June 8-10, 2023
Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale
Address: 6750 Mississauga Rd, Mississauga, ON L5N 2L3
CBOQ is a family of churches, transformed by Christ, revealing God’s kingdom. Part of being that family means gathering together at our annual family reunion, a time for Canadian Baptists from across Ontario and Quebec to gather, worship together, pray for one another, make decisions together and grow as a family of churches. At CBOQ Assembly, we welcome engaging speakers, thoughtful and talented worship leaders and—most of all—delegates and members from our churches.
The CBOQ Board of Directors have graciously subsidized the early bird registration cost for churches that are still recovering from the pandemic. In addition, the Board has set up a travel subsidy for churches that need help with travel and hotel costs.
We associate together based on our common expressions of identity and beliefs.
We belong together in the family of God and we are better together.
We are called to be God’s family members and to advance the kingdom.
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone."
– Ephesians 2:19-20
Sam Chaise
Date: Thursday, June 8
Time: 7:00 pm
Topic: Associating
Sam Chaise was a pastor, church planter, and minister of worship in Saskatchewan and British Columbia for 17 years before launching the Carey Institute at Carey Theological College in Vancouver. He led Canadian Baptist Ministries from 2010-2015 and was Executive Director at Christie Refugee Welcome Centre from 2017 to April 2023. Sam and his wife will be moving to France in June 2023 where Sam will become “Head of Programme: People on the Move” with BMS World Mission (the Baptist mission agency that sent William Carey to India in 1792).
Along the way Sam has served on denominational and agency boards, including: Canadian Baptists of Western Canada, Carey Theological College, Arrow Leadership Ministries, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, and International Association for Refugees. Sam Chaise has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan and a Master of Divinity from Regent College. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Practical Theology at McMaster Divinity College in Cultural Intelligence and Servant Leadership.
Rhonda Britton
Date: Friday, June 9
Time: 7:00 pm
Topic: Belonging
Dr. Rhonda Y. Britton is the Senior Pastor of New Horizons Baptist Church, formerly Cornwallis Street Baptist, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Britton has earned several degrees including a B.B.A. from Baruch College, New York, an M.C.I.S. from Rutgers University, New Jersey, an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, New Jersey, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia. She has one adult son, Joseph, living in Florida.
Dr. Britton was ordained at St. Philip’s Baptist Church in Staten Island, New York in 2002. From there, she accepted the call to Second United Baptist Church in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia where she served for five years before accepting the call to Cornwallis Street in 2007. Prior to ministry, Pastor Rhonda worked for twenty years in the public and private sectors as a computer professional. As such, she traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. She resigned her corporate career in 1999 to attend seminary and devote herself to full-time ministry.
Baptized at age 9, Pastor Rhonda has been active in church all her life and practices a living faith by also being active in community. She has served on the Council and as President of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada, and currently serves as the Past Moderator of the African United Baptist Association of Nova Scotia, as chair of the Richard Preston Centre for Excellence, on Corrections Canada’s Interfaith Committee on Chaplaincy, on anti-violence initiatives in the Halifax municipality, and various other boards and advisory councils. Pastor Rhonda focuses much of her effort on stressing education, encouraging youth to make positive life choices, and working to eliminate street violence.
Pastor Rhonda believes in a God-directed life. She has facilitated, lectured, and preached workshops, retreats, conferences, and worship services in South Africa, Asia, and North and South America. She is dedicated to spreading the gospel by any means necessary. Her ministry focus is encouraging members of the body of Christ to draw on the power of the Holy Spirit and their own spiritual gifts to promote liberation and transformation in the lives of all people. She firmly believes in Philippians 4:13 which paraphrased, declares, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Surprise Speaker!
Date: Saturday, June 10
Time: 11:00 am
Topic: Called
Find out soon!
Mike Janzen
We’re excited to have Mike Janzen lead us in worship this year!
Music has informed and shaped Mike’s entire life. His unique background in disciplines of jazz, classical, and popular music combined with his technical piano prowess led Geoff Chapman (Wholenote) to exclaim, “What’s enthralling is Janzen’s writing, woven with wit and inventiveness and his playing’s sheer exuberance.” In his role heading up the Mike Janzen Trio (featuring Mike, George Koller, and Larnell Lewis, Ben Riley, or Davide Direnzo), Mike has released four studio albums and has performed an engaging blend of standards and well-crafted originals at jazz festivals across Canada. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with and performed with other luminary musicians such as Daniel Lanois, Hugh Marsh, Sarah Slean, Steve Bell, and Phil Dwyer.
His portfolio includes commissioned pieces for the CBC, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and Steve Bell, as well as original arrangements of Broadway tunes for the symphony orchestra, which he performed with Sarah Slean and the Mike Janzen Trio across the country. In 2015, he released an album, Nudging Forever, that displays his unique talent in both jazz and classical spheres.
Pastors Day is back!
| 11:00 AM | Check-in opens |
| 2:00 – 4:00 PM | Q&A Session for AGM |
| 7:00 – 9:00 PM | Plenary Session #1 – Associating |
| 9:00 PM | Youth Leaders Late Night |
| 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Annual General Meeting – Part 1 |
| 2:00 – 5:00 PM | Annual General Meeting – Part 2 |
| 7:00 – 9:00 PM | Plenary Session #2 – Belonging |
| 9:00 PM | Pastors Late Night |
| 8:30 – 9:30 AM | Learning Sessions #1-6 |
| 9:45-10:45 AM | Learning Sessions #7-12 |
| 11:00 AM | Plenary Session #3 – Called |
Kids 11 and under are invited to join us at Assembly as we Journey With Joe on an Expedition Bible Trek. Through games, experiments, hands on activities, music and social emotional learning kids will be explore the story of Joseph. Children of AGM delegates will trek through the story over 3 sessions on Thursday afternoon and Friday. Kids of the evening Plenary sessions will continue to explore the story through song, dance and media. Saturday morning kids will get a taste of camp in our “Camp in the City” experience through worship, crafts, games, cabin challenges and campfire. For more details and registration contact Tanya Yuen at tyuen@baptist.ca
Sessions #1-6 (Saturday, June 10 at 8:30am – 9:30 am)
Topic:
The ABCs of the New Testament
Presenter:
Stanley E. Porter is President, Dean, Professor of New Testament, and Roy A. Hope Chair in Christian Worldview, at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton. MDC is the seminary of the CBOQ. Porter has been president since 2001. During that time, MDC has been blessed with incredible growth in student numbers, programs, and students. As a result, students can study for either professional degrees such as the MTS, MDiv, or Doctor of Practical Theology (DPT), the last an innovative and unique degree in North American seminary education, or in academic degrees such as the MA or PhD. Porter, a New Testament specialist, is the author of over thirty books, including his most recent book on hermeneutics for pastors, entitled Interpretation for Preaching and Teaching (Baker).
Description of Session:
The New Testament is an incredibly practical book—or rather, set of books. All of these books, in one way or another, are addressed to the situations of the first-century church, offering advice, guidance, and even instructions on how to minister in a world that was full of various competing religions and superstitions, as well as secular philosophies. This session examines the New Testament in relationship to the theme of the assembly—associating, belonging, and called (the ABCs)—to see how the various New Testament authors endorse a number of fundamental ideas for the growth and development of the church as a community of followers of Jesus Christ.
Target Audience:
Everyone who wants to study the Bible—pastors, lay leaders, laity, anyone with interest in what God’s word in the New Testament has to say to us today.
Topic:
The ABCs of Being Anti-Racist
Presenter:
Dr. Rhonda Y. Britton is the Senior Pastor of New Horizons Baptist Church, formerly Cornwallis Street Baptist, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Britton has earned several degrees including a B.B.A. from Baruch College, New York, an M.C.I.S. from Rutgers University, New Jersey, an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, New Jersey, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia. She has one adult son, Joseph, living in Florida.
Description of Session:
Being anti-racist must be a deliberate state of mind, followed by intentional action. The session will discuss some of the first steps to developing a consciousness of anti-racism.
Target Audience:
Anyone over age 14
Topic:
The Church and the Marketplace: How Kingdom Impact Occurs When Faith Meets Work
Presenter:
Michael Waddell, CBM and Brenda Halk, CBM
Description of Session:
In this learning session, led by CBM’s Venture team, we will share real life examples from the field that demonstrate the Kingdom impact that occurs when faith meets work. Together, we will discover the importance of the ‘other six days’ for the Kingdom of God, while exploring how the local church can help people find meaning and purpose through their daily work.
Target Audience:
Church/Ministry Leaders and Pastors
Topic:
Parenting: Navigating Everything
Presenter:
Brett Ullman travels North America speaking to teens, young adults, leaders, and parents on topics including parenting, mental health, men, sexuality, pornography, dating, and media. Brett’s seminars engage and challenge attendees to try and connect our ancient faith with our modern culture we live in. Participants are inspired to reflect on what we know, what we believe and how our faith ought to serve as the lens through which we view and engage tough conversations in our society today.
Husband to Dawn, and father of Bennett and Zoe, Brett and his family make their home in Ajax, Ontario where Brett leads and directs Worlds Apart, a charity focused on empowering individuals to re-align their lives with Biblical core values often muddled by media but central to Christian living.
Brett was a teacher with the Toronto District School Board for 10 years before moving into speaking full-time back in 2005. Brett has a Masters degree in Evangelism and Leadership from Wheaton Graduate School in Chicago and is also a graduate of the Arrow Leadership Program. Brett is currently working on his Masters in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University.
He and his family attend Sanctus Church (formerly C4 Church) in Ajax since 2004.
Description of Session:
We all want the best for our kids but which parenting information do we choose? With over 75,000 parenting books produced in the past 21 years and the many voices, articles and online resources available, the task of figuring out where to turn for parenting advice is overwhelming. Some foundational parenting questions all parents must consider:
- What is Parenting? What are Parenting Styles? – What are they and which ones should I be using? What might I need to alter about my current parenting style?
- Time – What does quality time and being present with my kids look like
- Communication – How can I learn better communication skills so that I can more effectively connect with my kids?
- Discipline – How do I effectively discipline my children?
It is from the foundational relationship we have with our kids that we can then talk about other issues such as mental health, media, etc.
Let’s look together as pastors, grandparents, and parents at how we can best help our kids navigate the world they are growing up in.
“They will not be with me forever, so I prepare them accordingly.”
~Trophy Child, Ted Cunningham
Target Audience:
Everyone who is trying to navigate how to bridge the gap of our previous, current and next generation.
Topic:
CBOQ Financial Support for Churches
Presenter:
Adam Cree is CBOQ’s Associate Director of Finance and Administration. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA). Adam also serves at Bethany Baptist Church in Toronto as Treasurer and Board of Management member.
Description of Session:
Is your church aware of the financial support available from CBOQ to our member churches? The focus of this learning session is on various areas of financial support, including grant funding, subsidies for the cost of basic health benefits, mortgages and loans, certificate loans, and fellowship fund. Providing financial support is one of the many ways that CBOQ equips churches and leaders as they engage in their mission from God in their community.
Target Audience:
Treasurers, Bookkeepers, Finance Chairs
Topic:
Re-invisioning Buildings and Spaces
Presenter:
Rev. Dr. Dallas Friesen serves as People Developer at Indwell. Indwell is a Christian charity that provides affordable and supportive housing throughout southern Ontario. Previously Dallas served as Director of Church Life and Leadership at CBOQ. He also has 10+ years of pastoral experience at Mount Hamilton Baptist Church. Dallas and his wife Leanne live on the Hamilton central mountain with their two children.
Description of Session:
How could our congregation innovatively use or re-develop our building? We will consider project ideation, planning processes and barriers that churches are exploring to faithfully steward their building asset for their next season of mission. This interactive workshop is designed for Pastors, Board Members, and congregational leaders.
Target Audience:
Everyone who wants to think creatively outside the box for engaging communities.
Sessions #7-12 (Saturday, June 10 at 9:45am – 10:45 am)
Topic:
The ABCs of Being Anti-Racist (Repeated Session)
Presenter:
Dr. Rhonda Y. Britton is the Senior Pastor of New Horizons Baptist Church, formerly Cornwallis Street Baptist, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Britton has earned several degrees including a B.B.A. from Baruch College, New York, an M.C.I.S. from Rutgers University, New Jersey, an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, New Jersey, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia. She has one adult son, Joseph, living in Florida.
Description of Session:
Being anti-racist must be a deliberate state of mind, followed by intentional action. The session will discuss some of the first steps to developing a consciousness of anti-racism.
Target Audience:
Anyone over age 14
Topic:
Re-invisioning Buildings and Spaces (Repeated Session)
Presenter:
Rev. Dr. Dallas Friesen serves as People Developer at Indwell. Indwell is a Christian charity that provides affordable and supportive housing throughout southern Ontario. Previously Dallas served as Director of Church Life and Leadership at CBOQ. He also has 10+ years of pastoral experience at Mount Hamilton Baptist Church. Dallas and his wife Leanne live on the Hamilton central mountain with their two children.
Description of Session:
How could our congregation innovatively use or re-develop our building? We will consider project ideation, planning processes and barriers that churches are exploring to faithfully steward their building asset for their next season of mission. This interactive workshop is designed for Pastors, Board Members, and congregational leaders.
Target Audience:
Everyone who wants to think creatively outside the box for engaging communities.
Topic:
Urban Sherpas and Suburban Guides – Mentoring for the Kingdom
Presenter:
Rev. Kaarina Hsieh has served actively in pastoral ministries for over 25 years in a variety of contexts. For 17 years, she served on faculty and is the former Dean of Students at Tyndale Seminary. There she also gave oversight to the Department of Student Development and Chapel ministries and her particular areas of teaching foci at the Seminary were in Youth and Family Ministries, Gospel, Church and Culture and in areas of Spiritual Formation.
Description of Session:
We are living in complex times where the hearts and minds of our youth and young adults are bombarded daily with competing voices. How do we encourage them to be attuned to the voice of God – the Lord who has an infinitely more magnificent plan for their lives than they could ever ask for or imagine for themselves? The mentored life is one of grace, wisdom and joyful hope and this is the kind of life that will have greatest impact for the Kingdom of God. There are elements of mentoring that withstand the test of time and there are ways we must adapt and change in our ever-changing times. I believe that God has something extraordinary in store for this generation. Let’s take hold of every opportunity to better understand, celebrate and speak life into the next generation through intentional mentoring relationships.
Target Audience:
Ministry Leaders
Topic:
Retiring, Not Expiring
Presenters:
Panelists
Description of Session:
Is retirement on the horizon? Have you considered what will happen when you retire? Do you know what resources are available to you? Join our panelists as they share with you some of the practical and spiritual nuances of navigating retirement from ministry.
Target Audience:
Are you retiring from ministry in the next 5 years? This session is for you.
Topic:
Conversations on Women and Men in Flourishing Partnership in Ministry
Presenters:
Panelists
Description of Session:
Women and men are designed and called to work in flourishing partnership. For this Assembly Learning session, the Journey Together team will host a time of storytelling. We will ask questions of both women and men:
- “What has been your experience of working in partnership?
- What have you found challenging?
- How have you grown as a person through these experiences?
- How has these experiences led to the flourishing of your communities?”
This will be an opportunity for us to grow and learn through being present to one another in our lived experiences.
Recommended Resources:
Rob Dixon. Together in Ministry: Women and Men in Flourishing Partnerships.
Beth Allison Barr. The Making of Biblical Womanhood.
Target Audience:
Everyone who wants to see greater unity in our ministries
Topic:
The Church and the Marketplace: How Kingdom Impact Occurs When Faith Meets Work (Repeated Session)
Presenters:
Michael Waddell, CBM and Brenda Halk, CBM
Description of Session:
In this learning session, led by CBM’s Venture team, we will share real life examples from the field that demonstrate the Kingdom impact that occurs when faith meets work. Together, we will discover the importance of the ‘other six days’ for the Kingdom of God, while exploring how the local church can help people find meaning and purpose through their daily work.
Target Audience:
Church/Ministry Leaders and Pastors
A Family of Churches, Transformed by Christ, Revealing God’s Kingdom.
What is Assembly?
Assembly is an annual gathering of the CBOQ’s family of churches. Part annual general meeting, part conference, and part reunion, assembly is a chance for our family to meet, connect and make decisions. We learn and grow together at assembly through teaching, worship, fellowship, and prayer.
Where is Assembly this year?
Assembly is being held on June 8-10, 2023 at the Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale
The address is 6750 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5N 2L3
What is the cost of Assembly this year?
Pastors’ Day (June 7-8) is $75 and is not included in the Assembly cost
Complete Assembly: $225 for subsidized early bird cost or $400 full cost (This is the price after May 7)
One Day Only: $100 for subsidized early bird cost or $140 full cost (This is the price after May 7)
More info here.
What is the cost to attending the Annual General Meeting on Friday?
$100 for subsidized early bird cost or $140 full cost (this is the price after May 7)
Where do I register?
You can register online. Early Bird registration ends May 7 – You can find the registration form on our website here. Once you have submitted the registration form, you will receive a confirmation email.
The final day for registration is June 4th. After that time, there will be NO registrations accepted.
How do I request Travel Assistance for Assembly?
To request travel assistance or if you have any other questions about registration, please contact Assembly Registrar at assembly@baptist.ca or 416-622-8600.
What is the difference in the forms? Who completes which form?
The Church-Appointed Delegate Form is for the clerk to fill out to let us know the names of those the church want to vote on their behalf. The Registration Form is for the individual (or the church if they so choose) to fill out to let us know the specifics. Eg – what is your role at the church, what learning sessions you want to attend, what days you will be attending, do you need the Children’s program? Etc.
Where do I find the Delegate appointment form?
All forms can be found at baptist.ca/assembly/register
How many delegates can a church send?
If your active membership is 100 or less you would be able to send two delegates,
- 101-150, you would be able to send three delegates,
- 151-200, you can send four delegates
- 201-250, you can send five delegates
- 251-300, you can send six delegates
- plus in any of these cases you may send one Young Adult delegate aged 18-25.
Is there accommodations at the hotel?
Yes, CBOQ has blocked rooms on a first come first serve basis. When you contact the hotel please let them know you are part of the CBOQ Assembly.
Are meals included?
Meals during Assembly are your own responsibility. There will be a list of nearby restaurants made available to you in the Program Booklet and on our website.
Is the hotel accessible?
Yes the hotel is equipped to handle accessibility needs.
Children's program?
Yes! CBOQ Kids will be hosting a Children’s Assembly Program. Contact Tanya at tyuen@baptist.ca for full details and registration.
FAQs for the Annual General Meeting
When is the business meeting and how long will it last?
The business meeting is on Friday, June 9 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
How is the meeting being held?
The meeting is being held in person at the Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale. You will be required to attend in person if you are a delegate for your church/association in order to participate and cast your vote. Non-delegates are welcome to attend as well, as non-voting attendees.
Why are we having this 2023 Assembly in this format?
Every year, we are required to have an AGM (Assembly) in order to gather the membership of CBOQ to discuss the business of the organization over the last year. We are moving back to an in-person meeting for ease of participation and voting for delegates, as well as to gather together as a family of churches.
What will be discussed at this meeting?
We will discuss the business of CBOQ over the last year, including, but not limited to, a Board Report, Executive Minister’s Report and Treasurer’s Report. Please see the Agenda for more details.
Will there be a time for Q&A this year?
We have created an AGM Q&A time on Thursday, June 8th from 2:00-4:00 pm at the Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale location for you to ask questions about any portion of the AGM. You can use the floor microphone to ask questions, or you can also choose to submit questions prior to Thursday afternoon to questions@baptist.ca (you may submit questions through this email up until Monday, June 5th at 12 pm). We will answer as many questions as possible during the allotted time. Due to the business and procedural requirements at the Friday business session, time will be limited for questions. We highly encourage delegates to attend and submit questions for the Thursday afternoon Q&A session.
What are the rules for submitting a motion?
In order to maintain compliance with The Canada Not for Profit Corporations Act (CNCA) and CBOQ’s By-law, we are required to provide all formal Motions (with a few regular exceptions) to our Members in the Formal Notice of Meeting. Motions will be included in the Assembly package. Per section 163 of the Act, members can submit a proposal for items to be discussed at an annual meeting, which would be included in the notice of the meeting. To include a proposal, a member must have submitted the proposal between January 11 and March 12, 2023. This date has now passed, and new motions can no longer be accepted for the 2023 Assembly.
