Regional Updates
(Fall 2013)
Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness
Peter Spragg has been Senior Pastor of Bloomfield Baptist Church since 2004. He shared this note of praise with Regional Director, Bob Flemming.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” Psalm 107:1
In the history of any local church, there are difficult times and good times. But through it all, the love of God endures forever.
Here in the little village of Bloomfield, south of Belleville, ON, we are no different. We give thanks in the difficult times as well as the good ones. We are incredibly grateful for the amazing things God is doing among us. In Psalm 107:2, 3, the psalmist talks about gathering from the east and west, from north and south. We have known that blessing as our congregation has increased from about 60 eight years ago, to 600 today.
More than anything, we are thankful for the changed lives and the renewed hope that He has given to so many. It is our vision to have a place where God’s people gather to worship and fellowship with each other, and where those who don’t even want to go to church, can’t stay away. Why? Because of the love, acceptance and forgiveness that they sense as they walk through the door. We continue to expect great things from God, because we know that His love endures forever.
—Bob Flemming is Regional Director of FEBCentral
Baptism by the Numbers
Steve Brunt, Pastor at Living Water Baptist Church in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia, shared this “gratitude” story with Regional Director, Glenn Goode.
It was an absolute privilege to lead ten people into the waters of baptism on June 23rd.
For about a month prior to that date, I'd been announcing from the pulpit that a certain gentleman was going to obey His Saviour by being baptized. Shortly after, a young boy told his parents that he too wanted to be baptized. Then, after explaining baptism to an older gentleman who had recently turned to God through faith in Jesus, there were three. I received a phone call from a 30-something man telling me that he wanted to let the world know that he was a Christian by being baptized. That made four. After another couple approached me about baptism, we had six. Then my two daughters asked to be baptized. That made eight. A few days before the 23rd, I received another phone call. A young girl wanted to obey Jesus by following His command. Now it was nine. Just before we were to begin the baptism service, a teenage girl approached me to express her wish to identify with her Saviour by being baptized. This made ten.
What a delight to see these ten people testify to the world that they had turned to God through faith in Jesus. I pray I'll see many more.
—Glenn Goode is Regional Director of Fellowship Atlantic
Impact 2013
Delegates from across the FEB Pacific region gathered at SouthRidge Fellowship in Langley on April 25-26 for “Impact 2013.” The annual convention was renamed “Impact” to better reflect FEB Pacific’s mandate to “leverage the collective strength of our churches to make a God-honouring impact in BC and Yukon.” Many God-honouring stories were shared.
At Journey Church in Langley, people are walking into church and meeting their neighbours for the first time. Redemption Community Church in Surrey is intentionally reaching out to the young adults in their multicultural neighbourhood. Pastor Carlos Carrion shared how over 200 men have come to faith through the Migrant Workers Ministry over the past three years. One such migrant worker said: “since I came to know the Word of God, this has led me to share the Word with my wife, my children and my family (in Mexico). I also want to share the Word of God with my community.”
Sixty pastors’ wives attended the 2nd annual Pastors’ Wives retreat, organized by Krista Penner, Director of Women’s Ministries. One pastor’s wife expressed “It’s great to be able to share the joys and pains of life with others who ‘get it’, who understand the unique lifestyle of a pastor’s wife.”
For the first time our church in Prince Rupert has seen significant response to the message of the Gospel among the First Nations Community.
The Celebrate Recovery ministry at Immanuel Fellowship in Abbotsford has provided a place of hope for over forty people and has welcomed a number of new believers.
—David Horita, Regional Director, Fellowship Pacific
The Lord Provides Powerfully
I thank God that my health is fine and that I am in complete remission from cancer. God has been merciful to me and has still given me time to serve Him.
Last May, we officially opened our new building in the east end of Montreal. These facilities provide 75% more space for us. This abundance has allowed us to rent out some of that space to a Christian bookstore and to a local church.
AEBEQ now has 87 churches. In the last 10 years, we have started 19 new churches across Quebec. Five projects are underway. We have three projects on the island of Montréal: The Mont-Royal plateau, LaSalle and St-Léonard, as well as a project in Plessisville, and another in Montmagny near Quebec City.
SEMBEQ is currently preparing 51 future workers in five cohorts across Quebec. Some have received scholarships that help them clear a day a week to continue their training. Church-based courses are given in 21 centers across Quebec and include 302 students. We give glory to God for these believers who are receiving quality theological training.
Two missionary couples are leaving Quebec to go to serve overseas: Luc and Denise Tétreault, from Orleans, will serve at the Christian Hospital at Shikarpur in Pakistan where Luc will be administrator. Ricardo and Ingrid Castro, from Ahuntsic, and previously planters in the District of Côte-des-Neiges in Montreal, will go to serve in Spain. Even though our region is a missionary field, we also send missionaries around the world.
—Gilles LaPierre, Regional Director, Quebec
Healthy Leaders, Healthy Churches
What an awesome privilege it is to watch the Lord lead our Region toward His vision of ‘Healthy Leaders leading Healthy Churches into the Harvest’.
Our Flagship events, Equip 2013, (Annual Convention), Fresh Waters, (Ministry Staff and Spouses retreat) and Effective Leadership (leaders weekend), grow in excitement, attendance and effectiveness each year.
Our new Fellowship Prairies By-Laws have been approved and are now awaiting review by the Federal regulators.
Our churches are becoming more involved in community outreach. Their demonstration of God’s love to their communities has had some wonderful results. In the last year we’ve seen an overall attendance improvement of 7.9%, 267 decisions for Christ and 148 Baptisms. We estimate nine new building programs or major renovations in the next ten years.
We are so thankful for all our Lord is doing.
—Laurie D. Kennedy, Regional Director, FEBCAST/Fellowship Prairies