Prairies to Badlands and Back Again


These were from my recent trip around Southern Alberta; specifically the transition from the flat-as-a-pool table farms to the badlands along the South Saskatchewan River and back to prairies as I travelled from Nanton to Medicine Hat.
My trip included holding lunch get-togethers for churches who ran Alpha in 2013 in Nanton, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. At Nanton I met with two churches from that town, as well as the Pastor of High River Baptist - a church, at the moment, without a building, as they lost theirs in last year's flooding.
When I arrived in Nanton I went to the local Subway restaurant, which is where I always get my food for these lunches. The lights were out. They had had a heavy wet snow that morning and the whole town was without power. As I sat waiting for them to make my platter of subs, another customer placed an order and when he tried to pay by credit card, was told, "We have no power so we can't process the card." It dawned on me that I would be in the same position. However, the manager just took my card info and told me he would process it later. I took my sandwiches and left. As I drove to Nanton Baptist, the thought came to me that I could not make my presentation on Alpha and the 2013 initiative because the church would have no power either. I prayed, "God, what am I going to do?"
I'm afraid I'm a bit dense, because as I drove along I noticed a gas station sign announcing in bright LED letters, the price of gas. Finally it sunk in that if they had power, so did everyone else. Sure enough, when I went back to Subway they had power, and so did the church when I got there, so was able to put on a meaningful presentation. What a coincidence that the power for the whole town came back on just when I needed it.

The next stop was Medicine Hat for a similar lunch the next day at Hillcrest Church. I had time before picking up lunch, so I popped in to Heights Baptist and met the pastor. While we visited, he mentioned that the city's Ministerial was meeting at 1:30 that day and would I like to attend the meeting. Another amazing, "coincidence:" Not only did I meet just a couple of churches for lunch, I was able to meet and promote Alpha to another 15 or so that afternoon!
Lethbridge was a small gathering, but a very wonderful and, I think, worthwhile time. I met with City Light Church, whose Pastor, Doug, told me are going through a bit of a transition time, and Victory Christian Centre, who have as many as 400 new conversions a year and run Alpha more as a discipleship program than an outreach. I told him that with that many new Christians a year they should be running Alpha constantly.

This week (tomorrow) I am heading down the West Yellowhead Highway 16 to visit churches in Edson on Wednesday, Hinton on Thursday and back to Entwistle Thursday afternoon. I'd appreciate prayer for these travels and these meetings, That God's Kingdom would be exalted and His name glorified, now and forever.


Blessings,
John

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