Potluck Farewell Luncheon for Pastor Gary and Joy Burt (Incl. Video interview)
Potluck farewell luncheon for Gary and Joy Burt and the Golden Age Club this past Sunday. Photos OntarioNewsNorth.com
Potluck farewell luncheon for Gary and Joy Burt and the Golden Age Club this past Sunday. Photos OntarioNewsNorth.com
Pastor Gary and his wife Joy humour me for one last photo before they get on the road to Deep River. Photos OntarioNewsNorth.com
MANITOUWADGE, ON – Sunday, November 4th, just a few weeks after announcing his impending departure following the Thanksgiving Sunday Worship, Pastor Gary Burt, and his wife Joy, began a new chapter in their Christian ministries saying goodbye to their friends and members of the Bethany Pentecostal Chapel at a potluck luncheon held in their honour at the Golden Age Club.
Though the timeline between the public announcement and their departure from Manitouwadge was short, it was not a decision the couple made lightly “We are always looking to follow what we feel is the Lord’s will in our lives, both Joy and I had a sense and a stirring in our spirits that it was time to move on to another congregation” said Pastor Gary, explaining that “We’ve been praying about it, the church in Deep River called us and we spent more time praying about it and it was the right time to move away from Manitouwadge, not an easy thing to do”. Deep River Pentecostal Assembly’s new spiritual leader said he was looking forward to meeting his new congregation, and taking the time to learn what the needs of the church there were.
The couple had enjoyed living in the small Northwestern Ontario community for nearly 13 years and had clearly become very close to the entire congregation and many members of the community. The pastor explained that he referred not only to the congregation but to the entire community when describing that the people had been “marvelous” and “a blessing to Joy and I”. “We didn’t even know what a Manitouwadge was when we were first asked to come here but we’ve come to see Manitouwadge is a great town with wonderful people we’ve been treated really well” said the pastor. When asked about what he would most miss he paused and smiled fondly, not surprisingly his answer began with a look back at his work in the church “There are a lot of wonderful memories; working with the congregation and being their spiritual leader, new people coming in and wondering what its all about and watching as they find there is such a thing as a relationship with God through Jesus Christ” this was just a part of what the pastor said were his greatest memories but as he had often reminded his congregation over the years, he is a regular person so it was no surpise when he wrapped up his reminiscence listing “hunting and fishing, potluck dinners, fish-fry’s, barbecues and lobster boils – just being with the people in the church and the community has been tremendous.”
Parishioners at Bethany Pentecostal Chapel will be welcoming a Transition Pastor November 18th while the local board, as well as district officials in Burlington Ontario, will collaborate to search for a new Pastor, accepting resumes and working to find the person who would best be suited for the role of Senior Pastor at Bethany Pentecostal; a task that could take 6 months or more said Pastor Gary. Bethany Pentecostal Assembly has grown considerably during Burt’s time with the congregation and he said that he felt confident that it was in a good place “It’s always been my goal that they [the congregation] would not follow me but that they would follow the Lord Jesus and I would hope that I had conveyed that message” he went on to reiterate his trust in that the board and district would find someone that would help the church continue to grow.
The gathering wrapped as the diverse spread of lunch and dessert options began to dwindle. The pastor and his wife each took one last opportunity to address the congregation and friends who had gathered for the farewell feast; there were many handshakes and hugs, blessings offered and tears shared before Pastor Gary and Joy Burt said Goodbye to Manitouwadge heading for Deep River Ontario where a new congregation anticipated their arrival. (see interview w/Pastor Gary Burt below)
