Jonan Castillon

Jun 17 2023

Online Mission, Photo Testimony, Reminders, Pastoral Care, Prayers, Giving

BAPTIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER 17 JUNE 2023

Mission Philippines – Praise God for a successful MAP Toolkit online seminar

Thank you all for your prayers. The MAP Toolkit online seminar was a success. There were 44 registered participants, most pastors of churches in the mountains of South Negros, Philippines.

I am deeply humbled and thankful because this online training fulfills my long-time plan to share the MAP Toolkit with God’s shepherds in the PhilippineGod’saying for more mission opportunities like this.

Below are two photos of the participants.

Testimony through photos

I found this photo online of the OBC congregation in 1900. What does the old photo say about our church 123 years ago? We need a photo of us in 2023.

OBC circa 1900

OBC circa 2023

Weekly Reminders

Youth Ministry – Monday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM
NOTE: Please ask Tom or Bevan for more information. Thank you!
Prayer Meeting – Thursday from 3:00 to 4:00 PM
Music Jam – Thursday from 4:00 to 5:00 PM
We invite our young people and anyone in our church to come and sing, play an instrument, and even just be there to listen.

Pastoral Care

I am creating my visitation calendar. Please let me know your availability on either Thursday or Sunday afternoon. Contact me through my phone at 0211849974 or email me at pastor@oamarubaptist.org.nz, or you can message me via OBC’s Facebook Page. Thank you!

Let us pray for healing for those who are sick and recovering but still weak.

Prayers and fundraising for the Yumos

The Yumo family lRose’s rest Mary Rose’s remains on 15 June. Let us continue to pray for comfort and strength to Joel, Ralph, Faith, and Chelsea.

As a church, let us extend practical help to the family. Together with the Totara School, we have jointly initiated raising funds to buy their plane tickets to New Zealand.

Please donate through the OBC bank account with the Reference – “HelpYumo.” Those giving through envelopes, please specify the same.

Giving

Thank you for your continued support for the ministries the Lord God has entrusted us with. Your generosity means a lot for the development and progress of His work.

If you want to set up an automatic payment for regular giving or make a one-off donation via Internet banking, the Oamaru Baptist Church account number is (ANZ) 06-0941-0015036-00.

May the Lord God bless you and keep you.

Jun 10 2023

Heartful Commitment, Shared Lunch, Testimony, Reminders, Carey, Giving

BAPTIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER 10 JUNE 2023

Heartful Commitment – Let’s work with all our hearts

Below is the photo of the installation service we held on 12 June 2022, the month’s second Sunday. Who had the slightest idea what would happen in the following months? Nobody, and neither I knew.

installation of pastor jonan June 2022 — *OBC at last 12 June 2022 pastor’s installation*

What comes to mind on that installation Sunday was Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.“

As we continue to strive to serve and glorify our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, let us do it with all our hearts, mindful that we are working for the Lord.

Shared lunch on 11 June

We are having a shared lunch on Sunday, 11 June. Please stay after the service and join us.

There are many reasons to celebrate under the loving and merciful blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Birthdays, wedding anniversaries, OBC victories, fellowships, and many more.

Testimony through photos

I found this photo online of the OBC congregation in 1900. What does the old photo say about our church 123 years ago?

Yes, we do need to have a photo of us in 2023. Can we do it this Sunday, 11 June 2023?

OBC circa 1900

OBC circa 2023

Weekly Reminders

Youth Ministry – Monday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM
NOTE: Please ask Tom or Bevan for more information. Thank you!
Prayer Meeting – Thursday from 3:00 to 4:00 PM
Music Jam – Thursday from 4:00 to 5:00 PM
We invite our young people and anyone in our church to come and sing, play an instrument, and even just be there to listen.

Church Tasks Roster

The tasks roster is an opportunity for us to participate in the function and operation of our church in the areas of worship and service.

Please feel free to jot down your names on the rostering sheet on a table in the tea area.

Don’t hesitate to ask Bevan or anyone regarding any task you are interested in and if you need further information. Thank you!

Carey Baptist College offers “CareyLocal”

We are sharing these “CareyLocal” promotions from Carey Baptist College. Please CLICK on the image below for more detailed information.

Prayer for comfort and strength

Let us pray for the Yumo family as they go through grief and sorrow for the death of their beloved wife/mum. They arrived safely. Mary Joy’s remains will be entered on 15 June.

As a church, let us extend practical help to the family. Together with the Totara School, we have jointly initiated raising funds to buy their plane tickets to New Zealand.

Please donate through the OBC bank account with the Reference “HelpYumo”. Those giving through envelopes, please specify the same.

Giving

May the Lord God bless you and keep you.

Jun 03 2023

Drive and Strive, OBC Year 1, Shared Lunch, Reminders, Prayer, Hui

BAPTIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER 3 JUNE 2023

Drive to Survive

The whole-day safety driving training that Jewel and I attended on 23 May, courtesy of the company we are working with, is called “Drive to Survive”.

On the training’s practical side, we were asked to drive at different speeds (50, 55, 60, 65, and 70 Kph) and upon reaching a point where the trainer stood, he blew a whistle that signalled us to step on the break and navigate the car to avoid hitting a row of barriers (plastic buckets).

*Sharing this photo of a participant as we were in one group, we didn’t have a photo of ourselves.*

Many of us might have experienced this when somebody suddenly crosses the road, and you must break suddenly. The one-day “Drive to Survive” training built up our confidence in what cars (with ABS technology) can do to avoid hitting a barrier, which could mean saving lives, property, and pockets.

Philippians 4:13 reminds us that we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us.

1 Year at OBC – Strive to Serve and Glorify!

The first Sunday of June marks my start of pastoral ministry here at Oamaru Baptist Church, and it feels like we have been here for many years now.

Perhaps, the many beautiful things that have happened in the last 12 months at OBC and Oamaru, in general, make us all wonder how it all happened in one year.

Again, Philippians 4:13 reminds us that we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us.

The challenge for all of us is this – Like our cars that we can’t discover what they can do until we test them, we need to launch our ministry ventures further to learn and experience the vastness of “doing all things” through Christ who strengthens us.

After a year in our ministry journey together, let us strive to serve and glorify!

Shared lunch on 11 June

There are many reasons to celebrate under the loving and merciful blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Birthdays, wedding anniversaries, OBC victories, fellowships, and many more.

Thus, we are holding a shared lunch on Sunday, 11 June. Bring your food to share.

Weekly Reminders

Youth Ministry – Monday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM
NOTE: No youth meeting on 5th June, King’s birthday holiday.
Prayer Meeting – Thursday from 3:00 to 4:00 PM
Music Jam – Thursday from 4:00 to 5:00 PM
We invite our young people and anyone in our church to come and sing, play an instrument, and even just be there to listen.

Church Tasks Roster

The tasks roster is an opportunity for us to participate in the function and operation of our church in the areas of worship and service.

Please feel free to jot down your names on the rostering sheet on a table in the tea area.

Don’t hesitate to ask Bevan or anyone regarding any task you are interested in and if you need further information. Thank you!

Prayer for comfort and strength

Let us pray for the Yumo family as they go through grief and sorrow for the death of their beloved wife/mum. Please pray for safe travels and provision as the children go home on 5th June and Joel at a later date.

5 Takeaways from the 26-27 May 2023 Otago and Southland Regional Hui

I attended the Otago and Southland Regional Hui on 26-27 May at Alexandra Baptist Church for the first time.

The Regional Hui is a gathering of Baptist pastors and church leaders in the Otago and Southland region held twice a year.

Please read more about the valuable takeaways from the regional gathering by clicking on the title, image, or button below.

OTAGO & SOUTHLAND BAPTISTS HUI

May 19 2023

Supervision Support, Testimonies, Youth, Prayers, Regional Hui, Sermons

BAPTIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER 19 MAY 2023

Seeking external supervision support

As a requirement in my Baptist Registration Development Agreement 2023, I meet with an experienced Baptist pastor for accountability and seek external supervision support every two months.

My 17 May meeting was a treat because instead of meeting with my external supervisor alone, I got to join and meet six more pastors in their cluster’s meeting at Oxford Baptist Church.

The trip to Oxford (a two-hour long drive one way) was worthwhile. The sharing, encouragement, and praying brought much nourishment to my spirit. Also, meeting pastors and hearing their trials and triumphs assures me that I am part of a broader community in God’s vineyard. To God, our praises!

Writing and sharing testimonies

We are moving to the next topic on Sunday, 21 May, “Testimony Writing and Sharing.” I will preach on testimonies as the buried treasure we must dig and celebrate.

We’ll have Malcolm preach about its role and importance on 28 May. On 4 June, Tom will share how we can present testimonies creatively.

I’m sure that sharing testimonies is not new to all. Thus, I look forward to hearing your testimonies in the next few Sundays. We will also learn how to harness its power in the church and personal life; how it can impact the community.

Weekly Reminders

Youth Ministry – Monday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Prayer Meeting – Thursday from 3:00 to 4:00 PM
Music Jam – Thursday from 4:00 to 5:00 PM
We invite our young people and anyone in our church to come and sing, play an instrument, and even just be there to listen.

Pastor’s Activities on 26-28 May 2023

I am sharing these dates for your information and guidance.

26-27 May – I will attend the Otago and Southland Regional Hui at Alexandra Baptist Church.
28 May – I am scheduled to present on Philippine Missions at Gleniti Baptist Church, Timaru

Joining the Editorial Advisory Group

I am deeply grateful for the new opportunity to serve the Lord through the NZ Baptist Union’s Editorial Advisory Group – an excellent avenue to share my God-given talents. To God be the glory! Click the button below to read more.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP

Giving

May the Lord God bless you and keep you.

Past Sermons

Please browse and read past sermons by clicking the button below.

OBC SERMONS COLLECTION

May 09 2023

The Faithful, Indomitable, Noble, Hopeful, and Generous People of OBC

As part of our “Faith-Wisdom Series”, this continues the Mapping Oamaru Baptist Church’s Faith-Wisdom sermon I shared on 28 March.

Previously, I talked about OBC’s faith-wisdom in 1883, 1889, 2008, and 2012, which led us to discover the church’s founding values.

steadfast faith,
indomitable courage,
noble vision,
hope, and
generosity

In this message, we will talk about the faithful, indomitable, noble, hopeful and generous people of Oamaru Baptist Church and the faith-wisdom discovery map in the past three years.

ministry appreciation and participation toolkit

The flow chart above indicates that we are still on “Faith-Wisdom Discovery”, and next, we will tackle “Testimony Writing and Sharing”. All the tools we discuss and learn are integral to our church planning.

Basic Biblical Principle

Between 1883 and 2023, Oamaru Baptist Church had many faith-wisdom waiting to be found.

The basic principle in faith-wisdom discovery is searching for and finding God in all the events in the church’s life.

The faith-wisdom statement above is taken from the “In Retrospect” article on the “Turning Back the Pages”, Oamaru Baptist Church Centenary 1883-1983, published in 1983, where the founding values are mentioned.

During all the years of its witness in Oamaru, the Church has been steadfastly loyal to the foundation principles of the Evangelical faith. The distinctive and historic Baptist witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the absolute authority of the Holy Scriptures as the Word of God, the freedom of the individual personality before God, and the right of all to freedom of conscience have been maintained with vigour and without compromise.

Today we thank God for those early pioneer members who, with indomitable courage, steadfast faith and sanctified vision, established the Baptist Cause in this town. We bless our God for every remembrance of them. ‘Their faith and their hopes we share as a glorious heritage. God grant that we prove worthy of the trust they have left us.
“Turning Back the Pages, Oamaru Baptist Church Centenary 1883-1983

Applying the faith-wisdom principles

The slide below shows some events in OBC’s life from 2020 to 2023. The listing is not exhaustive. I selected a few for illustration purposes only.

Now that we have listed the events, how do we search for and find God in these events in OBC’s life in the last three years, you may ask.

Remember the basic Biblical principle I showed earlier (Slide No. 3) found in James 1:22 and 1:26 and summed up by the phrase, “Faith without works is dead”?

As believers, the church continues to perpetuate works of faith because we have been born again in Jesus Christ.

It is the same faith that moved the early pioneers, “who, with indomitable courage, steadfast faith and sanctified vision, established the Baptist Cause in this town.”

Looking at OBC’s Faith-Wisdom Discovery Map above and reflecting on the events listed from 2020 to 2023 takes us to two questions.

One is hypothetical. Could those who left have stayed if they knew of OBC’s faith-wisdom statement?
The other question is reflective. Now that you know OBC’s faith-wisdom statement, how does it impact your commitment to be part of OBC?

As I have mentioned in my previous explanation, Faith-Wisdom discovery must lead to forming a mission statement.

So, based on the faith-wisdom statement, we create a mission statement needed in planning programs for the church.

Oamaru Baptist Church must plan and implement programs that teach, train, and track the founding values of every member (dynamic discipleship).

steadfast faith,
indomitable courage,
noble vision,
hope, and
generosity