Letters from Corner Brook Week 10

Saturday night the storm hit, and do we get dumped upon! Once again the car begins to disappear in a pile of snow. About 9:30 the blowing and wind relents a little, and there outside is my neighbour and her brother, blowing away all the snow and shovelling the driveway. So I throw on some clothes and dash out to move the car. It’s all done in about 15 minutes. The two men do the work, the two women (me and my neighbour) stand in the road and chat. My that’s tiring, talking while the guys work. It was so kind of them. They just decided they’d better check on “Rev. Fran”. (I had pretty well decided there was no point going out in the wind, that I might as well wait for it to blow itself out, and then shovel when I could see.) So then we all trundle down to their place for a glass of wine - Yrs. Truly once again in an odd assortment of painting clothes. At this point I don’t care any more.....if someone is clearing snow and then says come and have a glass, who am I to fuss about clothes????

Sunday morning I peel open an eyeball, and figure I’d better get organised to shovel out the pile from the plow - and indeed there is a pile. Right in the middle of skipping around to go shovel, I hear a snowblower outside, and lo and behold, there is another neighbour who does his own home and the one next door....I guess he just figured he’d clear out the minister at the same time. So I am able to relax, have breakfast, and take a more or less leisurely drive to church, given the stuff on the road.

Another lesson learned along the way. Watch what you say and where. Last Sunday, it was announced that one of the parishioners who is the tiniest little woman - not very much even dripping wet - was having her 85th birthday *this* Sunday. “Oh” says Yrs. Truly “maybe we should have a cake after church.” It was intended as a light joke. Parishioners know better, and they knew that once we mentioned it she’d be looking for it. Indeed they were right. She went to get her hair done, and turned up in church dressed to the nines. Thank goodness someone got a cake, and there was coffee made. Whew!

However, one thing they don’t do here is coffee or any community time after church - so I am thinking that maybe once a month we can have coffee and cake for any people who have birthdays in the month. I really miss that interaction after the service - it just seems a little flat to come to church and then immediately go home.

Church and coffee done, I join the Sunday Tim Horton’s group for lunch, hit Canadian Tire and the grocery store, and in the evening have dinner with friends - in fact, the best barbecued steak I’ve had in a long time. Note to self: Get a barbecue in the spring, for the deck - and then barbecuing even in the winter will be possible. Oh yeah!

Another storm coming in, and more snow - but just this evening I manage to find someone who will clear the snow on a regular basis for what seems like almost nothing. He checks morning and evening, when there’s a storm - and makes sure the stuff from the plow gets cleared. The neighbours are great, but one can’t assume they will do it....light stuff I can clear off, but the heavy stuff needs help.

Monday is a snow day, literally. For the first time in about six years school and university are closed, stores closed - even the plows are a bit scarce. No going anywhere today! So I hunker down to write annual reports - my own cover page for the congregational report, and the Session report. Halfway through the morning my neighbour up the street comes and clears out some of the snow from the plow. I want to run out and tell him not to worry but a) I am not dressed, and b) it’s just blowing and white-out. He finally realises it’s not worth it.

Just past noon, the man I contracted to clear snow arrives, and he and his partner have everything cleared off in about fifteen minutes. He says he had to quit for awhile because it was just too windy and snowy to be worth doing anything. He will be back later tonight or early tomorrow to clear off the plow residue.

Two annual reports written, right on time for the secretary. Quite pleased, as usually I have to be reminded. The transfer of furniture from one bedroom to the other is the next job in line. There are some paint touch-ups on the walls to be done, some drawers moved; then the smaller bedroom is turned into a good office space. A couple more things to do, and it’s finished.. It’s kind of my green outdoors - but indoors - and in the winter anything green helps. It’s definitely GREEN.

Norio took a wonderful photo in the summer, of birch trees in the arboretum at Niagara Falls; and I have some photos of Japanese gardens - and some cross-stitch to be finished which will be perfect.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are a bit of a blur. Tuesday I spend some time in the office, and then three and a half hours meeting with colleagues to discuss possible collaborations of our congregations. I am really pleased to have these two to work with - and I hope this continues to be a good relationship. It’s quite different than Toronto where there are so many colleagues around - in some ways I think it’s more critical here that we be able to work together and encourage each other more.

Tuesday evening I have dinner with another family in the congregation - an excellent meal and it is good to get to know people better. I really have to say that as much as I love this location, I love the people just as much. There are times when I wonder what I am doing in ministry, and then the times when I realise I don’t really want to be anything else.

Wednesday is an office day, a pastoral visit in the afternoon, and in the evening meeting with the United Church Women (UCW). I can’t really post anything here about visits, except to say that I never cease to be amazed at what some people have to live through, and yet they are still gentle, beautiful and kind people. It was a wonderful afternoon. Of all the strange things, the phone rings in the church at 8:30 in the evening - someone wanting to make an appointment with the minister. I have to smile.....

UCW meets twice a month - but I think I will likely go once a month - because there is also Men’s Club once a month - and it will be really easy to have every night of every week taken up with something. It’s a fun meeting - working at prayer shawls for the seniors, and a birthday cake for two of the members. - plus I come home with something absolutely new in the culinary division: coconut tea biscuits. These are wonderful!

Thursday is a visit to the hospital to see an ill parishioner. Western Memorial I’ve mentioned before. It’s a hospital which is quite old, and renovations (if not a new building) are long overdue. The staff are exceptional, like most hospitals. Space is at a premium, and parking lots are jammed. The weather is turning ugly and the roads are quite greasy. Snow is beginning again and there are predictions of high winds. We’re supposed to have a Board meeting tonight, but I wonder.

Every clergy and lots of congregants know the jokes about ministers only working on Sunday. I do wonder if people realise how much paper and reading there is for this work. Reading for meetings, reading and proofing minutes and reports, filling out forms, keeping records; that doesn’t even include reading for sermon preparation or study time. There are some days when I spend the whole time pushing paper, and feel like nothing is accomplished. The late afternoon is one of those times - sitting and reading reports, and preparing for the meeting.

On the way to the office, I’ve met up with the two fellas who clear out my snow, to ensure they are paid for the work. - and ask if they could come up later to clear the drive so when I get home from the meeting I can get IN. By 4 o’clock the wind is blowing totally horizontally, and it’s not possible even to see across the street in the snow. A couple of phone calls from and to members of the Board, and we agree it’s not worth slogging through a blizzard, taking a chance with safety and knowing that there are several people who simply won’t be able to get there. Meeting cancelled.

So I call the snow-clearing guys and tell them it’s no rush to come up. As the wind blows and the drifts rise, there is the car buried in the drive. The phone rings. A parishioner has died and the family wonders if I could come up and say a few words. They offer to pick me up, which is great. So I throw the clothes on, fix the face, and flounder out through a foot and a half of snow to get to the vehicle, and off we go.

I said there are those days when it seems nothing gets accomplished. Then there are these days, where I meet with families in the midst of their loss and grief, and remember again the privilege of this calling. People are most vulnerable and open in this time, and if there is even just one thing I can do which helps, it is a day with something accomplished.

Friday dawns another crappy snowy day - not going anywhere. Paperwork can be done at home, fortunately.

Saturday and the end of another week here. I had to go shovel the crap from the plow, which went around twice yesterday. My snow-clearers have not arrived, but I am sure even they need some time off to do other things. They look after over 100 people, so I can’t complain. I have an appointment for a hair cut, so I shovel enough to be able to move the car, and head out. Coming back, I shovel a bit more, and get the car back in. The phone rings. Remember the jewelry party awhile back? Well, the jewelry is in - do I want to come for a glass of wine and a snack with the others? Sure. So out I go again.....

I saw a new piece of equipment today, on the way home. It looks like a smaller snow plow, but what it does is cut right through the drifts at the side of the road, and then blow the snow onto people’s front lawns - thereby widening the road to its original size. My neighbour from downstairs, a young man from St. John’s, says he’s never seen this much snow so early in the year. I tell him the locals say this is about half what’s normal. Good thing he’s young, because he has a LONG drive to shovel.

...and so it goes. Tomorrow is service again, and a meeting with the Ministry Personnel Committee, and a funeral on Monday. More snow, but we’re only supposed to get one to three centimetres. Oh good.....

Letter from Corner Brook Week 9

It’s Sunday, January 16 - and the day before the anniversary of the shooting of Dr. Martin Luther King. This morning in service, I’ve decided to preach on anger, hatred and violence, as opposed to learning to look each other in the eye. It seems to me that if people learned to look others directly in the eye, a lot of the violence and anger would disappear. Included in the sermon was a mini-lesson on the history of Judaism, Christianity and Islam - and that we are all called “People of the Book”, because of the texts we hold common. I was afraid it might be controversial; instead, I heard more comments and got more hugs than any time in ministry, I think. Well, I’ve never been accused of being afraid to speak my mind - but it is good to know that it has struck a chord and been heard, too.

The fabled snow of Newfoundland has finally come to Corner Brook. The air was fairly clear, and the roads good, so getting to church wasn’t a problem. Had lunch at Tim Horton’s with some friends, and on the way home, I decided to take one of the upper roads where there was quite a bit of snow - might as well get used to driving the hills .

It started snowing overnight, and has been going all day. There is no wind, just snow falling, quite thickly sometimes. It is really quite beautiful, and quite clean. Maybe time to make some snow ice cream. I have some eggnog in the fridge - wouldn’t be hard to do. Came home from service and lunch, and fell asleep on the sofa......the actual *plan* was to take a short rest, get at the painting in the bedroom, and then go walking with friends at the stadium. So much for that one. Took the evening off and vegetated seriously; the walk at the stadium is off - no driving - roads are just not good enough.

Monday morning - have we had snow! Now has arrived the fabled Newfoundland winter. I could barely see my car in the driveway. So, on with the winter woolies and a warm hat, and flounder out into about 20 centimetres of snow. It is indeed quite light, but just a whole lot of it. I made it to the car, and started clearing the heaps off. Of course the plow had been around a couple of times, so there was that lovely ridge of snow across the end of the drive. While I was bent over shovelling out under the car, butt elevated above head level, a very nice man from up the block arrived and announced he would take the snowblower through. Yippee!!! So I kept working on the front stoop and walkway while he did the chunky stuff from the plow. The car got moved, and the entire drive blown out. Turned out he was with the Canadian Forces, and spent time in Downsview Base in Toronto. Moved here 16 years ago and his wife insisted they bring a brand new snowblower with them.

The afternoon was spent with the paint roller and brushes, and the room taking on character. It’s a dark forest green when dry. Around 4:30, back out to shovel again. Really fluffy light snow, but going on and on....took some pictures, as the squalls coming across the bay were fascinating to watch. It is indeed beautiful.....

I know, I know, it’s snowing in the rest of the country too - and we’ve got off easy here. So we’re catching up!!!

Tuesday morning, spring (sort of) out of bed at 7:15, for Bay of Islands Ministerial breakfast. It’s the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and there is a joint service at St. John the Evangelist. My intent is to go. Intentions are often good, I find.

On the way to the office I check in at the store where the bed is supposed to be coming from ....turns out it is sitting on a ship in the Cabot Strait, waiting for the winds to die down so the ship can dock in Port-aux-Basques and offload the trucks The guys in the store are bored silly because there isn’t anything they can deliver. So I asked if they’d mind delivering my fireplace tomorrow, instead of waiting for the bed to come. So, at least the fireplace will come on Wednesday.

On the way to the office, I stop in at Harbour Grounds for a latte, and there is a ship coming into the port, and OF COURSE I don’t have my camera - but the ship is one of the Westfal-Larsen container ships from Bergen in Norway!!!!!!! So Wednesday or Thursday, a picture must be taken...so I can find out which ship! The pilot must be on the bridge, as the pilot boat is following...first time I’ve actually seen one coming in.

I run home from the office for a fast lunch, which in the end doesn’t happen till later. The intensive care unit at the hospital calls, and one of my parishioners in ICU has died. This is the most intense and personal part of ministry, and strangely, the part which is most rewarding. Weddings are fun, baptisms are fun - but to be welcomed into a family circle at a time of grief, and to be any kind of presence at all, is the greatest privilege. Lunch is forgotten, and the better part of the afternoon is given to sitting with the family, and waiting for the funeral home to come.

So the evening service has to be put on hold, as the plans for the week will once again have to change a bit. Just before 4 I can get some lunch... It’s still snowing....

Wednesday I have to stay home to wait for the fireplace to be delivered - they haven’t given any time - and so spend the morning doing paperwork. I have an afternoon appointment with the family to plan the service, so call the store and ask them to wait to deliver. We put it off to Thursday.

...and so dawns Thursday - snow has stopped, and the drive is more or less shovelled out. Oh yes - we had an incredible amount of snow. Shovelled and cleaned off the car twice. Unlike the fluffy stuff of the weekend, this was heavy and wet. The slush from the plow weighed heavily - but once again the driveway is clear. The long-awaited new bed, and fireplace arrive - but the delivery guys can’t put the frame together - they have been told not to any more, as it takes quite a while to do and cuts back on how fast they can deliver. Since their delivery route is quite far from Corner Brook on often-bed highways, I can understand. One look at the frame and I know it will be a little beyond one person, so I call a member of the congregation who hops right over. Between us it still takes an hour....but it’s done, and as of this writing I’ve slept two wonderful nights on a great bed.

The funeral service is Friday afternoon, and everyone is concerned about the weather. Our cemetery, Mount Patricia, is well up the side of a hill, much higher than the town. It can be cold and windy up there, and if snow happened to come it would be really quite difficult. Fortunately the sun shines for a good part of the day, the temperatures come up, there is little wind - just perfect.

On the way to the church, I stop to take a picture of another ship in port (quelle surprise, right??) This one is HUGE - the one I saw coming in earlier in the week. The name is Inventana, and it is one of the largest ocean-going container ships. It literally dwarfs the mill and the harbour. I spoke to someone at the reception after the funeral service who used to work at the mill. He said they don’t do tours any more, but would probably accommodate a special request from a member of the clergy to see the ship.

...and another Saturday has come, and another week has passed in this new journey.

Letters from Corner Brook Week 8

Sunday service focused on Epiphany celebrations. It was a surprise how many weren’t really aware that Magi didn’t arrive at the manger when Jesus was a baby - but as much as two years later. For family time I brought out the frankincense and myrrh which a friend, Pam Lock, had brought me from the Middle East after a trip. The kids were agog that these were real things, with a real smell.

Several of the congregation came for a test - and then told me that the word for incense here in Newfoundland is “myrrh”, but they didn’t know where it came from till now!

The children in the Sunday School made “peace” cards - to present to Yrs. Truly at the end of the service as a welcome. I’ve attached a photo, because they are just so wonderful.

Sunday evening came an invitation to dinner - yes another! Can’t complain I don’t have a social life! It was a nice relaxed evening in good company. The road home, however, was more than interesting. In the few hours of relaxing, snow had come down - a mix of flakes and icy pellets - and the downhills were more like ski hills. Plows and sand trucks hadn’t been out - and a normally ten minute drive was closer to half an hour. Massey Drive, the location - is very high up on a hill, and once again I am struck by the difference between the weather up top, and the weather in the downtown. It was snow up there, rain coming through the centre of the town, and snow again here at home. Thank goodness for good snow tires.

Monday is supposed to be a day off. Well, I guess it’s a day off church, but that means a day doing other things. My Monday: morning, some paperwork; late morning, a drive to First United to give back the borrowed Christmas decorations; then a trip up to the mall to look for drapes; then a jewelry party at a parishioner’s home; then Canadian Tire for paint, primer, and other assorted items to do the bedroom. Tonight I’ve done some removing of nails in walls and filling of holes. Have to wait for it to dry, then get to sanding.

The jewelry party was interesting - some very beautiful stuff, and most of it half price. Of course, all of us walked away with a fair bit. Not only is it beautiful, but the young woman selling the jewelry is trying to make a living. Yrs. Truly picked up a beautiful freshwater pearl necklace, an elegant black and green bead necklace, and a pair of earrings. Well, what can I say, it was for a good cause - and there *is* an April anniversary cruise coming up. Good time and good afternoon.

But I must tell you about the most beautiful cat - twice the size of an ordinary cat, looking pretty much like a Maine Coon with the tabby markings, long hair, feathery tail and large ears - but with a cream coloured chest and paws, and bright blue eyes. Just a beautiful baby - have to try to get a photo. He is beautiful!

Tuesday dawned beautiful - clouds cleared away and the sky was blue - sun shone in the whole day, warming the house. The plan was to work at the office in the morning, and then come home and start painting in the afternoon. However, then came a conversation with a friend online who is in crisis, which took most of the morning. So the bulletin for Sunday was finished here, as well as some appointments and agenda items for meetings. The afternoon was spent completing a survey for the national United Church, about our process for ministry, and personnel policies. Now, I don’t mind such surveys, on the whole - except: why do we need to pay large bucks to an outside company to do the work? It was clear from the survey that they really didn’t understand the subject. There were some actual spelling errors, which - from a company which purports to be professional, is ludicrous. The instructions said it would take 35 to 40 minutes to complete - it actually took two hours.

So in the end, sanding the walls and beginning the priming started about supper time. Since the new bed will come (hopefully) sometime this week, it seemed a good idea to get the painting done ahead of time.

Can’t remember if I mentioned before that this particular room was painted a dark blue semi-gloss. It was a children’s room - and when I arrived, had a large mural of “Lightning McQueen” (the hero of the movie ‘Cars’, if you didn’t know) and around the wall was a strip with all the car characters from the movie. Those were taken down a long time ago - but there wasn’t a lot of time to get at painting.

So, Tuesday night there was Yrs. Truly, clad in a pair of “Hello Kitty” pyjama bottoms, a dirty grey sweatshirt, white primer dribbled down the front, no makeup, and hair desperately in need of a brush if not a wash. Doorbell rang. Tippy-toed to the door, opened it and poked an eyebrow around the edge. A member of the congregation, fortunately female, so she was allowed in. She was just dropping off a “little” cake she baked yesterday and then forgot to give me at the jewelry party. I think perhaps the best plan of action around here is to be fully dressed and made up, even for painting - because this was at least the fourth time the doorbell has rung and I am in pyjamas, or something equally sloppy. Don’t want people to think I look like that all the time! So - the cake - was apparently one of those wonderful things you can freeze, and then just cut slices off as needed without thawing.

As I am in the middle of priming and painting the bedroom, a lot of time is spent there and not worth writing about. However, I’ve added some pics showing the dark blue it was, and halfway through priming. Next week you will see the finished room, hopefully with the new bed in place.

So here we are at Thursday. I’ve been to the office, and then up to the hospital for the long-awaited mug-shot - an ID which will be done shortly - and a key so I can get in after hours. Home for lunch, and back to the priming of the room. Had a call last night from a parishioner who wondered if I would eat moose. Uh, yeah! I asked him please call before he comes in case I am in my Pjs painting. So today he called, and stopped by with a roast, two pounds of ground, and two pounds of steak. Now, moose - being a somewhat leaner and drier meat - usually needs something to moisten it up and hold it together. So mooseburgers need some ground beef or pork added, roasts are better marinated in something first. I promise to send a photo of the first “roast beast”!

It’s snowing here again. We probably have about four or five centimetres now - and by the end of tomorrow will have a few more. It isn’t all that cold though - and on my way to work today I noticed that another ship from the “TransAtlantic” company - the TransPine, is at the mill. The Coast Guard is back too - maybe waiting for some business??? Have a meeting tonight, but they’ve been so well organised they last about an hour and we’re done.

One of my friends went skiing yesterday in the “Blow-Me-Downs”, because the sky was so blue and weather just perfect; and those mountains are so high they will be covered in snow until at least the end of April if not longer. Next sunny day I am going up to check it out. It’s mostly snowshoeing and cross-country up there, plus there are lessons to be had. A yearly membership is $189!!! I’ve “borrowed” a pic of the ski trails....

Friday night I’ve invited some people in for dinner. Painting done, I run to Canadian Tire for some wineglasses, then down to Tim Horton’s and join some of the church people for lunch, then to the grocery store for food. Clean house, get the food ready, and even have time to relax a little before they arrive. They are ‘loaning’ me a coffee table and two end tables - which need a little sanding and refinishing, but are really quite nice. We have a wonderful evening....

Saturday dawns snowy, with a little sunshine in the morning. We’ve had some wonderful days here, with clear blue skies and clean air. At 1 I meet the group of women at the Pepsi Centre (stadium/hockey rink) for some walking on the indoor track. We do 45 minutes - which amounts to just under 3 km, and then head down to Tim’s for a coffee.
So here in the pic are Donna and Madonna (no they aren't related) on the walking track...and the ski trails at Blow Me Down.

So ends Week 8 here in beautiful Corner Brook.

Week 7

“Letters from Corner Brook” took a break following Christmas, while I went home to Toronto. That trip in itself, however, served to highlight once again what those who live in Newfoundland go through to get anywhere off-island.

First lesson: book Christmas flights in September. I waited till November to book - and by the time I did, the only flights left were the milk run/red-eye specials. A Beechcraft 18-seater prop-jet (which brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘little silver cigar tube hurtling through the sky at 400 kph’) from Deer Lake to St. John’s; a slightly larger regional jet from St. John’s to Halifax, but still a little silver tube; a seven-hour wait in Halifax - then a plane which would not start (can you believe it????) - which resulted in a further two-hour wait till the engine was going. So all in all it was something like 18 hours in transit. Now - a direct flight to Toronto is two and a half hours. Newfies know to book all flights well ahead, and now - so does Fran. Ouchie!

The return flight to Deer Lake was equally long, though it was supposed to be four hours. This time, the plane in Toronto was seriously broken - and the pilot cancelled that flight. That meant another plane, a gate change, transfer all the luggage and food from one to the other. So a 12:10 flight to St. John’s left at 2, and arrived in St. John’s at 6:30. The last flight to Deer Lake went out at 5, hence no connection. So - I had a night at the Holiday Inn, dinner at East Side Mario’s, and two taxi trips courtesy of Air Canada. It meant, however, getting up at 04:30 to check in for the 6:30 am little silver 18-seater tube to Deer Lake. Yawn! The Beechcraft is in fact a prop-jet, great for short take-off and landing - and there is no door on the cockpit, so passengers can see right out the front at both takeoff and landing. The co-pilot doubles as the flight attendant. Love it!

The neat thing about the little regional connectors is they leave, as much as possible, whenever everyone is there - so our 6:30 flight left at 6:15, since we were all on board. And although we flew most of the way in the dark, by the time we landed, and I got outside and cleaned a week’s worth of snow and ice off the car, it was light enough to see well.

When the roads are good, the drive from Deer Lake to Corner Brook is about half an hour. There had been a fair bit of snow, but that light airy snow which clings to tree branches and makes everything into a fairyland. The drive home was wonderful - and as I passed the southern end of Deer Lake (the lake, not the town) - the sky was turning a pale pink-grey above the mountains as the sun came up. I cannot describe how breathtaking it really is - a smooth, clear, unruffled lake surrounded by mountains covered in snow, and just the dark evergreens for colour. Somehow, I need to find a way to get some pictures - words just don’t describe it.

...and so another chapter in Corner Brook begins. L’chaim! (To life).

This week’s missive is a tiny bit shorter. I did stop at the office Wednesday morning on the way back to Corner Brook, for just an hour, but then came on home, and slept a good two hours on the sofa; unpacked and did laundry, ate something, and went back to sleep from about 10:30 till 9 Thursday morning.

...and 2011 begins with a bang. Thursday I went to the office, then grocery shopping, came home and cleaned up the house, as my three United Church colleagues were coming for a Twelfth Night party. I managed a roast pork, and ‘cacio e pepe’ (Roman pasta with pecorino romano cheese, and fresh black pepper). Yes, I’ve been reading “Eat, Pray, Love” and that one just caught my attention since I love cheese, pepper and pasta. Salad was kindly brought, as was wine and dessert - and we had a wonderful evening getting to know each other a bit better. I am so grateful to have these three wonderful colleagues - because in a move to a small place like this, it *could* have been a disaster. We are all pretty well “of a mind”. From left to right: Myles Vardy (First United), Fran, Marilyn Avery (Chaplaincy) and Kim Waite (Oakland United).

Friday was a lunch party with several women from the congregation. Three of us travelled together to Steady Brook, ten minutes away, to the home of Donna Ferry. This is a really beautiful home, with a sunroom addition painted a lovely leafy fresh green, with lots of windows facing lots of bird feeders. Lunch is a seafood chowder to die for (lobster, scallops, haddock and cod), salad and quiche, lemon and lime tarts, and a chocolate raspberry cheesecake - not to mention the wine. (Did I mention I have not yet met one person here who doesn’t pop a cork when you walk in the door????) Well, my dears, (as they say around here) - everyone at the table would have been happy to make lunch out of the chowder and homemade rolls. The big laugh of the afternoon was the carrot with three legs - two long and one short. You fill in the rest. Needless to say once they figured the minister wasn’t offended, we all laughed till we cried, especially since the carrot was beginning to shrivel a bit. What a lot of hooting!

Backing up a tad - after sleeping on my own bed in Toronto, and then coming back to the wimpy little single bed here, it became abundantly clear that I simply have to go get a good bed. No two ways about it. I am definitely not sleeping well, and feeling the springs of the mattress on hips and shoulders. It was kind of the landlord to put the bed in, and it’s served its purpose.

So at lunch I asked where was the best place to buy furniture. I was referred to a warehouse clearance store in town, where I promptly went when lunch was over. Right off the bat I find exactly the bed I want within my budget. While waiting for some paperwork, I look around the store and spy a beautiful electric fireplace - all white, with a kind of faux marble around the insert - which is a *corner* fireplace, and just the right size for this room *and* exactly the right price. So Wednesday or Thursday the bed and the fireplace will arrive. Not only that but it’s all Canadian made. Yowza! Pics will come next week...and now that the bed is coming, I’d better paint that room before it gets here!

In the course of dinner with my colleagues, I mentioned that I was still looking for a good stand for the TV/VCR. “Well”, says my colleague Marilyn, “I have a corner unit which is just too big for my apartment. I’m selling it, but you tell me what you think it’s worth.” So today, I purchase an incredibly good piece of furniture which is just the perfect size for my living room, and fits neatly into the corner. Two guys from the congregation pick it up, take it to my house, get it into place and the TV all hooked up. Meanwhile I am sitting and having tea with Marilyn. Great afternoon talking about ministry and the need to keep up to date with pastoral care issues.

The last couple of days here have been blue, sunny and gorgeous. On our way back from Steady Brook we note that the ski hill is now making snow. Today the flurries started - but if I can get out next week and take some photos - I’ll post them. In the meantime I have a couple just for a laugh.

Sermon is written, tomorrow’s prep done - and so ends week 7 in this epiphany journey. Thanks for coming along....

Letters from Corner Brook Week 6

Winter came briefly to Corner Brook. Saturday and Sunday it snowed, and snowed, and snowed. We had about ten centimetres in the end, and it stuck to the trees. It was truly beautiful. Just after midnight Saturday the plow came up the street - leaving a wall of snow and ice across the driveway...of course! By the time I leave for church Sunday morning, the sand trucks have been out, and the roads are good. Clearly this is the side of the city where the snowfall is always heaviest - because the other side has about half. Shovel the wall of snow from across the drive so I can drive the car out, and even make it UP the hill into the church parking lot. Yes!!!

After church I race to First United. The minister there, Myles Vardy, has not only donated a small Christmas tree, but came up with two boxes of decorations too. So I whip by the church, have a cup of coffee and a muffin, and we do the transfer. I said to Norio later on the phone, that people in Newfoundland are like the Japanese in their generosity. If you happen to mention you need something, or are lacking something, they’ll either get it for you or give you one of theirs. So - another lesson learned.

Then a dash home, change into comfortable clothes, grab my book, and go down to “Brewed on Bernard” for the youth show in the afternoon. “Brewed on Bernard” is a restaurant/coffee shop in Corner Brook. The parent shop is “Brewed Awakening”, in the downtown area. They use only organic goods, and only fair trade coffee. They buy the beans and roast them right in the store. The coffee roaster was bought from Turkey. They make an absolutely wonderful “build your own” sandwich. At 4 in the afternoon, the restaurant is invaded by 16 young people from the high school, and their parents and family - packed into the shop to watch them sing. Two excellent young musicians have been working with them through a musical theatre scholarship programme at Grenfell College here in Corner Brook. Chris Jackman and Shari Porter - husband and wife - based in Toronto, but Chris is from Corner Brook so they’re home for the holiday time. They are just fantastic, and the kids were out of this world. A local music supply store donated the keyboard and equipment for the event. Learned a new song, too, called “Mama Says”...... "once you drive up a mountain, you can’t back down.” Loved every second of it.

Monday I won’t say I did nothing - got some things done around the house, a little more putting away and unpacking. I decided not to go out - the weather was not lovely and it was a good day to stay put.

The weather is just downright ugly. From the beautiful snow of the weekend, we now have winds of close to 100 km an hour and pouring rain. Not a day people want to be out, but it has to be done. Work at the office, get bulletins done ahead.

Here’s the funny story of the week. Way back just after arriving, I went to the post office to pick up a package, and buy some stamps and envelopes - and could not remember the pin number for the ATM card. Tried three times, and of course, on the third try the card is blocked. Fortunately it wasn’t the only card or account. Well, I finally got around to stopping at the TD bank to see if they could fix it here, or if I’d have to do it in Toronto. Turned out the manager of the branch is in my congregation - and of course they could fix it no problem. Now, I think they could anyway - but it was nice to see a familiar face - and we had a laugh.

So it’s Tuesday and I am hiding out in the house. The winds have not abated, and a couple of times I wondered if the house was going to blow down the hill. A whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on! Ferries are again at a standstill - and will be for a couple of days yet. Brings a whole new meaning to the name “Blomidon Hills/Blow Me Down Hills.” January 2 bulletin for church is finished, rented a car in Toronto for a few days to get around, and arranged for a Christmas gift to be sent to our friends in Helsinki who looked after us so well in September.

Wednesday - another one of the ugly days. Went to Jackie Tan’s Chinese for lunch with the secretary, then some shopping - stores are all doing sales now as they are closed Boxing Day. It was worth the trip and the time. My only complaint about the Corner Brook Plaza is that it is UP a hill, and if you don’t know where you are going there is nothing to mark it, because everyone just kind of knows. IF you go up the hill to McDonald’s, lo and behold there it is. BUT the access and exit road is at the very edge of the hill - if you get too far over trying to go OUT, you could go OVER and down onto the highway. Not a place to be navigating when there is a lot of traffic and lots of shoppers!

In the evening I’m invited to dinner - which turns out to be a birthday as well. Wonderful evening. In many ways I am reminded of my first pastorate in Ontario, where an invitation to a meal becomes a full pastoral visit and one learns the entire family history.

I’ve learned two other things in the short six weeks of being here. First, *everyone* decorates to the eyeballs for Christmas. It’s a big thing here, and the non-Christian population gets into it just as much as everyone else does. *Everyone*, no matter who they are, says “Merry Christmas”. Second, there is a lot more deference and respect accorded clergy than I’ve found elsewhere. In some ways, the respect is nice. Not the deference - something I have to work on with the congregation. To balance it there are expectations of use of time.....and I can see that it would be easy to get run off one’s feet participating in every single thing.

Thursday I’ve arranged to meet a soloist for Christmas Eve at the church, so we can try her voice with the harp - so it’s office in the morning, home for a bit of cleaning up - back to the church, and then I’ve arranged a visit. Of course the visit ends up in an invitation to dinner. Plus I come home with a small book in hand.

Now, technically this book is not yet in public domain - so I have included the author and the link. It’s a beautiful little book. The words are available online. But do get the book - as the illustrations are so cute as well. A “scoff” is a big dinner.

"The Night Before Christmas in Newfoundland"

Story by Bob Youden Edited & Published by Al Clouston
Can be ordered from www.tidespoint.com/books/bobyouden2.shtml
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday - Christmas Eve 2010. The time does fly!!!

This morning went out to the bank, got some home-roasted Newfie-type coffee for Christmas gifts - the restaurant “Brewed on Bernard” uses only fair trade coffee, as I’ve mentioned, and then roasts in-store. Off to the bank, up to the hardware for timers for the house lights, lunch on the harbour. There are two ships in - and I find myself wondering what they do for Christmas on the ships. Something to think about next year - maybe offer a service on board, or pickups from the ship to the church, or something.

Christmas Eve, prior to the service, I go upstairs for some greeting of people. The church is full by 6:30 for a 7 p.m. service - about 250 people, once again most of the service was led by the families and laity. I mainly sat, did offering and “Silent Night” with the soloist and harp at the end. It was a lovely service. In my office it is clear Santa stopped in - my desk is piled high with gifts and food. I did manage to lug everything out to the car, and into the trunk.

Following our service, some of us went downtown to First United for the 9 pm communion service. It was really lovely to sit in a service and be part of the congregation, especially on Christmas Eve - and be served communion by a friend a colleague. It just isn't Christmas Eve for me without a communion service.

Later the group is invited to a party in Steady Brook, a small town north of Corner Brook, along the Trans-Canada Highway. As we leave the church, there is rain - but in the higher reaches of the hills, and the “cut” between Corner Brook and Steady Brook, it is a full-fledged blizzard of slushy wet snow blowing sideways. Snow tires are incredibly noisy on wet roads, and the noise is rather disconcerting. Plus it’s pretty black out there! We drive about 40 kph, needless to say. In Steady Brook, it’s clear and not raining or snowing. At the party I meet several very interesting people - one in air traffic control at Deer Lake airport. He confirms that Deer Lake is working to make itself - if not the major airport in Newfoundland - the best alternative to St. John’s. The other young man is a helicopter pilot whose job is tracking the pine marten....the beeps given off by the transmitters.....so he flies really low to the ground!

By the time we leave, the snow and rain are gone, the roads are clear, and it’s an easy coast back. Thank goodness. My nerves were shot driving the other way......

Christmas Day!!!!! A nice awakening well after 9, quiet morning hanging a few more pictures, unwrapping the load of goods lugged in from the car, including a beautiful Christmas cup and saucer, a lovely porcelain angel, and two “mummery” tree decorations, homemade bread and fruitcake. I am frankly humbled by the generosity of the people. Christmas is big here, as I said - but people’s hearts are bigger.

Around 12:30 I leave for dinner with the Dingwells - including Aunt Nellie, and Grandpa George. How nice to sit around a table at an amazing feast which includes salt beef ribs and carrot pudding, which in Newfoundland goes with the main courses, not dessert - and I have to say - loaded with gravy it is really something else! Mmmm. The two cats - Theodore and Sherlock - are quite friendly. The third cat, Scruffy - has decided she likes me, I guess - because I get some leg rubs and a head ‘punt’. For a cat, that’s really over the top!

And so here it is, Christmas! Home preparing for Sunday service, and then packing to fly to Toronto, and crossing fingers that the plane does get out of Halifax before the next storm rolls in.
My landlord and neighbours are going to watch the house - so sometime tomorrow afternoon I will drive myself to Deer Lake, and board a puddle jumper to St. John’s, a slightly larger puddle jumper to Halifax, and then a decent airplane to Toronto. May the force be with us all!!!

Merry Christmas!!!! and a Happy New Year!!!

Letters from Corner Brook

A couple of months ago I embarked on a journey. By accepting a call to a congregation in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, a physical and spiritual journey began.

The physical part meant packing some of the household and hiring a mover, saying goodbye to Glen Ayr United after five years, getting in the car and driving across eastern Canada. In the process, I began writing daily reflections of things along the road - floods in New Brunswick, a motel in Fredericton, ferries in North Sydney, and the beautiful landscape of western Newfoundland.

The process of writing soon demonstrated that this was a spiritual journey as well. In the weeks following my arrival, I began doing a weekly series called "Letters from Corner Brook", which were sent to as many of my friends and relatives as possible, complete with photos.

Aside from dispelling some of my own preconceived notions about Newfoundland and the people, I wanted to dispel some of those same notions others in Canada have. There is a sense among mainlanders that Newfoundland is the "back of beyond", that the people are quaint but a few years behind the rest of the country, that it's a lovely place to visit but not to live. Newly graduated candidates for ministry invariably do NOT list Newfoundland as a choice for settlement. Indeed, now that the United Church has made settlement optional, the chances of people coming here are even slimmer.

I don't want to make it sound like an ideal place. Of course, Newfoundland has its issues, just like every other province. It is a rugged and sometimes harsh environment. Smaller towns along the coast can be like places from another century. Yet here in Corner Brook, I find everything Toronto offered, and yet so much more.

From the start of the application process to arriving here, I knew this was just something which I had to do. It meant leaving my husband in Toronto, and living at a distance. It meant becoming, for a time, a bit of a nomad with a foot in two (if not three) places - Corner Brook, Toronto, and Kamakura. But I have more years behind me than ahead, and if our lives are not a process of spiritual stretching, we waste what we have been given.

So I invite you to come along as I journey with Humber United Church, in the beautiful port of Corner Brook - and come on this spiritual stretching journey as well.