Presbytery Prattle
Fort McMurray
October 23-24, 2002

Tuesday evening: Gathering at First United Church, Fort McMurray. Moderator the Right Rev. Marion Pardy greeted us from all of Canada and beyond. "When youth projects and programs are in pastoral charge budgets, there is a significant increase in youth participation." Lynn Maki was also introduced as the Executive Secretary of Alberta and Northwest Conference.

Wednesday: Day began with worship, including communion, led by members of First United Fort McMurray. Theme- we are all part of the "Body of Christ" and no part is more important than another. Divisions met until lunchtime.

Stewardship: The court was treated to a presentation by Georgina Bruleigh, Janet McDonald and Karen Gusek. Looked at Conference, Presbytery and Pastoral Charge profiles. It would be a good idea to have those present take back this important information and inform others about your own pc profile regarding giving to M & S. Georgina handed out 2003 forms for M & S Covenanting. They must be signed and returned as soon as possible after pastoral Charge Annual Meeting. If you do not comply, the editor of Prattle thinks you will have Georgina on your case and this would not be a pretty picture! New: the conference web page is updated and contains many new links. www.anw.united-church.ca

Communications: Bret Shuck will be looking after T shirts, sweaters and vests. nbshuck at telusplanet.net Minute Books from Ardrossan, Andrew, Athabasca, Barrhead, Beaumont are to be brought to our next full meeting at Fort Saskatchewan. Next meeting hopefully our demonstration and hands-on computer search will happen. Division chairs were asked to update information for the handout for new members. Some divisions changed.

Christian Development: UCW are having their annual meeting at the Providence Centre February 22-23 2003. "Living by the Scriptures" is the theme. Stories of women are still being received. Let's hear yours! Naramata still offering many great opportunities for learning. Camps have a few concerns  but Natalka asked we keep promoting them. Life Long Learning still has some funds available. Tuxis Parliament qualifies for $ 50.00 assistance- age 15-21.YAYAM had a very successful High School meeting. VBS - need 8 pastoral charges to make a caravan successful. Only 3 expressed interest. Later in the meeting it was agreed that a VBS program will be made available for pastoral charges who may do their own program.

Youth Coordinator is still being sought. Do you have a person in your pastoral charge who may be interested? Could be university student - part time and small honorarium. Good experience for some people experience. Please contact Natalka garstade at telusplanet.net

MP & E: Kent Horsman reported for E & S that Kathy Suteau had completed the course for intern supervision. The committee is dealing with two discernment requests. Annual conference interviews are slated for January 4, 2003. Peggy Langston is now a full "Staff Associate." Oversight reported that the work is ongoing and going on! PMD (Presbytery Ministry Development) are pleased to have helped negotiate a change in pastoral charge boundaries. Fort Assiniboine, formerly part of Barrhead Presbytery will be married to Swan Hills Pastoral Charge. Effective November 1, 2002. May  they live happily ever after! Still looking at ways and means to provide ministry leadership in several places. This group will give a full report on its findings at the next full meeting. PR - A full time vacancy was declared for Fort McMurray Pastoral Charge. The two year interim appointment of Jo Anne Knobbe ends June 30, 2003. Lamont will be meeting with the chair of presbytery and others before a vacancy will be declared. 

Church in the World: The SKRIM project was extremely successful. Over $ 5000 was raised (actual figures were over $ 7,000 in the financial report and still climbing) A letter of appreciation was passed out to those present. This should be read out in your own congregations. So whoever has the letter please let it be seen. Many other Lenten projects are being considered and more information to come. Time out to contemplate and discuss the plight of drought-stricken farm families. A time of prayer was suggested at least twice a year to be included in our schedules. The letter of Agnes Buchanan is being sent to ANWC executive for consideration.

Finance: Remember to send your treasurer to a special workshop facilitated by Bob Scammell Oct. 29th at Spruce Grove. Our treasurer says there is $11,674.74 in the bank with a possible surplus of about $ 5,500 due to programs not completed - such as no youth worker salary or VBS caravan.

Northern Co-ordinator - Pat Bourque: (aka The Walking Book Store!) Reported many snippets of happenings around the conference. Revelations Book Store is open and getting more books all the time. At St. Stephen's convocation Rob Hankinson will receive an honourary doctorate for his work in inter-faith activities. A Newcomers event happened. Ministry of Supervision courses being offered at VST and PCTC. Also St. Albans Institute is offering a course in "the long term pastorate". Pat attended the Breakthrough event at Waterloo Ontario last June. Kennon Callahan events planned in our areas this year.

Thursday Morning: Remit # 7: re: possible change from 4 court to 3 quart governance. Would you believe it? Vote was tied and deciding vote had to be cast by the chair! He voted "yes" so that means our presbytery have decided to at least send the remit to the next level. Talk about pressure for a new chair!

Mission Support: The bad news is that there is $ 50,000 available to the presbytery and there are $ 63,000 worth of grants being asked for. The following grants were approved by presbytery but final approval and amount of support will be made available after a conference meeting in mid- November. Regular print is amount asked for and brackets indicate amount presbytery agreed to ask  Athabasca $15,000 ($13,000), Beaumont $4,000 ($2,500) Fort McMurray $ 8,000 ($6,000) Grand Cache $ 6,000 ($6,000) Moose Hill $ 12,000 ($ 10,000) Swan Hills $ 18,000 ($15,600). If you are puzzled about the math it is because Leslie Penny intends to push for an additional $ 3100 at least from amounts that might not be used by other presbyteries. We hope it works! Many expressed appreciation of the difficult job Mission Support sub-committee has in trying to make wise decisions about who gets what when there isn't enough "what".

Odds and Ends: A motion was passed after lots of discussion about the wise use of resources and our environment. The motion was in effect to encourage pastoral charges to listen, to become educated, be informed to help discern the truth and thus help empower our people to make educated choices on Kyoto Protocol.

Chairs Report: In a word or two - "very busy." Looking forward to some covenanting services. He is available for pulpit exchanges. Let's help Ardrossan by getting Mervin out of there for a few Sundays!!

Budget for 2003 was approved with minor changes.

Editor's Note: The above is not minutes! Just my impressions of what happened. The words in italics are my own imagination stretched to outlandish proportions. But a special thanks is due to the people of Fort McMurray Pastoral Charge; for their genuine hospitality, the great food, the heartfelt worship and so much more!

You can make a 4-page insert for your Sunday Bulletin if you want or you can also make a nice airplane. Your choice.

Blessings to all ,and be sure to pray for our farmers.

Ken Flanagan for the Communications Division

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