Faithful Father’s Day
May 22, 2012
By Rev Ed Hird 
It is too easy to take our fathers for granted. My Dad continues to impress me more and more each year. It is so encouraging to see people age well rather than end up grumpy and negative.
In 1910, Father’s Day was invented in Spokane Washington by Arkansas-born Sonora Smart Dodd. It is not without significance that her dad William Jackson Smart, was a civil war veteran who singlehandedly raised his six children. When Sonora was only sixteen, her mother died in childbirth. This left Sonora the only daughter helping her dad raising her brothers. While listening to a sermon about mothers, Sonora was very excited by Miss Anne Jarvis’ invention of Mother’s Day. June 5th, her dad’s birthday, was the original intended date for Father’s Day, but it was delayed to the third Sunday of June in order to have time to make arrangements. Like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is celebrated on a Sunday because of its original connection to Sunday morning worship.
I thank God for my wonderful father, Ted Hird who, with my mom Lorna, will soon be celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary. It fills me with gratitude to have a loving father that believes in me. My dad is such an encourager; he is often sending me e-mails and notes telling me how pleased he is with my work, my family and my life. I want to be like my father in his remarkable gift of encouragement. It is so easy to be someone who sees what is wrong with other people. My dad looks for that which is working and builds on it.
When my dad became an electrical engineer in 1950, they were still using test-tubes for radio communication. Over sixty-two years later, my dad is still growing and learning. I want to be the kind of father who never stops learning, never stops changing, never stops expanding my horizons. Technology is always changing, but my dad has never been left behind. My father is a passionate reader who consumes books in a way that keeps his mind active and fresh. I want to be a father that always keeps reading, and inspires my own children to read for the very pleasure of reading.
My father is a born leader. He rose from very humble circumstances to become the President of Lenkurt Electric, at that time the largest secondary industry in BC. I have seen my father make wise decisions again and again in very difficult leadership situations. As a trained leadership coach, I want to lead like my father, with wisdom and patience. My father has raised up many younger leaders who have made a lasting difference in the world. Like my father, I have a passion for raising up the emerging generation of leaders.
Through my father, God passed on to me my gift and passion for writing. Writing for me is like breathing. That is why I have invested the past twenty-four years communicating with you as a Deep Cove Crier columnist. When my father writes, he is sharp, crisp and clear. I love to receive from him new chapters every couple of months about his ever unfolding autobiography.
I often wish that I had my father’s carpentry skills. It is remarkable how many gifts that he has built through love for various members of our family, including my book shelves and my wife’s dining room cabinet. My dad is always willing to help whenever he can.
My father has developed a strong faith over the years that is a great encouragement to me. As a former agnostic, my father has become very interested in understanding the bible for himself. It is great that I can openly chat with my father about our common faith in Jesus Christ. Taking the Alpha Course was a major step in my father’s spiritual pilgrimage. My prayer for those reading this article is that each of us will discover fresh ways to honour our fathers for all the good that they have done in our lives.
Reverend Ed Hird, Rector
St. Simon’s Church North Vancouver
Anglican Mission in the Americas (Canada)
http://stsimonschurch.ca
-an article for the June 2012 Deep Cove Crier
-award-winning author of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’
http://www.battleforthesoulofcanada.blogspot.com
p.s. In order to obtain a copy of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’, please send a $18.50 cheque to ‘Ed Hird’, #1008-555 West 28th Street, North Vancouver, BC V7N 2J7. For mailing the book to the USA, please send $20.00 USD. This can also be done by PAYPAL using the e-mailed_hird@telus.net . Be sure to list your mailing address. The Battle for the Soul of Canada e-book can be obtained for $9.99 CDN/USD.
-Click to download a complimentary PDF copy of the Battle for the Soul study guide : Seeking God’s Solution for a Spirit-Filled Canada
You can also download the complimentary Leader’s Guide PDF: Battle for the Soul Leaders Guide
Checking out St Simon’s NV audio sermons online
June 25, 2011
St. Simon’s Church NV Sermons
Just dial into
http://www.stsimonschurch.ca/st-simons-audio-sermons.html
What Is Man On Father’s Day?
June 19, 2011 – Rev. Ed Hird
June 19, 2011 – Rev. Ed Hird
Is Anyone Thirsty?
June 12, 2011 – Rev. Ed Hird
June 12, 2011 – Rev. Ed Hird
-an excerpt from my June 12th sermon ‘I am Thirsty’ from John 7
“….I come from a long line of Irish Brewer owners, some of whom liked the product too much. Vancouver has a drinking problem that it does not want to face. Hockey culture tends to normalize alcohol abuse and violence for our younger generation “…I was coming back from the airport on SkyTrain. There were a 100,000 other Canucks fans going one way or the other. They were excited. Thousands of exuberant and mostly well-behaved fans. Surrounding the streets were full of swaggering young men. The Vancouver Province wrote about the police doing liquour ‘tip-outs’ for 891 fans. A lot of these young men were very pumped and it wasn’t the Holy Spirit. It was other ‘spirits’, and they were mostly having a good time. They were on the edge, as they chanted on the Seabus ‘We want the cup, we want the cup, we want the cup!!’ They were getting angry at people that were not cheering with them. I could sense violence, that it has that potential. That is one of the reasons that I prayed that the Canucks will win…just to avoid these grumpy Canucks fans going violent or worse. The Bible says in Ephesians 5:18 “Don’t be drunk with wine which leads to dissipation and disintegration, but instead be filled with the Holy Spirit.’
It Is Not For You To Know
June 5, 2011 – Rev. Ed Hird
June 5, 2011 – Rev. Ed Hird
Do You Love Me?
March 29, 2011 – Bishop Frank Lyon
March 29, 2011 – Bishop Frank Lyon
Show Us The Father
May 22, 2011 – Rev. Ed Hird
May 22, 2011 – Rev. Ed Hird
A six-week series on the importance of Home Groups:
Know Ye Not You Are The Temple
1 Corinthians 3:10-23
1 Corinthians 3:10-23
February 20, 2011 – Rev Ed Hird
God Gives The Increase
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
February 13, 2011 – Rev Ed Hird
Nothing But Jesus Christ and Him Crucified
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
February 6, 2011 – Rev Ed Hird
The Weakness and Foolishness of God
1 Corinthians 1:18–31
1 Corinthians 1:18–31
January 30, 2011 – Rev Ed Hird
Say No To Division
1 Corinthians 1:10–18
1 Corinthians 1:10–18
January 23, 2011 – Rev Ed Hird
Pastor Bob Birch on Father’s Day
June 3, 2011
By the Rev. Ed Hird 
Each Father’s Day we remember and give thanks for the fathers that have impacted our lives. Pastor Bob Birch is one of those fathers that has made me a stronger person, a more prayerful person, and a more hopeful person.
I still vividly remember Bob Birch in his mid-eighties leading a Good Friday Cross Walk procession down Lonsdale, carrying a huge cross on his shoulders. I had the privilege of interviewing Bob four years ago right before his death. He passed away just three weeks short of his 100th birthday. Perhaps his longevity comes in part from his passion for prayer-walking. Bob loved to prayerfully hike up the North Shore mountains. Fittingly for Pastor Bob’s retirement, he was given a pair of walking boots.
As a father of spiritual renewal throughout BC and Canada, Pastor Bob has raised up many spiritual sons and daughters. In 1966, he went down to hear the Rev Dennis Bennett, an Anglican priest in Seattle, Washington. Pastor Bob was deeply transformed by an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He described this new experience of praying in the Spirit as ‘this very sacred gift, of intimate spiritual communion with God’. His life story is loving recounted by Bev Carson in the biography ‘Pastor Bob’.
One of the unexpected consequences of the spiritual encounter was that hundreds of hippies began to be attracted to Pastor Bob at St Margaret’s Church near the PNE. They knew that he could help them in getting off drugs and putting their lives back together. His wife Margaret noted that Bob was ‘kind but firm’ in establishing healthy boundaries. As a result, said Margaret, there are now ‘outstanding young people all over the world, proclaiming the Lord’.
Without healthy father figures, it is easy to default to cynicism and detachment. Bob Birch lived his life in a way that motivated others to strive for excellence. Bob motivated me to seek first God’s Kingdom in every area of my life. Bob showed me that prayer is not an optional extra, but rather is at the heart of a healthy, vibrant life.
Bob was someone who deeply cared. He was willing to get involved even when it was messy or awkward. Healthy fathers are willing to be there in good times and in tough times. Healthy fathers are willing to go the distance when others disappear.
Fatherhood is costly. Fatherhood is time-consuming. Fatherhood is worth it. I thank God for all the fathers who sacrificially make a difference in the lives of their families. I thank God for Pastor Bob Birch who was willing to pay the price of being a father for many. Happy Father’s Day!
Rev Ed Hird, Rector
St Simon’s Church North Vancouver
Anglican Mission in the Americas (Canada)
http://stsimonschurch.ca
-award-winning author of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’
-previously published in the June 2011 Deep Cove Crier
http://www.battleforthesoulofcanada.blogspot.com
p.s. In order to obtain a copy of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’, please send a $18.50 cheque to ‘Ed Hird’, #1008-555 West 28th Street, North Vancouver, BC V7N 2J7. For mailing the book to the USA, please send $20.00 USD. This can also be done by PAYPAL using the e-mail ed_hird@telus.net . Be sure to list your mailing address. The Battle for the Soul of Canada e-book can be obtained for $9.99CDN/USD.
-Click to download a complimentary PDF copy of the Battle for the Soul study guide : Seeking God’s Solution for a Spirit-Filled Canada
You can also download the complimentary Leader’s Guide PDF: Battle for the Soul Leaders Guide
My Father the Family Historian
July 21, 2010
By Rev Ed Hird
I share my father’s fascination with history. My father loves to read, research, and learn. ‘Like Father, like Son’ is true in so many unexpected ways. Like my father, I want to keep learning and growing until I leave this planet earth. I believe that we either grow or shrink. You can’t remain static.
Like my dad, I have become involved in the area of writing and journalism. My father was a writer and then the editor of the Telecom Advisor for over 15 years. Since 1988, I have been privileged over the past 22 years to write over 270 articles for the Deep Cove Crier, and for the past ten years co-ordinated the ‘Spiritually Speaking’ column for the North Shore News.
It is wonderful to have a father who models helpful skills. Whether it was helping my father to cut wood with his skillsaw or to cut the grass, my dad has always been a coach, a mentor, and an equipper who loves to help me discover new abilities. If my dad is excited about a new book or a new movie, he eagerly shares his enthusiasm and invites our participation. I also find myself being that way with my own three sons!
One of my father’s trademarks is that whenever the family gathered for holidays or birthdays, out comes his video camera! In the early days, video cameras required painfully bright backdrop lights. We would all groan when the bright lights came out, but later be thrilled by the immortalized visual memories.
My family and my father are wonderful gifts that I appreciate more and more as I become older. Family for me is inextricably connected with thousands of unforgettable and often hilarious memories. It is also connected with times of great sorrow and loss, great joy and celebration. Family is birthdays, weddings, funerals, baptisms, anniversaries, graduations, Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, and yes, Father’s Day. My life would be much less rich without the gift of my family and my father.
One of my father’s most memorable projects has been his family memoirs. The term ‘memoir’ comes from the French ‘memoire’ for memory. We as Canadians are a nation that often suffers from cultural and spiritual amnesia. We so quickly forget the wonderful stories of our pioneering ancestors who helped make Canada what it is today. My dad often comments how he wished that he had listened more closely as a teenager when his now deceased aunts and uncles would talk about family history.
Just like the famous Afro-American ‘Roots’ 
Book & TV –mini-series, my father’s memoirs are helping me understand better who I am and where I have come from. My Dad, as an electrical engineer, loves anything to do with computers and telecommunications.
Through the use of a scanner and PhotoShop, my Dad has incorporated in his memoirs over a hundred pictures that capture the essence of our family life.
So much family history functions as oral tradition that can easily be lost or muddled within one generation. Much of Canada’s rich Christian heritage is being lost precisely that way. Psalm 102 says: ‘Let this be written for a future generation…’. By my father’s writing down his memoirs, I will be able to pass this gift of history onto my children and future grandchildren. They too will be able to learn the exploits of their grandfather being raised in a coal-mining town outside of Edmonton, helping his blacksmith father shoe horses, serving as an Air Force WWII wireless radio mechanic in the Queen Charlotte Islands, becoming an electrical Engineer at UBC, becoming President of Lenkurt Electric, before becoming a hi-tech communications consultant. The inspiring thing about my father is that he has always been able to ‘re-invent’ himself. When one door closed in his life, he would always find another door that would open. Like my hero 
Winston Churchill, my father never, never, ever gives up! He also hasn’t given up on writing his memoirs.
The Good Book says: ‘What we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us, we will not hide them from our children; we will tell the next generation…’ (Psalm 78). My Father Day prayer for fathers reading this article is that each of us will have the courage to never give up, and the wisdom to transmit the cultural and spiritual gifts of our family history to the emerging generation.
The Reverend Ed Hird, Rector
St. Simon’s Church North Vancouver
Anglican Mission in the Americas (Canada)
http://stsimonschurch.ca
-previously published in the Deep Cove Crier
-award-winning author of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’
http://www.battleforthesoulofcanada.blogspot.com
p.s. In order to obtain a copy of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’, please send a $18.50 cheque to ‘Ed Hird’, #1008-555 West 28th Street, North Vancouver, BC V7N 2J7. For mailing the book to the USA, please send $20.00 USD. This can also be done by PAYPAL using the e-mail ed_hird@telus.net . Be sure to list your mailing address. The Battle for the Soul of Canada e-book can be obtained for $9.99 CDN/USD.
-Click to download a complimentary PDF copy of the Battle for the Soul study guide : Seeking God’s Solution for a Spirit-Filled Canada
You can also download the complimentary Leader’s Guide PDF: Battle for the Soul Leaders Guide
Father of the Fatherless
July 11, 2010
By Rev Ed Hird
Imagine a world in which all dads were suddenly removed from the face of the earth. What would be missing? In a nutshell, we would be missing a lot of ‘player coaches’. Dads at their best love to root for their kids, to cheer them on, to give them tips. Dads are natural coaches. But dads are also player coaches. Dads at their best love to play. Most dads at heart are over-grown kids who wish that they were back on their childhood baseball diamond, soccer field or hockey rink. Having kids of one’s own is the perfect excuse to cut loose from adult pressures and reconnect with what really matters. I want to say to dads: ‘We need you, we appreciate you, and we value your contribution to making our lives a better place’.
I am deeply grateful that family matters so much to my own father. He invested in me in countless ways that I am just discovering fifty-five years later. While I loved my father, I took so much of his generosity for granted. It is only as I invest in my three boys with my time, talent, and treasure, that I understand what an enormous commitment it is to be a caring father. Commitment is a scary thing. Family and marriage require from us Dads 110% and more. I am so grateful that my father never ran from my family. One of the greatest gifts that my Dad could ever give me is that he is still in love with my Mom.
The longer I live, the more grateful I am for my father. He has always cheered for me when I have faced life’s obstacles. As I look at my father, I see confidence, competence, and creativity. My father never lets anything stop him in his tracks. Whether he works on his computer or in his workshop, he never lets failure discourage him. He just tries and tries again, always experimenting with a slightly different technique. My Dad’s willingness to keep on learning has kept him young at heart. I pray that in the years ahead that I too may remain teachable, flexible, and willing to take risks.
When a prison chaplain once offered free Mother’s Day cards to inmates, they were all snapped up in minutes. But when he offered free Father’s Day cards, there were few takers. Sadly many young men and women today have grown up with little or no experience of a father’s love. There is often no ‘player coach’ in their lives. More than ever before, our youth are a fatherless generation. So much crime, violence, drug usage, and promiscuity flows directly out of the pain of fatherlessness.
One counselor said that fathers are meant to 
be the ‘halfway house’ between childhood and adulthood. As Dads bless their teenage sons and daughters, they empower them to be courageous and yet wise, bold and yet discerning. Without the father’s blessing, many teens feel unwanted, uncared for, and unaffirmed. This can be equally true for single parent families and workaholic two-parent families. The tragedy is that fatherlessness so often carries on generation after generation.
Our hearts need to go wide open towards the fatherless. As the good book tells us, God is the father of the fatherless, the defender of widows and orphans (Psalm 68). God is turning the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the children back to their fathers (Malachi 4:6). My prayer for those reading this article is that each of us would experience the Father’s heart of love for his lost sons and daughters. The Father loves you more than your wildest imagination. The Father is cheering for you to make the best of your life. The Father wants to wrap you in his loving arms.
The Reverend Ed Hird, Rector
St. Simon’s Church North Vancouver
Anglican Mission in the Americas (Canada)
http://stsimonschurch.ca
-previously published in the Deep Cove Crier
-award-winning author of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’
http://www.battleforthesoulofcanada.blogspot.com
p.s. In order to obtain a copy of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’, please send a $18.50 cheque to ‘Ed Hird’, #1008-555 West 28th Street, North Vancouver, BC V7N 2J7. For mailing the book to the USA, please send $20.00 USD. This can also be done by PAYPAL using the e-mail ed_hird@telus.net . Be sure to list your mailing address. The Battle for the Soul of Canada e-book can be obtained for $9.99 CDN/USD.
-Click to download a complimentary PDF copy of the Battle for the Soul study guide : Seeking God’s Solution for a Spirit-Filled Canada
You can also download the complimentary Leader’s Guide PDF: Battle for the Soul Leaders Guide
Like Father, Like Son
July 10, 2010
By Rev Ed Hird
I recently came across a pillow with an embroidered message saying: ‘Mirror, mirror on the wall, I’ve become my mother after all.” Many of us as men realize that we’ve ‘become our father after all’. For many of us, that discovery is a much more pleasant realization than it might have been 20 or 30 years ago.
As a sixteen-year old, I was moving away from my desire to be just like my dad. For the previous ten years (grade 3-10), I was convinced that I would become an electrical engineer, just like my father. After taking several electronics courses at High School however, I came to the painful realization that electrical engineering was not to be my chosen path. This left me with a challenging career crisis: just who and what was I called to be? I remember fearing that I might choose the wrong career and end up 20 years later bored and trapped in a dead-end job.
In our family, we loved to surprise our parents, and so Ed the potential engineer became Ed the Social Worker, and my younger sister the potential artist and basket-weaver became a sheep-genetics scientist instead.
I give my father credit that whatever career choices I embarked upon, he was always supportive. It is only years later looking back that I see how much my father was rooting for me as I wandered my way through eight years of life at University. My father’s example has taught me regarding my 3 adult sons that I can encourage them and root for them, but I can’t live their life for them. They too have to go through the painful choices of mapping out their future career and lifestyle choices.
edhird
