NextGen youth summer retreat

Join us for an incredible weekend of fellowship, worship, inspiring teaching, and tons of fun!

When: June 27–29, 2025 (Friday to Sunday)

Where: Ganaraska Woods Retreat Centre (just 1.5 hours northeast of ETCBC)

Retreat fee: $140

Early bird discount

Save $20 if you register by May 30 with promo code "Earlybird"

Need a special rate?

Please speak with Pastor Janet.

Golden Garden grant update

We have some updated details regarding the gardening initiative.  There are two key ways you can participate:

1. Plant at home - Take some seed packets home, plant them and bring back your harvest for distribution to residents in the Victoria Village community.

2. ETCBC plot - Help regularly water the plot at the north side of our building once the seeds are planted there by Hub placement students.  When the harvest is ready, we will need help harvesting also.

Please contact Sam if you have any questions.

Q1 QMM: Thurs, May 8 at 9 p.m. (online)

Please mark your calendar for the English Q1 members meeting on Thursday, May 8 at 9 p.m. in a virtual format (Zoom). Everyone is welcome to attend and engage with the happenings of the church! 

The meeting link will be sent via the English broadcast channels (WhatsApp and email).

To join the WhatsApp group, please talk to any of the leaders. Alternatively, keep up-to-date via email by filling out the ETCBC English Broadast Email Group Opt-in form.

Deacon Board announcement: Associate English Pastor candidate

The ETCBC Deacon Board formally presents English Pastoral Intern, Willi Loo, as a candidate for the position of Associate English Pastor (AEP). 

Pastor Willi has been serving as Pastoral Intern since January 1, 2025, and has successfully completed his initial performance review. Pastor Willi’s biography and Statement of Calling is posted below.

Members will be voting to approve Willi as the AEP at the May Quarterly Members Meeting (QMM). If approved, Pastor Willi will formally start on July 1, 2025 with a contract which ends on December 31, 2026, and which is renewable by mutual agreement. He will have a 1-year probationary period, including the 6 months he will have served as pastoral intern. 

There will be a Q&A session with Pastor Willi for the Cantonese and Mandarin congregations on Sunday, May 4. If anyone from the English congregation has any questions, or wishes to have a Q&A session with Pastor Willi, please contact Deacon Board Chair Brian Lim (brian.lim@etcbc.org).

Pastor Willi’s biography and statement of calling

I was born and raised in Markham, the son of two Chinese immigrants who devoted much of their lives to providing for me and my sister. Their hard work, sacrifices, and unwavering love has shaped who I am today. Through them, I learned the values of faithfulness, responsibility, and humility. These are lessons that continue to influence the way I approach both life and ministry. The way they poured into our family, often in quiet and unseen ways, gave me a deep appreciation for the importance of showing up for those you love. Who I am today is a reflection of how they loved and cared for me, and I carry that same commitment into my calling to serve the church.

Like many other second-generation Chinese Canadians, I often found myself living between cultures navigating Chinese traditions and customs while also trying to make sense of my identity in a broader Canadian context. That in-between space wasn’t always easy to navigate, but it has given me a deeper empathy for those who feel caught between worlds and a heart for building communities where diverse voices are welcomed, honoured, and heard.

That desire for belonging and connection is part of what made my first experience at ETCBC so memorable. Twenty-five years ago, I walked into an industrial, unassuming building on 22 Carnforth, unsure of what to expect. I had never been inside a church before, and to be honest, it wasn’t what I had pictured. Rather than the towering steeple or stained glass I had in my mind, it was just a simple space, with welcoming people and a sense of community that I hadn’t experienced before. What I was unaware of at the time, was how impactful this place would become.

It was through this ETCBC community that I was first introduced to the message of the gospel, a gospel that speaks to the transformation of individuals and the restoration of relationships, communities, and the world around us. Embracing this message marked a turning point in my life. It changed not only how I understood faith but also how I began to see my place in God’s unfolding story. I was baptized at ETCBC, a meaningful step in making my faith public within the community that had welcomed in. Over the years, ETCBC became more than just a place of worship, it also became a home. It was here that I formed deep friendships, grew and wrestled with my faith, and began discerning what it meant to live out my faith in new and deeper ways.

My career started out as a video producer, helping people share their stories in ways that highlight their experiences and perspectives. I co-founded and ran a video production company called Stories Worth Sharing, which partnered with a wide range of clients, including couples celebrating weddings, corporate teams seeking to communicate their mission and values, and non-profit organizations working on community focused initiatives. Through this work, I have learned that good storytelling starts with listening—understanding people’s experiences and helping them see meaning in their stories. I began to see how storytelling connected with my faith and my role in the church.

Encouraged by mentors like Pastor Tim Tang and other church leaders, I became more involved by stepping into new opportunities such as teaching adult Sunday School, joining the English congregation’s preaching team, leading the English Ministry Committee, and pursuing my Master’s of Theological Studies (MTS) with a concentration in Pastoral Ministry at Tyndale University. I completed my coursework for the MTS program at the end of 2024, a significant milestone in my ongoing journey of theological and spiritual formation. These experiences have helped me recognize that ministry, like storytelling, is about listening well, creating space for people to wrestle with their faith, and pointing to the larger story of God at work in their lives.

Along the way, I have developed a deep sense of care and commitment to walking alongside others in our community as they navigate their own faith journeys. My journey at ETCBC, from a first-time visitor to a pastoral intern, has been one of deep formation. The friendships, mentors, and opportunities I’ve had here have not only strengthened my faith but have also affirmed my calling to serve the church in a pastoral capacity. As I step into this next stage of discernment, I do so with a deep sense of gratitude. I am excited for the possibility of continuing to serve this community by fostering a culture of listening, storytelling, and faithful presence—helping people not only understand God’s story but see themselves as active participants in it.

Good Friday Service: April 18, 10 a.m.

Join us for our Good Friday service as we explore the meaning of the cross through music, scripture, and reflection. During the service, we’ll hold space for the diverse emotions and interpretations the cross evokes: grief, love, justice, mystery, and hope.

The service begins at 10 a.m. in the Inner Court, and a children’s program will be available.

Easter children's party: Sunday, April 20

NextGen ministries and our Community Outreach Committee will be having an Easter Children's Party on Easter Sunday, April 20! 

There will be a pizza lunch, games, snacks and prizes! More details to come. If you know families with children, invite them! If you would like to come on your own, please consider volunteering as we need LOTS of help! Stay tuned for the flyer.

In the meantime, please help us gauge how much pizza to order by signing up.

Hub Community Garden Initiative

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Starting seedlings for the Hub

Do you have a green thumb!? Would you like to help support the community? We have been working with Bryan Peart at the Hub who works closely with residents in Victoria Village. Together they have identified that affordable food is one key issue in the community, so Bryan has applied for a grant in order to help grow food for the community.

Details of the grant are still being finalized, but participation could include planting on the patch at the side of the church and bringing seedlings home to plant and bringing them back once they're ready for harvesting. Stay tuned for more info. If you’re interested, contact Pastor Sam (sam.mo@etcbc.org).

St. Jude Food Bank

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The St. Jude food bank is accepting food and toiletries donations to provide for their clients! Some examples of needed items include:

• Canned foods/soup: beans, vegetables, tuna

• Grains: oatmeal, cereal, rice, noodles etc.

• Powdered milk, coffee, tea

• Toiletries: toothpaste, shampoo, laundry soap etc.

Drop off bins are located in the Front Lobby and Atrium.