Greetings my dear friends and welcome to the glorious month of August and this week's Pastoral Hello. Indeed, may this new month be filled with divine blessings and favour, God bless you!

1. Sunday Worship
This coming Sunday morning, August 3rd at 10:30 AM, we will be honoured to come together, both onsite and online to celebrate and honour God Almighty in Word, song, prayer, fellowship and deed. It will be a joy to have John and Sharon Klamm lead us in our worship through music. As well, I will be delivering Part 5 of our Summer Sermon Series on "The Fruit of the Spirit" focusing on 'Kindness". We will also be sharing further details concerning two initiatives we are undertaking by way of community care and outreach marked by the living out of the fifth fruit of 'kindness".  

2. Sunset Point Camp Ministry
This coming Sunday morning and evening, along with Monday morning and evening and Tuesday morning, Pastor Matthew will be one of the camp speakers. I met with him on Thursday afternoon and heard, in broad strokes, what God has laid on his heart and prayed over him that God would use him mightily in sharing with those in attendance.
As well, some of the young married couples that are part of our church's Young Married Ministry will be attending and fellowshipping as part of the camp outreach. Please pray for a wonderful time of refreshing.

3. Spotlight on Missions
Over the last number of weeks, we have been informing you afresh of the various ministries we support financially and prayerfully in missions, both globally and locally. In review, you have been reminded of the Sonnenberg's in Japan, the Fellers in Africa, and Father's House in the inner city of Edmonton led by Pastor Debbie Kunst.
This week, we want to mention the ministry that is global in nature that we come alongside, namely the Hildebrands in Southern Thailand. The Hildebrand's kindly send us excellent mission reports on a regular basis; and after receiving the last one, I reached out to them to ask for permission to share the report with our congregation via email. He was very happy to grant permission for us to do so. As a result, Janice will send you a digital copy of their report, separate from this Pastoral Hello, for your information.

4. "Loving a Senior"
Two weeks ago, I started a new feature as part of our weekly Pastoral Hello. We called it  Loving a Senior. The purpose of doing so was to keep some of our church's seniors who are either ill, immobile, or shut-in - ever in front of our minds and hearts. They are loved and even though they can't attend onsite, we want to continue to pray for them, send a card, extend a phone call, or experience a visit. 
The first week we remembered Inez Haraba and the second week, Leonard Schellert (and Lily, though she is able to attend church at times, thanks to the kindness of a ride).
This week, we would love to be reminded of Barbara Masters. She is a fantastic and caring lady with a unique ministry of sending cards. She is currently endeavouring to hire DATS to bring her to church because she is still able to come physically. It is taking time however. If anyone would consider picking her up from her home in the region west of Taylor Seminary, she would deeply appreciate the fact that this would help her to come to church. In the meanwhile, I encourage us to pray for her, send a card, or visit.

5. Community and Neighbourhood Outreach   
Since moving to our new church facility as church leadership, along with interested others, we have been praying about taking "small baby steps" in connecting with the community at large and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Our plan is to reach out by building bridges through Christlike acts and deeds of kindness. I'm excited to share that two initiatives in this regard are underway:
1.) The first endeavour is called "Knit With Kindness". This will entail distributing warm scarves for school children. These scarves are already being knit by a wonderful lady who has recently started attending our church, along with her husband, and wanted to serve. When she and I chatted together, it was evident that God was calling her to this project. Since she has come forward, two others have asked to participate in knitting and supplying yarn. In the fall of 2025, scarves will go to schools and prayer shawls for seniors in residences, or those grieving.  
Before they go out, we will pray over them and then personally deliver them as a church to the various locations. We plan to share with some small businesses near our church as Christmas gifts to their owners/employees. We are trusting God will enable us to touch lives for God's glory and alert them to the fact that an English speaking congregation in the multicultural church is located nearby to serve them. If you may be interested in details regarding knitting or supplying yarn, please chat with myself or Heidi.

2.) The second initiative consists of forming a work team designed to cut and trim the grass of an 86 year old Canadian Army veteran living in his own home. He was brought to my attention back in March 2025 and I've visited his home on a couple of occasions, to encourage him. Upon visiting with him, it became apparent to me he needed help in cleaning the snow from his sidewalks and maintaining his yard. He is a former Major in the army, posted in significant places and is extremely alert mentally and intellectually. However, he has two bad knees and hips and is severely restricted in his movement. I've been able to recruit an individual to shovel his snow and cut part of his lawn, but his yard needs some "tender loving care" particularly in the back. He has given our church permission to help clean up his hedge and backyard and tidy up. He is not a Christian, but values the work of those God has supplied him to help practically around the yard. The Lord has impressed upon our hearts that we as a church can supply a work team of volunteers who could come together over August/September to tidy up his yard. 
If you could assist by cleaning and hauling away some debris from his backyard, cutting grass, trimming a very overgrown hedge and general maintenance - once a team is assembled, we will pick a date(s) as a Short-Term Mission Yard Work Team. In the meanwhile, I'm also working with a Veterans organization to consider taking him on long term - in addition to what we can do short term. Please chat with me (Pastor Larry) if you could lend a hand for Jesus in caring for a worthy veteran.

6. Fall 2025 Ministries
Lastly, a number of individuals assembled in a couple of planning groups and have been working diligently and quietly behind the scenes the last two months to organize and strengthen ministries connected to our churches music, technical, women, men, youth, as well as, Bible Study and prayer efforts. Information regarding these matters will be shared systematically and thoughtfully over the month of August - with the end of August and early September as our target to have all in place moving forward. 

7. Friendly Reminder
Over the last number of months, specifically from Easter on, resource lists have been provided to our congregation of hardcopy/digital sources for further individual study connected to our church's Sunday teaching/preaching ministry. Please feel free to avail yourself of this information as you desire. Indeed, personal study throughout the week of topics tackled on Sundays is encouraged and enhances spiritual maturity in thought, word and action. 

8. Thank You for Your Commitment and Investment
1.) Once again thank you for your ongoing faithfulness in giving of your tithes and offerings to the work of the Lord; as well, as pastors/elders, we thank members of our congregation for working with us as we tend to the flock in pastoral care. 
2.) In fact, it was my pleasure to recently carry out a survey of the level of volunteerism within our congregation and we are pleased to share that our assembly has approximately 82-85% involved in ministry, with some serving in two or three roles. Wow - this is amazing since according to a recent Canadian study overall participation in local churches/religious activity decreased from 45% in 2018 to 37% in 2023 (Statistics Canada).

God bless you all. We love and appreciate you.
Pastor Larry/Colleen, Pastor Matthew/Rebekah, Pastor Intern Joshua