Smoky Lake Saturday Night


Okay, so I know it sounds like the title of a honkytonk country song, and you may wonder what these old high school yearbook pictures have to do with anything, but I'll get to that.

I was invited to speak on Sunday at First Baptist Church in Smoky Lake Alberta. I have posted before on this church, and we did indeed meet in their new facility, even though it is still a work in progress and there was no heat. It was a bit cool but that did not dampen the worship within.

Smoky Lake Baptist has been a strong Alpha church for many years, ever since a couple of key Alpha people arrived there from Fort McMurray - Ross and Val Whitelaw.

My message was the text of a breakout I hope to present at next year's Break Forth; "Communicating the Relevance of the Gospel in a Changing Culture." The talk went well and was well received. The only glitch was the uni-directional mic I used. As I turned my head to various sides of the room the sound would become louder or softer. Eva said it reminded her of the scene from, "Singing in the Rain"  where they were first experimenting with sound movies. (Check it out from about the 1:40 mark)

But... now the pictures. We have known Ross and Val for several years; ever since I first started with Alpha Canada, but this time Eva and I were staying at their home over night, so there was more time for conversation. Saturday evening we got to talking about our respective pasts. It turned out that Val grew up very near where I did, in southern Ontario, and even went to the same high school - Salfleet High in Stoney Creek. Even more coincidentally, we were there at the same time - she in grade 10 while I was in grade 9. Hence these pictures. Val dug out an old yearbook (the year was 1959) and there we were. Val is in the top picture; 10a, fourth girl from the left in the second row, in the dark outfit. I'm in the bottom picture, 9b, on the right end of the first row.

As an added bonus, there was even a picture of my dad, who taught there at the time. (One thing I notice is that his handwriting was a lot neater than mine is.)

We were all amazed, and still are I dare say, at this amazing crossing of paths.

I suppose I could just as easily have called this post, "A Blast From the Past."

Blessings,

John

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