To the Hockey Ministries BC gang scattered all over western Canada,
I trust that you have all had a wonderful Christmas season! What a great time to get together with friends and family! Lorraine and I ended up in Medicine Hat, AB for Christmas and then in northwestern BC (Telkwa) for New Years. We had such a great time, sledding, building snow forts, and generally celebrating together. Having said that, I want to be sensitive to those that find the Christmas/New Year season very difficult, as they deal with heartache, disappointment and loneliness. While we must and should celebrate the birth of our Saviour, we also need to show the grace of that same Saviour to others.
Let me take a few minutes and fill you in on some of the details of Hockey Ministries life here in BC during the last two months of 2018.
At the end of October, we were visited by a few Warriors hockey players accompanying some young fans, as they popped by our house while they were trick or treating on Halloween. It was nice of them to think of us as they came by on their candy collecting journey! We are glad when things like this happen, because it means that our relationships are growing.
During the month of November I was able to meet up with Chris Clarke, the HMI chaplain in Duncan. Chris has been leading chapels with the local club, the Cowichan Valley Capitals, for I believe three years now. Chris is doing a great job with the team and I am proud of him. I also ran into Travis and Whitney Barbour and their young family during the month. Travis leads chapels with the Vancouver Island University Mariners hockey club in Nanaimo. Travis has been a chaplain for a number of years and has an effective ministry in the hockey world in Nanaimo. Also in November, I was able to help out with the internet radio broadcast on a number of games for the Warriors, which meant that I was up in the press box, commenting beside the play by play broadcaster. I really do enjoy this, as I get to feed off of what has just been said. I try to say some intelligent things throughout the game, but I will leave that to the listeners to judge that one!
In mid November, it was a joy to travel to Victoria to speak at North Douglas Church and also visit with my Dad. After the Sunday service, we all met the North Douglas missions committee for lunch, which my Uncle Jim and Aunt Bernice hosted. I want to say a huge thank you to the North Douglas missions committee, my aunt and uncle and also to Pastor Rod Fehr for inviting me. When I returned home from Victoria, I met with my personal advisory/encouragement team for lunch. These young men have been such a blessing to me and I am thankful to the Lord for them. Kolby, Brent and Jayson have stood with me and prayed with me consistently. I am glad to call them my friends and confidantes.
Later in November I was pleased to hop on the bus with the Warriors hockey club for a three game road trip to Vancouver Island. This is my annual chaplains road trip, which includes a chapel time in our hotel. I am always careful to recognize the privilege that it is to be included on trips like this, and for that I am very grateful. I also believe that the Lord is speaking to young hearts and lives during these times.
December found me preparing for many Christmas events, including the 8th Annual Warriors Christmas Hamper Night. It is through this game night event that the Warriors chapel program can provide 50 Christmas hampers to the most needy families in West Kelowna. I am grateful to the club for allowing this to happen; I believe that it is a great success. I also believe that it brings credibility and visibility to the Warriors chapel program. I am able to purchase the groceries, have the players assemble the hamper boxes, pack them in trucks and deliver them. (We work through West Kelowna elementary school principals to get the hampers to the most needy families.) This whole exercise is a blessing on so many levels…
Finally, in mid December Lorraine and I hosted a houseful of community people (some from the hockey world and some not) for our annual community Christmas party. It is here that I propose a Christmas toast, letting our guests know about the reason that we celebrate the season…. our faith in Christ Jesus. What a fabulous time we had! It really is one of the best annual events on our calendar!
Well, I could go on and on… but I won’t. What I will do is pray all God’s best for you in 2019; that you might know His hand on your hearts and lives.
All for Jesus,
Don Richmond
Hockey Ministries International
Pacific Region
Prayer Points:
- for safety in winter travels around BC
- for upcoming Faith Night in West Kelowna
- for ongoing chapel programs throughout BC
- for meaningful conversations with players and staff
- for some of the newer chaplains
- for adequate finances to carry out this ministry