FIRST LIGHT

A NEWSLETTER OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
110 SYDENHAM STREET KINGSTON , ON K7L 3H5

(613) 548-7116
fbckgstn@kingston.net
November 2005

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Josh

So here we are, so far we have managed to survive each other for almost three months. To tell you the truth, I have found this whole experience fairly surreal. Had you asked me seven months ago whether I would have been in full time ministry in Kingston, Ontario, I probably would have been very confused by the question. You see the process that brought us together started a little over a year ago and for various reasons it took until June of this year for this to become a real possibility. But through this process the Lord has been good and had taught me many lessons in trusting Him.

This summer I was fortunate to be working at Fair Havens Bible Conference with a team of godly students who made it their business to pray about their boss’ future. These young men and women daily prayed for me and for this church through the three months that the search committee and I were looking for God’s direction. It was during my time at Fair Havens that I felt very strongly that the Lord was leading me to Kingston, and really I didn’t feel like I had much of a choice (look at what happened to Jonah).

So here we are. First Baptist Church and Joshua Mutter, joining forces because of the Lord’s leading. . .I don’t think that things could be any better than this. So as the “new guy” in town I would like to say a few things. First, thank you for your support and encouragement over the past few months, it has been timely and greatly appreciated. Secondly, allow me to encourage you, as my new church family, to keep the ministry of this church in your prayers. Through prayer God brought us together and it will be through faithful prayer that mountains will be moved. And lastly, as we move into the Christmas season, let us keep in focus God’s gift of His Son.

Until next time. . .Joshua Mutter

This has been an eventful month to say the least for the Smith family with the birth of our son, Berkeley Dwight Paul Smith. Family members who have seen him says that he is so quiet. . .just like his father. Thank you for all your thoughtfulness in so many varied ways!

If the name Martin is mentioned in a Christian context, immediately we think of heroic examples such as Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Senior, and Martin Luther King, Junior, the Nobel Peace Prize winner. However, there is an earlier Martin that the Christian church can thank God for as one of the great saints. His name was Martin of Tours. Martin died on November 11, 397 AD. He was born in either 335 or 336 BC. in Pannonia, in what is now Hungary. His father was a pagan soldier, and during his early years Martin lived in various parts of the Roman Empire - although the city of Pavia, in northern Italy, seems to have been his most frequent place of residence. He was very young when he decided to become a Christian against his parents’ wishes, and had his name included in the list of catechumens (those preparing for baptism). His father, in order to tear him apart from his Christian contacts, had him enrolled in the army. It was the time when Julian - later known as “the Apostate” - led his first military campaigns. Martin served under him for several years. During this period, an episode took place that has ever been associated with the name Martin.

Martin and his friends were entering the city of Amiens when an almost naked and shivering beggar asked them for alms. Martin had no money for him, but he took off his cape, cut it in two, and gave half to the beggar. According to the story, later in his dreams Martin saw Jesus coming to him, wrapped in half a soldier’s cape, and saying: “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” This episode became so well known, that ever since Martin is usually represented in the act of sharing his cape with the beggar. This is also the origin of the word “chapel” - for centuries later, in a small church, there was a piece of cloth reputed to be a portion of Martin’s cape. From that piece of cape - capella - the little church came to be called a “chapel,” and those who served in it, “chaplains.”

Shortly after the incident in Amiens, Martin was baptized at the age of 18. Just before a battle, Martin announced that his faith prohibited him from fighting. Charged with cowardice, he was jailed, and his superiors planned to put him in the front of the battle. However, the invaders sued for peace, the battle never occurred, and Martin was released from military service at Worms. He became the spiritual student of Saint Hilary at Poitiers. From 361 to 371 he became a hermit for ten years in the area now known as Liguge. A reputation for holiness attracted other monks, and they formed what would become the Benedictine Abbey of Liguge. He preached and evangelized throughout the Gallic countryside. Many locals held strongly to old beliefs, and tried to intimidate Martin by dressing as the old Roman gods, and appearing to him at night; Martin continued to win converts. He built churches throughout the land of Gaul which forms much of the land mass of present day France. In fact, more than anyone else, he was responsible for the evangelization of Gaul.

When the bishop of Tours died in 371, the populace wanted to elect Martin to that position. The story goes that some of the bishops present at the election opposed such an idea, arguing that Martin was usually dirty, dressed in rags, and disheveled, and that his election would damage the prestige of the office of bishop. No agreement had been reached when it was time to read the Bible, and the person assigned for that task was nowhere to be found. Then one of those present took the book and began reading where it fell open: “Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger” (Psalm 8:2). The crowd took this to be a direct message from heaven. Martin, the filthy and unseemly hermit whom the bishops scorned, had been chosen by God to silence the bishops. Without further ado, Martin was elected bishop of Tours.

But the new bishop was not ready to abandon his monastic ways. Next to the cathedral, he built a small cell where he devoted all his free time to the monastic life. When his fame was such that he could find no peace in that cell, he moved back to the outskirts of the city, and from there he would carry out his pastoral work. Perhaps more than anyone else, he popularized monasticism in Western Europe.

Martin’s deep devotion to God, concern for the poor, and passion for evangelism were infectious to those who knew him. As we consider a course of direction for 2006, let us consider the life of this marvelous Christian.

Peace – Kevin

FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO READ

. . .from Joshua

This summer one of the books that I read was Donald Miller’s Searching for God Knows What. Donald Miller is an author who writes about Christian spirituality based largely on his own spiritual journey. He writes in such a way that I felt as if I was on his journey with him. In this book, Miller writes about Christian spirituality not as safe formulaic religion, but as a Gospel that is full of intrigue, passion and romance; that the message of the Gospel defies the nice-neat boxes that we like to compartmentalize things in.

I found reading this book to be challenging and humorous. Miller writes with a literary elegance that can make the reader laugh out loud and within minutes sit in quiet contemplation. For this reason, this book now occupies a space on my bookshelf reserved for select volumes.

. . .from Kevin

I also read a book by Donald Miller this summer concurrently with Josh. It is the well-advertized Blue Like Jazz. This is a Christian apology of sorts by a relatively young man (33 years old). He writes very well in a humourous way. I heard he is willing to speak and is, in fact, coming to Ontario next year to speak at a few places. I enquired about his fee to see if he might be able to come to Kingston and was told it was $6,000. I decided not to humour him! Seriously, Miller is a very thoughtful writer and well worth the read. I am aware of several young adult groups that are now reading his material in a book club. As Joshua mentions above, he doesn’t write in a safe, formulaic format. Miller writes from his adopted home town of Portland, Oregon. He has come to love and appreciate that area of the world compared to his home town of Houston. He is part of a new and growing congregation in the inner city of Portland.

for kids (and grown-up kids)

This past summer, I spent some of my study time in North Carolina at a conference listening to Calvin Miller, no relation to Donald although he is old enough to be his father. Calvin has been a Baptist pastor and now teaches at Beeson Divinity School in Alabama. He has written numerous books. A couple of his books of poems for children are very appealing to Madeleine and would make great Christmas presents. The first is Apples, Snakes, and Bellyaches. The other is When the Aardvark Parked on the Ark. I’m not sure they are still in print. However, they are still available. They are available online from www.calvinmillerauthor.com and would make wonderful Christmas presents for children. Calvin inscribed the books he sent me.