By Rev. Kathleen Gannon
The Rev. Dr. Patricia McGregor, known as Rev. Patsy, is a missionary, priest, wife, mother and about to become a grandmother this week. As our guest preacher this weekend at St. Paul’s (April 28 and 29) many at St. Paul’s will be introduced to Rev. Patsy for the first time, but many will remember her past visits and her connection to us as a priest in our Companion Diocese of Toliara with her husband, The Rt. Rev. Todd McGregor, Bishop of Toliara.
And so, I share with you today that there are many intersections between the McGregor Ministry and St. Paul’s. Many influenced by their work and faith, many who support their ministry in many ways…
I have had the privilege of knowing the McGregors since 1990 – 28 years! Their witness to God’s love, their willingness to follow where God led them, continues to be a profound influence on my faith.
Patsy and her husband Todd were lay missionaries when they left for Madagascar with their two young daughters in 1991. The family spent 12 years in Madagascar, then 3 years in Kenya and back to Madagascar in 2006. Over the years their lay ministry led to ordination. Todd was ordained deacon here in our Diocese and priest by the Bishop in Madagascar. Patsy was ordained deacon and priest in Kenya -rare for women in that part of the world. In 2006, Rev. Todd was elected bishop for a brand-new Diocese – Toliara – on the west coast of Madagascar.
Throughout their journey, a ministry non-profit called People Reaching People (PRP) was formed to support their work. Check out this link to the website for PRP which will give you the amazing story of the growth of the Diocese of Toliara over the past 12 years – from zero congregations to 13 churches and a Cathedral complex that serves as a center for teaching and evangelism.
Rev. Patsy has chronicled their lives in three books: (click here to see the book descriptions)
Her first book, A Guest in God’s World: Memories of Madagascar tells of their first steps into Madagascar and reflects their theology – it is a privilege to work in God’s world…
I have been on mission with the McGregors twice, the first time to Madagascar in 2001. The next when they were in Kenya in 2003.
I remember when the McGregors left the US in 1991. Communication back in those days was primarily by letter – letters that took a few weeks to traverse from the US to Madagascar. And there could be an occasional planned phone call -if they could get to a hotel or embassy office that had a telephone they could use. By the time of the first mission trip from the Chapel of Saint Andrew (my home congregation) ten years later, we were able to connect by computer thanks to some very progressive IBMers in our congregation. Now? Facetime.
My images from my mission time with the McGregor’s are images of how they empower the people of God. I watched and learned as they were teaching evangelists, encouraging families, praying, baptizing, building communities, building churches. All fighting poverty in what could be the most impoverished country in the world. Throughout my time with the McGregors I had a first hand understanding of what it means to “respect the dignity of every human being” (from our Baptismal Covenant, BCP p305).
And I was not the only one who witnessed that profound respect…
Did you know that in 2005 choir soprano Emily Thompson Carter climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with the McGregors to raise support for their ministry?
Janet Thompson (also Emily’s mom) traveled with a team to Madagascar in 2009, with a team who offered the basic teachings of our faith in a program called Alpha.
Dot Emer (who attends the 10am service with her husband Ralph) was librarian at Saint Andrew’s School in 1990 and will remember the year that both McGregors taught at Saint Andrew’s School. And, Nan Ganyard (who attends the 10am service with her husband Peter) was on the faculty that year as well in the English department!
Dee Blakemore (who attends the 5pm Saturday service) knows the McGregors well and is a good friend of Patsy’s parents, Gerry and Audrey Cox, who are members at St. Nicholas in Pompano.
I love the way the missionary ministry of the McGregor’s is woven into the fabric of our Diocese…
Santa Patrika, Cathedral in Madagascar
Last year, Rev. Paul Kane invited Jackie Lowe, a member at his former parish of St. James in Hollywood, to speak to us about her planned mission to Madagascar. Jackie spoke eloquently and passionately about her plan to retire and move to Madagascar to spend a few years serving with the McGregors. Well, fast forward to today, Jackie Lowe has just arrived in Madagascar and is settling in to the life and language at the Cathedral in Toliara. (see picture). Here is a link to Jackie’s latest update – “One Month in Toliara!” which is posted on the front page of the People Reaching People website.
This weekend is a chance for more intersections and mission connections!
Rev. Patsy will be in the courtyard to meet and greet after each service. A display of handmade jewelry will be for sale; these are created by and directly benefit the women of the Women’s Center at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Toliara. The beads are made from paper donated by congregations in our area… we have saved some special paper to give to Rev. Patsy to take back with her – recycled from our Easter bulletins!
Click here for the story of how the women began to make these beautiful beads!
Get connected!
The McGregor family – their two daughters now live in the US. Corbi and her husband live in Atlanta and are expecting a baby this week!