Fellowship Hall

A journey on the path of trust

By Ron Hannah

After my wife passed away in February of 1997, having battled breast cancer for two years, I admit I was confused, distraught and left wondering. We met in junior high and knew right away that we would marry and spend the rest of our lives together.  How could this happen? She was always so healthy; I was supposed to go first.

We had been married for 33 years, had two wonderful sons, one awesome daughter-in-law and one beautiful granddaughter. How could I live without her? And how could this tragic loss possibly fit into God’s plan for our family?

Seeking out the rebellious sheep

By Al Craig

Rebels of every stripe crammed the tent wall to wall. A human sea of punks, Goths and anarchists surged to the beat of the music, jumping up and down in the endless tangle of wild hair and piercings that made up the mosh pit.

A hard-core punk band screamed from the stage, and everything about them - black hair, black clothes, black everything - seemed dark and disturbing.

As I watched them with a growing sense of uneasiness, one question played itself over and over in my mind: These guys are Christian?

Humility vs. False Pride

While in my addiction I developed quite an ego and false pride. Looking back I can now see that my ego was a defense mechanism for low self-worth and lack of self-esteem. In my addiction I became the ‘Great I Am’.  My ego manifested outwardly and was boastful, demeaning, sarcastic and at times hurtful to others. However, if I were to have let you get close enough to me you would have seen that my outward actions didn’t match my inward thoughts or feelings.

Expressing gratitude on Canada Day

By David Sweet,  M.P.

The words on Canada’s Coat of Arms read, “A Mari Usque Ad Mare”. The Latin translation means from sea to sea -- a phrase that is derived from a Biblical text: “he shall have dominion also from sea to sea” (Psalm 72:8).

History tells us that the debate for a name of this country was spirited and that there were many strong feelings among Members of Parliament. It was Sir Leonard Tilley who had apparently read this Psalm on the morning that it was his turn to speak to the issue of a name for our great nation and he proposed the Dominion of Canada.

With this history in mind, let us nurture thoughts of gratitude for a great land this Canada Day. Canada is a nation surrounded by vast oceans teeming with aquatic life, rich with natural resources, unmatched flora and fauna, extraordinary wildlife and some of the most majestic landscapes in the world.

Finding the power to change 

Nothing changes, if nothing changes.This was one of the first things I ever heard in recovery. It was explained to me that I needed to change people, places and things in my life.

In other words I had to stop hanging out with people who were using drugs, stop hanging out at bars and I had to stop my illegal activity. By the end of my addiction I had burned so many bridges and lost a vast number of my ‘good’ friends. I needed to start making good and healthy choices. However, that was easier said than done. Deep down inside I didn’t believe that I deserved a quality life.

Renewal and Revival begin with Prayer

Jessie Cooper

“It will take the city-wide church to win the city-wide war.” That phrase by Francis Frangipane became embedded in my spirit when I first read it in the 1980’s. Inside I said a wholehearted “YES.”

Many of us heard that same message and became involved with the March for Jesus movement that took us out of the safe four walls of church and onto the streets of our cities, so the world could see our joy and unity in Christ. It was a start to overcoming the barriers of race, colour, creed and denominations. Churches joined with one heart and one mind and every step became a prayer, uniting us as one body of the Lord Jesus Christ.