FOCUS Winter 2016 - BCM International (Canada)

Each year our missionaries teach the
Christmas story as the school year winds down for the
holidays. At one of our clubs in Sarnia where BCM
missionary Carol Eagles is located and holds 6 Bible
clubs during the school year, Matthew 1:21 was
quoted as part of the Christmas story lesson. Carol
writes, “After I presented this verse in one club, a girl
asked, "What's sin?" She listened carefully while a boy
answered her and again when I told of Jesus' birth.
This same girl said I was the first one to tell her the
Christmas story...”
What can we learn from this event? First, as
incredible as it may seem, the assumption that
everyone has heard the Christmas Story is wrong.
Dead wrong! There are over 2 billion children in the
world most of whom have no idea that there is
something called “sin,” and that there even is a
Christmas story! And, many of those children are
right in our own backyards!
Second, in order for children to learn what sin and the
Christmas story are requires that someone tells them.
When Jesus gave his command in Matthew 28, He
used the word “Go” which tells us we must not wait
for someone to come to us but rather “Go” to them.
Finally, we need to understand that the children of the
world need an Advocate - someone who will speak for
them, pray for them and go to them.
Around the world, BCM is advocating on behalf of
children, praying for them and going to them. BCM
Canada is part of that endeavour on behalf of the
children that surround us every day and WE NEED
YOUR HELP. In the coming year will you pray for the
children of Canada, that in spite of the restrictions,
our school Bible clubs (and our camps) will grow in
attendance and effectiveness? Will you pray that the
Lord of the Harvest will send more workers into His
harvest field? Will you consider financially
supporting the ministry of BCM so that we can “Go”
to the children who do not know about sin or the
Christmas story? Will YOU be an Advocate for the
children for Jesus Christ?
On a Saturday in October, 30+
boys and girls met for a handson day to explore “missions”.
Answers to the questions
“What is a missionary? Who
can be a missionary? Why do
we need missionaries?
What
is
the
message
missionaries
tell?”
were
discovered through songs,
stories, crafts, games, special
activities, movies and a table full
of interesting items from around
the world!! Lots of fun and
learning happened as the kids
were challenged to begin “now”
to be a missionary!
We pray for the children. . .
... who sneak popsicles before supper, who erase holes in math workbooks, who
can never find their shoes,
... who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire fences, who are born in
places we wouldn’t be caught dead in,
... who never go to the circus, who live in an x-rated world,
... who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions, who hug us in a hurry and
forget their lunch money.
... who never get dessert, who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,
who watch their parents watch them die, who can’t find any bread to steal.
... who don’t have any rooms to clean up, whose pictures aren’t on anybody’s
dresser or refrigerator, whose monsters are real,
... who spend all their allowance before Tuesday, who throw tantrums in the
grocery store and pick at their food,
... who are always late to class, who are absent more than present,
... who shove dirty clothes under the bed, whose tears we sometimes laugh at and
whose smiles can make us cry, who don’t like to be kissed in front of their
friends.
... who aren’t spoiled by anybody, who will eat anything, who go to bed hungry,
who live and move but have no being, who don’t get a second chance,
... who will grab the hand of anybody kind enough to offer it,
... who we never give up on,
... who need a friend like Jesus!
Adapted from poem by Ina J. Hughs
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Phil Whitehead,
director of BCM Canada,
administrates and oversees the staff, office
operations, cares for the missionary family
across Canada and is responsible for planning,
guiding and promoting the BCM ministry.
You’ll “meet” Lynn Lawson on the
phone when you call the BCM office
between 8:30 am and 2 pm. She is a
part-time staffer working with data
base management, publications,
mailings and correspondence.
Olga Whitehead, Phil’s wife and a
The BCM Canada National Office is the hub
around which the BCM ministry revolves. Each
person serving here makes it possible for our
missionaries and volunteers to be doing what
God has called them to do - reaching children
and serving the Church - across Canada.
Please pray for the team as they serve God and
trust Him daily for wisdom, patience (usually
with computers!) and strength for their
individual tasks.
BCM career missionary, Pam Rowntree,
serves as a teacher trainer. She is involved
with publications development, is a children’s
Bible teacher and works with children’s
programs and in camp ministries.
part-time staff member, is the “go to
person” for
inquiries regarding
ordering, billing and shipping of
teaching curriculum and teaching
materials. She is involved in teacher
training, children’s programs, and
consulting
for
DiscipleLand
curriculum.
As a BCM career missionary, Sally Klassen
cares for the financial matters of the mission.
She oversees the processing of all donor
support gifts, payroll, payables, and
government reporting. She, too, is involved in
teacher training and children’s programs.
“Screens and Teens” - helping parents deal with teens and the
technology culture today.
“How Am I Smart?” - a parent and teacher guide to the 8 multiple
intelligences God has given us and how to develop them in children.
“No
No More Perfect Kids” - an in-depth look at the “Perfection
Infection”, its dangers and how to help kids recognize their value.
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17 eager teachers and
helpers gathered for an
interactive Saturday morning
of BCM training in Toronto.
While missing their only day
to “sleep in” from a full week
of work, they were excited to
be there, learning new ideas and activities to use with kids.
One workshop emphasized many
different ideas and hands-on
activities to help kids get to
know and use their Bibles. The
importance of building relationships
with the children you teach was
presented, with ideas for getting
to know students and to show
them they are valued.
It was so refreshing to see
children's ministry teachers
and helpers so intentional
about training so they can
become more excellent in
reaching and discipling their
children for Jesus Christ.
. . .“someone was praying today. Our lesson was on Job and
I wasn't sure how that would "fly" with young children--I
had never taught it to kids before. But the attention was
God-given and the kids were really involved in the story.”
. . .a 3rd grader came up and said, "My friend wanted to
know who made God."
. . . “had 7-8 NEW children in my 2nd club which is always
the smallest! Wow! So exciting. God is working!”
. . .one grade 5 boy is now looking
up all the memory verses in his
Bible.
. . . “Logan is now looking up the
Bible story and following silently
in the Bible as I teach
the
lesson.”
BCM Ireland (Republic of Ireland) began in 1965 when two
young BCM missionaries, Claire
Burford and Alice Lloyd,
followed God’s command and went to Ireland. The spiritual and
religious climate was often very hostile to the gospel at that
time, so they had no idea how they would be received. They
trusted God to show them how to begin a ministry here; He led
them to begin a ministry with nuns in the convents! They also
travelled around Ireland to discover what God was already
doing there, and to join. Soon children’s Bible clubs began and
in 1970, a camping ministry was established. The women
began praying for a permanent camp centre in the middle of
Ireland.
Today, 50 years later, the ministry continues, led by Richard
Thompson and includes weekly children and youth Bible clubs,
residential camps, teacher training, church planting and
development. In 2010, God answered the prayers of Alice and
Claire - Castledaly Manor, a camp & conference centre - was
purchased right in the middle of Ireland!! God’s timing is not
always ours, but He can always be counted on to come
through. Much of the needed finances were provided up front
in a miraculous way, and a mortgage obtained at the peak of a
recession when many businesses were failing and banks were
generally not loaning money. And – God allowed for every
payment to be made on time and the funds to do necessary
maintenance and development work! And - God has provided
a young couple, Nathan & Jenna Dancey, (son of BCM
missionaries) who now manage Castledaly. (Richard had been
traveling 90 miles each way
to do it) They have begun to
connect with the local
community there! Castledaly
Manor has proven to be an
important tool from God to
serve the BCM Irish ministry and the wider Christian
community with camp and rental facilities. Castledaly yearly
serves about 2,000 people of all ages through ministries such as
children and youth camps, retreats, rentals, conferences and an
internship program that presently includes a young woman
from Canada!
* PRAISE God for many young people who are getting involved
as volunteers.
* PRAY for the supply of full-time missionaries and their
financial support and that of Castledaly Manor.
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The McDuff’s served full-time with BCM in Innisfail, Alberta since 1983. At Prairie Bible College, God
spoke to Duffy through Tim Sheetz, director of BCM’s Handi*Vangelism ministry to the physically and
mentally challenged. He knew this was the ministry where God wanted him. Duffy and Bev ministered
at Michener Center, an institute for the mentally disabled, during the winter. That summer, they went
to BCM’s Big Sky Bible Camp in western Montana and worked on staff. They became BCM missionaries
in 1983. Then in 1992, after 2 years of praying with staff, Camp Promise, a camp for mentally and
physically challenged children and adults, became a reality. Duffy became director of Camp Promise
and he and Bev served each summer until retirement. The Handi*Vangelism ministry/camp in Montana
continues under the direction of BCM missionaries Jeff and Emmy Ort.
Duffy and Bev continue to serve during retirement. Bev had back surgery in November, is improving, but with some pain. However,
she is able to continue with her ladies Bible study on Wednesdays. Duffy leads a team of 4 men from the church in the local prison
ministry, leads a weekly Thurs. Bible study of men and women, serves as an elder on the church board and is a member of Camp Little
Red, a Christian camp. Their disabled daughter, Tracy, continues to do well.
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and giving praise to God for the open doors in the schools for Bible
Clubs in London, Sarnia and Essex County.

That many Bible Club boys and girls will receive Jesus as Saviour and
grow in Christ as they study the Word of God each week.

for God’s strength, creativity, health and safety for each Bible Club
teacher /helper as they prepare and teach the Word of God weekly.

for Mill Stream (ON) and Mt. Traber (NS) Bible Camps - full group
rentals during the winter months and full camps this summer.

for God’s choice of Godly 2016 summer staff for both camps.

for funds needed regularly for BCM General Fund that covers costs of
running the entire national office, administration costs to keep our
missionaries on the field, and more...

for the VBS, E2 and ISMT Conferences – See Upcoming Events.

IMMEDIATE NEED for national office computer upgrade:
Cost: $750.00 for complete upgrade. This is crucial to the
ongoing functioning of business and ministry in the office
for all Canada.
BCM Ireland – Castledaly Manor ongoing administrative, upgrading,
missionary and camp needs for 2016.
to the ongoing need for summer camper & staff sponsorships – email
or call us for more information.
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FEBRUARY
DATE: Monday, February 8, 2016
TIME: 6:30 p.m. - 9:15 p.m.
PLACE: West Highland Baptist Church
Hamilton, ON
MARCH
DATE: Saturday, March 5, 2016
TIME: 8:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
PLACE: N. Burlington Baptist Church
Burlington, ON
APRIL
DATE: Saturday, April 9, 2016
TIME: 8:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
PLACE: First Baptist Church
Waterloo, ON
In Step With The Master Teacher Training Day
DATE: Saturday, May 14, 2016
TIME: 9:00am – 2:30 pm
PLACE: BCM International (Canada) Inc.
685 Main St. E., Hamilton, ON
~ See our website for details on each event! ~
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