It was a revealing party at Stettler's Word of Life Church as community members and parishioners came together to celebrate the moment, which was being live streamed from the Red Deer campus on Saturday evening, March 12.
At 7 p.m. all the Word of Life churches across Canada attained a new identity and were renamed Home Church with a new logo and branding across all platforms.
"Our founding pastor Mel Mullen, and our lead pastor Jachin Mullen both felt it was time to rebrand and rename the church to better represent what we had already become and where we plan to go," said Stettler's Home Church pastor Shawn Acheson. "The name 'Home Church' is a natural extension of our mission "everyone needs Jesus, everyone needs a home", so if you put the words together as Home Church, it explains the idea that the place to meet God is not a different kind of place for a different kind of people, but a safe, comfortable, familiar place where everyone can belong."
The rebranding occurred all over Canada as well as the 14 different nations where they have campuses.
"There were parties and events that culminated in the live stream announcement, and our congregation in Stettler had come out in full strength to celebrate the moment," said Acheson. "Our mission and vision remain very much the same and in fact inspired the rebranding."
According to Acheson, it is the goal of Home Church that no one should be lonely in the Stettler area.
"Our family is your family, our home is your home is what drives us and we try to accomplish this through the experience people have when they visit us," added Acheson. "Through this rebranding we have done some renovations, made ourselves assessable to different needs, brought our colours and appearance and our whole experience up to a new level."
All the locations across the province have the same feel, atmosphere and look – Calgary, Olds, Ponoka, Sundre, Red Deer and Stettler – and it is going to feel like home, said Acheson.
"If you haven't been to church for a while, or ever, we think our Sunday experience will be inspiring for you and your whole family," said Acheson, inviting anyone who wishes to join to come for their Sunday service at 10.30 a.m.