The Lord is Risen Indeed, Allelulia! – Crosstalk Ministries Day Camps

Last evening we held our Easter/Spring Team Gathering. The group was quite small, only 9 of us but the Fellowship, Teaching and House Eucharist were all lovely and special!

I’m afraid I still fall prey to the “numbers game” judging “success” of an event by how many are in attendance as opposed to what we received from it and how God was honoured.

So,today, instead of being hung up by the low turn out, I’m choosing to be really thankful for having had ample time to chat with a new Team Member (William), whom I had not met before, enjoying Randy’s Talk,(about which I must confess I had had some previous misgivings), singing my all time favourite Hymn “Be Thou My Vision” and having the privilege of sharing in the Lord’s Supper in my own living room- Thanks Dave!

And today has been a very good Sabbath. The Service this morning included a really interesting and insightful Teaching on Acts 18. I was able to successfully make and serve the soup and bagel lunch for the first time in my new community, with several members saying kind things about my Portuguese Kale Soup and homemade bagels. Weatherwise, it has been a glorious day, and my flowerbeds are erupting with new Spring blooms!

Of course I did not get home from Church until 130 pm and had to turn around and quickly take Wil for his afternoon walk,not really a chore on such a lovely afternoon! because at 3 pm Guylaine (my most recent secretary) and her fiancé, Matthew, who live in Ottawa, dropped in for a short visit on their way back after a weekend in Montreal doing wedding planning.
They had to be “kitchen company” as I was busy preparing High Tea for the Irishes who came at 6pm!!
Anna Irish is going to be one of our Training Parish Team Leaders this year , she and her husband and toddler are in Montreal for a few days from their home at the Borden Ontario Military Base so it was a great opportunity to “talk shop” and discuss some Day Camp plans.
Nathanael ( age 21 months) is a delight, he knows one breed of dog “Labrador” and thus refers to Wil as a “leopard-door”!!! He has an amazing vocabulary for such a little guy.

And so begins a new “Day Camp” week.

Tomorrow evening is our monthly Committee meeting (more about that in our next..)I hope to accomplish great things this week, nailing down staff for the Retreat week, finding more host churches, beating the bounds for TEAM MEMBERS and proofreading the “final” version of the Program Manual etc.etc.etc

By request, from last evening’s Gathering I offer you…

Oriental Millet Pilaf

Serves 4

1 1/2 cups millet
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch spring onions,chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 tsp. grated root ginger
2 1/2 cups water
1 orange
2/3 cup raisins
2 tsps. sesame oil
1 cup toasted cashews
2 Tbsps. pumpkin seeds

Place millet in a large saucepan and toast over med. heat for 5 mins., remove to a bowl. Heat olive oil in same pan and saute onions, garlic, ginger and pepper just until softened.

Pare rind from orange with a veg. peeler and add to pot along with the water and millet. Stir well. Squeeze juice from orange into the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook gently for 20 mins. until all liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat, discard orange peel and stir in sesame oil and raisins. Leave to stand 10 mins.

Stir in cashews. transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with pumpkin seed.

Serve warm or at room temperature.