Transitions ~ 2000 - 2004

As I read our history, I realize I have written as I speak "today". I talk about the future, that now has already happened and is part of our past. So I am going to continue on with the style I am most comfortable with, only I will now write as a journal, with the next entry bridging the gap between yesterday's tomorrow and today's past.

April 2000

In April of 2000, we relocated to Bayfield, Ontario to a year round resort where we could live in our mobile home. While in Bayfield we rounded out our tours of Canada with two trips to Newfoundland, one in 2001 and one in 2002. We were very busy with our travelling but other changes were taking place as well. Our family was growing up.

In the fall of 2000, Anya went to Tyndale College and Seminary. She will be graduating with her Bachelor of Religious Education (BRE) in the spring of 2005. The course she was in included an excelerated program in conjunction with Seneca College. Anya gratuated from Seneca College this spring with honours and now has her Early Childhood Education (ECE). This left a big gap in the ministry as we all had to pitch in to fill her shoes.

We knew that Charity was soon to follow her dream of higher education as well. It had always been our intent from the beginning to have our children involved in the ministry as much as possible and as time went by they became very capable ministers in their own right. We knew that losing Anya and Charity was going to leave a huge gap in the team.

Joel and I began looking at where we wanted to be in five years and praying that God would direct us. We had talked about returning to pastoral ministry, possibly in the children's ministry field, but we were still not sure that is what we wanted to do. Then a good friend called us and asked if we would be able to come and help him. The children's pastor from their church had resigned and they needed someone right away to fill in while they did a candidate search. We accepted the position.

We filled the position of children's pastor for about three months and enjoyed ourselves immensely. It was wonderful belonging with a specific group of people and we realized we had been missing that. Joel also decided to continue his education and so applied to Masters Seminary and is working towards his Masters in Theological Studies (MTS). Masters is run in co-operation with Tyndale Seminary so he is at the same school as Anya. As much as we enjoyed the children's ministry part of our time there, we also sensed that God was calling us into a broader ministry.

Six weeks after leaving that position, we accepted a position as pastor of New Life Community Church in Belmont, Ontario and began one week later. There is a beautiful parsonage in Belmont that we now occupy. As such we have our mobile home for sale. (It sold July 2006.) At NLCC we have a high priority on childrens and family ministries. They are still young but we believe that God is going to use them to grow our church.

In the fall of 2003, Charity took up housekeeping with her sister in Toronto, as she began her first year at Masters College and Seminary. (yep! It's the same one as Dad too.) She is working towards her Masters of Theology with a Major in Worship and Creative Arts. Next year, she will be Female Student Assistant at the school. She will be responsible for planning social activities for the female college students. Something she will enjoy very much.

Change is continuing to happen all around us as well. On February 27, 2004, my dad, Ronald Charles Meats, walked into the presence of Jesus. He will be missed.

Summer of 2004, will be an unusual summer for Joel and I. We will be away from home for only two Sundays - and one of those his holidays. (yes, we are actually taking holidays!) Anya and Charity will be the focal members of the YASM team this summer as they are away for seven weeks. We will be with them some of the time but in supporting roles. It will be our last full year of travel. Next year Anya will be looking for a job. Charity will find work locally and live at home, while we are forging ahead with the new direction God has given us. We will continue to minister as our schedule allows but I am beginning to like the living at home scene.