Submitted by Marina Lloyd
In this issue, you’ll learn more about our dynamic leadership team of four people-Dawn
and Ted, Judy and John. Their stories have many similarities - falling in love with
and marrying someone they met while at school, raising families, enjoying careers,
becoming grandparents. How very fortunate for us that the two couples= paths have
now converged and that we are able to learn The Way of love and compassion for others,
both from their example and from the words they speak. So..let’ meet the Furrys
and the Yarkers.
Judy Gillard was born in St. Thomas. Her mother and father attended Centre Street
Baptist where Peggy and Alf Kitchen were friends of the family. She took her degree
in nursing (BScN) at McMaster where she fell in love with a young divinity student
from Port Colborne. John was also born into a Baptist family and had taken several
leadership roles in the Port Colborne church. When the time came to choose a career,
many opportunities presented themselves. On one hand, the optometrist was suggesting
he study optometry, on the other, he was being encouraged to become a Latin teacher
and although he listened respectfully to these voices, the call to enter ministry
spoke louder.
John and Judy married in June 1968, both having just graduated, and moved to Lakefield
to the unfurnished parsonage belonging to Lakefield Baptist Church. John’s career
in ministry somewhat reflected the changing demographics of our country as he moved
from a two-point mainly rural charge in Lakefield to a city church, Walmer Road Baptist
in Toronto, to a burgeoning suburban congregation in Agincourt. From Agincourt, they
moved to Woodstock where John became minister at First Baptist Church. Judy’s nursing
career was a reflection of her interest in the health of the whole person. During
the two years they lived in Lakefield, Judy worked as a psychiatric nurse at Peterborough
Civic Hospital. While living in an apartment in Toronto, Judy taught pre-natal classes
in the evenings. She was able to speak to the class participants with the voice of
experience as their two children, Jeffrey and Colleen were born during this time.
Colleen and Craig,s significant contributions to several areas in the life of our
church have been very much appreciated. We’ll miss them and their children, Leah
(6) and Grace (3) and hope that they will find a welcoming community in Guelph. Jeffrey
and his wife Julie have 2 children - Laurent (3) and Elise (3 months). When the Furrys
moved from Toronto to their first house in Willowdale, Judy nursed at Scarborough
General Hospital, easing the journey of those who had reached the end of their lives.
While John was preaching the Good News to the folk in Woodstock, Judy ministered
to people in the community with the Oxford County VON. She is currently employed
as a public health nurse in public, private, Catholic and Amish schools. When BCOQ
was considering the future of its Area Ministry plan, John was asked to take on an
Interim role as Area Minister for the South West Area, a role which lasted for four
years until BCOQ ended the Area Ministry concept. His territory was extensive, taking
him from Tobermory to Windsor to Brampton, preaching and counselling congregations
and pastors. John completed an interim ministry at St. David=s United in Woodstock
just last April. How fortunate for BBC that he was able and willing to shepherd us
through this period of transition. He must have been sorely tempted to step away
from the pulpit and give even more of his time to community service ( and reading
newspapers!). He is very involved in an organization called Operation Sharing -
a coalition of 27 churches from 12 denominations. Services
