April 2017 Saugeen Reserve
Blessings to you, our faithful team of Jesus followers!
It has been a little while since we have shared with you about what is going on here in the ministry on the
Saugeen reserve. Thank you for your faithful financial and prayer support. We are a team of Jesus
followers who lay down our lives to see His kingdom come in peoples’ lives. Thank you for your heart to
partner with us to see Native people receive Jesus and to be set free.
Lately, I have been thinking through the following. Have you ever sat back and wondered what is becoming
of the church in these days? Are we really making a difference in the world? Why don’t we see a greater
change or revival and people set free? God has given us every tool that we need to be the brightest light in
the world that we can be. When He died on the cross Jesus said, “It is finished.” This means that
everything that was required to bring us Salvation was finished. Salvation of our souls, fear, our emotions,
mentally, physically, every area it was a complete work of Salvation.
The issue lies with us really believing what Jesus said is true. We can believe Him in our head but not in
our actions. When Jesus told His disciples “greater things you will do in My name”, He meant it. But most
times we don’t believe it. We need to realign our hearts to His heart, and realign our lives to His. For some
reason we have chosen to live the life we want to live and then come to church on Sunday. This is why we
don’t see change, and why we don’t see the Kingdom of God advancing as we should. Nor the victory and
freedom that comes with yielding our lives over to him.
May we, as we see the day of His return approaching, give all of our life to him that we may see a great
revival sweep the reserves and our whole country. Let’s get prepared for the next great awakening. Jesus
said in Mathew 16:24-26 that for people to truly follow Him is to deny yourself and pick up your cross and
follow Him. Follow means follow, our focus is forward on Him.
The ministry to First Nations people here on the Saugeen reserve requires us to follow Jesus and keep our
focus on Him. Jesus always said, “I say and do what the Father tells me to say and do.” And so we do the
same. It is difficult at times, but we endeavor to emulate Christ and keep Him in our focus at all times.
Here are a few pictures of the church and the people we are in ministry with here.
The ministry is going very well as we have
merged with the Full Gospel Church here on
Saugeen Reserve.
Stan is sitting with the pastor and his wife,
and other workers.
We have a great relationship with the folks at the church as we lead the fellowship together.
What a beautiful expression of unity and reconciliation.
In our Easter outreach we saw three youth come to the Lord, and are in the process of discipling them.
In our Kids Church ministry this past Tuesday night we saw at least 15 children receive Christ. Our job now
is to nurture their faith and pray and rely on the Holy Spirit to keep these tender ones from the wolves so to
speak.
We are still in transition phase in the merge with the church. We are encouraged in what God is doing.
Sally and I have a passion to reach the community with Christ’s message of hope, and we feel our role is to
help support this native pastor and his wife in helping to develop various outreach ministries. Please pray
for the unity of this new church merger. The devil hates unity and will try anything to disrupt it.
We are seeking the Lord for final details to begin another Alpha course this fall, and run a Freedom
Session after Christmas during the winter months to help people, within the church and outside of the
church, who struggle with various types of dis-functions in their life.
For those of you who don’t know, Stan’s dad had bladder surgery two weeks ago. He had a few tumors that
were cancerous, and is seeking treatment at this time. They could not get the entire tumor, and it is
cancer. So please pray for his salvation. This is the priority for me as his son. I did explain the way of
salvation to him, but he did not want to go further at this time. In my spirit I feel he will come in, so please
pray for him.
Please pray for our Kids Church ministry, as we will shortly be bringing it to a close for this year. This year
has been the hardest to have a consistent ministry to the children in the 16 years we have worked with
children due to lack of volunteers, sickness, family concerns, bus problems etc. But as we bring it to a
close for this year, we are really encouraged in it, and seek to find all the people we need for the fall.
For us, Kids Church is not just a cute kids time together. We seek to have deep ministry with them. We also
reach many families on the reserve that no one else reaches. Stan visits the homes, and talks to people
that helps represent Christ Kingdom face to face. We connect with the families once a month when we
have our Kids Church family dinners that reinforce relationships and trust.
Our family is doing pretty well. We just celebrated our grandson’s first birthday. For you who don’t know,
our grandson was diagnosed with a very terminal illness before he was born. But praise the Lord he was
born normal and is doing well. He is a little small, but he will catch up. We really praise Jesus for his
healing. He is a miracle baby for sure!
In our family and ministry we feel we are on the brink of something breaking out. As we seek the King of
kings and Lord of lords may we adjust our lives that more closely represents Him. Because truly it is all
about Him. May we serve and follow Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.
For the churches who receive this letter, we would ask that you put it in your
Mission’s committee’s hands so they may direct it to the congregation.
If your church would like us to come and share about the ministry on Saugeen we would love to come.
If your church would like to visit and tour the reserve, e-mail us or call and we will set this up.
We are attempting to send out our newsletters electronically. We understand that not everyone has e -mail
access. Please contact us if you would like to be on our e-mail list.
Claiming this generation together for the Lord,
Stan & Sally Bragg
EMCC World Partners Workers serving on the Saugeen First Nation Reserve #29
RR # 2 Allenford, ON N0H 1A0 (519) 797-3668 / email [email protected]