Boomers bike for Bibles
This summer Jill and Bob Lloyd will take 10 weeks off work and raise $5,000 each to go on a 62-day,7800 km bike ride in support and celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Bible Society (CBS). For the 50-something baby-boomers from Quispamsis - who wholeheartedly devote the same kind of time, talent, enthusiasm and joy to their church (St. Luke's Gondola Point) as they do their kids and marriage - the tour is also the fulfilment of a dream.
"We decided several years ago that we would bike across Canada this summer," says Jill. "We were looking at maps so we would know how far we could go each day, trying to find strategically placed accommodations, and trying to talk some of our friends into joining us. It was a lot of work, and we werenít having much success recruiting friends. Then one morning, along with the daily Bible reading I get on my computer, there was a picture of cyclists. Bob and I are avid cyclers, so I clicked on it and discovered the Canadian Bible Society Bike for Bibles Centennial Ride."
"We intended to use our cross-country trip to raise money for a worthy cause but had yet to decide on one,î says Bob. ìThis was just perfect."
"It was meant to be," says Jill.
They signed up.
With a lifetime of cycling, six years on the NB Velo Mountain bike series, a 300 kms in three days tour of Cape Breton, and lots of road racing and exploring under their belts, theyíre not worried at all about the cycling aspect of the trip.
"This winter I skied and walked a lot and Bob refereed basketball to keep in shape,î says Jill. ìAnd it was an early spring, so we have been on our bikes since the beginning of March."
"Weíre comfortable with 80 to 100 km now, and weíll be comfortable at the 120 level before we go. It will be the ultimate test of our biking skills, thatís for sure, but weíre really looking forward to it, and to meeting so many other cyclists."
Their journey begins in Victoria, B.C. on July 2 and ends on Sept. 3 in St. John's, Newfoundland. Along the way they will stop at Banff Hot Springs, Niagara Falls, the CN Tower, old Montreal, old Quebec City, and on P.E.I. They even hope to stop for a quick lunch at their church in Gondola Point (Quispamsis).
"Our ride follows the Trans-Canada Highway so Saint John isnít on the itinerary, but we will be in Shediac on Wednesday, August 23, one of our rest days. The plan is to bus us down to Saint John and our church wants to do lunch for the group,î says Jill. ìThere will be about 85 of us that day, the 60 doing the full trip plus local people who join us for a day or two at a time."
The parish has been supportive in other ways as well, especially in fund-raising.
"Raising $5,000 each is quite a daunting task,î says Jill. ìWe both know the same people, so we have really had to reach out. We have sent letters to old friends in Wolfville, Antigonish, Fredericton, Ottawa, Saskatoon ññ anywhere we have ever lived."
"Our parish is behind them 100 per cent," says the Rev. George Eves, rector of St. Lukeís. "It is also something that I think we New Brunswick Anglicans should be celebrating and supporting. It would be amazing to see some support coming from the wider diocesan community for this excellent cause."
The Canadian Bible Society translates, publishes and distributes the Bible throughout Canada, and encourages its use. The CBS has Bibles, New Testaments and other scriptures available in 111 foreign languages as well as 23 Canadian aboriginal languages.
Formally founded in 1904 and chartered in 1906, the Canadian Bible Society is a member of the United Bible Societies, a fellowship of 141 national Bible societies around the world. These societies work in partnership with churches and other Bible agencies to facilitate and support translation work around the globe.
If you would like to support Jill and Bob Lloyd on the Canadian Bible Society Bike for Bibles Centennial Ride go to the Canadian Bible Society website or district office on Germain Street in Saint John. Jill and Bob can be reached at 506-847-0423 or rjlloyd at nbnet.nb.ca.
