TheBluewaterFlow Fall 2011
Volume 10
a caring and celebrating community making a difference for God by His power
project: back to school Back To School time represents many, many good things and a few evil things as well. One of the most evil is The School Project. As you know, school projects are designed as "interactive" educational devices. They work very well in this regard . The child, on the day before his project is DUE, looks up from interacting with the television and tells his parents that he needs some help. The mother, having carried the child for 9 long months, feels compelled to interact with the father, telling him that this would be a great chance to bond with his offspring. The father, who WAS minding his own business, knows that if he wants to interact with mommy AT ALL this week, he will have to spend the next six hours wrestling with a cardboard box and a roll of duct tape. This is exactly why some members of the animal kingdom eat their young.
It reminds me of a Solar Eclipse Viewer I built while in Mrs. Main's grade six class at Warwick Central School. (Class Slogan: Mrs. Main is a Pain in the Drain) . The blueprints that she provided were clear and concise. We each got a copy of them at least a week before the actual eclipse, leaving plenty of time to test them out. These obstacles did not deter me. I held off until the last minute, giving my dad the best opportunity to tackle the job when he should have been sleeping and finish it in his underwear. What a sight to behold the next morning! A project done by my own dad! A home-made, duct-tape laden box to look safely at the blinding rays of the eclipse, completed by a man w h o w a s g r u m p y, t i re d a n d apathetic! Well I sure wasn't going to be the first... Few people realize that School Projects are actually used by teachers in much the same way that 'simple procedures' are used by doctors: as practical jokes. They usually start out as memos:
inside back to school awkward families good questions boomers adjustment bureau the script josh garrels wingfeather saga harvest time the LEDGE joy spotlight the wellsness report into all the world summer garden bluewater at play the final word caption
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For more information: www.bluewaterbaptist.ca
1 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
Dear Parent, As part of your child's education, I have decided to introduce a course on Appreciating Nature. This will not be like all the other Nature Courses that your child may have taken in school or watched in his countless hours in front of the television. As s u c h , y o u r h e l p w o u l d b e g re a t l y appreciated. Included is a list of things that your child needs to start collecting in order
to get a good grade and become a success at something other than Nintendo. The list is as follows: One prize-winning rose, a penny found in the dirt, gumbo, a recent photograph of Sasquatch and three live, angry hornets. If you experience any difficulty collecting these items, you may want to enlist the aid of your husband since he's just watching SEINFELD anyways.
Yours Truly, The Teacher
After having sent the memo, the teacher passes copies of it around in the staff room for laughs. The final step is to wait for harried parents to call and beg for extensions. This is why there are so many teachers nowadays and also why there is an endless stream of memos flowing into the home. What we should do, to turn the tables on the teachers, is come up with our own projects. Projects that would garner lots of attention AND get high grades. Projects with names like: My Teacher the Peeping Tom and Your Life in College:An Eyewitness Account. Something like that I could really get into, but not until the night before it was due. John
the art of the awkward family reunion Families come in all different shapes and sizes. But there always seems to be certain things in common. We all have that aunt that needs to give us a big sloppy, lip-sticky kiss every time we see them. And the sweet old grandma that calls us all of our cousin's names before finally hitting on ours. We love them – but they're a little crazy. You know you can trust them, and they're always good for a laugh. A family is a family no matter what, right? Bluewater’s Imprint High School Ministry has a family of our own. We have our youth leaders, who try to control the young ones (a version of parents, aunts and uncles). We have our older kids, who have been around for a couple years (just like those older cousins). We're tight. We can trust each other. It's God family. All we need is some new kids to come and keep the family going. What's a family without a new generation to rise up and take its place? When I first started coming out to Imprint, I came only for fun and not for any serious
reasons. I wasn't even a Christian yet! But as time carried on, this whole idea of getting to know God on a personal level and changing my life for Him became more and more interesting. I was saved at a retreat and ever since then, Sunday has been my favourite day of the week and Imprint has been my second family. Whenever there is something wrong in my life or I need some more accountability, I know I can look to these people for help, encouragement, and some prayer. It has no doubt been a very crucial part of my spiritual life. So, if this sounds like a place where you can belong, come out to the Imprint Kick Off Event on September 18th at 5pm. It'll be an awesome night of games, dinner, and then a chill coffee house style night! Lots of hot drinks to go around! It only costs $5 a piece. Come on out and get to know your new family, your brothers and sisters in Christ! Nicole
2 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
a good friend who asked me good questions On a time I had very good friend named Peg. Many of the people at Bluewater knew Peg, many did not. She was a special friend and I loved her very much. Peg would keep track of what was going on in my life and she genuinely loved to hear each and every detail. Peg would know my weakness and any temptations that existed. I knew I could count on her to pray for me and to follow up with anything that was going on in my life. If I needed a shoulder I could count on her any time, day or night. One of Peg’s attributes was her ability to ask thought provoking, deep questions about what God was up to in your life. All of Peg’s friends would make fun of her for doing this and I can still hear her laughing at herself when we would poke fun at her. She loved to entertain and she was always having some sort of dinner party. But if you were fortunate enough to be invited for dinner you went prepared knowing she would come up with a really good question for her guests to answer. She would not save these questions for just dinner parties. She had them ready even if you stopped in for a short visit. You see Peg knew that the most unique relationships are when people are sharing their personal experiences of God. Peg knew the definition of real fellowship which comes from the word koinonia, which is where we get our word community. To have fellowship is to have community. The ultimate community experience is when two mutually enter into
the divine, eternal community of the Father, Son and Spirit. There is nothing more intimate, profound unique or deep than your personal walk with God. When you humbly allow another person into your personal walk with God, you are entering into the most profound experience people can have. Sadly, this kind of fellowship is the most often neglected aspect of people’s lives. People can be friends, sports buddies, sewing club members, neighbours and yes even marriage partners but not engage each other in the most intimate relationship known to man.
3. What are your fears, dreams, and or worries, or what particular area are you struggling?
4. Have these areas of struggles drawn you closer or taken you farther away from God?
5. What are you praying about these days?
6. What is God doing in your life? 7. What has God been teaching you recently?
8. What are you reading, studying or memorizing from God’s word?
I don’t know where Peg found her questions, maybe she found a little book on fellowship questions or maybe they were just questions she asked herself daily. Whereever she found them I sincerely wished I had recorded them for myself to use. Just writing this little article for theFlow challenged me to ask more God-centred questions when I am with friends. I pray that when you are with a spouse or a friend you begin your relational adventure even today.
9. How have you applied this to your life?
10. Is there something that God is asking you to do that you are dragging your feet in doing? And please do not forget to share yourself with your friends and ask for help in a specific area of your life! Cheryl
Some Fellowship Questions (in no particular order)
1. What are God’s thoughts of you from your perspective?
2. Would you say you are living and walking in the “gospel today”? Why or why not?
Peg Martin went home to be with her Lord on August 19, 2004
3 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
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boomers’ day away Yes, the Boomers were on the road again, with Frank and Esther directing traffic! Everyone behaved and acted their age! This could be scary…… We didn’t have to go far to experience great food and an interesting afternoon. We met at Connie’s Tea Room in Petrolia and had a magnificent lunch and dessert – oh yes, we tried it all …mmmmmmmm. Also, we had lots of chatter and laughs and great fellowship. After lunch we shopped, then we went to Oil Springs to the Oil Museum, and toured the area. I have lived in Sarnia all my life and had never gone to the museum or paid much attention to the oil fields, but they are black gold!!! This could be a great family outing!
BLUEWATER WOMENS MINISTRY RETREAT
Amazing isn’t it? Something so very close that affected so many lives – and I chose to just take it for granted and not see it for myself. This was a thought provoking day, I couldn’t help thinking of all the folks who have heard about the Christian Faith, but have never taken the time or just don’t know what to look for, something so close, that can change so many lives. Why not take someone to lunch and introduce him or her to the Purest Gold?! Colleen
Bluewater Anniversary Weekend With David MacFarlane Training to share the Gospel October 15 & 16 Check the QR code to see one of David’s videos
October 28th & 29th at the Lake Huron Retreat Centre Speaker: Liz Benn To Register: jdmaduss@sympatico.ca
4 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
reviews congratulatory speech for the winner, but he ends up meeting Elise (played by Emily Blunt). This encounter motivates or inspires David to give a speech that shines the light on the truth of how politicians run their campaigns. This inspired speech propels him back into the political limelight. Since David met Elise, he witnesses the Adjustment Bureau agents trying to right what they call “The Plan”. In doing so, David has to promise the head agent (or the so called angel) that he will not speak of this encounter or his memory will be completely erased. The remainder of the movie has the viewer questioning whether or not they are referring to God’s plan or some other higher power. It can be assumed that they are referring to God as the “chairman”.
the adjustment bureau Based on the Philip K Dick short story, Adjustment Team, The Adjustment Bureau is an interesting film with a few twists and turns. It has the traditional love story that plays to both older and younger audiences. There is minimal action in the film, which was quite surprising given the previews and the tagline, “Fight for your fate”. What was surprising is the central question in the movie of man’s free will vs. predestination. In this story, Matt Damon’s character (David Norris) is a highly ambitious man seeking a seat in the New York Senate. His dreams are dashed when a controversial photo from his youth surfaces and takes away his chance at being elected. On this night he ventures into the washroom to practice his
There are some twists in this movie and the love between the two main characters is the one thing in opposition to “The Plan”. David’s question of his own free will and how his decisions affect others’ lives provides an interesting ride throughout the rest of the film. I enjoyed this movie but question the PG rating. The language was tame however the love scene is not appropriate for younger viewers. Although I do not believe in the premise of this movie, it could prompt a thought provoking discussion regarding free will and God’s plan. Jer
catchy tunes and unique vocals to match. This would be their second release which comes hot on the heels of their debut CD. I listened to Science and Faith several times before I really paid attention to the words and the message of each song. Easy to do since the songs are easily listenable; but stop tapping and humming; and listen; and if you want to cheat (like I did) google the lyrics and just read them. There seems to be a lot of thought that has gone into each song; simply since each song has had at least 2 writers collaborate, while You Won't Feel a Thing had 6 writers credited. There is a Parental Advisory label for the use of a "poopy" word (beginning with "s"). Apart from that nothing more that should have any parent fretting and choosing to toss this in the trash or delete the tracks from your iTunes library.
science and faith Confession: I really don't know much about The Script except that they are a trio from the UK, have very interesting lyrics,
All of the songs pretty much cover varying angles and situations of love and relationships. You Won't Feel A Thing, is pretty much a guy that has had life handed to him hard and he is totally willing and devoted to this particular girl. So much that he is promising her that he will take the fall for her, he will take it on chin for her, he will take all of her cuts and bruises upon himself...a confession that pretty much sums up what we might call true love.
5 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
reviews For The First Time, gives us a glimpse into the lives of a couple that is struggling with life's reality and curve balls. It sounds like their relationship is hitting the rocks but they rely on a simpler approach of finding their "spark" again. This is the song tagged with the parental advisory. But we're gonna stop by drinking our cheap bottles of wine / Sit talking up all night, saying things we haven't for a while, a while, yeah / We're smiling but we're close to tears, even after all these years / We just now got the feeling that we're meeting for the first time
saying anything at all, except rambling and rambling....however! I haven't found one song on Science and Faith that I didn't like! What really makes this group appealing is Danny O'Donoghue's vocals. Their music delivers very well, but the vocals are what draw your attention; sort of a cross between Bono and Chris Martin (Coldplay). You know how some singers have a voice that is so very recognizable?! Much like Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20). If your genre choice is Pop/Rock, I would recommend giving this CD or iTunes purchase a try. This is their second release and so far The Script seems to have delivered another quality product.
The "Sit talking ..." is actually sung a little differently... Greg I could go on to say something about each song but that wouldn't accomplish much; except for me rambling, not really
and the tension that arises from the two in the lives of spirit/ material beings such as we humans are. Musically, it can be difficult to describe Garrels’ music. “Quirky” certainly isn’t the right word, but it’s certainly not pop. If American Idol is your only musical preference, Garrels may take some getting used to. In Love & War… he has layered a significant amount of orchestration (via Mason Jar Music) accompanying his folksy guitar/ukelele presence, along with fat (phat?) backbeats and everything from accordion to organ and even some Gregorian Chant. Stylistic variety, it is clear, is one of Josh’s specialties.
josh garrels I’ve been a Josh Garrels fan for a few years now, so I was understandably excited to hear the news that the Portlandbased singer/songwriter had released his new project, Love & War & The Sea in Between – his first since 2009’s Lost Animals. Being a cheapskate, I was also understandably excited to learn that Josh was giving his new album away for free. And an amazing album it is! I don’t say this lightly, but Josh’s new record is worth buying – even though you could get it for free – so leave him a tip when you go to download it from www.noisetrade.com or from Josh’s website. Love & War & the Sea In Between is more than just an album – it’s an 18-song compendium of tracks from a master musician and storyteller tracing the themes of spirituality and physicality
Garrels’ vocals are something to behold (if you could, in fact, behold vocals). The album’s first track, White Owl, showcases his brilliant falsetto while in Resistance he bursts into rap reminiscent of what you’d find on Lost Animals. The second and third tracks, Flood Waters and Farther Along, are the the most hooky. Even Val – who much prefers Sara Groves to Josh Garrels – was quickly drawn in. Val is usually my measuring-rod. I understand that my musical tastes don’t necessarily make sense to many others, but if she digs it, I can be generally confident that others will, too. Garrels’ ability to craft lyrics is another of his strong suits. My favourite example is his song Ulysses, which uses elements of Homer’s classic The Odyssey to brilliantly create Garrels’ unique and distinctly un-cheesy version of a love ballad. If you enjoy the likes of Jon Foreman, Ray LaMontagne, Ben Harper or David Grey, this is a must-have album. I don’t usually say things like this, but I’m a full-on fan of Love & War & The Sea in Between and I recommend it without reservation!
6 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
Tim
reviews words as I talk about how fond I am of the Wingfeather Saga, a fantasy series still in progress, penned by one of my favourite singer/songwriters, Andrew Peterson. Yes, The Wingfeather Saga is a fantasy series. Saying that will make some of you very excited – and some of you very nauseous. But Peterson’s writing is both exciting and accessible – think somewhere between The Chronicles of Narnia and The Hobbit. Peterson is able to wonderfully blend humour, adventure and suspense into one tight package. Just reading the prologue had my sons and me in stitches – yet Peterson kept my 8-year-old, my 10-year-old and myself engaged and engrossed right through to the end – and itching for more. Perhaps this says more about me than it does about the book. On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness begins the tale of Janner, Tink and Leeli Igiby, three children living in a land under occupation by the dreaded Fangs of Dang. As the plot progresses, the children must flee from the Fangs and search for the lost Jewels of Anniera. Along the way they meet friends and guardians, experience betrayal and come to terms with their own weaknesses in order to accomplish their goal.
I am an admitted geek. Just ask my wife. Or my kids. Or my friends. I’ve read Lord of the Rings more times then I’d care to admit. I’ve seen every moment of the whole Lord of the Rings movie adaption (all of the extended versions – even all the bonus footage…a few times), and I felt giddy when I heard Peter Jackson had started filming The Hobbit. I also have read the whole Narnia series – as a child and as an adult – in addition to reading them to my own children. I say this to give some context and weight to my
The first book in the series, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, sets the stage of the life and times of the land of Skree. Peterson’s follow up, North! or Be Eaten continues the tale as the children are pursued to the northern reaches of Skree in order to find safety. To do so, they need to travel through a land inhabited by fierce creatures (such as the dreaded toothy cows), brigands, sea dragons, and traitors in order to avoid being – well – eaten. The third installment, The Monster in the Hollows (which I haven’t read, yet) was released in the spring and, frankly, Bryce and I can’t wait to get our hands on it. Part of the beauty of Peterson’s story is that, much like Tolkien or Lewis, characters are not one-dimensional. They struggle with the darkness in their own souls even while displaying heroic and virtuous tendencies. Wingfeather is not as clearly metaphorical as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, however, Peterson is able to weave a biblical framework through the series. He also resists the temptation of resorting to the neo-gospel of “just believe in yourself” or “all you need are your friends!” or any of the ridiculous ideas that frustrate me in ninety percent of what I read and watch in children’s media. So, if you have children who are looking for a good book to read or if you (like me) are a geek who is itching to get drawn in to a compelling story, give The Wingfeather Saga a try. Fans of Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, or the Harry Potter series will find Wingfeather both captivating and entertaining! Tim
WE NEED YOU 2 COME HELP US KICK OFF THE YEAR @ SPLAT! Who is this for?: YOU and ALL your friends! ( so,invite them!!!) When: September 16 @ 5pm drop off - September 17 @ 9 am pick up Where: 4367 Bridgen Sd. Rd Petrolia CONTACT BETHANY@BLUEWATERBAPTIST.CA OR 339.9703 7 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
it’s harvest time The calendar is not alone in having seasons. Every life has seasons as well. There are times of waiting while everything seems frozen. Then things begin to happen that we thought never would as the winter gives way to warmth. We plant, whether it be acts of kindness or a word for the Lord. During the summer of life we may not notice the growth as we relax and enjoy the warmth. Then comes the time of harvest in the fall. This fall as our ministries gear up and our opportunities are magnified, we face exciting possibilities for harvest. In every one of our ministries we want to focus outward and look for ways to be involved in the harvest. Jesus told His disciples, after conversing with the woman at the well, that the harvest is ready but the labourers are few. God is constantly focused on the harvest. May we be too. One of our harvest focused events will be our Anniversary. Our guest for the weekend will be David MacFarlane of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He will be doing a Saturday training event and preaching on Sunday. This will be an exciting weekend in which I hope most will participate. David will give us many ideas to assist in our outreach to others. He has been an inspiration to thousands and I am sure that everyone who will come will be encouraged to hear what God is doing in the world. We stand at the door of opportunity for another harvest season. May God grant that we would be involved and fruitful in His harvest. Doug
KICK OFF 2011 $5 @ THE DOOR SEPT 18 / 5PM- 9PM
RSVP TO BETHANY@BLUEWATERBAPTIST.CA
8 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
As Fall looms, new chapters begin and new challenges await. Whether you’re 8, 18 or 88, God is looking to take you on a new adventure of trust. Our children’s ministry specializes in adventures. I see a little explorer discovering something new. I notice a boy eager to move...anywhere! I hear a girl asking thoughtful questions. I see children praying and worshipping through music. I watch a teenager getting on the floor with children. I spot an adult taking special interest in a child who has expressed a fear. I observe a teacher giving it his creative best to captivate the audience with the greatness of Jesus. I contemplate the concern of a mom and dad struggling with how to help their child make great decisions. I ponder the dedication of a grandparent praying for their children and grandchildren. At all these stages and with all these roles, God is writing an adventure story filled with grace, grandeur and glory. Get caught up in it! Following are some of the happenings in our children’s ministry and opportunities for you and yours to equip for the adventure story of life on the LEDGE with Jesus and in the wonder of God!
Kids Kamp: Recap At PandaMania, kids received high impact experiences cementing in their minds the great love of God and his careful attention in their life. God makes, listens, watches, loves and gives gifts. I am continually amazed at what God does when willing and passionate people collaborate on a major project. Thanks to all the many people who contributed to this memory
are the themes and lessons we’ll be teaching that parents can reinforce at home: Imperial Palace: Exploring the royal qualities of obedience and bravery. (September) Extreme Makeover: Changing to have a thankful, humble, trusting and accepting attitude. (October) Vertical Edge: Taking our talents to the limits for God in our work and at school. (November) Parents, do you want a peaceful home and kids who make great choices? We encourage you to take the character traits your kids learn at church and build them into your kids along with us. Show them love-motivated obedience, a stellar attitude and a God-given work ethic. As you model your faith to your children you can shape them to become great kids! Great kids who are trained up with Godly discipline produce the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11). That means you’ll have kids who make right choices, which leads to peaceful relationships. We could all use a little less tension! If there is anything we can do to help you in your efforts, please speak with us!
Family Service:
Praying with Your Children
(September 18) A unique service for families with parents of children in SK-Grade 5. Families will experience together what prayer can be like in their day-to-day life. You’ll go home inspired to want to pray with your children knowing that God is everything we need!
Kidmin Team: Get Growin’ The LEDGE Kidmin Team (or Kids’ Ministry Team) is designed for individuals in grades 2 and up. We train up ministry leadership skills through various specialties such as special projects, music, tech and teaching. The team meets Sunday after church and kicks off on September 11.
L E D G E Wo r k s h o p s :
making event in the lives of children!
Sunday Programming:
As the LEDGE gets geared up for the Fall, we are thrilled for the opportunity to partner with parents in their efforts to train up their children to be devoted followers of Jesus. Following
Improve your climbing skills LEDGE Workshops, also known as Funshops, are occasionally offered for the purpose of building skills for life on the LEDGE! They are offered to kids in grades 2-5. Our next workshop is four weeks long and called, What’s in the Bible? Israel Gets a King. We’ll be covering 1 and 2 Samuel and taking a close look at Saul, David and Solomon, the first kings of Israel. Along the way, kids will also learn about the Trinity and the salvation story including the consequences of sin, repentance and forgiveness. This workshop begins September 21 and ends October 12. Steve
9 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
joy in the circumstance What is joy? The Merriam-Websters dictionary defines joy as; a: the emotion evoked by well being, success or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires b: the expression or exhibition of such emotion Most people associate joy with happiness but how is it used in the Bible? In Isaiah 12:3 it tells us our joy is in our salvation. Deuteronomy 16:15 speaks of joy in the work of our hands. Psalm 16:11 says God will fill us with joy in his presence. Psalm 94:19 talks about joy from His consolation. Luke 6:23 tells us to rejoice in our suffering and John 15:10-11 says our joy will be made complete in our obedience to God. Finally James 1:2-3 tells us to find joy in the testing of our faith.
Family Service Praying with Your Children
Joy is closely linked with hope. Because we have hope in Christ we have joy. In the core of our being there is a nugget that no one can take from us with joy written on one side and hope on the other. Joy in God's presence is the ultimate goal which brings peace to all circumstances. Knowing to the core of our being, the joy of being with our Lord, of knowing Him and His character. We need to keep our focus on Him and that joy which only comes from His presence. Joy and hope when your 10 year old son is being poked ten times to start an IV so he doesn't spontaneously hemorrhage to death. Joy when you can barely stand to talk to the one you swore to love “until death do you part.” Joy when you are on a surgical table undergoing a procedure which checks for cancer. Joy when you are in constant pain. Joy even while holding your grown child and not knowing if he will survive the next hour. Joy when people you care about mock you for following Him. Joy when you see the ones you love making wrong choices. Joy when your car leaves the road and your hands come off the wheel. Joy when you are in the pit and can't see anyway out, yet you know He isn't going to let you go.
September 18
steve@bluewaterbaptist.ca for more info
While none of those circumstances are joyful, happy or easy ones, there can be joy in experiencing His presence in the midst of them. Joy in the knowledge that He loves you and will always be with you, “a shelter right by your side.” (Psalm 121:5b HCSB) Joy in knowing He is waiting for those who love Him when this life is done. Joy when He shows you He IS sufficient! When His presence can make you smile in the midst of fear, anxiety and pain. When you turn to Him and he engulfs you with His mighty love, strength and peace and shows you His glory! Their can be joy in our circumstances when we have a deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ and look to God's Word for truth to live our lives by. Then like Job we “would still have this consolation - my joy in unrelenting pain - that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.” Job 6:10. This should be our joy, our desire. Trish
10 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
spotlight In every issue of theFlow, we’re going to spotlight one of the leaders in our church! This is your opportunity to get to know more about our church leadership! If you have any questions you’d like posed to our leaders, please email them to theflow@bluewaterbaptist.ca.
Name: Hey, I’m Dave and I’m a Deacon. Family: Family life is my life. I am so hooked on these four special people. My wife is my best friend; we never tire of each other’s company and we live to the ‘beat of a different drum’. I am very fond of my offspring: Julia is seven and extremely responsible and compassionate, Sammy is four and full of strange and silly ideas that keep me smiling, Mercy is nearly three and full of spunk and sass. My story: Sarnia has been home to my family since 2006, when we spontaneously moved into a banked-repossessed house that needed a lot of love. We sought out a church to attend, Bluewater was second on our list to visit. Upon entering BW for a morning service, my wife Susan whispered to me, “this feels like home.” And so we stayed. Between worship practice for myself, nursery for Sue and small groups, we got connected quickly. The two of us know from experience that moving to a new church and a new city, you really have to work hard to make new relationships. Bluewater has been our source of solid friendships (many birthed from eGroups - if you aren’t in one, try it!), it has been a wonderful place to raise our family, a community in which to invest myself and be challenged to live more fully for Christ daily. I don’t play the bass guitar on
Sunday mornings any longer, instead I teach the 3 and 4 year olds with my wife. I also try to encourage men to be in relationship by inviting them to come out and play volleyball with our teams on Monday nights (call me if you are interested!) or to join me thursday mornings at 7 am for breakfast at the Daybreak Cafe on East street. I’m also involved with eGroups as one of the eGroup Coaches in addition to our own amazing eGroup. Thanks for reading the ramblings of a regular guy, with a p re t t y s i m p l e , satisfying life.
Join us for the must-attend event of the Fall:
Bluewater’s Launch Party! Tuesday, September 13th at 7:00 Salsa competition Entertainment by: Singing Impressionist Matt Gauthier
11 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
the wellsness report
Health isn’t something we talk about much at church, is it? That is, until it fails. At that point, we rightly circle around that affected person and their family, and pray for healing and comfort. But aside from that, issues about our physical bodies don’t seem to get much airtime. In some people’s minds, church should be more about dealing with spiritual things – which are important – and less about dealing with physical things – which are less important. Some Christians have unknowingly fallen for the Platonic ideal, where it is thought that the spirit of a person is good and valuable, while the physical is bad and dirty. Some of these unwitting Platonists can’t wait to shed the physical body as they assume the physical is somehow inherently less important than the spiritual. But we mustn’t forget that back in Genesis 1 when God surveyed all that He had created, both spiritual and physical, He declared it “very good”. We must also remember from Philippians 3, 1 Corinthians 15 and elsewhere, that we will be given newly transformed bodies in the final resurrection - we won’t be disembodied spirits but will once again have a body – to be without a body for a human is an “unnatural state.” And in 1 Corinthians 6 Paul tells us that our bodies are the “temple of the Holy Spirit”. All of this to say that our physical bodies do matter very much. In fact, in Romans 12 Paul reminds us to offer our bodies as a “living sacrifice” to God. Allow me to use a metaphor, if I may. Suppose that the apostle Paul had said to use your car as a “living sacrifice” to God. You would rightly seek to find a number of ways to use your car to honour and serve God. Perhaps you’d use it to shuttle groceries to the food bank, pick the elderly up for their appointments with the doctor, drive some kids to youth group, and maybe even do a few burnouts for Jesus. Now suppose with this same car you neglected to change the oil, you failed to rotate the tires, you forgot to tune it up, and you never thought to clean the thing. Before too long, your “living sacrifice” would
start to rust on the outside, smell on the inside, cough and sputter at red lights, and pull to the left where your driver’s side front tire had gone flat. Now because of these deficiencies you couldn’t take the youth group kids up to their retreat for fear that your rusty, smelly, coughing, sputtering, and left-pulling car mightn’t make it past the neighbouring county. Hopefully, despite the silly metaphor, the point hits home. Our effectiveness in serving God (and others) is deeply affected by our ability to physically do so. I should say at this point as a caveat, that, just as with cars we can have unexpected tire blowouts, gasket ruptures, and bearing failures, so with our bodies we can experience sicknesses, diseases, and health failures over which we have no control. Our sinful and fallen world has ensured that we will have limitations and difficulties both spiritually and physically - sinless perfection is beyond us in this world. But that said, we should strive to be faithful and wise stewards of all that God has given us, our bodies obviously included. That is what I hope to help with in this column - physical stewardship with respect to health. Since space is quickly running out, I’ll finish with a general layout of what you can expect from future editions of this column. Generally speaking, there are 4 main areas in which we have control – or should I say considerable influence – over our physical health and wellness: diet, exercise, sleep, and stress. Within each of these general categories, the choices we make and the habits we form can and will have a substantial impact on all areas of our lives, not least to mention the longevity of life itself. So stay tuned for our next discussion which will focus on the first of these 4 factors: diet - the things we put in our mouths. Wells’
12 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
into all the world As you may know, Bluewater has been connected with 3-Fold Ministries in particular and the country of Nicaragua in general over the past number of years. We have been excited to see God at work among that great people. Over the next number of issues of theFlow, we are going to review and highlight the past, present and future involvement of Bluewater in Nicaragua. This time, Laurie Christopher takes us back to 2006 and Bluewater’s first involvement in the country of Nicaragua: The country of Nicaragua is marked by breathtaking landscapes and a friendly resilient people. 48% of Nicaraguans however, live below the poverty line, and 80% live on less than $2 a day, the second lowest level of average annual earnings in the Western Hemisphere, and one of the highest degrees of income inequality in the world. More than 167,000 Nicaraguan children work to help support their families instead of attending school. 95% of all disabled children in the country receive no appropriate support. 1 of every 3 Nicaraguan children has some degree of malnutrition. In the winter of 2006, I had the opportunity to be part of a short-term mission team to Nicaragua; along with 9 wonderful ladies I now call my friends. This was not my first short term mission trip (I spent a summer in Ecuador in my youth) but I guess God knew I needed a refresher course as that upcoming year was not going to be an easy one for me.
A few short months following this trip, We lost our daughter, Mandi, in a terrible car accident – changing our lives forever. I believe that God put in my life for very good reason: the abandoned the abused the hungry the sick the disabled the addicted the beautiful…the people of Nicaragua.
From preparation to completion a short-term mission trip is something I wish everyone could experience. Like a co-op term in college or university, it is practical training for the life we will go on to live. In a culture where so many of us have an internal focus, short-term missions take us away from that, opening our eyes to the huge physical, emotional and spiritual needs of others in places far and very different from home. God is there. God is in the orphanages where the malnourished and infected children survive. God is in the scrap metal shacks where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has given birth to a handicapped child in a country where they are simply discarded. And, God is with us if we are with them.
The unforgettable boys from the rehab centre
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say “here I am”. A full life in the emptiest of places “If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other peoples sins, if you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight. I will always show you where to go. I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places… Isaiah 58:9-11 The Message Although we had spent a year preparing and collecting supplies, nothing prepared us for the love we would feel for the people (particularly the children) we met in Nicaragua. Materially, they have so little, and we have so much. Spiritually, they are so rich, and we seem so poor. We left with a deep desire to give more of ourselves and our resources for the needs of the world. We left with a desire to know God, the way some we met on this journey did. Renna - her face haunts me to this day
13 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
summer gardens This summer, through all the fun, heat and memories, God used a triangle piece of dirt to remind me that He can make His plans known. This summer the east parking lot went through a little “face lift”. The whole process started when, in the middle of May, a sweet friend came to me with a big idea. She wanted our church to plant a garden to be used to minister to our community. Right away I loved her passion but saw a few hills to climb. One, neither of us were gardeners with any great experience. Two, it was mid-May and often people had already opened their beds for the season. Three, we had no idea where this garden would be placed on the church property. And four, with our church property being so available to the public when walking around Wellington, if anything did grow we wondered if it would be vandalized or stolen before we noticed it. With all this in mind we chose to prayerfully consider this process while hoping that God would help us climb these hills. Just as most big plans go, you often start later then you thought. Before we knew it we were into mid-June with the goahead to plant. After careful thought we chose the triangle piece of grass in the middle of the east parking lot because it was already a perfect bed and those who faithfully cut our grass in the summer expressed no complaints if they didn’t have to maintain it any longer! The question now was how to turn this lawn into a garden – and fast! During this phase, God started reminding us that we might have thought we started this idea but He was determining our steps. A faithful man, with a servant’s heart, from o u r church offered to break up the land by hand and pick out the grass as we had agreed not to use chemicals. And as he began to break soil another man came by saying that he had a till he would offer to use for this soil and that he felt God was telling him to help in this garden. "The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps" Proverbs 16:9 (ESV). Now with the soil ready we hurried to Degroots nursery to see what might still be available for planting. One nice thing about trying a project of this nature so late in the planting season is almost everything was on sale. We were like kids in a toy store picking out seed packages not really sure what would take this summer.
With our seeds in hand we wondered in the long run and with people’s busy summer plans would we have enough people interested to keep this garden well watered and weeded. Again this is when God reminded us of His details in our “triangle garden”. The friend who started this idea had helpful co-workers who would commit to this project. We were very excited about their interest being that one in particular was not someone who was a believer. And a team of people from church and workers from city hall was formed to faithfully water and weed all summer long without missing a beat. It was in those Monday get togethers in particular that relationships started to form. The co-worker who is not a Christian got to hear the repetitive but truthful message from Panadamania that "God is wild about us." And in that spirit, the summer rolled on, when we wondered if we would see any "fruit from our labour". Amazingly, produce did come. It started with radishes which we often had the blessing of giving away to various people as they walked by the garden. We told them that we are doing what we can to show the community we care. Then came the beans, lettuce, and peppers which we were able to donate to our city's three major food banks. One night we offered the community to bring their extra produce and we were pleasantly surprised at the variety we received. Not only was God blessing us with "fruit" from our garden but also spiritual fruit from the connections being made. To celebrate recently, we had a corn roast open to the community with corn from our very own garden. It was a sweet summer night watching kids ride their bikes all over the parking lot and watching everyone digging into the freshest corn ever picked (since they got to go over and pick it themselves). IT was not a large number of people who showed up that night, but the sweet conversations had were more then memorable. And now as September is quickly upon us we are starting to gather in the last of our produce and hoping for the sunflowers to bloom as a flower ministry to those who might need some sunshine. God really reminded me and others this summer the beauty of obedience when you don't have every moment planned out. And how even though God does work in great ways, sometimes His great ways come in small moments that we will only see the full effect of in heaven. Lord willing, I look forward to what next year’s garden will bring. Daph
*Recommended read as you try to see your neighbourhood as a place to minister- "when helping Hurts: How to alleviate poverty with out hurting the poor and yourself" By Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert, Chicago:Moody Publishers, 2009.
14 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
JOIN US ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH AT 7:00 FOR OUR LAUNCH PARTY AS WE KICK OFF THE FALL IN STYLE! YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS GREAT NIGHT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! COME HEAR THE MUSICAL STYLINGS OF SINGING IMPRESSIONIST MATT GAUTHIER AND SHOW YOUR CULINARY MASTERY AT BLUEWATER’S SECOND ANNUAL SALSA-MAKING COMPETITION!
15 bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703
the final word – head lice Well, it’s been two months and there is still no sign of head lice in our home or at our school. When I say “at our school,” I mean I have no idea if any or all of the other students at school have head lice. And I don’t want to know. This is because getting head lice is like yawning. Once one kid does it, everyone follows suit. The common misconception about head lice is that they are spread by sharing hats. This is a blatant lie. Head lice spread from kid to kid by a variety of means, including thinking about them. In particular, thinking: “Man, I would hate for our children to get head lice.” They also seem to spread by petting the dog, wearing blue socks and sitting down. Once you have them, they are very easy to get rid of if you follow this Two Step Procedure: Burn down your house. Leave the country. Last year when we got the notice that head lice were “going around” in school, we did what every other parent would do in this situation. We looked at the date of the memo. It was already six weeks old! Teachers, for some reason, still believe that children will pass important documents from their backpacks to their parents, even though they (the teachers) have been with them (the students) all year and are fully aware that they have the memory of kumquats. It was my sister-in-law who first discovered them on our kids and let us know using the subtle, understated tone that adults use when they want to convey an important message without getting dramatic. “EEEEEK! I found one!” She then, in a non-panicky sort of way, herded all of HER kids into a different room and coated their heads with Ben-Gay. “Ha Ha!” she laughed when we found her. “No problem here! I routinely confine my kids to a dark room and oil their hair! It’s a game we play!” There is no way you can feel anything but terrible when your kids get head lice. “But I try to be a good mother!” moms will think to themselves. “Why isn’t that kid at school?” dads will wonder. Your first response will be to grab your child’s head (which, depending on how upset you are, may or may not still be attached to her body) and give it a thorough scrubbing. This will affect the lice in the same way that cleaning your son’s room will affect him. “Thank you!” they (the lice) will say in their inimitable insect way by wiggling their antennae, and then they’ll go back to their work, namely pumping out a thousand eggs a day and gluing them all to hair follicles. (If you had that many kids to keep track of, you would too!) This year, our strategy will be to avoid looking in our kids’ backpacks at all. Just to be safe, I’ll also be getting a jumbo pack of Ben Gay…
caption contest
John
from last issue: “Simon says: Put your plate on your head!” - Derek Provide your best caption for this picture. Email responses to theflow@bluewaterbaptist.ca or use the QR:
16 Thanks to everyone who contributed to theFlow! If you would like to submit written content for theFlow, or have pictures from events and happenings around the bluewater newsletter ● fall 2011 ● www.bluewaterbaptist.ca ● 1256 wellington st, sarnia ● 339-9703 church, please email theflow@bluewaterbaptist.ca.