I trust that you have all had a wonderful two months of summer….. and perhaps a bit more as these warm days stretch into September for a while.  Lorraine and I have been quite busy over the summer, having been blessed with visits from our family and a week with three of our grandchildren.  This means that we’ve done fun things like dessert at the Dairy Queen and floating down the Penticton channel.  Summer fun!!

This time of year also means that hockey season is upon us, evidenced by training camps that are here and some already done.  A few Junior hockey leagues are already into their exhibition seasons, getting ready for the opening of the regular season.  With that comes another year of chapel programs. This season there have been an inordinate number of transitions; some chaplains leaving and some clubs changing their head coaches.  What this has meant is that I have been occupied much of this summer with finding new chaplains and ensuring that chapel programs will be running this fall.

So hang on: here is my ‘Coles Notes’ version of the HMI summer of ‘15—-

In early July I travelled to Trail to meet Bruce Taylor, who will be serving as the new chaplain for the Smoke Eaters. Bruce is a veteran Christian man, and has been a Smoke Eaters season ticket holder I believe since before Noah and the flood!!  I am so pleased and thankful to have Bruce on the HMI Chaplains team.  In mid-July, I drove to Penticton to attend the memorial service for our beloved Penticton chaplain, Jamie Weberg.  Jamie served the Lord as the Vees chaplain so very well.  He battled cancer for over a year and the Lord took him home at the young age of 36.  (You know, there are situations when I have no answers that make any sense, so I simply trust and cast my cares on Jesus.)  Please pray for Jamie’s wife Kristen and their two young children.  Jamie will leave a huge hole in the Vees organization, but I am believing that the Lord will provide a new chaplain to carry on the work that he had been doing.

On July 19, our sixth Annual Williams Lake HMI hockey camp opened, and it was sold out! (In fact, we had to turn 20 campers away this year.)  We spent the next 5 days on the ice twice a day, at dry-land training, eating together, in our dorms and in chapel. By the end of the camp, 17 young people had asked Jesus to be their Lord and Saviour!  This was the best Williams Lake camp yet, so good that we are hoping to run a second camp next summer, the Lord willing.

In early August I drove across the USA border to Washington to meet with Don Myers, who is the HMI chaplain for the Wenatchee Wild.  This is their first season in the BC Hockey League.  Don is a wonderful guy and I’m glad to welcome him to the HMI chaplaincy family.  Immediately after Wenatchee, Lorraine and I travelled to Abbotsford and on to Victoria.  While in Abbotsford, I met with chaplains Emil Fernandes, Brian Wade and Colin Chorohus.  Emil and Colin are veteran HMI chaplains, while Brian will start fresh this season with the Aldergrove Kodiaks Jr. B club.  In Victoria, I met with chaplains Dave Steingard and Tony Janzen.  Tony is re-starting a struggling chapel program with the Victoria Grizzlies, and I’m pleased to tell you that he has seen a breakthrough in his communication with their Head Coach.

Back in Kelowna, I had a wonderful lunch with Justin Schultz, who plays for the Edmonton Oilers.  I am determined to stay close to Justin and help him through all the journeys of his professional hockey life.  After a deep chat about hockey and faith, we ended with a prayer right at the lunch table.  I believe that moments like this are small indications that the Lord is doing something in the hearts of players all over the hockey world.

In the last week, I have been at the West Kelowna Warriors main training camp, and next week I will drop into the Kelowna Chiefs training camp.  I am believing the Lord that this will be a wonderfully defining year in Hockey Ministries chaplaincy, not only in BC but in all regions of the ministry.

• Travis Barbour, new chaplain in Nanaimo
• Chris Clarke, new chaplain in Cowichan Valley
• Bruce Taylor, new chaplain in Trail
• Brain Wade, new chaplain in Aldergrove
• Don Myers, new HMI chaplain in Wenatchee, WA
• Josiah Olson, new chaplain in Revelstoke
• Bobby Rau, new chaplain in Campbell River
• Terry Dyer, new chaplain in Powell River
• For Kristen Weberg and her children Emma and Jensen.
• For a new chaplain in Penticton

Thank you all for standing with me in prayer and finances, helping me proclaim the love and mercy of Christ in hockey arenas around the province.  God bless you for all that you do.  Please be praying for all the chaplains in BC especially the new ones that I have listed in my prayer points.

A few weeks later, from May 12-17, I traveled to Portage la Prairie, MB to attend the Canadian Junior Hockey League championship tournament, known as the Royal Bank Cup. (RBC)

I was glad to meet many of the good people at the event, and spent some time with the Portage Terriers chaplain, Harry Funk.  I have made it my tradition to attend as many RBC’s as possible, (if they are held in the West) and this was my 7th.  I had the opportunity to have a good chat with Kirk Lamb, the President of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Part of my overall philosophy of ministry to simply ‘show up’. If I don’t do that, I’m not available to accomplish much.  So…. I’m determined to continue to show up.

On May 25 and 26, I took a quick trip to Vancouver Island, to visit with Travis Barbour, our new chaplain with the Nanaimo Clippers.  We had a good visit and also made sure we connected with the Clippers Coach Mike Vandekamp. Please be praying for Travis, as he is new to hockey chaplaincy.  Within two days of returning home, I attended the Kelowna Chiefs Junior hockey club spring training camp, where Head Coach Jason Tansem surprised me by introducing me to all the new players and parents.  Again, just showing up…….

It was mid-June in Vernon when I met with Revelstoke Grizzlies Head Coach Ryan Parent and the new team chaplain Joel Olson.  Coach Parent has been very open to chapel programs, for which I am grateful.  Please be praying for Joel as he starts in September with the Grizz.  I had to make another quick trip to Vancouver Island in late June to visit with a few new chaplaincy candidates in Campbell River.  I am praying that one or both of these young men will work out.  A special moment for me came on that trip when I could visit my old hockey friend and ex-Nanaimo Clippers Coach Bill Bestwick.  Bill and I differ on many things, but there is no question that I can call him my friend.  Just to end coffee with a prayer was very special. (It’s part of my ‘Java and Jesus’ routine… you get some java, but you also have to take a prayer – Jesus)  From there I met Peter Lewis in Duncan BC, who is considering the vacant chaplaincy with the Cowichan Valley Capitals.  From Duncan it was on to Mill Bay to meet Norm Sowden, who is beginning a new chaplaincy with the Kerry Park Islanders Junior Club.

On my way home I met my Dad for dinner in Saanichton, just north of Victoria.  Dad is soon turning 89 years old and is a shining example of a veteran Christian who is still letting his light shine in a world that needs the love of Christ.  On the way home, I stopped to see Brian Wade, who will serve a team that is new to HMI chaplaincy, the Aldergrove Kodiaks.  The Coach of the team is open to a chapel program which is wonderful.  Please be praying for Brian as this program begins in September.  Just the other day I drove to Nelson to meet with John Thwaites, the new chaplain of the Leafs and with outgoing chaplain Cam McFadyen, who has done a fabulous job there.

On a very difficult note, Jamie Weberg, the chaplain of the Penticton Vees hockey club, has been battling cancer for over a year now.  Jamie passed away on Sunday, June 28 at 35 years of age. He leaves behind his wonderful wife Kristen and their two small children Emma and Jenzen.  Truthfully,  I am quite devastated by this turn of events.  Even though I walk in faith, I can’t help but having a broken heart over this.  Please be praying for Kristen and the entire family.

This month’s prayer points:

ps. Another tidbit — through my national anthem singing and with many sports connections, I have been privileged to sing anthems at opening ceremonies of a regional and BC provincial fastball tournaments.  It is very different singing the National Anthem at home plate compared to singing in the arena at ice level!