The Banner
Seeking to minister in new ways in challenging days!
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:14
Live Worship @ BSBC
Greetings Church! Our plans are coming together for our August live worship services. It is no mean feat to attempt coordination of the many individual schedules of our musicians and worship leaders. I’m so grateful to everyone who has made a commitment to lead us in the days ahead. More detail will be added as the weeks go on so please check back each week for updates!
Wednesday, August 5, 6:30 p.m.
Preacher – Dr. Keith Bodner – “A Tour of 1st Peter”
Contemporary Worship Leader – Jon Wilton and Team
Thursday, August 6, 6:30 p.m.
Guest Preacher – Our Partner in Mission – Charlie Ritchie – “Romans 17:14”
Contemporary Worship Leaders – The Patterson Family
Wednesday, August 12, 6:30 p.m.
Preacher – Dr. Keith Bodner – “Ruth, Part 1”
Traditional Worship Led by David Steeves, Gloria Tranquilla & Calvin Smith
Wednesday, August 19, 6:30 p.m.
Preacher – Dr. Keith Bodner – “Ruth, Part 2”
Traditional Worship Led by Ross & Janice Simonds
Wednesday, August 26, 6:30 p.m.
Communion Service (This is the Only Service Not Recorded for Public Release)
Preacher – Pastor Greg Geldart
Traditional Worship Led by David Steeves, Yvonne Kershaw, Pascale Beaulieu
Wednesday, September 2, 6:30 p.m.
Preacher – Pastor Greg Geldart
Traditional Worship Led by Gloria Tranquilla
In order to attend any of these services, please make a reservation with the church office (receptionist@bsbc.nb.ca/458-8348) – reservations will be part of our new normal. However, if you are out and about, you can drop by and see if there is seating available – given that social distancing limits seating in the sanctuary.
Pastor Greg
Worship This Coming Sunday
The Sermon
This coming Sunday, Dr. Keith is taking us back to the New Testament with a “Tour of 1 Peter.” He writes: Although Peter (“the rock”) leaves the book of Acts in chapter 15, during the closing stages of his eventful career he becomes an inspiring writer of letters that contain great wisdom.
Worship leaders
Leading worship for the contemporary service will be Jon Wilton and team. Songs for the traditional service will be led by David and Leah Steeves. Mikey and Pastor Greg will be offering the children’s times for the month of August with teaching on prayer. Dan Wilton will be leading in prayer and Erik Dunfield will open our services with the reading of God’s word. In the Contemporary Service you’ll also get to see/hear the “Lake Worship Team” which was to be shown last week but…we ran out of time. Various parts of the service for Sunday, August 9, were recorded at “Wednesday Worship” on August 5.
Belated Congratulations
Sometimes, we miss big events in the lives of our church family! And that’s certainly the case today. BUT, it nonetheless gives us great pleasure to introduce a new-ish member of our church family – Evan Jayhan Rickard who turned 1 year old on July 29.
Evan is the beloved son of Miles Rickard and Adeline Ang. His mom writes: The birth of Evan is the answer to our prayers to God for years. He has been a wonderful blessing in our lives! It’s never too late to say thanks to God for such a wonderful gift and to pray for this young family as they seek to live for Him.
God's Speed
We bid a fond farewell to Philip and Marion Hall who are making their way across the country to a new life in Duncan, British Columbia where they will be close to their daughter Karen. I will miss seeing them faithfully in their spot in the balcony and some of you have been greeted by them when they served as ushers. However, their "main claim to fame" was on the church badminton courts on Saturday mornings where they were key "players" in this ministry. Please pray for their continued travel and settling in time. Philip and Marion, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Pastor Greg
Youth Outreach
Over the last weekend, youth leaders and members of the Education Committee made some ‘house calls’ on our Middle and High School youth to drop off an envelope with an encouraging letter from the church and a Dairy Queen gift card for a little summer treat! We plan another outreach event to our youth in late August.
We need your help!
While we were able to connect with all those for whom we had contact information, we don’t want anyone to be missed. If you know of a Middle or High School youth that we did miss (minus this year’s High School grads) we really want to know. Please email Debbie Keirstead (drkbiz@rogers.com) and she’ll see that we make contact with them as well. Please pray for our children, youth and their parents as they make their way through the summer of 2020!
Welcome Pastor Changbin Tian
In last Sunday’s online service we welcomed and prayed over Pastor Changbin Tian – the new full-time pastor to the Chinese congregation. Some of you may have missed his biography when it was printed in an earlier edition of our e-newsletter. Here is an summary of that material. Please pray for Pastor Changbin and family as they embrace renewed ministry in Fredericton and at BSBC.
Pastor Changbin Tian is 43 years of age, is married to Jian Zhang and they have three wonderful children: Elaine, age 16; Leon, age 12 and Ryan, age 9. Ryan was born in Fredericton when the Tian family were living here.
Pastor Changbin was born in a small village in northern China and when he was 16 years old he went to college in Qingdao City. His primary training was in international trade accounting and he began his first job as accountant when he was 19. After 3 years, he left that company and embarked on a successful independent career in international trade. He tells us, it was at this time that a friend asked him to go to church. He remembers being interested in the sermon on that first visit, thinking the pastor‘s passage spoke directly to him. He writes: I continued to go to church, yet, this was not my first time hearing of God because when I was a child in my hometown I helped my grandmother to write bible verses and hymns in her notebook. She became a Christian when a missionary preached the gospel in our village.
His friend gave him a Bible which he read and the brothers and sisters at his church, sensing faith in him, invited him to be baptized but he refused, thinking he was not good enough to be a Christian. That was, until the spring of 2006, when he knew it was the invitation to accept God’s grace that made him worthy and, on the invitation of his pastor, he felt it was God’s will for him. He was baptized on July 8, 2006 and his new wife, a Buddhist, began attending church with him following their marriage and was baptized in Christ on July 7, 2007.
His success in business led him to devote most of his time to his work, taking time away from his family, that is, until the financial crisis of 2008 when his business went down and led him to consider immigrating somewhere. The family flew to Fredericton on September 24, 2010. He writes: God changed our life through our third child. We know God existed in our lives as He helped us through this situation. In Fredericton we joined the Chinese Fellowship at Brunswick Street Baptist Church. We started to study the bible and to attend worship every Sunday. Our faith grew stronger through the Chinese Fellowship. The brothers and sisters helped me a lot when Ryan was born, they cooked meals for us, and we felt God’s love through them.
Meanwhile, my lifestyle changed in Canada. I was so busy in China that I didn’t have much time to care for my family. But in Fredericton, I spent lots of time playing with my children. It made me feel happier than working in business. It made me realize that I missed so many happy times. This made me realize my family is more important than my job. Money can make me happy, but it can’t give me joy. I know it is God’s will to move to Canada and live here.
In 2012, the family returned to China for a month to see their parents. During that time, they went to a family church where they studied the Bible and prayed each day. Though this family church, Changbin attended a weeklong retreat hosted in Korea. His testimony is that his heart was touched again in that retreat, that God spoke to him and told him they should return to Canada and so, in the summer of 2013 they came back to Fredericton. They enjoyed spending summer in Fredericton and he remembers that one evening, when he watched one Chinese Pastor’s Sermon on his computer, God spoke to him again, this time telling him to go to Seminary. I was very excited when I heard this, I shared this with my wife and we prayed together that the Lord’s will would be fulfilled. But, study at an English seminary meant the need to improve his English language skills and so he worked hard at this goal.
In the summer of 2016, Pastor Jimmy from the Alliance Church came to minister to the Chinese Congregation. He shared his story of preparation for ministry, at first thinking he needed to study in English but coming to understand that as his work would be focused on the Chinese, he should study in Chinese. It was then that Changbin knew for certain he had his answer. Pastor Jimmy had studied at Tyndall Seminary in the Chinese program. I was very happy to know where I should study and that the study of theology would be in Chinese. I thank God that He helped me once again. I contacted the Chinese Canadian School of Theology in Tyndale through Pastor Jimmy.
In the spring of 2017, the Tian’s sold their house and moved to Toronto in the summer. The Tian’s testify that they now knew that their future was secure by holding on to God’s hand. All we need to do is to follow his will and it was then that I fully I surrendered my life to Him. I know his way is perfect for me and my family. My prayer, then, was, “God, you tell me where I can serve you. Then I will go”.
In his second year, Changbin prayed with confidence that God would show him where to serve. He shares that God put New Brunswick on his heart because there wasn’t a full time pastor in any of the three Chinese congregations in the province. In the summer of 2019, Changbin was invited to speak at a Chinese Ministry Revival Conference at Mount Allison University. It was here that Dahu Chen, Chairman of the BSBC Chinese Ministry Committee approached Changbin about the possibility of serving here. Again, prayerfully seeking God’s leading, both Changbin and Jian received a beautiful internal affirmation that this was the place God had prepared for them and now, since July 1, 2020, Pastor Changbin is the first fulltime pastor of our Chinese Congregation.
Prior to his move to Seminary, I had the privilege of connecting with Changbin through his leadership on the Chinese Ministry Committee. I was deeply touched by his pastor’s heart and desire for the Kingdom to grow through the witness and sharing of the brothers and sisters in the Chinese ministry and in our city. I so look forward to sharing in ministry with Pastor Changbin and I invite the English congregation to join our Chinese brothers and sisters in praying for Changbin and his family as they root themselves here and settle in to our corporate witness of Christ.
WELCOME, Pastor Changbin, Jian, Elaine, Leon and Ryan, we thank God for you!
Pastor Greg
Consider Those You Know
Just a reminder that we want to stay connected with those who might not have access to ‘thestreetonline.ca’. Each Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the Family Room we offer a showing of the traditional service recording.
You can encourage folks to call the church office (458-8348) to make a reservation to come any Wednesday afternoon and join Pastor Steve or Greg for the service. OR, we are happy to mail DVDs and paper copies of the e-newsletter directly to individuals each week. Simply contact the church office (458-8348) to request the mailing.
Thank you for making these opportunities known to those who aren’t able to access our website.
You Asked For It
We’ve had numerous requests for a new edition of a printed/paper church directory (names, phone, email). While we continue to encourage use of the online directory, which you can join by contacting the church office and providing your email address, we are preparing to respond to these requests.
For this printed version, the office is contacting everyone with email addresses to verify your information. If you are without email, we encourage you to contact the church office to make sure your information is up to date.
If you have any questions, please contact Janet or Naomi in our office (458-8348 OR receptionist@bsbc.nb.ca) and they will be happy to help.
Our plan is to print at the end of August with these available for early September.
If you would like to pre-order a copy of the printed directory please contact the church office to place your order. Copies will be $5 each and we will arrange home delivery if required. Please note that these directories are not published for business or other forms of solicitation but for helping with community building at BSBC.
You Don’t Even Have to be Quiet
Our Librarian, Sharon Gosselin, doesn’t even require you to be quiet when you visit our church library which you can do any Wednesday between 10 a.m. and noon. Bring your children for a great selection of faith-based children’s books! Enjoy reading fiction? We’ve got shelves full. Looking for something more serious – no problem, our library has LOTS to offer from discipleship to study materials. Drop in next Wednesday and have a look around. If it’s your first visit, we doubt it will be your last!
Oh, and if you’ve been in before…please have a look around your home for any books you might like to return – we’re a ‘fine free’ library!
Summer Bible Study
Dear friends:
Come join our summer bible study on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 6:30 p.m. where we’ll continue our study of the book of 1 John, looking at chapter two. Please let me know if you’d like to be included on the Zoom invite by emailing me at steve@bsbc.nb.ca.
Blessings,
Pastor Steve
Vacation
Please pray for Pastor Greg and Margaret as they engage in the second segment of their Summer 2020 vacation. Pastor Greg will be away from the office from Friday, August 7 through to Sunday, August 23. He will be back in the office on Monday, August 24.
Please also be in prayer for Pastor Steve as he serves the congregation during this time.
Vacation Bible School
We’re so happy to report that 32 children are currently registered for our online VBS. We would like to double that number. What children could you invite to register for VBS? Thanks for your help!
Under the unique circumstances of summer, 2020, children K-Grade 5 can have a “unique” VBS experience ONLINE! Each week of July and August, our children can tune in on Wednesdays for a new edition of the ROCKY RAILWAY: Jesus’ Power Pulls Us Through, VBS. Children and parents can engage with our VBS at their convenience and enjoy singing, Bible lessons, great skits, crafts and more! Each session will be about 30 minutes in length.
Unique to this year’s VBS…children who register will receive home deliveries of craft supplies and support materials. Yes, delivered right to your door…a wonderful way to build excitement as your children await the two deliveries – one each month. Deliveries will be limited to the Greater Fredericton area but if you live outside the city, you can pick up your child’s materials at the church office.
To help us prepare and so we can be sure to include your child in our delivery schedule, please click on the link and fill out the registration form. We’ll keep in touch with you as we prepare for the roll out of ROCKY RAILWAY so you and your family can get the most out of this opportunity to learn how Jesus’ power pulls us through!
A Sign for the Times
Thanks to Peter Duguid for suggesting that we needed something out front to remind the residents of Fredericton that we’re still engaged (it just took a little longer than planned).
Nonetheless, this nifty sign on the corner of Brunswick and York Streets invites folks to join us online for caring, sharing and worship. Passersby are invited to visit the website, phone or email – a small way to encourage contact in the age of COVID-19.
Thanks to Chris Graves and Toon Pronk for putting it up for us.
BSBC BODcasts
He’s back! On Tuesdays tune in for Dr. Keith’s “director’s cut’ of his second message on the book of Esther.
Hear more background and the answer to your questions.
Please feel free to submit your questions to the church office (458-8348 or receptionist@bsbc.nb.ca) each week by Monday at 4:30 p.m.
Questions are always dealt with anonymously.
YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Dr. Keith Bodner, Preaching Pastor
Pastor Greg Geldart, Lead Pastor
Pastor Jim McLellan, Pastor of Senior’s Visitation
Pastor Steve Patterson, Outreach Pastor
Pastor Changbin Tian, Full-time Pastor to the Chinese Congregation
