Behind-the-Scenes Ministry Support
Many people may be unfamiliar with who an NCEM Minute-Man is, or unclear as to how they support ministry. Let this Northern Lights both inform you of the work Minute-Man supporters do, and also give you an opportunity to share in that work.
NCEM missionaries in flight to Dene communities in northern Manitoba on a ministry trip made possible by Minute-Man donations.
Here are a few of the many responses of gratitude resulting from Minute-Man contributions:
- “Thank you again for your support … will be instrumental for the repair of one of NCEM’s Cessna 206s.”
- “We have been so encouraged by the generosity of our Minute-Man donors! … these ministries will be much better prepared and equipped to reach kids and communities with the Gospel.”
- “Thank you again for your generous donations … to help upgrade our printshop equipment. I am pleased to report that the new-to-us digital press, which was installed at Northern Canada Mission Press … has been churning out many sheets, and its new features are helping to save valuable time for our small printshop team.”
- “Thank you so much for your response to Minute-Man Call #161 … your gifts are funding a Northwest Territories outreach trip in progress as this Call letter goes to press.”
- “Thank you so much for your donations to Call #166 to help support our camps and ministry centres. [It] will go towards buying some needed pieces of equipment (backup power generators, vehicles), and infrastructure (underground power and water).”
So Who is a Minute-Man?
NCEM Minute-Men are men and women (and in some cases boys & girls) who commit themselves to help the Mission financially as special needs arise. Project details come with each Minute-Man Call in the form of a letter and include some details on the previous Call and how that need was met. There are a maximum of three Minute-Man Calls each year. As people receive the Call letter, they give as God directs and enables.
God uses His people. Helping to supply crucial ministry needs, NCEM Minute-Men have contributed funds to many different projects over the years. These have included Bible camp buildings, printing and video equipment, airing time for the Tribal Trails television broadcast, aircraft, travelling costs for evangelistic teams and Mission field leaders, and more than can be mentioned here.
Bible camps have had strong Minute-Man support. May you be encouraged later in this issue as missionaries working in camps this summer (from the Pacific west coast to the Atlantic east) write about their experience. NCEM Minute-Men are a valuable help to all of NCEM and its ministries.
Our Latest Call
The following is an excerpt from our latest Minute-Man Call:
A mission ceases to exist without its missionary force. Missions are people reaching people with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are so blessed to have an expanding missionary family. At NCEM, we try to see all of our missionaries every year and walk with them as they do the work of the ministry. We also want to come alongside them and provide an ongoing ministry of encouragement. Ministry in many of our locations can be lonely, and without these lifelines, it can become discouraging.
Our Minute-Man Call (#171) will raise money for the Field Ministries Fund, member care initiatives, recruitment, and upgrading computers.
We are excited by the number of people who have joined NCEM recently, and we want to see this continue, so the portion going to recruitment is an important investment. This is also true of technology, and while it seems a never-ending task to upgrade computers, they have become an essential tool in much of the work our missionaries are doing.
Thank you for your faithful giving!
Our Latest News
The Outreach & Church Ministry Fund (OCMF) is accessed almost 100% by field missionaries for their ministry. It pays for the distribution of evangelism materials, Bibles and Bible study materials, and helps to fund special services in communities and outreach trips such as what Gilbert Bekkatla has been doing—visiting his own Dene people in communities across the North. NCEM missionary Conrad Flett also uses funds for his networking and support of First Nations pastors and leaders in various churches and communities.
Recently, Gilbert, Noah Wahlstrom and Nathan Willems returned from a trip to northern Manitoba. Nathan Willems writes about this experience, and we hope you are encouraged as you read about the ministry made possible through giving to our Minute-Man program.
Northern Manitoba Ministry Trip
In May of this year, I (Nathan Willems), was invited to join a ministry trip to northern Manitoba. Gilbert Bekkatla had received literature from Child Evangelism Fellowship (DVDs and David & Jonathan Mailbox Club lessons) and was planning a trip to three northern communities. The goal was to distribute the literature, visit and encourage the believers, and share Christ’s love with those we met.
My wife and I recently joined NCEM in order to use my aviation skills as a pilot/mechanic to serve alongside other missionaries and help bring the message of hope in Christ to isolated northern communities. This trip was a perfect opportunity for me to experience ministry in the North, so I eagerly joined Gilbert and pilot Noah Wahlstrom. We climbed aboard our Cessna 206 aircraft and made the 3½-hour flight northeast from Prince Albert over Canada’s northern wilderness. It didn’t take long to be convinced of the necessity of travelling in our mission aircraft as the winter road is only open for a few months, and the only other option is an expensive ticket on a commercial flight.
The day after arriving was a Sunday, so we arranged to hold a church service. We were able to use a church building that is only used for funerals. I was saddened to learn that there is no functioning church in this community, and the few believers do not meet regularly for fellowship and worship. It was a blessing to meet with them that Sunday, to sing and pray together, and to hear Gilbert deliver a sermon.
As we visited many homes, there was a common theme. Everyone had stories of the tragic loss of family and friends and the community was shaken by the very recent death of a young man. People also continued to express concern for the young people who are struggling and turning to substance abuse. I was deeply impacted by the weight of grief on this community and the need for the message of hope to be shared. We had the privilege of being hosted by the Chief, who expressed his sincere gratitude for our prayers for the people of his community.
I want to thank all those who have given to make this trip possible and I look forward to future opportunities like this to share the love of Christ.
(from Northern Lights issue #560)