Newsletter - May 2024

Thus Far, the Lord Has Helped Us

The Salvation Army Lethbridge Citadel Band - 1931

I have always been deeply fascinated with history. When I travel, I have a thing for visiting old churches. It drives my wife nuts! I’ve visited some great churches over the year - St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, UK, St. Boniface Cathedral in Winnipeg, MB, and the Basilique Notre-Dame de Québec in Quebec City, QC.

Perhaps the most fascinating church for me was the Historic Log Church in Loch Broom, Pictou Country, Nova Scotia. It’s nothing fancy. It’s a 40’ by 25’ single room with very basic pews and a humble lectern for the minister. I remember visiting it on a whim one day while my wife and I were exploring the area. We had to drive through someone’s farm to reach it, and we weren’t able to get inside, but I was overwhelmed with emotion that day. The God that inspired the grandeur of St. Paul’s Cathedral also inspired the humility of this Log Church. It was a profound moment for me, but I was particularly struck by the Carin. This is a Scottish Gaelic term for a pile of rocks raised for a purpose, traditionally used as a memorial or landmark.

The Historic Log Church in Loch Broom, NS with the Carin to the immediate left.

The Carin reads:

This Carin
Marks The Site of Pictou
County's First Church
Erected in 1787.
It Was Forty Feet Long By Twenty Five Feet Wide. It Was
Built of Logs On Land Donated By James McCabe, A Native Of
Northern Ireland. The First Services Were Conducted In
Gaelic By The Reverend
James MacGregor, D. D.
Who Came From Scotland In 1786.

This Carin is a statement, saying “This is where we’ve come from. This is who we are.” It’s interesting to me that we do that. We raise carins or towers or buildings to commemorate special occasions in our lives or cultures. The Calgary Tower, for example, was erected in celebration of Canada’s centennial year in 1967. We do this to remember where we have come from and to signal where we are going.

God’s people do the same thing. In 1 Samuel 7, the Lord comes to the aid of Israel’s army and helps them to defeat the Philistines at Mizpah. Israel was outnumbered and panicked. Yet God was on their side and He saw them through to a complete victory. To commemorate the moment, Samuel did something special:

“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’” — 1 Samuel 7:12

It might not have been a carin or a monument, but it was an ebenezer, meant to do the same thing. In that moment, Samuel raised a landmark to celebrate God’s faithfulness to them. “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” What an incredibly powerful statement to make. In the history of Israel, they had been enslaved in Egypt until being liberated by Moses as directed by God, they had wandered in the wilderness en route to the Promised Land because of their doubt, and they time and again strayed away from their God. But here, Samuel says that up until this very point in our history, the Lord has helped us.

Oh may we have that testimony. Each of us has lived different lives with different triumphs and different struggles. Some of us have been Christians for as long as we can remember. Some of us have a definitive moment when we came to know God. Some of us have lost our way in the wilderness. It is my prayer that when we look back in our lives, we can say “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

This month, we will celebrate 126 years of ministry by The Salvation Army in Lethbridge. It is a significant milestone and, of course, one worth celebrating. As we reflect on the past century (and a quarter), there are undoubtedly moments that were of great triumphs for us, as it was when Israel’s Army defeated the Philistines. There are undoubtedly moments that were of great struggle for us, as when Israel lost its way in the wilderness. But I am confident that we can look back through the years and firmly say, “Thus far, the Lord has helped us.”

We are not going to physically raise a carin or an ebenezer to celebrate our anniversary, but we cling to the words of the songwriter Robert Robinson:

“Here I raise my Ebenezer,
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at Home.” (SASB 830)

God bless you. God bless Lethbridge Community Church. And may God bless The Salvation Army.

— Lieutenant Zach Marshall, Corps Officer/Pastor

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Upcoming Events

May 4 - Men’s Breakfast Club @ 9:00 AM

Lethbridge Community Church (1302 4 Avenue S., Lethbridge)

Our Men’s Breakfast Club meets on the first Saturday of the month for great food and fellowship. Plan to join us!

May 5 - 126th Anniversary Celebrations and Sharing Sunday @ 10:30 AM

Lethbridge Community Church (1302 4 Avenue S., Lethbridge)

As we celebrate our church’s 126th anniversary, we will be blessed with an exciting worship service featuring a brass band ensemble. After the service, we will have a potluck lunch in the gym, followed by a congregational meeting where we will discuss some business items.

May 11 - Disaster’s Corner (Coaldale) from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Coaldale Community Centre (1217 20 Avenue, Coaldale)

During Emergency Preparedness Week, the Town of Coaldale invites a variety of organizations that might participate in an emergency or disaster response to showcase their capabilities and provide some public education. The Salvation Army Emergency and Disaster Services will be on location with our Community Response Unit to provide food for the event and to promote volunteer opportunities.

May 25 - Memorial Service for Captain Robert (Bob) Townson @ 2:00 PM

Lethbridge Community Church (1302 4 Avenue S., Lethbridge)

Join us as we celebrate the life of Captain Bob Townson. Promoted to Glory - April 18, 2024.

May 28 - End of Program Year Church BBQ @ 5:30 PM

Lethbridge Community Church (1302 4 Avenue S., Lethbridge)

To celebrate the end of another wonderful program year, we will be hosting a BBQ on our church parking lot. Come on out for a great time of food, fellowship, and fun. All are welcome!