March | 2015
The Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Dr. Jeff Potts, Church Planting Coordinator
New Victoria Avenue Church Launched February 14, 2015 in Saskatoon
Pastor Julio Davila and his team of committed lay people launchedthe new Victoria Avenue Church on February 14, 2015. Many members from the Pinehouse Drive Church, the mother church, were present for the grand opening. The 75-member CUC Choir sang for the event. The Mayor of Saskatoon, Don Atchison, said some very kind words. He encouraged the new congregation to make “bridges” in the community. The Deputy Chief of Police, Bernie Pannell, told the members of the congregation that they will play an important role in society, giving people a place to belong, and helping them overcome the addictions that tear apart families, and cause crime to flourish.
Conference President, Ron Nelson, and the Senior Pastor of the Pinehouse Drive Church, Douglas Pereira, also shared words of encouragement with the new congregation. In addition to the CUC Choir, 91 individuals were present for the grand opening. The following Sabbath, February 21, there were 48 individuals present for worship, including seven pre-Adventists. The Victoria Avenue church planting teamis thrilled to see God working in the lives of their friends and relatives. The new congregation is worshiping at 1002 Victoria Ave, in the former Saskatoon Central Church.
The fellowship time following the Grand Opening celebration, featured two delicious “birthday” cakes. Please pray for the new Victoria Avenue congregation, that it will have a strong witness in Saskatoon and beyond as it accomplishes its God-given mandate of helping people prepare for the coming of Jesus.
Estevan Church Planting Group Preparing for a Fall Evangelistic Series
Two dozen individuals are now meeting for Sabbath worship services in Estevan, SK. There used to be a Seventh-day Adventist Church in this community. However, It was forced to close when a number of families moved away, leaving only a handful of members. Today, in this rapidly growing city of 15,000, many of the people who gather for worship each Sabbath are not yet baptized church members. Bible Worker Federico Cela is studying with several pre-Adventist families. This church plant is being sponsored by the Weyburn Church, which is located an hour to the North West of Estevan. Establishing this new church in Estevan makes it possible to reach many thousands of people who would not likely make a two-hour round trip to Weyburn and back to attend an Adventist Church.
There are currently two small groups watching the “Thunder in the Holy Land” videos. There will be a reaping series October 30 to November 7 at the Legion in Estevan. Please keep Federico Cela and his team in your prayers as they prepare for thisevangelistic series in the fall.
Church Plant Growing in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
Church Planter Benton Lowe hasbeen in Rankin Inlet for 5 months now. The new congregation there has grown from 1 to 9 members since Benton arrived in the community. Two other Adventist families have moved into town, creating a solid church plant core group. Benton has been making friends with many people in the community, and is studying the Bible with several interested individuals. Pictured here is Benton working out with one of his Inuit friends. Benton’s objective is to establish a thriving house Church in Rankin Inlet. Please keep Benton and his team in your prayers.
New Church Plants Comprise 39% of Man-Sask Conference Congregations
There are currently 44 congregations meeting for worship each Sabbath in the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference. Seventeen of these of these congregations have been launched in the last 12 years. Of those 17 congregations, 5 are now full-fledged churches, two are companies, and ten are church planting groups. Four out of every ten congregations in our conference are new church plants.
Man-Sask Conference Congregations – March, 201531 CHURCHES / Battlefords
Brandon
Canora
Dauphin
Erickson
Henderson Hwy
Hill Ave
Hudson Bay / Lighthouse of Hope
Moose Jaw
Mount Royal
Mountain-Andrews
Nipawin
Nueva Esperanza
Pinehouse Drive
Portage la Prairie / Prince Albert
Quill Lake
Rosthern
Shellbrook
Silver Heights
Spirit of Truth
St. Walburg
Swan River / Swift Current
Transcona
West Park
Weyburn
Wpg Korean
Winnipegosis
Yorkton
2 COMPANIES / Pembina Valley / Winnipeg Central
11 GROUPS / Biggar
Estevan
Humboldt / Iqaluit, NU
Igloolik, NU
Meadow Lake / OCN/The Pas
Rankin Inlet, NU
Thompson / Victoria Ave
Winnipeg ACS
Our Church Planting Vision: An Expanding Network of Lay-Led Churches
Here in the Man-Sask Conference, we envision launching new house churches in the hundredsof small towns and villages in our conference in which we do not currently have congregations. We also envision launching new congregations in the cities and larger towns of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut. If you sense that God is calling you to start a new house church or conventional church, contact me today – Pastor Jeff Potts,Mobile (306) 241-5138,.
Register TODAY for the 2015 SEEDS Church Planting Conference!
1 | Man-Sask Church Planting Newsletter