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Long-time Barrhead Bethel Pentecostal Church pastor retires

Barrhead’s Bethel Pentecostal Church congregation will see a new face at the pulpit come Aug. 1 as longtime minister Dave Findlay will be taking an extended vacation called retirement.

Barrhead’s Bethel Pentecostal Church congregation will see a new face at the pulpit come Aug. 1 as longtime minister Dave Findlay will be taking an extended vacation called retirement.

On July 17, the church announced that their spiritual leader would be stepping down after 16 years.

“It’s time. Recently I turned 65 and decided to step back a bit,” Findlay said, noting he has been ministering in some form or another for 43 years. Bethel is his fifth church, the others being in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the North West Territories.

However, he noted that although he is stepping back, he isn’t divorcing himself from the church or ministering completely.

“We [he and his wife, Elaine] will be in Barrhead for the foreseeable future and will be looking for ways to serve without being an official part of the church, like serving as a community chaplain,” Findlay said, noting he has served informally as Shepherd’s Care’s chaplain since it has opened.

Until Bethel selects Findlay’s replacement, they have hired Rev. Bob Jones.

Jones recently retired from his role as the lead pastor in Edmonton at North Pointe Community Church for 28 years.

“Bob Jones is well-known in Alberta and has been a featured speaker at many places across Canada,” he said, noting that even if people haven’t heard Jones speak, they may have read one of his works.

In 2015, Jones released The Ornament, a book of reflections on the inspiring life of a 30-year-old singer and mom of three boys, who died of cancer two years earlier. He is also the publisher of an online blog:RevWords.com.

Findlay said he is proud of his time at Bethel and is proud of the role the church has played in the community.

“We’ve always been a proponent of the church being involved in the community,” he said, pointing out Bethel’s participation in events like the Pumpkin Walk and the Street Festival, as well as the construction of a new church hall which is used by many community groups.


Barry Kerton

About the Author: Barry Kerton

Barry Kerton is the managing editor of the Barrhead Leader, joining the paper in 2014. He covers news, municipal politics and sports.
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