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Growing Faith, Friends & Families To Serve
In this issue:
1 – KidzTown “Next Step” Opening
2 – Recovery Roundtables
3 – Good Friday Services
4 – Children’s Easter Party
5 – Easter SONrise Service
6 – Easter Morning Worship Services
7 – Third Sunday Supper
8 – Facebook Prayer Times
9 – SWOT Analysis Part 5 of 6: Threats
10 – This Day Forward Parenting Conference
11 – Wednesday Library Openings
12 – This Week @ BSBC
1. Another Step in the Reopening of KidzTown
We’re happy to announce that, starting Easter Sunday, KidzTown will be open to a maximum of 15 children from Kindergarten to Grade 5. Our Elementary Coordinator, Tina Franca and Sarah Williams will be there to greet children each Sunday morning. There is a COVID protocol plan that will be used, seeking to ensure that safety for all. This plan explains how to access the KidzTown area, protocols during the children’s time together and how to leave KidzTown – so that everyone can be safe.
Over the month of March, KidzTown has been open to a number of families that regularly attend the gym service – a test run for opening wider. Capacity in March was 7 children – now we are opening to 15. You must make a reservation for your child(ren) using the online reservation system which will allow a total of 15 children to register. You’ll do this weekly. In addition, we are asking that one parent from each family taking part in the KidzTown ministry be willing to take a rotation of assisting in KidzTown. Our coordinator will be in touch to get you on the schedule every 5-6 weeks.
Please pray for our KidzTown ministry, another step in engagement in ministry to children.
2. Our First Recovery Roundtable
Can I count on you? Will you contribute to the future of BSBC? Your thoughts are important and I look forward to hearing them!
Please join me for three “Recovery Roundtable” group meetings I’ll be hosting in the weeks ahead. Here are the dates:
Wednesday, April 7, 6:30 pm, Zoom
Wednesday, April 14, 6:30 pm, At the Church In Person
Wednesday, April 21, 6:30 pm, Zoom
What can you expect?
We’ll take 90 minutes to consider three areas:
Specific Review of the Opportunity and Threat Responses from the SWOT Analysis
BSBC’s Role as a Mission Edge Church – How Do We Join God in Our Neighbourhood
Your Thoughts on Key Areas We Need to Address in Order to Recover from the Pandemic
In next week’s newsletter you’ll see other times and places to engage.
Small Groups
We are inviting each small group to gather and take part in this review, sometime over the month of April. Please click below to register your small group for participation and we’ll forward the material to the contact.
Your church leadership are in need your wisdom and discernment as we plot our way forward into 2021 and beyond.
Every blessing,
Pastor Greg
3. Good Friday Services
Don’t miss the opportunity to gather around the cross of Christ and consider his sacrifice on our behalf. It might be that Easter comes each year with a familiarity that inoculates us against and appropriate personal/emotional response to a man giving his life to open a door to eternity with God.
Jesus said: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:12-13). Peter wrote: For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God (I Peter 3:18). Paul writes: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14).
You’re invited to attend either the gym or sanctuary services which will be offered at 10:30 a.m. in each location. Dr. Bodner will be preaching. Here is what he offers us in preparation for this sharing of God’s word:
Last year on Good Friday we emphasized the torn veil in the Jerusalem temple, signaling a new access to God because of the death of Jesus on the cross, signaled by the Roman Centurion’s declaration, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
This year we will meditate on the sequence of events just prior to that death. Luke 23 features a lengthy description, including the crucifixion at the place of the Skull along with two other villains (the Greek word is evildoers and they probably represent a danger to the state), replete with mocking from leading citizens and the Roman authorities at every turn. While one of the criminals joins in and exceeds the mocking with blasphemy, the other thief unexpectedly rebukes his colleague, and turns to address Jesus in the most remarkable fashion. Who is this thief, what kind of language does he use, what happens to him, and how might his story in Luke’s Gospel affect us on this year’s Good Friday as we seek to be faithful followers of Jesus in our day?
It has been said that the more intimately we engage in the reality of Good Friday, the greater joy will be ours on Easter morning!
4. Children's Easter Party
We're so excited to invite kids to join us for a special Easter celebration on Saturday, April 3 at 2 p.m. You can expect our Friends Are Us Puppet Team to share some puppeting joy and there will be singing, games, stories, jokes and more. A great time for all ages
There are two ways you can get involved:
Participate live
You can register to come to the church and participate live. If you do this, your child(ren), accompanied by their adult, will come to the church auditorium for the program and then, be directed to a room where all in your Bubble can go, find their gift bags and enjoy crafting and snacking together.
Attend virtually
OR, you can register to attend virtually. Register and then tune in to our Facebook Live event and enjoy the program from your own home. If you do this, we'll deliver the gift bag for your child(ren) directly to your door so our virtual audience also get the full treatment.
5. Odell Park SONrise Service
It is the worst of times, it is the best of times!
Current government guidelines allow for gatherings of 50 people. So, it’s the worst of times because we are full up – reservations have topped out at 50 so no others can join for this event.
We’re sorry if you wanted to come. It’s the best of times because 50 people have registered for this Easter Sunday special event!
Please pray for a “nice” Easter morning.
6. Easter Morning Worship Services
For Christians, there is no day that calls for real joy, as Easter Sunday. We pause each year to follow the events of Holy Week so that we might not forget that our faith and fellowship with God came at a price – the death of Jesus. AND, that ONLY the power of God could overcome death to give us a victorious Saviour. So, do join us for either service of worship this Sunday.
In both services we’ll sing and celebrate a risen Saviour. We’ll share God’s word and be encouraged by the testimonies of three our sisters and brothers who offer what a living Jesus means to them.
Sermon notes
In the gym, Pastor Steve will be preaching, offering the message. He writes: The text will be John 20:1-16 as Mary Magdalene is the first witness to our risen Lord! Why did Jesus choose to appear to Mary first? As we live our lives, sometimes we lose sight of Christ in the dark times, but we need only remember HIs devotion and love for us to help bring us back into the light. Praise God for His plan which eclipses any plan we could ever dream!
Pastor Greg will be preaching in the sanctuary, a message based on Romans 3: 21-2. He writes: I don’t know about you, but it seems a bit of a challenge these days to find real JOY! So, on Sunday, let’s consider an unending source of joy. The following Sunday, April 11, our pastors will switch locations and share their messages again.
Worship leaders
The contemporary service will be led by Jon Wilton and friends and in the sanctuary we’ll find blessing in ministry of a vocal ensemble and welcome trumpeter, Ken Brophy, to add to the celebration of Jesus ALIVE!
7. Third Sunday Supper
Third Sunday Supper is back!! It was a great blessing to all involved to get together this past Sunday, March 21. Following all the COVID-19 protocols, we served a lovely home cooked meal to 28 registered guests. As everything went well, we will do it again next month (Sunday, April 18) and the following months, as long as we remain in the yellow phase.
Can you help us? Do you have a "bubble" that can work together to prepare a meal for 30 people for Third Sunday Supper? If so, please contact Judy Thompson at 457-0739 (judypaul1088@gmail.com).
Thank you for your consideration.
Your Social Action Team
8. Facebook Prayer Time
One of the greatest benefits of being adopted into God's family is to count on brothers and sisters to cheer us on and to support us in many ways. One of these ways is definitely through prayer. Indeed, praying for one another is a tremendous opportunity to express our compassion and our ‘brotherly’ love as we turn our eyes on God, our Father in Heaven, that knows all about us and holds infinite power in His Hands.
Each evening at 7 p.m., and until Saturday April 3, you are invited to join a 20-minute time of prayer, live on the church Facebook page. Tune in to share a praise item and/or a prayer request and most importantly to pause and hang out with God, in prayer. You will certainly be uplifted as verses and insights about Lent and Easter will be shared. Make sure to include us to your evening schedule!
You do not need a Facebook account to take part
Finally, note that you do not need to have a Facebook account to engage. Simply click this link and there you will find the LIVE prayer time.
Pastor Charles
9. SWOT Analysis: Opportunities | Part 5 of 6
Thanks for engaging with us in this ONGOING review of the results of the November SWOT analysis. Here you will find a summary of the key ‘threats’ that were identified through the submissions. From study of the individual responses and reflections on that material by the Board of Deacons, here were the identified highest ranked and corporately grouped opportunities:
Threats:
Appearing Irrelevant/Being Irrelevant
Inability to share the word of truth in an understandable and engaging way; addressing societal values from a faith perspective; engaging in effective connection with the needs of our community
Lack of Encouragement For/Engagement In Personal Spiritual Growth/Not Enough Focus on Prayer
Do we focus enough on spiritual disciplines and encourage one another in the things of faith; is prayer central to the life of BSBC
Competition With Other Activities for People’s Time
Can the models we have used for church life be sustained in the present and future given people’s priorities in these days
COVID! Who Will Come Back?
When this is “over,” what will our congregation “look like;” who have we gained, who have we lost to attrition or to other faith families
Aging Demographic
Projecting 10 years down the road, will be BSBC remain sustainable in terms of leadership and financial stewardship
Please note
Once again I remind you that this is an attempted summary of over 155 individual stated THREATS, some with numerous sub points. So, there is a profound dynamic at work when studying the whole of the responses, indicating that not everyone sees things the same way. And that is why it will be important for the congregation to revisit these themes to bring these highlights to some accepted conclusions to inform our future reality.
Pastor Greg
10. This Day Forward Parenting Conference
Parents, have we got an exciting opportunity for you! Family Life Canada writes:
In early January, we asked over 2000 parents from across Canada what topics they’d most want to learn about. With the survey results in mind, we found skilled presenters to teach workshops on the needs most commonly expressed. You’ll get on-demand access to watch these workshops ahead of time. That way, you can watch the ones you’re most interested in, or watch them all if you want!
Check out these topics:
Giving Your Kids the Security of a Healthy Marriage
How Joy Can Transform Your Home
Talking to Your Kids about Sex, Sexuality and Gender
Helping Your Anxious or Stressed Child
Brining Oppositional, Depressed, Violent, Depressed Kids Closer
Boundaries With Your Adult Children
Porn-Proofing Your Kids
Media. Faith. Culture.
Connection Based Parenting (An Alternative to Helicopter or Hands-Off Parenting)
Disciplining Your Children in a Sexualized World
Parenting in Blended Families
Building Connection With Your Kids
Help, I’m a Parent! Lessons We’ve Learned From Our Kids
How to Survive the Loss of a Child
Spiritual Disciplines for the Family
The details
April 12: Access to the on demand workshops starts
April 17: Live Q&A
11. Your Library is Open
Your librarians invite you to visit the library the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 10 a.m. until noon. Come and engage with our huge collection of books – there’s something for everyone!
12. This Week at BSBC: March 31 to April 7
Wednesday, March 31
12:00 Prayer Time with Pastor Charles (Sanctuary/Facebook Live)
6:00 Vocal Ensemble (Sanctuary)
6:30 Youth Bible Study (3rd Floor Assembly/Zoom)
7:00 Prayer Ministry for Lent (Facebook Live)
Thursday, April 1
9:30 New Life (3rd Floor Board Room)
1:30 Ladies Bible Study with Carol Bray (Family Room)
1:30 Small Group Bible Study with Mary McMulkin (3rd Floor Boardroom)
6:30 Handbell Choir
6:30 Book of James Bible Study with Daniel Savard (Zoom)
7:00 Chinese Hymn Practice (3rd Floor Assembly, Family Room)
7:00 Prayer Ministry for Lent (Facebook Live)
Friday, April 2
Good Friday - Church Offices Closed
10:30 Good Friday Services (Gym/Sanctuary/Online)
7:00 Youth Group is cancelled this week and will resume next week
7:00 Prayer Ministry for Lent (Facebook Live)
Saturday, April 3
1:00 Worship Team Practice (Gym)
2:00 Children’s Easter Eggstravaganza (Sanctuary)
7:00 Prayer Ministry for Lent (Facebook Live)
Sunday, April 4
8:45 SONrise Service at Odell Park (SORRY, WE’RE FULL!)
10:30 Traditional Worship Service (Sanctuary/thestreetonline.ca)
10:30 Contemporary Worship Service (Gym/Facebook Live)
2:00 Chinese Worship Service (Sanctuary)
Monday, April 5
Easter Monday - Church Offices Closed
6:30 Social Action Team (Zoom)
7:00 Chinese Bible Study (3rd Floor Assembly)
Tuesday, April 6
8:30 Solid Rock Café High School/Young Adult Study Group (3rd Floor Assembly)
12:00 Chinese Prayer Meeting (2nd Floor Boardroom)
1:00 CVITP (Gym)
1:30 Quilters for Missions (Quilting Room)
6:30 Bible Study with Pastor Steve (Zoom)
6:30 DivorceCare (3rd Floor)
Wednesday, April 7
12:00 Prayer Time with Pastor Charles (Sanctuary/Facebook Live)
6:00 Vocal Ensemble (Sanctuary)
6:30 Youth Bible Study with Pastor Charles (3rd Floor Assembly/Zoom)
6:30 Recovery Roundtable Group (Zoom)
