Doing the ministry waltz

I normally only dance at weddings, so I'm not an expert, but I know enough to recognize when all the diverse parts --the instruments, the song, the atmosphere, the dancers--come together in just the right way to create an enjoyable event. Our first week of ministry has seemed to me a lot like a waltz. A wide variety of components each functioning on its own, but the interactions between the parts make for a beautiful thing.

We came into contact-- dancing, in a sense-- with a lot of different people this first week in Canada.

• First there was our team. Our ministry team consists of 7 of us, each with a different role to play. We learned a little bit of their contributions during meetings early in the week. 
• Then there are those we serve, ministry leaders who will have the responsibility to look after our volunteer interns day-by-day over the coming 12 months. We visited several on Thursday, then a couple more on Friday. Names are important, and we are using all the tricks we know to remember them, and match them to the faces we saw. 
• Then there are those who are blessed by the larger Liebenzell ministry. On Saturday, a group of enthusiastic young adults used the retreat grounds here to plan out and pray over their own, God-led, ideas for ministry. Our facilities are offered cost-free to Christian groups that need a place of escape and solitude. On Sunday, we shared a meal with a Hungarian congregation who graciously invited us while they enjoyed the use of some of our 45 acre fields. We enjoyed hearing their stories-- both blessings and struggles-- as they adjust to life as foreigners, and as believers, in a big city like Toronto.
• We met people, too, who have nothing to do with our ministry-- check-out associates, government office clerks, salesmen-- who may or may not have a relationship with God yet face the daily struggles of living. We remind ourselves that they need a word of encouragement from the Holy Spirit.
• And we met other Servants of God, ministering in their own way to the people of Toronto. We may have no affiliation with them in organization, yet we are all called to the same purpose: love those we serve with the love of Christ.

And so as we met these all fine folks during this first week it reminded me of a dance-- always moving, coming in contact for a short time, interacting briefly, trying to keep in step with them, releasing them for the next partner. They will come around again and we'll be ready with encouragement, practical gifts, words of hope. Are you dancing with your Saviour today?

Arrival in Canada!

We have made it to Canada! We drove across the border at Lewiston, NY, just north of Niagara Falls. There was about a 30 minute wait to the crossing, then we had to report to the Immigration Office there at the border. The paperwork took about a half hour and the Canadian officials were very gracious in issuing a residence permit that allows us to stay through July, 2011.

From the border, we headed west along the southern shore of Lake Ontario in Canada for about 50 miles, then inland another 25 miles to the small village of Moffat. Here's where we are:


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Moffat is the location of the Liebenzell Mission Retreat Centre, our home for the next several weeks as we prepare for the arrival of the students. You can read more about the facility from my earlier post.

We were tired after our arrival, but we were gracious received by our hosts, Jeff and Ursi, who invited us up for donuts and coffee, with our directors and other Retreat Centre guests. We appreciated the nice housewarming gifts and our bed already prepared for us.

We have a day off on Monday and then begin with a staff meeting on Tuesday morning to learn all about the agenda before us in the coming days.

Hit the Ground Running

Here's our travel plans for the next few days:
Early on Saturday morning we will pack the car and head to the Rochester, NY area for a Hanchett family reunion on Saturday afternoon.
On Sunday, after sending off our two older children back home, Donna, Gregg, and Anna will drive across Niagara Falls into Canada. We will have several administrative tasks at the border to gather our paperwork for entry into Canada. Since we will be working as Religious Workers, we expect to receive the OK from the Canadian authorities and be invited in. Please pray for their acceptance of our invitation from Liebenzell and allow us to serve in Canada. We are cognizant that our work in Canada is always based on the good graces of the Canadian government. We are so thankful for the freedoms that God allows us here in North America to serve others in the name of Christ.
After passing across the border, we will head about 90 minutes west and north-- just past the western tip of Lake Ontario-- and arrive in the small village of Moffat and the Liebenzell Canada Retreat Centre. (Thus we will begin our first Canadian English lesson -- it's "Centre" not "Center". There will be several of those new spellings that we need to get used to. LOL)

We will settle in the Retreat Centre-- a building with several (8 or so) guest rooms that will accommodate small church retreats. We will hit the ground running as first on our agenda will be to prepare for the arrival of students from Germany. Along with the Liebenzell Mission Directors we will preparing a week's worth of activities and lessons to orient the young people to their new life in Canada and serving others. We have the benefit of several years of successful orientation sessions to build on. It will be an intense time of getting to know these young servants, encourage them, and introduce them to their new surroundings.

There will be several other things to accomplish in those first few days, but I'll wait and explain them in a future post. Thanks for praying for us during these busy days-- whenever you get the chance.

Final Preparations for our arrival in Toronto

We are meeting this week to make final arrangements for beginning our ministry in Toronto! We have a busy several weeks ahead of us. Thank you for your prayers during this time.

First on the agenda is to prepare for the arrival of 19 students from Germany. We will be taking them through an orientation where they will get acclimated to life in Canada, perfect their English, make new friends and meet their supervisors for their ministry assignments. This orientation will take place during the last week of August up through Labor Day in September.

Second, we will be doing major renovations on a house in Toronto that will be a base for our ministry. It is in a very convenient location and will make our task of travelling to and meeting with the students to provide pastoral care.

Third, Donna will take a few days to drive to Michigan with Anna and get her started at Calvin College.

These will be exhausting days with a lot of work to accomplish. We appreciate your prayers. Your financial support is very much appreciated. Thank you for standing with us.