The day started off with another minor episode of last minute confusion. I failed to notice the voice mail from a day and a half earlier confirming where I was expected to speak this morning. So when I got the phone call this morning telling me that I was expected at St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church in Sunny Corner, we made a last minute adjustment to split up. The Vances stayed to speak at Sovereign Community Church (our hosts for two nights), while I headed up to Sunny Corner. Both churches were relatively well attended, with probably around 40 people, and our messages seemed to be well received. Sunny Corner was a bit of a treat for me, knowing that my father-in-law had preached their many times. Sovereign Community had a fellowship meal following the service, with bunches of leftover food for us to eat on whenever we wanted. It was at Sovereign Community Church where I had been invited to preach during my planning visit a year ago.
The next order of business was to get my wife and kids down for a visit. They had stayed up in Bathurst for the morning service at Gospel Light Baptist Church, to finish up the week of revival and awards for the children’s Neighborhood Bible Time. There was more good news from Bathurst that they had ended up with 12 professions of faith from the revival. After resting and visiting a while, we again split up during the evening. I went up to Boom Road Pentecostal Church to hear my wife’s aunt Helen MacMinn speak about her ministry in Kenya and to give a brief word about the PrayerPaddle. The Vances went up the other branch of the Miramichi River to the recently launched Hillside Baptist Church (in Blackville). And my family stayed at Sovereign Community to visit with old friends. I had quite a surprise on my drive back from Boom Road when I had a phone call from Kevin telling me that Gary Smith wanted to talk to me. One of my most consistent supporters, Gary is now helping the North American Mission Board (of the Southern Baptist Convention) with church planting in Manitoba. So it was really a shock to find out that he was in the Miramichi.
When I got back to Sovereign Community, I discovered that Gary was in Blackville reporting for NAMB on the explosive church growth and evangelism of the Miramichi Valley Church when he ran into the Vances at the evening service. He then followed them back to Sovereign Community so that we could visit and tell him more about how God has been blessing the PrayerPaddle ministry. Wow, God sure is amazing!
Partner churches: Sovereign Community Church, Hillside Baptist Church, St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church
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