Simon Fordyce is a member of Waikanae Baptist Church.
“It is easy to love everyone for a short period of time but it is always more challenging to do this over a 20 year time period.”
This was one of many tributes paid recently to Pastor Nigel Scott on reaching the milestone of 20 years of faithful service at Waikanae Baptist Church.
Nigel and his wife Wendy started at Waikanae in 2003, and as a congregation we were keen to acknowledge and thank them for their incredible dedication to our church over those two decades. A celebration meal was held on Saturday 25 February to which many family, friends and members of the congregation (past and present) attended.
A number of people paid tribute to Nigel and there were some common themes which emerged, including: Nigel’s leadership and pastoral skills; his faithfulness to the church and to God; his incredible work ethic; his thought-provoking sermons and his compassion for his flock.
The incredible demands the COVID-19 pandemic placed on Nigel and other Pastors was also acknowledged, especially in the first year when there was no precedent for “doing church” in the middle of a world-wide pandemic. Nigel’s adaptability and resourcefulness during this stressful period were acknowledged.
On the lighter side, there were also numerous references made to Nigel’s love of chocolate biscuits and his obsession with keeping the chairs straight in the auditorium!
Nigel and Wendy are very much a team, and acknowledgement was made of this by both Nigel and other speakers. A moving written tribute from retired pastor David Costar focused on this aspect of Nigel’s pastoral role with the comment that “this couple have poured their hearts and lives into serving you and loving you. Please continue to regularly pray for them and the ministry here. Offer them encouraging words and be supportive and loving in whatever ways you can.”
Photo credit: Ness Griffith.
