Monday, December 30, 2013

Trip to Vancouver - CNYWC PART 3

Friday afternoon

Back at the hotel, and after a bit of lunch, Dan and I traveled to the top floor and gathered with other CRC youth workers for an afternoon of discussions about what's going on in Youth Ministry in our Canadian CRC's.  

We met some great people who are doing great things in youth ministry. 
Lots of good discussions and dreaming about what youth ministry could look like in the next 10 years. 
We know that church life is changing, sometimes rapidly, and this was a great place to banter ideas around.  



The view from up there was a bonus. : ) 


Friday Evening

After our session it was time for dinner. 
As we waited for other youth workers, Ron (yes that's his real name) got a bit goofy as I sat in a very uncomfortable, modern chair.  

Finally, getting serious.....whew.

We took a walk to Gaslight Village. 


A beautiful walk.  

The Canadian CRC treated all who wanted to, to an evening dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory. 
That was a nice gesture and much appreciated.  

The rest of the gang...  

...and more.

I'm deciding what to eat.
Spaghetti of course...but what kind of sauce...hmmm.

A picture of the entrance...
and some crazy youth worker as well.

We walked back to the hotel and the exhibit hall was just opening up.  Dan connected with someone for a bit.
I'd done enough connecting for one day and headed up to the hotel room to get some sleep.  

Saturday

Saturday morning, and time to get some breakfast. 

Time to take in the view again as well.  
We just drank it in.  

Amazing.   

Time to check out De Dutch restaurant too. 

A very nice place.  Dan's enjoying the sugar packs...
and notice what kind of hockey jersey he's wearing....he had guts... : )  

Green Tabasco....interesting.  

Dan with his morning fare.
Me with mine.  
The food was very good.  

Nice touch with the napkins...

...and cutlery. 

After breakfast, it was time to drink in the surroundings some more. 



One of the many main sessions we had in the hotel ballroom. 

The worship band was very good this year.  

Duffy R was our speaker.  
Challenging.  

The afternoon was spent in workshops. 
I took in 
Justice and Evangelism: two inseparable sides 
of the "gospel coin"
and
Conversational Apologetics: five questions every young adult must process
This was a good one...lots to ponder...got the MP3 to listen to again later.  

After the sessions, it was time for dinner. 
Back to that great restaurant I was at on Thursday. 


The fish and chips were top notch. 


Hilma's chicken pot pie looked like it was going to explode. 

Dan had....I'm not sure what he had....but he seems to like it.  

After supper it was back for another main session time. 
An interesting talk by Rikk W.  I got the MP3 of his talk as well. 

Sunday

Sunday morning...
breakfast at McDonald's again.  


More great worship with the worship band.

Our group enjoying the music. 






Our speaker this morning was Danielle S. 
I heard her the last time I was in Vancouver. 
She's very good... works for the Salvation Army in Vancouver. 
Outspoken, controversial, and right on most of the time.  

We went to more smaller sessions for the afternoon. 

I took in:
The 21st Century Exodus....
and 
I confess I skipped the next seminar....not much grabbed my attention.   

  

So, Dan and I took a walk to the cruise line dock.

More great views. 

The gangway machinery to move the ramps in place.  

We got a closer look at the container docks. 

This is where the ferries leave from...  

...and go to.  





After our walk, it was time for dinner. 
We gathered another group together and traveled to 
Dunn's, known for its smoked meat sandwiches.  

Lots of chances to network.  


And the food was VERY good.  

This was just outside Dunn's.  
I couldn't resist.   

Back to our evening main session. 
Tony C spoke.  
Riveting for me.
I love listening to Tony.  His theology has changed over the years.  I think I've heard him speak about 5 times in the various conventions I've been to. 
Always a treat, and afterwards I ponder. 
I got his DVD to watch him again later. 



Monday morning brought another main session. 
Before that I took a walk to the waterfront again. 
It was Remembrance Day.
I noticed that the flame was lit for a ceremony that had just concluded. 
  

So I took a picture.  

And before we knew it, it was time to head home. 
Here's Dan, Ron and Ron, and Ron's wife (forget her name...sorry Ron)  before we departed for our planes. 

It was a great convention and a good time to get away from ministry as well.  : ) 

And then there are the crazy things that can happen to people that you just don't expect. 
As Dan and I were waiting for his plane to depart, someone sits down next to me. 


Ian of all people! 
From our own church!
Crazy!
What are the odds?
Too Funny.

My flight on the way home was uneventful. 
Glad to return home to family and ministry.

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