Watch this video about our story below.

We want to keep you updated and informed about what's going on at Living Hope. As usual, you can like us on Facebook or subscribe to our Google Calendar. But if you want more details, read below!

 

So what exactly have we been up to? If you haven't noticed, our renovation is complete! By the grace of God, we now have two accessible washrooms, an elevator and a new welcoming foyer for tea, coffee and snacks. 

 

Our Vitality Team implemented a new covenant that is meant to help us relate to each other graciously during members' meetings and everyday life.

 

Over a dozen of our women attended the TGC Women's Conference in Indianapolis last month.

 

We had a good time hosting the BBQ grill and bouncy castle at the Annual 11th St Street Party in June. Thanks to everyone who contributed! 

 

Last weekend, we finished off our biggest summer outreach events: Vacation Bible School, 50km Bike Ride...

Have you had the chance to check out our new worship playlist yet? It has all the songs we've introduced and lead this past year. We've just added a dozen more songs, including Man of Sorrows by Hillsongs, O Great God by Sovereign Grace Music and All Glory Be To Christ by Kings Kaleidoscope.

We've also added Your Mercy by Austin Stone Worship to the list, a song some of us learned at The Gospel Coalition 2018 Women's Conference. We liked it so much and will be leading it this week! Luckily, it fits with the sermon theme. 

 

Give the playlist a listen as part of your devotional time, while driving, or lounging/cleaning around the house. Enjoy!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?

We've put together a YouTube playlist of some of the newer songs that our Song Leaders have lead during worship over the past few months. Any time we sing a new song, we'll update this playlist for you to enjoy at home. Listen while you're on the road, making dinner, or getting ready for work or school. We hope this encourages you!

We started out in 1998 as a church plant of First Filipino Baptist Church in the west end of Toronto. Made up primarily of immigrants and their kids who had been in Canada for over 20 years, we began with the express desire of becoming a multicultural congregation. We’re not there yet, but, by God’s grace, we’ve made progress toward becoming more diverse. Here are a few lessons we’ve learned so far.

 

Click here to read the full article featured on The Gospel Coalition.

Due to severe weather and unsafe road conditions, today's service (April 15) is cancelled. Take time to have a special time of worship at home. Stay safe, everyone!

As we end 2015, we’d like to be able to face 2016 with hope. The question is, what’s the basis for your hope? Is it your determination to do better? Is it somebody’s promise that you’d be promoted? Is it founded on past performance? Those may be valid reasons; but they don’t carry foolproof guarantees. We need something more reliable upon which to build our lives.

The book of Lamentations was written in the aftermath of the fall of Jerusalem. As the title implies, it is a collection of 5 poems mourning the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple and the exile of the people. It explores the devastating pain of being under God’s wrath. God, who had been their covenant Lord, and who had been their protector and provider over the years was now acting as their enemy [3:1-9]. Such was his wrath toward them that he is compared to ferocious wild animals lying in wait [3:10-11] and to a hunter [3:12-13]. To make matters worse, he knows that God’s anger is well deserved because of their sin...

If your life is anything like mine, this year has left you worn out and you're hoping that the Christmas holiday would provide some needed refreshing. As I think about the marvelous mystery of the Incarnation, I appreciate the words of the author of Hebrews, who wrote:

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:14-18).

They provide tremendous encouragement to us, who...

Dear God

 

The city has forgotten You,

You have become hidden between

interjections

Lost among a swamp of jokes

You,

Who is Lord of everything

has become a word to express

anger, disdain, and bigotry

given up for things more flashy

smothered to avoid humility

and most of all missing in the city

 

Where in the darkest hours,

the street lights are the angels

and hell is a train delay

Where sin is as clean pressed and well kept as suits off King Street

and gates to the afterlife are hospitals lining University

Where people go to Church Street on Sunday morning

to nurse their hang-over’s with close company

and Yonge and Dundas spills with heads that bob like fish

Confused; are we koi or conmen?

Swimming on the heat waves

Drowning in the sky scrapers

It’s difficult to care when there are so many

in this genetic pool.

Individuals

So caught up in celebrating our

differences

We ignore the one thing that makes us

similar

So quick to compete to see whose

festival shines brightest...

I must confess that when the Ormoc cohort began, I was rather disappointed. I had come expectingto see 50 pastors who would train other pastors. Instead, there were only about 30 attendees, of whom less than half were pastors or pastors-in training. I was jet-lagged; the cohort was more comfortable in Cebuano and I was already struggling to communicate in my native Tagalog. Combined with my trepidation at facilitating for the first time, I found myself wondering if I’d sentenced myself to five years of frustration.

Providentially, I was partnered with Hannibal Muhtar, whose experience and encouragementgot me on track. As I got to know the participants, I began to realize that even if only 7or 8 of them fit our vision of training pastors capable of training other pastors, our time was by no means wasted. One pastor had already finished teaching the first book to his congregation; another had translated the material for the sake of Cebuano-speaking pastors; yet another had 9 church...