A Most Different September

 After a very busy summer, I was thankful to be able to spend a few days at the beginning of September with my son Joshua and his family. They live on Vancouver Island and during our time there, we managed to catch a Celtic music jam session on a nearby island. Joshua's neighbor Joe provided me with a guitar to play and we were off to the races, playing all kinds of wonderful songs together. I'm so glad that Joshua has made these connections there. I also enjoyed some wonderful times with Joshua's wife and daughter...good times!!

I made it home from Joshua's house in time to attend a goodbye lunch with Bethel's staff and spend some time with a longtime friend named Tony. A great day!!

Sunday, September 10 was a special day for me as it was my final and official "goodbye" to Bethel. With the timing of my transition to LAMP this summer, it was decided that it might be best if Bethel was able to say "goodbye and God bless" to me in the early part of September. Members from Bethel blessed my wife and I with kind words, hugs, emails, cards, letters, and gifts of various kinds. The congregation also provided us with a gift card to the local dinner theatre. Here's a link to the service that day.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4helEByqbp8  I sing a song for special music at 51:36 and there is a special video at 103:34 followed by some kind words from Pastor Matt Ziprick and Ryan Timmermans, Bethel's Executive Director. Bethel has been a wonderful place to learn and grow and serve as a church worker...and I look forward to continue attending Bethel with my wife as I lean into my new job at LAMP.

I was able to attend the Lutheran Church - Canada Alberta Church Worker's Conference from September 12- 14 here in Edmonton. It was my first time at this event in my new role and I was glad to be able to talk to many of my colleagues about my new work at LAMP. There was lots of good comments about LAMP shared with me and a lot of excitement about LAMP's future plans. I was able to make some connections for future presentations in congregations about LAMP and its work. 

I have been trying to work in person at the LAMP office here in Edmonton once a week for the last several weeks. I know several of the LAMP staff here fairly well but I still have lots to learn about various aspects of my job with LAMP. Catherine, Darrel, and Shelly have been very kind and helpful, helping me as I continue to learn more and more. Darrel will be providing me with some orientation and training regarding my future with work with LAMP donors...I'm looking forward to learning more about this part of my job.

Randy and I have been in conversation about the specific communities where I'll be assigned for at least the near future. I look forward to sorting this out and getting started with my work of being in contact with LAMP team leaders for these communities as well as the community leaders of the various communities. I was glad to be able to meet some of these people this last summer. 

I'm looking forward to our meetings with LAMP staff and LAMP's Board of Directors coming up in Detroit in a few weeks. It will be good to be all together in that place as we make plans for ministry over the next few years. 

September ended with a wonderful concert by Bonnie Raitt, some great films at the Edmonton International Film Festival, and some meetings with the Board of Directors at Camp Kuriakos. I'm serving my second term on the board and we have some exciting projects that we're working on for the camp right now. The only low point was a positive COVID test on October 1...sigh!! I've able to get a little extra rest this week and weekend (Thanksgiving in Canada!) and am feeling much better now.

Just one picture of me for this month...






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