Happy trails to Rev. Geoff Howard

IROQUOIS – After 40 years in the ministry, 25 of them spent at Riverside Presbyterian Church in Iroquois, the Reverend Geoff Howard will preach his final sermon on July 28, 2024. Rev. Geoff and his wife, Lorraine, shared memories of their time serving the ministry, and their plans for the years that lay ahead.

“I actually felt a call to the ministry when I was 13,” Geoff said. “But I admit that I argued with God for years because, you see, I had other plans for my life. I was going to the States on a basketball scholarship: but then I blew out my knee, which was the end of the scholarship. Clearly God had other plans for me, so I listened, took Him at His word, and finally said yes.” His family, centred in Montreal, were all raised in the Presbyterian faith, and his grandfather, his Dad and his sister all served as elders in their home church. His mother was the church secretary. Faith was part of family life.

Geoff headed to school at McGill University, (“You must have an undergraduate degree to enter the college.”) then entered the Presbyterian College. In the College, “you take a three year Bachelor of Theology – crammed into two years – because in the third year you are working on a Master of Divinity,” Geoff explained. “You must make your final decisions, and seek approval for final ordination.” He made those final decisions, and on May 22, 1984, he was ordained at Knox Crescent & Kensington Presbyterian Church in Montreal. He had lost his father shortly before this date, “but Mom and all the rest of my family were there that day.”

There is one other very special connection to that Montreal church. “I met Lorraine at that church, and we’ve been married for 39 years. We have four children, all grown up, who are themselves, looking at interesting careers.”

Life and the ministry took some occasionally unexpected turns for Geoff and Lorraine. His first call was to Bass River Pastoral, in very rural New Brunswick. It was actually four congregations put together, and almost in the wilderness. “The manse was actually in the middle of a farmer’s field,” Geoff laughed. “We had cows grazing on our front lawn and moose in the back yard.” However, they grew to love it there, and “it got me away from comparing anywhere I was called, to a big city like Montreal. Our first three children were born in that rural setting. It was a good place to be.”

Then he was called to the pastoral charge of Iroquois and Cardinal. (“These towns actually had sidewalks!”) Rev. Geoff preached his very first sermon in his new local charge on April 1, 2000. “I like to remind people that that was April Fool’s Day, and maybe that says something,” he laughed.
I asked Geoff about some of his memories of a calling that has encompassed over four decades.

“Well, in 1984, in New Brunswick, just a year before my marriage, I was called to preach in the largest building in my charge, the grandest of my four churches. This was an absolutely beautiful church, built by some area shipbuilders, and modelled on St. Giles. Well I preached my sermon in the morning, and that very same afternoon, the church was struck by lightning…and burned to the ground. I really don’t think I was to blame,” Geoff grinned, “but I do remind people that I still have that particular sermon in my files. And when I called Lorraine in Montreal to tell her, well, she just laughed.”

He also recalled the request he received to officiate at a Biker Wedding. These bikers, riding big bikes, all in leather, used to come to New Brunswick every summer. “I got to know them, and they were actually wonderful and fun people. They wanted to have a bike wedding in a church and they came to me. And I said yes. It was a bit of an unusual wedding, that’s true. The bride, all in leather, was wheeled down the aisle on a Harley. The pews were full of bikers in full gear. And I performed the service. But you know, they most carefully protected our church, seeing that no damage was done to the carpeting or building. They were great people.”

Once Rev. Geoff and Lorraine moved to Iroquois, they very quickly became involved in the lives and activities of their new community. “Our children all went to school here, and we were very involved in school events. There were sports like soccer to join, parades and community gatherings. Why I even took tap dancing lessons. I was also glad to be part of the Legion Remembrance Day services. This was a great place to raise a family. It was good to be in a community where you knew all kinds of people and could call them your friends. I love people one on one, but I feel that I am not that great in crowds – which might suggest that preaching was an odd choice for my life,” Geoff laughed, “ but it has been a wonderful 25 years.”

After their official retirement, Geoff and Lorraine will be moving to the farm of their eldest daughter and her husband near Pittston, moving into an in-law suite attached to the home, with its own breezeway. They expect to be doing lots of grand-parenting duties in the years ahead, and are looking forward to the next adventures.“I am truly retiring,” Geoff Howard said, “after July 28, and pulling away from the pulpit. I am looking forward to the times when I will be able to play my guitar all I want – and as loud as I want.”

Rev. Geoff Howard shared some final thoughts on the eve of his retirement. “I never thought that I’d be here in Iroquois for 25 years, but I have loved it, loved working with the children and youth of this community, and seeing those young people grow up to be wonderful adults with kids of their own. I truly love this community. I’m going to miss you all very much. But I’m also looking forward to my next big adventures.”