Honoring the Patriarch

Last night after Trinity's birthday celebrations, we went to Winnipeg Evangelical Free Church to hear my grandfather speak. The church is celebrating it's 50th Anniversary and my Grandpa Westman (the church's second pastor) was invited to address the crowd. My retired grandfather who lives in Calgary is getting older and doesn't speak very much any more so this was a special treat. My grandfather is a role model to me. Even though I don't know him super well, I really look up to him.

Grandpa was always a bit of a maverick. I remember my Dad telling me how Grandpa had been a fighter pilot trainee during World War II. One day during training he decided to impress a pretty girl he knew by "buzzing" her at her college. Flying low and fast over the school created some alarm (this was wartime after all) and the authorities called in the numbers in the plane. Soon after Grandpa was court-martialed! Without skipping a beat he re-enlisted the next day and because the military needed people, they accepted him back. They never did let him fly overseas though.

After his service, Grandpa became a pastor in the Evangelical Free Church in White Rock, BC. One day his district supervisor asked him to consider pastoring a young church in Winnipeg. From what Grandpa knew of "Winterpeg" he was not keen. My grandmother was also not keen. He finally was coaxed into visiting (against my grandma's wishes!) and when he got there he distinctly knew that's where God wanted him. So he left his church of retirees in White Rock and began pastoring a church barely two years old in Winnipeg. The church was young in other ways too - when he got there, there was only one member over 40 years of age!

Grandpa spent 8 wonderful years in Winnipeg before as he describes "he was dragged kicking and screaming" to become the EFC Western District Supervisor. When he spoke last night about his memories of the church, he spoke warmly about those years and about the awesome things that God did. It was quite moving. In this church made up mostly of conservative Mennonites, his wife noticed that some of the community women were being shunned because they wore makeup to church. This really ticked off my grandparents! Grandpa briefly considered wearing makeup to church himself to prove a point! However, he could still recall my grandmother wearing lipstick to church one Sunday and the horror that produced. Less than a year later though, he said, he looked out at his congregation and makeup was everywhere! Everyone in the audience laughed. At the end of his speak he pulled a "Westman," he exhorted the congregation not only to be thankful for all God had done and to celebrate, but to realize that there was so much work left to be done and not to lose sight of the needs in their area. He said this authentically so that it did not put a damper on the celebrations but instead gave them a context. I enjoyed his speak immensely.

I was fairly emotional during the evening. Listening to the history of a church isn't always a happy occasion, but this one was. I'm sure they've gone through their tough times as all churches do, but it was encouraging hearing how lives had been changed because of this body of believers. I could literally feel my passion for the church being renewed and with it my passion for God. I was reminded of where my own priorities need to be and what is really important. The sacrifices of the different members including my grandfather, given willingly and not out of a sense of empty duty, were inspiring. I came to the evening not expecting much but instead was blessed with one of the best things I could wish for; hope.

May Light increase!