Fresh off two shows last week in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, the North Battleford alternative-rock-Christian band Cities Under Fire is at Flin Flon Pentecostal Church at 7 p.m. April 11 for an all-ages show, with a similar show slated for the following night April 12 at Thompson Pentecostal Assembly (TPA) at 126 Goldeye Cres., which is at Goldeye and Thompson Drive North. The Thompson show is also a free all-ages event that begins at 7 p.m., says Ethan Andrews, TPA's intern pastor, who is "giving leadership" to the event, says Pastor Dan Murphy.
It is a season of transition and milestones for Thompson Pentecostal Assembly.
Trent Kemsley, the former youth and assistant pastor, who had been at Elim Chapel in Melita before coming here, decamped back down south for the Winkler area last September.
Kemsley, a graduate of Horizon College and Seminary in Saskatoon, formerly known as Central Pentecostal College, arrived at Thompson Pentecostal Assembly in March 2010 to replace Jordan McLellan, another Horizon College and Seminary graduate, who grew up in Thompson, and was at TPA from mid-2007 until early 2010, when he went back to Saskatoon for a position at Lawson Heights Pentecostal Assembly. Andrews, the current intern pastor, who has been here since Kemsley's departure last September, is also a Horizon College and Seminary student.
A new assistant pastor has recently been hired, Murphy says.
As well, Thompson Pentecostal Assembly, which has been here since 1964, celebrates its 50th anniversary the weekend of Sept. 27-28. The big event is at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27 at the church: "Let's praise God for His faithfulness through the years past and years to come. Come visit with friends, sharing in memories and creating new ones. A great weekend of fellowship and celebrations! Bring your best TPA stories, memories, and photos! We are excited to celebrate this milestone with the whole TPA family, past present, and future!"
On the musical front, Cities Under Fire formed in 2009 as a collaboration between brothers Andrew and Jardeth Hemmerling and songwriter David Millar. Bronson Hemmerling was added on bass in 2011.
Andrew Hemmerling is the band's drummer, while Jardeth plays guitar and sings vocals, along with vocalist and songwriter David Millar.
The band released a self titled EP that fall, which featured an acoustic rock sound with faith-based lyrics. In the fall of 2010, they released their first full-length album Lukewarm Love.
Their first single "Wake Up" was featured on an all- Saskatchewan compilation disc, In Tune 2011, which included some of Saskatchewan's top artists from all genres.
Cities Under Fire has toured extensively across Canada, as well as making several trips to the United States. Lukewarm Love won "Modern Rock/Alternative Album of the Year" at the 2011 Gospel Music Association of Canada (GMA) Canada Covenant Awards in Calgary.
Working with producer-engineer-mixologist Darryl Swart, former drummer for the cover band What She Said, and Red Tree Records and Studio in Calgary, Cities Under Fire released their second album, Bright Lights, in September 2012.
Cities Under Fire cites their musical influences as The Killers, Switchfoot, DC Talk, Audio Adrenaline, The Racontuers, Brandon Flowers, Jesus Culture, Avett Brothers, Arcade Fire, Band of Horses and Matchbox Twenty.
