Coincidence and Providence

Our son Isaac is a United Church minister but because he works in a team he had the Thanksgiving Weekend off and his family could join us for the weekend. They were present for worship at Bridge St. Church and Ike brought grandson Nicholas, who is almost two, forward for the Children's Time. I wasn't prepared for the wave of emotion I experienced seeing him in his Dad's arms. It was only the other day that our three children were coming to the front for the same moment in the service, or so it seems. I am so proud of all three of them as adults and it was lovely to have them and their partners with us on Saturday to celebrate my birthday.
While with us Isaac picked up a plastic tote my brother had with papers related to my father's life. Both my father and his brother were United Church ministers, and both have been gone for a number of years. Later on Thanksgiving Monday Isaac texted me from home. He had discovered in his rummaging that Dad, his grandfather, had been ordained at Bridge St. in 1954, just a few months before my birth.

I knew that my father, George Mundy, had been ordained in Bay of Quinte Conference. I had no idea where, and of course he died long before my move to Belleville. Yet here I am, serving in the congregation where his ministry was inaugurated. The United Church is certainly very different now from the denomination of the post-war years and from the church into which I was ordained in 1980. The clergy of Isaac's generation are the courageous ones.

I believe this is where I'm supposed to burst into a chorus of The Circle of Life! Actually, this news, shared in a couple of lines of a text message, has been a constant companion in the few days since. I'm not sure why, but is seems like an unusual coincidence -- or is that providence. I'm grateful that my son was curious to find out more about his family history. I might never have known otherwise. Perhaps God just wanted me to be aware.

Oh yes, Bridge St. UC has been approached to host the Celebration of Ministry service at Bay of Quinte Conference in 2015.