2006-3131 Bridletowne Circle
Toronto, ON
CANADA M1W 2S9
December 17, 2007
Dear Friends:
The snow on the ground and the grey skies overhead are a signal that winter has arrived in Canada. But they, along with the round of activities that are part of our ministry in The Salvation Army remind us that Christmas is approaching. We always look forward to this opportunity to connect with our friends across Canada and around the world. This letter reminds us of the warmth of ties we have with you. And its writing gives us an occasion to look back and see the hand of God in our lives.
This year has been quite remarkable one for our family.
Elizabeth’s career continues to expand. She has visited China, Japan, England and a number of cities in Canada and is working on her second CD. One of the highlights of the year was her appearance at the Montreal Jazz Festival – the largest in Canada- where her quartet played to a crowd of 35,000 people. We were all there to cheer her on. She and Eleanor had a great visit to Ireland and then Elizabeth went on to London, Paris and Barcelona.
John is working full-time with the Ontario Neuro-Trauma Foundation. ONF is a group involved in research, policy advocacy and program development for people with spinal cord injuries. He finds his work stimulating and is passionate about what he does and the potential it has to improve the care and the lives of people with spinal cord injuries. His courage, capacity and character are a delight and source of real pride to us.
Our year has seen the usual run of activities in our ministry in The Salvation Army. Canada is a huge country and sometimes the grind of constant travel across five time zones and 8,000 km (5,000 miles) can be wearing. But we treasure the contact with work we are able to do with those who are responsible for the mission of The Salvation Army in our 550 ministry units in Canada and Bermuda. Work in the area of health care as we work with governments in the restructuring of hospital governance is intellectually stimulating. Work with people in our corps (churches) touches the heart. In all of it we see God at work in marvellous ways.
In August we spent a week as chief counsellors at the Senior Music Camp for our Ontario Central Division – the Greater Toronto area. This camp had 135 kids aged 14-18 registered and we had a tremendous time. We were involved in the music program, but more significantly we had the privilege of leading daily Bible studies with the counsellors (21) and the music camp faculty itself (about 28 people). The honesty of those encounters and the seriousness of these youth leaders was a real inspiration to us. We did notice the effect of our age – by the end of the week we were both dragging our wings even though the kids seemed to be tireless.
At the beginning of October we were in Vancouver, where Glen was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at Trinity Western University. That was another one of the unexpected joys that we have come our way.
In October we were in Haiti and Jamaica working with The Salvation Army in those two countries. Our trip to Haiti involved a spiritual retreat with the officer (clergy) personnel of The Salvation Army in that country, a visit to some social service centres – hospitals, schools, children’s homes- in Haiti and a weekend celebrating the 25th anniversary of a Salvation Army corps congregation in Petit Goave. The week in Haiti changed our lives as we witnessed the remarkable work of the Army in the difficult conditions that are part of daily life in that country. It can be truly said that, if The Salvation Army in Haiti were to disappear, there would be a huge hole in that society.
Toronto, ON
CANADA M1W 2S9
December 17, 2007
Dear Friends:
The snow on the ground and the grey skies overhead are a signal that winter has arrived in Canada. But they, along with the round of activities that are part of our ministry in The Salvation Army remind us that Christmas is approaching. We always look forward to this opportunity to connect with our friends across Canada and around the world. This letter reminds us of the warmth of ties we have with you. And its writing gives us an occasion to look back and see the hand of God in our lives.
This year has been quite remarkable one for our family.
Elizabeth’s career continues to expand. She has visited China, Japan, England and a number of cities in Canada and is working on her second CD. One of the highlights of the year was her appearance at the Montreal Jazz Festival – the largest in Canada- where her quartet played to a crowd of 35,000 people. We were all there to cheer her on. She and Eleanor had a great visit to Ireland and then Elizabeth went on to London, Paris and Barcelona.
John is working full-time with the Ontario Neuro-Trauma Foundation. ONF is a group involved in research, policy advocacy and program development for people with spinal cord injuries. He finds his work stimulating and is passionate about what he does and the potential it has to improve the care and the lives of people with spinal cord injuries. His courage, capacity and character are a delight and source of real pride to us.
Our year has seen the usual run of activities in our ministry in The Salvation Army. Canada is a huge country and sometimes the grind of constant travel across five time zones and 8,000 km (5,000 miles) can be wearing. But we treasure the contact with work we are able to do with those who are responsible for the mission of The Salvation Army in our 550 ministry units in Canada and Bermuda. Work in the area of health care as we work with governments in the restructuring of hospital governance is intellectually stimulating. Work with people in our corps (churches) touches the heart. In all of it we see God at work in marvellous ways.
In August we spent a week as chief counsellors at the Senior Music Camp for our Ontario Central Division – the Greater Toronto area. This camp had 135 kids aged 14-18 registered and we had a tremendous time. We were involved in the music program, but more significantly we had the privilege of leading daily Bible studies with the counsellors (21) and the music camp faculty itself (about 28 people). The honesty of those encounters and the seriousness of these youth leaders was a real inspiration to us. We did notice the effect of our age – by the end of the week we were both dragging our wings even though the kids seemed to be tireless.
At the beginning of October we were in Vancouver, where Glen was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at Trinity Western University. That was another one of the unexpected joys that we have come our way.
In October we were in Haiti and Jamaica working with The Salvation Army in those two countries. Our trip to Haiti involved a spiritual retreat with the officer (clergy) personnel of The Salvation Army in that country, a visit to some social service centres – hospitals, schools, children’s homes- in Haiti and a weekend celebrating the 25th anniversary of a Salvation Army corps congregation in Petit Goave. The week in Haiti changed our lives as we witnessed the remarkable work of the Army in the difficult conditions that are part of daily life in that country. It can be truly said that, if The Salvation Army in Haiti were to disappear, there would be a huge hole in that society.
The week following we were in Kingston, Jamaica to lead another officers’ retreat and to be part of the leadership of the 120th anniversary of the opening of the Army’s work in the Caribbean. The visit to Kingston was particularly rewarding since Eleanor’s parents lived there 30 years ago when they were the leaders of The Salvation Army in the Caribbean.
In November, after many months of prayer and reflection, we made a major decision to retire early from active service as Salvation Army officers and to move to another ministry with Health Partners International – a Montreal based Christian medical charity. We will both be involved in senior leadership of HPI (website: http://www.hpicanada.ca/). As of March 10, we will be accessible on our new web addresses:
Eleanor eshepherd@hpicanada.ca
Glen gshepherd@hpicanada.ca
The office phone number will be (514) 695-0007.
This will mean a move back to Montreal – our home and a new avenue of expressing our vocation and calling to Christian service. We will remain active in the ministry of The Salvation Army as members of the Salvation Army corps/church at Montreal Citadel – where we were married and where our children made significant spiritual decisions over their life. We have just finalised the purchase of our condominium, and our new address as of March 1, 2008 will be:
#220 - 45 Lakeshore Road
POINTE CLAIRE, QC
CANADA
H9S 4H3
The cumulative experience of our lives and ministry, what we have lived personally, in our families, across Canada and around the world cause us to marvel at the ways in which God is at work in our world. We live with hope, because the God of love never leaves us. We experience him in so many ways.
We pray the peace of IMMANUEL – God with us – on your Christmas and your new year.
Eleanor and Glen Shepherd
ELIZABETH JOHN
JOHN
JOHN
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