The Banner
Growing faith, friends & families to serve
In this issue:
What do the new NB Covid directives mean for BSBC?
News from your Social Action Team
Just 1 week until the Watters arrive!
Meet our candidate for Next Gen Pastor
Reminder: Special Business Meeting, TOMORROW, Sept. 23, 7pm
Financial giving update
An invitation to join our Youth Leadership Team
Bereavement
Annual campaign: Harvest for the Hungry 2021
Postponed start: “Not Your Usual Prayer Meeting” Prayer Meeting
“Covid 19, Religious Freedoms and a Christian Response”
What's happening this Sunday: Sept. 26
Where have all the library books gone?
This Week @ BSBC
Get involved: Ministries at BSBC for kids, youth & adults
1. A Message from Pastor Greg: What do the new NB Covid directives mean for BSBC?
Click the button below to read the latest message from Pastor Greg and learn what the provincial government's new COVID-19 guidelines mean for church family life at Brunswick Street Baptist Church.
2. News from your social action team
Last week there was radio and newspaper coverage regarding a project that your Social Action Team is very excited about. Marcel Lebrun met with our team in June 2021 to explain the 12 Neighbours community concept and we have been eagerly waiting to share this news with you.
Listen to Marcel talk about this project on CBC's Information Morning.
So, you may ask, why is BSBC's Social Action Team excited by someone else’s project? Simply put, Marcel has approached the homelessness issue from a completely different direction than just "handouts." Through his research for his "12 Neighbours" video series, he saw organizations worldwide that put the focus on dignity, opportunity and community, and the powerful change these values have in the lives of our neighbours. The "12 Neighbours Community" seeks to apply the same values within our city, providing a way out of homelessness for people within Fredericton.
So please take some time and check out the proposal and prayerfully consider how you might support this new initiative, both presently, and as the community grows. For those who haven't seen the 12 Neighbours series, it is still available to watch online.
Yours in Action,
Martina and Adrian Verboom
3. The Watters are chuffed to arrive on Sept. 29
This week, we received a note from Pastor Ross indicating that the Watters have passed their Covid experience with relative ease and their period of isolation has ended. This, we hope, paves the way for their very early morning departure from Scotland, then London, then Toronto — arriving, with the Lord's grace, in Fredericton at 11:40pm on Sept. 29.
Check next Wednesday’s e-newsletter for confirmation of departure AND arrival! In the meantime, please pray for our new partners in ministry, that they would regain full health and be rested for their big adventure. And, please pray that our partnership will bear fruit for the kingdom and offer us years of joy in the Lord!
Pastor Greg
*Chuffed is British slang for pleased or happy :)
4. Introducing our candidate for NextGen Pastor
Your Search Committee are very pleased to introduce you to Nikki Leftley, our candidate for the position of Next Gen Pastor at Brunswick Street Baptist Church.
Nikki is a recent graduate of Redeemer University, Ancaster, Ontario, completing a Bachelor of Arts – Religion in Youth Ministry. Let us introduce you to this program: How do we disciple the next generation in times of rapid technological and cultural change? Redeemer's Religion — Youth Ministry program focuses on discipleship, outreach, and cultural engagement as a way to serve God and the youth that make up the church. Develop the character and skills to mentor and influence youth through ministry.
Get to know Nikki
We invite you to click the button below and our office will forward to your inbox an electronic copy of our introduction packet so you can “get to know” Nikki and find out why we think she should be considered for the position of Next Gen Pastor at BSBC. Please see the Moderator’s invitation to the Special Business Meeting to be held on TOMORROW, Thursday, Sept. 23 at 7pm where members will have opportunity to prayerfully consider having Nikki become a permanent member of our pastoral staff. Thank you for your prayerful consideration and know that we are praying for you as you engage in this process of discernment.
Special Business Meeting
Sadly, the new provincial regulation changes require those entering the province without double vaccination to isolate for 14 days. Last week, after reading the announcement, I reached out to Nikki asking her to share her vaccination status. She replied that she was scheduled to receive her first 'jab' on Wednesday, Sept. 15. Nikki had assumed unrestricted in-country movement and had scheduled her first dose for her second day back home in Ontario after a summer job in rural Saskatchewan. For this reason, Nikki is not able to come to Fredericton as planned and will 'attend' the Special Business Meeting via Zoom (following the precedent set with Pastor Ross).
The Next Gen Search Committee
5. Special Business Meeting: TOMORROW
Sept. 23 at 7pm
Greetings Church Family,
As Moderator, at the request of the Next Gen Search Committee, I’m calling a Special Business Meeting to be held in the sanctuary on Thursday, September 23 at 7 pm to consider a motion for the congregation to issue a call to Nikki Leftley to serve BSBC as Next Gen Pastor.
Proof of vaccination & masks required
No reservations are required to attend the in-person meeting but, with the new provincial directives each person attending in person will need to be prepared to show proof of double/full vaccination at the door. Please come a bit early to allow for this screening and please use the main doors of the sanctuary to enter. Our GriefShare participants will be using the Connection Center door. Please remember that masks are now required to be worn throughout indoor gatherings.
Interested in attending on Zoom?
If you wish to attend the meeting on Zoom, please contact the church office (458-8348 or receptionist@bsbc.nb.ca) with your name and email address so you can be sent the Zoom link.
Please note that past experience indicates that requesting the zoom link on the day of the meeting has proven disappointing for some as the link didn’t arrive in their inbox in time.
Voting
Members and adherents of BSBC may attend the meeting and ask questions, however, only members are eligible to vote. Voting on the motion will be by secret ballot. Only those who attended the meeting on Zoom can visit the church office on Friday, Sept. 24 from 6:45am to 2pm (please note the new early hour so you can vote before work) to cast your secret ballot.
Ballots will be counted at the end of voting and once the result has been calculated, all in the church email address book will receive the result. In addition, the result will be posted on the church website (thestreetonline.ca).
Thank you for your prayerful consideration of this Special Business Meeting.
Sincerely,
Calvin Smith
Moderator
6. Financial Giving Update (Jan. 1 to Aug. 31)
Current Yr Prev Year Budget
General $543,948 $559,497 $604,828
Building $90,605 $77,035 $90,000
General fund giving is $60,880 below budget target, which is low for this time of year. We are hoping for increased giving this fall to close the gap.
Building fund giving is nearly exactly on budget target and is significantly greater than this point last year.
Any amounts above the budget will be applied to reduce the mortgage principle.
Thank You for Your Faithfulness,
Ken Reimer, Treasurer
7. An invitation to join our Youth Leadership Team
Dear Church,
I need you! With the fall startup, this means that things are changing, and programs are starting back up. And we are in need of more volunteers to help keep this program running at capacity.
What does it mean to be a youth leader?
Well, you would be responsible for being at the Church Friday 7-9 pm to help with youth group activities, whether that is by running around playing games, helping set up, chatting with the youth or helping with youth devotions!
Please email me at Youth.bsbc.nb@gmail.com for more information.
Thank you!
Emily Perrin-Colpitts, Youth Coordinator
8. Bereavement
This week, we received word of the passing of Betty Worthen. Betty, and her late husband, Paul, were long-time members of BSBC. Betty had been a resident of Fredericton Shannex before moving to Winnipeg to be in the same city as her daughter, Susan. We give thanks for Betty’s life and faith and pray for her children, Larry, Tim, Susan and their families.
Thessalonians 4:13 - But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
9. Harvest for the Hungry 2021
If it feels like Thanksgiving is coming quickly, you're right! So this means that we need to get you in gear for our annual “Harvest for the Hungry”.
“Harvest for the Hungry” invites members of our church family to bring non-perishable food and household items to the church. These items will be divided between our New Life Ministry (supporting families who struggle to ‘make ends meet’) and the Greener Village Fredericton Food Bank. The food collected makes a positive impact on families with great need and is a sign, we pray, of God’s love and His provision through His Church.
10. Postponed: Not Your Usual Prayer Meeting
Please note that given today’s changes to the pattern of our church life due to new provincial directives, we are postponing the start of Deacon Charlie’s offering. In our Sunday morning services we’ll give you the start-up details. Thank you for noting this change.
11. Free Webinar: COVID-19, Religious Freedoms & Christian Response
On Thursday, Oct. 7 Alan Sears will be giving a public online webinar sponsored by the Anglican Diocese of Fredericton with the title “Covid-19, Religious Freedoms, and Christian Response: Seeking the Peace and Prosperity of the City.” Click the button below for a description of the talk and a link to register.
12. This Sunday's Services: Sept. 26
Please note that the “Unleashing the Church” sermon series will be offered in the sanctuary in October and the “Turning a New Leaf” series will be offered in the gym in October.
Don’t worry about missing either series…it will be coming to you!
Contemporary Service
We’re grateful to Sarah Hoyt and friends for leading the worship this Sunday morning. Deacon Charlie Ritchie will be offering the “second instalment” of our three-week sermon series “Unleashing the Church,” a study in the book of Ephesians. Then, on Oct. 3, we trust that Pastor Ross will be sharing his first message at BSBC. This Sunday, Deacon Charlie will focus on the last half of chapter one — verses 18 & 19: that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Traditional Service
Worship in song for this week includes soloist, Margaret Geldart, a vocal ensemble with keyboard support provided by Gloria Tranquilla (piano) and David Steeves (organ). 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.
Reservations are no longer requested to attend services. Masks are required to be worn at all times inside the building.
13. Where have all the library books gone?
Dear Avid Readers,
There are some gaping holes on our library shelves created by missing (and overdue!) library books. We encourage you to look under the bed, behind the couch, in that pile on the end table and see if you can help us fill in some of these holes. Because as a church we teach about grace, return the books and all will be forgiven and all will be forgotten.
Thank you for your help!
Sharon Gosselin, Librarian
P.S. Your librarians invite you to visit the library the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month from 10am until noon. Come and engage with our huge collection of books – there’s something for everyone!
14. This Week at BSBC (Sept. 22 to 29)
Wednesday, September 22
9:30 Seniors Exercise (Gym)
10:00 Library Opens
6:00 Vocal Ensemble (Sanctuary)
6:30 Youth Bible Study (3rd Floor Assembly Area, FLC)
6:30 “Not Your Usual Prayer Meeting” Prayer Meeting – POSTPONED/SEE ANNOUNCEMENT
6:30 Education Committee Meeting (Family Room)
Thursday, September 23
9:30 New Life (3rd Floor, FLC)
1:30 Ladies Bible Study (Family Room)
7:00 Special Business Meeting (Sanctuary)
7:00 Mandarin Choir Practice (Choir Room)
7:00 GriefShare (3rd Floor Assembly Area, FLC)
Friday, September 24
9:30 Seniors Exercise (Gym)
7:00 Youth Group (3rd Floor, FLC)
7:00 Mandarin Fellowship (Family Room, FLC)
Saturday, September 25
1:00 Worship Team Practice
Sunday, September 26
06:00 Mandarin Prayer Meeting (Boardroom Over the Main Kitchen)
10:15 Preschool Classes (1st Floor, FLC)
10:15 KidzTown (2nd Floor, FLC)
10:25 Sunday Prayer Ministry
10:30 Traditional Service (Sanctuary)
10:30 Contemporary Service (Gym)
10:30 Mandarin Worship Service (3rd Floor Assembly Area, FLC)
12:00 Fresh Start Lunch (3rd Floor Assembly Area, FLC)
Monday, September 27
9:30 Seniors Exercise (Gym)
6:30 Camerata Singers (Choir Room/Sanctuary)
7:00 Mandarin Bible Study (3rd Floor Assembly Area, FLC)
7:00 Board of Deacons (ZOOM)
Tuesday, September 28
12:00 Mandarin Prayer Meeting (Boardroom over Main Kitchen)
1:30 Quilters for Missions (Quilting Room, 2nd Floor)
6:00 Fredericton Ladies Choir (Sanctuary) 6:30 DivorceCare (3rd Floor Assembly Area, FLC)
Wednesday, September 29
9:30 Seniors Exercise (Gym)
6:00 Vocal Ensemble (Sanctuary)
6:30 Youth Bible Study (3rd Floor Assembly Area, FLC)
11:40 Arrival of the Watters Family at the Fredericton Airport
