Gander, NL - Week 1 Complete

Well, I have survived my first week. No survival techniques required in fact... From my perspective, there are 3 things worth highlighting as I reflect back on the first week.

1) SUNDAYS!

WoW! Busy day for clergy. I knew it would be, but I didn't really know it, you know!?!?! I still don't fully know it because the buck doesn't stop with me. But let me give you the schedule for my first Sunday in Gander...

10:00 am - leave for the Corps

11:00 am - 12:30 pm - Morning Meeting

1:00 pm - grab a quick bit to eat while visiting with Captain Shari who surprised Captain Pam with a visit

2:10 pm - head back to the Corps

2:30 pm - first baby dedication of the day

3:30 pm - second baby dedication of the day

4:20 pm - arrive back at the Quarters to grab a quick rest, unless your name is Joyce and you decide to rework the testimony you are giving that evening...

5:45 pm - leave to set up for the service

6:30 pm - Open Air / Drive-up (yes, you heard right) Service

8:10 pm - go for a run around Cobb's Lake

9:35 pm - pick up pizza for supper & pig out - and I mean borderline gluttony on my part!

Moral of this story: go to bed at a decent hour on Saturday night and consider taking Monday off. In spite of the busy-ness, or perhaps because of it, it was a great day where I could see ministry in action - non-stop action;).

2) A DAY OF ALL ME?

Interesting to wake up in a morning and have no plans. The Pinksens were all busy, I basically

know nobody else in Gander yet

(at least not well enough to call), so I awoke with a strange sensation - nothing to do, no one to call and make plans with. Yes, an odd feeling indeed. What did I do? Very difficult to say where the day went, but I got in a run, a long walk exploring the town, ran some errands, ate some food, tidied up my apartment. I wouldn't want that experience of a day wide open in front of me very often, but I think it is exactly what God was talking about when he offered us the gift of Sabbath. And I did enjoy it.

3) GANDER & GODERICH CONNECTION

Beware for the planning portion of today's blog. You know the expression, "Big fish in a small sea"? Well, this also applies to communities. It is an interesting phenomenon the way that small towns become the centre of the universe because they are the biggest place for miles (or hours) around. They give themselves fancy titles like being the "regional retail market centre" (you're most welcome for some planning jargon there). Translation: they acknowledge the reality of what that means, "We have a Wal-mart!" And let me tell you, that has to be the #1 thing that people have said to me when they found out my summer destination was Gander, "they have a Wal-mart you know?" Similarly, when people would talk to me about my hometown of Goderich if they lived within a 60 minute radius, "I go into Goderich for the Wal-mart," or perhaps for the Canadian Tire!!! It is funny that is the conversation I have with so many considering I experience actual physical pain when Wal-mart is discussed as the measure of what makes a good community.

Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking this place that I am calling home for the summer - more noting that I have been surprised by the similarities between the 2 G-towns that I have had the privilege, yes privilege, to call home. I mean,... they have a Wal-mart you know!?!?!?