The Banner
Growing Faith, Families & Friends to Serve
In this issue:
Trunk or Treat
Starting Local/Going Global
Muffin Mania
Security Alert
In-Person Study with Pastor Ross
Who Needs Christmas?
How Can You Help Our New Pastors?
Our Benevolent Fund/What Your Giving Does
Recruiting ‘CSI’ Inspectors for BSBC
This Week’s Worship Services
The Housing First Proposal
November Birthdays
This Week @ BSBC
1. Trunk OR Treat 2021
Our children and younger youth are invited to our first ever Trunk OR Treat this Sunday, Oct. 31, from 4 to 5 p.m. in the church parking lot. Make your way around the enclosed parking lot area to all the cars decorated in Bible story themes and serving treats out of their trunks.
Masks are mandatory but we won't be doing vaccination checks because we'll be outside (as per provincial protocols). So, kids and youth, get your costume ready, gather up your treat bags and visit Trunk OR Treat!
Please email youth.bsbc.nb@gmail.com for more information about the event.
Thank you!
Pastor Nikki and Emily Perrin-Colpitts
2. Starting Local Going Global
While the first Sunday of Advent isn’t until the last Sunday in November, it’s time for the BSBC church family to prepare for our 19th annual “Starting Local/Going Global” Christmas campaign. “Starting Local AND Going Global” provides practical help here in Fredericton and, this year, in Rwanda.
Starting Local
Our “Starting Local” campaign supports the women who take part in our weekly New Life Ministry. This ministry provides a supportive, spiritually encouraging setting where the women who come experience the love of Jesus through our leaders, teaching, prayer and sharing.
Each Christmas, we ask these women to let us know how we can support them in providing gifts and groceries for their household’s Christmas celebration. Normally, we would be asking you to pick up a gift tag, go and buy one of these needed gifts and then return it to the church to be passed on to the appropriate participant. However, again this year due to the pandemic, we’re asking for financial donations that we can use to provide gift cards for each household so that our participants can purchase gifts for their families and receive a Superstore gift card to help with groceries.
We make sure that each household receives sponsorship at a level equal to the approach of the Salvation Army and Greener Village. And, in addition to supporting our New Life participants, any financial gift you designate as “Starting Local” will allow us to provide a Christmas gift to our friends who attend our Third Sunday Supper ministry. Many are unable to connect with families and/or friends during the Christmas season. We hope this remembrance will remind them of God’s love and our love during what can be a challenging time.
Going Global
Globally, our dollars will make an impact on women in Rwanda facilitating literacy programs that allow them to access a brighter future for their children. More about this will be coming your way in the weeks ahead. For now, just know that any gift you mark “Going Global” will be touching lives in Rwanda. This year’s global project comes at the request of André Sibomana, our Canadian Baptist Ministries’ Partner in Mission.
How to give
You can donate to this year's campaign by marking your offering envelope or using the comments section of your etransfer:
Starting Local: Mark your gift "Starting Local"
Going Global: Mark your gift "Going Global"
Both: Gifts marked “Starting Local/Going Global” will be divided equally between projects
Feeling called to make a financial contribution to either project, please return your gift envelope by the morning of Dec. 5 so that we can announce the total giving that evening as part of the “Hanging of the Greens” celebration!
As a church family many of us have great blessings to count...the greatest of which is Jesus’ love in our lives. Can you share that love this Christmas season? We invite you to consider starting local AND/OR going global for Jesus!
Thank you for your assistance,
Your Social Action Team & Mission’s Committee
3. Muffin Mania
Dear muffin makers, we’re entering another season of “Muffin Mania” in support of those who go out in the evenings to make contact with and show love to Fredericton’s homeless population. Each Sunday and Monday night, BSBC is responsible for this important ministry. We need four dozen muffins for each week’s ministry. Here are the details:
we’d like to avoid an over-stocking of the freezer by having just 4 dozen muffins delivered to the standing freezer in the main kitchen by SUNDAY of each week
we’d ask that ‘muffin makers’ wrap each muffin individually in clingwrap or placed it in a baggie before bringing them to the church (it’s so much easier to access the frozen muffins and more sanitary to serve them when individually wrapped)
please put (1) your name, (2) the date and (3) STREET MINISTRY on the bag in which you put the wrapped muffins to bring them to the freezer
To ensure that we get a fresh supply each week, you are invited to click the link below and use Eventbrite (the platform we used to register for Sunday services) to select the week(s) you'd like to provide muffins.
The love and engagement of our bakers has been a marvellous blessing to those engaged in street ministry, to us and to those who receive the ‘fruit of your labor’. Thank you for considering your participation.
Your Social Action Team
4. Security ALERT!
Some of our long-term volunteers are retiring and we have a few spots needing to be filled. Why not join our team and take a shift once a month?
Hours are from 6 to 9 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Can't commit to a regular shift? We also need spares! Volunteers are a vital part of ensuring our facilities are available for church activities and the buildings secured each evening. Contact Bill Sorenson at 261-1157 or email billsorenson842@gmail.com.
5. Dream Big Study with Pastor Ross
DREAM BIG!!!
Please come and join us @ 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 3 in the Family Room for 6 weeks to look at Dream Big by Bob Goff.
In this video study, bestselling author, Bob Goff, dares to ask the questions: What would you do if opinion, reason, or probability were no objects? What do you deeply desire to do even if it scares you to the marrow of your bones? What were you meant to do even if no other person thinks you should?
He shares stories from the Bible that show how God called certain individuals to follow him—regardless of their lack of "qualifications"—and how those people changed the world when they dared to follow God's dreams for their lives. In the same way, God is calling us to step into the version of our lives that he intended for us before others told us it was impossible and once again dream big.
SO looking forward to seeing you there and spending time with you all.
Pastor Ross
6. Who Needs Christmas? Study with Pastor Greg
Do you need the ‘jab’ that amazement provides as a means of connecting with Christmas? Does it seem that the hustle and bustle robs the Christ event of meaning and joy? Do you need to drill down on the truth of God’s Word in order to put Christmas back in perspective…as the life-changing event is it?
If so, consider spending four Tuesday evenings, starting Nov. 23, 6:30 p.m. on Zoom with Pastor Greg.
This is what Andy Stanley says about his study:
The details of the Christmas story are amazing . . . and can seem a bit unbelievable. There is the angelic announcement to Mary that she will give birth to the Messiah. The dream from God that convinces Joseph to take Jesus as his own son. The angelic host who announces Jesus' birth to the shepherds. The madness of a king who tried to put an end to Jesus' life.
The narrative of Jesus' birth is miraculous. But as pastor Andy Stanley explores in this four-session video study, when you look at all the events in the Old Testament leading up to this point in time, the unbelievable story of Christmas becomes quite remarkable.
It was only "when the set time had fully come" that God sent Jesus into the world "that we might receive adoption to sonship" (Galatians 4:4–5). God sent Jesus to do what laws and regulations, judges and prophets, and exile and punishment could not accomplish. He sent Jesus not merely to deliver us from the penalty and consequences of our sin, but to actually break the power of the enemy and free us from our slavery to sin.
Through Christmas, we are reminded that even when it seems God is silent, he is always working. God sent Jesus not simply to be the Savior of the world but to be the Savior in our world. Through Christmas, we are reminded that God always keeps his promises to us.
7. How Can You Help Our New Pastors?
The obvious answer is to pray regularly for them. Another way is to introduce yourself, repeatedly. There’s one of them and hundreds of us. I can assure you; they won’t be offended if you take the initiative to introduce yourself more than once.
There is another way.
8. Our Benevolent Fund: How Your Giving Helps Our Community
You might not be aware that our church provides support to members of our church family and the community through our Benevolent Fund. Giving that is designated "Benevolent" provides food, prescriptions AND at times a small payment to keep the power on, financial bridging for rent when a shortfall is experienced because of an unforeseen expense or to help with a damage deposit so someone can get into housing.
9. Recruiting CSI Inspectors
Maintaining a church building as large as BSBC, is not a small task. Sometimes staff can miss things like a burned out light. They can't be everywhere all the time.
If you notice something that requires fixing or is not working properly such as a heater or a toilet that is constantly running, it would be a great help if you let the church office (Janet or Naomi) know. Not only will this help get the problem fixed quickly, but it will also save us money.
This can easily be done with a quick phone call (458-8348) or an email.
Thanks for your help in this.
Ron Smith, Chair
Board of Management
10. This Week's Services
Join us in-person or online for worship on Sunday, Oct. 31 at 10:30 a.m.
Contemporary Service
In the gym, Sarah Hoyt and friends will lead us in worship and Dr. Keith will be offering the third in his three-week series entitled “Turning a New Leaf.” Here is what Dr. Keith offers about this Sunday’s message entitled “Majestic Thoughts” — a study of Colossians 3:
Closer to the end of his career, perhaps after a period of dark discouragement, the apostle Paul wrote a letter to some folks he may have never met, in a city where he probably never visited. In this letter he has some practical advice for anyone interested in “turning over a new leaf.” Writing in a recent book, New Testament scholars and ministers Mike Bird and Tom Wright provide a summary of chapter 3 that will help with our focus in this message: “The ‘heavenly’ life does not mean having one’s head in the clouds (3.1–4). It means killing off the vices of sex and speech (3.5–8).
For God’s new humanity, the old distinctions of race, tribe, gender, and social status do not exist. Nothing lies outside the sphere of the Messiah’s sovereign rule (3.5–11). What matters, then, is the life of compassion and love, and the forgiveness which reflects, and the gratitude which responds to, God’s own generous love (3.12–17).” As we at TheStreet begin to gather momentum in this fall season, we are encouraged to align our thought pattern with Paul’s teaching in this remarkable letter to the believers, to the ancient Colossians.
Traditional Service
In the sanctuary, our musicians include David Steeves, organ and Gloria Tranquilla, piano with ministry from one of our faithful ensembles and from soloist, Chris Graves. Pastor Ross will be offering the third sermon in the series Unleashing the Church. This series is an ongoing study in Ephesians. This Sunday’s Scripture is Ephesians 2:1-10 with a focus on verse 10: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Join Online
To join our online congregation, check out Facebook Live for the Contemporary service and Youtube for the Traditional service.
However, the easy-peasy way is to visit www.thestreetonline.ca and on the homepage click the Worship Online button and you’ll be taken directly to the service of your choice.
11. Update: The Housing First Proposal
In February 2020, we introduced a proposal for you to consider partnering with the Fredericton Housing First Fund to have Barnabas Centre renovated to provide supportive housing units for the homeless population of our city. However, in March 2020, discussion was paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Since that time, Fredericton Housing First has moved ahead with other faith and community partners. As a result, there are no remaining funds that would allow BSBC to consider the Housing First proposal for Barnabas Centre and so this proposal is now defunct.
The problem of homelessness continues to be with us and we're confident that the church family wants us to find other ways and partnerships to meet these needs. We look forward to engaging in such work and will keep you informed.
Your Social Action Team
12. November Birthdays
A whole new group from our church family are celebrating birthdays in November. Click below to visit our November Birthday Calendar. Oh, and if your name is on the calendar….happy birthday to you!
13. This Week at BSBC: Oct. 27 to Nov. 3, 2021
Please note: FLC stands for Family Life Center
Wednesday, October 27
9:30 Seniors Exercise (Gym)
10:00 Library Open
5:00 “Trunk AND Treat” Prep for Volunteers (3rd Floor, FLC)
6:00 Vocal Ensemble (Sanctuary)
6:30 Youth Bible Study (3rd Floor, FLC)
6:30 “Not Your Usual Prayer Meeting” Prayer Meeting (Zoom)
Thursday, October 28
9:30 New Life (3rd Floor, FLC)
1:30 Ladies Bible Study (Family Room, FLC)
7:00 Mandarin Choir Practice (Choir Room)
7:00 GriefShare (Family Room, FLC)
Friday, October 29
9:00 Benevolent Ministry (By Appointment)
9:30 Seniors Exercise (Gym)
6:00 “Friends Are Us” Puppet Team (Puppet Room, KidzTown, FLC)
7:00 Mandarin Fellowship (Zoom)
7:00 Youth Groups (Third Floor, FLC)
Saturday, October 30
1:00 Worship Team Practice
Sunday, October 31
06:00 Mandarin Prayer Meeting (Boardroom Over the Main Kitchen)
9:00 Asian Class (Boardroom Over the Main Kitchen)
10:15 Preschool Classes (1st Floor, FLC)
10:15 KidzTown (2nd Floor, FLC)
10:30 Contemporary Service (Gym/Facebook Live)
10:30 Mandarin Worship Service (3rd Floor Assembly Area, FLC)
10:30 Traditional Service (Sanctuary/Youtube)
Noon Fresh Start Young Adult Luncheon (Barnabas Center)
4:00 Trunk AND Treat (Church Parking Lot)
Monday, November 1
9:30 Seniors Exercise (Gym)
1:30 Right to Life Meeting (3rd Floor Boardroom, FLC)
7:00 Social Action Team (Zoom)
Tuesday, November 2
12:00 Mandarin Prayer Meeting (Boardroom over Main Kitchen)
1:00 Pastoral Staff Meeting (Family Room, FLC)
1:30 Quilters for Missions (Quilting Room, 2nd Floor)
2:15 Full Staff Meeting (Family Room, FLC)
6:30 DivorceCare (Family Room, FLC)
Wednesday, November 3
9:30 Seniors Exercise (Gym)
6:00 Vocal Ensemble (Sanctuary)
6:30 Not Your Usual Bible Study (Zoom)
6:30 Youth Bible Study (In-Person/Third Floor, FLC)
6:30 Dream Big Bible Study (Family Room, FLC)
