Rev. Cooley Marks 50th Ordination Anniversary

OSOYOOS, B.C. – A 50th ordination anniversary: “What does this mean? (as any Lutheran should ask). For Rev. Maj. C.S. Cooley, it has been a lifetime of “Standing on Guard for Thee” for Canada and Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC). He is now in Emeritus mode, so as a pastor and chaplain you know he is still standing.

On June 13, 1976, Rev. Cooley was ordained as a LCMS pastor at his home congregation in Visalia, California, before being sent to the Ontario District to serve the Tri-Parish of Our Redeemer, St. Matthew, and St. Paul’s in Gatineau, Quebec. Leaving the United States was somewhat complicated, since he had served the USMC in top security postings and wasn’t allowed out of the country until five years after his honourable discharge in 1970.

Rev. Cooley knew nothing of winter and had very little conversational French, but Ontario District President Albin Stanfel made all the arrangements and challenged him to accept the new “posting.” Marines, even those with a four-year M.Div. from Concordia Seminary (St. Louis, Missouri), still answered the posting as a command—this time from the Top Commandant, the Lord and Heavenly Father, where the only answer is “Yes, Sir.”

During his years of service, Rev. Cooley never thought of settling in and getting comfortable. A soldier, especially a Soldier of the Cross, he says, only thinks of completing the tasks assigned, and when those are accomplished, to accept the next call for help in bringing the Gospel to the Lord’s flock. Often the task involves rounding up the flock that has scattered and needs a Shepherd.

Rev. Cooley served many parishes in LCC and led Canadian Forces Units as chaplain. His last posting was as Deputy Chaplain Land Forces Western Area. His classmates of 1976 gathered for their 50th reunion in St. Louis, and he was at the LCC Convention, representing the Western Region, because he is still “Standing on Guard for Thee.”

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