Big Country United Churches welcome new pastor

By Joan Janzen

Pastor Shane Goldie arrived at his new home in Oyen, Alberta, on August 22. He has recently been appointed the new student minister by the Pioneer Pastoral Churches, consisting of Oyen, Acadia Valley, Cereal and Alsask on the border of Saskatchewan.

“This is my internship,” Pastor Shane explained, noting it’s not a typical internship. “It’s called Student Ministry Education. I also did a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education for seven months at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon, in spiritual care.”

He looks forward to officiating at his first service on September 11. His posting with the Big Country United Churches is his first. In preparation for his arrival, his new accommodation at the manse was given a fresh coat of paint.

This young pastor will be busy officiating at services in Oyen and Cereal every Sunday and at Alsask and Acadia Valley on the first and third Sundays of each month. There is also a licensed Lay Worship Leader who assists by leading worship services in Acadia Valley.

Having grown up in Maple Creek, Sask., the twenty-one-year-old is no stranger to small-town living. As a teen, he attended a United Church camp in Cypress Hills, which led him on a path to pursue ordination. After graduating from high school at Medicine Hat, he attended U of S and Saint Andrews College in Saskatoon for three years. Pastor Shane earned his Bachelor of Theology with a Minor in English.

“I plan to do what I can,” he said. In the short time he’s been in Oyen, he has already been busy helping out with back-to-school activities at the high school and helped serve lunch. In the future, Pastor Shane said, “I hope to create inclusive groups and programs for everyone, for who they are, as they are.”

On Friday, he was also on hand to meet and greet people at the church’s bake table at the farmer’s market. Pastor Shane looks forward to meeting people in the communities he serves and pursuing his love of writing, art, collecting, camp and music.

“Eventually, we’ll have our soup and sandwich days again. There will be a lot of events to get the community back together,” he explained. “I’ve been able to slowly meet a few people in the community.”

So if you see Pastor Shane around town, be sure to welcome him to your community.