Grace Lutheran Church
"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness."
Lamentation 3:22-23

Updates from the Executive Director!
March Updates from Rhonda Kelman
 
We serve a compassionate God

Through all that is going on in the world, God has looked upon the BC Mission Boat and the communities we serve with such compassion.  Rising opportunities that we could not foresee. Giving us hope in a time where our ministry is unable to serve in the way it has done for the last 20 years.

The Beautiful Feet Mission Conference went well. Our Executive Director, Rhonda had a good zoom live presentation with a students from all over the States.

Rhonda and CLBI team finished filming the Virtual Sunday School project, and a few more additions need to be to the kits and then they will be ready for delivery.

The Easter Resurrections Egg project is continuing with the students and teachers at Hope Lutheran School.  Rhonda and Julie will be joining them in the beginning of March to film the 12 devotions to accompany the children as they open an egg each day before Easter. Please keep this project in your prayers, there is lots to be done before we go deliver these kits, towards the end of March.

In April, Rhonda will be offering some online presentations.  You can find out the dates and time and sign up using the link below:
            https://bit.ly/3vcpb6j      
Once you return this form, a link to the 30 minute presentation will be sent to you via email.


Please consider joining us through prayers and support us as we continue to navigate new ways to minister to the remote First Nations on the BC coast!
Come and join our team!  We are hiring summer students.  We have applied for four positions through the Canada Summer Job program. Please keep us in your prayer as we wait on the answer from the program and for God's wisdom through the hiring process. You can visit our website for the job description using the link above.
"Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.  But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
Luke 6:46-49
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We are sending you this email because of your interest in praying for the BC Mission Boat Society or have travelled with us to these communities.

Our mailing address is:
BC Mission Boat Society
Box 3237
Station Main
Courtenay, British Columbia V9N 5N4
Canada

His Faithfulness endures
 

"This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it." Isaiah 30:15 NIV
 
Are not those words so counter to our cultural norms in the society we live?  We too, like back in Isaiah's time, we want none of it.  Through looking genuinely at ourselves and in resting in His presence, the bible says we find our salvation.  We run and keep busy to avoid looking to long at our actions and thoughts and rest would allow the space for our truth to surface.   In quietness and trust in God is our strength, not in trust in our own ability to do things.

I was touched by the vulnerability of the students who are helping with the Virtual Sunday School videos.  They were rightly disappointed to see their mission trip to Vancouver Island become a video filming session in a camp in Alberta.  By coming together in honesty and repentance, they were able to bring their disappointment, fear, concerns to the Lord in prayer.  Everyone was touched and strengthened through this time of quietness with Jesus.
As you read this letter, they have returned to the college and Rhonda will be soon headed back to Vancouver.    We are so thankful to God for providing such an amazing group of young adults to help us build tools we can use to reach out to the Coastal First Nations communities of BC during this time where we can not travel to the communities.

One thing this pandemic as done, is given us the opportunity to become more comfortable with the idea of rest and quietness. Having less distractions and learning to trust in Him who is faithful in the middle of uncertainty. 



"Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4-5 NIV
Praise God for the CLBI team of students who  helped with the Sunday School project.

Praise God for the middle school Students and teachers who are giving their time to create a 12 days of Easter devotions and activities

We praise God for the opportunity to join in with the Concordia universities in the USA to share about what He is doing through BCMBS

Praise God for technology and still being able to connect with friends in the communities while we still can't travel.

Praise God for the opportunity to share through the Beautiful Feet online mission conference and for Rhonda's opportunity to be a session speaker through zoom.

Praise God for A who has recovered from her surgery and had safe travels back home.
Pray for S & J as their whole family tested positive with Co-Vid and they both are having complications. 

Pray for M as he is still in the hospital recovering from Co-Vid but is doing better. His blood pressure and heart is better, and he is still on dialysis.

Pray for S as she struggles with some family challenges.

Pray for E as she just got engaged.

Pray for A & E as they plan their wedding. 

Pray for D as she had a miscarriage during her first trimester and for healing for the medical complications that happened.

Pray for S & D as they both just gave birth to healthy babies.

Prayer for the safety and guidance for staff and students in school.

Pray for wisdom for our government as they maneuver these times.  That Your will be done on the earth as it is in Heaven.

Continued prayers of wisdom as we continue to manage the Sunday school and the Easter project. That the journey for all will be led by God and be a blessings to all involved and to each household in the communities we will deliver them to.

Pray for courage and wisdom for Rhonda as she presents to students on zoom for the Beautiful Feet convention online.

Pray for good weather and safe travels for Rhonda as she returns to Vancouver.

Pray for kindness and fairness to all people in our hospitals, medical clinics, with first responders and other businesses.

Continue to pray for believers in the communities that they would be able to share God's love and encourage people who are experiencing a lot of anxiety during this pandemic. May they be filled with Jesus's love and be overflowing and creative in how they share His love with others. 

Continue to pray for people who are bound in addictions that they would be set free.

Continue to pray for the mental health of people during this pandemic, that those who are feeling isolated and alone would be able to reach out and get support as they need.
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Our mailing address is:
Box 3237
STN MAIN
Courtenay, BC
V9N 5N4

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"The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17

Updates from the Executive Director!
February Updates from Rhonda Kelman
 
Answers to prayers

As we were brainstorming and praying about proceeds with presentations, our Executive Director, Rhonda, received two emails in regards to sharing about the BC Mission Boat! 
One was through a university student who invited Rhonda in Sharing to her class of future church workers.

The other opportunity is through Beautiful Feet Mission Conference. It is an online conference where Rhonda shared a video about the BC Mission boat that will be posted on the conference site. They also invited Rhonda to do a live zoom presentation.
We are both learning about filming and editing as a new way to minister.

Rhonda is now with the CLBI team at camp Kuriakos in Alberta.  They have started on the Virtual Sunday School project. Your prayers are welcome as they maneuver trough a lot of filming scenes, editing and then assembling the supplies for craft in bags.

The Easter Resurrections Egg project is also on its way.  Our Ministry Director, Julie, delivered all the material needed to Hope Lutheran School.  She got to participate in a school assembly and shared about the BC Mission boat and met Students and staffs.  Rhonda will be joining them later in the month to do some filming with the students. Prayers would be appreciated for all the tasks to be accomplished in time to deliver mid March.
We also pray for Jesus to move through the students of CLBI and Hope. As they serve through the creating of these projects, may they be transformed by the renewing or their minds.

Please consider joining us through prayers and support us as we navigate new ways to minister to the remote First Nations on the BC coast!
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life.... But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Matthew 25:25-27,33-34

God is in control

"For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!  For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand." Psalm 95:3-7

Our prayers for this new year are that all be filled with bounty and blessings from God. That God make manifest all the fruits of the spirit through any challenges arising from changes in the year 2021. He is the one who opens doors where we could only see a wall.
The Lord brought two new opportunities for the winter/spring season. One with the returning CLBI team, who will be filming some Sunday School lessons. And the second one being with a group of middle school students at Hope Lutheran school in Port Coquitlam. They will be organizing a 12 days devotions for the Easter season.  We continue to pray for God's guidance as many details still need to come into place as we are threading through unexplored waters.

With the inability to travel, our Executive Director, Rhonda, was pondering how she would connect with different churches to do presentations to share what God is doing through the BC Mission Boat Ministry.  Well, in the first week of the new year, God presented a few opportunities for her to share about His mission with BCMBS!! One being through the Beautiful Feet Mission conference in the States, and joining with a university student in a project and speaking to her class. She has also been able to Zoom into a couple youth groups to share about our ministry.  We are so thankful to God for these opportunities and pray for wisdom and courage for Rhonda in these new ventures!



"But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 ESV

 
Praise God for the CLBI team of students who are willing to help with the Sunday School project.

Praise God for the middle school Students who will give their time to create a 12 days of Easter devotions and activities

We praise God for the opportunities to join in with the Concordia universities in the states to share about what He is doing through BCMBS

Praise God for technology and still being able to connect with friends in the communities while we still can't travel.

Praise God for D who is now back at home as she recovered from Co-Vid 19.

Praise God that the communities have less cases of Co-Vid 19. Ehattesaht has no more active cases. 
Prayer for the safety and guidance for staff and students in school.

Pray for wisdom for our government as they maneuver these times.  That Your will be done on the earth as it is in Heaven.

Prayers of wisdom as we manage the Sunday school and the Easter project. That the journey for all will be led by God and be a blessings to all involved and to each household in the communities we will deliver them to.

Pray for courage and wisdom for Rhonda as she leaps into uncharted territories with online presentations.

Pray for M as he is in ICU battling heart concerns as well as Co-Vid 19. Pray for strength and healing as he is not strong enough for a heart transplant.

Pray for A as she is home recovering from a minor surgery.

Pray for A as she struggles with drinking and some health challenges, and who is looking to get into a treatment center. 

Pray for kindness and fairness to all people in our hospitals, medical clinics, with first responders and other businesses.

Pray for M for healing and relief from pain from his arthritis.

Continue to pray for believers in the communities that they would be able to share God's love and encourage people who are experiencing a lot of anxiety during this pandemic. May they be filled with Jesus's love and be overflowing and creative in how they share His love with others. 

Continue to pray for people who are bound in addictions that they would be set free.

Continue to pray for the mental health of people during this pandemic, that those who are feeling isolated and alone would be able to reach out and get support as they need


God's timing

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9


At the end of November, Rhonda and Julie went to deliver the Advent calendar kits.  We were blessed with a comfortable and much needed roomy vehicle as it was loaded to the brim. We made our way to the North of Vancouver Island. Our first stop was Ehattesaht where we dropped off our first 31 kits including the community of Oclucje. We were able to talk and pray, through a window, with lovely couple in Ehattesaht. As they have had a few cases of covid, please keep them in your prayers, some of them are in remission but others are still fighting the virus.  We then continued on to Fair Harbor to deliver about 80 kits to be send by water taxi to Kyuquot.  From there, we went back on the 2 1/2 hour long logging road before getting to the highway to Port Hardy for the night. We delivered to a few families in town and the next day we brought around 80 kits to be send on the Ferry to Klemtu.  We went back down Island, we stopped in Port McNeil to deliver around 31 kits to be sent to Kingcome via water taxi.  We want to thank all the people involved in the travel of the kits, assuring  they reach each communities. Finally, we delivered to a few families in Campbell River.  We thank God for the safe travels and for the timing of this mission. The logging road often floods, the rain just started on our way to Fair Harbour. The torrential rain continued after we left Fair Harbor and overnight. Ehattesaht lost electricity through the storm.  We praise God for restoring their electricity in a timely manner.

This season, we are also reminded of God's timing in bringing Jesus into our world. It was back then, a time filled with political unrest. Today, as we are pressed down with covid's restrictions, we have the opportunity to seek God's peace in the middle of the unrest. we can choose to take the time to quiet ourselves and  keep our eyes on Him and focus on the blessings we do have instead of what we are missing. Our prayers is that the comfort of God's promises will warm your heart and fill you with His Joy this Christmas season and always.

"The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2 NIV
Praise God for all of the volunteers  and the CLBI team of students who have stepped up to help cut and sew all of the advent calendars, all 240 were and delivered on time for advent!

We thank God for safe travel and protection for the CLBI team, Rhonda and Julie as they delivered the kits.
Praise God for all the families who received the Advent Calendar kits!

Praise God for the protection over the communities of Ehttesaht and Oclucje who have had positive cases of CoVid-19 in their communities.

Praise God for technology and still being able to connect with friends in the communities while we still can't travel.
 
Prayer for the safety and guidance for staff and students in school.

We pray that the kits are a blessing and an encouragement to each household.

Pray for D who just got out of the ICU and is recovering from CoVid-19. 

Pray for the communities of Ehattesaht, Oclujce, and Ahousat as they are trying to battle the spread of Covid-19. Prayer for quick recovery for those who tested positive. 

Pray for A as she struggles with drinking and some health challenges, and who is looking to get into a treatment center. 

Pray for kindness and fairness to all people in our hospitals, medical clinics, with first responders and other businesses.

Pray for M for healing and relief from pain from his arthritis.

Continue to pray for believers in the communities that they would be able to share God's love and encourage people who are experiencing a lot of anxiety during this pandemic. May they be filled with Jesus's love and be overflowing and creative in how they share His love with others. 

Continue to pray for people who are bound in addictions that they would be set free.

Continue to pray for the mental health of people during this pandemic, that those who are feeling isolated and alone would be able to reach out and get support as they need

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14

 
December Update!
 
Dear Friends,

It is amazing to see how God continues to work in unexpected ways as we have had to think outside the box to be able to continue ministry and support to the communities we serve. So much of our ministry is about relationships and being present in people’s lives in person and in their community, and it has been so difficult to not be able to be there. So we have had to continue to adapt and respond in various ways.
 
We were planning to have the CLBI Impact team, a group of second year students, come and serve for two weeks in communities in November and then again in February. By the end of August, we realized that the communities would still be closed to travel, and so we adapted and planned a project where we could make kits for Advent/ Christmas. Once I spoke to all four communities to see how many families we should plan for, I was asked if we could send one for each household in the community. How amazing is that? It turned our small project into a big project that was going to be a blessing to EVERY household in each community we serve.
 
We decided to create more of the felt Advent calendars that we received from some ladies from Michigan a few years ago. After putting out a request, we had enough volunteers that sewed felt backdrops and cut out hundreds of characters for the nativity scenes. We had some pastors that volunteered to write some devotions to go along with each day of the calendar.
 
On Nov. 7, plans changed again as we decided not to send the students through the Lower Mainland and to the Island as restrictions were increasing for the Lower Mainland. So the next plan was to meet at Pines Bible Camp in Grand Forks, and that got delayed by a snowstorm so we ended up meeting up in Kamloops and travelling to Grand Forks the next day. That is where we spent 12 days putting the advent calendars together, and filled the bags with an advent calendar, devotional booklet, a couple of booklets from Lutheran Hour ministries, some crafts, and goodies for each household to enjoy. We also created some videos to go along with each day of Advent that we can post online.
 
I left Grand Forks with a filled vehicle of Advent bags and travelled to the island. Julie and I were able to drive up island to drop of kits for Ehattesaht, Oclujce, Kyuquot, Kingcome, Klemtu and a few families in Port Hardy and Campbell River. It was hard driving through Ehattesaht/ Oclujce area to drop of kits at the Health Center as they were on lock down as there are some positive cases of CoVid-19. My hope and prayer is that these kits will bring some joy at a time were there is some fear and anxiety. We stood in the pouring rain to visit with a couple who was working at the Band Office and we were able to pray with them and encourage them in a time that is challenging. This is the first time that we have been able to reach every household in each community and I am excited to see what God has in store during this time of Advent.
 
We continue to need your partnership in this ministry through prayer, volunteering and through donations. Thank you to all of our faithful supporters even through these uncertain times. Your financial support allows us to continue ministry in new ways as we cannot travel with teams right now. There are opportunities to partner with us through our monthly giving program, by sending an etransfer to donations@bcmissionboat.org, through paypal or Canadahelps, or by sending a cheque through the mail.  Thank you for prayerfully considering how you can partner with our ministry.
May God continue to bless you and your family during this Christmas and Advent season. Although celebrations may look different this year, we can continue to celebrate Jesus’ birth.
 
In Christ,
Rhonda Kelman, Executive Director
 
 
We want to extend again a big THANK YOU to all the volunteers who sewed, traced and cut out character from the nativity scene for the Advent Calendars. Thank you also, to all the pastors who created little devotions for each day of Advent.  A special thanks to the Impact team from CLBI who cut out, glued and assembled every kit. It has been a true labor of love and we are so grateful that over 240 families from the Northen First Nations communities of Ehattesaht, Kyuquot, Kingcome, Oclucje and Klemtu  will be able to experience a ray of God's love through these kits.
 
“Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: Instruction will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations.  My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm." Isaiah 51:4-5
  
Our prayers is that each families will be encouraged through those kits and know they are loved as they read God's word each day this advent.

Overcoming Adversity

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;.."   2 Corinthians 4:7-9 ESV


Through this pandemic, the constant has been canceled plans, changes and disappointments.  The obstacles to continue supporting our northern remote First Nations communities have been great. Through this we have been able to truly rely on Jesus and see He is power at play.  As restrictions were put in place and doors closed, God has been faithful in providing new venues and so many willing volunteers to help with this very in depth Advent Calendar project.  


It was good timing for our Mission Director, Julie to start full time on November 2nd, as she was able to help with some of the logistics from all the changes.  Even as the team from CLBI left to go to Grand Forks, a snow storm in the south of BC forced the student's team and Rhonda, to reroute to Kamloops for the night. We pray for safety on the roads and protection for the team and Rhonda.


We are excited as every part of the Advent Calendar project is coming together. We are so thankful to all the volunteers who made that possible and to the CLBI team, that even through many obstacles, is coming to finish each kit for the 240 households in Ehattesaht, Kyuquot, Kingcome, Oclucje, and Klemtu. They will not be able to deliver them because of the Covid-19 restrictions but Rhonda and Julie will be able to drop them at safe drop off points for each community. This will also give Julie an opportunity to see some of our travel for getting to the communities.


We continue to pray and trust God as schools and activities are running and in keeping our ministry communities safe and healthy.

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. 4Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal."  Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV

We Thank God for a safe time of gathering in mourning the loss of B's family's love one.


Praise for the protection over the communities of Gold River and Bella Bella who have had positive cases of CoVid-19 in their communities.


Praise God that L's sisters had safe travels and were able to spend time with her before she passed away. 


We Thank God for providing venues and the willingness to move with the changes  for the CLBI team to come put all the kits together.


Praise God for all of the volunteers  and the CLBI team of students who have stepped up to help cut and sew all of the advent calendars so that we will have 240 ready to send out at the end of November!


Praise God for technology and still being able to connect with friends in the communities while we still can't travel.

 

Prayer for the safety and guidance for staff and students in school.


Pray for safe travel and protection for the CLBI team, Rhonda and Julie as they meet and deliver the kits.


Pray for all the families who will receive the Advent Calendar kits that God will go beforehand and prepare the way. We pray that this kits will be a blessing and an encouragement to each household.


Pray for the R family as they mourn their loss of their sister who was living in Nanaimo.


Pray for A as she struggles with drinking and some health challenges. 


Pray for all of those who are still mourning the loss of loved ones. 


Continue to pray for J as he is currently living on the streets in Vancouver. Pray that he would turn away from drug addiction and turn back to his family.


Pray for kindness and fairness to all people in our hospitals, medical clinics, with first responders and other businesses.


Pray for A's daughter who is struggling with addiction.


Pray for M for healing and relief from pain from his arthritis.


Pray for believers in the communities that they would be able to share God's love and encourage people who are experiencing a lot of anxiety during this pandemic. May they be filled with Jesus's love and be overflowing and creative in how they share His love with others. 


Continue to pray for people who are bound in addictions that they would be set free.


Pray for the mental health of people during this pandemic, that those who are feeling isolated and alone would be able to reach out and get support as they need.