This spring marked the fourth Spring Fling trip, and as always, I was blessed to serve with some wonderful people. Nadine Lung from Sherwood Park, AB, came along with Josiah Schultz and his youth Cody from Yuma, AZ.
We were grateful to be teaching the same two girls as last spring in Kitamaat Village. We even heard that the mother took time off work to ensure her daughters attended.
Later that evening, we held a tea social, but due to a death in the village, only two teenage girls attended. It was a great evening of fellowshipping with them.
Our next event was visiting with Alex Stoney, a youth worker for the Salvation Army in Hazelton. Alex had connected with another minister in the area who set up a BB gun range in his backyard. The group joined with several of Alex’s youth and took turns shooting at targets. We also joined them for a hotdog feed.
That evening, we had dinner with most of the women leaders at the Anglican church that the Yuma team uses for their summer program. It was a great evening of hearing about the history of their church, the community, and where the church is at today.
Additional Visits
After the Spring Fling volunteer group left, I preached and led services in Kitimat for Redeemer Lutheran Church and their mission church in Terrace.
A couple of days later, I picked up our executive director, Steve Schave, and executive director for the Canadian Lutheran Bible Translators, Pastor Mohr. We visited Gingolx, Gitanyow, Hazelton, Witset, and Kitamaat Village. We visited with Pastor Bart Metcalf, Dr. Jane Smith (pictured on the right), and Pastor Doug Anderson. When not stopping to take pictures of mountains and waterfalls, Pastor Mohr asked some of LAMP’s community contacts about the Bible being translated into their language. There is the thought of having a Bible translated in Nisga’a, where we serve the communities of Gingolx and Lax̱g̱altsʼap.
Orange Lutheran High School (CA) & Donor Visit - April 20, 2024
I had the pleasure and privilege to attend Orange Lutheran High School’s Mission Celebration. It was fantastic to see how many students attended worship services, led the music ministry, and learned how to serve Jesus and others in different ways through outreach and on-campus ministries. The OLHS has an excellent program that offers opportunities for students to share God’s love and grow in their faith in the process. I look forward to helping support a mission team from OL in 2025.
Staff Retreat, Team Meetings, and Installation Service (Edmonton, AB) - April 25-29, 2024
It was a whirlwind and a packed trip to the Arctic (as our executive director calls it) for a staff retreat on Friday to plan our summer ministry. The night before, I participated in my last online class for the CMC program.
I used my visit to Edmonton as an opportunity to meet with the LAMP mission team from Stony Plain and present a LAMP Sunday to their church. In addition, I met with the volunteers going to Kitamaat Village and those from Barrhead.
On Sunday evening, the 28th, all of the LAMP staff with many in attendance, celebrated the installation service of Michael Gillingham as a Missionary Deacon for LAMP at Bethel Lutheran Church in Sherwood Park, AB.
Donor Visits
I recognize how important it is to have faithful partners in the ministry and am very grateful you also understand the need for the gospel to be taken to God’s people up North. I enjoy staying connected over coffee or whatever works for you, and receiving your comments on my newsletters and blog posts too. Please feel free to contact me.
My VBS Dates this Summer
Please pray for open hearts and minds of the children and youth, (and any adults who might be in attendance) and for strength, patience, and God’s love to overflow via the volunteers leading VBS on the following dates:
Old Hazelton- July 1-5
Gitanyow- 8-12
Kincolith- 15-19
Kitamaat Village- 15-19
Witset- August 12-16
