Update: CBM Bridge Program (Garissa)

The CBM Bridge Certificate Program

A Certificate in Integral Mission in a Majority Islamic Context

This past week, we launched the first course in Canadian Baptist Ministries’ Integral Mission certificate program for our ministry partners in Kenya’s North Eastern Province. 

Our team has been calling the certificate “Bridge”, as in essence it is about strengthening the effectiveness of local churches in establishing genuine relationships and fruitful patterns of living their Christian faith among their Muslim neighbours -- Are you becoming a wall, or a bridge?

It was a joy to have Sam Chaise and Wayne Morgan join our team as guest lecturers as we studied the Biblical and theological foundations of Integral Mission. 

The objective of this course was for every student be able to understand and articulate Integral Mission and for them to evaluate their ministry based on principles of Integral Mission. But this is just the beginning...

Together over the next two years, pastors and lay leadership representing the 30 churches and ministries of the Garissa Church Fellowship will be completing this applied missiology training that focuses on the why, the where and the how of Christian mission in an Islamic majority context. 

Aaron and Sam team-teaching this past Friday

A small group working in one of the breakout sessions 

earlier in the week. We were blessed to have a beautiful 

facility at SACDEP in Thika

It was wonderful to experience a spirit of unity and camaraderie among the students as they shared their struggles and insights. Together they wrestled with what it means for the whole Church to bring the whole Gospel to the whole world.

Sam leading the class through an exercise 

of evaluating series of case studies

  

A Great Group of Scholars!

Please pray for the 35 leaders within the "Bridge Program" as they seek to apply their training within their ministries. The program is designed to help churches embrace the principles and practice of Integral Mission, please remember our students as they begin working through their first assignments in their ministry context.

“...and this is what the Lord requires of you, 

to do what is right, to love mercy, 

and to walk humbly with your God.” 

Micah 6:8

Our Town

Rosslyn Academy High School Theatre Presents

O u r   T o w n

By Thornton Wilder

November 13, 14 and 15, 2014

Mr. Webb (Tristan Kenny) introduces Grover’s Corners 

with Stage Manager (Emmanuel Undie)

This past weekend, we had the joy of seeing Tristan and several of his friends in their theatrical fall production of Our Town. This was the first Rosslyn play directed by Mr. Steven Slaughter, who did an incredible job helping the students refine their acting skills in this minimalist staged play that stripped away sets and props and focused on the actors who had to mime actions and create for the audience the town and life of the fictional Grovers Corner’s, New Hampshire.

The entire cast and crew did an fabulous job in the most moving and beautiful performance that we’ve experienced. Here are a few snap shots of the play thanks to Carey Wagner who volunteered as the photographer.

Act 1: The Daily Life

“Look at that moon. Potato weather for sure!"

Emily Webb (Emerson Slaughter) gives her dad a peck on the cheek

George Gibbs (Jon Michael Halvorson) with eyes for Emily Webb

Mrs. Gibbs (Abigail Kroening) fixing breakfast

Our Town focuses on a non-linear narrative of two families, the Gibbs and the Webbs, as we experience life at the turn of the century.

George Gibbs with Dr. Gibbs (Josh Hravatic)

George and his sister Rebecca Gibbs (Caeli Kean) 

admiring a moonlit evening from their bedroom window

Act 2: Love and Marriage

"People are meant to go through life two by two. 

’Tain’t natural to be lonesome"

Mrs. Webb (Janet Lee) keeping George 

from seeing the bride on their wedding day

Mr. Webb giving George some marriage advice

George taking it well

George and Emily at the Malt Shop

 Mrs. Webb reflecting on marriage

Act 3: Death and Eternity

“We all know that something is eternal. And it ain’t houses and it ain’t names, and it ain’t earth, and it ain’t even the stars . . . everybody knows in their bones that something is eternal, and that something has to do with human beings. All the greatest people ever lived have been telling us that for five thousand years and yet you’d be surprised how people are always losing hold of it. There’s something way down deep that’s eternal about every human being.”

"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?

--every, every minute?"

One of the dead (Chris Adewole)

The Psalm Life

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Tell me not, in mournful numbers

Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers

And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!

And the grave is not its goal

Dust thou art, to dust returnest

Was not spoken of the soul.

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time

Let us, then, be up and doing

With a heart for any fate

Still achieving, still pursuing 

Learn to labor and to wait.

Celebrating the final show!

Huram, Tristan, Chris, Katie, Caeli, and Ezra

Erica and I had the pleasure of hosting the cast party at our home on Saturday evening. We are so grateful for the wonderful teachers and friends that make up this community!

Drama Mamas at the cast party

Tristan, Brian, Rachel and Abi

2014 Advent Reader

Over the past few years, our family has benefitted from Advent reflections shared by pastors and Christians leaders from across our wide Canadian Baptist family. Daily advent readings, candle lighting and prayer has become an important part of our family Christmas tradition.

It has been a great privilege for us to have been invited to make contributions as members of Canadian Baptist Ministries Africa team. This year, Erica has provided a reflection on experiencing Christmas in Africa.

The annual reader is a free resource that anyone can download, or order as a hard copy, for your family, church or small group.

The Advent Reader begins on November 30th.

You can sign up for a daily email by simply Clicking Here

FAll 2014 Mosaic

Please click on open publication to view in full size.