CAPPE Conference

February 8, 2007.

Wednesday

I have been in Niagara Falls for the past few days. I am attending the annual national conference for CAPPE. It has been very cold since we got here. Luckily we have a rental car for the week and a beautiful view of the Falls from our window. (Pictures to follow later) People tease us that since we are newly weds, we likely don’t care what view we have. This morning, I got up at 6:30 a.m. and left my husband in bed while I went off to the beginning of my day, starting with breakfast meetings. Oh joy oh bliss. Sure it was all you can eat, but come on!! 7 am... Are you nuts? By the end of the day we are tired and some are tired when they get up and can’t wait for the coffee to begin.

I have been a member of CAPPE for 10 years and have not been a single conference until this year. I figured I should since I am now the co-chair for the planning committee for the 2008 conference to be held in Victoria, BC in April. For some reason, CAPPE has had their conferences in February. But really who wants to fly in February? The blizzards, the air fare sucks, the traffic/delays. So we have proposed a theme centered on gardens as it will be Spring. I have met my last supervisor, the first mentor in chaplaincy, a college classmate from my second year of Bible College, another from my masters’ years, and a former co-worker since being here. It is so cool!! Talk about networking!!

This morning we heard a plenary speaker talk about “circles of trust” where one is asked open questions about a situation you describe. You are free to answer or remain silent. This was described further in the first workshop I had. Then in the afternoon, the workshop was about interfaith communications in pastoral care. I had thought it would be a bit more informative versus reflective. Tomorrow the plenary speaker and my first workshop of the day are BOTH in French, with translations available. As I have a tendency to read lips, I may not get much out of this one. Who knows?

But for now, I am tired and will watch TV with the hubby and try not to fall asleep during the shows.

February 11, 2007

Yesterday was a LOONNG day. I got up at 6 a.m. for a 7 a.m. breakfast meeting with the “steering committee” of this conference to assist us in our planning for next year’s conference. It was very helpful and informative. Some of their pitfalls won’t apply to our conference because we have hired a conference planning company called VenueWest who will take care of details like budget, registration, computers, etc. After this meeting, our day had a workshop and then the final keynote/plenary speaker who spoke about the importance of theological reflection for the focusing of our work. To assist with the “why” of our work. Do we love our job? Why do we do what we do? What is going on with specific case scenario?

After lunch, the conference had a worship session, final AGM and then ended with a banquet where we award certificates, etc. I skipped out during lunch for Sweetie and I to drive 2 hours to a town out side of Kitchener (which I pronounce “kitch’ner, for some reason… must be the Maritimer in me) where I met his mother’s sister and family. 6 kids!! I haven’t seen 6 kids in a family in a while. It was a good visit. I was tired though as the day had started early and I hadn’t taken my contact lenses out. We got back to the hotel at midnite and couldn’t find parking in the lot, so Sweetie parked on the side… in unofficial spot, and we went to bed.

Now after breakfast, we will drive 3 hours the other direction towards Belleville, where we will meet up with 2 of my college friends and hubby, who are from Ottawa. We figured Belleville is midway for both groups.

We’ll see how it goes.

Of course, there will be pictures for this.