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D.S. Reflections
District Superintendent Steve Ottley
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I’m sure you’ve seen the Sprite TV ad, or maybe the Gatorade one, where by the time the 30 second commercial if finished, you’re running to the fridge for a cold drink. The athlete is dripping with sweat and takes a loooong gulp of the cold refreshing drink. You’re probably easing off your chair right now to go grab that ice cold root beer.
That’s the picture I get of the Psalmist, David, in Psalm 63. He finds himself in a dry and parched land and he cries out:
Psalms 63:1 (NLT)
O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land where there is no water.
Can you picture David? I love the word picture – “my whole body longs for you…”
I believe all of us can empathize with David. We’ve all been through the parched and weary lands of life, right? It may have been a very difficult season at work, or in your marriage and family life. It may have been a challenging health scare. Six years ago was my parched and weary land of health nightmares, when in 2015 I was diagnosed with colon cancer in June and prostate cancer in July. My question at the time was, what flavour of the month would August bring? You’ve been there. Maybe not a journey through my parched and weary land, but you’ve had your own. Maybe you’re traveling that road right now.
Psalm 63 gives us some handles to hold on to as we go around those dangerous curves on that bumpy road. One of the first things that David does is he remembers God’s power and glory:I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Psalms 63:2 (NLT)
What a powerful tool that is in our toolkit. Though I may be going through a challenging season and God may seem very distant right now, when I allow the Spirit of God to remind me of God’s power and glory, it takes the edge off and in fact, it allows the light of hope to stream in that dark place.
One of the other things David does is, he praises God even in the deep valley: Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.Psalms 63:3-4 (NLT)
There is something about praising God that allows His Spirit to crawl into those deep dark crevasses of our lives and lift us to great heights.
Another tool we see David using in Psalm 63 is, he clings to God come what may: I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely. Psalms 63:8 (NLT)
I love the lyrics from Selah’s song “Hold On” as they break in to the chorus “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand.”
When you find yourself in a parched and weary land and you’re dying of thirst, hold on for dear life to God’s unchanging hand. He won’t let go of yours.
You gotta hold to His hand
God's unchanging hand
You gotta hold to His hand
God's unchanging hand
You gotta build your
hopes on things eternal
My God will never let you down
CLICK HERE to listen to Selah
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D.S. Pictures of the Month
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Congratulations Pastor Nick and Cindy Stavropoulos
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Plaques & Awards presented by D.S. Steve Ottley from
The Canada Central District
Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau
Mayor of Toronto, John Tory
Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford
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Congratulations & Gifts presented by
Pastor Tina Pitamber from
Rosewood’s Daughter Churches
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Gifts from Rosewood Church Family
presented by
Edna Smith-Bowes
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Reverend Donna Wilson - N.M.I. President
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This is a favourite time of year for gardeners, as we reap the benefits of the sun and rain, and noticeably watch the gardens grow and bear fruit. This is welcome after the dry months that recently passed. Hosea 10:12 says, “Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.”
Let’s keep in mind the unseen areas in our life, that grow and develop, by the presence of God’s love. Let us live and serve by this hope in Gal 6:9, …”Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
PLEASE SIGN up for the PRAYER MOBILIZATION LINE (nazare.org/NMI).
2020-21 Local Church Awards & Certificates: These recognitions will be sent out soon.
Treasurer: Edna Smith Bowes is serving as our interim treasurer. If you have an interest in serving in this role long term, please let Pastor Donna know.
New Council Member - We welcome Paul Santos (London) in the role of Disaster Response (EDS) liaison. Both NCM Canada and the Global church are encouraging ongoing training so members are prepared to respond to disasters at home.
Paul holds a local ministers license at London First and serves as the NMI Vice President.
Family Camp 2021: There will not be a missions service this year but we invite you to join the camp zoom service on July 24/21. Details are In The Loop.
Fall Deputation will be on Zoom.
Missionary Guests: The Manswell’s
More details to come!
Opportunity: Kenrick Manswell is a son of one of our LINKS Missionary families, the Manswell’s. Kenrick has reached out to many connections for support, as he enters medical school in the States. You are welcome to go to this link and to support him individually, as the Lord leads.
https://www.freefunder.com/campaign/kenricks-medical-tuition
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Save the date!
Join us on Tuesday, November 16, as we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Nazarene higher education in Canada! Together with the Church of the Nazarene, we will celebrate virtually with a series of “looking back” interviews, campus memories over the years, trivia, interactive games and more. With our virtual break-out rooms, you’ll also have the opportunity to catch up with your classmates and faculty.
This milestone is a momentous occasion because it marks 100 years of learning, teaching and research—a remarkable record that continues today. But it is also an opportunity to connect with old friends and celebrate life-long bonds formed over the years. We greatly anticipate the years ahead and look forward to celebrating this joyous occasion!
Visit the link below to register for the virtual celebration and be sure to mark your calendars!
Date: Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Mountain Time |
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Marva Goertzen, Director of Development and Alumni Engagement
on behalf of the Celebration Planning Committee |
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Upcoming DS. Schedule
Please pray for God’s anointing and wisdom for D.S. Steve Ottley
July2nd – 12th – Vacation
July 13th – Board of Ministry Meeting – Zoom @ 9:30 a.m.
July 13th – Family Camp Committee Meeting – Zoom @ 6:00 p.m.
July 14th – National Church Insurance Broker – Zoom @ 12:30 p.m.
July 14th – Meeting with LifeCare Centre – Zoom @ 2:30 p.m.
July 15th – Indigenous Ministry Taskforce Meeting – Zoom @ 10:00 a.m.
July 15th – All Canada Pastor’s Meeting – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
July 16th – 18th – Sault Ste Marie Board Meeting/Worship Service
July 21st – National Finance Committee – Zoom @ 10:00 a.m.
July 25th – District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
July 25th – Riverview Family Camp Service/Fellowship – Zoom @ 4:00 p.m.
July 27th – Sonlife Meeting – Zoom @ 3:30 p.m.
July 29th – District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
July 29th – Meeting with Free Methodist Church of Canada @ 1:30 p.m.
August 1st – District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
August 5th – 6th – The Global Leadership Summit 2021
August 5th – District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
August 8th – District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
August 12th – District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
August 15th – District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
August 19th – District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
August 22nd – District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
August 26th – District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
August 29th – District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
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Be Sure to Click "View Entire Message" at the bottom of the email.
We don't want you to miss any of the district news!
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Congratulations Pastor Gaston and Lucy Echeguia
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Pastor Gaston and Lucy have been approved by Nazarene Global Missions as Sponsored Missionaries to Spain in the Eurasia Region. In early 2022, they will begin pastoring in Polígono Norte en Sevilla, Spain on a 2-year assignment.
Gaston and Lucy are the first Canadians to be approved as “Sponsored Missionaries”. A missionary serving through sponsored deployment is primarily funded by the local community and will serve a localized need in the field. Affirmed by the local church, district, and the Church of the Nazarene, he or she will serve a maximum of four years in the field with no previous ministry experience required.
We invite churches and individuals to support Pastor Gaston and Lucy through your prayers, by inviting them to speak at your church or at an online event, and by giving towards funding their mission to Spain .CLICK HERE for more information.
To give, please follow these instructions:
Email transfer: churchofthenazarenecanada@ gmail.com
Pre-authorized Debit or void cheque for 24 months to “Church of the Nazarene Canada”
Or cheque to “Church of the Nazarene Canada” mail to: 3657 Ponytrail Dr, Mississauga, On L4X 1Y2
Memo: please include with your donation: “DEPUTATION GIVING-ECHEGUIA
You may also go to their link for more information and to give directly to their fund. https://nazarene.org/missionary/eurasia/gaston-and-lucy-echeguia
Thank you for your generous support.
God bless you.
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Riverview Family Camp – July 25th
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CLICK HERE to connect to zoom
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Again this year in spite of the pandemic, you have opportunity to sponsor an acre in the Grow Hope Markdale or Seeds of Life Growing project.
The cost to sponsor an acre in both projects this year is $400. Your sponsorship pays for crop inputs - the farmers cost to plant, care for, and harvest.
Expected return per acre when the crop is harvested and sold is over $500 (depending on the weather, growing conditions and yield).
All proceeds are sent to Canadian Foodgrains Bank where they are matched up to a 4:1 match to feed hungry people in our world. Therefore your $400 becomes as much as $2500.Sponsor an acre today or part of an acre:
See www.ncmcanada.ca (under donate)
Call 1-888-808-7490 or 905-602-8220
Send a cheque to our
National office
3657 Ponytrail Drive
Mississauga, ON L4X 1W5
Be sure to designate
Grow Hope Markdale" or "Seeds of Life”
Your giving brings hope to many!
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We love to hear what is happening in the churches of our district! If your church has pictures or news to submit for the next edition of IN THE LOOP, please send them in to support@centralnazarene.ca by the last Wednesday of the month! |
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Remember to visit our website at www.centralnazarene.ca. We will be keeping the calendar and site up to date, so please check there for information. If you have any questions or concerns about the website or newsletter, please contact support@centralnazarene.ca
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District Schedule
Updated July 1st
Sunday, July 4th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
Thursday, July 8th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
Sunday, July 11th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, July 13th
Board of Ministry Meeting – Zoom @ 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday, July 13th
Family Camp Committee Meeting – Zoom @ 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 15th
Indigenous Ministry Taskforce Meeting – Zoom @ 10:00 a.m.
Thursday, July 15th
All Canada Pastor’s Meeting – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
Wednesday, July 21st
National Finance Committee – Zoom @ 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, July 25th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
Sunday, July 25th
Riverview Family Camp Service/Fellowship – Zoom @ 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 29th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
Sunday, August 1st
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
Thursday, August 5th
Friday, August 6th – The Global Leadership Summit 2021
Thursday, August 5th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
Sunday, August 8th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
Thursday, August 12th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
Sunday, August 15th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
Thursday, August 19th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
Sunday, August 22nd
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
Thursday, August 26th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
Sunday, August 29th
District Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, September 14th
Georgian Bay Missional Zone Pastor’s Meeting – Zoom @ 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, September 18th
District SDMI Council Meeting – Zoom @ 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 21st
DMTC Board Meeting – Zoom @ 7:00 p.m.
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