Book reviewed:
From Pulp to Pulpit
by Hugh Appel
Essence Publishing
This is the story of a minister’s life written with a clarity that brings church life to life. Having known the author for several years, I was intrigued by this account of his life and ministry. His early years were lived in Holland at the time of the Nazi occupation. Immigrating to Canada, he and his family worked hard to create a new life for themselves in a country with different customs and language. While not dwelling on how difficult this must have been, it doesn’t take much imagination to realize the challenges were immense. Throughout this time, one gets the impression that they faced their new context with realism and an underlying reliance on God’s grace.
Appel began preparations for the Christian ministry (his earlier spiritual home was the Christian Reformed Church) studying theology at Knox College, Toronto, and accepting a student appointment in a small rural two-point charge northeast of the city. His recollections of studying, family life and faithful ministry to a small group of Christians brought a smile to my face. If you have been in the church long enough you’ll remember some of the people he worked with and the ways that the church organized itself.
He accepted his first call in Vancouver and from there went to the Niagara area, eventually retiring from a congregation in southwestern Ontario. Retirement is used loosely, as Appel served in a part-time ministry for several years after that date.
His style, much like his speech, is to the point in its telling, with humourous observations often directed at himself. There are stories of church buildings and manses needing improvements which at times were addressed and at other times ignored. There are stories of amalgamations or closures often at great cost to the minister and the faithful few who had struggled for so long. Other recollections celebrated congregations that reached out to others, making courageous changes to engage new people with the Good News. One senses the exhilaration and affirmation of the Christian ministry in these moments.
Appel doesn’t back down from some very painful times in his life. A potentially fatal car accident and a family member’s struggle with cancer are a part of his story. So too was the call that did not go well to a congregation which has since closed. One senses the pain and difficulty of sleepless nights. His descriptions of the many times in ministry where life and death situations were faced, physical or spiritual, are vivid and telling — real life in real time.
Throughout the book he offers theological reflections and biblical verses (used sparingly) which give insight into his faith and how he sees God at work. They are offered in a gentle fashion pointing to his foundational belief in the providential care of God. In all, an easy and insightful read of a minister’s experiences of church life.
