Dear Brethren,
We praise and thank God for our 64th Church Anniversary celebration today, with the ensuing highlight 18th World Missions Conference on Tuesday morning through Thursday evening. We thank God and rejoice on those 3 scores and 4 years of God’s sustaining grace, guidance, leadership, and faithfulness in every step of the way upon His Church here in Bethany. Year after year, month after month, week after week, day after day, God’s grace was indeed evident and has sustained us in every situation. Whether in good times, tough times, rough times, difficult, and depressing times – God’s grace is always there!
Prior to observing-partaking the Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper last Wednesday Midweek service, we were reminded and challenged anew as a Church and individual members of Christ’s Body on the need to CONTINUE stewarding God’s Grace and Truth. We are indeed favoured recipients of such great blessings and exceedingly privileged to be On-Mission with God. We are to wisely and dutifully steward the Gospel, and there must be nothing that should hinder us in doing so. The Apostle Paul in II Corinthians 5:19 says that God hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Surely, the Bible has been put to our trust.
May we consistently realize that the primary ministry of Bethany is to get the incorruptible seed of God’s Word out of the barn, and into the field! It must be done in the power of the Holy Spirit. The message of Bethany is the oracles of God sown in the power of God. Our foremost motive is purely to glorify God in everything. Our gracious Lord continues to bless brethren-members who have generously, sacrificially, and consistently invested in the Lord’s work especially in our Church significant milestone occasions.
We appreciate a good number of our former Bethany members especially from abroad who took time to celebrate with us the goodness of the Lord through these many years. We are glad as well to see a great number of our Missionaries abroad as well as friends and ministry partners taking a brief pause from their respective Mission fields to join us in this another significant event here in Bethany. Just like the Psalmist in Psalm 126:3, we can heartily and gratefully declare, “The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.”
My dear brethren, may we humbly recognize as the Psalmist in Psalm 118:23 puts it, “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.” Let us then faithfully and diligently CONTINUE fulfilling God’s mandate and passion, certainly assured that the best is yet to come! A much more blessed and Spirit-filled 64th Church Anniversary and 18th World Missions Conference to us all!
All By God’s Grace and For God’s Glory!
Pastor Gerry Nable