Greetings to our Family and Friends at this Christmas Season.
It has been a busy year. These are a few of the highlights! (aside from the helicopter ride {That's Earl Brown- our Board Chair- with Brenda} and the Cancer Run, and the 28 Cyclists from Texas, the choir from Edmonton UofA, and the African Children's Choir, piping for Remembrance Day, etc...)
OTRA FE Canada and OTRA FE El Salvador
After a hectic Christmas week that included leading worship in Molesworth, Ontario for St. Andrew's Church anniversary, a visit with Brother John and Sister Nancy Patterson in Stratford, packing up the furniture in West Lorne, visiting with Gramma Evans, Sisters Yvonne and Betty, Brother Bob, Daughter Mary, Dino, Solomon and Allison Furlan, Daughter Elizabeth and Shawn, Brenda and Jim left Canada to lead an enthusiastic group from Quebec, Ontario, Ohio, New York and Washington DC to aid in the construction of chicken coops near Texitepeque, El Salvador. We returned to Canada on January 18th.
Brenda returned to El Salvador in June for a one week adminisitration and organizing trip in prospect of receiving charitable status from Revenue Canada.
In November, the charitable status was granted.
Chickens and eggs, Texistepeque
After a week of moving our furniture to storage, a bit more visiting, and helping Sister Betty move into our house, we were ready to head west on January 24th.
Cross country touring (West Lorne to Fort Nelson). It was the coldest week of the year (so far). We drove on icy roads, snowy roads, through fog, through snow, and freezing rain, with Brenda and Jim and Shannon the dog sharing each other's company 24/7 for 6 days and nights..... Along the way, we stopped in Ignace Ontario in order to participate in the Annual General Meeting of Hillcrest Church in Fort Nelson (by cellphone). A big thank you to David and Cecilia Malouf of Longlac for their incredible hospitality.
Incredible scenery all the way.
On January 29th, we arrived in Fort Nelson, BC for Jim to begin an appointment to Hillcrest United Church, a proud member of Northern Lights Presbytery. We were warmly welcomed with dinner at Boston Pizza, and wine and cheese and the makings for breakfast waiting for us at the manse. (The furniture from Geraldton Ontario had arrived a few days before).
What an amazing place to live! What a gift to be able to live all four seasons in the North. (Spring and Fall are extremely short... Winter is quite long). The aurora borealis is spectacular. The air is fresh and clear. The town is a real gem. We just finished being part of the Community Dinner sponsored by Emergency Services, to feed the whole town if possible!
Community Dinner (1pm to 7pm)
Community walking Trail, Fort Nelson Northern Lights (courtesy of Earl Brown)
After Winter Presbytery in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Brenda hitched a ride with Harris Cox (Whitehorse delegate) and Beverly Brazier (Whitehorse Minister) for their return trip to Whitehorse (by pickup truck) to visit Daughter Brenda, Ernie, Evan and Michael Prokopchuk). Brenda made return visits to Whitehorse in May and November.
On her return, Brenda set up shop for Detailed Homes, Fort Nelson Office, doing upholstery, repairs to furniture, luggage, etc, and sales and service for Graber Blinds.
Ministry focus: Christian Education, Local and global Mission, Alaska Highway (connecting churches through communications media).
Jim needs to take some courses in order to be able to work more than one year in Hillcrest. Courses in the fall of 2014= United Church Polity, Christian Education (both online from UTC in Montreal).
Manse upgrading through Spring and Summer.
Family gathering in Thunder Bay in July (thank you to Jenn and Cameron)
Home renovations in West Lorne in the summer.
Family visits in Ontario and Quebec.
Camping in the Yukon (Kluhani Park with Ernie {taking pic} Brenda jr, Evan, Michael and Snowflake)
Camping in Jasper (with Brigid, Stewart, Owen) and not shown... Abby, Christine and Patrick all from Hudson area.
Jim participated in the Ministerial Choir and their Christmas activities.
Jim was appointed to the Board of the Friendship Centre.
Brenda is a member of the Fort Nelson Rotary Club (there are no Lions in Fort Nelson).
Jim had Presbytery travel twice to Yellowknife (including a visit to Whitehorse once). The first visit was for the Fall Presbytery meeting. Harris Cox (Presbytery delegate from Whitehorse) and his wife Linda drove 12 hours to our place and over-nighted with us. The next morning Brenda and I and the Cox's all set out to drive to Yellowknife via Fort Liard and Fort Providence (day travel was about 800KM mostly on gravel) where we spent the night. The next morning we drove the final 3.5 hours into Yellowknife. After Presbytery ended on the Sunday after worship, we began the trip home, this time via High Level Alberta and Fort St. John BC. You can see the trip on the map here: Yellowknife Presbytery Trip
Tailgate lunch enroute (near Fort Simpson) and a roadside Bison.
The incredible NWT Legislature in Yellowknife, and the equally incredible and worshipful church at YKUC.
The second trip to Yellowknife was for Jim to accompany the Rev. Bev Brazier (Whitehorse United Church) for a regular Presbytery visitation. Jim left Fort Nelson by Greyhound to Whitehorse (12 hour trip overnight) during which the Bus was struck by a moose, and there were near misses for a couple of elk and a very erratic driver occupying the wrong side of the road just outside Whitehorse. Jim was able to visit Brenda jr, Ernie, Evan and Michael Prokopchuk who live in that very beautiful city. After a fantastic worship service at WUC (Jim got to sing in the choir with Brenda jr), Bev and Jim boarded Air North for a very comfortable flight to Yellowknife, 6 hours of interviews, kind hospitality provided by The Chynoweth couple (clergy and musician), 4 more hours of interviews, and then the return air trip to Whitehorse. A couple of days later, Jim returned to Fort Nelson again on the Greyhound.... overnight :-(
Tailgate lunch enroute (near Fort Simpson) and a roadside Bison.
The incredible NWT Legislature in Yellowknife, and the equally incredible and worshipful church at YKUC.
The second trip to Yellowknife was for Jim to accompany the Rev. Bev Brazier (Whitehorse United Church) for a regular Presbytery visitation. Jim left Fort Nelson by Greyhound to Whitehorse (12 hour trip overnight) during which the Bus was struck by a moose, and there were near misses for a couple of elk and a very erratic driver occupying the wrong side of the road just outside Whitehorse. Jim was able to visit Brenda jr, Ernie, Evan and Michael Prokopchuk who live in that very beautiful city. After a fantastic worship service at WUC (Jim got to sing in the choir with Brenda jr), Bev and Jim boarded Air North for a very comfortable flight to Yellowknife, 6 hours of interviews, kind hospitality provided by The Chynoweth couple (clergy and musician), 4 more hours of interviews, and then the return air trip to Whitehorse. A couple of days later, Jim returned to Fort Nelson again on the Greyhound.... overnight :-(
We had the pleasure of hosting a contract teacher from September through to December. Josh Dorf became almost a family member. He has returned to his own wife and child in Kelowna in time for Christmas.
There are so many more things we could write. We think of each of you often. If you have a mind to make the trip, you are more than welcome to spend some time with us on the Alaska Highway (Julie Patterson, Ed and Lyla Lewkoski are planning to come so far).
We wish all of you a blessed Christmas, and a very exciting (in a good way) New Year...!
