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8 - The Canadien Champion, Tuesday, October 5, 1999 \/Former banker becomes Baptist preacher By IRENE GENTLE The Champion Acareer in banking taught Greg Macaulay a littie about adding things Up. Maybe that is why he didn 't hesitate when the timne seemned right to pack in his job at the Bank of Montreal and embark on a career serving God. Prior to obtaining his masters; degree in divinity, the new pastor at Milton Baptist Church bad a marriage, children and a success- fui career under bis belt. sIn other words, he Iived life before he began to, preacb it. "I tbink I was a good banker. I was rated quite highly," he said. "But there was a part missing. I used to pray, 'God, what do you want me to do?"' The anawer came to bim after reading a newapaper atory about a teenage girl found dead in a stairwell. "It really toucbcd me and encouraged me to ask God why," he recalled. "He aaid 'I have no one to send.' So I said, 'you can send me."' Back to, school Witbin weeks, be had packed in hia poaition at the bank and enrolled in seminary school. He served at the Immanuel Baptiat Churcb in Brantford before leaming of the position in Milton. And while Rev. Macaulay feels only joy at the prospect of scrv- ing in the houae of God, be is getting a littie antsy about where to house hia own family. Tbougb their Brantford home bas been sold, finding suitable accommodation here has been difficuit. Suitable, in tbis case, means reasonably priced witb four or five bedrooms. Until tbey find what they are looking for, the family renta a bouse in Brantford on a month-to-montb basis. "It isn't quite the move we had planned," said Rev. Macaulay. But he is not one to back away from ri sk. And be encouragea bis 80-plus congregation to be tbe samne way. "Are you willing to be risk-takcrs, and get out of tbe boat and start walking on water?" be asked tbemn in one recent sermon. "'mr dreaming about different tbings tbat can be done bere. I tbink tbe Lord bas some wonderful tbings in store." Spiritual matters Today, Rev Macaulay is bent on finding ways to bring those wbo bave feit isolated from cburcb teacbings back to the fold. 1I tbink people are interested in spiritual matters," be said. 1I believe tbe Christian faitb bas a good, stmong message to'send." Ail be asks is tbat thse cburcb, and faitis, be given a chance. 1I tbink people bring witb tbem disappointment from the churcis. Tbey bave been burt before," be said. "It is my belief that it isn't the Lord wbo disappoints us. People dîsappoint us, but not the L-ord." Toeating those wounds is one of the aima of Rev. Macaulay's ministry. Il want to be about baving an encouraging miùnistry," be said. -We need to be loving and accepting and encouraging of people. That is wbat we want to be about bere." Acton 21 Main Street North, Actas, ON L7J lV9 519-853-1270, or 853-4700 1 Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Reverend Grog Macaulay changed bis cameer path ta pursue the word of God. Now the new pastor of Milton Baptiat Church la loolng forwerd ta seelng positive changes arise in the SO-plua congregatlon. And tic backbone of thse ministry, said Rev. Macaulay, is the tied. But 1 tbink those days of just sitting there are over." Lord. Today, the sligbtcst vestiges of Rev. Macaulay's former career "I believe the Lord is stili interested in people today," be said. remain -- mainly the ones that aid in acbieving bis current goals, "The Lord wants to bave an intimate oelationsbip witb us." sucb as communication and marketing akilla. He also believes that deep down, people want to bave a reda- Aoteagls tionsbip witb God. Aoteagls Times ave cange"It seemas callous to say you can market the cburcb," be said. Tinss hae chnged"But indeed that is wbat wc are about - evangelism." But tbey may bave been tumned off by old experiences. 'Mat and rcvanlping the cburcb to include new ways of embrac- "I remember sitting in a cburcb, I was the youngest of tive," be ing faitb. said. "We want to kecp ourselves open and not excludc thinga "I remember wc bad to be quiet. We'd ait there witb our banda because we baven't donc tbemt in the past" be said. Cableworks 14 Programming Schedule - October 5fh -Ocfober llth, 1999 1Oon la, 12A5 10andWs liam, i2pm Y 1St5d% liam, i2pm Yst s 4pm, 5pm, t 30çn Ln TlatAsgwgr NDA r- 55:3:,7:3OçI M4gedhIn 5:30,6:3,7:Mpw Nkedln 535.36 730pr Pt<ed In! 4:3p CtsoAgWËs SermuoesStasse 500An Cie infl lhe 6.pADfinr%-c3S A:0p akoaMiIs .0pi Swap TaA m» N Hatur . 6: A »et Tlins cfl o 80pr mon sourcl tMpnHao y ResaCMsd P Feature of the week: Plugged In! *New Season! *New Look! *New Featurest *New Show Each Day! T a kin g yoular c abl1e fu rt he r i