One more step along the road we go ...

The Re-Building Committee of Minnedosa United Church has met twice ... the first meeting was a process of getting aquainted with the work we had before us ... the second meeting has begun in earnest the process of envisioning and actualizing the new building that WILL replace the one we lost to fire.

The tasks on the table right now are consulting with possible partners who might want to work with us in the redevelopment of our site, and interviewing and considering possible architects to help us in the redevelopment ...

I've been told by several people that the simple fact that as a congregation we've continued to mark the passing of the Church seasons and we've been continuing to function in a "business as usual" is remarkable. I would like to think that it is what prairie people do - when adversity strikes they don't sit and bemoan the hardship. Instead they help each other up and dust one another off and carry one ... and that's just what we've been doing.

It's not a denial of what happened, but a simple statement of - "we are an Easter people ..." and we WILL and DO live the resurrection by continuing to do what we have always done - being a living presence of God's community in Minnedosa.

The other things I've been told is that we've progressed fairly rapidly on the process of envisioning and actualizing the rebuilding of a building. It has only been three months, and we're already starting to talk to architects ... Along the way, the leadership of Wilf Taylor has meant that we've had conversations about what we want in the new building and we have a "wish list" to work with, and we've talked about location, partners and other things that sometimes takes weeks and weeks to get to. I'm sure we'll have some heated discussions when it comes to things like colour and room sizes ... but for now, the process is moving ahead smoothly and relatively quickly.

Along with it donations continue to trickle in ... every gift helps and is appreciated, and offers of any number of items continues ... (I have to wonder how you respectfully say "thanks but no thanks for your offer of red, and blue hymn books??" We don't want them either ...)

In many ways it's been a great journey ... there's some issues that need to be addressed, and there will have to be some decisions made ... but in the mean time, the walk to rebuilding continues, and in time a new building will rise on Main St ... with each passing week we simply take one more step along the road ...

L'chaim,