In my office hangs an illustration of ’Saint Fred, the Neighbourly.’ To millions of people, Fred Rogers represents the very best of us. With patience and...
Author - Preston Pouteaux
Preston is a pastor at Lake Ridge Community Church in Chestermere and experiments mostly in the intersection of faith and neighbourhood. Into the Neighbourhood explores how we all contribute to creating a healthy and vibrant community. Preston is also a beekeeper; a reminder that small things make a big difference.
Columnists - Preston Pouteaux
Don’t Pay Attention
I used to live near a sprawling park with lumpy hills, clusters of trees and a puddle-for-a-pond. My wife and I had walked through that park a hundred times...
Columnists - Preston Pouteaux
Exaggerating Love
I heard a story about a family in the 1970s who jumped on the tv dinner bandwagon. There was a time before when they sat around a kitchen table and ate their...
Columnists - Preston Pouteaux
Standing Over Here
When I was a boy I remember when a special kiosk was set up in our local mall. Surrounding it were people, heads tilted, eyes crossed, looking at strange...
Columnists - Preston Pouteaux
The Wisdom of Chestermere’s Umarells
My grandfather retired to the small community of Herbert, Saskatchewan where he lived for about 20 years before passing away. He had spent years farming south...
Columnists - Preston Pouteaux
The Peace of Wild Things
There is a fascinating Danish word that I appreciate on cold nights. ‘Hygge’ means to get cozy, light a fire, play some warm music, pour some tea and curl up...
Columnists - Preston Pouteaux
On Hunkering and Keeping the Neighbourhood Warm
The other day I waved at a neighbour and said, “see you in the spring!” I chuckled to myself as I said it, because in Alberta, it’s all too true. In the...
Columnists - Preston Pouteaux
Rediscovering Neighbourhood Banter
The in-between life of our neighbourhoods is often made up of ordinary stuff. Errands, texts, coffee, meal prep, trips to the mailbox, school-work, and...
Columnists - Preston Pouteaux
The ‘In-Between’
Most of our neighbourhoods are made up of ‘in-between’ spaces. Alleys, boulevards, ditches, power-lines, and service ways are unused and not easily appreciated...
Columnists - Preston Pouteaux
Christmas Moved Into the Neighbourhood
“One of the most powerful things I learned is that when you transform your immediate environment, your life begins to change.” These are the words of Lily Yeh...
