Form and Thought

What if ....

The pastor/priest didn't get paid to minister. What difference would make if we all served each other and there was no renumeration for any one person in community. But we all simply put our share in - out of all we had, to help everyone else. I'm not saying that we shouldn't have a pastor or preacher or teacher or encourager, etc.. I'm saying we need them all and we need more of what we all have to offer to be a healthy, vibrant community of faith.

Harmattan

Camp Harmattan is a Nazarene camp in Alberta not 20 minutes from the town of Olds.

Here I had the pleasure and privilege of working alongside a spectacular summer staff crew and singing worship band as I lead them all for the youth 12 - 18 chapel services under the leadership of my good friend Pat.

8 chapel services in 5 days. Phew. A lot of singing and practicing and sharing stories and our lives with youth. The last chapel we played on Friday night in front of 1200 adults or so in the main Family camp auditorium. There we worshipped God as He truly is with our 200 youth jumping and singing songs with us on stage. And for a few brief moments as I lay basking in God's glorious pleasure I felt I had found myself doing and being what I was always meant to do and be and I wanted to be no where else. I have felt that few times in my life. But there for that moment for some reason I had fulfilled in my heart a purpose for which my King had purposed for me.

End of an Era

Kawkawa Staff team summer 2005

21 years ago a 9 year old boy from Mission BC traveled on a bus by himself with a bus load of other children he didn't know to a place he'd never been. It was raining buckets of water at Kawkawa Lake when they arrived. Thankfully his mother had thought ahead and had put all his luggage in black garbage bags and so kept them dry. But his heart was heavy, not knowing anyone or anything and supposedly here to have the best week of his life.

That was me in 1985 at Kawkawa camp sometime in early July. I didn't know it then but it would become a turning point in my life journey on the road to knowing and serving Jesus Christ. My counselor, Slim (Tim Adams), shared from his heart his sincere love and desire for knowing God and Jesus with such genuinity that God's voice was then given the freedom to echo in my heart: 'I want you to follow me like Slim does ...'

Now, a year and 2 months after my beginning as Executive Director of Kawkawa Camp & Retreat I am watching the slow ending of a legacy of God's powerful working in the lives of children and adults alike. 2 days ago I finished my term as Director as the final leader of a mission that began 32 years ago to invite youth into God's loving Kingdom and grace. I feel as though I have been given the monumentous privilege of sharing the import of the moment, that because of God's grace and work here on Kawkawa Lake, I will for ever and always call Jesus my Lord, Saviour, friend, Father and God.

Remember these moments for they come but once and will fade with your memory.

Ness Lake, Anvil Island, Nazarene Junior Teen

Over the last 4 weeks I have spent three of them at three different camps helping out and serving as I am able. It has been a great privilege to work alongside other veterans of the camping world and to see other facilities and staff that give of their time and lives for the betterment of children all over BC. Here is a picture of the waterfront at Ness Lake Bible Camp in Prince George area.

Ness Lake is a beautiful camp situated on a relatively unpopulated lake with a beautiful and large beach front/water front. They hold around 160 campers at a go. Which was about the number I was speaking too in the evenings. 160 7-11 year-olds! Yikes. I had a great time at it though. Our theme was treasure hunting and through that I had a great time hunting for lost treasure with them.

And here is a beautiful shot of How Sound from the peak of Anvil Island where I spent a week speaking to 99 10-12 year-old boys. The picture is facing south west. You see some of Anvil Island in the foreground, then Gambier Island, Bowen Island and the the left Horseshoe Bay. Off in the hazy distance is Vancouver Island and just on the edge of the sound on the right, level with Bowen Island is a bit of Keats Island.

Anvil Island Camp 4 boys camp was quite an experience! With various injuries and crazy antics it was everything a boys camp should be and more. Fantastic music by some great musicians, great food, and great leadership by David Jones and his team who made it an experience I will never forget.

Here is the crew of counselors and support staff that I had the privilege of working alongside at the Nazarene Junior Teen camp at the Okanagan Pentecostal Camp (OPC) in Falkland. From left to right: Tristan, Darren, Lily, Spencer, Claire, Lena, Katie and Chris. You guys did a good job.

The Nazarene's have rented OPC for a number of years for their 3 camps they do there. Recently the camp has been sold and so now the location for their camps could be changing. They would appreciate prayer for a proper location/place to support a work of camping ministry that will have the potential for growth and bring many young people into deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. The whole reason we do this camping thing anyway.

First picture of Baby Larson

Here are the very first shots of our baby in Kari's womb!! It was SO fascinating. I was only allowed to hang out in there for a few minutes but WOW! At 17 weeks that baby was a movin' and a kickin'. Got to see his/her kidneys, brain, heart, legs, arms, eyes, mouth ...

Just such a miraculous thing watching the growth and development of a human being inside my wife. And somehow I am privileged to have been a part of the creation process. A very humbling thought.

The baby looks very healthy to us and we're overly excited about it. Won't be long until we see him/her face to face. And no, we don't know the sex and we're not planning on knowing. In fact, they no longer give that information out because there are too many people who decide to abort based on the information. How can you look and see the person and decide to destroy that which you created??? Makes no sense to me. Anyway, here he/she is!!