Andrew Chow Khoon Chin

Andrew Chin (Pastor, retired) passed away on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at the age of 88 years. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Amy Tan Chin; his daughter, Lorraine van Rensburg; his son-in-law, Stevlin van Rensburg; siblings, Chin Fe Ming (spouse deceased), Chin Wooi Chan (spouse deceased), Chin Fooi Joon (spouse Lee Chin Hin), Chin Chow Chong (spouse Goh Geok Sim), Chin Chow Joong (spouse Helen Chin), Chin Chiow Leon (spouse deceased) and Chin Fooi Ling (Spouse Roland Koo); nephews, Annuar Khairi, Ian Lee, Chin Wee Khean, Shaun Koo, Leroy Koo , Adam Chin, James Chin and Darren Chin; nieces, Jane Siow, Helen Siow, Grace Siow, Audrey Siow, Alicia Chin, Melissa Lee, Chin Siew Peng, Zoe Chin, Melissa Chin, Lianne Chin and Ashling Chin.

Andrew was predeceased by his father, Chin Chean Yoong, and mothers, Leow Gaik Eng and Chik Lai Wah; siblings, Chin Chua Huan and Chin Chow Soon.

Andrew loved Jesus with all his heart. He was born in Alor Star, Malaysia as the eldest of ten siblings. He attended the renowned Methodist Boys’ School in Penang, Malaysia and was accepted into the education department of the Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. However, he met a missionary medical doctor who led him to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As Peter Marshall, the famous Presbyterian minister, once referred to his call to the ministry as God's tap on his shoulder, Andrew felt God's tap on his shoulder. He continued to study the Bible and became intimately acquainted with the living God. His heart was hungry to serve God with his whole being, and Andrew graduated from seminary at Southeast Asia Union College (SAUC), Singapore. He studied the sermons of Peter Marshall, Campbell Morgan, Charles Spurgeon and Joseph Parker, stating that ‘they have taught me more about homiletics than I ever learned in college.’ His guiding principle in ministry was Paul's exhortation to Timothy: ‘Preach the Word.’

While doing his pastoral internship in Malaysia, he met Amy Tan, a member of his congregation. Amy Tan happened to also be a new Christian and had been introduced to the Seventh-day Adventist Church by a co-worker who did not work on Saturdays. God led Andrew and Amy to each other and they were married on November 7, 1965.

They moved to Singapore, and their only child, daughter Lorraine, was born. Andrew began a career as an English teacher and invigilator for Senior Cambridge exams. Soon after, he applied for further studies overseas. Medical missionaries sponsored the young family to Canada in 1972 after Andrew received his acceptance into the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In 1976 Andrew graduated with his BA in Education and moved his family to Calgary, Alberta to answer a call to teach at the Calgary Seventh-day Adventist School (CSAS) which is now known as Chinook Winds Adventist Academy (CWAA).

Andrew left teaching to pursue an MA in English at the University of Calgary. His philosophy was that a formal education was the key to a better life, improved career satisfaction and more work opportunities. He wanted to teach that to Lorraine and decided that the best way to teach that lesson to her was to lead by example. It was through his influence that Lorraine also attended the University of Calgary and graduated with a BSc in botany, and some years later received her MBA (HRMgt) from the Australian Institute of Business in Adelaide, Australia.

Through all of this, Andrew remembered his commitment to God to serve as a church pastor and was convinced that his true calling was to ministry. He was often asked to preach as a lay person, but in 1988 began a church plant that grew to become the Calgary Parkdale SDA Church. He was ordained at Foothills Camp on Sabbath, July 9, 1994 by the Alberta Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He was distinguished by his sermons: always organized, to the point, timed exactly, and preached without any notes or prompts whatsoever. He would pray for sermon inspiration directly from God early in the week, and by Wednesday he would practice delivering the sermon and committing it to memory. Added to this, Andrew made many pastoral visits, gave many Bible studies, taught many Sabbath School classes, did many baptisms, officiated many weddings and prayed many intercessory prayers. Andrew also had the privilege of running an evangelistic crusade in Batangas, Philippines. Some of the Adventist churches he pastored were: Calgary Parkdale, Drumheller, Calgary Garden Road, Calgary Pilgrims for Jesus and Airdrie. His only wish was that everyone remain faithful to God.

Andrew was known for his singing ability. Before joining the Adventist Church, he was the lead singer of a quartet that performed at dances, weddings and funerals. He also played the clarinet by ear, performing a lot of big band music scores in the privacy of his home. Back in the days of LP records, he would listen to his favourite tunes, sing along and tap his toes. On road trips, no radio was needed because Andrew would sing acapella by memory to keep awake no matter the length of the journey, whether it lasted one hour or ten hours. He loved to whistle tunes with gusto. After Lorraine learned how to play the piano, Andrew would sing solos at church with Lorraine accompanying. It stopped after she got married and moved away, but he always had a song in his heart, which was usually a traditional hymn. In his last year he would walk around the house singing ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus.’

At home, Andrew enjoyed cuddling with his pet dogs, going for walks around the neighbourhood and ironing. During Lorraine's growing up years he spent the larger part of every Sunday doing bulk ironing for the whole family. He was a voracious reader and loved browsing in bookstores like someone searching for gems. One of his favourite activities was to browse at the Calgary Benny the Bookworm Book Sale back in the day. He kept exercising those brain cells and his mental acuity remained constant up to his last moment.

Andrew's family would like to give special thanks to the Winston & Chanta Gordon family, Errol and Veda Lewis and Sam and Liz Clarke for their constant and devoted support to ‘Pastor’ through the decades whenever he needed assistance with transportation, special prayer for healing, or help around the house. They have repeatedly demonstrated an unmatched love. Those who made the effort to visit him in his last days are deeply appreciated and remembered, including Pastors Wayne Williams and Jacques Alexandre. His family is also grateful to the first responders and the medical staff at Foothills Medical Centre, particularly the Emergency Department and Special Services Unit 36 along with the ICU and Neurology teams who cared for Andrew during his last few weeks. They treated him with compassion, care, professionalism and dignity.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Garden Road Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 155 100 St NE, Calgary, AB on Friday, May 2, 2025 at 12:00 noon with interment to follow at Rockyview Garden of Peace at 2:00 PM.

Revelation 21:3-4, 9 KJV

[3] And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. [4] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.