twelve members participated in Pastor Rick Warren’s popular six week Bible study course, 40 Days of Purpose, making a meaningful impact on both participants and church activity. Jean Hender and Margaret Munro returned from a mission visit to Kenya, and the Board of Deacons finally had the large blue spruce tree removed from the front lawn. For some period of time it had housed some overly aggressive crows that were actually attacking and pestering members and staff.

Gloria Atkinson returned as organist after Easter and played on a regular basis until early summer, when the side effects of ongoing treatment once again made it impossible. On July 29, 2005, Dr. Richard Coffin’s strong heart suddenly stopped, and he sadly passed away. Although retired for over a year, and in deteriorating health, he had carried on duties whenever possible, to lead First Baptist in the absence ofa senior pastor. Richard Coffin had been one ofthe longest serving ministers in the history of the Charlottetown Baptist Church, second only to Pastor John Davis who served from 1858 - i873, and who also passed away shortly after retirement.

In July, the Pastoral Search Committee presented a report and a candidate’s name that was unanimously approved. In August, Dr. Kevin Quast and his wife, Sandra, arrived in Charlottetown from Edmonton, Alberta, and on September 11, 2005, he preached his first sermon as Senior Pastor of First Baptist. Dr. Quast’s arrival gave the church renewed ministerial leadership, with assistant Rev. Kathy Neily and pastors Chris Austin and Marie Kenny. . a . . ..

Solid Rock Youth were celebrating 0,. Keying, Sandra Quast 14 years of continuous growth in the Ann MacNeilI Photo Charlottetown Baptist Church. Itwas an admirableyouth program and a tremendous blessing to a long established, but still growing, congregation. Most of the Solid Rock leaders were themselves products of this God inspired youth program of weekly meetings, tours and outings. The Solid Rock mission statement reads, ”The Solid Rock Youth is a disciple making ministry that dedicates itself to encouraging youth to discover God, find direction from God’s truth, and display God’s love.”

They had their own site on the world wide web, www.mysolidrock.com, and by 2005 a team of Solid Rock youth, who called themselves ’Banana Productions’, were

holding a bi-weekly Friday night cafe in the church, that was attracting as many as 240 young people. It was a Christian alternative to the Charlottetown club scene and one that had adult members excited and seniors scratching their heads. The Spatial Planning Committee was receiving a strong message that more space was

desperately needed. Spacial Planning, led by chairman John Abbott, was well aware of youth

concerns, and members were working hard to search out expansion alternatives for the congregation to consider. Apart from Chairman Abbott, the committee consisted of Ron Lewis, Lloyd Bryenton, Dan Jenkins, Cecil Kenny, Ron Johnson and Stephen Howard as the liason member from the earlier Planning Committee. Hurricane Katrina devastated the US gulf coast city of New Orleans in October of 2005, and a six person emergency assistance team from First BaptlSt was among the early relief mission groups on the scene. Mike and Janice Corney,

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