Moderator

I hope readers will recall that I have chosen the theme of generosity for my moderatorial year. In my June 18th blog post, I shared excerpts from my address to the 136th General Assembly in which I invited the commissioners and the church as a whole to sail with me into the future on a ship I christened, “Generosity.” I would like to share with you again the closing paragraph from that address:

Lawrence Scanlon, an award winning journalist and author, recently took an interesting sabbatical from his usual work. For a year he volunteered his time with twelve charities in Canada and around the world – a different charity each month. He has written a marvelous book about his experiences which he entitled, A Year of Living Generously: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Philanthropy. During my moderatorial year, I invite you to help The Presbyterian Church in Canada to write its own book and tell its own stories. Send me your “dispatches from the front lines of philanthropy” so that they can be posted on this website. Our stories need to be told and celebrated, for woven throughout all our stories of generosity is the gospel story of God’s overflowing grace. Over the next twelve months, let’s dedicate ourselves as individuals and congregations and as a denomination as a whole to “a year of living generously.” Let’s join together in building a ship called Generosity to sail into the future God is even now preparing for us!

Well, here’s the story of someone in the church who has dedicated himself to just such “a year of living generously.” His story is truly inspiring. On June 18th, Peter McLean embarked on an amazing journey, and he is posting regular “dispatches from the front lines” of his trek on his website: http://petermclean.tumblr.com. (As I look at the date for the launch of Peter’s journey, I am struck by the fact that he was flying to BC in order to start his trek on the same day I posted my blog inviting people to “sail into the future on a ship called Generosity!) Like Lawrence Scanlon, Peter became convinced that he needed a break from his regular routine, so he quit his job as a Certified Pedorthist (Pedorthists specialize in healthful footwear and are the ones who make the orthotics that many of us have in our shoes). During his sabbatical, Peter is doing a solo bike ride across Canada – what he calls, “Peter’s Great Canadian Cycling Adventure.”

On his blog Peter describes his motivation for making the marathon journey as two-fold: 1) to experience a kind of belated “coming of age ritual” and 2) in order to raise money for the Canadian Bible Society’s Bike for Bibles program and the Hakka Bible translation his father, Rev. Dr. Paul McLean, has been working on for over 25 years. The Bible Society in Taiwan hopes to publish the completed Hakka Bible in 2012, and monies raised from Peter’s trip will help the translation team as they near the end of their own marathon journey. Peter hopes to raise a minimum of $9,000 for his ride ($1 for every km of his trip).

Yesterday I received the following email from Peter’s father, Paul, talking about Peter’s trip from a father’s point of view:

Dear Friends,

In case you have not heard the news, my son Peter is currently riding
his bicycle across Canada, solo. He is doing this, not just for good
exercise and adventure, but also to grow in his faith and to inspire
people to support the work of Hakka Bible translation in Taiwan.

In June I was deeply moved when Peter told me about the fundraising
aspect of his ride. (This idea was his, not mine.) His faith,
determination and perseverance to ride 9000 km across Canada is
a great encouragement to me and the Hakka translation team too.

Over the past 6 weeks, Peter has cycled from the Pacific Ocean,
across Vancouver Island, through southern British Columbia, up and
down the Rocky Mountains, across Alberta and the prairie provinces,
to the border of Ontario. Over this 2000+ km, he has experienced hot
sunny days, cold nights, rain, thunder storms, hail and even snow! He
has met many kind people along the way, and even a few bears! He
still has a long way to go before he reaches his final goal, St.
John’s Newfoundland and the Atlantic Ocean.

If you or someone you know is inspired by Peter’s adventure and
faith, please consider sending an offering on his behalf in support of
the Hakka Bible translation project in Taiwan. Peter’s ‘blog’
provides instructions on how you can donate:
http://petermclean.tumblr.com/hakkabible

Please feel free to share this news with other friends who might like
to follow Peter’s progress and/or support the Hakka Bible translation
project.

Thank you for your interest in and support of the Hakka Bible. As the
Lord brings Peter and the translation team to mind, we would all
appreciate your prayers.

In Christ’s service,

Paul McLean
(Peter’s father and a member of the Hakka Bible translation team)

Like Peter’s dad, Paul, and his mother, Mary Beth, who is part of the International Ministries staff at The PCC national offices, I am quite inspired by Peter’s cross-country cycling trip. I can’t imagine undertaking such an arduous journey. When I was younger I thought of hiking the entire 2,175 miles of the Appalachian Trail, but that was as far as I got – thinking about it. I applaud Peter for actually putting his thoughts and dreams into action. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Peter. Pedal on! And God’s speed! And may your example inspire us all.

And now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)