by Gordon Kellett
Elder and member of what has been the Canim Lake House Church
There have been many changes in our house church services here in the Canim Lake – Forest Grove area in the past few months. The most significant change has been Bruce Wilcox taking over as our pastor from Dave Webber in anticipation of Dave and Linda’s eventual retirement. The transition has been a smooth and natural one as the ministry progresses and grows. The second significant change, and one that is proving to be very exciting, is moving the church services from my house at Canim Lake to the Forest Grove Legion every Sunday evening at 7:00 pm which occurred at the end of December. Attendance at Canim Lake had dropped to three of us over the past several months – two people from Lac la Hache and me. My mother moved to Carefree Manor in 100 Mile House in July and Tim Beaudoin immigrated to Australia after the death of his father in October, 2012. The response in Forest Grove has been encouraging with about a half a dozen turning out. In addition to that Bruce and I have begun a “sort of” outreach ministry in a café in 100 Mile House which seems to be bearing fruit. I can’t say more about that because it is a very hands-on, personal experience.
Now, about myself; From October, 2012 and perhaps before that, until May, 2013 I allowed myself to slip into a very deep depression, the cause of which I am still trying to understand. I stopped leaving my house unless I had no choice. I stopped driving entirely. I stopped bathing and I stayed in my bathrobe all day long. I stopped caring about anything; myself, my family and my friends. The only connection I managed to maintain with the outside world was with my church, and that was not through any effort of my own. I am blessed with having an extraordinary church family. The Webbers and the Simontons continued to support me in prayer and friendship for months as I steadily declined. Meanwhile, mom fell and broke a hip back in April and after several weeks in hospital she had to move to a motel and finally into a care home because it was no longer safe for her to live in her home.
In May, 2013, my doctor visited me at home and ordered me into hospital for treatment. Because mom and I were both incapacitated, our neighbours rallied around us to look after our affairs. Two women organized mom’s move into the motel and later into Carefree Manor. I was in hospital for five weeks before being sent home. The return was made possible by a group of friends. The hospital stay was instrumental in my beginning to recover.
I continue to recover with the prayerful support of family and friends, and while I have been experiencing other health problems I continue to be blessed by God. I am taking care of mom’s personal and business affairs and the Lord has opened doors for me to begin to get re-involved in my community.
