St Philip’s Dunbar where I was priested and served
- St Philip’s Dunbar courtyard
- We lived in the upper floor of this house on West 36th in the Dunbar area
- After ordination on May 18th 1980, Janice & I visited England
- This is a photo of our visiting Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire, UK with David, Sylvia & Claire Everett, Janice’s cousins
-
-
Through Living Stone Productions, we sponsored many Christian concerts including the Randy Stonehill Band at St Andrew’s Wesley
One of the wonderful fruits of the sometimes painful time at St Philip’s Dunbar was the birth of our first son James. What a joy he has been to us. We are so grateful for the gift of our three sons James, Mark and Andrew. They are irreplaceable gifts from God. I was age 26 at the birth of my first son.
Fatherhood is an amazing gift…
Lord, I give you my dear son. May he live for you all the days of his life.
God the Father loves us more than we even love our own children.
Grandma Olive , holding our first son James, was a very loving lady. She poured into our family in so many ways. We are immeasurably healthier because of her. I always loved to visit her and Grandpa Hird in Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast.
Grandpa Vic Hird had a deep love for children. It brought out the best in him. He had a soft spot for James who was key in Grandpa coming back to faith in Jesus Christ. When James was about two to three years old, he danced before Grandpa Vic, as Grandpa Vic cathartically sang ‘Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong, they are weak but he is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes Jesus loves me, Yes Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.’
One of our favorite places to vacation for the Hird family has been Penticton in the Okanagan. My parents even bought property there at one point, thinking of retiring in Peachland. When our eldest son James was born in 1981, we vacationed that summer in Penticton. Holding James, I was about to go off on the motor bike. Being a wise parent, I gave my son back to my wife Janice, before heading off. 😉
Every one loved our new son James. My in-laws Rev David and Vera Cline had a particular heart for James. David and Vera at that time were leading Brighouse United Church in Richmond, a booming evangelical congregation before the tragedy that happened to their former denomination.
Nana Allen dearly loved her new great-grandson James. Sadly Nana was to pass away the next year in 1982. We still miss her, but rejoice that she is with Jesus. Her godly example has been a great inspiration to us.
When my specialists advised me to step down from St Philip’s on Oct 1st 1981, my late father and mother rallied around us, being a great support. They were always very fond of our son James. Family is such a wonderful gift that we don’t always fully appreciate.
James as always is full of life and vitality. You can see why over thirty years later James does so well at floor hockey, and is such a strong Canucks fan. Go Canucks Go!!
Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, BSW, MDiv, DMin
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-Click to check out our marriage book For Better For Worse: discovering the keys to a lasting relationship on Amazon. You can even read the first two chapters for free to see if the book speaks to you.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
In Canada, Amazon.ca has the book available in paperback and ebook. It is also posted on Amazon UK (paperback and ebook), Amazon France (paperback and ebook), and Amazon Germany (paperback and ebook).
Restoring Health is also available online on Barnes and Noble in both paperback and Nook/ebook form. Nook gives a sample of the book to read online.
Indigo also offers the paperback and the Kobo ebook version. You can also obtain it through ITunes as an IBook.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
Indigo also offers the paperback and the Kobo ebook version. You can also obtain it through ITunes as an IBook.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
My mother, like her mother before, was a true worshipper of Jesus in spirit and truth. Her faith has been a great inspiration to me. Thank God for my mother who invited me to supper with Jesus, when I was wandering in the wilderness, lost and hungry. I thank God for all those great meals my mom cooked me year in and year out. I now see more than ever that every portion was prepared with heart-felt love. I am a better person today because of that unfailing love.
When Grandma Olive died in 1990, I had the unique privilege of taking her funeral service. It was a hard thing to do, but also very meaningful. Years later, I give thanks for what a loving, gracious grandmother she was to me. When I wonder why my father learned to respect women, I know that it came from his deep respect for his mother Olive who totally devoted her life to her family. I firmly believe that much of my father’s self-confidence as an adult came from the unshakable conviction that he was unconditionally loved by his mother. As Grandma Olive was gradually dying, her Doctor often visited her. He said that she was a majestic lady, and that whenever he came to see her, he went away feeling better. Even in the last stages of death, Grandma Olive had the ability to comfort and calm those around her.
Gary Smalley and John Trent, well-known authors and family counselors, said that one of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the gift of honour. Smalley/Trent say that ‘honour’ is a decision we make to place high value, worth, and importance on another person by viewing him or her as a priceless gift and granting him or her a position in our lives worthy of great respect. Thank God for my mom giving me the gift of honour both as a child and an adult. In so many ways, she showed that she valued me and really cared for me.
My third question was: “If you could do one nice thing for your mother, what would it be?” One boy said that he could stay up really late and do all the chores that she usually does for him. A girl said that she could buy her mom a car. Other children thought that they could…do the paper route for her, play the piano for her at church, make his own lunch, make her breakfast, get her a diamond ring, sweep the floor, clean up the whole kitchen for her and probably clean the house.
Edhird's Blog 