Dalmeny, Saskatchewan
Dennis Friesen, Pastor
dalmenybiblechurch.ca

Henderson, Nebraska
Bryan Conrad, Pastor
faithebc.net

Alice Decker, Correspondent

Lincoln, Nebraska
Scott Hecht, Pastor
www.heartlandbible.org

Pastor Adam Fischer

Indian Head, Saskatchewan
​Justin Epp, Pastor

Sarah Pacio, Correspondent

Jansen, Nebraska
Paul Carpenter, Pastor
​jansenbiblechurch.org

Our women's Spring Fling of Beauty event reached out to friends in the community, offering a beautiful setting, a hearty supper, and inspirational talks highlighting the beauty of a heart aligned with God through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
A men's breakfast and Bible study have commenced on the first Saturday of each month in the church fellowship hall.
Our upcoming Spring Bible Conference is scheduled for April 13 & 14, featuring Trevor Rubenstein from Chosen People Ministries, who will speak on the overall picture of the Middle East and Eschatological matters. A Sunday noon meal will follow the conference.
Preparations are underway for our Vacation Bible School (VBS), which is set to take place from June 10-14, running from 9 AM to 12 PM each day.
​

Tena Dick, Correspondent

Langham, Saskatchewan
Greg Guarnett, Pastor
langhambiblechurch.homestead.com

Marilyn Friesen, Correspondent

Iron Mountain, Michigan
Jim Janofski, Pastor
facebook.com/RandvilleBibleChurch

We rejoice to see hints of springtime on the horizon in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and again are reminded of the majesty of our great Creator and His faithfulness, both in creation as well as in our daily lives.
​As always, at Randville Bible Church, we have continued to center our services on the beloved Word of God. In our fellowship, this takes several forms:

• The culmination of our nearly two-year sermon series in the Gospel of Luke: "Glimpses of Jesus and Lessons for Life", concluding with a review of highlights and overall themes in Luke's Gospel.
• Continuing our study of the book of Revelation in our short morning group Bible study. Currently we have been rejoicing in the contrast of God's protection and care for His people in heaven even as the judgments of the Great Tribulation increase in intensity upon the earth in chapters 15 and 16 and beyond.
• Our "Randville Chapter Challenge" continues as we add the cumulative chapters read each week by our church family. And while this calculation is done in a low-key manner, it does encourage each of us to be faithful in God's Word daily. Our total was nearly 6,000 chapters—a JOY to a pastor's heart. Additionally, Culver's gift certificates were awarded to the individual who came closest to guessing the total over a 49-week accounting period.

 Our upcoming sermon series will be an expository study from the minor prophet Habakkuk: “Finding Joy in Tough Times.”
In addition we will focus on brief character sketches of two specific disciples:

•  Andrew - ”Bringing Others to Jesus” A workshop on personal witnessing and sharing our faith.
• Thomas - “Faithfulness in the Midst of Doubt” A challenge to commitment and dedication to the Lord.

 Other spotlights will center on “Portraits of Jesus in the Old Testament Tabernacle”
There have been a number of highlights during the fall and winter.
As is customary, in September, we celebrated Grandparents' Sunday, recognizing the significant role grandparents play in the lives of younger generations. We highlighted the importance of grandparents in demonstrating their love for the Lord through their godly examples, spending time with younger ones, and creating lasting memories. Furthermore, we acknowledged the profound impact of grandparents' prayers for future generations.
And on the last Sunday in September, "World Bible Translation Sunday", we rejoiced to hear of additional people groups who now have the entire Word of God or portions of Scripture in their own languages. And yet, our hearts were heavy for those many groups who do not yet have access to God's precious Word in their own languages. Our prayer focus is for God's blessings on ongoing translation work and for the life changing power of God's Word to be very evident as a result.
The final Sunday of October marked our Anniversary Sunday, where we celebrated nearly 90 years of ministry in the Randville area and reflected on God's blessings upon our small church throughout this time.
We also commemorated Veterans' Appreciation Sunday in November as well as Thanksgiving. We lifted our voices in praise for God's many blessings.
In December, we held our traditional "Celebration of Carols" service, featuring participation from many individuals showcasing their vocal talents and musical skills on a variety of instruments including brass, woodwind, Appalachian dulcimers, a ukulele ensemble, and a bell choir comprised of individuals of all ages. What a joy to rejoice in the reality of the Incarnation of our Savior!
More recently, our hearts were lifted by the reminders of Palm Sunday and the thrilling, life changing reality of the Resurrection—He is not here: He is RISEN!!!
May the Lord continue to bless each of the churches of our fellowship for His glory and the edification of His people!

Pastor Jim Janofski

Beloit, Wisconsin
Tim Johnson, Pastor
​rockvalleychapel.org

Many exciting things have happened at Rock Valley Chapel in the new year! We’re excited to share a recap with all of you - 

• Youth Group Reboot: Our Youth Group has kicked off its activities again! Gathering twice a month, our young members delve into enriching Bible studies and enjoy fun filled moments of fellowship. 
• Celebrating New Life: It's been a season of rejoicing as we witnessed the inspiring testimony and baptism of Dan Wright. His journey of faith and commitment has truly blessed our congregation. 
• Easter Celebrations: Rock Valley Chapel had a busy and meaningful Easter Holy week, worshiping together with services on Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. We enjoyed a Saturday morning prayer time, and our celebrations culminated in an Easter breakfast followed by praise and worship at our Easter Sunday service.
• Growing Together: We're thrilled to welcome new members and individuals exploring membership at Rock Valley Chapel. Our new congregants enrich our community, and we're grateful for the opportunity to grow together in faith and fellowship.

We continue to embrace the blessings and opportunities unfolding within our church family.

Waldheim, Saskatchewan
James VanderVeen, Pastor
salemchurch.ca

Shawna Mwakikuti, Correspondent

Stuartburn, Manitoba
Mark Funk, Pastor

Eileina Niessan, Correspondent

Below are the deaths, births and weddings that occurred across our congregations since our last published issue. During these major events, and always, we will proclaim His praise. 

     Jude Philip Albert Mierau, born to Matthias and Shania Mierau, February 14.
     Lincoln Oscar Calolot, born to Ojey and Rebekah Calolot,
​March 31. 
     Dennis Pady, 81, died January 22.  ​

     Jacobus Tuurenhout, 79, died December 11.
     Robert Badgley, 69, died December 27.
     Gabriella Buechi, born to Max and Melissa Beuchi, February 21.
     Mandi Schroeder wed to Logan Niessen, October 7.
​

What should I do with Jesus? 
The man from Nazareth, the carpenter's son. 
Who spoke the truth and didn't run. 
So they falsely accused Him
       And abused Him 
                By nailing Hime to a block of wood. 
       Yet, three days later, 
               He rose from the grave as only He could. 
What should I do with that Jesus Christ? 
Well, I can domesticate Him, you know put Him in a cage. 
Make Him safe and manageable, 
        Treat Him like a sage. 
               A man of deep teaching
        That doesn't demand too much of me. 
              Mr. Rogers who invites me, 
                      His neighbor to be. 
Or, I can diminish Him, shrink Him down to size. 
So I can comprehend Him, 
        Relate to Him, 
               Determine if He's wise. 
Just enough of Jesus to be informed but not transformed. 
Just enough of Jesus to be calmed but not convicted. 
"A pound of Jesus in a paper sack. Three dollars worth of Jesus."
Can I order that? 
Or, I can detach from Him, relate to Him as a faraway king. 
          Too busy to be bothered, my requests to bring. 
So high up there that He can't see me down here. 
           Present but not really present. 
                 kinda like a fly on the wall
           "the man upstairs" who might not take my call. 
What should I do with Jesus? 
One word comes to mind. Worship. 
Worship, because he isn't safe 
           (He's the Lion of the tribe of Judah) 
Worship because He isn't small. 
           (He's the infinite who became finite, for the finite) 
Worship because He's called out to you. 
            He is near 
                 He is here
                       He hears
                             And He cares
                                    For you and me. 
Worship, Jesus Christ, the son of God, 
            The one that made me, 
                    And isn't done re-making me. 

Registration for Connect24 is now open! We're offering a reduced registration fee before June 1, so don't wait. Register now to take advantage of the early bird discount.

Still not planning on attending? This year, our keynote speaker is Dr. Greg Carlson; he'll be speaking on "Leadership in Uncertain Times". All of us have felt the weight of uncertainty; it's easy to let uncertainty rule your mind and life, and even easier to flounder as followers and leaders in times of uncertainty. Consider registering today to explore the traits, team and tasks of leadership for the home, the church, and the community. This year's topic is sure to be educational and uplifting for every attendee. 

Need a little more encouragement to register? Not only will attendees experience energizing evenings of worship and teaching, breakout sessions and small group discussions about different areas of ministry and opportunities to connect with like-minded believers, but also fun outings! This year, we are offering four different exciting group outings to choose from: Western Development Museum, Hutterite Colony Tour, Wonderhub Children's Museum, and Golf at Rosthern Valley. These outings are always full of fun and fellowship. If you're still on the fence, consider attending to grow in your faith and take advantage of this awesome opportunity to grow closer to fellow believers. 

Learn even more about Connect24 HERE. Ready to register? Easily register by clicking below. 

Doctrine is a word that can make people roll their eyes, let out a deep sigh, or look for another person with whom to start up a conversation. But doctrine sit he foundation of our faith and a weak foundation leads to a weak faith. The fact that Christianity is becoming less acceptable in our society should cause us to redouble our efforts to be strong foundationally. Sadly, many Christians do not have any appetite for solid doctrine. Of course, tongue in cheek, no one could eve accuse an FEBC member or church of having weak doctrine. After all, one of our tenets is the authority of Scripture, right? 

As we rejoice in another Easter season it is easy for us to dwell on the ‘what’ without ever considering the ‘why.’ Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected on the third day! We can quote scripture to the same effect — “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). But what are we to do with that little phrase, “according to the scriptures?” Cross references in my Bible take me to the gospel accounts, to predictions from Isaiah, and Psalms. But do those references explain this phrase? Does Paul write “according to the scriptures” as a reference to the historical account given by the gospel writers? It is doubtful, considering he wrote 1 Corinthians around 54-55 AD, possibly before any of the gospels had been written. So then, is it in response to the Old Testament prophecies? In part yes ... but a prophecy itself declares what will happen, not necessarily why it will happen.
The New Testament writers were masters in their knowledge of the Old Testament due not only to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but also due to their study as Jews (with Luke being the only known exception). So, let’s use the whole counsel of God to consider the why for Jesus’ death and resurrection.
We start at the beginning (apparently a very good place to start) with creation, and we see from Genesis chapter one that God created the universe and everything in it which means he has authority over it to impose any freedom or restriction he chooses. We see that he made Adam and gave him authority over creation with one restriction: Adam could not eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17). When the serpent tempted Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, he enticed them with the lie that they could be like God. Isaiah 14:14 teaches that this formed the basis for Satan’s own rebellion, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” Every form of sin is rebellion against God at the core.
Because God is holy, just, and eternal, sin must be punished. And sin cannot just be punished for a certain period of time; it must be for eternity because God himself is eternal. The notion that God will sentence sinners to the lake of fire but eventually let them out because of his mercy is an affront against his holiness and his eternality. There is no such thing as time off for good behavior because God’s standard is not good but perfect. There aren’t degrees of goodness or badness but only perfect and imperfect. Imperfection cannot be made better by any amount of goodness; it can never eventually attain perfection because every failure remains. Thus, our need for a redeemer remains.
In Genesis 3:15 God promised the serpent, “He shall bruise you on the head.” But what kind of man could do this? Isaiah 7:14 gives the answer: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel.” The angel Gabriel explained to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35) The Redeemer must be a man because the penalty for sin is death (Gen. 2:17, Rom. 6:23). The redeemer must die. But an ordinary man can only die for his own sin, so the redeemer must also be God in order to be perfect and able to pay for the sin of others. This is why Mary must be a virgin, to verify that Jesus is fully God and fully man.
The gospel writers paint a brutally honest picture of all that Jesus went through leading to his death; his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas’s betrayal, the trail before the Sanhedrin, the mockery before Herod, the sentence by Pilate, the scourging and the final humiliation of the crucifixion complete with becoming sin on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21). In addition to all of this Isaiah 53:10 says, “But the Lord was pleased to crush him, putting him to grief.” Every element of Jesus’ agony was necessary for the payment of sin. We see that God did not go easy on Jesus, but unleashed the full measure of his wrath. The justice, holiness and righteousness of God demanded it.
But thanks be to God that Jesus rose from the dead! It is not just a pleasant end to the story but is, in fact, crucial to our salvation. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:17, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” Peter declared in Acts 2:24, “But God raised him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for him to be held in its power.” Why was it impossible for Jesus to be held by death’s power? Contrary to the theory of evolution, death is not the natural product of life, it is the direct result of sin (Rom. 5:12); and because Jesus was sinless and perfect, death had no hold on him. The resurrection verified that he was the perfect sacrifice. He died and God declared him righteous by raising him back to life again! Hallelujah, what a savior!

We are charting a new course for the FEBC, and we need your help.
The position of full-time Ministries Coordinator was established in 2019 to better help and equip our churches. Rev. Gary Krehbiel has filled this role, serving many of your pastors, elders, and other leaders. Among other things, he provides encouragement, support, prayer, and on-site assistance with problems. He helps develop resources.
This position has been funded with reserves, mostly from estate gifts, with a plan to increase our general income over time to cover the cost. Due to multiple factors, that model is no longer sustainable. We announced earlier this year that the position would be suspended as one part of planned budget reductions. The President’s Address on page 5 was presented when this plan seemed inevitable.
But at Connect23, many of your delegates expressed their appreciation for the work that has been done to strengthen churches, and a desire to see this position continue. After prayer and considerable deliberation, the delegates instructed the FEBC directors to develop and implement a plan to pay for the position through a support-based model of funding – similar to the way individuals support missionaries.
Many overseas missionaries support and encourage local churches. In the same way, our Ministries Coordinator supports and encourages local churches in North America. Would you consider pledging a monthly amount to support this work?
To cover the salary, benefits, travel, and other related expenses, we need about $7,000/month. At Connect23, several of your delegates showed their genuine concern for this need by pledging about $1,100/month total. We are looking for $5,900 more in monthly pledges over the next few months.
As the original plan put forward by the directors included suspending the Ministries Coordinator position at the end of July, we are accepting funds now. However, if you wish to make a pledge that begins in the future, please let us know.
We plan to raise support for this position until income from existing and future churches is sufficient to resume funding with general income.  While this could take a few years, we would gratefully accept a pledge for any duration. And while the key to maintaining this position will be monthly giving, we can also accept one-time gifts for the position or for general FEBC needs.

To make a pledge, please email [email protected] , or call our office at 402-965-3860. To begin giving right away, click the button below.