Mountain Standard Regional Newsletter June 2022

Landmarks

The view of Square Butte was the landmark I saw every morning as a child.  The living room picture window faced the mountain in the photo. In an area of Montana known more for its bald prairie, this butte stands out for miles in every direction. Growing up we never needed to know which way was North, South, East or West, it was just ‘Where is Square Butte?’

As my children approach their mid-thirties, it is interesting to see how family is a landmark for them. This was not as apparent when they were young, but now they are interested in their family heritage and connections. One of my sons went to Ellis Island on a search, and even in Minnesota found headstones of past family unheralded for decades. The phonecalls my wife and I receive now are different, as it seems we—in a way—are their familiar landmark whereby they set their bearings.

Every believer can point to certain individuals as landmarks—those individuals who helped us set our bearings spiritually. That may be a parent, friends from a youth group, a Christian friend, a pastor, a childhood friend, or even a neighbour. God placed us within families and communities where relationships affect us and we affect others.  

The serpent raised in the wilderness is a symbol of how we need to look to God, look to Jesus as our landmark. Of course, I am speaking metaphorically, but in relationship with Him we set our life, our bearings. This is true for us individually, but also for the whole of God’s Church. In the words of Paul, “In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you, too, are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.” (Eph. 2:21-22)

I am at an age where there is more looking back than looking forward. Time passes by for all of us, and the next generation eventually takes over. At some point, they will look back at the landmarks, at the history that brought the present. In the future as others look at me, at us, at the Church, I want people to see foremost in their eyes that God lived in us by His Spirit. The story here transcends the words. It is not in the black and white. It is the Life of Christ in us that needs to show forth.

Your co-worker, Dennis Stone

Small Church – Significant Ministry

I was raised in a small church. It was about 35 attendees when I started. I was new to Christ, but this group of older individuals shared lovingly with me and my friends, which started a whole new movement for the church that continues to this day. It was quality over quantity.

Many larger churches are staffed by those who grew up in one of those smaller churches. Smaller churches give opportunities for service, gift development, and early leadership openings. Here in Alberta I’ve seen the richness of ministry in Brownfield, Claresholm, Webster, and other places in both rural and urban settings. The smaller church is often a singular family unit that loves their community and the people that come together to worship and minister together.  

The ministry of a small church might show gaps in their outreach, but there are gaps in the larger church too. One example of a gap is that during the Covid experience, smaller churches showed more resilience than the larger churches did. Few, if any, of our smaller churches had to lessen their pastoral staff to meet payroll.

This newsletter has a couple pictures attached. One image is of our church in Webster, Alberta worshipping together.  Brian Burkart was the guest speaker. Years before he intentionally left ministry in Grande Prairie to start this little church at the crossroad of a couple gravel roads North of Sexsmith. Today by the picture you can see the number of young people and positive attendance at this location.  

In another picture you will see the children’s moment at One Accord Bible Fellowship Baptist Church in Edmonton. This church has struggled with low attendance for years, but now is seeing growth while working within a multi-lingual context (English, Spanish and French) from various backgrounds, including many new Canadians. Their building is a historical CBWC church, now with over an 100-year history, showing significant progress to younger families in their neighbourhood.

Gull Lake Centre Celebrates 100th Anniversary! 

We (finally) get to celebrate our 100 (and 2nd) anniversary on June 11, 2022!  This is going to be a slightly more laid-back version of the previous plans.  The event will be from 11am to 5pm, and the mood is going to be based on an ol’ timey county fair.  There will be food, there will be music, there will be some games, there will be tons of old pictures from all of the generations, and there will be heaps of camp friends ready to reminisce with.  A good time for sure. 

Please RSVP at https://gulllakecentre.ca/100th-celebration/

New Pastors in the Mountain Standard Region

Meet Josh Dory, the new pastor at Webster Community Church.  Josh is recently from New Brunswick but has found a home for his family in what locals call ‘the Peace Country’.  To his wife Jessica and their family, we want to extend a warm welcome to the Peace Cluster of pastors, and to the collective of ministers of the Mountain Standard Region and the whole of the CBWC!!

Meet Kevin Dick, the new pastor at Sonrise Baptist in NE Calgary.  He lives in the area close to the church and was attending for a few months before asked to be pastor.  He comes to this position as his first pastoral role, but he is a student of Scripture and eager to learn more about leading the church and preaching/teaching.

This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Email our senior writer, Jenna Hanger: jhanger@cbwc.ca

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