Pastor's Message - Bob Bahr
Ash Wednesday was on February 22 - the beginning of Lent.
The word is derived from the Middle English leynte, literally, “lengthening (of daylight hours). Lent is, therefore, associated with Springtime. The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday.
Tens of millions of Christians from multiple denominations across the globe will participate in this season of reflection and recommitment. The overall purpose of Lent is to honor the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert by fasting and praying as He sought to bring His will into alignment with that of his Heavenly Father. It is to be a season of personal spiritual reflection and recommitment.
So, we are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully. Therefore, during this period let me encourage you to slow down and allow God to speak to your hearts.
Lent is also a time for us to reaffirm our baptismal vows, or to prepare ourselves for baptism if we haven’t yet been baptized. As a church, we plan to end this season of Lent with a baptismal service on Easter Sunday morning. If you feel God calling you to publicly declare your faith and commitment to Jesus through baptism please phone the church office at 604.922.0911 so you can participate in our baptismal classes.
I would challenge each of us to write a prayer of praise and recommitment which you could post on your fridge and refer to throughout this season. If you are comfortable doing so we invite you to send a copy to the church and we can post them anonymously for others to read as well.
This coming Sunday (February 26) we will enjoy a joint service with our Mandarin community. It will truly be a very special service as Pastor John will be preaching on I Thessalonians 1: 1-3 on the subject of “A Church after God’s Heart.” Pastor John and his wife are a special gift to our church and a couple whom I respect so much. Please pray for him.
Neil died peacefully on Monday, February 20. He had been unwell for several weeks and had received good and compassionate care at Peace Arch Hospital, and latterly at Melville Hospice. His children were all able to help care for him in the last few weeks of his life.
You are warmly invited to his memorial service. This will be held at 2pm on Saturday, March 25 at Shaughnessy Heights United Church in Vancouver. Please click HERE for more information, including a link that will be available by the day of the funeral
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Overseas Missionary Fellowship, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, or Peace Arch Hospice Society.
Council Nominees: Please contact the office to receive a PDF file with the list of biographies of the Council Nominees for 2023. There was an attachment to the weekly Newsletter. Hard copies will be available on Sunday, February 26. The Annual General Meeting will be taking place on Sunday, March 26, after the church service.
Charitable Receipts: The 2022 Charitable Receipts were emailed on Wednesday, February 15. If you didn’t get one via email, please check on Sunday morning. There is a box with receipts for you to pick up. If not picked up they will be mailed after February 26. Please give us your email when you pick it up as it helps save envelopes and possible postage for future emailing. Please contact Judy Thompson if you did not receive your receipt via email, remember to also check your Junk Email.
Canada Baptist of Western Canada (CWBC): Annual Assembly in Calgary June 1-3 and our church delegates will be asked to vote on four recommendations. For those who are interested, copies of those motions are available in hard copy on the information table on Sunday morning and Ken Radant will be available to answer any questions you might have.
Events
Mark your calendars for these great events coming up.
