It’s Monday Again

Denn Guptill (Cornerstone) publicly announced this week a key component in the next chapter of vision to provide a home for the spiritually homeless. Plans are in place for the launch of a future Cornerstone satellite on Windgate Drive in Sackville/Beaverbank. This will include renovations of the former Crossroads Wesleyan Church building while recruiting a launch team and site pastor over the next 18 months.

Ken Nash (pictured above – top center) loves investing in leaders who have a vision for Kingdom multiplication through Campus/Satellite expansion. Ken serves as Lead Pastor of Watermark Wesleyan which averages 2400 and is growing and multiplying using this model to reach more people for Jesus. Several of our churches are participating in two cohorts with Ken this year. Both will cover the same material but one is accelerated and will conclude before Beulah, while the other will conclude in December. The group pictured above began the half-year cohort this week.

The last Sunday of January, New Hope (Scott Prime) celebrated new life in Christ as 5 people accepted Jesus at the Kentville Campus and 2 at New Hope Kingston! On a recent Sunday there were more children present in Hope Kids at the new campus launched in November than at the Kentville location. God is on the move!

Yarmouth (AJ Plaizier) celebrated 5 baptisms yesterday!

Jason Rooney (Monticello) announced his resignation yesterday and will conclude a decade of ministry there with his wife Emily at the usual time of pastoral transition in the summer. Please be in prayer as he is scheduled for gallbladder surgery on February 11th in Bangor.

Acting Lead Pastor Jamie Cambers (Crosspoint) had three baptisms yesterday. Jamie added, “The water was so cold we may as well just have had them in the Nashwaak River.”

Two new chapters of Celebrate Recovery launched this week. The legwork for a Barrington group was influenced by Vince Robertson (West Head) and Jason Parker (Woods Harbour) and was celebrated by Nova Scotia CR Rep Shaun MacKenzie (Deep Water) who was present to share his powerful testimony.

Jim Agrell (Sussex) posted this exciting report, “A great first night @ Celebrate Recovery here at SWC! Pastor Rose Degenhardt & her team launched a premiere ministry with over 40 people that will have a powerful reach into the community to meet real needs!”

Brian Murray chaired his first Caton’s Island Session of the Camp Board this week as plans for the Choate Dining Hall Expansion are moving forward. SUMMER 2019 REGISTRATION opens today for all camps! The second Family Camp Weekend is back (Jun 28 – Jul 1) as offered last year and was an excellent addition for those who have enjoyed the August Camp which has sold out for several years. Also new this year, a Women’s Weekend on June 7-9.

Co-Directors of District Youth Ministry, Drew Donovan (Moncton) and Martin Stehouwer (SJ1) share this report after attending FUEL this week: “It was a treat to participate in FUEL 19 in Cincinnati and join with around 300 leaders of children/youth around North America to strengthen our work and connections. We were blessed with teaching from Christopher Harris. The international youth convention this December will be held in Cincinnati and we are looking forward to returning with a strong representation from the Atlantic District. Contact us for all the info or find it on our Facebook group. We also plan to return to FUEL next year as a group to take part in this leadership event.”

Chris Bounds was the Keynote Speaker at INFUSE (Kingswood University’s Holiness Emphasis Week) This annual focus is made possible through the generosity of Laurence & Vesta Mullen.

THOTS:

• Forgiveness is not enough to save us. We must actually be changed and transformed. This begins with our desires and our will. (Chris Bounds)
• True unity comes on the other side of honesty. (Carey Nieuwhof)
• The Holy Spirit did not come to help us manage our sins; He came to show us how to massacre our sins. (Christopher Harris)

Retreat to Advance (Feb 26-28): Especially for those who missed The Gathering, there will be a “Retreat to Advance” offered at Beulah Camp and Conference Center on February 26-28. Attendance is optional and the program will vary somewhat from previous formats. This will include opportunity for prayer and meditation, teaching from Dr. Allen Lee (District Clergy Care Director and KU Program Director and Professor of Christian Counseling), and an in-person workshop with EFC Director of Research and Media Relations – Rick Hiemstra. The only cost for those who register will be travel to/from the event. To register please email Karrilee on or before February 15th.

The Buckingham Leadership Institute (Kingswood University) is offering a new leadership opportunity for “Express Mentorship” the end of February. Details regarding this two-day event are offered with online registration for this excellent opportunity to deepen the effectiveness of your leadership in the local church.

Mark your calendars for Exponential East, March 4-7, 2019. We are offering a $69 leader registration price and $29 for spouses. Click here to register. Contact Rhonda Moore with any questions.

Children’s Ministry Pastors and Lay Leaders: NEXT registration for Saturday, April 6th, in Halifax is now open @ http://cbacyf.ca/next. The first 100 participants to register through their Wesleyan Church using the code “NEXT2019” will receive a $20 scholarship discount from the Atlantic District.

In EFC’s Canada Watch (Oct/Nov), the lead article by David Guretzhi deals with the question “How do Christians live out our witness in this new context?” It is both inspiring and challenging—well worth reading.

The Oct/Nov Canada Watch edition also contains an article on Renegotiating Faith. CCD Pastor Rick Hiemstra explains the research in a 25 minute interview or watch the 45-minute webinar recorded in early October featuring key members of the research team.

Another valuable resource from EFC is the Palliative Care Toolkit.  View the booklet online or request your own copies at 1-866-302-3362 (toll-free). EFC is requesting prayer for their submission against Expanding Access to Assisted Suicide.  Read the background story.

Keep up with what the EFC is doing as they seek to be a positive influence and to apply biblical principles to contemporary issues.