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CHURCH HISTORY
Bow Valley Baptist Church History
1986-2025
The first meeting of Bow Valley Baptist Church, Cochrane, Alberta took place January 9, 1986, at the Wyman home, 33 Glenbrook Crescent, Cochrane. The Schmidt Family (Allen, Catherine, Leanne and Joe, plus Catherine’s mother, Marion Lee); the Wyman Family (David, Barbara, Marisa and Greg); and Debbie Heinz were present to begin a study through the book of Mark. Also present and at various other times was Rev. Lewis Markwood, Pastor of Cambrian Heights Baptist Church, Calgary the sponsoring church of what was known in 1986 as a mission church. Meetings of Bible study and prayer in view of a wider presence in the Cochrane community were held throughout the spring.
On July 6, 1986, the first meeting at Glenbow School was held. The meeting was on the stage of the school which was the music room. A significant advancement was the calling of Pastor Georges Boujakly and his family, Carolyn, twin girls, Hannah and Sarah, and baby Laura. Pastor George was asked to serve as summer Pastor in 1986 and later was asked to serve as Pastor. Bethia would join their family during Pastor Georges’ tenure with the church.
In the summer of 1987, Jack and Bonna Conner moved to work in the ministry of the Canadian Southern Baptist Convention (now named the Canadian National Baptist Convention – CNBC). Seminary professors, with their families, arrived and became active in the church. Classes began at the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary in the fall of 1987. By the fall of 1987, there were 31 members and 45 in average attendance in Bow Valley Baptist Church. It was necessary to move from Glenbow School to Elizabeth Barrett School in February, 1988. The gymnasium was available for worship, and it was there that the mission of Cambrian Heights Baptist Church constituted formally to become Bow Valley Baptist Church on March 27, 1988.
During the time at Elizabeth Barrett School, Margaret Abbott began to attend with her baby daughter, Kristie. They continue to faithfully attend BVBC and are the longest standing members.
From the time of its inception, the vision for the church was that it would serve the community of Cochrane.
Community building had just begun on property west of Highway 22. Two sites had been designated as possible church properties. In 1989, under the leadership of Pastor Georges Boujakly, the church prayed about purchasing
the larger of those two sites. It was an enormous step of faith to make for a small congregation, some of whose members were Seminary students. The 2.1 acres purchased cost was $180,000.00.
After purchasing the property in the spring of 1989, Vacation Bible School was held on the land. A large tent was rented and a successful week was held in spite of wind and rain. Shortly after a formal dedication was held. The Mayor of Cochrane, Lydia Graham, attended the service. Bow Valley Baptist Church was on its way to becoming a part of the Cochrane community.
Georges Boujakly and family moved to Montreal in July 1990 to plant churches. Georges was French speaking, so it was a strategic move in Convention work.
August 1, 1991, Hamish Buntain and his wife, Cindy assumed pastoral leadership. In December of 1991 plans were drawn for the first unit of the building which included a worship centre, offices, and classrooms. July 25, 1993, the Ground Breaking Ceremony was held. In September 1993, the foundation for the Church building was laid.
May 29, 1994, BVBC met for the first time in the new building, and July 8, 1994 was BVBC’s dedication of the new building.
Christine Lane started coming to services while the church met at the Seminary. Her commitment to the Lord grew so fervently that she was led to use her skills as a stained-glass artist to create the stained-glass windows which were installed in the first worship centre and unveiled on Easter Sunday, April 4th, 1999. Later the windows were moved to the current worship centre. (See “The Manifold Grace of God” PDF)
Willing to partner with others in the community, in Canada and around the world, to share the Gospel, BVBC has held a few mission statements including: “Loving God, Loving People, Making Disciples: Ordinary people on a journey together discovering our place in God’s story”, to the most recent statement: “Love Like Jesus. Live Like Jesus. Change Our World”. This is Bow Valley Baptist Church’s “heart”.
On April 9th, 2000, Pastor Mel Blackaby was installed as BVBC’s new Senior Pastor. Church attendance was growing substantially so an architect from Edmonton was consulted to plan a new Sanctuary, with a balcony and lower floor classroom space that would seat approximately 600 people and provide adequate parking. The initial budget was approximately $1,650,000.00. At the time, the yearly budget for the church was about $300,000,00. This new building plan was ambitious, to say the least, so a decision was made that the church could not consider proceeding unless the existing mortgage of approximately $410,000.00 was paid off.
On June 25, 2001, a special business meeting was called to endorse the new building project that would see more classroom space being built as well as a new Sanctuary added to the
current building. A “Loaves and Fishes” special offering was proposed, and the building project would only proceed if the goal of $450.000,00 was achieved. On September 30, 2001, there were two services with offerings taken in each. Those giving included children dragging pillowcases of pennies from their piggy banks to the altar. Single moms, youth, adults, and children, approximately 120 contributors in the two services, gave to the special offering, and the goal of $450,000.00 was reached!
On November 26th, 2001, a congregational vote to go ahead with the expansion of the church building was held and building began that winter and continued through most of 2002.
New members today may be surprised to learn that the entire floor under the carpet in the Sanctuary, the foyer, around door frames and by the baptistry is covered with Scripture verses!
On October 27, 2002, the first Worship service was held in BVBC’s new Sanctuary.
Debbie Nelson has faithfully served as Minister to children since 2008, along with her Assistant LeAnne Lien. Debbie can boast that she has been the longest serving staff member at Bow Valley Baptist Church having served fifteen years on staff when BVBC celebrated its 35th Anniversary in 2023.
In the fall of 2008, Pastor Mel Blackaby resigned as BVBC’s Senior Pastor having accepted a call to First Baptist Jonesboro Church in Georgia. Dwight Huffman and his wife, Judy became members of
BVBC in June 2000. Leaving a leadership role with the Canadian National Baptist Convention, Dwight accepted the role of Bow Valley’s Senior Pastor and served in that role from July 2009 – April 2017. In 2017, Pastor Dwight Huffman resigned as Senior Pastor to minister and support church work in the States. Bob Shelton became Bow Valley’s Interim Pastor, and in the spring of that same year, Pastor Gary Smith, who had been in a
leadership role with the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC), left that position to become Bow Valley’s fifth Senior Pastor.
During both Dwight and Gary’s time at BVBC, several churches and organizations were being supported either financially, or through prayer, or by accommodating different community groups needing to rent space in the church building. In July of 2016, The Cochrane Alliance Church began a major renovation of its church building. During that year of renovating, their congregation met for Worship services at Bow Valley Baptist Church on Sunday afternoons. Other ministries supported by BVBC include the Cochrane Pregnancy Care Centre, the Morley Food Bank, Compassion Canada, Samaritan’s Purse (Operation Christmas Child), and Cuba Missions. Most recently Bow Valley has been involved in supporting a free Food Shed community program and partnering with the Community Kitchen in Calgary as the drop off and
pick up location in Cochrane for the “Good Food Boxes”. In July 2018, Paulo Focaca came on staff in a part-time role assisting Gary in some leadership roles including the Small Group ministry. When Gary announced his resignation in the late summer of 2021, Paulo was ordained shortly thereafter, and in February of 2020, the church voted to have him step into the Associate Pastoral role which he continues to hold.
Bob Shelton was again asked to serve as Interim Senior Pastor after Gary’s resignation, and he was tasked with trying to connect and serve the church family during the Covid years and served in that capacity until Pastor Jason Johnson was
installed as BVBC’s sixth Senior Pastor on June 27th, 2021. Jason served in that role until his resignation in January 2025, and Bob once again was called to serve as Interim Pastor.
Bow Valley Baptist Church celebrated its 35th Anniversary as a constituted church on March
27, 2023. Giving God all the Glory, Bow Valley Baptist Church continues to serve the community of Cochrane, embracing its purpose to: “Love Like Jesus, Live Like Jesus, to Change Our World”.
This information is taken from BVBC’s History Book published in June 2023 to commemorate the church’s 35th Anniversary. A copy of that book can be purchased in PDF form for $5.00.
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