The Reverend Robert Gould (Pastor Bob)
• Passed away Monday, April 13 ‘021 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
• April 20: A Private Family Gathering and Internment,
– Chapel Ridge Funeral Home Toronto. Woodlands, Burlington, Ont.
• ‘A Celebration of His Life” event to be announced.
• In Professional Ministry with The Christian and Missionary Alliance Canada
• Pastor, District Superintendent, International Worker, Consultant, Guest Speaker and Interim Minister.
• Loving husband, devoted father, gracious friend.
• Family: Wife Louella; three children, Son Darrell (deceased), granddaughter Nicole; Son Reverend Gerry Robert, lead pastor of Summit Community Church, Richmond Hill and Leah, four children Caleb, Amanda, Dylan, and Ashley Victoria (deceased); Daughter Joanne, and Dr. Lee Beach, two children, Joshua and Alexandra (married to Gerrit Van Der Muelen).
REVIEW OF LIFE AND MINISTRY – THE REVEREND ROBERT GOULD (1939-2021)
Celebrating over fifty years in ministry, Robert Gould has served the Christian and Missionary Alliance Canda as Pastor, District Superintendent, Administrator, Consultant, Internaional Worker, Conference Speaker, Interim Pastor, and Minister-at-Large, Personally, he has been a sband,devoted father, and our wonderful friend.
Recently, Bob was featured in a solo chapter called, “A Tap on the Shoulder” summarizing his life work and ministry. Like the Apostle John, falling before Christ (Revelation 1:17-18), hr felt the Lord “touch his shoulder” — followed by an assignment to write to the seven churches, its messages continue to influence the Church today. Bob describes feeling his own “shoulder tap” too while waiting in line at his theological graduation. From a leader, it came with a pronouncement he was being sent to pastor a certain church in B.C. It was the start of God’s method of leading him throughout his future. The chapter is in a book called, “Making God Known” – To least reached people in extraordinary ways by editors Ronald Brown and Charles Cook.(cmacan.org/publications).
LIFE AND MINISTRIES
• Lead Pastor of Alliance churches: Invermere, B.C.; Assiniboia, Saskatchewan; Morden, Manitoba.
• While in Morden, in also led the Christian Education program for the Canadian Midwest District
• Assistant to the District Superintendent Canadian Midwest District 1974.
• District Superintendent of the Canadian Midwest District, 1975-1981.
• District Superintendent of the Eastern and Central Canadian District, 1981-1995. Assistants included David Freeman, Director for French Ministries, Rev. Jess Jesperson, and Gordon Bucek. Several home missionaries and Chinese leaders also shared in seeing the ECCD formally establish the formation of The St. Lawrence District (Quebec).
• With others, came oversight to the construction of the sixty-four bed CAMA Woodlands Nursing Home complex in Burlington, Ontario as well as his being its Director. Today, it has grown to 125 beds under ongoing competent leaders..
• Due to continued growth in the ECC District, Bob led the legalities and the formal organization of The Central Canadian District and The Eastern Canadian District. He presided over their respective elections of two new District Superintendents. This area of Canada now added three new districts making the total of six Canadian Districts.
District Growth with God’s Blessing
• Bob’s passion for church planting continued along with approvals to other established church’ building programs
• In District sponsored church planting, over sixty new Canadian Alliance churches brought a fruitful ministry conclusion to his ECD ministry:
o In 1981, 72 churches existed in Eastern Canada (Thunder Bay to Newfoundland).
o After formation of St. Lawrence District (July, 1983), 57 Ontario and Atlantic Provinces Alliance churches remained.
o By July 1995, 111 churches existed in the ECD (General Assembly President Reports).
• Bob stated that nearly doubling Alliance churches in 12 years was a numerical highlight of his 15years as D.S. Too, from three to six Canadian Districts now existed.
ADDITIONAL PARTNERSHIP POSITIONS:
• Of notable significance, Bob was one of the eight Canadian members of the Study Commission and one of the four Canadian Members of the Fraternal Committee overseeing the historic formation of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada (1981).
• Member of the Board of Director’s of the Canadian C&MA for eight years.
• A member of the C&MA Canadian Bible College-Canadian Theological Seminary Board of Governors for twenty-five years.
• He was Moderator of two C&MA Canadian National General Assemblies.
• Well-travelled (over 60 countries) Bob has been speaker and consultant in a number of Alliance Fields in Africa, South America, and Asia. This included several Field Forums of C&MA International workers as well as seminar leader for national churches and leaders.
• He was the guest speaker at the 40th Anniversary of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Churches of the Philippines (CAMACOP) as well as speaker at the South-Asian International Pastor’s Fellowship Conference (Hong Kong 1995).
• He was a member of the Council of Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.
• Member of the first C&MA Canada International Church “Think Tank” in Budapest, Hungary.
• Official delegate to the Alliance World Fellowship in Peru, South America.
• Received with his wife, Louella, the 1991 Alumnus of the Year Award from the Canadian Bible College/Canadian Theological Seminary.
NEW MINISTRIES ABROAD. After District ministries, came a move to International Worker.
• A Missionary with the CAMA Canada in Thailand (1996-2004) as senior pastor of the Evangelical Church of Bangkok. He led in extensive enlargement of the church buildings and added a fourth floor to the Christian Education Building. He established the ground work for the major expansion of a new church building by purchasing additional property and raising significant funds. The congregation of over one thousand completed the new Church project..
• Back in Canada, he became Interim lead pastor of the Bayview Glen Alliance Church in Toronto, Ontario (2006-2009) and remained on staff as Pastor of Congregational Care/Seniors and the Iranian Ministry (2009-2010).
• May (2010) he was interim pastor of the International Christian Fellowship Church in Warsaw, Poland.
• (2012-13) Bob pastored the Gateway Fellowship International Church, Sanur, Bali, Indonesia).
• Canadian opportunities continued as he became preaching pastor at the North Toronto Chinese Alliance Church English congregation for two years and served in a speaking capacity in several multi cultural churches.
• Past retirement, Bob kept up his ministries to April 2020 when he was diagnosed with cancer..
BOB CLOSING PRAISE
He says: ‘Reviewing 59 years of C&MA ministry is humbling as ‘it is God who works within us to will and to do of His good pleasure’ (Philippians 2:13). My participation in the historical birth of the Alliance in Canada is the most rewarding. Initially, one is surprised how God transforms and transitions our life and legacy.
Reflecting on the aging Apostle experience of Jesus’ touch, I too have a life time of memories of His “hand on my shoulder.” These continue to evoke praise to this God of the impossible who has used the improbable to bless the unbelievable numbers of peoples and places in my ministries both in Canada and the world. That I worked with such quality colleagues and committed lay persons along the way, only enhanced this journey.. Psalm 72 paints this panorama as being from “Sea to Sea . . . to the ends of the earth.” This verse remains as much an impetus for ministry today as that “tapping moment” in my graduation line-up so long ago. It is a tribute to the faithfulness and favor of God upon one who still considers himself His simple servant” – Robert J Gould, 2020
GOULD FAMILY:
• Always proud of his family, he described his wife Louella as “the best gift God gave me.”
• Together, their family has been a constant source of joy and their greatest supporters: They have three children and seven grandchildren: Eldest son, Darrell (deceased) and granddaughter Nicole; Son, Reverend Gerald Robert, presently lead pastor of Summit Community Church, Richmond Hill, Ontario married to Leah Foster. They have four children, Caleb, Amanda, Dylan and Ashley Victoria (deceased). Daughter, Joanne, is National Director of Compassion and Justice for the C&MA in Canada. She is married to Dr. Lee Beach, former pastor and presently professor at McMaster Divinity School, Hamilton, Ont They have two children, Joshua and Alexandra (married to Gerrit Van Der Meulen)..
Read Less
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Robert ‘Pastor Bob’ James Gould Tuesday April 13th 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Markham, Province: Ontario