STOUGHTON - Pastor Darrel Durksen and his wife Pat will be leaving the Apostolic Church in Stoughton after three-and-a-half years to return to his hometown in Alberta.
Although Durksen was born in Melfort, his family moved to a farm by Veteran, Alta., when he was a child. Veteran is a small community east of Stettler.
Durksen has been a pastor for 18 years, with the majority of that time in Alberta. At the time the call came from the Stoughton church, Durksen had stepped back from ministry for a brief time. He felt it was time to return to being an active pastor and come to Stoughton.
He said, “I was very welcomed here with my wife, and over time have felt the love and encouragement from the congregation.”
Being a pastor is not just preparing the Sunday morning sermon. They participate in Bible study groups, and remain on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Like any job, it has its ups and downs.
He needs to be a counsellor for those that need a listening ear and are dealing with the loss of a loved one, but there also comes joy. The birth of a newborn and the wedding of a couple in love are always a pleasure to deal with.
Although Durksen loves being a pastor, he enjoys working with his hands. He takes care of the maintenance at the church and also repairs at the parish home. He is a drywaller and painter by trade. The pair has also cleaned up the flower beds and grass at the church for easier care.
When he was asked to return to the Veteran church, he gratefully accepted, as his children and seven grandchildren live there, and they wanted to be close to family.
He genuinely enjoyed being in Stoughton. His love for the elderly will be missed, as he regularly visited the Stoughton Pioneer Lodge and the lodge in Fillmore. A men’s coffee group was created in both places.
“It’s a wonderful way to get them smiling,” said Durksen.
Pat has worked at the Stoughton Daycare and the lodge as a cook. Although her family is in Regina, she looks forward to being close to her kids.
Durksen will preach his last sermon on June 26 at 10:30 a.m. at the Stoughton Apostolic Church. His congregation of 50-70 members will hold a farewell luncheon after the service for Durksen and his wife Pat. They will be sad to see him go.
Durksen feels in the way the world is today, that the focus on God needs to be stronger. There seems to be such a divide and he feels that compassion needs to return.
