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Tim and Peti Webster
From the Diocese of Calga ry, serving in:
Santiago, Chile.
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c/o Iglesia Anglicana de Chile,
Casilla 50675 cc Santiago, Chile
e-mail: timwebster@episcopalian.org
Click here for the Latest postings
Tim and Peti Webster from Calgary have undertaken a ten year
program in Santiago, Chile.
As we all know, Chile is one of Latin America's fastest growing
economies, and is now one of our own trading partners within NAFTA. Unfortunately the country is undergoing such rapid growth
and change that it is leaving many behind. The economy and power
within Chile are concentrated in the middle class, a group which
is virtually unchurched. The Bishop of Chile has stated sadly
that little or nothing can change within his powerful and evolving
country until that middle class is evangelized.
Tim and Peti's assignment is to help strengthen one of the
key Anglican parishes within this rapidly growing South American
city, and to help prepare ground for a promising new church plant
in an adjacent suburb. They have also been asked by the Chilean
church to help bring their considerable strength and experience
to two of the renewal tools which have proven so effective in
renewing the Western church: Marriage Encounter and Cursillo.
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December 21, 2003
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COMPANEROS EN MISION
³How great is the love that the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And
that is what we are!² 1 John 3: 1a,b, NIV
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, Lord and Saviour of the world, let us also reflect on the great honour
and undeserved yet lovingly bestowed privilege of
being children of God. And in the joy of our celebrations may we not forget the responsibility our
privilege brings - our calling to be harbingers of the good news of hope that God announced to the world in
the miraculous and long foretold birth of his Son, Emanuel, God with us.
A Family celebration
On our last Sunday in Chile, we had the great joy of celebrating together as a part of God's family the
baptism of four children, the youngest 14 months and
the oldest 11 years old. It was truly a privilege for us to participate in this wonderful testimony of how
our Lord has worked in and through His little flock
(although not so little any longer). We can only stand back in awe as we continue to observe how together we
have all grown in faith through these marvellous
workings and how their joy in their faith is so eagerly expressed as they share it with others. Could
we ask for a better Christmas gift?
The Northern Front
Yes, we are back in North America for our second Home Ministry Assignment after another three and a half
years in Santiago. We have so much to praise our Lord for as we look forward to sharing our joy with all of
you and to bringing their ³saludos y abrazos de amor" (loving greetings and hugs) to you, our Companeros en
Mision’ who have been there with us and so faithfully stood by us.
New Life, New Vision
Sunday, September 14, 2003 truly was a milestone for the parish as the new
church was both dedicated and re-named. Choosing a new name was the culmination of a
process of prayer and reflection by all. They made this decision in order to mark the new life and vision
to which our Lord has called them. Thus the new name marked the leaving behind of the often troubled and
conflictive character of the parish and the eager embracing of God's plans for them. The new name, ³La
Iglesia del Salvador² (the Church of the Saviour) very beautifully reflects who Jesus is to them and
their vision for their service: to glorify the risen
Lord through their testimony of His love in what they say, what they do and how they live.
It was a great day of celebration in which many took part and many came to
share with us, including two members of Team 1 from Canada: Ross, who came to build
our new Sunday School rooms and Tim who took a little vacation time to join us. We have been blessed with a
truly beautiful church that is, as many visitors have said: ³muy acogeador² (very warm, welcoming - makes
you feel at home). We are also very encouraged. We had one hundred chairs and room to spare for more - which
means we have lots of room to grow.
Sharing One to Another
And grown we have! And why? Because various members have been actively involved in the lives of friends,
neighbours, acquaintances or relatives. As they
joyously share their testimonies, they have been able to invite them to join our family as we give praise
and thanksgiving to our Saviour.
See y'all soon
So, we have much to share as we visit with you: the active Sunday School and youth programs so vital to
God's vision for the future; the vibrant and growing
Women's ministry which has developed a women's co-op (wait till you see some of the beautiful things we¹ve
brought home!); the beginnings of a worship team; a
very committed prayer group; our new missions ministry; a vestry which has
grown into a ministry team; etc.
Almost all of these ministries are now being led and coordinated by folks in the parish - a very important
step towards the parish becoming self-governing,
self-supporting and self-propagating with a missionary vision. Of all that we have to share, what is most
exciting for them is the vision our Lord has given them for the future: a ministry of working with the
children and youth of the community and the development of a ministry centre.
Please pray with us for the parish during our absence, for their continued growth and maturing, for the realization of
God's vision, and for the finances we need as
missionaries to continue to serve in our part of His call to La Iglesia del Salvador.
Your extended family in San Joaquin, Santiago, with much love, wishes all of you every blessing from our
Lord during this Christmas celebration and the year to
come.
Tim and Peti
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SAMS News
(Winter 2003)
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Tim & Peti Webster
Prepare for North American Furlough
Again just a quick note from us here
in San Joaquin. We are literally swamped with work to do in the parish
and in preparation for our return home in just 3 short weeks now. It is
such a blessing to see the parish preparing for our time away.
As there will not be another pastor to
take the reins while we are away, the folks at Church of the Saviour
have decided to , (put new batteries in) as the Chilean expression goes,
and look after most of the work themselves. We are so very blessed to
have such a wonderful congregation who has responded over , the last
term to challenges put before them in regards to taking over many of the
ministries of the parish. We leave with much lighter hearts this time,
knowing that the work of our Lord will continue with such capable
leadership in place.
Latest happenings: The children had
their first Sunday School classes in their new classrooms three weeks
ago and they love their new space and are very thankful for the love
received from THEIR Canadians. Now every class has enough space to be
comfortable, with lots of light and of course the space is filled with
Jesus' love! They are now starting to prepare for Christmas and will
have a sketch prepared to share with the congregation every Sunday
during Advent. Needless to say, the excitement is contagious!
The women's co-op is working hard to
be able to send as many samples of their work home with us to show off
to our "Companeros en Mision" during our travels in the
next few months. Things like hand painted tea towels, aprons,
tablecloths and bags, hand knitted baby outfits, greeting cards and
bookmarks are all being finished and we have decided to leave the
biggest suitcase available for the girls work.
One Saturday recently, the Church of the Saviour had
their first ever "women's retreat". It was a blessed time of
studying the Lord's word, praise and worship and sharing great
fellowship with a delicious lunch. The day was a highlight for many of
the ladies and they are anticipating a repeat upon our return to Chile.
Tim has been teaching a Missions course for the
Diocese and is more than half-way through already. It has been a
blessing for him to be able to teach and prepare some of the future
pastors in terms of being mission minded once they start working in
their parishes.
Thank you and please continue to pray for the two
little girls (Maria Jose and Camila) who were very severely burnt in a
kitchen accident. Both of them are home now, but have many months of
treatment left before the healing process is complete. It really was a
miracle, so the doctors say, to see them with all their transplants done
and back at home in just a little over a month. Praise the Lord!
Shortly we will be packing our suitcases to
come home to spend Christmas with family and reconnecting to our home
culture. While we will miss our Chilean family a lot, it is with great
anticipation that we look forward to visiting and sharing with all of
you, our partners, during the next months. Without you, none of the
above would be possible for us. Thank you from the bottom of our
hearts!!! Much love and blessings and we'll see you soon!
Peti and Tim.
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27 July, 2003
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Hola to all of our "Compañeros en Misión", ¡Tanto tiempo! It's been so long, as they say here in
Chile. Yes, it has and we apologize for the tardiness of this letter. Yet there is a very positive side to
this, which is all of the wonderful things our Lord has been doing in and through His flock in San
Joaquin, things that have kept us all very busy.
It is winter once again. The towering Andes are capped with fresh white snow that sparkles brightly in the
sunshine. A beautiful sight to see - that is when we
are fortunate enough to see it. Most days it is obscured by the ugly, dense brown cloud of smog which
smothers the whole city. So far this year we have had a milder drier winter,
the same phenomena that occurred the winter after the last appearance of El Niño. For us this has been a
blessing as it has made the ongoing building in the church much easier. Yes, the work continues. And
praise the Lord, the end is in sight!
Family visit
How wonderful to welcome our daughter Billie, Nadine (our almost daughter) and her 2 year old little Mya
for a visit at the beginning of July. Even with all
the things we had on the go, it was great to enjoy some "family" time with the girls. Very "precious
moments" when there are normally so many miles between us!
Together on a Journey
The recent arrival of a short-term team from California added an interdenominational flavour to the
project. A combined effort of Episcopalians and Presbyterians provided the funds necessary to install
all the ceilings and the upper sanctuary walls. They kept themselves busy with insulation, painting and
landscaping, as well as teaching a short course in English - a ministry that the Lord continues to
develop amongst us. We continue to be both amazed and
challenged when we see the marvelous ways God works through His people when they follow in faith.
As with the two teams who came last year, it was a
truly joyful experience for all of us to work with these dedicated servants in this labour of love
inspired by God's love for His people. It was also a blessing for the parish to play a part in the
discerning process of our Lord's missionary call for them for Darrell and Rebekah, the team leaders. They
left Chile with a clearer vision for their future ministry, an inspired desire to continue participating
in the parish and a certain sense that they will return.
Bricks and Living Stones
Each team has come with a common and important understanding of this project. While all have come to
build, each has reiterated that Jesus' church is not the building but the people. One of our greatest joys
as shepherds of this flock is to participate with our Lord as He builds with living stones "…a spiritual
house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1
Peter 3: 5)
Lookin' in - Lookin' out
Our primary focus in ministry through 2001/2002 was discipleship and leadership training. As 2003
approached and dawned, we both sensed our Lord moving us to dedicate this year to evangelistic outreach, to
not only share our faith but also, and equally importantly, to earnestly respond to needs in the
surrounding community. The first step was the arrival of a Baptist seminary
student who took the reins of the youth group. And, surprise, surprise, she came with the same vision for
a youth group. The whole parish has been blessed by what the youth group is now doing as a fully
integrated and vital part of ministry in the parish and the community. After Easter, we taught a 7 week course, "How to Give
Away your Faith" based on the book by Paul Little. All of our leaders joined in and had a fun time,
particularly as we discussed many of the practical points to evangelizing through friendships. As our
family matures in faith, we are also welcoming new members.
Step by Faithful Step
The challenge before us now is to respond in faith, in commitment, to the plans Jesus has for us. As we
reflect on all He has provided in the building, in being able to help people in the church and the
community, the healings and changed lives, we know He has great things in store for us. To that end we
dedicated several days to praying and fasting over several weeks, culminating in a 4-hour session on
hearing God's voice. His vision for us is one of ministry to children - a great need in this
underprivileged community. This will mean more space. So we will continue to walk in faith, trusting Him to
guide us step by step and provide all the necessary resources in disciples, space and buildings. And what
a joy it is to know that so many are faithfully participating in this walk with us!
Many, many thanks again to all of you for your commitment to this ministry, for your thoughts, your
words, your financial support and your prayers. We stand in awe at the marvelous things our Lord is doing
as together we continue our journey in faith with Him. "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His
face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations." (Psalm 67:
1,2 NVI)
So, as we send you joyful thanks, with love, we are singing "We'll be home for Christmas" (One of us
beautifully and the other, well…).
Abrazos (hugs), Tim and Peti
PS: Please join us September 14 as we praise our Lord in the dedication of the new church. |
2 March, 2003
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CompaZeros en
Mision
Dear friends, It's that time again. Please, for those of you who do
this for us, distribute to those of your parish who are on our list and
interested. Thank you!
COMPAYEROS EN MISION
We miss them; all of our Canadians who helped us get the building of
a new church off the ground. Two teams came down in October and November
last year, working very hard. The first to tear down the existing
structures and get the cement footings prepared, and the second team to
lay the bricks and pour pillars. When they left, a crew of 5 Chileans
continued the work on the new Church building and now the end is in
sight. The roof is on, tiles are being laid in the kitchen and bathrooms
and the siding is going on the upper walls. Everyone here is so excited
and we feel incredibly blessed by the help received from so many of our
Canadian friends. Thank you again! Wish you could see it!
So, you ask - where did you meet to worship our Lord while the site
was a jumble of sand, gravel, bricks, cement and lumber?? One of the
marvelous, unforeseen blessings in our new home, besides being close to
the church, is that it is large enough to accommodate the services. Our
backyard patio converted into a summer sanctuary walled by flowers and
covered by a grape arbor. The Sunday school located itself in various
rooms and nooks throughout the house, and the garage served to store all
the furnishings and stuff from the church. And now, after many weeks of
worship in these rustic and somewhat cramped surroundings we returned to
worship in Church on the 23rd of February. It was wonderful!
The added and awe-inspiring benefit of this project has been the way
life-long friendships were formed between our Canadians and their
Chilean host families. Frequently we hear the exciting news about
another letter or phone call received from Canada. We (Tim and Peti)
wonder how they communicate over the phone, but are thrilled that it
keeps happening. Once the news is circulated, the parish rejoices
together. It warms our hearts to witness this incredible love shared via
long distance. We know that some of our friends will return to visit and
spend more time with their Chilean family in the future. God is good all
the time!
Now we look forward to receiving a third team in April who will help
build Sunday school rooms for the children. As you may have guessed
already, our Chilean family, filled with joy and anticipation, is
preparing to host and look after their Canadian brothers and sisters. We
look forward to a precious time during their stay with us.
Christmas came and went so quickly this year (so it seemed). The
teams had returned to Canada and there it was, time to practice special
presentations by the kids and sing once again our beautiful Christmas
songs. Celebrating the birth of our Lord with a service in the floral
surroundings of the backyard patio helped us to focus on the many
blessings in our lives. Time to reflect on the awesome love God has for
us, sending His only son to save us. Our celebration also touched the
workmen next door, who stopped their banging and clattering to listen to
the songs of praise to Jesus.
New Years Eve we were invited for Dinner to Isabel's house. Most of
the family was gathered and we were treated to a terrific home cooked
Chinese meal. Gladys, Isabel's sister who has been attending church
regularly since the 'gringos' came, prepared this feast and it was
delicious. After dinner we played some games and at midnight we toasted
the New Year. Now this was something new for us (even after all these
years in Chile). The music was turned up, everyone started to dance, the
front door was thrown open and neighbours came and went sharing hugs and
wishing everyone a happy new year. It was incredible to see the whole
neighbourhood out on the streets celebrating.
Vacation Bible School was the first official event to be held in our
new Church. The maestros (workmen) cleared the sanctuary of all their
equipment so we could welcome the children once again. Lucila, our
Sunday school director, planned and organized this years VBS and did a
wonderful job. It was a VERY, VERY HOT week, when temperatures soared to
36 degrees C in the shade. We had little protection with only some
netting separating us from the blazing sun. But? Jesus was there and it
was a blessed time for all. Even Peti survived the heat, which yet again
proves that all things are possible with the help of our Lord.
Many of our Chilean family headed south for their summer vacations in
February, visiting family in the country and enjoying the somewhat
cooler temperatures there. And now it is our turn to leave on holidays.
Then at the end of March things will once again gear up for another year
of blessings in our little (not so little anymore!) church of La
Ascensi?n. The main focus this year will be on evangelism and
discipleship. Of course we also need to prepare for the start of our
next 'Home Ministry Assignment'. In December of this year we will return
to Canada and the U.S. to visit all of YOU, our COMPA?EROS EN MISION",
and to share in person with all of you the goings on in San Joaquin.
Please pray with us for:
- Preparation time of Team 3, their time in Chile and the
termination of the construction project
- This years evangelism efforts
- Our financial support (some of our supporters had to reduce their
support last year)
This note goes out to all of you with 'many Thanks' for your part in
the Lord's work here in San Joaquin.
May the Lord richly bless you! With much love, our thoughts and
prayers.
Tim and Peti
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YES! I would really like to help Tim
and Peti Webster in their work in Chile.
Please send details of your financial/ prayer/ other
commitment with:
Your Name; email address; mailing
address; and Phone Number
to
SAMS- Canada
PO Box 21082, Barrie, Ont., Canada, L4M 6J1
SAMS Canada will not share this
information with anyone other than the officers of SAMS Canada, the
Mission Partner concerned, or anyone required by law to have this
information, (eg: Revenue Canada)
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