Reconciliation | B.C. Mission Boat Society

by Sonja Bland

God’s reconciliation work is powerful!

This past spring a small team of four travelled to Bella Bella in response to an invitation from the Pentecostal minister to return to the community.

Our team planned and prayed for a list of things we hoped God would accomplish through our visit. We prayed the invite, for us to come back, would be honored and welcomed by the Heitlsuk nation. We prayed the United Church group would allow us to use the church building for a team to host Kid’s Club and other community activities. That plans could be made for the fast-approaching summer. That we could reunite the elders and meet as many community members as possible. That we could host a church service in the church!

There was a disagreement between the two groups that worshiped in the community. Some associate with a Pentecostal minister Glenna and others associated with the United Church minister Gilbert, with one church building in the care of the United church that was not willing to share their building with the Pentecostal group needing a larger space to gather. The faithful members had not met together for a service since the COVID lockdowns.

We were met with such fierce spiritual battles making our plans and travels almost impossible it was clear there was a need for the visit. The very moment we left, with the car running, we received a call from the community saying there had been a death of a prominent community member and that all our plans would have to be canceled. The question was asked, did we still want to come? The answer was yes, and off we went trusting all would be well.

The day after we arrived, we hosted all the elders for a morning meeting, all came but the spiritual leader of the community, Gilbert. I called him on the phone and encouraged him to attend. To put aside differences for the sake of the children. There was a pause on the phone, and then the first answer to prayer, yes, he would attend for the sake of the children. He arrived with obvious discontent.

Two hours later, we were sharing a meal together listening to them sing together songs they had shared as children! United again in friendship and worship. They agreed they couldn’t remember what the disagreement was all about?

By the end of our time together, we were invited to attend three services over the course of three days in honour of the deceased community member, it was agreed we would host a Sunday morning service at the United Church building, led by our team member Pastor Noel Smith from Williams Lake. God’s reconciliation at work.

Our meetings with the nation office were cancelled as the office closes for the time of mourning. We needed the blessing of the nation to plan a team to serve this summer. At one of the services we attended, Glenna introduced us to the council member who had the authority to welcome our visit. We had the opportunity to discuss the work of the mission team which ended with the granting of a team visit and the offer to use the church building to stay and serve in. This answered a host of prayers! God’s reconciliation work again!

Gilbert was the presiding minister at all three services of the deceased community member. At the funeral service, the family had chosen the processional song to be “highway to hell”.

There had been an incident of vandalism north of the community towards Prince Rupert that involved the cutting of the communication fibers for the north coast. This interrupted all internet and phone service which meant the song could not be played.

Gilbert took to the podium and gave the most hair-raising fire and brimstone sermon. Gilbert is a soft spoken, slight, elderly man, with a hunched back, using a cane. He took to that podium upright and tall with a voice that boomed with authority!

He firmly and loudly placed a huge bible on the podium opening it to Genesis. He proceeded to read the creation account firing out comments throughout his reading directly addressing the audience of more than 300 community members to the fact of their creator and their connection to Him. He spoke powerfully to them about the truth of heaven and hell and their need to be in a relationship with Christ. That without that they would be, as he said, were that very day on their own highway to hell! That hell was a reality they needed to face and turn to God for forgiveness.

Voices could be heard from around the large hall shouting out apologies. Young men were standing up and apologizing for offending him and being disrespectful for the song choice and asking for forgiveness. He told them boldly to be asking God for His forgiveness!

He concluded by closing the bible with a thud, stepped away from the podium and quietly took his seat leaving the great hall silent. It was a moving experience to say the least.

God at work again, driving home a powerful message of reconciliation to Himself!

At the following service, a male member of the family of the deceased, took to the microphone and asked Gilbert directly to explain Christ to him personally. Gilbert then had another opportunity to address the large crowd to explain salvation through Christ. God at work again.

Our little team not only had our list of prayers answered, but we were also blessed with more than we imagined. We left with elders thanking us for facilitating their reunion of friendship and fellowship. For inspiring them to continue to meet and work towards more gatherings of the faithful.

Reconciliation at its finest, the Holy Spirit bringing the faithful together and speaking to the lost.

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