Welcome!
Much of our story can be captured in our rather long formal name: Mountainview Christian Reformed Church, Grimsby.
“Mountainview” references our location, nestled against the backdrop of the Niagara escarpment with its many falls accessible along the Bruce trail and the magnificent views over Lake Ontario. We all know that there is no actual mountain here, in spite of Mountain St, Mountain Rd and Mountainview Road. Therefore we recognize to look beyond the physical landscape as the Psalm writer does. “I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of the heavens and the earth.” Psalm 121:1,2.
“Christian” is the common term for those who seek to follow Jesus Christ. Jesus is a complex and powerful figure in history who taught love and showed love by his sacrificial death on a cross. He changed the course of history when he rose from the dead. This is the basic teaching of Christianity which we believe and, more importantly, try to live out. We seek to follow Jesus is loving others and living in a self-sacrificial way.
“Reformed” is our particular branch of Christianity. It is a bit embarrassing to talk about the church splits that have happened in history producing many denominations or brands of Christianity. However, since it is a historical fact, we choose to emphasize the strength that we bring to the broader Christian movement: Reformed Christians emphasize that God is at work in all of life, that Jesus came to restore every aspect of our world, and that the creation is basically good. Reformed churches tend to be connected with Christian School movements as we seek to teach how God is at work in every subject. We want to train Christians for every part of service in this good creation.
“Church” usually is used to refer to a building, an organization, or Sunday worship. So one might say “I am part of a church (organization) so I go to church (worship) at church (building). However, church best refers to the people who are called to be on mission together. The mission of the church is to be a body (1 Corinthians 12) with all kinds of parts working together for the common purpose for sharing the love of Jesus and inviting others to follow along.
Finally, “Grimsby” is our location. We are a local church. We include people from Jordan, Vineland, Beamsville, Smithville, Grassie, Winona, Stoney Creek as well as Grimsby. But we are a local expression of what it means to follow Jesus in all areas of life as we gather and as we go on mission. As such, our gathering and our mission seek to be attentive to local needs and circumstances as we design ministry for this time and place.
If you would like to know more about our denomination and its work, visit crcna.org
If you would like to connect with us you can meet our staff or plan a visit or explore more of this website.
Our trust is that God will guide you to take the step you need at this time.