Dear Folks,
Some things, many things, are worth a lot of time, consideration and preparation; marriage, close friendships, loving children, discerning the Lord’s will for vocation…many things.
I have been re-miss in giving you the names of those appearing before the Ordination Examining Council. It is now a month away and I want to share their names and their churches this week.
Just as a refresher. We believe as Baptists in the priesthood of all believers. Read the excellent charge to someone in an ordination service from the Gathering for Worship, published by The Baptist Union of Great Britain.
All God’s people are called to ministry.
All who are baptized into Jesus Christ
and have received the Holy Spirit
are called to serve our Lord Jesus Christ,
and one another,
in the fellowship of the Church
and in all that they do.
God gives gifts to all, so that, like a body,
all may share in the purposes of Christ
for the world which God has made
and for which Jesus Christ has died.
All are called to be disciples.
All are called to be servants of God in Christ Jesus
Through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Yet God calls some to servant leadership in the Church
and these are to be honoured among us.
None may take this office upon themselves.
Today we acknowledge
our dependence upon God
and seek to do his will.
We have sought God’s guidance
and prayerfully tested the calling of _________
within the local and the wider church
Now we gather in the name of Jesus Christ
to ordain ________ as a Christian minister
and to seek God’s blessing
through the power and graces of the Holy Spirit.
Our own process, within the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada, begins with an individual‘s own time of discernment before God…affirmed by family, friends and church community. After the individual has been put forward by their church to be approved by the Ministerial Credential Committee, Dana Cupples (assisted by the Regional Offices and Regional Committees) mentors/manages the new candidate through the documentation process which includes a week long course, Mini Semester, conducted every winter at Carey Centre in Vancouver, BC. This course is led by Brian Stelck, Axel Schoeber and Faye Reynolds.
Ordination Examining Council will be held this year at Westview Baptist Church in Calgary, AB.
Please pray for the following and particularly remember the OEC Chair Wayne Larson and Recording Secretary Doug Johnston.
Those appearing before the Ordination Examining Council are:
Brad Steyn, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC
Judy Lang, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC
David Haugan, First Baptist Church, Peace River, AB
Grant Hill, Olivet Baptist Church, New Westminster, BC
Sue Hunter, Laurier Heights Baptist Church, Edmonton, AB
Tana Clark, First Baptist Church, Edmonton, AB
Shannon Youell, Jubilee Christian Church Community, Victoria, BC
Rob Filgate, New Life Community Baptist Church, Duncan, BC
Tammy Klassen, New Life Community Baptist Church, Duncan, BC
Joshua Wang, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Victoria, BC
Bobbi Salkeld, Kitsilano Christian Community Church, Vancouver, BC
Joel Russell, First Baptist Church, Regina, SK
I also want to share the names of the four people who were approved by the Ministerial Credential Committee who have been Recognized For Prior Ordination:
Hizon Cua, Greenhills Christian Fellowship, Vancouver, BC
Abraham Han, First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC
Jusuf Wijaya, Ward Memorial Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC
Craig Smith, Carey Centre/The Church at Southpointe, Surrey, BC
Warmly,
In Christ,
Jeremy