Missions

Helping others is a vital part of who we are as a church community. First Baptist church strives to be involved in helping others in our city, region, country and around the world. Locally, we partner with Penticton Salvation Army Food Bank, Soupateria, God’s Kitchen Penticton and Okanagan Gleaners to help feed those in need. We are also connected with other organizations and churches to help with homelessness, disaster relief and emergency response.

 Okanagan Gleaners

The Gleaners exist to transform produce that might otherwise be wasted into nourishment for the millions of the world’s hungry. Produce from farms, orchards, grocery stores is secured, dried and mixed into large quantities. These large barrels of dried mix are sent around the world each year. First Baptist helps the Gleaners by volunteering on days of mixing, processing and gives financially to their needs. This is a great way to see how produce that otherwise might be wasted is helping those most vulnerable.

 

 Canadian Baptist Ministries

CBM was among the first mission organizations to devolve properties and leadership positions to the national church in India and Bolivia. This signified a dramatic change in the role of the organization and its international staff. This proved to be a groundbreaking practice that later opened the doors for CBM to establish other significant partnerships.

 The missiological (theology of mission) approach of CBM has earned the respect of many emerging church leaders in the developing world. This means that CBM Field Staff and partners contemplate evangelism & church planting, food assistance & community development and peace & justice ministries in an integrated manner rather than as independent initiatives. As an example, seminary instruction trains future pastors to engage in the work of food assistance & community development and field staff are prepared to witness to their faith and preach in local churches.
 
Currently First Baptist Church sponsors three families that work with CBM the Bill and Janice Dyck and the Waddell family. Please take a moment to read their stories below.

 Bill & Janice Dyck – Serving in Bolivia

 When they first joined CBM, the Dycks brought with them significant pastoral experience in churches ranging from a church plant to a multi-staff congregation.  Bill and Janice have been sensing a growing call to return overseas to continue working in their area of passion – leadership formation with pastors and lay leaders. CBM was excited and blessed when the Dycks inquired about possible areas of need where their gifts could be used, and it soon became obvious that it was on CBM’s Latin America team. Bill participated in a two-month short-term trip to Mexico in 1982, and has since believed that God may have a return trip to serve in Latin America somewhere in the plans.

CBM believes the timing was God-ordained for their next assignment, as our oldest partner, the Bolivian Baptist Union (UBB), continued to voice its desire to equip and mentor their leaders, especially in their understanding and practice of integral mission – sharing God’s love through word and deed.  As a seasoned couple with experience in a wide range of ministry contexts, the Dycks will be an excellent resource to the UBB.

Bill and Janice have an adult son, daughter and son-in-law who will remain in Canada cheering them on as they enter this new chapter in their ministry.

Waddell Family – Serving in the Philippines

Michael and Melanie are Global Field Staff with Canadian Baptist Ministries, appointed in August 2015 to serve in the Philippines.  Michael and Melanie, along with their four children, live in the capital city of Manila.

Michael and Melanie serve alongside CBM colleagues and partners in the area of Marketplace Ministry. The Waddells are assisting in the formation of Christian discipleship movements within the context of the marketplace throughout Southeast Asia.  The Waddells also work along side our Filipino partners who are working with the poor and marginalized in various facets of Integral Mission through capacity building that models humility, love, compassion and integrity.

Michael is currently completing his Master of Arts in Practical Theology at Acadia Divinity College. Melanie has a Master’s Degree in Counselling from Acadia University and has experience working in various counselling settings.

The Waddells spent 14 years in the business world, as well as 5 years serving as Directors of a Baptist owned Christian camp in New Brunswick, before sensing that God was leading them to something new.

Michael and Melanie were married in 2000 and have four growing children: Kyla, Sean, Carter and Allie.