Bethesda Fellowship Gatherings for 2012

Rob Milnes — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:59:00 +0000

Quarterly shared supper gatherings of the Bethesda Fellowship are scheduled for

Sunday afternoons ( 3 – 7 PM ) as follows:

April 15 (Maple syrup celebration)

July 15 (BBQ)

October 14 (Corn Roast)

The 2013 AGM (Annual General Meeting) is scheduled for Sunday, January 13, 2013.

May we hear Him knocking and open the door and so He might come right in

and sit down to supper with us!

Be Still?

Rob Milnes — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:32:49 +0000

What does it mean to be still?

… ceasing our wordy prayers and listening to His still, small voice

… ceasing our strivings and leaning on Him with child-like trust

… ceasing our doing for Him and simply being with Him

God’s word speaks to us about being still:

Be still and know that I am God. ~ Psalm 46:10

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. ~ Psalm 37:7

When you are on your bed, search your heart and be silent. ~ Psalm 4:4

In repentance and rest is my salvation, in quietness and trust is my strength. ~ Isaiah 30:15

The Sabbath “‘There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the LORD. ~ Leviticus 23:3

Amidst the fast paced, chaos of 21st century living, how can we be still when there is so much to do and so little time? With the long “to do” list that waits for me, I can’t afford to take a Sabbath … can I? I am learning that I can’t afford not to.

We are God’s creations. He knows and wants what is best for us.

The Psalms often remind us to be still if we want to experience God’s presence. Exodus and Leviticus are full of passages commanding us to rest on the seventh day and reminding us that this is a lasting ordinance with the promise of blessing for keeping the Sabbath holy and rather severe repercussions for disobedience.

I don’t want to be legalistic but I do want to honour God and so am wrestling to make Sabbath and daily stillness a reality in my life and finding that there is great blessing in this. More than any sacrifice of duty or service that we can offer Him, God desires and is thrilled by our BEING with Him. Out of the BEING comes DOING in the center of His good and perfect will for us.

I believe that one of the main reasons that God led us to Bethesda is to learn more about this in our lives and to share this simple truth with others who come here.

Following the Way, the Truth, and the Life and only by His Grace,

Rob

The song Still by Reuben Morgan (Hillsong) has meant a lot to us on this journey.

Listen / watch here.

Prayer Guide (Daily Office)

Rob Milnes — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:47:01 +0000

Pete Scazzero, pastor of New Life Fellowship and author of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality has put together some prayer guides in pamphlet form that I have found helpful in bringing some structure and discipline to my prayer life. It consists primarily of scripture with some brief guidelines. He calls it a Daily Office and offers this introduction: “An Office is a time to STOP, SLOW DOWN, CENTER, and PAUSE to be with Jesus. Our goal is to create a continual and easy familiarity with God’s presence in each day.” Clink on the Daily Office link below to get your copy. They are also available in printed paper form at Bethesda. I trust that you find it helpful in drawing near to God.

Daily Office – prayer guide

Coming Events – please join us

Rob Milnes — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:15:50 +0000

Maple Syrup Production

From about March 9 to mid April (weather dependent) we will be harvesting maple syrup. Come and experience tapping trees, collecting sap, boiling and tasting maple syrup made over a wood-fired evaporator.

We will kick off maple syrup season with a TREE TAPPING day on Saturday, March 3.

Come out anytime between 9am and 4 pm for as long or as short as you are available to learn how to tap a maple tree and help by putting in spiles and hanging buckets. We have over 150 taps.

Outdoor Work Day / Wood Splitting Day

Saturday, May 12 8:30 AM to Noon (followed by lunch Noon -1:00)

We need your help to gather, split and stack firewood for next year’s maple syrup operation and for the fireplace in the retreat centre and woodstove in the prayer cabin. Wood has to be put away over a year in advance to dry and season. There is also work to do preparing the gardens and clearing /burning brush from the trails. We will work for 3 and a half hours and then enjoy fellowshipping together over lunch that will be provided.

Quarterly potluck gatherings of the Bethesda Fellowship

Please mark your calendars and plan to join us on the following Sunday afternoons from 3:30 to 7:30 pm:

April 15 (Maple syrup celebration)

July 15 (BBQ)

October 14 (Corn Roast)

The 2013 AGM (Annual General Meeting) is scheduled for Sunday, January 13, 2013.

Bethesda Annual General Meeting 2012

Rob Milnes — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:01:30 +0000

Our annual general meeting was held on Sunday, January 15, at Bethesda followed by a potluck supper. It was very cold outside but inside the fire and the fellowship was warm. It was a beautiful time of worship, fellowship, and unity in Christ. People commented on the strong sense of God’s peaceful and sweet presence upon the gathering. The shared food was delicious too! We were very encouraged by the strong attendance of over 25 people and the number of people who have indicated that they will join the Bethesda Fellowship community to support the ministry of Bethesda for the coming year (31 people and counting).

We are also thrilled to welcome three new directors to the board. Bethesda’s managing board for 2012 will consist of the following people: Linda Sprunt, Nancy Jahn, Gord Reimer, Rob Andrews, Frank Friedrich, Sherry Milnes, and Rob Milnes.

Bethesda Baked Oatmeal Brings Treasured Memories

Rob Milnes — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:58:52 +0000

There is a group of friends that have been meeting at Bethesda for a couple of weekends a year for over two decades. Part of their tradition includes a delicious baked oatmeal that they shared with us over New Year’s weekend. This simple recipe came from the wife of the first host family at Bethesda in the 80′s and it continues to be enjoyed here. While eating this we fondly remembered Eleanor Bouwman who went home to be with Jesus in 1998 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Her wonderful cooking and warm hospitality overflowed from her love for Jesus and for all the people that God sent her way. Sherry and I were touched and blessed by her love and her wonderful example. Eleanor is one of the big reasons that we are following in the footsteps of her and Merv as the fourth host family at Bethesda. She continues to live on in our memories and hearts as an inspiration. Thanks to Larry and Sue (second host family) for sharing the baked oatmeal tradition and the recipe with us!

Bethesda Baked Oatmeal Recipe

1/2 cup oil
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

Beat together, then add:

3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk

Mix well and pour into an 8″x8″ baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Cut in pieces and serve in cereal bowls topped with milk, optional raisins and of course some Bethesda maple syrup.

“O Taste and see that the Lord is good!” ~ Psalm 34:8

God Keeps Us Faithful to 1977 Vision

Rob Milnes — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:56:12 +0000

I recently came across the original vision for Bethesda from a document created in the Fall of 1977 before the property was purchased and named. It still applies to what we are doing here at Bethesda 35 years later. Here are some highlights from the 1977 document:

That God will work healing and renewal in people’s lives in this quiet, rural or “country” place where the beauty of nature, simplicity of living, time to talk and walk in the woods, enhance our ability to see and hear and connect with the living God.
That the Bethesda fellowship will be a caring community — caring in the name of Jesus — non specific and eclectic in ministry, yet it will not be watered down.
That since we have received His forgiveness, compassion, love and acceptance we are compelled to give it flowing in the power of the Holy Spirit working in us and through us.
That lots of avenues are possible and that we should not close any doors but be open to the people and ministry opportunities that God sends our way.
That because it is a country property, the centre will lend itself to the practical “worker type” to be involved and part of the caring community
That this will be a place to draw close to the LORD. By being close to the LORD our needs will be met whatever our needs be and we will be able to share what we have received with others.
That this place could be called God’s Place, The Place of the Lord, Bridge to Life, Hope, Place of Reflection, Quiet Place, The Place of Praise, The House of Peace
(Not included in the 1977 document but I believe intended would be Place of Prayer)

Following God’s Call ~ by Josiah

Josiah Milnes — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:35:29 +0000

” So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” ~ Romans 12:1-2

That, by far, has become a very important verse in my life since my family and I arrived here at Bethesda. I read it often, sometimes when I wake up in the morning and sometimes when I got to sleep at night. Whenever I read it, the same message jumps out at me…that God wants me to dedicate my life to him as a living sacrifice.
A terrifying and exhilarating feeling.

Ever since my family and I felt God’s calling to move to Bethesda as the new host family God has wanted to become even better friends with me. He surrounded me with the opportunities so that we could spend some more alone time with one another: kilometres of walking trails, acres of property, different buildings on the property to name a few. Then my choice came into the equation, was I willing to read my Bible everyday? take walks and talk to God? do my work to glorify His name? Bottom line, was I willing to chill out with Him? I decided to make that dedication to God, and I am sure glad I did.

My life has been transformed! Literally! My spiritual and my physical muscles have been strengthened and built up. Also, it is not a chore to spend time with God in prayer or meditation, it is a normal part of my daily routine! I truly love this place, the feeling of God here! Our dear adopted doggy Sascha (or as we call her Saschi), and my friends love this place as well!
It all started by following God’s voice, His calling to come to Bethesda to live here. Now I pray and hope I can follow His will, like young Timothy did in the Bible. This verse in 1 Timothy 6 is very encouraging in my life as well: “…Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to….”

Josiah

New Host Family

Rudy Pohl — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:35:35 +0000

Introducing the Milnes Family.

Rob, Sherry and Josiah Milnes moved to Bethesda in mid July. We look forward to helping to make your visit here a special time to connect with God and experience His love in this peaceful rural setting.

Alone with God is not lonely

Rudy Pohl — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:49:37 +0000