To all of the half-frozen, winterized saints who make up the HMI Pacific team,
Have you been affected where you live by either the cold? Or dumps of snow? … or both? Wow, we have been hammered by significant amounts of snow!
Oh yes, I must remember to wish a Happy New Year to you all! I am very thankful for a new year; an opportunity to look ahead with faith and courage to what the Lord has in store for all of us and for this ministry! In the beginning of this year, even though there are many things in this old world that we could worry about, as people of faith we will look to the One who is in control. Remember, 2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us that we walk by faith, not by sight.
Here is a synopsis of the last few months of 2017 in the HMI Pacific world.
In early November, I had a wonderful opportunity to meet up with Dan Hamhuis, who has been a faithful friend and an encouragement to me for many years. Dan has had a long career in the NHL starting in 2003 with the Nashville Predators, then for a number of years with the Vancouver Canucks, and now with the Dallas Stars. As of this newsletter, Dan has logged 990 NHL games and collected 332 points. That’s almost 1,000 NHL games played….that’s not a bad professional hockey career! (Also 2 World Junior appearances for Team Canada, 4 straight World Championships appearances, and a 2014 Olympic Gold for Canadian men’s hockey in Sochi, Russia) Anyway, the Stars had just finished playing in Vancouver and had a few days off before they flew to Winnipeg to play the Jets. The team decided to stop over for a couple days in Kelowna where they could practise at Prospera Place. It was during this time that Dan and I connected for a coffee and prayer. Dan is a solid humble Christian man, and I am proud to call him my friend. God bless you Dan as you play this fabulous game and live strong for Christ Jesus.
In November, I had the privilege of travelling to Vancouver Island to visit with some HMI chaplains. I started out up north in Campbell River where I stopped in to visit with Ryan Davis. Ryan is a youth pastor in Campbell River, and has assumed the chaplaincy of the Storm hockey club from former chaplain Bobby Rau. This was my first meeting with Ryan; what a delight it was to meet him. After Campbell River, I drove down to Port Alberni to meet with the Bulldogs chaplain Michael Kleyn. Michael is another great guy, and we had a good time chatting and praying. After Port Alberni it was off to Parksville to see Chuck McMann. Chuck is a solid Christian man who has had connections with Hockey Ministries for decades. He retired in 2016 after many years as the special teams coach for the BC Lions. Chuck is considering chaplaincy with the Oceanside Generals, a Junior B club in Parksville. Please be praying about this good opportunity for a new chapel program, that the doors would be open.
After Parksville, I drove to meet my good buddy Travis Barbour in Nanaimo. Travis has served the Nanaimo Clippers for a few years now and has done very very well. I am so glad to have Travis on the chaplains team here in BC. From Nanaimo I drove to see my good buddy Norm Sowden in Duncan. Norm had for years served as chaplain for the Cowichan Valley Capitals Junior A club, but last year passed the torch to Chris Clarke. Chris is a perfect fit for the Capitals, and I am very thankful to the Lord for him. After Duncan it was off to Victoria to see Tony Janzen who serves as the chaplain for the Victoria Grizzlies. Tony is a long time buddy; a man who loves Jesus with all his heart. On my way back to the mainland, I met in Sidney with Victoria Royals chaplain Dave Steingard and also with Darren Abrahams. Phew! What a wild and crazy trip…. I am so grateful to be able to take these crazy rides! Thank you for all your help in getting me around the province.
Do you have time for two more highlights? In December I was honoured to coordinate our 7th Annual West Kelowna Warriors Christmas Hamper Drive, an initiative of the Warriors chaplaincy program. When it was all said and done, we collected enough for 50 full food hampers for needy people in West Kelowna. The hampers we made included enough food for a family to have a great Christmas breakfast as well as a full Christmas dinner including a frozen turkey. It was so wonderful to have the Warriors players help fill the hamper boxes, write out the cards and help deliver the hampers to elementary schools for distribution. This is a tremendous ministry and I get excited about it! The entire community supports the chaplaincy program during the Annual Warriors Christmas Hamper Drive; it is a great witness to the love of Christ.
Finally, in mid December Lorraine and I hosted our annual hockey Christmas party. This is for season ticket holders and Warriors staff to come to our home for a Christmas evening. Our house was packed as we gathered together that evening. I gave my annual Christmas toast, welcoming our guests, honouring Jesus’ birth and upholding Lorraine’s and my steadfast faith in Christ. It was a great blessing to have the hockey community including the Warriors head coach in our home. I’m sure that the majority of those present will not have had another Christmas gathering like that where Christ was named and lifted up.
Well, I think that’s a wrap for this edition. May God bless you all as 2018 unfolds, and remember that we walk by faith and not by sight.
Prayer Points
-for chaplains facing transition
-Colton Conrad, Kamloops chaplain
-Kyle Reddemon, Salmon Arm chaplain
-Chuck McMann in Parksville
-for safety on the road as I travel
-for me at speaking engagements
-for opportunities for deep conversations
-for this summer’s camps
Don Richmond
Hockey ministries International
Pacific Region