Jason Nixon spoke at the Sundre Golf Club last week, but the visit was not part of his re-election campaign trail.
“I am actually not going to talk about politics,” said Nixon on Wednesday, April 3.
“I am going to focus on something else that is near and dear to my heart,” he said, referring to his experiences working in Calgary at The Mustard Seed.
The Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre riding’s incumbent UCP candidate was the guest speaker during the inaugural Sundre Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, which brought out nearly 100 people.
Nixon shared several personal anecdotes that he said instilled three main formative life lessons that guide how he conducts himself to this day — rules that, when followed, “have a tremendous impact on community and can change people’s lives.”
The street ministry was founded in 1984 by his father Pat, a recipient of the Order of Canada who after 30 years remains the organization’s CEO.
Involved with the Mustard Seed for years, Nixon said he went on to become executive director before running an addiction facility west of Sundre that specializes in methamphetamine addiction.
“Then, I really swapped directions into politics,” he said.
“But I left with three things I learned.”
They included to always “make your life your mission” regardless of a chosen career path or job, as well as to “love one another” and to invest in others.
“Everything that my dad did, and does in his career, is about love,” he said.
“If you act in love, even when somebody’s not loving you back, extraordinary things will happen.”
Jason Nixon was the guest speaker during the inaugural Sundre Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast held on Wednesday, April 3 at the Sundre Golf Course. He shared some personal stories about his life experience working at the Mustard Seed and the lessons that he carries with him to this day.
People should also be mindful to, however and whenever possible, look out not just for their own personal interests but also that of others, he said, illustrating his point with a personal story.
In the mid-1970s, a 16-year-old boy addicted to just about every substance under the sun had been living on the streets since the age of 12. He unexpectedly found himself on a Calgary-bound bus after passing out on a park bench in Chase, B.C., where exasperated police officers pooled a few dollars together to buy him a bus ticket out of town, said Nixon.
Picking up where he left off, the teenager began panhandling in the big city, where he asked three passing businessmen for some spare change. They refused, but instead offered to take him out for supper, which the boy, suspicious of their intentions, reluctantly agreed to, he said.
Afterwards, the men brought the boy home, where they cleaned him up and cut his hair, said Nixon, adding, “I’m not encouraging anyone to do this, it can end up bad.”
The teen ended up stealing from them, and also robbed a nearby store before taking a car and eventually going to jail for one year. Upon his release, the adolescent was met by the same men whose trust he had betrayed. Despite the young misguided man’s transgressions, Nixon said they extended him another chance and again brought him home.
Shortly afterwards, the now 18-year-old had met a young woman and had his first child, never to look back on his old ways as he remained sober and got into construction to build a new life. By the time he was 24, the man had been offered the position of executive director with a benevolent organization called Burning Bush, he said.
“From there, he would go on to start the Mustard Seed, get an Order of Canada, Alberta Order of Excellence, and changed tens of thousands of people's lives all because those three businessmen chose to stop and be with him. And that’s investing in somebody else,” said Nixon, adding, “If they had not done that, I wouldn’t be standing here today” and neither would his brothers as well as all of those people who received help from Mustard Seed.
“That is what investing in somebody can do,” he said.
“If you do it out of love and if you take the time to invest in people, you can accomplish amazing things.”
The mayor’s prayer breakfast was billed as an opportunity to network and build community, said Mayor Terry Leslie.
“We gather to celebrate service, leadership, spirit and gratitude with conversation and breakfast,” said Leslie during his opening address.
The mayor also praised the local business community, which “provides so much of the philanthropy through donations to all of our groups and organizations.”
The strength of the Sundre area’s economy stems from multiple industries including oil and gas, forestry, agriculture, tourism, “and an emerging cannabis production and retail industry,” said Leslie.
“Now who would have ever imaged those words coming out of somebody’s mouth standing with a microphone with police in the room?” he joked, drawing a round of laughter.
He said other local organizations making the community stronger include, but are not limited to the following: Sundre and District Chamber of Commerce, Sundre Petroleum Operators’ Group, Sundre Agricultural Society, Sundre Hospital Futures Committee, Sundre and District Aquatic Society, Sundre Curling Club, and Sundre Rodeo and Race Association.
The mayor added optimism for Sundre’s future is exemplified by such organizations.
“You, and those who came before you, are the pioneers who, for decades, took bold visionary ideas and turned them into reality with the best of community spirit, community capacity building, and uniting our community focus on building a better life for generations to come.”
He also praised first responders and expressed gratitude for their dedication and “spirit that moves you to put yourselves in harm’s way for our safety.”
Todd MacDonald, pastor of Main Avenue Fellowship and chair of the Sundre and Area Ministerial Association, offered some insight on services local church groups provide.
“We are a resource for this community,” he said, adding, “We work behind the scenes.”
From personal emergencies to widespread disasters, churches are prepared to provide shelter, he said.
“On a small scale, if somebody is in need, we put them up in a hotel for the night,” he said.
“But also, our churches are designed that if a catastrophe happened, our doors are open, our kitchens are open — we’re ready to go,” he said.
“We are part of emergency services' plan.”
Courtesy of willing volunteers, churches also offer assistance programs from food hampers to youth activities as well as counselling services, he added.
“When asked, we’re there.”
Tammy Allan, minister at Sundre United Church, which this year is celebrating its 95th anniversary, then said grace before breakfast was served.
The event was hosted in collaboration among the local chamber of commerce, Sundre Hospital Futures, SPOG and the Town of Sundre.
