Welcome To Our Website
Watch This Space For Updates
We are now holding Midweek and Sunday Worship Services via "Zoom", a video conferencing service which brings a live event to your laptop or smartphone. Instructions for logging in are included in Laura's e-mail of the online church bulletin. Also, the link can be found on this page in the announcements: If you need help, please send an email to webmaster@smokylakebaptist.ca and we will assist you. Sermons will continue to be posted on the Website weekly when we can.
Letter from Our Pastor click here 2020-03-26
Response to COVID-19 click here 2020-03-18
Sunday Worship Services are Cancelled until further notice click here 2020-03-18
As Senior Pastor and on behalf of the family of the First Baptist Church, I want to thank you for visiting our website. At the First Baptist Church, we believe God calls each of us to be engaged in a passionate pursuit of Jesus Christ. There is no higher calling than to seek the Lord with all your heart, and in so doing, to glorify Him. We welcome you to join us in this pursuit. The fact that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and then rose from the grave is our fundamental belief. He lives today and stands ready to give abundant and eternal life to all those who repent of sin and place their faith in Him. We invite everyone to receive Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.
What a joy it is to introduce you to our church! At the First Baptist Church, our doors are wide open to people from all backgrounds, regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey.
One of life’s most beautiful words is ‘family’. At the First Baptist Church, we take seriously the Bible’s teaching that Christians are the family of God and therefore brothers and sisters in Christ. As a “family of faith” we seek to worship and serve God, share the good news of the gospel message, and provide the spiritual environment necessary for the believer’s spiritual growth.
In short, you will find us to be a God centered, caring community of individuals who are excited about having the opportunity to extend to you the same love, hope and joy we have received from the Lord. We extend to you a cordial invitation to join us this coming Lord’s Day as the family meets to draw near to God through prayer, thoughtful contemporary songs, traditional hymns and inspiring relevant messages from God’s Word. After the worship service we linger over refreshments, so please take a moment to get to know us better. God bless you.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Pastor Keith Axford
Announcements
The sermon for Sunday, May 17, 2020 is posted. This and previous sermons can be played back from the Website. The sermons for April 26, May 03 and May 10, 2020 were not recorded.
Log in for our 11:00 a.m. Sunday Service or our Wednesday Service using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2401035064?pwd=OUtvV05FK3RpYVVDaEtxbTFYT0YxQT09
ID 240 103 5064 Password: Canmore
Monday, 7:00 p.m. – VIRTUAL AGM. Join the meeting using the link above. The Agenda, Balance Sheet and Budget have all been emailed/mailed to the Church Family. If you did not receive these documents, please contact Laura at 780 656 7035.
Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. – Virtual Midweek Service. Join us using the same link as above.
- A new alarm system has been installed in the present church. Everyone with keys will be receiving an email with instructions for deactivating/activating the alarm.
- The Smoky Lake Food Bank is always in need of breakfast cereal, peanut butter, canned soup and other canned goods, as well as cash.
- Sheets and bandages for White Cross are still very much needed! They may be taken to the new church. Phone or text Clarence first @ 1-587-335-7454.
- For sale: Tin Sheeting which has been removed from the new church, various lengths. Contact Clarence if you are interested.
- Volunteers for clean-up jobs are welcome at the new church. Any time you're available, contact Clarence. There's lots of room to maintain physical distancing.
- Our Daily Bread for June/July/August will be available for pickup at the new church starting next Thursday. As usual, contact Clarence first.
Church Services (when they resume):
- Wednesday Evenings - 7:00PM
- Sunday Mornings - 11:00AM
Children's Ministry - for ages 2-11 during service time. All children welcome to attend. The Nursery is available for children under two.
Quick Links
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Of Note
Children's Christmas concert 2019
On August 4th, our church celebrated two events of appreciable significance:
75th Anniversary of the church and 20th Anniversary of Pastor Keith's First Service
Click here to view a short PowerPoint presentation with pictures from 1944 (patience, takes a while to open)
Click here to see a gallery of pictures in the church from August 4th, 2019
News from Cheryl Hoople
Recovery Ministry
Click here to see her latest letter
Click here to donate to Cheryl's ministry
Our Policy on
Sexual Harassment
Click here to watch Sexual Misconduct in our Churches – Learn to Spot It. Learn to Stop It. Download time can be extensive
All leaders and all Sunday School Teachers must watch the above video and acquire a criminal check from the RCMP station. Also, it is advisable to visit the Anglican Diocese of Toronto's Webpage on Sexual Harassment where there is access to 4 short training videos.
Donate
You can give a one-time or a recurring gift to First Baptist Church from this website using the services of CanadaHelps.orgl, just click on theicon directly below:
Please use the information below to continue your normal offerings until Worship serices resume. Both are ways of ensuring that the church can continue to operate during these trying times.
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Canada Helps:
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Interac e-Transfer:
Please use your online or mobile banking service and specify e-Transfer to
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Events
Regularly Scheduled Worship Times:
- Wednesday Evenings at 7:00 PM -
- Sunday Morning at 11:00 AM, including Sunday School for the children
Church Family Notices
- Watch for postings of importance in this space
Building Project
Quote of the week
Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you’ll be able to see further.”
—Thomas Carlyle
Recent Discussion Points
Prayer In The Midst of Our Crisis
April 14, 2020 - Pastor Keith Axford
From a article in the Smoky Lake Signal newspaper
For many, Covid-19 seems to produce two opposite reactions: A kind of cynicism that minimizes the actual risk and ignores those who are most vulnerable to the disease; or a kind of panic and fear that results in overreaction and stockpiling items. Neither is the way of Jesus. It was followers of Christ who, in the midst of persecution, would go to the dumps in the Roman Empire and rescue discarded babies from garbage heaps. It was followers of Christ in the midst of the Black Plague who risked their lives to care for the sick and dying. Throughout the history of the church, followers of Jesus Christ have walked right into the dark places of disease, war, famine, and incredible need and created hospitals, orphanages, and other care facilities. This is the way of Jesus. God is already at work in our communities. Covid-19 can be a God-given opportunity to attend to how God is calling us to join Him in His work in our little corner of the world.
We are confident that all our churches will be spending time praying for this global pandemic. If you find it helpful, the following is an example of a prayer that you may use and adapt.
Prayer for a Pandemic
May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips remember those that have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our county, let us choose love.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.
Amen.
Also pray . . .
– that we might have the courage to care for others
– that we would be diligent in taking precautions
– that we would turn to prayer to a greater degree
– that we would see this as an opportunity to show the love of Christ
– that we find very practical ways to help in our neighbours.
– for people suffering in Canada
– for families that have people who have become ill, or have experienced loss
– for health care workers who are on the front lines
– for the public sector – for protection and wisdom
– The countries of China, South Korea, Iran, Spain, Italy and the U.S.A who have been most affected
– Other countries who are in the developing world who may not have the resources
– for health care leaders worldwide to work with discernment in developing treatments
– global economic implications
– global relationships
– The World Health Organization to act wisely, not spark fear, but help bring containment
We may not know what is in store in the next few weeks and months, but we have a confidence that God is in charge and that He cares for what we are experiencing. Let us join together in prayer for one another and seek to bring encouragement and care to others in the midst of this crisis..