Once again this year I have had the pleasure of serving as Clerk of Session.

Session meetings were held monthly in 2011, except for February (due to the Annual Congregational Meeting), July, August and December with some noble goals and objectives. As well, throughout the year our Session members continued to maintain an active interest in all the obligations and responsibilities to the best of their abilities. In addition, we provided input to the spiritual direction for the congregation, and supported our Minister.

Your Session again this year has:

·      Throughout the year conducted reviews of our Worship Services and Services of Communion with suitable feedback and proposals. Response from the congregation has been positive.

·       Continued to update Pastoral Care contact with our congregation through Elders lists and communication to our Minister on specific concerns.

·      Assisted and supported with the Sunday School Christian Eduaction with their participation in planning Worship Services highlighting children in their Ministry.

·      Worship planning of all services including special services, and participation of Members of Session.

·      Taken care of the liturgies of Baptism, Confirmation, New Members, Marriages and Funerals.

Listed Below are some of the highlights of Session Ministry in 2011

1. Session Members were responsible for leading Sunday Worship on February 6th, 20th and 27th and on May 29th.

2. Assisted in putting together the Abuse Policy, with the distribution of the document "Faithful Footsteps" for liability insurance purposes.

3. Prepared for a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Ash Wednesday Combined Service.

4. Celebrated a Service of Remembering for families who have lost a loved one; approximately 69 families were represented. A candle in memory of their loved one was lit during our service.

5. We continued to encourage and support the newsletter so faithfully prepared by Steve Cooper for his time and work on the newsletter. As well, we encouraged Church members to hand in articles to Steve.

6. Updated our Church Information flyer and we placed a new printed version in the pews.

7. Ongoing encouragement of sending our Visitor letters and Bereavement cards. This ministry is being well received and appreciated. Our thanks to Lysa Woolley and Otto Ikome.

8. Hosted a special Ecuminical Service celebrating the City of Greenfield Park's 100th anniversary in our church on July 3rd. We thank the forever faithful Linda Laroche for organizing this service.

9. Supported and encouraged the work done on the Prayer Circle Garden in front of the Church under the guidance of Kathryn Hubbard who is working hard to maintain the garden along with Dorothy Shaw who has also worked hard planting and watering the garden.

10. Participated and assisted the choir in the early fall with a Welcome Back Breakfast for the whole congregation to enjoy.

11. Session again this year reaffirmed with our congregation "Our Covenant of Understanding" as to how we will treat each other in our Ministry together. Several readers from Session read the document.

12. Prepared and celebrated our 97th Anniversary Service, rejoiced in the Ministry of music by beginning with a Hymn Sing. Followed by the choir under the direction of Linda Laroche and Joe Rogers, who sang a solo -accompanied by musical contributions from Tony George. As well, a Pot Luck Luncheon was served and organized by June Millar.

13. Introduced a Facebook page on the life of our Church with the understanding that the administrators Steve Cooper and Lysa Woolley can filter out posts that they deemed inappropriate.

14. Took part in an Identity Survey conducted by General Council Office by encouraging members of our Church to respond and fill in the questionnaire in this Canada-wide analysis.

15. Remembrance Sunday was held in November which was a meaningful time of remembering for all of us. Joe Rogers laid the wreath and also sang "Bless this House".

16. Session continues to support and encourage our Sunday School and its' Superintendant Becky Ikome and all of its' teachers.

In closing, at this time I would like to thank all Members of Session for their continued help and support. In addition, Session is encouraged by our Minister, Reverend Jim Dalton for his leadership and for providing us with meaningful Worship each week. We are grateful to our choir who enhances our worship time together each Sunday. And finally, we say goodbye to Arlene Burns, John Melbrew, Lysa Woolley and Natalie Basque; we thank them for their service and ministry while on Session. We welcome Star Norris as our new Session member.

Respectfuly submitted,

Neil Bonnema

Clerk of Session