Carroll ordained as Anglican Church deacon
Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Dec 04/00) - It's been a long, spiritual journey for Martin Carroll.
In 1982, he began reading scriptures during services at the Anglican Church. Earlier this month he was ordained as a deacon.
Carroll acts as assistant to Rev. Larry Robertson at the Inuvik Anglican Church. He is able to perform all the functions of a minister except to consecrate the eucharist. His ordination was held Nov. 19 in Fort McPherson.
The ordination came after three years of study at Briercrest Bible College in Saskatchewan.
Carroll hopes to eventually become a minister. He said what he needs now is more experience and to pass some tests.
Carroll was born in Toronto and grew up at Canadian Forces Base Borden, just north of Toronto. His parents were devout Catholics when he was young but they eventually gave it up.
The deacon explained that 1968 was a pivotal year. His father retired from the armed forces and Carroll graduated from high school. Because the military had supplied their housing, this effectively meant Carroll had to find a new place to live.
"So there I was, basically a refugee in my own country, believe it or not," Carroll said.
Carroll followed his father to Edmonton, but later that year travelled to the NWT and began working for the Hudson's Bay Trading Company. He worked first at Fort Rae, moved to Fort Norman and then Fort McPherson.
It was at Fort McPherson that Carroll met his wife, Ruth. They married in 1970. He explained that it was mainly due to pressure from Ruth that he switched over to the Anglican Church.
Carroll said that when he was "shakily" reading the Bible in church in the early 1980s, it was just the beginning of an "ongoing journey of preparation."
He said he has been inspired by a passage of scripture, Hebrews 11:15-16. The passage refers to Abraham's journey and talks about longing for a better country, a heavenly one, that is better than the country left behind.
Carroll said he and Ruth have visited and lived in many places in the North, and that he has found a new family in the North. They have lived in Inuvik since 1994.
"To get into the ministry is a calling," Carroll said. "It really is a necessary element to work in the church."
The deacon acknowledged being a spiritual leader can be a challenge, especially in light of situations such as abuse suffered in residential schools. He said it's important to note that abuse has happened only at the hands of a few people, and that there are still caring church members willing to help others.
