President's Message

The Ministry of a Glass of Water… and a Lemonade!

Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

I spent most of last week in Oshawa involved in different meetings. On Sabbath morning, I was still battling against an inconvenient cough, which my wife has convinced me to be stress related. I initially considered staying at the hotel during that day. I would review the SS lesson’s highlights, pray, have a quiet time with the Lord, not bother anyone with my cough, and be in a better shape for the meetings on that evening. I “managed” to do that during the SS time. However, around 10:15 am, I felt a strong urge to attend church. “Which other place on earth could be more inspiring and provide for my spiritual needs than to be in the House of the Lord?” I got ready quickly and left the hotel in a rush leaving my water bottle behind… It was too late to go back and pick it up…

Then, at the College Park Church, I found a very discrete spot, away from other people (because of my cough), and where I could enjoy the blessings of the service. I succeed for awhile to control my cough by keeping it as noiseless as possible. However, it finally denounced me… Suddenly, out of nowhere, a lady with two children sat immediately in front of me. After a couple of spaced coughs, she looked at me kindly and with a face of an angel and said: “I sense you are feeling uncomfortable. Could I get you a cup of water?” I nodded positively and thanked her as I did not even know where to look for water at that point. After a few minutes, she came back with a smile in her face having two cups in her hands and stated: “I brought you some water and a cup of lemonade as well. I hope you feel better.”

That gesture touched me deeply! That sister had never seen me before and did not even know me, and neither did I know her. She ministered to me with a joyful face and displayed a marvellous Christian hospitality. She noticed me to serve me, attended to my needs in exchange for nothing with an awesome Christian approach – a simple service of a glass of water! I was certainly blessed by the message of Pastor Glen Da Silva, but one of his members ministered me to me personally, as Christ would have done it that morning.

Inspired by God, EGW wrote: “If we would humble ourselves before God, and be kind and courteous and tender-hearted and pitiful, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth where now there is only one.” 9T, 189.

My prayer is for our churches to always be a safe, inviting, and an inspiring place where all of us would reveal a practical Christian attitude – to those already in the “fold” and anyone else that “shows up” in our congregations!

Please, let’s pray for:

1 – First Nations Wellness Coach Training II, Camp Hope, March 15-24. www.FNAT.ca

2 – Local Church Elders Training, Camp Hope, April 12-14Pastor Nilton Amorim will share wonderful and practical seminars to train our elders for a better service – a must for every church elder! Registration available online.

3 – Deacons and Deaconesses Training, Camp Hope, April 26-28Pastor Michael Collins. Training and empowering men and women for an effective service!

4 – Spring Women’s Ministry Retreat, 108 Mile, April 26-28. Registration available online.

5 – Adventurer’s Campout, Camp Hope, April 26-28. Conference Youth Dept. 

Happy Sabbath!

In His Service,

Wesley Torres, D.Min.
President


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