What’s New?

“What’s New?” is a question we often ask our family members or friends when we are checking up on them and their activities whether they be encouraging, funny or even disheartening.  It shows that we care and are concerned about what has happened with them over the course of the past few days, months or even throughout the year of 2023 as it closes its final chapter. 

If you ask that question of our lead pastor at Hillside, Scott Lockhart, he will excitedly tell you he has gotten himself engaged to Chrissy Fliestra whom he somewhat knew from Bible School days.  They reconnected last June while she has been directing a children’s Christian camp up near Sault Ste Marie, ON for the past six years. She has also been a foster mother to 12-year-old Lieza for a year. Scott has begun to realize again that it is far better working in ministry as a couple rather than as a single guy.  And Chrissy fully understands what ministry is all about.  Gary and I are very happy for them.

Another question we can ask is “What’s new for your future?”  This could be referring to the next few days, months or the new year of 2024 which is now upon us.  Back to Scott and Chrissy, she has resigned as director at the camp and has been in the process of moving down south this week. They will be married on Saturday, January 20^th in Alliston, ON where her father is a pastor of a local church.  They have a lot of chaos happening in their lives so I’m sure they would really appreciate your prayer.  They haven’t found an apartment in Milton yet.  Chrissy has agreed to work for Youth for Christ which will focus on Milton but needs to raise her support for that challenging task.  She also must trade in her used car for one that is better on fuel consumption.  Lieza wants to come and live with them which will have to be approved this next year.  Whew!

Kainos International Ministries is our charity that we have operated since 2003.  “Kainos” is the Greek word for “new”.  We are very grateful to God that we have been able to use this ministry through the years to create new endeavours such as receipting for donations for the establishment of Hillside Church and for raising funds for our friend, Thomas in Myanmar to construct his orphanage building.  Don’t forget to check out our Myanmar orphanage at https://myanmarorphans.ca/photos along with Gary’s videos at https://youtube.com/@churchvitality.

I like the verse in Isaiah 43:19 where God is speaking with Isaiah and makes the promise, “See, I am doing a new thing!     Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness  and streams in the wasteland.”  During the first week of January, Scott arranged for a new location for our church to meet. Since then, we have been holding Sunday services in the party area in Swiss Chalet at 10:00 a.m. before the restaurant opens.  This has worked out wonderfully well Sunday by Sunday.  We look forward to 2024 to see what God has in mind for new things for us.  Thank you for praying.

Enjoy your New Year’s celebrations and may God direct your steps for His sake throughout 2024 with new activities.

Wendy   Wendy.carter@kainos.org

P.S.  Here’s a bonus for you.  Gary wrote this poem in 2007 which is called The Box.  Not bad for someone turning 79 today!! Hope you enjoy it.

In the box there is safety;
There are limits; there is rest.
It is there the definitions
Make most sense from the box next.

Most folks choose a box for safety.
It gives clarity, clock and pay.
It is easy to describe
To other boxers along the way.

Location, status, title –
Especially for a man –
The box answers many questions.
It’s secure; it defines the plan.

Without a box to stay in
Others shudder at your state.
They will bring you lists of boxes
You might choose to ease your plight.

‘Tis a kindly thought from boxers
Who never contemplate the price
They have paid and pay for boxing.
Paid, but undernourished, in a box all seems nice.

Some boxes foster freedom;
They are big; have lots of space.
The owners of the boxes
Smile and watch; never in your face.

Some boxes are for lazies.
They may be small with lots of pay.
Simply stay in dim lit corners
And collect cheques at end of day.

Box owners cannot get it.
They can’t know the worth, the light.
It’s not their box “Why chance it?”
Better leave the lid on tight.

But for some a box is cardboard.
Cardboard actions; cardboard thoughts.
Freedom lurks beyond the cardboard
Were undiscovered creativity knocks.

If you’re thinking about boxing
Consider carefully the cause.
Will it limit? Will it shape you?
Will it satisfy your God?

Maybe boxing’s not the answer.
Maybe cardboard’s lighter fare.
Maybe there is newness out there.
Maybe you were built for fresher air.

If you have a friend to cheer you,
If you can get beyond your bed,
And you need to try creating
Boxing will leave you numb or dead.

It’s not easy without an owner.
There are benefits cardboard brings.
Once you give up cardboard
The telephone seldom rings.

Outside the box – the pushing
All must start from within.
Your friends and partners help;
But alone you must begin.

It takes longer than expected.
Only He could take six days.
Others cannot understand you.
To them it all seems haze.

But if there is a burning,
If newness from the horizon calls
And no one else can hear it,
In time the sound just falls.

What if you ignore the music
That inside so clearly chimes?
Will anyone else ever hear it?
Will it go undiscovered in time?

If all just stay in boxes
The cardboard will soften and rot.
Someone has to do new
Or the world is in quite a spot.

There are but two main seasons
When one considers out-of-box state.
At the start it seems so scary;
At the middle it seems too late.

There’s no good time to try it.
Having pushed the lid up once,
Hearing wind and storm and whispering
You forget freedom to become.

If horizon’s sound is money
Forget that pot of gold.
Illusion’s never worth it
Single notes will soon grow old.

But if the call is bigger
Magnificent, rich and true
You’d better move past boxes
And go find the real you.

There are days, and plenty of them
When boxing looks just fine.
But you’ve got to stay the course
Passing boxes walking your fine line.

The price one pays for boxes
For some is far too high.
The lids are quite oppressive
If you were made to reach for sky.

Get advice from the non-boxers.
Only they can understand.
It is their’s to lend you courage
Pointing out paths to horizon’s land.

When years become feeble
Life is spent and most days gone
Will you look back to trails of boxes
Saying the road now looks all wrong?

Perhaps you have to chance it.
Perhaps the tug is too strong.
Perhaps you can’t resist –
You have resisted far too long.

What is the worst that can happen
If you take the risk and fail?
At least you will have a story
And others will learn from your tale.

Will you leave this world enhanced
If you fail to dig down deep?
If you along with others
Choose a box just down the street?

There is nothing wrong with boxes.
At the end of the day
Most will stay within them
That is really quite okay.

To box or not to box?
The decision must come from within.
You must survey the options
Choose a course and then begin.

This poem’s yet unfinished
It requires a final thought.
But we’ll leave it open ended
Write the ending; that’s your spot.