News & Notes for Praise & Prayer …
CANCELLED CAMP leads to COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The summer of 2025 it was wildfires that forced some of our Bible camp sessions to be cancelled. This past summer, in one location, it was a flood.
Steeprock Bay in Manitoba is an independently owned Bible camp where NCEMers Logan & Alicia Bueckert serve as directors. The Bueckerts reported how a State of Emergency due to risk of overland flooding on the neighboring Cree Nation necessitated their first week to be cancelled at the last minute. As it turned out, with Camp staff already in place, the situation presented great opportunity for Christian witness right in the community!
Camp kitchen staff prepared meals, delivering them to the First Nation’s local arena, where hungry flood workers gathered twice daily. Camp staff had opportunity to chat with sand baggers and machine operators, some of them former Steeprock Bay campers (these men even remembered a “camp cheer”!). Meals were followed by Bible teaching sessions for children and teens who had been invited and transported to the arena.
It was evident that the Lord was at work throughout the entire summer, says Logan. Camp resumed the following weeks, with neighbouring youngsters attending, along with campers from about five other Manitoba First Nations communities. Overall attendance was a bit lower than recent years, but every week there were campers who invited Christ into their lives. Spiritual growth was evident in teens who served all summer as “Waymakers” (leaders in training). A couple of them, for whom Steeprock is their spiritual home, were baptized.
Pray for God’s continued work in young lives. Interestingly, all this happened in a summer where Steeprock’s pre-printed t-shirts displayed Isaiah 43:2: “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you”!
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TRIBAL TRAILS VISITS THE HOLY LAND
In late January seven members of NCEM’s Tribal Trails media ministry were privileged to spend 10 days in Israel. So what in the world is a ministry to North American Indigenous people doing in the Holy Land, you may wonder?
The idea to visit Israel and do some recording for television and internet broadcast was not new. Several years ago one of our program hosts, Rita Anderson, shared her vision to have Indigenous Christians sharing from God’s Word, standing in the very places we read about in the Bible. For First Nations viewers, this could help the Bible come to life for them.
Conrad & Florence Flett were also part of the group. Conrad, our program host, says that he has always noticed special interest in the nation of Israel among his own First Nation people.
Tribal Trails programs recorded in Israel began television broadcasting this fall. Viewers can also watch the programs anytime by visiting www.tribaltrails.org
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80th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION GATHERING
With our workers spread coast-to-coast-to-coast across the world’s second largest country, it’s special when we can all be together every three years or so!
It was extra special as we gathered together in Edmonton in early September and celebrated NCEM’s 80th year. It was fitting that our keynote speaker was Bill McCaskell, National Director of One Hope Canada (formerly CSSM), as NCEM’s first workers in the 1940s served under CSSM.
Bible teacher Randy Jackson and his wife, Evangeline, (livingstone.band) shared through spoken word and music. Other First Nations ministry workers, including Gary Quequish and Florence Flett, told of the influence of early NCEM missionaries to their parents’ generation.
True fellowship has been defined as “working together for the cause of Christ” … and that is what we celebrated as we shared meals, partook in the Lord’s Supper, listened to the Word preached, and prayed together before returning to our work.
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With the Lord
Emeritus missionary Helen Pope passed away in Prince Albert (SK) on May 19 at age 95.
Helen (nee Dyck) joined NCEM in 1956 to serve in York Factory and Shamattawa (MB). She and Joe (d. 2016) were married in 1959 and served together at God’s Lake (MB), Cumberland House (SK), Maskwacis and Lac La Biche (AB).
Helen’s training in nursing and her fluency in Cree language enhanced their ministry. The Popes began developing Bible courses and traveling to northern areas to implement teaching among First Nations believers and church leaders, especially those who were not able to leave home to attend Bible school.
Joe & Helen initiated NCEM’s Bible Education by Extension (BEE) Department, as Helen continued writing and publishing study courses in Cree and easy-to-read English.
Retiring to Prince Albert, it wasn’t unusual for the Popes to have First Nations friends dropping in for Cree language advice, encouragement and prayer. Helen is survived by her three children and their families.
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Emeritus missionary Virgie Mueller passed away in Prince George (BC) on May 27 at age 88.
Following her nurses training and their marriage in 1959, Russ & Virgie joined NCEM in 1961. They served in field ministries in Wemindji (QC), Thicket Portage (MB), and Cumberland House (SK), before moving to serve at Key-Way-Tin Bible Institute at Lac La Biche (AB).
Virgie’s heart for the people, and her training as a nurse – especially in the more isolated communities – gave many opportunities to show and tell of Christ’s love.
Originally from Oklahoma, Virgie told in a factual yet personal way of her missionary experiences in her book “A Southern Belle Goes North” – of moving 2,000 miles north to serve the Lord, and how through the tears and the joy, God directed their steps and was always faithful.
You can read Virgie’s autobiography online by clicking here.
Virgie is survived by her husband, Russ, three children, and their families.
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Former missionaries with the Lord
Stella Shiel passed away on May 29 in Carman (MB) at age 93. Stella and her husband Les (d. 2015) served in Peru and pastorates in Ontario before joining NCEM to serve at Key-Way-Tin Bible Institute in 1981. The Shiels later served as associate missionaries in Alberta and Ontario from 1993 to 2008.
Lyle Anderson passed away June 14 in Swift Current (SK) at age 88. Joining NCEM in 1978, Lyle served in Bible camps, at Key-Way-Tin Bible Institute, and with Tribal Trails TV until 1986. He continued with pastoral ministry into his senior years, until a debilitating stroke in 2024. Lyle was husband to Rita, who serves with Tribal Trails.
Thomas Kutluk passed away in Winnipeg on August 4 at age 74. Thomas & Joy, originally from Arviat, Nunavut, joined us in 2009 to serve in Cumberland House (SK). Prior and during their service with NCEM, Thomas recorded music and messages for broadcast on Tribal Trails TV.