Reynolds Rap, by Alan Reynolds

Until I retired, I didn’t have much time to write. Even then, it was a slow start. I don’t take rejection very well. If I did submit a manuscript and it was rejected, I would crawl back into my hole for a year or two until I worked up the courage to try again.

Finally I did have a book published: Reading the Bible for the Love of God (Brazos Press, 2003, a division of Baker Books), which won an award for “General Readership” from the Word Guild in 2004. It didn’t sell too well. However, I entered the first contest offered by Word Alive Press in Winnipeg. I can still remember getting the mail with the word that my manuscript had won the contest: A Troubled Faith: Affirming Christian Faith in the Twenty-first Century (Word Alive Press, Winnipeg, 2006 – available through “any sensible bookstore”). Word Alive did a nice job of publishing the book (embossed cover and all), and it won awards from the Word Guild for both General Readership and Apologetics/Evangelism. Again it didn’t sell very well.

Now, I just send in articles to this blog and a weekly meditation by email to about 180 family, friends, and interested others. I call it Reynolds Rap. I do get a good number of expressions of appreciation.

Otherwise, I have had a very fulfilling ministry and really a wonderful life.

I am eighty-four years old, born in Prince Edward Island, grew up in Nova Scotia. Ordained in 1954, my ministry was largely in New Brunswick until we made the big jump west in 1971. I live in Richmond, B. C., and am still married (since 1962) to beautiful, blue-eyed Brenda, who enjoyed her own career in Volunteer Management and Community Engagement for Vancouver Coastal Health. We enjoy great family times with four children (all above average), three incredible daughters-in-law, and eight wonderful grandchildren.

When I retired, I was minister of University Hill Congregation on the campus of the University of British Columbia. Brenda said, “You can go where you like, but I’m staying at UHill.” After some five years, I joined her there. 

I have enjoyed fishing for the famous Kamloops rainbow trout on the interior lakes of British Columbia, for Atlantic salmon in New Brunswick, and for Pacific salmon off the wild west coast of Vancouver Island. I’ve hunted moose in Wells Grey Park in January, climbed the backside of the Stawamous Chieftain as well as Mt. Albert in the B.C. coastal range.

Other hobbies included walking with Brenda on the dykes around Richmond and playing the trombone in old-guys bands, including the RiverCity GospelJazz (Gospel music played in Dixieland style). We still enjoy travel, and have taken a number of tours with members of my congregation, a fulfilling experience.

"For all that  has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes." (Dag  Hammerskold)