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Our Mission
Experience the Love of Jesus. Live it Out Everywhere.
Making a submission to our weekly newsletter?
Submissions for our weekly newsletter should be sent to
naomi.phillips@bsbc.nb.ca.
The deadline for inclusion in Wednesday’s edition is noon the Monday prior.
In this issue:
Check out what's coming up at BSBC from Jan 3 - 10!
1. Happy 210th Birthday BSBC!
2. Children’s Ministry: Jan 7
3. Christmas Giving Goal 2023
4. Starting Local/Going Global Christmas Project
5. Weekly Financial Countdown
6. 2024 Offering Envelopes
7. How Is Your Ministry?
8. Annual Report 2023 Call for Submissions
9. Fredericton Christian Men’s Retreat: Feb 9-11, 2024
10. Muffin Ministry
11. Third Sunday Supper
12. Partner In Mission: Andre Sibomana, CBM
13. GospelOnWeb Project Update
14. Pastoral Care
15. NextGen Ministry @ BSBC (Children/Youth)
16. Fresh Start Young Adults Ministry: Jan 9
17. This Sunday’s Worship Gatherings: Jan 7
18. This Week @ BSBC
1. Happy 210th Birthday BSBC!
From January 1, 1814, to present day, from our origins in the Fredericton Baptist Church (the only Baptist Church in the Fredericton area) to our current Brunswick Street Baptist Church, we praise God for His faithfulness through these last 210 years!
We also thank you for your continued attendance, generosity and support. To God be the glory!
2. Children’s Ministry Resumes: Jan 7
A huge shout-out to our awesome Preschool and KidzTown leaders for all of the great things they do throughout the year. This Sunday, our KidzTown and Preschool ministries will open up for our birth to Grade 5 children.
The leaders and volunteers will pick up our children from the gym at 10:45 am. For those in the sanctuary, our leaders will be collecting your children from the Connections Center.
Please register your child for Preschool and KidzTown in the connection centre between 10:15 and 10:30am. You can bring the identification tag to collect your children at the end of the worship service so we can be assured they are leaving with the correct adult.
3. Christmas Giving Goal 2023
At our Annual Meeting in February 2023, the congregation adopted a goal of raising $10,000 over and above regular giving as a celebration offering for Christmas. In 2023, we received $8,945.00.
Thank you for considering such practical support of the ministry we do in Fredericton and beyond.
4. Starting Local/Going Global Christmas Project
A Message From The Things:
‘Tis the time of the year to celebrate lots of Good News
And for “The Things” to say a “Big Thank You” ... to those in the pews.
Who have supported so faithfully all things SL and GG
Starting Local, Going Global… what a program of Hope, and of Peace
So to you a Big Wish from Things 1, 2, and 3
Merry Christmas to all and A Year of Blessings and Glee.
After Sunday’s service, our updated giving totals for Local is $10,482.50 and for Global is $12,459.70.
Thank You so much.
God is so good.
BSBC Social Action Team and Mission Committee
5. Weekly Financial Countdown
Thank you so much for your faithful giving.
For 2023, we have received 99% of our budgeted amount for the General Fund. We have also received 90% of our budgeted amount for the Building Fund. These numbers are not yet finalized and confirmed.
The Lord is good to all. (Psalm 145:9a)
6. 2024 Offering Envelopes Are Ready
This message is applicable to all those who give their offering by envelope. It does not apply to those who give electronically.
New boxes of envelopes will be available for pick up in the Connections Center on Sunday, January 7, before and after services. We are now down to 200 envelopes. Approximately 30 people will have a new envelope number in 2024.
If you wish to pick up your envelopes during the week from the church office, please contact Deborah VanSlyke by email at vanslyke@nbnet.nb.ca to make arrangements.
Thank you,
Deborah VanSlyke
BSBC Financial Secretary
7. How Is Your Ministry?
In 2024, we would like to start celebrating all of the good things that have happened or are happening or will be happening at Brunswick Street Baptist Church (BSBC).
We invite you to submit a paragraph (or two!) of the good things that are being accomplished (please include a photograph if you have one!) through each of the programs and events that happen at BSBC.
Please email the information on your group, ministry or event to the church office, along with a couple of photos, to naomi.phillips@bsbc.nb.ca. In the new year, we would like to start sharing this good news with each other.
8. Annual Report 2023 Call for Submissions
We are thankful for 2023 and are looking forward to 2024. Specifically, we are looking for reports from all Board, Committees, and Teams for the Annual Report 2023. We need to have the Annual Report compiled, edited, revised, (and edited again!) printed and ready to send for binding by February 1, 2024.
To that end, the deadline for submissions for the Annual Report is Tuesday, January 9, 2024. Please submit your reports to the church office, via email, to naomi.phillips@bsbc.nb.ca.
Thank you for participating in this way. If you have any questions or concerns, or for more information, please contact the church office.
9. Fredericton Christian Men’s Retreat: Feb 9 - 11, 2024
The Fredericton Christian Men’s Retreat is back! After a four-year hiatus, we are excited to be holding the 38th Annual Fredericton Christian Men’s Retreat. Our theme speaker this year is Gordon Cook. He will challenge and inspire us in the area of practicing our Christian faith in today’s world.
When: Feb 9-11, 2024
Where: Snider Mountain Ranch
Theme: Hearts and Hands of Holiness
All men are encouraged to attend. The cost is $265.00 (plus $10 for the optional Friday night dinner). If cost is of concern, sponsorships are available.
Please do not miss this opportunity. It is always a wonderful time of fellowship, learning and encouragement.
Registration forms are available at the Connection Centre or electronically by contacting Graeme Powell. To register, please contact Graeme Powell by telephone at 506-663-5436 or by email at g.m.graeme.powell@gmail.com.
For more information, please speak to Doug Ashfield, Charlie Colwell, Adam Fowler, David McMath, Graeme Powell, Ron Smith, or Roddy Thompson.
10. Muffin Ministry
On behalf of our brothers and sisters who make a weekly evening trek around the city to visit those sleeping rough, and the members of your Social Action Team, thank you ‘muffin makers’ for your faithfulness serving in this way.
Our schedule is now open for 2024. We still require 3 dozen muffins per week. Please place 12 muffins, individually wrapped, in a large zipper locked bag, and label the bag “Street Ministry”. Don’t forget to include your name and the delivery date for which you signed up. You can place the labeled muffins in the upright freezer in the main kitchen.
Please click the link below to sign up to serve in this way or call the church office (506-458-8348) and our admin team will be pleased to do the online registration for you. Jesus spoke of offering cups of cold water in his name. Muffins, we believe, offer the same opportunity to bless others for him.
11. Third Sunday Supper
Dear Friends,
Our Third Sunday Supper (TSS) ministry is going strong with up to 50 guests some Sundays. This is an incredible ministry where we can meet folks in a relaxing and loving atmosphere, while gently planting seeds of faith.
In order to continue with this important work, we are looking for anyone – friends, family, or group – that would volunteer to prepare a meal for our TSS guests from April 2024 onward. January, February, and March are covered. Our guests are not fussy and are so appreciative of every meal served. A $150.00 stipend is now being offered to help cover the cost of expenses.
If you have any questions or to volunteer your group, please contact Judy Thompson at 506-238-9903 or email judypaul1088@gmail.com.
12. Partner In Mission: Andre Sibomana, CBM
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Merry Christmas. Please find attached the link for the December Ministry updates:
Delighted in walking alongside you on this Journey of Mission.
Peace to you and your beloved ones.
Rev. Andre Sibomana
Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM)
Phone: +250 788486496
Email: asibomana@cbmin.org
Pobox 7479, Kigali, Rwanda
13. GospelOnWeb Project Update
Hello Churches,
I wanted to reach out with a special year-end 'Thank you' to all you churches that supported the GospelOnWeb project financially this year. Google Ad Grants, Canada Summer Jobs and the New Brunswick SEED programs together provided about 99% of the $6.5 Million in funding that GospelOnWeb received in 2023. But without your financial gifts for that crucial last 1%, none of the other potential funds could have been realized!
So Thank You!
When we started hiring students at scale through Canada Summer Jobs and NB SEED 3 years ago we did so primarily because I saw no other way to get all the work done across all the IT platforms that GospelOnWeb uses to send content around the planet. But having students work on gospel material is also becoming an outreach/discipleship opportunity in its own right. At a Pathfinders Board meeting earlier this month, two alumni of the Summer Collective (as we call our summer work) who are still working with me in the 'off-season', presented to the Board. Their presentation was recorded. Scott starts out by explaining our pilot project for online follow-up with Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and then Brianna continues with the work of the Summer Collective. The link to their presentation is here:
When I transitioned from student ministry to GospelOnWeb I exchanged lots of interacting and vibrant face-to-face conversations with interactions and keystrokes on my laptop. And some days it does feel like work. So, it encouraged me to hear (and I see it in several student that I work with) how GospelOnWeb is bringing other fruit that was not directly in my thinking when I started this.
This all reminds me of the phrase from Jesus "... yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Thanks for sowing into lives like Scott, Brianna and the dozens of others across Canada who work with us.
We are percolating some other discipleship ideas as we look ahead to 2024 that we hope to provide some concrete updates for later in the year. In the meantime may God bless your church in the upcoming year.
Happy New Year.
Ragnar Oborn
Pathfinders Ventures
14. Pastoral Care
Your Deacons want to affirm that BSBC is equipped to provide Pastoral Care. We are grateful for the engagement of Rev. Ross and Pastor Nikki, and we are blessed to have additional support from Rev. Kevin Culberson, the Baptist Chaplin at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital.
Here are some suggested approaches:
Hospitalizations
• Your pastors will only know of hospitalizations if the church office or individual pastors are contacted directly
• We’d appreciate you notifying the office if you know of the hospitalization of a member of the BSBC family
Critical Incident
• If a pastor is needed in an emergency situation, between Monday to Friday, 8:30 am and 4 pm, please contact the church office
• Outside of office hours, please contact a pastor directly
Bereavement
• Rev. Ross and Rev. Kevin will be available to support families at a time of loss, to conduct funeral and committal services
• Contact the church office during office hours, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4 pm
• Outside of office hours, please contact a pastor directly
• We have provided McAdams, Bishops, and York Funeral Homes with the contact information for both Rev. Ross and Rev. Kevin
• If you are not a member of a bereaved family but know of a death within the BSBC family, please contact the church office to make sure your pastors are aware of the need
Contact Details
Church Office
506-458-8348
naomi.phillips@bsbc.nb.ca
bsbc@bsbc.nb.ca
Rev. Ross Watters
506-282-3443
ross@bsbc.nb.ca
Pastor Nikki Leftley
506-282-1075
nikki@bsbc.nb.ca
Rev. Kevin Culberson
506-260-6240
culberson.kevin@gmail.com
Denise Mersereau, Chair of Deacons
506-262-0197
ddmersereau@gmail.com
Please pray for our pastoral care team as they seek to partner with you in caring for the BSBC family.
Your Board of Deacons
15. NextGen Ministry (Children & Youth)
Children @ BSBC
Scouting Boys Elementary, Aged 5-10 years, Resumes: Wednesday, January 10, 6:30 – 8:00 pm (Gym)
BSBC offers a scouting program for boys from kindergarten to Grade 5 full of outdoor adventures, fun activities, and community service projects are used to teach boys how to live the great commission and to love God and our neighbours. For more information, please contact the church office at 458-8348 or bsbc@bsbc.nb.ca.
Sunday School Resumes: Sunday, January 14, 9:30 am
We hope our kids and youth enjoy the Christmas holiday season with family! We look forward to having Sunday school all together on January 14th at 9:30am. All are children and youth are welcome from Kindergarten to Grade 12 – we have a class for you. For more information, reach out to Pastor Nikki @ nikki@bsbc.nb.ca.
Hands In Girls Ministry: Wednesday, January 17, 6:30pm
Hands In Girls Ministry is an all-girls elementary school, kindergarten to grade 5 group, filled with fun, games, crafts, worship and friends! All are our girls are welcome to join us at our monthly gathering! We look forward to seeing our elementary school girls out! Please email Allie at ali.dee@rogers.com to RSVP and to learn more information.
Youth @ BSBC
Youth Bible Study Resumes: Wednesday, January 10, 6:30pm
The youth Bible study group will be getting together for our first Bible study of 2024 on Wednesday, January 10 at 6:30 pm. All youth between grade 6 – 12 are welcome to join Pastor Nikki & Alyse Wilton for Bible Study! For more information reach out to Pastor Nikki at nikki@bsbc.nb.ca.
Greenhouse Band Practice Resumes: Wednesday, January 10, 6:00 pm
Our Greenhouse Band is taking a break for the Christmas season. Practice will resume on Wednesday, January 10 to prepare for the Greenhouse service on January 28. For more information on how to get involved, please contact Julianne at julianne.d.moore@gmail.com or text (506) 261-0876.
Youth Group Resumes: Sunday, January 14, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
We look forward to seeing our youth for our first meeting in 2024. Join us January 14 for a sports and board games night.! If you want to know more about Youth Group, please contact Pastor Nikki at nikki@bsbc.nb.ca.
Greenhouse Youth Worship Service: Sunday, January 28, 10:30 am
Youth are invited to serve and join us on Sunday, January 28 for our first Greenhouse service of 2024! If your youth would like to get involved in serving, please reach out to Pastor Nikki at nikki@bsbc.nb.ca.
Friends Are Us Puppets: Friday Evening Practice Will Resume in January
Have you ever wondered how a puppet show gets made? All middle and high school youth are invited to join Chris Graves for an hour of fun and fellowship while using our puppets. For more information, please contact Chris Graves.
16. Fresh Start Young Adults Ministry: January 9
Our Young Adults ministry, Fresh Start, will resume meeting on Tuesday, January 9 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Come along for some fun, snacks and social time followed by a Bible study. We would love to see you there!
Please contact Pastor Ross ross@bsbc.nb.ca for details.
17. This Sunday’s Worship Gatherings: January 7
This Sunday, we will be worshipping at the Lord’s Table.
The gym worship service will be under the musical leadership of Allie Dunfield and friends. In the sanctuary, the worship service will under the musical leadership of Gloria Tranquilla, pianist, and David Steeves, organist.
This Sunday, Pastor Keith will be speaking in the sanctuary. Of his sermon, titled “Restful Urgency for a New Year”, he writes, “Although the Christmas season was probably a hectic one, hopefully there was some thoughtful celebration of this game-changing event in human history along the way. As we now recalibrate for a new year, it is a wise idea to begin with a Communion moment. To center our thoughts around the Lord’s Table, we will listen to two passages from God’s Word. First, we will consider the turbulent world of Isaiah the prophet, and hear his declaration to the community about the weight and consequences of their disobedience in chapter 1. Second, we will sit before the apostle Paul’s exhortation to the believers in the imperial capital of Rome, as he encourages them to wake up, live well, and clothe themselves with the Lord Jesus at the end of chapter 13”.
Pastor Ross will be preaching in the gym, continuing with the second part of his Growing Young series.
Whether in-person or online, be sure to join us this Sunday morning. Both services start at 10:30 am.
18. This Week at BSBC
Please note: FLC stands for Family Life Centre
Wednesday, January 3
12:00 Men’s Basketball (Gym)
6:30 Choir/Ensemble Rehearsal (Choir Room, 2nd Floor, Connections Center)
7:00 Christian Men’s Retreat Meeting (Boardroom, 2nd Floor, Gym Building)
Thursday, January 4
7:00 Men’s Prayer Breakfast (Gym/Main Kitchen)
7:00 Women’s Prayer Breakfast (Family Room/Kitchenette, 1st Floor, FLC)
9:00 Benevolent Ministries (By Appointment)
9:00 Days for Girls (KidzTown, 2nd Floor, FLC)
Friday, January 5
12:00 Men’s Basketball (Gym)
7:00 Parent Supervised Youth Hang-Out (Gym/Kitchen/Assembly Area, 3rd Floor, FLC)
Saturday, January 6
10:00 Gym Setup (Gym)
1:00 Worship Team Practice (Gym)
Sunday, January 7
7:00 Mandarin Prayer Meeting (Boardroom, 2nd Floor, Gym Building)
9:00 Asian Sunday School Class (Boardroom, 2nd Floor, Gym Building)
9:30 Together in Prayer (Counselling Room 3, George St Side, Gym Buildling)
9:30 Adult Coffee Time (Family Room/Connections Center, 1st Floor, FLC)
10:30 Gym Worship Service (Gym)
10:30 Mandarin Worship Service (Assembly Area, 3rd Floor, FLC)
10:30 Sanctuary Worship Service (Sanctuary)
10:50 Preschool & KidzTown Classes (1st & 2nd Floor, FLC)
11:30 Library Open After Services (Library, Connections Center)
12:00 Mandarin Choir Practice (Assembly Area, 3rd Floor, FLC)
12:00 Deacons Planning Session (Family Room, 1st Floor, FLC)
Monday, January 8
7:00 Daniel Plan - Focus (Admin Office)
10:00 Ladies Exercise (Gym)
12:00 Men’s Basketball (Gym)
1:00 WMS (Gym/Main Kitchen)
6:30 Education Committee (Assembly Area, 3rd Floor, FLC)
Tuesday, January 9
10:00 Pastoral/Planning Meeting (Admin Office)
11:15 Staff Meeting (Boardroom, 3rd Floor, FLC)
12:00 Mandarin Prayer Meeting (Boardroom, 2nd Floor, Gym Building)
1:30 Quilters for Missions (Quilting Room)
6:00 L’Arche Board Meeting (Boardroom, 2nd Floor, Gym Building)
7:00 Mandarin Bible Study (Boardroom, 2nd Floor, Gym Building)
7:00 Fresh Start Young Adults (Assembly Area/Café, 3rd Floor, FLC)
Wednesday, January 10
10:00 Ladies Exercise (Gym)
10:00 Mandarin New Life Bible Study (Family Room/Kitchenette, 1st Floor, FLC)
12:00 Men’s Basketball (Gym)
5:30 Church Family Potluck (Gym/Main Kitchen)
6:30 Scouting Boys K-Grade 5 (Gym/Fellowship Hall)
6:30 Youth Bible Study (Assembly Area, 3rd Floor, FLC)
6:30 Choir/Ensemble Rehearsal (Choir Room, 2nd Floor, Connections Center)
