A Desire of the Heart
Shirley and I were married between the Arts and Theology years of university so our financial resources were very tight. I was working on a tree nursery farm just south of Winnipeg for the summer months between semesters as well as preparing for a move to seminary in Saskatoon. As a result, we could not afford to take off more time than a four-day weekend. This was hardly enough time for my face to heal from all the mosquito bites I had acquired while riding a tree planter in the Red River Valley in prime pest season. The only way as planters we could survive was by wearing winter jackets with the hoods pulled tightly around the face. It did not …show more content…
Shirley was a wonderful blessing as she typed my many essays and presentations and probably remembered more of the content than I did!
Twenty-five years later, the honeymoon plans came to fruition. By this time, I had saved up some continuing education money for myself and added finances for Shirley, and so, together with another couple and a single friend, we went on our once-in-a-lifetime experience to McGill University near Montreal. It was a week-long study conference entitled “Essentials” derived from St Augustine’s unique statement “In essentials Unity, in non-essentials Liberty, in all things Charity.” Seven hundred Anglicans from all levels of the Church and from all across Canada had come together to celebrate their love for the Lord and for His Church. What a better place to celebrate our love for each other than in the midst of a celebration like that. There were dear friends there we knew and had not seen for years and strangers who were just friends we had not met yet! What a wonderful atmosphere of unity, diversity and love. Everyone had received a large …show more content…
The Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, William Carey, was a guest speaker. To the surprise of the wider Canadian Church, the Archbishop had personally chosen to come to Canada in response to the invitation from “Essentials” and address the assembled gathering. While we were seen by the wider Church as a strange and not-to-be-trusted entity, the Archbishop encouraged our faithfulness in upholding the authority of the Holy Scriptures and to press on in holding a standard of accountability before the wider church in Canada and “not to heed the cost or count the wounds.” Here was a man willing to step outside of the bounds of political correctness and social acceptability. This observation was later confirmed by a quote by Paul Richardson in his book A Certain Risk. “William Carey opened Christian schools for girls in India. Here was an individual who stepped outside his safety zone and move to the edge to chase God’s dreams and face ridicule.” It would be an honour to shake hands with a man of God like that who was also the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. This was a desire of the heart known to God alone. When the Archbishop finished speaking, people hurried forward to greet him. He was due to catch a flight so his time was limited. I was standing alone near the middle of the auditorium waiting. I was just waiting on God. As I watched the Archbishop, I noticed he had turned away from the exit and was
Shirley and I were married between the Arts and Theology years of university so our financial resources were very tight. I was working on a tree nursery farm just south of Winnipeg for the summer months between semesters as well as preparing for a move to seminary in Saskatoon. As a result, we could not afford to take off more time than a four-day weekend. This was hardly enough time for my face to heal from all the mosquito bites I had acquired while riding a tree planter in the Red River Valley in prime pest season. The only way as planters we could survive was by wearing winter jackets with the hoods pulled tightly around the face. It did not …show more content…
Shirley was a wonderful blessing as she typed my many essays and presentations and probably remembered more of the content than I did!
Twenty-five years later, the honeymoon plans came to fruition. By this time, I had saved up some continuing education money for myself and added finances for Shirley, and so, together with another couple and a single friend, we went on our once-in-a-lifetime experience to McGill University near Montreal. It was a week-long study conference entitled “Essentials” derived from St Augustine’s unique statement “In essentials Unity, in non-essentials Liberty, in all things Charity.” Seven hundred Anglicans from all levels of the Church and from all across Canada had come together to celebrate their love for the Lord and for His Church. What a better place to celebrate our love for each other than in the midst of a celebration like that. There were dear friends there we knew and had not seen for years and strangers who were just friends we had not met yet! What a wonderful atmosphere of unity, diversity and love. Everyone had received a large …show more content…
The Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, William Carey, was a guest speaker. To the surprise of the wider Canadian Church, the Archbishop had personally chosen to come to Canada in response to the invitation from “Essentials” and address the assembled gathering. While we were seen by the wider Church as a strange and not-to-be-trusted entity, the Archbishop encouraged our faithfulness in upholding the authority of the Holy Scriptures and to press on in holding a standard of accountability before the wider church in Canada and “not to heed the cost or count the wounds.” Here was a man willing to step outside of the bounds of political correctness and social acceptability. This observation was later confirmed by a quote by Paul Richardson in his book A Certain Risk. “William Carey opened Christian schools for girls in India. Here was an individual who stepped outside his safety zone and move to the edge to chase God’s dreams and face ridicule.” It would be an honour to shake hands with a man of God like that who was also the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. This was a desire of the heart known to God alone. When the Archbishop finished speaking, people hurried forward to greet him. He was due to catch a flight so his time was limited. I was standing alone near the middle of the auditorium waiting. I was just waiting on God. As I watched the Archbishop, I noticed he had turned away from the exit and was