Light Magazine March 2024

Fragment of an ancient diary

by Tim MacIntosh

Friday

Here I am – numb. I don’t know what to do, where to go. I’m holed up here in a room that just last night was the scene of feasting, prayer and remembrance. But now appetite is gone, no prayer is left and every remembrance is tainted by the horror of this day.

Jesus is dead. Crucified. Every waking moment of the last three years was alive with hope because of Him. Not now.

At first meeting I figured He was Messiah. That’s what I said to my brother right from the start. He healed the sick. He cast out demons. He preached the Kingdom of God. He raised the dead. I saw it and there’s no denying. But there’s no denying a bloody corpse, either.

I saw Him hoisted on the gibbet of the cross. My heart died. The sky turned black. I heard His cry. I saw His head slump forward. The soldier’s spear thrust in His side streamed blood and water. He’s dead.

We all made it back to this upper room, but we’re not talking. My brother Simon is over there in the corner but we’ve hardly acknowledged each other. What do I say to him? “I guess I was wrong – He wasn’t Messiah after all.”

It’s over.

Sabbath

Day of rest. Some rest. We’re talking, debriefing, comparing notes. It’s like scavenging in a graveyard.

The women plan to go to the grave first thing tomorrow to put more spices on the body. I’ve seen too much already. The time may come, but not now. The world is in turmoil. Jesus’ enemies haven’t spent all their venom yet. The women can’t be dissuaded, but I’ll stay put.

Early Sunday

It’s still early – we’ve only just opened the shutters. The women have been out to the tomb and back already and they are hyped up. As if their nonsense stories could make any difference at all. Why can’t they leave it alone?

They say they found the tomb open, the weighty stone rolled back and the body gone. How could that be? They say they saw two men, their white clothes gleaming in the early morning gloom. The women think them angels. Confused perceptions of distraught women! They’re not thinking straight.

But it was too intriguing for Simon. He’s gone to see for himself and he took John with him. I don’t know why they bother – they’ll find nothing.

Mid-Morning Sunday

Gloom hangs heavy in this upper room. Simon came back, slumping down in the corner. He looked straight ahead, turning something over in his mind. His silence was taut.

“What is it?” I asked.

“I saw it,” he said, “just like the women told us, the tomb is empty. Except there were strips of linen burial cloth lying on the stone shelf and the cloth headpiece wrapped up by itself at the top. So strange.” He continued to look ahead, troubled.

He up and left five minutes ago. He paused in the doorway as if reconsidering, light silhouetting his form. Then he was gone, leaving us in gloom.

Early, early Monday

I could not sit still now if I tried! All of us here have talked into the early hours of this morning. Who knows what time it is out there! It’s pitch black – but the light has dawned for us and nothing will ever put it out.

When Simon returned, his countenance was transformed and puzzlement gone. There was light in his eyes, strength in his voice. “I’ve seen Him! I‘ve seen the Lord with my own eyes!”

There was a knock at the door. Two other friends, having returned from Emmaus, burst in, saying they, too, had seen Jesus.

The hubbub of voices rose. Questions and words overlapped, giving voice to wonder. Once mournful friends came alive, and engaged in hope-filled speculation. Excitement mounted. Surprise was tangible.

And then all was suddenly silent and still. For there, in the middle of the room, stood one for whom no door had opened, no invitation been issued, from whom no greeting was expected, but who commanded every heart.

Continued on the next page

BC Christian Academy – Missions Trip: Impacting Lives, Building Hope

“I had the privilege of serving on two transformative trips to Mexico during Grades 10 and 11. Engaging with families, building homes, and ministering to children left an indelible mark on my heart. One vivid memory is playing with children under the scorching sun, their joy contrasting challenging circumstances. Encounters with families in the garbage dump, purchasing groceries, and being served reshaped my perspective. Eleven years post-graduation, with a psychology degree from Trinity Western University, my heart is set on supporting families in unfamiliar cultural landscapes. I aspire to live out Jesus’s mandate and BCCA’s mission of strengthening families and equipping their children to be faithful, whole-hearted disciples of Christ, just as they’ve done for me.” — Hailey Kate Peters

Guided by Matthew 28:18-20, BCCA extends its mission beyond classroom walls, instilling Christ’s ways among students. The BCCA Missions Trip provides high school students with cross-cultural experiences in service, evangelism, and discipleship. Beyond classrooms, stu -

dents discover Christ’s calling through volunteerism, sparking a passion for impactful service in communities.

In collaboration with ONE LIFE, ONE CHANCE, BCCA High School Missions

Trips transform students into ambassadors for Christ in countries like Mexico. This year, the mission focuses on constructing a new home for the deserving family of Noe, Luz, and Emma. Beyond building a home, the team will connect with and serve the local community, making this mission a holistic endeavour.

Support for this mission is crucial. Ongoing updates showcase the team’s dedication, with weekly spiritual and practical preparation meetings and monthly weekend sessions refining skills. Despite commendable progress, urgent financial support is needed to cover the $13,500 cost for the house build alone.

BCCA invites everyone to join this remarkable journey of service and compassion.

Donations, under the MISSIONS category, can be made online at bcchristianacademy.ca.

This month and the next few months include special features on Kids Camps

Abbotsford City Prayer Breakfast marks its 33rd year

The Abbotsford City Prayer Breakfast takes place on Wednesday, April 10, 7:30 am at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Centre, with keynote speaker Henry Braun

The theme for this year’s event is Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly.

Presented by MEI Schools, the focus of the event is to pray for our Mayor, City Council, First Responders, School Board, independent schools and agencies that work with our city’s most vulnerable people. Since the inception of the breakfast, the City of Abbotsford has grown significantly, and this has resulted in new challenges and increased needs within our community.

The Prayer Breakfast provides an opportunity for the Abbotsford Christian community to gather and tangibly express its support for our city leaders through prayer. This event helps to build relationships, provide encouragement, and foster unity within the Abbotsford community.

Guests of the Prayer Breakfast will enjoy a delicious hot breakfast and an inspirational keynote address by

Fragment of an ancient diary... continued

There, in our midst, unannounced, stood Jesus. “Peace be with you,” He said.

Excitement turned to startled fear as we thought Him a ghost. He said, “Why are you troubled? Why do you doubt? See my hands, my feet. It’s me! Reach out your hand – you can’t touch a ghost!” And when He saw that we still didn’t believe, for joy and amazement, He said, “Have you got anything to eat?”

And I gladly put into His hands again a piece of fish, like

this year’s guest speaker, businessman and former Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun. Braun will be sharing stories from his life and reflecting on leading the community through challenging times. He says “When I look at my life, I could never have imagined or engineered the journey I have been on. God has given us gifts and passions to meet needs we see in the world or in our community for a specific place and time. How we lead, what we say, what we do matters. It sets a tone - either positive or negative. It will shape an entire team or organization and ripple through the community.”

The ACLN is also pleased to welcome back award-winning songwriter and recording artist Brian Doerksen. In more than 30 years of making music, Doerksen has created studio solo albums, music films and musicals as well as achieving numerous awards including Juno and GMA Covenant Lifetime Achievement awards. The ACLN is also delighted that Abbotsford concert violinist Calvin Dyck will be joining Doerksen as a

once before. He took it, gave thanks, broke it, ate it. And laughed with joy!

Gloom is gone. Light has come. He is risen! Let surprise jump off history’s page. Catch your breath. Embrace His presence in wonder.

Tim MacIntosh writes a daily blog (on Facebook and on his website) titled, Eyes on Jesus: Through the Scriptures. He has also published a book of daily devotionals in the Gospel

publisher/editor editor@lightmagazine.ca

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administration

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musical guest. Dyck has been concertmaster for the Vancouver Island Symphony for 24 years and is the director for the Abbotsford Youth Orchestra. He has performed in over 15 countries and has been awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for service to the Community as well as an honorary Doctor of Humanities by Trinity Western University.

Tickets for the Prayer Breakfast may be purchased online at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/33rd-abbotsfordcity-prayer-breakfast-tickets-814664291827 Early bird pricing ends March 20 or until tickets sell out.

Abbotsford Christian Leaders Network is an affiliation of Christian leaders representing a broad range of churches, non-profit organizations, educational and government institutions, and businesses. Grounded in a common faith, its aim is to encourage these organizations to work together and to support community needs. For more information, call Janie Thiessen at 604-226-8281 or email abbotsfordprayerbreakfast@gmail.com.

of Mark, titled Eyes on Jesus: Through Mark’s Gospel and see Tim MacIntosh’s newest book, Eyes on Jesus: The Christmas Chronicles, a retelling of the birth by 14 witnesses who experienced these events, either at a distance or close at hand –some with faith, some with doubt, and some with hostility or indifference. (available at Regent College Bookstore, House of James, and on Amazon).

https://www.timmacintosh.com

This article first appeared in Light Magazine March 2013

Inspiring Faith Marc Dupont in Langley pg 4

Feature Camps pg 6

Engage in Mission Answered prayers in India pg 8

Watoto Choir in Canada pg 15

Henry Braun

Brian Doerksen

Calvin Dyck

Front cover photo courtesy of Camp Qwanoes

Inspiring Faith

Marc Dupont speaking in Langley in March

The River Fellowship in Langley, BC will be hosting Marc Dupont, March 15 to 17, 2024, as their annual spring conference special Keynote speaker. Conference organizer, Pastor Paul Hughes says, “you will be strengthened and encouraged with deep worship and solid biblical teaching from a humble, prophetically gifted leader and servant of Jesus. Prophetic words will be released as well as prayers for physical and holistic healing (emotional, mental) as the Spirit leads. Space is limited so make sure you sign up as soon as possible.”

Dupont went to Orangeville, Ontario to conduct a conference at a retreat centre called Singing Waters in May of 1992. He had not seen Niagara Falls yet, but had a detailed vision of the impending revival that did arrive on the third week of January, 1994. Dupont commented, “I saw Niagara Falls coming from the throne of God over the city of Toronto. And the Lord said he’s going to pour out his Spirit on Toronto in a way that the church had never experienced in that region, and it was going to go from there to the nation.” The breaking up of rocks of religiosity featured in it, amongst other things.

Dupont ended up serving as a pastor at the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship (now called CTF Toronto) from 1992 to 1996, where deep revival brought an encounter that primarily emphasized profound biblical-theological themes like adoption and the Father’s love, along with the necessity of walking in Christ-like forgiveness.

Endorsed by the likes of Oxford doctoral graduate R. T. Kendall (author of more than 50 books and former preacher at London’s famous Westminster Chapel, succeeding Rev. Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones), some describe this revival along the trajectory-lines of the First Great Awakening from the 18th Century (think George Whitefield, John Wesley, and Jonathan Edwards), as well as the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th Century in the United States (think Charles Finney and the expanding areas of revival fire he termed “the burned-over districts”, along with the itinerant “circuit-riders” who travelled by horse for weeks over wild country to deliver the message).

Also paralleled with historic revivals like the Azusa Street Revival of 1906 (where contemporary Pentecostalism was born), during the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship’s pinnacle in 1994 and the immediate subsequent years where meetings were held 6 nights per week, it is estimated that some 2.5 million people passed through the small church’s doors. Toronto Life Magazine declared

the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship as Toronto’s most notable tourist attraction for the year in December of 1994.

Dupont left Toronto in 1996, continuing to minister as an itinerant prophetic Bible teacher, and as a ministry veteran of 42 years. He continues faithfully to minister the Father’s love in teaching, prophecy, and healing. He has served in various forms of church leadership for more than 25 years, including teaching, preaching, counselling, evangelism, and church planting.

During the past 26 years, Dupont has been working primarily with Mantle of Praise Ministries Inc. on a largely international level, functioning in a prophetic ‘Barnabas ministry’ of encouragement. He has ministered in conferences, seminars, and churches in more than 20 countries, and travels 4-5 months annually in Scandinavia, Europe, Africa, the United States, Canada, Mexico, the British Isles, Asia, and Australia – regularly being used by the Lord in a breadth of denominations from Lutheran to Baptist and Pentecostal to Anglican. His teaching primarily focuses on the areas of Revival, The Father Heart of God, Intimacy with God, Unity in the Body of Christ, Knowing the Times and Seasons, Restoration for Traditional Churches, Healing in the Body of Christ, and Spiritual Abuse. His various books have covered themes from the glory of God to church toxicity to healing and prayer for the sick, as well as friendship with God and how to get breakthrough at a time – like our present – of breakdown.

Dupont became a follower of Jesus in 1974, and had his international ministry prophesied over him at a Lonnie Frisbee meeting in southern California while a seminary student, then hovering in Calvary Chapel circles (portrayed in the recent Jesus Revolution movie). Along with his wife Kim, they now reside in San Diego, CA where they have three grown children and where Dupont is also on staff at Foothills Christian Church in El Cajon, CA. His pastoral responsibilities include preaching at services and conferences, as well as mentoring.

Hughes adds, “what I appreciate about Marc personally is his levelheadedness; the balanced, biblical ministry expression he demonstrates through his teaching and prophetic gift. For example, when several of the prophetic voices out there were having a bit of a heyday forecasting an extreme positivity on the impending arrival of 2020 in no uncertain and overly effusive terms, Marc had nothing of it, commenting, ‘I learned not to go

The Elisha Code

by David Kitz & Dr. Ed Hird

Is there a “hidden code” to the Bible – a code hidden in plain sight-we have been missing for generations? By studying the ministry of Jesus, we can rediscover the blueprint he was following to launch the first-century church. It is a blueprint patterned after the prophetic Old Testament ministries of Elijah and Elisha. Together, let’s crack the Elisha Code, renew our first love, and become participants in the next great endtimes revival – a revival marked by a double portion of Christ’s miraculous anointing. www.edhird.com

for the low-hanging fruit a long time ago.’ Marc’s heart is for the continuing emphasis of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring in the present time that he saw in the 1990’s in Toronto, which he suggests, was (and is) ‘a tremendous call to intimacy with God.’ From the very start, Jesus’ desire for his followers can be found in John 17:3 – that they may know the Father.

“I also agree with his identification of one of the historically tragic, and continual mistakes in the charismatic and Pentecostal churches as being wowed by, and disproportionately focused on, ‘the anointing’, when what Christians are called to walk in is character and integrity. A prophetic word for everyone’s life, he says, is to pursue God’s will for our lives according to Romans 8:29, and to prioritize being conformed to the image of Christ. Dupont says, ‘holiness is not so much what can I get away with and what can I not do, but is really about being consumed with the nature of Christ, the goodness of Christ, the peace and joy, the Kingdom, the purity of the Lord. There’s so much life on that.’”

According to Dupont, we’ve got to get back to Jesus’ mandate of seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness . . . We don’t need more revival – we need an Awakening. For a culture that is becoming increasingly woke to the point of sleep, these are wise words indeed.

Awakening Hope, the Spring conference at The River Fellowship in Langley, BC, with Marc Dupont, will be held from March 15 to 17, 2024. The event is free but a freewill offering will be taken at each meeting to cover conference and related expenses.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/river-spring-conference-withmarc-dupont-tickets-753630889277?aff=oddtdtcreator

http://theriverfellowship.com

Salome Trilogy

The Good Sister, The Good Wife, The Good Aunt

by Jack A. Taylor

This trilogy follows the trajectory of one of the bible’s lesser-known characters, Salome, the sister of Mary, mother of Jesus.

The complete trilogy is now available through local Christian bookstores, jackataylor.com and Amazon.ca

www.jackataylor.com

Marc Dupont

by Nancy Kingdon

What is your life’s purpose? What are your business priorities? Are you feeling joyful or stressed? If you are just starting out in business, where does Christ fit into your checklist of priorities? Rich Huisman of Jent Consulting offers some excellent advice.

Rich tells his story…

“For most of my life, I wanted to drive, and I didn’t let God lead. I had grabbed the steering wheel, set a course, then asked God to rubber stamp everything I was pursuing or trying to accomplish.

“What were my priorities? 1. money and climbing the corporate ladder; 2. work 3. kids and their sports; 4. my sport interests of golf and hockey; 5. my marriage and wife; 6. God was last. Basically, I wanted God to approve what I was doing, and I would go to him for help.

“What changed? A crisis moment. One day I overheard my eldest son joke to a friend that he had basically been raised by his mother because his father was always on a plane going somewhere with work. That wrecked me! My kids wanted time with me, not money for their college fund. That day everything changed. I quit my job and ended my corporate career!

“Eventually I started a consulting business and wrote a book about leadership entitled The Leaders’ List – Are you a great leader? Find out now! But when I decided to make Jesus my life purpose, I began to really study God’s Word, especially the red letters that highlight Jesus’ voice. What could I learn from Him as a leader? First, He was baptized and explained that we needed to be born again. Next, Jesus went into the wilderness to face Satan’s temptations. I discovered I, too, must face opposition once I chose Jesus as the purpose of my life! My need for spiritual transfor-

mation also led me to repentance and spending time asking God, and my wife, for forgiveness.

“Servant-leadership is what Jesus models. When I stopped focusing on retirement planning and began to value time spent with God or serving others my life improved. An eye-opening challenge for all of us is to look at our credit card receipts and see how much of the total serves God.”

The challenge of money

Did you know that 16 out of 38 parables by Jesus discuss money or riches? Jesus says it is more difficult for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Why this image? Rich chuckles when he shares his memory from childhood of a camel entering a city. He recalls hearing that in Jesus’ day, the gateway into some cities was cut so low that a camel’s load was first removed and then the camel must fall to its knees, almost crawling through a small gate in the wall, before entering the city.

“We, too, need to unload our treasured possessions, then kneel in prayer before we can enter into a close relationship with our God. Everything we own, after all, is a grace gift from our God!

“Love and Jesus are inseparable. 1 Corinthians 13:4 teaches us that love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy or boast. Jesus is love…so I had to ask myself, what about Rich? Is Rich patient, kind, not envious or boastful? That’s another challenge. But I can say that I have more joy now than I did before my priorities became: 1. God in charge and driving; 2. my marriage; 3. our kids; 4. work (sports doesn’t mean much anymore).”

Angels There For You

Since

Three Take Aways…

PURPOSE OF LIFE: Seeking to become Christ-like involves learning more about love, humility, inspiring followers and developing a devotional life.

PRIORITIES OF LIFE: Daily asking God for direction will make servant-leadership a priority.

PASSIONS OF LIFE: Spending time alone with God increases joy and transforms hearts.

In conclusion, after Rich turned fifty, he bought multiple bird feeders and started to love birds. As God’s creation, they do not worry about tomorrow, what they will wear, and yet they’re dressed magnificently. They store no food, yet they eat daily. Their praise songs fill the morning skies with joy. We can learn from them!

Spending time alone with God, in prayer, worship, songs of praise and thanksgiving is something that can build our relationship with God. Since each one of us has close to 112 waking hours per week at our disposal we each can ask ourselves: How much of our waking hours will we spend as time alone with God? Rich’s story challenges us to want to reprioritize Jesus as the number one purpose of our life!

“Connecting your Sunday Faith to your Monday Work” The Canadian Christian Business Federation exists to support business leaders in the study and application of Biblical Leadership Principles with peers in order to transform lives, strengthen businesses, and positively influence and impact our world. www.ccbf.org

Nancy Kingdon is an author and freelance writer who writes and donates these stories as a gift to the CCBF ministry. She may be reached through: www.writinglegacy.com

The main purpose of the holistic approach to home care is to help support seniors to age in health and wholeness, inspiring faith for everyday life. Holistic home care is an approach that encompasses the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of a senior. Several studies have shown the positive effects of holistic care on various aspects of health and well-being. This human-centered approach to care is a great complement to traditional care. The first step in providing holistic care is to establish a therapeutic relation-

ship that is human-centered. This is essential to the building of trust between the client and caregiver. The whole needs of a person is treated- not just their symptoms. We offer this approach as a care philosophy to address the specific needs and preferences of each senior.

Stillwood Camp

Nestled in the serene beauty of the Fraser Valley, above the shimmering waters of Cultus Lake, lies Stillwood, a vibrant summer camp and conference centre. This picturesque location sets the stage for a unique experience, deeply rooted in Christian values and beliefs.

At Stillwood, the summer months transform the landscape into a bustling hub of activities, offering a blend of fun, learning, and spiritual growth. As a Christian camp, Stillwood is dedicated to providing a nurturing environment where physical, mental, and spiritual growth are equally prioritized.

The camp’s diverse range of programs caters to various age groups, ensuring that each participant finds something that resonates with their interests and age. The plethora of activities available is impressive, ranging from water-based adventures like canoeing and kayaking, to skill-based pursuits such as archery and climbing wall challenges. For those seeking a rush of adrenaline, the high ropes adventure and team-building exercises promise thrilling experiences.

Stillwood extends its offerings beyond the traditional week-long children’s camps. Weekend and half-week family camps are an integral part of the summer sched-

ule, providing families with an opportunity to engage in these activities together, fostering stronger familial bonds and creating lasting memories.

A standout feature of Stillwood’s summer programming is the Youth Discipleship Program (YDP), specifically designed for youth aged 14-17. This program goes beyond the standard camp activities by challenging young adults in their faith. It encourages them to delve deeper into their relationship with Christ. The program is adapted to each individual ensuring not only growth in their faith, but total personal development. The YDP is a testament to Stillwood’s commitment to nurturing spiritual and personal development.

Each year, slots fill up more rapidly than anticipated, underscoring the high demand for this enriching experience. Prospective campers and their families are urged to register early at www.stillwood.ca to secure their spots.

Stillwood’s idyllic location, combined with its wellrounded programs, makes it a sought-after destination for families and youth looking for a summer experience that offers more than just fun. It’s a place where adventure, personal growth, and spiritual enrichment intertwine, creating an unforgettable summer adventure.

Camps Spotlight

We are still accepting applications for our paid summer positions! Here are the top ten reasons you might consider serving at Timberline this summer (or spring!):

1. Unbelievable Fun – because, well, it’s camp!

2. Lifelong Friends – be part of a supportive community

3. Purpose & Belonging – like nowhere else!

4. Difference-Making – be involved in transforming lives

5. Spiritual Growth – supercharge your relationship with God

6. Struggles – the tough days will make you stronger

7. Job Skills – like childcare, cooking, horse-care, etc.

8. Life Skills – like leadership, problem-solving, resilience, etc.

9. Resume-Building – employers love camp workers!

10. Make Bank – earn over $7000 in just ten weeks

If you want to have the best summer of your life and make an eternal difference, Timberline Ranch may be the place for you. Volunteer positions are also available. Apply at TimberlineRanch.com or email dobby@timberlineranch.com for more info.

Camp Qwanoes – Christian camps - “heaven is like this?”

Last summer at Camp Qwanoes a counselor shared, “At the end of our week one of my campers said to me, ‘I think heaven is like this. I think this is what heaven will be like.’ And then I thought, wait till she gets to see what heaven will really be like!”

OK, camp is NOT heaven, but the truth is that the imprints of heaven are all over – and they help kids gain a vision of what real life is meant to be.

Kids come out of the city and live in the midst of God’s beautiful creation and it helps point them to Him. They experience incredible adventure and fun – and it helps point them to Him.

They’re accepted for who they are by people who really care, they feel belonging – and it helps point them to Him.

They hear truths from God’s Word in a way they can understand and relate to – and it helps point them to Him.

And most important of all, they don’t just hear about God’s love, they experience it themselves – and it draws them to Him.

Put all this together and it’s no wonder why we see thousands of children and youth across Canada decide to put their faith in God week after week.

Last summer a counselor at Qwanoes shared, “My camper said, ‘I’m an atheist. He told me at the start of the week that he wanted nothing to do with God. At the end of the week he said, ‘Everything’s different here. When I came I was on one path and now I’m on a completely different path!’”

This is what God does at camp! He lights the way to himself…and so many begin a

whole new life – and path – with Him.

Campers come from all backgrounds and what they experience at camp is so different from their everyday life.

Another counselor shared, “Last night at the fireside one of my girls burst into tears – some things in the talk reminded her of some very hard things that have happened to her in her life. She had flashbacks. She’s been called so many horrible names – no one, especially a 10 or 11 year-old, should ever be called those names. She accepted Jesus last night!”

And it all happens through a team! Ever consider being used by God at camp?

If you’re looking for a way to be part of what God is doing in Canada to reach the younger generation, there’s a place for you! The potential is amazing. Your own life will likely be changed forever. A staff member said, “(Camp) changes our lives… a lot of people leave with a new meaning and love for God and life – which is the most amazing thing about camp.”

Over 4,000 campers and hundreds of staff from close by and around the world will come to Camp Qwanoes this summer. As campers enjoyed incredible fun trying activities like zipping over the ocean or bouncing on a water trampoline or working with new friends to break out of the Escape Room, they will encounter the truth that they matter and are loved more than they can understand. And it will change them.

~ Written by Scott & Julie Bayley, Qwanoes’ Executive Director and Associate Director www.qwanoes.ca

Camp Squeah – Silence & stillness

What the human soul needs more than anything in our current age is silence and stillness. The gospel (as evangelicals would say) is the most pressing need for our lives.

And I wouldn’t disagree – but what the gospel brings to the soul that practically changes it into wholeness/oneness with our Triune God, is a stillness of soul that allows one to know truly they are loved by our heavenly Father.

It’s been said that the greatest enemy of our western culture is not particular sins, but rather distraction. We are SO distracted! Between devices, wifi, entertainment, media … not mention our own anxiety which pervades our minds, distraction keeps our hearts at a distance from the transformative presence of Jesus and that intimate knowl-

edge that we are deeply loved at all times.

How do we foster the need for spiritual disciplines in an age of selfish distraction?

By calling people into communities and spaces that their hearts long for. Camp is a natural place for children and others to begin to learn that taking these things away for a time can reap remarkable benefits for the soul’s connection with our creator.

However it is that you connect with Jesus, consider the practical, though no less easy, discipline of finding some solitude that you may experience a stillness of your soul and in so doing be overwhelmed by the grace and love of God. That reality-setting connection is what we need more of in our lives; not the coma inducing distraction everywhere around us.

A Spotlight on Christian mission and ministry

Answered prayers of healing and deliverance in India

by Alan Doerksen, INS (Intercede News Service)

People are being healed miraculously and one woman was even raised from the dead in India, as God’s power works through indigenous missionaries partnered with Intercede International.

Missionaries with India Christian Ministries have dramatic stories to tell of people being healed and receiving salvation. Easwari is a resident of Pollachi, Coimbatore. She comes from a Hindu family and was troubled by a tumour in her stomach for five years, reports ICM. As a result, she used to experience a lot of pain while passing urine. On July 11, 2006, her condition became critical and she was admitted immediately into the Government Hospital at Coimbatore.

A surgery was done and the tumour was removed from her stomach. But there was no improvement and she passed away the same night. The doctors declared her dead and she was brought to her house for the funeral ceremony. Pastor G. Rajan, the pastor of ICM’s Pollachi Church, came to know about this sad incident and visited her house along with four believers from his church. The pastor went inside the house where the body was lying down and prayed for her. Then the pastor asked for milk and poured some milk in her mouth. The pastor and the believers went outside after the conclusion of the prayers.

In a few minutes, one of the relatives of that woman rushed outside and informed the pastor about the body of the dead woman moving. On hearing this, the pastor and the believers rushed inside. As the pastor entered the room, she opened her eyes and called the name of her youngest son, Sam. On seeing this great miracle, the woman was rushed

again to the Government Hospital at Coimbatore. The doctors were astounded on seeing her alive. Then the doctor examined her completely and she was kept under observation for ten days. Finally, the doctors discharged her and confirmed that she had no signs of a tumour or any other problems in her body. After coming back to her home, she and her family went to the church and thanked the Lord Jesus for this miracle. Then she met with the pastor and her entire family was baptized and now they attend the church regularly.

Film ministry

ICM’s film ministry travels through India showing Christian films and praying for those who need it. A few years ago, Samboornam, a house maid with five children, asked the team for prayer. For two years, she had been suffering from asthma. As a result she experienced a piercing pain in her chest while breathing. Even medicines did not work and the doctors gave her no hope. Her family was reduced to utter poverty as they had put in every single penny for her medication but everything went down the drain. They were in tears and in despair waiting for a ray of hope to shine into their lives.

It was at this moment that the Film Team arrived at her village and showed a film. After the film, they prayed faithfully for the sick people. At that moment she was touched by God and was healed miraculously. Immediately, she and others accepted Christ as their Saviour.

Samsundar, a young agricultural labourer in Thirukattupalli, was born deaf and mute. On seeing

Intercede International: Ukraine – the war and refuge for ukrainians

Intercede International is a mission board whose main focus is assisting indigenous (national) missionaries working within their own or a neighbouring culture. Intercede raises awareness among Canadians of their work and provides financial relief and development aid and intercessory prayer support. Intercede also hosts national missionary leaders to speak in churches in Canada and at Intercede Mission Events.

As the world focuses on the war in Ukraine, God is at work powerfully through two Ukraine-based ministries partnered with Intercede International. One, Father’s House, with help from Christians in Canada, has helped 160 vulnerable children to escape safely from the Kiev region to Germany where they are being cared for. The other ministry, Good Samaritan Mission, again with much help from Christians giving to Intercede have been able to collect food and medical supplies for first aid and sending them to the hotspots of the war in Ukraine. Intercede’s GSM partner is also distributing Bibles to thousands of people requesting them throughout Ukraine and also to Ukainian refugees in Poland, Romania and other countries. These ministries need the continued prayers and support of Canadian Christians.

Established in Canada in 1953, Intercede International was raised up by God to establish, encourage and strengthen an indigenous New Testament witness for our Lord Jesus Christ among all nations, by providing intercessory spiritual and material aid to Christians who are impoverished, few or persecuted – and to encourage a Christian witness to the international community in Canada.

Intercede partners with 49 indigenous missions worldwide – impacting people groups in more than 50 nations.

Discover the joy of partnering with Indigenous Missions! For further Information please check out our website at www.IntercedeNow.ca . Contact us at: 1-800-871-0882 or friends@IntercedeNow.ca .

Choose one free book when signing up for Intercede newsletter mailing:

Interceding for His Children by James S. Eagles

It All Started With a Shoemaker by Eliud Herrara

Under The Rubble by Barb Lataillade

Clay in The Potter’s Hand and He Alone by Dorothy Sun

The Man In The Fiery furnace by Dr. Freddie Sun

Tapestry: Poems and Meditations by Margaret Anne Eagles

his sad condition, his parents took him to a doctor for medical treatment but nothing worked. Some years ago, ICM’s Film Team arrived at his village and showed the Jesus film. After seeing the film, his parents had faith that Jesus could heal their son. The pastors prayed for the sick people and while they were praying, Samsundar felt the power of the Holy Spirit all over his body. God touched him and he was completely healed. Now God has given him the ability to speak as well as to hear. After this miracle, both Samsundar and his father have accepted Lord Jesus as their Saviour and they both have been baptized.

Thank the Lord for the powerful ways He is at work with India Christian Ministries. Please intercede for these missionaries.

Interceding

for His Children by James S. Eagles

This young man was healed from deafness and inability to speak at an ICM meeting in Faythabad, India.

Because he was a giver

by Eze Njoku

This is the story of a wealthy man who is a giver, a philanthropist. Although this man hardly went to church, his giving extended to churches. He supported churches in their program and projects financially. His generosity wasn’t limited to churches alone, he gave to the poor and the needy as well. He made sure he helped anyone that came to him for help in any way he could financially. He built houses for the poor and the widowed and helped established businesses for the needy. He gave because he understood that the wealth he has was made possible by God.

Deuteronomy 18:8 “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth.” Also the Bible says in the book of Proverbs 19:17 that when you give to the poor you are lending to the Lord. God will always honour His words by supplying our needs as we give to the poor.

The Bible also says that whosoever has compassion on the poor, shall be delivered in the day of adversity/trouble. The word of God cannot fail. God’s word can never fail.

A time came when this wealthy man became very sick and was hospitalized. People that knew about his condition, especially those he helped, started to pray for him. Eventually it was announced by the medics taking care of him that he was dead. When the news about his death broke out, people wailed. His family and those that he helped grieved.

After he died, he was dressed up to be carried to the morgue, but something happened along the way to the morgue. He suddenly sneezed – to the amazement of nurses, doctors and relations. The doctors inspected him and found he had come back to life. This surprised everyone – what a miracle they exclaimed. His family, friends, relatives as well as those he helped were overjoyed. He stood up while in the ambulance and walked out of the ambulance.

Hear his story: He said, after he died he found himself walking on a lonely and dark road. The road was scary and he was actually going to hell. Heaven was shut up against him. But something happened just as the moment he was about to step into hell. Jesus appeared and touched him and told him that He will be merciful to him because of how he has helped His children while on earth. Jesus told the wealthy man to walk back to earth and amend his ways. That was when he sneezed and became alive again. This time he gave his life to Christ and accepted Him as Lord and Saviour. He is now an evangelist. He goes about preaching, telling his story and winning souls to Christ. 2 Corinthians 9:9 says: “As it is written, He has dispersed abroad; he has given to the poor, his rightousness remains forever.”

In the book of Matthew 25: 31-46; Jesus told a

Lighthouse Harbour Ministries

“Nations will come to your light.” (Isaiah. 60:3)

Jag is a seafarer from eastern India. Recently, a Lighthouse chaplain met him aboard his ship in Vancouver.

Although there were some language-related challenges, Jag and the chaplain were able to communicate at a basic level. In fact, although only simple words were used, the conversation ended up being quite significant from a spiritual perspective. For, at one point in their dialogue, Jag told the chaplain that he wanted to become a

Christian. The chaplain was surprised by Jag’s directness, but also very encouraged. He passed on to the seafarer a Telegu language Gospel of John and other Gospel materials which Jag willingly committed to read.

The Lord is wonderfully working in the hearts of many seafarers to bring them to Jesus!

Come and be part of pointing international seafarers to Jesus by volunteering with Lighthouse Harbour Ministries in Vancouver: www.sealight.org

CSB - Christian Service Brigade

Are you seeing an increase in church activities? Since Christmas, many churches are growing. Most CSB club programs have experienced continued expansion. What is your church doing to draw people into fellowship? There’s a safe, comfortable way to get people involved with your church - by ministering to boys and men. That’s why CSB is helping churches of every size to host Father and Son, Man and Boy Weekend Campouts.

In the Lower Mainland, CSB sponsors the TOUGH GUYS

2024 on April 26-28 at Golden Ears Provincial Park. We’ve room for 200+ campers but we limit participation to churches only, with their men and boys. Perhaps, your church would like to join us. If your church is already sponsoring your own campout, consider inviting the neighbourhood. Reach out in Christ’s Name. God calls every Believer to “Make Disciples”. Use this opportunity to build Christ-centred fellowship. Contact CSB: www.CSBcan.ca and www.csbbc.org.

Christian Friends of Israel

February 14 - March 28, 2024 marks 40 days of fasting and prayer observed by Christians known as Lent, commemorating the 40 days, Jesus fasted in the desert tempted by the devil, before beginning his public ministry. During this same time period, Jews remember the Exodus from Egypt, as they prepare for Passover. God rescued the Hebrews from slavery with miraculous signs, and they journeyed through the desert 40 years, receiving the 10 commandments, on route

to the promised land of Israel. Jesus, of Jewish lineage, went to Jerusalem celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples. Jesus was betrayed into the hands of the Romans, was crucified, died and was buried but was raised from the dead, the perfect sacrifice for our sins, by God the Father. Just as God rescued the Jews, God rescues all mankind when we invite Jesus, Son of God, into our hearts as Saviour and Lord, giving us eternal life.

story of what the kingdom of was like: For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you, or thirsty, and give you something to drink? And when did we see you a stranger, and invite you in, or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me.’

There is nothing you have here on earth that as not been given to you by God.

Therefore, use what God has blessed you with to bless others.

Eze Njoku is the resident pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God - Hope of Glory Parish, at Akpajo Rivers State, Nigeria.

Harbour Ministries

Christian Friends of Israel - Canada

CFI Canada gives hope and support in the midst of war to IDF soldiers, thousands of displaced people, Holocaust survivors and terror attack victims. Send your best gift today.

CFI-Canada

Box 88631 RPO Newton

Surrey, BC V3W 0X1

www.cfi-canada.org

Lighthouse

Photo by Emmanuel Ikwuegbu on unsplash

Persecuted for their faith

Pakistan: Gunman kills Christian youth

On February 5, Sunil Masih and three other Christian youth were standing in a market of Punjab’s Gujranwala District when six men arrived on motorcycles. One of the men shouted, “Kill all the Christians.” At that point, a different man, Zaman Butt, opened fire, killing a 14-year-old boy named Sunil. During the attack, another Christian youth was grazed with a bullet. The assailants then fled the scene. Sunil was rushed to a local hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.

Apparently, the altercation began days prior when Zaman Butt, along with a group of intoxicated individuals, arrived at the local Christian colony and attempted to kidnap a boy named Sharoon. While this targeted victim was able to fend off his attackers, he was badly beaten.

The perpetrators are reportedly members of a pedophile criminal gang known for targeting followers of Jesus. According to a local pastor, the gang is well known to police, but their criminal activities have often been ignored. “Their vile depredations target the weak Christian community because authorities ignore our pleas for help,” Pastor Asif lamented.

While a police report has been filed, and the identities of those involved in the incident are known, at last report, the perpetrators were still at large.

Vietnam: Christian sentenced for leading prayer meetings

Nay Y Blang is a member of the Central Highlands Evangelical Church of Christ – a religious group that is not officially recognized by the Vietnamese Communist Party. In May 2023, the Christian leader was arrested and charged with taking advantage of “democratic freedom to infringe upon the interests of the state,” as well as “the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals.” These accusations arose from the prayer meetings he had been holding in his home.

During the trial, at which there was no defence lawyer present, Nay admitted to hosting the prayer

meetings. Yet, he did not agree with the accusatory claims that the gatherings were subversive towards the government. Pastor Aga, who started the church and now lives in the United States, insists that the organization is strictly religious. However, at the end of the trial on January 26, Nay was sentenced to 54 months in prison.

This is not the first time that Nay has been convicted for his Christian activities. In April 2005, he was sentenced to more than five years in prison for allegedly “undermining the unity policy.” In September 2022, the believer was also fined for “abusing democratic freedoms and belief freedoms.”

While registered religious groups in Vietnam face restrictions, members of unregistered groups (such as those who attend Nay’s church) encounter frequent harassment, abuse and criminal charges. The persecution of unregistered churches is particularly severe in rural areas and for members of ethnic minorities.

China: Christians arrested for leading children in worship

According to an anonymous prayer letter received by ChinaAid, three Christians were arrested and detained on January 18 because they had led children from their church in singing hymns and prayer. The next day, police raided the homes of the three detained church members, who have been identified as Dai Chuanli, Wang Dandan and Ma Jiahui. Each of these believers was given a 15-day administrative detention.

This is the third time since September 2023 that members of the Fuyang Maizhong Reformed Church have been detained for their worship activities. Other believers from the church continue to face frequent harassment from community officials, who have pried open the doors of their homes and pressured landlords to evict Christian residents.

Administrative detentions are commonly used as a way of harassing and intimidating believers without having to lay charges against the individuals.

Türkiye: Gunmen attack worship service

On the morning of January 28, two gunmen entered the Santa Maria Catholic Church in Istanbul, Türkiye. Wearing masks, the men walked into the church, shot into the air, and then killed one person. Security footage shows the gun apparently jamming just before the men left.

The victim has been identified as Tuncer Murat Cihan, a Muslim man who had been attending services for the past several weeks. The priest described him as “a good person.” It is uncertain if he was specifically targeted by the attackers.

Authorities quickly detained two men: one from Tajikistan and the other from Russia. They are known to be affiliated with ISIS, a militant Islamic group that has since claimed responsibility for the attack. The perpetrators of the incident appear to have acted in response to a call from ISIS leaders to target Jews and Christians.

In response to the attack, church leaders in Türkiye are advising Christians to not succumb to fear. Ali Kalkandeen, who serves as president for the Association of Protestant Churches in Türkiye, reminded Turkish believers that “God has not given us a spirit of fear” (2 Timothy 1:7). He further encouraged them by saying: “Satan will never stop attacking Christians. Do not let this become a stumbling block in our relationship with God.” - vomcanada.com

Voice of the Martyrs - Olympic Faith – A Hero’s Journey

Have you ever noticed that in scenes where those on one side of a battle are trying to extract information or intimidate the opposition, devices of torture are often paraded in front of the captive? The deliberate display of what could be done to a body is often a more effective tool for achieving compliance than actually doing harm.

The threat of death, pain, and suffering is a powerful ploy used by the enemy to intimidate God’s children. He uses it to keep us from sharing the gospel. It also blinds us from seeing we are not defenseless. We are not vic-

tims. We have weapons and we have One who fights with us…His hand over ours.

For over 50 years The Voice of the Martyrs Canada has told stories of a victorious Church. This is the subject of our vomcanada.com/olympicfaith.htm women’s retreats - The Hero’s Journey. Dr. Foley, retreat speaker & co-founder of Voice of the Martyrs Korea, has pioneered various discipleship programs to North Koreans for more than 15 years. She will walk Canadian women through the process of the hero’s journey, in which we will learn

to see our own painful stories through the eyes of a victor, not a victim. This is not about positive thinking. It is about the redemptive power of the cross. The area of your greatest pain becomes the area of your greatest testimony and platform to minister from. A platform that would not exist without those difficult, painful climbs to the high place of His Presence.

“Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.”

— Psalm 66:16

Adam Smith, father of compassionate economics

By Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird

Many people nowadays have little idea how Adam Smith’s economic ideas have shaped their lives for good. Can a rediscovery of the real Adam Smith rescue our muddled Canadian economy?

In 1776, Smith’s second book The Wealth of the Nations was so popular that he became known as the Father of Economics and the Father of Capitalism. For some people today, Capitalism has become a negative word associated with Scrooge-like greed and cutthroat business practices. Karl Marx blamed capitalism for all the world’s ills. Can capitalism instead embrace the compassionate vision in Charles Dickens’ book A Christmas Carol?

Because Smith was a devout Christian economist, God was mentioned a total of 403 times between his two books, including his lesser-known book The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Biblical economics is based on our being faithful stewards, realizing that all things come from God, and of his own have we given him (1 Chronicles 29:14). Stewardship in the Greek is the same word as economics (oikonomos, manager of the oikos, the house). Smith wanted everyone to earn a decent living, saying ‘No society can surely be flourishing and happy of which the far greater of the members are poor and miserable.’ He lamented how the poverty and poor health care in the Scottish Highlands resulted in many a mother having only two of her children survive after giving birth to twenty babies. With Canada’s standard of living suffering from governmental and economic mismanagement, perhaps it may be time to revisit the economic wisdom of Adam Smith. Might a rediscovery of the Protestant work ethic of diligence, thrift and efficiency help Canada get back on track?

What might happen in Canada if we once again rewarded hard work rather than punishing it with excessive taxation and regulations? Smith wrote about the Man of system who bureaucratically treated people as if they are chess pieces. In contrast, Smith held that economic freedom with free markets and free trade brings economic progress. Smith observed how God transforms private interest into public good by his invisible sovereign hand.

Born in 1723 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, Adam Smith never knew his father who had died five months before his birth. Smith regularly attended the local church with his devout mother, Margaret. His strong Christian faith is often ignored or minimized by modern economists. He never married, living with his mother until her death in 1784. He then died himself six years later. You cannot really understand Adam Smith without appreciating his 1759 book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments:

As to love our neighbour as we love ourselves is the

great law of Christianity, so it is the great precept of nature to love ourselves only as we love our neighbour, or what comes to the same thing, as our neighbour is capable of loving us.

As Christians, our financial choices need to be shaped by the love of neighbour as ourselves rather than the love of money. The golden rule is God’s golden way economically. When people matter more than profits, everyone wins.

Adam Smith was not just a philosopher and economist. He was also an early psychologist and sociologist who served at Glasgow University as Professor of Moral Philosophy. He was such an academic rock star in Glasgow that the university bookstore even sold a bust of his head during his lifetime. Smith was fascinated about what made people tick, especially how emotions/sentiments affected our life choices and ethical decisions. Influenced by his lifelong friend David Hume, Smith held that our emotions and imagination shape us far more than our apparent rationality. Like Hume, Smith pioneered the modern scientific method where technology, business, and society are advanced through careful experimental observation.

Unlike Hume, Smith retained a strong Christian worldview as he embraced science. With most of his students training to become ordained clergy, he taught them extensively about natural theology, how God our creator impacted our natural world:

…every part of nature, when attentively surveyed, equally demonstrates the providential care of its Author, and we may admire the wisdom and goodness of God, even in the weakness and folly of man.

Smith was struck by the miraculous order of God’s good universe. He called the universe God’s machine, designed to produce at all times the greatest quantity of happiness in us. Romans 8:28 reminds us how all things work together for the good. In The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith commented that:

…all the inhabitants of the universe, the meanest as well as the greatest, are under the immediate care and protection of that great and all-wise being who directs all the movements of nature, and who is determined by his own unalterable perfections to maintain in it at all times the greatest possible quantity of happiness. Since he was fatherless, Smith deeply appreciated that God was indeed our heavenly Father. He commented that ‘the very suspicion of a fatherless world must be the most melancholy of all reflections’, leaving us with nothing but endless misery and wretchedness.

All the economic prosperity in the world, said Smith, can never remove the dreadful gloominess of a world without God our Father. Smith taught that with this conviction of a benevolent heavenly Father, all the sorrow of an afflicting adversity can never dry up our joy. Smith, who sometimes suffered from depression, knew that because he was not cosmically alone, he had reason to keep going. While there is weeping in the night, there is indeed joy in the morning. (Psalm 30:5) After experiencing academic burnout, he left Glasgow University, serving as a European tutor for Henry

Scott, the future Duke of Buccleuch. While in Paris, he became friends to Voltaire and the French physiocrat economists, led by Dr. Francois Quesnay, the Royal Physician to King Louis XV. After the tragic death of Henry Scott’s younger brother, Smith returned home, never to again visit Europe.

Smith held that we need to submit our will to the will of the great director of the universe. While Smith as an Oxford-trained academic was very private about his emotions, he clearly taught that God deserved our unlimited trust, and ardent & zealous affection.

No conductor of an army can deserve more unlimited trust, more ardent and zealous affection, than the great conductor of the universe.

Both economics and theology for Smith needed to be practical. He said that while contemplating God’s benevolent and wise attributes is sublime, we must not neglect the practical call to care for our family, friends and country. As God’s financial stewards, earning money enables us to more effectively care for our family, our neighbour, and our country.

Smith liberated us from medieval mercantilism, which was a zero-sum game of winners and losers where there was no mutual economic growth and value-adding, except in farming. Mercantilism had countries grow wealthier through invading other countries to steal their grain and gold. The mercantilists could not imagine that everyone could win through peaceful international trade. Smith’s economics involved the division of labour, resulting in specialization and free trade between countries and regions. He blamed the profit-driven mercantilism for the dreaded slave trade. Smith realized that free people are better workers, producing better profits. Mercantilism was also so tied down with local guilds that workers were often unable to work in neighbouring towns. Smith envisioned ordinary workers being able to move freely around the country to offer their services. Thanks to Smith’s economic revolution, ordinary people, rather than just the very rich or the government officials, could save up enough money to own their own property. In contrast to mercantilism, Smith held that:

A nation is not wealthy by the childish accumulation of shiny metals, but it is enriched by the economic prosperity of its people.

How might our world be better in 2024 if we embraced Adam Smith’s compassionate, Christian-based economics?

Everyday Life: Finances

A Matter of Trust

New trust reporting rules may catch some unawares

by Arnold Machel, CFP ®

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities...” - Paul (in his letter to the Romans)

Are you the holder or beneficiary of an informal ‘in trust for’ (ITF) account? Are you named on an account or property title with your parent or adult child purely for convenience and/or estate planning purposes? Do you own a home together with your spouse but only one of you is on title? Beware: newly adopted legislation means that you may need to file some extra paperwork this year.

It all started with some draft legislation in 2018 that had an effective date of December 30, 2021. Due to the complexity of the legislation, negotiation, and amendments, this got kicked down the road a few times until ultimately becoming a reality for most trusts this year. Some ITF accounts and some bare trusts with year-ends on or after December 30, 2023 are included in the new legislature.

The new rules are complicated and only apply to very few individuals, so I won’t go into them all here. Mostly they involve collecting quite a bit of additional information and reporting that to the CRA.

Basically, if you have a trust account (including ITF accounts or bare trusts) established prior to October 1, 2023 and its value exceeded $50,000 at any time in 2023, you will need to provide the CRA with the name, address, birthdate, jurisdiction of residence, and taxpayer ID number of all trustees, beneficiaries, settlors, and anyone else who can exert control or override trustee decisions.

ITF Accounts

There was a time (many decades ago now) when the restrictions on Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) were so great and the benefits so little that many of us fi-

nancial advisors would often recommend that clients hold money in a type of account referred to as an informal trust rather than an RESP. These are often referred to as ITF accounts as the name on the account follows the pattern of “Betty and Barney Rubble ITF Bamm Bamm”, where the ITF stands for “in trust for”.

A formal trust account must have a settlor (the person who put up the cash), a beneficiary (the person for whom the funds are being set aside), and a trustee (the person who will manage the money for the beneficiary). Formal trusts usually involve a lawyer (for the set up) and an accountant (to prepare tax returns), whereas a simple, ITF account didn’t need that most of the time. Many of us still periodically recommend ITF accounts due to their simplicity and lower cost.

With the improvement of RESPs, the use of ITF accounts has dramatically diminished, but they can still be a viable alternative. Unfortunately, these new steps targeting trusts in general are also capturing informal trusts like ITF accounts, making their use more complicated and costly in many cases. Sadly, the low dollar thresholds that trigger the extra reporting and lack of inflation adjustment of that threshold may cause an unanticipated, unwanted and onerous additional burden if you are the owner of an ITF account.

To be fair, the government’s desire is simply to increase transparency, but the end result is that you might need to hire an accountant to make sure your taxes are done right.

Joint Accounts

We often come across situations where a client has put their adult child’s name on the title of their principal residence or included them as a joint owner of a bank or investment account. They might have done this for estate planning or to simplify account management. The assets are still 100 percent beneficially owned by the parent, but the adult child is also legally on title. These types of joint accounts are known as “bare trusts”. This is wrought with potential pitfalls if there are multiple beneficiaries but can make a lot of sense if there is only one beneficiary.

While less common, there are also circumstances where only one spouse is on title of a car, a house, or other asset, even though both spouses consider the asset to be common property. This situation would also fall under the same bare trust rules. But with this new legislation comes more

cost and more effort. They will need to be reported to CRA.

Long story short

Some of us in the industry fear that the reporting requirements may not be fully understood by many informal trust holders. We fear that account holders may inadvertently face the ire of the CRA by not filing the appropriate paperwork. And the penalties for not filing are nasty. At 5 percent of the market value of the trust and a minimum penalty of $2,500, the penalties are big enough to warrant some special consideration.

So, if you have an account that you don’t want your adult child to know about because you have set money aside for them that you want to be a surprise, you may now need to spoil the surprise in order to get the information that you need to fulfill this year’s reporting requirements.

If you know anyone in your life who may possibly have an ITF account for their children, if you have been put on title of a property or a joint account for convenience or estate planning purposes, or if you know anyone who may be involved with a trust of any type, be sure to pass this article on to them. It may save them a substantial amount of money.

If you or they aren’t sure if this applies, make sure to have an accountant or a professional tax preparer review the situation. The small extra expense might just save you thousands of dollars.

Arnold Machel lives, works, and worships in the White Rock/South Surrey area. He holds the Certified Financial Planner® designation, is the Founder of Visionvest Financial Planning & Services, and sits on the board of Abundance Canada. Visionvest (his firm) has been voted Best Investment/Financial Advisor by Peace Arch News readers for the past three years in a row.

Questions and comments can be directed to him at dr.rrsp@visionvest.ca. Please note that all comments are of a general nature and should not be relied upon as individual advice. While every attempt is made to ensure accuracy, facts and figures are not guaranteed.

Sources: 1. Tax - New trust reporting requirements | BDO Canada

This Ordinary, Extraordinary Life

by April Yamasaki

Practical sermons for everyday faith, rooted in the ordinary, extraordinary life of Jesus. For sermon preparation or personal and group study, order from CSS Publishing (https://store. csspub.com) or your favourite local or online bookstore.

A free study guide is available at aprilyamasaki.com.

6125 Nelson Ave. (Salvation Army Auditorium) Burnaby,

Events@lightmagazine.ca

Post your event free of charge in print and on our website. Email us at events@lightmagazine.ca. Include the following information: Event name and type (concert, special event, conference) • Date(s) • Time(s) • Location • Contact info (phone, website, email) • Info/Speakers/Performers

Music

Thursdays, 7:30 pm: Bez Open Mic night with Russ Rosen – Come as a performer or as an audience member. Sign up is at 7:15 pm and performances start at 7:30 pm at Bez Arts Hub, Langley. https://bezartshub.com.

Mar 9 & 10, 7:30 pm: Abendmusik Vesper Choir Lent 2024 – The choir gives evening services during Lent providing an opportunity to worship and meditate with sacred music and prayers written across the centuries. Mar 9 at Emmanuel Free Reformed Church, Abbotsford and Mar 10 at St Philip’s Anglican Church, Vancouver. https://pcda.bc.ca/avc-choir/ vespers-schedule.

Mar 15, 7 pm: Hymn Sing at Elim Village – Sing well-loved traditional hymns at Elim Village Oasis auditorium. Enter at 9045 – 160 Street, Surrey. All welcome. Refreshments follow. Info: Bob Brett, 604-930-8150

Mar 16, 8 pm: Neil Osborne at Bez Arts Hub – As lead singer and chief songwriter of 54•40, Neil Osborne has achieved critical acclaim, released more than a dozen albums and weathered the fickle music business for more than four decades. Bez Arts Hub, Langley. http://bezartshub.com.

Mar 22 & 23: Selections from St. John and St. Matthew Passions – Featuring Belle Voci and CSO Baroque Ensemble. The St John & St Matthew Passions are two of Bach’s most famous pieces of sacred music, telling the Biblical story of Jesus’ crucifixion. Mar 22, 7:30 pm at St. James Catholic Church, Abbotsford. Mar 23, 2 pm at Holy Rosary Cathedral, Vancouver. https://chilliwacksymphony.com.

Mar 29, 4 pm: Jazz Vespers at St. Andrew’s – featuring Wild Blue Herons at St. Andrew’s United Church, North Vancouver. https://www.st-andrews-united.ca/jazz-vespers/

Apr 5, 7 pm: Mercy Me - Always Only Jesus Tour 2024 – with Newsboys and special guest David Leonard, at Abbotsford Centre. Tickets at https://ticketmaster.ca.

Apr 5, 7:30 pm: Rockin’ For Ukraine – Abbotsford’s newest classic rock band, New Variant, bring a dynamic selection of tunes by the Doobie Brothers, The Eagles, Neil Young and many more. This is a fundraiser for the reputable and well respected organization: Hope for the Nations Romania, helping with social assistance, education and medical workshops in Romania and Ukraine. At Abby Arts Centre Addition, Abbotsford. eventbrite.ca.

Apr 5, 8 pm: Kym Gouchie Trio at Bez Arts Hub – Bez Arts Hub, Langley. http:// bezartshub.com.

Apr 6, 7 pm: Brian Doerksen, Come Now Is The Time To Worship Tour – An intimate evening with Brian, his classic songs and stories from a life and family that birthed these songs. At Central Heights Church, Abbotsford. http://eventbrite.ca.

Apr 6, 5pm: Sanctuary, A cantata by Joseph Martin – Presented by the Vancouver Oratorio Society, at Finnish Bethel Church, Vancouver. http://www.vancouveroratorio.org.

Apr 19, 7:30 pm: Voices, with the Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra and Choirs – An eclectic evening of choral music from sacred to baroque to contemporary to swing! Includes Vancouver Orpheus Male Choir, Company B Jazz Trio, Belle Voci, Voces Gioventu, all under the artistic direction of Maestra Paula De Wit. At the Chiliiwack Cultural Centre. https:// chilliwacksymphony.com.

Apr 20, 8 pm: Steve Dawson & The Hooded Mergansers at Bez Arts Hub –Steve Dawson is an award-winning Canadian guitarist, solo artist, songwriter, pedal steel player, multi-instrumentalist, producer and engineer living and working in Nashville, TN. Bez Arts Hub, Langley. http://bezartshub.com.

Apr 27 - 28: Fraser Valley Festival of Praise – Apr 27, 7pm Chilliwack Alliance Church, Apr 28, 2:30 and 6:30 pm Central Heights Church, Abbotsford. Hear the great hymns and help raise funds for relief locally and in Ukraine. Featuring a Mass Choir, a Male Chorus, a Ukraine Ensemble, vocalists Brian Doerksen and Harry Doerksen, and interviews. No tickets required. Apr 28, 8pm: Jacob Moon at Bez Arts Hub – Bez Arts Hub, Langley. http://bezartshub.com.

May 17, 7:30 pm: Piano Extravaganza featuring Giovanni Denoni – Join the Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra for an amazing showcase of BC’s up and coming concert pianists ranging in ages from 6-18. These wonderful musicians will play with the orchestra. The finale will feature Chilliwack’s own Clinton Giovanni Denoni. All under the direction of Maestra Paula DeWit. At the Chilliwack Cultural Centre. https://chilliwacksymphony.com

Theatre

Mar 15, 7:30 pm: The Sound of Music – Presented by Gallery 7 Theatre at the Abbotsford Arts Centre. Set in the Austrian alps amid growing tension in Europe, Maria, a young nun, is commissioned to serve as governess to the children of the autocratic Captain von Trapp. During her tenure, she brings music and joy to the household. http://gallery7theatre.com.

Mar 21 - 30: The Way to The River – Spend an evening with Nadleh Whut’en musician and storyteller Cheryl Bear as she shares stories and songs from her life. Marked by joy and a quick wit, expect to be challenged and changed by Cheryl’s tales of grief, hope, and resilience. At Pacific Theatre, Vancouver. http://pacifictheatre.org.

May 17 - 25: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Presented by Gallery 7 Theatre. A play by Simon Stephens, based on the novel by Mark Haddon. Late at night, he discovers his neighbour’s dog, Wellington, stabbed to death with a garden fork. Determined to solve the mystery of who murdered the pet, Christopher embarks on an epic adventure where his world as he knows it will never be the same. At Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, Abbotsford. http://gallery7theatre.com

Conferences, Talks, Seminars, Workshops etc

Mar 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 6 pm: Discover Hope, Bible Prophecy Seminar – Join us on a journey through the Bible prophecies. People are looking to the future with fear and anxiety, the Bible offers hope. Maple Ridge Adventist Church.

Mar 1 - 2: Apologetics Canada Conference 2024: Can I Trust the Bible – The Bible is the most important book of the last two millennia. This collection of ancient documents has shaped the modern world in ways you may have never realized. Northview Community Church, Abbotsford. https://apologeticscanada.com/conference24-bc.

Mar 15 - 17: Awakening Hope Conference with Marc Dupont – Marc Dupont, an excellent, prophetic Bible teacher (40-year ministry veteran), pastored at TACF when the 1994 Father’s love revival hit. At The River Fellowship, Langley. http://eventbrite.ca.

Seniors

Thursdays, 10 am - 1 pm, GenMin seniors group drop-in – Cedar Grove Church, Surrey. https://the-grove.net

Prayer, Worship & Retreats

Mondays, 8 - 9 pm: Vancouver House of Prayer – Live prayer together online via Zoom. Zoom Links are sent upon request on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ vhopca.

1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 11 am: Canada Wide Prayer for Israel – Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/94966621615?pwd=ME9QY0pOVHp4amUyNk41dWNGci93UT09. Meeting ID: 949 6662 1615. Passcode: 737728

Wednesdays, 7:30 pm: Worship Wednesdays – Join us for a time of worship every Wednesday, where we lift up the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and experience His sweet presence in a beautiful personal way. Garden Park Tower Azalea Room, Abbotsford. Info: 604-832-2154; aandbministries@gmail.com; http://aboveandbeyondministries.ca.

Mar 24, 4 pm: Contemplative candlelight service with Taize music – a contemplative candlelight service with beautiful music, Taizé songs, silences, and prayer. By donation. All are welcome! St. Andrew’s United Church, North Vancouver. https://www.st-andrews-united.ca

Other Events

Tuesdays, 6:45 - 8:30 pm: Messengers of Hope Motorcycle Riders – Weekly coffee meeting Tim Horton’s, 2255 Sumas Way, Abbotsford. Contact Ed at 604-525-8041 Come for coffee, find out what we are all about.

Tuesdays, 7 pm: Build your speaking and leadership skills – Golden Ears Christian Toastmasters meets Tuesdays at 7 pm at Haney Presbyterian Church, Maple Ridge. In person or on zoom. Info Susan Gredley 604-764-2126 or sgredley@icloud.com.

Mar 1 - 8: MCC Vulnerable & Fierce dinners – MCC is hosting fundraising dinners across BC! Join us for a delicious meal and hear inspiring stories of God’s transformational work in communities around the world. Appetizers & punch at 6 pm, and a buffet dinner at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $30 per person. (Early bird tickets $25 until February 8) Info & tickets at mcc.org/dinner. To purchase tickets over the phone, please call the MCC BC office at 604-850-6639. Chilliwack: March 1; Abbotsford: March 2; Langley: March 7; Kelowna: March 8.

Mar 8 - 10: Understanding Abuse Training – At the MCC BC office in Abbotsford. A three-day training hosted by the MCC BC End Abuse Program. Learn more about abuse, why it happens, and what we can do about it, all in a supportive, safe learning environment. https:// mcc.org/events/understanding-abuse-training-3-days.

Apr 10, 7:30 am: Abbotsford Prayer Breakfast – at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Centre, Abbotsford. Guest speaker, former mayor Henry Braun, music by Brian Doerksen and Calvin Dyck. abbotsfordprayerbreakfast@gmail.com for more info.

May 9, 5 pm: Provincial Leaders Dinner – The dinner is a special gathering of the faith community on the eve of the BC Leadership Prayer Breakfast. Guest panelists: Anu George Canjanathoppil CEO of International Justice Mission (IJM) and Casandra Diamond, Founder and Executive Director of Bridge North. At Hyatt Regency Hotel, Vancouver. https://www.cityinfocus.ca.

May 10, 7:30 am: 57th Annueal BC Leadership Prayer Breakfast – Now, more than ever, we acknowledge the value of prayer, community and leadership. The BC Leadership Prayer Breakfast attracts people from all walks of life and spiritual backgrounds. Together we offer support and prayer for our leaders and we look forward to hosting you in-person in 2024. Speaker: Michael Audain OC OBC, Founder and Chairman of Polygon Homes Ltd. At Hyatt Regency Hotel, Vancouver. https://www.cityinfocus.ca.

The hills are alive with the sound of music!

Gallery 7 Theatre presents The Sound of Music, March 15 –24 at the Abbotsford Arts Centre.

Set in the Austrian alps amid growing tension in Europe, Maria, a young nun, is commissioned to serve as governess to the children of the autocratic Captain von Trapp. During her tenure, she brings music and joy to the household, gaining the respect of the children and winning the heart of the stern Captain.

But as the sinister shadow of Nazism grows larger and threatens Austrian sovereignty, Maria and the von Trapps must make a decision that could completely upset their tranquil and happy existence.

Brimming with song favourites such as “Climb Every Mountain” and “My Favourite Things”, this inspirational story about family under pressure will capture your hearts and lift your spirits.

Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.

With Raelyn Schatz as Maria Rainer and Liam Whatley as Captain Georg von Trapp

THE SOUND OF MUSIC is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. www.concordtheatricals. com

Passions featuring Belle Voci and the CSO Baroque Ensemble

Immerse yourself in the timeless majesty of Bach’s Passions!

Prepare to embark on a musical journey like no other as we invite you to experience excerpts from Johann Sebastian Bach’s renowned St. Matthew and St. John Passions. On March 22 & 23, join us for an unforgettable evening of sublime beauty and profound emotion.

Bach’s Passions are timeless masterpieces that resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Through their exquisite melodies and powerful storytelling, these works transport listeners to the heart of the Passion narrative, inviting reflection, contemplation, and spiritual renewal.

At this special concert, you will have the opportunity to witness excerpts from both the St. Matthew and St. John Passions performed by our exceptional ensemble of musicians and vocalists. From the haunting beauty of

the chorales to the dramatic intensity of the recitatives, each moment promises to captivate your senses and stir your soul.

Whether you are a seasoned classical music aficionado or new to the world of Bach’s Passions, this concert promises to be an enriching and inspiring experience for all. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to witness the majesty of Bach’s music brought to life on stage.

Secure your tickets now and join us for an evening of musical splendour that will leave you breathless and uplifted. We look forward to sharing this unforgettable journey with you!

Friday March 22 at St James Church in Abbotsford: 7:30 pm; Saturday March 23 at Holy Rosary Cathedral: 2 pm; tickets online @ chilliwacksymphony.com, or at the door. Proudly presented by the CSO BBaroque Ensemble and Belle Voci

Watoto Children’s Choir in Canada

By Debbie Cazander

The Watoto Children’s Choir has begun 2024 with a series of concerts in locations throughout Canada.

The word Watoto means “children” in the Swahili language. The choir first began touring thirty ago and is one part of the Watoto ministry that is ‘Celebrating Christ, Caring for Community’.

In 1983, a civil war between various factions in Uganda was causing much bloodshed throughout the region, poverty was rampant and the Aids epidemic was just beginning to raise its’ deadly head when Canadian missionaries Gary and Marilyn Skinner and their three young children came to Kampala. With both husband and wife coming from missionary families, it was a calling of God they were prayerfully prepared to accept. Gary says “I just had this deep inner conviction that I was in the right place at the right time, this is where God wanted me.”

They met other Christians in the area and soon began offering English speaking church services; first in a hotel and later in a larger auditorium. The church rapidly grew, however there was still much unrest in the region and the Skinners were sometimes faced with trying experiences. Through these, they learned to not give in to fear but to keep faith in God. Recounting a particularly frightening event, Marilyn shares “Faith is not manipulating God for gain……faith is a strong belief in the supernatural power of Jesus Christ that controls human destiny.”

Before long, the life devouring AIDS virus was moving through the continent, killing many people and eventually leaving millions of orphans in its’ wake.

A pivotal moment for the couple came after Skinner met a 76-year-old grandmother who was caring for her 26 grandchildren, whose parents, because of the virus, were not available to care for them. She was exhausted and in need of help. Skinner says, “I knew I couldn’t pastor a great church and ignore the problems of people.”

This commitment to loving God and others led the Skinners to expand their ministry to help the children and women most affected by the turmoil all around them.

During the ensuing years they were instrumental in building villages wherein orphaned children were housed, schooled, and given medical care all with the nurturing of a loving family. Groups of eight children were put together in a home with a caring mother. They learned about wor-

shipping God and knowing their true value and identity in Christ. Opportunities were given for fun activities such as playing sports, all the while being instilled with a sense of purpose for their lives. There are now three Watoto villages in Uganda, caring for over 3,000 children.

Baby Watoto cares for the very youngest children needing help. Often either given up or abandoned by their birth mothers or orphaned, these little ones are loved and nurtured by a nanny. Each of these nannies will care for her four youngsters until they are old enough to move into a Watoto village. The Baby Watoto program has rescued at least 1,500 babies and operates from two locations.

Watoto Neighbourhood and Living Hope works to restore the lost dignity of Africa’s women. The degradation experienced by many women may have come about due to the hardships of poverty, war, disease, abuse from others, and a wrong belief telling them they are of little worth. With support, and education many women have become literate, learned important skills and have come to see that they do have value. Marilyn says about these women “they didn’t need a handout, because there is no dignity in a handout, they actually needed a hand up.” A visible example of how these women have flourished with the empowerment received, can be seen by the products they have created and sell to the public.

The Keep a Girl in School program works to ensure girls become educated. A major obstacle to this goal is the lack of sanitary products for African girls living in poverty. For several days each month the girls do not attend school, thereby falling behind on their schooling. The program also provides both girls and boys with a sex education that is based on Godly principles.

The Watoto Children’s Choir has a tour every year, going to many different places in the world. Each year a new team of participants is formed and trained, with that group remaining constant for the full tour. According to Choir Coordinator Johanna Cousineau “for our current Canadian Better Days tour, there are fourteen children. All of them sing and dance, supported by four adult singers and three live instruments.”

When asked what the children think about the experience of traveling so far from home, she shares “Well they certainly love the snow! They love the cross-cultural opportunities that they experience while touring: meeting new people, seeing new places, eating new foods, experiencing new things and they gain excellent English-speaking skills.”

When the Skinners first arrived in Kampala with their young family, they knew God was calling them to serve Him, and to help the people. Little did they know what that would all lead to in the following decades. For the many babies, children and women cared for through Watoto programs the lyrics of one of the choirs’ songs speaks of the hope they have found. “Better days are yet to come, there’s a peace within my heart.”

For more information about tour dates, sponsoring a child or a mother, to donate or to learn more about Watoto go to: https://www.watoto.com

New books by Canadian authors

Keeping the Shiny Side up

By Bernie Constable

“Sometimes, life just takes you on a wild ride. I had wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle all my life. Finally at the age of 55, I made it happen. I had years of riding to catch up on and learn as much as I could about the biking world. After joining the Christian Motorcyclists Association and learning about the good work they do, I was all in. Going to motorcycle rallies, meeting bikers from many clubs and organizations and finally going on my first Mission Trip where we gave brand new motorcycles to pastors and church leaders in third world countries.

Pause, A Year of Soulful Meditation

By Cathy AJ Hardy Friesen Press

ence of God, helping you to sort through common fears and misunderstandings about God’s presence; discover hands-on ways to pursue holiness and the presence of God in everyday life; live a presence-centered life in discipleship at work, home, and church; experience God’s supernatural strength, vitality, transformation, renewal, and joy

“These are the adventures I encountered in my desire to become something I had never imagined. Me. A biker! Find out more about my stories from the road.”

The Power of Forgiveness

by Bob Armstrong

Drawing from a blend of biblical, psychological and relational perspectives, Bob Armstrong discusses the impact of both giving and accepting forgiveness, and offers valuable insights and practical solutions for navigating the process.

The book uses humour, real-life examples and structured check-ins that invite readers to reflect on forgiveness in their own lives. “Forgiveness seems to be one of the many natural relationship repair mechanisms available to anyone who wants their past to stop negatively impacting their future,” explains Armstrong. The Power of Forgiveness is highly recommended by Salvation Army officers, as well as professionals in counselling, pastoral care and psychology.

Are you in need of a pause? Pause: A Year of Soulful Meditation offers an invitation to a year-long journey of mindfulness. Designed to help you cultivate a sense of presence, connection, and inner peace, this thoughtful guide offers journal prompts, weekly ponderings, and space for artistic expression, inspiring readers to contemplate their lives on a deeper level.

Tackling topics like relationships, grief, self-care, boundaries, and gratitude, Pause encourages readers to pause, listen, and reflect, in order to cultivate a life of greater purpose and intention, both at home and in the workplace.

Rooted in a spiritual perspective, this book was created to be a loving companion on your journey to self-discovery and soul expansion.

About the author: Cathy AJ Hardy is a spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and founder of Soul Care®, offering courses in spiritual formation and direction. A facilitator of soul work for the past two decades, Cathy is also the author of three previous books: Love Breathes With Me (2018), Walk With Me (2020), and Love Breathes With Me II (2022), all published by FriesenPress.

In addition to her passion for guiding others in their spiritual growth, Cathy is also a poet and award-winning singersongwriter. She lives in Mission, B.C. among the mountains, rivers, and forests. http://soulcare.ca, http://cathyajhardy. com, @soulcarewritings

The Fields of Gomorrah (Fiction)

By Stacey Herring Castle Quay Books

About the author: Armstrong holds a diploma in postgraduate ministerial studies, a master of arts in counselling, and is the author of the Couple Care Marriage Preparation Manual, Along the Way and Broken Church Restored. He draws from his extensive experience in pastoral ministry and clinical counselling to demonstrate how forgiveness is not just a moral virtue but a pivotal aspect of spiritual health and well-being. This book can be ordered from Bob Armstrong by emailing bobandpennyarmstrong@gmail.com.

Fullness of Time

by Ray Harris Mill Lake Books

Fullness of Time is a gentle companion through the seasons of the year and the seasons of life. The meditations are drawn from all 66 books of the Bible. They are based on devotionals the author shared with various gatherings at Tabor Village, a residence for older adults in Abbotsford BC, during the years of his chaplaincy, 2017-2021. They provide a good resource for chaplains, teachers, and others who may need to lead a devotion on short notice. The photographs and artwork are provided by tenants, friends, and family. As a coffee-table book, it can be a source of aesthetic interest and inspiration. Journey through time, through the seasons of nature, life, and the church year. Enjoy the pictures, aphorisms (brief thoughts), poems, and anecdotes (brief stories).

The nightmare that every parent dreads came true. Cassie was missing. A fight. Leading to a bad decision. Then, no way to escape. Fields of Gomorrah is a riveting account of survival and resilience in the dark world of human trafficking. In a situation of such darkness and hopelessness, can God’s voice still be heard? Will anyone answer?

About the author: A mother of two teen girls and a trauma survivor herself, Stacey Herring, who has worked in family ministry for over ten years, investing in children and youth, knows firsthand the many dangers facing our youth. She has experienced the personal depths of a mother’s love, and the will needed to overcome life’s many perils. She brings these themes to life in this novel as she exposes the evil and dark world of human trafficking overtaking us. Stacey’s desire is to wake us all up to this tragedy that is insidiously manifesting itself into our suburban society. Her warning and plea is that “This is happening in our country, these are our neighbourhoods, our communities, and we must stand together to fight against this wickedness.”

Pursuing God’s Presence: A Practical Guide to Daily Renewal and Joy

By Roger Helland Chosen Books

Available from Tabor Home front desk, 31944 Sunrise Crescent, Abbotsford, BC; Mennonite Heritage Museum Bookstore, 1818 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford BC or from the author - Ray Harris pneusong@gmail.com

About the Author: Ray Harris is a follower of Jesus, a husband, father, and Papa to eight grandchildren. Ray loves providing spiritual care for older adults, singing with them, reading God’s word together, and coming alongside those in their journey with Jesus who need encouragement and prayer. He is a pastor, teacher, musician, a reader and writer. He lives in Abbotsford BC and enjoys walking along Horn Creek Trail. He holds graduate degrees in music and Christian studies.

As believers around the world pray for renewal and revival in our conflicted times, they often neglect a key ingredient: pursuing God’s presence. The problem, says pastor and theologian Roger Helland, is that we were never taught, in a balanced and biblical way, how to seek, experience, and host God’s kavod – his radiant glory, his manifest presence.

Offering grounded and practical teaching, balanced with Scripture and Spirit, Helland shows how to live out a deeper biblical experience of the Holy Spirit and the manifest pres-

When you learn to seek, experience, and host God’s presence, it will transform you – and it will transform the world.

About the author: Dr. Roger Helland is the Prayer Ambassador for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, and previously served as district minister of the Baptist General Conference in Alberta. The author of seven books, he has over 35 years of experience as a pastor, denominational leader, adjunct professor at several theological schools, and renewal catalyst. He lives with his wife, Gail, near Calgary. https://www.pursuinggodspresencebook.com

Found

By Lori Hartshorn

Word Alive Press

Lorie Hartshorn penned Found as a guide for readers to use in rising above the competing narratives in today’s worldwide identity crisis.

Having experienced profound periods of uncertainty throughout her life, Hartshorn weaves together compelling real-life stories with Biblical teachings, empowering readers to overcome defeat and embrace the abundant life Jesus intended.

Accompanied by an eight-episode video series and a reflection guide, Found is designed to lead readers through a profound exploration of their true identity and purpose as revealed by Jesus, inviting them to live a life marked by clarity, power, and joy.

About the author: Lorie Hartshorn, is an international speaker, author, Bible teacher, and co-host of The 700 Club Canada. Her deep connection with audiences and a fervent passion for making Jesus known and empowering others highlights her commitment to spiritual growth and leadership. With 21 years in education and as the Director of Advancement for EQUIP Leadership Canada, founded by Dr. John C. Maxwell, Lorie has contributed to training leaders globally.

For more information, visit https://loriehartshorn.com.

I Am the Prodigal, I Am the Eldest (Fiction)

by Betty Swatzky Word Alive Press

The parable of the prodigal son is one of the most favoured stories in the Bible, and it’s one that many can relate to. When Jesus shared the story, He was speaking to the Pharisees and Sadducees, leaders in the synagogues who lived strict lives in obedience to the laws of the Torah. They harshly judged others who failed to meet their strict standards and showed little grace and mercy.

By taking a closer look at the culture and traditions of the Israelites in Jesus’s day, we can dig more deeply into the meaning of this story.

In the novel, we meet Aziel, an adventurous young man whose desire to experience life at its fullest pulls him away from the security of his family and community. This beautiful rendition of the famous parable reveals just how much our heavenly Father and His Son love us.

About the author: Betty Sawatzky is a reporter and writer living in Killarney, Manitoba. She has been pursuing a deeper understanding of our heavenly Father’s love since she gave her life to Jesus as a young teen. She has shared His incredible love through various children’s ministries and women’s Bible studies. Each season in her life has drawn her into a deeper understanding of our Father’s unconditional love and the sacrificial love of His Son, Jesus. When she’s not spending time with family or tapping away at her computer, she’s out fishing with her husband at one of their many favourite lakes in Manitoba.