One Down, More to Go

The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.

We had great excitement on Sunday morning as our mission team reported on their trip to the Dominican Republic and their work with House Upon the Rock. 

They served us a typical DR mission lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches plus lots and lots of tropical fruit, some sweets we'd never seen before and bags of snacks beloved of teenagers. Not the usual SPPC after church lunch.

A slide show followed, some of which I've included here. 

The medical clinic is a major part of the mission. Those full shelves on the bottom of this photo show the meds our team brought with them, especially vitamins and pain killers. Living in our rich country, it is hard to imagine the amount of malnutrition in Pedregal, but it is endemic, so all those bottles of vitamins are much needed.

Oddly, the team, this time, was made up of family groups -- mother and son, grandmother and grandson, father and daughter . . . That turned out to be an unexpected blessing as it drew family members closer together. 

One of the benefits of returning to the same place over a number of years is the opportunity to see the results of your work. Our group got to see the completed houses that they had begun in 2013. They got to meet the grown up children they had played with 10 years ago. They got to see changed lives, as folk who had shunned the church now came to Christ because of the interaction with our mission team and others.

This house for Anthony and Rosa is a case in point. You can see in 2015 that they were living in a leaky shed. the picture at right shows Rosa standing by the door of their clean, dry, cement block house.

The mission team on this trip was made up of 14 members from two different churches, SPPC and Saanichton Bible Fellowship. These two congregations are not alike, yet the Holy Spirit moved within them. They came together as one with a single purpose, built relationships in the DR and at home, and felt God's blessing upon them. 

They also brought home grateful hearts for the congregations that had supported them with prayer and donations. 

Those congregations are  grateful to the missionaries for sharing their excitement, their joy, and their stories of life and work in the mission field with House Upon the Rock.

****************

Even as one mission ends, needs around the world remain. One place of desperate need is the Ukraine. As the war drags on, the number of those who have lost everything grows. The Compassionate Resource Warehouse, is one of the organizations that we support in filling those needs. They have sent out a new request.

 If you can help with any of the items listed here, please bring them to the church for drop off.  If you are coming mid-week, check with the office, 250 656-2241, before you arrive to be sure the doors are unlocked. Once we have collected a load, it will be delivered to the CRW.

    COMPASSIONATE RESOURCE WAREHOUSE UPDATE

CRW is working on loads for MOLDOVA, POLAND & UKRAINE

CRW will be loading out 2 container loads in the next while for MOLDOVA, POLAND & UKRAINE

These loads are targeted at children who are living in orphanages, group homes, safe homes, and families who are experiencing difficulty in providing for their families.

There are homes for children with special needs; children who have experienced trauma; children who have been trafficked, children who are internally displaced and or refugees.

We are especially in need of

1. hygiene: toothbrush/paste, wrapped soap, lotions, hair combs and brushes, etc

2. art supplies: paints/brushes, art paper, glue sticks, scissors, beads, colouring books, etc

3. non-word games- checkers, matching, dominoes, etc

4. 1st aid supplies

5. outdoor play- balls, skipping ropes, Frisbees, etc

6. child clothing and shoes

7. infant and child dishes, cups, bowls, plates, bottles etc

8. child re-useable diapers

9. 1st aid supplies

10. coloured face cloths and towels

We are looking to load out one in mid-May and one in later May/early June.

Thank you in advance for partnering with us in sending much needed supplies and a box full of "care, concern, and hope" to those who will receive our gifts.

Thank you to all who have given to the Compassionate Warehouse before and who continue to support this vital work. Christ called upon His followers to "feed my lambs." 

At his coronation this weekend, the new king, Charles III, took the gospel message for his pledge to his realm, "I come not to be served, but to serve."

Each of us, to the best of our own abilities, can serve in God's kingdom here on earth, and feed His lambs.

DR Connections

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.

On Sunday morning we welcomed Pastor Byron Knight to the pulpit. Byron is known to many in our congregation through his work with the House Upon the Rock. He has been leading mission trips to the Dominican Republic since 2009. He has been a youth minister on the peninsula for over thirty years but, in April, he takes up a new position as food manager at  Camp Imadene. Before that, however, he will be leading another mission team to the Dominican Republic, including six members from SPPC.

Speaking of the mission trip, on Saturday afternoon there was a pie auction at Saanichton Bible Fellowship. Proceeds went to support this year's mission team in their travel and work. They leave in just a couple of weeks.

The pies were fresh and delicious looking and commanded prices to make a baker drool. $70 for a gluten free lemon meringue pie, $70 for a carrot cake, and $400 for Peter's pecan pie. Two other pecan pies commanded high prices as well. I guess the bidders were big on nuts. 

In total, the event raised about $5000.00, all of which will go toward supporting our mission to the Dominican Republic.

 

Our team was well-represented with Will, Peter, Joan, and Diane. 

Keeley and Quinn came in later and took a turn as auctioneers.

Notice Diane is modelling her 2020 t-shirt. We had another team ready to depart just when COVID hit. They were commissioned on a Sunday, and on the following Monday in March 2020, travel was shut down. So, the 2023 team is carrying the spirit of the 2020 team as well

I was talking to Peter last week about all the packing required before the group gets on the bus. Everyone is allowed two suitcases. One they fill with stuff they will need for themselves, the other is packed with donated supplies -- mostly medical and school needs. Packing a full suitcase is one thing, but, since getting through DR Customs can be tricky, each item must be listed. All of the supplies the team takes with them are donations and, as such, are duty free. However, it pays to know exactly what is in each suitcase in case any get "lost."

Modern travellers tend to stuff a few t-shirts into a back-pack and off they go. Preparing to travel to Pedregal and House Upon the Rock, is a whole other kettle of fish.

Byron's message on Sunday morning was about the importance of prayer. As members of our congregation ready themselves physically for their mission, let us hold them close in our prayers.

Preparing for Mission in DR

The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.

November 6 was a very busy Sunday that included Will's baptism. I'll have more on that next week. This week, we have a presentation on a mission trip.

Last Sunday, Diane held an information meeting about the upcoming mission trip from SPPC to the Dominican Republic.  There have been teams from our congregation go out in previous years and she included some pictures from those trips. In 2020 another team was all set to go from our church when the pandemic hit. The team had been commissioned on Sunday and on Monday the lockdown orders were issued by public health. A great disappointment to those team members, but a necessary safety precaution. 

This year, a new team is being assembled and more supplies secured. The trip will take place in March of 2023. It's all there in Diane's presentation which is embedded below. Just click on the little pop-out button in the upper right-hand corner to view the whole thing.

Thanks, Diane, for sharing your presentation, and for your work for House Upon the Rock.

Auction for Missions

Saturday night I attended a silent auction --a fundraiser for our mission team to the  Dominican Republic.   
As well as items for auction, there was dessert and coffee. Lots and lots of desserts.  I think the sugar high was  designed to reduce bidder inhibitions. It certainly worked on me!

 I thought many bids were too low for the quality of the item up for auction, so I bumped up the bid.  I came home with four dozen roses -- and a few other items. Apparently, instead of boosting the prices, I discouraged other bidders. Good intentions gone awry.
Ah well, it's all in a good cause, as they say, and I've shared the roses with others.

The silent auction is a fun event, requiring enormous organization and a small army of workers. Sometimes it is the main event for funding the mission trip, other times it is an adjunct.  At SPPC we've been quietly fund-raising for many months.

workers

Some congregants have Thrifty's Smile Cards that ensures a portion of their grocery bills is donated to buy school supplies and medical items for the mission team to take with them.

more workers

More directly, we have a team of cooks who makes soup, meat pies and other goodies for sale. The food comes in small portions, it's tasty and it's economical. Many in our congregation have a big appetite for these small meals. 

Loved this, refrained from bidding

We also hold a bottle drive from January to March, adding a little more to the coffers and saving people a trip to the recycle depot.

All of these efforts mean that our mission team, Benjamin, Darlene, Diane and Joan, is well positioned for their trip to the Dominican Republic a few weeks from now.  

ready for fall

spring planter that I resisted

 Matthew 25:40: “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Matthew 9:35-36 “Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.”

Whether we're making soup or buying roses, we too can show compassion for the distressed and dispirited in our world.

Mission in the Dominican Republic

Medical clinic in Pedregal, Dominican Republic

Two years ago, our congregation sent a team of four to do mission work in the Dominican Republic.  It was the first event of this sort sponsored by SPPC and we were all very excited about it.  The four people who went, described the trip as life-changing.  They were under the auspices of the House Upon the Rock, run by Paul and Sharyn Branson.  There are plans for a second team from SPPC to make the trip this summer.
As well as establishing a worship centre and helping to build housing in Pedregal, the House Upon the Rock, operates a medical clinic. This month, the clinic will celebrate its 14th anniversary.    Here are some stats from the clinic:

* Patient Load 14,500
* 40% Haitian patients
* 60% Dominican patients
* Give out about $750,000US in medication annually
* Unknown number of people who come for prayer and counselling.
* Unknown number of people who have accepted Jesus and/or grown closer to God through the clinic's ministry.

As the clinic is situated on rented property, its continuing existence is always in doubt.  Therefore, The House Upon the Rock is attempting to purchase the property.  To date they have paid 48% of the purchase price, with the balance due by April, 2017.  You can support Paul and Sharyn in this venture with a donation.  For tax purposes, make your cheque payable to MSC Canada.  If you do not want a tax receipt, then a cheque can be made payable to Paul and Sharyn or MSC.  The ministry does not have a bank account in Canada so we cannot cash any cheque if it is made payable to House Upon the Rock.

More news from the Bransons.

God's Stories

We are excited to share that Sharyn has published a book!  It has been a project that she has been working on for a couple of years and fulfilling what God told her to do.  The purpose of writing this book is to share what we have witnessed that God has done.  He is an amazing God and is always doing miracles.  This book is a collection of, well, God's stories.  Stories from our 20+ years in full time missions and what we have been honoured to witness God do day after day.  We pray that this book will inspire and bring people closer to God.  Whether you are a believer or not, we hope that you will read this book and it will encourage you.

It is available at Amazon.com and .ca, Barnes and Noble and soon, it will be available at Chapters/Indigo.  Available Softcover, Hardcover and Ebook formats.

Canada:  God's Stories Twenty Years on the Mission Field

USA:  God's Stories Twenty Years on the Mission Field   Barnes & Noble
            God's Stories Twenty Years on the Mission Field   Amazon.com

Report from mission team

  We give thanks that our team has returned safely from the Dominican Republic, carrying a few bruises, the odd sunburn and a host of stories.  After our service on Sunday, the team presented a report, with slides.  Their excitement was so great they never stopped smiling.  They talked over each other as each recalled a special moment, their faces glowed and their hearts were full.  Not only for the work they had done, but to the congregation for its wholehearted support of the venture including these Spanish/English Bibles arranged for by Lloyd Warkentin of SPPC. 

   
    Their main task while in the DR was to build houses, using cement blocks.  At the top of this post is one they started from the ground up and took to the top of the doorway.  Below is one that they finished from the top of the doorway to the roof.   Mixing mortar, hauling it to the roof via a bucket brigade and doing it all in blazing heat created some sore muscles but more smiles.

Felicity earned a reputation as master bender of rebar.  Those triangles are essential for attaching the roof part of the house to the block walls.

Of course, building houses was only one purpose for the trip.  Another was to build relationships.  

Those relationships allowed The House Upon the Rock, our host, to fulfill it's call to God's work in Pedgregal.
The children especially were eager for hugs and cuddles.

Cameras and minds are full of photos and impressions that will take a while to process. 

Heat, poverty, joy, mosquitoes, peanut butter sandwiches for lunch, a marvellous swimming hole, aching muscles, scratched hands, friendships and amazing stories of faith.

Before the team left home, word was received that the church, which operates on rented land, was to be evicted.  The landlord had sold the space.  The minister, who lived on the land, and the congregation who worshipped there, had no idea where they would end up, or even if they could continue.
A few hours later, a donor from here came forward with $20,000.00 to buy land for the church so they would never face eviction again.  Our team arrived in the Dominican Republic as bearers of a miracle.

Another wonder concerned the medical clinic.  When our team arrived, the medicine cabinet was bare.

 But our people had packed extra suitcases, (which got through customs with no questions, a miracle in itself) full of medicines.  The empty cupboard was soon transformed to this, filled and overflowing.

The mission trip to the Dominican Republic has been a tremendous endeavour both for the people who went and for the congregation of SPPC.   Even as the lives of the team members  have been changed, SPPC has changed as well.  We aren't done with the children of Pedregal.  Supplies will always be needed, prayers will always be needed, and, if you want to sponsor a child, you can give her/him an education that will benefit the whole community.  Talk to Linda for how you can help.

Volunteer Sunday

   Our church, like most organizations, couldn't exist without the countless number of volunteer hours contributed by members.   Session declared January 11 "volunteer thank you, Sunday," and all volunteers were recognized and given a round of applause.  When Irwin asked anyone who volunteers at the church to stand and be recognized about 90% of the congregation go to its feet so we were really applauding ourselves! Still, it was good to look about and see how many hands are busy with the work of SPPC and our ministry in this community. 
   

    We had another reason for rejoicing on Sunday.  We have reached our fund-raising goal of $10,000.00 for the mission team that heads to the Dominican Republic in March.  The smiles from the team tell their own story.   Felicity also gave a lovely address from the pulpit explaining her excitement, her trepidation and her gratitude for the congregation's support.

   When the fundraising kicked off with the Strawberry Tea in July, I know there were doubts.  The goal seemed so high, and we are a small congregation, but here we are, at the finish line two months before the trip begins. Of course, we celebrated with cake. 

    We will go ahead with the other fund-raising events, i.e. Bridge luncheon in February and the on-going bottle drive. (The last big collection on January 3 raised over $900.00.) Funds raised from these events will be used to buy school supplies and medicine.   Each of our team members is taking two suitcases on the trip, one with his/her personal belongings, the other filled with items for the school and the medical clinic.

    Thank you to everyone for your financial support and your willing hands.  We ask that you continue to pray for the team members as they prepare for their trip --vaccinations for tropical diseases,  passports and Spanish lessons, just to name a few.  Pray for their safety, their courage, their stamina and the joy they bring to the work.

    

FUN EVENING

The Variety Show and dinner came off with flying colours on Saturday night.  Special thanks to organizers, Diane and Darlene, to the kitchen staff and the serving staff, and all the other helpers.  You did us proud.  Comments on the food were all positive, even somewhat surprised. :-)  Visitors hadn't expected such high quality.

     This was a new venture for our congregation, inviting community based acts to come and share their talent with us.  We are most grateful to Tricky Magic, the Craig Henderson Trio, Tristan Thompson and the Canadian College of the Performing Arts as well as surprise guest, Art Pruce for donating their time and talent.  Michael Denton was emcee extraordinaire!  Of course, it was all in a good cause and raised $2000.00 for the mission trip to the Dominican Republic.  Well done everyone, and thanks to our friends and neighbours for their support.



    If you missed the Variety Show, here is a list of other fund-raising events you might like to attend.  

Silent Auction

    On Nov. 22, at Friendship Community Church 7820 C. Saanich Rd.
    There is still time to donate something.  Use your imagination.  I know our own Bill Richer has donated a framed, original drawing.  There are golf lessons on offer and lots of "treasure" baskets.  If you've nothing to put in the auction, you can always be a buyer!  Come and enjoy what promises to be a fun evening, and you just might find that perfect gift.

Bake Sale

   On December 14, after service, the Sunday School is running a bake sale.  Proceeds go to the mission fund and goodies go into your larder.

Bottle Drive

  We will continue to have our bin in the Narthex for refundables to be dropped off. Thanks!
We will hold another community bottle drive on the first Saturday after the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations! We are thinking that people will be happy to unload their refundables after lots of company and celebrating!. We can use helpers for this in the areas of sorting, driving to collect, making coffee and hot chocolate for those working, and light lunch to keep us going.  Truly committed bottle drivers are out scouring the ditches too.

Bridge Luncheon

   In February we'll host a Bridge Luncheon.  This popular card game never goes out of favour so buy your tickets early to ensure your place at the table.  Or get together some friends and make up a foursome.

   Lots of opportunity to support youth initiative and to have fun at the same time. 

  

It is the dream of some of the young people in our church to go on a mission trip before they finish high school. The teens have selected to go to the Dominican Republic to help build housing and to meet and spend some time with the children in the community. We will also have a nurse travelling with us who will be practicing her gift of nursing in the mission hospital.

As an organizing committee for this event, we see "The Variety Show" as an opportunity for members of our community to support these young people. Equally important to us, we see it as a great opportunity for people to come into our building, enjoy some fresh local talent and have a great time.

Details:

Saturday, November 1, Dinner at 5pm, Show at 7pm

Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church
9296 East Saanich Road • North Saanich BC • V8L 1H8

(On the road to the Victoria International Airport, South-East of the traffic circle)

Dinner: Beef dip/pulled pork sandwiches with salads and an ice cream sundae bar.

Tickets: $25.00 for dinner and show. $15.00 for show only

 

    We have some exciting acts lined up for the Variety Show, including Tristan Thompson, a 16 year old Victoria boy who is already making a name for himself.  Even as a toddler, he admired Michael Jackson and ended up becoming a Michael Jackson impersonator, busking in downtown Victoria.  He drew such a crowd, the police had to move them along for blocking the street.  

   After a live performance at a family friend’s wedding and a few performances at various local charity events such as "The Autism Walk" and the "Lac-Megantic" fundraiser, Tristan was featured on the local “Go Island” TV show.

   Soon after, Tristan released a YouTube video for his Swedish House Mafia cover “Don’tYou Worry Child” and thousands of views started pouring in. Chatter Records released Tristan’s debut L.P. album “Here For You” in 2014. His first single “Tidal Wave” has taken radio by storm, with over 100 radio stations playing it in Canada, New Zealand and the Philippines. Tristan is currently on tour with TeenFest Canada in British Columbia.

The Craig Henderson Trio is a Victoria, BC, based band that has been playing together for the past 5 years at various locations, including the popular Sidney Summer Market. The band consists of 20 year-old Craig Henderson on the piano and vocals, along with his Tony father Gordon Henderson on guitar and Bill Kent on the bass.

Heavily inspired by the likes of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and many other vocalists of this genre. They are best described as a throwback to the popular music of the 1940′s and 50′s interpreted in their unique style, which is suitable for both listening and dancing.

Other entertainers on the bill include:
Tricky Magic,

Canadian College of Performing Arts

Michael Denton, former organist at SPPC will be the emcee for the evening.  

  

     The Variety Show is something new for SPPC and organizers hope it's a sell-out.  After all, it's for a worthy cause and features great talent.  What's to stop us?

     For more information on the mission trip, fund-raising opportunities, or to buy tickets, contact Darlene, 250 516-0563, or Diane, 250 886-0989.

    

STRAWBERRY TEA

   

The strawberry tea on Saturday afternoon can be counted an all around success.   From the beautifully decorated hall to the plates of delicious food to the wonderful piano music, everything worked together to provide patrons with an excellent experience. 
     There were many visitors among the diners and I heard nothing but congratulatory remarks.  "I've never been to a church tea that was as lovely as this," commented a guest at my table.  "What an attractive space," said another.
     

The food was so plentiful and so tasty that many people asked for take-home containers.  They couldn't finish the amount on their plate, but they didn't want to abandon it either!


      

     

  The genealogy group came.

       The ladies took tea.
       

and the gentlemen too.

The production crew perfected their technique.

       We were privileged to have Elizabeth provide background music -- Some background!  She played Beethoven!

      I didn't get pictures of all the "behind the scenes" workers, but Darlene was in charge of the crew and brought some of her friends on board to help.  They did a terrific job.  

      Many thanks to the cooks, the bottle washers, the ticket takers, the launderers, the decorators, the advertisers, the servers and the tea pourers who combined to make the afternoon such a delight.  

   Oh yes, as well as providing a time of fun and fellowship and community, the strawberry tea was a fund-raiser for our youth who will take part in a mission trip to the Dominican Republic in March 2015. The final tally isn't in yet and there are still donations coming, but it would appear the tea raised approximately $1000.00 for that project.  Well done everybody!