WINTER/SPRING 2014
I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?" I said, "Here I am. Send me." (Isaiah 6:8)
WELCOM
“Branching Out” Dear Friends,
I’m pleased to welcome you to this latest edition of The Candle Magazine, where you can read some of our latest news and stories of gospel transformation. In this edition, there is a fantastic update from our ministry in the Sliammon Community and a wonderful update of Catherine Morris’ healing. Both of these updates remind us of God’s provision and desire for health and wholeness. We see the importance of community and being connected with those around us; and how that support enables others to overcome adversity and obstacles. Rick Sandberg shares an update on life inside at the Edmonton Young Offenders Centre. This is an incredible ministry – one that speaks life into darkness, hope for those who might easily give up. There has been large numbers of teens who, through this chaplaincy, have committed their lives to Christ and desire to turn their lives around when they are released. You will be able to read incredible stories of lives that have been impacted by the Good News of Jesus Christ through our projects in Whitehorse, Peterborough, Moncton and Saint John. People often ask me what the major factor is in turning lives around. The answer is quite simple – Jesus and community. In October 2013, we celebrated the change of a dream and hope to a reality in the culmination of our first Formation Week module. What an exciting week that brought men and women together from both coasts and in between to learn and grow together. At our 10th Annual Advent Luncheon in Richmond Hill ON, we celebrated and gave thanks for Bruce Smith’s 37+ years as an evangelist. We cannot count the 2
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amount of lives this man has impacted and we give thanks. While his role has now changed slightly, there is no doubt that Bruce will continue to impact leaders and witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ. I hope you enjoy reading The Candle and are encouraged at how, together, we are impacting many people’s lives across this nation. Thank you so much for your faithful support – both through prayer and finance. Together, we are making a real difference. Wishing you every good blessing,
Threshold Ministries, founded in 1929 (as Church Army in Canada), is a predominantly Anglican Order of Evangelists. Our evangelists share the Christian faith through words and actions while equipping others to do the same, across Canada. Board of Directors: Dr. John W. Irwin - Chair The Rt Revd T.O. Buckle - Vice Chair Mr. Ian Grant - Treasurer Mr. Andrew Barker Ms. Kathleen Bell Mr. Peter Bloom The Revd Tim Chesterton
Honorary Board Members: Mr. Kristen Hansen Dr. Frederick Ketchen National Director: Shawn C. Branch
Subscriptions to our newsletters and prayer diary are available for free upon request, with donations greatly appreciated. They are available in both print and online formats. Please let us know which option you would prefer. Editor: Charles Harding Proofreader: Linda Fleming Printed by: Rainbow Printing
Shawn C. Branch National Director
Is this the first time you’ve read a copy of The Candle? Would you like to receive your own FREE copy regularly? Here’s how, visit: www.thresholdministries.ca/subscribe, send an email to: hello@thresholdministries.ca or call toll-free: 1-888-316-8169.
Threshold Ministries National Ministry Centre 105 Mountain View Drive Saint John, NB, E2J 5B5 Tel: (506)642-2210 Toll Free: (888)316-8169 Email: hello@thresholdministries.ca Web: www.thresholdministries.ca If you have a story for The Candle, or suggestions on how we can improve this magazine, please contact
communications@thresholdministries.ca. Threshold Ministries is a registered Canadian charity. affiliated with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and the Canadian Council of Christian Charities.
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The Candle Winter/Spring 2014
CONTENTS 6
11
CATALYTIC CREATING ACTION
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19
6 Who sews Sues socks? 19 Ministry in the Sliammon Community 11 Storefront Spirit 8 Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind 13 News From The Fall 16 I Was Mad At God 17 Formation 22 A Time To Reflect 25 A Light Unto My Path
Evangelist Support Raising
This symbol identifies those Evangelists who seek support for their ministry through prayer and giving. It may be that you are drawn to certain Evangelists or ministry projects in this issue and would like to find out how you can partner with them in their ministry. To receive further information about Evangelist Support Raising, please email hello@ thresholdministries.ca or call toll free 1-888316-8169.
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Front Cover: The Evangelists-In-Training who took part in Formation Week at the National Ministry Centre in Saint John, NB.
STREET HOPE
REED FLEMING, SAINT JOHN NB I am excited to be teaching again. It has been sometime since I was in a classroom and I had thought that perhaps this phase of my life was entirely over but I received and an accepting the opportunity to teach a unit for a “Perspectives” course. Perspectives on the World Christian Movement … is a dynamic 15-week discipleship course taught by a variety of veteran missionaries, influential strategists and professors, each an expert in their respective areas. You’ll get the opportunity to discover what God is doing around the world and consider your part in His purposes. Give Him a chance to grip your heart with the things so close to His. Perspectives will help you understand God’s plan for our world - and possibly for your life. The particular unit I will be teaching is about the victory Christ has won over the powers of this present age and how we can practically live this
out in our day to day lives and ministries. I feel a level of comfort with this because I am being asked to do this not as an academic exercise but to share my practical experiences. I am grateful for the wonderful laboratory I live and work in with Street Hope and Up Town Church. I see the ravages of this present age on the lives of folks everyday and I am also privileged to see people find new levels of freedom through the victory Christ has won over the principalities and powers (Ephesians 6:12). We are experiencing Good News on the streets of Saint John and Good News is for sharing! January 21st I will be sharing with the students of this course at Crandall University. I am excited and prayerful. Will you join me?
Reed’s ministry is funded through the generous donations of individuals and churches. If you would like to find our more details on this ministry, please contact Reed at reed.fleming@thresholdministries.ca. You can also give online at www.thresholdministries.ca/saint-john, or visit his blog: www.reedfleming.com
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Bishop Sue Moxley with 1077 pairs of socks
WHO SEWS SUE’S SOCKS? DEBORA KANTOR, CAMBRIDGE NARROWS NB
This past November two youth from the Parish of Cambridge and Waterborough and I, were privileged to join the Youth and youth leaders from Nova Scotia and PEI in their annual Diocesan Youth Conference. We gathered at Bayside Camp in Sambro Head just outside of Halifax for a weekend of fellowship, worship, learning and action. The theme was “Dive In.” On Friday evening we dived into worship with the Tim Milner Band followed by a theme talk by Bailey Bowden. On Saturday we were bussed in to Halifax and dived into missions. There were 11 teams who went as servants to churches, food banks, service groups, “Mission to Seafarers” and “Out of the Cold,” an emergency winter shelter at St. Matthew’s Church. We helped in what ever way we could by painting, cleaning, packing groceries, going on a food drive, getting rid of graffiti and picking up garbage. This was all tied in with devotionals, talks and worship throughout the weekend. What does it mean to follow Christ? I was extremely proud of the
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youth, who despite the cold morning, did not complain and were great ambassadors. In honour of Bishop Sue Moxley’s retirement, parishes and youth brought socks for the missions. In all, 1077 pairs of socks were gathered and blessed for distribution. Our youth, Caitlin Mason and Miranda Mercer particularly liked making the sock monkey for Bishop Sue. We now know the answer to “Who sews Sue’s socks?”
It was great to join with the over 100 youth and youth leaders to worship and serve God together as we focused on serving Christ by serving others.
CATALYTIC
James 2:14-19 (GW) 14 My brothers and sisters, what good does it do if someone claims to have faith but doesn’t do any good things? Can this kind of faith save him? 15 Suppose a believer, whether a man or a woman, needs clothes or food 16 and one of you tells that person, “God be with you! Stay warm, and make Sue Moxley with two youth from the Parish of Camsure you eat enough.” If you bridge and Waterborough don’t provide for that person’s physical needs, what good does it do? 17 doesn’t cause you to do any good things. In the same way, faith by itself is dead if it doesn’t cause you to do any good things.
Deb Kantor and two youth from the Parish of Cambridge and Waterborough
One thousand and seventy-seven pairs of socks were gathered for distribution.
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ACTION
OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND
EDEN MCAULEY, MONCTON NB My friend Henri is 17 years old. He has a dozen or more court appearances under his belt. There hasn’t been any “serious” crime done, not yet. It’s the usual stuff for a young runaway who lives at a local homeless shelter; stealing, break/enter, drugs, parole violations, etc. The last one resulted in a four month visit to the Miramichi Youth Detention Center. It’s too far away to visit so I sent him a card. It was your standard Christian inspirational type. I signed it, ”Your friend, Eden”. I ran into him
recently at Moncton Community Chaplaincy. I gave him a couple of play punches and said it was good to see him again. He asked if it was me who sent him the card. When I affirmed, he shook my hand and broke into a big smile.While he was away, no one phoned him or visited him. He received no cards but mine. He became a non-person, unknown to the world, out of sight, out of mind. Seventeen years old! Does this sound sad or is it something you didn’t think could happen? Think again. It is sad, and it happens a lot.
Our mission is to assist people who have been marginalized by the policies and practices of today’s society to gain equality and respect through support, coaching and advocacy. We provide by listening and attending with warmth, empathy and respect. We offer practical help and coaching, and by partnering with related agencies we give non-judgemental safety net service designed to promote quality in the lives of those we serve. We model and mentor through positive relationships with the community and with the Lord. We are called to reach out and be giving of ourselves as God has reached out and given to us. We are all brothers and sisters; real people in real community with real hope.
EDEN MCAULEY
Aftercare & Reintegration eden.mcauley@gmail.com (506) 866-6534 PO Box 25022 Moncton, NB E1C 9M9 www.thresholdministries.ca/esr/eden.mcauley
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GENERAL INFORMATION ON
CANADIAN PRISONS
Q: How many men and women are
in a Canadian prison on a given day?
A: In 2010/2011, on a given day 38,219 adults [1] and 16,279 youth (aged 12 to 17 years) were in custody in Canada (federal and provincial), for a total of 54,498 inmates. - 2,818 were in custody in British Columbia’s provincial correctional system. - 13,758 were in federal custody. In total, just over 24,461 adults were admitted to provincial or territorial jails in 2010/2011. However there were only 10,916 admissions into provincial or territorial custody to serve a sentence. The difference is accounted for by the number of people held in remand while awaiting their trial or sentencing.
Q: How many offenders have mental health
issues in CSC (Correctional Services of Canada)?
A: The percentage of individuals committed to federal jurisdiction with a mental health diagnosis at time of admission is increasing. In 2007-08, 11.1% of individuals committed to federal jurisdiction had a mental health diagnosis at time of admission and 6.1% were receiving outpatient services prior to admission. In 2007-08, 30.1% of female inmates compared to 14.5% of male offenders had previously been hospitalized for psychiatric reasons. The percentage of federally incarcerated individuals prescribed medication for psychiatric concerns at admission has almost doubled from 11.0% in 1998-99 to 21.3% in 2007-08. In BC Corrections, in one seven year study, over 30% of the corrections population had been medically diagnosed with a substance use disorder. An additional 26% were diagnosed with a mental disorder unrelated to substance use. Among those people diagnosed with a substance use disorder, more than three quarters were also diagnosed with a non drug-related mental disorder (concurrent disorders). Importantly, this does not necessarily include alcohol abuse, fetal alcohol syndrome or developmental disabilities which are not often diagnosed.
Facts Collected From:
http://ccphe.familymed.ubc.ca/resources/general-information-on-canadian-prisons/
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CREATING
STOREFRONT SPIRIT NEW MINISTRY AT A RADIO STATION
CHRISTINE HERMAN, POWELL RIVER BC Under “Total Change Ministries” we have been trying to get a Storefront Ministry up and running at the station site (88.7 Spirit FM), located in the Common Mall Campbell River, BC. The Managers of the Mall have donated the space to Total Change Ministries (they operate the radio station). Paul and I have brought in a TV with videos and DVDs from our personal library to use. Everything from Disney cartoons to Jesus movies, H2O, The Easter Story teaching series and a few others. As we develop further, we hope to hold actual Bible teaching for those coming in. We also donated a bookcase full of books. These are the beginnings of a library of books to be loaned out to the public as they desire. This is important since the Christian Book
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Store in the mall has closed. Paul and I spend time at the Studio every day. Paul is often found sitting at the computer recording Bible Trivia or announcements for the radio programming. I am closer to the front of the studio greeting the public as they stroll by or drop in. Working along with Pastor Terry Somerville, Paul is the Volunteer Coordinator. I assist as best I can at getting the “Drop-In at the Studio” up and running. I have ordered material including the Manga Bibles, day planners from Canadian Bible League and a case of New Testaments from the Bible Society of Canada. I have also assisted in the design of the library’s lending sheets and schedules for volunteers.
We have been quite excited about how the ministry is taking off. We have found that 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. is the busiest timesand we’ve been focusing on this time from the beginning. We’ve had many people come in need of prayer. One woman came in to see one of us after trying 3 churches, only to find them all locked. It just so happened Paul was there. All she needed was to talk to someone as her husband had left her after 30 years of marriage for a younger woman. A homeless fellow has been in a few times and has kept Paul on his toes, as he thought he could convince Paul to allow him to leave some tools in the back for temporary storage. Paul very quickly found out they were likely stolen and the homeless man left his acquired shopping cart of goodies and took off. Another time, a young woman came in and told Paul that she was seeking
Christ because she just couldn’t live the way she had been anymore. She stated that she was 19, a crack addict, and pregnant. A day or two later, it was learned she was not pregnant and was taken to Detox by a woman who has been working with her. We hope that girl’s desire to know Christ is real and that she will trust Him to give her the strength to “kick the habit”. Paul is in the process of running some short announcements on the radio to ask for the listening audience to request what teaching programs they would like to hear on the radio. I hope to become more involved in the radio aspect as well, once I have finished setting up the “Drop In” area at the Studio.
Pastor Terry Sommerville, Christine Herman, Paul Herman
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ACTION
NEWS FROM
THE FALL
Evangelist & Staff Updates
Rob Langmaid
Greetings from Whitehorse. On September first I started my new position as the Priest in Charge at the Church of the Northern Apostles in Whitehorse. We are a small but growing congregation located in the Porter Creek neighbourhood of Whitehorse. I have mainly been involved in getting to know the people of the congregation and the needs of the neighbourhood. And I see great potential for growth in this congregation. I have seen the Lord working on unity within the congregation. We work together in Circle Ministry to encourage each other’s ministries here at Northern Apostles. As for the future I look forward to continued growth together as we continue to serve the Lord, reaching out to the Porter Creek Neighbourhood and the wider Whitehorse community.
CHRISTINE HERMAN
Through Paul (Herman)’s many hours of marketing, Spirit 88.7 FM will be an official station, should a disaster/emergency happen. Paul also connected with the Manager at Thrifty Foods (Sobeys to some folks) and they are sponsoring a $250 grocery draw. Draw boxes will be at the store in the same Mall as the station and at the studio. They will be playing Spirit 88.7 FM radio station in the store during December, as we will be playing Christmas music, and Thrifty’s will be announced several times a day as a sponsor of the station. Good News is beginning to spread in the town.
AMY STEWART
Congratulations to Amy (Communications) and Jordan, her husband, on the birth of their newborn baby Lena Jude, 8lbs 2.5oz, on November 17, 2013. Amy has left her post as Communications Officer to go on maternity leave until around October of 2014. May God bless and provide her with all she needs in this very special time for her and her family.
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THANK YOU! The following is a portion of the message and tribute given on November 30, 2013 during the Advent Luncheon in Richmond Hill ON to Bruce Smith.
It is my privilege, on behalf of all of the Board of Directors, evangelists and supporters, to thank, and to pay tribute to Bruce Smith as he today changes his relationship with Threshold Ministries. Today is Bruce’s last day on staff as Ambassador for Threshold Ministries. Tomorrow he will begin to draw his pension. But little else will change. Tomorrow he will still be an ambassador for this ministry, now spelled with a small “A”. And if you were to follow him around, you would find it hard to find any difference; He will continue to do the work of an Evangelist, inviting people into a living relationship with Jesus Christ. He will continue as a friend of many, and encourager of his many fellow Threshold Evangelists, whether on salary or retired. Bruce has served Church Army, now Threshold for more than 37 years as a Captain, now Evangelist, 17 of them in national leadership. His has been an outstanding career. Let me remind you of some highlights: • While in training at Church Army College of Evangelism in Toronto, as students, Bruce and Richard Chapman would take out other students to do street evangelism in the evenings and weekends. • After commissioning, he was sent to Saint John NB. Where he did a parish mission in almost every parish in NB, children's, youth missions across the Maritimes. • He started 'New Roots' - a youth group that was developed as a mission team and band. • Bruce was always connecting people - bringing resources and like-minded people to work together. • His primary focus while in SJ, was working at the Wiggins Home, Chaplaincy to the Correctional Facilities & CentraCare (mental hospital), leading youth groups in several churches across the city. • Bruce gave the same focus and commitment - regardless of the amount who turned out, whether 3 or 300. • Relational Evangelism is his style. He has followed-up with people who he knew he helped lead to the Lord, for several years. • In 1989, moved to Toronto when the Board appointed him as Assistant Director. A leadership team was developed at the Office - Walter Marshall (ND), Bruce Smith (AD), Reed Fleming (Field Secretary), Roy Dickson (Training Officer). • During the Anglican Church’s Decade of Evangelism (1990's), Bruce did about 60 workshops and missions across Canada each year. • Bruce was appointed ND in 1996, until he moved to Toronto as Ambassador in 2011 Thank you, Bruce for your faithful service over so many years. John W. Irwin | Chair, Board of Directors Bruce will be continuing his evangelistic ministry while serving at Christ Church St James, Toronto ON.
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PARTNER WITH US
Summary of the year to date (Sept. 1, 2013): Total Income $1,113,320.00
Total Expenditures $1,163,861.70
Net Deficit -$50,541.70* (unaudited)
*figures show the financial outlook of the whole ministry
HOW YOU CAN HELP...
PRAY Join our team of intercessors who pray for us on a regular basis; following along with our Prayer Diary.
FINANCIAL GIFTS Our ministry is entirely supported and
funded through the sacrificial gifts of our partners, individuals like yourself and churches, who share our vision. You can give through cheques, money orders, credit card or online through PayPal and Canada Helps. You can also arrange for pre-authorized gift giving (setting up regular donations) which will save you on postage and cheques, and help us with budget planning.
STOCKS & SHARES Some individuals prefer to transfer shares, as their method of partnering.
ESTATES Leaving a gift in your will/estate.
SPREAD THE WORD Most growth occurs through word of
mouth. Perhaps you have friends or family members who would share our vision and you could let them know about us. We would love to intro-
ONLINE Get connected with us and stay up-to-date on news and stories from across the country by visiting:
www.THRESHOLDMINISTRIES.ca /thresholdministries
@thresholdmin
For more information on any of these options, please feel free to contact our National Ministry Centre hello@thresholdministries.ca - (506)642-2210
ACTION
I WAS MAD AT GOD RICK SANDBERG, ST ALBERT AB
“I was mad at God because I prayed to get out but the judge gave me four and a half years.” So wrote a young Christian to explain why he had stopped doing correspondence Bible studies from New Life Prison Ministries. Still in his early teens, the youth had turned to Christ, been baptized in jail and happily studied the Bible. Then his faith was shaken when he received the harsher than expected sentence. “Will you pray I get out when I go to court?” is probably the most common prayer request from the youths in the Edmonton Young Offenders Centre. For them, as for most teenagers, each year is an epoch, a special period in their lives which will never be repeated. So after spending months, even years inside, they can have a difficult time understanding why God hasn’t opened the prison doors for them. “Now I know that I wasn’t ready to get out then,” wrote our younger brother in Christ, showing that he is learning to accept the discipline and the sovereign judgment of His Lord and ours. Soon to be released, he is quietly joyful and
sincerely walking with God. He is learning early that “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11)
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ACTION
FORMATION
RUTH JARVIS COLEMAN | DEAN OF FORMATION
On Monday, October 14, 6 Evangelists-in-Training travelled from different parts of the country to take part in a program called Formation Week. The program was hosted at the National Ministry Centre of Threshold Ministries located in Saint John, NB. Throughout the week, they did a large variety of activities ranging from talks in a classroom to doing street-level mission work. The courses that they studied in the classroom were Gospel and Culture, Mission and Evangelism, Ethics in Ministry, Group Spiritual Direction, and a day long introductory workshop on Godly Play (how to tell the stories of the Bible). Our 6 Evangelists-in-Training built community by sharing all of their meals together and by going out to
the streets of Saint John in the evening to different ministry sites. They helped to serve meals, clean dishes and engaged people who came for meals, Bible Study, or just conversation and board games. The bonds that are made from coming together under the mission of Christ are ones that will not be broken. As a result of Formation Week the Evangelists-inTraining got a taste of what to expect from doing God’s work as a part of Threshold Ministries. Even though some of them have a long history of ministry work, the week offered many new opportunities for guidance and wisdom to help them along God’s path. On Sunday, October 20, at the end of Formation Week a commitment service was held for the
Left to Right: Erick Hinton (Victoria, BC), Carol-Anne Foty (Toronto, ON), Britney Shaw (Saint John, NB), Mabel Brown (Inuvik, NT), Ruth Jarvis Coleman (Saint John, NB), Tri Truong (The Pas, MB), Rob Pitman (Saint John, NB)
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Evangelists-in-Training who took part in the program. They were joined by a loving congregation of family and friends, The Most Revd Claude W. Miller (Diocesan Bishop of Fredericton), Threshold Ministries’ National Director, Shawn Branch, Dean of Formation, Ruth Jarvis Coleman and Hilary Branch, who led worship. The service consisted of many encouraging talks, worship, and prayer for blessings upon those who had taken part in Formation. To conclude the service, each of the Evangelists-in-Training signed a document stating their commitment to the mission of Threshold Ministries and the “Rule of Life”. Following the service, the celebration continued with a reception in the hall of All Saints Anglican church. There was an abundance of fellowship and praise for the newly committed. The next day the Evangelists-in-Training returned to their homes to put what they learned from Formation Week into practise. They will carry on with their work for God’s kingdom as part of Threshold Ministries.
Prayer for the formation students at the commitment service.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Over the course of three years, evangelists-in-training will take part in six intensive study periods. New candidates may join at any point in the program. All sessions include Spiritual Formation, which deepens the understanding of spiritual disciplines and there will also be input on Threshold Ministries Culture. Each Formation Week will cover different topics related to Evangelism and Mission. Students are expected to work at mission throughout the year and to reflect on their practice of ministry as they are mentored in the field by a Threshold Evangelist. In addition, students who do not have a strong background in scripture, ministry and life/work experience, will be expected to study at other theological institutions and in some cases on line.
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CATALYTIC
MINISTRY IN THE
SLIAMMON COMMUNITY CATHERINE MORRIS, CAMPBELL RIVER BC
I want to start by sharing the amazing news that after experiencing a troublesome and painful swelling in my neck six weeks ago, a CT scan showed that I am still and truly cancer free! I am so grateful to God for setting me free, not only from sin, but from death and disease as well! He is good! And I’ve been blessed to have many opportunities to share my testimony and encourage others who have been diagnosed with cancer - and to see many of them healed! The most recent was a lady who lives in the neighbourhood of our church who began attending services recently. She had a lump removed from her neck that, when biopsied, tested positive for cancer. She was worried and depressed so one warm and sunny day I picked her up and took her down to the beach.
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We walked and talked and I prayed for her and gave her my little booklet, God’s Creative Power for Healing, which advises standing on the Word of God and speaking scripture aloud over your situation. I shared that while I was sick the most important lesson I learned is that the Truth trumps the facts. The facts were that I had cancer, but the truth was that “by His stripes we were healed,” and “He took our infirmities and carried our pain,” and “I am the Lord who heals you,” etc. I got a call from this lady a few days ago; she was excited to tell me that the doctors said she does not require chemo or radiation therapy, and that the type of cancer she had is not likely to return and had not spread to the other parts of her body! Praise the Lord! Sliammon Ministry Update Our ministry in Sliammon is growing exponentially! After a summer hiatus, we resumed our weekly Sliammon Healing Rooms meetings in September. We visited a woman who’s going through cancer treatments and took a food hamper with us to help with her nutrition needs. It’s been exciting to see many folks who are addicted to alcohol and drugs coming to us for prayer this fall because they have a deep desire to break free. I believe that God is moving on the hearts of people We know that He desires to set the captives free, and these folks are coming to believe that He will do it! We held a potluck Harvest Dinner the weekend after Thanksgiving and almost everyone who joined us is struggling with alcohol
addiction. I was privileged to be able to share my testimony with them, how I came to know the Lord while I was working a program of recovery. How He came into my life in a powerful way and how by surrendering my life into His hands I found the freedom I’d been seeking - and so much more! It moved some hearts and we could feel the presence of the Lord in the room with us. Sandra, our Sliammon sister and team leader urged everyone to join hands and pray. We continue to pray for breakthrough in the lives of Donna (who has more than a month clean now) and Rodney, Gaylene, Nona, and others, that they will come to know the One who can set them free in a personal way. We are excited about several new outreach ministries we’re starting this fall. On the last Sunday of each month we plan to hold a soup and bannock meal, which we are calling “Soul Kitchen” (instead of soup kitchen), to help supplement the nutrition of our Sliammon neighbours who live on limited incomes. We are hoping to establish trusting relationships with people we haven’t met yet, and during our first shared meal at the end of October, we were blessed to see many folks we hadn’t yet met come out to join us. Our first “customers” were four children on bicycles. They were so cute and well behaved, a real blessing! And as the afternoon progressed we saw many elders arriving also. Sandra’s husband Stan provided rides to those who didn’t have transportation. It was a fun and relaxed time of delicious food, good fellowship and spirited music, provided by our beloved friend and teammate, Albert. We’re looking forward to our next Soul Kitchen on November 24! During the Soul Kitchen we were dismayed to learn that two
friends we’ve known for several years had no food in their home for almost a week. I suggested to my teammates that, besides providing a meal, we could collect donations of food from our home churches and provide nutritious food to those who are in need as well. Sandra agreed and suggested we could buy a locking cabinet (since we share the building with other groups) and create a pantry for storing the food we collect. Happily after only one week the basket I set out in my own church is almost full! Another initiative we started last month is the Friendship Circle. Since our weekly Sunday evening Bible study had not been very well attended by people outside our core group, our team decided, after much prayer, to focus on the needs of our friends who are in recovery or wanting to find recovery from addiction. Albert, who lives in Sliammon, has a powerful testimony of finding joy and freedom and peace in the Lord after suffering residential school abuse, accidentally becoming blind at the age of 15, and years of addiction and substance abuse. He already ministers to many in the community who are in bondage to alcohol and has gained the trust of many. We’re hoping that the Soul Kitchen will draw some folks into the Friendship Circle, which takes place soon afterwards. Because our weekly Christmas Craft evenings were so successful with the younger women last year, we are going to hold more this year, but our plan is to feature crafts which will interContinued on next page...
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CATALYTIC
CATHERINE MORRIS CONTINUED... est the men - or require power tools! - so that we can invite them to come out and join us too. We’ll be holding our first craft evening in late November. We were blessed to have Gloria and Paul, a Spirit-filled Korean couple from the Courtenay area (across the Salish Sea from us, on Vancouver Island) come and join us for a Healing Rooms meeting last month. This couple’s initiative brought the group of 80 Korean believers from the lower mainland to Sliammon last summer. I shared in a previous letter how they blessed the community, doing a VBS and sharing their culture and their faith and the love of God with the people. Gloria and Paul have an outreach to the first nations people in the Courtenay/Campbell River area, and they want to partner with us and support the ministry we are doing in Sliammon. Many people in the Homolco First Nations community near Campbell River are related to folks in Sliammon and so it makes sense for our teams to work together, since there is already a family
connection between the two communities. And in an effort to reach the children and youth of Sliammon, Sandra and Stan are assisting the coaches of a field hockey program for kids ages 5-18. So as you can see, God is blessing us all around! It’s been a tough few years of trying to gain the trust of the Sliammon people, but we now see that the fields are ripe for the harvest! Please pray for our team, and for the people of Sliammon. I’m including a few pictures of some of the folks who attended our Harvest Dinner last month. Albert is leading us in worship. Things are percolating at our church as well, and I expect I will soon become much busier as some of our plans and hopes and dreams come to fruition. God is on the move! Thank you for continuing to pray for me and the needs I bring to you, and also, in some cases, for your financial support. I would not be able to do this ministry without you! Love and peace to you all, Catherine
CATHERINE MORRIS
cate.morris@gmail.com www.thresholdministries.ca/esr/catherine.morris
“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
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STREET HOPE
A TIME TO REFLECT
TERRY BUCKLE, WHITEHORSE YT
Winter has arrived in the Yukon and with the shorter days and colder weather, we find a steady flow of people out on the streets bustling along and bundled up to keep out the cold, enjoying the winter for the most part, but for some it is unfortunately a matter of enduring the challenge of winter in Yukon. Street Hope Whitehorse seeks to use this opportunity to strengthen our presence in the community. We’d like to share a few testimonies that capture a small glimpse of what Street Hope Whitehorse has been doing since its formal launch on January 13, 2013. From Barbara: A summertime story. “George” was sitting on a city bench with his head down, dog by his feet, hat on the ground. “Excuse me sir, do you mind if I sit down?” “No go ahead” said George as he motioned to the empty seat beside him. “How are you today?” “Good as can be expected”. This response warranted further inquisition, however, I was speechless as George sat there and had not even raised his head at this point. I introduced myself and George turned looking at me for the first time and extended his hand for a handshake. The silence was awkward, as I sat there petting his dog praying for guidance. George then opened right up about how the world has lost the personal touch, everything is automated, people don’t talk anymore. He shared his own personal journey from group home to group home, personal rejection and loneliness, an all too common theme in today’s world. George introduced his furry friend Tweetie whom he was dog sitting for a friend. The connection between them was evident, and George admitted he liked animals more than people. I asked George if there was a prayer I could say for him and he responded with “I used to be a Christian a long time but no more… too much has happened.” We talked more about his beliefs, even shared a few good laughs and the time quickly passed as I encouraged him to return to the faith. As I was departing “George” stopped me and said, “By the way you can say that prayer for me”.
Street Hope Whitehorse Leader: Terry Buckle Phone: (867) 335-4777 Email: terry.buckle@thresholdministries.ca www.thresholdministries.ca/whitehorse
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STREET HOPE
“A LIGHT UNTO MY PATH” DARRIN GAUDREAU, PETERBOROUGH ON
The Bible is filled with a message of hope and celebration! It is not merely a collection of books that tell a a nice story, but it is the living word of God to us! (Hebrews 4:12) As we immerse ourselves in Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit brings revelation of who we are in our relationship with Christ and what the plan of God is for our individual lives. Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” The living word of God is filled with light for our journey so that we will not stumble and fall; and with radiance to light the path ahead of us so that we will stay on the course that God has marked out for us to follow. The message of Jeremiah 29:11expresses God’s desire to give us a hope and a future. What a powerful truth to us. “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” The ongoing support of churches and individual supporters for the ministry of Street Hope Peterborough enables this important front-line outreach to continue in the city. The mandate of this Christian work is to share the hope of Jesus with people who are broken and lost in their lives. Jesus wants to give all of us an opportunity to make a new start by building a relationship with Him! Jesus wants to set us free to help us find the real purpose and plan that He has for us.
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A young man I have been working with for several months has found new hope in his relationship with Jesus. Although he has known Jesus as his Saviour for several years, it is only recently that he has been fully surrendering to the complete will of Jesus in his life. Joseph had a lot of problems with rebellion and not respecting authorities in his life a few years ago and this led to big problems for several years. During a time of despair and brokenness, Joseph called out to Jesus to forgive him and to change his life and to give him hope and a future. The words of Psalm 130:1,2,5 resound to me as I think of Joseph calling to Jesus for His mercy and grace. It is a beautiful picture of tearful despair turning into hope and promise and trust! These verses declare: ‘Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope.’ The transformation that God has brought into Joseph’s life because he wants to yield to Jesus is astounding! In August Joseph made another step of obedience to Jesus when he was baptized. Joseph has become a wonderful blessing to the ministry of Street Hope Peterborough through helping in various ways with furniture pick up and deliveries for our Mercy Centre and helping to organize our
Mercy Food Cupboard. His humble attitude towards serving Jesus is a great inspiration and I am convinced that Jesus is preparing him for something great for his future! Joseph’s mom, Kim, is also a great blessing to our ministry! She is a member of our newly formed Street Hope Steering Committee that will help to take Street Hope to our next level of ministry in the city. Can I ask you to pray for the many people we are serving in the community over these winter months, that they will find new hope in Jesus and that this hope will bring lasting transformation into their lives? Please pray as well that the many people facing sadness, discouragement and a sense of hopelessness will come to know how much Jesus loves them and that He wants to be their very best Friend! My hope and prayer for you as we come into this holy Season of celebration embracing the hope that Jesus has given to us is that He will fill your heart with lasting peace and hope that will carry you through the coming year. Thank you again for your prayers and partnership with Street Hope Peterborough. You are a wonderful blessing to this ministry!! My Very Best Friend Josephine Gaudreau
God always loves me, and I always love Him. He protects me, and He holds my life in His strong hands. He has plans for me, some small and some big. He guards me through the morning, afternoon, and night. He has faith in me, so He and I can accomplish everything and everything. He helps me learn, grow, and mature. He guides me with his bright shining light. He encourages me to think, to believe, to try, to succeed. He gives me support to sooth, strengthen, and to sustain me. He is here for me to aid me in time of trouble. He waits for me at the end and beyond. He welcomes me, for He is my very best Friend
This project is fully funded by your generous donations. If you would like to donate clothing, furniture or funds to this ministry, please contact Darrin at darrin.gaudreau@thresholdministries.ca or call (705)768-5550. You can also give online at www.thresholdministries.ca/peterborough
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