are serving and, as it continues to grow in popularity, it's worth paying attention to. Read more »
	What's Needed? Posted on October 11, 2011, 10:59 am \| 1 comment As we head into the holiday season, we need to be aware that need doesn't stop. It also doesn't increase exponentially. How can we inspire our congregations to engage with those in need in a meaningful way? And why has Stephen Colbert called Christians out on this? Read more »
	Deacon Vision Posted on October 4, 2011, 2:25 am \| 1 comment With the advent of another ministry year, it's a good time to take some time and think about what God may want to do through your team this year. In light of our call to this diaconal office, what's your vision? Oh, come on, dream bigger! Read more »

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An interesting point with some cogency, though... by Lubbert van der Laan re: [Q&A] When do we count members for Ministry Shares?
John, just wondering what you are thinking of in... by Sam Krikke re: Recruiting Pastors in Seminary
Terry, interesting story. It's ironic that the... by Mark Stephenson re: Focus on People Not Labels
Well said, Mark. I appreciate the distinctions... by Terry DeYoung re: Focus on People Not Labels

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	Deacon Resources on The Network Posted on January 17, 2012, 2:09 am A gold mine of information exists in the realms of the Deacon network! When was the last time you checked out the "All Resources" section? If you've browsed it, you've noticed tabs for articles, blogs, resources and websites. The wealth of information you can access is phenomenal! Read more »
	Devotions For Deacons Posted on January 10, 2012, 4:54 am How do you start your deacon meetings? Would you be interested in devotions that explore your calling to this role, while helping you understand the charge to deacons? Diaconal Ministries of Canada has provided deacons with another great resource - Devotions for Deacons! Read more »
	The Sad Cherry Tree Posted on January 1, 2012, 2:06 pm There sits in the centre of our backyard a beautiful young healthy cherry tree, yet its story is a sad one of limited potential. As we begin a new year will your story be like the cherry tree's? Or will you embrace the opportunities and dreams God has given you? Read more »
	How We Enter Posted on December 19, 2011, 2:48 am It's been said that 90% of life is just showing up. I realized this week that HOW we show up is important. I think many of us (myself included) need to take a good hard look at the attitudes we are bringing to the table when we enter a particular situation, because it affects waaaaaay more than just ourselves. Read more »
	Diakonia Remixed: Terms for Deacons Posted on December 12, 2011, 4:45 pm \| 9 comments Melissa Van Dyk mentioned the results of the Diakonia Remixed survey in her blog post and raised some questions concerning terms for deacons. The task force would like to take the opportunity, in this blog post, to preview some of our work and hear your feedback regarding terms for deacons. Read more »
	The Results Are In! Posted on December 6, 2011, 10:56 am \| 1 comment The Diakonia Remixed Deacon Task Force has shared the responses from the survey taken earlier this year. With over 333 responses, it helps paint the landscape of diaconal ministry in the CRCNA. Reviewing the survey I had two responses... Read more »
	Giving Space For God's Voice Posted on November 29, 2011, 3:11 am \| 1 comment If God is present in each conversation we are having, can we allow his voice to be heard? Or are we too busy inputting our own opinions and advice to actually allow the Spirit to speak. What might happen if we became people who actually let God say what needs to be said...? Read more »
	Christmas Initiatives - What Does Your Church Do? Posted on November 22, 2011, 1:09 am We are entering the Christmas season and, as deacons, there are a lot of different initatives that we can undertake to help spread the hope and joy of this time. As we engage in these converations among our teams it can be helpful to brainstorm and share best practices from other congregations, so, let's do just that! Read more »
	You Add, God Multiplies Posted on November 15, 2011, 2:58 am \| 5 comments "You Add, God Multiplies" is more than a catchy phrase, it's the reality of what happens when, as churches, we pool our resources to accomplish more ministry than we could do each on our own. Unfortunately there is a lot of confusion about what Ministry Shares are and what they do... Read more »
	Companioning Case-Managers, Not The Experts Posted on November 8, 2011, 2:50 am When we offer help to someone we can have the crazy notion that we need to fix the whole issue ourselves. We would do more for those we offer assistance if we understood our role as referring folks to the resources of our broader community, without abandoning them. Read more »
	Over-Committed Seeks Sabbath Posted on November 1, 2011, 2:24 am \| 3 comments When we're running on empty, in overdrive, going from commitment to commitment, we barely seem to have time to sleep, let alone rest or take Sabbath time... but that's exactly what we need to do. We have to stop, and take a moment to ponder "is what I'm thinking, saying and doing WORTH thinking saying and doing?" Read more »
	Listening in on a Conversation Posted on October 25, 2011, 8:31 am \| 1 comment What should the church be doing, then, if government effort seems to have little effect, except maybe for providing ongoing relief? How should the church shape its own response? Can the church actually REDUCE poverty and dependence on programs that help? Even just in our neighborhood? Seems like that’s the ideal... Read more »
	As Easy As A.B.C.D. Posted on October 18, 2011, 2:32 am \| 2 comments We want to help people. We want to do the right thing, the good thing, the Godly thing. Often we discover that we need to learn how to help well. ABCD is a method of offering assistance which empowers those we are serving and, as it continues to grow in popularity, it's worth paying attention to. Read more »
	What's Needed? Posted on October 11, 2011, 10:59 am \| 1 comment As we head into the holiday season, we need to be aware that need doesn't stop. It also doesn't increase exponentially. How can we inspire our congregations to engage with those in need in a meaningful way? And why has Stephen Colbert called Christians out on this? Read more »
	Deacon Vision Posted on October 4, 2011, 2:25 am \| 1 comment With the advent of another ministry year, it's a good time to take some time and think about what God may want to do through your team this year. In light of our call to this diaconal office, what's your vision? Oh, come on, dream bigger! Read more »