Dear folks,

The Lord consistently remind you of His presence and transforming relationship in this season of preparation for His birth.  A season for His birth and our rebirth.

I have selected three poems that are very meaningful to me at this time from a collection of poetry my mother gave me two years ago – The Lion Christian Poetry Collection.

Enjoy, be blessed, Holy is the Lord.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. . .
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
                                           John 1:1-4, 14.

Warmly,

In Christ,

Jeremy Bell

Salus Mundi

I saw a stable, low and very bare,
 A little child in a manger.
The oxen knew him, had him in their care,
 To men he was a stranger.
The safety of the world was lying there,
 And the world’s danger.

  Mary Coleridge
  1861 – 1907

It is as if Infancy were the Whole of Incarnation

One time of the year
the new-born child
is everywhere,
planted in madonnas’ arms
hay mows, stables,
in palaces or farms,
or quaintly, under snowed gables,
Goths angular or baroque plump,
naked or elaborately swathed,
encircled by Della Robbia wreaths,
garnished with whimsical
partridges and pears
drummers and drums,
lit by oversize stars,
partnered with lambs,
peace doves, sugar plums
bells, plastic camels in sets of three
as if these were what we need
for eternity.

But Jesus the Man is not to be seen.
We are too wary, these days,
of beards and sandalled feet.

Yet, if we celebrate, let it be
that he
has invaded our lives with purpose,
striding over our picturesque traditions,
our shallow sentiment,
overturning our cash registers,
wielding his peace like a sword,
rescuing us into reality,
demanding much more
than the milk and the softness
and the mother’s warmth
of the baby in the storefront crèche,
(only the Man would ask
all, of each of us)
reaching out
always, urgently with strong
effective love
(only the Man would give
his life and live
again for love of us).

Oh come, let us adore him –
Christ – the Lord.

  Luci Shaw
  20th century

Kid Stuff

The wise guys
tell me
that Christmas
is Kid Stuff…
Maybe they’ve got
something there –
Two thousand years ago
three wise guys
chased a star
across a continent
to bring
frankincense and myrrh
to a Kid
born in a manger
with an idea in his head…
And as the bombs
crash
all over the world today
the real wise guys know
that we’ve all got to go
chasing stars
again
in the hope
that we can get back
some of that
Kid Stuff
born two thousand years ago.

  Frank Horne
  20th century

On November 24th, Trinity Baptist Church in Sherwood Park hosted the second day of the second year of our Listening and Covenanting Sessions together.

You will recall last year’s questions:
   •  What has God called you to? 
   •  What resources has He given you? 
   •  What resources do you lack? 
   •  How might we partner together over the next year to see God's call lived out in your ministry and community?

And this year’s follow-up questions:
   •  In what ways does your church engage and make a difference in your community?
   •  In what ways does your church partner to minister with other churches?
   •  In what way can your church energize or enhance the work of our denomination (our family of churches in Canadian Baptists of Western Canada) in the next year?

The following churches were present and I ask that you pray for their requests.

Edmonton and area – 10 participating churches, 9 spoken or written commitments

Trinity Baptist, Sherwood Park – will offer to host forums in which regional churches can attend to discuss matters of mutual concern, to build on one another’s strengths and prayer, encouragement and support

Community Baptist, Fort Saskatchewan – will give 10% of offerings to Canadian Baptists of Western Canada and encourage churches of Edmonton to work together to reach into our local communities in the name of Jesus

Laurier Heights Baptist – will commit to enhance the work of Canadian Baptists of Western Canada

Strathcona Baptist – will stay involved with CBWC, reaching out into old Strathcona in new ways and being available to work with CBWC

the Neighbourhood Church, Delwood and Highlands – will humbly share our failed experiments to be biblically faithful and culturally relevant, will second Pastor Howard Lawrence up to 20 hours a week as Missional Church Consultant, and free up Kevin Green to encourage the work of Church Health and Planting and other northeast Edmonton churches

Zion Baptist – will reach out in faith and hire a full-time pastor

Braemar Baptist – will pray for the leadership of the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada, continuing in our financial support of our denomination, supporting the various activities of the denomination, and being used wherever the denomination feels they could use the giftedness of Braemar

McLaurin Memorial Baptist – will pray for and support the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada to the best of our ability and build new relationships within the community

Shiloh Baptist – will share God’s story as it unfolds in our community and congregation and pray for our churches and leaders

Other participating church - Jasper Park Baptist

Many thanks to Trinity Baptist Church for their hospitality, especially Wayne Larson, Kendra Shields and Mike Engbers, who hosted us. Thanks to John Prociuk, Sam Breakey, Faye Reynolds and Ryan Sato for their facilitation of this time.

Warmly,

In Christ,

Jeremy Bell