“new” New Westminster EFC
– our LPD Church of the Week
Thanks
to Anna (Ben) Crumback at Sointula Community Church for producing the Church of
the Week!
New Westminster EFC has a long history!
In 1939, newlyweds and recent graduates of Prairie Bible Institute, Bill and Josephine Johnson went to teach at a Bible School in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
Pastor Olai Urang of the recently planted Bethel EFC (now Vancouver Chinese EFC), sensed that God was calling their church to launch a new work in New Westminster. He recruited a young missionary couple, Ed and Hanzel Nilson (en route to China) to assist, and they began a Sunday School (Beulah EFC Sunday School) in Edmonds Street School. A church planting pastor was needed to grow the work, and Olai Urang recruited Bill and Jo from Saskatchewan (age 26/24) to come and plant New Westminster EFC.
Bill and Jo came to New West in the fall of 1940, and with no promise of any regular salary, moved into a suite in New West for $15.00 per month. Bill supported himself and Jo by working part-time as a salesman and a truck driver, as well as church planting.
The work began to grow. The Johnsons opened their home to children, prayer meetings were held, as a well as a musical group, “Johnson’s Band-Aids.” By 1943, the work was established, and the church structure was built, where it stands today – Douglas Road (Canada Way) and 10th Avenue.
As New West went forward, Pastor Bill and Jo became burdened for the people across the Fraser River in Langley. There was not any real evangelical work there, so Bill and Pastor Cliff Dietrich of White Rock EFC began prayer meetings in Langley. Bill went out there to scout out a suitable building site for a new work. The plan was to erect a tent on the property, and from this, to launch the church plant. He found a site at the corner of 208th St. and McDonald Ave. (48 Ave). To buy the property, a down payment of $450.00 was needed. All that Pastor Bill could muster up was $150.00, and this was accepted. The $150.00 was the fund that Bill and Jo had set aside for the anticipated medical expenses for the coming birth of their first child. They believed that God had called them to do this and that He would take care of them – and their baby! A new church (now Town + Field Church) was born, the Lord made up the money the Johnsons gave through the gifts of friends, and soon daughter Joye was born.
The story goes on. While pastor of New West EFC, Pastor Bill assisted in the planting of the Port Coquitlam EFC, and the birth of Trinity Western University.
Over the years, much has changed. The community of New Westminster/ Burnaby has grown and has become ethnically diverse. The church building has burned down and has been rebuilt. The congregation has aged, and has been numerically in decline.
The church has had various pastors come over the years. With each one, young and older, there has been hope of growth and a new chapter, but the story has been for the most part the same. A young pastor could reach out to younger families, but these families did not relate to the church which he pastored.
In March of 2018, Interim pastor, Ralph (Karen) Hardy approached me about our district helping New West EFC to be rebirthed. We were glad to humbly partner with the church in seeking the Lord for this. We met with the leadership, agreed to honour the core values and history, but everything else would be open to be changed as necessary.
A process began. LPD Church Planting Missionary of Church Planting Development, Steve Sharpe agreed to coach the church the church through transition, and soon afterwards, Jorge and Emily Lin approached us to inquire about church planting. It soon became evident that the heart and calling of Jorge and Emily paralleled that the “new” New West EFC. After assessment, Jorge and Emily began serving as church planting missionaries, alongside Interim Pastor, Ralph (Karen) Hardy and coach, Steve (Gillian) Sharpe, and newly appointed pastor of Japanese Ministries, Joo Yong (You Jeung Kim) Park.
We are delighted to see the rebirth of the “new” New West EFC, and that the people of the congregation are joining together in a new work of God among them. The congregation is composed of many who have been in the church many years, and others are coming to join in this fresh work.
Please pray for God’s leading for all, as this new generation of pioneers seek the Lord for his future.
***
Who’s Who in the LPD?
Jorge and Emily Lin are church planting missionaries
with the LPD. Our district currently has seven missionaries. Their account on
our LPD Website is “Church
for All Nations.” This reflects their passion and calling,
and Jorge, being of Argentine/Taiwanese descent is ideally suited for this.
This calling is also is in alignment
with New Westminster EFC, which is committed to multicultural ministry, and we
are thankful that they are seeking the Lord together for long-term ministry together.
Jorge, as the name suggests, is fluent in Spanish, having been born in
Argentina, and is of Taiwanese heritage. Emily
was born in Taiwan, and shares this heart for intercultural ministry.
Jorge was born into a Buddhist family, and as a young man, he desired to become
a monk. His family immigrated to Canada, and through the witness of a
persistent friend at university and the creativity of God, he came to faith in
Christ.
We are delighted that God has brought Jorge and Emily to us, and we are thankful
that we are able to invest in them financially with a grant, through coaching
and by them being part of the “new” New West EFC family. Please pray
for them, as they walk together in church planting, serve with Pastor Ralph
(Karen) Hardy, Steve (Gillian) Sharpe and the leadership of New West, and
together seek the Lord for the future.
You are invited to
partner with Jorge and Emily financially, and giving can be
done electronically through our LPD website at https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/ under the designated
giving tab, “Church of All Nations.”
Please pray for:
Upcoming Events:
“Arise Ministers Conference”
We are thankful for Pastor Sammy Kabyemera (Eva),
who pastors Jesus Grace
International Church, a church in Vancouver. Sammy, Eva and
their six children came to Canada as refugees from Congo, via an Ugandan
Refugee Camp.
While their church ministers primarily to African Immigrants, they retain a heart for the people and church of Africa. Sammy is troubled by the spread of the “prosperity gospel” in Africa, and is burdened to see that pastors are grounded in the Word of God and equipped to teach and guide God’s people.
Sammy is trusting God to travel to
Africa for a mission trip to train and equip African Pastors through a
conference that he has been asked to speak at. Please see the attached email, to
learn more of this conference, and the need in Africa, and how we can support
this important ministry to brothers and sisters in Africa.
Arise_Pastors_Conference_2019.pdf
Please prayerfully consider giving towards this mission
***
CAMP EVERGREEN
August 5-10
This local summer camp is affiliated with the Lower Pacific District, and provides a great opportunity to extend your church ministry through camp, and to follow up afterwards. Many district families, including ours have benefited through this ministry, both in the children’s camp and leadership development in the LTD program. This summer, there is a children’s camp (Aug. 5-10), a teen camp and the LTD Leadership Program. Check out their website for details:
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LPD/EFCC Pastor and Staff
Orientation
All pastors staff and interested volunteers are welcome too this opportunity to learn about the history, ethos, doctrine and ministries of the EFCC. Orientation is a requirement for all persons seeking credentialing in the EFCC, and is valuable for everyone in EFCC churches.
Here is the info.
Pastor_and_Staff_Orientation_2019_Invitation.pdf
You can register online
at:
https://www.efccm.ca/wordpress/pastors-orientation/
***
LPD Pastor and Spouse Retreat
Nov. 22-24, 2019
Hello LPD pastors, we’d like to
invite you to join us on Nov.
22-24, 2019 for a Pastors’ retreat! We’d like to
encourage you to take a breather in late November (before Advent begins) with
your fellow pastors at Camp
Charis in Chilliwack.Registration is open on our LPD Website. Please
see:
https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/event/lpd-pastor-and-spouse-retreat/
