As we journey toward Easter, we are reminded to ponder the significance of the season as we view these paintings in our church. Once again, our resident artist has prepared visuals for us. There will be graphic crucifixion paintings to view as well, and these will be displayed at our Good Friday service, when the lighting is minimal. Last year, little eyes were frightened by them, and so we have become more sensitive. Along with Easter, there are other events that stimulate our anticipation this spring. The Women’s Abide Group will be meeting for their spring series, “Intentional Abiding”. They will have a kick-off catered dinner at the church, followed by four weeks of study together. We also look forward to the AWANA Grand Prix on April 21. This will be our Commander’s last Grand Prix. Rick Small and his wife Doreen have been serving together faithfully in this ministry for over 30 years, with the Commandership being Rick’s for at least fifteen of those. We thank God for their faithfulness over all these years. Our pastor is currently preaching through Exodus, and we will be working through Ephesians in Adult Sunday School. The Spanish Sunday School class is working through the series “Knowing God: from Creation to Christ”. A time of sharing and prayer for each other is also a part of their time together. Linda Edwards, Correspondent "So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no one else. Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day." 1 Kings 8:60-61 Greetings to all the brothers and sisters in Christ across the churches! What a great and mighty God we serve, and there is indeed no one else like Him and may all the peoples of the earth know that the LORD is God! May our hearts also be wholly devoted to the Lord! We invite you to join us as we recount and remember how the Lord has been good and faithful and praise God for His continual grace and mercy over the past few months among the brethren here at Countryside Bible Church. In early February, 5 people from our church were able to attend the Biblical Counseling Training Conference at Faith Lafayette in Indiana, and a few others have been able to do it virtually. It is very helpful and useful training for every believer, both for equipping you to encourage others and also for personal spiritual growth. We are also excited to celebrate the five-year anniversary of Redeemer Bible Church! It was March of 2021 when Taylor and Abigail Wiens (along with another family and a couple of others) started the church plant in Liberal, Kansas. We are rejoicing in God's faithfulness and how He has been working in many ways over the last five years! They have had the opportunity to see people coming to Christ, and also have seen the church grow and people desiring to become members and also committing their lives to Christ and following Him in believers' baptism. This has been a joy, and we look forward to how God is going to continue to work! This is also the year for Countryside Bible Church's Family Retreat in Woodward, Oklahoma! It took place March 20th-22nd. Dr. Michael Grisanti came from California to share with us on Biblical Discipleship. We always enjoy this time of fellowship together, both in hearing from God's Word and as we seek to encourage and build one another up through our conversations and time spent having fun together. This is a great way for the families of the church to get to know each other! And now we would like to share some pictures from some of the different things folks in our church have been involved with over the past several months.
Abigail Bartel, Correspondent The church staff put on a meal for the seniors in our church – Legacy Luncheon - at the beginning of February. Our theme was love. Men and boys gathered for a Tailgate Superbowl Party at church to watch the game, eat a lot of good food and visit. The men also enjoy a breakfast together once a month. The ladies' ministry presented a games, gals and grub evening where we played board games and enjoyed delicious snacks. Pastor Dennis started the Easter season off with a Lent Sermon Series called “Last Words” of Jesus. The Senior and Junior youth each had retreats. Missions: We had representatives from Prairie Hope Women’s Centre sharing about their recovery from addictions; a fundraising lunch was held for the youth who will be going to LaRonge to minister to the children through VBS over the Easter break; Jason/Joanne Borrowman shared about their ministry in Hurri Hills, Africa via video. Practical Ministry provided a Taco Lunch for the congregation. Our Kids Club program wound up with an invitation to all the parents to attend the last night. There was a Bible Discovery event for all ages on Palm Sunday, where we experienced a fun and meaningful taste of the Passover meal. Marilyn Harder, Correspondent HBC continues to celebrate God’s faithfulness to provide a new lead pastor. On Sunday morning, March 1st, HBC had a special installation service for their new lead pastor, Bryan Ragsdale.  The service included a special message by Pastor Moses Estrada titled “Life Together for the Glory of God” from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13. Pastor Moses and Pastor Bryan were co-pastors of Grace Bible Church in Brush, Colorado. HBC Elder Mark Luetchens read 1 Timothy 4:12-16 for the Scripture Reading. President Kevin Stone read from 1 Peter 5:1-10 to exhort both Pastor Bryan and the congregation. He asked a series of affirming questions to Pastor Bryan and one for his wife, Candice. He then asked a series of affirmation questions to the congregation. Everyone answered the questions in the affirmative. Kevin also presented a certificate of charge to Pastor Bryan. He also presented a relay baton as a gift to Pastor Bryan to encourage him to faithfulness in the relay race of Christian ministry in line with passing on biblical truth to others based on 2 Timothy 2:2. Kevin exhorted the congregation to be ready with an open hand to receive the baton. He remarked that this includes having a humble heart and a willingness to hear and receive biblical truth.  The Elders of HBC laid hands on and prayed for Pastor Bryan and family. Pastor Bryan gave a hearty word of thanksgiving to his wife, children, the elders of Heartland, Kevin Stone, Gary Krehbiel, his former elders at GBC, and his brothers and sisters in Christ at HBC. He also expressed his eagerness to love and shepherd the congregation of HBC. It is with fear and trepidation that he accepts the call to shepherd the flock at HBC that belongs to Jesus Christ. He read from Ephesians 2:21-23 to highlight the church’s desire to glorify God in the church forever and ever. Following the installation service, HBC hosted a well-attended all-church fellowship lunch in the dining hall. Pastor Adam Fischer, Correspondent Martensville Mission Church Martensville, SK Justin Klassen, Pastor facebook.com/martensvillemissionchurch Pastor Justin recently concluded his sermon series on the book of Ephesians, in which he explored the Apostle Paul’s teachings on church unity, relationships, Christian conduct, and the need for spiritual armour. In preparation for the Easter season, with services on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday, Pastor Justin introduced his Easter Sermon Series entitled “The Road to Calvary” in March. After Easter, he will be taking us on a journey through 1 Samuel. We were sad to say goodbye to our Associate Pastor, Brolin Simes, and his wife, Kelsey, when Brolin resigned at the end of February. We will dearly miss them, and we thank them for their ministry here at the MMC. The search for an Associate Pastor will commence soon. In the meantime, though, we are very thankful that people have volunteered to fill in the gaps left after the resignation. One of those areas is the Youth Ministry. The group of about 30 kids is divided into Junior and Senior Youth. Along with the fun activities, they each have a Bible Study twice a month. Currently, the Senior Youth are studying the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism, and the Junior Youth are studying Apologetics and learning to defend what they believe. Other MMC happenings in March included a Spring Family Banquet, complete with a Silent Auction, which was our next fundraiser for our building project. Our Mission’s Team, who recently returned from Oaxaca, Mexico, in February, presented their report on March 20th, and the Youth/Family Ski Trip to Wapiti was on March 28th. On Wednesday nights, from September to the end of March, our church is buzzing with activity when kids from around the community arrive for AWANA, eager to recite their memory work, join in the games and delve into God’s word during lesson time. It was exciting to see that kids were inviting friends, some even from Saskatoon! We are so thankful for all the volunteers who dedicate their Wednesday evenings to these kids. As we head into spring, the AWANA program wraps up with the AWANA Store, where they spend their hard-earned AWANA bucks. Plans are underway for the “Rainforest Falls” VBS, which will be held each morning from April 7-10 during the school's Spring Break. Kids will discover the nature of God and explore what it means to be rooted in a relationship with their Creator. Looking forward to a big crowd! Looking a little further ahead, a baby dedication is planned, with the date still to be determined, and the Women’s Ministries Salad Fiesta will be in May. Brenda Quirt, Correspondent We are thankful to announce that God led us to call Blaine Donaldson to be our new pastor, and Pastor Blaine accepted this call. Pastor Blaine brings a wealth of experience from leading churches in Michigan and Washington, and also as a past president of the FEBC. Our installation service was held on February 1, with Kevin Stone and Gary Krehbiel from the FEBC leading our service and passing the baton of leadership to our new pastor. We are thrilled to welcome Pastor Blaine, his wife Autumn, and daughter Elianna to our RVC family! Karen Broekhuis, Correspondent The past couple of months have offered some new opportunities for those in our congregation, whether that is through personal growth and learning, getting involved in Salem’s existing ministry opportunities, or finding new ways to serve and reach out to the community. We have been blessed to have Robert Rudd, the director of Impact Canada Ministries, lead a discipleship and evangelism course at Salem. The second half of the course, which focused on evangelism, started at the end of February and is geared toward equipping people to share the gospel. We have a number of people from our church participating in the course, and it has been so encouraging to see the interest and dedication to learning and growing in discipleship. At the beginning of March, the Elders hosted a Newcomers’ Welcome Meal for those who have started to attend Salem in the past year or so. This was an opportunity for new attendees to connect with one another, get to know the church leaders better, and learn about opportunities to get involved in the various ministries at Salem. We had 8 families attend: some who had been attending for about a year, and others who were visiting Salem for the first time! We have a team excitedly planning our first ever youth retreat to happen in May. The idea of Valley Revival Youth Retreat was born out of a desire to encourage youth across the valley to grow in their relationship with Jesus or to encounter Him for the first time. The theme is SHINE, based on Matthew 5:16. We would welcome prayer that God would draw the right youth to attend and that He would work through this event. Shailey Boehm, Correspondent Our journey through Acts every Sunday morning has been such a blessing to us as we consider all of God’s powerful acts through His apostles. The early church worked hard to spread the Good News of the gospel everywhere they went, even through hard times. During a particularly hard time of being in prison, Paul and Silas were singing hymns to God and praying, and all the while, the other prisoners were listening in. Pastor Jonathan asked us the question one Sunday morning, “Do our lives cause others to 'listen in'?” Due to their attitude of praise even in difficult times, they affected the lives of the other prisoners and especially the life of the jailer, as he and his entire household were saved. On February 22nd, Mr. Gordon Reimer continued in Acts, as our guest speaker, and shared a quote with us from St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.” It is just as important today as it was back then to live our lives as a testimony to the faith that we profess; that God’s love will be at work through us, spreading the Good News wherever we go. In March, Pastor Jonathan opened with a question for us all. Do we ever ask ourselves, “Does what I do for God matter?”? When Paul was in Corinth, the Lord spoke to him in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.” Acts 18:9. God knew there were many in Corinth that would hear and believe, so Paul stayed a year and a half. The same is still true for us today. God desires for us to share the Good News with others, not only with our words but with actions and in truth. Spring has sprung, and that brings many things to a close here. Our Kid’s Club group has had another wonderful year with children from the church, and from within the community, attending and learning what God has done for them. The grand finale night is always a wonderful time for kids and parents alike, as we enjoy a fun car race where each of the children brings a Hotwheels or Matchbox car to enter into a friendly, fun competition. Our Youth Group has enjoyed many Bible Studies, many nights of serving in and out of the church, including at the Fisher Bay Bible Camp Fundraiser, as well as many fantastic outings. Women’s Ministry enjoyed an exciting get together in February as many women brought their wedding dresses to the event. We played a matching game, where we had to guess which bride went with which dress. Afterwards, we enjoyed a time of fellowship and even a wedding cake made by one of the ladies. We spent some time looking through each other’s wedding albums and reminiscing. In March, we enjoyed a movie night and just enjoyed relaxing together. We also look forward to an exciting addition as a new play structure has been purchased for our church yard for the growing population of young people the LORD has blessed us with. We pray together as a body of believers that we will continue the work of the early church and magnify the Name of the Lord, giving Him praise and glory with our words and actions. May He grant us boldness as we continue to share the Good News. Tiffany Tuurenhout, Correspondent Not seeing updates from your church?
Connect with your pastor, or email the editor at [email protected], to find out if your church needs a correspondent- and whether you might be the right fit! Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
Church News2/4/2026 
Our pastor is encouraging us in this season to consider each other, Christ’s own body of believers. If we neglect the importance of each other and showing our love for each other, something important is lost in effectively conveying the message of Christ’s love to the world around us. We remember Jesus’ example, “…Having loved His own, He loved them to the very end…” John 13:1 This new year promises to be a fulfilling time as we press into caring for each other. Our pastor encourages us to find ways to be closer to each other and to embrace a culture of Supernatural love.
In addition, we have two pre-teen girls who are being mentored in Sunday School by a woman from our Ladies’ Abide Group, using the “Through the Word” app. We were happy to help send one of our senior couples on a short-term mission trip to Cuba. Jim is an expert in foot care, a pedorthist. Their suitcases of medical supplies and Jim’s use of custom orthotics proved to be a blessing to both patients and doctors. They were also able to pass along some funds from donors back home. Laureen had the opportunity to speak at a women’s event and shared from Psalm 139 about God’s presence in their times of trouble. Being our librarian, she was able to organize a doctor’s book collection, an added bonus for him! Overall, in word and deed, they were a great encouragement, and they are all thinking of another trip soon!
Kristin, our pastor’s wife, led the worship, and various pastors led different aspects of the evening, including prayer for the collective neighborhoods represented, as well as a time of communion. It was interesting to hear how each church reaches out to help their community. The evening represented what needs to happen- churches coming together in unity without a spirit of competition. We are already looking ahead to the next season of the Church calendar, where we remember Jesus’ death and celebrate His resurrection. Our Special Services Committee is waiting in prayer for direction as to how we, as a congregation, can enter into this time in the best way for our learning and God’s glory. I’ll report on that next time. Linda Edwards, Correspondent Countryside Bible Church Meade, KS Jonathan Dale, Pastor countrysidebiblechurch.net "But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works." -Psalm 73:28 Greetings in the Lord to all of you brethren across the Fellowship Focus family! We at Countryside Bible Church are looking forward to what the Lord has in store for 2026 (and pray that you are as well!), and thank God for another year that He has given us to serve Him, glorify Him, and make Him known! In January, Pastor Jonathan started an in-depth study on the book of Romans, which we will be going through on Sunday mornings. Then on Sunday evenings, Pastor Jonathan has started a series on "Heroes of the Faith". We are also just about to start up Bible/Book studies again for the year. The books we will be going through are: "Disciplines of a Godly Man" by Kent R. Hughes and "Disciplines of a Godly Woman" by Barbara Hughes. We pray that the Lord will be working in our hearts and minds and giving us humble, teachable hearts as we study Scripture together. In late January, several men from our church took part in the Ironmen Summit, a day filled with Christ-centered teaching, fellowship with men from many churches, and great food-all aimed at encouraging men in their walk with the Lord. There are also some who are excited to participate in the Faith Biblical Counseling Conference in Lafayette, coming up in February. Some will be attending in-person, and some virtually. We praise the Lord for opportunities like this to be able to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! 2 Peter 3:18. It has been five years since our church last had a Family Retreat, but on March 20th - 22nd, Lord willing, we plan to gather in Woodward, Oklahoma, for a time of fellowship, teaching from God's Word, fun, and sharing meals. Dr. Michael Grisanti will be sharing the Word with us over the weekend. Abigail Bartel, Correspondent Dalmeny Bible Church Dalmeny, Saskatchewan Dennis Friesen, Pastor dalmenybiblechurch.ca We had two baptisms in December - Ellyce Buhler and Jett Schultz. Over Christmas, the children did a great job performing and singing ‘Not Another Nativity Play’, reminding us once again of the importance of the nativity. One Sunday, we also served our annual peppernuts and apple cider. A New Year’s Eve Party gave an opportunity to celebrate the old and the new. Games and food were enjoyed by all who attended. The men enjoyed an evening of Laser Tag and snacks in January. At the end of January, the ladies went to Living Waters Camp for a weekend retreat of listening to testimonies, relaxing, good food, and fun games. Marilyn Harder, Correspondent Evangelical Bible Church Dallas, OR Troy Bassham, Pastor ebcdallas.org Here at EBC, we wrapped up January with our Annual Business Meeting. We are still looking for our next Associate Pastor and are praying for God's guidance and wisdom in filling that position. This summer, we are sending a team of 9 to MaeSot, Thailand, with Children to Love International to serve with Grace Boarding house and help with their ministries there. Alison Johnson, Correspondent Faith Evangelical Bible Church Henderson, NE Bryan Conrad, Pastor faithebc.net We had 4 baptisms last year and will have 2 more in February, which is very exciting! Our Awana program is bursting with an attendance of about 70 students from Cubbies, Sparks, T&T, and Jr. High Youth Group. Lots of these kids don’t attend our church, so it’s exciting to see new faces every year and to see the numbers grow. We started a new Women’s Ministry in August, and it has had a successful start with large group meetings happening once a month, and 4 new Bible studies for women to attend. Our High School Youth group is seeing higher numbers each year, with our regular attending students inviting friends from school. They are focusing on reading through the Bible together this year, with their theme coming from 2 Timothy 4:12. You can be praying for our leaders as they hope to put together a Summer Missions Trip for the students. We don’t have a staffed leader, so their volunteer work is greatly appreciated and invaluable! Cheyenne Hiebner, Correspondent Grace Church Abbotsford, BC Andrew Martens, Pastor graceabbotsford.com God has been good to us here at Grace Church! This past year has been a productive one under the leadership of our Pastor (& his wife). Their encouragement and leadership have been bearing fruit. There have been several Bible Studies and Children’s Programs that have been revived and are now running smoothly, which means people are engaging in the various ministries within the church. This is due, in part, to having over 15 new members join our church family. There have also been over 10 baptisms this past year. Our youth group has also grown as the youth are faithful to invite their unsaved friends, which has helped contribute to the growth we’ve seen. All of this has given us many reasons to celebrate! But wait…there’s more! We have also been blessed by a lengthy visit from one of our Global Partners (Benny & Esther Goertzen – parents of Anja Gaona, whom some of you may know as well). It is always a delight to have a visit from them and hear in-person what God is doing through their ministries in Paraguay – it is so encouraging. Of course, there have been some sad events over the past year as we said goodbye to some faithful saints who have been part of the congregation for many years, even decades. We miss them but celebrate that they are now with our Heavenly Father, enjoying the reward of their salvation. Pray for us that we would continue to be good stewards of what God has given us. We are grateful for the financial provision that has been brought to us through the faithful giving of the church family and, also, through various ministries/churches that also use our space. Our building is quite large, and they are a great help to us financially. God has been good to send us user groups that fit with the resources we have to offer. Pray for us that we would not grow weary in doing good to others – our community and our own ‘household of faith’; and that we would continue to seek God’s heart & purpose for our church family for the days and years ahead. Theresa Janzen, Correspondent Grunthal Evangelical Bible Church Grunthal, MB Jared Fast, Pastor grunthalebc.ca In December of 2025, our church congregation experienced its first Advent and Christmas Program in the newly renovated sanctuary! Since 2020, Grunthal EBC has experienced significant growth in numbers, a true blessing of a “problem” to have. Throughout the year, we had to have two services on Sunday mornings, which wasn’t ideal, but it was a good temporary solution to allow everyone to enjoy church comfortably while figuring out our next steps. Thanks to great minds working together, we decided we could eliminate the storage room tucked behind the stage, push the stage back, and thus provide more seating in front of the stage. Prior to renovations, we could seat 278 people in the pews. Now, after renovations and exchanging pews for new stackable church chairs, we can now seat 345 congregants! This means we were able to enjoy the remaining months of 2025 with one service on Sunday mornings all together and our congregation was no longer split into two! These successful renovations were truly an answer to prayer! Once a month, we’ve started a “Prayer and Praise Night”. Anyone can come out that evening and enjoy an intimate setting of singing worship songs and listening to a short message. Then we’d break up into very small groups to read Scripture and share prayer requests with one another and pray for one another. It is a wonderful time of fellowshipping and praising God. We’re happy to announce that we have a date for our next Standing Firm Conference. “Worship The King” will take place on April 24th-25th. Let Everything that has breath praise the Lord, Praise the Lord -Psalm 150:5 Grunthal EBC offers something for everyone throughout the week. Men’s Bible Study on Mondays, Women’s Bible Study on Fridays, 55+ coffee & fellowship on Wednesdays, Jr Youth on Thursdays, Senior Youth on Fridays, College and Career, and Sunday School classes for ALL ages—starting at two years of age—on Sunday mornings. All of these get-togethers and classes we offer speak volumes to the number of servant-hearted volunteers we have at church. It’s wonderful to see so many God-given Spiritual gifts at work! We couldn’t do it without each other and God’s provision over these things. Jennifer Preston, Correspondent Indian Head Community Bible Church Indian Head, SK Justin Epp, Pastor The first Sunday of the New Year was a time of celebration at our church, as three individuals testified to God’s transforming power in their lives and were then baptized. Not only do we rejoice to see God’s hand at work in these members, but we also praise Him for growth in other areas of church life. In the fall, midweek Bible study sessions expanded with additional groups meeting to include more people from the growing congregation. Several regular attenders have aged out of the church’s weekly Kids Club program, so a youth group was started. The group has monthly opportunities to engage in fun activities and a brief Bible study. A new triad ministry was also introduced recently. This fosters personal growth as groups of three people meet regularly for fellowship and engage in spiritual disciplines together. Praise God with us for the work He is doing in the church; and pray for continued unity of the Spirit and hunger for God’s Word. Sarah Pacio, Correspondent Martensville Mission Church Martensville, SK Justin Klassen, Pastor facebook.com/martensvillemissionchurch Now that the Christmas season is behind us and we are into the new year, Pastor Justin’s sermon series through Ephesians has resumed. Pastor Justin has taken some much-needed time off for the month of January. In his absence, the Sunday messages were shared between our associate pastor, Brolin Simes, Brendon Johnston, and two guest speakers, Pastor Abe Klassen and Greg Benson, Director of Ranger Lake Bible Camp. Mr. Benson, in addition to the message, gave a report on summer camp and other goings on at Ranger Lake. Each Tuesday night is Bible Study night at the MMC. The focus of the Bible Study is to continue discussion on the previous Sunday’s message, and additional information may be provided. It is an opportunity to ask questions or request clarification on anything pertaining to the message. It is a great opportunity to deepen our understanding of God’s truths. Fundraising for our church addition and renovation project continued in January. On January 23rd, MMC hosted a movie night, complete with a concession selling pizza and snacks. Admission to “The Miracle Season” was by donation, and everyone was encouraged to invite family and friends out for the evening. Upcoming events at the MMC include the Annual General Meeting on February 13th and the Mexico Missions Trip from February 18th to 26th. Brenda Quirt, Correspondent Salem Church Waldheim, SK James VanderVeen, Pastor salemchurch.ca December is a full month for most churches, and Salem is no exception. We had the privilege of welcoming three new members into our membership and one baptism. Our church family also had some rich opportunities to celebrate the birth of Christ and bless others in our community during the holiday season. The Town of Waldheim invited our church to set up a live nativity scene at their annual Light Up the Park event. Many of our church family participated by dressing up as nativity characters, singing carols, and donating hot chocolate and cookies for the event. This was a unique opportunity to be able to share the true meaning of Christmas at a community-wide event. Our Congregational Care Committee organized and distributed 13 Christmas Hampers to families in need in our community. Our congregation generously donated food items to fill these hampers by selecting tags from our “Giving Tree” (a Christmas tree set up in the foyer with paper ornaments on it that had grocery items written on them). People were invited to choose a tag and purchase the item on the tag for the hampers. Young at Heart, our senior’s group, hosted their annual Christmas Banquet where they fellowshipped around good food, had special music, and a guest speaker. This was the last event for Young at Heart as the members of the planning committee have now retired from their roles. We also had the honour of hosting a joint Christmas Eve Service with the MB Church across town. We had just over 300 people from throughout the community attend the service and celebrate the birth of our Saviour with us! Shailey Boehm, Correspondent Vita Bible Church Vita, Manitoba Jonathan Coutts, Pastor vitabiblechurch.com December is always a wonderful and exciting time for us here at Vita Bible Church. Each year, we look forward to our annual Christmas Concert, where our young people bless us with a reminder of the true reason for celebrating Christmas. This year’s program, “Mary” posed a question to an unbelieving man all throughout the telling of the Christmas story, “Do you believe yet?” Many people come out to watch the telling of Christ’s birth each year. We have an encouraging time of fellowship afterwards with people from all over as grandparents, aunts and uncles, neighbors, friends, and community members all join us for this joyous occasion. Our Women’s Ministry group has been busy as well, taking part in this year’s Christmas market at the local arena. They decided not to join as a vendor, but instead, as a presence in our community, handing out free coffee and warm conversation to all who would welcome it. Christmastime for many is a difficult time. It is always such a blessing to encourage others and remind them of Christ’s love for them. In the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, Pastor Jonathan reminded us all that true rest comes from God alone. He brought us to Matthew 11:28, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” If Jesus is the giver of rest, then we must come to Him alone to receive that rest. In our ongoing study of Acts, he drew our attention to Acts 16:14, “…The Lord opened her (Lydia’s) heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” It is our prayer that God will open all our hearts to receive His message and His divine rest. Tiffany Tuurenhout, Correspondent Not seeing updates from your church?
Connect with your pastor, or email the editor at [email protected], to find out if your church needs a correspondent—and whether you might be the right fit! Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
Church News (Nov/Dec 2025)12/8/2025 
Midway Bible Camp has faced various challenges in the last few years. The lease on the previous campsite had run out, leaving the camp in need of a new home. God has provided a new site that is even better situated than the old site. Forest fires and building delays changed plans this past summer, but God still gave opportunities to reach the youth with the gospel in unexpected ways. Work is ongoing to clear the site and build the necessary facilities. Danielle Johnston, Correspondent  Christian Fellowship Chapel Winnipeg Winnipeg, MB Timothy Harris, Pastor cfc-wpg.org We continue to have a lot to be thankful for! Our fall season began with a pancake breakfast in our churchyard for congregants and neighbors alike. English and Spanish Sunday School resumed, as did our AWANA club. The Ladies Abide Group met for four sessions, where we studied waiting on God. We have had baby dedications, and baby showers, a wedding shower and a wedding, and the blessing of helping two YFC missionaries in our midst with a fundraiser.
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
Church News (July/Aug 2025)8/22/2025  We have several exciting updates to share from this year at our church. First, our new mission statement is KNOW GOD, MAKE HIM KNOWN. This reflects Jesus’ command to love Him first and then to love our neighbors as ourselves. Truly, how can we know God without knowing His love? And how can we make Him known apart from passing His love along?
Carolyn shares, “We are seven families represented (including us)—13 adults and 6 children. We had 3–4 new Spanish-speaking families start coming to the church in 2024, with different levels of English. Two families came to our church after only being in Canada a couple of weeks. Although learning English is important and becoming part of the church community is the goal, this Sunday School time allows them to study God’s Word in their mother tongue and share their thoughts freely. One family and one single man are new to the faith, but the others came from churches in Colombia and the Dominican Republic and were looking for a place to fellowship here.” When the Reimers are away, two capable men step in to lead the Bible study, and plans are in place for a more organized time for the children. In May, our congregation began intentionally celebrating Pentecost, including a baby dedication that day. With four little ones in our congregation, we anticipate more dedications to come. We were especially blessed with the births of two new babies this summer: Esther Grace Reimer, born May 18 to Derek and Kirsten Reimer, and Micah Timothy Ryan, born July 23 to Pastor Tim and Kristin. Alongside this joy, we were saddened by the passing of Irene Margaret Klassen, age 88, on May 17, 2025.
Linda Edwards, Correspondent Dalmeny Bible Church has experienced a season rich in ministry, learning, and fellowship. Missions highlights included a sending prayer in March for Jason, Joanne, Hannah, and Olivia Borrowman with AIM before they returned to Hurri Hills, Africa, and a visit from Doug Barr with One Hope – Ranger Lake Bible Camp on March 30. During Lent, the congregation focused on Jesus’ journey to the Cross, enriched by personal testimonies from church members. Children’s Mini-Clubs wrapped up their winter sessions with a Family Showcase, and leaders and volunteers attended both the Youth Workers Conference and the Children’s Impact Conference in Saskatoon. Growing Leaders training continues for adults and youth, and the church’s literacy support program remains active in the local elementary school. Winter fellowship events included Men’s Breakfast Gatherings, an NFL Super Bowl supper for men and boys, and a Lazer Tag outing. Ladies participated in a Winter Retreat, a Charcuterie night, and a Pre-Easter brunch for ladies and girls, alongside showers celebrating a new bride and a new baby. The congregation continues to lift up families experiencing difficult medical situations, providing both practical and spiritual care. Marilyn Harder, Correspondent Evangelical Bible Church Dallas, Oregon Troy Bassham, Pastor ebcdallas.org This summer, we hosted just over 100 local children for our True North VBS. We will soon begin evaluating and searching for an administrative pastor, as Pastor Mike is moving on to serve as senior pastor at a new church. In September, we will launch a new Awana year. Please pray for leaders and helpers, as we typically have between 120 and 140 children each week. In October, we will hold our annual missions conference here at the church with our missionary friends serving in Central Asia. Alison Johnson, Correspondent Jansen Bible Church Jansen, Nebraska Paul Carpenter, Pastor jansenbiblechurch.org The Washington County, Kansas, Rodeo took place on June 13–14. Once again, our JBC women faithfully managed the concession stand this year. Vacation Bible School, held June 16–20, focused on the life and times of Elijah, with 40 students attending. Garrett and Joanna Schlake, serving with InterVarsity in France, were the featured missionaries. Offerings totaled $4,322.03 to help fund Evangelism Week for college students at their university. The Schlakes also led a Q&A session on June 24. In June, Jeff Engelman and his son Josiah traveled to Indonesia to minister at a Bible conference with the Semandang people group, where Jeff grew up and later served as a missionary. On July 6, Brian Dick introduced the new Spanish director of Springs of Life Camp. Brian and Susanna serve with Avant at the camp, which is now managed by Word of Life. Throughout July, our pastoral search committee arranged for several candidates to minister while the Carpenters were in Florida attending the Moretti Ministries Board meeting. We praise the Lord for those seeking His direction in the harvest field, even as we continue to seek His guidance for His flock at Jansen. Tena Dick, Correspondent Martensville Mission Church Martensville, Saskatchewan Justin Klassen, Pastor facebook.com/martensvillemissionchurch The past several months have been full of fellowship, outreach, and new opportunities at MMC. Earlier in the year, our congregation enjoyed several gatherings, including a Super Bowl Party on February 9, a Family Fun Night on February 14, and our Annual General Meeting on February 28. Pastor Justin also led us through a special two-sermon Easter series: Palm Sunday’s The Rocks Will Cry Out and Easter Sunday’s Yet Not I. Our Women’s Bible Study, which began again in March, has been studying the Psalms. God has also been stirring hearts in the area of outreach. Under the leadership of Pastor Brolin, MMC launched our first Soup and Bun Community Supper on March 3. Volunteers from the church prepared and served the meal, and about 20 people from the community attended, along with others from MMC who enjoyed the meal and fellowship together. These suppers have continued monthly since then and will carry on through the summer. It has been encouraging to see new faces come through the doors each month, and we look forward to how God will continue to use this ministry. May was a particularly busy month. In addition to our Community Suppers, we participated in the Martensville Community Garage Sale and the Buster Days parade, where information cards highlighting MMC programs were handed out along the parade route. We also held our Ladies Salad Fiesta, where Kelsey Simes, wife of Associate Pastor Brolin Simes, shared how God has moved in her life. Each of these events provided meaningful opportunities to connect with people in our community and show the love of Christ. As summer has unfolded, most of our regular programming has wound down to give families a chance to rest and enjoy time together. Our youth, however, continue to meet informally twice each month. We wrapped up the ministry season with a Family BBQ on June 8 following the morning service. Looking ahead, plans are underway for our second annual MMC Camping Weekend at Pike Lake in August, which will include an outdoor Sunday Service. Many have already signed up, and we anticipate another wonderful weekend of food, fun, and fellowship. We are also preparing for a baptism service and our Fall Kickoff, both scheduled for September 14. Brenda Quirt, Correspondent Randville Bible Church Iron Mountain, Michigan Jim Janofski, Pastor facebook.com/RandvilleBibleChurch Summer is a joyful time at Randville Bible Church and this year was no exception; we praise God for His faithfulness and rejoice in our church family's love for the Lord and His Word and the joys of being a part of a local family of God's people. Our annual church outreach picnic on the last Sunday of June was a memorable time with a number of visitors in the morning service that left the church nearly full. Many family, friends, and neighbors then gathered to enjoy the annual picnic under the big tent that followed the service. The day was filled with great food, warm fellowship, games, and 15 musicians praising the Lord through bluegrass Gospel. What a special day for this annual outreach event. July brought the blessing of sermons from the Book of Jonah, preached by guest pastor Hill, who touched lives through this expository message series. During this time, Pastor Jim was ministering at a music festival, where he had multiple opportunities to share the Gospel in a variety of musical settings. The power of prayer for boldness in witnessing was clearly felt and seen, and we thank God for His blessings. In August, services have focused on God’s character through various psalms in the theme Psalms We Cherish. How rich is God’s Word! We savor our God as Creator, reflect upon His holy character, His eternal nature, and His care, guidance, and provision as the ultimate Good Shepherd. In September, we will celebrate Grandparents Sunday as we reflect on the role and importance of grandparents in children’s lives. We also will commemorate World Bible Translation Sunday on the last Sunday of the month, focusing on updates in Bible translation work and newly completed languages over the past year. We praise the Lord for His blessings and faithfulness to our small fellowship at RBC! May His name be praised, and may He continue to bless the churches of our FEBC. Pastor Jim Janofski Rock Valley Chapel Beloit, Wisconsin Tim Johnson, Pastor rockvalleychapel.org We praise God for the ways He has been at work in the lives of His people over the past several months! Earlier this year, we celebrated three baptisms at our Easter Sunday service, rejoicing in each person’s commitment to Christ. Holy Week this year was a meaningful and celebratory time for our congregation. We held a Maundy Thursday service that included a brief Seder meal and explanation, a Good Friday service, a Saturday morning prayer time, and Easter Sunday festivities, beginning with food and fellowship before the morning service. We continue to give thanks for God’s faithfulness and the ways He draws people into His family. Karen Broekhuis, Correspondent Salem Church Waldheim, Saskatchewan James VanderVeen, Pastor salemchurch.ca Over the past several months, the Salem family has enjoyed many events and opportunities for fellowship. In February, we hosted a Matt Falk Clean Comedy Night, welcoming visitors from near and far. In March, Gary Krehbiel led a Family Fusion event in the afternoon, bringing couples and families together for laughter and clean fun. Our ladies’ events have resumed as well, with each gathering focused on a specific theme connected to the overall theme of Gather. In March, the theme was Gather in Gratitude, and participants shared testimonies and engaged in meaningful discussions around tables of good food. Looking ahead, we celebrated Waldheim’s joint Easter services, including a Thursday evening service at Salem followed by a youth event. Good Friday services were held at the MB church across town, where attendees also partook in the Lord’s Table together. Easter Sunday services were held at both churches in celebration of the risen Lord. We were also excited to host the Watoto Children’s Choir on April 27 for an evening concert, which included opportunities for host families to connect with choir members. Since spring, we have also celebrated Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and our Grade 12 graduates. Eight individuals shared personal testimonies and were received into membership, including one baptism. These occasions have been a time to rejoice in God’s faithfulness and the blessings He provides. This season also brings change for Salem Church as two key positions are open for applications. Brenda Wiens, who has faithfully served as Director of Family Ministries for the past six years, will be retiring at the end of July. Shawna Mwakikuti, our Office Administrator for the past five years, will be beginning her maternity leave in July. We ask for prayer as we seek God’s guidance in filling these roles with the people He is preparing for these responsibilities. Shawna Mwakikuti, Correspondent Saron Mennonite Church Fairview, Oklahoma Arnold Curby, Pastor It has been a full and joyful summer at Saron! On May 4, the congregation hosted an evening reception honoring high school graduates Karsyn Pendergraft and Bre D’Alberto. June brought more highlights, including Children’s Day at Gloss Mountain State Park on June 8, followed by Communion and a Fellowship Dinner on June 29, where Krista Pendergraft also shared about her mission trip to Ireland. The celebrations continued with the wedding of Amos Nunn, son of Adam and Denise Nunn, to Breanna D’Alberto, daughter of Denny and Rachel D’Alberto, on July 26. The Saron family also rejoiced in two new births: Shalom Susanna Curby, born May 2 to Levi and Kristin Curby, and Miriam Elizabeth Hope Kanary, born July 11 to Hannah and Jonathan Kanary. Arnold and Grace Curby are the proud grandparents of both little ones. Most recently, on August 15, the congregation enjoyed a potluck picnic at Roman Nose State Park following the morning service. The event served as a meaningful time of fellowship as well as an opportunity to connect with the wider community. Grace Curby, Correspondent Vita Bible Church Vita, Manitoba Jonathan Coutts, Pastor
Pastor Jonathan referenced this Casting Crowns song more than once this spring as we journeyed through Acts. If we are the hands and feet of Jesus, what does that look like for us? Our lives here are but a breath, and we should live each moment for God. This year at Vita Bible Church, we have had many opportunities to live out the words of Paul in Romans 12:5, to rejoice with those who rejoice and to mourn with those who mourn. As a body, we rejoiced as we celebrated the dedication of our newest babies on March 9: Arabella Dyck (Jason and Maya Dyck), Wyatt Hofer (Kris and Val Hofer), Timothy Wiebe (Keith and Bethany Wiebe), Liam Unger (Tony and Annabel Unger), and Emmit Rempel (Daniel and Julia Rempel). It was a wonderful time to celebrate our growing congregation. Many relatives and friends came to support these young couples as they dedicated their little ones to the Lord. On the morning of March 23, we mourned together as one body when two of our members, Diedrich and Sara Unger, were tragically called to their eternal home. This painful reminder of the brevity of life renewed our resolve to love and serve with all that we have, being the body Christ calls us to be. Our transition into summer began with unexpected excitement when a bear broke into our church basement, curious to look around and join in on all the activity. This summer, we took a break from our study of Acts and instead looked more deeply into various psalms, worshipping God through David’s writings. Pastor Jonathan also began a new short session with the children during the service, where one child each Sunday places any item of their choice into a special shoebox. Pastor Jonathan then uses that surprise item as an object lesson to draw the children into the love Christ has for them. We are so thankful for our church family and for God’s design for us. He created us to love, support, and encourage one another—rejoicing together, mourning together, holding one another up in prayer, and being His hands and feet. Together, we reach out to the hurting, love the little children, and show them all that Jesus is the Way. Tiffany Tuurenhout, Correspondent
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
|
4/1/2026
0 Comments