2006 Christmas Letter

Links are now fixed.

General:
Youth Ministry Facilitator for the Anglican Deanery of Thunder Bay since Sept. '04.
Youth Co-ordinator for St. Thomas' Anglican since Sept. '05.

Both of these are part-time and so I supplement my income with odd jobs, such as website maintenance for St. Michaels' and "grunt work" and other assignments for the Northern School Resource Alliance.

I am still a member at the Northwood Park Church of Christ and maintain the website and blog.

Family: My Mum cooks me a meal once a week at her place. Usually, I also have a Sunday meal with her and those members of my sister's family who are still in Thunder Bay.

Wednesday has become a Self-Care Day for me, starting with our "Little Men's Group" in the morning (used to include Eric, Tim and me, but now Eric has moved to Kenora), followed by visiting Erin, Kristian and Little John at Brian and Charisse's*, followed by chatting at Ishaawin Family Resources about the ups and downs, strikes and gutters of the past week. ("Sometimes you eat the b'ar; sometimes the b'ar eats you." The Stranger in "The Big Lebowski" "Hope is a good thing." Andy DuFresne in "The Shawshank Redemption")

* = I doubt anyone is reading this anymore, but I am very sad that these visits have been discontinued. I really miss them.

Music: Primarily singing hymns at four different locations per month in Senior homes, plus a few other small gigs.
I have also begun to maintain a page of some of my mp3s at www.stage.fm (formerly www.audiri.com).

Fun: About once a week timlap and macbeth (and sometimes Shroom_a_zoom) hang out at my place to talk and watch
one of macbeth's Post-Apocalyptic DVDs. I do take in the occasional movie with similar people or others in an actual theatre.

Any reference below to Cambrian Players production can be included in the "fun" category as well.

And then there's Friday Night Hockey, followed by Rednecks vs. Pinkos at Robin's Donuts (or occasionally Boston Pizza).

Below I will link only a few events or organizations. My intention here is that you simply skim this post to get an idea of how the year has been. For more info or pix click on that month's link.

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Jan.
Took a trip to Schreiber for Fr. John and Allyson Sovereign's Farewell.

Performed as the voice of Herod in "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by Sue Simonson at St. Michael's for Epiphany.

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Feb.
Attended the Camp Gitchigomee Valentines Dinner.

Danced with a priest at the Mardi Gras Party at St. Paul's. (The priest was Rev. Deborah.)

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Mar.
Rode a draught horse at the Deanery Youth Unit Sleigh-non-ride at Gammondale Farm. (The sleighride itself was cancelled due to rain and thunder!)

I helped organize a Inter-Varsity "Frontline" Street Hockey Tournament and got drafted that day onto a Dorion (ex)staff-type team. We didn't win, but I had a lot of fun.

Went curling for the first time in my life as part of a Church of Christ family event.

The big highlight of the month was my Trip to Andy James' 60th Birthday in Alberta. Andy was director for the majority of my 31 years at Dorion Bible Camp. He thought his present was a weekend with Charlotte at Kananaskis, but while they were in the hot tub, family and friends from all over started suddenly appearing, resulting in much half-naked hugging.

I had a birthday party with a few friends and another with my family.

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Apr.
Starting in April I began to visit the Anglican churches in the area to promote Camp Gitchigomee.

Attended the Dedication of St. Mary's new church building in Nipigon.

Operated the sound for Cambrian Players run of "Murder at the Howard Johnson/Criminal Genius"

I also help direct some teenagers in a musical/drama troupe called "The Wandering Minstrels" and we had some performances this month.

I attended the Dorion Bible Camp 60th Anniversary Dinner. This was a very strange event for me. Though, of course, the pictures shown brought back many happy memories for me, I'm sorry, any words from the stage such as "grace" and "unity" rang hollow to me. (The food was good.) Thank you to those who supported me by sitting at my table.

"Big Al" Drinkwalter who now lives in Germany with his wife, Annette (pronounce the final e) and three boys, Patrick, Andy and Joshua, took a break from his Nursing studies and came to visit. I had supper with his parents and him and took a walk around the old neighbourhood. (Al was a camper then staff at Dorion and also a member of the Church of Christ.)

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May
Camp Gitchigomee Fun Day and Work Weekend

The highlight of this month was the Church of Christ 40th Anniversary.
Several of the old folks showed up for a weekend of eating, singing, sharing and eating.

Open Mike Night at Grann Art Gallery

I improvised the part of King Richard IV at a Music Recital at the Finnish Free Church. I sat there eating grapes and snacks and drinking this pleasant beverage. Once it was done, I took a look at it and was surprised to see that it was alcoholic.

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June - Aug. '06
My friend, Rick Three, house-sat for me while I was away.

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June
Cambrian Players: "The Merchant of Venice"
I played Solanio, one of Antonio's friends. Every night I got to eat a banana on stage, hoping that I would not choke as I spoke at the same time.

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July
Leadership Camp at Old Fort William

My sister Geri, her husband, Sonny and Beverly, Mitchell and Clifford came from Georgia to visit.

Camp Gitchigomee
All three weeks as (at various times) Cabin Leader, Games Director, Co-Director, Drama Instructor, Archery Director and Musician.

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Aug.
Youth Synod at Camp Manitou near Espanola:
Helped drive, supervise and led a session on Worship

Manitoba Pioneer Camp Boys Classic Two:
Assistant Boys Camp Director

Church of Christ: Family Camp

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Sept.
St. Thomas Parish Campout at Camp G.
Led campfires and archery.

Trip to Marathon for an Ordination/New Ministry service

Birthday Parties: Greg (19), Kristian (1) & Delia (1)

Wedding: Annika Vastamaki & James Pretchuk

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Oct.
Bruce Cockburn Concert

Church of Christ: Bailey Farewell. Erica has taken a new job in Kenora.
My nephew Greg decided to move with them.

DYU "Trick or Canned Gooding" in support of St. Thomas' Food Bank.
I dragged out my Darth Vader costume again.

Kristian's First Time Trick or Treating (accompanied by Darth Vader)

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Nov.
Visited Kristian in hospital (bad stomach virus)

Gitchigomee Volunteer Appreciation Dinner

Deanery Youth Unit All-Nighter

Began a new blog for Thunder Bay ISCF.

IV/ISCF: Friends of IV Night
IV/ISCF: The Gathering

Rauni Griffiths' 75th Birthday

Songwriters Contest (They chose 6 of 9 to go the finals. I wasn't chosen.)

Cambrian Players Dinner Theatre: "Love Letters" (I ran sound for this.)

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Dec.
Commissioning of timlap as minister of the Northwood Park Church.

Mum was made an Honorary Member of the Fort William Rotary Club.

Church of Christ Christmas Party.