Canada
British Columbia
Vancouver: The Victoria Drive assembly commenced a Sunday night online gospel series with Frank Sona on April 26.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Corner Brook/McIvers: The online series of gospel meetings that commenced March 29 with Jonathan Procopio and Brody Thibodeau continued into May. Attendance has been maintained, with many unsaved listening to the truth of the gospel. God has been pleased to bless with salvation and saints being refreshed/restored. The assembly is looking to the Lord of the harvest as these meetings continue.
Sandringham: The believers have resorted to using Zoom for virtual meetings on Lord’s Day mornings in conjunction with the Gander assembly and others in the central region. Wednesday night prayer and ministry meetings have also been hosted online, allowing believers to keep in touch and hear the good Word of God.
Nova Scotia
Clementsvale: The assembly commenced online gospel meetings April 12 with John Meekin and Murray Pratt.
Halifax: Matthew Cain (helped by Mike Knox) hosted one week of online children’s meetings known as Treasure Seekers in March using the Zoom webinar format, followed by sessions held twice a week for the month of April. An encouraging number of families from North America and abroad attended online.
Ontario
Brampton: In lieu of their annual conference, the assembly plans to host a week of ministry meetings June 22-26 with Pete Smith. Meetings will be at 8pm EDT each night. Please visit http://bramptongospelhall.com for information on how to join the meetings, and pray that these meetings will be for the glory of the Lord and the edification of His people.
Online gospel meetings with Marvin Derksen and Jim Jarvis that commenced April 1 were extended to April 19. In addition to using Zoom for the nightly meetings, the last 10 meetings were live-streamed on YouTube. The assembly was encouraged that approximately 400 different users signed into the Zoom meetings, with a peak of just over 200 simultaneous viewers during one meeting. At the time the meetings ended, the recorded messages on their YouTube channel received just over 1000 views. Given that many more could possibly still view the messages, the assembly is looking to the Lord to bless the seed sown.
Prince Edward Island
The annual PEI conference on May 16 was hosted virtually due to the ongoing pandemic.
Saskatchewan
Glen Ewen: The “Refuge Series” of Sunday afternoon ministry meetings continues to be provided online in a webinar format. On April 12, Andrew Ussher (Toronto, ON) spoke an encouraging word of ministry entitled “Refuge in the Risen Christ.” On April 19, Gaius Goff spoke concerning “God’s Faithfulness: 7 Fear Nots.” On April 26, Peter Ramsay gave ministry on “When the Singer Loses His Song – Refocusing in the Sanctuary.” Clark Logan gave encouraging ministry on the topic of “The Sun, Moon, and Stars” on May 3.
U.S.A.
Michigan
Livonia: The Stark Road assembly held online gospel meetings April 12-May 10 with Joseph Baker (Jackson, MI) and Dan Shutt alternating each night for 30 minutes.
Mexico
Nuevo León
Monterrey: Anderson Hernández, Timothy Turkington and David Cadenas held three weeks of children’s meetings on Zoom during the month of April. There was an average of 90 families connected daily from eleven countries, with 200-250 children present. They also had help from Miguel Mosquera, Harrys Rodríguez and Ryan Turkington (Battle Creek, MI).
Chihuahua
Chihuahua: A weekly message on a radio station continues. Online meetings are being held on Zoom, with believers also attending from Ciudad Delicias, Parral, Ciudad Juárez, El Vergel, Matamoros, and El Paso, TX.
Sonora
San Luis Río Colorado: Along with regular meetings on Zoom, the believers are maintaining contact via telephone and taking advantage of teaching available on Facebook Live.
Hermosillo: The assembly hosted an online conference on April 10 with appreciated help from Anderson Hernández, Shad Kember, Miguel Mosquera, Paul Thiessen, and Jason Wahls. Duncan Beckett and Timothy Turkington preached the gospel. The believers were encouraged to see people attend online from more than 20 countries during the day.
On May 1 (a national holiday), another conference was hosted online, and believers enjoyed ministry from David Cadenas, John Dennison, Miguel Mosquera, Harrys Rodríguez, Jonathan Seed and Shawn St. Clair. Ricky Sawatsky preached the gospel. In these difficult times of not being able to meet together, the use of technology has been a blessing.
Jalisco
Puerto Vallarta: On April 16, don Panchito López was called home. He was born in the state of Michoacán in 1933. In 1941, a plane flew over his village and dropped tracts. The local priest insisted on having them all publicly burned, but Panchito hid a few despite being unable to read. He had other people read him the tracts and, despite losing them all eventually, the message intrigued him. Fifty years later, after moving to Puerto Vallarta with his wife, someone offered him a gospel tract with the same message he had heard as a boy. They attended a gospel meeting where two Bible texts impacted him greatly – John 3:16 and John 5:24. Panchito was saved by God’s grace, and was greatly admired for his faithfulness to the Lord and to the El Coapinole assembly until the Lord called him home. He leaves behind his widow who is also in assembly fellowship. Although God has blessed many of the family with salvation, many others are still without Christ.
Conferences
Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a complete list of cancellations is available at https://truthandtidings.com/resources/conferences/
Halifax, NS
June 5-8, online. A study of Ephesians, which unfolds for us many of the “unsearchable riches of Christ.” We will consider the relationship and distinction between Israel and the Church, the unity that Christ has created in the one body, and practical instruction concerning our responsibilities in the home, the workplace, and the church. All sessions will be in an online preaching format; there will be some Q&A opportunities. The introduction to the study will be Friday at 7:30pm. The first session on Saturday will be at 3:30pm. All times ADT. A detailed schedule and the link to register are available at https://Facebook.com/NorthStreetGospelHall. Expected speakers are Matthew Cain, Sandy Higgins, David McClelland (Clementsvale, NS) and John Meekin.
Garnavillo, IA – June 13-14 (cancelled)
North Bay, ON – June 13-14 (cancelled)
Brampton, ON – June 20-21 (cancelled)
Glen Ewen, SK – June 19-21 (cancelled)
Augusta, ME – June 27-28 (cancelled)
Cornerbrook, NL – June 26-28 (cancelled)
Kamloops, BC – July 3-5 (cancelled)
Pugwash Jct., NS – July 4-5 (cancelled)
Conferences Previously Published:
Bancroft, ON – June 6 (cancelled)
Saugus, MA – June 6-7 (cancelled)
Portage la Prairie, MB – June 12-14 (cancelled)
Taylorside, SK – June 26-28 (cancelled)
Englehart, Earlton, Charlton, Kirkland Lake, ON – June 27-28 (cancelled)
Homecalls
Terrance Wade Hunt of Tatamagouche, NS, on October 21, 2018, age 48. Born on August 27, 1970, to Bobby and Francie Hunt, he was born again on February 8, 1984. Terry was a vital part of the assembly in Tatamagouche, where he served in leadership for a number of years. He ably gave appreciated ministry and spoke in the gospel regularly. He owned and operated a successful forestry business and an auto parts store. Terry was also an active participant in door-to-door outreach work by snowmobile in Northern Labrador. Not surprisingly, given how many people Terry’s life touched, a large number gathered at his funeral to remember this respected family member, believer in Christ, friend, businessman and employer. He is survived and deeply missed by his wife Angela (Coulter); daughter Jenesta (Aaron) Hubley; sons James, Jesse, John and Joel; and his granddaughters Natalie and Madelyn Hubley.
Michael Downing of Ontario, WI, on April 13, 2020, age 61. Michael was born again February 4, 1981. He was a devoted husband, father, brother in Christ, and a true shepherd. Michael taught Sunday School for 30 years and left a great impact on each child he taught. He was always looking for ways to encourage and help the saints. Michael was diagnosed with ALS on October 3, 2018, and accepted that journey with joy, leaving a remarkable example to all. He worshipped even up until the last day he could gather with the saints. Michael will be greatly missed by the Christians in Ontario and all others that knew him. Please pray that his life and passing would speak to his family and friends. He is survived by his wife Mavis, daughter Dawn (Ron) Wright of Melfort, SK, son Dan (Casey) of Ontario, and grandchildren Aleasa and Jordie Wright.
Margaret (Kampman) Asche of Hitesville, IA, on April 15, 2020, age 96. She and her nine siblings were raised in the Hitesville area, but she later moved to Waterloo, IA, for employment. Margaret was saved while attending tent meetings, where she realized she was the lost sinner for whom Jesus died. She enjoyed her salvation and lived a godly, consistent life. Margaret married John Asche in 1987 and they returned to Hitesville, where they enjoyed the fellowship of the assembly. They were a happy, steadfast couple, always willing to help where they could, and much hospitality was shown in their home. Her husband predeceased her in 2007. One sibling survives her, Bert Kampman, along with stepson Larry (Lois) Asche, stepdaughter Betty (Tim) McCandless, many nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Due to the pandemic, a private family burial was held. Robert Orr spoke words of encouragement and comfort.
Viola Mae Meader of Marion, IA, on April 19, 2020, age 93. Vi married William R. Meader on January 13, 1947, and they had five children. Bill preceded her in death in August 1966, leaving her the responsibility of raising their family on her own. She was saved on November 3, 1955, through John 3:36, baptized shortly thereafter, and received into assembly fellowship at the Manchester Gospel Hall. Vi later joined the Marion assembly at the time the testimony commenced in 1959. She faithfully supported all the assembly meetings for the past 60 years. Vi spent many hours over the past several years rolling bandages from old bed sheets, comprising part of the annual shipment of supplies for missionaries in Zambia. Her care for others over the years will be missed by the believers in Marion as they await that glad day of reunion at Christ’s return.
