CANDIDATING chapter 92

As it turned out, Della had to work so I went on to Saskatoon alone. It was my first trip through Biggar, Saskatchewan “New York is Big, But this is Biggar.”

I checked in the motel reserved for me that was located next to the Village Inn Restaurant. I called Rev. Boldt and he came by to pick me up for an early supper and interview. He was warm and friendly, easy to talk with. Not surprisingly, I was a nervous wreck. Fortunately that is a response that does not show physically. I internalize it all. I feel it in my stomach it rarely comes out in my voice.

He got the ball rolling with a verbal picture of the church. We talked about the way things were, the way he wanted things to become, the existing programs and his vision. He was looking for the second pastor for his staff. He had a secretary and there was a janitor and the church was running 500-600. He needed help. We talked about the kind of help he believed he needed. The more he talked the less I felt like I could be that person. Eventually we got around to THE issue. He wanted to talk about my confrontation of the CBC administration leadership a couple of years back. I knew it would be coming. I just wasn’t looking forward to that conversation as I was convinced that would lead to him to say, “Thank you for coming. We’ll be in touch. Goodbye.”

I explained calmly and with confidence why what I did was necessary. It did not have to be me, but it had to be someone and as a student, I was in the position to give leadership to the challenge of the dean’s actions. I explained that I did what the rules allowed us to do. I submitted my challenge through the student council. I also clarified that he was dismissed the following year.

He listened patiently and said he had concerns but he was willing to give me a try. We went to the church for a tour of the building and chatted until the board meeting that night. He recommended that I be hired. The board was gentle with me and pursued the situation from my CBC days in very little detail. I felt like Walter’s decision was all that was needed. The meeting ended with some very kind and welcoming words. I was to be in Saskatoon by September 1, 1966

After the meeting we walked next door for a look the church owned home where we would live. Because the house was next door I would also be responsible to let people in who came after hours and needed to get in the church. The house was a small, but roomy two bedrooms with a large living room and a large kitchen dining room combination.

It wasn’t until I got back to the hotel that I could call Della. I got her at work and only had a minute. “We got the job. We start Sept. 1.”

Eaton's was bought out by
The Bay in the late 1990's.
To bad, Della did some
modeling for them while
in high school.

I could hardly sleep that night. My mind would not shut off. I left for Red Deer early after a quick breakfast at the Village Inn. My mind raced with ideas. What would I be doing? We talked a lot about his vision, but never specifically about what he wanted of me. Questions galore raced and raced with no real answers coming. I understood the field, but my title was “Director of Christian Education.” I ran over everything I could think of hoping I could figure it out. I had to finally say, I just will not know until I get there.

I was back in Red Deer before Della got off work so I picked her up like I always did and we began to make plans. We got back to our tiny little apartment and I drew a sketch of the floor plan of what would be our first house. The next day, we went shopping for furniture. Eaton’s had a big sale so we purchased a bed and asked that it be delivered in Saskatoon. The boat hull bed was soon to be history. We decided not to buy any other furniture until we got to Saskatchewan. Why buy it ad haul it? We would get it there.

Packing was easy. We had not unpacked most of our wedding gifts. The only real piece of furniture we owned was a stereo in a cabinet. It would also be the hardest to pack. It was just plain awkward, but we got it in the back seat and packed as much as we could around it. We got almost everything in the car. What did not fit we left at Della’s moms and decided we would pick the rest up at Christmas.

On August 30th we were packed and were ready to go. We spent the night with her mom and took off on August 31. The adventure of being in ministry was ahead of us. We could hardly wait.

Floor church owned house plan on University Drive