middle of november...

i am way overdue for a posting and november has just been packed so there will be plenty to write. the month started out with a history paper for me (first time to the library all year) and since then i can't account for how fast time seems to be going. this is going to be a long one so get comfortable.

i was invited to speak at wilfred laurier's large group on the 8th and had a great time hanging out with the students there. i taught about the ongoing process of learning about Jesus and they were a real chatty bunch when it came to small group discussion time. sometimes it feels like a cross-cultural experience going on to a different university campus because although the university context is one i am quite experienced with, laurier students are very different than mcmaster students when i comes to certain things. it isn't that one is better than the other but i'll just tell you, schools can be different. i also had a chance to visit with dana and andrew, intervarsity staff at laurier, and andrew's wife, kim and their brand new baby girl, eliyah. she is very cute and has a crazy head of hair which i am pretty sure is a little baby wig.

the following friday i spoke at the WAKE youth event in ingersoll, ON. i was invited to this event by my very own youth leaders from back in vankleek hill, doug and patsy brown. i had dinner with them and their daughter chelsey, who i remembered as being 8 but now is in grade 10 (felt a little old in that moment). it was so nice to catch up with them and to see them continue to invest time and energy into this youth at their church, just as they did for me back in the day. i realized how thankful i am for their time and their energy and how it has totally contributed to me being in ministry.

i went straight from ingersoll up to ontario pioneer camp to join the youth from forestview church in oakville for their fall retreat. this is the church that planted the church that i am currently attending (forestview hamilton) so it was great to be able get to know some people from our "sister" church. i taught about 'faithfully improvising God's story' and i think it went over fairly well. it was definitely a large topic to tackle in one weekend but my hope is that the youth will continue to think about it and talk with their leaders as they decide to be a part of building the kingdom. better luck next time to team wignall. we might have gotten last place but that doesn't mean we don't have any spirit.

i spent wednesday to friday of this week at five oaks retreat centre near brantford, ON with other ontario staff for some training time. the chairs were a little uncomfortable and the building we slept in reminded me of a retirement home. it was more relaxing than i thought, having already been away from home for a week, and i enjoyed catching up with staff from around the province.

so now it is the middle of november and i am back to work on fundraising. we had planned to have a thank you reception for our supporters but decided to postpone it because it seems to be a busy time of year for many and a number of people were not able to attend. i'll be starting to figure out the details for the rescheduled event as well as try to get the last bit of my fundraising in so i can return to campus in january. if you think of it, please pray that the money needed will be provided.