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.