CHURCH PLANTING
New Alliance church in Powell River! November 22 was an exciting day for a number of people as a new Alliance church was launched. Several local leaders and congregants from an independent church there had been in discussions with our district office for about a year and a half about the possibility of re-launching the church as an Alliance work. God gave this congregation, currently about 20 people primarily over 50 years of age, a church planting family with six kids and a passionate vision for a work in Powell River that began several years ago prior to our contact.
Mike and Sherri Barkman, and their 6 children, recently moved from Calgary to Powell River. Mike is a grad of Ambrose U., was working in the auto industry, and through a series of amazing events confirmed an earlier desire to start a church in Powell River, where Mike had worked five summers. He is taking this on bivocationally, and God has given Mike a similar job to what he had in Calgary, at the local Ford dealership where Mike is a parts and service manager half time while working the other half time for the new church. He started both November 1st.
One of the exciting developments in the process has been a growing partnership between Ron Freeman and the Living Hope Fellowship in Courtenay with this planter and new work. Fifteen persons came from Living Hope for this launching service, including a music team which led in worship. Joining them and the core group were other locals who were excited to see something new beginning. Mike has a leadership team working with him who are deeply committed to Chris and to impacting their surrounding community. Please pray for this work, and for the Barkmans, as they partner with each other and others in the district to raise up this newest Alliance church, and our first on the Sunshine Coast!
The Barkman's and the Barkman children!
Church Planting Congress
Larry and six of our church planters were able to attend the recent Church Planting Congress in Calgary, sponsored by Church Planting Canada. This event occurs in a Canadian city every other year, and brings together not only hundreds of planters and other church leaders but high caliber speakers as resources to those who are involved in church planting throughout Canada. The conference, titled "Renov8", took place at Centre Street Church and featured a variety of speakers who challenged participants in matters like mission, models, and challenges in planting churches in this country and around the world. Those who attended from our district were Scott Street, Darcy Reimer, Steve Ardell, Paul Bergmann, Andy Lambkin, Will Lukin, and Larry.
Partnerships Are Growing!
It's been exciting to see partnerships developing between CPD churches and works around the province. In some cases, partners are needed initially, in others long term as part of the church's missional vision. One of those is MOSAIC in downtown Vancouver led by Don Cowie. Many of the people Don is reaching through this work are what we would think of as being on the "fringe" of society and without many material means. For this work to be sustainable, it needs partners who can pray and assist with finances long term as an extension of their own vision for missions at home. WOULD YOUR CHURCH CONSIDER THIS? Feel free to contact Don, or Larry at the district office, for more information. A conversation isn't commitment, but it may lead to some exciting opportunities for the extension of mission at home!
