Fifty Years of Ministry for Rev. Dombrosky

EDMONTON – At his confirmation in 1963, Rev. Ray Conant took young Garry Dombrosky aside to talk about his future. Rev. Conant’s words changed his life: “First, become a pastor, and then you will be ready to do anything.” Rev. Dombrosky did and Rev. Conant was right. More than 60 years later, his words ring true and his impact on Rev. Dombrosky’s life has been shared by other pastors, laypeople, family, and teachers in forming and supporting this farm boy in ministry.

It has been a privilege for Rev. Dombrosky to serve his Lord as a pastor in different ways and settings: as a parish pastor, campus chaplain, university and Bible school professor, advisor to the Canadian Federal Prison Chaplaincy, and visiting teacher in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Australia. A mentor, Rev. Dr. Ed Lehman, invited him to serve in prison ministry. He went on to serve in prison ministry for 30 years, which gave him a wide view of Canada and eventually moved him to the Scriptures to study the restorative justice of God outlined there.

Encouragement from pastors is empowered by the Spirit and bears fruit, and several pastors have been a strength to him. Rev. Dr. Walt Koehler, his home pastor and seminary professor, encouraged him as a Canadian to do graduate work because he felt the church would need such training someday. Rev. Phil Jorgenson took him under his wing as a paid youth worker and showed him the joy of ministry and the excitement of trying new ways of reaching out with the Gospel. Rev. Dr. George Rode was a strength to many young pastors and supervised from afar as Vicar Dombrosky worked in a congregation with an ill pastor. A dear brother, Rev. Bob Koebernick, showed by example what doing mission work means, and has been a guide to him in many situations in Canada and beyond. Rev. Roy Holm’s words of advice ring still in Rev. Dombrosky’s ears: “Tell them about Jesus.”

The anniversary of Rev. Dombrosky’s ordination falls on his wedding anniversary, and God provided him with the one he needed to walk though this life in love and faith. Janet is his love and support, as are their children and grandchildren, who have followed the same path that he has, and have had him follow them in ministry in places like Burundi, Kenya, and France.

The Lord has been kind to Rev. Dombrosky and surrounded him with a cloud of witnesses pointing to Jesus (Hebrews 12). This is an anniversary of a simple event in his life that points to an even more important one: May 14, 1950, the day his heavenly Father claimed him as His child, invited him into His family through Holy Baptism, and invited him to follow Him. To Him be all praise, honour, glory, and blessing.

Rev. Dr. Garry L. Dombrosky

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