2009 has been a very busy year for Laurentian and it seems that it hasn’t slowed down at all during the summer. Looking back at the last few months I am grateful to see how God has been with us and has blessed us with so much.

One event that didn’t make our spring newsletter but I felt should be mentioned was the Pastoral Vote that was held at the end of March. There were 38 votes cast for the Renewal Call compared to the 25 votes that were cast for the Initial Call. This was a tremendous increase in the involvement of the people of Laurentian and was very exciting to see. I have accepted the Extended Call that was put forward and I’m excited to continue working along side the wonderful people of Laurentian to share the love of Christ with one person at a time within the community of North Bay and beyond.

Not only are people becoming more involved in the activities of the church but there is an increase in commitment to the church. Already in 2009 we have had six people become official members of the church. As the people increase their commitment towards Laurentian our church grows stronger.

In the month of April Wilson Kindred of “A Living Way Ministries” came and ministered at Laurentian. This was an enjoyable time in which Wilson not only shared a message of hope through music and stories but also had us laughing with his friend, “Evan Hardwood Kindling.” Check out the great pictures of the event on our website (www.laurentianchurch.com)

At the beginning of June we conducted our annual Local Church Conference which not only dealt with the business of the church but also voted in our 2009/2010 Local Board of Administration (LBA). The members of the LBA for 2009/2010 are: Joanna Bishop, Laverne Lebold, Bea Mooney, Beryl Nicholson and Ed Vitunski.

Also in the month of June we enjoyed our annual Bible Club Picnic. The weather didn’t quite work out for us but that didn’t stop us from having a great time. We held the picnic inside the Lower Auditorium of the church and enjoyed good food and fellowship. This was a big year for us at Laurentian as five of our youth graduated from our Bible Club and we made sure to acknowledge their accomplishment. We’re so thankful to have our youth. It is a joy to see them learning and growing in their faith. Those who have graduated from our Bible Club will take full part in our worship services in the sanctuary and we look forward to having them use their gifts and talents to help us worship the Lord together.

Since our Local Church Conference has taken place our church has done a few much needed upgrades to the parsonage. The original wooden front and back doors were replaced with insulated metal doors. Also the electrical panel was upgraded from a 60amp service to 100amps service. There has been other electrical work done at the church as well. We have added a few extra plugs throughout the church that will make it easier for us to enjoy coffee and other hot drinks during our fellowship time after our worship services and when we have a special function down in the Lower Auditorium. Also a new forced air electrical heater was added to the room directly under the Pastor’s Study.

In the month of July the men of our church enjoyed a wonderful time sharing a breakfast together. It was a great time of fellowship and this breakfast couldn’t have happened without the help of the men who prepared the food. It was good to hear the stories that were being shared that day and to see the enthusiasm that the men of our church have for Laurentian.

On a sadder note, the month of July has also been a hard month as three people who have been connected to our church have gone onto to their glorious reward. We have had to say our goodbyes to Joyce Compeau, Bill Bishop and Cora Fricker. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of these three wonderful people.

As we look towards the future in the upcoming months there are some pretty exciting things happening. In September we will be having a special baptismal service. This will be the first baptismal service that Laurentian has had in over two years. This will be a great time of celebration and it is my hope that many of the people of our church will be able to attend this special afternoon service. The date and time of this service will be finalized later in the month and will be announced in our church bulletin.

This year also is a special year for Laurentian Wesleyan Church as it is celebrating its 75^th anniversary. What a wonderful time to be a part of this church. Plans are being prepared to celebrate this anniversary in a special way in November. As these details are finalized every effort will be taken to let the people know what will be happening.

Also as we strive to fulfill the mission of our church which is, “Helping people to connect with God and each other in loving ways,” we have sought out ways in which we can make a real difference for God. There are many ways that our church has accomplished this but this year we have committed ourselves to do even more by increasing our involvement with Operation Christmas Child by becoming the Regional Collection Center . This will be a busy fall as we connect with churches and other organization, handing out shoe boxes and collecting them so that they can be sent throughout the world.

As we work hard to make a difference in our community and around the world, as we work to improve upon our facilities and as we take time to celebrate our church’s 75^th anniversary and look towards the future we also will continue to create opportunities for the people to learn and grow in their faith, to give opportunities for people to use their gifts and talents and create opportunities so that we can develop real connections with one another.

This truly is a wonderful time to be a part of Laurentian Wesleyan Church. I hope you’re excited about what God is doing because I know that I am.

God bless, Pastor Chris