Tidal Impact 2009

There is something empowering about being with youth for a week and running on their energy and enthusiasm. Being part of the Tidal Impact team that set off for a short term mission in Saint John was not part of my plans for the summer. However, I believe that God had other plans for me for this week and with much uncertainty I stepped into this unknown territory. The only experience I have ever had in working with youth was raising my own children and I knew this trip would be completely out of my comfort zone.

There are some observations that I made during the week and I will share some of that here.

For our youth, I would encourage you in your journey - stay strong and stay true to God and yourselves. You are an amazing group and God will use you in ways you never thought possible. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of seeing you in action - giving your time and abilities freely in the different outreaches that we were a part of.

For our youth leaders, what can I say, but I really admire your stamina to guide and build relationships with these kids week after week. What a reward it must be to watch these youth grow and mature into young adults serving God.

Last, but not least, to our NMBC congregation, thank-you for your prayers this past week. We were challenged and stretched. Continue to support and encourage our youth. You are the largest cheering squad they have. Also, if any of you are given the opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and into 'new' ministry, try it, you may just enjoy yourself!

For Him.

Laurel

A True Sense of Family

God has always been a part of my life and I don't remember a time when He wasn't very real and present; having said that I haven't always been close to Him as I should have been. I am very thankful that He works gradually and brings you to a certain point of understanding before asking you to take the next step and surrender the next part of life to Him. NMBC has been my church family for almost 50 years and there have been many members in that family during that time - today we said goodbye to one of the men of the church that helped to impact my growing up years - Rex Schofield. David and I spoke after the funeral today that he was the last of the men we grew up watching in the leadership of our church and we are now the older generation that will be watched. I pray God will give us the wisdom, patience and abilities to be the kind of generation that we had as examples.

God continues to work in my life daily and as I look back I can see His hand so clearly on the decisions and changes in my life recently. Leaving a secure job of 20 years with no idea what was next was scary and yet there was no doubt that it was God's will for me and look where He took me next - working at the Divinity College where our pastors and church ministry leaders are trained - a new ministry and the answer to a prayer for work in a Christian context.

My biological family has been a blessing and support to me all my life and so has my church family, I cannot imagine life without my Christian sisters and brothers at NMBC and praise God for the true sense of family and for the tremendous spiritual leadership I experience there.

Sheila Levy

Encouraging Family

What a blessing from the Lord to have a church family that supports and encourages and empowers the family unit! Tyler and I are so blessed and so thankful for weekends like the DISCOVERING THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE ALL OVER AGAIN. It was such a joy to get to know some new people in our church, specifically, Lee and Sylvia Hudson and Jack and Sandra Lord, and Kevin and Cheryl Orde. The weekend away and the course as a whole, has grown our marriage because it got us talking once again about our relationship...the things to celebrate and the things to change and work on with God's grace. Tyler and I have a life story that largely includes this NMBC church family since we have been attending here for 20 years (for Bonnie) and 33 years (for Tyler). This church family has been key in our growth Spiritually as we grew up in our own strong families, attended many Sunday School classes, youth groups, and other ministries that have been used here by the Lord. Our baptisms, our wedding, our baby dedications, and now sessions such as these marriage courses keep us moving along the path of knowing God more.

Bonnie Jones

Love is Patient

Neil and I have been married for nearly 24 years, and we know we always need to work on strengthening our marriage. This month we participated in our first marriage course since becoming members of NMBC. Throughout the whole course we met in small groups, where we got to meet with 3 other couples. We enjoyed all the sessions, but especially appreciated the Friday night / Saturday sessions at the Westin in Halifax. We were challenged, through the video teaching, the times in our small groups, and time spent together as a couple, to connect with each other emotionally, physically, and spiritually,

Thank you to the pastors, the leadership team, and the organizers of this course for giving us the opportunity to grow, together,

Lori Noseworthy

God had Better Plans

Marsha & I both began attending New Minas Baptist Church for all the wrong reasons. Coming out of a very small church experience growing up, Marsha appreciated being part of a large congregation and having the ability to sort of 'fade into the crowd.' I, on the other hand, began attending NMBC with Marsha in order to gather 'evidence' as to why her faith was silly and unnecessary. Needless to say, God had better plans.

Every Sunday, Marsha and I would go to church together, and then enjoy coffee and conversation afterwards, where I would argue all of the pastor's points and explain why they were wrong. In one of our conversations, I told her "You're just going to have to accept that I'm never going to be a Christian." Marsha, steadfastly countered, "And you'll have to accept that I'll never stop praying for you to become a Christian." Weeks later, in the midst of our typical Sunday plans, God knocked me out of my socks. I guess you could call it a kind of "change of perspective." When our daughter, Alyssa, was born, my perspective radically shifted as I saw the world from the perspective of a parent – and that's the only thing I can use to describe what happened to me on Sunday, July 30th, 2000. God grabbed a hold of me, moved me, and changed the place I was looking at the world from. It was incredible and disturbing – I really didn't know how to feel about it – but I began seeing the world through new eyes. Pretty soon, I was eating up every theological book I could afford, and came to appreciate not only that God exists, but He loves us and is passionate about having a relationship with us. That's what the story of Jesus is all about!

I wasn't the only one experiencing a change, though. God used that event to speak to Marsha in a whole new way, radically changed her, and drawing her into a deeper relationship with Him. We've had God make his presence and love for us known in so many ways since then, as individuals and in our marriage, but none more precious than seeing Alyssa come to faith in Christ. Today, Alyssa is a leader in children's ministry at NMBC, and both Marsha and I are actively involved in ministries. We're also en-route to a degree in theology at the local seminary, and anxious to see where the Lord will lead us next! We know the story doesn't start or end with our family... God has so much more he can do in our lives and the lives of the people around us. We're just thankful we have to opportunity to see what He's going to do next!

Pete & Marsha Freckelton

God's Present Reality

Years ago I committed Hebrews 13:5 and 6 to memory. His promise to never leave me or forsake me always rings true. I don't know how other people view life, but for me it is never a smooth ride. Life is full of challenges and bumps in the road. I think knowing the reality of God's presence in my life has given me the ability to face things with more stability than I ever would have had without Him.

Kay Wheaton

God's Call Through Summer Ministry

I want to take this opportunity to share how I have been blessed by our church, specifically through the Summer Student Ministry Intern Position.

This past summer of 2008, for the third summer in a row, I have had the opportunity to serve on staff at the church with the Youth and Children’s Ministry, with Pastor Jon; and for the third summer in a row I have been SO thankful to be in that position.

Each summer at NMBC has been so much more than summer employment for me. By the end of the first summer serving at the church I came away very confused about why I was going to pursue becoming a French teacher because I had enjoyed my time with the church SO much.

Anticipating more great things, I applied for the position again and was thrilled to serve a second summer in a row. It was during that second summer that I realized God was calling me to ministry!! Truthfully, this changed my WHOLE drive in life, as I began to open myself to this on the Lord’s leading. During the second summer I transferred home, from the University of Ottawa to Acadia University, and with great effort I searched for places where I could continue to learn at NMBC, and experience what serving in a church would be like on a more regular basis.

I was fortunate to continue working closely with Pastor Jon throughout the school year while studying at Acadia. However, by the end of that Fall semester I could not return to a secular university and “hum-haw” my way through an undergraduate program thinking I MIGHT, ONE day, attend Seminary or something like it. I was finally certain that I needed to find another route that would allow me to grow in my relationship with the Lord WHILE I studied and pursued an education that would bring me to vocational ministry. So, I withdrew from Acadia and spent what would have been the “Winter Semester” still working with Pastor Jon, having some lengthy discussions with Godly men and women (most of which are members of NMBC), and seeking God’s next step for me. After a lot of a prayer, and searching, and listening, I applied to Atlantic Baptist University for the Fall of 2008.

Now, as I study at ABU, from my Communications courses to Religious Studies courses, I realize how much serving at NMBC has shaped and PREPARED me for an education at this university. I am able to appreciate the Christian community at ABU. I appreciate being challenged academically and spiritually!!

This past summer, my third summer at NMBC, my abilities to work with youth and children really developed. I was stretched and challenged in areas of evangelism, small group and bible studies, creativity, and leadership. Even through the more chaotic times, the disappointments, and the stressful moments, I am thankful that I could be challenged as I shared the gospel and learned more about trusting and growing in my relationship with Jesus.

The reason I am sharing all of this is because I believe that where I am today all points back to my first summer at NMBC. I want you to know how THANKFUL I am that NMBC chose to allow for that first Summer Student Ministry Intern Position, as well as the positions in the second summer, and the third summer! The first summer the Lord planted a seed for ministry in me and He has been faithful in nurturing it and growing it ever since. I am a different person because of those three summers at NMBC. I have been deeply encouraged in my walk with Jesus and feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to encourage other youth and children in their relationship with Jesus too .

THANK YOU for investing in the life of a student, in me, through a summer job. THANK YOU for helping me to see more of God’s plan for me. It is my prayer that you, as a church, recognize the value of summer student positions and you will continue to make them available for students.I realize that in order for each of us to fulfill all that God has for us in this life, we need to CONTINUE to seek Him. But, I just want to share with all of you how much God has used this church in my life. The people and my experiences at NMBC have played a significant role to bring me to this point of my life, and God continues to bless me through this church as I walk with Him.

May we continue to seek HIM and bless HIM,

Laura Ells

Praise God for His Faithfulness

When Jennifer & I decided to move to the valley, we left behind a church family, close friends, and a house not yet sold. We truly believed that God was calling us to move, and despite not knowing exactly how everything would turn out, we moved our family in the summer of '07. We figured we could survive for three months before selling our house in Shelburne, and after that, we weren't sure how we'd make ends meet. Our home did sell, after 13 months, but God was faithful to us, and provided for our needs through that time despite the burden of two houses. Not only did He provide for our financial needs, but He also led us to NMBC, where we have found a new church family, and blessed us with new friends. Praise God for His faithfulness! "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "Plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." -Jeremiah 29:11

Jason Archibald

Introduction

We have launched a brand new blog to help us to share the stories of God working in our lives. We want you to be able to share your story of how God has been transforming you! To share your story email us at mystory@nmbc.ca

Intro Video

Thanks to Mark Pearce for creating the intro video and to Youth Specialties for providing the media.

New Minas Baptist Church | My Story