|
| ||||
|
|
|
|
| |
Intohispath
View more presentations from georgecduke.
GLASGOW-FALKIRK
|
Glasgow-Falkirk Scotland
Finally we were able to end deputation for our third time. I was in Detroit when I discovered that I had raised my quota of partners in Missions. I was scheduled to travel into Canada then come back down the east coast of the USA. Learning that I had enough P.I.M. s I cancelled the rest of my itinerary and made plans to return to the British Isles. My daughter Lorraine and her husband Anthony had also planned on returning with us later after we were able to get settled in. Our plans were to go up to Scotland to start a work in Glasgow. There was a empty church building that was owned by the UPC in Glasgow that had been purchased for an Australian Minister who had held a few services and then closed it up and returned to Australia.
On arriving in Scotland we found a home to rent and made our way to see the building. We were shocked when we found it because of the damage that had been done inside by the water in the heating system bursting and flooding the building. Also as we looked around we noticed fungus growing in the walls. We then went down to the basement and found that we might be able to use it after making some repairs and using space heaters as the other system for heating was completely unusable.
We began working on the basement room and after getting it to a usable condition started having meetings there. We printed up some leaflets to hand out and distributed them around the Glasgow area, For many weeks we gave out leaflets, worked on the building and held services. Sister Hilda Allen who had helped us start in High Wycombe joined us in Glasgow and began helping us with outreach and the building. Later Sister Hilda found a place to rent and moved out. Not long after she moved out we found a older home that we purchased and after we were able to get moved in Antony and Lorraine flew in from the USA to help us in the work. Brother Antony was a great worker and helped us in renovating the building. The building which was an old Scottish church was very high and while we were trying to get it repaired we discovered that some tile had blown off the roof. None of us would venture to try and get on the roof to repair it and the cost to have someone out was outrageous because of the height. I remember Brother Plumb had come up for a visit and I asked him if he was brave enough to get on the roof and replace the tile. He said he would take care of it but we would have to rent a truck with a boom for him to get on top with. We rented the truck and up went Brother Plumb to the top. I held my breath as he had to lean out of the enclosed area on the boom to replace the tile. After many breath taking minutes he had replaced the tile and was back on the ground much to our relief.
Week after week went by and we would have a few people to come to the meetings but none really stayed. One Sunday a young Lady by the name of Rhona Williams attended the meeting. She was living in Falkirk which was about 25 miles from the church in Glasgow. She had taken the bus and related to us how long it had taken. I felt sorry about her having to take so long to get to the services but because of her love of the Lord and her desire to be in an Apostolic Church service she was willing to make the sacrifice. One Sunday Rhona brought with her a couple of ladies from Falkirk. They were really blessed by the meetings and after attending for a few weeks faithfully, asked me to have a meeting in Falkirk. Sister Margaret told me that they had others in Falkirk that would come to the meetings if we held a service there. She also let me know that she felt that we could rent the girl guide hall for our meetings. I asked her to check on it and if we could rent the building I would be glad to come up and have some meetings there.
We continued working on the building in Glasgow and having services there but it seemed like we were not able to reach any of the local people there. All that we were reaching was the ones coming from Falkirk. Some weeks later Mary and Rhona would bring others to visit and we were happy when they let us know that they really enjoyed the services. One Sunday Margaret came to me after the service and let me know that the people that oversaw the girl guide hall had agreed to let us use the building/
I had never been to Falkirk before and we drove up to look over the area and the building that we were to use there. Falkirk was a small town located about half way between Glasgow and Edinburgh on the railroad line. The town was quite nice and there was a large shopping area downtown. I found that the girl guide hall was only about 3 blocks from the downtown area and that we would be able to give out leaflets in the town and the hall was nearby making it easily accessible for people to come by bus. Even the train station was only another 3 blocks away. The hall consisted of two toilets, a small room near the entrance and a major hall that could seat about 75 people with a kitchen in the back.
We made arrangements to have our first meeting there. I made up some leaflets and we distributed them around the area and Falkirk had a local newspaper and I placed an ad in it advertising the meetings. We held our first meeting there and I was happy when I saw that we had about 15 to 20 people to attend. Before the meeting Hilda and my family would all get together and pray in the small room at the entrance to the building. I remember one night before the service we were all praying when we heard some people approach the building. Well the power of God was moving upon the Ladies and they were speaking in tongues and travailing in the Spirit. When the people heard them they quickly left and we never saw them again. Apparently they had never heard Pentecostal people caught up in Spirit worship. God does say that the true worshipper must worship him in Spirit and in Truth.
Antony and Lorraine finally had to return to the USA after Antony had exhausted his efforts in trying to get employment in Scotland. At the time there was a shortage of jobs in Scotland and Antony placed a lot of applications but when it came down to an interview he was English in a Scottish land. We really missed them after they left because they had been a real blessing to us while they were over.
The following week we had another large family to come to the service that Sister Margaret had invited. The family consisted of the mother, Moroulla and her family George, Sylvanna, Androulla, and a friend Caroline. God blessed us in the meeting and we saw many hearts touched. Sunday after Sunday we saw more and more people come to the services and saw God began to fill them with his Spirit. Sister Moroulla’s family began bringing other relatives and friends to the meetings and it was not long before we were having about 35 to come regular. Sister Hilda Allen was thrilled about what was happening and what she was a part of.
One day after service Sister Margaret came to me and related that she was not happy about some of the teachings on Holiness standards and felt that I should not teach them to the congregation. She also had some feelings against one of the other families and felt that she could no longer support the work. She then asked me to come by her home to discuss the matter. When I did go by she let me know that she had a lot of differences with a certain family as they agreed with teachings that she felt we held and that she disagreed on. She finally let me know that she would no longer be attending. I was sorry to hear this as she had been a real blessing and instrumental in bringing others in to the work.
After the departure of Margaret and some of her followers God continued to bless the group. As we did not have a place to baptize people in and needed to baptize some I was able to get the minister at the Christ church to allow us to use his baptismal. Soon after this I found a hall that belonged to the sea scouts that was for sale. As we were no longer using the building in Glasgow I asked the UPC district to allow us to ell it and purchase property in Falkirk and they approved the sale. We sold the building in a few months and started negotiating a price for the sea scouts building. After finally settling on a price we purchased the building and set about repairing and renovating it to use it for church services.
I had a young Scotsman from a rough part of Glasgow named Jimmy who I had used to do work for me in the past. I hired Jimmy to help in the remodeling of the building. Next to the building was a large parking area owned by the Town Council. It had been taken over by Gypsies who had parked their covered wagon Caravans, Motorized Caravans, and Trailers to live in. One day I had to go in to Glasgow to do some chores and I left Jimmy to work on the building. For some reason I got back sooner than expected and found Jimmy and the Gypsies stealing the copper and lead from the building. Apparently Jimmy had made a deal with the Gypsies to split what they would make off the metal. I had to let Jimmy go and told the Gypsies off for what they had done.
Finally after getting the building where we could use it we started having services there. God blessed us in many ways adding to the church one by one. I remember having our first water baptism in Jesus name there. Two young men Derek and Stuart were to be baptized. When they came forward to get into the water they were wearing white gowns and at first I thought I was baptizing two girls. God really blessed them though as they came out of the water they began to worship God and thank him for his love.
It seemed like God was sending in new people all the time in Falkirk. It was not long before we were having around 50 people in the meetings there.
After getting established in Falkirk I was sent a AIM worker to help us in the work there. Brother Kevin was a great help and the people in Falkirk fell in love with him. He was a nice well mannered person and he worked well in trying to get new people out to the meetings. Brother Kevin worked with us for quite a while and I really appreciate the work he did while he was with us. I believe he was with me for almost 6 months and was really sorry when he left and returned to the USA.
I remember receiving word that the UPCI was going to send another Missionary Robert Kelly and his wife to Scotland. On their arrival they settled in the Glasgow area and found a hall that they were able to use for services. Our service in Falkirk was early on Sunday and we made plans to have as many of our people to go to Brother Kellys work to help in the service.
It was now nearing the 2 years of our present tour on the field of our third term and we decided to go home for the General Conference which was to be held in Anaheim, California. Also we would be able to go home and spend a few days before the conference. The Foreign Missions allowed us to return at half term if we paid our own way and attended the general conference.
We arrived in Pensacola Florida and had a great time with friends and relatives. During our time at home I learned that there was a need of a Pastor in Fort Walton Beach Florida. For years I had always had a burden for the area so I decided to check into the possibility of trying out for the church. I contacted the home of the Florida Supt. Bro. Crabtree but he was not in. I spoke to his wife and asked her about the chance of going down to Fort Walton. She told me there was no chance as there was a line a mile long of people wanting to try out for there. I hung up the phone and decided to forget about it.
On Sunday we visited Brother Welsh’s Church in Pensacola and after the service he and his kind wife invited us out for lunch. Over lunch I happened to mention my contacting the Crabtree’s and their response regarding Fort Walton. Brother Welsh looked at me and said I don’t understand that. I can probably get you booked there for Wednesday night. On Monday Brother Welsh called and told me that they would like for me to minister in Fort Walton on Wednesday.
On Wednesday I travelled to Fort Walton Beach and met the present Pastor Bro. Thomas who was very nice and cordial. I spoke to the congregation a simple bible study and after the service was over left to return to Pensacola. On Saturday I received a call from Brother Thomas asking me to return on Sunday night to preach to the congregation again. I told him I was scheduled to minister for Brother Peavy on Sunday night and they said we will minister for him and you come here. I agreed if it was ok with Brother Peavey. It was and on Sunday night I again spoke for the church in Fort Walton.
On Tuesday the telephone rang and Brother Thomas was on the phone. He then shocked me by saying I was now the Pastor in Fort Walton Beach. I did not know what to say. I then related to him several excuses why I would not be able to take the church. He then covered every excuse by saying I will take care of the church till you are able to get here. I hung up and looked at Carol and explained to her what had happened. She could not believe it either. I pondered what I would do and finally told Carol well we can return to the field and there make up our minds what we should do. I can always cancel our taking the church if we do not feel I’s the will of God. There we left the matter.
On our arrival at the general conference in Anaheim as I was entering the conference center I met Brother Mervyn Miller at the door who greeted me and said Oh yes we have a foreign Missions board meeting tomorrow see you there. As he walked away I thought to myself I am not on the FMB so why would he make a statement like that. I found out why when I got to the FM Booth and was told by Brother Judd that I had to meet with the FMB because they had heard that I had taken the church in Fort Walton. The next morning really early I attended the meeting where I was placed under questioning by the board members who kept shooting questions at me in regards to the matter. Brother Scismn who was the director let me know that as I had no approval to return and take the church that I may have to pay for my move back to the USA. I let him and the board know that I had not made a final decision on the matter and had been planning on returning to my field and praying about it. It appeared from their intensive scrutiny and remarks that they were upset with me and was not going to believe anything that I told them. The meeting ended with me being told off and that I would have to appear before them again on Saturday morning. I did appear back where in the meeting I was told that they had agreed to cover my return back to the USA and that they would accept my resignation as a missionary. Well they had decided the matter for me and that was it.
We returned to Scotland and was greeted at the airport by the saints from our church in Falkirk holding banners and placards welcoming us back. Later after Carol and I had gotten to our house I looked at her and said I should have felt really elated over the welcome back we received but I didn’t feel it. She looked at me and said that was the way she felt also. From there we accepted that our days of being a missionary was over and had been settled by the UPCI FMB. I am sure that the board felt like they had done the right thing but I wonder if they really understood that we had our minds made up for us.
The Saints in Falkirk were really upset when they learned that we would be leaveing. I was really sorry to have to tell them that we were returning to the USA and no longer would be their Pastor. As we closed out our time in Falkirk, we eventually turned the church over to Missionary Robert Kelly and his family who would oversee the work until a Pastor was found for the work.
Just before Christmas of 1984 we boarded a plane that took us back to Pensacola Florida where we would then move to Fort Walton Beach Florida to become Pastor of the UPC church there.
 |
| Site Tools |
|
|
|
Local Weather |
Word of the Day
Free content
provided by The Free Dictionary
Article of the Day
Free content
provided by The Free Dictionary
This Day in History
Free content
provided by The Free Dictionary
Today's Birthday
Free content
provided by The Free Dictionary
In the News
Free content
provided by The Free Dictionary
Quotation of the Day
Free content
provided by The Free Library
Match Up
Free content
provided by The Free Dictionary
Hangman
Free content
provided by The Free Dictionary
|
|
Verse of the Day |
