For about 34 years I was a teacher.

I have been married to one wife for about 44 years this August, 2008 [Photos Below]

My oldest daughter, Ann (I will have to change the way I say that soon) has 2 MALE sons and 2 FEMALE cats. Rebecca has 1 FEMALE black Labrador.

Fortunately, each of my daughters has 1 MALE husband! My oldest ... ah I mean FIRST, daughter Ann is married to a great salesman, husband and father, Jon Guinn, and they live in Attleboro,  Massachusetts.

My younger daughter Rebecca is married to a pastor, musician, composer, producer and all-round great guy, Pastor Scott Laird. If you believe in coincidences, Scott and Jon were friends in Bible School!!! To read the the story about how she lost her first husband, Tedd Woodworth, please click this link which will take you to JoyfulMourning.com

I have been attending church since birth and before! I have served on the boards of two churches. In the seventies, my wife and I served as unpaid youth pastors, had teen prayer meetings for years, spoke at youth retreats and camps, conducted young adult meetings, taught Sunday school, were camp counselors, started taking Bible School courses, attended many Christian conferences including the first Jesus Festival , Jesus 73, in Morgantown, PA.

In addition we were sent by our church to Canadian and General Conferences. For about 1 year we served on the board of a coffeehouse in Port Colborne, Ontario which was open to street youth.

We had a great time because when our children were young, they had Christian teens or young adults in our home every week, often for potluck suppers before our meetings. And maybe, just maybe, part of  the reason my youngest daughter just released her first cd in the spring of 2002, was because of all the times she fell asleep under the loudspeakers at Jesus festivals and other outdoor events. Some of that music just soaked into her being and made her restless until she created her own cd! The details of her sometimes sad, but joyful and miraculous life are at www.joyfulmourning.com.

Many good things resulted from that stage in our lives including youth who went on to Bible School, became teachers in Christian schools, or went on to become successful Christians. All was not perfect, and we sometimes look back with regret at those who did not continue on with the Lord. But we had to learn that there is no condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus and  that each individual is responsible for  their own decisions before the Lord. It was a real joy recently to see that some of those who years ago walked away from the Lord, had come back!

Then we changed to our present church, Faith Tabernacle, in Welland, ON. It was not long before the pastor asked us to teach the new Christians class which we did for a few years. Then we went on to teach college and career classes for several years. During this time I had the opportunity to speak at  Christian Motorcyle rallies in Niagara Falls and at Sherkston Beaches.

For the past several years my wife Ellen and I have been having cell groups in our home. We look back with joy at the growth both in friendship and maturity of those who attend! Recently our pastor, Peter Cuke, a fantastic man, asked me to do a newsletter for our church.

I have written a book, now called Joyful Mourning, to give hope and help to those who are grieving and maybe even those who do not know they are grieving!

My PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
We had to live and eat, so I decided that a job was very appropriate. I was a teacher for about 34 years until my retirement in 1998. I taught for the Wainfleet School Board which became the Niagara South Board of Education which became the District School Board of Niagara. [I haven’t looked lately. Has it changed again?

EVENTS

• obtained my Computers in the Classroom Specialist certificate
• spoke at several ECOO (Educational Computing Organization of Ontario) conferences
• started my own computer business which has been in operation for 19 years as of 2006
• did computer seminars for Niagara South Board of Education
• computer seminars for Brock University, College of Education
• computer seminar for Reading Association
• computer seminar for the Welland County Separate School Board
• In 1998 I retired from teaching and have been building my church business ever since. I enjoy helping churches spend their money wisely on technology and software which improves their efficiency and allows them to be more effective for the Kingdom of God! So how can we help you?
• At the end of 2006, I sold my ChurchPower.com business to my friend, ‘Wally’, William Dalziel [pronounced DI-EL] who has continued to expand the line of products offered to churches.
• My ‘branch’ websites are www.church-software-store.com, www.church-mart.com [just started], and www.integrity-marketing.com.