Heartland News Archives - Page 5 of 5 - Canadian Baptists of Western Canada

High River Compassion Project

“Come unto me all you are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

The Need

The town of High River AB has been devastated by flood waters. The National news media is telling that story for all to see. It is estimated that two-thirds of the homes in a town of approximately 13,000 residents have been affected. Many homes will be bulldozed (current estimate is 1,000). Others are at varying stages of drying out in preparation for restorations. Mountains of flood-ruined furniture and contents lie in the streets at the time of this writing. Current reports say that all churches are flooded and not able to accommodate worship and ministry. Some, including the High River Baptist Church have been condemned for demolition (see www.cbwc.ca and national news media sites).

DONATE ONLINE TODAY

Project Background

Through the caring initiative of the Compassion Ministries of the Metropolitan Bible Church in Ottawa ON, an inquiry was made on or about June 28, as to how they could best express the compassion of Jesus for the residents of High River. In ensuing conversations with Jason Johnson, Pastor of High River Baptist Church, the Ottawa folks proposed the purchase and distribution of mattresses to those with the greatest need. Pastor Jason and leaders in HRBC affirmed the value of that offer and encouraged others outside of High River to proceed to build the project.

Conversations have been continuing and have led to an affirmation and partnership in this project with the Canadian Baptist of Western Canada, Metropolitan Bible Church (Ottawa) and with Sleep Country Canada for publicity, receiving donations, offering HR residents a free mattress (in Jesus’ name) and purchase & delivery of mattresses for victims of the flood in High River.

Developments:

Compassion Ministries of MBC contacted the CEO of Sleep Country Canada and through her staff received an exceptional quote on good quality name brand mattresses.
MBC accepted responsibility to design an information brochure to hand out with each mattress to inform the recipient of the source of the gift from the people of God across Canada and to emphasize a message based upon Mat. 11:28, that Jesus offers “rest” to anyone who comes to him and to say that the gift is given “in the name of Jesus”. Contact information for HRBC is included on the brochure should a mattress recipient wish to take some next step in exploring the fullness of the “rest” that Jesus has to offer.
Local CBWC Calgary people, in conversation with Pastor Jason Johnson and other leaders of the High River Baptist Church, began to build some infrastructure for the project considering how to publicize the project, receive donations, purchase mattresses and manage the distribution of mattresses in both a compassionate and an equitable manner, recording mattresses recipients so that a duplication of gifting does not occur.
Offers of a mattress to a household will be made in person in neighbourhoods of High River by volunteers (including some pastors) from churches in Calgary and area, and acting upon the advice and direction of Pastor Jason and his church leaders.
A brief assessment questionnaire will be used to determine greatest need so that those who will not have insurance coverage will be given greatest priority.
Mattresses will be ordered from and delivered and set up by Sleep Country at the home of the recipient in High River.

A directional flow for funds has been arranged through the denominational office of the CBWC (Canadian Baptists of Western Canada) in Calgary for CBWC churches and individuals. The Calgary office will keep an account of donations for the “H.R. Mattress Compassion Project”. Funds can then be transferred electronically to the Mattress Company for purchase of Gift Cards.

***NOTE TO OTHER DENOMINATIONAL GROUPS OR ORGANIZATIONS:

Sleep Country will happily set up a transfer account for your organization should you wish to conduct your own collection and transfer of funds to Sleep Country for this project. To arrange for this please see contact information below for Hugh Fraser (CBWC Pastor).

To Donate:

Send cheques or direct fund transfers to the office of the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada or use the “Donation” tab on the CBWC website (www.cbwc.ca) and click on “Disaster Relief Fund”. Until a specific tab is set up for the “High River Mattress Project”, you will need to notify the CBWC office that your gift has been sent and you wish it designated specifically for the Mattress Project. Donate Online Now

Duration of the Project:

As the entire town of High River remains in a State of Emergency as of July 6, 2013 and the renovation and rebuilding of homes will carry on for months (and certainly into 2014) we are projecting this project will remain active through into the fall of 2013. An end date will be posted on the CBWC and MBC websites.

Contact Information

To Donate:

Online Donations

By phone or mail:

CBWC

Suite 1100, 550 – 11 Ave. SW

Calgary AB

T2R 1M7

Phone Contact:

Louanne Haugan (CBWC – Disaster Relief Coordinator)

1 403 228-9559 ext. 301

lhaugan@cbwc.ca

For additional Inquiries about the project or the involvement of your organization:

Hugh Fraser (CBWC Pastor)

hfraser@shaw.ca

High River

For local information (and for contact with Pastor Jason Johnson):

Beryl Harbridge (Admin. HRBC)

High River Baptist Church

rbharb@platinum.ca

1-403 651-4398

Ottawa

For Donations:

2176 Prince of Wales Drive
Ottawa, ON K2E 0A1
1 613 238-8182

www.metbiblechurch.ca

MBC Compassion Ministries

Becky McGregor

metcompassion@gmail.com

metcompassion@metbiblechurch.ca

Heartland Regional Welcomes Jenn Gurel

April 29, 2013 – The CBWC is pleased to welcome Jenn Gurel to the Heartland Regional office as a maternity leave appointment as administrative assistant beginning April 29.

Jenn will be taking over from Cindy Emmons while Cindy is on maternity leave. Jenn will assist interim Hearland Regional Ministers Mark Doerksen and Josh Goetz who are filling in for Devin Seghers while he recovers from a concussion.

Jenn hails from Vancouver Island but ended up in Regina to attend Western Christian College & High School for a three-year degree. She has worked in many offices doing accounting and data entry. One of the jobs she has enjoyed most was working in Western’s dorm program where she started as Resident Assistant and became full-time Dorm Director until the school closed.

Jenn is married and has two children.

Welcome Jenn!

Interim Heartland Regional Ministers Announced

February 21, 2013 — As many of you are aware, Devin Seghers, our Heartland Regional Minister, was assaulted in October of 2012 as he tried to help a woman who was being attacked. Devin suffered some rib injuries as well as a concussion during this altercation.

As time has passed the ribs have healed but Devin is still experiencing the effects of the concussion that he received. Based on recurring medical symptoms from that incident, the CBWC Board, Executive Staff, and Devin feel that moving forward with Long Term Disability is the right action to take at this time, and we have made the decision to proceed with this. There is a team in place to consistently and continually check in on Devin and care for him during his healing process. Continue to pray for Devin as he recovers and pray for the whole Seghers family as they go through this difficult time.

So where does this leave the Heartland Region in the interim period? Dennis Stone, the Alberta Regional Minister, has covered a lot of the duties up to this point. The Heartland Area Resource Team (Mary Stuber Doerksen, Michael Cantlon, Joshua Goetz), as well as the Heartland Regional Assistant Cindy Emmons, have taken on a greater responsibility as well.

The CBWC Executive Staff, in consultation with the HART and the CBWC Table Officers, have decided that during the time that Devin is not able to fulfill his responsibilities as our Regional Minister that they will put into place two Interim Assistant Regional Ministers (one in Manitoba and one in Saskatchewan) to cover the various regions on a part time basis. Pastor Mark Doerksen (Lead Pastor at Willowlake Baptist Church) will take on the responsibilities in the Manitoba region, and Pastor Joshua Goetz (Sr. Pastor at Asquith Baptist Church) will take on the responsibilities in the Saskatchewan region. Having these positions filled on a part time basis while Devin recovers will ensure that the ministries, programs, and initiatives of the CBWC in the Heartland are not left unattended.

As more information regarding Devin’s recovery becomes available we will endeavor to keep the Pastors and the Churches of the Heartland Region informed. We will also attempt to keep you up to date on the many things that continue to happen within the Heartland Region.

The Heartland office is available Tuesday – Thursday from 9am – 4 pm. You can reach the office via email (heartland@cbwc.ca) or phone (306.789.2900)

Mark Doerksen will be available on Friday mornings via email (mark@willowlake.ca) or phone (204.791.8075).

Josh Goetz will be available on Tuesdays via email (joshua@asquithbaptist.ca) or phone (306.329.4351 or 306.789.2900).

Mary Stuber Doerksen, HART Moderator, is available via email (murf43@gmail.com).

The CBWC Calgary (403.228.9559) and Vancouver (604.225.5916) offices are available Monday – Friday.

In Christ,

Jeremy Bell

Dennis Stone

Josh Goetz

Mark Doerksen

Sir Frederick Bevan Bullen

On Saturday, January 19th, 2013, Rev. Dr. Sir Frederick Bevan Bullen was called into his Father’s presence.

Born in Plymouth, England on April 26, 1916 in Plymouth, England, Fred came to Brantford in 1924 with his parents, Ralph and Sarah. He was educated at Graham Bell School, B.C.I., McMaster University, and several post graduate colleges. Having served churches in Nova Scotia and Ontario, and being ordained in 1941, Fred pastored churches in Sault Ste. Marie, St. Catharines, and Brantford. For 22 years he was the General Secretary Treasurer of the Canadian Baptist Federation, occupied many executive positions in the Baptist World Alliance, and served on the Canadian Council of Churches. He was awarded Knight Great Band for the Humane Order of African Redemption, in recognition of leadership in World Relief Projects.

In retirement, he served as interim pastor at Kenora, Tillsonburg, St. George, and Caledonia, as well as Immanuel and Queensway Baptist Churches, and Wesley United Church in Brantford. He was Minister Emeritus of Park Baptist, Wesley United, and First Baptist Churches. He had the honour of being the Project Coordinator of the Canadian Baptist Heritage Center at McMaster Divinity College, which was dedicated to Fred and his wife, Ruth. Curling was his favourite sport.

Fred was predeceased by his beloved wife of 62 years, Ruth Baker (2003) of Kenora. He is survived by his family, daughter Jane Baker, son John (Marilyn), grandchildren Jennifer, James, Craig, Lance, and their spouses, five great-grandchildren, and his “adopted” family, Janet, David, Roblyn, and Lara Partridge. Predeceased by his grandson Andrew. Visitation will be held at First Baptist Church, 70 West Street, Brantford on Friday, January 25th, 2013 from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. A Service of Celebration for Fred’s life to follow at 2:00 p.m. Cremation.

Donations to the Fred & Ruth Bullen Sharing Way of First Baptist Church or First Baptist Church would be appreciated.“He rests from his labour and his work follows him.”

Dr. Ron Watts

The CBWC family is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Rev. Dr. Ronald Francis Watts on January 16, 2013 in Edmonton after a short illness. Dr. Watts was the founding Principal of the Baptist Leadership Training School (1949) and had a very significant influence on hundreds, if not thousands, of Baptist young people over the life of BLTS and, through them, all churches within the CBWC.

Ron was born in Calgary on August 21, 1918 to Avis (Greer) and Frank Watts, who worked for the RCMP. His family moved to Vancouver, where Ron attended elementary and junior high school. The family returned to Edmonton for a new RCMP posting where Ron finished high school and was confirmed in the Anglican church. His interest in amateur radio, as well as an invitation from a friend, led him to join a radio operators’ club at Macdonald Baptist Church where he was baptized, came under the mentorship of Rev. Harold Stibbards and decided to enter Christian ministry.

Ron began his pastoral studies at St. Stephen’s College, Edmonton and served as a student pastor at Shiloh Baptist and Bonnie Doon Baptist. At Bonnie Doon, Ron met his wife Fanshun who was a leader in the Christian Girls in Training. Together, they had three sons: David, Jonathan and Peter.

Ron and Fanshun moved to Hamilton, Ontario where he completed his divinity degree at McMaster University and Fanshun worked in the University Library. In 1944, they were called to serve at Calvary Baptist in Weyburn, SK, the only full-time pastorate he undertook during his career.

In 1949, Ron and Fanshun moved to Calgary to establish the Baptist Leadership Training School. In 1960, Ron received an honourary doctorate from McMaster University to honour his work founding and running BLTS. In 1971, Ron and Fanshun moved to Oakville, Ontario where Ron became the General Secretary of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec and Fanshun worked as the National Secretary of CGIT. Ron retired from the CBOQ (formerly the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec) in 1984 but was active in Oakville’s Central Baptist Church and named Pastor Emeritus for the church. Ron was also the VP of a local chapter of Amnesty International.

Ron was predeceased by his parents, his loving wife Fanshun and his son, Jonathan. He is survived by his sons David and Peter (Caitlin). The family held an open house at son David’s home in Edmonton on Saturday, January 19. A memorial service will be held in Oakviille at a date and place to be announced.

Please pray for Ron’s family as they grieve his passing. We share their sadness yet also rejoice that Ron is now home with the Lord and Saviour he loved so much. We are eternally grateful for Ron’s life and ministry among us. His legacy and service to God endures. Praise be to God.

Rev. Jack Farr

The CBWC is saddened to learn of the death of Rev. Jack Farr on Monday, January 14, 2013 in Ladysmith. We rejoice that he is now with God in heaven.

Jack was one of the CBWC’s longest serving pastors. His service began in Vancouver where he served as pastor at Grandview Calvary Baptist until 1969. He then moved to Calgary to serve at Crescent Heights Baptist from 1969 to 1975. Jack served as the Manitoba Area Minister from 1975-80 for the Baptist Union of Western Canada (now known as the CBWC) and then served as the Stewardship Director for the Baptist Union Development Fund. He then returned to front-line pastoral ministry to serve at First Baptist, Vancouver from 1988 to 1993. He was pastor at Calvary Baptist in Chemainus from 1993 to 1995. His last appointment was serving as interim pastor at Emmanuel Baptist in Victoria in 2005.

Please pray for his wife Catherine as she mourns Jack’s loss.

Jack’s memorial service will be held on Friday, January 18^th at 2pm at Calvary Baptist, Chemainus. Calvary Baptist is located at 3318 River Rd. in Chemainus.

Car Accident Prayers Requested

Please pray for Sandy Smith, associate Pastor of First Baptist, Edmonton who was injured in a car accident following the Banff Pastors and Spouses Conference on November 8. Sandy was driving keynote speaker Myra Blyth to the Calgary airport at about 12:30 pm when she was rear-ended near Canmore by a car going much faster than the rest of the traffic in the midst of a snow storm.

Sandy sustained neck and back injuries and was taken to Foothills Hospital in Calgary by ambulance. Myra was unhurt. Several CBWC pastors, such as Ryan Sato, Senior Pastor at FBC, Edmonton, and their spouses were in following vehicles and were able to help out at the accident scene and get Myra to the airport. Sandy’s husband Peter was able to drive down from Edmonton to pick Sandy up once she was released from hospital.

We are grateful that the accident wasn’t worse in the terrible weather and that Sandy has been released from hospital. We are also thankful to God also that Myra was unhurt. Sandy reports being very sore, so please continue to pray for her.

Please also pray for Sharon Oncuil, Administrative Assistant to Alberta Regional Minister Dennis Stone. On Tuesday, Sharon was attending a reception for Carey Theological College at the Banff Pastors and Spouses Conference at the Banff Springs Hotel when a chunk of the ceiling collapsed on her without warning. She received medical care almost instantly from Dan Galpin, Harbour Master of Keats Camps, who is a paramedic. She was taken to hospital and released with a very bad black eye and quite a lot of bruising. Again, we are thankful for God’s grace that this accident wasn’t worse. Please pray for Sharon’s continued recovery.

Leadership Forum Tonight

September 18 — Canadian Baptist churches in the Winnipeg area will join together for a leadership forum tonight at Willowlake Baptist.

About 100 pastors and ministry leaders are expected to share a meal, worship God together and learn about resources available to them from the CBWC at the forum.

“This is a way to bring together ministry leaders to demonstrate our support for each other,” said Heartland Regional Minister Devin Seghers. “It will allow leaders and churches to connect with each other in a broad way and to deepen personal connections so that churches can help each other.”

The leadership forum is expected to be the first of many monthly get-togethers for church leaders in each geographic area of western Canada.

25th Meet Your Musician a Success

Combined Choir 0 — Meet Your Musician Choir

First Baptist Church Regina recently celebrated the 25^th anniversary of Meet Your Musician on May 11-13. This exciting weekend dedicated to exploring and singing choral music was considered by many as the ‘best ever.’

Prolific composer and concert pianist, Joseph Martin from Austin, Texas, returned for his unprecedented 5^thvisit to Regina to lead the enriching week-end. Joe inspired participants and congregation alike with his music, Sunday morning message, piano playing, and his sense of humor.

His piano renditions of “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho” in both the morning and evening services were exhilarating, inspiring many to leap to their feet spontaneously. The weekend ended with an inspiring Celebration Concert on Sunday, May 13 before an appreciative congregation of over 350 people! MYM 2012 was an overwhelming success.

MYM 2012 represented the 25th year of this highly praised and recognized choral workshop experience. There were over 50 paid registrants, plus the musicians of First Baptist Church Regina, involved in the actual workshop experience. Close to 90 singers were in the Lower Hall on the Friday and Saturday, either renewing old friendships, or making new ones. It was a like old home week for many of the registrants who have faithfully supported MYM over the years. Registrants came from as far away as Vancouver, B.C. and Richmond Hill, Ontario, with the majority of registrants from cities and towns within Saskatchewan.

Major North American publishers and Saskatchewan Choral Federation once again provided resources and support for MYM. Alfred Publishing, Beckenhorst Press, Hal Leonard Hope Publishing, and Shawnee Press, Inc. acted as co-sponsoring publishers. Numerous other publishers acted as contributing publishers. Meet Your Mustician is indebted to these publishers for their remarkable support and encouragement over the past 25 years.

Combined Choir 1 — Meet Your Musician Choir

The Celebration Concert on Sunday night opened with the 120 voice Mass Choir’s singing of Joseph Martin’s “O Come Let Us Sing to the Lord”. The sound from the Mass Choir assembled across the front of the church sanctuary, up the two staircases, and across the choir loft was “awe inspiring”. The level of expectation of the congregation continued to build throughout the evening’s presentation. The Mass Choir was composed of 3 guest choirs (Faith Baptist Choir, Grace Mennonite Church, and Sunset United Choir), and the choirs of First Baptist Church.

MYM has a highly recognized reputation in North America, as expressed to those in attendance by both Joseph Martin, and a number of other clinicians and publishers over the years. Publishers request the opportunity to be a part of this unique choral experience. Each year over 10-15 publishers contribute music resources for our music reading packets either on a “complimentary” basis, or “print cost” basis. MYM is most grateful for this valuable contribution.

The benefits of this workshop experience are too numerous to mention. However, with the disappearance of many choir programs in the churches over the past years, MYM is one highlight on the choral landscape that continues to nurture and help sustain those churches and community choirs and their musicians who find solace in the “music making” activity that a choral experience offers.

Joseph Martin’s hymn arrangement of “To God Be the Glory” brought the MYM Celebration Concert to a resounding and inspiring conclusion!

However, it also left both participants and congregation eagerly anticipating MYM 2013 and working with the exciting composer, pianist and guest clinician, Joel Raney from Chicago, Illinois. “The Best Ever” will hopefully only get better!

MYM hopefully exemplifies both Martin Luther’s and J. S. Bach’s expressions, “Second to the Word of God, Music deserves highest Praise” (Martin Luther), and “Deo Gloria” (J.S. Bach).