What was supposed to be a brief period of relief duty at St. Michael & All Angels Anglican Church in Chemainus has turned into 16 years for Rev. Michael Wimmer.

But he has no regrets despite ending a short-lived retirement a long time ago and is still going strong at age 82.

As for when Wimmer will retire again, B次元官网网址淕od only knows,B次元官网网址� he laughed. B次元官网网址淚 have no idea.B次元官网网址�

Wimmer, who still commutes regularly from his home in Nanaimo to Chemainus where he puts in some long days, is firmly entrenched in many facets of Chemainus B次元官网网址� and not just through the church.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 good to be much more a part of the community,B次元官网网址� he conceded. B次元官网网址淭he only downside, I donB次元官网网址檛 actually live in Chemainus. But I can be pretty well integrated into the community. A lot of people outside the parish B次元官网网址� the Anglicans B次元官网网址� know me.B次元官网网址�

As a result of that status, Wimmer became the Chemainus LegionB次元官网网址檚 chaplain, for example, where he handles a particularly prominent role during Remembrance Day ceremonies and services.

ItB次元官网网址檚 all part of the territory thatB次元官网网址檚 emerged from his long period of service both here and elsewhere.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 regret anything of the ministries IB次元官网网址檝e been called to,B次元官网网址� said Wimmer. B次元官网网址淲ith some families, IB次元官网网址檝e gone through the whole gamut from baptisms to marriages. In many respects, thereB次元官网网址檚 no substitute for knowing your parishioners this well as a small community like this enables.B次元官网网址�

His retirement happened initially in 2005 at the usual age of 65. But everything changed before long.

B次元官网网址淭hen I was asked to do some relieving work in Chemainus,B次元官网网址� Wimmer recalled.

Lynn Oldale had been in the position before him and B次元官网网址渟he asked if I would cover for her when she was on study leave and vacation,B次元官网网址� said Wimmer.

He obliged and, when returning from vacation in 2007, B次元官网网址渢he diocese asked me to cover for four months,B次元官网网址� Wimmer noted. B次元官网网址淚 ended up covering for 6-7 months. Basically, that never stopped.B次元官网网址�

From September 2007 to now, B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been around 16 years,B次元官网网址� he added, hardly believing it himself.

Wimmer was officially appointed as the rector in 2008 after the relief duties ended. The appointment to the parish was initially for three years, but kept getting extended until it was made a permanent arrangement.

B次元官网网址淏eing here has been one of the real joys of my life,B次元官网网址� said Wimmer. B次元官网网址淚 wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have missed it for anything.B次元官网网址�

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, theology was always in the works for him. Wimmer attended the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg for four years, graduating in 1964 with a major in biblical studies and theology and an honours degree in divinity.

In 1965, he went to England to do theological training at the College of the Resurrection in Mirfield, Yorkshire for two years. Wimmer was ordained deacon in Southwark Cathedral in London in 1967.

He also got married that year to his long-time love Patricia (Eales) whom heB次元官网网址檇 known since she was 13. TheyB次元官网网址檝e now been married 56 years.

B次元官网网址淲e were not permitted to marry earlier in my course until I completed all my academic studies,B次元官网网址� Wimmer noted.

They immediately went back to South Africa and, beginning in October of 1967, Wimmer spent three years at the Cathedral of St. Mary The Virgin in Johannesburg.

He then went into a country parish B次元官网网址渨hich was a baptism of fire in its own way,B次元官网网址� said Wimmer. B次元官网网址淚t was geographically huge with seven different churches in seven different towns. It was 700 kilometres from one end of the parish to the other. I was continually on the road.

B次元官网网址淚t was very hard domestically because I was away from home virtually all day every day. When we went there we had an eight-month child.B次元官网网址�

That was oldest daughter Alison, now Cahill, 52, who currently lives in Nanaimo.

The WimmersB次元官网网址� other three children followed in rapid succession. Richard, 51, is a high school teacher in Abbotsford; Lesley, 50, is a barrister in the United Kingdom whoB次元官网网址檚 returning to Canada next month; and Peter, 48, is with the Vancouver Police Department. All were born in Johannesburg.

After 10 years in Vereeniging, South Africa, the family emigrated to Canada in 1983.

B次元官网网址淚n a nutshell, apartheid,B次元官网网址� said Wimmer as the reason for the move. B次元官网网址淲e did not want our children growing up any longer under the apartheid system.B次元官网网址�

WimmerB次元官网网址檚 first post was on Haida Gwaii, known as the Queen Charlotte Islands at the time.

His time in Masset was cut short from three years to 18 months after he was appointed dean in the cathedral at Prince Rupert.

B次元官网网址淭he dean left and went to Regina so there was a vacancy,B次元官网网址� said Wimmer.

After eight years there, the Archbishop approached him about taking over as the Senior Chaplain of the Missions to Seamen (now Seafarers) in Vancouver, an Anglican ministry to seafarers worldwide.

It was a five-year contract that could have been extended, but Wimmer instead went back into parish ministry in Edmonton. He was also the executive officer for the Diocese of Edmonton.

B次元官网网址淚 think IB次元官网网址檓 pretty good at administration but the sole focus of my ministry was not something I wanted to do,B次元官网网址� said Wimmer.

The seven years in that position led up to retirement and a move to Nanaimo.

B次元官网网址淧at had always liked the idea of moving to the Island,B次元官网网址� said Wimmer.

With daughter Alison in Nanaimo, theyB次元官网网址檇 planned ahead by buying a place and had tenants for a couple of years before moving in.

Then came that temporary relief position in Chemainus.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e now served longer as the priest in Chemainus than anyone in its history,B次元官网网址� noted Wimmer.

B次元官网网址淥bviously, the issue of final retirement or next retirement has to be a question. Clearly, at my age IB次元官网网址檓 not going to work forever. GodB次元官网网址檚 got a plan.B次元官网网址�