HE WAS usually here when the rest of the staff arrived in the morning. And he was usually still here when the rest of the staff went home for the night.

But no more.

Flyn Ritchie resigned from the Christian Info Society (CIS), effective the end of November, after almost a quarter century of service.

He literally followed the legendary path from newsboy to publisher.

In the beginning, he joined as a volunteer, helping to deliver the first issue of Christian Info (as BC Christian News  was then known) to churches.

Later, he became a reporter, then associate editor, then editorial director – and finally, president of CIS.

He was trained as a lawyer – but he found the gospel more compelling than the law. CIS has been Flyn’s calling ever since, and it is his vision that has guided BCCN. It is a vision based on several key principles:

• Flyn is convinced that the church should be one united body. He was determined to produce a paper that would serve Protestants and Catholics, charismatics and evangelicals. It was generally an even-handed approach – which sometimes displeased people on both extremes of theological, social and political arguments.

• Flyn is convinced that the church should be as interested in social justice as in evangelism. BCCN has continued to present testimonies of individual Christian faith, as well as articles on homelessness, poverty, peace and environmentalism.

• Flyn is determined to celebrate Christian faith wherever it was to be found – in the arts community and on sports teams, in the Downtown Eastside and in the boardrooms of corporations.

A meticulous editor, Flyn did the final page proofing for BC Christian News – not allowing a page to be printed until every typo was corrected, every headline enlivened and every picture properly presented.

Flyn worked tirelessly to develop various aspects of the CIS ministry.

He helped turn canadianchristianity.com, our website, into one of the most comprehensive Christian news and information services in Canada.

He was also instrumental in developing Options, transforming it from a twice yearly promotional vehicle for Christian post-secondary institutions to the best all-round youth magazine in Canada, published four times a year.

It is truly the end of an era. The work that Flyn picked up from the founders of CIS, and carried forward to greater heights, will now be passed on to other hands. He has set a high standard of service for those who follow.

Those who serve well in the church should be commended and thanked. The CIS staff thanks Flyn for his years of service – and we pray God’s richest blessings on him, wherever he serves in Christ’s kingdom in the future.

 – the staff of Christian Info Society

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Gentle giant

I have served as a member of the board of directors of Christian Info Society for almost 15 years, during which time Flyn has been the managing editor, publisher and president of the Society. And I am honoured to count him as a faithful friend.

My wife calls Flyn the ‘Gentle Giant’; at six feet three inches, he can be an imposing presence! But you never feel that way around him.

Flyn has a gentle way about him, and is always diplomatic with his comments, even when we discuss difficult situations.

At board meetings, he would always try to see the best in people, give them the benefit of the doubt and give the most positive perspective on any situation.

Flyn’s passion is to seek unity for the body of Christ. In John 12:23, Jesus prayed for all believers: “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me.”

Prior to the Billy Graham crusade in Vancouver in 1984, the Christian church in B.C. was fractionalized.

There wasn’t a lot of cooperation or communication between the various churches, each with its own programs and agendas.

The Graham crusade brought the church in B.C. together like never before, and Christian Info Society continued the connections that had been made. Flyn joined CIS shortly thereafter.

Over the years, Flyn has worked closely with interdenominational gatherings, such as Missions Fest; and now Missions Fest’s executive director, Dwayne Buhler, sits on the Christian Info Society board.

Countless other organizations and leaders have sought Flyn’s input, counsel and networking skills. Though Flyn avoided the limelight, he would always be working behind the scenes bringing groups together.

The 2010 Winter Olympics were another catalyzing event for the church.

More Than Gold (MTG) was organized to help the church in B.C. work together to serve and reach out to the tourists coming for the Olympics.

Flyn was on the MTG board, working alongside many churches and ministries to welcome the world, and he freely shared Christian Info’s staff, contact lists and resources to advance its work.

Flyn was a meticulous editor, conscious of the potential impact of every word: “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11).

Flyn left his mark on every edition of the paper. The results speak for themselves; BC Christian News has won numerous national awards, as well as awards in various categories, with the Canadian Church Press and the Evangelical Press Association.

Flyn, you have left such a legacy at Christian Info Society!

– Jeffrey S. Lowe, chair, board of directors,  Christian Info Society

December 2010