Nine months ago Burns Lake Community Church and Burns Lake Pentecostal Church felt led by God to meet together for three months as an “experiment in unity”. There were none of the usual reasons for this such as financial considerations, doctrinal considerations or a lack of leadership or health in either fellowship. We just all unanimously felt that this was a God kind of thing to do.
Our churches come from very different doctrinal and traditional backgrounds but we felt that we had One thing in common that outweighed all of these considerations; the Lord Jesus Christ. To our delight we have found this to be truer than we had imagined. All along the way both groups have had a wonderful sense of God’s presence and blessing upon our meetings. This was expressed by our agreeing to continue on for two more seasons of three months each.
We are keenly aware that there has been much fussing and disagreement among different Christian groups and denominations. This has made us sensitive concerning how our experiment would be perceived by this community. We have had wonderful feedback as many who don’t really believe, instinctively know that Christians from different backgrounds and traditions should be able to be together with a loving attitude. Many people have been refreshed by the idea of coming together rather than splitting apart.
It is the conviction of both our leadership teams that the time has come to meet separately again. Both of our leadership teams met together on June 2nd and there was not one voice of dissent or acrimony. We found complete unity in our decision. What was voiced was a mutual appreciation for each other and the closeness that has developed between our churches. As well, there was a commitment to continue to work cooperatively in the community as well as both groups’ work with Mission Haiti. Both churches have also come to see their particular desire, emphasis, and ministry in the Lakes District become more clearly focused.
Jesus prayed to his Father, “I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me.” In all of our life and ministry we have not been associated with such a simple and lovely expression of true fellowship with such awesome respect for our Heavenly Father in the process. It has truly been a privilege and we thank God for it.
Henry Washington & John Neufeld