On Pentecost Sunday, the day Christians celebrate the birth of the church, Bethlehem Aboriginal Fellowship in Winnipeg held its first ever covenanting service and received its first 23 members into membership. Until now, believers and seekers have been gathering as a congregation to worship God wholeheartedly but with varying degrees of commitment to one another. Now they are united in their commitment to each other and to God.

Jeremy Bell, Executive Minister of Canadian Baptists of Western Canada is pleased to announce that Rev. Tom Lavigne has been appointed to a two year term as Director of Church Planting effective August 15, 2009. This new position is responsible for providing the prime leadership in designing and implementing a plan which will realize a significant increase in new CBWC churches. The new Director will work with a Church Planting Team which will articulate the vision of local believers reproducing new believers and local churches reproducing new churches to realize God’s mission for the world. The Director and his team will launch a church multiplication movement that will be undergirded by prayer, leadership, partnership and financial resources.