Dedication to the Lord

Keith and Bonnie Ivey dedicated Avery Leigh Ivey to the Lord today in Ituna, Saskatchewan. Praise the Lord and remember to say a prayer for the family. Avery has an older sister as well, Shaylin.



Hairy Fox Run

Sarah-Grace came home Friday to tell us that she did the 'hairy fox run' at school. Rebecca did the 'Terry Fox Run'

Leader of The Salvation Army in Pakistan murdered

Colonel Bo Brekke, Territorial Commander of the Pakistan Territory, was shot and killed on Thursday 27 September 2007 while working in his office. Read more... : http://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_sa.nsf

In the news...

Church needs permit to aid the poor!

Vancouver City Council thinks church needs "social-service licence" to serve the needy

(Staff) Vancouver City Council has told a local church that it needs a social-service licence if it wants to continue feeding and sheltering the poor.

The Tenth Avenue Alliance Church currently feeds dinner to 110 people and shelters about 25 every Monday in an Out-of-the-Cold winter program. It also operates Oasis, a daytime drop-in centre for 80 people, which operates from 10am until 1pm and serves lunch.

Read more from the Anglican Planet: http://anglicanplanet.net/TAPCanada0709d.html

British Columbia mulls court ruling on polygamy ban
Does the law violate Charter guarantees of religious freedom?
Frank Stirk

VICTORIA, BC—Christian family advocates are cautiously optimistic that a likely constitutional reference to the British Columbia Court of Appeal of Canada's 117-year-old law banning polygamy will not open the door to legalized plural marriages.

Vancouver lawyer Richard Peck recommended going this route in a recent report to Attorney General Wally Oppal. Oppal had hired him to study the evidence gathered by the RCMP involving the alleged sexual abuse and exploitation of the women and children of Bountiful, a Fundamentalist Mormon commune near the Utah border.

Peck ruled out laying any criminal charges since it seemed none of the women were willing to testify that they had been forced into arranged conjugal unions.

Read the full story > from Christian Week: http://www.christianweek.org/stories/vol21/no12/story1.html

Kenya and Uganda make three US bishops

By SUE CARELESS At the end of the summer no less than three American priests - Atwood, Murdock and Ghernsey - were consecrated bishops by African archbishops. They will serve a total of 65 orthodox Anglican congregations in the United States as missionary bishops. All three had left the Episcopal Church.

(This is interesting...)

Read more from the Anglican Planet: http://anglicanplanet.net/TAPIntern0709b.html

Abstain from alcohol to lower breast cancer risk: study
The Canadian Press

The consumption of wine, beer or liquor contributes to the risk of developing breast cancer in women, American researchers said Thursday.
"This is a hugely underestimated risk factor," said Dr. Patrick Maisonneuve, head of epidemiology at the European Institute of Oncology in Italy, who was not connected to the study.

read more from CBC.ca: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/09/27/wine-cancer.html

'Kids Klub'

Some of our programmes are now up and going including a new initiative for us in Nipawin - a 'kids klub'. While this may not seem revolutionary, there has been a real need for something for children whose families are struggling to make ends meet. A couple of girls told Susan last week that they came here because they were hungry. We hope that the Lord will use TSA Nipawin to satisfy their spiritual hunger - as well as their physical hunger. The Lord is good.

The Lake

1st Anniversary

Earlier our ministry centre here in Nipawin, complete with the Warrior's Song Cafe, had its 1st anniversary. We marked the event with a volunteer appreciation dinner. It was great to see so many people come out and we look forward to seeing even more people serving the LORD through volunteering in the future.

Just say 'no'

The Salvation Army Australia has a new social justice web site www.justsalvos.com :

Here is an exerpt:

Our excessive pleasures (chocolate, coffee and sex) are what enslave millions of people (mostly children) in the world's largest slave trade ever. Our excessive behaviour also enslaves us through obesity and desire. This progression of oppression needs to be confronted. As we confront our own enslavement it can lead to freedom for everyone in the cycle. Let's join together to stop the oppression in our own lives and then share that freedom with those trapped in the current slave trade.

read more: www.justsalvos.com

Hat tip, as they say, to armybarmy.com  (Sept 25th blog entry)

Acts 23: 1-11: Punch in the Mouth

Acts 23: 1-11: Punch in the Mouth ('The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day)

You can view our most recent sermon by clicking on the picture or the above link. As always, I welcome any feedback, questions, inquiries, etc. at ramsay@sheepspeak.com .

If you are up to it and really want to help hold me accountable, all of my post-commissioning sermons are available on-line at: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/.

Enjoy, Michael

Pray for Peace

From salvationarmy.org:

'Sunday 23 September 2007 – International Day of Prayer for Peace – is an opportunity for the people of Christ in all places to pray and act together to nurture lasting peace in the hearts of people, in their families, and in international relations. We can also bring to God in prayer those caught up in conflict, those working for peace, and political and military leaders who make decisions impacting the lives of millions. Our Lord is the Prince of Peace who gives peace to our hearts such as the world cannot give. Therefore I call the Army to prayer for peace in the world. We can begin by shunning strife in our own personal lives and praying that God will grant us grace for this day by day.'

– General Shaw Clifton

Misconceptions about religion...

If you scroll down you can read a couple of articles about Christians and Christian organisations fighting for peace. One of the articles - I think the one just below this one - speaks about common misconceptions about religion. I have one common misconception that I threatened to blog from the previous issue of the Salvationist and since the most recent one is now out, I thought that I should finally post it.

The misconception, which I have argued against previously here, is that America is a Christian country and that its actions represent the gospel of Christ. According to a Barna research poll 'only 4 percent of Americans hold to a biblical worldview' (September 2007 Salvationist). I think this stat in part explains the context of the previous two blog entries as well as the NCR article we posted here on Sept 10th about the (mis)representation of Christian values in US politics: (http://ncrcafe.org/node/1296) or from Common Dreams (http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/09/07/3687/)

Religion and violent conflict: A practitioner's functional approach

The Ploughshares Monitor
Summer 2007, volume 28, no. 2

An interesting article complete with a couple of top 10 lists by John Siebert: www.ploughshares.ca/libraries/monitor/monj07c.pdf

Social Justice Stuff from Project Ploughshares

Church leaders' letter to the Prime Minister on Canada's role in Afghanistan

On 16 August 2007 12 Canadian church leaders sent a letter to Prime Minister Harper encouraging the Government of Canada in its pursuit of peace in Afghanistan. The letter followed a collaborative process of consultation and learning over the past year coordinated by The Canadian Council of Churches and supported by Project Ploughshares. The church leaders' letter followed a 25 June 2007 letter to the Prime Minister from the Council's General Secretary and President, the Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton and the Rev. Dr. James Christie. Click here to see a listing of both letters as well as a media release on the church leaders' letter and French translations of these documents.

International Day of Peace — 21 September

The International Day of Peace on 21 September arises from UN resolutions and has recently gained momentum as a global rallying day to call for peace and disarmament. For further information, click here.

The Beast of the Mark

more comics and rations: www.sheepspeak.com/drwas.htm

Early Trinitarian text

The Trinity has been an interesting concept historically to fully understand in such a way as to articulate it to another so that that other may be able to in return understand and communicate the same. It is interesting though that even though the equivalent of the term 'trinity' is never used in the canonical texts, it is still (and it should be) a widely accepted concept. John 1:1 is often put forth as an early Trinitarian text. Today, I submit that we should also ponder Acts 16:6-10 in that same light:

6Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Chocolate Cake: Devotional Thought on Acts 10 and 11.

This devotional thought was presented to the Nipawin Leadership Team and Tisdale Corps Council meetings on the week of September 2nd.

We have all had the opportunity to read through the book of Acts together these past couple of weeks. I just wanted to open up today by sharing some devotional thoughts on Acts chapters 10 and 11 for us.

Do you remember the story of Peter and the Cornelius? Here is Peter, not only a good synagogue-going person but also a devout follower of Jesus and one day he has a dream. It is a most peculiar dream. One day he dreams of all these foods that he is not supposed to eat - now I am not talking about chocolate or cake or things that were bad for his diet - but I am talking about things that, in his day, good people who followed God wouldn't touch because well, they were just that; they were good, God-following people.

So Peter has this dream and in his dream the Lord's voice from heaven has asked him to eat this stuff three times. Now Peter isn't stupid and he not too long ago had just been caught denying Jesus three times before the rooster crows (Matt. 26:15, Mark 14:72, Luke 22:61), if you remember, and he is not going to race into any rash decisions here about this kind of thing; he shows the Lord that he is faithful to his Jewish covenant and declines the invitation three times. This is not what was wanted here though and this is not what the dream it turns out is about at all.

This passage not about dietary laws and what foods a good follower of Jesus will or will not eat and Peter should actually know this because he was there when Jesus fulfilled/abolished the dietary laws (Mark 7:19) by declaring as all foods clean. Peter knows that what the Lord's voice is saying here is true that he should 'not call anything impure that God has made' he knows that. This is not here a new piece of information. But there is something else here.

Peter and the resurrected Jesus are talking about here is something much more profound than diets. They are discussing the salvation and role of the Gentiles. You see the Jews had not thought to this point that the Gentiles, as they were, could be saved. They knew always that salvation was possible for them; Judaism always had proselytes. There were always people converting to Judaism but here in Cornelius' household, we have God-fearing people who are not like the regular synagogue-goers.

You see with every other Gentile to this point who converted/repented/changed, they all started to dress like the Jews, pray like the Jews, talk like the Jews, eat like the Jews and the men were even circumcised like the Jews - they joined the religion on Judaism's terms.

But now, however, there are people who do not eat like them, do not look like them, do not act like them and who are already in a relationship with God. How can that be? They don't dress like the Jews, pray like the Jews, talk like the Jews, eat like the Jews, and the men aren't circumcised like the Jews and yet they have already received the gifts of repentance and the Holy Spirit.

My question that I am going to leave us with - that we're not going to answer today is - who are these 'Gentiles' in our society that don't dress like us, pray like us, talk like us, eat like us, and otherwise act like us and how do we ensure that we are following God's Spirit in extending His mission to them like Peter did after his dream?

For more on my thought on this matter, this time in the context of Acts 15, I invite you to peruse Sunday, September ninth's sermon, The Chihuahua Barks Again (Acts 15:1-9) on-line at http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/ .

For our Nipawin Readers...

We are in desperate need in our food bank here. The cupboards are becoming
bear. If there is anyone in Nipawin who is able to support those in need in
our community we will be certainly exceedingly grateful.

The Mark of the Beast

more comics and rations: www.sheepspeak.com/drwas.htm

What the? Hail!

We're not in Victoria anymore, Toto.

There was hail and sleet in Nipawin today. We had the heat on in the corps in Tisdale yesterday.

I need to find a warm jacket; time to visit the store downstairs so I can ride my bike as long as I can here.

New Ministry Initiatives

In Nipawin and Tisdale we are in the process of trying to establish a couple of new important outreaches for at risk youth and others in our community.

We have been partnering with other organisations and are very excited by some of the opportunities that the Lord is providing...stay tuned for more.

We need candidates who are really religious

An interesting article out of the US - from the national catholic reporter:

The closer the United States gets to choosing a president, the more the event begins to look like a papal election: it's all about religion and little about what religion teaches.
The United States, we love to say -- and Europeans repeat in a kind of incredulous wonder -- is the most "religious" country in the world. Meaning, of course, the most church-going country in the world. Whether or not going to church correlates well with religious values is clearly a debatable subject. To wit, the corporal works of mercy -- as in, feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, house the homeless, visit the imprisoned, visit the sick, and bury the dead. It is on these criteria in Matthew 25: 31-46, however, that Jesus rests his definition of salvation. No small thing for those who considers themselves "religious." No small thing, then, one would think, if a nation -- if a candidate for political office -- were really serious about being "religious."

read more (really do) from ncr (http://ncrcafe.org/node/1296) or from Common Dreams (http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/09/07/3687/)

The Chihuahua Barks Again (Acts XV:1-19)

Sunday's sermon, The Chihuahua Barks Again (Acts XV:1-19), is up. Any comments or critiques are always appreciated. Thank you very much for everyone who has been holding me accountable via the e-versions of my sermons to date.

read the sermon: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/

Mike.

One anecdote. This sermon is about acceptance of one another, etc. At the end we really quite get into it about how we shouldn't write off people from various groups. So then after we get home someone lets me know that they ran accross this verse relating to our theme: Titus 1:12-13

Day off

It was good to have a day off today. Not only did I get a chance to organize some of my files and put the finishing touches on my sermon but we got to head out to Silver Stream today. Silver Stream is the community where my Grandmother was born. The girls loved seeing the old school and having their picture taken with the old school bell. The town isn't there anymore but every year there is a big fair at the fair grounds. Next year maybe we can preach an open air or something.... We looked for the old grave yard (and some old family graves) but we couldn't find it. We'll go back another day. It is beautiful there. Anyway, I have to go and photocopy the bulletins for tomorrow and hook up the PowerPoint still.

As you're reading this, please remember to say a prayer for us.

Thanks,

Mike.

Pictures...

of the first day of school

and of some of chef Sarah-Grace's creations.

Rebecca's Song

While we were at a Corps council meeting in Tisdale earlier this week, Becca (on her own and by herself) wrote this song for God. She excitedly showed it to us when she was done. She has a tune for it as well. We recorded her singing it because while she has learned how to read and write quite a bit, she still hasn't mastered musical notation (me neither!).

Acts 15 - more stuff for you

It is the 'conviction of Judaism was that Israel was God's appointed agent for the administration of these blessings-that only through the nation and its institutions could Gentiles have a part in God's redemption and share in his favor. And there seems to have been no expectation on the part of Christians at Jerusalem that this program would be materially altered, though they did insist that in these "last days" God was at work in and through Jewish Christians as the faithful remnant within the nation. In the experience of the church, all Gentiles-with but one exception-who had come to acknowledge Jesus as Messiah had been either full proselytes or near proselytes (God-fearers).' - Richard N. Longenecker. The Expositor's Bible Commentary.

Midnight Oil

So late night is really the best time to get a lot of work done. I am working on my PowerPoint, order of Service, etc. We had Corps Council / Leadership team meetings the last two evening and I have been in court and other meetings this past week - I still need to do some more work on my sermon for Sunday...I understand that there are people who can survive off five min sleep a night (-:

I can't wait till our internet at home is up and going. That would be a good place to enter in all the stats, etc., after the kids are in bed or before they are up in the morning....

Acts 15:1-2

Picture from: http://calvinandhobbes.awardspace.com/#ch900321

To find our more...
come out Sunday at 11 am at the Salvation Army in Nipawin
and 5 pm at the Salvation Army in Tisdale

Dear Sirs:

I hope you have been reading along in Acts (this week's homework is chapters 11-15). The following letter is part of the Message's version of one from Acts 15:23-29.

From the apostles and leaders, your friends, to our friends in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:

Hello! 24-27We heard that some men from our church went to you and said things that confused and upset you. Mind you, they had no authority from us; we didn't send them. We have agreed unanimously to pick representatives and send them to you with our good friends Barnabas and Paul. We picked men we knew you could trust, Judas and Silas—they've looked death in the face time and again for the sake of our Master Jesus Christ. We've sent them to confirm in a face-to-face meeting with you what we've written. 28-29It seemed to the Holy Spirit and to us that you should not be saddled with any crushing burden, but be responsible only for these bare necessities: Be careful not to get involved in activities connected with idols; avoid serving food offensive to Jewish Christians (blood, for instance); and guard the morality of sex and marriage. These guidelines are sufficient to keep relations congenial between us. And God be with you!

Prayer for NWT election

The NWT has called an election. In BC a couple of years ago, they were looking at other forms of democratic government. The NWT might offer a model that may be more compatable with Christianity.

Unlike the provinces and the Yukon, the N.W.T. runs on a consensus-style of government with no political parties. That means all candidates in the territorial election run as Independents. As well, the premier is chosen from the elected MLAs nearly two weeks after the election, along with the Speaker and cabinet.

Anyway. Pray for the Candididate. Pray for the Jamaica elections as well as they are still recovering from the hurricane as well.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. His servants are Peace makers. His opponents are the opposite. Pray for Peace

More than 1,800 Iraqi civilians died in August: AP
Last Updated: Saturday, September 1, 2007 | 5:57 PM ET
The Associated Press

Civilian deaths in Iraq rose in August to their second-highest monthly level this year, according to figures compiled Saturday by the Associated Press.

The toll raises questions about whether U.S. strategy is working days before Congress receives landmark reports that will help decide the course of the war.

Read more http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/09/01/ap-iraq.html from CBC.ca

Keep us in your prayers

Please keep us in your prayers as Nipawin and Tisdale are kicking off their fall programmes soon. The Nipawin Ministry Centre is celebrating its first anniversary on the 16th.

Any prayers will be greatly appreciated:

for salvation for Nipawin and Tisdale;
for our girls as they are starting their new year at school;
for the perfect employee for the ministry centre;
us as we are still climbing the steep learning curve;
for our basement (after our sewer back up we had mold) and I have been tearing it apart every since.....