A REPORT FROM QUEBEC
You will remember the reports prepared several weeks ago by the Missions Committee as bulletin inserts explaining the various mission works our congregation is involved in in several parts of the world: Haiti, Japan, Indonesia, Zambia and Great Lakes Bible College in Waterloo. There was no report about the work being done in Quebec by Bro. Yvon Beaudoin and some of you wondered why - and asked.
We explained to those who asked. Now we are delighted to explain the delay to those who wondered-but didn't ask. (There was a reason!)
The committee hoped that Bro. Beaudoin and his wife, Louise, could arrange a time when they could come for a weekend visit with the congregation - a "spring break" for them and a joy for us. The plan was that if they could come, we would run their story the week before their visit. It would be fresh in our minds and we would be better able to understand all that he is doing as he speaks to us.
The Lord has blessed us; our plans have worked out and the Beaudoins will be with us next Sunday - a 5th Sunday Missions Day (not a coincidence! You have heard the announcements and seen the bulletin board just inside the main door to the auditorium), prepared by Loraine Carruthers, Sharon Osborne & Valerie Lane. More information about the day's activities will be given this morning. It's time for that promised report!
We will let Bro. Yvon speak in this brief report of his ongoing work and we will understand better why it is difficult for him to get away for just a "weekend off." He will tell us much more than we can tell you - and remember: his English is better than our French except for Bro. Marcel of course!).
We begin as Bro. Beaudoin began with a loving tribute to Bro. S. F. Timmerman, whom many of you knew and who just a short time ago at age 92 was called to his Eternal Home. If you knew him, you loved him. His faithful work for our Lord was a great influence on Bro. Beaudoin.
“May I take few lines to talk to you about a man of endurance that passed away few months ago. He was a pioneer as far as French work is concerned. He is probably well known by all of you who receive this report. Right after the second world war, brother S.F Timmerman was very active in the mission field in Europe before to move to Canada where he became a good standard of steadfastness. His involvement with every one he had the opportunity to meet and teach was of a long lasting one. Those who had the opportunity to follow bible courses with him had the confidence that they could count on him in any time, even years after their first inscription.
“He was also a silent worker who didn't spend time to publicize all his good works. In 1990, I participated in a mission in French Guiana with a team from North Atlanta Church of Christ. The leaders of the mission where convinced that we were the first workers to land in this remote Overseas French Department. It didn't take time to realize that brother Timmerman had many correspondence bible courses in the country. We met many of his students that asked us information about him. Few years later I had the opportunity to have brother Timmerman with me in a subsequent mission in Guiana. I am not a Paul's, Apollos' Cephas' or Timmerman's follower, but I just want to let you know that he was a good friend of mine and that his life in Christ was appreciated. He didn't live in vain. May the Lord be with his wife and family.
Now Concerning the Works
“In the past, when means of communications were not so easy, it was habitual that a preacher was sent in a city somewhere to establish a congregation. Usually it was started by a campaign promoting a conference to lit the whole work. Then the missionary was establishing his home with his family and started to advertise his presence and the place where weekly services were held. After few souls were reached by the gospel, they were usually inviting their families and friends living nearby and a congregation was launched. Then the evangelist or missionary was known as the one who planted a church.
“While this also happens today, some changes have occurred. With websites, e-mail addresses and a lot of Bible courses offered by churches, we receive e-mails and phone calls almost from everywhere. You have interested people scattered in remote areas where no other Christians live. You can't hardly ask them to leave their jobs and sell their houses to join an established congregation at a hundred or more kilometers away. It seems more appropriate to visit them and try to reach few more souls in the area and start at least a home church. If you thing that this is impossible only by e-mails, websites or any other virtual means, you have never visited isolated Christians that receive you in their houses partaking their joys and worries. Modern ways of communication are often ways of isolation.
“Haiti. We have put the priority for the last months to gather money for brothers and sisters in Haiti. We could spend time asking why people of this country have been so hardly tested for the last couple of years, but it is more productive to find a way to help them. Up to now, we have gathered 2250 dollars that are sent to Jean Volcy who is an elder at Strathmore church of Christ, Toronto. Jean is native from Haiti and, has made many mission trips in the country. He will take care of the collect that will be shared with the congregation in Delmas where Jeantyrard Elmera works as a preacher. The collect is going to be used to feed the neediness and provide water for them.
“Sherbrooke. Since last fall, we have started a Thursday afternoon bible study in Compton, a small town located at about 25 kilometres south east of Sherbrooke. We really enjoy the spiritual uplift provided by this meeting held in a Sherbrooke member's home. A young man named Eric who visits us is now considering baptism. He was sprinkled at the age of 9 years old by a Catholic minister in order to be admitted to a course called "pastoral" . On March 13, I will have to preside a marriage between Guy Poulin and Diane Guay, two faithful and well engaged members. Guy is 70 years old and Diane 61. They are both retired.
“East-Broughton. A meeting is planned with brothers and sisters of this region to evaluate the possibility to have a better location for Sunday morning worship.
“Quebec City. I spent the first 20 years of my Christian life there preaching, giving Bible studies and seeing all members coming
to Christ. They still occupy 50 percent of my time answering e-mails and phone calls for Bible studies or personal counseling. The
part-time preacher has asked me help in e-mailing his sermon and sending questions coming from evangelical visitor who are a bit
controversial in bible studies. Concerning Sherbrook a lot of time is spent on the phone With few members emotionally disturbed.
God has probably seen me turning around the block to escape the responsibility of having children to raise, but he has reserved me a
good surprise the next comer. (smile)
“Saguenay. Quite a bit of my time was spent in this ending month to help Jean Grenier with legal problems related to his
church building project. Prayers and the word of God are real forces behind any project, but in some occasions, as Paul did, we also
have to refer to human's laws to have some kind of justice profitable for the Gospel.
“Danvi!le. This city is located midway between Sherbrooke and Plessisville. A member who is partially blind is living there. He
has been divorced but still have good influence on his 5 children. I am praying and studying the way to arrange a regular meeting in
this area.
“Shawinigan. While few members have moved in Montreal and Quebec area for work, 4 members and a regular visitor are
present to the Sunday morning meeting.
“Joliette. Jacques Perreault who has serious health problems, has now find a job as representative. Having experience as salesman in the past, we pray that new job will fit his health condition .
“Congo. Since last years, we have been accredited by the federal government to establish a dispensary in Congo to takes care of women and children that are abused. Since my time is limited, I have agreed to participate as counsellor in the organisation .
“French Guiana. Being surrounded by Spanish and Portuguese languages, this country has some similarities with Quebec surrounded by English language. Industrial economy has something to do with languages spread across the world. Brothers and sisters over there haven't much communication with the rest of the brotherhood. Missionaries from France and Switzerland well implicated in Africa and in overseas departments seems to neglect this one. Getting a large part of money from churches, my hope is that they'll pay more attention to Guiana in the future.
“For the rest of the work, the same travelling pattern continues on a weekly basis.
“The growth of a church is sometimes surprising. A preacher said one time: "The disgruntled and angry with God Jonas had thousands of converts after one sermon, and the righteous Noah barely saved his own family after years of preaching". The observation I can share with you is that in the field, members seem to appreciate the work done and the way it is done. I am not trying to please men, but to avoid to be unpleasant. I am not a partisan of some liberal or conservative wings of the brotherhood, but I spend a lot of time to "test everything and hold on to the good", should that belong to liberals or conservatives.
Louise and I thank you very much for the continuous interest you show in this mission, even more for your patience. Concerning our financial situation, things hasn't change since the last report. We do our best to restrain ourselves to essential needs, but we cannot avoid extra expenses that the mission requires. This being said, we are well aware of the effort and sacrifices you are already doing to keep us at work, not only financially but through your prayers and constancy.“
We hope that his report increases your interest in the congregation's over-all mission programs and that you can be present next Lord's Day to meet the Beaudoins and to enjoy this short time of fellowship with them. Remember to plan for your donation to our “5th Sunday Missions Collection." We need $5,000 over and above our regular contribution in order to maintain our present works. The Lord blessed us greatly in our first such special collection (January 31) and more than $6,000 was given. Please - can we do that again? These works must not suffer. Remember the parting words of our Lord Jesus: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all people …."