Ministry has been in new Knox minister’s family history for years

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The brand new minister at Knox Presbyterian Church in Mitchell is the most recent in a protracted line of church leaders in his household historical past.

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Rev. Marc Fraser, who formally got here to Knox March 1, stated he’s both the twenty third or twenty fourth in his lineage. His father is retiring – for the second time – as a united church minister on the finish of this month from a cost in Saint John, New Brunswick, and couple that with the truth that his spouse can also be a minister, Rev. Sonja Van de hoef-Fraser who leads the united church in Milverton, and it’s really a household affair.

And, maybe not so coincidentally, Rev. Fraser is making an attempt to include common, secure household actions as churchgoers of each denomination wrestle to re-build their following after the COVID-19 pandemic.

An instance he talked about throughout a latest interview was the planning of a celebration after their service June 5 to have fun all of the birthdays that have been missed the previous two-plus years. It’s not an enormous factor, he famous, however an opportunity to have fun collectively. Apart from, there have been cupcakes!

“In speaking to folks and kids, the entire concept of doing ministry to youngsters has shifted as a result of it’s a must to do it by household,” he stated, including you possibly can see the social nervousness with some youngsters and youngsters who don’t wish to separate themselves after being collectively for thus lengthy.

“These are the issues I’m most enthusiastic about.”

Rev. Fraser, who’s of Scottish descent, stated “the ties of religion are fairly sturdy, that’s how I used to be raised. Seeing my grandfather singing within the choir, my different grandfather was a quiet Englishman who supported the church and his group in different methods.

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“Particularly these days, individuals don’t essentially have cash however they do have time.”

Rev. Fraser, 43, has been a minister for 14 years. Born within the Maritimes, he spent most of his childhood in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. His first cost was in Alberta so he acknowledges he’s seen a number of what he calls “this stunning nation.” Most up-to-date, he served seven-and-a-half years in a two-point cost in each Milverton and Monkton, so transferring a bit of additional south in Perth County appeared like a pure match, permitting his spouse of three years to proceed to steer her church as properly.

A profile on the nationwide church web site, searching for a substitute for Rev. Robert Adams who left in November of 2019 at Knox in Mitchell, attracted him. (An interim minister, Dr. David Thompson, was at Knox earlier than Rev. Fraser got here on board).

“This was a church that I felt strongly that God was calling me … and it allowed my spouse to take care of her ministry,” he stated, including the top of the pandemic additionally had an attract to start out one thing new.

Rev. Fraser stated he loves the tales that relate to historical past.

“In all probability one of many nice issues that I beloved about being a minister is to make individuals part of the historical past,” he stated. “That is what God has accomplished, which means God will do it with us. It’s not just like the Bible is one thing that can by no means occur once more … the identical spirit that’s promised at Pentacost is with us.”

Rev. Fraser stated it’s really been troublesome to pinpoint what number of households, and other people, are formally members of the Knox congregation in 2022 as a result of pandemic when individuals couldn’t come and recurrently worship. Slowly and absolutely they’re returning, noting the typical attendance is 40-50 individuals. A stability is met with those that go to, masks usually are not obligatory however not discouraged both if individuals really feel extra snug carrying them.

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He is aware of firsthand, although, that broadcasting a service throughout quite a few shutdowns was troublesome.

“The toughest factor to do is to evangelise to a digicam,” he stated, referring to its purple blinking gentle.

However in-person is great and he’s discovered to disregard the attainable distractions, whether or not or not it’s dozing grandparents or fidgety youngsters.

“You see previous it realizing that they’re right here to listen to God’s phrase. We’re making an attempt to unfold the phrase to individuals who could solely have one likelihood to listen to it,” he stated. “That’s the bar I set for myself each Sunday, they should hear God’s love as a result of that might be the one likelihood God strikes in them and makes use of me to do it.”

The Frasers have two boys from Sonja’s earlier marriage: Samuel, 11 and Serene, 9, each of whom attend Higher Thames elementary college (UTES) in Mitchell.