November 29, 2009 by Wendy Carter.

Greetings!

“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?” Isaiah 40:12

Sara Burton wrote a song based on this verse a few years ago which we sing in our church. So how are you doing during these busy preparatory days for Christmas? Are you able to keep everything in balance? Vancouver is gearing up for the Winter Olympics in February. I’m not sure if there is a winter pentathlon but a summer pentathlon is composed of five events: pistol shooting, fencing, horse-back riding, running and swimming. One must succeed in all areas. I read recently that “Your life is a pentathlon of purposes, which you must keep in balance.” We all have varying roles in life - husband, wife, father, mother, daughter, son, employee. I’m so glad God has come along side of me to keep these roles in balance from day to day in my life.

We are continuing to prepare for our Christmas Open House on Saturday, December 12 starting at 7:00 p.m. Please let me know if you can provide some Christmas cookies. We are still working on our cafe room. Sanding has begun in earnest. I know what a basketful of dust is like! Walls will be ready for painting in a couple of days so if you have an hour to spare come on over. Gary is gradually leveling the floor for the slate arrival in a few weeks. He is also laying out our Christmas book tomorrow. We trust that it will be here on time to hand out. And please pray that our many invited friends will decide to pop in for a visit. We are looking for more to become a part of our Heartland church family.

Also please remember to pray for Richard and his ministries in Myanmar. He is praying to God for food for his orphanage (100 people) every day. Debbie Macdonald had a bad spill this week while supervising in her local school yard. Her father is currently in the hospital for fluid on his lungs as a result of his cancer. Steve Macdonald finished a heavy week managing his TTC subway yard. Howie Johnson and Fred Brown are looking for permanent employment. Howie’s wife, Sheila, totalled her car Friday morning. When a church reaches out to its community Satan likes to throw bad stuff in the mix. Please pray for protection for everyone.

Congratulations to Brandon Spears who passed his aptitude test for the army and will now take his physical test plus an interview this coming Wednesday.

Home Group will be held again at the Burtons’ this Thursday at 7:00 p.m. We are studying Lesson 7 in the Christianity Explored series.

Mark New Year’s Eve on your calendar for a church get together starting at 8:00 p.m. More details to follow.

Take care of yourselves for another week,

Wendy

wendy.carter@kainos.org
garyvcarter@kainos.org
905-230-8116
www.heartlandfellowship.ca; www.the-music-project.com; http://heartlandfellowship.blogspot.com; www.fellowshipnetworksradio.org; www.myanmar.kainos.org; www.cafeontheway.org; www.ttcbiblereading.org; www.dtfbmusic.com; www.gvc.name; www.compasscoachinginternational.com. This newsletter is always located at www.blog.heartlandfellowship.ca. It is a summary of our Sunday morning church service which takes place at 9:00 a.m. at 7777 Churchville Rd., Brampton, ON.

Stress Reaction at Christmas by Gary Carter: Black Friday is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, which is the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season. That must create a lot of stress for management who have to e.g. hire extra staff. No doubt these people tend to make mistakes due to their lack of knowledge. Human pressures become particularly intense at Christmas time. Problems come along which don’t so much create who you are but reveal who you are. Just as an elastic band will snap once it reaches its breaking point, people reach a breaking point. Positive changes can happen when you choose allegiance to Christ and the Holy Spirit is living within. One of those changes is you have new ability to cope with stress. The real test comes when stresses arise and we find out if we really put God first. Do you have a list of people you are praying for during the next few weeks? Many will come to the Saviour during a time of trouble. But watch out for Satan will be upset when you care about others. Eternity will tell the tale about this care we do; but unfortunately there will be a loss for eternity if we do nothing.

Planting a Christmas Tradition by Steve Macdonald: The traditional pine or fir tree is an accepted symbol at Christmas time. We cut them down to decorate our homes or reuse artificial ones each year. But what about the other plants we commonly use for this season? No wonder newcomers to Canada are confused about all our Christmas traditions and where they originated from!

1. Poinsettia: The Aztec people from Peru used this plant, called “skin flower” to produce red dye as well as make a medication to fight fever. It has other names in other countries e.g. in Mexico and Guatemala it is called “Christmas Eve.” Joel Poinsettia, a botonanist and US Ambassador to Mexico in the 17th century brought it home as a new plant species. The leaves can be red, orange, pink, cream, white, pale green or marbled with the flowers found in the center. The plants’ association with Christmas began in the 17th century in Mexico when a poor young girl had no gift for the celebration of Jesus’ birthday. An angel inspired her to pick weeds along the roadside and place them in front of the church altar. The weeds sprouted crimson blossoms.

2. Holly: In northern Europe, since this plant remained green throughout the harsh winters, boughs were placed over the doors of homes to drive away evil. It was also brought indoors to freshen the air and brighten the mood during the long winter. Legend has said that the holly sprang from the footsteps of Christ as he walked the earth. The pointed leaves represented the crown of thorns He wore on the cross and the red berries symbolized the blood He shed.

3. Mistletoe: This plant is actually a parasite that lives high up in trees, feeding on the life juices of its host. According to Norse mythology, Balder, the god of the summer sun was killed with an arrow dipped in mistletoe. His mother, Frigga, cried so long that the berries turned from white to red. Balder came back to life. His mother was so happy and started kissing everyone underneath it. She declared it a sacred plant to symbolize love rather than death. Today kissing under the mistletoe is a fun, festive tradition.

All these parts of Christmas culture have evolved over time but, of course, they have nothing to do with the simple historical truth we celebrate at Christmas time. The coming of the Saviour is the reason we have the season.

What Unites Us? by Gary Carter: Our current world’s population is 6,692,030,277. About 2,100,000,000 identify themselves with Christianity (about 5-700,000 are evangelicals). World religions consist of about 33% Christians, 20% Muslims, 13% Hindus and then various other smaller groupings. While it is simply not good enough in the light of the Bible message to be religious or even in a broad sense in the category of Christendom. What do all the Christian groups hold in common that unite most all of them compared to the other major world religions?

One useful way to answer that is to look at ancient Christian creeds. The Nicene Creed was composed in 325 A.D. There have been various wordings since that time but it is basically the same content. This creed is quoted every Sunday in some churches. Much of what this creed says we believe even though in itself it does not seem to have enough content to lead a person to a true commitment to Jesus Christ. Here is a common wording of that Nicene creed.

“We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father.

Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. AMEN.”

No non-Christian religion could even come close to using that as a statement of faith. And while many could agree to everything it says, could they actually find The Way, The Truth and The Life through it? That is very unlikely.

There is more that is needed and you can find it in many chapters and verses in the New Testament. For example, why not get yourself a cup of coffee, sit down in an easy chair and compare it to Ephesians 2. Notice how Paul emphasizes personal faith in Christ as an essential ingredient. Notice how while technically correct on many points, the Nicene creed makes no mention of a personal transaction between a person and God. Paul emphasizes the gift of God that brings grace and personal faith.

Ya know We Gotta Ask by Steve Macdonald:
1. If you see a heat wave do you wave back?
2. Why is it called a Toothbrush when we brush all of our teeth?
3. Who copyrighted the copyright symbol?
4. If you own a piece of land do you own it down to the core of the earth?
5. What do you call a male ladybug?
6. What came first - the fruit or the colour orange?
7. Why does Allstate Insurance have a disclaimer that reads, “…not available in all states.”?

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November 22, 2009 by Wendy Carter.

Hi there!

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” Psalm 19:1-2

Will we get through November without snow? That would be nice!

Thank you for your prayers for Gary this week while he attended a Church Planting Congress in Calgary with several from our Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada denomination. It was a worthwhile time for him away with about 700 other attenders, particularly being able to bond well with his Fellowship colleagues from across Canada. Pray that these representatives from various ministries nationwide will accomplish much for the Gospel’s sake. Thank you to Cassidy and Kaiya Burton who babysat me Wednesday and Thursday nights. It was nice to have someone in the house to talk to.

Gary will begin working on editing and formatting our Christmas book this week. Thank you one and all for your submissions of articles. This project will be a great keepsake and handout to our friends and neighbours for this Christmas season. Don’t forget our Christmas Open House on Saturday, December 12 starting @ 7:00 p.m. Please let me know if you can make some Christmas cookies. We have New Testaments available for you to hand out to your friends, neighbours and co-workers.

Continue to pray for Debbie Macdonald’s dad as he is suffering with cancer and incurred an infection this past week. Please remember Richard in Myanmar with his children’s orphanage and all the needs that stem from its management.

Home Group meets this Thursday evening at the Burtons’ home. We are on the 6th lesson of the series, Christianity Explored - a very good study on the Gospel of Mark. Heather Macdonald in reviewing the book, Touch the World Through Prayer, shared about Jesus’ role as an intercessor for all (Hebrews 7:24-25) and we are to follow His example (I Peter 2:9). Attending Home Group gives a great opportunity for us to do just that. A speaker at the Church Planting Congress, a former Muslim, who has gone through tremendous persecution because of his Christianity (needs police protection), as have other former Muslims, believes that perhaps it will take a martyr to get our attention. He is willing to be that martyr. He suggested adopting a mosque in our neighbourhood and praying regularly for the people who attend.

Take care,

Wendy

wendy.carter@kainos.org
garyvcarter@kainos.org
905-230-8116
www.heartlandfellowship.ca; www.the-music-project.com; http://heartlandfellowship.blogspot.com; www.cafeontheway.org; www.fellowshipnetworksradio.org; www.ttcbiblereading.org; www.dtfbmusic.com; www.gvc.name; www.compasscoachinginternational.com; www.myanmar.kainos.org; www.churchcreation.com. This newsletter is always located at www.blog.heartlandfellowship.ca. It is a summary of our Sunday morning church service which takes place at 9:00 a.m. at 7777 Churchville Rd., Brampton, ON.

A $5 Bill Story by Gary Carter: Have you looked closely at our blue Canadian $5 bill lately with children engaged in winter sports on the back side? Have you read the mini-sized text to the left of the hockey scene? Roch Carrier is quoted in English and French from his 1979 short story, The Hockey Sweater, “The winters of my childhood were long, long seasons. We lived in three places - the school, the church and the skating rink - but our real life was on the skating rink.” “Carrier summed up our entire country, our culture, our history, our people.” (Wikipedia)

“The Hockey Sweater” is based on a real experience of Carrier growing up in an isolated part of Quebec in the 1940s. He, like many boys his age, was a big fan of the Canadiens’ star player, Maurice Richard. When Carrier’s Montreal Canadiens hockey sweater wears out, his mother writes a note and sends money to order a new one. The mother uses a handwritten letter since the company did not print French-language versions of their order forms in those days, and she could not understand English. Unfortunately, the company sends a Leafs sweater, the Canadiens’ bitter rivals. A loyal fan of the Canadiens, Carrier protests having to wear the new sweater. But his mother refuses to let her son wear the old worn-out sweater and, apparently unaware of the business’s traditional policy they advertised, “Goods satisfactory, or money refunded”, insists that if they were to return the sweater it may offend Mr. Eaton, himself a Leafs fan. As a result, young Carrier is forced to wear the Leafs sweater to his hockey game, feeling humiliated before the other players on the ice, each proudly wearing a Canadiens sweater. The coach refuses to let Carrier play, and he angrily breaks his hockey stick on the ice before being sent to church, where he prays for God to send moths to eat the Maple Leafs sweater. (Wikipedia)

In French Canadian society years ago, the church played an important part in people’s lives, both positively and negatively. In our Canadian society today the church doesn’t have very much of a role in people’s lives and according to the keynote speaker at the Church Planting Congress, the church is less involved in Australia. Where are we headed as countries if we don’t make an effort to change our societies? Some would agree they have had some sort of spiritual experience e.g. when viewing beauty in nature they realize there must be something behind as the cause. This gives one a great opportunity to explain about Christ, the Creator and the One who holds it all together so it doesn’t completely disintegrate (Colossians 1:15-17).

Non-Biblical Christmas Symbols by Chris Burton:
1. Paper Hats: The wearing of colourful paper hats at Christmas parties and festive meals was done due to superstition. It is said that evil forces constantly threatened the sun’s (Son’s) survival. As evil could only be fought with evil, assuming the guise of the devil was therefore thought to drive away any real devils. Masks and hats were an essential part of devil disguises.

2. Christmas Cards: The Christmas card was invented by Sir Henry Cole in 1843. It is believed that he was inspired to come up with the Christmas card by examples of valentine’s days cards which had been popular in England. As well as it was customary for pupils in English schools to produce Christmas pieces. These usually were large sheets of paper which the pupils decorated with colourful borders and headings, and then inscribed with Christmas greetings in their best copperplate. Cole commissioned artist J.C. Horsley to design the picture for his first card. The picture was based on the common medieval artistic device of a triptych which was a set of three illustrations. The central illustration was a jolly party of adults and children with plenty of food and drink. Underneath the picture was the greeting “Wishing a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you”. Each side panel represented good works such as the clothing of the naked and the feeding of the hungry. His idea did not catch on at the time; it was not until about 20 years later that big stationery firms were producing thousands of Christmas cards and Cole’s initial failure had become a tremendous success.

3. The Pudding: The origins of the Christmas pudding can be traced as far back as pre-Christian past. Due to the cold of the northern hemisphere people would worry about the land and how it would provide them with the grain they needed to keep alive in the year to come. They therefore tried to ensure the land’s fertility by preparing a magical “pudding”. This simple pudding was boiled wheat in milk. The Christians adopted this cereal dish but suppressed or forgot about its origins as a “magical” dish of significance, using the dish as a breakfast meal on Christmas Eve. Though this was slowly fazed out and it became a side dish to the meat course at the Christmas dinner. Gradually it was added to with other ingredients such as eggs, prunes, and even meat. But eventually the meat was left out and plums added to make the delicious pudding of today.

4. Crackers: The crackers date back to the middle of the 19th century and are said to be of French origin. In their earliest form crackers in France were sweets or bon-bons enclosed in twists of coloured paper. An English pastry cook, Tom Smith., saw these bon-bons while he was visiting Paris. Once he had returned home, he started to copy the idea of the wrapper, but added other small gifts as well as slips of paper inscribed with jokes, wise sayings or advice concerning the future. Small toys and paper hats were other surprises that were included. Smith’s idea did not catch on at first, but on Christmas night 1846 while sitting by his fireplace he heard the crackling of the logs and came up with the idea of trying to imitate this sound. He did this by inserting a small explosive in the paper tube, which was set off with a bang by pulling from either side. This saw the birth of the popular named “cracker”.

5. The Carol: The meaning of a carol in the present day is much different to the original one. Once a carol was a secular dance which was performed at any time of the year. People danced around in a circle holding hands and singing songs. The dance reminded onlookers of a coronet so they called it a “carol”. The name was transferred later on from the dance to the song itself. Carols by the 16th century were sung only at Christmas time. The subject also related to Christmas. At one stage the Christmas carols were only sung by the bishop and clergy in church. But became popular amongst the public and were soon sung in the streets and other public places. Carol singers tell the story of the birth of Christ in song during the days leading up to Christmas.

Weakened Faith by Gary Carter: Satan is very active. He is not emphasized a lot in the Bible except during the time of Christ and His miracles which is understandable since Satan focuses on the greatest power. Satan plays many roles.

1. Satan as a Masquerader (2 Corinthians 11:13-15): He doesn’t dress up in his real self. He is the beautiful angel alive in a new day with a deep discount on the commitment required.

2. Satan as a Sifter (Luke 22:31-34): This event occurred near the end of Jesus’ life on earth. It tells of Satan working in the framework that God has allowed him. Jesus prayed for Peter for He knew Peter didn’t know his ability to fall. Peter thought of himself as strong when actually he was very weak as seen by his denial of Christ. He did, however, have the opportunity later on to come back and help strengthen the faith of his brothers.

3. Satan as a Devourer (I Peter 5:8-9): Satan wants to “eat you up!” He is like a lion who will attack the slow animal. Be self-controlled and alert. Balance your life so your resistance does not become low. Don’t run but stand firm for the truth. Don’t just go with the flow.

4. Satan as a Killer (Hebrews 2:14): Our lives are short in the whole scheme of things. The path we walk is not smooth and the ultimate thing we have to do is fight death; therefore we must prepare for it for we will either enter heaven or hell. It shouldn’t surprise us when someone dies suddenly. Satan has the keys over death on this planet.

The final victory is ours through Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:50-58). In light of this how should we live? We must stand firm and give ourselves “fully to the work of the Lord.” Nobody likes to labour but nobody likes not having labour as experienced by many these days. Gary met with labourers in ministry from Halifax, Surrey, Vancouver and other places this week. One works in the slums, another in a multi-ethnic community like Brampton and another where there is a government clinic giving out free heroine along with activities being planned for next year’s Olympics. They are all stretching to do the work of the Kingdom of God even in the face of Satan’s domination. Lots of ministry will happen. We must pray that Satan will be defeated so that the message of good news can be spread throughout our country.

Ya Gotta Ask by Steve Macdonald:
1. If a seagull flies over a bay, is it called a bagel?
2. Can an ambidextrous person make an off hand remark?
3. Does condensed milk come from small cows?
4. What is so secret about cheese that we have to shred it?
5. We have the speed of light but is there a speed of dark?
6. Do pediatricians play mini golf?
7. Do careers of police sketch artists begin by drawing chalk outlines?

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November 15, 2009 by Wendy Carter.

Bonjour!

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel - which means, ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:23)

We are getting excited with the progress in the cafe room in our home where our church meets each Sunday morning. The painting of the ceiling is 95% complete. The beams and ceiling boards took several coats of white paint. The two support beams that were cut from 175 year old logs in June have also been added. Wall painting comes next and slate for the floor will arrive some time in December. We can now seat up to 40 with this expansion.

We are looking forward to Saturday, December 12 at 7:00 p.m. as we are holding a Christmas Open House for all our personal neighbours, friends and relatives. There will be carol singing, performed music, hot chocolate and apple cider. Several have made submissions to our Christmas book we are compiling to hand out. We need everyone’s contribution in by the end of this week plus a picture as Gary will begin formatting it the following week for publication. New Testaments have also arrived that will be distributed. Pray that this event will see newcomers added to our church.

Please pray for Gary as he is heading off to Calgary on Tuesday until Friday for a Church Planting Congress. Please pray for me as well. The house is very quiet when Gary is not around. I will be hosting our Credit Valley Pastors’ Association luncheon this Thursday. Thank you for your prayers for our son, Rob, who arrived back home safe and sound in Moosonee this past Wednesday. His music trip to Turkey was very successful.

Saturday, November 28 from 9:00 - 4:00 is a Muslim Awareness Conference being held at Stoney Creek Baptist Church in London. It would be great if someone could attend and report back as we have lots of Muslim neighbours in our community and we need to learn how to interact with them. (www.stoneycreekbaptist.com). Cost is $10/person which includes lunch.

Please remember to pray for Debbie’s dad as the Macdonalds learned this past week that he has been diagnosed with inoperable cancer in the lymph nodes of his lungs. Chris Burton’s sister in Texas is also suffering with this dreaded disease as well as our neighbour Don.

We will continue our study on the Gospel of Mark Thursday at 7:00 at the Burtons’ home. We were reminded once again by Heather Macdonald who is reviewing the book, Touch the World through Prayer, that our relationship with Jesus Christ is a sacred partnership. We can speak with Him at any time and we are to pray as He prayed - Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; and John 17:1.

A new copy of St. John in Exile, an excellent video dramatization, is now available in our library.

May you continue to enjoy this great weather!

Wendy

wendy.carter@kainos.org
garyvcarter@kainos.org
905-230-8116
www.heartlandfellowship.ca; www.the-music-project.com; http://heartlandfellowship.blogspot.com; www.fellowshipnetworksradio.org; www.myanmar.kainos.org; www.cafeontheway.org; www.ttcbiblereading.org; www.dtfbmusic.com; www.gvc.name; www.compasscoachinginternational.com. This newsletter is always located at www.blog.heartlandfellowship.ca. It is a summary of our Sunday morning church service which takes place at 9:00 a.m. at 7777 Churchville Rd., Brampton, ON.

Santa Claus Has Come To Town by Gary Carter: Everyone loves a parade. How often have you stood out in the cold with your family watching a Santa Claus parade? This is the weekend he arrives in Toronto, London, Barrie and who knows where. What a busy man! Lots of preparation goes into this yearly event which probably happens earlier these days for its commercial benefit than years ago. Are you remembering to prepare your thoughts so that you will be able to explain to someone in terms that they can understand what Christmas really means to you? It can’t sound canned and may require a sequence of conversations. Out of the four Gospels in the New Testament only two describe Jesus’ birth. All the Gospels focuses more so on the last week of Christ’s life. Christmas is about the cross. We must get people beyond relying on their ethnicity and religious heritage and help them take a fresh look at the Cross this Christmas.

The First North American Carol by Chris Burton: Jesus Ahatonhia was a Huron carol written by St. John de Brébeuf, a Jesuit missionary linguist who had worked among the Huronian Indians from 1626. He was tortured and burned at the stake by Iroquois Indians in 1649. This carol written in the Huron language and put to a 16th century folk song was preserved by those Huronians who were able to escape and settle in Loretto, Quebec. In 1749 the song was rediscovered, translated into English and in 1926 reworded by Edgar Middleton. You might be familiar with the music.

Twas in the moon of wintertime
When all the birds had fled,
That mighty Gitchi Manitou
Sent angel choirs instead;
Before their light the stars grew dim,
And wond’ring hunters heard the hymn:
Jesus, your King is born, Jesus is born, In excelsis gloria.

Within a lodge of broken bark
The tender Babe was found,
A ragged robe of rabbit skin
Enwrapp’d His beauty ’round;
But as the hunter braves drew nigh,
The angel song rang loud and high:
Jesus, your King is born, Jesus is born, In excelsis gloria.

O children of the forest free,
O sons of Manitou,
The Holy Child of earth and heav’n
Is born today for you.
Come kneel before the radiant boy;
Who brings you beauty, peace and joy.
Jesus, your King is born, Jesus is born, In excelsis gloria.

To Jesus from the ends of earth,
Three wise men came this day,
To him they brought their precious gifts
Before him they did pray.
Like them we come to thee O Son,
Like them with joy we kneel before thee.
Jesus, your King is born, Jesus is born, In excelsis gloria.

All praise to thee O Son of God,
All glory to thy name,
For all this world thy people sing,
Thy blessed birth acclaimed.
With them we come to thee O Son,
Like them with joy we kneel before thee.
Jesus, your King is born, (Repeat twice)
Jesus is born, In excelsis gloria

Weakened Faith by Gary Carter: God always uses imperfect people which is a good thing; however Satan, as an accuser, will always remind us that we are not good enough or holy enough (Revelations 12:9-11; Zechariah 3:1-7). Satan reminds us of our past life; whereas God gives us rich garments in place of our filthy clothes - new life and ability. Satan harasses God about our sin as well as heaps feelings of guilt on us even after we have been forgiven. Guilt does need to be dealt with but there is no room for false guilt. You don’t need to run and hide. Satan wants to see you back on the shelf by paralyzing your positive actions by inducing you to recall your past sin, now forgiven.

Defeat Satan, first of all, by understanding forgiveness as found in I John 1:8-10. Do you pass the tests of belief, love of brothers and behaviour John emphasizes throughout 1 John? Don’t medicate your conscience. Confess your sins; agree with God. We continually sin whether we are aware of it or not. Sin, when forgiven, is dealt with for eternity. We don’t lose the memory of the sin but the impact of bad choices need not stop us. Secondly, rest on God’s Word - all of it! Gary’s favourite hymn is No Other Plea written in the 19th century by a lady troubled with bad health.

My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device nor creed;
I trust the Everliving One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

Refrain:
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea;
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul, I come to Him,
He’ll never cast me out.

My heart is leaning on the Word,
The written Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior’s name,
Salvation through His blood.

My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave.

Communion: This observance is an opportunity to convey our obedience and dedication to Christ’s power working in our lives. There is no interval suggested or recommended in Scripture. We choose to have it as part of our worship, generally, on the third Sunday of the month.

Ten Things God Won’t Ask You On That Day - from Howie Johnson:
1. God won’t ask what kind of car you drove. He’ll ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.
2. God won’t ask the square footage of your house. He’ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
3. God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet. He’ll ask how many you helped to clothe.
4. God won’t ask what your highest salary was. He’ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
5. God won’t ask what your job title was. He’ll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.
6. God won’t ask how many friends you had. He’ll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
7. God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived. He’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.
8. God won’t ask about the color of your skin. He’ll ask about the content of your character.
9. God won’t ask what kind of car you drove. He’ll ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.
10. God won’t need to ask if you love Him. He already knows.

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November 8, 2009 by Wendy Carter.

Greetings Everyone!

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. Psalm 77:11-12

This is a week of remembrance of all the soldiers that fought and died during World War I & II, Korea and Afghanistan for the freedoms our country enjoys today. As each Canadian soldier dies in Afghanistan, is brought back to Canada and honoured along our “Highway of Heroes” (the 401 from Trenton to Toronto), the reality of sacrifice that any soldier has made is revived once more. War is horrendous. May we remember to pray for the country of Afghanistan that soon this country may realize and appreciate the freedoms that are being fought for them as well. May we also remember God’s freedom that He has provided from His Son’s death on the cross for our sins, His burial and resurrection. That is true freedom that needs to be meditated upon and considered.

Momentum seems to be building for the Christmas book/booklet that we are compiling. E-mail your personal contributions to myself or Sara Burton as soon as you can. Plans are moving forward to hold a Christmas Open House and/or concert in our cafe room. Hopefully a date can be firmed up this week.

Please remember to pray for Debbie Macdonald’s dad who has been in the hospital for several weeks and that the doctors may have wisdom as to know how to treat him from the forthcoming test results.

A Muslim Awareness Conference at Stoney Creek Church in London is happening on Saturday, November 28 from 9-4. If anyone could attend and bring back a report that would prove very beneficial.

What a gorgeous weekend! Don’t you wish this would last for a whole month? Enjoy!

Wendy

wendy.carter@kainos.org
garyvcarter@kainos.org
905-230-8116
www.heartlandfellowship.ca; www.the-music-project.com; http://heartlandfellowship.blogspot.com; www.cafeontheway.org; www.fellowshipnetworksradio.org; www.ttcbiblereading.org; www.dtfbmusic.com; www.gvc.name; www.compasscoachinginternational.com; www.myanmar.kainos.org; www.churchcreation.com.

This newsletter is always located at www.blog.heartlandfellowship.ca. It is a summary of our Sunday morning church service which takes place at 9:00 a.m. at 7777 Churchville Rd., Brampton, ON.

Are You Smarter than A Fifth Grader? by Gary Carter: You might be smarter than a 5th grader if you know the meaning of “heliotropic.” The definition is “a turning or growing toward the light.” Are churches heliotropic? They should be but maybe not so much. It really depends on the portion of people within a particular church that are bent that way. As we have learned in previous weeks Satan tempts groups. He loves to hear wrong chatter e.g. continuing to celebrate past accomplishments too much. A church needs to be a student of its culture but still firmly based on the Word of God. Trial and effort are key. At the annual Convention for the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada several service projects were organized for this past Wednesday afternoon so that the local needy community in Niagara Falls via its social service agencies could be encouraged. One particular “soup” kitchen was cleaned from top to bottom. Used clothing that had been collected from numerous church congregations were presented to another agency. The clothing was then sorted out and put on wracks to lessen their labour load. In addition, tracts were handed out to several in the Casino after meaningful conversations were made. One afternoon of reaching out proved to be successful in many ways because some were not afraid to reach out, even ready to make mistakes.

Christmyths Stories by Chris Burton:
1. The practice of cutting down Christmas trees can be traced as far back as 700 A.D. A British Monk, St. Boniface wanted to find a symbol for the Christ Child as well as move the German tribes away from the worship of the Oak Tree (a Druid practice). He introduced the fir tree in his missionary work saying, “Let this be called the tree of the Christ Child.” German tribes then started planting fir tree saplings each season to celebrate Christmas. By the 16th century fir trees were being sold as decorations in Strasbourg (in the German controlled region of Alsace (now a part of France). A play based on the story of Adam and Even called “The Paradise Tree” was so popular that the residents of Strasbourg began putting them in their homes. In each of the three acts of the play the tree was decorated with a different symbol - Act 1: apples for the disobedience of Adam and Eve; Acts 2: candles to represent the light brought into the world at the birth of Christ; Act 3: cookies for the strength and substance brought by Christ in his person and through his disciples. During the 17th century the practice of tree decorating evolved. On the evening of the 24th of December the trees were decorated to recognize the feast of Adam and Eve which became popular in Germany in the 19th century. Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, brought the first Christmas tree to Windsor Castle in 1834 which led to the spread of the tradition throughout the British Empire. German immigrants brought the tradition to the New World by the middle of the 18th century but it wasn’t very well received. The Victorians in the later part of the 19th century adopted the practice which became popular except for Teddy Roosevelt who denounced it as “a waste of good timber.”
2. The idea that “X” replaced “Christ” in Christmas as a way to secularize the holiday isn’t true at all. The “X” is an early church substitute for the Greek “Chi” which represents the first letters for the spelling of Christ.
3. Oliver Cromwell banned the singing of Christmas Carols from 1640 to 1660 because he believed that Christmas should be a very solemn event. There would be no parties because the day should only be observed by a sermon and a prayer service.

Weakened Faith by Gary Carter: Satan tempts individuals by filling a heart slowly. A person moves one little bit of a time from where he/she is to where he/she shouldn’t be. A simple plan can be followed to strengthen your faith. Accept your responsibility to take leadership of your own life. Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

1. Watch: notice the options and select carefully. What are the implications? Will the commitment become too high if you start down a certain road? Do you choose a place to live because of the location of the church or the location of the nearest grocery store or school? Build your life around your spiritual life. Gary’s parents helped at a rescue mission even though they were raising four small children. Television was not a choice as it is today.

2. Pray: pray about temptation as instructed in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:12-15). The tempter is super sneaky. Forgiveness is important as seen by many who won’t forgive. Pray continually (I Thessalonians 5:16-18). Instruct your heart to show a changed attitude of joyfulness and thanksgiving.

3. Strengthen your body (Ecclesiastes 5:12): Sleep is important in our “sleep-deprived” world. If you do your best for today than you can rest in sleep with no weight hanging over your head. If you are unable to sleep then there is something wrong. Sometimes those that have abundance cannot sleep because they are afraid of losing it all. Money does not bring security. Sleep may also be associated with laziness (Proverbs 6:9-11). Manage your body by getting balanced nutrition (Acts 13:17). Eat family meals together (without the television on) which will build relationships. Don’t just graze. Proper exercise along with training for godliness will give you optimum potential (1 Timothy 4:8).

Keep On Askin’ by Steve Macdonald:
1. What is an occasional table used for the rest of the time?
2. Why do you hang clothes on a washing line and not on a drying line?
3. Where does the “o” come from when “number” is abbreviated?
4. Why is there boxing at Goodwill Fairs?
5. Why is “phonics” not spelled the way it sounds?

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