ONE HOPE COMMUNITY CHURCH
– our LPD Church of the Week
Thanks to Anna (Ben) Crumback at Sointula Community Church for producing the Church of the Week!
This weekend, Karen and I will be
joining two district churches that are celebrating milestone anniversaries.
White Rock Community
Church is celebrating their 75th anniversary with a banquet on
Saturday evening. This is the church (then White Rock EFC) that I attended as a
child, as I was born and raised in White Rock. It was in this church that I was
nurtured in the Gospel, baptized and was first encouraged toward a calling to
pastoral ministry. We look forward to being a part of this special celebration.
North Delta EFC
is celebrating their 60th anniversary, also with a banquet on Saturday evening-
which Karen and I will also attend – after White Rock. Karen and I pastored at
North Delta EFC for seventeen years, prior to becoming superintendent, and we are
thankful to still call this church our church home. I also look forward to
preaching at North Delta on Sunday morning.
Last Sunday,
we attended Parkdale
EFC in Victoria, where Tim
and Emily Stewart pastor. They celebrated their 62nd
anniversary – and also the 100th birthday of long-time member, Fran Stocks.
Our LPD Church of the Week, One
Hope Community Church, recently celebrated their first
anniversary, and I had the honour of speaking at the inaugural service of their
English ministry.
Anniversaries always provide a good opportunity to reflect on what God’s
faithful provision, and also to refocus for the future. We are thankful for
what God has done in and through each of these churches, and we look forward to
what He will do in the years to come!
***
Great to be together with pastors
and staff on our LPD Cruise on Wednesday, October 30!
***
Politicians, Pastors and People of
God
Am I qualified to lead a country or
a church?
As pundits review the recent federal
election campaign and its outcome, much has been said about the personal
attacks, the character (or lack of character) of the candidates and that
politics eclipsed policy in the debates.
While the campaign was still underway, I had the honour of participating in the
installation of Jong Woo and Sook Young Kim as elders at Jubilee Chapel.
These humble servants have demonstrated godly character and faithful service
through the years, and it was a joy to join with the church family in affirming
them and their ministry.
In preparing for the installation of
the Kims, I was reviewing the scriptural qualifications for and the tasks of
elders and church leaders, and it occurred that these are much higher than
those for people who would lead our country.
Here are some key scriptures:
1 Tim 3:1-3,6-7 (NIV)
Here is a trustworthy
saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the
overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate,
self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to
drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He
must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must
do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to
manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) … He must not
be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same
judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so
that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
1 Peter 5:1-4(NIV)
To the elders among you, I
appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will
share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under
your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are
willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to
serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the
flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory
that will never fade away.
I am thankful for each one who serves
in the local church, both vocationally and also as volunteers. Most people of
God will not be honoured, rewarded or become famous in this world for their
service, but all have the opportunity to serve with integrity, humility and to
lead by example. Our world longs for and needs those who lead in such a way –
both in the Church and for our nation.
We do not need to pander for votes or approval – at the end of the day,
we live and serve to please our Lord.
Very few leaders of our nation would have the faith, character and reputation
to lead Christ’s Church. May we pray for our political leaders, and by
God’s grace provide examples to our world of godly servant-leadership.
How are you doing as a servant-leader? Here is an article that reminds us of
the importance of seeking God’s glory, not ours:
5-signs-youre-seeking-your-own-glory-and-not-gods
***
Please pray for:
Upcoming Events:
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/
***
Jesus Evangelistic
Mission (JEM)
From December
1 – 15, 2019, Johnston Heights Church will be running a short-term mission’s
event to the Philippines.
The goal is to partner with local churches to participate in the same missional approach that Jesus used and that He sent His disciples out on in Luke 9,10 and Matthew 10. It’s about experiencing the presence, power and authority of the Holy Spirit through preaching the gospel, healing the sick and bringing new believers into disciple making communities.
You are welcome to join Pastor Phil Harris and team for this mission to the Philippines. Please contact Pastor Phil at (604) 308 2160 or email him at philwharris1@gmail.com
Here is the link for information:
JEM_Mission.pdf
***
LPD Conference
March 6,7 – 2020
at
Grace Hanin Community Church
“The Heart of Discipleship”
with Dr. Randy Wollf of ACTS Seminaries.
***
