News & Stories

A.B. Simpson Memorial Dedicated on Prince Edward Island

October 5, 2006

When Sharon and Bob Parkes, friends of the Canadian Christian and Missionary Alliance, decided to buy land on Prince Edward Island, Canada, they never dreamed that their purchase would result in a memorial to Albert Benjamin Simpson. As they signed the final documents, the couple noted that the property bordering their land was owned by the descendants of James Simpson. Bob was sure this was Dr. A. B. Simpson’s father. After investigating, the Parkeses confirmed that they had purchased property bordering the birthplace and homestead of Dr. Simpson, founder of The Christian and Missionary Alliance. They phoned the Alliance’s Canadian Ministry Centre and the U.S. National Office with this information, and the possibility of building a memorial to the life and ministry of Dr. Simpson was discussed.  
     The A. B. Simpson memorial will be dedicated in the City Park of Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, on Thursday, September 14 at 11 a.m. Participants will include Rev. David Freeman, vice president of the C&MA in Canada; Rev. Joseph Burchill, U.S. C&MA representative and project coordinator; Rev. Scott Penner, C&MA maritime regional director; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Parkes, project assistants; Simpson family members; and local government officials.  
     A gazebo has been constructed to house a bronze bust of Dr. Simpson, which was sculpted by the late Mrs. Janis E. Timyan and donated by her husband, Rev. Gordon Timyan, retired missionary to Côte d’Ivoire. The memorial will be dedicated to the Lord as a testimony of God’s work through one man whose passion to proclaim Jesus and the deeper life took the gospel to the neglected masses and to unreached peoples worldwide.  
     An author, preacher, teacher, poet, hymn writer, and powerful man of God, Dr. Simpson is not only the founder of The Christian and Missionary Alliance but also is known as the father of the modern Bible college movement in America. He was a true missionary statesman and an anointed evangelist.  
     For more information, contact Joe Burchill at burchill@lifeimpactcma.org or (717) 682-1661.