Winding Down Summer and Jumping into Fall - Bergen VM September 2021 Update

Summer is traditionally a slower time for pastoral ministry, and this summer was of no exception for our work with Lakes Community Church with much of our congregation

busy with haying and camping and fishing. That didn't mean that we were without many things to do and experience, as I took part in all three of those pastimes to varying degrees. Cristyn and I were able to take some time off to go down to see my family who live on Vancouver Island. The trips were very meaningful especially considering the fact that we hadn't seen my parents since our wedding, a year before, and I was able to celebrate with my mom as she graduated with a Masters in Counselling.

Some of the best times of ministry this summer were out at Ness Lake Bible Camp. Cristyn and I spent a wonderful week speaking at camp for a week and spending time with the kids. I was even pushed into the lake and got to help judge a twin dress-up competition. Most importantly several kids came to know Christ, which Cris and I had no clue of until some cabin leaders came and told us that some of their kids became believers.

We are promised in Isaiah 55:10-11

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, o that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

And as we spoke and told the kids the gospel, it felt as though we could have been just speaking into the void, there was no way for us to know what God was doing in their hearts, but God is not far from us. Even though there is no way for us to know what God had done in the hearts of the campers who heard us, the ones that he had chosen to hear heard and the ones who will hear later had a seed planted in God's good timing.

This summer I was also able to baptize 4 young adults from our church. This was an encouraging time for these young men and women to commit to serving Christ with their lives. I was worried in the middle of it that I had lost my wedding ring, but it was in my shirt pocket and not lost on the lake floor and so the happy day of baptism and joy in the salvation we have in Christ continued! Again in the lives of these kids, sitting in church as they grew older and older, eventually through the word of God were convicted to get baptized to show that they wanted to follow Jesus. God's word and the church that he has put here in Nukko Lake BC continues to do the work that God has set for it. Thank you so much for continuing to share in the work of the Gospel in this rural community with us and Village Missions.

God be with you.

Bradley Bergen.