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 Our Story
How can they believe in one of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
And how can they preach unless they are sent? Romans 10:14-15
In February of 1979, Robert and Angela Butler were training for the ministry in Litchfield, England when God snared their attention. While Rob was fixing brakes at his motor mechanic job, God audibly spoke to him to move to Canada. Their Assembly of God pastor, John Wyre, prayed with his elders and confirmed the direction they were to take. In response, Robert and Angela began to prepare for the move. Their path, though clearly laid out, was not without obstacles.
Finally it came, the last Friday in their rented home. With their furniture all sold, their personal belongings packed and another family ready to move into the premises, there was one problem: none of their Canadian visas had arrived. Time was running out, along with Angela's faith. At seven o'clock that morning, deeply distressed, she pulled the covers over her head and lapsed into a despondent meltdown. Why had God let them down? What were they going to do now, with no home and no job?
At seven fifteen, Robert was dancing on the front step. The postman had brought their visas! It was a lesson Angela has never forgotten: Why have faith for five months, only to give up fifteen minutes before God provides?
In September of 1979, the Butlers arrived in Cochrane, Alberta. It was only after they had been in Canada for eleven months that they sensed God speak to them to start a church and
 pastor it themselves. John Wyre phoned to share a vision that confirmed what they had felt. John had seen a valley with a river running through it. “God wants you to start a church,” he insisted, “and one day the Holy Spirit will flow through that valley like a river.” With additional encouragement from former Baptist pastors Bill and Charlene Allard, the Butlers joyfully accepted the call. On November 2, 1980, New Life Christian Fellowship was launched by a special crusade with John and Yvonne Wyre. A nucleus of five adults and four children emerged. The Fred Engels family and Mrs. Bertha Totsky joined the Butlers, and Robert and Angela began holding Sunday meetings in their home in Bowcroft Place, Cochrane.
 God spoke to Angela about immediately renting space in a school, but she saw no urgency as there had only been a few people attending. Still, wanting to obey, she arranged for the rental to begin in January. The very next week, fifteen people showed up for the meeting. To accommodate the crowd, Rob and Angela had to move their furniture into the kitchen each Sunday for the next seven weeks. God gently reminded Angela of his earlier instructions, another lesson not soon forgotten. God began to give us, as a church, significant passages of Scripture for our direction and establishment, the first of which was from Chronicles.
" and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray,
and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven,
will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NASB)
1981
 God brought us to several milestones. In January we began to meet in Manachaban School. Pastors Bob and Kay Hoover visited with their encouraging, anointed ministry and the local outdoor swimming pool was the scene of our first water baptism. A television ministry ran from 1981-83, with salvation resulting from the very first program.At a presbytery in Canmore, where Pastors Creed Davis, David Blomgren and Keith Hazell were ministering, Robert and Angela received a prophecy that they were only caretakers of the church; God would bring a young man alongside them to train, and he would one day stand in their stead. That young man was Douglas Mitchell, who arrived in September 1984. Backslidden and running from God, Doug needed a place to live in Cochrane. The Butlers felt that God wanted them to open their home to Doug. He accepted and, within a few months, rededicated his life to God. In time Doug became the youth leader, assistant pastor, and eventually their son-in-law.
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