Fort Langley EFC
-our LPD Church of the Week
In 1972 Norm and ‘Nita Handy, members of the Langley Evangelical Free Church (now known as “Town+ Field Church), moved to Fort Langley, sensing a call to plant a church in Fort Langley. They bought a home with a large basement, and this served as the first meeting place of the church. Other families from the Fort Langley area joined the fledgling gathering. In 1973 the Handy home was too small to accommodate the group so the Fort Langley Community Centre was rented each week.
As the church looks to the future, it is again is adapting and changing to reach their community, and this might mean another change of name. Please pray for Lead Pastor Jason (Susanna) Lavergne, the pastor and staff team and the many volunteers of Fort Langley EFC!
This small group of believers named the church Faith Evangelical Free Church, and soon purchased a piece of land. This was subdivided, traded and eventually the existing church site was acquired. In order to identify with their community, the church name was changed to Fort Langley Evangelical Free Church.
To learn more about Fort Langley EFC, please check out their website at: https://www.flefc.org/
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Ground speed vs airspeed – which do we measure?
There is an old joke, where a pilot announces to his passengers, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have both bad news and good news. The bad news is that we are lost. The good news is that we are making very good time.” “Good time” means very little if we do not know where we are going.
When I took flying lessons on Southern Alberta, part of my training required me to fly a small airplane alone on a “cross-country” flight. I left Lethbridge on a beautiful and calm morning, and had a great flight to Springbank, near Calgary. As I next flew from there to Medicine Hat, the wind began to blow from the west, and I picked up speed, arriving ahead of schedule. Flying from Medicine Hat to Lethbridge was another story. Heading into a strong headwind, my progress was slowed significantly. As I looked down at Highway 3 below, I noticed that vehicles were driving faster than I was flying. Though my airspeed, (my speed relative to the air around me) was constant at 105mph, my ground speed (my speed relative to the land below me) was more like 60mph .
By the time I landed safely in Lethbridge the wind was gusting to more than 40mph, and as a precaution, the flying club sent out a pickup truck with a couple of fellows in the back. They grabbed the windward wingtip of the aircraft, and held onto this as I taxied back to the hanger in order to ensure that the wind did not flip the plane over.
While flying, my progress through the air was constant, but my progress over land was influenced by the invisible, yet powerful winds. Which measure is more important? If one is only focused on staying airborne, then airspeed is most relevant. If one is focused on arriving at a destination, then ground speed is what matters.
In these days of COVID, we who lead churches have been challenged as to how to measure our “progress.” The traditional “airspeed” measures of attendance, programs and activity seem rather irrelevant in light of the headwinds of COVID. In the last eighteen months, we have been confronted by these very real headwinds, and though we are still striving, we wonder if we are making any headway toward our destination.
As I reflect on this, I suggest that we as church leaders have been challenged to move from the “quantitative measures” of airspeed (attendance, programs, etc.) over which we have had some control, to the “qualitative measures” of ground speed (discipleship and obedience to Christ) which are impacted by the “tailwinds” of the Spirit. Perhaps we are moving from what we and our resources can do to what we must trust God for.
I believe that this is a very good thing.
If our “destination” is making disciples of Jesus Christ, then the “airspeed” measures of attendance and the number of programs can mean very little. Though significant, these are quantitative measures.
On the other hand, if our focus is on discipleship, both the birth and growth of obedient disciples of Christ, then our measures are qualitative, and more like “ground speed.” The Steveston Project church plant defines a disciple as “someone who listens to and obeys Jesus.” While we begin a relationship with Christ through faith, a disciple is one who follows Jesus daily by listening and obeying Him. Can one claim to be a disciple of Christ if he/she is living in conscious disobedience to Him? Listening and obeying is evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in a one’s life.
One of the challenges to the Christian Faith today is that so many who identify as Christians demonstrate little evidence of being obedient followers of Christ. Though they may profess faith in Christ, their attitudes, values and behaviour are contrary to those of our Lord and largely mirror our world.
So, given this, how do those who identify with our churches reflect Christ in the midst of COVID? In an age when there are many and conflicting voices on everything from COVID to politics, are we attuned to the voice of our Lord?
While we may long to go back to the familiar and simpler measures of “airspeed,” we are called to move forward to our destination of making disciples.
Carey Nieuwhof offers us an interesting article, “FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS TO MEASURE SUCCESS: METRICS FOR A NEW ERA OF CHURCH,” in which he offers four new measures of church success “ground speed” today. These are:
1. Budget – how much is going to bless those around us?
2. Engagement: What percentage of our people are engaged in
ministries that our church is committed to?
3. Integration Rates: “friendship that makes the difference”
4. Community feedback: What does our community think of us?
Here is the link: four-different-ways-to-measure-success-metrics-for-a-new-era-of-church
You might not agree with these four measures, and that is okay. What is the “destination” of your church by which you can measure the ground speed or progress of your church’s progress toward mission?
What stories can you tell, and what can you celebrate to this end?
What is your church known for in your community in the midst of COVID? Are we silent? Are we divided? Are we finding ways to serve in the Name of Christ? Are people listening to and obeying Jesus?
As we work through this season of COVID, let’s encourage one another toward what matters. “Numbers” may be hard to measure for some time, but the witness of a life yielded to Christ will be a witness to all!
As Oswald Chambers writes, in his His Utmost for His Highest for October 14:
The key to the missionary’s work is the authority of Jesus Christ, not the needs of the lost. We are inclined to look on our Lord as one who assists us in our endeavors for God. Yet our Lord places Himself as the absolute sovereign and supreme Lord over His disciples. He does not say that the lost will never be saved if we don’t go— He simply says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations….” He says, “Go on the basis of the revealed truth of My sovereignty, teaching and preaching out of your living experience of Me.”
Here is the link: https://utmost.org/the-key-to-the-missionarys-work/
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COVID UPDATE
Here is a link to a message to Faith Leaders by Dr. Bonnie Henry on October 12: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHb4r1HEzSI&t=351s
“Worship services are exempt from both the provincial mask mandate that requires mask use in indoor public spaces and the requirement to provide proof of immunization against COVID-19 to access some events, services and businesses. However, faith leaders are supported to implement these additional measures in their in-person services should they desire to do so.”
Here is the full document: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/community-settings/faith-based-spiritual-and-worship-practices
Please also note and utilize the recommendations provided in the document “Guidance for Holding Low Risk Worship Services.”
COVID_public_guidance/COVID-19_Guidance_Faith_Based_Organizations.pdf
Children’s Ministries (K-Grade 12) are exempt from vaccine requirements: covid-19/vaccine/proof
Please also check current policy and resources on our LPD Website at: https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/covid-19/ Thanks to Josephine for keeping us up to date!
Important News regarding the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and the Canadian Recovery Hiring Program (CHRP). Your church may be eligible:
Current information can be found at: recovery-hiring-program.html
For assistance, please contact Josephine at the district office.
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Upcoming Dates to Mark on Your Calendars:
LPD Pastor and Staff Cruise
Wednesday, October 27
This “cruise,” we will return to our live time together via BC Ferries! This will likely be my last cruise with you as DS!
Pastors and staff, plan to join us for this time of fellowship, encouragement and equipping.
Here is some info: October_27_2021.01.pdf
Please register at: https://forms.gle/TVUzM2wfBJyscqtMA
