Michelle DaCruz
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 19/02) - Pastor Al Harvey hands over a business card he designed himself -- full colour with a picture of Anakin Skywalker's pod racer on it.

"I know it's kind of cheesy, but I'm computer illiterate," he laughs.

He carries his "official" pastor card too, just in case he meets someone that questions his vocation.

It happens often.

That's no surprise since Harvey defies all stereotypes. Dressed in shorts on a frosty spring morning, spouting Trooper, Styx, and Star Wars references -- he's not the norm for men of the cloth. Harvey seems to take comfort in his atypical approach to giving people guidance.

"Trooper is good theology. 'We're here for a good time, not a long time,' " he muses. "Oh and you remember Styx, right? 'Every night I go to sleep and pray that there's a heaven,' " he recites, adding that ripping out a solo is not in the cards.

He plans to use Styx's "Show me the way" in a PowerPoint video presentation that he is thinking about for an upcoming sermon.

Harvey has pastored with his wife, Lisa, at the Yellowknife Alliance Church for five years.

The parish, located in the Seventh Day Adventist Church, doesn't have a permanent home, but currently rents the space for Sunday service.

Lisa and Al were married during their senior year at the Canadian Bible College in Saskatchewan.

Together they have been pastoring almost nine years, but Lisa volunteers her time, since she is not officially on the church payroll. They have two boys, Justin, 7, and Eric, 6.

Harvey could not describe a typical work day because he doesn't have one.

"My job is people. Dealing and interacting with them. There really are no restrictions between my work and personal hours. We really pour our lives into it," said Harvey.

On top of preparing his sermon schedule six months in advance, Harvey and his wife counsel people informally in their home.

"All good discussions happen around the dinner table. You finish eating, push back your chair and talk about your day," he said. "And that is where I try to answer questions like 'Why are we here?' "

How's that for polite dinner conversation?