March 29

The Rev. Dr. Richard Topping announced during our worship service today (March 29) that, pending Presbytery approval, he has accepted an appointment as Associate Professor, The St. Andrew's Hall Chair of Reformation Studies, St. Andrew's Hall, Vancouver School of Theology, University of British Columbia. Under rules of governance of The Presbyterian Church in Canada, Presbyteries are responsible for important decisions affecting congregations, such as who will be ordained, decisions about church property, and the calls of ministers to congregations. Thus, the Montreal Presbytery will soon rule on the appointment.

In the past week, Richard advised our church's Kirk Session and, in a letter to all congregants, of his decision.

"I am extremely grateful for the 12 years and more that I have spent here," the Rev. Topping wrote to Session. "I feel blessed to be your Minister, and this move does not arise out of any unhappiness on my part but rather out of what I sense to be the call of God to participate in another form of Christian Ministry. The very hardest part is to leave a thriving, growing congregation which I love a great deal. We (Amy, Karl, Paul and I) have been treated so very kindly and your support and encouragement have made possible the beautiful and wonderful things we have done in the service of Jesus Christ together. I have three months more, and will do my utmost to assist this beloved congregation to move forward with great strength into the future."

Upon approval of the call to Richard, Presbytery through the auspices of an Interim Moderator would guide our congregation through the well-established procedures of the Presbyterian Church in Canada that regulate the search for and approval of a new minister.

"We were saddened and sorry to receive Richard's news. He has been our pastor, our preacher and our friend for 12 years and we will miss him very much," said Judy Mowat, Clerk of Session, after The Rev. Topping's announcement. "However, The Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul has been a Christian congregation for 206 years during which time we have had 13 ministers. Under their leadership and withGod's guidance the congregation has grown and flourished even during difficult times. Each minister brings different skills and talents to the service of the congregation reflecting the changing world around us.  We trust that God will bless us with another such minister and ask that everyone support the work of the Presbytery and Session with their prayers and encouragement."

To hear and see Richard's statement today, please click here. (RealPlayer required)

To read the statement, please click here.

Members with questions are invited to address them to their elder. More news will be posted on the website as events unfold. For more on Presbyterian governance, please click here.

"Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Joshua 1:9)

Back to the Home page.