The Midland Free Press (Douglas Glynn)

The Rev. Cliff Pendlebury, pastor of St. Paul's United Church - a minister with a "common touch" - died Saturday of a heart attack at 59.
His sudden death shocked not only his congregation, but much of the community he, his wife, Zena, and their three children, Rachel, Sarah and Paul, have called home for the past 16 years.
"You won't find words to describe this guy," said a parishioner, who spoke of the mild-mannered minister as someone who "opened his arms to welcome you and made you feel at home." Another parishioner spoke of the humanitarian, whose feeling "for the street" was recently acknowledged when he was given Midland's Award of Merit for his support of the community's less fortunate.
News of his death was delivered to the congregation Sunday morning by Colin Whiteside, chair of the official board, who said it was, "the hardest job I have ever had to do."
Pendlebury's own words -posted on the church's website -reflect the philosophy that guided his ministry. They say, in part: ". .. we are a church with a keen social conscience, actively engaged in the social concerns of our town. If this appeals to you, come and join us for our Sunday worship."
And hundreds did join him every Sunday to hear his sermons; sermons delivered from memory without referring to a single note -sermons whose messages hit home.
Born in Scarborough, he was the youngest of five children. His mother, Ruby, an active member of Scarborough Junction United Church, provided the family's spiritual guidance. His father, Edward, who it is said loved kids, was always there supporting them in their endeavours.
Growing up, Cliff tagged after his older brother, Douglas (Sandy). The two shared a love animals and their parents had bought them rabbits that were kept in a backyard pen. Kept in the pen that is, until it got cold at night.
"Cliff would sneak them up to our bedroom to keep them warm," recalls Sandy. "I even recall having seen a rabbit at his home in Midland!"
When at age 10, Cliff announced out the blue that he was going to become a minister when he grew up, "I gave him a little cuff on the back of the head and said, don't be silly. What are you talking about?"
Cliff never mentioned it again until both were much older and then, recalls Sandy, "I realized just how strong his desire was. He made the whole family proud."
In high school, Cliff quarterbacked the football team at W. A. Porter Collegiate, found time to play hockey and developed a pitching arm that Sandy says could have earned him a baseball career.
But there was no wavering from his chosen path.
His father worked at Colgate Palmolive where Cliff found summer employment to earn the money for his university tuition.
It was while studying at the University of Toronto for his divinity degree that he met Zena, who, after graduating from high school in Athens, had come to Canada to take a university degree. When Cliff was posted to a parish in Manitoba they kept up a steady correspondence. On his return to Ontario, they were married at the Annunciation of The Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto.
"It was a great wedding," recalls her sister-in-law, Chryss. "One of Cliff's friends conducted the ceremony in English and our priest performed it in Greek. "I don't think Zena intended to stay in Canada forever, but Cliff changed all that. He was, as she so often told me, the love of her life."
When Cliff was called to St. Paul's in 1993, Bruce Wilcox -a lifelong member of the parish-drove the rental truck used to help move the family.
"When we arrived at his place, I said, I hope you've arranged for some beer for us afterwards. He looked at me and said: Well, I wasn't quite sure about the congregation, whether that would be acceptable?' "Acceptable. That's the rule," I said. "I got my beer!"
Bruce's sister, Gail, who distributed Easter eggs to the choir, said she always put a few at the pulpit; something that Cliff always appreciated. Gail was one of the first parishioners to learn of his death.
The family had been to Toronto, where Cliff performed the marriage ceremony for Sandy's daughter, Lori. "They were on the way home. Zena was driving, when Cliff took ill. He was rushed by ambulance to Scarborough General Hospital where he died," Gail said.
Last December, when Mayor Jim Downer named him as a recipient of the Award of Merit, Downer said the town was honouring Cliff for, among other things, "encouraging the church to support a program for those in need of community support; the mentally ill, the homeless, those struggling with addictions or the lonely."
"Under Cliff's leadership," the mayor said, "the church doors have literally been opened up to a host of community- based groups, such as, adult and children's choirs, support groups and non-profit associations on a daily basis."
In addition, he noted, Cliff had developed a collaborative arrangement with the Salvation Army to distribute Benevolent Fund proceeds from the church to those in need in the community. Salvation Army Major Neil Evenden said that given his social conscience, "Cliff could easily have been a Salvation Army officer."
As Chaplain of the Midland Legion Branch 80, Downer added, "Cliff helped plan the candlelight tribute, decoration services at the cemeteries and Remembrance Day services."
His commitment to outreach programs went beyond the boundaries of Midland to the global community; to people in refugee camps, to those thirsting for education in Africa and to the millions world-wide hungering for food.
St. Paul's helped bring a Burmese family of four to the community and is sponsoring efforts to bring nine other members of the same family to Canada from a refugee camp in Thailand.

The church outreach committee has supported the dream Rev. Dr. Peter Kugba-Nyande of Wyevale-Waverly United Church to reconstruct the elementary school in his home community in Sierra Leone.
Last year, the congregation raised $4,070 for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Under the program, farmers grow food for the world's hungry and every dollar given to the bank is matched four to one by the Canadian government.
The church's global outreach efforts are only a part of Cliff Pendlebury's legacy.  Even in death, he didn't quit reaching out to help others. His family say his wish to have his organs donated has been carried out.

The Mirror (Nicole Million)