Highlights from March 2024

 The month of March began for me with a conference at the University of Alberta. I've been a graduate student in the department of History, Classics, and Religion at the university for several years now. The conference was a conference for graduate students from our department and beyond. I appreciated all the different students and their varied presentations, reminding me that one lifetime could never be enough to learn all the interesting things in the world. My paper discussed an emerging trend I've noted among some evangelical Christians online called "faith deconstruction". This was a bit of a departure from my regular research (religion in Irish literature) but also interesting and fun to discuss. I appreciate being able to attend the conference and share my work.

March continued with good things when I had a chance to visit some friends and their classes at the University of Alberta. My friend Paul G teaches in the Native Studies department and I enjoyed attending his Native Studies class. Interesting students and great discussions! I also enjoyed visiting Lea L and her class on Judaism. Lea talked to us about Hasidic Judaism...I learned lots! 

I appreciated the opportunity to gather with local Lutheran pastors and deacons for our monthly circuit conference. Pastor Scott and Bethlehem Lutheran in Edmonton hosted us and it was good to gather. It was also fun to meet with deacons from further away in a Zoom call later in the month. So good to keep in touch and try to stay connected!

A special treat was a screening of the recently released film "Hey Viktor!" at a local theatre. The film was based on a character from a film called "Smoke Signals" from 1998 that was based on the writings of indigenous author Sherman Alexie. "Smoke Signals" was an important film in its day and encouraged a lot of other indigenous authors and filmmakers to make write and make films about indigenous life in Canada and the United States. "Hey Viktor!" played to a packed house, with many local indigenous people in attendance...some had even played a role in the film. While I must say that the film is pretty crude in places, it is also funny and presents an interesting view of indigenous life, storytelling, and film making. If you're going to watch "Hey Viktor!", make sure you watch "Smoke Signals" first...and let me know what you thought! Again, a warning about some mature language and themes!!

March also allowed me some time for a Saskatchewan tour. I started out by heading up to LaRonge. It was fun to worship with the good people at LaRonge Lutheran Fellowship. It was fun to play guitar with Angela as we led music for worship...like we have done many times over the years. Worship was followed by a chance to grab lunch with Pastor John from LaRonge Lutheran Fellowship. This is Pastor John's first year in LaRonge and it was good to hear how things have been going for him and his wife as well as the congregation. 

My Saskatchewan tour continued with a stop in Grandmother's Bay. I was able to visit the school and have a meeting with the principal (Sam M) and the school counselor / Anglican deacon (Edna M). It was good to talk about plans for the upcoming summer...our LAMP team is making plans and preparations already. Here's some pictures of the Chief Isaiah Charles Band Office, the local church, and the brand new general store, all in Grandmother's Bay (I'm happy to report the new general store has Coca Cola and chocolate bars...just in case my supply runs low)

My next stop was in what some call Morin Lake and what we at LAMP call Hall Lake. I was able to stop at the Sally Ross school and visit with the principal and some other staff there. After visiting the school, I stopped by the band office, the health centre, and the Cultural Site. There was a family fishing derby (ice fishing) in process on the lake by the Cultural Site and I was welcomed to enjoy some coffee and some bannock by my hosts there (from the Canadian Encyclopedia Online..."Bannock is a form of bread that served as a staple in the diets of early settlers and fur traders. Most Indigenous nations in North America have some version of bannock. Inuit call it palauga, Mi’kmaq luskinikn, and Ojibwe ba‘wezhiganag. The word derives from the Gaelic bannach, meaning morsel, which in turn likely came from the Latin panis, which means bread. Bannock is usually unleavened, oval-shaped and flat.") Here are some pictures of the Sally Ross school, a church, the Charlie Halkett Memorial Band Hall, the John G. Ross Okiskistotakowin Health Clinic, and the awasisak nikan Cultural Site at Hall Lake. 

While heading out from Hall Lake, I noticed this stop sign with at least two languages...English and Cree (?)  I'm noticing in many of the communities that I visit that indigenous languages and indigenous names are being used all over the communities. 

My next stop (after an overnight stay in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) was Deschambault Lake. I had some donated curriculum and some quilts to drop off for our local contacts there. Gloria B from the community suggested that we host a worship time and Bible study at the church in Deschambault. We gathered at the church for a time of singing, Bible study, and refreshments (Tim Hortons donuts and water bottles). We had a good crew attend, ranging in age from children to older folks. Fun stuff! Here's a picture of the church in Deschambault where we met.

For the last leg of my Saskatchewan tour, I stopped in at the office of the Athabasca Denesuline Education Authority in Prince Albert. The folks in this office manage the school building in one of our LAMP communities called Wollaston Lake. It was good to connect with them and to also hear about some of the other northern communities they serve. My final stop in Saskatchewan on the way home was in Maidstone...where I had a wonderful lunch at a little family diner called Lou's and Sue's Pizza and Grill...friendly staff and great food...and I managed to visit right at coffee break time so a number of friendly locals were there enjoying the coffee. I highly recommend if you're ever in Maidstone, SK!

My wife and I were hoping to fly to the coast for a visit with her brother and his wife in later March but the airline we booked with could not get us there...several delayed / cancelled flights. We'll have to try again later.

March wrapped up with Holy Week. It was so good to gather for Good Friday worship at Bethel (here's a link if you'd like to see and hear a meaningful Good Friday celebration (March 29, 2024 : 7PM Good Friday Service (youtube.com) You can also find Easter Sunday and other services from Bethel on the same page. I'm a fan!!

April will be busy with some family trips as well as continued preparations for summer ministry in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba communities. I'd love to visit my Manitoba sites much like I did with my Saskatchewan trip. Thanks for your prayers and for your support...especially as I travel some long and lonely roads for my work with LAMP.