Bits and Pieces – 195th Edition – June 16, 2024

     We are sorry to hear of the deaths of two stalwart Christian women who passed away recently.

Ann Foster was the wife of the Rev. Ivan Foster, the retired minister of Kilskeery Free Presbyterian Church in Northern Ireland.  Ann, with her husband, was instrumental in starting the Christian School movement in Northern Ireland.  She, for many years, was the principal of the Kilskeery Christian school where she served faithfully, and gave leadership to others in the area of Christian education.

     Our sympathy goes out to Ivan and his family, and we pray the Lord will sustain them in this time of loss.  As for Ann, she is with the Lord, which is “far better”  [Philippians 1:23].

     Judith Collins was a member of the Bible Presbyterian Church and served faithfully and with a dedication of heart as a missionary in Kenya for over fifty years. Judith was originally from the Maritimes in Canada but regarded Kenya as her second home, and it was there that she died last week. On her visits to North America, she always called in to Toronto FPC. She was instrumental in training many young Kenyans for the Christian ministry. Her influence will be greatly missed.

     Praise God, both Judith and Ann are now in the presence of Christ, whom they both served with distinction.

Kathy Kalinich joined the Toronto church in the early days and, for many years, faithfully brought her children to the services until she moved north. Memorable were the twin boys, Terry and Danny, both of whom had cancer problems from childhood with their eyes.  Kathy nurtured them to adulthood when they went out into the business world.  They became successful businessmen.  Sadly, her son Chris died last year, and now one of the twins, Danny, passed away last week.  He was 48.  Please pray for Kathy, her life has not been easy.

     It was forty-eight years ago, on June 11, 1976, that I flew to Canada to start the work of Toronto Free Presbyterian Church.  It was a serious challenge.

     I was sitting in my study in Tandragee on Monday morning when I heard on the radio that the attorney-general of Ontario, Roy McMurtry, was trying to get us banned from entry into Canada, no doubt based on our association with Dr. Ian Paisley.

     A quick call to Dr. Paisley yielded the advice.  “You have been cleared by Canada House in Belfast.  Get into Canada right away.”  Our family was booked to fly on June 28, so I had to go two weeks in advance and leave my wife to pack up our things.

     Dr. Paisley helped get passport and ticket changes made and I flew out the next day.  At the airport I couldn’t look back because of the emotion of saying farewell to my wife and children.

     Rather than fly into Toronto where every TV, radio and newspaper were against us, I flew into Montreal and went through customs without difficulty. Then I flew to Toronto and nobody knew I was there.  It was interesting to listen to people like Pierre Berton and Charles Templeton attack me.  They never heard me, or knew anything about me.

     But the Lord was in charge, and I met the church people at a prayer meeting in Mrs. Mervyn’s condo.  Those early days were hard, but by the grace of God we overcame the adversaries.

     We are ready to cry out: “Surely never was there sorrow like unto our sorrow.”  If our troubles were thrown together with others and an equal division made, share and share alike, we would soon say, “Pray give me mine own again.”  [From Matthew Henry].