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Elizabeth

by Betty Barton

Elizabeth Starkey is the new lay
minister at Knox United Church.
She replaces Rev. Stan Bailey,
who left Terrace in August.

Mrs. Starkey arrived here on
August 27, from her home church
Ellesmere in Burnaby, on a two-
year appointment from the United
Church. The local pastoral commit-
tee and presbytery met to interview
Elizabeth Starkey and have her
attend one service at Knox United
prior to her appointment.

At that service, an article, by
Marion Best, about the ravages of
war and the fireweed that quickly
and dramatically retums the beauty
of the earth, prompted Mrs. Star-
key to speak out. Her conclusion,
"God is in there somewhere." After
her interview and the service, the
congregation had an opportunity
for discussion and were involved
in the decision-making process that
allowed Elizabeth Starkey the
Opportunity to come to Knox
United Church in Terrace.

She goes on to explain that, with

the permission of the Church, she

has equal opportunities in B.C. to
perform all of the duties of an
ordained minister including wed-
dings, funerals, baptisms and sac-
raments. She adds, "As a lay per-
son, it has to be confirmed from
charge (church appointment) to
charge."

‘She explains, "I’ve done a num-
ber of *interims’ of one year, but
the United Church has decided it
takes two to three years to identify
the needs of the church — I need
to listen to the congregation —

and then, to work with the congre-.

gation to address those needs."
Starkey has served as lay minister

Starkey?

most recently at Mountainview
Windsor, in Vancouver. Before
that, she was in Nelson, B.C., a

‘small community in Manitoba,

Rutland in the Okanagan, Ioco and
Port Moody near Vancouver, and
Greenwood/Midway in the
Kootenays. She stays in touch with
all her congregations.

"It does give you a feel for new
places and I don’t feel hesitant
about meeting new congregations,"
she says energetically. "I just play
it as I see it." Elizabeth Starkey
was raised an Anglican. When she
and her husband emigrated to
Canada from England in 1953,
their immigration officer wrote a
letter of introduction to his family
in Ottawa and also found her hus-
band a job as a seedsman there,
The immigration officer’s family
were members of Dominion United
Church and invited the Starkeys
and their four-month old baby to
join them. Elizabeth says it just
felt right, and they joined the
congregation. "Our whole introduc-
tion to Canada was Biblical, ’Wel-
come the stranger within your
gates.’ " She still keeps in touch
with their first landiady in Ottawa.

Over the years, she became
involved in the United Church at
all levels — local, presbytery,
conference, national and even
international. She finally allowed
her hunger for a theological back-
ground and’ a° lifelong- love. of
learning and teaching to take her
to the Vancouver School of Theol-
ogy from 1976 through 1979,

In 1956, the Starkeys moved to
Burnaby, where they raised four
children, a daughter and three
sons. Mrs. Starkey also has six
grandchildren, with a seventh on

“the way in January. "They're all

"very family and community-

oriented," says Elizabeth proudly,
now on her own as her husband
died six years ago.

It was her youngest son, Andrew,
altending a diesel course at North-
west Community College a number
of years ago, who extolled the
virtues of Terrace to his mother.
Elizabeth Starkey had the oppor-
tunity to visit Terrace in 1989
when the United Church Confer-
ence was held here. She was most
impressed,

"This had come at the right time

‘for me," says Elizabeth Starkey
with enthusiasm. Even while she
lived in England, she always
dreamt of Canada and "the true
north, strong and free",

She says she’s finally getting a
chance to experience it. She's
already conducted four Sunday
services at Knox United Church
and attended one board meeting.
She’s an ipso facto member of the
four committees within the church:
pastoral care and membership,
worship, Christian education and
the board. She will do services and
visits 10 Terraceview Lodge and
Mills Memorial Hospital.

She hopes to conduct a service in
Stewart, and possibly to visit
Alaska. She has already been to
Prince Rupert and Smithers, but
missed the Smithers Fall Fair, She
did arrive in Terrace in time for
the Skeena Valley Fall Fair, "I
love fall fairs!" exclaims Elizabeth,
a lady who now feels more at
home in her new apartment
because she’s brought her soup pot
back from Burnaby. At the Skeena
Valley Fall Fair, Elizabeth Starkey
discovered the Amateur Radio
Club, which she hopes to join.
~ During World War II in Britain,
she was a radio operator in the
army. She met her husband after
VJ Day when her division was re-
mustered into the Ordinance Corps.

is workin
hard for Skeena!

Wherever
you find

Terrace Review —— Wednesday, Gctaber 2, 1991 17

Elizabeth Starkey: | need to listen to the congregation — and
then, to work with the congregation to address those needs.

They were married in September people and life and many other
1947 after Elizabeth was dis- facets describe Elizabeth Starkey.
charged. Welcome to Terrace!

Fall Fairs, God's will, a love of

Looking for more packground
» + OMn-a news.story?. .
The Terrace Public Library

is one place to start.

On Saturday, October 5, 1991, Magic
Magic is coming to Terrace.
A show that is guaranteed to amaze and
mystify you.
The show features Murray Hatfield &
Co., Brenda Fox & Wonder Dog Ziggy,
the hilarious comedy antics of the
F Nuggling Clarke Robertson & ish, the
Singing Clown.
Magic Magic is playing at the:
R.E.M. LEE THEATRE
OCTOBER 5, 1991

2:00 P.M.

, Sponsored by the Terrace Kinsmen Club

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT
-THEDOOR