OUR CHURCH FAMILY

Please remember our church family in your daily prayers, at mealtimes and during your personal devotions. Continue to remember those young and old with ongoing physical, spiritual, and emotional struggles.

Congratulations to Polly Mooy and Nelly Keitel as they celebrate their birthdays on Wednesday and Friday. To both of you, we wish you a blessed day filled with love and laughter with family and friends J

Do remember those who are unable to worship regularly with us: please keep Jenny Bajema, Klaas Boskers, Lea Dykstra and Ernie Stebner in your prayers.

Pray for our missionaries around the world.

Bethel News

TRIPLE BRIDAL SHOWER: 

Ladies, come join us on Wednesday, August 9^th at 7:30 p.m. to bless 3 new brides-to-be - Erin Vandenborn (Jacob Binnema), Heidi Prins (Dereck Carruthers), and Brooke Schamber (Travis Ebens). To help encourage these ladies in this new step in their lives, we thought it would be nice to have you share a favourite recipe with each of them. It is a miscellaneous shower, although gift cards or cash donations are an appreciated option since the brides are either established in their homes or are as in Erin's case, moving to Ontario to a small apartment. Hope to see you August 9^th as we honour the brides.

Pastor Search Committee: 

We are moving along nicely. We have explored the Pastor Profiles on the Search Committee Portal, whittling them down from 1300 to 100 to 25. It is an exciting process! Now we hope a number of them will be open to a call then we will go from there.

If any of you have a suggestion for a pastor you would like us to consider, please fill out a form on the back table and place it in Cora Hoekstra’s mailbox. Also if anyone would like to view our church profile, there is a link on our website. If you would like a hard copy, we have a few available, also on the back table.

DENOMINATIONAL NEWS

Wildfire Crisis in British Columbia 

Join World Renew in praying for the wildfire crisis in British Columbia where a state of emergency has been issued. There are over 230 active fires and more than 14,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. World Renew is assessing the situation to determine our response and more details will be available as the fire response progresses.

Praying for Williams Lake: 

Please continue to pray for the congregation of Cariboo Community CRC, the people of Williams Lake, British Columbia and all those in the interior of B.C. who have been affected by raging wildfires. This update recently came from Pastor Paul Lomavatu of Cariboo Community CRC: Just brief update on the situation in Williams Lake Evacuation order: Close to 6 p.m. this afternoon [July 16^th] an evacuation order was issued for the city of Williams Lake and surrounding areas. Although the order was anticipated, it is still surreal to witness the emptying out of an entire community and to be part of an endless stream of cars heading south towards 100 Mile House. It is evident as we drive. Today, we ensured that the 15 families remaining in our congregation each had a place to go to. We ask for your continuous prayers as we navigate through these uncharted waters experience-wise. Please pray for peace to comfort many anxious and unsettled souls. Pray for safety for many who are travelling. Please pray as the Lord leads regarding the situation in Williams Lake.

Blessings, Pastor Paul Lomavat, Cariboo Community CRC, Williams Lake, B.C.

Sea to Sea Bike Tour 2017: 

More than 150 Sea to Sea Bike Tour riders pedaled through the Rocky Mountains in western Canada in July in the first three sections of a cross-country trip from the Pacific to the Atlantic oceans. The purpose of the tour is to raise funds for poverty alleviation worldwide – including World Renew. As many of you know, retired Pastor Gary Bomhof from Red Deer is participating in the tour. There is a Sea to Sea Bike Tour schedule on our bulletin board in the foyer if you would like to see where the tour is heading each week.

PERSECUTED CHURCH

India (village of Jalalabad, Uttar Pradesh) 

Twelve Christians were beaten with sticks, and accused of forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity. The mob tried to force the believers to drink 'holy' water from the Ganges River; the victims refused to participate or deny Christ. The militants are now refusing to sell water from their boreholes to these Christian families, while temperatures can soar to 40 degrees Celsius. Water is required to irrigate the fields and the believers' crops are dying in the sweltering heat. Local police and the village chief have not intervened to restore the water supply, despite the Christians' appeals for help. May the Lord's presence be with these Christians as they come under pressure to recant their faith. Pray that He will strengthen their resolve to stand strong in the midst of hostility, while granting them the grace to reflect His loving character before those opposing them. Ask that the need for water be supplied so they can nurture their crops, livestock and families. Also, intercede for the salvation of the other villagers of Jalalabad.