Interview with Calgary's New Pastor
Winter 2024
The congregation of Calgary FPC met on October 15, 2024 for the happy event of the installation of a new minister, Rev. Nathan McVeigh. Here, in his own words, is a summary of how the Lord has dealt with him in grace.
For many who will not know me, I am Nathan McVeigh, newly-installed pastor of Calgary Free Presbyterian Church. I am married to Melissa, and we have five children: Julia, Joanna, Jesse, Eden and Gideon.
When recounting my testimony I always begin with the words of Titus 3:5-7, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
I am only redeemed because of Christ; I am only in the ministry because of Christ. All glory must go to God alone.
I had the privilege of being raised in a Christian home. I spent most of my upbringing attending Bangor Free Presbyterian Church, Northern Ireland and a short time at Mount Merrion FPC in Belfast. I am thankful for Christian parents who took me to the Lord’s Day services, Sunday School, children’s meetings, and in later years, to the Youth Fellowship and prayer meetings. From an early age I was taught that my sin grieved God and that I needed a Savior. I was in no doubt that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was that Savior.
On April 19, 1994, when I was five years old, I asked the Lord to save me. I praise God that night my Savior not only redeemed me but has also kept me by His wondrous power. I don’t remember many of the details, but I do remember wanting to phone my grandmother to tell her that I had been saved by Jesus Christ.
There have been times when I have failed the Lord, particularly a period in my life when I was not walking with Christ as I ought, but I am grateful that my Savior kept me by His power and His grace. I look back and see the Lord’s hand move in so many ways. For instance, in 2012, my wife Melissa was diagnosed with thyroid cancer while expecting our eldest daughter. This was a difficult time for us, but we knew the peace of God through it all. Melissa had surgery to remove her thyroid and some biopsies were taken. When the results came back, there was no trace of cancer. The medical profession could not explain it as they were so sure of the data and didn’t know what had happened. We believe that our God answered prayer and removed the cancer.
In 2014 the Lord began to challenge me regarding full time service. One of the many verses the Lord used in calling me was Matthew 4:19, “And He saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” God gave me a willingness to go into His service; however, there were challenges: a mortgage, young children, and a loss of salary since I would have to leave my job. From a financial point of view, it was not possible. But we prayed that God would open the door and we didn’t anticipate the way in which He would do it. My great uncle Tommy suddenly died in a car accident and shortly after, we learned that he had left us an inheritance which helped to cover some of our mortgage while we were in college. The Lord had opened the door. Uncle Tommy, who was a faithful prayer warrior, no doubt would be delighted that his financial gift enabled us to train for the ministry.
I commenced the four-year ministerial course at the Whitefield College of the Bible in September 2015. By God's grace I completed the training and was licenced by Presbytery in September 2019. In that same month I received a call to Dunmurry Free Presbyterian Church. I commenced my ministry there and was ordained on October 25, 2019. I count it a great privilege and joy to have served God alongside His people in Dunmurry for almost five years.
On August 18, 2024, I was humbled to receive a unanimous call from the congregation in Calgary FPC to become their minister. The Lord had been working upon my heart regarding this work since the early part of that year. It was a strange thing to have a burden and care for a place I had not yet visited and a people that I had not yet met. I had the opportunity to visit Calgary FPC twice in 2024. The Lord continued to burden me for that work and day by day made His will clear to me. Those visits were used by God to confirm how God had been directing me.
We moved to Calgary as a family on October 9 and I was installed in the congregation on October 15. We are grateful to the Lord’s people in helping us settle and providing for our immediate practical needs.
Above all, we thank God. We see His hand in all things, directing and orchestrating and bringing us to where we are now. I commence my ministry here with the confidence of God's personal call to me through His Word, Mark 10:49, “Be of good comfort, rise; He calleth thee.” I trust the Lord will bless the Calgary congregation, edify His saints, save souls and build His Kingdom, all for His praise and glory!
Rev. Nathan McVeigh | Minister, Calgary FPC, BC