News this week

PRAYER UPDATE

From Mozambique Well Project

Update from Tim Maguire, Mozambique, Easter 2012:
There were 2 reasons for my recent trip to Mozambique. The first was to attend and present at their annual Easter conference. The second was to dig a well, to provide our members, as well as others within the vicinity of our church in Morrumbala with fresh and easily accessible drink water. Thanks to the financial support of GCI Canada, as well the Indianapolis congregation in USA and our local Johannesburg congregation, both of these were hugely successful, and have changed the lives of many. After 4 days of hard travelling, we arrived in Morrumbala a day later than we had planned, as progress was extremely slow, with 2 vans towing two heavily laden trailers, over some very bad roads. I had stopped in Chimoio to pick up a translator, Lawrence, who i had used previously when visiting in Mozambique. Fortunately he was able to let our leaders in Morrumbala know that we had been delayed and they continued with the first day of the conference without us. The theme of this year's conference was "Our Hope in Christ". Hope in Him becomes so much easier to grasp when I see the hopelessness that so many in places like Mozambique live. 78 Pastors from the 4 Northern and Central Provinces of Mozambique were extremely happy and grateful to be part of the conference. Due to really poor transportation and lack of finances, our leadership is not able to meet with the many congregations across the country, and the Easter conference is an opportunity for them to come together and celebrate their communion in Christ, as well as share and fellowship with each other. Not only did the pastors attend, but 400 other members from the region also made their way to the little village known as Fraqueza (just outside the town of Morrumbala) where GCI Mozambique has established their headquarters. The welcome when we arrived was truly moving, as they showed their appreciation of us being there through song and dance. We pitched our tents in the dark and fell asleep to the sounds of fellowship and song lasting into the early hours of the morning. The plan had been to rise early Saturday morning and visit with the local chief, to inform him of our presence within the region, as well as get his permission to dig the well. Unfortunately, one of our Moz members had passed away in the night, and we awoke to the unmistakeable sounds of mourning, African style. I accompanied Mariano Binzi, our Mozambique National Leader to offer condolences to the bereaved family. The lady who had passed away had been ill for some time, although no one was sure of the exact cause. Her husband had passed away 2 years ago, and she now left her mother to raise her 4 children. Eventually we did get to see the chief after a breakfast of maize porridge, and once we had finished negotiating a price to be paid to him, to allow us to dig the well in his region, (Yep, it didn't make sense to me either!!!) I joined the rest of the well digging team (Mike Rabe, Dawie Maree and two labourers with well digging experience we had brought with us from SA) to decide on the site for the proposed well. After much discussion we finally decided that the well should be dug on the property that the church had recently bought, and where a headquarters church building has been planned. When we asked Lawrence the translator to enquire as to whether they had any idea how deep we may need to dig (we had previously been told to expect to dig up to 15m before hitting water) we were informed that just two months previously, a man, not too far away had dug his own well. On being shown the well (a very dangerous open pit, with no safety features) we were thrilled to measure the water at just 5m below the surface. It was then that we realised, that with the equipment and supplies we had brought with us, that we would be able to dig two wells instead of just one! After a short service at the proposed site of the well, where we prayed that God would bless our efforts (as opposed to the feeding of the ancestors at the site that the chief had requested) digging started in earnest. I left Mike and Dawie to continue with the well, while I participated in the funeral. I was impressed that they truly understood the love of God that Christ so often portrayed, put relationships over programmes and the entire conference was put on hold to pay their last respects to and bury the deceased. Meanwhile the diggers were doing a fine job of removing soil from the well, bucket by bucket. By the end of Saturday we were all exhausted but progress had been good. On Sunday morning, the conference continued, until a cheer arose when water was finally struck in the first well, and then shortly after in the second. The excitement in the village was tangible. With water now easily accessible and unpolluted, life for them would never be the same again. I felt it appropriate to give my message that day on Living Waters. On Sunday afternoon the conference was concluded with a Communion service, and through the translator, many expressed their gratitude of us being there to teach them and guide them into a deeper relationship with God, as well as provide them with physical needs such as fresh water. The well digging continued on Monday morning as we wanted to get well below the water table in order to provide a good supply of water throughout the year. By lunchtime, the first well was completed, but the second still required another 1/2m of digging, which we left them to complete. We said our goodbyes and departed after lunch, knowing that we had a 3 day drive back home. Manuel, Mariano's right hand man, accompanied us back to South Africa and is now staying with Caleb in Maelula, so that he can practice and become fluent in English. My overall impression is that on all levels, the trip was a huge success. I still find amazing the unity and brotherhood that is felt, even though language is a huge barrier. This I can only credit to the unifying presence of the Holy Spirit. I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all who contributed so generously, to make what started off as a dream, turn into reality. The people we served have so little, and really do appreciate everything we do for them. I would especially like to thank Mike and Dawie who offered of their time, vehicles and expertise to help achieve this dream, but most especially for their friendship. As I continue working with our brethren there, I more and more realise that what they most need after the Good News of Christ, is education. How many there die due to causes that could be prevented if they had a basic knowledge of sanitation and hygiene? How many others are living with clean water just a few metres below the ground, but are unaware of it? Please continue to pray for your brothers and sisters in Mozambique, and ask God to provide us with wisdom as we look to help them.

Mission Accomplished!!

Thank you for your prayers for our mission trip to Mexico. The travelling went smoothly, and we arrived safely home on Monday night. The 11 participants had a wonderful time serving with Wayne & Claire Wagner at Safe Care International in Maneadero. We did construction on the new daycare building - pouring concrete, building retaining walls, digging trenches for foundations; helped take care of the children at the daycare and orphanage, assisted in an outreach to work camps which included food and clothing distribution; and provided free hot dogs to the community at an outreach event.

Vancouver / Prince George Financials April - 2012

Our income for April was ($9,933). This is below our projected income for the month of ($13,250). Our expenses for the month were ($7,159) This is below our projected expenses of ($8,447), so we end the month by reducing our year-to-date deficit to ($-6,499). This is still a normal trend for the months of January and April. Due to a surplus from last year we are still in the positive. Thank you for your prayers that God would provide for the needs of our congregations. As always, thank you for your generosity.

Parenting Small Group Study - May 19th (before services)

Parents small group meeting will be at 11:45 am. We will conclude the final session of"Dealing with Today's Teens - a eight-part video series for for parents and youth workers (put out by Heartlight Ministries.) Presenter and teacher Mark Gregson offers proven strategies and biblical counsel for parents who wish to keep their teen from falling prey to the self-destructive culture in which they live and to maintain an open, loving and honest relationship. The eighth and final session will discuss "Issues of Control""

Mission Outreach to Mozambique: Digging Wells

This past year we have had 87 congregations and over 4,000 people in Mozambique join GCI. These people have a real love for God and wonderful fruit is being borne, but most of them live in great hardship, with no jobs and no clean drinking water. The women walk many miles every day to the nearest wells in order to collect drinking water which is sometimes contaminated, affecting the health of those that drink it, often resulting in illnesses and sometimes death. Tim Maguire and a group of South African GCI members are organizing a team to go to Mozambique to train a local team to dig wells. They have provided a list of the resources and equipment needed in order to make this project a reality. The cost of the project is $12,000 Cdn, and includes all the tools and equipment and the shipping costs as well as covering the costs of providing of training to develop a team to carry this project out. The Vancouver and Edmonton congregations are each donating $6,000 to help get this project off the ground. If it goes well, the cost to dig future wells will be approximately $2,700 each. We are excited about this new project and where God will work. Thank you to all of you for your generous giving which has made our support possible.

Update from Hector Barrero - GCI Columbia

(Hector is Director of Spanish Work in Central & South America)Yesterday Saturday night February 25 we initiated our Marriage Classes with 31 new couples that attended our introduction lecture. During one month we invited couples through our radio program to take this class to better their marriages. The couples leaders that will be teaching the class were trained to make emphasis in the grace of God all through the class according to our Trinitarian doctrine centered in Jesus. The couples were distributed in small groups according to their addresses in the city (Bogota) to correspond to the leaders´ addresses. That makes easier for couples to attend the weekly classes during the 4 months we expect the course will last. The biggest group -8 couples- will be at the church hall meeting Saturdays. And then today Sunday 38 people started an additional church service at 8am. Our second service is at 10:30am. This is very good as now we have room in the 10:30am service for new comers. This will also give preaching opportunities to other leaders and for other areas of the congregation to growth. Hector.

Haiti

Charles Fleming sent his thanks and appreciation to our congregation for the assistance that we have sent to support the Young Ambassadors school that our pastor, Franklin Joseph, founded and oversees. He writes: "I am especially pleased to see your Canadian churches continuing to support this school as much of the money to purchase the school was donated by your Canadian churches in 1989. The Haitians have never forgotten your generosity and I can tell you they have used that building to be a blessing to thousands of Haitian children over the past two decades. On behalf of our Haitian brothers and sisters I ask that you pass on heartfelt thanks to all the brethren and especially to Roy and the congregation in Vancouver and Prince George, BC. Canada. Blessings on you all! Charles."

Congregation Assists Bangladesh in the Construction of a Multi-Purpose Church

John Biswas sends his thanks and appreciation for the donations from the Vancouver and Red Deer congregations that were sent to construct a multi-purpose church building in Bangladesh.

Vancouver Congregation Sponsors Leadership Conference in Lima, Peru

Sept 30 to October 3th, just over 40 people attended a 2 days seminar in Lima, Peru. Deaconess Ruth Nieves, her son Fernando and other two members, came from Piura a city at the north of the country close to the border with Ecuador. From La Huaca, Cajamarca, also towards the north of the country, came Juan Carlos Florian with five members of his family. In Piura we have a list of 45 members but average attendance is 15 to 20. In La Huaca, Cajamarca we have a very active growing congregation of about 25 people.

Some in attendance to this seminar were ex-Adventist members. Theologian Haroldo Camacho a California, USA, resident who himself use to be an Adventist Church member, invited some of his contacts in Lima to attend to this reunion.

Jose Kasum is in charge of the church in Peru and lives about one hour drive from Lima. We use to have weekly services in Lima but members decided to have 3 small groups instead and get together once a month at Jose Kasum´s home. This is because they were renting a hotel hall in down town Lima but it was too expensive for them to pay. About 25 people in total attend to the 3 small groups in Lima.

Jose Kasum and a group of members registered officially the church in Peru with the name: "Comunion Peruana de la Gracia", so now they exist legally. They also have a bank account and can receive donations. Attached are some pictures of this seminar, also pictures of members in Piura and La Huaca, Cajamarca. Everybody sends their regards to you and to the Vancouver congregation and to Gary Moore for their generosity as they sponsored the total cost of the seminar. Click here for photos.

Winter Services Schedule

For the sake of our volunteers in Open Door, beginning on November 5, services will once again be scheduled for 1 pm on the first and third Saturday, and 11:30 am on the second and fourth(fifth) Saturday.

Free Will Offering for VCB South Africa

The Oct 1 free will offering to assist disadvantaged orphans in Africa to attend the annual VBS camp in South Africa totaled $3434.63(Vancouver: $2,654.63, Prince George: $780). Thank you for your wonderful generosity. This will enable an additional 50 deserving children to attend the camp who otherwise would not have this opportunity. Bryce contacted Candida Millar, the camp coordinator, to give her the news and she replied: "Oh my gosh Bryce!!! That's amazing!!! I'm absolutely stunned!! I........don't know what to say! I'll get my butt into gear immediately to organize forms, clothing, transport, etc, for the children your church has sponsored. I will take them all from the same orphanage, hereby, having a more lasting impact on the workings of the entire orphanage as it goes forward after camp. You have no idea how powerful this is! I'm in tears... I just wish our friends in your congregation knew the immense impact that their generosity is going to have!! And you and I will make absolutely sure that you go home with names, photos and letters from the children that you have organized sponsorship for."

Assistance to Haiti

Charles Fleming sent this message in reply to our request of how we can help our church in Haiti: "At present, we have generous donors who are helping with the daily operations of the school, but on the recent trip I found out an area of need. Two of the teachers have faithfully taught at the school for 10 and 14 years and the administrator has worked for less time, but shows great promise for the future in what he has done in the time he has been with the school. We would like to give them special bonuses spread over this year and next year to show appreciation. We estimate that a total of US $2,000.00 would allow us to cover those bonuses in 2011 and 2012. Can any of you contribute towards that special fund? The Pastoral Team feels this is a worthwhile cause for our congregation to support, if this is acceptable to everyone in the congregation.

Chile & Argentina Visit

The Vancouver congregation has been involved in the South American work. Thank you for your continued prayers. This report is from Hector Barrero, GCI mission developer in South America. Click for More Info

Ottawa Conference Lectures

Anyone who would like to listen to the lectures given by Dr Elmer Colyer at the recent Canadian Minister's Conference can access them at the following Ottawa Church web address: Ottawa Conference Lectures

 

LMCBA -Lower Mainland Church Building Association

Question & Answer Session?

Q1. What is the LMCBA?

A1. The Lower Mainland Community Building Association is a fundraising arm of New Life Christian Fellowship a congregation of Grace Communion International. The sole purpose of the association is to raise funds toward one day acquiring our own church facility.

Q2. What is the vision of the LMCBA?

A2. Our vision is "To provide loving care and support to families and individuals in our community"

Q3. Is the LMCBA an official organization?

A3. The LMCBA is a registered charitable organization registered with the Federal government in Ottawa. An official tax receipt will be issued for all personal and corporate donations. Tax receipts can be issued for all people who wish to donate to this worthy cause. We are also a registered society under the BC Society Act and are registered with the Provincial government in Victoria. The LMCBA has its own board of directors which are all members of New Life Christian Fellowship a congregation of Grace Communion International Canada.

Q4. What is the role of the current board of directors?

A4. The role of the directors is to be wise stewards of the funds raised to date. Our fund at the present time is around $107,000. They are to create the building vision for the members of New Life Christian Fellowship. They are to hold annual AGM meetings which is a requirement of the Federal Government of Canada for all charitable organizations. They are responsible for the organizing of all building fundraisers. If you would like to get more involved in this area and would like to see our church building fund grow to speed the day we have our own facility, then contact any of the current board of directors of the association.

Q5. Who are the current board of directors for 2012?

A5. Dan Holiove (President), Gord Wilkinson (Vice-President), Michel Charland (Treasurer) Heidi Naman (Secretary), Louise Jeansonne (Member), Craig Minke (Member),

Q6. If we presently have raised over $100,000 towards our church building, how much will be required before we can purchase or build our own facility?

A6. Unfortunately we live in the most expensive real estate area in Canada which requires us to set a higher fundraiser goal. We have estimated that we would have to raise about $500,000 before we can move forward on this. Costs vary depending on whether we purchase an existing building in good condition, a fixer-upper, or build new. We will wait to see the doors that will open.

If you have any questions answered forward them to any of the board of directors.

 

Youth Honored This Year

Church Youth Honored in School & Community

Congratulations to Bryce Minke Grade 11 student, who received 2 plaques for Outstanding Community Service and Excellence in Humanities as well as a Certificate of Excellence in science and math. He was name one of Langley's outstanding youth by the Langley Times Community Paper.

Vancouver Congregation Honors 2011 Grad

Congratulations to Justin Breytenbach who is graduating this year from Grade 12. We wish him the best on his future endeavors.

Green Lake Christian Campout

The 16th annual campout at Green Lake in August 2010 was a huge success, with over 35 participants from the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and Edmonton. We enjoyed water sports - including swimming, tubing, and canoeing – as well as hiking, biking, small group Bible studies, games and just hanging out together in such beautiful surroundings. Click here for photos.