The Salvation Army Spryfield Community Church and Family Resource Centre

General William Booth, Founder of The Salvation Army

So often Sunday sermons exhort listeners to pray and read the Bible as a means to grow in the faith.  This is advice that sounds very easy yet in practice is very difficult to live out.  When we think of the giants of the faith, we often imagine them to have a very intense spiritual regimen.

“Spend 4 hours in prayer a day; then read two books of the Bible in both Hebrew and Greek. Then when this is done, stand on your head for three hours and reflect upon your sin.”  This is often the spiritual lives we imagine for our heroic saints.

The first instance of a daily spiritual regimen was written by Benedict of Nursia (480-547).  The Rule of St. Benedict outlined Benedict’s daily spiritual routine; this routine became the set of laws that would bind his monastic community together (the Benedictines).  Based on Benedict’s Rule, many spiritual leaders have adopted their own spiritual disciplines, exhorting their followers to copy their example.  Found in the various anthologies of Army writing is the Rule of William Booth (Booth’s Daily Spiritual Regimen), reprinted here:

Booth’s 6 Resolutions

1. That I will rise every morning sufficiently early to wash, dress and have a few minutes, not less than 5, in private prayer.

2. That I will, as much as possible, avoid all that babbling and idle talk, in which I have lately so sinfully indulged.

3. That I will endeavor in my conduct and deportment before the world and my fellow servants especially to conduct myself as a humble, meek, and zealous follower of Christ, and by serious conservation and waning endeavor to lead them to think of their immortal souls.

4. That I will read no less than 4 chapters in god’s word every day.

5. That I will strive to live closer to God, and to seek after holiness of heart and leave providential events with God.

6. That I will read over this everyday or at least twice a week.

Wow! It sounds really….reasonable, doesn’t it? I was surprised that a man as zealous, and (in many ways) extreme as Booth, lived by a Rule that was so ordinary and doable. This confirms the truth that God can accomplish great things in human beings who put forth even a modest effort to be in sync with God’s will.  I think we’d do well to adopt Booth’s spiritual regimen as our own (particularly if we’re not following one now).

What’s your spiritual regimen? Is it working for you? Are you walking in victory with the Lord?  Or are you limping through life? If so, might I suggest that you bolster your Christian walk with these spiritual disciplines?  It’s work – yes, but what have you got to lose?

by Lawrence (Larry) Sinclair

As I begin this section of my writing, the Christmas Season is well over, and so is my treatments for now. I must now begin the waiting game with my doctors. In not knowing whether the treatment worked or not, that is the hardest thing for me to deal with, because of the uncertainty I mentioned earlier in my writings.

My faith and determination must kick in even stronger now, but I know it can, I know my Lord and Saviour is going to see me through this ordeal, as He has done so far. I can remember my mother, my friends and other family members who put their trust in the Lord and relied on His strength to bring them through difficult situations and He did. I have so many examples to follow in my years here on earth, but the best example above all, is His Word and my interpretation of what is meant through His love for me and my trust in Him.

Although I have many reasons to question my Lord, as many of you do, I will not allow my faith to falter. I am looking forward to life’s challenges in 2010, as 2009 proved to be a bang up year for me , not with just finding out about my cancer, but also the death of my two wonderful companions (dogs): my 16 year old shih-tsu in October, and the loss of my 18 year old lhasa-apso on her birthday in early December. Then in mid December, I got word of my older brother in N.B. passing into the arms of Jesus, due to cancer, while his twin, (my other brother) also has cancer. In early January of 2009, I had to have surgery on both my hands from carpal tunnel, so I never really got back to work all that long before I found out about my own cancer. With my health issues comes financial issues as well and more uncertainty. Needless to say, I’ve had my share of challenges in 2009, but having faith in my Lord and the scriptures has made most of this all bearable.

After a brief hiatus, I’ve come back to my writing, as you all must have noticed, for which I apologize for, but with time and my actual word-flow I had difficulty staying on the project.

When I stop to realize the love of family and friends I can’t help but draw strength from them and know that I am not alone in this thing. I’m such a wealthy man when it comes to friends, coworkers, and neighbours who have been offering their love and support; they have given me so much hope and encouragement to carry on in faith. Now i’m going to pass on a few more thoughts and excerpts, and I hope it offers some of you out there the same comfort as it does me.

1. Controlling other peoples lives;

Is not a godly leaders’ trait;

But serving other people’s needs;

Is what the Lord considers great.

2. “Growing old is a blessing when you’re growing closer to God.”

3. My life will touch a dozen lives;

Before this day is done;

Leave countless marks for good or ill;

Before the setting sun.

4. PRAYER:

Lord, shape my life as only You can;

Guiding each day by Your loving plan;

Take what You need and give what You will;

My life is Yours to use and to fill.

5. Under His wings I am safely abiding;

Though the night deepens and tempests are wild;

Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me;

He has redeemed me and I am His child.

“Those who let God provide will always be satisfied.”

James 4:14 – You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

6. Redeem the time- God only knows;

How soon our little life may close;

As every passing moment flows-

Redeem the time.

7. Plan as though you’ll be living for a century; love as though you’ll be leaving today.

8. Keep your eyes on Jesus and you’ll soon lose sight of your fears.

9. PRAYER:

Oh! that my life may useful be;

As I serve Jesus faithfully;

And may His love be seen in me;

This is my earnest prayer.

10. Although our outward shell decays;

We still can be renewed each day;

Commitment to God’s word and prayer;

Give strength that will not fade away.

11. I never walk alone; Christ walks beside me;

He is the dearest Friend I’ve ever known;

With such a Friend to comfort and guide me;

I never, no, I never walk alone.

12. An honest talk with God is the first step in finding peace of mind.

13. When our problems overwhelm us;

God wants us to look at Him;

He provides the right solutions;

Lighting paths that once were dim.

14. I have been through the valley of weeping;

The valley of sorrow and pain;

But the God of all comfort was with me;

At hand to uphold and sustain.

15. PRAYER:

Father, help me to live today;

With thoughtfulness in what I say;

Confronting wrong with truth and fact;

Expressing gentleness and tact.

In closing this section, I leave you with a few words of prayer that have touched my heart and make me feel better when I repeat them.

“Lord, help me rise up to the challenge You have set before me. Help me to become all that You have created me to be. And help me remember that You are my source in every situation–everything I could possibly need to walk in Your perfect will; for my life has already been provided. I rejoice in that, and I promise You that I will never take it for granted.”

“Thank you, Lord, that in Your immeasurable kindness, You called me to life—a life that is full and beautiful because You have revealed Your glory and goodness through Christ. Amen!”

“We the People” is a new feature on spryfieldarmy.ca that introduces the soldiers and adherents (members) of Spryfield Community Church.  In our first segment we’re going to introduce to you Richard Bernard.  Richard is a well known figure around the town of Spryfield and around the Salvation Army Maritime Division.  Many people know Richard, but few know his story.  I think you’ll find after reading his testimony that Richard embodies true servanthood and that his life is a compelling testimony of God’s love, grace, and compassion poured out for us all.  I’m pleased to introduce to you, one of my finest soldiers, Mr. Richard Bernard…

“Before people really get to know me they think I am, as the old saying goes, ‘out to lunch’.  For sometimes I do and say some crazy things, but when I think of my early life and how rough it was and how good it is now, I can’t help but be happy for now I see that God in His love and mercy was always watching over me, protecting me, and keeping me from all harm even though I was not always walking the path he had laid out for me.  Sometimes it is good for us to think of our past so we can see God’s goodness to us even when we were not so good to him.

I was born in the south end of Halifax on a street called Waverley Terrace.  The houses on that street were all old, run-down homes.  In the winter, the first thing my Dad did when he got up in the morning was to unthaw the frozen pipes.  I can remember Mom hollering at me for drawing pictures on the inside window which was covered with frost.  It was some cold in that house!  I told my mother that when I grow up I would buy  her a home and we would move out of the slums.  At the time, I was two years old: I wonder if she believed me or not.

At age 16, my father said I was only wasting my time in school: I was in grade six.  I got a job and saved all my money.  At the age of 18 I bought my mother a new home in Spryfield.  She loved her new home.  I was glad I made her happy.  She lived only four years in that house and at the age of 55 she died of breast cancer.  When a mother leaves a home the place is not the same anymore.

Me and a friend of mine started meeting every Saturday.  We would drink beer and smoke marijuana; then we would go for a drive in his car, the radio blasting, speeding through the streets of Halifax.  We were lucky we were not killed or did not kill some innocent person.  The nights were long with nothing to do, so I decided to join the YMCA.  I was a weight lifter.  I trained three hours, three times a week.  But then I met some old school friends and they suggested we all train together.  So instead of training three days we started training 6 days a week.  After awhile, we started to go to the Lord Nelson Tavern.  So here we were, training 3 hours, lifting weights, drinking beer, and smoking marijuana.  At the time, I loved it!  After four years of living this lifestyle however, I knew something was missing.

When I went to church I was not told about the important act of reading the Bible or saying morning and evening prayers – so I did not do them.  Instead, I went through the motions, thinking everything was okay.  When I was thirty, I ran into many personal problems.  When you don’t know God you try to fix your life yourself, and that never works – things get worse!  My nerves were shot.  I remember crying a lot.  Life had no meaning anymore.  On two separate occasions I contemplated suicide.  I don’t know what stopped me; I guess it was the hand of God.

One day I went into a church and cried out to God, ‘I can’t take it anymore.  I need your help!  Please help me!  Show me in the Bible that your heard me.’  I opened the Bible and my eyes focused on the followng words: ‘I have heard what you said.’  After awhile I joined The Salvation Army.  Now I know how important prayer is and through reading the Bible, I am more aware of how much God loved me.  Now I have peace in my life, knowing he is in control.  We must never take our eyes off God.”

An amazing testimony, from an amazing guy. Richard in his professional life coached many boxers, some of whom have gone on to win many honours and awards.  Richard also worked for many years as a groundskeeper in Point Pleasant Park.  In his retirement years, Richard is heavily involved in many of the ministries here at our church and is our official greeter.  So come on by some Sunday morning, and you’ll meet Richard – one of our many soldiers who embodies service, love, and a passion for the Gospel.

Written by Lawrence (Larry) Sinclair

This section is slightly different than the previous ones, as this time I’m going to express how my faith is protecting me from the bad things that cancer brings. You all know the horror stories of treatment making patients violently ill and nausious and not able to cope with their ill feelings. Well, I’d like to set your minds at ease. With the new drugs they have out, there has been no nausea, vomiting, dizziness, weakness, or extreme pain. None of the like. My journey has been fairly easy and acceptable, so far. The only things I’ve been going through is basically the anxiety, uncertainty, and of course being extremely tired all of the time. But for that amount of discomfort, I’ve been lucky and of course my faith has, I think, protected me from feeling too ill. The horror stories that other people have gone through are not necessarily true to all, anymore, because I’ve been spared all that. If the rest of my cancer journey goes the way it has so far, then I can handle anything that comes my way.

There are so many things that I want to pass on to you all, but it all boils down to my faith, hopes and prayers. I know that I have a long way to go and many uncertainties to encounter, but my journey is never alone and I can conquer anything coming my way, as can any of you out there; Just believe and you will see. As an added feature to this article, I invite anyone to contact me, or even comment on this website, I will answer to be sure.

1. PRAYER: Lord and Savoir, Christ divine;

Reign within this heart of mine;

May my witness ever be;

Always, only Lord for Thee.

2. God speaks to those who take the time to listen and He listens to those who take the time to pray.

3. Our greatest strength is often shown in our ability stand still and trust God.

4. PRAYER :My heart is filled, dear Lord, with love;

So let it show in words and deeds;

And help me share, in all my ways;

The overflow of others needs.

5. Just live your life before your Lord; It matters not what others do; Your actions will be weighed by Him; Who metes out judgement just and true.

6. PRAYER :When through life’s darkened maze I go;

And troubles overwhelm my soul;

Oh, grant me Lord the faith to know;

That You are always in control.

7. Though tragedy, heartache and sorrow abound; And many a hardship in life will be found; Just put all your trust in the Saviour of Light; For He can bring hope in the darkest of night;

8. Lord, give me courage to rise above fear; Even of danger because You are near;. I would be faithful to face any foe; While I am walking with You here below;

9. Sometimes our plan does not unfold; The way we thought it would; But God is always in control;To use it for our good;

10. When rough the path from day to day; When sorrows fill our eyes with tears; Our choice to find our hope in Christ; Can lift our soul and calm our fears;

I truly hope that I can be of some use to some of you fellow Christians out there. My musings and thoughts have ulterior motives, and that is to console me in my troubled times, but also to be of assistance to anyone going through what I am, and that means YOU! I fully intend , with the help of Christ, to conquer this disease and fulfill my life’s goals, which are nowhere’s near completed, because there is too much unfinished business and doing the right things in store for me yet.

My aims and ramblings are genuine for a person in the autumn of my life. In the autumn of life, I felt a quiet peace that I never noticed in my youth, and my colorful bloom deepned in hue. I suspect the snow will come one day, in the “winter of my soul”, and the wind will carry my blossoms to another shore. But I will discover the lilting song of a bluebird and yellow daffodils, for You will be there to take my hand, and lead me to the warmth of Your eternal spring.

***Larry Sinclair is a member of our congregation here at Spryfield Community Church and is a tireless advocate for our Canadian Forces Veterans.***

Written by Lawrence (Larry) Sinclair

Being into my third week of treatments, I’m undergoing many ups and downs, and having unusual mixed feelings. On Monday, I was told by a receptionist, that my chemotherapy had been cancelled due to low blood counts. The freaky thing was that the message was delivered by a non-medical professional, and left me feeling in a total panic, from not knowing the true reasons or circumstances. Needless to say, I needed to talk to someone who could give me the proper answers, but this nonetheless had knocked the wind out of my sails. Being unprepared, it seemed as though my energy levels went straight to the ground. From this point on, I had no energy whatsoever, and became so irritable, that my whole moods and attitudes changed and made for an unpleasant day for myself and those around me. The best thing in the world for me when I get in these moods, is to remember my faith in the Lord, and ask Him to deliver me from such anxiety. Although, I find that I need to work at these things myself, my dependence on faith always see me through. The rest of my week continued on a fine level, except I needed to rest many more times than before, but my outlook continued to stay on the basis of my great faith.

One of the big things I notice when going for my daily treatments, is the waiting area for these treatments is always so busy with different types of patients of all ages and walks of life. No one is immune to this disease. Each has their own look of pain and uncertainty, and how they are dealing with their treatment. I look around and wonder if they have “or” know the kind of faith I have, and if maybe I should share some of this awesome comfort that I have. Hopefully, my writing these passages, will get out there to some and help them in some kind of way, then my aims will be met.

If I can just influence one person in how they deal with their cancer, then this is worth it all.

1. Trust in God and you will know; He can vanquish any foe; Simply trust Him day by day; He will be your strength and stay. 2. Live so that others will want to know Jesus. 3. I must go home by the way of the Cross; There’s no other way but this; I shall ne’er get sight of the Gates of light; If the way of the Cross I miss. 4. Compassion is love in action. 5. PERSONAL PRAYER —- Lord, when I learn that someone is hurting; Help me to know what to do or say; Speak to my heart and give me compassion; Let Your great love flow through me today. 6. Neither can we turn back the clock and undo the wrongs we have done to ourselves and to others; God will not redo the past, but when we repent, He can and will forgive us, and set us on a new path. 7. PERSONAL PRAYER — Lord! Why does it seem that when I try to do good, my good intentions get messed up in misunderstood motives, harsh words, and hard feelings? How can a person like me, with mere human strength, be successful in everything I try to do? It seems impossible, but Your word says that I can do it if I “hold fast” to You and follow Your commandments.

“Holding fast” is not so easy in todays chaotic world. It seems like every day every thing I know changes. I would slip if not for the truth You have revealed to me —– that Jesus died for my sins, You resurrected Him from death, and He lives and walks with me today. You are my Savior and the Savior of the world; and to that truth I can “hold fast”. Thank you, Lord, for all You have done for me, and for helping me succeed in this world with all it’s twists and turns. Give me the courage to do my best and trust You to do the rest. Amen!

8. Whenever darkness grips your soul; And you are tempted to despair; Remember Christ’s unfolding love; And trust His faithful tender care. 9. Though you cannot see the outcome; Trust the Lord; He knows what’s best; Be assured, He sees your trials; And He’s with you in your test. 10. You’ll go forth a little stronger; With a fresh supply of grace; If each day you meet the Savior; In a secret quiet place. In conclusion to this section, I shall leave these few thoughts. When your course is righteous, your courage will be reinforced. Courage is not the absense of fear. Courage is perservering in spite of the fear. Courage doesn’t mean being oblivious to danger. People who wait for all the courage they need before they act, will never act. But those who take the first little step in the process of courageous activity will be given greater strength by God. The challenges of life will not get much bigger. But building your faith in God can grow you into a giant, able to be courageous in any crisis. We build our faith by doing the things that seem hard to us at the time, so that we can gain strength to do the really hard things that come to us in the future.

by Larry Sinclair

I am in the latter part of my second week of chemo/radiation treatment. I’ve had my sick moments and my strong moments, but I think through them all, I never lost my focus or my faith in Christ. The power of prayer and a close relationship with the Lord on a daily basis, talking as if He were there beside me, or as if He were my invisible friend. People probably think I’m “nuts”, but we know the difference. 

When I find my mind wandering, or dwelling on my situation, I immediately get into a conversation with the Lord, and He has a way of talking me through this, and getting me onto more pleasant things. My two sisters keep close tabs on me, while my two brothers also have cancer. Anyway, one of my sisters,who lives in Burtts Corner, N.B., always talks to me about the role the Lord is playing in my life and in my recovery. I have a very researching attitude towards things in life and this has helped me greatly in my journey with my Lord and gives me the opportunity to write things down that mean so much to me. The following are some quotes, which I can relate to , and I hope that you can enjoy them also and get some meaning and value from them.

1. Lord, grant me a heart of compassion; So burdened for others needs; That I will show them your kindness; In attitude, words and deeds.

2. We can do whatever God wants us to do;if we depend on His power to do it.

3. Personal Prayer — Lord, the newness of the day; Calls me to an untried way; Let me gladly take the road; Give me strength to bear my load.

4. To live is Christ; to die is gain.

5. Colossians; Chapter 2, is a very important passage for fullness of life in Christ, for personal prayer and also, with regards to outside influence and how basically to cope.

6. When you do something for someone, do it in private, and be humble, for the Father sees and knows what you do , and you shall be rewarded accordingly. Matthew 6:4

7. Personal Prayer—Open my eyes Lord to the people around me; Help me see them as You do above; Give me the wisdom and strength to take action; So others may see the depth of Your love.

8. If you believe that Jesus lives, you don’t need to fear death.

9. Gentle words are more powerful than angry words.

10. My Personal Prayer: “Lord, grant me grace throughout this day; To walk the straight and narrow way; To do whatever in Thy sight; Is good and perfect, just and right.”

As for a suitable ending to this part, I would just note, I believe that Faith and Prayer is what will see me through at all cost.

Lieutenant Rob Jeffery and Captain Sean Wilson, November 11, 2009

I was happy to spend this past Remembrance Day (Nov 11) with my best friend Sean Wilson.  I first met Sean likely at some Salvation Army youth event; we worked at camp together for two summers and we’ve been friends ever since. In 2002 we joined the Canadian Forces together, went through two summers of basic training and one summer of phase II army training . But it was there that our paths went separate ways.

Sean continued to serve in the Armed Forces eventually becoming a fully qualified infantry officer. It’s amazing to think that someone as young as Sean has been entrusted with such a responsibility: as an infantry officer in the Royal Canadian Regiment, Sean commanded a platoon of infanteers, leading them onto the battlefields of Afghanistan. At 28 years of age, Sean has already completed two Afghan tours (and although he’d never say this) is one of the Canadian Forces rising stars. But that is only one side of Sean.

Sean is married to a wonderful woman named Jane Anne and is the proud father of a beautiful little girl named Logan. Sean is an avid reader and a very deep thinker. I know him to be a person that excels at everything he does. But even more importantly, Sean is a man of faith. Our Canadian Forces need men and women of faith to be lights in dark places – people that bring with them Christ’s compassion and justice to the battlefields of this earth. In this post remembrance season, let us pray for all of our Salvationist and Christian “soldiers”.

Rob and Sean (far right) on the day of Lieut. Rob's wedding, August 2003