聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 OneChurch.ca will celebrate 25 years of ministry in this area at a celebration at the Carlyle campus after regular services in Carlyle (at 9:15 a.m.) and in Redvers (at 10:45 a.m.) on Sunday, May 20.
听听听听听听听听听听听 As part of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada's (PAC) Saskatchewan District, OneChurch.ca will receive a visit from the PAC's Saskatchewan Superintendent, John Drisner of Saskatoon that day, as well as former members of the congregation who will return for a reunion.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淲e have a program for the day,鈥� says Pastor Louis Halbgewachs. 鈥淲e have some former members coming back and a few who can't but would like to, so we'll have some people join us by video.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 The PAC is the largest Christian evangelical congregation in Canada and during the past two years, OneChurch.ca has become known as a thriving presence in this part of the province, known for its hands-on missions both locally and internationally.
听听听听听听听听听听听 The growth of OneChurch.ca from its beginnings in 1993 to its current dual campuses in Carlyle and Redvers is 鈥渁n example of God's timing,鈥� says one of the church's founders, Karen Olmstead of Carlyle.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淭hree households started out above the current (Affinity) credit union building on Main Street in Carlyle in April 1993,鈥� says Olmstead. 鈥淲e wanted something family-orientated and we wanted to live out our beliefs and practice them in our everyday lives.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚n 2000, we moved to what is now the Shockwave building and we stayed there until 2008, until the church moved to our permanent home,鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚t was great when we got out of rented facilities,鈥� says Olmsted. 鈥淚t was (formerly) Carlyle Building Supplies and our landlords - Cliff Walker, Al Mossing and Ron Paul - were great. But even after we bought the building, we were dealing with things like only having one washroom for a growing congregation.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淪ome families planned their bathroom breaks around church,鈥� laughs Olmstead. 鈥淭he move from that building to where we are right now was really due to the space factor. And we still believe that it's important for families to come to church together and that kids are our future. And since we started, we didn't want kids to be squashed up and uncomfortable in church.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淏ut the big thing is, it taught us to trust,鈥� says Olmstead. 鈥淲e had a timing, but it really was God's timing. If it had come easy, we wouldn't have learned and experienced some things we needed to.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Pastor Louis and Jenny Halbgewachs have been at the spiritual helm of OneChurch.ca for 15 years. The couple's story - like the church they serve - is also an example of what they both attribute to God's timing.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚n 2003, we were living in Saskatoon,鈥� says Jenny. 鈥淲e hadn't been married that long and we'd just bought a house...鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚 was completing my schooling (to become a pastor) and I was working at Shaw Cable, earning pretty good money,鈥� adds Pastor Louis. 鈥淩oy Olmstead was calling a friend of mine - asking for references for another pastor to come to Carlyle. At the time, I didn't know any of this, but my friend said the pastor they were calling about was great, but he thought I might be the guy for the job.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淲ithout knowing about any of this, Jenny asked me if I was ever going to do anything I was passionate about again.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淎nd the next night,鈥� continues Pastor Louis, 鈥淢y friend said to me: 'So Louis, what are you going to do with the rest of your life?'鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淭hen he told me that Roy Olmstead would be calling me.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Circumstances - from the sale of their home in Saskatoon to Louis becoming a full pastor and more - led the couple to believe that their move to OneChurch.ca was 鈥渁 God thing.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淭he question was: 'What does this life look like if Louis isn't pastoring?鈥� says Jenny.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淵ou graduate from Bible school and try to find a church,鈥� adds Pastor Louis. 鈥淏ut really, the church finds you.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Today, OneChurch.ca is located on two campuses and hosts bi-annual mission trips to Mexico. The church also ministers to its members and others locally - and often, confidentially.
听听听听听听听听听听听 A mainstay of its mission is its 鈥�4-Week Challenge.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淲e invite people to try church again,鈥� says Jenny. 鈥淚t's a way to do life, really.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淲e challenge people to try church again,鈥� adds Pastor Louis. 鈥淲ithin a local body of believers - and God. There is meaning and purpose in life now and an abundant life in the here and now and that's what we try to continue to convey.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 The trio agree that celebrating One Church.ca's quarter-century anniversary is, as Pastor Louis says: 鈥淐elebrating what God has done and looking forward to what God will do.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淕od has brought us on a wild ride,鈥� he continues. 鈥淎nd we have been privileged to hang on. When I think aabout what three families in a rented space started 25 years ago to this little church in southeast Saskatchewan having a national and international impact...鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淏ut it's still that same heart,鈥� says Jenny. 鈥淕od can do anything if we let him in.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Carlyle's OneChurch.ca campus is located at 104-6th st. West. For more information, visit .
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