Under Sail

Beulah Camp 2011 is less than four weeks away!  The dates are July 1-10.  Rev. Lane Loman and Dr. Steve Lennox are the evangelists this year, and Rev. Scott & Elizabeth Rhyno are the worship leaders.  Musical guests such as Covenant Sons, Heather Allison, Stephanie Israelson, the EXALT Choir and others will join us throughout the ten-day gathering.  People have been opening cottages and trailers, and booking rooms through the Beulah Rooms Office.  Beulah Caretaker, Bruce Cheney, said he was pleased with what was accomplished during the Beulah Workday, May 28th, and is very appreciative of all who took part in it.  You can visit the Beulah website at www.beulahcamp.com for the detailed camp schedule and further information on our special guests.
Beulah Camp 2011 Announcements – Those of you creating announcements, PowerPoint, or missions media for Beulah services, please have them to Joel Wydysh at joelw@rogers.com by June 20th.  All announcements will need to be pre-approved.
Riverside Camp 2011 is our regional camp in Mars Hill-Blaine, Aroostook County, Maine.  The dates for family camp are July 31st, and August 3-7.  The service times are at 6:30 pm (ET) with the final service on August 7th at 3:00 pm (ET).  Rev. A.J. Thomas, pastor of the Halifax-Deep Water Wesleyan Church, is the special speaker.  Further information regarding family camp, and the youth and children’s camps can be found on the Riverside website at www.riversidecamp.co
The dedication of the new Miramichi Wesleyan Church building was held Saturday, May 28, 2011 with approximately 150 people in attendance (lya 54).  This was a mammoth project for the size of the congregation.  A large number of donated hours were given by regular attenders and also work teams from the community, and our other churches.  The entire facility, both upstairs and down, has been done with excellence and the people are to be commended.  Rev. & Mrs. Jack Mackenzie and Rev. & Mrs Stewart Steeves were present for this occasion.  These two couples initially invested almost two years, alternating weekends, to provide pastoral care and Sunday services for the Miramichi group.  Both Pastor Jack & Pastor Stewart took part in the dedication service.    Special guests brought appropriate remarks and greetings:  The assistant to MP Tilly O’Neill-Gordon, John Williston; MLA Robert Trevors; Mayor Jerry Cormier;  Dr. L.D. Buckingham, Moncton Wesleyan Church; Captain Wilson Sutton, Salvation Army.  Cedric Landers was the organist, and provided special music along with Stewart Steeves.  Philip Cann was present, and was honoured by Pastor Gary Churchill for his oversight of the building project, and the fact he donated such a significant amount of his time.  I brought greetings on behalf of the Atlantic District, and also the dedicatory message.  This was a wonderful day of celebration and a significant milestone in the church’s ten-year history.  Pastor Gary and Debbie Churchill have served this congregation well for the last nine years.
Fredericton-First Wesleyan Church celebrated its 100th Anniversary, Sunday, May 15, 2011.  The actual 100-year date was in March, 2010 but the church delayed the celebration due to the pastoral transition which took place in the spring of 2010.  Bill LaPointe and three other family members (his son Andy, and grandchildren Olivia and Graysen) shared a special quartet number.  Former pastors and staff who were present for this occasion included Dr. Arthur & Sherry Maxwell, Drs. Charles & Betty Mealy, Rev. Troy Carruthers, Rev. Bill & Joyce Moore, and Rev. David & Joanne LeRoy.  Each took part in the service and the DS, as a former pastor, brought the message.  There were 451 in attendance and it was a service fitting the occasion.  Matthew Maxwell is the Senior Pastor.
The weekend of May 21-22, Joanne and I were at Presque Isle Wesleyan Church for the weekend.  PIWC has two weekend services, one Saturday night, and one Sunday morning.  Interestingly, the Saturday evening service is the larger of the two.  There was a combined attendance of 556 people in the two services, with approximately 350 on Saturday, and the balance on Sunday.  The platform was set up for a major 3-day children’s outreach that began that Sunday night and went through Wednesday.  The theme was “Super Sonic” and it was put on by Kidzturn.  The event averaged 230 children, and twelve were saved.  We enjoyed and appreciated the hospitality of Senior Pastor Bud & Irene Fancy.
Halifax – Deep Water Wesleyan is now 3 years old.  It is attracting many young families with small children, and a segment of young men and women who are attending university.  The oldest people in the congregation are in their late 50’s.  We shared in their service, May 29th.  I brought greetings on behalf of the District, and Pastor AJ Thomas brought a challenging message.  It kicked off their new series, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.”   The highlight in the service was when Pastor A.J. Thomas baptized four people, one being his son, Micah!  The attendance is now in the high 100’s with occasional bursts north of 200.  After the service, Joanne and I took the Thomas family and part-time staff person, Jen Ochej, to lunch.
June 5th found us at Sydney-New Roots Wesleyan Church. I spoke in the AM service, giving Pastor Kevin Myers a small break.  They offer a Q & A format on the message.  There were good questions, and good interaction/dialogue.  New Roots continues to meet in the Delta Hotel.  There were 21 people in the service, with three new people visiting.  Pastor Kevin says they average 4-5 visitors/week.  The challenge is to get them to return with consistency.  Kevin & Laura are encouraged and feel called to this community.  Please keep the Myers and this church plant in your prayers.
Havelock, NS Wesleyan Church voted on May 17, 2011 to accept an offer of land that was made available to them for the purpose of building their new church facility.  The vote was 87.5% in favour and the arrangements will be made in the near future for the transfer of the property.  Peter Hayes is the pastor.
Congratulations to Shera Hanson!  She is this year’s recipient of the 2011 Nycomed Magnum Opus Award for Prince Edward Island. It’s an award that “specifically recognizes pharmacists who have completed advanced training or education and have successfully expanded their practice as a result.”  Shera is being recognized for her work in the area of community/palliative care.  She was presented with her award at a banquet recently.  There was also a $1000 bursary donated to a local palliative care charity of her choosing.  Pharmacy Practice (the Canadian national pharmacy journal) did an article on her highlighting her compassion for people and how she has used her pharmaceutical skills on humanitarian/missions trips.  Greg Hanson, Pastor of Charlottetown – Sunrise Wesleyan Church, is her proud husband!
Lead Pastor L.D. Buckingham, Moncton Wesleyan, shares that Bea McNulty has been a great influencer for good and God in their church for over 65 years.  Her involvement at MWC has been wide and varied, from Children’s Ministry to Senior’s Ministry, and just about everything else in between.  Pastor B says that perhaps her most outstanding influence has been welcoming people to the church with great interest, an accepting attitude, and a gracious smile.  Consequently, she was presented with MWC’s first ever Lifetime Achievement Award!
Congratulations on 60 Years of Marriage! Two longstanding ministerial couples on the Atlantic District who are loved and respected celebrated their 60th wedding anniversaries this month: Rev. Bill & Elsie Morgan married on June 6, 1951, and Rev. Jack & Charlene MacKenzie married on June 11, 1951.  Congratulations!  And thank you for your example.
Selinda Ingalls of Grand Manan, NB, Career Missionary to Zambia with Global Partners, became the bride of Jesse Van Horn of Wisconsin, also a Career GP Missionary to Zambia, on May 28, 2011 in Seal Cove, Grand Manan, NB.  Pastor Kirk Perry, of Central Wesleyan in Grand Harbour, officiated at the ceremony which was held in the Seal Cove Baptist Church.  Our warm congratulations to the new couple, and we pray that God will richly bless their life of service together.

Pastor Linda Fillmore, Westchester Wesleyan, says they are “growing slow and steady.”  On Mother’s Day, Westchester had 33 in attendance, and had over 40 people register for a Women’s Ministry event on Saturday (May 14).
A day of ministry to women recently took place on Beals Island.  The event, entitled “Tapestry of Love,” was held in the Beals School gymnasium.  A group from Elliot, ME called the “God Squad” presented the program to approximately 90 women.  Pastor George Woodward serves as Supply Pastor at the Beals Wesleyan Church, but he is well known and respected throughout Washington County.  The attendance at this event is a reflection of his influence there.

Carl & Maya Gilles, GP missionaries to Haiti, will be in Canada for team building for the next couple of months.  They will be visiting churches in the Atlantic District in June and the first two weeks of July.  You can contact them at fc.m.gilles@gmail.com
Rev. Leslie Hicks, one of our retired pastors, underwent heart surgery on Tuesday, May 24th, at the Saint John Regional Hospital.  We visited him briefly later that week, and he was making good progress.  Your cards and prayers are appreciated, but the family requests that you do not call their home during this period of recovery.  If you wish to send them a card, the address is: 2065 Route 885, Havelock, NB E4Z 5N2.  Our best wishes to Bro. Hicks, and our prayers for a good recovery.
Gilbert Brown passed away May 12, 2011, at the age of 93.  He is Elizabeth (Beth) Graham’s grandfather.  Beth is the wife of Pastor Nick Graham, Maple Ridge Wesleyan.   The funeral service was held on Sunday, May 15th at 2:30 p.m. from the Lower Brighton Wesleyan Church, Pastor Glen McVicar officiating.  Interment was in the Lower Brighton Cemetery.  We extend our condolences to the family.
Pastor Wayne Briggs, District Director of Best Years Fellowship (BYF), has already forwarded to our churches (through the District Office) information on the BYF Retreat scheduled for August 5-7, 2011.  The information included the brochure and registration form, and a promo slide.  Also – here is a link to a one-minute YouTube video ad for the event: www.youtube.com/beulahnb .  If you have questions or need further information, please contact Pastor Wayne at (506) 468-2152 or wbriggs@nb.sympatico.ca

Beulah Trailer for Sale: Beach Lot 105 (double lot); 1996 Sunline Saturn T36 foot park model; contact Stephen Jenkins at (506) 433-8419 or email stephenj@allseasonsinn.ca for more information.
Stephanie Gilmore, Director of World Hope Canada, has made Memorial Cards available to our churches.  Giving to this relief arm of The Wesleyan Church is a meaningful way to remember or honor someone.  If you would like a package for your church, please contact Mrs. Sharon Hurd in Moncton, NB at 506/855-9556 or tdhurd@nb.sympatico.ca and she will see that you receive them.
The Wesleyan Investment Foundation (WIF) and the Church of the Nazarene have signed an historic Loan Fund Agreement. Dr. Craig A. Dunn, Chief Executive Officer of the Wesleyan Investment Foundation (WIF), The Wesleyan Church, headquartered in Fishers, Indiana, USA (www.wifonline.com) and Dr. Marilyn J. McCool, General Treasurer of the Church of the Nazarene (www.nazarene.org) in Lenexa, Kansas, USA, signed an agreement completing the sale of the Nazarene USA Church Loan Fund (UCLF) to the Wesleyan Investment Foundation.  The transaction of nearly $30 million is effective June 1, 2011, and all current and archived loan files will be transferred to WIF on June 9, 2011.  According to the Wesleyan Investment Foundation CEO, the purchase of the loan fund portfolio will increase the WIF portfolio of loans by about 10%.  The 55-year old Nazarene USA Church Loan Fund was completely self-funded, with no liabilities.  This historic partnership was unanimously approved by the USA National Board and General Board of the Church of the Nazarene and the WIF Board of Directors in February 2011.  Read the full article at http://bit.ly/ii5uyG.
Dr. Lenny Luchetti, Assistant Professor of Proclamation and Christian Ministry, Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University, will be visiting the campus of Bethany Bible College in November.  The College has graciously made available to us Wednesday, November 9, 2011, when Dr. Luchetti will lead a one-day preaching seminar with our pastors.  Protect this date on your calendar.  You will benefit from this opportunity.  More details will follow as the time approaches.
“We could learn a lot from crayons–some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, and some have weird names, but they all have to live in the same box.” – Unknown