Ministry Milestone

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.

This Sunday we celebrated thirty years of ordained ministry for our own, Rev. Irwin Cunningham.  After taking his undergraduate degree at University of Victoria, he went on to complete his M. Div. at Knox College, University of Toronto. He was ordained into full-time ministry at Knox Presbyterian in Victoria, in a service conducted by Dr. Kirk, in June 1996.

Later that year he was inducted into ministry at Faith Presbyterian in Fort MacMurray. While still a student he served in churches in Edmonton, Prince George and Sylvan Lake. Those years in "the north" were a bit like pioneering in ministry--his first baptism, his first wedding, his first change of the clock (he was still eating breakfast at the hour when worship began.) 

He met some rough and ready folk from the oil patch, who became friends and elders in his church. He took on the chaplaincy of the RCMP and gained a whole new perspective on policing and the people who serve in that capacity. He comforted officers at the time of the Meyerthorpe shootings.

For the past nineteen years we have been privileged to have him as our minister, teaching elder, pastor, tech support and friend at Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church. 

In the early years of his time with us, the Bible Study flourished with upward of 20% of the congregation in attendance. With so many engaged in study, our corporate faith deepened and broadened and "showed forth in our lives."    

The Christmas Play became a staple of SPPC's December, with the whole Cunningham family taking part.

2015

The first Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic launched SPPC on a long and nurturing relationship with the House Upon the Rock ministry. A second trip followed two years later and a third was planned when . . .

Then came COVID.

Everything changed. The Mission trip was cancelled. Church services were closed down. All group events were forbidden. 

A graduation card for Benjamin, delivered during COVID

And yet . . . under Rev. Irwin's guidance, SPPC found a way. We held communion service in the parking lot. We learned about cameras and youtube and pre-recorded worship services. 

preaching to a camera and a microphone

watching "church" from home

 While other churches remained closed, SPPC was the first to re-open, allbeit with a very different look. We rearranged the pews. We moved the wall. We measured out seating at six foot intervals.

As restrictions lessened, little by little, folk started coming back to church on Sunday morning, while wearing a mask and singing very quietly into it. SPPC became the model for other churches re-opening their doors as the pandemic eased.

Previously, many of us joked about Rev. Irwin's fondness for gadgets and techie stuff. Now we depended on him to teach us how to run the cameras and the video and figure out how to jump into the post-COVID world through the internet. I'm sure he never dreamed he'd need those skills when he enrolled in theology!

Under Rev. Irwin's guidance and hard work, SPPC recovered from the COVID shut down and is once again holding Bible Study, offering a worship service (no longer socially-distanced). We sing hymns with gusto, celebrate birthdays and anniversaries and anything else that gives us an excuse for cake. In 2023 another team made the trip to the Dominican Republic, then last year, another team, including Rev. Irwin made the trek to House Upon the Rock.

2025

Sunday, in typical SPPC style, we celebrated Rev. Irwin and his thirty years of ministry, with a party after worship.

A few words

Thank you, Rev. Irwin for all you do at SPPC and for your faithful answer to God's call. 

* * * *

Late Breaking News:

Diane found the bulletin from Rev. Irwin's induction service at Fort MacMurry.  

Text from the service:

Irwin Cunningham was born in the Hague, Holland, the youngest of the four sons of Dr. Joseph and Mrs. Edith Cunningham. In his earliest years the family moved from there to Vienna, Austria, then Helensburgh, Scotland and finally to Victoria, where he completed his schooling. In Victoria Irwin became a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church, and later transferred to Knox. He became active in youth ministry both at Knox and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Churches, and quite active in Vancouver Island Presbytery Camping.

 After finishing high school, Irwin studied physics and later history.

 While working on a masters in history at the University of Victoria, Irwin discerned his call to the ordained ministry and his name was put forward to Vancouver Island Presbytery by the Session of Knox Church. The Presbytery certified him to the care of Knox College, where he recently completed his theological education.

 It was after the first year of his studies that Irwin married Diane Attwell, an elder of Knox Church, a fellow youth ministry worker and an active Christian camper. Diane joined Irwin in Toronto and has since supported him in his ministry and studies in Prince George, B.C., then in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, where Irwin interned at Memorial Presbyterian Church, and returning to Toronto for Irwin's final year at Knox College.

 Irwin then accepted the call to Faith Presbyterian Church, in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Both Diane and Irwin are looking forward not only to serving Jesus Christ, putting into practice many years of study, but also to the possibility of settling into one home for more than twelve months.