Even as Stettler geared up for hockey provincial finals, some managed to attend Easter service on Sunday, March 27 in different churches across town — and Stettler Home Church was one of the many.
As soon as the service was over, the excitement among the kids were palpable while Pastor Shawn explained to them what they had to do to claim their Easter goods.
It would be nerf guns that they would use to knock down eggs.
"We really wanted to do something fun for the kids in our community for Easter and we didn't have the space to put Easter eggs out in a big field and have kids go running around after it," said Shawn Acheson, one of the pastors of Home Church. "So the idea just came to us that 'Easter Egg Hunt' included 'hunt,' so with a twist to the usual meaning of hunt came hunting the eggs with nerf guns."
The multi-coloured eggs were lined up along several shelves and kids had to 'hunt' them down with nerf guns.
The message for Easter from Pastor Acheson was simple but meaningful as he said, "New life, new hope and new beginnings are available for anyone and everyone."
As Home Church held its first Easter the church was quite full with new and old faces.
"We just want to be a home, where fun and friends are part of the experience," added Acheson. "As a kid, I hated church, sitting on the hard benches and shushed into silence."
According to Acheson church should be about fun and something that people, kids and adults alike look forward to attending.
"We think church is for everyone and that includes kids, and although we have a separate kids' church during the main service, that is just for kids, they do church in a kid's way, with music, games, videos and crafts, which are all part of the kids' church experience and everyone is happy."
Acheson said that they rely on personal invitations from people to increase their congregation mostly, but their Facebook page Home Church Stettler and website www.myhomechurch.ca help tell the story and let people know what they are about.