HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1986-07-30, Page 14Page 14.—CLINTON
NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1986
REV JOHN HOEKSTRA
Bayfield s new minister is a worldly
man
Atter working for three years in Bermuda,
Rev. John Hoekstra has returned to Canada,
and is currently the new reverend for St. An-
drew's Church in Bayfield. (David Emslie
photo 1
By David Emslie
BAYFIELD - Rev. John Hoekstra, 61, the
new minister for Bayfield's St. Andrew's
Church, is what may be called a worldly
man.
Born in Delfzijl, in the Netherlands, Rev.
Hoekstra came to Canada in 1954. "My
brother emigrated to Canada, and I decided
to follow him," he said.
Prior to coming to Canada the reverend
had worked in the personnel department of
the Netherland Railway Company.
He had studied for the ministry before
corning to Canada and he continued leis
studies after his arrival in this country.
However, during his first year in Canada
his studies were put aside and he worked on
odd jobs, as a potwasher in Lake Louise, as
an encyclopedia salesman and as an in-
surance salesman.
While his studies in the Netherlands were
carried out at the Municipal University of
Amsterdam, his further studies in North
America included work at the Western
Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan,
H,n Vow Rrnn,swirk ThPnhiiirl CeminAry in
New Jersey and the Toronto School of
Theology.
Following his graduation from the New
Brw swick Theological Seminary in 1958,
Rev. Hoekstra was ordained and in 1959 he
married Anne Poldermans.
After ordination he worked in Reformed
Churches in Ontario, Quebec and the
Netherlands, in a church in Surinam, a
United Church in Ontario and most recently
in Bermuda.
Rev. Hoekstra spent three years in Ber-
muda, and said it was very pleasant there.
"We enjoyed it very much, the people were
very friendly and the climate was nice," he
said. "They have no winter.'
"After three years living in Bermuda, it
will be a change living here," he said. "It's
nice to be back though, too."
It was not until 15 that he joined the
United Church. "The Netherland Reformed
Church and the United Church are very
similar," he said, therefore the change was
easy. "They are both kind of national
churches."
Aside from ministering for churches
across the continent, the reverend has taken denominations would taketurns doing the
on some extra duties over the years. broadcasts.
He was a ship's chaplain for a number of In the print media he has written for local
Atlantic Crossing on the Holland -America church papers in Surinam and Holland, as
Line between 1958 and 1965. "They were just well as for the Beeton News, a weekly corn -
regular Atlantic crossings, not like a munity newspaper.
cruise," he said. "In those days if you had
money you traveled by plane, and if you
didn't you traveled by boat. Nowadays it's
the other way around."
Other jobs he has undertaken included
chaplain of the Beeton Branch of the Royal
Canadian Legion and Civilian Officiating
Clergyman at the Canadian Forces Station
in Bermuda.
Aside from this he taught religious classes
for approximately an hour a week in public
schools in Drayton and the Netherlands, and
in secondary schools in Surinam.
He also became involved in religious jour-
nalism in television, radio and print.
"In Surinam, they started television a
couple of months after we came and we did
a show twice a week, in 10 minute programs
called A Word From The ,Church," he said.
In this show ministers from different
On top of all his activities, Rev Hoekstra
has a long history of community involve-
ment, including being a member of Rotary
Clubs, a member of Amnesty International
groups in Lindsay and Bermuda, a board
member of a home for under nourished
children in Surinam and a board member of
a private senior citizens' home in Bermuda.
Although he did not know this area when
he was hired for the job, he said, "My first
impressions are favorable. We had a good
reception when we came, and people were
bending .over backwards to get the house
ready and make us feel at home." .
• One lady even came to the reverend's
house for a few evenings to put in a garden
with dahlias, vegetables and herbs.
"We plan to like it here," Rev. Hoekstraa
said.
Weatherman co-operates during lakeside service
By Mary Chessell
VARNA - Sunday was a warm day for the
Varna -Goshen annual lakeside church ser-
vice. The sermon topic was about accep-
tance of ourselves as we are. Rev. Sam
Parker and his wife Barbara demonstrated
this for the children with puppets, a bunny
and a raccoon. Barbara and her mother,
Marilyn Phillipsysang and played the accor-
dion and flute. Marjorie Hayter led the
hymns and choruses, with ukelele
accompaniment.
A picnic lunch followed, then games and
races for the children and a sing -song with "
Michael Stephenson keeping time with his
spoons.
Margaret Taylor, wife of the late Rev.
Alex Tayloroattended with Elizabeth Clarke.
Attendance was good, but one would ex-
pect a big crowd for such a service. Other
events the same day included the cricket
match at Bayfield.
An interdenominational church service
will be held at the work centre at Stanley
Township Complex on August 3 at 10:30 a.m.
If you like to sing, be there shortly after 10
a.m. for the sing -song. The following two
Sundays are vacation time for Varna and
Goshen churches.
Bill, Helen and Mark Taylor attended the
Taylor family reunion, held at their niece
Sandra's home in Gravenhurst, on July 26.
The Stanley Township history books have
arrived and are on sale at the Complex.
Judging by the first few chapters, which I
saw some time ago, it is a very intersting
book. Those who worked on it spent
countless hours in assembling material and
assuring its accuracy.
This weekend the sesquicentennial
celebrations come to a climax ,with the big
Homecoming events.
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