Here we are at the start of a new calendar year and tonight is the Epiphany Team Gathering- woot! woot!!!
I’ll most likely wait to put up this post until tomorrow so that we can include a bunch of photos. As I am still limping along without a cell phone and thus without a camera I’ll have to deputise someone else to take pictures and hopefully Airdrop them to me at the end of the evening.
However there is very good news on the cell phone front as Victoria (former SYC Director and current VP of CTM, but most importantly mother of 3 of my Godsons 😊) has been given a new iPhone for Christmas and is generously going to pass on her older model to me. I should have it during the coming week. Praise the Lord!!!!
The past week has gone by so quickly and with much to do that it really has not provided a quiet rest break before launching into a fresh season. I am very thankful for a full life with so much always happening; there is certainly never any chance of being bored. Ha!!
Early in the week Victoria called to let me know that she and the boys would be arriving on Wednesday for an overnight visit. Much preparation ensued as, with most stores closed both Tuesday and Wednesday I had to dash to get in food supplies for the coming influx of small boys (and their mother!).The visit went very well and the Fish Hats I had knitted for Christmas were a big hit, as the boys wore them most of the day while playing in the house. Victoria also liked the shawl I had made for her, all very satisfying. 😊
Of course, despite the office being officially closed until Monday, the work of Day Camps never takes a holiday so I’ve also been devoting a few hours each day to moving ahead with plans and preparations for the summer to come. A couple more chapters of the Program Manual have now been submitted and I have been reading through them to see if there are any immediate changes necessary. Our super typist, Arnee, will be returning from Ireland next Wednesday and has been in touch to say she will be happy to serve as “copy editor” for the new version of the Program Manual, with (committee member) Jessica serving as “Layout Editor”.
It is particularly important that the Planners get completed as soon as possible since we now have accepted applications from 3 host locations and those communities will be needing to receive their acceptance packages within the next month or so.
With the Christmas Season behind us I will soon be reaching out again to a long list of potential host communities, reminding them to send in their applications. Of course we also need to push forward on recruiting of Team Members for 2019. We made a decision to roll back the deadline for submitting Team Applications to March 15, of course it is highly unlikely we will receive a flood of forms by that date but we have to try. All Team applicants require a valid Police Check and the Montreal Police needs at least 4 months to process requests. Since our Teams are volunteers CTM does not pay for this service so we do really need to comply with the timeframe. This evening I will be reminding everyone about this important concern. Also, with the new format being planned for the Training Retreat week, the committee will need to make decisions regarding Team configurations at least a month earlier than in past years and so we simply will not be in a position to accept last minute Team applicants.
Over and over I’m trying to remember that all of this is in God’s hands and that all we should be doing is remaining open to His plan, but then of course I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat worrying again Ha!! 😊
Well I need to end off to go and pull together a slow cooker of hot lemonade for this evening.
I’m sure I’ve shared this recipe before but it is SO good for having on hand all through the winter months, I’m going to risk including it again.
Hot Lemonade
- 9 cups water
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 2 cups orange juice
- 1-1 ½ cups sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch of ground cloves
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and heat on low for 2-3 hours. Makes 10-12 servings. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for several days and can be heated up as needed. Yum 😊
Sunday Morning…
We had a very lovely Epiphany Team Gathering last evening with good teaching, great singing, yummy refreshments and excellent fellowhip. Here are some pics, courtesy of Chelsea
