Good News

Isaiah the Old Testament prophet, writing from captivity looks forward in time waiting to hear some good news. He says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7) To his readers, held in captivity in foreign lands, the news of release from bondage and their return to the holy city of Jerusalem was great news!
 
Today, I have some good news for College Park Church! Today, Alonso Lopez, our church website developer, and Julie Columbie, our church secretary, are ready to share the results of hours of work that has happened behind the scenes to make our new and improved church website (www.collegeparkchurch.ca) a reality. Today, prior to worship during the sharing of church news and events, Elder Sam Kutundo will navigate the new website to provide a quick tutorial on its benefits.  The new website will provide not only information to our membership but educational and evangelistic information materials to our community friends as well. The website is fully functional on a personal computer, tablet, or mobile device.
 
For our membership, the homepage will have two immediate button click options, live streaming of our weekly worship service and access to our weekly church newsletter. Links to various educational entities (CPES, Kingsway College) and humanitarian organizations (Adventist Community Services, ADRA) are included and links to higher levels of church organization (Ontario Conference, Seventh Day Church in Canada, North American Division, and General Conference) are also included. The ministries of our local church are included with descriptions of what they offer and personalized emails that allows individuals to communicate with the ministry. Our church mission (Love God, Love Others, Share the Gospel, Serve the World) and our vision (To reach our community with a Christ-centred message of hope and wholeness) are clearly displayed.
 
I’m excited about the online options available to our community friends. Every week over one thousand people will visit our website. What will our visitors now find? First, they will find Bible Study materials for a cross section of interest. We have partnered with the Voice of Prophecy to provide an online Bible School. The online school will offer Bible Studies for children (KidZone) and adults (Discover Bible Guides, Focus on Prophecy, Focus on Daniel). I’m super excited about a new Bible Study (Native New Day) which was written by Indigenous First Nations people for their community.  Secondly, the website also has the 28 Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in a Bible Study format. People who click on the “our beliefs” button will be directed to a page where they will be able to investigate our beliefs in the comfort of their homes.  Third, Sabbath School materials are available for all ages (children to adult quarterlies) at a click of a button. Finally, our media library will include our most recent evangelistic series with It Is Written (Finding Hope Together) and past sermons and series archived on our website. The website also includes frequently asked questions for first-time visitors and driving and bus transit information for those who travel by car and bus to church. Contact information is clearly identifiable (phone number, email, chat, and a prayer request option). 
 
In closing, it is important to remember that our website is a tool to share ministry information, keep our membership connected to ministries, and ultimately be a source of inspiration and hope that directs our visitors and friends to Jesus. Our homepage says it all, “Welcome Home.”