Rev. Francis Pearson, Guest Speaker, November, 25,2012

Francis Pearson, District Superintendent, Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, St. Lawrence District - guest speaker, November 25,2012, at Fairview Alliance Church – Parts 1 – 5. YouTube only takes up to 10 minutes segments (free accounts)
http://fairviewalliance.org/ourdenomination.html

March 11, 2012 Bulletin

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Verse of the Day

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“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3:15 NIV

Trials and Pain: The Necessity of Wounds

December 14

Trials and Pain: The Necessity of Wounds
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word....It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. --Psalm 119:67,71
It is amazing to me! There are people within the ranks of Christianity who have been taught and who believe that Christ will shield His followers from wounds of every kind.
If the truth were known, the saints of God in every age were only effective after they had been wounded. They experienced the humbling wounds that brought contrition, compassion and a yearning for the knowledge of God. I could only wish that more among the followers of Christ knew what some of the early saints meant when they spoke of being wounded by the Holy Spirit....
In every generation, the people who have found God have been those who have come to the end of themselves. Recognizing their hopelessness, they have been ready to throw themselves on the mercy and grace of a forgiving God. Men Who Met God, pp.59,62
"Lord, don't let me waste the humbling wounds. Do Your great work within me, and help me to respond properly and learn all You want me to learn through Your working. Amen."

---

Today's "Insight for Leaders" is taken by permission from the book, Tozer on Christian Leadership, published by WingSpread Publishers

Christmas basket preparation

A. W. Tozer

Aiden Wilson Tozer (April 21, 1897 - May 12, 1963) was an American Christian pastor, preacher, author, magazine editor, Bible conference speaker, and spiritual mentor.^[1] For his work, he received two honorary doctorate degrees.

Biography

Hailing from a tiny farming community in western Pennsylvania, his conversion was as a teenager in Akron, Ohio. While on his way home from work at a tire company, he overheard a street preacher say: "If you don't know how to be saved... just call on God." Upon returning home, he climbed into the attic and heeded the preacher’s advice.

In 1919, five years after his conversion, and without formal theological training, Tozer accepted an offer to pastor his first church. This began 44 years of ministry, associated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), a Protestant evangelical denomination; 33 of those years were served as a pastor in a number of churches. His first pastorate was in a small storefront church in Nutter Fort, West Virginia. Tozer also served as pastor for 30 years at Southside Alliance Church, in Chicago (1928 to 1959), and the final years of his life were spent as pastor of Avenue Road Church, in Toronto, Canada. In observing contemporary Christian living, he felt that the church was on a dangerous course toward compromising with "worldly" concerns.

In 1950, Tozer received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Wheaton College. It was May 1950, when Tozer was elected editor of the Alliance Weekly magazine, now called, Alliance Life, the official publication of the C&MA. From his first editorial, dated June 3, 1950, he wrote, "It will cost something to walk slow in the parade of the ages, while excited men of time rush about confusing motion with progress. But it will pay in the long run and the true Christian is not much interested in anything short of that." In 1952, he received an LL.D. degree from Houghton College.^[2]

Among the more than 40 books that he authored, at least two are regarded as Christian classics: The Pursuit of God and The Knowledge of the Holy. His books impress on the reader the possibility and necessity for a deeper relationship with God.

Living a simple and non-materialistic lifestyle, he and his wife, Ada Cecelia Pfautz, never owned a car, preferring bus and train travel. Even after becoming a well-known Christian author, Tozer signed away much of his royalties to those who were in need.

Tozer had seven children, six boys and one girl. He was buried in Ellet Cemetery, Akron, Ohio, with a simple epitaph marking his grave: "A. W. Tozer - A Man of God."^[3]

Prayer was of vital personal importance for Tozer. "His preaching as well as his writings were but extensions of his prayer life," comments his biographer, James L. Snyder, in the book, In Pursuit of God: The Life Of A.W. Tozer. "He had the ability to make his listeners face themselves in the light of what God was saying to them," writes Snyder.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._W._Tozer

Relections from Perge and Aspendos

Assembly 2010

 

http://cmalliance.ca/index.php

Tribute to a Friend

Emile Thibodeau

Reflections from Pastor Dave Smith

Dear Fairview Alliance Church Family, Marcel, Janice, Norma, Kim, and other family members of Emile’s,

I was the Senior Pastor of Fairview Alliance Church from 1996 to 2004, and during this time I had the privilege of knowing Emile Thibodeau.

Emile and Theresa, were long standing members of Lakeshore Pentecostal Church, and for a variety of reasons began to attend the Fairview Alliance Church. We welcomed them to our church family, and Emile to our worship team.

It was not long after they began attending, Theresa died very unexpectedly and I recall the wonderful unified service we conducted at our church with the worship team and full participation of the Lakeshore Pentecostal Church congregation. It was a lovely service and a time to honour a loving mother and Emile’s best friend.

Emile had a number of challenges raising Janice and Marcel, and often lamented that his children were very saddened and missing the influence of their mother growing up. Despite his own loneliness he greatly loved his children and from my times visiting with him, I was always impressed with the way he managed to provide for his family and very capably looked after the meals, and maintained a very immaculate home for his family.

A few years later, at Emile and Kim’s request I performed the wedding ceremony that was to unite two lonely people and to provide comfort and companionship for both of them. I wasn’t around to see how this relationship played out, but was later told that Emile had once again found himself on his own.

As a pastor, I have always longed to see people come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, to experience the majesty of our Sovereign God, to be comforted and empowered by the Holy Spirit, and to walk humbly before our God.

As I have reflected upon the life of Emile, as I have experienced him, Emile was a man who was acquainted with grief and sorrow, a man who did not live an easy life. He was a man who had many challenges, received few breaks, laboured for all that he had, and lived a very lonely and hard life.

Despite all of this, I have known Emile to be a very humble man. A man who was very gentle, kind, and generous. Emile Thibodeau possessed a very realistic view of himself, and added value to the people around him. Perhaps his greatest attribute was the very simple and childlike faith that he possessed.

When I think of Emile Thibodeau, I think about Jesus words... (in Matt. 5:1-12)

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven

Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled

Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy

Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God

Rejoice and be glad Emile, because great is your reward in heaven!

It has been my pleasure and privilege to know Emile, and I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family on this great loss. I will cherish my memories of this humble man and friend, and look forward to the day when I will see him again.

Love,

Pastor Dave

Listen Up TV - An Easter message from Prime Minister Stephen Harper

How do I become, as you say, a "Christ Follower"?

How do I become, as you say, a "Christ Follower"?

Well, to become a 'Christian' you need to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ. This relationship is begun by coming to him and acknowledging our failure and asking for his forgiveness. Obviously we have something we need to be "saved" from if Jesus came to be our "Saviour", right? Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard."

Are you ready to admit your failure to live up to God's ideal? He is ready to forgive you and cleanse you from all your guilt. Next comes our whole-hearted commitment to following him, which simply means to do whatever he would want us to do.

Of course, if we're going to learn about what his will is for our lives, this will mean that we become students of the Bible and study it for ourselves as well as learn what we can at church.

So becoming and being a Christian is not really about being "Catholic" or "Protestant" or "Baptist" or "Brethren In Christ" (which The Meeting House is). Joining one church or another is not the issue, but committing to Christ is. In fact, it seems quite possible that there are all kinds of people who call themselves "Christians", both Catholics and Protestants, who may think they are Christians because they go to church and do other good things, but who don't really know Jesus.

That seems to be the message Jesus gives in Matthew 7:21-23. He says: "Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as 'Lord', but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven." Jesus goes on in those verses to describe that it is not enough to talk the talk, but what's important is our relationship with him displayed in obedience to his teachings that makes the difference.

The Bible uses a word for that - "faith", which simply means "active trust", believing in someone or something enough to act upon that belief. Are you ready to commit your life to following Jesus as his disciple? He's ready to lead you into new and deeper life (John 10:10). [Bruxy Cavey]

from: http://www.listenuptv.com/listenup/ask-question

From Today's Daily Bread

November 29, 2008

A Convenient Christianity

ODB RADIO: Listen Now | DOWNLOAD: Download
READ: Matthew 16:24-28

Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. —Matthew 16:25

So many television programs, so little time to watch them. Apparently that’s what our culture thinks, because now technology allows us to see an hour-long program in just 6 minutes or less! The Minisode Network has pruned episodes of popular series into shorter, more convenient packages for interested viewers. “The shows you love—only shorter” is how it’s advertised. All to make our life more convenient.

Some have tried to make the Christian life more convenient. They choose to practice Christianity on Sunday only. They attend a religious service at whatever church makes them most comfortable. They give a small offering and are nice to fellow churchgoers—nothing that requires much effort on their part. That way they can have the rest of the week to themselves, to live as they please.

That would be a convenient Christianity. But we know that following Jesus is a lifestyle and not a Sunday-only convenience. Being a “disciple” calls for giving up our lives for Him (Matt. 16:25). It’s about living as Jesus calls us to live, daily giving up our plans and purposes for His. A relationship with Him causes us to be concerned with our thoughts, decisions, attitudes, and actions—all to make our life joy-filled for us and pleasing to God. —Anne Cetas

The Christian life is more than just
A prayer of faith made in the past;
It’s dedicating every day
To live for Christ and what will last. —Sper

Faith in Christ is not just a single step but a life of walking with Him.

Ambrose University College

God is good...all the time!!! All the time...God is good!!!

In Appreciation of Rev. and Mrs. Yvan Fournier

[ View the rest of the pictures at our Picasa Album ]

To view all the photos featured on the slideshow above just click on the above link to the Picasa Web Album web site or click HERE

Blessings!!

Lito E.

"I Gave It All Up!"

Read about A. W. Tozer

August 17

Evangelism: "I Gave It All Up!"

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. --2 Corinthians 5:17

I have been asked more than once what I gave up when I was converted and became a believing child of God. I was a young man, and I well remember that I gave up the hot and smelly rubber factory. I was making tires for an hourly wage, and I gave that up to follow Christ's call into Christian ministry and service.

As a youth I was scared of life and I was scared of death--and I gave that up. I was miserable and glum and unfulfilled--and I gave that up. I had selfish earthly and material ambitions that I could never have achieved--and I gave them up.

That forms the outline of the worthless things that I gave up. And I soon discovered that in Jesus Christ, God had given me everything that is worthwhile.

If God takes away from us the old, wrinkled, beat-up dollar bill we have clutched so desperately, it is only because He wants to exchange it for the whole Federal mint, the entire treasury! He is saying to us, "I have in store for you all the resources of heaven. Help yourself!" Jesus, Author of our Faith, pp. 49-50

"Why am I so hesitant to share the Gospel, Lord--when this is what I'm asking people to give up? Thank You for all we gain through our new life in Christ--in exchange for all the junk we give up! Amen."

The business of the Church is God

The Church

The business of the Church is God. She is purest when most engaged with God and she is astray just so far as she follows other interests, no matter how "religious" or humanitarian they may be.

A.W. Tozer, The Set of the Sail, 80.

Worship Ministry Team Fellowship Picnic

June 23,2007
Hosted by Earl and Wendy Hackl
Grillman- John Hands
Music- FAC Worship Team
Beautiful weather, food, refreshments, provisions, etc.- our Faithful and Loving Father in Heaven

October 2003, Presentation to Rev. Yvan Fournier

Rev. Yvan Fournier and his wife Georgette being honored and presented with a PC Notebook gift in behalf of the District churches in the St. Lawrence District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada (C&MA)

St. Lawrence District elects new District Superintendent

The delegates to the St. Lawrence District Conference have elected Rev. Francis Pearson as the third superintendent of the district. He will commence his ministry as superintendent on August 1, 2007.

Dr. Franklyn Pyles, C&MA president, installed the new DS in a very special ceremony after the results were announced. Rev. Pearson is the pastor of the Matane Church in the Lower Saint Lawrence region of Québec. He is married to Mrs. Lyse Harrison and they have three sons: Luc, Simon and Julien. Francis is a graduate of the Canadian Bible College, now Alliance University College, with a degree in Christian Education. He is a man with a vision and passion for the growth of the Kingdom in Québec and around the world.

[ rest of the story ]

Brian Doerksen - Holy God Concert

Jesus And The Jerks, by Jon Walker

“But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NIV)

Jerk: A person regarded as disagreeable, contemptible, especially as the result of foolish or mean behavior.

One of the biggest jerks I ever knew was a 23-year-old college graduate whose anger and arrogance spilled into many of his relationships. His hypocrisy was astounding – one moment he claimed to be a Christian and the next he acted like a son of hell. If it had been my choice, I would have avoided him all together – but since that jerk was me, I was stuck being around him!

Most of us try to avoid jerks. We pat ourselves on the back for not telling them off. We applaud ourselves for putting up with them. We remind ourselves everybody has a cross to bear, and so we grudgingly accept certain jerks as our divinely ordained burden.

But is that what we’re called to do?

Jesus embraced jerks; he graced them with love – while stilling telling them the truth in love. Now he had no qualms about pointing out a whitewashed tomb when he saw one, but the corporate evil of the Pharisees was a far more serious matter than mere human jerkiness.

The point is this: Jesus didn’t shelter himself from the pain and heartache caused by jerks. In fact, he voluntarily stretched out his arms on the cross and allowed several jerks to slam nails into his hands and feet.

Behind all their stomp and snort, jerks are still spiritual beings, created in God's image and destined for heaven or hell. We’re compelled to be ministers of reconciliation, willing to embrace the pain of a fallen world for the sake of our God. (2 Corinthians 5:16-21)

The heart of the gospel is that God loves the unlovely. Could it be that the jerks God places in our lives are there to teach us to be more like Christ, to teach us the God-like quality of loving the unlovely?

Most of us take for granted the incredible change God initiated in our own lives: We were once jerks to God, yet even while we were still jerks, Christ died for us!

Jerks are never easy to embrace. If it were easy to love everyone, then Christ need not have died; we could love them on our own. But in order to embrace the jerks in our life, we need the Life of Christ within us so that, as new creations, we can overwhelm jerks with God’s grace, showing them the only power that will stop them from stumbling in the darkness, teaching them to cling to the only thing able to move them from being jerks to being Jesus-followers.

So what?

· Jesus loves jerks too – Even the most difficult people are spiritual beings in need of Christ.

· Jesus transforms you – Jesus can use the “jerks” in your life to transform you into a more Christ-like believer. Is it possible that the “jerk” who annoys you is God’s instrument to show you areas where you should grow, areas where you have difficulty loving unconditionally, the way that Christ loves you?

· God’s plan for you – If God allows a difficult person in your life, consider that he may want you to (1) pray for them and (2) show them by your own example how much God loves them, regardless of their behavior.

· Your mission – Who in your life seems disagreeable, contemptible, foolish, or mean? How would God have you approach them from now on? What can you do today to show them the love of Christ?

© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.

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Easter Sunday 2007 Service