Parish of Lloydtown and the community bids Fr. Suren goodbye
By Bill Rea

In a ceremonial gesture, marking the end of his incumbency, Fr. Suren Nathan handed over the keys to the three churches in the parish. Receiving the keys were church wardens Janice Boyd, Lea Steenhoek and Sarah Ebbs.

People have to move on as part of life, and that includes popular ministers.

The Anglican Parish of Lloydtown Sunday said goodbye to Fr. Suren Nathan after eight years at the helm of the three churches (St. Alban's in Nobleton, Christ Church in Kettleby and St. Mary Magdalene in Schomberg). He will be embarking on his new posting as Incumbent Priest of St. George's Church in Pickering village. He will be starting there May 1, and his induction service will be May 25.

"To me, I sensed a call to this church," he remarked, adding he knew his time in this area was ready to come to an end.

Although he's looking forward to his new posting, Nathan agreed the last eight years have been very good for him, with a number of highlights. The big one was in May 2006, when he was named King Township's Citizen of the Year. The recognition was based on a number of his contributions to the community, including his work to get the King Township Food Bank off the ground, as well as local fund-raising efforts to aid victims of hurricanes in the southern United States the previous fall, and victims of the tsunami in the Indian Ocean prior to that.

"That, to me, was an incredible honour," he recalled. "At 35, to be named Citizen of the Year is not too bad."

Nathan said he came in as a parish priest, but added the job evolved as his involvement in the community grew.

"I've ended up being a priest to a lot more people than were in my congregation," he observed.

He commented this is an individualistic world, with people realizing there are problems, but putting concerns for themselves and family first. He said he tried to draw the circle wider, so it could include other people and make them feel the need to do something to help. He observed it's one thing to be sympathetic. "The question is 'what are you going to do about it?'"

He also said he was impressed at the way people stepped up to help in these cases.

"One thing I have learned, any time I've asked for help, help has just come in plenty," he said. "Each time, people from the township have basically stepped up to the plate."

Nathan said he's going to miss the area. At 37, he said since he was 12, this was the first place he had lived for more than four years.

"This is very much home," he remarked, adding his involvement in the community has brought him to know people "who are not necessarily my parishioners, but my friends."

There will be just one congregation in Nathan's new posting, although the parish has two churches. On was built in 1857, but there's now a newer building beside it, which was built about five years ago.

The new congregation averages about 120 people every Sunday, and Nathan said he will be aiming to increase it to about 200.

"That requires some changes in the way th church operates," he commented. "My job description, basically, is to make the changes."

An interim minister will be filling in in the parish until a new incumbent is named. She is Rev. Diana McHardy, a retired priest in the Diocese of Toronto, and she will be taking on the duties of the parish starting next week.