Tribute: Marney Patterson (1927-2022)
By Sue Careless
ALL CHRISTIANS are called to evangelize but as former Anglican Primate Michael Peers wrote, “Few Canadians have been able to reach as widely around the world as Marney Patterson.” The Anglican evangelist ministered in over 500 Anglican Churches in 92 dioceses and 33 countries.
On Feb. 24, the Rev. Dr. Patterson died of natural causes at his home in Cambridge, Ontario. He was 94.
Marwood “Marney” Francis Patterson was born July 7, 1927 in Peterborough, Ontario. It was there that he met Joan Phillips, a draughtsperson at the General Electric plant. They wed in 1949 and their marriage lasted 72 years, until her death last October.
The Rev. Dr. Marney Patterson, a Wycliffe College graduate, was ordained in the diocese of Toronto in 1955 where he served as a parish priest for twelve years.
Then in 1966 Patterson discerned he was to leave parish ministry and become a full-time evangelist. His bishop was dubious but gave him his blessing and that year Patterson established Invitation to Live Ministries.
The itinerant evangelist had the endorsement of both the General Synod and the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada to conduct inter-denominational missions and conferences all across Canada.
It was while interpreting for Patterson in 1972 in Resolute that Andrew Atagotaaluk, then only 20, along with his wife and father, felt called by God. He had been at Patterson’s side interpreting, but gradually became convicted by the very words he was uttering. During the last service, he went up to the altar rail but continued to interpret. The evangelist missed his presence, but still heard his voice! Young Atagotaaluk eventually became the first Inuit Diocesan bishop of the Arctic and a member of the team that translated the Bible into Inuktitut.
Outside of Canada Patterson ministered in the United States, Japan, Liberia, Brazil, Philippine Islands, Uganda, Argentina, Singapore, Kenya, Uruguay, India, South Africa, Peru, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Ecuador, Pakistan, England, Fiji Islands, Malawi, Egypt, Australia, The Gambia, Malaysia, Jamaica, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe and Trinidad and Tobago. Not only his wife but eventually all four of his children accompanied him on various missions.
Dr Joseph Kishore, who with his wife Dr. Marie Kinshore, established a hospital and centre for evangelism in Hyderabad, India, said that Patterson was “the best evangelist I have seen in my life. He genuinely led hundreds of people to Christ. He sponsored many Diakonia Institutes in India and trained hundreds of pastors in Evangelism. A powerful evangelist and mighty man of God.”
When General Synod 2004 passed the motion to “affirm the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same sex relationships” Patterson felt he had to resign. In a letter to then Primate Andrew Hutchison he wrote that he believed the ACC “has not only ignored the teaching of God’s Holy Word, but has at one and the same time discarded the traditional teaching of our world-wide Anglican Communion.”
In March 2005 Patterson was welcomed by Archbishop Greg Venables as a licensed member of the clergy of the Diocese of Argentina and the Province of the Southern Cone. In his welcome letter Venables wrote:
“For decades you have had a most distinguished ministry leading people to faith in Jesus Christ and helping church congregations come alive. Your experience has given you a remarkable point of view to understand the complexities of the crisis that has not only been afflicting the Anglican Church of Canada but is spilled over into the communion at large. In this painful time, your faithfulness and focus on the gospel of Jesus Christ has been not only an encouragement; they are exactly what is needed in this painful hour.”
Patterson was the author of seven books, three of the most popular being Dare to Share, Alive and Free, and Who’s That Knocking on my Door? His final book Suicide: The Decline and Fall of the Anglican Church of Canada was more controversial and caused quite a stir.
In 2010, when he was 83, Patterson closed Invitation to Live Ministries. During the organization’s 44 years, all but two of the 53 team members had been volunteers who paid their own way. The ministry only covered the air fare of soloist Jean Marshall and music director Bernie Smith.
During his final 14 years, Patterson was a member of the Anglican Network in Canada.
“He had a great love for souls and preached to more people world-wide than any other Canadian Anglican,” said ANiC bishop, Don Harvey, who had accompanied Patterson to India and Kenya.
In his tribute to the evangelist, Charlie Masters, ANiC’s diocesan bishop, wrote:
“Paul was not ashamed and Marney was not ashamed of the gospel,” said Masters. “We need to pray that in these needy days God will raise up more evangelists, more Marney Pattersons.”
Besides his children Sue, Steve, Leslie and Chris, Patterson is survived by 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. TAP
