Mark Carter is a certified student for ministry in the Presbytery of Kamloops. He is also a member of the McLeese Lake house church. Mark’s passion for ministry and experience in small communities made him an ideal candidate for a summer student ministry in the remote community of Prince Rupert. Prince Rupert has been without a minister for several years and is not in a position to call one. The elders do all the worship leading and preaching and,together the small congregation provide pastoral care through the year. They were thrilled to call Mark to minister with them for the summer. After only 3 weeks in the community, one of the 3 elders of the congregation was suddenly killed in a car accident, leaving the congregation, session and community reeling with grief. Mark has been a pastoral presence among them. Jon Wyminga is the Missionary in Charge on behalf of the Presbytery of Kamloops offering oversight from a distance of 10 hours drive away. Mark wrote this report before the tragedy occurred. The challenges of small faith communities in remote areas require a unique set of gifts as well as flexibility and understanding. As a national church, we need to do all we can to support these ministries in the role they play in being Jesus to the people around them.
By Mark Carter
I arrived in Prince Rupert in the evening after a long and tedious drive from Mcleese Lake. The drive was well worth it though. After meeting some of the elders of the church, who showed me to the home they had arranged for me to live in, my spirits were lifted. My experience has been great here so far. The Presbyterian Church building was built in 1925 and it looks like it too. From the soaring tower that has a great view of the harbour to the ancient basement that existed before the church was built, the smells and sights of the building are reminiscent of days long since passed.
I was struck by the magnificence of the antiquated building, but realized that it was a shelter constructed and decorated after a tradition that had many hundreds of years in the making. Its beauty should augment that of the bride of Christ that is housed, if nothing else.
Prince Rupert is a bustling port town, with many cargo ships coming and going, sometimes one a day. The crews of these ships often come ashore and there is a ministry called the Lighthouse that is aimed at serving these crews. They have a building where they can have a meal, read, play games and puzzles, and there are volunteers there who are willing to visit with them. They also provide car rides for those who need to travel farther for certain things. One woman at the church volunteers there daily, primarily to translate the scripture message given at the end of the day for those who speak Mandarin. I hope to spend some time helping there this summer.
I have found that one of the most useful things I can do during the week is visit those who are in care homes. Many of those in the congregation have aging parents who enjoy having someone visit and pray with them. I am planning on setting a time when I will visit and play the Cello for those who want to listen.
The work of sharing the Word and encouraging people in their faith continues on here without regard to the number of people in the pews. Jesus tells us that “where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20) and we hang onto that promise as we look to the possibilities the future could hold.
Pray that God would use His people here to bring the light of Christ to the lost.
