Coming to the end of Month #1

Well, we’ve now been in Winnipeg for close to one month, and this past weekend we celebrated our official “Welcome Weekend” with our Territorial leaders, Commissioners William and Marilyn Francis, Colonels Don and Ann Copple and others.

Leading up to the weekend I have enjoyed two weeks of classes, including a survey class of the Old Testament, Introduction to Salvation Army Theology, Church History, and Field class.  So far I have very much enjoyed these classes.  I even had my first test on Friday in my Old Testament class – the marks aren’t back yet.

This week things start to settle into a fairly regular schedule that will establish a bit of a rhythm.

I’ll be trying to update somewhat regularly.

Until next time. :)

We made it!

It's been a while, and an update is due.

Jason and I made it to Winnipeg a couple of weeks ago, and are settling in just fine. Our last couple of weeks before coming here included Music Camp, Officers Camp (for Jason) and a short camping trip at Dinosaur Provincial Park.

This is our campsite, and the tree that made our car sticky.

In our time in Winnipeg so far, we have seen The Forks and the Assiniboine Park Zoo, both of which I recommend you see if you are coming through the city.

I've had a few adventures trying to navigate myself around the city both with and without a GPS. I'm getting the hang of things, but slowly. I will be starting work on Monday, so this "weird vacation" (as I've been calling it) is now over.

We're trying to get into being better bloggers, with more frequent updates. Jason will likely update on how everything is going at the college. You never know what you'll hear from me.

Until next time,

This is Susan

Enjoying Summer

Well, we are getting very close to our move to Winnipeg now. One month from today we will move into the Salvation Army cadet residence at Waverley in Winnipeg. There are still several things on the list of to-do's at this point, but that is getting smaller.

I know have only a week and a half until I am finished work, with only 4 days left in the office.

We will be enjoying a week in August down at Pine Lake Camp on faculty for Music Camp. We missed camp last year and are looking forward to being part of this year's fun. The Salvation Army's leaders for Canada and Bermuda will be on hand for the first day of camp, as well as many supporters and donors, for the dedication of 4 new camper lodges. The lodges have been in use since the start of this year's camping season, but the event will give the Salvation Army a chance to thank those who helped to contribute to their construction. Our new divisional leaders will also be officially installed that day.

Susan and I have been enjoying summer this year. It is the first summer that we've known each other when I have not been on-call for work at all times. We enjoyed a new adventure a couple of weekends ago when we went tenting out near Hinton, Alberta. We were supposed to go to Calgary to visit another couple, but when one of them got sick, we looked for something else to do with our weekend, and since we had got a tent and sleeping bag as wedding gifts, we decided it was time to start using them.

We arrived at the camp site around 10pm, and being on the edge of the mountains and in the trees, it was getting quite dark. It was the second time we were setting up our tent and we were a bit worried when we realized that we did not have the instructions...but once we focused on getting the tent up - rather than on finding the instructions - we got it up quickly and without trouble in the dark. The first night brought a brief thunderstorm and continuing rains, but we slept without problem and woke up dry in the morning.

We spent part of the Saturday in Jasper. Neither of us had ever been there, so that was a nice treat. I enjoyed it a lot. It was quietter and more relaxed than Banff always seems to be...much less touristy. We enjoyed a pizza lunch on a roof-top patio surrounded by the mountains and wandered around town for the afternoon. We returned to our campsite for dinner and enjoyed a tex-mex style stew cooked over the open fire and s'mores in the evening.

We headed home Sunday morning after I forgot to put our breakfast food into the cooler and it sat in the trunk of the car all weekend. We packed up our site in a light rain and headed home. We learned a few things about camping - what supplies and equipment we need to invest in if we want to make this a regular activity - but we also learned that we really enjoy tenting and that we want to keep doing it.

The following weekend we got down to Calgary and enjoyed spending time with the Deckers. Susan and I ventured out on Saturday and took in Heritage Park Historical Village. I used to visit the park on a regular basis, but a great deal has changed and I enjoyed going again to share that with my wife.

This past Sunday we were at St. Albert Corps where I had been asked by the corps officers to speak while they are on vacation. I haven't preached now for nearly two years and was glad for the opportunity. In fact, as I shared with the congregation, the last time I spoke was at St. Albert a few months after I had moved to Edmonton. I remember a member of the congregation asking if Susan, who had come with me, was my wife and I answered, "No, we just started dating a couple of months ago." Well, I was very proud as Susan came with me again, this time as my wife, and she joined in with the worship team leading the singing and playing the piano.

This week we will stay in Edmonton and attend our home church. We will only be at Edmonton Temple two or three more times before we leave and move to our new home in Winnipeg.

Artsy, but not fartsy

It's been an artsy day for me. This morning, my workplace held its monthly staff event, and this month's theme was a talent show. I was told early in the morning that there were very few "acts" signed up for it, so they were going to be spaced out and people could mingle, and perform if they decided on the spur of the moment. I did something I don't do very often: I determined the chords for "Thank You For the Music" and performed it! So for those of who who missed it, it'll be years before my next scheduled performance. My solo-ing goes on the same kind of schedule as a comet.

My other "artsy" moment today came when I finished the first of some collages I want to make. I decided to do scrapbook-style pages of various parts of our honeymoon last year.

This is obviously San Francisco, and these pictures were taken as we tried to find our way out of the city.

I don't know which set of pictures I'll tackle next, but it may be Disneyland.

Next picture: We went to Montana's for supper tonight, and I got Jason to play hangman with me. After he figured out what the word was, he proceeded to guess every letter of the alphabet in order to avoid filling in the word. However, I outsmarted him by giving the man a hat, gloves, briefcase, pipe, and monocle before I would consider him complete. Notice that he does not have a left foot, and you will see that Jason managed to figure out the word in time to save the man's life!

Acts 29

Over the past 4 Sundays, Edmonton Temple has been privileged to have three distinguished guest speakers visiting. The first was Dr. Ron Powell, a local youth ministry instructor. He came to us to speak specifically to the problem of bullying that faces so many people in our society, both children and adults. Second was Dr. Don Burke, President of Booth University College. And today we were blessed by the teaching of Dr. Paul Magnus, who is a member of the faculty at Briercrest College and Seminary.

Dr. Magnus challenged us to be a church of Irresistible Influence. I would invite you to listen to his challenge online.

Another brief conversation that I found interesting today came just before the Sunday morning service. Last Sunday I was presented with my Candidate pin, indicating that I have been granted acceptance to enter into the College for Officer Training, which I wear on my uniform. While I was in the church office waiting for something I needed for the service one of the other members of the church commented on the significant level of commitment that this little pin indicates.

This person made the comment that they believe that people's desire to avoid making commitments is a serious problem in our society. I would have to agree that there is a general tendency by people to avoid long-term commitments.

As a high school student I was told by educators that, statistically speaking, I would likely hold not only multiple jobs but would most probably change careers several times. People just don't stay with the same employers for 40 or more years very often any more.

In my previous position with The Salvation Army I attended a couple of volunteer management seminars and workshops. During each of these, as part of the teaching given on attracting volunteers, we were told that volunteers are often not looking for ongoing opportunities, but rather prefer to commit to one-time events.

As I listened to Dr. Magnus' challenge to be a church of irresistible influence, I wondered how much more significant and effective our witness would be if our level of commitment to the faith we claim wasn't hindered by the evasion of commitment that is so common in our society.

I sincerely believe that God has a calling for each person's life. I know full well that not all are called to vocational ministry such as Salvation Army Officership, but God does still call some to this lifestyle. It can be a difficult thing to commit to, but I am confident that God equips those who are willing to surrender to this calling. I know for myself that part of this equipping has been a change of attitude. I was extremely resistant to my own calling to Officership, but since I decided that I wanted the best that Christ had in store for my life God has given me a new enthusiasm for the life that lies ahead of me.

While commitment is something that we resist, it seems obvious to me that those things that require of us the greatest level of commitment are the things that provide the greatest return on our investment.

Baked Perogies

Susan and I named our blog, "Musical Pots" to reflect each of our creative passions: music and cooking. Susan loves music and is very talented while I enjoy experimenting with our next meal.

One of my favourite things to whip up quickly is baked perogies. I don't measure, so you'll have to experiment with how much of each ingredient you use based on your own taste preferences.

While the recipe changes each time I make them, here's the basics with some variations:

Ingredients:

1. Perogies (I usually use potato and cheddar, but whatever type is your favourite will work fine)
2. Chopped yellow onion to taste (1/2 should do it)
3. Butter or margerine (amount depends on the number of perogies you are making)
4. Freshly minced/chopped garlic
5. Lemon juice
6. Lime juice
7. Ground cayenne pepper
8. Ground cumin
9. Ground mustard
10. Paprika

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a small frying pan melt some butter at a medium low temperature
3. Add in the chopped onion and saute until tender
4. Add the garlic for a short time (2 minutes)
5. Remove the onion and garlic from heat
6. In a casserole dish place the desired number of frozer perogies
7. Add desired amount of butter cut into small cubes and placed on top of the perogies
8. Add lemon and lime juice to taste over the perogies
9. Sprinkle the spices over the perogies to taste. You can experiment with spices to suite your taste preferences
10. Cover and place in the over for 15 minutes. Remove and stir. Return to the over for another 15 minutes.
11. Enjoy

Other variations I've tried include frying up some turkey bacon to cut up and add to the dish. I've also added dried cranberries with great success.

This is an easy meal with minimal prep time that is ready in just half an hour.

Ambassadors of Holiness

...this is the name of the next session of cadets that will train at The Salvation Army's training facilities. Around the world cadets from this session have already begun their training in territories where the training program begins in January or February. In September the Canada and Bermuda Territory will welcome a group of cadets to the College for Officer Training in Winnipeg, Manitoba.


On his website, General Shaw Clifton explained that "this name brings into focus the holiness teaching which is such a key part of the Army's mission and identity. It reminds us of the need for every officer to understand, to teach and to exemplify the truths expressed in our 10th doctrine."


I am pleased to say that Susan and I will be moving to Winnipeg in late August as I join this session in preparation to enter into Salvation Army Officership. Susan will continue to remain involved with The Salvation Army as a lay person and soldier, but will not be entering the training program. This is a fairly new concept in the SA as we have historically operated under a model that required married couples to both enter in officership or for an officer to marry another officer. This is the second year in a row that our territory has accepted a single-spouse candidate for training.


This has been a fairly lengthy process for me. I have the letter that was issued after I first requested to begin the application process. It is dated December 14, 2005, but I really first started to consider officership a few years before that in 2001 while working as a camp counselor at Camp Selkirk in Ontario.


Keep watching for more news as we learn more about this exciting transition!