October 7, 2012
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada—The Gracias Choir Christmas Cantata Tour crossed the border into Canada for their 7th stop in 9 days yesterday evening. Held at the Calvary Temple Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, nearly 1600 people attended through the support of Good News Corps volunteers, the venue’s ministerial staff, and the territory of Manitoba.
The Winnipeg Christmas Cantata may have been the most challenging event to prepare for during this 2012 tour. The snowy weather during the weeks leading up to the performance made street promotion extremely difficult. And without a Good News Mission branch in Winnipeg and the closest church several hours away, managing the work was almost impossible. Volunteers were able to gain strength in their hearts through the words of John 4. Just like the Samaritan woman decided to accept Jesus’ words instead of her own filthy image, volunteers realized they needed to rely on the promise of God for the Christmas Cantata rather than fall to their own situation.
So, despite the circumstances, God paved the way to meet individuals that ultimately played key roles in the Christmas Cantata’s success. In addition to individuals like head Calvary Temple Church pastor Bruce Martin, we were also connected to Flo Marcelino, the Minister of Youth, Heritage, and Tourism of Manitoba. Marcelino attended the Cantata, delivered the welcoming message, and expressed her wishes to continually support IYF and interest in holding an IYF World Camp in Manitoba. CTV, Canada’s leading private broadcasting network, even came out to cover the Cantata for their 11 o’clock program.