Thompson, Manitoba, Canada, Church Dedication
& Special Meetings

September 13-16, 2009

In January of 2007, a group of Christians meeting in various homes in Thompson, Manitoba, contacted Reverend Rene Cassell, the district superintendent of the Apostolic Faith work in Canada, asking about the possibility of pioneering an Apostolic Faith Church in Thompson. Reverend Cassell traveled to Thompson the following April to meet with the interested group, and encouraged them to conduct scheduled cottage meetings, which progressed to renting a church for holding services.

As plans for a new church building progressed, an ideal piece of property was purchased and blueprints were created. In June of 2008, Reverend Grant Cassell was transferred from Birchy Bay, Newfoundland, to Thompson to pastor the new church and use his considerable building experience to oversee the construction process.

On July 20, 2008, a groundbreaking ceremony was conducted on the site of the new church. By May of this year, the interior was completed enough to begin holding church services and Sunday school, less than a year after construction began. This was a tribute to the local church members who sacrificially gave of their time and resources, faithfully working evenings and Saturdays, and scheduling their vacation time to work on the project. A few were also able to come from other branch churches in Canada to help with portions of the building project.

The dedication of the new church was scheduled for Sunday, September 13, 2009, and anticipation was high as visitors from branch churches began to arrive. On the Saturday night preceding the dedication, a catered dinner was enjoyed along with a PowerPoint presentation depicting different stages of the construction from the groundbreaking ceremony to the completion of the new church. Pictures were also shown of the first baptismal service in the new church in which two recent converts were baptized.

In addition to the local church members and visitors from branch churches, many family members, friends, and residents of the community attended the dedication, including the Mayor of Thompson. During the dedication service, Reverend Bob Downey, Director of North America Work, from Portland, Oregon, expressed his appreciation for being in Thompson for this occasion, after which he read a letter of congratulations from Reverend Darrel Lee, Superintendent General. Mayor Tim Johnson commented that it had been a number of years since a new church work was started in Thompson, and he welcomed the participation of the church members in meeting the challenges in the city of Thompson, especially in the surrounding neighborhoods. He then presented Pastor Grant Cassell with a certificate from the city. Reverend Rene Cassell preached an inspiring sermon on the “church within the church building,” encouraging the congregation to maintain a strong spiritual foundation. During Pastor Grant Cassell’s prayer of dedication, he emphasized that every part of the building process had been completed for God’s glory, including the white siding which was chosen to depict holiness and purity and red trim to represent the Blood of Christ. After the dedication service, a time of fellowship and refreshments was held in the church’s social hall.

Evangelistic services were held Sunday through Wednesday evenings following the dedication, and the Spirit of God could be felt as the Lord dealt with the unsaved and backsliders in every service. During the Sunday evening service, Reverend Bob Downey brought out that the church in Thompson was built because there are hungry hearts wanting the truth, and that everything was right for revival to take place and souls to be saved.

The congregation opened the Monday evening service by singing “I Came Here Expecting God to Move,” and that is exactly what happened. The Spirit of God could be felt during the congregational singing and testimonies. As Reverend Kirk Hewlett, the pastor in Fort McMurray, Alberta, was preaching on David’s willingness to face Goliath, a backslider made her way to the altar and was wonderfully saved. While tarrying at the altar, several asked to be anointed and prayed over for healing, and as everyone joined in prayer, the blessings of the Lord poured out and the sweet spirit of prayer could be felt throughout the sanctuary.

On Tuesday evening, Reverend Rene Cassell preached a stirring sermon on being ready for the Rapture, and many carried a burden for their unsaved loved ones to the altar in prayer and sought for a closer walk with God.

During the Wednesday evening service, the anticipation was high for the Lord to work, and the testimonies were powerful reminders of what the Lord can do when one surrenders his heart to God. While one lady was testifying, her unsaved husband could not hold back the tears. As the congregation stood to sing “That Sounds Like Home to Me” before the last special, this same man made his way to the altar, ending the service but beginning what would be a wonderful prayer meeting as he prayed through to salvation. At the conclusion of the prayer meeting, the congregation enjoyed the sweet fellowship of singing around the altar and rejoicing in what the Lord had done during the special meetings.

The church dedication and special meetings in Thompson were a wonderful time of spiritual encouragement for all who attended. Since then, the reports coming out of Thompson of how the Lord is still working and saving souls have added to the excitement and expectation that God will continue to bless the endeavors of the congregation in this new church.