Last Week in Calgary
I spent an interesting 4 days in Calgary last week. Some of it I have already written about, but just a couple more thoughts.
Traffic-wise, Calgary is the Jekyll and Hyde of cities. Mid-day, when there is no traffic, it can be the most efficient place to drive. It's system of, "trails," basically freeways, can get you around the city in practically no time at all. But let there be traffic, or let there be an accident, these trails can become parking lots. As I travelled, sometimes across town, for appointments with various churches, I had to plan accordingly. What might take 20 minutes at 2:00 in the afternoon might take 90 at 5:00.
Having said that, among my several meetings with Church leaders, one sticks out, looking back at it. It was with the Associate Pastor of a Pentecostal Church. When we first sat down, he proceeded to tell me how little they were doing with Alpha. But then he said that in fact they did run the Youth Film Series, and it was very successful, bringing in kids who were not previously in a church, and those kids seemed to be making friends and staying.
Then he said, "Oh yes, we're also doing the Marriage Course, and that is working out well."
"And we're also doing an ESOL course which is bring in people from the neighbourhood."
"And even on our regular Alpha a couple of people accepted Christ and were baptized."
"And I'm putting together my team right now to run Alpha in the fall, so we'll have lots of lead time to make people aware of it."
I'm smiling now. If only other churches were doing so little.
Blessings,
John
Traffic-wise, Calgary is the Jekyll and Hyde of cities. Mid-day, when there is no traffic, it can be the most efficient place to drive. It's system of, "trails," basically freeways, can get you around the city in practically no time at all. But let there be traffic, or let there be an accident, these trails can become parking lots. As I travelled, sometimes across town, for appointments with various churches, I had to plan accordingly. What might take 20 minutes at 2:00 in the afternoon might take 90 at 5:00.
Having said that, among my several meetings with Church leaders, one sticks out, looking back at it. It was with the Associate Pastor of a Pentecostal Church. When we first sat down, he proceeded to tell me how little they were doing with Alpha. But then he said that in fact they did run the Youth Film Series, and it was very successful, bringing in kids who were not previously in a church, and those kids seemed to be making friends and staying.
Then he said, "Oh yes, we're also doing the Marriage Course, and that is working out well."
"And we're also doing an ESOL course which is bring in people from the neighbourhood."
"And even on our regular Alpha a couple of people accepted Christ and were baptized."
"And I'm putting together my team right now to run Alpha in the fall, so we'll have lots of lead time to make people aware of it."
I'm smiling now. If only other churches were doing so little.
Blessings,
John
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