CIA and ETM Christmas Party

As Christmas approaches our youth group tries to do something nice for our seniors.   

A week before our Christmas party we go to Extendicare Nursing home if we can to sing Christmas carols.  
Not all of us like to go : ) but those that do do enjoy it. 
It's nice to bring Christmas cheer into the lives of people who don't get too many visitors.   

One week later we held our annual Christmas party. 
This year we began by singing Christmas carols together. 
Then we had some fun with games, games, and more games. 

We started with the mitten and Hershey's Kiss game. 
Ben, is that a turkey on your head???

You put the oven mits on and then you attempt to grab a Hershy's kiss out of the basket and unwrap it and eat it and then run back so the next person can do it.  

Lots of fun. 

Rhys, don't give Ella instructions, get unwrapping.  : ) 

Oops, Shauna dropped it.   : )

You can do it Katrina

uh, oh, Kevin's getting into it.  

Kyle and Ryan in competition. 

What's wrong Rosy : )

Sister rivalry.  : )
A fun game.  

Then it was time for Christmas Pictionary. 

Lost of fun to watch.  Lucy's team won all three times. 
Rigged.  : )

Then in a circle for the LEFT and RIGHT game. 
Three gifts placed in the circle and they move LEFT and RIGHT according to a story. 
The one with the gift at the end of the story gets to keep it.  

We also played the stocking antler game

Blow up the balloons and place into stockings to make antlers.  

There is a trick to success.  

Ella giving Ryan tips.  : )

Hmmm Rhys, that's not going to fit into the stocking. : )

The end result. : )

Cute

Nice Daniel

And Ella

Cute Nicolette.  

I kind of liked this game. 

We ended with food and watching THE GRINCH. 
I actually forgot the recent copy at home, so we watched an old verion. VERY old. : ) 
But some enjoyed it very much.  

Another simply fun night with our youth. 
Have a Merry Christmas with family and friends this holiday season. 
See you in 2017. 

Trip to Montreal SeaFarer Centre with Cadets of Calvin.

On Sunday, December 11th, I made another trek to Montreal to deliver the seafarer parcels that we prepare each year. 

This year we were able to provide 89 parcels. 

We also brought along some parcels from other churches.   

I take along whomever would like to come and see the centre and what goes on there. 
This year it was a small group of Cadet boys, as well as Chad and Peter.  

We started by loading up the parcels into my van.   

With boys it's always a competition.  : ) 

Who can take the most presents at once.  

Always fun to watch that competition. 

It took a bit, but eventually we got things loaded in. 

Voila : ) 
We needed Chad's vehicle too to take wrapped fruit baskets as well other various and sundry items.  : )

The drive up was wonderful. 
I had the older Cadets in my van
Corwin and Ryne and Ethan. 
A very loud bunch, but loads of fun.  : ) 

When we arrived at the centre we unloaded our gifts into the temporary residence of the centre. A new one is being built at the old side. 
They had run out of gifts, so it was good we came when we did.  

A nice temporary place to house the centre. 

The chapel. 

And an open area for relaxing and playing games. 

Brown bag supper time. 

Time to play some of the games. 

And then into the chapel to learn briefly about the centre. 
Typical boy picture.  : ) 

Michelle told us a bit about the centre, what it does and how the gifts help bring joy into the lives of the seafarers.  

And before we knew it, we were off again back to Ottawa. 
A stop at Tim's for some Timbits and horseplay. 

And then we were off again. 
My van told stories  (with all of them ending in death for some reason : ) 
The OTHER van was more cultured apparently : )  
Listening to reader's theatre.  

It was fun to take the Cadets along.  
Hope they learned something. : ) 

Until next year. 
I look forward to seeing the new place then. D.V.