The Angus tornado from someone who lives there...

I thought for this BLOG it would be appropriate for me to cover the tornado that went through my neighbourhood. We live just a couple of blocks away from where it touched down. After it passed I went and checked on friends from the church who live only a few houses away from the site. What a scene...

The good news is things are being rebuilt, but sad that the night it hit, some people looted the scene. So sad. Our church, Pinewoods Chapel, has been a place other churches have contacted to see what can be done to help. Businesses have stepped up to help out too. Scary to think how just a slight shift in the wind and it could have been our block. The amazing thing, the God thing here, is that no one died in this. Hundreds of homes affected, but no one died! Only slight injuries. While working part time in the mornings at Angus Morrison E.S., I saw first hand in some of the kids I worked with how this event affected their behaviour. Counselors were brought in to talk to any student who needed it. 

We have prayed as a family first thanking God for protecting our home, but then also to pray for those affected by this event. As someone who lives not far from where it went down, it was interesting to see the media that came for a few days, but now they're gone. The memory of this event will not be forgotten by my boys and my wife and I. 

Summer stress

I know what that title sounds like, summer stress? Isn't summer supposed to be when you relax? Really? How many people pack as much into their summers as possible so that at the end of their vacation they say they need a vacation? Or how about this? Those that are out of a job for the summer and can't collect EI because they were only part time or on a supply list during the school year? Here's the thing. I love summer. I love the heat, the more relaxed clothes like shorts and sandals, I like the relaxed feeling it usually brings with it. but this summer also brings some stress that I am dealing with - lack of full time work, the part time work I do have will shrink, there is no foreseeable sense of employment on the horizon. I have been a pastor for the last almost 6 years now, and have been between ministries in a church capacity since the end of September. I have spoke at times for LIFE, filled in for leading worship at churches, spoke at youth, and of course continued my pastoral ministry of Ask The Pastor every week. 

This is the heart of a pastor... that I struggle with the future as much as anyone else. I have pastoral friends who I talk to and who pray for me and I have done fasting at times to hear God's voice when all I see is a fog spiritually. The message I have right now is "Trust me. Stay the course. Trust me." And yes, even for a guy who has been in the thick of ministry in a church and on the radio when I minister to those who call into the ATP programme or call in during the week for counsel - I can still struggle. 

Proverbs 3:5,6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

So am I trusting Go? Am I submitting to His will? Am I trusting especially when I don't have a clue? That is the challenge for all of us. Pray for me as I pray for you...

Pastor Andrew

ATP five years later and counting...

So as of April 27 2014, Ask The Pastor has been on the air for 5 years... and counting! Amazing how a simple idea of a call in show for anyone that originally was Mondays at 9 and then in September switched to Wednesdays at 8 pm has continued to do so well. Lots of listeners, hundreds of questions, and a few hosts with me - it started with AJ the Wonderdog, them moved to Junky Roads, there were fill-ins like Jojo McKnight and Jordan Cruze, then Evan Duran followed by JayMac, and now Terry Molinaro! Is it me? Just kidding!

But looking back on 5 years, it has been a blessing and privilege to do this ministry as a very real pastoral role with the "congregation" of listeners over these 5 years. Many means have been used to allow people to get their questions in - email to atp@lifeonline.fm, texting the keyword lifeonline to 212121, calling 866-737-LIFE, and Facebook. 

The questions have been unique and some tend to come in again and again over the years - repeated themes from different listeners. It tells me there is a lot of need and a lot who just need someone to care. I have counselled people off the air during the show, and sometimes during the week as well as a direct result of the show. There have been some who have come to Christ and some who have rededicated their lives to Christ as a result. Amazing to see the results! 5 years of pastoral ministry through LIFE 100.3.

I will continue to do the show as long as the Lord allows me to. Thank you to all who have listened over the years and have contributed to the show in their questions they submitted or comments made. Has everyone always agreed? No. There have been some who respectfully disagreed and that's okay. There have been the odd ones who have called in and said some not so pleasant things, other have just expressed their disagreements to the management here. That's okay. Why? Jesus had people who disagreed with Him, and He was killed for what He said and claimed to be. So a little criticism? That's alright. 

Some people think the show is just for teens, and for sure we have mainly teens, but we have a lot of adults too that tune in for the segment and that I have met at different things and they tell me how much they have appreciated the show. Some have asked me - are you really a pastor? The answer is yes - I have been Associate Pastor at Pinewoods Chapel in Angus responsible for youth, worship, children, and administrative things for 2 years, then Lead Pastor at Mount Pleasant EMC for a year - we couldn't get moved to the new area after a year so had to move on. Then part time Associate Pastor positions at Stayner EMC for youth which the contract ended in September, and last summer a contract with Wasaga Christian Church for worship. Currently I am not actively a pastor in a church and am searching. I have also done pulpit supply for many years and speak for LIFE when asked to, and then there is Ask The Pastor - a real pastoral role despite "being on the air" for 5 years. My "congregation" is the listeners every week for an hour. I take the role very seriously, and feel blessed to be doing this - to serve this way.

I cannot take credit for this role. Steve Jones borrowed the idea from a station in Ottawa, suggested it to AJ the Wonderdog and AJ contacted me. The rest is God's doing and history... until present day!

God bless to you all and thank you again for being part of such an amazing ministry!

In Christ,

Pastor Andrew Robertson
Dip. Bib. St., R.E.C.E., B.A. in Min.

Godzilla returns!

Just a fun BLOG today... as many know Godzilla returns this weekend! The guy looks pretty good for being 60! Some fun trivia around the original 1954 film - it was a way the Japanese explained the devastation of the bomb droppings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the 2nd world war. 

This updated version goes back to it saying it wasn't tests that awakened the beast, but that they were trying to destroy it and didn't succeed. Cool tie into the original.

Here's a look at the big guy from 1954 to present... 

He's has many looks, as you can see, looking forward to seeing this latest installment - you'll notice they didn't include the 1998 Roland Emmerich version? 

Oh well, from creature of disaster to hero to engine of destruction, from serious to campy to serious again, this guy just keeps going! 

Welcome back Godzilla!

I saw this on the weekend and I must say - amazing! I thought it was the best Godzilla made yet, my wife disagreed saying there've been better. At any rate, there were some words that you had to close your ears to, but no uncomfortable sex scenes, and there was a great storyline. You even see an "easter egg" thrown in there if you look for it - a bug tank with a very familiar Godzilla universe name on it! MOTHRA! We'll see if that plays into anything for the sequel. 

Godzilla gets down and fights tooth and nail with a couple of monster baddies and I'm glad the movie didn't shy away from the toll battles like this take on a city of Tokyo's or LA's sizes. It brought humanity to it.

My rating? 4/5 stomping stars!

Mother's Day

Most of us don't bat an eye with this day, we know it comes once a year and we get all excited about what to do for mom... What does the Bible say about mom? 

Proverbs 31:10 - 31 says, 

10 A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Now this sounds like SUPERMOM! 

But most moms work really hard like this everyday. To moms everywhere - including my own and my wife - Happy Mother's Day! God bless!

The road to freedom... a way to deal with the gas situation

Okay many who know me know I have my ride, my bike, as my dad once said "I didn't know I'd have a biker for a son...!" :) But what kind of bike do I have? One that was bought when we first came to Angus almost 6 years ago now as a means of transportation to and from work at Pinewoods Chapel as I had been called there as Associate Pastor that fall. So what kind of "hog" do I have? Look at this baby...!

Yep... that's it! A Volt Spyder - electric bike (e-bike). Does a whopping 40 km/h max. Great for in town. Since that time I've seen more and more of these around, and with the gas situation? This might be the answer for a lot of people until it gets cold again. it looks like a gas powered one, but it's all electric, no licence needed, no licence plate needed, no insurance needed, just a helmet and the bike pedals to show any police what the bike is. It really is freedom.

I've had reactions from the "REAL" bikers... some wave in approval, some glare like I need to get a "REAL" ride. Whatever. I like it. I'll be getting out on the road soon and just having fun! 

Easter celebrations

So here's something that many debate about... Easter. Do you partake in egg hunts and do things like maybe give a gift? Many will argue back and forth about this... here's what my family and I do...

Since I was a kid my parents had always given us kids a small gift at Easter and some chocolate to help celebrate the fact of Jesus dying on the cross and then rising from the dead. Today my wife and I do the same for our kids, we'll set up an egg or treat hunt in the house and will give a small gift to the boys. Why? The hunt is like what Jesus talked about in Scripture about how someone will search for the ultimate treasure and pursue it, and that's how it should be - how we should pursue the kingdom of God. It's also fun for the kids. Jesus gave us the ultimate gift of His sacrifice on the cross and rose again on the third day to give us eternal life if we simply believe, if we simply name Him as Lord of our lives. We give a gift to our kids in honour of that to remind them how Jesus gave to us, and so we give in honour of Him. Nothing huge, just something that represents our love to our kids just as Christ loved us and gave His life for us. 

Some will say we should avoid doing any Easter things like that, in fact some will say we shouldn't celebrate it at all because it wasn't commanded to, and that all the symbols derive from pagan rituals. Fine. We don't decorate with bunnies and chicks and eggs, but with crosses and empty tombs. Scripture says in Romans 14:5 that, One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. So in my mind I am convinced that we still honour Jesus in what we do, from the attending of the services, to watching Christian Easter specials, to a treasure hunt, to gifts. 

The point is, are you convinced in your own mid about what you do?