(Above) Cpt Rick Robins (far right), CO, East Kootenay Circuit, B.C., and the EDS team deliver food to a firehall so the firefighters can stay close to the fire zone (Photo: Cpt Eric Olsen)

Welcome to The Home Front, a new series where we highlight the mission and ministry taking place around our territory. Over the next 12 issues of Salvationist, we will visit each Canadian province and territory, as well as Bermuda, and celebrate the innovation and impact the Army is having in corps, social services and youth ministry.

FIRE RECOVERY PROGRAM IN WEST KELOWNA, B.C

Armageddon. That’s the word people were using in West Kelowna, B.C., last August, when a wildfire started about 10 kilometres north of the city and quickly spread, eventually forcing more than 10,000 people to evacuate their homes.

“The chief of the fire department warned us, ‘When the sun sets tonight, you’re going to see the fire on the hillside, and it’s going to be terrifying,’ ” recalls Captain Jennifer Henson, who serves with her husband, Captain Rob Henson, as the corps officers at Renew Church in West Kelowna. “And it was. Flames were shooting high in the sky, trees were candling—it was like a horror movie playing out in front of us.”

Captains Henson quickly jumped into action, calling their emergency disaster services (EDS) team together to serve refreshments at a reception centre for evacuees, where they were on-site for the next 10 days. The snack service soon turned into serving three meals a day as wave after wave of people were evacuated. At the same time, they began feeding firefighters, delivering meals to five different fire halls so that crews could stay close to the fire zone.

As well as food and hydration, the EDS team provided emotional and spiritual support for the evacuees, many of whom were in shock. When they heard it was a couple’s wedding anniversary, the EDS team bought a cake and candles, and sang “Happy anniversary” to them as they waited in line for government assistance.

“Then we passed out cake to everybody, and it was a really beautiful moment of community,” says Captain Henson. “It was special for them, but also for everyone else. It gave us a moment to remember, ‘We can go through hard things, but we go through them together and show up for each other.’ And that lifts everyone’s spirits.”

In some cases, evacuees were waiting up to four days to be seen by a government worker, so the Army opened up their community and family services office to provide grocery and gas gift cards, clothing vouchers and hygiene items, to bridge the gap.

“But what we realized was that a significant number of people would not ever be returning home, and so we launched a fire recovery program,” says Captain Henson. “The overwhelming majority of the people we’re working with have lost everything, and most of them are not insured.”

In collaboration with six other local organizations, the Army is continuing to provide personalized casework assistance, giving out more than $300,000 in support to date. The same three caseworkers who met with people during the evacuation period have continued to care for them.

“They don’t have to explain their story every time, because we already know their story,” says Captain Henson. “They have someone to journey with them through probably one of the worst times of their life.”

WILD CHURCH IN LANGLEY, B.C

On a Wednesday evening last July, as a family explored the creek and woods at Williams Park in Langley, B.C., they spotted owls in a tree. After standing in reverent silence for a moment, they returned to the picnic area and shared their experience with the others gathered for Wild Church.

“Wild Church is an expression of faith that seeks to return to nature as a spiritual practice,” says Captain Renée McFadden, who serves with her husband, Captain Dave McFadden, as the corps officers at The Willows Church and Family Life Centre. They received an innovation grant to try this new approach to church over five weeks last summer.

“It takes place in the great cathedral of the outdoors. God is not contained within the walls of our sanctuary, so why do we think that’s the only place—and the only way—we can worship? What can we learn as we sit by the stream or wander through the woods? What does it teach us about God?”

While Wild Church is an emerging movement, nature as a source of divine revelation is not a new idea. Theologian John Calvin referred to “two books” that reveal something about God—and the first is creation. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, said, “The world around us is a mighty volume wherewith God hath declared himself.”

Wild Church recognizes that we are part of the community of God’s creation and seeks to restore a kindred relationship with the more-than-human world.

“So, it’s not an open-air service, or just replicating your Sunday church service outdoors,” says Captain McFadden.

“You’re coming with an open mind, open heart and open hands to experience God through God’s creation,” adds Captain Dave McFadden.

Each week, about 20 people gathered at the park from 6 to 7:30 p.m. for a simple service based on one of five themes—air, trees and plants, ground and rocks, water and community that produces life— with ideas from books and resources they borrowed from another Wild Church congregation. After a time of connecting and a liturgy of prayer, Scripture, poetry and singing, the McFaddens invited people to “wander and wonder” for a time of quiet reflection.

After 20 minutes, they returned to share what they had noticed in creation and what it told them about the Creator, and then responded with an interactive prayer. One day, they gathered twigs and sticks as they wandered, and then wove their prayers together into a giant heart. Finally, the McFaddens sent them back to their homes with a beautiful blessing.

MEDIA ARTS CLUB AT CARIBOO HILL TEMPLE IN BURNABY, B.C.

What does a T-Rex have to do with the Nativity? For the kids at Cariboo Hill Temple in Burnaby, B.C., a dinosaur costume was the perfect prop for a video about the Christmas story. They wrote the script—a T-Rex “angel” raps a song to tell hippie shepherds where to find the infant Jesus—planned their shots, set up key lights and three different cameras, and edited the final version. Making the video was part of a new youth program at the corps called Studio 226.

“We know that short-form videos such as TikTok are part of their lives, so how can we also make the medium part of their spiritual formation?” says Major Bill Blackman, corps officer. “Our goal is to use media arts to train up kids with an understanding of Scripture and skills to be used for the benefit of the church.”

The group, which started last September with funding from an innovation grant, meets every Friday after school from 4:30 to 6 p.m. About 12 kids, from 10 to 15 years old, are learning how to tell a story—with a little creative licence for rapping dinosaurs—and gaining practical skills in video production.

“They’re learning how to use a camera, but we also need somebody to direct, somebody to act, somebody to edit—all of these pieces that go into making it work,” says Major Blackman. “It’s giving them an understanding of how everybody can be helpful and useful.”

One Sunday, when the person who usually runs the corps’ livestream was sick, the kids stepped in and did an excellent job. Major Blackman is also hoping they can create video testimonies of people from the corps, especially seniors, to be used in worship services and on their website.

As they explore the medium, have fun and learn from their mistakes, they are also hearing the gospel. One week, they focused on the parables of the “lost stuff”—the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son. This spring, they have been doing a series called “Love Is …” based on 1 Corinthians 13, and creating videos that portray how love protects and perseveres.

The foundation for Studio 226 is Proverbs 22:6: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

British Columbia 
At A Glance

Lt-Colonel Jamie Braund
Divisional commander

Lt-Colonel Ann Braund
Divisional secretary for spiritual life development

41 Corps

13 Social Service Ministry Units

30 Corps Thrift Stores

22 National Recycling Operations Stores

25 Emergency Disaster Services Units

2 Camps

This story is from: