DtP, Where the 't' is a Cross

Disturbing the Peace
Disturbing the Peace is one of the coolest names I can think of for a youth gathering. It has been held for the past 14 years in Grande Prairie, this year at Grande Prairie Alliance (GPA), but it attracts young people from churches all across the Peace Region, from Fort St John and Dawson Creek in BC to Peace River in Alberta.
 
I was up there this past weekend, not so much in an official capacity, but because two of my grandchildren were attending. They have recently found their way back to church and are attending GP Alliance. My granddaughter, 13, was baptised there a couple of weeks ago.
 
Having said that, there was an Alpha presence - Ben Woodman from our Youth Alpha Film Series was there, along with Dan Roe, who is involved in its production. It was good to see them both again so soon after our Alpha staff retreat and hear of their adventures in getting to Grande Prairie. Apparently their plane from Vancouver was rerouted due to weather concerns from it's original transfer point (Calgary or Edmonton, I don't remember which) to Regina. They then missed their connecting flight to GP and had to take a later one, so Ben missed his first of five scheduled sessions. However, we caught his last one on Sunday morning and he had us alternatively in tears and stitches. Ben is a great speaker, a great lover of young people and a great ambassador for Alpha and for Jesus.
 
Friday, before we left home, I had sent an email to April Fogle who is running Alpha with the youth from St Joseph's Catholic Church in Grande Prairie, just wanting to introduce myself. Quelle surprise, then, when, although I didn't hear back from her by email, she was introduced onstage as one of the workers who had helped put this year's DtP together. I could see, then, why she might have been a bit too busy to answer my email, so I introduced myself to her there.
 
Also encouraging was to find out that GPA's Youth Pastor, Caleb Barkman, is coordinating Alpha for youth in two local high schools (even though they have not, as yet, registered.;>)
 
I am so encouraged at what I hear is going on among the youth of this province and this nation through Alpha. Kids are discovering God and coming to faith in amazing numbers. I believe I have mentioned before that in 2015, 6000 teens from inside and outside the church came to faith in Christ in Canada alone through Alpha.
 
Please keep these young people in your prayers as they grow up in a world in which it is seemingly more and more difficult to profess a public faith in Jesus Christ.
 
Blessings,
 
John
 
 
 

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