Roseisle EMC: Church reaches out, workers report

To begin our year, Pastor Kelly Lesser challenged us on Joy from Philippians. It was a reminder that joy should not depend on our circumstances, but on our attitude. We can remember to be joyful in suffering, in knowing Christ and in serving others. 2010 has been busy for our church family. The church council re-introduced Guess Who’s Coming for Dinner on February 7 with a twist. The hosts provided the home, dessert, and drinks while guests provided the main course. It was a good evening of getting acquainted with our church family and great food.

Last fall, the council decided that our church should do another local outreach event. On Feb. 27 we hosted a Community Family Fun Day at our outdoor skating rink—an afternoon of activities, free food, to connect with community people who may not enter our church.

Cam Dyck, a church council member, says, “We played some bowling games with milk jugs filled with colored frozen water. This was a hit for the kids especially. We also did some human bowling on the rink where people sat in big plastic tubs and were flung with a tow rope towards some pylons. We had a good game of broomball and for those who wanted to stand around and visit, a warm fire was made nearby to enjoy.

“At 5 p.m. a simple supper of hotdogs, chips, drinks and squares

was served. A more serious game of hockey followed. It was good to see people from Roseisle who most of us don’t meet very often. It was also great to put on a fun day where everything was free with no strings attached. Most people will never know that our church ‘sponsored’ the event, but if they do find out, we hope that our church will be seen as a generous and loving contributor within our community.”

On Saturday, March 13, our youth again hosted their curling bonspiel in Miami and invited church adults. It was a full day of curling with 12 rinks. The theme was The Olympics and some individuals came in creative Olympic gear. It was a fun spiel, but the competition got intense when the final game came down to final rocks and a measurement to determine the winner.

Two mission reports were given on March 14 by Annie Peters and Darrell and Eleanor Friesen. Annie traveled to Mexico to work at Pan de Vida, an orphanage near Queretaro from Jan. 30 to Feb. 13. This was her second trip with Children of Hope, an organization from B.C. Her work was similar to last year, painting and laying blocks. She enjoyed interaction with children and noted how grateful and polite they were even in their need.

Darrell and Eleanor Friesen traveled to Sosua, near Puerto Plata, in the Dominican Republic for a two-week work trip from Feb. 12 to 26 with a team of 16 people from Greenvalley Equipment, Darrell’s employer. They joined local missionaries and two missions organizations who are providing homes for families in desperate poverty.

Their ministry involved house construction, children’s ministries, hospital visitation, and a feeding program. They were deeply moved by what they saw and experienced. Eleanor Friesen