Assembly 2016 Summary

CBOQ ASSEMBLY 2016

SUMMARY Dear CBOQ Family, What a wonderful few days this has been. Thank you for the friendship, the partnership and the encouragement you’ve offered to your fellow Canadian Baptists this week at CBOQ Assembly. It has been good to be together. I noticed during worship and especially in hallway conversations a true sense of God’s Spirit flowing through. As conduits of that Spirit, you have been used by God this week to fan the flame of Opportunity. Praise God for the doors that have been opened to us this week. I trust that God has laid on your heart specific doors you must walk through as the body of Christ in your community this coming year. We can’t wait to hear how God blesses your ministry efforts to reveal God’s kingdom where you live.

CBOQ. Though not always the most inspiring time we spend together, it certainly is necessary and required of us as we continue to gather under the banner of CBOQ. Your faithfulness to the business decisions allow us to continue in our mission to empower and equip churches and leaders.

Keep us posted on how we can walk with your church, your association or with a group of ministry specific leaders to provide support and resources.

forward to your church’s decision on a deeper partnership with CBOQ. I look forward to seeing you along the way. Finding you doing ministry and mission in your community as I pass through has been a true highlight of my life and ministry. Keep up the great Gospel work!

Whether you were at Assembly this year, or whether you weren’t able to attend, we sure hope to see you next year at Assembly, June 8-10, 2017.

Your presence here signals to us that you are committed to this relation- Many blessings, ship with CBOQ. We are so thankful for the opportunity to partner with your church in the work we accomplish together. Most importantly, we are so grateful for those of your Tim McCoy churches who have committed to Executive Minister, CBOQ For those of you who serve as dele- pray for CBOQ over the course of gates, thank you for playing your part the year. Your prayers are welcomed in carrying out the business of the and needed. Thank you. We look

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THURSDAY

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ssembly began on Thursday with worship led by Glen Soderholm. We raised our voices together, preparing our minds and hearts for the day ahead.

We listened to Donna Chapman, outgoing board president, share her opening thoughts about her experience as board president.

We welcomed four new churches: Wismer Baptist Church, Cornerstone Asian Church, Joshua Ministries and We Share Vision Community Church into our family and 23 new and newly transferred ordinands into our midst.

We are excited to see what God does through these faith families and leaders.

During the board report, Donna Chapman, and Tim McCoy, CBOQ’s Executive Minister, took turns taking questions from the floor, showing evidence both of our engaged and active delegates and our commitment to working together.

Our Director of Finance and Administration, Peris Kamotho, shared with us some of the challenges and opportunities that CBOQ is facing financially in the days ahead, as well as our successful audit results. We continue to work to be good stewards of our covenant givings.

FRIDAY The morning commenced with presentations from our CBOQ directors. Melody Currier, Director of Operations and Membership talked about our covenant relationship with our churches and our commitments with our time, talent and treasure. She encouraged our family of churches to continue in their commitment to give to CBOQ and to let us know what challenges they may face. She encouraged our church families to share their volunteer time and abilities to help make us better so that we can serve our family of churches better.

In the Thursday evening session, Tim interviewed Jim Sanderson of Mimico Baptist Church and Leanne Friesen of Mount Hamilton Baptist Church about what open doors they are walking through. He then shared about the resurrection of Christ from John 20:1-8 and the race to the tomb. He challenged us to imagine a ourselves running to support our churches, or sprinting to share the Gospel with their neighbours.

Dallas Friesen, Director of Congregational Development, Tim finished with this: “The open shared his love for the church: “There door of the empty tomb is all the has never been a better time to be a motivation required to share the part of this family of churches.” He good news of the Gospel through let us know about the different types word and deed where you are.” of churches - flourishing, faithful and adrift. He challenged us to think After Tim’s talk, we shared about what a church’s (audacious) together in the Lord’s Supper led next step needs to be. He encouraged

by Brian Craig, CBOQ’s Director us to seek transformation and of Leadership Development.

reminded our churches that they are the unique resources for their communities. Dallas also reminded us about the opportunity to receive grant funding for mission. He believes we are uniquely positioned in our governance structure to network well and recognize our opportunities to serve those who are in our “giant sandbox” of Ontario and Quebec. He also shared with us about opportunities to church plant and let us know about some of the people who are working in that area.

Peris Kamotho, Director of Finance and Administration, shared valuable and important information about the support CBOQ offers to its churches to ensure that they meet their obligations with the CRA. She reminded us that financial stewardship is an important part of mission, and that it is only through our ability to meet those obligations that we can continue to operate as charitable organizations. She reminded our gathered community about resources like the upcoming treasurer’s workshop, the preretirement workshop (March 2017), and the certificate loan program.

Matt Wilkinson, Director of Next Generation Ministries, began his talk with a fist bump—totally unrelated to his talk. He asked us when we look around our churches, what is missing? Young people. Yet there’s no shortage of youth in the community. He reminded us that youth are looking for a place to belong. He encouraged us to act now to reach out to young people.

The Canadian Baptist Youth and Family Forum is youth and family leaders from across Canada that work

together to find ways to reach and disciple the next generation. They have generated the “Imaginative Hope Report,” which will be mailed out to churches in the fall. The report focuses on what needs to be done for Generation Z, the youth of today.

He also encouraged intergenerational ministry—the opportunity to connect the generations.

Brian Craig, Director of Leadership Development, talked about his experience of going through many years of pastoral files—some of the challenges that he faced, but also finding our greatest opportunity is in the profoundly human leaders we have woven together in this profoundly human family of churches. It’s also our greatest obstacle. But we are responding to some of these challenges by focusing on clergy care, specifically as we seek to replace Bill Norman, who is going into interim ministry. CBOQ is also offering a pastor and leader retreat opportunity through Reignite, which this year will feature Peter Scazzero, author of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. It’s an opportunity to deal with some of the huge challenges that face leaders— developing emotionally healthy leaders who can serve well in their churches.

CBOQ ASSEMBLY 2016 3 Our partner organization, CBM, interviewed Rupen Das who has served extensively overseas. He let us know about some of the incredible ways that God is using churches to show compassion and share the Gospel with refugees. We also heard about the incredible explosion of the church in China During the learning sessions, our leaders walked us through ideas on evangelism, culture and the changes that are happening in our churches.

They shared ideas on how to respond to these changes and turn them into opportunities to serve God and his people in new ways.

Our evening plenary began with worship with Glen Soderholm, bringing us new and familiar songs, including one co-written with Steve Bell—last Assembly’s worship leader.

Anna Robbins of Acadia University talked to us about what is happening in the church today. She suggested that we need not to live in fear, but rather we need to live like we actually believe what we say we believe. She encouraged us that if we do, we need to share it—that perfect love will drive out fear.

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that make us feel angry—change can do that. But she encouraged us to let go of that anger and walk through Saturday commenced with our small the doors that are open around us - in group learning sessions focusing on our communities, in our workplaces a broad spectrum of topics from and in our world. mental illness in the church to refugee sponsorship. Our session leaders Anna’s closing thought is this: “God received an enthusiastic response, has opened doors in front of us, and demonstrating our Baptist commit- he gives us all the resources we need ment to growing, learning and adapt- to minister on the other side – we just need to walk through.” ing to our changing culture.

SATURDAY

After the learning sessions, we regrouped for the last time as our one big family to worship together. The sound of so many voices together, praising the same God is always uplifting and inspiring.

And with that, Murray Kohler, our new board president gave the benediction.

We hope that you had a wonderful and enriching time and Assembly 2016. Next year’s Assembly will be Anna Robbins joined us again for a on June 8-10, 2017. We want to see session on anger management. She you all there! suggested that there may be things

THE DOORWAY Our Assembly guests were asked a series of three questions: • How is God already working in your church? In your community?

• What is the biggest challenge you face in your church as you look for ways to partner in his work?

• What is one thing you’re going to do when you get back to your church to encourage them to participate in what God is doing?

This year at Assembly we did some- Participants were asked to write thing a little different—we made art to- their responses on cards and hang gether. Working with Sharon Tiessen, them on the doorway. Together we 5 International Blvd piece, covered in created the final a local artist and Canadian Baptist, Etobicoke, ON of M9W our stories our6H3 churches, our we created an interactive art piece hopes for their futures and our comthat we called “The Doorway.” mitment to make them stronger.

5 International Blvd Etobicoke, ON M9W 6H3