As you start to read through this blog, my family and I are getting ready to make a trip to the Island of Ireland. We’ve been planning this vacation for almost 2 years now, ever since we met my cousin, David, from Belfast at my grandfather’s funeral. Many Peachlanders have been to Ireland and have told us of all the beauty, history, the exciting culture, and of course the Irish hospitality that was second to none. So, now we are here, consuming all the sights, some good old fashioned Irish breakfasts, and some much needed R & R.
Much needed R & R because I have been in pastoral ministry for over 20 years (19 of those years in Westbank and Peachland) without a significant break. Over 13 years ago my wife Cheryl and I and our 3 little girls moved to Peachland to start a church. The Peachland Community Church has been driven to live up to its middle name over the years. We have won prizes in the Canada Day Parade, an award for community service in recognition of our work with the youth of Peachland and we’ve gained quite an international reputation as the church that meets outside in Heritage Park during the summer months.
But there comes a time when you begin to realize that you have given all that you have and there seems to be a growing sense of what I call a “holy discontent” about what is happening. This means that it is time for a change. The same God, who brought us to Peachland from the church in Westbank, has now decided that the time has come for the Nichol family to move on once again. June 30, 2006 was my last official day as the Pastor of Peachland Community Church. P.C.C. will now be busy searching for a new pastor to lead them with fresh ideas and new vision. I am very excited as I consider what is in store for them.
For a while we were following several promising leads regarding where God would have us go for new ministry. However, one lead after another dropped off the radar. Finally this left only one lead that was still very alive and active. A church in Auckland, New Zealand was in communication with us and a few days before my last day of work they extended an official call to us to come and be their pastor.
Upon returning from our vacation, the hard work of getting our family to New Zealand will begin. We expect it will take us several months to finish the massive visa process. We will need to sell almost everything we have, so if anyone needs some furniture, vehicles, a house, and lots of stuff, just give us a call and make us an offer we can’t refuse!
One of the bigger challenges that this move will bring is that the church there is quite small, so they don’t have enough money to pay our salary. Therefore they have asked us to raise our own support until the church is large enough to pay us. If you’re looking for a good cause to support financially, I happen to know of a really good one! I have gifted people working on creating ways for you to receive a tax receipt for your donation should you choose to help us out. If you would like to be put on our email list to be kept in the loop on our New Zealand adventure just send me an email (nicpcc@telus.net) and we will be sure to keep you informed of all that is happening.
As I write this final paragraph I want to communicate to you the greatest passion of my life. I have hoped and prayed that my life and how I have conducted myself among you all has done one thing well. That is that you have been witness to the joy and the fullness of life that comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That through my conduct you would have unmistakably seen what a good Christian is like and that the life I’ve lived has backed up the message I have attempted to speak to all of you. This message is of the forgiveness of sins and the deep love of God for all of us expressed through his Son Jesus Christ. And that by believing this message by faith you too might have fullness of joy and fullness of life everlasting. While I know I have not been even close to perfect in all of this, I am consumed with a desire to know and to love God more deeply each day and to share this knowledge and this love with others I meet along the way. This is my greatest passion.
God bless all you Peachlanders and from all of us Nichol’s thanks again for 13+ fantastic years.
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4 comments:
Wow! Who could have ever predicted where each of us would be in thirteen years, or twenty?! 1989 seems so very long ago, but that was when I came to Kelowna and Westside Alliance church and the youth group there. Do you remember daring me to come to church one Sunday morning with my hair dyed green? I sat right up at the front. Then,in 1992, you married Kane and I. A little more than a year later, you stood with us as we dedicated Sam to the Lord. We joined you at PCC right around the time that you began meeting in the museum, and we stayed until we moved from Westbank into Kelowna at the end of 1994. Once or twice since then, we've come back to visit. It all seems so long ago and hazy in the memory, but there are many good memories to be found.
We really would have liked to have made it to your final Sunday at PCC; unfortunately, our boys both had ball tournaments. It would have been great to see you and tell you in person what you mean to us. Instead, let me just say that you have been a wonderful example of what a Christian should look like. Whether you ever knew it or not, you challenged me and showed me so much of God's character. I've lost many things to time, but there are still songs, sermons, Bible studies, actions, activities, and attitudes that continue to resonate inside my brain. Thank you! And Cheryl deserves a big THANK YOU, too. She may not always have been on the front line, but she was definitely working hard in whatever capacity she was needed. There is a saying that behind every great man is a great woman; I believe that to be true!
What adventures are in store for your family! It must be equally exciting and frightening, but that is just the way that life should be lived. We will continue to pray for you and your family; we know that God will continue to use you and bless you wherever He plants you.
AMEN! What a great way to end- yet also to begin a new ministry calling. We wish you all peace in the next days and months to come. That you will, once again, see God move in miraculous ways-showing His abundant love for each of you. The Sadlers
Kevin, thank you for pouring into us at Peachland, and for pouring into us at Westside. I've been blessed to be a part of two churches where you have ministered and haved grown so much through your ministry. I worry about finding a preacher who will teach and challenge me as well as you have! Your new church is blessed to have you. :) I'll be faithfully praying for you, your family, and your new church family.
thanks nik, i couldnt begin to count the times when I have been deeply blessed by you and the ministry that God has used you in in my life. The church that you end up in (and the Bruceter) is doubly blessed to have you both. They better treat you right! ps we are having a blast here in belfast!
kevin
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