HIS lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" (Matt. 25:21).
Golden anniversaries are not uncommon; neither are fiftieth anniversaries of church organization or of church-building dedication; nor are fifty years of service for a minister. But when a pastor returns to his first church to speak at the fifty-first anniversary of its founding, he having been the first pastor of that church and having helped to build the church plant, the observance would seem unique.
Taylor Grant Bunch recently had such a privilege. He returned to hold a series of meetings in that same church, now enlarged, and to speak at Sabbath commemorative services.
Pastor Bunch's fifty-one years in the ministry have been about equally divided among four lines of endeavor—pastoral, evangelistic, teaching, and executive. His pastorates have included North Seattle, Portland Central, Portland Sunnyside (built under his direction), New-Orleans, College View, Battle Creek Tabernacle, South Lancaster, and Sligo at Takoma Park, Washington, D.C.
Besides evangelistic work in several local conferences, he was union evangelist of the North Pacific Union and later of the Southern Union. Elder Bunch's teaching experience included six years at Loma Linda College of Medical Evangelists; five years in the Bible department of Atlantic Union College, and a period at Andrews University when it was in Washington, D.C. He was president of the Southern Oregon Conference, the Southern Idaho Conference, and the Michigan Conference. Pastor Bunch has also written some twenty books. Although now retired in Lodi, California, with his wife, Elder Bunch is still in vigorous health and continues in service for his Master, holding evangelistic efforts, speaking at various church services, and writing for denominational periodicals.
With the winds of strife loosed in the world today and false doctrine plaguing God's people, it was encouraging to hear this veteran time and again stress the fact that he has never doubted that Adventism is God's true message for these last days and that it will go on to a glorious victory!
