by Roger Armbruster
On Sunday, May 25, my wife Marge and I were privileged to minister at an FCA Ordination Service at the Peguis First Nation, and were honoured to pray with some of Chief Peguis’ descendants who want to carry his legacy forward. From the historical document, The History of Peguis First Nation, on pages 39 and 40, are these words of Chief Peguis: “I want the Word of Life to be always spoken in my land.”
So it was a great honour to do just that, along with some of Chief Peguis’ descendants, and community leaders like Glen Cochrane who was ordained that Sunday into the FCA, and his wife Verla who also has a powerful testimony of healing from childhood traumas and sexual abuse. This couple met some 34 years AGO (when Glen was 15 and Verla was 13) at a glue-sniffing party. Today they both have been wondrously healed and set free by the power of the gospel that Chief Peguis believed in. The government does not even have any programs to treat people who are into glue-sniffing, because they believe there is no hope for them, but this couple is a living testimony to the power of the gospel in deliverance from addictions as well as healing from severe traumas, wounds and abuses.
This couple today pastor the Peguis Church which has within its ranks the leaders of at least three different Native organizations, and their voice will be heard in our land. These people do things with excellence, and keep their building in A-1 condition, and are very hospitable and very generous to their guests, much like Chief Peguis was to the earliest immigrants into Western Canada.. They are already transforming from being a mission field to being a missionary-sending congregation.
It was a great honour to flow together in the Ordination Service for Glen and Verla Cochrane that Sunday morning with Raymond and Jean McLean, as well as with Irvin and Dolly Wilson. Glen Cochrane landed on the doorstep of Irvin and Dolly Wilson some 27 years ago in a completely intoxicated condition, desperate for help, and Irvin and Dolly (who were ordained into the FCA some five years ago) have been mentoring Glen ever since, and he is now a strong voice for transformation.
These are all very dear friends with whom we look forward to flowing with even more in the future. This photo of the Peguis Church connected to a beautiful rainbow was taken just after the Ordination Ceremony and Reception Dinner afterwards, and was a great reminder to the people of God’s faithful and covenant promises that He has good plans in store for those who trust Him to fulfill their destiny.
Praise God for this wonderful addition to the FCA Family of ministers!
Roger Armbruster has served as a minister in the FCA and as an elder with FCA Canada. He is the Founder of Canada Awakening Ministries, Niverville, Manitoba.
