Last night, Kevin and I had the great pleasure of sharing with the missionary prayer group of Calvary Baptist Church in Miramichi. We met with about a dozen others in the home of Dana and Sherry Waye. It was a great blessing to be able to share in song and prayer for missionaries at home and abroad.
We had the opportunity to share with the group about the ministry at Arrowhead and what the Lord has been doing at A.N.B.C. and in the lives of both of our families. It was certainly a great encouragement to share in their enthusiasm for the ministry. We are looking forward to ministering with some of them this coming summer!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Fire Alarms, Finances and Furry Friends
Today was a busy day at Arrowhead! Kevin had a service technician in to inspect and make operational our fire alarm system. We actually have a fairly robust system installed, it however has not been overly functional historically. It is now in good order, up and running!
Liz and I spent a few hours tidying up a bit in the lodge... it was quite clear that we have a bit of a problem with a squirrel. We saw the wily varmint during our Christmas gathering with the Eastern Field in December, he was observing our meetings from the tree in the yard. Since then he has made himself quite at home in the lodge. So Liz and I went to the Home Hardware in Chipman and procured some items necessary for the ... ahem ... removal of the Squirrel. Hopefully we can come to a peaceful resolution, I however doubt very much that he will go quietly.
We met with another gentleman today with respect to the impending office for ANBC, but I will fill you in on that when I have more details to share! It's going to be very exciting though, I can tell you that!!
Kevin and Marcia went to finalize some banking details this afternoon. At the request of the executive, ANBC has begun to do business with the same banking institution as NCEM. This will have several benefits for us and should hopefully streamline some of our banking issues. Primarily, by having our account at the same branch as NCEM headquarters, it allows them to send money to us directly and immediately, keeping us from having to wait for Canada Post to deliver a cheque. Currently the branch closest to us is in Fredericton, but with the electronic funds transfers we should be able to manage with just one or two trips to the bank monthly for any deposits that we may need to make.
If you haven't already, you should be receiving the latest edition of the Just Mind The Gap newsletter in the next day or two. I put our most recent mailing out last Friday. If you haven't been receiving our prayer letter and would like to, we'd be more than happy to add you to our mailing! Just drop us a line and let us know!
Liz and I spent a few hours tidying up a bit in the lodge... it was quite clear that we have a bit of a problem with a squirrel. We saw the wily varmint during our Christmas gathering with the Eastern Field in December, he was observing our meetings from the tree in the yard. Since then he has made himself quite at home in the lodge. So Liz and I went to the Home Hardware in Chipman and procured some items necessary for the ... ahem ... removal of the Squirrel. Hopefully we can come to a peaceful resolution, I however doubt very much that he will go quietly.
We met with another gentleman today with respect to the impending office for ANBC, but I will fill you in on that when I have more details to share! It's going to be very exciting though, I can tell you that!!
Kevin and Marcia went to finalize some banking details this afternoon. At the request of the executive, ANBC has begun to do business with the same banking institution as NCEM. This will have several benefits for us and should hopefully streamline some of our banking issues. Primarily, by having our account at the same branch as NCEM headquarters, it allows them to send money to us directly and immediately, keeping us from having to wait for Canada Post to deliver a cheque. Currently the branch closest to us is in Fredericton, but with the electronic funds transfers we should be able to manage with just one or two trips to the bank monthly for any deposits that we may need to make.
If you haven't already, you should be receiving the latest edition of the Just Mind The Gap newsletter in the next day or two. I put our most recent mailing out last Friday. If you haven't been receiving our prayer letter and would like to, we'd be more than happy to add you to our mailing! Just drop us a line and let us know!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Men for God Conference: N.B.B.I.
This past weekend, I had the privilege to attend the Men's conference held at New Brunswick Bible Institute. The conference featured guest speaker Dr. Michael Loftis, President of ABWE and special music by High Meadow, a men's quartet from Maine.
The theme of the conference was 'Firemen', and was carried through the weekend. We enjoyed demonstrations by several local fire departments as well as messages encouraging us to be 'battle ready' as Christian men in a fallen world.
The conference was a great encouragement and offered opportunity for fellowship and reconnecting with old friends. I took the opportunity to introduce myself to a man working as a missionary in Northern Quebec. It happens that he is working in a community where a friend of mine lives. I haven't seen my friend in many years, we spent a couple of years in high school together, which is when we last saw one another. After completing school, my friend returned to his home community where he now lives and works. I asked the missionary if he knew my friend, and he did indeed know of him. I felt burdened that day to take the opportunity to send a devotion book to my friend and his wife, so I asked the missionary if he would take it to them when he returned. He willingly agreed so I picked up a one year devotional book at the N.B.B.I. bookstore and sent it along. Just today, to my great delight my friend sent me an eMail telling me that just 2 weeks ago he accepted Jesus as his personal saviour, and that his wife too had accepted the Lord!
Praise the Lord! And please keep them in prayer as they seek a new life in Christ.
As part of the Hartland Fire Dept. demonstration, this car was disassembled using the jaws of life and removed from the gym in pieces in only 15 minutes.
There was a large crowd that came from as far as Saskatchewan and Massachusetts.
It was a refreshing weekend! (and a bit exhausting)
P.S. - special thanks to the N.B.B.I. Facebook page for the pictures :0)
The theme of the conference was 'Firemen', and was carried through the weekend. We enjoyed demonstrations by several local fire departments as well as messages encouraging us to be 'battle ready' as Christian men in a fallen world.
The conference was a great encouragement and offered opportunity for fellowship and reconnecting with old friends. I took the opportunity to introduce myself to a man working as a missionary in Northern Quebec. It happens that he is working in a community where a friend of mine lives. I haven't seen my friend in many years, we spent a couple of years in high school together, which is when we last saw one another. After completing school, my friend returned to his home community where he now lives and works. I asked the missionary if he knew my friend, and he did indeed know of him. I felt burdened that day to take the opportunity to send a devotion book to my friend and his wife, so I asked the missionary if he would take it to them when he returned. He willingly agreed so I picked up a one year devotional book at the N.B.B.I. bookstore and sent it along. Just today, to my great delight my friend sent me an eMail telling me that just 2 weeks ago he accepted Jesus as his personal saviour, and that his wife too had accepted the Lord!
Praise the Lord! And please keep them in prayer as they seek a new life in Christ.
As part of the Hartland Fire Dept. demonstration, this car was disassembled using the jaws of life and removed from the gym in pieces in only 15 minutes.
There was a large crowd that came from as far as Saskatchewan and Massachusetts.
It was a refreshing weekend! (and a bit exhausting)P.S. - special thanks to the N.B.B.I. Facebook page for the pictures :0)
Friday, January 29, 2010
P.A.T.H. Book Report (vol. 1)
P.A.T.H. training is looming, as a part of the course requirements we are required to read several books and give report on them. This is the first of the five that I have read, I thought I'd share a few thoughts here to give you an idea of what we will be looking at while we're out at P.A.T.H. training in April, May and June.
The Grieving Indian
by Arthur Holmes
The Grieving Indian
by Arthur Holmes
The Grieving Indian is written by an Ojibwe man by the name of Art Holmes. It is not a lengthy read, but it is packed with powerful insights and practical illustrations. The practical life experiences of Art serve as a poignant backdrop to his book and as a powerful base for his ministry.
His understanding of the fundamental needs of those grieving and suffering loss or separation is clearly presented throughout the book. And although this is written with a focus on Native peoples, the truths are something everyone should understand.
I personally found his expounding on the stages of grief and the correlation to abandonment or separation to be very insightful. It is interesting to me to see how the attitudes of generations past have deeply impacted the attitudes and reactions to personal suffering in people today.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Social Networking
You can now follow Arrowhead Native Bible Center on Twitter! If you look down the right column of our website you will find links to the Arrowhead Twitter and Facebook accounts! Feel free to join us and stay up to date with all things Arrowhead! If you look you will find also that Grant has a personal Twitter account and that both Liz and Grant have Facebook accounts, feel free to drop in on us in the digital world!!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
the stuffs
I decided to get out of the office this week. Last week I spent catching up on a lot of office work. There is quite a bit to do (and still the list grows).
This week, Kevin and I spent the day cleaning out the shop and main lodge. The dumpster seems to fill too quickly, so when we were in town running camp errands we looked into the possibility of having a larger dumpster. The collection company (Alternate Waste Management) will provide us with a new dumpster (this one will actually have doors) that is twice as large, at no extra cost. We spent time this week doing some cleaning up outside as well, with the help of Mr. Cole our neighbour we burned a large pile of brush that has been accumulating for several years. A perfect winter task, we will likely need to have another fire before Spring arrives. Every year brings lots of windfall and in order to keep the property looking tidy we need to collect it and get rid of it.
We're still working on getting quotes for having an office renovation done at Arrowhead. Headquarters would like us to work out of the Center instead of our homes and as such has agreed to help us make a suitable workspace. Kevin and I are quite excited about having an office to share, it will certainly streamline a lot of our tasks.
It's a beautiful day here, the sun is shining and the fresh snow is glistening. I hope you have a wonderful day where ever you are!
This week, Kevin and I spent the day cleaning out the shop and main lodge. The dumpster seems to fill too quickly, so when we were in town running camp errands we looked into the possibility of having a larger dumpster. The collection company (Alternate Waste Management) will provide us with a new dumpster (this one will actually have doors) that is twice as large, at no extra cost. We spent time this week doing some cleaning up outside as well, with the help of Mr. Cole our neighbour we burned a large pile of brush that has been accumulating for several years. A perfect winter task, we will likely need to have another fire before Spring arrives. Every year brings lots of windfall and in order to keep the property looking tidy we need to collect it and get rid of it.
We're still working on getting quotes for having an office renovation done at Arrowhead. Headquarters would like us to work out of the Center instead of our homes and as such has agreed to help us make a suitable workspace. Kevin and I are quite excited about having an office to share, it will certainly streamline a lot of our tasks.
It's a beautiful day here, the sun is shining and the fresh snow is glistening. I hope you have a wonderful day where ever you are!
Friday, January 8, 2010
much-a-doo...
Well folks, Liz and I had a wonderful vacation over the Christmas Holiday. We spent slightly longer than two weeks with Lizs' family in Granville Beach, Nova Scotia. As you know we had a very busy Summer and Fall, and made great use of our time to relax.
We returned home to Cumberland Bay this past Sunday and dove right into work. I've been working with the books to try and bring everything up to date, I think I am just about done catching up, a few more minor details tomorrow and I'll be able to move ahead with
the books on a week to week basis.
Kevin and I traveled to Sussex on Tuesday and met with Arbing Equipment to finally put to rest our tractor woes. We received some financial assistance from NCEM headquarters and paid the bill. It was an unfortunate situation, and has left us a little wiser. (if you don't know the story, you can read my post in December) The tractor was delivered yesterday, Kevin & Ron Cole put on the snow blower today and we are in business.
I will be getting at the website in the next few days as well. Arrowhead, and the NCEM Eastern Field will be having a fully interactive website developed and put into operation prior to April (Lord willing) I will share some more details with you about the functionality of the website in another post, suffice it to say that we are hoping it will not only be a wonderful ministry tool, but will allow us to reduce some of our postal and printed form expenses.
If you are wondering just where our prayer letter is for January, I am hoping to get that to the post next week. We will be publishing the 'Just Mind The Gap' Prayer Letter just four times a year from now on. We initially were sending it every two months, but have decided that it might be more prudent to send quarterly. If you aren't receiving the prayer letter in the mail and would like to, we'd be more than happy to add you to the mailing, just let us know!
I will be working on producing the next edition of 'the Quiver' to be sent out in March. This little magazine is Arrowhead's own prayer letter and will be sent out quarterly as well. We are working on some printed collateral for Arrowhead (a camp brochure, and flyers for this summer's upcoming camps), these will be available once the details of this summers camps are neailed down. Kevin and Marcia are working hard at organizing the programs, speakers and staff for this coming Summer Camp season.
As a bit of an extra side project, I am working with Conrad Flett on a short series of videos geared to First Nations youth. The videos will focus on some very real issues for Native young people in Canada. Each will feature a short message from Howard Jollie, a native pastor in Winnipeg, as well as some testimony and music. It is Conrad's vision that these will be a valuable tool to reach out to youth by addressing, in an engaging way, some things that are important to them. I'm excited to have been asked to work on the project and hope to complete it prior to travelling out west to P.A.T.H. training this April.
We are beginning to think a little more about our travel out to P.A.T.H. in April. We have our book list from last year, and will each have to read five books from the list and write reports on them, due upon arrival in April. I have already read a couple of them and written brief reports for you, I will do the same with the remaining titles as I go.
In thinking about our upcoming training, I will be posting some details about our upcoming 'Penny Rolling Party' in conjunction with the fundraiser we are running... 'A Plethora of pennies'. We have been receiving some great support from churches, friends and family, we're excited to have you all share with us in this acute financial need.
Well, I think that catches us up for now, I do apologize for my absentee Blogging over the Christmas break. I hope to check in two or three times a week to keep you up to date on our shenanigans!
God Bless and Happy New Year!
We returned home to Cumberland Bay this past Sunday and dove right into work. I've been working with the books to try and bring everything up to date, I think I am just about done catching up, a few more minor details tomorrow and I'll be able to move ahead with
the books on a week to week basis.
Kevin and I traveled to Sussex on Tuesday and met with Arbing Equipment to finally put to rest our tractor woes. We received some financial assistance from NCEM headquarters and paid the bill. It was an unfortunate situation, and has left us a little wiser. (if you don't know the story, you can read my post in December) The tractor was delivered yesterday, Kevin & Ron Cole put on the snow blower today and we are in business.
I will be getting at the website in the next few days as well. Arrowhead, and the NCEM Eastern Field will be having a fully interactive website developed and put into operation prior to April (Lord willing) I will share some more details with you about the functionality of the website in another post, suffice it to say that we are hoping it will not only be a wonderful ministry tool, but will allow us to reduce some of our postal and printed form expenses.
If you are wondering just where our prayer letter is for January, I am hoping to get that to the post next week. We will be publishing the 'Just Mind The Gap' Prayer Letter just four times a year from now on. We initially were sending it every two months, but have decided that it might be more prudent to send quarterly. If you aren't receiving the prayer letter in the mail and would like to, we'd be more than happy to add you to the mailing, just let us know!
I will be working on producing the next edition of 'the Quiver' to be sent out in March. This little magazine is Arrowhead's own prayer letter and will be sent out quarterly as well. We are working on some printed collateral for Arrowhead (a camp brochure, and flyers for this summer's upcoming camps), these will be available once the details of this summers camps are neailed down. Kevin and Marcia are working hard at organizing the programs, speakers and staff for this coming Summer Camp season.
As a bit of an extra side project, I am working with Conrad Flett on a short series of videos geared to First Nations youth. The videos will focus on some very real issues for Native young people in Canada. Each will feature a short message from Howard Jollie, a native pastor in Winnipeg, as well as some testimony and music. It is Conrad's vision that these will be a valuable tool to reach out to youth by addressing, in an engaging way, some things that are important to them. I'm excited to have been asked to work on the project and hope to complete it prior to travelling out west to P.A.T.H. training this April.
We are beginning to think a little more about our travel out to P.A.T.H. in April. We have our book list from last year, and will each have to read five books from the list and write reports on them, due upon arrival in April. I have already read a couple of them and written brief reports for you, I will do the same with the remaining titles as I go.
In thinking about our upcoming training, I will be posting some details about our upcoming 'Penny Rolling Party' in conjunction with the fundraiser we are running... 'A Plethora of pennies'. We have been receiving some great support from churches, friends and family, we're excited to have you all share with us in this acute financial need.
Well, I think that catches us up for now, I do apologize for my absentee Blogging over the Christmas break. I hope to check in two or three times a week to keep you up to date on our shenanigans!
God Bless and Happy New Year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
