All the latest general news and announcements are found on this page.
An Opportunity to Invest in Kingdom work in NE India
Far Corners Ministry (NE India) – Kalchini Project (Updated, May 25, 2022)
UPDATE: All gifts will be matched by a generous donor until June 30, 2022!
To invest in this project, you can e-transfer to the ministry email at info@farcornersministry.org or by following this link to the Far Corners Ministry website (indicate Kalchini Project): https://farcornersministry.org/how-to-be-involved/donate
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ORIGINAL DETAILS: In 2009 WRBC began a ministry partnership with Far Corners Ministry (focused on NE India). This ministry is founded and led by Shant and Ginny Manuel. WRBC sent their first team to north-east India in 2010 and has every two years since, until Covid-19 interrupted the rhythm.
Several months ago, I (Bob Fast) was in conversation with Ginny and learned about a small but growing congregation that was in desperate need of a new meeting place. Pastor Sujat (one of the supported pastors) and his wife Hemanti minister in the village of Kalchini. Initially they met in one room of their three-room house. Then they outgrew it and put up a tent-like structure just next to the house. The tent-like structure had been repaired several times, and after the last rainy season it became apparent that this was not going to be adequate.
By November 2021, they had grown to about eighteen families with forty members. Many new families from other faiths are joining and during Christmas time 17 people committed their lives to Jesus and now they are coming regularly to church. Now there are around 34 families at Kalchini to attend in the new church building and Shakti (the local missionary working with Far Corners) feels that they will see continued growth in this area. Praise God!
The Kalchini church construction project started in November and was planned to be built in stages as funds became available. The building is approximately 18 x 40 feet. The pastor and wife have given part of their land for the building which saves over $5,500. The cost that Shakti gave for the project at the beginning was approximately $12,275 CDN. Costs for building materials and labour costs have increased significantly in India as in other parts of the world so this cost keeps rising. Other interested donors have given to this project to help with the construction. After donations from various donors, mostly in Canada, to complete the project, they estimate they require $4500 CDN.
My wife Dale, and I participated in one of the WRBC trips to Northeast India in 2016. Many others from our church have also gone and ministered to the wonderful people there… and have been ministered to. They are very committed to serving God and building His kingdom. I have regularly thought about how we can support them in some of their entrepreneurial initiatives. The people in this area are not wealthy but are very hard working.
Dale and I have personally invested in this particular kingdom project, and I would like to encourage you to pray about how God might be leading you to participate. It would be great if together, we could provide $5,000 to get this church building complete. To invest in this project, you can e-transfer to the ministry email at info@farcornersministry.org; or by following this link to the Far Corners Ministry website (indicate Kalchini Project): https://farcornersministry.org/how-to-be-involved/donate
Bob Fast
May 2022
Here are some photos of the church in progress:
Service Resources: June 12, 2022
Service Resources:
Interactive Sermon Notes (Check it out!)
Romans 16 1-16 – Friends Living the Gospel Together – Sermon Notes – June 12 2022
Qualities of Christ-Honoring Friendships June 12.22
Growing in Grace BBQ
Growing in Grace (Seniors Ministries) BBQ on June 23, 12:00pm. Register online or at the Welcome Centre. This event will be outside at 2405 McGillivray, weather permitting (indoors otherwise), so please plan accordingly. See you then! Cost: $10/person. Invite your friends! Contact: Bonnie (204-489-1482).
Young Adults Update
Hey Peeps,
Today is a Stat holiday, but as you all still like to hang out, we will be meeting at the Pavilion at Assiniboine Park at 7pm tonight and then head off to Sargent Sundae for some Ice cream! Hope to see you all there!
Reception Centre Buzzing with Activity
Since launching the reception centre for recently arrived Ukrainian on April 19, over 340 Ukrainians have gone through Manitoba’s reception centre for refugees to date, 20% of them children. As the crisis in Ukraine continues, it is expected that more Ukrainians will arrive in Manitoba through the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program and will need help accessing services and aids.
Located at the Best Western Plus Winnipeg Airport Hotel, the reception centre is a safe welcoming place for Ukrainians where they can get information about services available through this centralized hub. Volunteers from community organizations, including the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba Provincial Council (UCC-MPC), are on-site to provide language services and to act as a gateway to the Ukrainian community in Manitoba.
Arriving at the Centre
Upon arrival, an intake assessment will be done to ensure those who require immediate health support, such as crisis counseling, prescription drug refills or referral to a physician, occur in a timely manner. For the Ukrainians who have support from family or friends already living in Manitoba, they are also welcome to visit the reception centre for health care and settlement services. Recognizing that longer-term settlement support may not be required immediately, people can drop by the reception centre at a later date as needed.
To ensure that those arriving in Manitoba are aware of the reception centre and supports available, the URTF has developed a quick reference guide in coordination with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that is being distributed to Ukrainians upon their arrival to Canada. Additionally, the UCC-MPC has a welcome area (reception desk) at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport and is directing new arrivals to the reception centre.
Services available at the reception centre include:
• Intake services to determine individual and family needs
• Temporary accommodations and meals for Ukrainians who have no connection to individuals in Manitoba
• Registration, orientation and referral services through Manitoba Start (information and referral to settlement supports that link people to language training, the workforce and longer-term settlement needs)
• Additional resources such as free home furnishings, backpacks for kids, and activity kits for children
• Orientation packages from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba Provincial Council (UCC-MPC)
• Access to coordinated health-care services through the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Manitoba Health (Ukrainians traveling to Manitoba under the federal CUAET are eligible for health care coverage upon arrival in Manitoba – see below for how to get a health card)
• Registration with Service Canada for a social insurance number.
For more information about Manitoba’s response to the Ukraine crisis visit www.Manitoba4Ukraine.ca.
Prayer for Ukraine
Prayer for Ukraine, composed by Mykhola Lysenko, 1885, lyrics by Oleksandr Konysky, has become the spiritual anthem of Ukraine. It is sung by the Kyiv Symphony Chorus.
This song accompanied the introduction of WRBC’s Ukraine Task Force on Sunday, April 3/22.
Prayer Tree for Ukraine / Pray for Ukraine
This tree became a Prayer Tree for Ukraine with prayers from WRBC family. To review prayer requests for Ukraine, visit www.whyteridgebaptist.ca/PRAYER.
Kids at the Ridge - Praying for Ukraine
A couple of weeks ago, our SONSeekers kids brought home a “Praying for Ukraine” coloring sheet that they were encouraged to put on their fridge to remind them to pray.
The coloring sheet can be found here if you didn’t receive one: Pray-for-Ukraine-Coloring-Page
We also painted a large poster that we put on our church bulletin board to remind our families at church to pray for Ukraine.
Maybe you’ve already talked to your kids about the war, but if you haven’t, our kids may already be hearing about this in school, through friends, or even through overhearing news stories on the family tv at home. Just in case you are struggling with what to say to your kids or what to pray for, I’ve put together some prayer points and bible verses you can read through together as a family.
– Pray for Safety – read Isaiah 41:10
– Pray for Comfort – read Psalm 34:18 and Psalm 73:26
– Pray for Hope and Courage – read Deuteronomy 31:8-9
– Pray for Peace – read John 16:33
Praying for you all as you navigate this tough topic with your kids.
Mrs. Sheilla
NAB Crisis Relief Fund for Ukraine
To donate to the crisis relief for Ukraine click here: Crisis Relief Fund for Ukraine – North American Baptists, Inc. (nabconference.org)
World Vision Crisis Relief Fund for Ukraine
To donate to the crisis relief for Ukraine through World Vision click here: World Vision Canada Support Ukraine Crisis Response Fund
SONSeekers Missions Update
Hi Parents,
Well, it’s already March and we have been feeling a few “warmer” days lately. At the end of February, our kids had a special Missions class where we talked about different kinds of Missionaries and different ways people can be a missionary. We also talked about how we can share God’s love with others around us and that we can be on a mission for Him no matter where we are! Part of our activity was to pray for one of our WRBC Missionary Families, and we also wrote them a letter and made a big card for them showing how much we love them, appreciate them and are praying for them.
So I wanted to share this sweet card with our parents and families as they did such a great job. We mailed it last week, so we are praying it arrives safely!
We talked to the kids about how we can share the love of Jesus with those around us, but also how can we share the Good NEWS with them. So I’ve included a part of our activity below that you can try out as a family.
Family Activity Idea – Practice being a Missionary:
Take a look at some of the steps below that a missionary might use to tell someone about Jesus. Discuss with your kids ideas of how they might tell someone about Jesus, using any of these steps. Then, pray together and try acting on one or more of the steps below as a family.
– Make friends
– Eat a meal together
– Explore the city
– Invite friends to your home
– Give them a Bible
– Talk about Jesus
– Pray for them
– Invite them to church
– Enjoy their company
– Tell them how to become a Christian
I pray this activity brings meaningful conversations around the table with your kids!
Blessings on your week ahead.
Love, Mrs. Sheilla
Unit 20 Session 1 - Jesus was Baptized - January 23, 2021
Hey Kids,
Join us as we hear the story of when Jesus was baptized! Jesus led a perfect life and never sinned, but He was still baptized. Let’s find out why!
This Week’s Preschool Lesson!
https://youtu.be/Qd3UVeZk_xM
This Week’s Lesson for Elementary!
https://youtu.be/IjmwAMyYSXM
I hope you are keeping warm and enjoying all this snow! Hope you have a great week.
Love, Mrs. Sheilla
Unit 19 Session 5 - Jesus as Child - January 16, 2021
Hey Kids!
Join us this week as Miss Jane introduces our Bible story about Jesus as a child… What do you think Jesus was like as a child?
Last week, we learned that when Jesus was a baby, Mary and Joseph took Him to the temple to be dedicated. At the temple, Simeon and Anna worshiped Jesus as the Messiah. So what happened between the time Jesus was dedicated and the time He was a grown man?
Listen to today’s Bible story, it’s called: “Jesus as a Child.”
This Week’s Preschool Lesson!
This Week’s Lesson for Elementary!
Have a great week everyone!
Love, Mrs. Sheilla
An Expository Series in Romans - Past Sermons Available Online
Missed a message in the Expository Series in Romans? Click here to view or listen to past sermons and click on the ‘Romans’ Series!
Included in this series is God’s Design for Sexuality Part 1 and Part 2. Click here and select the ‘God’s Design for Sexuality’ Icon to view these two sessions.
Becoming a Romans 12 Christian – Starting Sunday, January 23 (for 12 weeks). On this journey, we will watch a 12 session series on RightNow Media (a Christian streaming service) called “True Spirituality: Becoming a Romans 12 Christian” by Chip Ingram (Wednesdays, 7:00 – 8:30 pm). For the first 3 Wednesdays (starting Jan 26th) we will meet on Zoom, 7:00 – 8:30 pm. The first half of the evening we will spend together then, after watching the video, we will make use of Zoom breakout rooms where groups of 3-6 people (Discipleship Groups) will be able to discuss what they’ve just learned under the guidance of a host (these same groups will meet together over the 12 weeks). After three weeks, each Discipleship Group can decide if they want to continue meeting on Zoom, at the church, or in a home.
Other options: watching the videos on your own schedule with family, friends, or as a LifeGroup.
Need access to RightNow Media? https://bit.ly/RightNowMediaFREEAccessRequestForm
Join us on this journey through Romans 12 and let’s see how God will grow His Kingdom in us and through us! Registration Form: https://bit.ly/BecomingaR12ChristianRegistrationForm *Please submit by Sunday, January 23. Contact: Pastor Doug Friesen
Unit 19 Session 4 - Jesus was Dedicated - January 9, 2021
Hey Kids,
We are back online again this week while our in-person gathering is closed. We are so glad you’ve joined us! We have new Kids Activity Packs for the month of January that are ready for pick up! These Activity Packs go along with our online lessons – make sure you watch til the end of the video to get your Activity Instructions!
Please sign up here!
https://whyteridgebaptist.breezechms.com/form/f2e20a92471026
This week we are continuing the story of Jesus after he was born. While he was still a baby, Mary and Joseph took him to the temple to be dedicated. Let’s hear more!
This Week’s Preschool Lesson!
This Week’s Lesson for Elementary!
We hope to see you all in person again soon, but we hope you are able to follow along with us over the next while online! We are praying for each of you that you are staying safe and healthy!
God Bless,
Mrs. Sheilla
Kids at the Ridge Presents: Just a Little Christmas
Board Announcement - December 22, 2021
Hello, I’m Dave Barton and I serve on the Board of Church Governance at Whyte Ridge Baptist Church.
The Board, and the Staff, have been having some deep discussions on how best to proceed with our Sunday morning services in light of the most recent changes to Public Health Orders in Manitoba. Many of you have shared your thoughts and concerns, which we greatly appreciate. Even more, we appreciate your prayers as we seek God’s guidance in discerning the best way forward.
Up front, I would like to remind you that we are the church and we are not defined by the building we meet in nor the type of service we have on a Sunday morning. Whether meeting in a building or online, we are still the body of Christ called to love one another and to be salt and light in this world. At Whyte Ridge Baptist we’ve defined our mission as “making and nurturing followers of Jesus through healthy relationships”. I encourage us to maintain this mission focus as we persevere through the challenging, and ever-changing Public Health Orders.
At a special Board meeting on December 21, we determined that our way forward needed to answer four primary questions:
- What is the right thing to do? Guided by Scripture, what decision would best honour God?
- What is the loving thing to do? Guided by Jesus’ example, how would our decision demonstrate our love for one another?
- What is the best way to “include” everyone with our decision? We don’t want anyone feeling left behind or left out.
- What is the best means to unite (rather than further divide) our congregation? We are already sensing divisions within our congregation – how can we best draw people together?
We don’t believe there is an easy answer to any of these questions, but in sharing the different perspectives of board members, which actually reflect the diversity of opinion within our congregation, we prayed that God would guide us to a solution that best answers these four questions, and which all Board members could support.
We encouraged one another to be creative in suggesting possible solutions and after much discussion we decided to set up a rotating schedule of checking vaccines on one Sunday and not checking vaccines the following Sunday. On the Sundays where we check vaccine status we can have 50% capacity. On the Sundays we don’t check (which we refer to as Open services), we can have multiple cohorts of 25 people, up to a maximum of 25% capacity. Staff and volunteers will be tasked with sorting out the logistical challenges of the Open service (how many cohorts can we safely accommodate, how do we keep them separated as they enter/leave the building, how do we stream the service to different groups in different rooms, etc.). We realize that this plan is less than ideal, but in reality there is no ideal plan that perfectly answers our four questions. We pray that the love and unity we’ve experienced as the Board would spread throughout the congregation as we each lovingly sacrifice our own desires to better include everyone and truly consider the needs of others.
In the midst of the Christmas holiday season, we believe it is unreasonable to expect these logistical details to be sorted out immediately and have therefore determined that for the first three Sundays of January our services will be livestreamed only, with no in-person attendance. This will give us time to plan and prepare for the first in-person service on January 23, where we will be checking vaccine status. When the call comes for more volunteers to execute this short-term plan, please consider how you could contribute.
More details will be shared in the coming weeks as plans are refined and finalized. We would also encourage you to maximize other opportunities to meet and worship together. Even during the coming weeks when church is online, you could join together with friends or neighbours for a Sunday morning watch party to worship in smaller groups. We encourage you to stay connected throughout the week, with your LifeGroup, your Neighbourhood Group, Ministry Teams or informal gatherings. If you don’t have a group, please consider joining a Discipleship Group as they are established in January.
In closing I want to encourage all of us to remember that we are in a spiritual battle, against Satan and the forces of darkness. We are called to pray for our government, our society and for one another. In our spiritual battle, Scripture is a weapon (the Sword of the Spirit) but it is a weapon against Satan, not against other human beings. I pray that in humility, we will rally together in this time of testing, with our focus on Christ and how we can serve Him together. The world will know we are His disciples by our love for one another.
I thank you all for your words of encouragement and especially for your prayers. I can assure you that our collective prayers were a difference maker for our Board meeting and I believe they are the key to seeing us through the coming weeks.
Just a reminder that we have two services on Christmas Eve, one at 4 PM where we will be checking vaccine status and one at 6 PM where we will not be checking vaccine status. There are a few seats still available for each service and you can go to our church website to register. The 4 PM service will be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, then made available on our website for later viewing.
On behalf of the Board and Staff, I wish you all a blessed Christmas, full of His peace and joy.
Dave Barton
Moderator – Board of Church Governance, Whyte Ridge Baptist Church
InteracT Social night - Monday, December 13 @ 7 pm
For those who were able to join us at interacT Social night on Monday, December 13 @ 7 pm – glad you could join us!
Keep track of upcoming events and news on the new Whyte Ridge Baptist App by downloading at www.whyteridgebaptist.ca/APP today!
