Bernice Gerard
11/03/08 Reverend Bernice Gerard died peacefully Saturday morning at 84 due to complications of Parkinson's disease. She will be missed by many who worked with her in the broadcast field.
Bio Info: City of Vancouver Alderman 1977-1980; Christian talk-show host Encounter and Sunday Line CJOR Vancouver 1971-88; Sunday Line KVOS-TV Bellingham WA-1979-2000; daily show KARI Blaine WA 1985-until retirement
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In 1982 I became one of the
founders, and the Executive Director for
"Canadian Friends" now
has several thousand members and Chapters in twelve major cities, with a
national Board of Directors of which Reverend Bernice Gerard is Chairperson.
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BC Christian News • DECEMBER ISSUE
2000 • VOL. 20
Bernice Gerard, evangelist,
broadcaster, Pacific Academy co-founder and member of the Christian Info
Society board, is a
As part of our series honouring
elders in the faith, Gerard shares her story with BCCN's Meg Johnstone . A
complete life story can be found in her autobiography: Bernice Gerard: Today
and for Life.
Meg Johnstone: Tell us about your
early life.
Bernice Gerard: I was adopted as a
baby by a Mrs. Gerard ... a full-blooded Canadian Indian. She didn't live very
long. I vaguely remember looking down at the coffin ... One of our neighbours
said "Look at your mother, this is the last time you're going to see
her."
The Gerards were very
rough-and-ready and drank a lot. It's the story of an unfortunate childhood --
I could make a good story about being a neglected, abused child. I just know
that early, early on I was aware that there had to be more to life than what I
could see right there ...
When I was 12 years of age, some
people came preaching at the country schoolhouse. On the first hearing of the
gospel, I wanted to be one of them. I wasn't sure if there was a God, would he
have me anyway. But my heart said yes from the first intimation of the Gospel.
The simple Gospel made such an impact on me.
One reason I have such confidence
in the simple gospel as given on TV or radio is because of what it did for me
as a child. They told me there was one whose name was Jesus who took little
children up in his arms and blessed them. He was totally loving and kind. I
didn't really know any men that were like that ... I gave my life to the Lord
by standing up. I found myself in tears and didn't really know why.
Then the crisis came at home -- my
adoptive father and brothers thought it was quite a joke that I had stood up in
the meeting. The preacher reported to the authorities that I was in a neglected
home, and I became a charge of the Children's Aid in
MJ: Describe your early years of
traveling and speaking ministry.
BG: While teaching in Rossland, I
fell in with Velma and Jean McCall. We traveled to
We didn't really know what we were
doing, we didn't have a church-planting theory that we were following. We were
evangelists . . . We had quite a bit of church-planting experience in the
MJ: Did you have a tough go of it,
working as a woman in positions that were largely male roles?
BG: Not really, all the years that
we were travelling, we were a trio, and we were evangelists. As long as you
could somehow drum up a crowd and see a few decisions for the Lord, the pastors
were happy. They would have let a pink elephant stand in the pulpit, male or
female, if it would bring in some new people and help to grow the church. A few
times you'd run into some prejudice ...
MJ: How did the decision to become
an alderman on
BG: I had mixed interests. I was
involved in the chaplaincy at UBC with Pentecostal Assemblies. I was concerned
that they were always quoting unbelievers in the newspapers, people like Harry
Rankin, who was quite well known, and very colorful ...
I was stirred with the thought
scripturally that we should carry our Christian witness beyond the church's
four walls. Because we participate with the Incarnation ... we can serve God in
a very effective way if we move out and rub shoulders with people that we
normally wouldn't be talking with at all. I still feel strongly about that,
that church people spend too much time taking care of their individual selves
... I really appreciate the fact that right now we have more Christian input in
politics, more of a challenge from the Christian side.
MJ: Comment on the 1977
BG: I protested the takeover of
part of the beaches [Spanish Banks to Point Grey at the west boundary of
Shaughnessy Golf Course] by the nudists. Allan Garr, one of the broadcasters on
CJOR, stood up in the Alderman's Lounge ... and challenged me that he would
meet me on the beach in the nude. If I would, he would. And I was so
embarrassed, I just fled the scene. I got out the door as fast as I could,
because they were out to have all the fun they could possibly manage.
This thing still simmers. For
years, in August they would call me and say, "Well, what do you think now?
You didn't stop it did you?" ... It was a joke, in a way, and then in a
way it wasn't funny, because it was part of a cultural revolution.
MJ: Where do you see hope in the
cultural battle?
BG: We may see a great turn-around
... I've never felt that we have to win, but we have to stand up ...
Biblically, we're given an opportunity to act and give our witness, but we don't
guarantee that we have to be successful. I feel strongly that we need to take
our place in the community and do whatever we have to to witness, let our light
shine.
MJ: Many people remember Bernice Gerard
for your distinctively lower voice. Has that had any bearing on your ministry?
BG: Well, actually, I've lately
had a problem. I don't know whether it's an allergy or whether it's part of a
Parkinson's that I have. It may be that it will pass away. I've always had a
low voice, but it hasn't been as low as it is now ... I haven't been sick most
of my life, and to be suddenly told by the doctors four years ago that I have
Parkinson's is a recent disappointment. So, Pope John Paul manages, and Janet Reno
has Parkinson's and manages to be the Attorney General in the
MJ: Your Sunday Line program had
the highest overall average audience on Vision TV, but there has been talk of
the program ending. What is happening, and is it related to your health?
BG: We did not renew our contract
with Vision TV. This was a difficult decision, because it was a beautiful
moment for us each Sunday night to be all across
Velma [Chapman] and I both decided
it was wise to downsize, both because of our health and our age. Wisdom would
say to slow down a bit. We are looking forward to participation with a new
Christian station in the future.