On March 11, 2013 the oldest Anglo-Israel church in North America celebrates its eightieth birthday. We are one of the few ministries with a vibrant weekly worshipping congregation in our own church building, and it has been my privilege to serve the local flock as pastor for over 35 years. We are fast closing in on a century of proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom and we recognize that an entirely new set of challenges are confronting us today and in the future.
Change is all around us. We were organized as a church body in 1933 during the height of the Great Depression, when Detroit was overwhelmingly Caucasian and Christian and the values of patriotism and nationalism were a part of the bedrock values then found throughout our nation. Today, with any form of white ethnic pride angrily denounced as racism and hate, and national pride derided as an objectionable form of arrogance, members are often shy about expressing our beliefs to others. Yes, the times are tough. Yet every era presents its own opportunities.
The B.I.W.F. Canada organization, ably led by Kent Purvis, was again the host of the convention at their long-time headquarters building in downtown Toronto. This was their 83rd Annual Dominion Convention, and the entire weekend went very smoothly, with plenty of good learning and fellowship, warm smiles, and of course, lots of good food! I am sure that all who attended enjoyed the conference very much and were very glad they came. In addition to the learning and Spiritual strengthening, the convention each year gives us a chance to forge, or renew, some deeper friendships with those of like mind and heart.