We have many things to be thankful for and to pray for in these next few weeks. I would like to share some of them with you and ask you to pray as you feel called.
Please pray for Laura Nelson, CBWC VP of Personnel and Programme, as she leads with Heather Thomson, Jill Cardwell and others in the planning cluster for the Gathering in Calgary on 23 – 25 April 2015. We give thanks for Westview Baptist and their staff who will be welcoming us as the host church.
We are graced, blessed and encouraged by the large number of folk going forward for ordination, and who are present at the mini-semester at Carey Centre this week. They are receiving input from Axel Schoeber (who leads the process), Jonathan Wilson and Paddy Ducklow (who are teaching), Faye Reynolds (who has extensive experience in mentoring ordination examining council papers), and Laura Nelson (one of our OEC Chairs). An OEC Chair is present at these gatherings to avoid challenging situations with individuals at the Council itself. Here is a list of candidates for this year.:
Bill Christieson
Steve Bailey
Ray Smit
Jane Christensen
Jason Burtt
Josh Goetz
Winston Pratt
Angela Wood
Garry Mullen
Bill Cottrill
Leighton Gust
David Lee
Kevin Ewaskow
Chris Pollock
David Wang
Please pray for the New Pastors Orientation, which is a 3 day engagement of new staff to our family of churches and occurs on 22 – 25 February at Carey Centre. Many folk come from a variety of traditions before they arrive at the CBWC, and this is an important time, not simply for the relaying of information, but also for the building of community and relationships. We have a number of people from the four western provinces attending. Thank you to Carey for hosting the event and to Dawn Johannesson for all the work in keeping this event organized.
Attendees:
Randy Baker
Jill Cardwell
David Dawson
Kari Elliot
Natasha Ewaskow
Nathan Friedt
Tyler Hagan
Randy Hamm
Wesley Morrison
Calvin & Keshia Nickel
Ray Smit
Winston Pratt
Eric & Lasma Scramstad
Robin Sloboda
Greg Stirling
Amanda Strain
Eric West
Angela Wood
Grace Wulff
Nic and Alicia Wright
Jonathon Shierman
Ross & Tina Cashman
Tad Inboden
Gordon Freiter
Craig Thiessen
Jodie Kim
Evelyn Grieger
Staff and Presenters:
Sherry Bennett
Louanne Haugan
Mark Doerksen
Victor Ku
Dawn Johannesson
Shannon Youell
Brent Weick
Scott Simpson
Cailey Morgan
Chris Reid
Faye Reynolds
Rob Ogilvie
Bob Webber
Rod Olson
Dennis Stone
Our former CBWC President Jan Paasuke is tasked with chairing the Nominating Committee of the CBWC, looking for new Board members and, by implication, Board development. She is being assisted by Michael Cantlon and David Connop. I look forward to the day when 2 very simple things occur: that we recognize that over time we have developed, in the strength of God, hundreds of skilled leaders, and that we would like to draw from that larger pool, which we are not always adept at doing. Pursuant to that great giftedness God has given us, it would be great if a committee such as this was responsible for appointments to all our groups, subcommittees, and associated partners, as we have been tempted by the tendency to have people without terms be burdened with long term responsibilities which others could share.
Please pray for Mark Doerksen, as he continues to get his feet wet (or frozen, if you like) in his new calling as Heartland Regional Minister. Please pray for Jill Cardwell, who on such short notice, took on the task of being the Vancouver Administrative Associate. Jill is getting married in May of this year.
We give thanks for the growth of the Vancouver Leadership Forum / Association, especially as Tim Colborne shares with well over 100 people on the spiritual journey in the midst of mental illness and depression. This Leadership Forum takes place in Vancouver on Thursday 12 February.
This week (2-4 February) holds the Alberta Pastors and Chaplains Retreat, which will be winding down, even as you read this. Pray for those who have been encouraged by the time; pray for those who have spent a good deal of energy organizing and leading it.
And finally, pray for the Heartland Pastors and Spouses Conference, as they gather in Russell, MB next week.
Warmly,
In Christ,
Jeremy Bell