Summer 2011

I completed 21 months of interim pastoral ministry in Perth, Ontario, on June 26, 2011, and we moved back that week into our home in Thamesford, near London. Since then I was elected Chair of the Board of Directors of Maple Grove Christian Retreat Centre, Inc., have preached twice as guest speaker at two churches, have conducted a meeting of the Executive committee of the Maple Grove board, have made preparations for the first scheduled full board meeting, done some maintenance work around our property, and enjoyed some family visits.

My main occupation this summer, however, has been reading, thinking, praying and discussing about how I may in my retirement contribute to a recovery of spiritual vitality among the Free Methodist churches with which I am associated and, consequently, pave the way for a genuine area-wide awakening. My inclination to date is for the restoration of a simple, organic, New Testament form of worship.

I’d like to see what would happen if the focus of our main weekly meeting were to be moved from the pulpit and pastor, to the Lord Jesus and His Table. Let’s celebrate Holy Communion (the commemorative meal Jesus Himself instituted, which is sometimes called the Lord’s Supper, or the Eucharist) every week as the physical focus of our gatherings, and facilitate the gifts the Lord has given to His church to lead the body in its celebration. We know the risen Lord, according to Ephesians 4, gave gifts to men: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors-teachers; but the elevation of certain individuals to clergy status is not envisioned in the Bible. Maybe we have thwarted the Spirit’s intentions of blessing by giving too much honour to individuals and thus detracting from the preeminence and centrality of the Lord Jesus.

I would be glad to hear from anyone interested in discussing these issues further.

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