Our Pastor's Induction

On Saturday 7th October

It was a day looked forward to with great anticipation, even before we knew who our new Pastor would be, and it was therefore with great rejoicing that we joined together to recognise the Lord’s appointment of the Rev. Doug McMasters as the Pastor of Trinity Road Chapel.

The church was full, with members past and present, and friends and folk from neighbouring churches, who had come together to institute our Pastor and acknowledge God's goodness to us as a fellowship of believers.

The Rev. Peter Seccombe, who has been so valuable a friend during the interregnum, chaired the meeting and undertook the induction following a statement by one of our elders, Philip Margetts, and a statement by our new Pastor.

Philip spoke of the growing conviction, first of the elders, then of the search group, then of the leadership, then of the church, of God's clear direction that a call should be given to Doug that he should be our Pastor. So it was that the invitation was given that he and his family should leave Grass Valley, California, and come to Tooting, or even Upper Tooting to be the Pastor of this church.

Doug, in reply gave an outline of his pastorate in Grass Valley and more recently the conviction that the Lord's purpose was for him to move on. Soon after, a friend together with an acquaintance talked to him concerning TRC and as a result, a telephone call was received which culminated in a meeting with our elders. That meeting produced meetings with our leadership and the church He found TRC to be a church with doctrinal fidelity, who knew fellowship in the gospel, who were dedicated to prayer, and were committed to mission in this country and overseas.
He believed that the Lord was calling him and his family to this place, and his family were of the same mind also. And so the journey from Grass Valley to Upper Tooting has taken place and it is why we gathered together on that afternoon.
God, in His mysterious and kind way has purposed this day for us to be together. Peter Seccombe then conducted the Induction and gave reminder that no Pastor is left to make of the role anything they wished. In order to endorse that statement our new Pastor was asked to affirm his agreement to several statements based on God's word. They were demanding and profound and of great value to the future ministry.

This part of the service was followed by a reminder to the Church of their responsibility in calling a Pastor and an outline of the promises which must be kept.

Greetings were then relayed to us from Revs. John MacArthur and Phil Johnson. We sang together "In Christ alone my hope is found" and then Rev. Iain Murray gave the 'Charge to the Minister'. Ian referred to John 17 and and reminded our Pastor that Jesus prayed, "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world". Ministers are not apostles but there is a very real parallel which runs down through the apostolic age to the present time with regard to privileges and duties. The first thing of which Doug was reminded was that the basis of the gospel ministry is to glorify Christ. John 17 was used to amplify the significance of glorifying Christ both in the present and the future and that it’s necessity was evidenced in the continuity and success of the Gospel. Iain provided several charges to the minister each of which were explained, and reminded each of us of the responsibility and awesomeness of the task. Ian went on to remind that the Lord Jesus went into solitary places to pray and Doug too must find solitary time in which to pray. Under girding us is the knowledge that He is for ever interceding for us.

There followed the charge to the Church, given by Rev. David Hircock, a man with whom we have enjoyed a close association for many years.

When asked to give the charge he thought of cost which led to, "for a church to have a pastor what does it cost, and what does it cost to be the people God wants us to be?" Thoughts turned to 1 Corinthians 13 and we were reminded that love is essential and love is lovely.

The most overtly spiritual man would be nothing without love. Without love, we have become a gong which is only an irritant. Love permeates and fills His people. Paul wrote to the Corinthians from Ephesus, the Church which in Revelation was told "I have this against you: You have lost your first love".

The challenge to us is to love one another as Christ loved us. How do we get this love? We are commanded to love one another as He loved us, and we love because He first loved us. Keep your eyes upon Jesus. Pay the price of being the people God wants His people to be. Be empowered by the power of God as you speak the truth in love.

Go forth and live.
Go forth in love.
Go forth and tell.

The afternoon finished with tables resplendent with food in the schoolroom, memorable fellowship one with the other and greetings from many parts of the globe.

We were glad, too, that Rachel Fredland from South Africa and Michael Green from Jordan were able to be home and with us for so important an event in the life of the church.

NOTE
These few notes can in no way do justice to the Induction and we are sorry that some could not be with us. However the recording can be downloaded here and it is well worth the listening. Alternatively, if you cannot download and would like the disk, do let us know.