Sunday evening, the opening worship service of the 135th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada was held at Redeemer College in Ancaster Ontario—just outside of Hamilton. It’s a beautiful facility with lots of room for the General Assembly Commissioners, special guests, the over-seventy strong cheering section from Orangeville, and our family: Allan and his wife Natalie, Jamie and Jonathan; Harvey’s mom, Christine Self, his brother David and sister Beth; his nephews, aunt, cousins….
The rafters literally rang as we sang hymns of praises to our incomparable God, and after Rev. Cheol Soon Park’s sermon, daring us to risk all as Zacheus did, I wanted to stand and shout, “Amen!”
But I guess for me, the big part of the evening, the part I and our whole extended family had been waiting for, was Harvey’s installation as Moderator of this 135th General Assembly. It was a brief ceremony with vows befitting a wedding or baptism, “I will, God being my helper,” followed by Harvey’s thank you speech.
Now I admit I’m a little biased. When your husband is honoured by a gathering of his peers, it’s a pretty awesome experience. But what moved me most was when the entire auditorium rose and applauded Cpl. Robert Stevenson (wounded in Afghanistan) and Mrs. Valerie McGrady, whose son Cpl. Matthew McCulley died in Afghanistan—both who’d come to the General Assembly’s opening service to support Harvey’s ministry.
These two young men have lived and paid the consequences of Rev. Park’s challenge. They risked all to help others know peace.
This year Harvey and I will have the chance to do likewise. We will take risks and trust our loving God with the results. But you don’t have to be a Moderator or a Moderator’s wife to do that.
You just need to be someone who loves the Lord.
