You’re never too old to learn and grow - Personal Testimony of Gary White I was brought up in a family of four, my brother, my parents and myself in a small town in southern Ontario called Simcoe. My parents always taught, my brother Rick and I, the rules of life, the Ten Commandments and the difference between right and wrong. My family went to church regularly and my brother and I were expected to attend Sunday school. I found both church and Sunday school very boring and really didn’t want to be there. We moved to Port Dover when I was eight and soon found myself, as a teenager, in the junior choir in this small fishing village. I enjoyed being in the choir but it had never dawned on me as to why I was in the choir except for the fact that I enjoyed singing and being there with my friends. I still didn’t know the real reasons why I was going to church on Sundays. I was a very difficult child and got into a lot of trouble with my parents and the authorities. I frequently didn’t listen to my parents’ advice or heed their religious teachings. I would soon move back to Simcoe where I would attend high school and soon ceased going to church. Like most young people, I turned my ways to the more worldly ideals. I moved to Preston in the early 60s and left school to get a job, a car, and a steady girlfriend. Church and religion were far from my mind. I stayed single and void of practicing true Christian beliefs for many years but did occasionally attend church but never stayed with any one specific church. I still hadn’t found the true reasons for attending church other than I knew it was the right thing to do. I finally married in the early 70s and raised a family of four children. The first few years the family attended church and Sunday school but this would change, as the children grew older into their teens. This marriage would break up after 18 years. Christian values were lacking and it was obvious the marriage would end up in a disaster. There were no religious convictions to hold the family together through rough times. A lot of anger, frustration and lack of respect and love and the absence of Christian values would undermine this family. Worldly things were more important; acquiring possessions, partying, drinking, foul language and enjoying Sundays as a holiday and not the Lords day. It wasn’t until a very messy divorce and meeting my current wife Bev that Christian belief and values would start to mean something to me. Bev came from a very strong Baptist background and a very strict Christian family. Bev and I had attended a church in Waterloo for five years but we really didn’t find what we were looking for there. We really weren’t actively participating in that church either and we didn’t feel that we fit in there. For a few years we quit going to church until Bev told me that she was missing going to church and needed to find a church family in her life. We began looking at different churches. I had suggested that King St Baptist Church might be a good church home to look since we both had Baptist beliefs in our backgrounds and thus we began attending back in 1996. What brought us to this church? It was in our own town close to our home and it was one of those quaint little churches that we were both accustomed to in our younger years. I still remember those little churches in Simcoe and Port Dover and some of the good memories there. At that time Pastor Pugh was the temporary pastor of the church. It was ironic that we happen to sit with his wife in the same pew the very first Sunday he was to be the pastor there. It was through him that I was steered towards Christ again. Over the next little while, we found ourselves becoming part of the church family and becoming friends with Pastor Pugh and his wife. We found the church members here were the most friendly and caring group of people I had met in many recent years. A friendly smile, a warm handshake and kind words were always on the agenda every time we came to the church. And there was always the feeling that the presence of Christ was in the sanctuary with you. It wasn’t very long before our new Pastor, Victor Lujetic, was talking baptism to me and I soon found myself before two of the church deacons talking about my Christian beliefs. A few weeks later I found myself before the church congregation and God being baptized by Pastor Vector Lujetic. My life changed dramatically. I had always considered myself a Christian but had no real idea as to what a Christian really was or the responsibilities. Bev and I had really found our church family in King ST Baptist Church and through Baptism I found Christ in my life. Since that time, I joined the church choir, served on the property board, worked with the PA equipment and am a regular attending member of our congregation. About a year ago, I found myself with the challenge of bringing some members of our church back to Sunday school instead of going to a coffee shop during that time on Sunday mornings. It wasn’t long before we had a class of six and a teacher to lead us. Unfortunately, our teacher Dave Greenhough had a very busy schedule and found it necessary to cease leading the group. I now found myself taking over for Dave. It is now one year later and I have been working with the class ever since. The class is frequently ten people strong and we meet in the choir room with coffee and donuts. I had never considered myself as a leader in Christian activities but now I find myself doing things I had never thought I was capable of doing. I have become a disciple of Christ. I frequently find myself discussing Christian beliefs and witnessing with strangers and sharing Christ’s teaching. My life continues as a servant of the Lord in daily living and worshipping at King St Baptist Church. I have surely found my church family and myself and what being a Christian is really all about; Living, loving and serving God in my daily routine of life. What I have learned is that “You’re never too old to learn and grow in the Christian way of life” and to accept Christ as your Savior. Submitted in God’s service Gary White