After a wonderful Christmas break, January 2024 arrived with some wonderful family moments. Our oldest son along with his wife and daughter were able to celebrate my wife's birthday with us. We had a lot of fun together, heading over to West Edmonton Mall and getting all dressed up in "old timey" clothes for a photo shoot. Dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory followed...delicious! Here's my wife and I pretending we're from the Victorian era.
I feel like I make that top hat look good!!
Other January 2024 highlights included snow (finally!!) and some very cold winter temperatures. My friend posted this screenshot of temperatures in both Celsius (left) and Fahrenheit (right). I've been in cold temperatures like this before but it's been awhile...ouch!!!
Even though it was very cold, I enjoyed attending the Edmonton Circuit Conference meeting. It's always good to see the LC-C pastors and deacons who serve in our local area and catch up the news from our local congregations. A highlight was the chance to have lunch with my friend Pastor James Avery and Dr. Alex Vieira from our local seminary (Concordia Lutheran Seminary - Edmonton).
Other highlights include some online visits with team leaders from three of our Manitoba communities - Brochet, Lynn Lake, and Easterville. I've been trying to connect with all the team leaders for all the communities that I'll be working with this coming summer. It was so good to hear stories of how people got involved in LAMP and how things have been going lately...especially after the pandemic. Here's some photos of the teams from 2023.
I was also able to join in on an online gathering with many of the team leaders and team members who are working with Pastor Randy Heide in Manitoba and northern Ontario. A great bunch of folks!! In addition to online meetings, it was great to meet face to face and in person with a local youth worker named Kathy at the LAMP office. Kathy's youth group has done mission trips in the past and they are exploring options for future trips. It would be so good to have their group commit to a LAMP trip if they can.
The latter part of January has been busy as I've been making arrangements to head out to Manitoba for the Missionsfest in Winnipeg and for some visits with team leaders, teams, churches, communities and donors. It will be fun to see Pastor Randy Heide at Missionsfest and to head out north with former LAMP missionary Gordon Gilbey. We're making plans to head up to the community of Thompson and try to visit as many leaders and communities as we can. I look forward to learning more about Gordon and his work for LAMP...I also look forward to hearing lots of "dad" jokes from Gordon...he's a legend!!
The church where I currently attend chose LAMP to be their Mission of the Month for January 2024. As a part of that focus, four staff members from LAMP recorded brief weekly devotions to share with congregation members. They all turned out so good that I wanted to include links for you here. Here's some good words and thoughts from Darrel, Catherine, me, and Shelly.
One other highlight of a sometimes cold and snowy January has been the winning streak currently being enjoyed by our local NHL hockey team (the Edmonton Oilers) and their fans. I can remember the "good old days" when Wayne Gretzky and his crew of Edmonton Oilers dominated the hockey league in the 1980s...it's fun to see Connor McDavid and his current crew of Edmonton Oilers doing so well. So far it's 16 games in a row...we'll see what happens. Fun times!! Go, Oilers, go!!
Please keep me in your prayers as I travel and I visit with people in Manitoba. I appreciate your support!
You're in our prayers for safe travels and great connections in the northern communities and while in Winterpeg at the Missionfest or visiting with local teams there. Enjoyed reading your blog post!
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