Horizon Weekly | 13 August 2020
by Kathy Morales
Since March most regional women’s events were cancelled in response to the COVID-19 restrictions put on public gatherings. However, a courageous discipleship group from The Redeemed Baptist Church in Surrey, BC, decided to go ahead with planning one. They switched from in-person to online and opened their event, The Relentless Pursuit, to the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC) family. What a great privilege to walk with the team along with my assistant, Hanna Greenwood, as they planned their online event.
Learning to host an event online was a steep learning curve for Hanna but she rocked as our host for the day.
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| Lisa Arrington sharing her testimony online during The Relentless Pursuit |
Hanna said this about her experience: “It was an exciting challenge to learn the behind the scenes to making the virtual event happen. My role for the day was to make the transitions and program flow nicely so that the women attending the zoom call could focus on the content and fellowship, rather than the virtual nature of the gathering. We wanted the women to have just as much of an amazing experience virtually as they would have in person, fostering the same type of connection, fellowship and fun. We are so thankful the women of Redeemed Baptist church decided to pursue the virtual event when COVID-19 restrictions cancelled their intended in-person gathering.”
Our desire was for participants to feel encouraged, be spiritually fed and to have a short break from the routines of everyday life. What a joy to see women join the zoom call from all across Canada and around the world. One participant, Janice, tuned in from Quebec.
Janice said this about her experience: “It was so refreshing for me to ‘attend’ The Relentless Pursuit online! Women’s events are rare in Quebec, and non-existent in English. God spoke to my heart through Kathy, at a time when I was discouraged and needed to hear from Him. I really hope that it will be repeated in future for those of us who are too far away to attend an event.”
We had a great time of worship, Bible teaching, testimonies, prayer, and fellowship through games and conversation. Thank yous go to Pathway Church at Cambrian, Calgary, for leading worship and to Lisa Arrington, Edna Garces and Maria Leonora [Leny] Belonia for their encouraging testimonies. One participant, Adriana from Iglesia Bautista Betel in Toronto, was especially encouraged by the testimonies and fellowship.
She says, “It was encouraging and uplifting to listen to what our Lord is doing among our sisters Lisa, Edna and Leny’s ministries. God spoke to me in different ways. He reminded me one more time that even though sometimes I am busy doing God’s work, I cannot forget that the most important thing is to take care of my relationship with God. I need to spend more time in His presence, desiring to know Him through His Word.”
Carmen, another participant from Iglesia Bautista Betel in Toronto, commented on how blessed she was by the conference.
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| Kathy Morales during an online teaching session |
Specifically, she had a great experience in her breakout room. She commented, “Thanks to all and [especially] the sisters of Room 5 for the blessed time.”
All our teaching sessions were from the book of 1 Peter. Throughout the five chapters, Peter writes exhorting us to have the right attitude in suffering and persecution. Relentlessly pursuing God is possible during challenges, struggles, times of doubt and even when we feel like giving up. We will be shaped by suffering.
Here’s a glimpse at our teaching sessions.
1. Hope in Trials: Trials makes you stronger. Stand firm.
2. Call to Pure Living: Accept the challenge to live differently from the society around you.
3. Family Life and Relationships: Live for God in your community, at work, and in family life.
4. Use Your Gifts: Realize and release your full potential as you serve.
5. Your Enemy Prowls: Be alert and watch out for the enemy.
You can watch the recordings of these teaching sessions from the event by clicking on the session titles above. Click here to listen to the testimonies of the three women mentioned above.
God changed Peter from a common fisherman to a great leader. God stayed with Peter, step-by-step, and transformed him. What do we learn about Jesus from Peter’s life?
- Jesus forgives failure.
- Jesus restores.
- Jesus patiently teaches.
- Jesus sees potential.
- Jesus uses everyone.
- Jesus gives peace in trials.
Additional things we learned together: We are chosen, God never gives up on us, God is always working in our lives, making us more and more like Jesus and in some seasons we will be shaped by suffering.
We look forward to more online women’s events. Let us know if your church is interested and how we can help you by contacting Hanna Greenwood.
Do you have a story you would like to share? Please contact Lynda Blazina and let her know. We would love to share your stories with our CNBC family of churches.
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CNBC Mission: We are churches in covenant giving ourselves away to advance the Kingdom. CNBC Vision: 1000 healthy, Kingdom-focused churches.
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