“Living Water”
Canadian Field Conference 2006
Friday, August 4:
Welcome Message;After many warm greetings from members and visitors from near and far, in Toronto we opened our Canadian Field Conference on Friday evening with an opening address from the Field president Br. John Bescec. Br. Bescec recounted to us the story of Elijah found in 1 Kings 17:1-6, when Elijah had just announced that there was to be no rain for three years. The drought happened just as he had prophesied. But at Cherith the Lord supplied the food that Elijah needed to survive. God performed a miracle. He sent ravens to feed Elijah. Elijah had food to eat when food was scarce. God supplied the bread and food and water that were necessary for Elijah to survive.
God has preserved a place for us today, His church, where we can come and obtain spiritual food and the water of life that is so necessary for our life and our spiritual well being. As in the time of Elijah, so in our time today, there is a drought for the true word of God in the world. Do we have this water of life ourselves and are we able to share it with our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers, our friends, our brothers and sisters and relatives?
Evening Service;
Next we followed with a service from visiting Australian minister Br. Jerry Eaton in which he inquired from us as to whether we have ever experienced stale water. He drew comparisons between this stale water and the characteristics of fresh, life giving water. The core of Br. Eaton’s message in this issue of The Reformation Messenger
.Sabbath Opening;
Br. Michael Mitov, our Bible worker in Vancouver then brought us the Sabbath opening service. Br. Mitov spoke to us about the woman at the well from Samaria and how she typifies all of us. All people are born with a thirst, not just physical thirst but a thirst to know their creator. Do we listen to this thirst?
“I am thirsty,” says the Lord as He hangs on the cross for our sins.
“I am thirsty,” says the Samaritan woman as she looks for stability and security in life.
“I am thirsty,” says natural man as he looks for meaning and purpose in life.“I was thirsty,” says any Christian who has come to Jesus, and found in Him the well of living water.Let us eat from the Table of the Lord, then, knowing that anyone who believes in Jesus “will never be thirsty” (John 6:35).
Sabbath, August 5:
Divine Service:
For the Divine Service, Br. Petkov, Secretary of the General Conference, spoke on our theme from John Chapter 4, the “Living Water.” Br. Petkov asked us if we have dream for living water? If we do, God WILL guide us to it. In similar way, Israel was given manna. Ancient Israel, during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land always they had the presence of the Lord. He was there in a cloud by day and a fire by night. However just before they entered into Canaan they had a test…no water. If you have ever been in a desert, you will realize very quickly that if you have no water you will die. You need water.
In this terrible situation the people of Israel began to lose faith and doubt. They murmured to Moses and thirsted for water. They openly accused Moses, “wherefore have you brought us out of Egypt to die
”We know that soon after this the Lord gave them water. Not just water that satisfies physical needs but spiritual water that satisfies a spiritual desert. Do I have a spiritual desert in my soul or living water? Spiritual water is never stopped, it finds its way out. If we want this “Living Water” God WILL guide us to it.
Youth From Mississauga Church;
After a delicious lunch provided by the sisters of each church we were favoured with a program by the Youth from the Mississauga Church. It was entitled – God with us. Through song, multimedia and the spoken word, the youth of Mississauga presented Jesus, His life and times. They showed us the proof of Christ as prophesied in the Old Testament, Emmanuel: God With us.The theme was based upon Colossians 1:16, 17, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
”They encouraged us to sing unto the world with a loud voice for the Lord endures forever. Majesty, worship Him in Majesty!
Baptismal Review;
Br. Henry Dering, our evangelist from California, encouraged us to repent & be baptized…it is the same call today as John the Baptist made two thousand years ago. Br. Dering stated “there is a young man here that wants to testify to you all his desire to be baptized and become part of the family of God.” Our soon to be new Br. Leo Chiatto gave his testimony and commitment to following our Heavenly Father. It was a very happy occasion.
Missionary Meeting;
Next Br. Kelly Schultz, our Bible worker from Calgary Alberta, illuminated reading the Bible is like eating and drinking. Prayer is like our breath. But are we happy with just eating & drinking? No!! We want to get up and live, to go out and experience life. Well that is what missionary work is for a Christian…it is our experience. John 1:29, 34, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. And I saw, and bear record that this is the Son of God.”There was something about Jesus’ life that commanded attention…something that attracted John. People have to see something in our life that commands attention.
Mid Day Service:
Br Henry Dering, through a modern multimedia presentation told us that he wanted to see that old-fashioned religion. He told us that while he was just in California, that Richard Eaton was visiting just before the conference and he asked him; “what are you going to preach about in Toronto?” I told Richard; “I’m going to preach an old fashioned sermon.”
Br. Dering then contrasted the new theology that is being presented to the people of the earth, the da Vinci Code, Harry Potter etc. Br. Dering explained that it is the old fashioned theology that needs to be preached. The old fashioned truths are very relevant today. They apply for our time today.
Youth From Toronto Church:
The Youth from Toronto then presented a multi-media program entitled, “Missionary Work in the 21st Century.” This program challenged us to modernize the methods with which we communicate the truth to the world. Just as Br. Dering explained earlier, we do need the old time message, but we need new ways with which to communicate the message. The youth explored themes such as:
• Type of Society Do We Live in Today?
– Knowledge is doubling every five years
– Internet is growing by 65,000 websites an hour
– Information has emerged as currency, but also as a pollutant.
– We are still communicating with the same methodologies from 100 years ago.
• Our social impact.
– In the church, greeting people and demonstrating support
– Outside the church, kindness towards strangers
• Charity
– 2103 Bible quotes about caring for the poor.
– Think globally, act locally.
– 3 billion people live on less than $2.00 a day.
– 1.2 billion people live on less than a $1.00 a day.
• Food- Why is meat bad?
– New and recurring diseases.
– Talking about health to others is relevant for people’s lives.
• Using technology to advance the work.
– “Pushing” Information: Official Website, Newsletters, Flyers, Books, Sermon Audio Clips
– “Push – Pull” Information: Web Blog, Chat room, Q&A, online Bible Study
– Key Advantages: Anytime, Any-where, Any-one
– Statistics show large use of new communication technologies versus old.
• Peer Influences
– Communicating to our immediate circle at home, social groups and school or work
• The Printed Word.
– Newsletters & Posters
– Current, relevant articles
• Music
– Fastest growing media among youth.
– Sound one of the most potent influences upon the mind.
• New Media
– VHS, DVD, Video Games, MP3
– Positive and Negative Influences
– Where youth are at presently.
The people there present were asked “What about YOU?” What are you going to do? How are we going to participate in this new era of interactive communications to further the Gospel?
Testimony and Praise Meeting:
Br. Timo led this meeting. This was a time to give thanks for our Lord’s leading, protection and blessings in our lives. Many testified to wonderful experiences over the past year and renewed their commitment to a closer walk with God in their lives.
Sabbath Close;
Br. Evald Pedersen gave one of the most poignant experiences of the conference for the Sabbath closing service. He related an experience from his life of digging a well at his new home and when they had dug very deep there was still only a few feet of water in the new well…but a funny thing about a well is the more you use it the more water it gets in it. When he checked the well months later there was over 50 feet in it. The same is with our faith – if we use it we will be overflowing with the living water of God’s Grace.
Sunday, August 6:
Health Meeting;
Br. Conrad Bosse, our Bible Worker from New Brunswick, explained about balanced health in the human body. He also led a discussion about modern health risks affecting our world such as Avian Flu, Energy Drinks and Mad Cow Disease. Different people shared experiences and thoughts about these subjects and it brought to the forefront interesting insights from various perspectives.
Baptism Service:
On the shore of Lake Ontario, Br. Leo Chiatto gave his life to the Lord through a commitment in the watery grave of baptism.
Br. Dering spoke about Mark 16 about our responsibility to preach the gospel to every creature. We have an assurance that if we believe and are baptized we will be saved but if we don’t we will be damned.
Br. Dering then spoke about the example of Jesus’ baptism and His example that He set for us to follow.Br. Dering said it was a very special day today, the whole universe is watching this one event right now.
Acceptance Service:
Br. Petkov exclaimed, “it is a wonderful day today…especially the reason of why we are here today and that is to accept our dear brother into our family.”Br. Petkov spoke on Romans 6:4 and onward where the apostle Paul speaks about baptism. Baptism is the symbol of Christ’s death and when we come out of the water it is a symbol of His resurrection. From this moment onward we have a new opportunity in our life.
Br. Petkov recounted his own baptism and explained how the church was illegal under communism and they had to go high up in the mountains in the midst of the snow and ice. But he said that despite this, no one even caught a cold.
With Psalm 37: 3,4 Br. Petkov welcomed our new Br. Leo into church membership.
Farewell Message:
Br. Morris Lowe, the Vice President of the Canadian Field, pointed out that as the theme of the conference says, the living water, we have heard many wonderful words.
Br. Lowe recounted how he had received a phone call last night from a school friend. They said that another school friend, a lady in her 30’s got sick even to the point of having a liver transplant. He told us of how they loaded her body with anti rejection drugs. This was a surprise to Br. Morris because this lady was away from school for a long time because of illness, then she came back to the course to finish. She then she disappeared for 2 months. Everyone was wondering what had happened to her. Br. Morris then received a call last night to say that she passed away. Br. Morris wondered, “Did I witness to her enough? Did I reach her with Christ’s love?” When we die our salvation is fixed forever, there is nothing that can be done after.
It is not an accident that Jesus used water to symbolize the Holy Spirit. Water is the most important compound in the universe. Every tissue, cell and chemical reaction that happens in our body needs water. That’s why we need the Heavenly water in our spiritual life.
With many new fond memories and a joyful sadness we closed our conference of 2006. Many farewell greetings followed as we went our separate ways, comforted in the thought that we are here joined in His love and Spirit until a time when we shall part no more in our Heavenly home.
John Formosa, Canadian Field Secretary