Summer/Fall 2015 Saskatchewan Edition Issue 4
CANADA's
HOPE GOD’S MISSION. OUR ADVENTURE.
Celebrate! In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.
LU K E 1 5:1 0 N LT
A PUBLICATION OF
CANADA's
HOPE Summer/Fall 2015 Saskatchewan Edition Issue Four GOD’S MISSION. OUR ADVENTURE. Canada’s Hope is the biannual publication of One Hope Canada. Letters, articles and photos are welcome. Names of many of the people mentioned in articles have been changed. EDITOR Melanie Mushaluk CIRCULATION & ADDRESS CORRECTION Melanie Mushaluk
Inside CANADA
SASKATCHEWAN
3
Chairman’s Message
4
Field Director Editorial
5
Finding Mother
6
Dauphin Bible Camp
9
Celebrating Growth
8
Kenosee Lake
14
Message of Gratitude
10
Estevan Bible Camp
15
Summer Ministry by the Numbers
12
Luseland Bible Camp
16
Partnering for the Kingdom
18
Camp Photos
21
Radio Ministry
20
Stoney Lake Bible Camp
24
Remembering a Ministry
22
Torch Trail Bible Camp
30
Cooking with Kathy
26
Manitou Lake Bible Camp
31
Supporters
28
Dallas Valley Bible Camp
SPONSORSHIPS Bill McCaskell DESIGN Kelli Stewart COPY EDITOR David Nadeau Gloria Pederson Jacquie Bolen Menno Hamm
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN BY FERDI VAN DONGEN
Do we have a reason to celebrate?
Undelivered copies, change of address and new requests should be addressed to:
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, GOD SPOKE CLEARLY TO THE ISRAELITES BY INSTRUCTING THEM TO CELEBRATE. WHY? So they would not simply carry on with daily life, but would purposely pause, ref lect on God’s hand in their lives, rejoice, and be merry! Jesus also used the act of celebrating in His parable of the prodigal son.
ONE HOPE CANADA Ministry Resource Centre Unit 6 - 875 Gateway Road Winnipeg, MB R2K 3L1
Do we have reason to celebrate? Is it right for us to celebrate? Would God approve of our celebration? Yes, yes, and yes!
PRINTING Derksen Printers Steinbach, MB Publications Agreement Number 40019747
Telephone: 888-960-2580 Email: info@onehopecanada.ca www.onehopecanada.ca
Please note: To save printing and postage costs, one magazine is mailed per household. If you would like additional copies, please contact info@onehopecanada.ca Cover image taken at Estevan Bible Camp
As a mission, we pause to celebrate the completion of this summer’s camp season. We have prayed, we have given, we have organized and planned, we have wondered, doubted, worried, and then prayed again and again. Looking back on the 2015 summer camp season, we rejoice how God used One Hope Canada’s camps and ministries to present the Gospel to thousands of children. Hundreds committed their lives to Jesus. Do we have a reason to celebrate? I say, “Yes!” ABOUT THE CHAIRMAN Ferdi has been serving on the National Board since 1995 and became the Chair in 2000. As a young adult, he volunteered at a children's camp, and that is where he heard the message of salvation for the first time. He believes that ministry to children is possibly the most important Christian ministry: children need to hear about God. Canada’s Hope
3
FIELD DIRECTOR EDITORIAL TERRY KERR, SK FIELD DIRECTOR
Celebrating Salvation FROM DARKNESS INTO THE LIGHT
IN THE SAME WAY, THERE IS JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD’S ANGELS WHEN EVEN ONE SINNER REPENTS. LUKE 15:10 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION) Often, we get so focused on numbers that we forget heaven’s celebration when one sinner repents! Each summer, in talking to summer staff, I am encouraged by their God stories. I hear of lives transformed by Christ. Even those with no church background would come to camp, year after year, hear the Gospel, and be changed by it. What a celebration!
The Bible says we go from darkness into the light, and from eternal destruction to eternal life when we acknowledge Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Though summer camp work is exhausting and there are many physical/ spiritual/financial battles to fight, the joy of seeing lives eternally changed is beyond words and no price can be put on that! Eternal life with the God of all creation . . . oh, what a day that will be!
“... the joy of seeing lives eternally changed is beyond words and no price can be put on that!" 4
Summer/Fall 2015 | www.onehopecanada.ca
by Faye Rempel
MY
W
hen I was nine, my mother, Gretta, died and everything was different without her. Our house seemed so empty at times. I was the only kid I knew who wore a key around her neck—everyone else had a mom to welcome them home after school. I let myself into the empty house and waited for more than an hour before Dad came home from work.
Some days, I tried to make supper and in the middle of stirring the creamed corn, would get distracted. Dad sometimes got burned corn and potatoes, but he never complained. He just appreciated my trying. While losing Mom was hard, and though I didn’t have siblings, I was blessed with an absolutely wonderful father. He was so kind and I knew he would always keep me safe. I knew he needed a wife and I needed a mother, so I simply asked God to send us someone. A year after Mom died, I was invited by friends to Gimli Bible Camp. It was my first time at camp; I was so excited to travel by bus with friends! As we tumbled out of the
bus, we were greeted by a lady with a sweet smile. She reminded me of my mother and I was immediately attracted to her. I discovered this pretty woman wasn’t married, and my ten-year-old heart was thrilled! I followed her around all week, and didn’t leave camp before taking her picture and getting her address. At home, I waited for the right moment. One night after supper I showed Dad the picture and told him, “Dad, this is the lady I want for my new mom. Here is her address. Now you write to her.” Being the shy man he was (it took years to get up the courage to ask Mom to marry him), he responded with a decided, “No Faye, I can’t do that.” Canada’s Hope
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ENCOUN ER
2016 2017
A coast to coast mobile discipleship school.
THE ADVENTURE AWAITS. Now accepting applications for the 2016-2017 adventure.
Apply online! www.encounterschool.ca
FINDING MY Mot her I hounded him for days. Sometimes, I would walk past his bedroom and see him on his knees by his bedside. I hoped he was praying for the courage to write that letter.
Finally, he agreed to write, but he cautioned me, “Faye, this doesn’t mean she will want to have anything to do with us.” I understood that, but couldn’t wait to see if she’d respond. Every day I ran home from school and checked the mailbox, and every day—no letter. Weeks passed, but I didn’t give up hope. One afternoon I opened the mailbox and my heart leapt. There it was, a pink envelope. The longest hour and a half of my life was spent waiting for Dad to get home! The pretty woman from Gimli Bible Camp, Irene Adams, agreed to meet Dad. She also agreed to be his wife, an answer to my prayers.
I did get my new mother and I got to choose her! I distinctly remember one incident where my new mom and I were disagreeing about something and when I complained to Dad, he put down the newspaper, looked me right in the eye and said, “Faye, you picked her, you work it out!” What could I say? My prayers were answered in such a beautiful way, yet recently I realized there was more to this story than even I had thought. Several years ago I was looking through some of my second mom’s keepsakes and came across a real treasure, a certificate given to her many years before. It simply read, “This is to certify that Irene Adams has attended Summer Bible School conducted at Thunder Creek School.” It was dated July 26, 1934, when she was eleven. On the certificate I recognized another name, the signature of the Bible School teacher, Miss Gretta
McIntyre. My second mom had told me that the first time she heard the Gospel was from Gretta, a twentynine-year-old CSSM missionary, who spent her summers traveling to different communities playing her harpsichord, singing songs, and telling children about Jesus. I recognized Gretta’s name, because twelve years after the certificate had been issued, Gretta McIntyre married my dad and, two years later, at age forty-three, gave birth to me. God, in His faithfulness, had woven together the answer to my prayer years before I was born! When Dad wrote that first letter to Irene, he didn’t know his first wife, Gretta, had introduced Irene to Jesus and, although Irene had never met Dad personally, she knew that Gretta would have married a good man, so she felt led to respond to his letter. And, as Paul Harvey always said, “Now you know the rest of the story.”
Canada’s Hope
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BY BRAD WEBER CAMP DIRECTOR
Celebrating our
Inadequacies
“
We celebrate changed lives because
we know in our hearts that our own
abilities and greatness, or lack thereof,
could not possibly accomplish this work. It’s amazing to think we go into every summer anticipating or, maybe even more so, expecting that we will have things to celebrate when we reach the end of the summer and, thankfully, somehow it’s true. We find ourselves
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reflecting on the past two months and we see there are indeed things and people to once again celebrate. After 5 years of directing, I’ve learned that, at times, getting to the end of the summer realizing that I have survived another summer
is something to celebrate! This summer was no different. We indeed have things to be thankful for and, therefore, things to celebrate. I remember having a conversation with a fellow director over the phone part way through the summer and in a way we were celebrating the fact that both our camps at that point had experienced very few issues and we could take a moment to celebrate that. I remember sitting with a staff member who was dealing with the implications of previous mistakes in his life and as he sat there wondering how God could continue to use him, I was celebrating in my heart because I could see God at work in that moment changing him, shaping him more into the man he was created to be. And every
“
God continues to do incredible,
life-changing things, despite our foolishness and inadequacies. time a staff member would arrive at a morning staff meeting with an extra gleam in their eyes, we celebrated as they shared testimony of another child’s life being saved through the grace of God. It’s amazing to think we anticipate these moments of celebration each spring, but in many ways our celebration is a continual reminder of God’s faithfulness to use us, our staff and our camps to accomplish His work. We celebrate changed
lives because we know in our hearts that our own abilities and greatness, or lack thereof, could not possibly accomplish this work. Yet God continues to do incredible, life-changing things, despite our foolishness and inadequacies and that is what gives us cause to once again celebrate. KENOSEE LAKE BIBLE CAMP
www.kenoseelakebiblecamp.ca 306-577-4623
CANADA'S HOPE PUBLICATION
LARGER QUANTITY MEANS IMPROVED QUALITY
Celebrating
Growth!
WE ARE GROWING! We are so thankful that we now have the opportunity to share what God is doing through the ministry of One Hope Canada (formerly CSSM Ministries) with over 20,000 homes through each edition of Canada's Hope. This larger print quantity also means that we are able to improve the quality of paper we use for the magazine you are now holding - making it easier for you to read and enjoy for the same costs as our previous newsprint.
Thanks for your ongoing support and enjoy celebrating with us what God is doing! Canada’s Hope
9
BY LADAN MACKENZIE CAMP DIRECTOR
Celebrating the
Journey to Faith
It was an insert in the church bulletin that prompted him to ask his grandparents, much to their surprise, if he could go to Bible camp. After of a tour of the camp, he was excited for his first time at a Bible camp. During the days that followed, they went canoeing, swimming and did group games that he played heartily. At Chapel, they learned songs and did activities to illustrate the speaker‘s message. In the cabin,
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they memorized verses and learned from the Bible during devotions. They were taught archery and did crafts. The leaders strove to demonstrate the love of Christ and be an example at each step. All too
soon, the week was over and it was time to go home. Once home it seemed that there were constant reminders about what he had learned. Everyday things would bring back the lessons he had learned and God used each to work in his heart. People would ask about parachute bracelet he had made at camp and he would tell them the illustration that went with it. Then the camp theme song, He Knows My Name, came on the message radio, and tugged at his heartstrings. He asked to have it played over and over again. Then the tears came, not out of sadness or pain, but simply moved by the profound truth of those words. His loving grandmother was there with him and went over the message of salvation. As
“
His loving grandmother went
over the message of salvation. As she
explained, he was able to repeatedly say, “I know that, I learned that at camp.” she explained, he was able to repeatedly say, “I know that, I learned that at camp.” What she shared with him and what he learned at Bible camp came together with the conviction of its truth that had moved him to this point, he, supported by his loving grandparents, accepted Christ into his life as his Savior. His enthusiasm for his new relationship with Christ would
carry into 5 day clubs, encouraging others to come, on the floor of his room, head to head with his friend, memorizing scripture. As he prayed that night with his grandparents, he was able to say, thank you God for my family and thank you for saving me … ESTEVAN BIBLE CAMP
www.estevan.cssm.ca 306-634-TENT (8368)
Canada’s Hope
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BY MARILYN KIRK CAMP DIRECTOR
Celebrating
82 Years!
Luseland Bible Camp celebrates ... 82 years of doing camp! Ten minutes from the town of Luseland, 45 minutes from Kindersley, Unity, and Provost, LBC is located on 80 acres of prairie land. Its work and ministry continue to build into the hearts and lives of youth and teens. TRUST When families arrive, we’re often told, ‘It feels a bit like coming home,” and “It’s a safe place to be.” We’re thankful for the surrounding communities and families who entrust their youth to us for a camp week, school day, or party.
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YOUTH We’re thankful for youth who were challenged during their camp week with skill training, competitions, and life decisions. THE WORD We’re thankful for opportunities to study God’s Word together and learn what it means to follow Jesus day by day.
FRIENDS We appreciate friendships made, that continue long after the camp season. We remember campfire times and cabin talks. CHURCH FAMILY We’re thankful for camper families who choose to connect with a Bible-believing church. STAFF We thank our staff for coming back and the servant hearts they demonstrate. They’re trusting God to meet their needs as they return to school, work, university, or Bible school. HERITAGE We love hearing camp stories of parents and grandparents who came in their youth to LBC. Camp is an adventure in life. It provides a place to grow and just to be. It gives opportunity to
“
We’re thankful
for 82 years of rich
heritage, as we look back on God’s work and anticipate what He has planned for the future.
discover talents and gifts, develop leadership skills, have mentoring possibilities, and make a friend. We’re thankful for 82 years of rich heritage, as we look back on God’s work and anticipate what He has planned for the future.
VOLUNTEERS We’re thankful for volunteers and workers who give tirelessly of their time and energy. SUPPORT We’re thankful for those who give financially to pay day-to-day bills, and others who help with renovations or new building projects. GOD'S FAITHFULNESS We’re thankful and celebrate God’s faithfulness as we trust Him with our lives and our future. LUSELAND BIBLE CAMP
www.luselandbiblecamp.ca 306-372-7970 / 306-372-4544
You can generously help cover the travel costs of our mission team by simply donating your Air Miles to One Hope Canada. Email or call us and we’ll tell you more about this great opportunity to partner with us in sharing the Gospel to thousands of children and youth from across Canada each year. If you would like to start collecting Air Miles for us, just let us know and we will send you a One Hope Canada Air Miles card. Thank you so much for making a difference in this way!
Toll Free 1- 888 - 960 -2580 info@onehopecanada.ca
Canada’s Hope
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MESSAGE OF GRATITUDE BY JUANITA NEUFELD HR/RESOURCE TEAM LEADER
7000+ Manga Books
The Manga books are awesome!
from the Bible League of Canada! This summer One Hope Canada received over 7,000 Manga books from the Bible League of Canada to distribute to thousands of campers at 23 camp locations, stretching from Pender Island, BC, to Hampton, NB. What a gift! Over half the children and youth who attend our camps come from homes with no Christian inf luence. These Manga books are an effective way of telling them who God’s Son is, and what Jesus did for them. We are deeply grateful for the ministry of the Bible League of Canada, as we could not have covered the cost. Response from the frontlines has been encouraging: The Manga books are awesome! We used them during cabin devotions. It was exciting to see the campers, and especially the boys who have a hard time sitting still, make the connection between the story we read in their Manga book and the same story in the Bible. Thanks so much, Bible League of Canada! (Mark Wilson, Program Director, Maple Springs Bible Camp, Peachland, BC)
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Transforming lives from the inside out. Last year, more than 688,000 people chose to follow Jesus Christ and over 9,808 churches were planted. Bible League Canada partners with local Christians around the world and Canada to provide Scriptures and training through: • Children’s Ministry • Church Planter Training • Adult Bible-based Literacy • Support of the Persecuted Church We’re passionate about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Will you join us? Visit www.bibleleague.ca to learn how. www.bibleleague.ca @BibleLeagueCan Bible League Canada
1.800.363.9673 Box 368, Grimsby, ON L3M 4H8, Canada
This past summer, in Canada … thanks to
3,753
staff and volunteers … cooks cabin leaders lifeguards maintenance nurses and more . . .
20,530 children and youth heard the
GOSPEL.
Here in Saskatchewan …
thanks to
1,300
staff and volunteers …
6,291 children and youth heard the
GOSPEL.
We present the Gospel especially to those who have the least opportunity to hear the Gospel, particularly to children and youth and we disciple believers for living and serving in the Church. Canada’s Hope
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You are a new face to many of our readers outside of Alberta. Tell us a bit about your connection with One Hope Canada.
Souls Saved, Lives Changed,
Christ Glorified
W
E INVITE YOU TO EAVESDROP IN A CONVERSATION BETWEEN CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BILL McCASKELL AND ALBERTA FIELD DIRECTOR CLIFF PEDERSEN AS THEY DISCUSS THE NEW VISION FOR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY MINISTRY WITHIN ONE HOPE CANADA.
Left: Bill McCaskell Right: Cliff Pedersen
From age 10 to the present, One Hope Canada has significantly impacted my life. The first prayer I saw answered was prayed by my school bus driver, a One Hope Canada (formerly CSSM) pastor. The first church I attended as a new believer in my teens was a One Hope Canada church. After Bible college, the first church I pastored was with the Mission. My wife, Gloria, grew up in a One Hope Canada church, attended Camp Silversides many summers, and taught VBS with the Mission two summers. Fourteen years ago, the Lord called us to rejoin the Mission as Alberta Field Director. Tell us about the Mission’s history of sending community missionaries and how that led to many churches being planted across the country.
Over 140 churches grew out of the faithful ministry of community missionaries who had a passion to take the Gospel into Canada’s remotest corners. Some rode horses, others bicycled, and some had vehicles. They taught the Bible in schools and promised children a free week at camp for memorizing 500 Bible verses. Many met the challenge, camps were started, and out of these ministries grew Sunday schools, which frequently developed into churches. What has happened to those churches?
Many churches joined denominations, went independent, or closed their doors when community demographics changed.
“
The National Board wanted to determine rural church ministry needs and discern what and how to effectively and sustainably meet them.
There have been some encouraging developments in One Hope Canada regarding our church and community ministries. Bring us up to speed.
God used Canada Revenue Agency to trigger an initial review. The National Board wanted to determine rural church ministry needs and discern what and how to
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AGC would appreciate our assistance in helping small town pastors raise support, so they wouldn’t need a second job. The more we researched, the more evident it became that we could help each other be more effective at building God’s kingdom. What does the partnership mean for One Hope Canada’s existing church ministries?
“
Then we discovered that CRA does not allow us to have bi-vocational missionaries. That creates a significant problem for many pastors, who need to supplement their income.
effectively and sustainably meet them. We even asked: are we doing something another group is doing? Is church ministry needed? Then we discovered that CRA does not allow us to have bi-vocational missionaries, because we are what they call a religious order. That creates a significant problem for many pastors who need to supplement their income or work in their communities to develop relationships for sharing the Gospel. At the heart of the new vision is a partnership with the Associated Gospel Churches. Explain the partnership and why it is so important.
Over the past year, much research was done to determine if there was another non-denominational, Gospel-centered ministry seeking to plant and sustain churches in small towns or rural settings. AGC is thoroughly evangelical, has more than 150 churches, congregations, and ministries across Canada, is non-denominational, and has no missions programs or camps. Because CRA does not see them as a religious order, their pastors are free to be bivocational. AGC works in out-of-the-way communities and has developed resources to assist churches and small town pastors to be effective. We learned that
Over the next year or two, One Hope Canada churches can determine which umbrella they best fit under. Our more established churches will slide under the AGC banner if they can fully support their pastor. When a pastor needs or chooses to be bi-vocational, he can be accredited with AGC. This will see our churches and missionaries evaluating what works best in their community. We, of course, will continue to fellowship together at annual conferences and will add AGC pastors to our conference registrations when they need to come under our banner to raise support. What is your hope and prayer for the future?
Once we work through the next year or two of transition, I sincerely long to see the Gospel going into rural/small town settings all across Canada through community missionaries. I sincerely long to see churches birthed. We have the tools through the AGC and the means through One Hope Canada. Christ stated He would build His Church and it shouldn’t matter how He chooses to do it, as long as souls are saved, lives are changed, and Christ is glorified.
“ “
it became evident that we could help each other be more effective at building God’s kingdom. Canada’s Hope
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Stoney Lake BIBLE CAMP
Estevan BIBLE CAMP Ranger Lake BIBLE CAMP
Luseland BIBLE CAMP 18
Summer/Fall 2015 | www.onehopecanada.ca
Madge Lake BIBLE CAMP
Kenosee Lake BIBLE CAMP
Dallas Valley RANCH CAMP
Celebrating
SUMMER
Madge Lake BIBLE CAMP
2015 Manitou Lake BIBLE CAMP
Torch Trail BIBLE CAMP Canada’s Hope
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BY AMY SALT CABIN LEADER
Celebrating the
Camp Experience Working at Stoney Lake Bible Camp this summer has truly been a blessing to me. It was an incredible time for me to see, firsthand, the significant role camp plays in the lives of so many. I experienced countless incredible moments this summer. Moments of unexplainable joy, moments of excitement, and moments of pure celebration. I have come to realize that this is what we
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do at camp—we celebrate. We celebrate the freedom that comes from being surrounded with love and genuine acceptance. We celebrate a place where kids can come and truly be kids. We
celebrate the relationships built here with new friends and old connections, and the relationships that last. We celebrate little things like eating elephant ears around the campfire, singing ridiculous songs, or winning the campwide dodgeball tournament. We celebrate small victories like the moment a camper finally hits the bullseye, or makes it to the top of the climbing wall. And we celebrate other significant things: the first week of camp when every girl in my cabin decided to commit her life to Christ; the moment my teen camper looked up at me, tears in her eyes, and exclaimed that she “met Jesus� during one of my devotionals. Scripture tells us that when one person receives Jesus, all heaven rejoices (Luke 15:10). If this
“
. ... boosting the confidence of a child,
helping them find truth, and allowing
them to experience the love of their heavenly Father. These things have eternal value and lasting effects. is celebrated in heaven, then surely it should be celebrated here. Every summer this camp sees many children come to know Jesus in a personal and authentic way. In my mind, there is no better reason to celebrate. Nothing is more remarkable and nothing even comes close in worth. An experience at camp can be phenomenal, boosting the
confidence of a child, helping them find truth, and allowing them to experience the love of their heavenly Father. These things have eternal value and lasting effects. These things call for a celebration!
STONEY LAKE BIBLE CAMP
www.stoneycamp.ca 306-873-5537
RADIO MINISTRY
USING RADIO TO SPREAD THE WORD OF WHAT GOD IS DOING IN CANADA
One Hope Canada
Uses Radio
EVERY SUMMER, ONE HOPE CANADA’S 46 MINISTRY POINTS WELCOME MORE THAN 3,600 VOLUNTEERS. With camp ministry being so people intensive, appealing for volunteers is vital. That is where One Hope Canada’s radio ministry comes in. Since 2001, One Hope Canada has partnered with Heart of the South, enabling us to secure paid advertising for all camp ministries. It’s a great way to spread the Word. Heart of the South is a two-hour weekly Southern Gospel radio program airing on 36 stations from British Columbia to Ontario—and
around the world on the Internet. Long-time host Harold Giesbrecht explains how it works. In 1999, I joined CSSM after working for Golden West Radio. My program director said they’d like to use me now and then as a production voice for commercials. Because CSSM was a religious order, my receiving
outside income was not an option with CRA, so we arranged for Golden West to give CSSM commercials in exchange for my recording time. From small beginnings fifteen years ago, the concept grew beyond Golden West to Heart of the South, airing on three dozen stations in five provinces. In exchange, One Hope Canada receives 4,000 commercials and thousands of Minute of Hope audio stories annually, a retail value in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. If interested in having Heart of the South on your local radio station (it could help a One Hope Canada camp), please contact Harold Giesbrecht at haroldg@ onehopecanada.ca. Canada’s Hope
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BY LORENDA FRIESEN CAMP STAFF
So much to
Celebrate!
Camp has its challenges every day, but also times of celebration. We spend each week celebrating many firsts in campers’ lives: perhaps they ride a horse for the first time, pass a level in their swimming, throw the hatchet, shoot the guns, or climb the wall. They form new friendships and learn to live in community. Campers experience things they have never experienced before, and staff celebrate with them over many things. This summer, I personally celebrated many experiences at camp: IMPROVEMENT My heart celebrated as I saw kids with bad behaviour who, perhaps should have been sent home, finish off the week with improvement in their attitude and actions.
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BRAVERY I celebrated as homesick kids made it through the week in answer to our prayers. PATIENCE I rejoiced as I witnessed staff members displaying
patience that is not natural, but from God. PERSEVERANCE I was so pleased to observe our staff pushing through when they were sick or obviously in pain. THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT I gave thanks as I watched grown men and women, as well as teens and young children, do serious business with God. POSITIVITY I celebrated with the little girl who had the best skinned knee of the year. She had a good scrape and we had to either celebrate or cry! KEEPING ONE'S HEAD I celebrated as I watched the staff handle a camper that became afraid of the horse she was riding, and wanted off. It was great to see how they helped her overcome her fear.
“
The staff were able to share
Christ for the first time with campers and, even at home, with family. OBEDIENCE I was delighted as campers conquered their desire to disobey and learned that obedience is necessary for peaceful and happier interactions. SHARING THE GOSPEL I celebrated with the staff that were able to share Christ for the first time with campers and, even at home, with family. GOD'S WORK IN US Mostly, I celebrate that after another summer of camp, I can honestly say that campers and staff alike
experienced these verses…“that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3). TORCH TRAIL BIBLE CAMP
www.torchtrail.ca 306-428-2989
YOU HAVE SEEN GOD USE CAMP MINISTRY TO IMPACT THE LIVES OF YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND NOW YOU WANT TO
bless future generations. THERE IS A WAY.
ONE HOPE CANADA'S PLANNED GIVING gives you
an opportunity to direct your gift to a specific camp, region or our entire nation, assuring that Canada’s children and youth will continue to hear the Gospel in the years to come. For information on how life insurance, company stock or estate gifts can be used to further God’s Kingdom in Canada please call
1-888-960-2580
A note on our new name to those of you who have already remembered the Mission in your will: Any existing wills which are made out to CSSM Ministries or Canadian Sunday School Mission are acceptable and do not need to be changed. For any will written from this point forward, please designate the gift to One Hope Ministries of Canada. Thank you.
info@onehopecanada.ca
Canada’s Hope
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Tell us about your salvation experiences.
REMEMBERING
THE
ROSIE: I responded to the Gospel when an evangelist came to my rural church near Woodstock and the Spirit of God prompted me to trust in Jesus as my Saviour. William Jones from Hamilton later baptized me; he was used by God to help direct my life of service for Him.
Fruitful Years of Ministry “ Children
SHIRLEY: When I was a teen, I attended an Inter-School Christian Fellowship event in Bessie Plunkett’s Thunder Bay home. While helping with the dishes, the conversation changed to my spiritual condition, and she helped me trust the Lord for salvation.
WITH
Our first ministry was to teach religious education in schools. that grew to twenty-five schools, three Sunday Schools and Bible clubs. Where did your paths first cross?
INTERVIEW BY HOWARD McLEOD, FORMER GALILEAN BIBLE CAMP DIRECTOR AND ONTARIO FIELD DIRECTOR, ASSISTED BY AGNES FRIESEN, FORMER CSSM MISSIONARY AND NATIONAL BOARD MEMBER
S
HIRLEY WHITEHEAD AND ROSELLA deMONTMORENCY WITH ONE HOPE CANADA (THEN CANADIAN SUNDAY SCHOOL MISSION) FROM 1953 TO 1992. AFTER CONCLUDING A SUCCESSFUL MINISTRY FOR THE LORD, THEY RETIRED IN WINNIPEG. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE MOST MEMORABLE PART OF THEIR WORK, THEY BOTH SAID, “HELPING GUIDE INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN TO ACCEPT JESUS AS SAVIOUR.” ROSIE WAS HAPPIEST DOING CHALK ART FOR GROUPS WHILE SHIRLEY TOLD THE BIBLE LESSON.
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SHIRLEY: We attended Toronto Bible College [now Tyndale University], where we met and later sensed God’s call to full-time work with Canadian Sunday School Mission. What was your first assignment with the mission?
ROSIE: We were sent to Amaranth, a wide spot on the road in southern Manitoba, in October 1953. Our first ministry was to teach religious education in schools. That grew to twenty-five schools, three Sunday schools, and Bible clubs. It was a joy to work there, even though our early mode of transportation was by foot or bicycle. During the prairie winters, traveling from school to school could be very cold. God later supplied us with Willy, our little Willys car. We also had the joy of helping to start Ochre River Bible Camp, which later moved to near Dauphin and is now Dauphin Bible Camp, one of the chain of camps with One Hope Canada. After a few years in Amaranth, Shirley’s mom had a stroke, and Shirley went home to Sault Ste Marie to help. She took a teaching job in an elementary school so she could care for her mom. I stayed in Amaranth for a couple of years but, by then, it was felt the work
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Our interest in working with children’s ministry grew stronger and stronger, and the Lord seemed to be leading us into children’s crusades with the mission … reaching into other provinces.
was developing into a church planting ministry. Don and Donna Lee moved to Amaranth and, in God's wonderful way, helped start and build a church. I moved to the Sault where I served with CSSM as an assistant to Mary Neal, teaching Bible in public schools and working at Galilean Bible Camp. What was your next ministry?
SHIRLEY: Our interest in working with children’s ministry grew stronger and stronger, and the Lord seemed to be leading us into children’s crusades with the Mission. After consultation with CSSM’s national office, it was decided we should begin a ministry with Children’s Crusades out of Winnipeg, but reaching into other provinces. In 1966, we visited the Maritimes to observe a similar CSSM work under the Whites. That was an eventful trip with our little travel trailer, but such a valuable one. When we returned to Manitoba, we were asked to go to Amaranth for a children’s crusade. One encouragement was the provision of a unique, self-supporting chalkboard, with its overhead lighting and black light for Rosie’s backgrounds to support my Bible lesson. A man from my church in Sault Ste Marie created this teaching unit for us. Besides travelling to summer camps, our time was filled with Bible presentations to AWANA clubs, Sunday schools, church children’s clubs, and retirement homes. ROSIE: One of the greatest challenges in ministry was the stress of unloading our packed car, filled with equipment and visuals, to set up for a meeting. An even greater stress came after the meeting as we attempted to fit everything back into the car.
the black light revealed the hidden climax to the Bible presentation Rosie so cleverly created. At the camp, we were always thrilled when your letter of acceptance to our invitation arrived. We wanted you to join us more often, but realized others wanted a share of your God-centred ministry. Your valuable chapel ministry was a huge encouragement to me as a beginner in camp administration. Even yet, as I talk with former campers, some still say it was through your ministry that they began a personal relationship with the Lord. What about retirement?
SHIRLEY: Shortly after we retired in 1992, we had the privilege of going to Venezuela for a short visit. Frieda Johnson, who served there with TEAM, invited us to teach missionary children during their missionary conference. It was a joy when some of them grew in the Lord. Now, after over twenty years, we praise the Lord for His protective care. People gave so much of themselves so we could serve this way. We are thankful for the many children who responded to the call of the Gospel during those exciting and full years. These two dedicated ladies still reach out to the needs of people, praying that the Lord will enable others to present the Gospel to the spiritually needy across Canada. There will be many in heaven who found the way and the truth and the life through Rosie and Shirley’s ministry.
When you drove into Galilean Bible Camp for July chapel sessions every third year for a couple of decades, your station wagon just bulged with interesting teaching aids. Your puppets took on real life for campers as they saw ventriloquism done so effectively. The remarkable hush from the children as Shirley presented the Gospel through Bible stories was a gift from God. There was often an audible, but gentle, expression of awe from campers as
Canada’s Hope
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Many campers go back to communities that
have no organized Gospel witness present. BY SETH BRIGGS CAMP DIRECTOR
Celebrating
Christian Fellowship Celebration was a theme for us this summer. We were celebrating God’s goodness and faithfulness over the past 75 years of ministry. It was amazing and humbling to hear the testimonies shared from every decade that camp has operated and it was evident that, though the packaging may have changed, the heart behind camp and the impact because of it has not. I was struck again this summer by how vital camp is for many of our campers. We had campers from 85 different communities this summer.
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Summer/Fall 2015 | www.onehopecanada.ca
21 of those communities have no organized Gospel witness present. Now, many of these communities have neighbouring communities
with evangelical churches but not every parent is willing to drive their children. I remember chatting with a young camper about four years ago who had just made a decision to follow Christ. He was anxious about heading home to parents who did not support his faith and to a community with no church. I didn’t have an answer for him. During our church visits this year, we heard from two separate teachers who both taught in this community. They were very impressed by one of their students who had been excited and vocal about his faith in the school! This was the same student who had found a ride for himself to get over to the neighbouring community (with help from that youth pastor who is involved with
“
With the help of a church, the
camper had grown in leaps and bounds.
Are we willing to work to make sure
that every camper has the opportunity? us at camp) and had grown in leaps and bounds. This summer, it was a real privilege to have him on our staff as an LIT (Leader In Training), leading the charge amongst the young men in terms of his passion and commitment to the Lord. He still returned to a home and community without support, but he has now taken the initiative to get to a neighbouring community for
the fellowship of a church. This is one of many success stories that we celebrate at camp. But what about the ones that don’t or can’t take that initiative? Are we willing to work to make sure that every child and teen has the opportunity?
MANITOU LAKE BIBLE CAMP
www.manitoulakebiblecamp.ca 306-826-5440
Our commitment to you and your child To find out more about our commitment to safety visit us at:
insafehands.ca
Canada’s Hope
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“
It is so
amazing, getting to purposefully
connect with kids
for a whole week, to impact their
lives for eternity.
BY CHRIS THIESSEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Celebrate
“
We were blessed to help 216 kids
start a relationship with Jesus Christ this summer.
God is so good and we have lots to be thankful for. Each of the 1941 kids who came to our camp heard the Gospel message and about the hope we can have in Christ. Can we force that relationship on them? No, but we love them and show them
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Summer/Fall 2015 | www.onehopecanada.ca
the potential relationship they can have with Christ, praying that the Holy Spirit does a mighty work in them. We were blessed to help 216 kids start a relationship with Jesus Christ this summer. Another 411 kids saw their lives wandering
away from Jesus and wanted to renew that commitment and get back on track. It is so amazing, getting to purposefully connect with kids for a whole week, to impact their lives for eternity. Before staff training in the spring, we were still quite short of staff. But God provided. When staff would back out, we were always able to find all the help we needed to make camp run. Sometimes God tested our patience in finding those people, but He always provided. We applied for grants from Conexus Credit Union for new chairs, and from Cargill, for money for a new well. God was so great in granting us both requests. As our world changes and we see all the hurt and pain, I am thankful I can rely on a God who never changes. The same God who sacrificed His Son for you and me, two thousand years ago, is the same God who is looking after us today. I would like to challenge anyone reading this to get involved in camp ministry, and see kids being impacted not just for a summer, but for eternity. DALLAS VALLEY RANCH CAMP
www.dallasvalley.com 306-731-3348
COOKING WITH KATHY BY KATHY WEIR
JUST AS IT TAKES THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS FOR A TASTY MEAL , SO TOO DO WE NEED GOD AND ONE ANOTHER TO GET THE CORRECT SPIRITUAL RESULTS.
Cooking with Fire CONFESSION … HONESTY … WAITING. I’M LEARNING THAT BEING DIRECTIONALLY CHALLENGED AND COOKING IMPAIRED ARE NOT THE ONLY THINGS I STRUGGLE WITH. I am grateful that God led us to the theme, Powered by Prayer, at Turtle Mountain Bible Camp (in Manitoba) this summer. Little did I realize the importance of endeavouring to implement more prayer into my life and the lives of staff and campers. It is easy to apply when miracles happen (we evidenced many) and when God works and answers in ways beyond anything we can ask or imagine. We rejoice in His faithful provision through donations to the camp, volunteers who come with servant hearts, and the blessing of a God-focused and praying staff team. It is easy to forget we are in a spiritual battle and need God’s armour. I’ve discovered, like Elijah who experienced incredible victory, how quickly one can
begin listening to Satan's subtle lies, drowning out God’s still small voice of truth. This results in our focusing on circumstances and becoming frustrated, overwhelmed, and defeated. How does this relate to cooking? Just as it takes the right ingredients for a tasty meal, so too do we need God and one another to get the correct spiritual results. I am a do-it-myself person. Instead, God calls us to community. For example, this summer God used His people to bless our camp through donations of meat. Working alone, I could have made four hundred pounds of ground beef into 7,000 meatballs in May. Yes, what could have been long and tiring days took only two hours while visiting and laughing with volunteers. As we learned in
the culinary class at Skills camp, there is much to learn from one another as we taste and see that the Lord is good and share the results with others. It is important to follow instructions when cooking, so too is a successful life recipe all about choices! Will we listen to God’s Holy Spirit, His Word and truth, or the deceitful lies of the enemy? Will we accept the prayers, hugs, and support of His people, or will we wallow in self-pity and struggle, trying to do things on our own?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Howard and Kathy Weir have been serving as camp directors at Turtle Mountain Bible Camp (Manitoba) since 2002, but previously served at Galilean Bible Camp (Ontario) for many years before that.
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AS EACH HAS RECEIVED A GIFT, USE IT TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER, AS GOOD STEWARDS OF GOD'S VARIED GRACE (1 PETER 4:10)
Celebrating
God’s Goodness through His people!
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My prayer is that she will continue to have the
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Canada’s Hope
35
Our team rocked @ verses! Camp has changed my life “Canoeing “ yesterday was amazing! The challenge of it all was super!!
I went to camp hoping to make friends, but I ended up with family. Thank you for God. Thank you for this camp. I feel safe here I hope you stay awesome! I’m coming back next year! still learning a lot in chapel God bless the cooks!
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“
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I liked being stuck on shore waiting for the wind to slow down
I love the songs “ Best time ever!! Thank you for making everything awesome “ Camp is when I get my spiritual high I love chapel “ the mountains are awesome GOD is awefull. (i.e. full of awe) Please make us read the Bible more
I never wanna leave cause I wanna learn more about God the food is always yum I am glad that there is heaven
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Thank you for getting deoderizor for the bathroom.
Thankyou for being so caring “ Please make swimming longer. I love camp because it is in nature “ I am very thankful for the kindness I LOVE CAMP!! I love God “ I am thankful for God. I actually passed my swim test!!!! “ I don’t want to leave “ I love learning about God
My favorite verse is 1 Peter 1:5-7
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Thank you for for God. God. Thank you for for this this camp. camp. Camp Camp has has changed changed my my life. life.
Thx 4 the food! “ I really appreciate that you are giving us time alone in quiet. everyone ROCKS Thank you for teaching us the truth! “
I love campfire and learning about Jesus!
Publications Mail Agreement #: 40019747 Canada’s Hope One Hope Canada – SK Ministry Resource Centre Unit 6 - 875 Gateway Road Winnipeg, MB R2K 3L1