2021: The Year in Review
On this last day of 2021, there is much to reflect upon. Our life looks much different today than it did 365 days ago. There is no way I could have anticipated all that took place.
We need to start with COVID-19. None of our family has had it and yet it has shaped much of what we have done. This is especially true for church. At Queen Street Baptist Church, we were online only from January to August (with Easter Sunday being an exception) and again at the end of December.
Beyond that, the pandemic has also shaped my ministry as a chaplain in the army reserves. Much of my time was taken by either online lecturing about mental health or supporting troops that were struggling. Thankfully we were able to eventually train in person and even get into the field.
The year started with Amanda working at a homeless shelter, something that is a tremendous need in this community. However, in May Amanda fell and suffered a concussion. She had to take time off work and then because the recovery was very slow, she ended up leaving that position. We did not know it, but this would play an important role in our future.
This did not mean that Amanda slowed down. She has been very busy as she is finishing up her Master of Theological Studies at McMaster Divinity College and has been going through the Arrow Leadership Program. It has been amazing to watch her development through these studies.
Meanwhile, I was continuing in my Doctor of Ministry studies at Acadia Divinity College. I should have graduated a long time ago but I had hit some obstacles. At one point I even attempted to drop out. However, I was able to complete my thesis and successfully defend it. To be honest, I wasn’t always sure that would happen.
A couple of other highlights include getting a chapter published in Everybody Belongs, Serving Together. I also presented a couple of papers at conferences, one for the Canadian-American Theological Association and one for the Centre for Autism and Theology.
The biggest event, however, was a change in ministry settings. While I was content at Queen Street Baptist Church, both Amanda and I felt called to pastor together. We also felt drawn to a smaller community, think especially of Nova Scotia. We put out our resumes without any expectations and found an interested congregation in Brookfield Baptist Church.
While this is good news, it also means that we have to leave friends, family, a church and a regiment behind. Still, we are excited about what the future holds. Like last year, I have no idea what things will look like in 365 days but we are trusting that God will guide and provide.
