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Welcome Rebecca!

Church family: Please welcome Rebecca van den Brink to our staff! Rebecca has been hired as our Director of Discipleship and Care Ministries. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the areas of discipleship and compassion ministries. She graduated from Regent College with a Master of Arts in Applied Theology and has a proven track record of establishing discipleship plans and discipling relationships in multiple churches in different countries. As noted in our Vision Night/AGM, we are preparing to transition out of this pandemic and our emphasis will be on authentic relationships that lead to missional living and growth as disciples of Jesus. Rebecca will play a key role in helping our church family embrace these Christ-centred relationships. If you want to know more about our discipleship plan and care ministries, please tune in to our fall sermon series called, HOME. Furthermore, if you would like to get to know Rebecca, please check out our podcast episode coming soon where we will interview Rebecca so that you can get to know her personally and to understand her professional experiences that led her to be the best person for this role at our church.

I am absolutely thrilled to work alongside Rebecca to serve our church family well. I trust God will bless our church through her. You can personally welcome Rebecca to our team by sending her an encouraging email. Rebecca also asks you to pray for her as she develops a discipleship plan that fits our church family best. She believes in the power of prayer, so she is asking the church family to pray for this discipleship plan to yield fruit for God's glory.

Meet Our SDBC Elders: Trevor Bakken

This week we hear from Trevor Bakken! Follow along as he outlines how long he has served as an elder and what originally prompted him to become an elder. We are blessed to have Trevor as an SDBC board member!

How long have you attended SDBC and how long have you served on the Board of Elders?
My wife, Michelle, and I, along with our three children, started attending SDBC in 2013. I grew up in Richmond, so before attending SDBC, we attended Richmond Pentecostal Church for close to 40 years. I am just starting the third year of my first term on the board.

What was it that prompted you to join the Board of Elders?
When I was approached by the nominating committee to serve on the elder board it was a great honour to even be considered. I have always thought it would be a great way to serve the church. After taking some time to pray, I felt God leading me to continue down the path of becoming an elder. This led to being affirmed by our membership.

What is your role on the board?
I am currently the vice-chair of the board. I also serve on the nominating committee, the board effectiveness committee, and the lead pastor assessment committee.

What does it mean for you, personally, to be part of the Board of Elders at SDBC?
It is an awesome privilege to serve on the SDBC elder board. I love working alongside our pastors and fellow board members to seek and carry out God's plan for our church.

How does being on the board both challenge and encourage you in your life and walk of faith?
I always look forward to our board meetings as we discuss the future of SDBC. I am always challenged and encouraged by the rest of board as we talk and pray for our church and each other. It's great to serve alongside such great people who love and serve the Lord above all else.

Please pray for Trevor as he continues to serve our church alongside his fellow board members. You can email him encouragement by clicking here.

AGM 2021 Update

On behalf of the Board of Elders at SDBC, I would like to thank everyone who was able to participate in our AGM this year. Due to the current restrictions on gatherings, our meeting took place through a livestream which certainly was not our preference, but I think it was still a meaningful time. I hope you were encouraged to hear about how we, as a board and staff, have been looking forward and planning for this time, coming out of a post-COVID period. There has been so much planning, changing of plans, and reworking of plans as the restrictions on gatherings have changed, but our focus on why has not. 

As a board and staff, we remain committed to share the love of Jesus with our community since we know that it is only Jesus that truly gives hope to all. I am also pleased that as a membership we have affirmed Dylan Kruger as an elder who will be joining our board. I have gotten to know Dylan and his wife, Katie, a little over the past couple of years and I think Dylan will make a great addition to our board.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank Dale Leschert who is coming off the board this year. Dale has served on the board faithfully for many years and has been a part of many significant changes at SDBC over those years. I have truly appreciated his knowledge, wisdom, and courage to speak and share his opinions when necessary. His love of Christ and his church is at the forefront of all that Dale does. He will be missed but I do hope that God grants him rest as he takes some time away from the responsibilities of being on the board and that God shows Dale where he is leading him for this next season. If you have an opportunity, please express your thanks to Dale. He has spent countless hours, faithfully and joyfully, serving God's church and his contribution will be a blessing to SDBC for many years to come.

Get Ready! was the theme of our AGM (click here to watch the Vision portion of the meeting). I trust that in preparation for the work that God has prepared for us, for his glory, we would get ready. Please continue to pray for the staff, the elders, and those whom God is already putting on your hearts to share the love of Jesus with.