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
“A” is for APPRECIATION
And appreciation is what we seek to express when we gather en masse THIS Saturday, 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Journey Wesleyan Church on Duncan. That appreciation will be for Jon Wilton and his faithful ministry to and with the family of Brunswick Street Baptist Church over these past two years, serving as our Youth and Young Adult Ministry Coordinator. Jon and his wife, Alyse, have been a great team; loving and teaching and blessing our youth and young adults over these two years. But, Jon’s influence has not stopped there!
Jon has been a really dynamic member of our pastoral team and has added so much to our discussions and planning given his sensitivity to those who may be seeking and his desire to infuse all generations with the joy of the Lord and confidence that comes from following/serving Him. I am really going to miss Jon’s vision and creativity, which just means that now I won’t get it for free, I’ll have to take him to lunch on a regular basis!
The main event
So, please come out on Saturday night and “honk” your appreciation to Jon. Our youth and young adults are preparing ways to celebrate his uniqueness (with family bubbles and social distancing in mind) and you can enjoy it all from your car….just tune in to 89.5 FM on your radio and you’ll pick up the feed from the stage (special thanks to our own Paul Dixon for making this available).
IF we are rained out, we will record the program at the church that night and put a link on our website so you can enjoy it.
Love offering
As is our tradition, we are accepting a LOVE OFFERING for Jon. Members of the church family who wish to give Jon a tangible thanks are invited to mark their gift “LOVE OFFERING” when sending in your offering. We’ll collect this offering until Sunday, July 19 to make sure everyone has an opportunity to contribute. The gift will be presented to him at the end of July. Due to Canada Revenue Rules we are not able to provide a receipt for love offering gifts.
THIS WEEK’S ONLINE WORSHIP SERVICE
This Sunday, June 21, Dr. Bodner is back to take us deeper into the life of Old Testament Joseph as we consider Genesis, chapters 42-44 in a sermon entitled, “Crime and Punishment.” Of this sermon he writes: Judah is an unattractive character in Genesis 37-38, but has an opportunity for redemption that changes his family’s fortunes.
Worship leaders
Leading contemporary worship and the opening of the traditional service will be Giselle Tranquilla, one of our own who now serves as Music Minister at Rusagonis Baptist Church. We’ll also welcome back Ross and Janice Simonds who will wrap up the traditional service and Margaret Geldart will offer a gift of song. Services will be opened by Pastor Jim McLellan and leading in prayer will be Denise Mersereau with Alyse Wilton offering the children’s time.
Father’s Day
We haven’t forgotten that it’s Father’s Day and so we’ll be grateful for the participation of a number of “kids” of various ages who will celebrate their dads, all put together by Julianne Moore. So, tune in this week for another wonderful time of virtual fellowship around the word of God, in praise of our Lord Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit!
CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY
As a church family we express our love and prayerful support of Elaine Pond on the passing on June 11th of her sister, Sheila Staples. Please pray for Elaine and her family as they journey through the valley of the shadow without the benefit of the usual way people show love and support due to Covid 19.
CONGRATULATIONS
On Friday afternoon, June 19, our own Connie McCorkell and David MacDonald will be become husband and wife before the Lord in the sanctuary of BSBC. Please pray for them and their special day and for Pastor Steve as he performs his first wedding ceremony. A great day on both fronts!
BSBC’S BODCAST
Dr. Keith’s “Bodcast” went live on Tuesday, June 16! We hope you enjoyed listening to his reflections on your questions about the Sunday sermon.
These will be a weekly feature being posted on Tuesday afternoons. So, be sure to tune in and enrich Sunday’s sermons with these post-sermon reflections.
We need your questions
Email receptionist@bsbc.nb.ca by 4:30 p.m. on Monday to submit a question for next week’s Bodcast. These will be sent to Dr. Bodner and he’ll respond to them the next day. Thank you for engaging in this new online ministry — feel free to share it with your family and friends!
SUPPORTING THE RITCHIES
It’s been great to know that Charlie and Betty are here in Fredericton, now just over half way through their self-isolation (feel free to interrupt their isolation — they’ll be grateful — with an email or phone call, see below). They will be back in circulation on June 23 and, praise our faithful God, Betty received word that the 23rd is the day she is scheduled to see the neurologist! God is certainly in the details. In addition, their housing and car needs post-isolation have been met. Now, we invite you to focus your prayers on healing and peace for the journey.
You can reach them at:
Charlie Ritchie ritchiecharlie@gmail.com
Betty Ritchie ritchiebetty@gmail.com
Before the 23rd you can call them at 506-260-8364 and after the 23rd of June at 452-9808. If you would like to take them a meal please visit: https://takethemameal.com/DSML2770 You can register for a meal and you’ll find all the details there.
Reaching out to our African partners
As we've been following the lives of our Partners in Mission we recognize that the Millettes are in Rumoskie, Québec and we look forward to fellowship with them, here in Fredericton, in the days ahead. In addition, Charlie and Betty Ritchie have returned to Fredericton (June 8) for investigative medical testing for Betty for which we seek your daily prayer. And, Rebekah Sears is currently self-isolating, here in Fredericton for a bit of an extended stay on break from her work with the Mennonite Central Committee in Ottawa. We covet your prayers for these members of God's team of ambassadors in these days.
On the African front we have Tim and Diane Bannister serving in Tanzania and André Sibomana serving in Rwanda with responsibility for Canadian connections with our African partner churches. As we have been in correspondence with these partners God has put two things on our hearts. The first is to seek aid for Tim and Diane who are providing financial support for another local family ($250 US/month) to keep them from starvation. This is not sustainable for the Bannisters and we would like to mobilize the BSBC family to help. In the case of André, he is connected to 290 families in Rwanda and South Sudan who are on the brink of disaster due to the lack of funds currently flowing into church coffers at this time. Since congregations are not gathering, these church leaders are without regular support. André estimates it would take $50 Canadian dollars to support one family for a month. Can we be part of God's provision for these brothers and sisters?
The African Action Campaign
Through the months of June and July we are inviting our church family to make a special financial gift to the "African Action Campaign" in support of our African partners. We may not be able to meet all the ongoing needs but surely we can help in some way. Every "widow's mite" will help alleviate some aspect of their challenge. Every three weeks we will divide what has been given between the Bannisters and André and have it deposited in their ministry accounts. Remember, $250 US can support the Bannister's adopted family for a month. Every $50 given to André will support a ministry family for a month. Can we count on you to partner with us? Simply mark your special gift African Action Campaign and we'll keep you posted on the response. Surely this is a time when our partners can use practical assistance in addition to powerful prayers on their behalf.
We Need Your Help
At the May meeting of the Board of Deacons we celebrated our various online offerings but also addressed the needs of those who are not online. To seek to be a blessing to these folk, we offer three new ministry offerings:
Paper Newsletter
Starting this week, our office staff will now format the content of the e-newsletter into a printed version that will be mailed out (at no charge) each Thursday. This way, those without online connections can be kept connected to life at BSBC.
Studio Service
On Wednesdays at 2 pm in the Family Room, we’ll be showing the traditional worship video from the previous Sunday. In this way, 8 or less individuals can gather with social distancing to engage in the service. Masks and gloves will be available – all precautions will be taken. In preparation we’d ask that individuals who would like to attend make a reservation through the church office. We’ll be starting these viewings on Wednesday, June 10.
DVDs
Upon request, we’ll make DVDs (at no charge) for those who would like to engage in our services in this way. DVDs can be ordered and then picked up at the church office or we can mail them out (at no charge). Participants can set up a weekly order ongoing or order as required.
Now we need your help
Those who might want to avail themselves of these offerings won’t be reading about it as you are doing now…so, please share this information with anyone you know who would benefit. We don’t want anyone to be outside our family circle but we need your help. You can work out the details with the individual and then submit the information to the church office (bsbc@bsbc.nb.ca) or encourage your contact to email or call the church office (458-8348). Thank you for your help.
Pastor Greg
BSBC Library
We’re open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon starting June 10. Sorry for the mistake I made in last week's Banner on the day the library was opened.
If you can't come in, but want books or need to return some, phone Sharon at 450-7878 and we'll work something out.
High School Grads
What a joy to celebrate high school graduation with 11 of our youth and their families. These smiling faces should beam in response to good work done, obstacles overcome and years of personal growth. Thank you for remembering them in your prayers this week and we invite you to drive down York Street to see the Congratulations Signs on our lawn – one for each grad. In addition, the BSBC family is gifting each grad with a leather bound English Standard Version Single Column Journaling Bible to aid them in their spiritual growth in the years ahead.
BSBC Kidz Klub
Today, we will be posting the newest edition of our BSBC KIDZ KLUB and it will be up all week to be enjoyed by children of all ages! We’re studying The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and this week we focus on the eighth fruit – GENTLENESS.
Green Hill Lake Camp
Great news from our camp – they are gearing up for an unusual summer of ministry but remaining faithful to their call to make Jesus known to the children and youth who will come. AND, we have the blessing of five of our youth serving on this year’s summer staff.
So that you can pray for them and possibility support them let us introduce you to these four stellar young people and provide you with the information you need to support them in their ministry.
Learn more about our staff and how you can support them on our GHLC page.
News from the Milettes
Last Sunday’s service (June 7) featured a video update from our Partners in Missions, the Millettes. We encourage you to enjoy the video if you haven’t seen it. Subsequent to the video we’ve had an email update saying that we can anticipate them arriving here in Fredericton on June 19 to stay 5-6 weeks. Your church staff look forward to plugging Charles and Sarah into BSBC life and letting you connect (safely) with them as they await a clear indication of God’s leading for them for the fall. Your prayers to that end are most welcome. Please pray for safe travel from Rimouski to Fredericton.
New Missionary Couple: Reuben Myles and Leah Morrison - Soon to be Mr. & Mrs. Myles
Hey there, Brunswick St. Baptist family,
As you may already know, my fiancé Leah and I will be heading to the Philippines this summer (after our wedding) to serve as High School and Middle School Chaplain (Reuben) and Ministry Coordinator (Leah).
Our goal/vision is to equip and empower the next generation of Christ-followers in God’s commandment of the great commission over all our lives. Regardless of what their calling is, we want to be a liaison that helps them discern their future and hear the voice of God clearly. We intend on doing so through intentional spiritual formation of middle school and high school students in direct connection with our unique cultural spread.
By providing opportunities for spiritual gifts and passions to arise through mentorship, preaching, hands on ministry, and forming deep community relationships.
We’re inviting you to give your time toward expanding the kingdom of God in South-East Asia: you don’t even have to get off the couch! Prayer is at the core of our ministry and our faith. We strongly believe God will provide everything we need through faithfulness in prayer. We also believe that partnership is an opportunity to enable individual gifts God has given people, and that it is an active part of ministry. We want to see you grow alongside us!
For us to abide in God’s calling on our lives and His vision for the next generation at Faith Academy, we need to know we are strongly supported. Would you commit to praying for us either once a week or once a month? If not, would you be willing to connect us with someone who has a similar vision for the nations as we do? Please prayerfully consider partnering with us before committing to do so. If God has laid a donation or a pledge on your heart, the decision to pray for us, or someone else who can help us in this journey, please reply to this message!
Many thanks and blessings,
Reuben and Leah (almost) Myles
Meet Leah and Reuben and hear about their exciting calling:
Calling all seniors
Senior’s here’s a way to make your voice heard. This opportunity came to us through our Moderator, Dennis Taylor, who is a member of the Age-Friendly Fredericton Community Advisory Committee.
Social Innovation has partnered with the Council of Aging in Ottawa and would like to hear about your experiences during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. With questions about how you are coping, managing anxiety and staying connected, the information collected can be used to support older adults in the Fredericton area during this and other public health crises. The survey will take about 15 minutes.
YOUR INTERIM 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
Jon Wilton, Youth & Young Adult Ministries
