The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Whitby Free Prou, Wecfresday. Decomber 8. 1993. Page 13 By Mark Reesor There were just 8,500 people in the Town of Whitby whon Rev. Jimn McClure took over as minis- ter at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church 32 years ago. Tho congregation was stili in its old builin g on Byron Street South (at St. John Street West) then and facing the prospect of moigte the outskirts of Whtb -- 209 Cochrane Street "'At that time, we were moving out of the old end of town into the new end - there weren't many houses up around Coch- rane Street; no Otter Creek, nothing like that,» says McClure, who remembers the Imove as being quite traumnatie. '«ro move an old, fixed congre- gation from a building they had eeýn in and loved and whiéh bas a lot of histoy attached te it inte a brand new building complex is quite a thing... "lit was altegether different (Up there)... down on the end of town where we were there were trees. Up on Cochrane Street there were just (newly) planted trees.» The inove is the first thing that cornes to mmnd when McClure, who's rotiring at the end of December, looks back on bis time at St. Andrew's. "The tewn of Whitby around us was g.rowing and developing and the littie tow" had te move over and make roo*x for new people -- the churches, service clubs, everythinghad to make the same kind of transition -- and Presby- terians are not always very quick te make changes!» The congregation started con- struction in 1967 and opened the new building in Marcb. "I got a lot of ribbing about that 'McClure recalis. U«Tie opened the church on a Sunday the 17th of March -- and rmnanfisbman, so they figured 1 bad arranged that» McClure pledged te the congre- gtion that "I would see them through the building pro am and while there was aidet hre I would belp them through that. And after that was over it didn't seem te be necessary for me te move. "You get te a stage where you love the people. It ecmes part Eacb year the volunteer association at Whitby Psychiatrie Hospital endeavours to give each patient a Christas gif. Ay~ with items sueh as pjamas, track pants, bats and nitts, are asked to deliver items to Wbitby Psychiatrie Hospital, volunteer services, building 30, between 8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For more information, oeil 668-5881, ext. 5323. eku&gfftki", d&eMne w b M & rffi im m M . * *buswax candleg * .ceramirpottery *books & mugt *native crafts *cards & cateidr * eytdgta&ware *natural bodycart Lbgtiais ar 5co e. or ca ror afret cazàoo.e àpeui paly 9_apvn- e Sar- 1-6pm - St. 12-4pr e- e- -- 99 4 of you and you just don't feel like moving. McClure was born and educa- ted in Ireland and ordained and inducted et Killymurris Presby- terian Church in County Antrim in 1951. He says be's only bad one goal in he 2 yarsofLis ministry -- "ehelp p;eople see Jesus Christ as someone who was near te them and loved them and wan- ted te be their companion... tbat's been the motte of my life.» McClure p lans te continue liv- ing in Witby in retirement. As for bis replecement at St. Andrew's,* "I don't know wbo tbey'1, be looking for after I go, btI hope they don't look for a clone because tbat would be im- possible.' ST. ANDREW'S Presbyterian Church held a reception recently to mark the retirement of Rev. Jim McClure, seen here with wife Ann. McClure has been the church's minister for 32 years. Photo by Joremy Dresar. Whltby Free PresF SPAS - FITNESS -PATIO - POOLS - SAUNAS - IEC(ýME CHRISTMAS STOCKING DRAW - ~ Be sure to enter your ballot to win one of FI VE ~.Christmnas Sîockings valued at more than ~XEZ i$1 ,000.00. Entry forms arc availablc at partcipaung businesses up to December 18th. ~"4 ~ For further information caau thc Whitby Business Improvemnent Association at 666:4189 Retiring reve.Lrend remebers the 'move'