When we read the lofty sentiment expressed in the cards we receive, we might be tempted to think mothering is second nature to women, but that is not always the case. Lots of things can interrupt the maternal bond. Depression, loss and grief can cause a mother to withdraw from her child. Lack of sleep and conflict in the home are other factors at play. Babies demand a lot of care and that’s round the clock. So raising children is a challenging and daunting task.

I spent the better part of my adult life teaching mothers how to be sensitive caregivers to their children. In these “attachment” interventions, I found mothers who were isolated at home were often riddled with self-doubt about their parenting skills. One of the courses I taught was called “Nobody’s Perfect” and it was based on the premise that no one sets out to be a bad mother. The reality is, that even the best of mothers are not perfect. We may look at others and think they doing a better job at parenting but we never see the whole picture. Even when we do make mistakes they can usually be righted. In the bigger scheme of things children are pretty resilient and forgiving when we admit our faults. They may even be better off to know we all make mistakes.

My advice to mothers and all parents is to give yourself some grace and extend some to your children too. If you want to take that one step further, give the same grace to your mother that you would expect to receive from your children.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Written by Ruth Jarvis Coleman, Threshold Ministries Dean of Formation

Delivering free furniture to those in need

My prayer is that you have a happy heart today. When I think about all that Jesus has done for us in His love towards us, we have good reason to rejoice and to smile! Just think for a moment about all that Jesus accomplished in coming into human flesh as God among us in Isaiah 9:6. The chorus of Lord I Lift Your Name on High says:

You came from heaven to earth to show the way, from the earth to the cross my debt to pay, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky, Lord I lift Your name on high.

Dosen’t that message just make you want to smile and praise Jesus!! Bringing smiles to people’s hearts is what we seek to accomplish in the ministry of Street Hope Peterborough. We want to see those we are serving find hope and freedom in their hearts through a living relationship with Jesus! Whether it is helping someone who is down and out find a new clean place to live or giving someone free

Free Haircuts at the Mercy Centre

furnishings for their new home from The Mercy Centre, it is all about building friendships that bring smiles and hope in Christ! A simple haircut from Paul at The Brock Mission has built the self esteem of  many men as they struggle with their identity. Paul has been providing this compassionate service since 2008 on a monthly basis. Our bi weekly Movie and Meal outreach has also brought those we are serving joy as they have received a great home cooked meal and watched a wonderful Christian movie. Many times, our guests are wiping away tears of joy as Jesus has ministered to them through His love.

Gary, is another man who has been such a wonderful blessing to me in this ministry as he has assisted me to move furniture to many people. Gary has many reasons to be thankful to Jesus and his smile is contageous. He knows what being alive in Jesus is all about and he serves Him with a joyful heart. When you have 5 minutes to spare, check out the short video clip on Street Hope at http://thresholdministries.ca/peterborough/ You will meet Gary in this video.

A smile and kind word can change a person’s day and a persons’s heart from despair to joy and meaningful purpose!

Let’s all give away a free smile today and see how Jesus will use it to change someone’s life.

Written by Darrin Gaudreau, Street Hope Peterborough Leader.

Read more Street Hope Peterborough news here.

Street Hope Peterborough is fully funded by your generous donations. If you would like to donate clothing, furniture or funds to this ministry, please contact Darrin at darrin.gaudreau@thresholdministries.ca or phone (705)768-5550. You can also give online here.

Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated.

What a time we are living in! Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin Welby in the same year. The Lord is up to something! I was recently sitting in a discussion with some church leaders and when the topic turned to both of these men, everyone around the table agreed that a profound shift has taken place in the last few months.

At least in their early days, we have heard and seen them issue a challenge to the Church. Whether or not we choose to recognize Francis as a leader in the Church, his example ought to be noted. A man who, throughout his ministry, sought to care for the marginalized, live modestly and became a noted Jesuit; has chosen to model great humility. And Welby, who left a highly successful career in the oil industry to pursue a call to ministry, has been challenging both the church and corporate industries to care for those in need.

Two men, chosen in close proximity to each other, one as the leader of the Protestant church, the other for the Roman Catholic – both are indicating that the Church and the world around us needs to change. In his inaugural sermon, Welby said, “…at the same time the church transforms society when it takes the risks of renewal in prayer, of reconciliation and of confident declaration of the good news of Jesus Christ.”1

This is the reality that we at Threshold Ministries strive for. The past few months of this year have offered me the privilege of having ‘Annual Reviews’ with our staff – looking back to take note of the celebrations and to plan for the year ahead. Time and time again, as I listened, I was encouraged to hear from humble, yet confident, men and women who are making a huge difference in their communities and seeing transformation happen before their eyes.

As you read through the new issue of The Candle, I hope you too will be encouraged by the good news of transformation that is happening across our country. These stories are only a small portion of what is happening. I have been in awe at how, through dedicated and faithful obedience to God, doors have opened, finances have arrived for projects and healing has occurred in the broken-hearted. It is in moments like these that one can feel like they are running just to stand still.

Words cannot accurately express the appreciation we have for your partnership in the confident declaration of the good news of Jesus Christ throughout Canada.

Bless you in your support,

Shawn C. Branch
National Director

1 Justin Welby, “Inaugural Sermon” (Inauguration of the Ministry of the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral, March 21, 2013)

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After its launch in the fall of 2012, Street Hope Saint John began a hot breakfast program in partnership with Stone Anglican Church. This breakfast occurs every Saturday morning. 45-50 people come through the door with cold hands and hungry bellies. I decided to visit them on a grey day in early March.

As I went to take a photo of the building where they meet (Stone Church, Uptown Saint John), a man waiting to go in for breakfast hid behind a telephone pole to make sure I didn’t capture him in the photo. The leader of Street Hope SJ, Reed Fleming, along with Threshold Ministries Evangelist, Catherine Bonham, and his crew of volunteers, were greeting people with welcoming smiles and jokes as everyone found a seat. As 10am rolled around, the room was filled with the inviting smells of pancakes and coffee. Reed got up to welcome everyone with a kind word and played a short music video “Selah, Hope of the Broken World” and said a short prayer before breakfast was served.

I could tell I was making everyone nervous at the sight of my camera strung around my neck. One after another, people lined up to tell me that they did not want their photo taken, some even sharing serious stories of their past to give me a reason of why they fear the lens. Not wanting to affect the group and getting a little discouraged, I went to put my camera away when a funny character named Fred tapped me on the shoulder. “Can you take my picture?” he asked. I thought I heard him wrong, “Don’t worry, I won’t take your photo if you don’t want me to.” I clarified. “No, can you take my picture? I’d really like to have to my picture taken.” I was thrilled and agreed to meet him after breakfast for our photo session.

During breakfast, everyone was so thankful when they came up for first helpings of pancakes, then seconds and even thirds! There was never a leftover bite on the plate. After everyone was served, Reed went out and sat with the group laughing together as they ate their meal. Many came into the kitchen to give hugs goodbye to the volunteers saying, “See you next week”.

After cleaning up, I went over to visit Fred who was sitting at the far end of the room. After combing his beard, he smiled big for the camera and told me all about his life, stating right away that he was homeless. His raw honesty really surprised me. It reminded me of my missions trip years ago when I visited the slums of Belize City. I got the warm fuzzies from a welcoming stranger, being open, unashamed and full of joy just to chat with me, especially when he was the one who seemed to be struggling. It reminded me, yet again, of our earthly needs, wants and worries vs. the big picture – a glimpse of God’s grace. I believe Street Hope is really teaching everyone God’s grace and love, no matter which side of the serving counter you are on.

Written by Amy Stewart, Communications Officer for Threshold Ministries.

 
Read more Street Hope SJ news here.
 

Street Hope Saint John is fully funded by your generous donations and would like to let you know that they are in need of food for two current ministries:

Saturday Mornings Breakfast - We feed 40 – 60 people a hot breakfast every Saturday morning at 10am in the uptown Saint John area. Our goal is that no one leaves hungry and no one leaves without knowing they are cared for.

NEED
eggs, breakfast meat, coffee, juice, pancake batter, fruit, milk and creamer.

“Spaghetti and a Western” - For men in the half way houses in Saint John. We share a spaghetti dinner and chat about everything under the sun, then we watch an old episode of Bonanza. Every episode usually ends with a positive message which gets everyone talking after the show about how there is hope after addiction and mistakes and how God is the God of ‘another chance’. We end the evengin with prayer and always leave with full tummies and re-kindled hope that there is another chance for us.

NEED
spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles, garlic bread, and desserts.

If you wish to donate food please contact Reed Fleming:
Cell: (506) 721-1788
Email Reed

Free will donations are also greatly appreciated which will contribute to the food. Donate here! Thank you! Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated.  

Church Army International Leaders

Church Army International leaders from around the world gathered in Sheffield UK earlier this month (April 4-11, 2013) where they considered the future of evangelism and sharing best practice.

Leaders representing Church Army’s work in more than 15 countries flew in for the conference including those from Africa, Australia, Jamaica, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand and the USA.

The purpose of Church Army International is to facilitate communication, cooperation, fellowship and shared vision between the Church Army societies and to promote the growth of Church Army’s ministry worldwide.

The conference took place at Church Army UK’s home, the Wilson Carlile Centre, and during their stay the leaders preached in local churches and visited The Marylebone Project in London which is a hostel supporting homeless women. Sheffield MP, Paul Blomfield, also paid them a visit.

In Canada, founded in 1929, Threshold Ministries (the Canadian sister organization) has been an active member of the Church Army International. A fellowship for the international leadership, offering support and resources. During the gathering, the ‘Sheffield Declaration’ was adopted by the leaders, upholding the founding principles and the vision as set out by founder, Wilson Carlile CH.

Threshold Ministries National Director, Shawn C. Branch, said: “This gathering offered us a time of encouragement and support. Globally, we are facing similar challenges, but are also having similar celebrations. It was a great time of learning from one another and to challenge each other. The ministry of Church Army (Threshold Ministries) is having a great impact on thousands of people across the globe!”

Since my commissioning with Threshold Ministries as an evangelist in 2010, I have been doing mission work in the northernmost town in Labrador called Nain. I work with Pastor Ray and Juanita Whalen who are living in the small isolated town. Their ministry, called Shining Light Ministries, helps to restore the lives of broken people by bringing God’s hope and light into many situations.

Our Nain ministry serves the Inuit community with God’s love, grace, and provision. We have Bible studies, crisis counselling and church services which I have helped with and led. AA meetings are held in Ray and Juanita’s home three times a week. It is a privilege to be involved in the AA program because it has given me an opportunity to meet the people of the community, getting to know them and their culture.

We also serve the community by providing food and clothing to those in need in Nain and its surrounding areas. We hold a give away of gifts and clothing at different times during the year, usually at the local high school. I am happy to have helped with the organization of these events.

The people of Nain are God’s gift to me. My time in this community has been spent building relationships with both adults and children. I build relationships by spending time sitting around the table having conversation over tea, coffee, cookies, home made bread and meals. We experience the joys and the sorrows together. There are times I laugh with them and there were times I weep with them. God is with us during all these experiences. I thank God for bringing me to be with the people of Nain, Labrador.

Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated.

Winnie Ollerhead is a Threshold Ministries Evangelists who lives in St. John’s, NL, half of the year and the other half in Nain.

Most people know Cambodia as a country that endured great suffering during the years of the war in Vietnam and the ensuing genocide under the Khmer Rouge. By 1980 there were very few Christian believers in the country, most having fled or been murdered. But God was at work and a wonderful gospel ministry was raised up in the refugee camps in Thailand.

Sok Em and his wife Savy saw the hand of God at work in their lives in a powerful way as they fled the country during the Vietnamese invasion in 1979. When they arrived at the refugee camp in Thailand they were very open to the gospel and committed their lives to Christ. Even more, they received Bible school training while at the camp and Sok was ordained.

After some years Sok and Savy came to Canada to pastor a Cambodian church in Hamilton. After some years Sok felt the call to return to Cambodia to minister to his own people there. In the 1990’s he visited his home village and shared the gospel. Four families gave their lives to Christ on the first night. This pattern continued as Sok visited neighbouring villages and many people came to Christ. Churches were planted.

Sok increasingly saw the need for trained pastoral leadership for these churches and so in 2006 in partnership with the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia, Tahas Bible Institute was founded.

I found out about Sok and Savy and Tahas through a mutual pastor friend in Hamilton. I had had a sense of calling to Cambodia that had lain dormant in my spirit for many years. When the invitation was given to teach at Tahas I said “Yes!” First in 2009, and now in 2012, I journeyed to the town of Kampong Chhnang Province to teach a two week module on Christian Apologetics. The class of 26 pastors and church leaders from all parts of Cambodia were a delight to teach. It was a privilege to have a small part to play in equipping these men and women to provide leadership for the growing church in Cambodia.

The evangelical church in Cambodia is now 600,000 strong and growing at a rate of over 8% a year. It faces many challenges, but it is a joy to see God at work in this nation.

Thank you for your support and prayers!

Philip Noll is a Threshold Ministries Evangelists. With his Kathryn, he leads a congregation in Caledonia, ON.

For the first time in four years, the International Leaders of Church Army (of which Threshold Ministries is the Canadian ministry) have gathered in Sheffield, UK. The gathering, which began on April 4, 2013 (concluding on the 11th) brought together 18 people from across the globe. All of the National Leaders and a few board members met to pray, to share and to vision together.

Preparations for the Conference began in the fall, when Church Army UK & Ireland offered to host us at their updated Wilson Carlile Centre. From the outset, this had proved to be a key time of encouragement and support to all involved. Of all the leaders, only two have been present in the past – Phyllis Thomas (Jamaica) and Mark Russell (UK). The rest have taken on the leadership roles since the last gathering, which was hosted by Jamaica, and have only communicated through email or Skype.

Vanessa Kirby, Dean of Community and Mark Russell, CAUK CEO

We were greeted by the wonderful and hospitable staff at the Wilson Carlile Centre. Mark Russell (UK CEO) welcomed us and invited Vanessa Kirby (Dean of Community) to open our Conference with prayer and worship. Janice Price (World Mission Adviser for the Church of England) was with us for the day as well, as she connects with all of the mission agencies and ministries affiliated with the Church of England. The rest of the day, was spent updating on our respective countries. This was a great highlight, as we realized that despite cultural differences, we are all facing very similar issues and concerns – but more over are remaining consistent with the desire to fulfill the mandate as set before us by our founder, Wilson Carlile CH – reaching the least, lost and the lonely.

On Saturday, we enjoyed a day in York – sightseeing around the community and a private tour of York Minster followed by a Choral Evensong and dedicated prayers for our global ministry.

Sunday, we were invited to churches throughout the Sheffield and surrounding areas. I was privileged to preach at Christ Church Dore and had a wonderful time of fellowship with our hosts.

Monday was an early day in London. Again, we were blessed with a private tour of St Paul’s Cathedral and a warm welcome by the Dean, Dr David Ison. During our tour, we were given time to visit the place where Carlile was buried and to take note of the monument that has been placed in the crypt. We hosted for lunch a tour by CA UK’s Marylebone Project – a ministry to women. This is an incredible ministry that is helping to equip and support women in need. This is an inspirational ministry that has been helping countless women and continues to do through, through a residential program, day programs, job-skills training, mentoring and so much more. Archbishop Tutu’s comments to the women on his first visit was, “you’re all very special people”. So true!

The rest of the week, will contain several meetings and gatherings to discuss and plan together to support one another, and look at how together, we can strengthen and support the church not just in our home countries, but globally! We finish on Thursday…I’ll update more then.

Shawn C. Branch is the National Director for Threshold Ministries, which is a member of Church Army International.

He’s been known as ‘Captain Glory’ for many years. On Tuesday March 4^th, 2013, all those who gathered to hear him would agree that “Bishop Glory” is now equally as appropriate.
 

David Parsons with a friend in the North

Bishop David Parsons, Threshold Evangelist and Bishop of the Diocese of the Arctic, met with a good gathering of parishioners and visitors at Christ Church St. James Anglican to share his personal testimony, his passion for mission in the north, and his urgent plea for everyone present to stand firm in their faith to share it freely.
 
Bishop David painted a captivating picture of the Arctic. He noted the need for men and women to hear the call of God and come north. He encouraged congregations to be willing to set their clergy free for a span of time to serve the northern communities. Additionally, he made clear the need for all of us to be willing to sacrifice – to give it all, no matter what the cost – to pour out our very lives in reaching men and women with the Gospel of Christ, right where we are living.
 
 

It is a rare occasion when a bishop takes off his suit-jacket to do multiple push-ups in the aisle in an attempt to underline the need for the Church in Canada to ‘get mission-ready’.
 
 
Bishop David made a much-appreciated presentation to The Rev. Dr. Murray Henderson, Incumbent of Christ Church St. James, of two New Testaments translated into Northern languages. One was completed quite recently – a labour of love for thirty-five years.  The gifts were to emphasize two points:

1. the church is one in Canada, as the translation and publication of the New Testaments resulted from generous support from the Church in southern Canada.
2. the Word of God is active, alive, life-changing, as it opens our eyes to see Jesus, Saviour, Lord and Friend.

 
All in all, March 4^th was a holy night, one of challenge and encouragement, informative and transformational.

We give God praise for David – ‘Bishop Glory’. May an Arctic revival of passionate recognition and renewed loyalty to Jesus storm across our landscape, north, south, east and west.

Written by Bruce Smith, Threshold Ministries Ambassador

Shawn C. Branch, National Director of Threshold Ministries, seen here at the pulpit of Christ Church Cathedral doing the Sermon during the Sunday morning service, Jan. 13, 2013.

The vision for Street Hope Whitehorse was presented a few months ago to the Vestries of The Church of the Northern Apostles and Christ Church Cathedral in Whitehorse, Yukon. This outreach ministry of Threshold Ministries in partnership with the Anglican Churches of Whitehorse has had a strong beginning. We celebrated the formal launching of this ministry on Sunday January 13th, 2013 at Christ Church Cathedral. We were pleased to have with us Shawn Branch the National Director of Threshold Ministries.

We have begun an outreach ministry of compassion on the streets of downtown Whitehorse. When I say “we”, I am referring to the small team of volunteers that make up the ministry team of Street Hope Whitehorse. One or two others are preparing for this front-line ministry. The Street Hope Team has also gained associate members who support this ministry in intercession and practical assistance. Our Bishop Larry Robertson stands strongly in support of us in this outreach ministry and has given Street Hope Whitehorse permission to use the Old Log Rectory in downtown Whitehorse on Tuesdays and Thursdays as a base of operation.

Over the past number of weeks effort has been given, to building the Team for Street Hope Whitehorse. We have shared meals together at supper- time on Thursdays in the Old Log Rectory where we have enjoyed Christian fellowship together by sharing in prayer and reflection on the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have invited people that we have contacted through Street Hope ministry to these events. We see a community of compassion emerging.

Terry Buckle – Street Hope Whitehorse Leader

A next step for Street Hope Whitehorse is the initiating an outreach ministry named, “The Well”. “The Well” is a gathering place for Street Hope contacts. We share a meal together at 6:00PM and share in Christian fellowship together around our dinner table. The vision for this ministry of “The Well” comes from the Gospel of John chapter four, the story of the woman of Samaria meeting Jesus at a well. This particular expression of Street Hope’s outreach ministry began in February and continues on the first Tuesday of each month in Christ Church Cathedral’s Hellaby Hall.

Our Street Hope Team greatly values the encouragement, and financial donations that wehave received from people in Whitehorse and beyond in support of this Gospel based outreach ministry. For more info and to read our  Vision Statement of Street Hope Whitehorse please visit our website.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

- Terry