Eighty Presbyters and twenty-eight Youth with their leaders joined United Church folk from across Thunder Bay in Sunday morning worship at Trinity United, when our Moderator, the Right Reverend David Giuliano, was guest preacher.

Conference President, Anna Stewart brought greetings from the Conference. Under the theme of General Council 101, Conference Personnel Minister Judy Hare led Presbyters through the make up of General Council and how Conferences, Presbyteries and Pastoral Charges relate to the national body. Jim Jackson, a member of General Council Executive, explained how that body works. Current General Council Commissioners, the Rev. Frances Flook and the Rev. Cheryl Kinney Matheson, told of the responsibilities of being a Commissioner. The job consists not only of attending the triennial meeting and reporting on it, but also includes a great deal of reading preparation and prayer, as well as being available for consultation until the next General Council meets. One ministry personnel and one lay person from each Presbytery is recommended to Conference, each with named alternates. In addition the Conference will send to General Council the Executive Secretary, the current President and President-Elect and an additional nine at-large Commissioners. The Conference strives to balance gender, age (10% under 30, with 1 person under 20), lay/ordered, and new/experienced Commissioners. Presbyters viewed a video from the Moderator wherein he used the Biblical call to “Go Down to the Potter’s House” to see how God is moulding us for the future and by calling those who will represent us at the meeting of General Council in Kelowna this summer. He spoke of how the diversity in our Church enriches us.
On the theme of “Navigating Change”, the Rev. Marilyn Anderson Corkum explained the many tools for change available on the CD of the same title. Every pastoral charge has received a copy of this CD, which is full of all kinds of resources. Later, Presbyters were led through ways of change, through singing of sails and anchors, followed by group discussions on how change happens. Change is no longer an option, but a necessity. To be a living organism is to be open to change and adaptability and the purpose of God will be achieved. We are part of this change. To be good faithful servants of God we must be involved in the process of change. These resources will be covered in the Train the Trainers Event to be held March 28 from 9 am - 4 pm at Wesley United Church in Thunder Bay.

Janice Boneham and Randy DeGagne led the singing, accompanied at the piano by Dayle Lankinen. Friday evening Vesper Service was led by the Rev. Joyce Fergus-Moore. Saturday morning worship and communion was led by the Rev. Wendy Stone and the Rev. Merv Wilson, chaplains at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

Presbytery Youth Minister, Matt Woodall, is currently doing intentional work with Current River and Knox Kenora, with other pastoral charges to be addressed in the near future. Work is continuing on the development of a Youth Council. The artistically inclined are invited to design a Youth Council logo. Matt attended the CanLead Forum in London in January and was theme presenter at a Conference Youth Event in November. The concurrent Youth program used the theme of World of Worship.

KAIROS continues into the 2nd year of the theme Re-Energize: Time for Carbon Sabbath. Churches, groups and families are encouraged to observe Earth Day again this year by turning off lights between 8:30 and 9:30 pm on Saturday, March 28th. This year’s action is to send postcards to the Prime Minister urging that Canada “end oil aid.” Presbyters signed cards to this effect. Resources are on the KAIROS national site for free download, including a 15-minute video, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, an education resource book which includes a script for a “Bake Sale for Big Oil” and worship resources. There will be a national KAIROS Gathering in Waterloo, June 17-20. This Presbytery has made $300 available toward funding a Presbyter to attend.

Motions to note

• That the Conference be requested to make the requirements for General Council Commissioners include two members under 18, two under 30 and a goal of up to 25% be under 30.
• That Presbytery write a letter of concern to Confederation College regarding their decision to terminate the Chaplaincy program.
• That funds from the Mission Support Grant for the Confederation College Chaplaincy Program be terminated immediately.
• To request Conference to petition General Council to allow e-mail voting.

Items to note:

• Camp Duncan rates remain the same. Helping at the camp through “sweat equity” can result in credits for use. The Camp Board is always looking for volunteers on their work days. Sunny Cove Camp theme this year is Exploring Prayer.
• Pastoral Charges are asked to notify the <"mailto:doreenls@web.ca">Webweaver of their web sites so that they may be linked from the Presbytery site. For privacy purposes, permission is needed if names and pictures are to be included on web sites.
• Free copies of the Observer for May, June and July will be given to the first 250 new subscriptions. The Observer web site, www.ucobserver.org, has all kinds of free resources.
• Community Grants and Local Initiative Grants are available for local learning events. Check the Adult Education Section of the < a href="http:/www.united-church.ca">national web site
• The Youth Minister Advisory Committee is exploring options for funding the position beyond 2010.
• Exploring World Religions gathering will be held at the Encounter World Religions Centre in Toronto, July 12-18.
• Affirm United notes that 54 ministries in the United Church of Canada are now affirming. See Galations 6:9 and Affirm United web site
• The Gender Justice Advisory Committee of the General Council notes that gender justice is still an issue that needs to be addressed.
• On Friday April 24 Romeo Dallaire will be speaking at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium with proceeds going to Nu-Vision Ministry in Rwanda. Tickets $40 per person, $25 for students.
• The Policy and Planning Committee will revise the Zone Mandate.
• M&S Covenant Forms are due by March 15. For M&S news, read Mandate magazine and go to http//missionandservice.blogspot.com Dave McMaster’s Hat raised $771 for Mission and Service.
• Kent Gibbons begins Sabbatical leave of 3 months beginning in May 2009.
• Information on Designated Lay Ministry and Congregational Designated Ministry is available from the national web site. A DLM is appointed by a presbytery to serve in paid accountable ministry. They are recognised by Conference, when education is completed. A CDM is a lay member of the United Church of Canada appointed by an Official Board or equivalent, with the presbytery to determine whether the position is accountable to the Congregation or Presbytery. Pastoral Charges will be receiving a letter regarding possible positions already in place.
• New committee chairs, as of the rise of Conference, are Janice Stevenson ( Christian Outreach and Social Action) and Joy Bott, (Stewardship). Barb Miller will be the Chair of Presbytery.
• Recommended to Conference as General Council Commissioners: Ministry - Rev. Joyce Fergus-Moore, with Rev. Cheryl Kinney Matheson as alternate; Lay - Christina Stricker, with Kyle Kellar as alternate.

Interesting ways of getting the message across were explored by Janet Buckley and Jann Sampson. Presbytery Chair and Theological Reflector, the Rev. Gord Waldie, asked if we are pursuing our agenda or God’s agenda. Picking up on the metaphors used by the theme presenter, he said we need to be somewhere between the anchor and the wind. Saturday evening concluded with entertainment in the Sanctuary by a number of very talented members of north ward United Churches, followed by a time of fellowship and refreshment.

Heartfelt thanks go to the Minister,Staff, Board and especially the kitchen staff of Trinity for their excellent hosting of the Winter Presbytery.

See you at Conference in Winnipeg in May and at Presbytery in September - location to be announced.