The Final Week of Deputation

By the daily grace of our God we have completed deputation, have returned to Nova Scotia, and are about to start the work which the Lord has laid upon us.

Last Thursday we traveled from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan to The Pas, Manitoba to meet with Dave Brauer, his family, and Bible Baptist Church.  This is the furthest north we have been on deputation.  We had a blessed time with all.

On Saturday we drove to Winkler, MB where we stayed the night in a hotel.  We visited Pembina Valley Baptist Church on Sunday morning.  In fact, PVBC graciously supplied the Saturday night's hotel room and were very kind to us.

On Sunday afternoon we drove south into North Dakota and went to New Testament Baptist Church in Larimore.  We had a precious evening of fellowship with the church and the Pastor and Mrs. Schaeffer.

On Monday we hit the road eastward early and made it to the Chicago, IL area.  Tuesday the Lord allowed us to drive as far as Syracuse, NY and on Wednesday we made it into Canada and to my brother-in-law and sisters home outside of St. John, New Brunswick.  Then on Thursday morning we caught the ferry from St. John, NB to Digby, NS.  What a blessing to see the shores of home once again.  An hour drive from Digby placed us home in Yarmouth and rejoined us with our two oldest children.

Praise the Lord for all His wonderful works.  Coast of NS.

We praise the Lord for carrying us through three years and four months of deputation and it is with great prayer and expectation that we look toward the future.  To all our supporters, this is the time we have been working towards; thank you for standing with us and may the Lord strengthen you and us to continue standing.

Wednesday, May 14th, 2014

On Tuesday we left Calgary, AB and headed east and north to Prince Albert, SK.  We arrived at Beulah Land Baptist Church (Pastor Dave Webster) in the early evening to a got meal and a friendly welcome.  On Wednesday evening we presented the work and preached the Word to the church and the Lord blessed.

On Thursday (today) we left Prince Albert, SK and headed east and a bit north again, crossing the rest of Saskatchewan and into Manitoba.  The route was, to us anyway, remote.

Gravel highways.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Abundant farming--spring has arrived.

New Supporter welcomed.

We would like to welcome Heritage Baptist Church of Tenino, Washington (Pastor Scott Peace) to our support team.  We were there just this past February.  The Lord be praised.

We are planning to be, Lord willing, back in Nova Scotia Thursday, May 22.

Sunday meeting in Saskatchewan--Redemption Baptist Church

We have had to do some needed repairs on our car this past week.  After 150,000 miles (240,000 km) I had to replace the fuel pump and the clutch assembly.  We had planned to leave Calgary Saturday and then keep going eastward; our meetings from there will take us eastward.  All is contingent on the Lord's will and for some reason the Lord did not allow our car repairs to be finished on Friday and we are now (Monday) back in Calgary.

On Saturday we left Calgary and drove eastward to Kindersley, SK.  We met up with Scott Holloway and his lovely family.  Brother Holloway is the pastor of Redemption Baptist Church in Kindersley, SK.  On Sunday morning we met with the church and presented the work and preached the Word.  We had a fine time of fellowship.

Redemption Baptist Church is meeting in a very unique building.  They purchased a Ukrainian Orthodox building.  The architecture is great.  They are doing repairs and maintenance as they go along.  The domes are very picturesque against the Canadian Prairie sky.

Sunday afternoon we returned to Calgary.  We are so very thankful to Allan and Jane Bayanes for allowing us to stay in their home for, now, over a week.  They are sweet people.


Here are a couple of pictures of the expanse of the Canadian Prairie.

Harvest International Baptist church-mission

Last night we met at a Wingate Hotel in south Calgary with the folks of a mission work of Olde Tyme Baptist Church (in north Calgary).  Pastor Don Cline (Olde Tyme BC) and OTBC are working on this church plant in south Calgary which, Lord willing, they hope to constitute this summer--Harvest International Baptist Church.

We had a blessed time in the Lord Jesus with the folks.  I presented Chegoggin Baptist Church's church planting work to which I have been separated to and I preached from Romans 1:16.

Olde Tyme Baptist Church is aggressively pursuing church planting and is seeking that the Lord would allow them to plant ten churches in the next ten years.  This is possible with God.  This is possible with godly committed men.  And, Olde Tyme BC has been focusing on training men, Christ has given them men, and it will be a joy to prayerfully intreat our God that this church may have the desires of their heart and plant these churches.

Welcome

We would like to welcome Bible Baptist Church of Oak Harbor, Washington (Pastors Sargent and Geist) to the team of supporters of Chegoggin Baptist's church planting work, to which I have been separated, in Nova Scotia and beyond.

With two weeks left of meetings we are now at 89% support being received.  God is so faithful to move us along in His will.

Calgary Missions Conference

We are currently attending the annual missions conference of The Old Paths Baptist Church in Calgary, Alberta (Pastor Jason Bueckert).  The conference started Sunday and finishes Wednesday.

We are very thankful to be here and grateful to Alan and Jane Bayanes for allowing us to stay in their home for the week.

New Supporter

Good day all.

Our treasurer, Dave Throp, informed me by email today that we have had a new supporting church come on line.  We gratefully and gladly welcome Pleasant Valley Baptist Church of Mesquite, TX (Pastor Paul D. Taylor) to our team of praying and financial supporters.

We presented the work at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church withing the first two months of our deputation in 2011.  I can't tell you how encouraging it is that the Lord has laid the burden of His Great Commission work through Chegoggin Baptist Church and ourselves over such a long period of time.  Thank you for remembering us.


We are in Calgary, Alberta this week for a missions conference.  On Friday is was sunny and 17 C (63 F for our American friends).  This is what we are getting right now....

Well, it is very picturesque and it is not cold enough to collect on the road, so it does not affect driving.

Sunday, April 26, 2014

On Saturday we arrived in Leduc, Alberta, which is just south of Edmonton.  We met with Pastor Jim Price, who graciously had us to their home for supper.

On Sunday we spent the entire day with Vision Baptist Church.  The Lord gave liberty and I preached and presented the ministry.

Alberta is Canada's boom-Province.  You know you are in Alberta when you meet people from all other parts of Canada.  At Vision Baptist Church there are three couples from Nova Scotia.  Sunday afternoon we had lunch and fellowship with Mr. and Mrs. Nickerson from Cape Sable Island, NS.  I think we made each other homesick talking about home.

Welcome a new supporting church.

We would like to welcome Bethel Baptist Church of El Sorbrante, CA (Pastor Kent Brandenburg) as partners with Chegoggin Baptist Church and ourselves in the work of planting NT. Baptist churches in Nova, Scotia, Canada, and beyond.  This raises our support level to 85%, praise the Lord.

Harvest Baptist Church Mission Conference

On Friday, April 18, we arrived at Harvest Baptist Church (Pastor Derrick Goette) in Langley, BC.  Their conference is scheduled to run from Friday through Tuesday.  Friday evening started with dinner for the attending missionaries, a time of seeking the Lord in prayer, and the meeting of the church.

On Saturday morning we assembled at the church building for literature distribution and then again in the evening for dinner, prayer, and the meeting.

Mister Piggy came to the Saturday night International Supper.

Choir and hymn sing.

International supper selections.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

 We got together on Saturday evening with Pastor Andrew Arbo and his sweet family at their home for grilled burgers and fellowship.  It was a blessed time.  Brother Arbo is pastor of Park City Baptist Church in Surrey, BC.

In the morning (Sunday) we met with Park City Baptist Church.  I presented the work in the morning and preached on the effectual communication of our faith from Philemon.  In the evening I preached on discipleship, from various Scriptures.

We had excellent fellowship in the Word--the Spirit gave liberty.  God is so very gracious to allow us to serve Him.

Fine weather on Vancouver Island

We have a few days between meetings.  As we stroll along the beach and smell the sea air and surf we are reminded of home.

We are praying and working toward our return to Nova Scotia and the work God has so graciously given us to do.

Welcome to Lions Gate Baptist Church

I was informed through email today by Brother Josh Towns, pastor, of Lions Gate Baptist Church of North Vancouver, BC, that they have voted to support us and the church planting work of Chegoggin Baptist Church.  We praise the Lord for His faithfulness and provision through the people of Lions Gate Baptist Church and our other faithful supporters.

Sunday Gone to Meet'in

Today we had a blessed time with Fraser Valley Baptist Church in Maple Ridge, BC.  Pastor and Mrs. Dan Deschamp, family, and the other members were so very kind.  The church was staring missions month.  We met in the morning, then ate lunch together, and had an afternoon meeting.  I preached both meetings and presented the work in the afternoon.  We praise the Lord for each opportunity and are deeply humbled by His use of of.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

On Sunday morning we were with Valley View Baptist Church of Creston, BC. (Pastor Jeff Friesen)  We had a fine time in the Lord, enjoying the spirit and fellowship in the Lord.  We thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship we had with all.

View from the parking lot of Valley View Baptist Church.

My travel troopers captured in front of Valley View Baptist Church's buidling in Creston, BC.

Kootenay mountains surround Creston, BC.

In the afternoon we headed 1-1/2 hours north to Castlegar, BC where we met with Castlegar Baptist Church (Pastor Tom Kline).  Once again, we had a blessed time singing, presenting the work, and preaching the word.  Castlegar is also in the west Kootenay Mountains and along side of the Columbia River.

I really like the mountains.  Driving through Kootenay Pass on BC-3 Highway Sunday afternoon we saw Bighorn Sheep and Mule Dear.

Welcome to supporting church from Maine.

We would like to gratefully welcome Mid-Coast Baptist Church of Brunswick, ME (Pastor Bobby Mitchell) as a new supporter partnering with Chegoggin Baptist Church in the Great Commission church planting work to which the Lord Jesus Christ has called us.

It was an encouragement to get Brother Mitchell's call Sunday afternoon telling me of the church's decision.  As you will see in the sideline of this blog that raises the support level to 80% being received.  Praise the Lord.

Kootenay Mountains

On Thursday, March 27th we arrived in Vernon, BC by noon and spent the afternoon with Brother Richard Aulin, his wife Crystal, and their four children.  That evening we had a fine time with Okanagan Valley Baptist Church; the Lord blessed.  We are very grateful to the Lord and His people for their generosity and hospitality.

Today (Friday, March 28th, 2014) we left Vernon and headed into the Kootenay Mountains.  In the valleys it was raining, but in the mountain passes if was lightly snowing.  The clouds were hanging heavy over the mountain peaks, so we did not get to enjoy them.  We saw a few places where avalanches had come down the mountain sides and been cleared away by heavy machinery.

We arrived in Creston, BC late in the afternoon and will be here through Sunday morning with Valley View Baptist Church.

Oklahoma Welcome

We would like to welcome Bible Baptist Church of Duncan, Oklahoma (Pastor Jeremy R. Taylor) as new supporters of the NT. Baptist church planting work of Chegoggin Baptist Church.  We are honoured by BBC's trust.  We visited BBC in Duncan October 2013.  We praise God for their faithfulness to Christ.

Sunday, March 23rd, 2014

On Sunday we had the pleasure to be with Berean Baptist Church of Kamloops, British Columbia.  We are staying with Pastor and Mrs. Greg Vaal and their sweet family while here.

We began Sunday morning in Sunday School where I presented the ministry and gave an outline of church planting principles from Acts 19 where the founding of the church in Ephesus is recorded.  In the morning church meeting we enjoyed godly hymn singing and I preached a message entitled, Confidence to Minister.

We had a restful afternoon and the church came together again at 5pm for their evening meeting.  Again, we enjoyed the hymn singing and I had the honour to preach once again.  I preached from Mark 2 on the Warrant of Faith; or, how we know the Bible and Jesus Christ is absolutely true.

We are in Kamloops until Thursday morning when we head to Vernon, BC.  Keep praying!