By Rev. Ron
Opmeer, pastor,
Athabasca Reformed Congregation
Athabasca Reformed Congregation is the northernmost church in the Regional Synod
of Canada, and is ready to reach even further with your help—60 kilometers
further, to the predominantly Cree native community of Calling Lake, Alberta.
Six hundred people live in a 10-kilometer radius of Calling Lake; 75 percent
identified themselves as Roman Catholic in the 2001 census, but the only
evangelical witness in Calling Lake is a Bible study group of about a dozen
Pentecostal believers. The Athabasca congregation sees the Lord’s hand at work
in drawing Cree native elder and pastor Norman McCallum of Edmonton to accept an
outreach position for Calling Lake at the same time as the Regional Synod’s
Mobilizing for Mission five-year campaign is preparing to invest in a
Canada-wide mission.
Norman McCallum has worked in native employment as an addictions counselor, a
Big Horn Reserve Band administrator, a Native Friendship Centre director, a
career services information officer for native bands in Saskatchewan, and most
recently as supervisor over numerous inner city homes for troubled street youth
in Edmonton. He is now on the Edmonton mayor’s aboriginal advisory committee. He
speaks the Cree language and knows the culture from the inside. Best of all, he
is a Spirit-filled believer who has compassion for native peoples.
Last May, Norman researched the needs of the Calling Lake community. He
concluded that there is urgency in placing a worker in Calling Lake, especially
as Alberta’s largest native land claims settlement will come into effect in
2008, totaling $300 million for the Bigstone Cree region. He believes the result
could be a “trail of tears” for those who come upon money but who are unable to
withstand the accompanying temptations.
While this ministry will take place through the sponsorship of Athabasca
Reformed with its partners, the initial intent is not to plant a Reformed church
in Calling Lake but to have Pastor Norman lay a foundation for future ministry
in Calling Lake in partnership with other believers there. His work will include
preaching and teaching, worship leadership, visitation, and evangelism to adults
and children. He will reach broadly to seek many avenues of witness both on the
Cree reserve and off the reserve. In the first year he and his wife, Maria, will
live in Athabasca and begin to reach into Calling Lake, and then move to the
Calling Lake area in the years to come.
We ask you, the churches of the Regional Synod of Canada, to pray for Pastor
Norman and consider if the Lord would have you designate funds to the Calling
Lake outreach through Mobilizing for Mission over the next five years. The
annual budget is around $50,000 and could include up to $20,000 from partnering
churches like yours. The work starts this spring.
If
you would like to be a part of this new and exciting Mobilizing for Mission
ministry through donations or prayer,
please contact the Regional Synod
Office at (519) 622-1777
or donate on-line above at the right side of
the page
