The Banner
In this issue:
1. The Move to the Red Phase
2. Political Commentary & Prayer Request from Leaders in Atlantic Baptist Life
3. New Year Greetings from Dr. Keith
4. Prayer Focus on Homelessness
5. Bereavement
6. Worship – Sunday, January 24
7. When We Return to Yellow
8. This Week @ BSBC
1. What Does the Red Phase Mean for BSBC?
The Provincial Government announced that New Brunswick will be moving into the red phase at midnight.
Sunday Services
Our Contemporary & Traditional Worship Services will be available Sundays at 10:30 a.m. For more information, check out our Worship Online page.
Adult Ministries
Our Adult Bible Studies have been connecting over Zoom since we moved into the orange phase and will continue to do so. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your leader.
Youth Ministries
Our Youth have been meeting for Wednesday Bible Study and Friday Night Youth Group over Zoom since we moved into the orange phase and will continue to do so. Parents, if you’ve signed up for emails from Pastor Charles, you’ll receive updates via email. If not, feel free to reach out to him at charles@bsbc.nb.ca to be added to the list.
Children’s Ministries
Our KidzTown Online videos kick off again this Wednesday afternoon. Check out the Children’s Ministry page for more information and for access to all our archived Children’s Ministry videos.
Please note: During the red phase, the leadership requests that there are no in-person meetings at the church.
Any questions? Please contact the Church Office at 458-8348 or receptionist@bsbc.nb.ca.
We're here for you
We know that moving into the red phase will bring challenges for members of our church family. We're here for you and are praying for you. Please don't hesitate to reach out to our pastoral staff.
2. Political Commentary & Prayer Request from Leaders in Atlantic Baptist Life
At the conclusion of last Sunday’s traditional service, I asked the church family to pray, each day, for a work of the God of peace in the United States. I hope you have. But, it is naïve of Canadians to assume that all the problems we identify south of the 49th parallel reside solely on the south side of the 49th parallel.
I commend to you the following statements from Dr. Peter Reid, our Executive Minister, and Rhonda Britton, Moderator of the African United Baptist Association. These, I believe, will help us gain a broader context for prayer for AND sensitivity to such issues in the Canadian context.
As you ponder these words on behalf of our sisters and brothers in the African Association, I commend to you I John 4:7-21. As you seek to digest the experience of Dr. Britton, I invite you to do so from the standpoint of John’s stirring portrait of LOVE.
Her statement has also drawn me to consider Paul’s words from I Corinthians 12:26: If one part [of the body of Christ] suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
It might be tempting to be overcome by the ways of the world in these days. In the face of that temptation Jesus says: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:22
Pastor Greg
3. New Year Greetings from Dr. Keith
Happy New Year to everyone at TheStreet, and even though 2021 is just a few weeks old there have been no shortage of challenges! Our strength has always been community and relationship, and therefore I am thankful that we are still trying to creatively continue our journey together in these difficult days.
Furthermore, there have been some fresh initiatives in the midst of global uncertainties, and many hands (mostly behind the scenes) are making our online services a highlight. In fact, numerous people who only have a distant church connection are now a regular part of our digital offerings, and so we should be excited for new avenues of growth and impact.
Continuing our series on Acts has been a “constant” in the middle of many disruptions. As we patiently work through the fifth book of the New Testament, we probably can appreciate that the first-century believers had to adapt and pivot, and rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction. Nonetheless, it is easy to be discouraged.
We should not be surprised that lots of people in the Bible get discouraged themselves, such as Timothy for example. As a leader with considerable gifts, when Paul later writes to Timothy we get the sense that Timothy is going through a season where he may be somewhat demoralized and has reason to feel defeated by controversies and issues that are swirling about.
But Paul gives some useful advice in 2 Timothy chapter 1, as he offers this counsel to a potentially demoralized believer: “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, and love, and self-control.”
From these words we can appreciate afresh the power of the risen Lord to work through our weaknesses, we can have love for those who are railing against the church, and self-control to believe the Scriptures and look forward with faith, rather than remain as a prisoner to our negative circumstances.
I am grateful for all those members of BSBC who are likewise committed to such principles during this pandemic, and are so supportive of our work. Keep an eye at the end of the month for a new Bodcast, and share our content as often as you can with friends and relatives.
Onward!
KB
4. Prayer Focus on Homelessness
Brothers and Sisters,
We are hearing from many in our community that homelessness remains a critical issue in our city. COVID-19 has only complicated this as the protocols for physical distancing have ‘shrunk’ the possible number of people being able to be housed in current residences.
I ask for the church family to make this issue a daily matter of prayer that God would lead us, as a congregation, to find ways in which we act to support the vulnerable in our city. I assure you that, this week, your pastoral staff are engaged in asking, seeking, and knocking.
We covet your prayerful partnership with us in these endeavours. Please also, pray that God may lead you, personally, to be sensitive to ways you can be a blessing to the vulnerable in our city. More to come.
Pastor Greg
5. Bereavement
Thank you for being in prayer for Shirley MacLure, and family, on the passing of her brother-in-law, Earl Clow of PEI. Shirley remembers Earl as a man who was very good to her family and a very special uncle to Rhonda McClure Perrin and great uncle to Emily Perrin Colpitts. Earl died peacefully on Thursday morning, with his daughter Faye by his side at Dr. John Gillis Memorial Lodge, Belfast, PEI.
His obituary states: He ate the same lunch nearly every day of his 36-year career with Canadian National Railways as a section man and train plow operator. Earl was the last section man on PEI, when the railway was decommissioned in 1989. While he worked in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to earn pensionable service, Earl was never more happy than at home on the island where he could spend the summer fishing local rivers, the autumn hunting ducks and geese, and the winter in the smelt shack in Pinette.
6. Sunday Worship: Jan. 24
With this week's move to the Red Phase, our worship broadcast will be a 'slimmed down' version as we retool our methods for service production to comply with protocols in this phase.
What to expect
Expect the sermon, children's story and what we hope will be a helpful opening and closing as we orient ourselves to life in this phase and, further, in a possible lock down. Tune in on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at thestreetonline.ca to engage with us in worship and witness to the faith in Jesus Christ.
Dr. Keith will be inviting us to join him in a return to the Old Testament book of Numbers in a sermon titled “Back to the Future.”
Sermon notes
He writes: Despite the scarcity of resources, there are abundant lessons about discipleship in the wilderness adventures of the Israelites. On the first Sunday of 2021, we explored Numbers 13-14, a pivotal event that takes place in the desert of Paran on the threshold of the land of promise. Despite witnessing copious examples of God’s supernatural power, in a singular failure of faith and vision the people of God refuse to believe God’s promises, and instead cower in fear, desiring a return to Egypt.
The words of Joshua and Caleb (“Don’t fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us”) are unheeded, and the result is forty years of wandering in the wilderness. At the threshold of fulfillment, why the stunning lack of faith, why the fear, and what might have prevented it?
This week we will probe deeper, and suggest some earlier lessons that God’s people needed to internalize. For all of us at BSBC today there are some valuable insights in this section of Scripture, and we will study several verses that will inspire us to live with wisdom and courage as we continue our journey of faithful discipleship and seek to honor our Lord Jesus in 2021.
7. When We Return to Yellow
As we prepare for an eventual move back to yellow and the reinstatement of in-person worship, we would like parents to know that the “Meeting Room,” between Pastor Greg and Pastor Steve’s offices on the gym hallway, is being turned into a ‘family room’ of sorts.
New "family" room
We’ll be emptying out that room and fitting it out with rocking chairs, a change table and toddler friendly items to make it an option for parents with young children returning to worship. There will also be the means of watching the Facebook Live service from that room.
KidzTown
In addition, we are working toward a ‘soft’ opening (limited enrollment) of KidzTown for K-Gr. 5. More details will be available in the weeks ahead.
Please make ministry to young families a matter of prayer as we seek to be safe and yet minister in these challenging times.
8. This Week at BSBC (Jan. 20 to 27)
Wednesday, January 20
12:00 Prayer Time with Pastor Charles (Facebook Live)
6:30 Micah 6:8 Bible Study with Pastor Greg (Zoom)
6:30 Youth Bible Study with Pastor Charles (Zoom)
Friday, January 22
7:00 Youth Groups (Zoom)
Saturday, January 23
7:00 Just Church (Zoom)
Sunday, January 24
10:00 Chinese Worship Service (Zoom)
10:30 Worship Service (Online)
10:30 Youth Leadership Greenhouse Service (Zoom)
Monday, January 25
6:30 Board of Deacons (Zoom)
Tuesday, January 26
6:30 Bible Study with Pastor Steve (Zoom)
Wednesday, January 27
12:00 Prayer Time with Pastor Charles (Facebook Live)
6:30 Micah 6:8 Bible Study with Pastor Greg (Zoom)
6:30 Youth Bible Study with Pastor Charles (Zoom)
