With Alberta's battered economy leading many troubled citizens to make unhealthy choices for relief from stress, Innisfail's Parkland Community Church is offering a solution.
During the church's Sunday morning service on Jan. 31, four to six young male adults will be making a 45-minute presentation on how their lives changed from hopeless misery through addictions to ones of hope, serenity and happiness.
“Here is a group of great guys who will be able to share, ‘Look, we have been through this and here is what this program has been doing for us,'” said Pastor Gerald Bradbury, who has been ministering at the church, located at 4200 - 49 Ave., since his arrival in Innisfail late last November.
The young men are going through the Teen Challenge Canada program, which in Alberta is located on a 43-acre site in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The 12-month, faith-based program is designed through a residential alcohol and drug addiction rehabilitation centre and is offered to both young adult men and women.
Bradbury said during his 12 years ministering he has brought Teen Challenge clients to parishioners twice. He said his uncle used to work with organization officials at its Toronto campus. Mostly though, he is impressed with what he believes is a success rate of more than 80 per cent, and how Teen Challenge has transformed once destructive lives to ones that are goal-setting, productive and contributing to society.
Teen Challenge clients have visited the Parkland Community Church in the past, he noted. But Bradbury added it has become important to have another visit due to the stress many people are feeling over Alberta's battered economy. He said the young clients from Teen Challenge will tell Innisfailians how the agency's program helped them overcome addictions.
“We are into the downturn of our economy. I have been hearing from people I have talked to about the stress, and turning to alcohol, drugs and certain things,” said Bradbury. “And suicides have gone up, according to Alberta mental health (officials). We are seeing the stress level, the toll of our economy, go up.”
Bradbury emphasized the visit and presentation from Teen Challenge clients is for anyone in the community, and that all citizens are welcome to attend. He said the church's service on Jan. 31 begins at 10:30 a.m., which will include the 45-minute Teen Challenge presentation. A lunch for all who attend will follow.
For more information on the Teen Challenge presentation call the church at 403-227-4215, or visit the Parkland Community Church's Facebook page.
Pastor Gerald Bradbury
"We are into the downturn of our economy. I have been hearing from people I have talked to about the stress, and turning to alcohol, drugs and certain things."
