Two South Okanagan churches, St. Saviour in Penticton, and St. Stephen in Summerland recently helped the Rev. Canon Roger Cooper celebrate 40 years of ordained Anglican ministry.
Asked if he had any wisdom to impart to younger ordinands, Roger suggested that “after 40 yrs of ordained ministry, you need a sense of humor, and a good dose of humility, to be in holy orders this long.”
Called to ordained ministry when he was 17, Roger worked as a machinist prior to seminary training. Attracted to Emmanuel and St. Chad College (ESC) in Saskatoon, he was encouraged by Archbishop Douglas Hambidge to seek sponsorship from a “northern” diocese, eventually finding his way north to Prince George. (This was the furthest north wife Loretta would go.)
Roger describes his time in what was then called the Diocese of Cariboo, as “very rewarding . . . [It] has had the greatest influence on my ministry of any time in my life, as John Snowden and Jim Cruickshank emphasized mutual support in ministry and built the Diocese into an extended family.” A highlight of his time in Cariboo was interaction with gifted Indigenous leaders, mostly from Lytton, site of the infamous Lytton Residential School.
He recalls his ordination to the diaconate 40 years ago in the chapel of Emmanuel and St. Chad College (ESC) in Saskatoon: “The power was out all over the University campus. My fellow students at ESC had candles lighting the chapel and had rigged flashlights above the lectern and altar. As Bishop John Snowdon laid hands upon me, the power came back on. Every light in the chapel came on, in a brilliant flash. Quite an “enlightening” experience.”
Appointments and responsibilities over four decades took him to ministry in Saskatoon, Barkerville, Kamloops, Prince George, Maple Ridge, and prior to retirement, West Kelowna.
Roger and Loretta joined the Parish of St. Stephen in Summerland in January of 2022, where they continue to minister aside your humble author and lay leaders.
Knowing that after a long time ministry and study can weary the soul, I took it upon myself to administer a brief quiz, a sort of professional “riper-years” inquisition, a test comprised of three questions. He did very well on the first, in fact earning an extra half point. The second was no problem whatsoever; we all knew that. The third was more challenging; he missed on his first guess, but with a soft prompt quickly discerned the correct answer. So a redistributed result equaled a perfect score.
Well done Roger, and thank you for your continued service and commitment to our church, here and elsewhere. And as you suggest, “a good supportive spouse is also a great gift. Thank you Loretta for being by my side through all of life’s ups and downs.” Truth told.
The ministry continues for all of us, in Christ, in so many different ways and forms, Here and elsewhere.
POSTSCRIPT
Having announced that I am Roger’s junior by five years, upon leaving church a parishioner pulled me aside to say that he is already preparing questions for me in the future. Touché.
Visit the takenote.ca HOME page for a colourful display of hundreds of other blogs which may interest or inspire you
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 
Leave a comment