live A Baptist resource for women on a mission September - October 2019 · $3.50
EXPERIENCE THE GOODNESS OF GOD MAY I HAVE A WITNESS?
Taste and see that the Lord is good (p3)
A THANKSGIVING FAST/FEAST
Fast from Gossip/Feast on Kindness (p14)
INFORMAL PERSISTENCE
Prayer Walking in Lindsay (p12)
live in this issue FEATURES CONNECT TO GOD 3 May I Have A Witness? “Taste and see that the Lord is good” 4 Sharing God’s Goodness with Others 5 Recipe: Chicken Bulgogi 6 An Ever-Rolling Stream Waiting for milk and honey 8 A Memory of Goodness Witnessing God at work BIBLE STUDY 10 Chosen - Holy - Called The goodness of God
COLUMNS/RESOURCES connect to MISSION 12 Informal Persistence Declaring God’s goodness street by street 13 Learn. Walk. Pray. A prayer walking event for Baptist Women 14 A Thanksgiving Fast and Feast: Fast from Gossip | Feast on Kindness 16 Enlarging Our Tents Declaring God’s goodness over our sisters 16 A Window on Africa 17 Breaking the Silence Rape survivors in the DRC find restoration and healing 19 Great Canadian Bible Study 2020 19 In Good Company - STM Opportunity 21 One Female Clergy’s Call to Ministry 22 Sharing Good News connect to others 23 A History Moment 23 We Remember 23 #GivingTuesday 2019 Cover photo: Unsplash.com/LouiseLyshoj
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cONNECTING Contemporary songwriter and worship leader Israel Houghton’s most popular hymn must be Lord You Are Good. It became one of those songs that every worship leader in the ‘90s and early 2000s had baked into her repertoire. I had. However I never sang the bridge if I could help it: “You are good. All the time. All the time. You are good.” All the time? To sing that felt like a betrayal; a minimizing of the collective suffering that the vulnerable around the world endure. To sing that bridge would diminish my own pain. One year, Baptist Women staff read Pursuing God’s Will Together: A Discernment Practice for Leadership Groups by Ruth Haley Barton. Do you believe that God is good . . . to you? Barton asks readers this fundamental question as she lays the groundwork for true spiritual discernment and leadership. As I wrestled with the lightning-bolt revelation that I didn’t believe God was good to me, something shifted in my soul. If I didn’t believe God had ever been good to me—then what good was my faith? “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NIV) What a description of God’s goodness! When I read that verse, I lay down the scales of judgment I carry around with me—the ones with which I weigh God’s every action and answer; His inaction and silence. Instead, I reflect on His character; on eternity; on the rightness of how He’s moved in my circumstances; on the new heaven and earth He’s readying all of us to claim. I sing the bridge now. RJ
VOLUME 92, NUMBER 5
live (formerly The Link & Visitor) began as The Canadian Missionary Link (1878) and Baptist Visitor (1890). Published bi-monthly by Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec 5 International Blvd., Etobicoke, ON M9W 6H3 416-620-2954 Fax 416-622-2308 bwoq@baptist.ca baptistwomen.com Executive director Diane McBeth Editor and communications director Renée James 416-651-8967 rsejames@gmail.com Art director Donna Lee Pancorvo of GEPM Group Inc. (gepmgroup.com) Contributors Nicolette Beharie, Linda Ellsworth, Audrey Hammond, Lis Cristina Lam, Kathy Root Parr, Sandi Smoker, Morgan Wolf Circulation and subscriptions Subscriptions 416-620-2954 live@baptist.ca Subscriptions Individual: $20* (direct or through promoters) US & overseas: $39 All currency in $C unless otherwise noted. The publication of comments, opinions or advertising does not necessarily imply CBWOQ agreement or endorsement. All material is copyrighted and may not be reproduced in print or on websites without permission. Advertising inquiries and freelance submissions should be addressed to the editor. Member, Canadian Church Press. ISSN 2293-5096. Canada Post Customer Number 1008592. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada for our publishing activities. *includes HST
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May I Have A Witness? “Taste and see that the Lord is good”
When I was a little girl, my Halmoni, my Korean grandmother, roasted sweet potatoes in the oven. She always managed to find the sweetest, smallest ones, then she’d bake them straight on the racks, in their skins, until they were soft and piping hot. I remember the way she’d pull them out, one by one, and how we’d sit on the floor, Korean-style, to eat them. First, we peeled back the skin, little by little. Then we’d cautiously nibble, while curls of steam rose from each bite. We’d sit and eat, in contented silence, while rain pattered softly on the windows outside. I spent most of my days in Halmoni’s kitchen this way. I sat on the kitchen counter, a careful observer and watched her cook everything. Sometimes I’d help. Simple tasks that made me feel so grown up: measuring the rice or whisking eggs or washing the vegetables. On matters of food, Halmoni took my opinion very seriously. For Koreans, the ability to taste is an important part of being a good cook. When I liked something, she took it as proof that I had a good palate. When I didn’t like something, she’d brag to others, “Even my Lis knows it doesn’t taste right.” My Halmoni told me: “You know how to taste so that means you’re going to be a good cook.” I was only 7 years old, but I believed her.
Growing up in a mostly white town, I knew what it meant to be an outsider, to not fit in. I spoke a different language. I didn’t dress like everybody else or eat the same food. I didn’t look like anyone, either. But with Halmoni, I belonged. I wasn’t strange. I wasn’t too strong or too much. And I certainly didn’t need to tone it down—not with her, anyway. No, in her kitchen, I experienced the goodness of God. Halmoni’s food nourished me, body and soul. She delighted in making my favourite foods. She rejoiced over my presence in the kitchen. And through her
by Lis Cristina Lam Lis is an award-winning food blogger. The recipe on page 5 is from her blog, The Subversive Table.
©TheSubversiveTable.com
Photos: Lis Cristina Lam
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loving care, I dared to believe in a God that could delight and rejoice in me in the same way. In her kitchen, I learned what the Psalmist meant when he said, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8, NIV) When Halmoni invited me into her kitchen, she also mirrored the great love of God who called His people to co-create with Him. God did not make a world fully made and completely finished. He provided the raw materials and invited humans to make and create alongside Him. We are not meant to only consume; we are made to create. I learned the joy of creation in Halmoni’s kitchen.
We are not meant to only consume Not surprisingly, Jesus chose a meal to be the defining practice of God’s people. On the eve of His betrayal, Jesus asked His disciples to remember Him over a meal. And His disciples responded with practices that defined the early church: communal meals that broke down barriers and made space for the outsider; love feasts that welcomed everyone, regardless of status, rank or hierarchy. Cooking and eating are deeply spiritual acts that bring us closer to God and to each other. We share a meal and participate in life in the Trinity. We cook and engage in purposeful meaning-making. Life over and around the table, with Christ as our host, is how God wants us to live. We eat and taste the goodness of God.
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Sharing God’s Goodness With Others We stand before a burning bush whenever other human beings share with us something of their relationship with God or something of the movements of their hearts. In such moments may we always realize that we stand on holy ground. ~ Margaret Silf Baptist Women’s Soul Sisters 1 and 2 help you and women in your church community to learn how to share your spiritual lives with one another and how to listen to God—together. Through a series of sessions, each program offers practical, Bible-based guidance to grow in peer spiritual direction—where you offer God’s goodness to others in response to their sharing. Holy ground indeed. Download both programs at baptistwomen.com and contact us if you’d like more information.
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Chicken Bulgogi aka Dak Bulgogi A recipe to warm your ladies’ gathering on a crisp fall evening Sweet, salty, garlicky bites of chicken with charred, crispy little bits on the edges—if you haven’t made Chicken Bulgogi a dinnertime staple, then it’s time to get started! Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1” long pieces (about 8-10 thighs, depending on size) Marinade: ¼ cup soy sauce (not the low-sodium kind) ¼ cup sugar 2 Tbsp Mirin or rice wine 2 tsps sesame oil 1 small onion, thinly sliced 3 green onions, chopped (save some for garnish) 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 inch fresh ginger, minced
©TheSubversiveTable.com
Ssam Sauce (optional): ¼ cup doenjang (Korean fermented bean paste, similar to miso paste) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp Mirin (sweet cooking wine) 1 Tbsp sesame oil 2 tsp rice vinegar (you can substitute with white vinegar) 1 tsp gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste) 1 tsp sugar You will find doenjang and gochujang at Korean grocery stores such as H Mart and Galleria or at Asian stores like T&T. You may also order them online from Amazon. You may substitute miso paste for doenjang.
Instructions: 1. Combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces and mix thoroughly until well combined. 2. Marinate at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight. If cooking immediately, let stand at room temperature. 3. If making the ssam sauce, mix ingredients for ssam sauce in bowl. Set aside. 4. Heat a cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral cooking oil. Add chicken pieces in batches. DO NOT OVERCROWD THE PAN. 5. Cook chicken until nicely browned on one side, about 3-5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until done, another 3-5 minutes. The chicken should be browned and crispy looking on the edges. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat process. 6. Loosely cover with foil while you cook the remaining chicken. When finished, garnish with reserved green onion. 7. Serve immediately as Korean BBQ with lettuce wraps, ssam sauce, and rice. Or, serve as an Asian fusion meal with rice and steamed vegetable of your choice. ©TheSubversiveTable.com live • September - October 2019
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I ‌ want to be in the sweet stuff already.
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An Ever-Rolling Stream Waiting for milk and honey
by Morgan Wolf Morgan is a writer from Calgary. She blogs about her faith and writing at anothergratuitousmdash.blogspot. ca. Morgan has just published her book, Altruism in Gophers. 6
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When I was a child my parents fought the good fight for Family Time. After supper while the mostly empty dishes sat unwashed and the mostly full water glasses sat sweating on the corner of each placemat, my mom would pull out the increasingly dog-eared copy of the One Year Bible and embark on the daily reading. We were soon behind the prescribed day and one year eventually stretched to five as we slowed to a plod through Numbers and Deuteronomy and my siblings and I grew languid in our chairs as so-and-so begat such-and-such. I picked at the stray grains of
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rice that stuck to the blue quilted placemats my grandmother had made and listened with varying degrees of willingness. Some nights there was a lot of grumbling. Whether it was the Children of Israel or the children of David and Sylvia, it’s hard to say with much certainty. But it was during Family Time that I first became aware of God’s way with words; His power of
description. We were in Exodus and His promise to take the Israelites into a land flowing with milk and honey caught my attention. I wasn’t a literally-minded child, so I didn’t imagine rivers of sticky gold flowing down from the hills of Canaan or milk bursting forth in a geyser of rich abundance. But it did arrest my imagination, this phrase—a land flowing with milk and honey—and I let it roll around on my tongue like dessert. The goodness of God is like milk and honey. Unexpectedly rich, delectably sweet; ingredients hidden in everything. But neither milk nor honey come without time and effort. They are both the product of creation fulfilling its purpose in time to the glory of God. Milk is rich and nourishing. Honey is sweet and potent. It’s a strange and beautiful pitch, “flowing with milk and honey,”God’s own description of His intended goodness to His people. This goodness of God’s is flowing everywhere—is always being made in unexpected pockets all over my life—if I have eyes to perceive it. If I keep my vision clear through humility and thankfulness. If I’m not watching that metaphorical clock with the mocking expression on its face and silently accusing God of abandonment. It is in the waiting that God’s goodness becomes rich and sweet. Where it is made memorable and sustaining instead of quickly consumed and quickly forgotten. Time is essential for
refining my focus, for revealing what needs to be treated; for making honey sweet and milk rich in nourishment. It was the passage of time that made a word from an abashed stranger—who sheepishly approached to tell me that God wanted me to know that my unravelled engagement was not a waste—a nourishing balm to my wounded thoughts. God saw the whole picture painted in years and He said that those years and that picture had not been a waste. The sweetness of that message lingers still through the revolving seasons of a life that didn’t unfold as planned. God allows time to compound His goodness; intensifying it to an unfathomable sweetness that can only be tasted at the kairos of His will. Such as when my staunchly atheist grandfather suddenly proclaimed the power of the cross from his deathbed to the utter astonishment of all. Generations had prayed for his salvation—from his own aged father on his knees beside his own hospital bed pleading for the soul of his son, to his great grandchildren praying unprompted for Great Grandpa Wolf to love Jesus—milk and honey made sweet and precious in the making, flowing over a century of yearning prayer for one self-made man who was unmade by his Saviour in the twilight weeks of his earthly life. God’s goodness is so much better than anything I could dream up. Moments so sweet and rich live • September - October 2019
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A Memory of Goodness Witnessing God at work
Temperatures climbed as we drove east from Beirut to the Bekka Valley that mid-February day. Steep hills and narrow roadways led us away from the seacoast, the sun peeking over the Levante horizon as we travelled toward an everyday town where a small church offered aid to the steady stream of refugees fleeing Syria. The church of 50 people had ceased all programs, redirecting funds and energy to boxing up blankets, non-perishable food, and baby needs for families fleeing the conflict. Bibles sat stacked on the side table for the taking and all recipients were invited to attend the service afterward. We arrived on
by Sandi Smoker
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Sandi is the former president of Women in Focus (the women’s ministry arm of Canadian Baptists of Western Canada). She volunteers as a counsellor and course facilitator at South Island Centre for Counselling and Training in Victoria, BC. Sandi travelled to Lebanon as part of a five-day trip with Canadian Baptist Ministries in 2013.
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“Shokran, Isa!”
a Sunday morning with a mandate to report back to Canadian Baptist Ministries’ board of directors, intending to advocate for partnership and further funding. Standing in the hallway, I leaned against the wall, attempting to keep out of the way. Our instructions were to observe only. I remember the long line of women, men and children. I remember the crisp cardboard boxes, laden with goods and the excitement of little ones, eager to explore the contents. The men made no eye contact. A woman, five or six months pregnant, took my hand and nodded in thanks. I felt quite undeserving. Once boxes were distributed, we slipped into an anteroom off the sanctuary to await the service. Gradually, the room filled with congregants and refugees. Everyone sat in chairs facing front—not the usual posture of worship for our new Muslim friends. The music began. “Hallelujah, hallelujah,” we sang in Arabic. As the pastor preached, I recalled my Middle Eastern history, remembering that within a generation, during the
Syrian invasion of Lebanon, many loved ones of these very congregants had been lost in violent altercations. The pastor talked about Jesus, Isa, who comes to reconcile, to forgive and restore all people to God. One man stood to pray. “Shokran!” he repeated emphatically. I knew the word from shopping at the market. Thank you. His sermon prompted me to remember something Bosnian prisoner of war, Miroslav Volf, said, “Memory is central to who we are and how we live… we have a moral obligation to remember truthfully, as an act of justice to the victim and to the perpetrator—as a start in the process toward reconciliation.” A redeemed memory does not gloss over wrongs done, but speaks truthfully about them, neither embellishing nor denying them. The pain of the Syrian-Lebanese war stood forefront in the minds of many in the room that day, as was the memory of who Jesus is and what He has done for the freedom of all. God’s good Spirit reminded me of the generous grace I have received in my life and the essential
posture of forgiveness in which I now stand. Toward the end of the sermon, the tears came. Gently at first, the women, heads bent, shoulders shaking, wept quietly. Then, weeping consumed us all. Weeping and joy. It is no small thing to witness the Spirit of God at work. For me, it is evidenced in God’s goodness. Despite my inability to believe or keep strict adherence to the narrow path, He causes the rain to fall on me too. Despite my secular mindset, the ways I syncretize my faith with my culture at times, confusing the latter for gospel, He offers me sleep and rest. Despite my pharisaical perfectionism, my inappropriate judgements and unkind words, He places me in a small church in east Lebanon so I might witness His love for people who were once notorious enemies. I felt that love as I received His presence in the woman who took my hand and thanked me. A redeemed memory recalls the pain and the injustice, yes. It also recalls God’s goodness, even in the Bekka Valley. Shokran, Isa!
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CHOSEN - HOLY- CALLED The goodness of God “Teach me Your way O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies . . . I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13 What would you answer, if I were to ask you to define in one to five words what “the goodness of God” means to you?
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by Linda Ellsworth Linda is the member care coordinator for Christian Camping International, Canada. 10 live • September - October 2019
READ Isaiah 48:1-8 A picture of humanity outside of God’s goodness Describe the state of the people of Israel as God speaks to them through Isaiah: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Three characteristics are highlighted. How might we be demonstrating these negative traits in our lives today? Stubbornness _______________ Idolatry ____________________ Sin/treachery _______________
_________________________ _________________________
READ Isaiah 48:9-11 The basis of God’s goodness Why does God refrain from pouring out on Israel (or on us!) all of His fury for our rebellious and sinful ways? _________________________ _________________________ _________________________
READ 49: 8-16 The precious promises of Father and Son: Restoration List five promises that you can take from this section of Scripture and apply to your heart’s situation: 1 ________________________ _________________________ 2 ________________________ _________________________ 3 ________________________ _________________________ 4 ________________________ _________________________ 5 ________________________ _________________________
READ 48:12-22 The yearning heart of the Father Describe what God says: a) About Himself _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ b) About His People _________________________
READ Psalm 49: 1-7 The song of the Redeemer In this beautiful song of prophesy and promise, our good God reveals His eternal plan of salvation through the coming Messiah, spoken by the Saviour Himself! Note every phrase that rings a note of beauty and hope within your heart as you read these verses: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________
READ Jeremiah 29:11-14a Although God, through Jeremiah,
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is making this promise to the children of Israel carried away into 70 years of captivity in Babylon, this restorative promise is just as applicable to His children today! Vs. 11: God’s heart’s desire for us? _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Vs. 12: Our response to Him? _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Vs. 12: His response to us? _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Vs. 13: Action required? _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Vs. 13, 14: Result? _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ As we respond to the goodness of our Father, we will experience: • Increasing restlessness for the Holiness of God • Increasing dissatisfaction with the world • Increasing satisfaction with all that God gives of Himself and His bounty Finally, as we live in daily awareness of the goodness of God, we will begin to understand and dwell in the reciprocal truths found in Matthew 5. READ Matthew 5:2-12 The Goodness of God lived out Many translations refer to the
word Blessed as happy. As you read through these verses, keep in mind that “happiness” is a fleeting emotion, whereas “joy” is a deep, lasting state of inner being. As we incorporate into daily living the be-attitudes, we will indeed by joy-filled with the goodness of God! Vs. 3 – As we learn to live in a humble, “beggarly” attitude, we are blessed to receive ____________ Vs. 4 – As we are shattered by life around us, we will be __________ Vs. 5 – As we are gently humbled by a loving Father, we will _______ Vs. 6 – As we develop a vigorous appetite for the things of God, we will _________________________ Vs. 7 – As we consistently demonstrate mercy and forgiveness, we will _______________________ Vs. 8 – As we pursue the purity of the Father’s heart, we will _________________________ Vs. 9 – As we activate peace in every situation, we receive the “positional honour” of ________________ Vs. 10-12 – As we suffer persecution, rejection and false accusations because of our faithful living out of the righteousness of the Spirit of God living through us, we will _______________________ READ Psalm 27 This cry of David is such an encouraging picture of the love and faithfulness of the Father. Before we move on from Psalm 27, please consider the following excerpts by J.M. Campbell from the Study Light Bible Commentaries. God is good!
I. God’s goodness is often a matter of faith rather than of sight. A good purpose of His often takes time to ripen. Sometimes it is long before it even appears above ground . . . Faith in God implies faith in good. The word “God” is “good.” God is not God except He be good. But it is easier to believe this as an abstract fact than in its practical applications; for there are times when we cannot see the goodness of the Lord. II. Faith awakens Fortitude. It gives strength of heart and hope; inspires courage; lights the eye; nerves the impotent arm; plucks victory from defeat. III. Faith leads to Fidelity. Those who are full of faith are characterized by faithfulness; they can be depended upon to do their duty, for they have an abiding principle of obedience within their hearts. So long as we are in the world we must needs battle against adverse circumstances, but let us see to it that over against every evil we put the Heaven-provided antidote; that over against worldly trouble we put Divine comfort; that over against painful discipline we put the Divine purpose; that over against the world’s sin we put the world’s Saviour. (J. M. Campbell.) ht tps: //w w w.studylight.org/ commentaries/tbi/psalms-27. html#13
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Informal Persistence Declaring God’s goodness street by street When Rev. Laurie Taylor arrived at Bethel Evangelical Missionary Church in 1982 to begin his calling as youth and music pastor, the youth group was small (four) yet mighty in its desire to grow in faith and numbers. Laurie listened. He began to offer activities that appealed. Soon the numbers grew to 20. Even so, he, and the youth, knew there was more. “What can we do now?” they kept asking him over and over. He floated the idea of doing prayer walks. “I just suggested to them the possibility that they could pray for their friends who weren’t part of youth group; for the kids who lived next door to them who weren’t affiliated with any church; for their neighbours,” he remembers. They would go out in groups of four, walk down one side of their street, stop for a moment at each house, name their neighbours and ask God to do something special. Then they’d walk down the other side of the street, stopping and praying quietly in front of each house. “Pray that God would open 12 live • September - October 2019
doors in that house so that they could hear about Jesus,” he told them. Even more important, he taught the youth not only to pray simply (just be you) but to be ready and prepared for God’s answer. “So often we pray, yet we’re not ready for God’s answer. And so we miss what we’re to do next.” Simple authentic prayers. Regular prayer walks twice a week. Informal sharing. Those 20 or so youth began prayer walking their neighbourhoods twice a week, gathering every Wednesday during youth group to share about what they’d experienced during their walks that week. Try a prayer walk this fall. Invite a woman from your group and join the free prayer walking training and experience happening at Heron Park Baptist Church, Scarborough on Saturday October 26. Learn more at baptistwomen.com/events
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Church impact It got to the point that the youth group had 28 young people going out on prayer walks. “One of the great joys for them was to see 20 new young people come into the group over a three month period,” remembers Rev. Taylor. Many of them had just joined their friends on their prayer walks . . . and continued their involvement. Parents began to get involved: their kids were prayer walking twice a week! The young adults began their own prayer walking groups. The Sunday School teachers took an avid interest. Adults prayer walked. Soon the Wednesday night debriefing became a monthly gathering where all the groups gathered at the church to share about what was happening on their walks. Amazing stories were shared . . . from people coming to Christ, healings and people getting work. Community impact About a year and a half after the youth started their regular prayer walks, people who didn’t go to Bethel Community Church started coming. They shared that they didn’t know why they’d showed up; they’d just seen the groups regularly walking and praying through the neighbourhood and stopping at their house to pray. Indeed. Those young adults who’d begun prayer walking began to pray for the other ministries in the church. A vibrant prayer ministry—intercessory prayer—seeped into Sunday morning services as leadership began to pray for those who wanted healing. People began coming to the church because they knew the church was praying. And all of this came out of a small band of youth persistently asking their youth pastor, who listened well. “What can we do?” RJ, with files from Pastor Laurie Taylor
LEARN. WALK. PRAY. A time of equipping and prayer walking hosted by Baptist Women When: Saturday October 26 Where: Heron Park Baptist Church, 4260 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough Time: 9 a.m. - noon Cost: FREE • Hear retired CBM field staff Cathie Philips share how prayer walking made a difference in the community outreach at Heron Park Baptist Church. • Learn the how-tos of prayer walking. • Do an actual prayer walk or drive (or stay and pray for those walking). • Pray for your church and neighbourhood in small groups. • Leave with prayer walk guides and information about Baptist Women’s Prayer Network. All Baptist women are invited to this one-time free training event! You don’t need to be fully mobile to come and pray! Interested? Mark the date and register online at baptistwomen.com/events or call Renée James at 416-651-8967.
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A Thanksgiving Fast and Feast Fast from Gossip—Feast on Kindness Gossip is one of our most widely shared—and often, most unconscious—addictions. (Gossip allegedly comprises 80 per cent of our daily conversations.) If you were to spend a day noticing how you talk about other people, you might begin to recognize a slightly compulsive quality in your desire to share their news. As Christians, we often hide our habit of gossiping under the guise of seeking intercessory prayer. There’s a real danger in the gossip we spread about others, no more so than when we pretend it’s not gossip simply because we end our sharing with, “We should pray for them.” How do we know whether we’re simply having a conversation over coffee or sharing gossip? • Do we have permission to share that person’s story and ask for prayer on their behalf? • Would we be embarrassed to repeat what we say in front of that person? • Is what we’re sharing going to diminish the reputation of the person about whom we are sharing?
Some definitions of gossip • conversation or reports about other people’s private lives that might be unkind, disapproving or not true. (Cambridge English Dictionary) • rumour or report of an intimate nature | a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others | a chatty talk (Merriam-Webster)
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As we prepare to thank God for all that He’s done for us on Thanksgiving Weekend, join us from Monday, October 7 until Friday, October 11 for five days of fasting from gossip and feasting on kindness. Not gossiping means we create the space to have positive conversations. And perhaps . . . to pray. Why fasting and feasting at the same time? When we fast we move away from food (or whatever we’ve chosen to give up) and we move toward God. Fasting grows us in grace. Feasting is Christian life at its best—an embracing of God’s loving presence every second of our lives. In fact, with the Spirit’s help, we can combine fasting and feasting with great results . . . • fast from negative talk and feast on kind words • fast from holding grudges and feast on forgiveness • fast from self-righteousness and feast on helping those who are struggling.
Do you fast? Let the ears fast by not listening to evil talk and gossip. For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes, but bite and devour our brothers and sisters? (St. John Chrysostom).
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Fast from Gossip—Feast on Kindness PRAYER PROMPTS THE PLAN Pray. Does God want you to join this fast? Ask other women at church if they’d like to join. Mark your calendar. Monday, October 7 until Friday, October 12 Fast. Do not share any details that another may have shared with you whether in confidence or not, with another person. Reflect and pray using the fast prayer prompt. Feast. When you feel the urge to share, pray for that person instead. Use the feast prayer prompt. MONDAY Fast: “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? (Matthew 7:3-5, NLT) Feast: Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self . . . Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others . . . Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, MSG) TUESDAY Fast: A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. (Proverbs 16:28, NIV) Feast: Lord, guard my mouth. Keep watch over the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3, NiRV) WEDNESDAY Fast: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it
may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29, NIV) Feast: Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6, NIV) THURSDAY Fast: So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. (1 Peter 2:1, ESV) Feast: Lord, who dares to dwell with you? Who presumes the privilege of being close to you, living next to you in your shining place of glory? Who are those who daily dwell in the life of the Holy Spirit? They are passionate and wholehearted, always sincere and always speaking the truth— for their hearts are trustworthy. They refuse to slander or insult others; they’ll never listen to gossip or rumors, nor would they ever harm another with their words. (Psalm 15:1-3, TPT) FRIDAY Fast: Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. (James 1:26, NIV) Feast: Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. (Romans 12:11-12, MSG) Some material sourced from flowingfaith.com, www. jellytelly.com, khanya.wordpress.com
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enlarging our tents Declaring God’s goodness over our sisters
monday, november 4, 2019 New Ideas for Your Day of Prayer Download the program and guide from bwawd.org. You’ll also find a remittance form at baptistwomen.com/events/ day-of-prayer
• Join the BWA Facebook Live 24-hour vigil—women praying before and after you as the world turns. • Gather women and do the five-day fast and feast (pages 14-15). End with prayers from the traditional program guide. • Prayer walk or drive. Come out to the Baptist Women prayer walk training (page 13). • Join a prayer conference call with Baptist Women of North America (BWNA). Visit bwna.today for more information • Use parts of the traditional BWA-WD program, written by the Caribbean Baptist Women’s Union. • Host an interactive prayer room with maps of each continent. The traditional program includes requests for each continent.
A Window on Africa Prayers on behalf of Baptist Women’s prayer partners . . . the Baptist Women’s Union of Africa (BWUA) These prayers were taken from the 2019 Day of Prayer guide.
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• Pray that Baptist women will live filled with strength and faith to share Jesus’ love and forgiveness in their communities with their family, their friends, their colleagues, their neighbours, their enemies, as well as with people of other cultures and other languages. • Pray for love, peace, reconciliation, healing and restoration in our troubled nations. • Pray for government officials and chieftanship that God will direct their thoughts, their decisions and their actions. May God bring beside them godly counselors that influence them wisely. Pray that they will make relevant decisions for the economic growth to alleviate poverty and raise up women and men with great self-esteem. • Pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers into the harvest. Ask God to raise up missionaries so that we will see a great awakening happen across Africa as we go and make disciples. • Pray that Unions/Conventions will explore how to send home and cross-cultural missionaries and equally to strategize how to be more effective in choosing candidates and strategies.
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Breaking the Silence Rape survivors in the DRC find restoration and healing
by Nicolette Beharie
Anizia can remember a time when despair and hopelessness consumed her life. She lives in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where many women are at risk of sexual violence due to ongoing conflict. When Anizia’s husband learned that she had been raped, he abandoned their family. With five children and no source of income, the 32-year-old mother struggled to find food and was forced to live in extreme poverty. Today, Anizia benefits from CBM’s community integration project for women who are victims of sexual and gender-based violence in the DRC. Through the project, she received counselling, medical assistance and training on income-generating activities. Anizia now sells charcoal, tomatoes, vegetable oil and other household items to earn a living in her rural community. Since 2011, CBM has been partnering with the Baptist Church in Central Africa (CBCA) to help rehabilitate rape survivors in the DRC and raise
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awareness about the consequences of gender-based violence. This year, the Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec is supporting this project as part of its Strategic Giving initiative. Decades of conflict and political unrest have taken a high toll on those living in the DRC—especially women and children. In the eastern region, which is rich in natural resources, armed groups continue to use sexual violence to enforce control. Women and young girls are often subjected to gang rape and sexual slavery. In rural areas, perpetrators target women and girls on their way to school, or while collecting water or firewood. Although CBM’s project was first launched as an emergency relief initiative, it is now a part of CBM’s long-term development work in the region. Judy Webb, CBM’s Team Lead of International Programs, says the project addresses the larger societal issues that lead to sexual violence, including how women and girls are valued. “Rape, or sexual violence in general, continues to be a reality within the DRC and many communities,” she says. “So there will always be new survivors who will need to be supported . . . It’s an ongoing issue within society.” Through community awareness events, biblical training and family mediation, staff and volunteers work to break down perceptions that devalue women. These interventions are designed to prevent gender-based violence and remove the stigma associated with rape survivors. In this conflict-affected region, many women are ashamed to report cases of rape
CBM
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because they fear stigmatization and reprisals from their perpetrators. As a result, women suffer in silence and fail to access the medical and psychological support they need. Information from the CBCA suggests that stigmatizing rape survivors can also influence future generations: “When women survivors of sexual violence get pregnant, they are often marginalized by their husbands and even their own relatives who regard them as prostitutes—even though they get assaulted while collecting firewood or food for the whole family. Also, children born out of rape are often regarded as causes of curse. As a result, the number of street children keeps increasing, and when they get older, they are easy prey for recruitment in armed groups with false promises of a better life after war.” As the mother of two children born out of rape, Mawazo is grateful for the support she receives through CBM’s project. “When I was raped, I lost every hope in life and I no longer had my self-esteem,” says the 49-year-old mother. “Thanks to this project, I recovered my dignity and started working for the future and survival of my two children.” Mawazo benefits from a community field, where she applies modern agricultural techniques she learned through the project. In a group setting, women like Mawazo also learn how to start a small business or raise livestock. “These income-generating groups become the doorway to long-term sustainability for their families,” says Judy. According to UN Women, the United Nations’ entity dedicated to gender equality, research shows that child nutrition, health and education improve when more income is placed in the hands of women. “We hope that down the road our project will not be needed,” says Judy, “because communities will have been sufficiently sensitized, rape will not be prevalent to the extent that it is now, and families will live in a different kind of relationship than they have to today.” t Psychosocial assistants in a training session in Goma, DRC
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In Good Company An out-of-country opportunity to experience and declare God’s goodness Photo courtesy CBM
Great Canadian Bible Study 2020 Support an international project focused on vulnerable children in Bolivia Every year, Baptist women across Canada meet in small groups to do a pre-set Bible study that focuses on women from the Bible. Participants bring a small offering to support a joint project that lasts for three years. This year’s offerings will support the work of Canadian Baptist Ministries and their specific projects serving vulnerable children in Bolivia. How the project will work Most women’s groups pick a date in January but any date that works for you and your women will do. Invite women to gather around and mine the lessons that Jesus teaches us. Great things happen! 2020’s Bible Study: The Woman Who Was Known (Luke 7:36–50) “In this encounter found in the Gospel of Luke, we have three individuals who know some things about one another and make decisions on how they will act toward the others based on what they think they know,” writes study author Rev. Faye Reynolds. “The goal of this study is to learn better ways that we can see others with the eyes of Jesus, rather than our own set of values and pre-conceived ideals. “ The study also takes comfort in the realization that we are each fully known, deeply loved and mercifully forgiven by our Creator and our response of gratitude and worship will better enable us to extend that love to others.
What: A short-term mission trip to Bolivia and Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) with women from Women In Focus (Western Canada), Baptist Women (CBWOQ) and Atlantic Baptist Women When: July 15-27, 2020 (approximately) Estimated Cost: $5,000 per person (includes airfare, meals, accommodation) Join Baptist women from western and Atlantic Canada on this trip to Bolivia and Brazil. In Bolivia you’ll have a chance to serve and learn alongside CBM’s Bolivian partners. In Brazil you’ll attend the Baptist World Alliance Women’s Leadership Conference. https://bwawd.org/Rio-2020 More details to come.
You’ll find the guide and a collection form on our website at baptistwomen.com/resources. live • September - October 2019
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DECLARING THE GOODNESS OF GOD BAPTIST WOMEN'S CONFERENCE FRIDAY APRIL 24 SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2020 Mississauga Chinese Baptist Church registration $65 | lunch $15 Speaker Dr. TaNikka Sheppard, president - BWNA Worship Leader Temeka Williams But you are a chosen people. You are priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result you can show others the goodness of God, for he has called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)
www.baptistwomen.com
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One female Clergy’s Call to Ministry Kathy Root Parr The first in a series that celebrates the ministry of female clergy ordained by Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec. We hope each quick profile nudges you to consider God’s calling on your own life while inviting you to pray for theirs.
Tell us about how you experienced God’s call to be ordained. During the last year of my undergraduate degree, I attended a church retreat led by a professor from McMaster Divinity College. It was becoming acceptable for women to be fully accredited ministers—four women had already been ordained in our denomination—and he encouraged me to apply to seminary to further hone the skills that I and others recognized God had given me. It seemed the natural next step. I graduated with a Master of Divinity degree in 1985 and was invited to join the pastoral staff of Murray St. Baptist Church in Peterborough. I wasn’t seeking ordination. I was content to be a Christian Education Director but the church wanted me to pursue it and when someone I trusted said to me, “If these people see gifts for ministry in you and want to set you apart to do God’s work, who are you to say ‘No’?” I couldn’t argue with that. I was ordained in 1986.
Ordained in 1986, Kathy Root Parr has served on the pastoral staff of four Canadian Baptist churches in Ontario: Murray St., Peterborough (Assistant); Lorne Park, Mississauga (Associate); Aylmer, Ontario (Solo); Westview, London (Assistant Interim); and was Managing Director of Camp Hermosa. She is currently Assistant Director of Emmaus CARES (Childhood Abuse Recovery and Education Services) and a Group Leader of Road to HOPE, helping adult survivors of childhood trauma, abuse and neglect become free.
What was your process of responding to that call? The process is ongoing. Ordination is a high calling, full of responsibility. Responding to that call involves many things: resting in my own relationship with God; knowing myself and inviting God to mould me into the person He has in mind; continuing to educate myself and further hone my skills; getting to know and love the people I serve, encouraging them to embody the presence of God in their place; spending time with other clergy for mutual support and sharing in the work we do together in our wider church family. How has the Spirit kneaded holiness into your ministry? God makes us holy because God wants us to be with Him. My job is to accept that with a grateful heart, allow God’s Spirit to work in my life, be gentle with myself and forgiving, and teach that to others through my words, actions and attitudes. I encourage people to stop trying so hard and simply allow God to love them into a full, wonderful, holy life. live • September - October 2019
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What’s challenged you the most about declaring God’s goodness to those you lead? Fear. Sometimes, when ministry gets tough, my own fears get in the way. Fear that “I won’t know what to do, I won’t do it right and people will be upset with me,” is a real handicap. God is greater than anything I might face, and the ministry belongs to God, not me. When other people are afraid or overwhelmed by their own situations, it can be difficult for them to hear that God is good. I can help them recognize and tackle their fears so they can believe again.
What would you want a Baptist woman seeking ordination to know? You are made in the image of God! If you are willing, God will use you to show others what He is like and what they can be. Seek balance in your life. Do your best to care for all four parts of your person—heart and soul, body and mind—and love yourself so that you can love others well. Make time for people you love, and protect that time as much as any appointments you keep with the people you serve. Guard against making yourself
weary in doing good. Ask God to help you discern the things God wants you to do and leave the rest to others. Know that saying “Yes” to God is sometimes very hard but that God has promised to be with you always and that is what makes ministry an adventure. Enjoy it!
Sharing good news One evening recently I was surprised to receive a telephone call from Renée James. She had noticed there was a significant increase in the number of subscriptions ordered from our church and was curious to learn the reason. Our church is a small congregation and presently without a women’s group. For many years, only two women subscribed to the magazine. As live promoter during subscription renewal time, I would place a written announcement in the weekly bulletin. This year, I posted a notice on the church’s Facebook page and also approached several women in person who I thought may be interested. I explained that live was a really great magazine that I enjoyed reading and the annual cost was only $20. My new approach worked and I am pleased to say that seven women will be enjoying live magazine this coming year. Audrey Hammond live magazine promoter at First Baptist Church, St. Marys, Ontario
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live A Baptist resource for women on a mission September - October 2019 · $3.50
EXPERIENCE THE GOODNESS OF GOD MAY I HAVE A WITNESS?
Taste and see that the Lord is good (p3)
A THANKSGIVING FAST/FEAST
Fast from Gossip/Feast on Kindness (p14)
INFORMAL PERSISTENCE
Prayer Walking in Lindsay (p12)
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A History Moment Our Challenge, 1918 ‘We know that Jesus’ method of evangelizing the world was to win them one by one in personal conversation; ours seems to be, largely, to contribute a few dollars, offer prayer and expect the missionaries to do our soul-winning for us,’ Amy . . . McFaul declares in her presidential address to the WBHMS-E convention. ‘Unless you and I are each willing to be a missionary just where we are, there is no telling when Canada will belong to Christ.’
We REMEMBER Each generation has the opportunity to fuel mission for the next. Did you know that if you include CBWOQ in your Will, your estate will subtract an equal amount in tax? In Memory of Helen Crandon, Strathroy Sharon Wallace, London IN HONOUR OF Joy Benner, Port Colborne (90th birthday) Jean Bowering, Waterloo (100th birthday) Shirley Knight, Kitchener (90th birthday)
from Our Heritage Becomes Our Challenge | a scrapbook history of the Baptist Women’s movement in Ontario and Quebec, by Esther Barnes, page 62.
#GIVINGTUESDAY, 2019 DECEMBER 3 • BE A DONOR
Bernice’s Picks . . . Books by Danielle Strickland
The Liberating Truth: How Jesus empowers women $13 A Beautiful Mess: How God re-creates our lives $13 Free shipping
diversity in worship matters. be the welcome.
NOVEMBER 1-2, 2019 logos baptist church • mississauga
Join CBOQ pastors, worship leaders and teams, as we explore how to winsomely develop intercultural worship. details & registration: baptist.ca/worship-for-the-world
Danielle is a major in the Salvation Army with over 20 years of pastoral and advocacy experience. She will be guest speaker at this year’s Lydia’s Daughters conference. All titles available from ReadOn Bookstore 5 International Blvd. Etobicoke, ON M9W 6H3 Tel: 416-620-2934 Fax: 416-234-8840 E-mail: books@readon.ca readon.ca
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Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands, your walls are ever before me. Isaiah 49:15-16 NIV
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