Book Interview

Hi Sarah and Matt:

Thanks for your questions. They really made me stop and think, and they gave me a lot of food for thought.

My Ministry and How I Got Started:

There is an old saying that “behind every dark cloud there is a silver lining,” and I know from experience that it’s true. In 1999 my father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and he passed away in January of 2001. During his illness I started attending church again with him and my mother. I was born, baptized and raised in the Anglican church, but like many people my age I drifted away. In hindsight I believe God used my father’s illness to get me back into church and faith so that I could follow the path he laid out for me.

At my father’s funeral I read one of the Scripture passages. The Minister-Rev. Canon Ken Vaughan, who is now the Rector of the Parish of Annapolis and Granville-was impressed and asked me to start reading Scripture readings during Sunday services. In the fall of 2001 he asked me to consider becoming a Lay Reader in Training. I accepted and was received as a Lay Reader in Training in 2002, and after a two-year period I was installed as a full-fledged Lay Reader (Lay Pastor) in what is now the Anglican Parish of South Queens.

In September of 2014 there was an ecumenical celebration of my ten-year anniversary as a Lay Pastor. The guest speaker was Lutheran Rev. Dr. Wendell Eisener, and Rev. Sheila Redden-Smith from Zion United Church in Liverpool  offered the closing prayer. Representatives from all of the churches in the Parish took part in the service. Clergy and congregation members from all of the churches in the Liverpool/Brooklyn/Milton area were invited to attend. Needless to say it was a very emotional experience for me. I literally cried during my closing remarks.

My ministry has placed a huge emphasis on being ecumenical in nature. For example, my regular jobs include being the Bookkeeper at St. Gregory’s Roman Catholic Church in Liverpool. In addition, I was the Financial Administrator at Zion United Church in Liverpool from March of 2014 to October of this year. All of my sermons are published on my blog (www.sermonsfrommyheart.blogspot.com), and I publish links to these sermons on personal Facebook page and the pages of several Christian Facebook groups that I belong to. TO date these sermons have been viewed over 135,000 times since the blog was started in 2011.

The biggest part of the ecumenical nature of my ministry is that it has provided me with the opportunity to preach and lead worship in several non-Anglican churches. For example, on several different occasions I have preached and led worship in the Milton and Summerville (Queens County) Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ), Zion United Church in Liverpool and Bridgewater United Church. I also take turns with other local clergy in leading hymn sings and worship services at local nursing homes. This year my ecumenical ministry expanded further when two of the services I led at Bridgewater United Church were broadcast on CKBW.

The Gospel of Matthew:

I’ve been interested in all of the books of the Bible, especially the Gospels and Paul’s Letters. In these books Jesus’s teachings and guide for our Christian lives are laid out and explained. Matthew’s Gospel has always been of interest to me because it was written for a Jewish audience (and Jesus was Jewish) even though it is largely based on Mark’s Gospel (which many scholars believe was the first of the Gospels to be written). Matthew translated Jesus’ teachings into words that a Jewish audience could understand (much like translators do). Luke did the same thing, but his audience was the Gentiles. John wrote his Gospel to prove that Jesus was the mind of God in human form.

Influences:

I’ve been influenced by many different clergy persons both in the creation of the sermons included in the book and in my ministry. As I mentioned earlier, Rev. Canon Ken Vaughan was used by God to start me in my ministry and train me. Rev. Gary Alcock (now retired) gave me my first opportunity to preach and lead worship. Rev. Canon Donald Lawton (now serving in the Church of England) provided very helpful advice about my sermons and worship leading early in my ministry. Rev. Judy Cross (Associate Priest in the Anglican Parish of South Queens) has been very helpful during my ministry. In fact, she led the service for the tenth anniversary of my ministry. Rev. Bonnie Baird (current Rector of the Anglican Parish of South Queens) continues to support and encourage me in my ministry.

Getting a Copy:

Unfortunately, due to the extra cost involved, my book is currently not available in retail stores except for Veritas Catholic Book Store in Halifax. It is available through online retailers such as Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and Indigo. All a buyer has to do is Google the book’s title (“Sermons from My Heart: Sermons from Matthew”).

In addition, copies can be purchased from me. The price will be $26 plus $10 for shipping and handling. I can be reached by telephone at (902) 354-8469 or by email at craig.condon2@ns.sympatico.ca. I’m also available to speak about the book to churches and religious groups.