Life changes...

My four most favorite trees on campus had their leaves turn red, the most beautiful shade of red I've ever seen. And unfortunately the leaves dropped to the ground for the second year in a row before I had a chance to capture the beauty in a pictures. And yet it is perfect, it is how God made it to be, and therefore perfect! It's part of the life cycle of living. 

I spent last weekend at Cursillo in Sorrento Centre. Cursillo is a short course on Christian Living, and it was truly amazing. We talked, shared, cried, laughed, listened, worshiped together, sang, prayed, and learned... and it was amazing! It passed all my expectations of what I thought the weekend would be. I learned so many amazing things, it has made me think, and allowed me to reflect, and my relationship with God got even closer. It was amazing, I can't even think of another word to use to describe it. I miss the group of people, I miss the opportunities to learn, and I miss being there - but I know "life in the real world" I must also continue on. What we call, the forth day!

On Sunday morning during one of our "sessions" I was given a message to phone home as soon as possible. (While at Cursillo I had no contact with people outside of our group, unless there was an emergency) So, as soon as I got the message I began to worry. I went and found someone in the chapel who helped me find a phone, and moments after my call home began I felt hands of comfort and support on my shoulders. I was told that my Grandma in Calgary passed away that morning. She had fought cancer for the last few years and had lived a great life. When my call ended, and with tears streaming down my face I went to see who was behind me, and all I heard was, "It's just me." I put my head in my hands and allowed the tears to come. Before I knew it others from the spiritual team, the Rectora, and those on team from Savona had entered in the room. I was led into the chapel where we prayed. Never was I left alone, or felt alone. My table group met me in the chapel where we prayed some more and talked. It was never-ending love and support. And I received more hugs in two hours than I ever have before! God's timing is always right, I could not have been in a more supportive and loving place. There is no other place where I would want to be to have had to hear that news. Even with the news I was able to finish my Cursillo weekend, and was a peace. After the weekend I went  home to be with my family. 

And at about the time Grandma passed away, early Sunday morning, I was being awaken my the most joyous sounds, by the beauty of God's grace. God's timing is perfect. 

So after an amazing weekend at Cursillo, and having met people I will continue to keep in contact with, I am on my forth day. Where my choices and decisions I think about lots before making them. I will continue to watch the beauty of God's perfect timing on campus, as the last of the leaves continue to fall, and eventually the peaceful snow flakes fall down. 

I am going home Thursday afternoon to Savona, where I will spend the weekend. Halloween is on Friday, so I will hand out candy to those who come to my door, I have youth group on Saturday, and church on Sunday, and then the week will begin again. We are having a youth service on Sunday which I am excited and nervous about, I'm sure it will go well though! Go out into nature and look at the beauty of the earth in the fall!

Doing Laundry...

Well yes, I am in the basement of residence and I am doing laundry. I normally do my laundry at home but under the circumstance of not being home last weekend, and now not going to be home again this weekend I needed clean clothes. So here I am, doing laundry! At least there is a good wireless connection in the basement so I'm not incredibly bored! 

This weekend I am going to Sorrento Centre for Cursillo. Cursillo is a short course in Christian living, I think. I really don't know much about it at all, and if you know me well you will know that I do better when I know what it is I will be doing! But life is full of taking chances, and I guess this is one chance I just need to take! I'm sure it will be an experience of learning and fun. 

It took four days but there is actually an article about the motion and vote APCI did last weekend on the blessing of same-sex unions. For anyone interested it goes into a bit more detail about the situation in the Anglican church right now. http://www.anglicanjournal.com/nc/100/article/central-interior-assembly-says-yes-to-blessings/

I thought it was a good article!

This is going to be my third weekend in a row not going home, and not doing youth group. I miss both dearly and can't wait to have youth group again. I guess life calls us sometimes to other events and activities. 

I hope you are all doing well. Talk to you soon!

Assembly

Yes, I know that this blog entry is coming up on the same day as the last one, I just never found a spare moment to write about the last conference last week. But at least I am getting to this past weekend today! (I won't go into a huge explanation of everything, but if something catches your interest let me know and I can share more with you!)

I just got back from Assembly a few hours ago. Assembly is a meeting with representation from each parish in the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior (APCI - the "region" I am a part of) which meets every two years. It's a time to gather and be together, to hear from the different councils and ministry groups, go through resolutions, nominate people to the councils, and share in celebration. This years Assembly was no exception, it was wonderful! I came home physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted - but it was good! I have no idea how you become physically exhausted when you are sitting in a chair for hours at a time, but it happened!

We had Rt. Rev. Barry Clarke from the Diocese of Montreal join us. We are beginning a companion relationship with them. Our relationship together will include a lot of prayer for one another, twinning of parishes, creating opportunities for exchange (clergy exchanges, youth, lay, ect..), programs between one another, and lots more!

I belong to the Task Force on the Future of APCI, over the last few years we have met a number of times to look at what the future of APCI might be. Part of our mandate was to bring some suggestions and direction to this Assembly.  And so we did, we are sending delegates and their parishes into a journey for a year, a journey of collecting stories as we all discern what it is we are called to be and do in this place at this time. So up came "Discerning the Way Forward." I gave a five minute presentation on the "Youth Perspective" and this was just the beginning of me talking at this meeting... In a years time we will gather together and and share our stories, and look at the future tasks and possibilities again. I am excited for us to gather and share together!

We went over the information for our Nominating Assembly which will take place on March 7, 2008. We are going to be nominating a new Bishop as Bishop Gordon is retiring at the end of December. I am also a part of the Nominating Search Committee. 

We also heard from some of our First Nations brothers and sisters, along with from the elders. They shared with us the Healing Journey. It was a great and moving presentation. Long in length but powerful in content. 

For nominations I allowed my name to stand for Coordinating Council once again, and also for General Synod - both youth positions. I was elected for both positions, Coordinating Council meets twice a year and General Synod is taking place June 3-11th, 2010 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I am excited to be a part of both groups. 

I, along with another youth delegate, gave a report on Generation 2008 - the conference which my first blog entries were about. That went well. And then there were the resolutions... yes resolutions. With someone who motions it, someone who seconds it, they speak to the motion, we "debate" it, call for the question, and vote. Some are quick, and others not so quick. 

I seconded the motion asking for permission from our "Suffragan Bishop to allow clergy whose conscience permits, to bless same-sex couples following their duly solemnized and registered civil marriage, where at least one party is baptized, and to authorize an appropriate rite of blessing and guidelines for its use." I don't know if any of you have heard about this issue in the Anglican Church of Canada, but it is a major one, with two distinct sides, and even to the point of parishes leaving the Anglican Church of Canada. Even though I knew that I supported the motion fully, it took me a few days to say I would second it, just because I knew of the distinct sides and different feelings of the people. I didn't expect to change anyones opinion but to allow mine to be heard. I believe that it is time for the church to accept everyone, to really live out the commandment to love one another. I believe by not offering the blessing to those in same-sex unions we are not inviting everyone to be a part of our church. Everyone deserves to be blessed, and no one likes to feel not included. I was anxious to see where the conversation would go and what would happen. After one person spoke to the motion another person tried to table it, at vote it was only supported by five people or so. So discussion continued into Sunday. After everyone who wanted to speak spoke, which might I add it was emotional listening to the feelings and opinions of both sides, we took it to a vote! And 72% voted in favor of the motion, 20% against, and 8% abstained from vote. So by quite a percentage the resolution was carried, the Bishop concurs with the decision from the people but clergy can't go out and act upon the motion. The Bishop has some discussions to have with other Bishops, and also has some guidelines to authorize and make. And yet, it's great; it's great that the people of APCI have talked about it, and came to a conclusion, were respectful to one another, and our voices have been heard!!

Yeah, I'll leave it at that, I could ramble on a bit more - but I leave you with that extensive amount! It was a great Assembly, great to see so many people, great to be a part of the work of the church, and fabulous to work together with so many inspirational and knowledgeable people. 

Next weekend I am at Sorrento Centre for Crusillo (A short Course on Christian Living), I don't know much about it, but I'm excited, and will find more out soon! Then I am home for a weekend doing youth group stuff, then off to Toronto for a meeting, back home for the next weekend, then down to Kelowna for another meeting. Am I excited? Thrilled!

I would love to hear your thoughts and what you are doing in your life. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the beauty of the fall leaves. 

This blog entry and any other before it express the opinions of myself, and not of anyone else. Including within the Anglican Church of Canada. 

British Columbia and Yukon Anglican Youth Movement Fall Conference!

Ah, youth conferences. It's a time of a tremendous amount of fun, a time of learning, adventures, meeting new people, and seeing old. This was the annual British Columbia and Yukon Anglican Youth Movement (BCYAYM) Fall Conference, held October 10-13, 2008. It has happened for I think around eighty years; youth across British Columbia and Yukon join together on Thanksgiving weekend. This year it was held at St. Paul's Cathedral in Kamloops, but the conference moves around year to year - next year we are down around Vancouver. This weekend we had Primate Fred Hiltz (the "head" of the Anglican Church of Canada) and Bishop Gordon (my bishop) join us as guest speakers and musicians. 

Both ++Fred and +Gordon are wonderful. (I am standing next to +Gordon, on the right side of the picture) I enjoy talking with them, they support youth ministry, have fabulous things to say, and are really just wonderful people. ++Fred danced with us all at our dance, and played a wide game with us. It was fabulous! 

The people at BCYAYM Fall Conference are great. This year we had thirteen youth from Savona attend; and I got to see four of my staff from Sorrento Centre, one person from the Generation 2008 gathering, and lots of people I hadn't seen for a long time. Visiting with the people I don't get to see often makes me very happy, it's so nice to keep in touch with everyone over the years. And there were a few opportunities to talk about youth ministry with people!

Rev. Dan Hines (Ministry Developer in Savona) was our theme speaker for the weekend. Our talks were based around the movie, "Lars and the Real Girl" and each section had scripture brought in. We all enjoyed the topics of discussion. 

So, we sang, spent time in worship together, played wide games and icebreakers, met new people, had some free time, had a dance, went to the Wildlife Park, took a night hike - in the rain - and lots more! We all had a blast!

It was also time for us to nominate five more people to be on the BCYAYM Council. After being asked many times, after having been requested to allow my name to stand, and possibly even threatened (okay, maybe not:o) I finally allowed my name to be put forward. And without a surprise to me, I was elected for one of the positions. Our first meeting is in November, and I really am excited for this work, they are a great organization and do great ministry.

On our last evening together (Sunday night) we had a healing service. This is a service where emotions come out as we pray and if we choose, go and talk to one of the clergy. It's a time of healing, of acknowledging the hurt and pain in our lives. From confusion about where life is taking us, what we are called to do, family situations, relationships, school, friends, and the list goes on. It's time spent in silence with soft music in the background. It's a time to be with one another, to support and show love to one another. It's a time of a great number of tears. It's an incredibly hard service, but extremely amazing and powerful. It's a service where you can't keep your feelings hidden, a service where everyone realizes each one of us has pain somewhere. 

The whole weekend is fabulous. I look forward to the work I will now be doing with the council, and also for next years event. If you want to see some pictures I've put them up on the Savona Youth Group picture site: www.savonayouthgroup.piczo.com. Take a look, they show what we actually did! (The site is in the middle of being updated, but go under "recent pictures!")

Pictures!

So, I've learned how to put pictures on the blog, now that can be a good thing but might also mean that I spend way to much time doing something like this, and have way to much fun!! Oh yeah... and that studying I should get to! Anyway, here are some pictures from the summer/fall!

Generation 2008, a lot of my first blogs are from this amazing conference, and there is 

the group pictures. I had a ton of fun and am still reflecting on the experience. The skills I learned, conversations I had, and people I met have made a huge difference in both my life and ministry. 

That beautiful building is the one I lived in for four months at Sorrento Centre. Other than not having air conditioning for the first two heat waves it was all good. And I loved the building. The downstairs had a "living room" and offices, and upstairs was the girls living quarters... with one bathroom! The other picture is of all the staff, red hair and all. They were great to work with, couldn't have asked for a better group! The earlier blogs are filled with camp memories!

Youth Group!! Yep, youth group has started once again this year. (This picture is of the Juniors!) I am doing Junior Youth Group for grades 5-7 and Senior Youth Group for grades 8-12, both groups meet weekly on Friday nights. We have a ton of fun, I love it! It's a time of learning and leading for me. Part of this years plans include "equipping leaders for the future" I have three older youth who are helping out with Junior youth group, it makes a big difference with them there and I really couldn't do it without them! We do everything in youth group, games, activities, fundraising, events, prayer, worship, and overall just have a ton of fun. This year also includes a number of retreats and conferences, events in Kamloops with other youth, and a few sleepovers!

This coming weekend we have the British Columbia and Yukon Anglican Youth Movement Fall Conference. It should be a ton of fun once again, and this year we have the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada with us!! It is also a chance for me to visit with people I only get to see once or twice a year, and see some of my staff from the summer again! Yep - I'm excited! 

The weekend after that I am in Williams Lake at Assembly (a big church meeting), and then the following weekend at Sorrento Centre for Crusillo. But I'll update you on all of that when it happens. 

I have somehow made it so that you can now leave comments, I guess I didn't have that option available before, oops! I hope everyone is doing well!