Officially Leaving (but not going far)

Well, it's official. After five and a half years at Holy Trinity Anglican Church as the Youth Pastor, I am moving on.

Let me say first and foremost that I really don't know what to say! How do you sum up the thoughts and feelings and experience of over 5 years in a paragraph? I can try to say what an honor and a privilege it has been working with you, learning with you, and in many cases watching you grow up. I've loved the opportunity to share my passion and my faith with you, and I'm so thankful for the time we've spent together. I have so many photos that I cherish, of Youth Quake and all-nighters and trips and events. All the silly and weird things that we've done. And you've all taught me so much more than you can ever know, and I'm so grateful for that.

I will say that it is very difficult to turn the page here and start a new chapter of my life. This has been a very difficult decision for me, and I want to make it clear that I really will miss all of you so very much. In the end, this is a good opportunity for me and my family, and I do believe that God is calling me to this new work.

I am moving on, and someone new will likely come along to fill my place, just as I came in to fill someone else's. I hope that all of you that are still around after me will show the new person the same honesty, love, and enthusiasm that you blessed me with!

For those of you who want to stay in contact, I'd love that! I'll still get emails and I'll still be on facebook (heck, it's not like I'm leaving Winnipeg or even the downtown! My new office is three blocks from the church!). And if me and Janie and Corrina haven't seen you in a while, why not stop by the church for one of our Christmas services? It'd be great to see you there.

Officially I'll be working until Christmas Eve, and after that I'll be down the street at the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, getting youth and young adults involved with Food Justice and Ending Hunger!

Hey, does anybody have time for one more Rock Band night at the church? I could bring nachos.

God bless each and every one of you! And I'll see you around!
Sincerely,
Dave Colvinson

Coffee Update: Volunteer Needed!

Maybe you can help.

This Wednesday Night (Oct 21) is our church Vestry Meeting (church leadership), and I'm hoping someone will be able to come and help me present the idea of switching to Fair Trade Coffee. The meeting starts at 6:30 and it would just be a brief time at the beginning. It would be great just to have someone like yourself from the congregation to show the Vestry that this an issue that is important to parishioners.

Here's what I have: I went to Ten Thousand Villages and got a big display of Level Ground coffee, as well as their promise for tax-free coffee at a 10% discount for the church. I also got a DVD, pamphlettes and info. The switch would mean better tasting coffee grown by fairly-paid farmers and their families.

Please let me know, by phone, email or blog comment, if you can come this Wednesday!

Responsible Coffee

Something has been on my heart for some time, and I post this here in hopes that perhaps you feel the same. A while ago I came across a verse in the book of James that stopped me in my tracks, and I'd like to share it with you.

James 5:4
For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

And immediately I thought of the coffee I enjoy every morning. Am I cheating the worker? Shouldn't I do something about that? All the more so, shouldn't our church?

All around the world people struggle to make a decent life for themselves and their families. Economic turmoil and climate change have made basic survival very difficult for many people. But on top of this, when workers do not recieve addecuit pay for thier goods and services, how can they possibly survive? So now Janie and I buy fair trade coffee for our home. It costs more, but I know the extra money is actually making it back to the hands of the growers, which is great. It's not much, but it's something.

Is this something that you think about to? Do unfair wages stir your passion? If so, please consider joining with me to partition the leadership of the church to change the coffee we buy for the church. I would like to gather the number (how much more it would cost, etc) and make a brief presentation to the Vestry. But it would mean so much more coming from you, or several of you, than it would from me.

This is a small step that I think could make a big difference. Please leave a comment or email me if you'd like to talk more about this.
-Dave C

To see the PWRDF's information page on Fair Trade, click here.
To learn more about one Fair Trade coffee initiative, supported by MCC, click here.

Hey All,

Can you help me out? The church just bought a bunch of these MASSIVE AND AWESOME LASER GUNS, and I need some help testing them out.

Say, Friday night at the church? 6:30? Please bring an friend to increase the awesome (Mike, I’m looking at you).

These things are ridiculously cool, and I found them ridiculously cheap.
Team Mode, dot scope, pump-action shot gun mode, rumble, etc, etc!

Let me know if you can make it
-Dave

Nintournamentendo!

The countdown is on! Just over 24 hours 'til our Nintournamentendo!

We will feature:
All FIVE Nintendo Home Consoles

Dozens and dozens of games spanning 20 Years of Nintendo History

Midnight Lazer Challenge

Pizza and snacks

Tournament Play


Some of our tournament prizes include:

An Original 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Power Magazine: May issue
1500 Nintendo Wii Points
Nintendo Klik-Its
Posters, Candies, etc.

See you there!

Nintournamentendo!

In case you needed another reason to come, check out our latest decoration for our NINTOURNAMENTENDO (Guys Night Nintendo Tournament):

100% Paper and tape. For scale's sake, that's an origianl NES gamepad in the frame below. Sorry about the terrible quality pic.

Are you comeing? Let us know!

Friday, May 15-16 at Holy Trinity Winnipeg
Guys grades 7-12

Youth Quake Countdown

Hey everyone,

Check out our new Youth Quake countdown!

Are you ready? Do you have to book off work? Get your homework done ahead of time? Have you prayed about our trip? Time is ticking!