live A Baptist resource for women on a mission September - October 2021 · $3.50
Knowing God’s faithfulness New Executive Director Named Meet Helena Bergen (p3)
A Journey to Rest God’s faithfulness . . . through community (p15)
Baptist Women’s World Day of Prayer Monday, November 1, 2021 (p22)
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in this issue
cONNECTING
COLUMNS 2 CONNECTING 23 A History Moment 23 We Remember BIBLE STUDY 17 Encourage Love | Inspire Good Our faithful God
features connect to GOD 3 New Executive Director Named Helena Bergen joins CBWOQ 4 Faithful Preparation Hearing the whisper of God 5 A farewell word from Diane McBeth 6 God, is that You? Discovering that God is always present 8 The Scent of Memory Relishing God’s faithfulness 10 At Your Feed, Lord God’s faithfulness made real 12 Selected for Courage Courage . . . because God is faithful 13 God of the Mountain and the Valley Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever 15 A Journey to Rest God’s faithfulness . . . through community CONNECT TO MISSION 16 Great Canadian Bible Study 2022 20 God’s Faithfulness in Empowering the Mising People 22 Baptist Women’s World Day of Prayer Monday, November 1, 2021
Cover photo: Unsplash.com/RasmusJarborg
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July and August brought us never-ending news copy and images from the DRC, Haiti and Afghanistan . . . of murder, epic natural disasters, war crimes against women and girls and the internal displacement of people fleeing a collapsed state. In Haiti, the earthquake and the arrival of tropical storm Grace pummelled the country’s south, particularly Les Cayes, hardest hit by the earthquake, and the town where Baptist Women’s STM team stayed in 2017. After the news broke, I watched the grainy videos my mother, who lives in Trinidad, was sending me via WhatsApp, all the while waiting for word from our STM host Marie-Lucie. I remembered Marie-Lucie’s home, built on a high plateau and I wondered what damage, if any, it had suffered. Word arrived via Diane McBeth . . . Marie-Lucie was safe. I wondered how the women we met on that STM have experienced God’s faithfulness over the past few weeks. I turned to the journal I kept on that trip and found an answer there: “This is about resilience,” I read in my notes. These are Pastor Chavanne’s words in his orientation session with the team. Pastor Chavanne is one of Haiti’s well-known figures in politics and in the Baptist church. He is Marie-Lucie’s husband. “There is hope . . . even after the earthquake [in 2010],” he had continued. “People lived in tents because they were resilient. We are encouraging people to work hard, to have hope. We can make do in any situation, for a long time.” I read the last of my notes from his teaching and they struck me as words that can only have come from someone who has deeply experienced God’s faithfulness through thick and thin. “There’s a bigger vision for Haiti . . . and your team can be part of that. It’s spiritual warfare . . . and in prayer, we get victory.” May we pray for as long as needed. RJ
VOLUME 94, 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 Helena Bergen Editor and communications director Renée James 416-651-8967 rsejames@gmail.com Art director Donna Lee Pancorvo of GEPM Group Inc. (gepmgroup.com) Contributors Rev. Julia Bowering, Linda Ellsworth, Carol Gouveia, Kathy Gust, Alicia Jung, Darlene Maxey, Rev. Diane McBeth, Susan Plumridge, Augusta Winder, 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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New Executive Director named Helena Bergen joins Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec The Board of Directors of Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec (CBWOQ) is excited to announce the hiring of Helena Bergen to the position of executive director. Helena comes to us with a deep commitment to her faith. In her own words, she has a “longstanding love for Christ and a passion for His Word.” Helena received her bachelor’s degree in Religious Education from Tyndale University and Seminary. She is currently working on her Master of Divinity degree also through Tyndale with special interests in church renewal, missional living and kingdom growth. Helena communicates the truth through her public speaking and seeks to inspire through her writing. She comes to us with a hospitable and sincere spirit and has demonstrated an eagerness to connect and grow within the CBWOQ community. As we embark on this path forward, we most humbly request your continued support, encouragement and prayers. Please join us in welcoming Helena Bergen, executive director, Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec. Darlene Kirsten Maxey PhD President, Board of Directors Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec
“My conviction is that women who find their identities in Christ, who understand and embrace the value God places on their lives, are a force to be reckoned with in the Kingdom of God.”
Welcome Helena! We pray you will experience the peace and direction of God as you lead CBWOQ. We are happy to offer you our full support. Elizabeth Demaray (ED 1972 - 1975) Audrey Morikawa (ED 1975 -1997) Nancy Webb (ED 1997 - 2005) Brenda Mann (ED 2006 -2014) Diane McBeth (ED 2014 - 2021)
Contact Helena Bergen at cbwoqexec@baptist.ca 416-620-2953
~ Helena Bergen live • September - October 2021
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Faithful Preparation Hearing the whisper of God
This was a sacred time for her. Unsplash.com/SixteenMilesOut
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My grandmother passed away when I was four. I have a few of my own fond memories of her, but I mostly think of the stories my mother has told me over the years about her. One such story is how she would prepare the symbols for Communion Sunday for her small church, the church I still attend today. My grandmother would bring the cups and trays home to clean them for the service. She would put on white gloves and wash these cups and trays slowly and carefully and in complete silence. by Darlene Maxey PhD Darlene was appointed president of CBWOQ’s board at our April 2021 Annual General Meeting. She attends Sandwich First Baptist Church, the oldest active Black church in Canada.
My mother said that everyone in the house understood that during this activity, she was not to be disturbed. They didn’t question it. For this was a sacred time to my grandmother; a time for her to be alone with Christ, a time of quiet submission, sincere devotion and spiritual preparedness. I’m not quite sure why I thought of my grandmother as I began to write this. Perhaps it was that as a leader in the church, her actions demonstrated the importance of getting things ready. I believe that to successfully lead in any capacity, it is important to prepare yourself spiritually, mentally and even physically. I have loved being a member of the CBWOQ Board. It has been a slow, purposeful and personal cleanse for me. I have learned a lot. I am more than
excited to assume the presidency and I understand the deliberate nature of getting the job done. This Board is already an effective team and I am prepared to help strengthen it more through prayer and encouragement. I am prepared, along with the Board and the CBWOQ staff, to submit with purpose to the standards of excellence already established and to effectively communicate the vision to the constituency. Like my grandmother, I see my efforts as a time of sacred obedience to this mission and a time to be silent to hear the whisper of God. I want to thank everyone for your prayers for the CBWOQ team and for your sincere devotion and support. We will not be disturbed as we prepare ourselves for what the future holds.
A Farewell Word from Diane McBeth How faithful God has been! You may suppose that I came into this role with some grand plan. In reality, all I knew was that God wanted us to grow closer to Him and to mission; and that He promised great fruitfulness for CBWOQ. Everything else came gradually— and often from people other than me. God has been so graciously faithful. How grateful I am for our amazing staff who love God deeply, and
have grown their ministry portfolios creatively and dramatically, Our board members take such responsibility and we have been able to extend our collaboration to our Baptist partners. And of course, I am so grateful for each of you—for your years of faithfulness and heart for others. God will continue to be faithful. He still wants you to draw closer to Him and to mission. He still promises to make you fruitful. Here is what
He says in Isaiah 30:23, “Then He will give you rain for the seed which you will sow in the ground, and bread from the yield of the ground, and it will be rich and plenteous.” I pray that you will each experience ever-increasing union with Christ, leading to all the transformation, fruitfulness, and answered prayer that Jesus promised in John 15. And may God bless Helena as she leads you towards that. ~ Diane McBeth live • September - October 2021
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God, is that You? Discovering that God is always present The life, death and resurrection of Jesus shows us that God desires a relationship with us. He longs to set us free to live within the ethos of love— to know Him and ourselves as we are; to experience communion with Him and community with each other. He is willing and faithful to do whatever He can so that we can truly live. This includes being active in our lives and guiding us towards light, freedom and love. While God most certainly longs for deep, abiding relationship with us, it seems that He doesn’t want this relationship to be one-sided. Just as He has chosen each of us, He longs for us to choose Him. Like any relationship, the more we want to spend time and get to know God, the more we will.
by Kathy Gust Kathy is a spiritual director and led a workshop on different types of prayer at our 2020 Women’s Conference. You’ll find the video on Baptist Women’s YouTube channel 6
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The first step in recognizing and being guided by God’s presence is found in our desire. The second step is reaching out and asking God to help us recognize Him. What comes next? Once we’ve asked God to help us notice Him, how can we know when something we’re experiencing is from God? Sometimes the knowing is obvious, like fireworks going off all around us. Most times, however, God’s movement is subtle and requires discernment. Discernment Discerning God is an art that takes practice and matures over time. Happily, there are some basic guidelines we can use to help us. Here are a few:
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He is willing and faithful 1. Jesus: Any experience we have of God will fit with the life of Jesus as revealed in the Bible. (Colossians 1:15) 2. Truth: Any message or experience of God will be grounded in truth. Since truth leads to freedom, a good question to ask is: “Does this experience or perceived message of God lead to a greater freedom to love God, myself and others? (John 8:31-32) 3. God’s Character: God is gentle and kind. He is not a forceful or demanding taskmaster. He generally speaks in the language of invitation and leaves it up to us whether or not we’re going to say yes to Him. Consider the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-27. Jesus offered him something to do and left it up to the man whether he was willing to follow or not. 4. Redemption: Even when God convicts us of sin, He doesn’t shame or condemn us. He is the God of forgiveness, who invites us to repent so we can be free of sin and make choices that lead to life. When we are convicted of sin we can expect to feel things like sorrow or regret or a sense of loss, yet even among these things God is speaking His message of hope and love for us. God will not speak a message that takes away our dignity or value as people even when we’ve done something very wrong . . . with God there is always room for redemption and forgiveness. (1 John 1:19)
5. Fruit: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. When we are living lives hearing and noticing God, our inner and outer lives will increasingly reflect this fruit. When this is not the case, we need to prayerfully ask God to help us see where our relationship and discernment of Him is misguided. (Galatians 5:22-23) 6. Community: Talk to a trusted friend, leader or group about your experience of God and what you sense He may be saying to you. Gain the wisdom and perspective of mature believers who know you. This helps your community grow in discernment and faith together and protects you from being led astray by faulty reasoning, convincing lies or your own ego. (John 13:34) 7. Posture of Learning: It’s helpful to hold things loosely. We should expect that we’re not always going to hear God clearly and sometimes what we think is an experience of God will prove not to be. Like any relationship, the more we spend time with and know God, the easier it becomes to discern His presence, voice and movement in our lives. If we foster love, kindness and humility in our hearts; if we keep trying and asking God to help us, we will grow in our ability to discern God’s voice and will experience more of the abundant life Jesus offers us. (John 10:10)
Practice Think about an experience you’ve had of God that seemed like fireworks going off, where there was no doubt it was God. How does that experience fit within these guidelines? What about an experience where God has been subtle. Could these guidelines help you to discern if it really was God? Consider asking God to help you notice more of His presence in your life today. If you have an awareness of God’s presence, take a moment to savour the experience. Consider what this experience tells you about God. What does it tell you about yourself? What is your response to these things? Share your response with God. live • September - October 2021
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The Scent of Memory Relishing God’s faithfulness
I can still see my mother sitting on the back deck in the warm glow of an early Saturday morning. Steam curls and rises from the cup of coffee balanced on her pregnant belly and birds sing their new-day song. The screen door behind us bangs open and shut as my father joins us and places the coffee carafe on the picnic table nearby. I don’t remember what they talked about—probably gardens and plans for the day—but I do remember the feeling of peace, of togetherness, of belonging. And the dark, roasty smell of coffee enveloping our little family.
by Rev. Julia Bowering Julia is Team Lead, International Programs with Canadian Baptist Ministries. 8
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Enter . . . and find that He is here One of the wonderful gifts of being human is that taste and smell can transport us through time and space. For me, the smell of coffee brewing on a Saturday morning whisks me away to a back deck with my parents, who still chat about the garden and the day’s plans over their steaming mugs of dark roast. It also takes me to church, to visits with friends, to rainy day coffee shops and sunny morning patios. In the depths of the pandemic lockdown, making and drinking coffee became more than a morning habit. It became a way of escaping the walls of my little apartment where I live on my own. It became a way of being close to my parents whom I hadn’t seen in so long. It became a way of being at church when a computer screen just didn’t cut it, and it became a way of making present, those I loved and missed and longed to see again. Is it any wonder that Jesus asked His followers, during their last meal together, to taste wine and bread in His name when he was gone? Could He picture their future faces lighting up with memory, joy and a sense of His presence as they sipped the wine and savoured the bread? I like to think
of their memory being passed on, hand to hand, cup to cup, through the generations until somehow it becomes mine too—the taste on my tongue as familiar as a favourite photograph. The scent of woodsmoke in the fall used to take me to family camping trips and cozy living room gatherings with friends. But after having lived in rural Uganda, where the smell of kitchen fires was always in the air, that scent now takes me to my home there and the sound of drums beating in morning worship. It reminds me of the time that I gathered with my new friends in that place and sang songs and laughed together around an outdoor fire on Christmas Eve. My heart was homesick, but consoled. In a place so far from my own family, this smell blurred the lines between home and “away.” It was familiar and comforting, but took on new colour and shape. I felt far away, yet drawn near. That smell will forever bring those feelings swirling back into my chest along with gratitude for the faithfulness of God to me during that time. I have often wished that I could have Jesus, in the flesh, with me now. Not just to dish out wisdom and help me solve my problems,
but simply to be with. To lay my head on the shoulder of the One who knows me. To learn His best dance moves and gardening tricks. I want my friend, my Beloved, close. Present. Touchable. Yet, in the bread and wine, and in the smell of wood smoke and maybe—for you—in the sound of a song or the sight of a flower, there are little doors that beckon us to enter through our senses and memories and find that He is here. Perhaps a particular slant of sunlight across the living room floor takes you back to a memory of your heart burning inside you as you prayed. Maybe the smell of a certain meal conjures the image of a neighbour standing at your front door, holding out that very meal . . . and the sudden sense that God saw you in your pain. Perhaps the stillness of evening air takes you back inside a quiet church where, for just a moment, the chaos was tamed and Jesus’ voice broke through. Our lives are full of these little, tangible gifts that bring Jesus near to us again and again; the presence of the One we love filling the air with scent and memory, as we brew our morning coffee.
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Illustration from Susan’s book At Your Feet, Lord. Artist: Siobhan He
At Your Feet, Lord by Susan Plumridge. Susan is a writer and haiku poet. She serves as moderator at First Baptist Church in London, Ontario. 10 live • September - October 2021
God’s faithfulness made real
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This would move Jesus and His ministry . . . into a simplicity we have long forgotten. For a long time I have been working towards writing and self-publishing a children’s picture book. It had taken years for the Bible story I would eventually retell to emerge. Those years of waiting were years in which I learned to trust God’s faithfulness; that waiting before beginning to write would be better than writing something I would have to delete later. Then one year, after I’d prepared and shared a reflection on Mary of Bethany at a Good Friday service, I knew. My book would be a retelling of Mary’s story. Finding an illustrator who trusted in Jesus and could understand my goals took even more time. Over the months of social distancing, lockdowns, reopenings and closings, the Lord introduced me to Siobhan He. Even though the pandemic kept us from meeting and I was only able to see her work on my phone, Siobhan brought my retelling of Mary’s story to life. I was amazed . . . seeing her place the story in modern day Karen State in Myanmar as I had requested. This would move
Jesus and His ministry outside our modern urban settings and into a simplicity we have long forgotten. I know Jesus lived in Palestine during the time of the Roman occupation, but Jesus is for all people in all time periods, and artists have long placed Him in other settings. The stained glass windows I grew up looking at had a rather European looking Jesus. I wanted an Asian Jesus for this story. Htoo Plo Paw translated the story into Sgaw Karen to match the setting. And finally, our Vancouver-based book designer, Ehlu Pa put together all the book’s various pieces. He was the only one of the team who lived outside London and we only connected on email. I found a local printer— Aylmer Express—and today, At Your Feet, Lord is real; hardcover copies stored away in boxes ready for the next stage. I deliberately set Mary’s story in the Karen State and translated the book into Sgaw Karen because this may be part of God’s faithful plan for the Karen here in London, Ontario.
More than 14 years ago, a group of Sgaw Karen refugees came to London. Many came to our church—First Baptist, London. They were part of the global diaspora of Karen refugees, unable to return home to Myanmar from the Thai refugee camps in which they’d been living—the United Nations had stated that it simply was not safe for them to do so. But finding a way to thrive in a new place can be a very slow process. In London, they transitioned, ever so slowly, from a long unemployment . . . to working in the cleaning industry, in restaurants and on farms. But always . . . they work for others. With this in mind, five per cent of the purchase price of this book ($1.25) will go towards starting a local Karen business in London, Ontario. It’s time. To learn more about At Your Feet, Lord, visit Susan’s website at www. plumbonkerspress.ca or email her at plumbonkerspress@gmail.com. The book costs $25.
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BigStock.com
Selected for Courage Courage . . . because God is faithful Last fall, my brother, like so many in this season, got a puppy. Nala is smarter than any dog has a right to be, and is already unfailingly devoted to him. The breeder, who supplies dogs for the K9 unit of police services, explained that she selects for courage in her breeding program; running a series of behavioural tests upon each new puppy; looking to continue the next generation of dogs 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. 12 live • September - October 2021
with the most fearless individuals. While a family pet might be able to cower under the dining room table during a thunderstorm, a working police dog can’t shrink back at a critical moment. Selecting for courage is an interesting idea. It seems to be a forgotten virtue these days even though we’ve lionized the likes of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Joan of Arc who stood up to terrifying foes and paid for their courageous convictions with their lives. Our culture tells the tales of the personal courage it takes to overcome overwhelming odds: Frodo leaves the comfort of Bag End. Aslan sacrifices himself upon
the stone table. Without courage, Joan of Arc wouldn’t have carried her banner into battle. Bonhoeffer wouldn’t have tried to kill Hitler. And, most critically, Jesus wouldn’t have set His face like flint to go to Jerusalem to endure the cross, either. So what engenders courage? It’s a question we’d do well to ask ourselves since we aren’t running behavioural tests on our newborns. “Courage is not just one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at its testing point.” ~ C.S Lewis Fear, and its attendant uncertainty, is a litmus test revealing where we have placed our faith. It is in the storm of known and
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Even when we are faithless, He is faithful unknown dangers, where we face threats to our safety and comfort, that we instinctively reach out to that in which we have placed our trust. I think we hope that it will be God, but it isn’t until we are tested that we find out for sure. In His mercy, He allows this testing to reveal that we have turned to other gods— which are not gods at all— because they are solutions that we can see and touch and make with our own hands. A test reveals deficiencies for the sake of remedy, not condemnation. Even when we
are faithless, He is faithful. Time and again throughout Scripture, God reveals His character of faithfulness, urging us to rely on Him. Faith in God will always require that we trust Him unseen . . . against the mounting odds of what we can see. He hasn’t allowed us another option, reminding us in Hebrews that without faith it is impossible to please Him. Faith is an attribute of God’s own character gifted to us—and it takes courage to wield it. This past summer Nala amazed everyone with her constant displays of courageous devotion to my brother. She rode confidently on a jet ski with her head rested on his shoulder because she wouldn’t bear to be parted from
him; persistently swimming after him if he tried to leave without her. There is something of Moses in that dog: “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here” ~Exodus 33:15 (NKJV). Trusting God in the midst of a storm takes courageous faith that is renewed moment by moment as the wind howls and the waves mount. But courage isn’t as hard to find when we truly trust the One to whom we’re devoted. We can rest our chin on His shoulder and enjoy the ride. After all, He selected us for this courageous faith before the foundation of the world.
God of the Mountain and the Valley Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (NLT)
by Augusta Winder Augusta was born in The Hague, Holland. For over 39+ years, Augusta has been an active leader in her church community and within Baptist Women, including serving the Trent-Valley Association and on the CBWOQ. Board
The other day I mentioned to my son that he was sitting in the chair I’d sat in a few nights previous, in the dark. It was one of my many sleepless nights and I had used the time, in my chair, to tell God how I felt (I am closer to God now at 81, than I’ve ever been) and what I needed (I was missing the close contact of family and friends
and my involvement with Baptist Women—both in the Trent-Valley Association and with CBWOQ.) On July 12 I noticed a post in our CBWOQ Facebook group. live magazine’s editor wanted testimonies of God’s faithfulness over 2020-2021 and she quoted Hebrews 13:8. My heart skipped a beat. Moved by this invitation, I felt live • September - October 2021
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I felt God’s touch. God’s touch. God had a story for me to share . . . of His faithfulness to me, in the midst of COVID-19, and through all the things I have struggled with over the last few years. In 2020, COVID-19 delayed my much-needed back surgery for spinal stenosis. I’ve lived with chronic pain for many years now and so I became quite anxious. Even so, I knew this waiting could be a time of trusting the Lord, for me and for everyone—the world was in chaos. Despite the enemy who lurked, lying in wait to discourage me and to make me doubt my salvation, this period of waiting became a season in which I grabbed onto the assurances God gave me—that He was with me and for me. He would direct all that that lay ahead: whether my husband and I would stay in our home or move; my aging; my ability to cope with physical disabilities; the personal loss of my brother and some dear friends; wisdom to know how to respond in loving ways to my husband who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s a few years ago. This past January I had that back surgery. After surgery I ended up with severe pain in my hip 14 live • September - October 2021
unable to sleep on my sides. I am still having ongoing therapy. Despite the years of pain and of sleepless nights that still continue to this day, God’s faithfulness and grace keep me going. Each day and night His Holy Spirit reminds me of Scripture or brings to mind a song or an image that breathes new life—His life—into my soul. “Commit Thy way unto The Lord and He will direct Your path,” I’d remember. “Lord, what is my path?” I’d ask myself. His answer would come: This is your path at the moment. One night, God declared His intentions toward me through Isaiah 43:2: I could pass through the waters and the rivers because He walked with me and they wouldn’t overwhelm me. I could walk through the fire and I would not be burned; He was with me. He gave me songs in the nights or early mornings when I needed them (which was a lot of times). One night, Lynda Randle’s song, God On The Mountain emerged. God isn’t only the God of the mountain but also the God of the valley who teaches me, time and time again, how to walk in that place. As the song declares, the God of the good times is still God
in the bad times. The God of the day is still God in the night. So many songs have emerged, accompanied by mental pictures and images that I could apply to these nights and days: The Great God of Wonders, Faithful One, All the Way My Saviour Leads Me. I am kept by His love, moment by moment, carried in His righteousness. As I write this testimony, I do not know what the outcome of my situation will be nor when the pain I experience will resolve. But I do know that Jesus has led me in the past, He will continue to lead me today and will hold my hand tomorrow.
p Vince and Augusta Winder on their 60th anniversary.
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A Journey to Rest God’s faithfulness . . . through community What was I afraid of?
Late last fall, Diane McBeth contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in participating in Soul Sisters. I’d read about it before and was intrigued, but this was going to take me way outside of my comfort zone. In fact, a year earlier, maybe even a few months earlier, my answer would have been a hard “No.” At this time, though, I found myself saying “Yes,” definitely with some trepidation, but determined to follow through. What was I afraid of? I was afraid of being vulnerable. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to contribute. I was afraid God might call me further out of my comfort zone. I was afraid I wasn’t spiritual enough. I was afraid of a lot of things. Yes, I was challenged in those areas, but what happened was that I was drawn into a community where I found rest. We met weekly starting in January. For the first part of the gathering, Cathy Newton explained a spiritual practice. We were then divided into groups, with an understanding of confidentiality and a posture of listening. As a small group, we discussed questions designed to draw out
You may be interested in experiencing what Carol shares in her article or perhaps starting a Soul Sisters group at your church. Learn more at baptistwomen.com/ resources and sign up when fall registration opens. by Carol Gouveia Carol is the Team Coordinator, Church Life and Leadership with Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec.
StoryBlocks.com
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our relationship with the Lord. The groups were the same each week, so I got to know the four others in my group. As Soul Sisters 1 drew to a close, our little group decided we wanted to continue and do Soul Sisters 2. This became our Monday evening routine for 20 weeks throughout the winter and spring. All of this happened online. I know we are all missing getting together face to face. Yet I’m convinced that the relationships developed during this time online would not have happened face to face, for a couple of reasons: • Being from different locations across southern Ontario, it would have been impossible for us to have gathered face to face, even if it had been permitted. • We didn’t know each others’ families or church communities.This allowed for a space of safety where we could be deeply honest when we shared.
We created a What’sApp group where we’ve been able to connect during the week, sharing prayer requests, joys and trials. Again, the code of confidentiality and the fact that we are not connected in any other way, allows us to be honest and vulnerable in a rare and beautiful way. We continue to connect through the app, even though Soul Sisters 2 is complete. We planned to meet online a couple of times over the summer for fun and for prayer together. This fall, we hope to participate in Soul Sisters 3. This has been a wonderful experience that I cherish. God drew us together, revealing Himself to us through one another, drawing each of us closer to Him, giving us a place of safety and rest. 1 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. 2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. ~ Psalm 62:1-2 (NIV)
Great Canadian Bible Study 2022 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 an overseas project that lasts for three years. We will publish Information about 2022’s project on our website at baptistwomen.com/events. 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. 2021’s Bible Study: Titus’ Call To Women This study is a departure from our usual emphasis on a particular woman of the Bible and instead looks at the instructions given to Titus as he leads the church of Crete. The focus is on relationship—how women can 16 live • September - October 2021
mentor and encourage other women—how community makes our faith stronger when we share our stories reflecting God’s faithfulness. It is a call to positive attitudes and behaviours that best reflect the image of Christ in our lives. Yes, older women are to mentor younger women but more than that, we need to share in spiritual friendship. During the past season of masks, distancing, limited church gatherings and other restrictions, we may have been tempted toward a more reclusive lifestyle than our normal patterns. Study author Rev. Faye Reynolds hopes that “God can use this study to once again pull us toward one another in deepening friendship and spiritual care.” You’ll find the guide and a collection form on our website at baptistwomen.com/resources.
BIBLE STUDY
ENCOURAGE LOVE | INSPIRE GOOD Our faithful God Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. Hebrews 10:23-24 (ESV)
by Linda Ellsworth Linda is the member care coordinator for Christian Camping International, Canada.
StoryBlocks.com
Much has happened in our world over the past several months, especially the revelation of past and ongoing injustice that is heartbreaking to see and hear. And yet, as we ponder our theme verse, one truth MUST prevail: our God is a faithful God, even unto death! Without this assurance, and our total absorption of this fact, how could we continue (unwaveringly) to live this life to which we are called?
Do you recall the end of our last study? “We OBEY because of His love.” In John 4:20-21, John reiterates the outcome of mature agape love. “If someone says, ‘I love God’ and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him, that he who loves God MUST love his brother also” (NKJV). live • September - October 2021
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BIBLE STUDY
Share the ways in which this truth has hit your heart over the last few months. _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ READ chapter 5: 1-3 Verse. 1 describes our “position.” Explain: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Verse 2 describes our “passion.” Explain: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Verse 3 describes God’s “promise.” Explain: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ READ verses 4 and 5 Verse 4 describes our “power.” Explain: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Verse 5 describes our “premise.” Explain: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ READ verses 6-13 These verses describe our “proof.” Pause for a moment after reading these verses to ponder why they are so crucial in our understanding of who God is, who Jesus is, 18 live • September - October 2021
and why these verses are proof of God’s faithfulness. Jot down your thoughts as you read. _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Do you, without any shadow of doubt, KNOW that you have eternal life? God is listening, and waiting with open arms to say “Welcome home, child . . . you are part of the family because you have accepted the work of my Son, who gave up His life for yours!” READ verses 14-19 At the end of this first letter, John gives the Christian church a very difficult and serious warning, which is often puzzled over by scholars and lay people alike. One of the best teachings on these verses comes from Robin Brace at ukapologetics.net: ‘Now this obviously refers to sins committed by Christians since the context is of a “brother” sinning. All Christians will occasionally slip and stumble as the apostles Paul and John are very clear about. There are several Scriptures one may consult on this including the entirety of Romans 7, Hebrews 12:1 and 1 John 1:8-10. Surely these are the sort of sins ‘that do not lead to death’—and why do they not lead to death? Because repentant, Spirit-filled believers are now covered by the grace of God. Surely that much is clear (Psalm 32:2; Romans 4:8; Romans 8:1-4; 1 John 3:9) . . .
“I think that the phrase, ‘there is a sin that leads to death,’ more particularly refers to the unpardonable sin, or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, for which there is no forgiveness ‘either in this age or the age to come.’ (Matthew 12:31-32). There appears to be no forgiveness for those few . . . who have quite deeply understood the message of the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ but who—in a pretty much full knowledge of the truth—throw it back in God’s face. This is not sinning under temptation, this is to sin in full, willing and knowledgeable rejection of what Christ did on the cross. There is no second path of full repentance, or re-sacrifice of Christ available for such persons (Hebrews 6:4-6). “So I think that the strongest explanation for 1 John 5:16-17 is that these verses separate the sin which so easily besets us all (Hebrews 12:1) from the unpardonable sin which it is pointless to pray for.”
Robin A. Brace. November 22, 2013; http://www.ukapologetics.net
Having read the verses, and the above commentary, how does this affect your understanding of our faithful God? _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ What areas of your life might these verses shed the light of the Spirit upon? Is there an action you should take?
BIBLE STUDY
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________ READ verses 20-21 The greatest news of our faithful God is found in these verses: God has sent Jesus, who has given us an __________________, that we may know ____________, and thus know the Father who is ____________________. “This is the true God, and eternal life!” READ Psalm 119: 89-105 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.
Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides… They continue this day according to Your ordinances, for all are your servants. Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life. I am Yours, save me; for I have sought Your precepts. The wicked wait for me to destroy me, but I will consider Your testimonies. I have seen the consummation of all
A little background on 1 John and its author 1 John was written by John, the son of Zebedee, who was one of Jesus’ first 12 disciples recruited in 27AD (see Matthew 10:2). John was one of Jesus’ close inner circle of three disciples. He was the young man who reclined next to Jesus at Jesus’ last supper in Jerusalem. After the resurrection of Jesus in 30AD, John became one of the first leaders of the early Christian church in Jerusalem (see Acts 1:13). With Peter, he was dragged before the Jewish council (the Sanhedrin), for healing a crippled man at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple in Jerusalem, and preaching about the resurrection of Jesus (see Acts 3:1 - 4:31) 1 John was written between c.86 and 88AD, after the writing of John’s Gospel in c.85AD and before the Revelation of John in c.90AD when John was in exile on the Isle of Patmos. By the time he wrote this letter, John was an old man in his late 70s who addressed his readers in Ephesus and elsewhere as “my dear children” (see 1 John 2:1). It was about 60 years since he had witnessed the events of Jesus’ life (see 1 John 1:1) but only a short time since he had written about them more fully in the Gospel of John. Adapted from the writings of Chris and Jenifer Taylor https://www.thebiblejourney.org/
perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad. Oh how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey in my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path! So many of the phrases in this section of Psalm 119 have been adapted into modern worship choruses. Take the time to prayerfully write this song back to your Heavenly Father in your own words of heartfelt praise and thanksgiving. Sing it to Him daily! And SHINE! ________________________ ________________________ _________________________ ________________________ ________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ ________________________ live • September - October 2021
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CONNECT TO MISSION
God’s Faithfulness in Empowering the Mising People Strategic Giving 2021 Mising tribespeople are known for their carpentry. They make, by hand, almost all the items required for their day-to-day life including baskets, bags, trays, boxes, fish traps of various kinds, coops and much more, using bamboo and cane. Unfortunately, with the lack of means for marketing, selling and operating businesses due to the remote region and lack of facilities where they are located, capitalizing on this is challenging. Insufficient infrastructure, poor connectivity in remote areas, and lack of education opportunities also bring conditions of poverty to the Mising, one of the largest tribal groups in the region. Women are proportionally at a disadvantage as well.
The project aims to empower and help transform the Mising people through financial and material aid and skills development. With more livelihood opportunities, farmers no longer incur debts by relying on money lenders or failed crops. Families can become more self-reliant. Women can preserve their family traditions by continuing to share their knowledge of weaving and by continuing to knit shawls and other cultural attire which also provides additional income. Young people also acquire skills to secure employment in public and private sectors or even begin learning about entrepreneurship.
by Alicia Jung, Canadian Baptist Ministries Photos courtesy CBM
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q Modusmita weaves beautiful traditional designs
CONNECT TO MISSION
For the last six years, Alempang Baptist Church has worked among the Mising people because of the conviction that God has placed on their hearts to walk alongside this community. With the help of Canadian Baptist Ministries and the Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec— exclusive supporters of this project—the local church is running a dynamic program that is empowering the remote Mising tribespeople who live in one of the most underdeveloped states in India. In 2021 alone, 15 women in the Biswanath region received financial assistance for weaving and knitting materials to start producing clothing through the program. One hundred vulnerable farming families also received support in the form of seeds to continue farming without the burden of relying on money lenders. In the Gohpur region, nine youth received support to participate in a tailoring skills training program, beautician course and received admission into the tailoring collective itself. Modusmita, age 26, is a field laborer who lives with her husband and two children. The family is located in a remote area, where access to water, electricity, education and other opportunities are non-existent. This area is prone to flooding for seven months of the year, making farming and raising animals a challenge. However, through the local church’s program that provides financial and resource assistance along with vocational training opportunities, more and more people can learn creative and resourceful ways to earn a living. Weaving, tailoring, computer literacy and beautician training and materials are provided. “Traditionally, weaving is part and parcel of our culture, but due to financial constraints, I was unable to do weaving. Since joining this program, I received raw materials to weave, which is how I can continue doing it amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” shares Modusmita. “I would like to preserve our culture by continuing to do this business and to help my family.” Not only is Modusmita shouldering the responsibility for her family, but she does so within the church, making a positive impact in the community with this new opportunity.
Twenty-year-old Taneswar is from a Hindu family, where only he and his siblings are Christians. Together they live in an old bamboo house that is impacted by the flooding in the area. For almost four months of the year, the family cannot find any work, and with no basic facilities for communication, development and schooling, there is little hope for improvement. However, in 2020, Taneswar was introduced to the computer training course through the local church program. “I am so grateful for the church involving me in this project, as it allowed me to learn computer skills,” says Taneswar. Today he is working part-time in a store because of his training, which is enough to earn a small living to contribute to his family’s livelihood. “I would like to continue doing this job as it has helped me to earn some income, and later on, I would like to open a shop to continue this business so that I earn more money to sustain my family.” The experience of cooperation and coordination in the partnership between Alempang Baptist Church, Canadian Baptist Ministries and the Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec has truly made a positive impact upon the Mising tribespeople, helping to uplift and empower the most vulnerable. Let us work together for the glory of God for many years to come.
q Taneswar uses his new skills to work in a shop
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CONNECT TO MISSION
Monday, November 1, 2021 This year, while we may be gathering in-person to observe this Day of Prayer for the first time since 2019, let’s remember that for many of our Baptist sisters around the world, COVID-19, displacement, war and natural disasters continue to be their realities. These are times in which now, more than ever, we must heed the call to gather with our Baptist sisters across Ontario, Quebec and around the world to observe Baptist Women’s World Day of Prayer—to pray for each other and to give to overseas and North American grassroots projects that need our engaged support more than ever. Our World Day of Prayer unfolds on Monday November 1, 2021. This year’s theme is Courageous Life! based on Hebrews 13:6. Did you know that this year’s program has been translated into well over 80 languages so that thousands, upon thousands, upon thousands of Baptist women can gather to pray for each other on this special day? It’s a DAY of Prayer because literally, as the world turns, women are praying from the eastern hemisphere all the way around to the west. Do join CBWOQ on Monday, November 1 as our Prayer Network and racial justice team leaders host an online (Zoom) Day of Prayer gathering. We will post signup information the week prior to this event.
Sending in your donations to CBWOQ Our bank will reject any cheque that does not fit its criteria. Please follow this checklist to make sure we can process your gifts. We pass on 100 per cent (half to BWNA and half to BWA Women). For groups: • Write one cheque to our office that totals all donations the group will have made. • In the “To” line of your cheque – only write Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec. • Use the remittance form on our website (baptistwomen.com) to fill in the names, amounts and addresses of donors who want receipts. • Mail your cheque and remittance form to our office: CBWOQ, 5 International Blvd, Etobicoke, ON M9W 6H3 • Enclose a note in the envelope that says: 2021 World Day of Prayer. For individuals: • Donate via credit card online at: baptistwomen.com/donate • You may also mail a cheque to our office. It is essential that you write Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec in the “To” line. You may add a note saying it is for World Day of Prayer. Please download your 2021 Day of Prayer program at bwawd.org
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CONNECT TO MISSION
a history moment
Our Challenge Audrey Manuel (Morikawa) concludes her annual report of the BWMS Board of Managers, April 1980: “Our vision for Baptist women is that in this decade we might discover anew the meaning of mission. In the 1980s women’s groups must be formed that will not only provide fellowship and spiritual enrichment for women in the church but be the means of outreach into the community. Interest groups, coffee hours, and Bible studies that reach out to meet the needs of women around our church must be an integral part of our mission and a strength to the local church . . . In the ’80s let’s not be content to merely stay alive—let’s live and grow together!”
WE REMEMBER Each generation has the opportunity to fuel mission for the next. We are thankful for the following gifts: In Memory of Irma Damon, Toronto Vera Dodd, Stayner Eileen Gilmer, Brockville Mary Howey, Ingersoll Mary Runham, Stayner
page 291, Our Heritage Becomes Our Challenge - A scrapbook history of the Baptist Women’s movement in Ontario and Quebec by Esther Barnes
Bernice’s Picks . . .
Order online, call or email. 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
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese This novel centres on Saul Indian Horse, a First Nations boy from Ontario who survives the residential school system and becomes a talented ice hockey player. $10 Better Together: How women and men can heal the divide and work together to transform the future New by Danielle Strickland $19
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GOD’S FAITHFULNESS . . . is not dependent upon our faithfulness gives us confident hope is abounding is the foundation for all He does guarantees our forgiveness when we confess and repent means fellowship provides the antidote to temptation protects us sourced from struggletovictory.com
Unsplash.com/GemmaChuaTran
How we connect with each other has had to change, but live magazine keeps our bonds lively and strong. Let a woman in your community know about live magazine. A subscription costs just $20. Pay at baptistwomen.com or call the editor, Renée James. Choose from three formats: print, audio (CD) or online.
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