There are times in the tides of life where philosophies drift in different directions. Somewhere on the road of life ideology diverges.

At times it is small and not quickly noticed until farther along the road it is obvious the trails are leading in different paths.

Sir William Edward Parry was an English naval officer and record-setting explorer of the Arctic. He made one of the first attempts to reach the North Pole. Parry made it farther than any previous explorer. His record stood for nearly 50 years.

On one of his trips he was pushing hard across the ice toward the pole. He stopped and calculated his position by the stars, then pushed on north. Hours later they stopped again. The men were exhausted. When he checked his position again he was stunned.

He was further away than he was hours ago. He discovered something unbelievable. Parry was an expert in navigation so he knew his calculations were correct. He had written a book on the subject of navigation. He discovered his problem.

He and his team had been on a gigantic ice flow that was moving south faster than he and his men were moving north. He was losing ground faster than they could move forward. It was the one step forward, two steps backward syndrome in real life and time.

The ice flow was so large and moving so slowly that Perry’s loss of position was imperceptible until he recalculated.

I truly believe all of us need to stop and recalculate at times and see if the direction we are headed is going to take us where we want to eventually go.

I am at one of those moments in my life and ministry.

As a young man I received local license with the United Pentecostal Church. I then applied for and was granted general license. A few years later I was ordained. I have been a supporting member for over 40 years now. It is all I have ever known.

The last few years I have reflected on the future final years of my ministry. So today I stop to recalculate my position and where I would like to be at the end of my ministry.

I am choosing to make a change and say goodby to the only organization I have ever been a part of. They have been so good to me through the years. The men of the UPCI have been friends and gentlemen, especially the last 16 years in Washington State. I sincerely say thank you for your kindness and christian friendship.

This is not an easy choice, nor a quick one. It is a long slow decision. The UPCI supported my family for two years in 1981-1982, while I established a church in Canada. I will ever be indebted and thankful.

I hope my body of work in return compensates. Many years I was a Home Missions director for two different districts I served as District Editor for seven years. I served on national boards and committees. I pray all this adds up to a balanced ledger. I have received and I have given in return.

So it is with a sense of finishing my race I decide to change my direction for my remaining years of my ministry.

I am choosing to become an independent minister of the gospel not affiliated with an organization.

My friends will tease me and say what’s new with that? You have always been independent 🙂 And there is truth to that 🙂

My doctrine, my way of life, my friends, my associations, will all remain the same.

As I move into the sunset years of my life and ministry I remember an old poem I have loved through the years….

~WE MET ON ROADS OF LAUGHTER~

We met on roads of laughter,
Both careless at the start,
But other roads came after
And wound around my heart.

There are roads a wise man misses
And roads where fools will try
To say farewell with kisses,
Touch love and say good-bye.

We met on roads of laughter;
Now wistful roads depart,
For I must hurry after,
To over take my heart.

~Charles Divine~

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