Oct. 3, 2009 - Avon, Ontario
Last night, I chatted with four Disciples ministers and two lay persons at a dinner hosted for me by regional minister Cathy Hubbard.
Over coffee and dessert at Cathy's house, we talked about a number of issues that interest Disciples: stewardship, new church growth and church identity. Ron Dakin, a retired Disciples pastor, recalled the importance of Disciples elders in his faith formation. Elders gave him advice, counsel and encouragement, he said, which helped strengthen his call to ministry. Dakin was so committed to becoming a Disciple pastor that in the early 1970s he drove to Indianapolis from St. Thomas, Ontario each Monday to study for his D. Min. degree at Christian Theological Seminary --- about a 20 hour round trip drive. On Thursdays he would return to Canada, just in time to prepare for Saturday and Sunday activities at his church.
When I asked if he ever felt the weekly commute to Indianapolis and back was a bit arduous, Dakin just shrugged and inferred that the training was part of what God was calling him to do. Dakin’s name is probably familiar to many Disciples. He served on General Board, spoke ‘on behalf of Canadians’ at numerous General Assemblies and played a role in the late 1960s Restructure process. The Disciples church Ron attended in London, Ont. closed a few years ago. He is now serving as interim pastor with a United Church of Canada congregation.
Tom Rutherford, the former regional minister of Canada who also attended the dinner, said in years past, Disciples leaders taught him how to ‘be church’ and how to act as church people who claim to be Christian.
Rick Myers, another retired pastor at the dinner, noted that he came to the Disciples after being raised Pentecostal. Myers said he never fully appreciated what it meant to be a Christian until he became a Disciple, because Disciples allowed him to think about his religion. But Myers said he laments the fact that the small size of Disciples in Canada doesn’t leave a lot of room for fellowship and cooperation and that affects a sense of identity.
The discussion also turned to stewardship, with Tom’s wife Diane saying stewardship is a spiritual discipline, with money being only one of the facets of stewardship. Diane, who also served on General Board years ago, added that the act of being a good steward of your time and talent, typically means the money will follow. Cathy Hubbard described stewardship as a joy, when we put God first.
(The picture shows Ron Dakin on the left and Tom Rutherford on the right).
Last night, I chatted with four Disciples ministers and two lay persons at a dinner hosted for me by regional minister Cathy Hubbard.
Over coffee and dessert at Cathy's house, we talked about a number of issues that interest Disciples: stewardship, new church growth and church identity. Ron Dakin, a retired Disciples pastor, recalled the importance of Disciples elders in his faith formation. Elders gave him advice, counsel and encouragement, he said, which helped strengthen his call to ministry. Dakin was so committed to becoming a Disciple pastor that in the early 1970s he drove to Indianapolis from St. Thomas, Ontario each Monday to study for his D. Min. degree at Christian Theological Seminary --- about a 20 hour round trip drive. On Thursdays he would return to Canada, just in time to prepare for Saturday and Sunday activities at his church.
When I asked if he ever felt the weekly commute to Indianapolis and back was a bit arduous, Dakin just shrugged and inferred that the training was part of what God was calling him to do. Dakin’s name is probably familiar to many Disciples. He served on General Board, spoke ‘on behalf of Canadians’ at numerous General Assemblies and played a role in the late 1960s Restructure process. The Disciples church Ron attended in London, Ont. closed a few years ago. He is now serving as interim pastor with a United Church of Canada congregation.
Tom Rutherford, the former regional minister of Canada who also attended the dinner, said in years past, Disciples leaders taught him how to ‘be church’ and how to act as church people who claim to be Christian.
Rick Myers, another retired pastor at the dinner, noted that he came to the Disciples after being raised Pentecostal. Myers said he never fully appreciated what it meant to be a Christian until he became a Disciple, because Disciples allowed him to think about his religion. But Myers said he laments the fact that the small size of Disciples in Canada doesn’t leave a lot of room for fellowship and cooperation and that affects a sense of identity.
The discussion also turned to stewardship, with Tom’s wife Diane saying stewardship is a spiritual discipline, with money being only one of the facets of stewardship. Diane, who also served on General Board years ago, added that the act of being a good steward of your time and talent, typically means the money will follow. Cathy Hubbard described stewardship as a joy, when we put God first.
(The picture shows Ron Dakin on the left and Tom Rutherford on the right).
