![]() 1992
This was the year that we learned much about the importance of obeying God no matter what happens. Although to our natural minds it seemed obvious that we needed to push for the sale of our River Avenue property, God kept saying no. Not surprisingly, the building refused to sell despite our best efforts. We experienced a season of confusion and anxiety until we came to grips with the fact that “now is not the time.” It was a difficult lesson but a solid one.
1993
With much excitement, and not a few tears, in February we sent out our first missionary, Bettie Orchard, to Moscow to work with ORA International. Pastor Tony Morton brought a word of encouragement from God for us to sell our River Avenue property. It sold in July for our full asking price without the benefit of advertising, thanks to God's intervention and favour. It was another season of renting meeting space, this time the Glenbow School gym. The drill of setting up and putting away all the chairs and sound equipment within our allotted time became a well-rehearsed routine, one we could almost do in our sleep. 1994
![]() ![]() Robert and Angela's first shepherd, Pastor David Shearer, joined us for the sod-turning ceremony in West Valley. That April, construction began on our present facility on West Aarsby Road. Nearly our entire congregation supplied elbow grease, time and expertise during this season. Although it was a special time of our church being knit together in a new way, we experienced a exodus which reduced our congregation from 110 to 70 people. Our missionary, “Auntie” Bettie, returned home from Moscow in time to celebrate our first service in the new building on Christmas Eve 1994. ![]() ![]() ![]() 1995
On Sunday, January 15th, the Holy Spirit fell in our church in a wave of revival and renewal that lasted for seven years. Pastor Robert remembers it like this:
“I was awakened at around 4 a.m. with the power of God flowing through my body. It was like an electrical current passing through me from my head to my feet. As I lay there in bed, God spoke to my heart, telling me that He was going to visit our church in a new, powerful way on that day. In obedience, I opened up the service and anticipated His presence. You will remember that the morning service was a great blessing, but with nothing too much out of the ordinary happening. But it was in the evening service that God began to break through in our lives. As we entered the sanctuary, something was strangely and obviously different, the atmosphere during the worship was electric, and there was great anticipation amongst us.
“Then something broke loose as the Holy Spirit began working in our hearts, sending people to their knees and prostrate on their faces; the tears started to flow with sobs and groans as God started to break up the fallow ground in our hearts, and outbreaks of holy laughter came in waves. That was just the beginning. Since that time, we have witnessed the constant power of God, both in our services and in our daily lives, as the refreshing wind of His Spirit has moved upon us, with most of us receiving a touch from the life-changing hand of God.”
For the first six weeks, Robert and Doug were unable to preach even one sermon because God had His own agenda for each service. We enjoyed plenty of “carpet time”, flat on our faces or our
backs as we learned to be still in God's presence and let Him minister to us. Finishing touches to our building were completed by the next July so that, by our fifteenth anniversary in 1995, we had a dedication service and presented the church with several commemorative plaques. David Shearer and Keith Hazell officially opened and dedicated the new West Aarsby facility.
Commemoration
This building was constructed between April 1994 and July 1995 and
was officially opened at a special service on October 14,1995
Dedication
To the glory of God the eternal father, to the Lord Jesus Christ the chief Shepard
and the true head of the church, and in recognition of the divine leadership
of the Holy Spirit, this building is respectfully and reverently dedicated.
In appreciation
In recognition of the efforts of the faithful saints who sacrificially gave
of their substance and time in the construction of this building.
Zechariah 2:5 (NASB)
“'For I,' declares the Lord, 'will be a wall of fire around her,
and I will be the glory in her midst.' "
Nehemiah 2:18 (NASB)
“…. Then they said, "Let us arise and build."
So they put their hands to the good work
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