Living Water Baptist Church

*Member of the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches of Canada and Fellowship Atlantic*

Location: 34 Barkhouse Rd., Sheet Harbour, NS B0J 3B0

Phone number and email address: (902) 391-0455

Pastor: Jeremy Head

Were we able to find (accurate) information about service times online? Yes! We Googled the name and location of the church (Living Water Baptist) and the service time was immediately available in the search results. We’ve been noticing a trend when searching churches in any given area where the service times are not listed and it doesn’t extend a welcoming feeling.

Adequate and accessible parking: The entrance of Living Water Baptist is completely

accessible. The gravel parking area is quite spacious, and Pastor Jeremy told us it would be fine for travelers to boondock in the parking lot. There is ample space with a (not bad) view of the water in some points, with a picnic table as well. So to staying in your completely self-contained unit would be permitted with the same guide lines as Harvest Hosts and I'm sure this church would appreciate your tithe, if you attend, similar to purchasing wine at wineries when using Harvest Hosts. Please email Paster Jeremy and let him know of your planned stay in advance, then drop in for a friendly service . So, this location is very RV friendly. There is room to turn around in the parking lot and there is enough space to accommodate a large unit, as well. Our 42V13 Alliance is 63 feet long with the truck and I could spin it around in there. Personally, it seems easier to back in from the road.

Atmosphere and First Impressions:

Kelli: My first impression of Living Water was a bright lobby with lots of smiling people. I could smell coffee. The energy felt alive. There were lots of children and happy noises. This is a church that Bill has attended a fair amount over the past year and it was great to attend with him and meet some of the friends he's made.

Were refreshments served before or after the service? There were some hot beverages before the service. Everyone seemed to leave pretty quickly after we finished, so if you want to socialize, head over before 11 and meet some new folks.

Do they have a band? There was a piano player and congregation to carry the songs and everyone sang them together with lots of enthusiasm.

Describe the music: (Kelli) Mostly, the songs were praise choruses (except for when we sang “Joyful, joyful”) and, thankfully, they were in easy-to-reach keys. The words were all projected on the wall at the front of the church, so it was super easy to follow along. (Bill) The music didn't go into overdrive, but the songs shifted smoothly, like an automatic transmission.

Congregation Demographics: This is a smaller congregation with a healthy cross-section of ages in the congregants. As mentioned, there are many young families who attend. In fact, Living Water welcomed six new members to their congregation during the service! This church is great for young families, as well as any other age.

Seating: Chairs organized into rows. There were lots of extra seats. The chairs aren’t uncomfortable. They have padded seats and are sturdy, good for any size person, as well.

Do they have Sunday School or child care during service? Yes. They did call the children out early in the service.

Message: Pastor Jeremy delivered an inspirational message about our human bodies are “tents,” comparing our experience on Earth, in this human body, to a tent in the wilderness.

Prayers: Prayers are spontaneous (not read) and delivered by Pastor Jeremy.

Offering: Plates are passed, but there are also instructions online for etransfer.

Who runs the service? Pastor Jeremy

Was there a baptism performed? No

Was communion served? Not this week

How much standing (or kneeling) was required to participate in the service? There was a little standing through some songs. No kneeling.

Did the service begin and end promptly?  Yes, it ended just after twelve.

Recommended Attire: Business casual.

Does the organization offer continuing education to congregants? Yes! There is a Bible Study and Prayer session every Wednesday night at 7:00pm. On the church website, Pastor Jeremy has links to recommended resources, as well. The impression received is that this church has the ability to foster and sustain spiritual growth.

How many washrooms and are they accessible?: There is at least one accessible washroom.

Nearby restaurants: The Slippery Oyster, The Hanley House, Library, Hardware store, Liquor store, hospital

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

1. Travelers wanting to attend Sunday morning service are welcome to set up in the parking lot the night before!

2. Music was lively and enjoyable. Songs were easy to follow and sing.

3. Lovely, friendly congregation

Cons:

1. I would love to follow along with a hymn book, but I have asked before they don't have them available (Bill)

2. Parking lot isn't paved and the entrance way between the upper and lower parking lots is often blocked off by a picnic table because ruts form from excessive rain runoff, but the the area is still fully accessible for RVs of any size.

3. Coffee and tea are served before the service, so we missed out on social time where we like to visit with congregants and find out what's happening;

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Any opinions expressed by Bill and Kelli are meant for informational and entertainment purposes only and are not meant to represent the opinions or beliefs of the various organizations involved.

Please feel free to email us at Bill@godwilling.me or Kelli@godwilling.me with any questions or concerns about the service we attended.

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