It’s Monday Again
This weekend was the 15th annual Wharf Rat Rally and the 15th Biker Breakfast and Bike Blessing at Digby (Andrew Maves). More importantly it was the 15th year that the Gospel was preached and received. Every year there are souls saved and every year our Digby church family is in awe of how God uses these events.
Maves shares, “We had a lady give her heart to the Lord during the Blessing and she will be baptized this coming Sunday! She cried with me after service wondering why she had waited so long to open the door to Jesus!” Andrew was instrumental in the creation of this event 15 years ago and his ministry in Digby is unsurpassed as a model for the effectiveness longevity can bring for community impact.
The Lighthouse (Tim Guptill) celebrated three baptisms yesterday in the Bay of Fundy.
New Pastor Orientation took place on Tuesday & Wednesday at Caton’s Island & Beulah Campwith 25 participants including several family members. This is always an encouraging time to provide inspiration and practical information for those in the early days of a new Kingdom assignment in one of our local church families.
And speaking of Beulah, the final Summer Sunday Service (above left) was led yesterday by Dr. HC (Blacks Harbour). A special word of thanks to Summer Weekend Coordinator Jeff Doucet and Beulah Overseer Steve Bradley for providing leadership to an excellent and successful post-Beulah Family Camp season.
The DBMD Executive (above right) convened at Heartland on Thursday to complete a thorough review of the Annual Service Reports. So grateful for the above and beyond efforts of these three Kingdom leaders.
It was energizing and entertaining to spend a half-day this week with the pastoral staff of Saint John First at the invitation of Graham Perry for their annual summer retreat. Their passion and focus spring-boarding from an encouraging and strong year was contagious. We are stronger together because of healthy and growing local church pastoral staff like the SJ1 team Graham is leading. I would be pleased to provide leadership training and participate in strategic planning with your pastoral staff and/or LBA upon request.
Co-District Youth Presidents, Drew Donovan (Kingswood University) & Martin Stehouwer (SJ1), are hosting a Youth Leaders Basecamp as noted above. This free training and networking event is open to all local church youth workers (pastoral and lay). For detailed information download this promotional PDF.
Staff Transitions:
- Lisa Graden (Crystal) has accepted district appointment until next July to serve in a two-point charge which now includes Monticello effective this Sunday. Thank you Lisa for accepting this opportunity to serve these two church families approximately 45 minutes apart.
- Crosspoint‘s services (John Symonds) concluded yesterday with the resignation of Jamie Cambers and Nathalie Estey. It was announced their final Sunday will be September 29th. Thanks to you both for your staff ministry to this great church family for nearly 10 years!
DISTRICT OFFICE RELOCATION: The District Office is closed for Labour Day. Summer hours of operation will conclude at Beulah later this week and will open in Moncton on Monday, September 9th.
Hillside (Jay Guptill) held its third annual hockey clinic in late August in partnership with Hockey Ministries International and Managers on a Mission at Cole Harbour Place, just 500 feet from the Parkway Campus. There were 120 hockey players between the ages of 6 and 13. The leadership team included two Stanley Cup Champions (Glenn “Chico” Resch and Joe DiPenta) as well as a number of men and three women who have played in the QMJHL, USHL, BEHL, and other professional and semi-professional leagues.
On Sunday (August 25th) Hillside hosted a service in the rink where Kenzie Lalonde, a producer for Eastlink Community TV interviewed (above right) Chico, Joe and Steven Bolton (former goalie in the USHL). A lot of awesome connections were made, Jesus was shared, and on-ramps for deeper discussion were presented.
– Fredericton: Corbett Avenue, Crosspoint, Journey
– Halifax: Cornerstone, Deep Water, Hillside, Kings
– Moncton: Moncton
– Presque Isle: Framework
– Sackville: Amherst
– Saint John: Kings, Saint John First
– St. John’s: Solid Rock
– Sussex: Encounter
– Wolfville: New Hope
Points to Ponder:
- In Acts chapter 8 Philip is led by the Spirit to leave a place of successful ministry to go out into the desert and reach one person. The ‘ones’ matter. Don’t under value or under estimate what God is doing. (Tim Guptill)
- Desiring to excel is not a sin. It is motivation that determines ambition’s character. Our Lord never taught against the urge to high achievement, but He did expose and condemn unworthy motivation. (J. Oswald Sanders)
Sign up or email Joel Liechty for a Zoom overview of an LBA training resource on Wednesday, September 25th at 2:30 pm (Atlantic). Linchpin Leadership is an enhanced online, interactive learning journey for pastors and local church board leaders. This experience will guide the local church board through training designed to help the board flourish in its role of spiritual leadership.
World Hope International (Canada) is offering a short-term mission trip opportunity to minister in Ukraine. This Vision Trip for Pastors and Lay Leaders will take place in Odessa during November 22-29 this fall. Full details are available HERE. Team leader Ben Last (Southgate) offers some excellent advice HERE for those considering participation on this mission.ATTN Maine Churches: For detailed information on how to to best provide financial support for World Hope’s work in Ukraine please download this PDF.
Registration resources can be downloaded HERE including access to tutorial videos
Click HERE to download this promo poster for your missions events.
