Dear Friends,
Walking into his woodworking shop, smells linger in the air – fresh sawdust, shellac, paint and glue. The carver turns wood into works of art in his unique native style, each decorated with various clan symbols. “Here, this is for you,” he says, as he gives me the small hand-carved pine canoe with a red and black raven design painted on the side, which he has just finished.
Memories flood back to me as I look at that canoe, memories of hours I spent last summer in the carver’s woodworking shop as he shared stories about growing up in his Native village of Klemtu, British Columbia, Canada - stories about fishing, the cannery, the weather, playing guitar, etc. He would spin one story after another, completely mesmerizing me as I pictured in my mind each scene he described.
I also remember a story from long ago and far away. A small boat makes its way in the dark across an inland sea. The men in the boat strain against the oars, the sail and the ropes. The wind whips the waves and one big wall of water after another smashes down on the small craft. Several of the men desperately bail bucket after pitiful bucket in a frantic attempt to keep afloat. After several agonizing hours, each passing moment feels more and more hopeless. “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” they cry out to their sleeping Passenger. Jesus replies, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” He rises, rebukes the wind and waves, and the sea becomes completely calm.
Linda and I were accepted as Appointees with NAIM in March 2009. Since that time we have been on an odyssey across eastern New York State. We share our call to full-time missions and our experience in Klemtu last summer. The people we meet encourage us to continue on this path as we seek to raise our monthly support. Sometimes the task before us seems overwhelming. “It’s staggering , we can’t do it!” Then I think of the carver’s boat and I’m reminded - Jesus is in our boat, it’s going to be OK.
We are hoping to share our vision on more Sundays in November, as well as through December and into 2010. Additionally, we would love to share at mid-week services, Family Nights, home groups, or with individuals or couples. If you know of any mid-week gatherings (or even just yourself), that would like to hear about our call to missions, please e-mail us at shultis@naim.ca or phone us at 518-678-3375. We would love to have you partner with us.
We are so glad Jesus Christ is able to calm the storm in us and steer us safely to the other side.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”
Thursday, July 1, 2010
April 2010 Newsletter
April, 2010
Dear Friends,
At the sound of the sticks’ slow rhythmic beating on the long cedar log drum, all heads turn to that end of the Big House. The drummers chant to the drumming. Soon children move onto the packed beach sand floor, shuffling in a circle around the smoky open pit fire that is in the center of the floor of the Big House, the cultural heart of the Native village of Klemtu, British Columbia, Canada. Dressed in red and black vests, and in two long lines, the young dancers dip short canoe paddles up and down, as if paddling a canoe into the village. This “Welcome Dance” begins the potlatch. Other dances and songs follow, with each dance moving in a circle around the fire in the center of the Big House.
Native people look at life in a circular way. In my Anglo-North American culture we also talk about circles. We say “life is a circle” or “I was running around in circles,” or “coming full circle.” I look at my walk as a Christian and I see circles. Jesus Christ’s circle included the twelve disciples. Later the disciples included others in each of their circles. Those circles touched other circles again and again until eventually someone shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with us. We, in turn, were in Klemtu to include people in our circle, but we also found that we were being included in their circle as well.
Suddenly the hostess of the potlatch invites us to share a song, a song we learned during our stay in Klemtu. We sing “There Is Power in the Blood” in English and Heiltsuk, one of the Native languages of the village. We are honored to be included in their circle.
As we continue to visit churches, home groups and individuals to share our calling to Native ministry, we become part of yet another circle, the circle of Christians who are coming alongside us to financially support and encourage us. To those who are supporting us we say thank you.
We are in the process of raising our monthly financial support base so that we can go into the mission field full-time with NAIM. We would like to invite you to become part of our circle of support through NAIM if you haven’t yet done so. If you know of any churches, home groups, mid-week gatherings (or even just yourself), that would like to hear about our call to Native missions, please e-mail us at shultis@naim.ca or phone us at 518-678-3375. We would love to have you partner with us.
"“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..."
Dear Friends,
At the sound of the sticks’ slow rhythmic beating on the long cedar log drum, all heads turn to that end of the Big House. The drummers chant to the drumming. Soon children move onto the packed beach sand floor, shuffling in a circle around the smoky open pit fire that is in the center of the floor of the Big House, the cultural heart of the Native village of Klemtu, British Columbia, Canada. Dressed in red and black vests, and in two long lines, the young dancers dip short canoe paddles up and down, as if paddling a canoe into the village. This “Welcome Dance” begins the potlatch. Other dances and songs follow, with each dance moving in a circle around the fire in the center of the Big House.
Native people look at life in a circular way. In my Anglo-North American culture we also talk about circles. We say “life is a circle” or “I was running around in circles,” or “coming full circle.” I look at my walk as a Christian and I see circles. Jesus Christ’s circle included the twelve disciples. Later the disciples included others in each of their circles. Those circles touched other circles again and again until eventually someone shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with us. We, in turn, were in Klemtu to include people in our circle, but we also found that we were being included in their circle as well.
Suddenly the hostess of the potlatch invites us to share a song, a song we learned during our stay in Klemtu. We sing “There Is Power in the Blood” in English and Heiltsuk, one of the Native languages of the village. We are honored to be included in their circle.
As we continue to visit churches, home groups and individuals to share our calling to Native ministry, we become part of yet another circle, the circle of Christians who are coming alongside us to financially support and encourage us. To those who are supporting us we say thank you.
We are in the process of raising our monthly financial support base so that we can go into the mission field full-time with NAIM. We would like to invite you to become part of our circle of support through NAIM if you haven’t yet done so. If you know of any churches, home groups, mid-week gatherings (or even just yourself), that would like to hear about our call to Native missions, please e-mail us at shultis@naim.ca or phone us at 518-678-3375. We would love to have you partner with us.
"“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..."
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