I've indicated in a previous post or two that Rockyview Alliance Church was a relatively young church. Except for one or two men, I was several years older than most of the church elders. When I went to Calgary, I was only 46. Some of the elders were in their late 20's or early 30's. They were fathers to babies or young children. As best that I can remember, there were only three men in the church that were retired. We were able to seat all of the seniors in our church around our dining room table.
There were at least two or three dozen folks that were around our age. Some of us older ones, those of us in our 40's or 50's, often got together in a home for a fun evening of table games, food and fellowship. Many of them celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary during our years there. We also celebrated our 25th when I was at Rockyview. The church had a special gathering after church on Sunday, August 12, 1984. Pastor John Martens, who performed the marriage ceremony for us on August 15th, 1959 in Lacombe, Alberta, came to Rockyview that Sunday night when, before the food and fellowship which followed, had us renew our vows before the congregation. Leona wore her wedding dress and I wore my wedding suit and tie.
There were at least two or three dozen folks that were around our age. Some of us older ones, those of us in our 40's or 50's, often got together in a home for a fun evening of table games, food and fellowship. Many of them celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary during our years there. We also celebrated our 25th when I was at Rockyview. The church had a special gathering after church on Sunday, August 12, 1984. Pastor John Martens, who performed the marriage ceremony for us on August 15th, 1959 in Lacombe, Alberta, came to Rockyview that Sunday night when, before the food and fellowship which followed, had us renew our vows before the congregation. Leona wore her wedding dress and I wore my wedding suit and tie.
Some of these older ones and some a decade or so younger were pretty good at their pranks and practical jokes. One such, which I will not name, backfired. However, all ended well, after paying a hundred dollar to clean a hotel room. It wasn't all that bad, simply that the joke ended up being played in the wrong hotel on strangers. A mistake.
When we had our 25th wedding anniversary, some of these same people, together with others had contacted our three kids. Our three, Dan Jr., Brian and Sharilyn pooled their dollars and sent us out, by limousine, to a fancy restaurant for dinner in the south part of Calgary, overlooking a beautiful lake. They had it all timed perfectly with this group of fun loving people. The limousine picked us up and brought us home. While we were gone, this group of friends decorated our home, inside and out.
Someone caught our friends in the act of decorating our place
When we arrived home our house was all decorated. Once we were inside the house, we heard singing outside. These friends had hidden behind bushes and wherever they could find a place. When they saw us enter the house, they came to the front door and sang Happy Anniversary. We invited them in and rewarded them with some soda pop and snacks. They were a great bunch and we thoroughly enjoyed the royal treatment that we received.
What we saw when we came home
They had also done some decorating inside the house. My folks had come from Ontario for our anniversary and were in the house watching our friends. Mom and Dad thoroughly enjoyed the fun evening. Our bed was short-sheeted. There was also confetti in the bed. I remember the next day using my stick deodorant. When I took the cap off I found confetti in it. There was confetti sprinkled throughout our dresser drawers and in our under clothes. I was the district secretary for the Western Canadian District of the C&MA. A few weeks later at one of the executive committee meetings, I pulled out a handkerchief to use. When I opened it up, preparing to use it, out came confetti all over the floor. The assistant superintendent got the vacuum cleaner out to do the floor, while I explained to the other members the reason for the confetti.
Camping at Flathead Lake near Polson, Montana
I've not mentioned before, but we went camping most summers during our years in Calgary. All three of our children were still at home during the summers. Dan Jr. had gone to Three Hills in the fall of 1978 for schooling, his last year of high school and then four years of Bible school, but was home in the summers when we went camping.. Our first RV was a Boler trailer, which we purchased while still in Lethbridge. In 1980 we sold that and purchased a Holidaire RV, much roomier and slept six. My Mom and Dad joined us in our camping at least three if not four times.
Mom & Dad camping with us near Fairmont Hot Springs
I also spent a lot of my days off working on our house, which we purchased in 1980. It was a four level split and I finished off the third level with a bedroom, bathroom and family room. In the bottom level I built a room which contained the furnace, laundry and several shelves for canned goods, etc. I also completed a games room, where we had a ping pong table and also made a study room.
The oak cupboards that I built in the family room
Since we installed a wood burning fireplace in the family room, I found time to go with friends to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and cut some firewood.
Dan with Al McVety, pastor of Foothills Alliance Church
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