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Dear Church Family,

Grace and peace to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It feels like the blink of an eye since I officially joined West Vancouver Baptist Church back in January, and now we are already in the middle of November.

Pastor Ken and Diane are currently in Alberta on a retreat with fellow pastors from the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada (CBWC). Please remember them in your prayers, for their safe travels, physical rest, and spiritual refreshment during this time away.

I also want to share an update on a new CBWC discipleship initiative we are joining, focused on "forming churches that are spiritually alive in the neighbourhood."

In the old days, church discipleship often focused on internal engagement—encouraging brothers and sisters to get involved in Sunday worship, join a Bible study, welcome newcomers, or invite young people to church. While those things remain valuable, we have come to realize that Sunday excellence alone cannot revitalize a congregation or foster meaningful outreach.

Nowadays, the church and our surrounding secular (easy to feel intimidated) neighborhood often feel intentionally and unintentionally disconnected.

It’s not easy to describe this clearly.

To see how profound that cultural shift is, consider the Remembrance Day we just observed. In Canada, a nation blessed with abundant democratic freedom, many increasingly treat the day simply as an extra holiday to relax. Of course, many others still pause to honor the World War II veterans who paid a tremendous personal price so future generations could live in freedom.

However, I experienced a very different reality.

In China, countless soldiers paid an agonizing price during the Second World War, yet the nation never found freedom. My grandfather was one of them. He was not on the front lines carrying a rifle; he served as a military doctor. Growing up, I listened to him recount the immense suffering he and his comrades endured, convinced that their blood and tears would secure a free future for their children. Yet decades later, the Chinese people remain under the heavy hand of authoritarian rule.

That contrast taught me a sobering truth: freedom is not simply a guaranteed return on human sacrifice—it is a gift of God’s sovereign grace. God showed favor to the pioneers of these Western nations, honoring their founders’ faith, worship, and obedience by granting these lands peace and freedom.

Tragically, many descendants of those forefathers have now forgotten the source of that blessing—repudiating the very foundation that sustained them and trading worship for open defiance. As the Lord spoke through Jeremiah:

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” — Jeremiah 2:13 (NIV)

When a culture drifts from God and loses sight of His grace, the gap between the church and the community widens.

That is why I am so grateful we are embarking on this discipleship journey to help restore genuine spiritual connection between our church and our city. I have had the chance to speak with a few of you about it already, though hectic Sunday mornings have kept me from catching everyone individually.

This is not just "another program" peddling quick-fix church growth strategies. Instead, it is an invitation into deep spiritual transformation. With prayerful hearts and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are learning to shift our focus from "what we don't have" to "what we do have, from God." Rather than waiting for people to come to us, we are stepping beyond our church walls—praying that God will guide us to love and serve our neighbors right where they are in this chaotic, lonely, and searching age.

In 10 months (2 have passed), our discipleship cohort will walk through this journey via five national Zoom gatherings with sister churches facing similar realities, alongside five local coaching sessions tailored to our congregation's unique context.

This journey belongs to our whole church family, and we warmly welcome your prayers and participation. If you would like to hear more or get involved, please come chat with me or reach out to the church office.

Also, some updates for our Youth Robotics Program. After some initial fluctuations, attendance has stabilized at 6 to 10 students (ages 8–15) each week. They meet every Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., supported by 4 to 6 older youth (pre-university age) who consistently serve as volunteers.

This program has opened a natural door for us to connect with the parents of these students—neighbors living right in our church’s community.

Brothers and sisters, we would like to invite you to pray for this program.

  • For Our Leaders: Please ask God to surround Marlani with fresh strength, joy, and patience each week so her cup stays full as she leads. Pray too for our older youth volunteers—that serving together would deepen their friendships and help them sharpen their leadership skills.
  • For the Students: Pray that Sunday mornings would be a place where these kids experience genuine friendship and catch a glimpse of Christ’s love through our church family.
  • For the Parents: Pray that God would give us warm, unhurried hearts to welcome these neighbors, that they would feel deeply cared for, and that in time, they might feel right at home joining us for Sunday worship.

May the Lord grant you rich blessings this week! I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Warmly in Christ,
Aldo