Flooding, Baptisms & Upcoming Events

Some through the waters, some through the flood…
One year ago (March 22, 2011), we lost a church to a fire, and this year (March 23, 2012) we have a church that has been devastated by a flood.  The community of Perth-Andover, NB has experienced $25 million dollars worth of damage overall, and about 150 properties in the town have sustained significant damage.  This is the result of unusually warm temperatures triggering an early spring thaw, and then ice jams in the Saint John River causing severe flooding.  The Perth-Andover Wesleyan Church sits in the flood plain, and consequently the basement of the church was flooded.  It’s a mess!  I spoke with Pastor Reg Thomas yesterday.  “Everybody is taking care of everybody,” is what he says.  People are returning to their homes.  They have gotten in the church, and have completed Stage 1 of the clean up, which is “cart out the muck and the junk.”  The next step will be to rip out the dry wall, and then Step 3 is to wash it all down.  Many of you have asked how you can help…people and churches are ready to volunteer time and teams.  However, Pastor Reg says this has to be a controlled and strategic clean up.  Too many people on-site would actually complicate the process.  There are more than enough people on the ground now, coordinating efforts with the professionals and the town.  If you really want to help – take offerings, send money! The church does not have flood insurance because of where it sits, so this will be an added financial burden to the congregation.   If you really want to help, did I mention – take offerings, send money?!! The church will be holding a service in the Cavalry Tabernacle Pentecostal Church at 2 P.M. this Sunday.  Please keep Pastors Reg Thomas and Evan Oxner and the congregation in your prayers.
Halifax – Deep Water baptized 9 people on March 18th, and had 295 in church!  This past Sunday was their highest non-special event Sunday attendance ever with 328!  AJ Thomas is the pastor.
It has been eight months since the Millville congregation joined Maple Ridge Wesleyan, and it is working well.  There is a good melding of the two congregations.  I was in Maple Ridge this past Sunday.  There were 139 people in church (lya 76) this past Sunday, and that number is down!  There is a spirit of expectancy in the people, and there is energy in the service.  Good things are happening.  Pastor Nick Graham will be baptizing seven people on Easter Sunday morning!
Pastors and Churches:
Black’s Harbour – Mark McCluskey received a unanimous vote on March 4th to serve as the pastor in Black’s and has accepted the call.
Moncton – Tim Guptill received a 98% favorable vote on March 18th to serve as the Lead Pastor Elect in Moncton, and has accepted.  He will take up his new responsibilities in Moncton in July.  Lead Pastor Buckingham will continue to serve through June 2014.
Fredericton-Crosspoint – The church’s LBA has recommended to the congregation that Assistant Pastors Mark Brewer and Conard Symonds serve as Co-Lead Pastors at Crosspoint.  This will be a two-year arrangement that will allow Pastor Conard, over that period of time, to decrease his level of responsibility while Pastor Mark’s responsibilities increase.  The pastoral vote will take place on April 1st.
Scarborough – Coastal Community – The Search Committee has interviewed potential candidates by telephone and SKYPE.  The LBA is recommending Dave Ziglar as the next Lead Pastor for CCWC.  He will be on-site the last weekend of April, and the members will conduct a vote that weekend.
Shelburne – Hope Wesleyan – I met with their LBA this past Tuesday evening.  The pastoral search process is underway.
Cheryl Hudson, wife of Rev. Gene Hudson, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 18th, which also happened to be her 73rd birthday.  The Hudsons are retired Wesleyan missionaries who served in what is now Zimbabwe, pastored churches on the Atlantic District, and also served in Australia.  The funeral service was held at the Belvedere Funeral Home in Charlottetown, PEI on Wednesday, March 21st.  There were 20 present from the Atlantic District ministerial ranks, and also lay people from across the District who have known the Hudson family across the years.  Please keep Gene and the Hudson family in your prayers.
Beulah Camp 2012 is set for July 6-15.  Pastors Steve Wilson and Larry Wilson are the special speakers; Scott & Elizabeth Rhyno are the worship leaders and will coordinate our music; EXALT will be returning – it’s the 10th anniversary of this Choir; the Webb Family will be joining us for a service mid-week; ministries for children and teens will be happening through the week; other special events will be taking place as well.  Check it out on the Beulah website which has been re-tooled, and is now up and running – http://www.beulahcamp.com
Amy Vail, who attends Sussex Wesleyan, is one of the Caton’s teens who went with Caton’s Director, Dean Stephenson, to Haiti right after Christmas to help run a children’s camp.  She entered one of her Haiti pictures in a Face Book contest and won $5000!  She is donating the entire amount to the Okipe Project for the new Village.  She is excited to do this.  She has a powerful testimony of how God has changed her life as a result of her going to Haiti.  Amy’s donation is a significant contribution toward the $32,000 needed to build a house for the kids.  Thanks Amy!
Randy Forbes, Pastor at Norton Wesleyan, shares some events that are coming up in their church Easter weekend: A “Son” Rise service; Easter Sunday morning breakfast; an Easter egg hunt at the church for the children of the church and community; the regular morning service; an event in the afternoon for young adults; and in the evening at 7:00 P.M., Pastor Randy will present a one-man play called “40 Knots to Heaven,” a play about a sailor who finds the Lord on his journey, finds faith in the difficulties, and sails on for Jesus.  This is a full day!  Thanks for the extra efforts to connect with the community.
World Vision’s 2012 Annual Church Leaders’ Forum – World Changers: Two locations in the Maritimes; Moncton at Moncton Wesleyan Celebration Centre, Wednesday, May 9; Halifax at Grace Chapel, Thursday, May 10.  Both events are 9:30 A.M. – 12 Noon.
Correction – In the last edition of Under Sail it should have said that Jacob Ebbett, not Joe, received a strong recall vote to Havelock, NB.  Sorry for any confusion.
“The devil is only giving you half of the truth – give him the other half.”  – Steve Furtick
“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” Matthew 28:6 (NIV)
 
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”    Acts 4:12 (NIV)