Under Sail

Under Sail is past due; thanks for your patience.  Here are a few things that have been happening around the District:

Record Weekend Attendances, Nov. 6th: Deep Water – 375 (4th Birthday!); and with no special events, Fredericton-Crosspoint – 558; Kings Valley Wesleyan Church – 858! Congratulations!
Pastor Nelson Kooncereports that Bangor – Pathway Wesleyan held a Fall Festival event, October 8th, at the pastor’s house as a community outreach.  Pastor Nelson and Board Member Tom Jones have southern roots.  The two of them did the cooking for a southern-style pig roast, and they had over 70 people in attendance.  Pathway has also begun a mid-week Bible Study, another way to connect people and provide discipleship opportunities.  Pastor Nelson says that they have had a steady influx of new visitors each week, and had 71 people in the service Oct. 16th (lya 65).
Fredericton – Corbett Ave. Wesleyan celebrated their 60th Anniversary on October 23rd.  Lead Pastor A.J. Plaizier says it was a great day with 299 in attendance at the Celebration Service (lya 246).  Four of the charter members were present: Mrs. Mavis Banks, Mr. Pat Peterson, Mr. Bill LaPointe, and Mrs. Marion Mitchell.  Also, former pastors of the church, Rev. Milton Bagley and Rev. Pete Thomas, were in attendance.   Pastor AJ sincerely thanks all those who volunteered to make their 60th Anniversary a success!
Senior Pastor Dave Wilcox, Yarmouth Wesleyan, reports that they had an awesome Family Fall Festival Event (Trunk or Treat).  There were 630 kids in their parking lot, not including parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts.  There were games, of course, and a children’s ministry leader did an illusion to help present the gospel.  A lady in their congregation asked a child who attended, “How did you like the event?”  His reply did not mention the candy or games but the message about Jesus, and how He can get rid of our sins.  Needless to say, she was thrilled. Dawn Wilcox and Crew did a great job putting together an awesome event.
I was in the Sackville Wesleyan Church on Sunday, October 23rd.  There were about 30 people in the service.  Pastor Michael Zottarelli is pleased that Brad & Tracey Eisan and their baby daughter, Naomi, recently started attending the church.  The Eisans graduated from BBC this past year, and Brad’s hometown is Sackville.  They are taking responsibility for a youth group, and already are adding value to the ministry of the church.  Tracy helps out on the Worship Team.  Property matters are in a good place.  The church sold 13 acres of land to a developer for $800,000.  Nov. 10th, they purchased the former Peace Lutheran Church with 7.5 acres of land in Beaverbank, NS for $650,000, and have taken ownership debt-free!  The church has a lot of potential, and is situated in a good part of the HRM for future growth.
October 30th found us at Amherst Wesleyan for the Sunday AM service.  There were 70 people in attendance on this windy, stormy, rain-soaked day.  It was a good service.  Pastor Raymond Fancy is involved in a coaching/mentoring opportunity with Pastor John Symonds, provided by the District to our pastors, and is looking to lead the church to the next level.  The Fancys have served in Amherst for the last twelve years.  The Local Board and congregation honored Raymond & Trista Fancy at the end of the service for their ministry and service to the church and the community as part of Pastor Appreciation Month.
Kings Valley Wesleyan Church had a great week of community contact beginning October 31s. They held their annual “Trunk or Treat” Event which they have done for several years.  KV was one of the pioneers for this type of event on the District, and also in the area where their church is located.  There were approx. 350 children who attended the event, plus 150 adults.  Children’s Ministry Director, Linda Lamos, and her Team did an excellent job of putting it together, and the entire pastoral staff showed up to show support, participate, and connect with people from the community.
Sunday morning, November 6th, I participated in both AM services at Kings Valley Wesleyan.  I brought greetings on behalf of the District, and Lead Pastor Jim Agrell preached in both services, as they continued in a current series that is underway, entitled LifeApps.  There were 15-20 Veterans from the local Legion who were present in the second service and formally recognized in honor of Remembrance Day.  The church provided dinner for them following the service.  There were a record 858 people present for the Sunday AM Worship services (lya 647).
Halifax – Deep Water Wesleyan Church celebrated their 4th Birthday, Sunday, November 6th.  There were a record 375 people present, and 40 children (also a record!) who participated in their children’s ministry, Upstream.  Several people stood to cross the line of faith, and receive Christ for the first time!
Over 60 people participated in the Dr. Lenny Luchetti Preaching Seminar/Workshop sponsored by the District, and held at Bethany Bible College last Wednesday.  Pastors from Presque Isle, Maine to Yarmouth, NS, and even Newfoundland came to share in the day.  We appreciate this excellent response.  It was a practical and worthwhile time, and a good reminder of the important place preaching plays in the proclamation of the Gospel.  Our thanks to Dr. Luchetti for his transparency and openness in the things he shared, and in the way that he shared them.
This past Sunday, I was in Florenceville-Bristol Wesleyan Church. It was great to see a good percentage of children, teens, and young adults present.  Brad Israelson has been hired part-time to work with youth, and his wife, Stephanie, is involved on a rotation basis as one of the worship leaders.  There were 100 people present in the service.  The church has done $10,000 worth of major refurbishing and upgrade to the upstairs portion of the Christian Education area.  They have created a kid-friendly environment with specific themes in each room based on the age ranges of the children.  Pastor Graham Perry says they have started in the upstairs area and will work their way down to the basement in refurbishing the Christian Ed. portion of their facility.  This is an excellent upgrade, and the church is positioned to have an expanding and effective ministry to the children and teens in the community.
Mount Pearl – Solid Rock Wesleyan has sold the house they own which is next door to their church.  The closing date is this Thursday.  The congregation has been able to take a large portion of the property that was originally part of the house property, and reallocate it for church parking.  The house now sits on a reconfigured smaller lot.  The church has benefitted from the additional land, and the sale of the property will greatly reduce the church’s indebtedness.  It’s a win-win.  Stuart Marples is the Pastor.
Rev. Gerald & Kaye MacKinnonwill celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on Dec. 3, 2011.  Congratulations!  Pastor Gerald’s ministerial credentials are held by the Atlantic District.  The MacKinnons reside in Brooksville, Florida.
The Atlantic District Ministerial will be held at Kings Valley Wesleyan Church, February 7-9, 2012.  Pastors, please protect those dates on your schedules.  Dr. Tom Clegg is our special speaker.  He is known as a Breakthrough Leader for Missional Transformation. He is President and Founder of the Missional Transformation Network.  He is a highly gifted and sought after conference speaker, consultant and internationally recognized authority in the fields of evangelism, church planting, leadership development, and missions.  He has helped plant and grow many new churches in the past thirty years.  More details will be sent to the pastors and LBA vice-chairs later this week as it relates to registration, accommodations, and other logistical matters.
“Peace doesn’t come from finding a lake with no storms.  It comes from having Jesus in the boat.”    – John Ortberg