Making Connections April 2024

What’s Happening 

There are plenty of opportunities to look forward to in our life together in the coming season. We want to highlight a few for you:

Theology for the Ordinary Book Club: At the next Theology for the Ordinary book club meeting, they will be discussing Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N. T. Wright. The meeting will be held Wednesday, May 1st at 6 pm, PST using Zoom. Please RSVP to heartland@cbwc.ca to receive the Zoom link, even if you have attended in the past.

Last Chances for Masterclasses

Shannon Youell and her church planting allies across the country have provided some top-notch training opportunities over the past couple of years in the form of free Evangelism Masterclasses. The final two Masterclasses (in this form, anyway), are coming up fast! Join the conversation around cross-cultural Gospel communication tomorrow morning with Tharwat Eskander & Mirna Dirani of the Salvation Army, and discuss what role house churches have in today’s church landscape with former CBWC pastor Scott Hemenway on May 7. cbwc.ca/masterclasses

Baptists, Assemble!

This year’s Assembly is coming to you online on May 16, making it easy to include many from your congregation in celebrating the goodness and faithfulness of God as we review 2023 and continue to live into all that 2024 has for us as a community of Christ followers.

Each year, we gather either in person or online for an Annual General Meeting, as required by the Canadian government. In our online meetings, our time together is centred on connecting with our family of churches using the Zoom platform in order to present audited financial statements, proposed budgets for future years, updates on our shared work together, and ministry partner initiatives.

Registration for Assembly 2024 closes April 25, so make sure to get your pastors and delegates signed up at cbwc.ca/assembly.

Summer is A-Comin’

Our 6 camps are shifting gears as we come out of winter season and looking to the summer ahead, which means spots are already filling up! Register your child/grandchild for camp, or donate to support the great work of these ministries:

And speaking of summer fun, is your group signed up for SERVE yet? Join youth from across the CBWC to serve, connect, worship, and learn in Prince Albert Saskatchewan from June 30 – July 6, 2024. Early Bird registration ends April 30: cbwc.ca/serve

Posting Summer Jobs

We’re pleased to share a new resource for churches and camps: the Seasonal/Short-Term Job Postings page on CBWC’s website. This online job posting board is specifically for CBWC positions like summer camp staff, ministry interns, school year interns, and any other short-term positions. Because this is brand new, there are only a few positions currently listed. Visit the new page at www.cbwc.ca/careers/seasonal/ to view current postings and learn about how to submit your own.

Truth and Reconciliation

There is a team of Canadian Baptists across the country collaborating to create resources for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, which is on September 30. Resources include support for Sunday, September 29 worship gatherings. Throughout the coming months, they will be adding more pieces, but now is the time to put September 29 and 30th on the calendar and begin to plan how we as churches, families, and individuals will mark this important time. More information to come; keep checking CBWC website for details.

Give or Go to BPC 2024!

Registration opens TODAY for Banff Pastors and Spouses Conference (November 11-14, 2024). A survey published in the Journal of Psychology and Theology showed that pastors in the US named clergy retreats as one of the most helpful supports for their mental health. Do you think the same could be true for our church leaders here in Canada? Find out how you can support clergy care in a special matching campaign, or sign up for BPC:  https://cbwc.ca/resources/church-tools/clergy-care/

Cultivating Shalom: Rest, Release, Resetting with Psalm 23 

Out of our desire at CBWC to see pastors and congregations cared for and flourishing, we are offering reflections from Psalm 23 over the coming months. We hope you join us as we seek to rest in the character of God, release the things of this world that we cling to, and reset our focus on the Kingdom of God and His invitation to each of us to enter His shalom. These reflections are adapted from CBWC Pastor Deborah Judas’ book Cultivating Shalom and are used with her permission. Let’s dive in! 

The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing (Psalm 23:1). 

Following the way of Jesus requires a complete reframing of how we see God, ourselves, and the world. One part of this reframing is that in Christ (our shepherd), we lack nothing. This truth presents a great difficulty for us, especially living in the Western world. We are surrounded by abundance, yet we continually experience a sense of scarcity. All around us are things we want, which feeds our discontent. And sadly, it is not only material possessions that we feel we lack.  

 We are also told that, as people, we are not enough. Before our feet hit the floor every morning, we feel inadequate. We never have enough money or time, are never good looking or thin or smart enough. Even we who minister in churches struggle with feelings that our churches are not big enough, cool enough, gifted enough, or effective enough. 

Choosing Trust 
With the world constantly reminding us of our inadequacy and shortfalls, how do we move from our feeling of scarcity to a place of contentment? How do we begin to flourish and experience the wholeness of God’s favour on us—and His delight in us—even in genuine scarcity? 

The “I lack nothing” statement calls us to make a decision. In fact, in other translations, the phrase is “I shall not want,” which seems to better communicate that we are to choose to not desire more than what the Lord gives us. It demands a certain amount of trust to accept and believe that God’s blessing is not limited to our finances, material well-being, health, and relationships. In fact, the things we place our trust in and allow to rule our lives are often the things that will never permit us to flourish. 

  • Where are you experiencing the most lack? Where do you need the most healing? Are you willing to invite God into these areas and allow Him to heal and transform you? 
  • Is God on your radar as you go about your day? Is His guidance and His work in the world important enough to you that you keep an eye out for opportunities to participate with Him?  
  • How often do we miss out on His invitation because all we can see are the things that are blocking our view—things like fear, insecurity, and inadequacy? 

Experiencing a life without lack comes when we give ourselves away to others, thus making room for more of God in our lives. It is like gardening. If we leave the fruit or flowers on the plant, it will eventually wither away. But when we cut flowers or pick fruit from the plants, we increase our harvest capacity. Over the years, the crops will enlarge, and the fruit will be abundant. In the same way, as we cultivate shalom by giving of ourselves to others, our capacity to minister will increase, and we will live and serve out of the abundance. 

Lord Jesus, In the midst of our perceived lack, may we be reminded of Your abundance. May our minds be renewed each day with the truth of Your gracious provision. As we awaken each day, may we choose to not desire more than You give us. May we live in Your delight, trusting in Your word, and flourishing in Your love and grace. In Your name, amen. 

This reflection is brought to you by CBWC’s Banff Pastors and Spouses GIVE and GO campaign, a clergy care initiative to help as many pastors as possible to join us at Banff Pastors and Spouses Conference this November. Join us in reminding our pastors: you matter to us, and you matter to God! cbwc.ca/clergycare 

 Partner Spotlight: Carey

Carey Student Residence: Graduate Reflections

As the UBC academic year comes to an end, Carey Student Residence says farewell to many of our students who are graduating or moving out. This year, we have seven students in our residence graduating from their undergraduate UBC programs to venture off into new directions.
Hear from two graduating students, Jaslyn and Logan, who share what it has been like living at Carey.

Jaslyn Thienbunlertrat is graduating from the Faculty of Arts with a major in English

How has Carey been part of your faith journey?
Living at Carey and sharing life day-to-day with the other “Careyites” has been transformative in how I understand loving my neighbour. You’re given chances to learn how to do that every single day; at the cafeteria, in the lounge, and at regular dorm social events. In the past two years, I’ve experienced the 

depths of God’s grace and tenderness through the people here and the ways they have loved me—as well as in the ways I have been invited into loving them. Sharing life in this way is so meaningful and has helped me grow in my faith—not just learning what it means to love my (literal) neighbours, but also learning what it looks like to walk alongside other Christians in their daily lives (in both joyful and sorrowful seasons).

What will you miss the most about Carey?

I’ll miss living so close to such dear friends and being able to live life with them! Part of the beauty of living at Carey is being able to study, pray, have fun, and make music with my friends at any given time. This support network has been so precious to me. I will be very sad to say goodbye to these people whom I’ve grown to love very much.

What advice would you give students considering applying to Carey’s student residence?

I’d recommend investing in the Carey community! Regularly participating in dorm events and community life makes such a difference. Being part of communal meals, Monday night events, and discipleship groups allows you to get to know people on a deeper level. It teaches you a lot about how to be comfortable with being yourself, how to extend hospitality to a stranger (who can quickly become a good friend!)—and in that long process of getting to know who you’re living with, what it means to love and be loved (which in itself is such a gift!).

Logan Wiebe is graduating from the Faculty of Applied Science

How was Carey part of your faith journey?

Something I appreciated was getting to know people from different Christian backgrounds. The diversity in thought among fellow believers is useful in building your faith. Also, I’ve noticed that Carey excels at offering opportunities to connect with my peers and with God. I had no shortage of small groups, worship nights, or church invitations. 

What will you miss the most about Carey?

Without a doubt, being able to eat every single meal with friends. I look forward to coming down to the cafeteria because there will always be welcoming people to have a conversation with.

What advice would you give students considering applying to Carey’s student residence?

Don’t delay! Carey is a beautiful place to make friends, establish habits, and grow.

From Jaslyn sharing about experiencing the love of others and being invited to love her fellow students back, we are pointed to the verse in 1 John 4:7: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” As our students grow in friendship and community, our hope is that they will also grow in their love and knowledge for God.

We are excited to share about the upcoming expansion to our student residence program. Currently, the maximum capacity for our student residence program is 44 students. This year, 33 of our 44 students have decided to continue staying at Carey for another academic year beginning this Fall 2024. We are thankful that we have been a community that these students enjoy and want to continue to be part of year after year. With 145 student resident applications last year, we anticipate it will be a competitive year for new students wanting to live at Carey this fall.

Construction has been moving swiftly! In March 2024, we placed the last beam on the sixth and final floor of our building.

We are thankful that our new student residence building is under construction and is projected to be completed by spring of next year, 2025. Our new building will add an additional 104 beds to the UBC campus. It is designed with amenities such as in-unit laundry, full kitchen, and shared meeting spaces for students to study and worship. With the ongoing increase in demand for student housing on campus, we are excited for the opportunity to welcome more students to our student residence program, where they can enjoy a unique Christian community focused on discipleship and fellowship. We hope to continue to be a light in the UBC community and build up a community of Christ-followers across campus.

Applications for the 2024-2025 academic year closed on April 1st. Late applications will still be reviewed, and CBWC members will receive priority placement. All other applicants will be placed directly on the waitlist. If you want to learn more about our student residence program, check out our website here.

BCY Regional Newsletter

April 2024

The Power of Short-term Missions

By Executive Minister, Rob Ogilvie 

Some of you may have already seen my post on Facebook, that this all started with me saying to Bonnie last fall, “How about an all-inclusive in Mexico in January?” To which she replied, “How about joining our church (Bonavista Baptist) mission to Guatemala and building houses for some people who could use a hand?” And so, we became a part of a team of 11 people who built 16 houses in 5 days. And it was great!

If you let those numbers sink in, you soon realize that the only way we could do that was if there was a huge amount of work done by many people before we ever arrived on Guatemalan soil. We were invited into God’s mission, already well underway, in Central America!

When we returned home, I began thinking more and more about our role in going and building these homes, and the practical side of me thought, “They really didn’t need us to come and build the houses.” They needed the money that was raised by the church and so many individuals, but there were enough people there on the ground that they could have built those houses without us. I really wasn’t sure that they needed us. 

As I continued to ponder this, I began to think about the fact that perhaps it’s not about them needing us, but rather us needing them. We needed to go and experience the people and the living conditions and the poverty to shake us out of our normal North American comforts and expectations; to challenge us to read scripture through the eyes of people different than ourselves; to help us to think about what our lives would have been like had we been born in their context; to challenge us to understand that we are not any better than anyone else and we are not more blessed by God because of the stuff we have, or the place we live; and to encourage us to learn to look at those that have less than us, that we see right here in our own towns and cities, in a different way.

These are people of faith. Some spoke of praying for a home for their family for years. Most wanted a small wooden cross, which we brought for them, mounted high on a wall because—symbolically—they wanted Jesus to be the head and overlooking the household.

And so, I went from “They don’t need us, they just need our money” to “We need them”—but I think I’ve settled on a place that says, “We need each other.”

We have resources and time and a willingness to share with others.

The people we built homes for were kind and gracious and welcoming and thankful, even with very little—a powerful example to us all.

And I think this is what the church is called to be.

Skye Jethani—co-host of the Holy Post podcast, guest speaker at our Banff Pastor’s and Spouses Conference in November and author of several books, including, “What if Jesus was Serious about the Church”—says,

Rather than an event, a building, or an institution, the New Testament calls the church to be a community living in communion with God and one another for the sake of the world.

People in relationship with God and one another for the sake of the world is what I hear when Jesus declares that “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:49). James challenges us, in the second chapter of his letter to the churches, that faith and works cannot be separated, and that we are called to live out our faith in the things we do. Or in Matthew 25, in one of the most powerful parables given in scripture, Jesus says, “Whenever you did this (feed, cloth, visit in prison, etc.) to one of the least, you did it to Me.”

There are lots of opinions held by people about mission trips to the developing world. As a fairly simple guy, here is my take. If you go, go with a heart to serve, and go with an openness to be touched and changed. And go out of a desire to be in communion with God and others, for the sake of the world!

Celebrating Creation Care

By Jenna Hanger

Spring is here, the days are longer, and the snow is melting! April is such an exciting time as we tentatively step outside again and enjoy the fresh air, baby animals, and the promise of summer coming (even if it comes with mounds of mud). It is also the time to acknowledge the annual celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd!

Earth Day is a great opportunity to take some time to reflection on Creation Care. Over the past few years, we have chatted about this topic or highlighted a ministry that is actively taking steps to care for our planet and get people involved.

Check out our older articles here:

https://cbwc.ca/making-connections-april-2023/#hope, https://cbwc.ca/making-connections-april-2022/#growing, https://cbwc.ca/making-connections-april-2021/#creation

This year, we are thrilled to share about the efforts at Calvary Baptist Church to extend their community garden project. Calvary Baptist Church was one recipient of the Active in Mission Grant, and they have already started putting the funds to good use!

On behalf of Calvary Baptist Church, the Board of Elders, and the Jubilee Garden Committee, I would like to thank you very much for the grant that has been received from the Justice and Mercy Network and CBWC.

Our Community Garden extension project has already begun. On February 17, we were delighted to have seventeen volunteers at a work party removing old garden boxes, taking down old fencing, levelling the ground with mini-excavator and tractor donated for our use by a church attender—with seven new garden boxes in place by the end of the day. It was a time of great co-operation and fellowship, which included a hardy mid-day lunch. A second work party is planned for March 9 to continue the work. When completed, we hope to have forty-two new garden boxes for neighbours and members of our community to grow vegetables, fruit, and flowers. A formal report with pictures will be sent in the future so that you can see the finished garden. At present, we are continuing to receive donations to continue with the project and see it to completion before planting time in May.

We are excited about this opportunity to connect with the community and provide garden boxes for those interested in raising organic vegetables and enjoying the gardening experience.

Another exciting item is that a couple of members of our congregation recently donated a new large BBQ. We hope to have a barbecue celebration with gardeners and church folk when the project is complete.

Again, thank you for the donation from the CBWC to help make this project happen.

Sincerely,
Katherine Johnson
Calvary Baptist Church of Gibsons

We would like to encourage everyone to take part in this year’s Earth Day celebration! For some resources on Creation Care, click HERE.

JustWork—Closing After 20 Years

By Jenna Hanger

Nearly twenty years ago, Grandview Calvary Baptist Church in Vancouver had a vision of helping the growing number of people in the Grandview-Woodlands neighbourhood struggling to find work. Through this desire, JustWork Economic Initiative was incorporated as a charity in 2006, and operated three social enterprises; JustPotters, JustCatering and JustRenos.

In January, it was announced that JustWork made the difficult decision to close, citing that financial struggles caused by the current economic climate were too much to overcome. 

JustWork shared this statement on their Facebook Page:

Big THANKS to our amazing community! As JustWork comes to a close, we reflect with awe and gratitude on those who have walked alongside us. This work will resonate meaningfully throughout our community and the lives of those we have served, leaving a lasting impact for years to come.⁠

We started in 2006 with a dream and a mission to fill a critical employment gap and help those facing the most significant barriers. It has been a privilege to give people the opportunity to sustain an income through our social enterprises for 18 years.

As we move forward, we carry beautiful stories of impact, struggles, moments of gains and loss, and the bonds of friendship and joy.

We are grateful for you—our silent companions, faithful supporters, and the soul of our journey.

⁠We wish you the very best! THANK YOU for being a part of our story.

The heart that Grandview Baptist had all those years ago led to years of touching and changing many lives. We are so proud of the work that JustWork has done, and wish everyone who was involved the very best in their next chapter!

Copyright ©  2024 Canadian Baptists of Western Canada, All rights reserved.

Making Connections is the monthly newsletter of the CBWC.

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