Coalhurst Pentecostal Assembly
Written by Rev. H. Konrad

Information received from the "Pentecostal Assemblies of
Canada - Alberta and N.W.T. Mackenzie District History
Book "Rejoice'"- with permission
Pages 66 - 68

In 1917, Mr. Simonette came and started a number of house
meetings. They met in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Smith with
Mr. and Mrs. John Holmes, Mrs. Wm Borrows, Mr. and Mrs.
Nesbit, Mrs. Johnson and Lillian participating.

The assembly grew rapidly during the coal boom, and in 1920 they
bought Ernie Pitt's one room butcher shop. After cleaning,
papering with a plain blue paper, and furnishing benches, a
pot bellied stove and table, they were ready to hold services in
their newly acquired premises.

Sunday School was always a priority for the Assembly and they
started having four classes, one class in each corner of the room.

Some of the Pastors who came to preach in the beginning were:
John McAlister, Sam Fredrickson, Bill Manley and others.

The presence of God was manifested in those days with peoiple
getting to know Jesus as their personal Saviour and being filled
with the Spirit with signs following.

About 1930 the assembly outgreew the butcher shop building and
started to use the United Church with Pastor R. Martin McCallum
pastoring. After Pastor McCallum left Pastor S. Fredrickson served
the church under the guidance of Rev. George Bombay of Lethbridge
- In 1937, under the leadership of Deaconess/Pastor Sister Beulah
Hamilton and assistant Sunday School Superintendent (who later
became the Sunday School Superintendent) Charlie Wesselman,
the assembly purchased the United Church.

In 1940 the assembly took on its own governing body and looked
after their own affairs under the leadership of Bill Dutton. In May
1941, Miss Edina Harding, a graduate of Bethel Bible Institute in
Saskatoon, came to Pastor the Church. She was assisted by Elsie
Abrahamson and May Crowell. In the year of 1943 a country house
was purchased and then relocated on the lot beside the church
and became the new parsonage. In August 1945, Edina Harding
resigned.

Pastor J. Erhardt pastored from January 1946 unti 1947. Pastor
J. Robertson pastored until 1951. Rev. and Mrs. N. P. Pearce
pastored the asssembly from January 1951 to February 1952.
In that month disaster struck, the church building was completely
destroyed by fire. Although Rev. Peace resigned, he stayed until
a replacement was found. They also started to rebuild the church
building, which was completed at a later date, and is still in use at
the present time.

In 1952 Rev. and Mrs. Charles D. Howey arrived and pastored
until 1956. From 1956 until 1958 Pasotr and Mrs. Labrentz pastored
the church. In 1959, Lewis Varty came to pastor. Others who
came were Rev. L. Broughton (who left after a short time for
the mission field). Rev. M. Hambly and Rev. Ken Roset, who
grew up in this assembly and went to Central Bible College in
Saskatoon. After his graduation the assembly called him to be
their pastor and he stayed till 1975. Following Rev. Ken Roset
was Pastor A. Fitz who resigned after a year and was followed by
K. Sumners who stayed about a year.

In October of 1978 Rev. H. Konrad came to pastor the church and
is the present pastor.

Charles Wesselman gave strong leadership within the church
and was the Sunday School Superintendent for over 30 years.
Ted Roset became the next Sunday School Superintendent
and gave strong leadership within that department for another
20 years.

Many honorable men and women have come and gone. The
blessing and power of God was evident in their lives and ministry.
The manifestation of God's power within the Assembly was
evident through people getting to know Jesus Christ as their
personal Savious, filled with the Holy Spirit and other miraculous
manifestations of God's presence.

Some of those who attended Bible school were Edwin Wiebe,
Violet Wiebe, Ken Roset and Jack Moch.

Coalhurst Pentecostal Church
by Rev. Norm Labrentz

The first Pentecostal meetings held in Coalhurst were conducted
by Brother and Sister Simonette of Lethbridge. The date was 1917.
Bro. Simonette was an engineer working out of Lethbridge. At this
time, a Pentecostal Church was already functioning in Lethbridge.
Bro. Simonette began to canvas the village of Coalhurst with little
success, until he came to the Johnson residence. He found their
young daughter desperately ill, dying with pneumonia. Bro. Simonette
laid hands upon her fevered brow, prayed the prayer of faith and the
girl was instantly healed. Upon seeing this Divine Miracle, Mother
Johnson became the very first to accept Christ. From that day
onward, the Johnson home became the meeting place for many
cottage prayer meetings, where many were saved and filled with
the Holy Spirit.

Little was recorded of those early days until January, 1937. The
Coalhurst church was under a unique arrangement with the
church of Lethbridge. Coalhurst had its own Pastor, but the
Pastor at Lethbridge was the Chairman for Coalhurst also. In
1937, Pastor S. Fredricksen served under the Chairmanship of
Bro. George Bombay of Lethbridge. The services were now
being conducted in the local vacant United Church. Upon
Bro. Fredericksen's leaving, Sister Beulah Hamilton was
installed as Deaconess/Pastor in November, 1937. She was
also Superintendent of the Sunday School and Charlie
Wesselman was the Assistant Superintendent. That year, the
congregation purchased and received transfer of the title to
the property from the United Church of Canada to the
Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. Sister Hamilton resigned in
June, 1938, and Brother Good from Lethbridge supplied pulpit
ministry every Sunday. In January, 1940, the chairmanship of
the church was changed from Lethbridge to local leadership
in Coalhurst. At that time, Brother Dutton was pastor, and Bro.
Borrows was chairman. In February 1941, both offices were
almalgamated into one under Bro. Dutton. Sister Harding filled
this dual office from January 1942 until her resignation in May
1945. Bro. John Ehrhardt served as Pastor/Chairman from January,
1946 to September, 1947. Bro. James Robertson of Altemont,
Man., came to pastor until January, 1951.

A Brother Peace was called and served until February 1952
when the old church building was destroyed by fire. Although
Bro. Peace resigned, he was asked to remain as Pastor until
a replacement could be found. Bro. D. N. Burtain, the District
Superintendent, served as Chairman of the church, until Bro.
Charles Howey arrived in June, 1952. He resigned this
pastorate in May 1956, to take up the challenge to begin a
pioneer church in Fairview. At various times, when the pulpit
was vacant, Brethern from Lethbridge supplied this ministry to
the Coalhurst church. Pastor Norman Labrentz served from
November, 1956 until Dec. 31st, 1958. Mention must be made
of Brother Charles Wesselman who faithfully served the church
in various offices until the time of his home-going, Feb. 9th, 1957.
His vision was largely responsible for maintaining the Sunday
School buses and reaching the all-time record Sunday School
attendance of 103 in April, 1957. Bro. Lewis Varty followed the
Labrentz's as pastor, in January, 1959.

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