Wesley Studies Day
This year's Wesley Studies day at Tyndale Seminary, April 25, featured two keynotes by prominent figures in Wesleyanism, both of whom have spoken at our church: Rev.Victor Shepherd and Rev. Howard Snyder. The day included a dinner for the Bastian family and representatives of denominations who help fund the Donald N. and Kathleen G. Bastian Chair of Wesley Studies -- the Free Methodist, Wesleyan, and Nazarene churches and the Salvation Army. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the chair. Our own Rev. James Pedlar arranged and hosted the day, with 100 in attendance along with 50 online.
You can visit this week's blog post by Bishop Bastian to link to events from that day:
Bishop Emeritus Donald N. Bastian, who with his wife, Kathleen, counts WC as his church home, has just published his fifth book, From Kitchen Chair to Pulpit: A Memoir of Family, Faith, and Ministry. The Free Methodist Church USA has published an article about the Bastians and the new book in Light + Life Online magazine. (See below for link.) The book covers his life from December 25, 1925 (yes, that's right Bishop Bastian is 96, as is his wife, Kathleen), to the present.
It includes stories of his:
* conversion and call to ministry
* marriage to Kathleen Swallow, an Ontario schoolteacher from Niagara Falls
* raising of four children, including Donald G. Bastian, a member of our church, and Carolyn Gonyou, former member
* education at four FM schools
* ministry with his wife at three local churches in Canada and the US
* long tenure as bishop of the Free Methodist USA and Canada.
Click here to read the article (which includes a link for buying the book in Canada: https://lightandlife.fm/the-bastian-backstory/
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