Other Board Members are: Kim Boychuk, Dorothy Sadler, Mary Sims, Isabelle Watts,
Mary Silverthorn, and Isabel Lowe.

Our board meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 10:30 a.m. Our meetings begin with many enlightening readings, prayers and poems -that give each board member a great deal of thought for the day and month!

Thank you to Rev. Kathy Highmoor for her leadership and spiritual strength.

Thanks also to the board for their many ideas and hard work.

To the Contemporary Service planners -Thank You!

Some Highlights of our Year

January

• Read a Christmas letter from Ray & Carol Bergson, who how live in Winnipeg, MB.
• Donated to the Blind Mission and Bible Society.
• A motion was made to keep a box in the church at all times for food articles for the Swan Valley Food Bank.
• Took Birthday cake to Birchwood Place to celebrate Hazel Ross' 90th Birthday.

February

• Discussions on the mission of our church.
• February is our canvassing month.
• Many attended the visioning event in Bowsman.
• Some volunteered to read scripture at the Proclamation event in Swan River Anglican Church.
• We say a special thank you to Jean Hurren, who went off the board, Jean gave many dedicated years of hard work to our church.
• A soup & bun luncheon was organized, to be held at Birch River Legion Hall, to help out the "book project" for Birch River Better Beginnings.

March

• We welcomed a new board member, Isobel Lowe.
• March was a month filled with planning for Good Friday Service, Easter Service and Spring Smorg.

April

• Hosting the Good Friday Service is always very special.
• Easter Sunday brings many families together!
• Many discussions were held on the move -"The Passion of the Christ"
• The basement of our church was donated to CMHA to use for their screening day.
• Another 90th birthday, Gladys Doak's was celebrated at Birchwood Place.
• The needs of the Food Bank and Crisis Center were looked into.
• We will sponsor a young person who would like to go to the United Church Wellman Lake Camp.
• The Spring Smorg was well attended.

May

• Our Mother's Day Brunch was a great success.
• The Annual Strawberry Shortcake and Cream Puff Tea was held on May 29th.
• The board decided to grow a row of vegetables for the Food Bank.
• Contemporary Services are planned for each month.
• Haley Faye Burghart, daughter of Kevin & Angie Burghart was baptized in our church.

June

• Sent two delegates to the CMHA annual banquet and meeting.
  
• We look forward each year to the joint service at the United Church Wellman Lake Camp.
• In June we had many discussions on goals of the church -" A Greater Connection with People in our Church and Community".
  

Our board cancelled meetings in July and August.

September

• We had a new service time of 11:30 a.m.
• Some folks attended the services held in the Swan Valley Personal Care Home and Lodge.
• Moderator, Peter Short, of the United Church of Canada was at Presbytery in Roblin, MB -some attended.

October

• Carson Mullin, son of Ian & Kris Mullin, was baptized and welcomed into the Church family.
• Our Annual Fall Supper was held in October -thanks to all who donated food, monies and working hands.
• A worship and communion service will be held the last Thursday of each month, at the Birchwood Place at 10:00 a.m. with coffee to follow.
• The joint contemporary and communion service in Minitonas was well received.
• Our church purchased a small TV, DVD and VCR combo player with memorial monies.

November

• Our dates for the Spring Smorg (April 10/05) and Fall Supper (October 23/05) were set.
• Birch River is to host presbytery February 25- 27, 2005.
• Adopting a cabin at the Wellman Lake United Church Camp was discussed.
• Our Annual meeting was set for February 6,2005.
• Kim Boychuk is our contact person for putting a policy into place for criminal checks for Sunday School teachers, camp leaders and volunteers.

December

• The first Sunday in December was special with having children from two families baptized in our church. Morgan and Jorja Staniland, son and daughter of Melvin and Tanya Staniland and Sara and Jesse Lowe, twin daughters of Randy and Lea Lowe.
• We hear that Hillsview will have a website.
• A donation was made to P.C.T.C.
• Our Christmas service at the Birchwood Place was held on December 16th.
• Small gifts were given to our church shut-ins.
• The Contemporary Communion Christmas Service was held on December 19th at 4:00 p.m. Loose offering from this service went to the family of Greg and Nichol Lumax for medical expenses for their baby.

December is a very spiritual month! Families are brought together in love and Christian fellowship. We wish everyone a New Year, 2005, filled with love and happiness and God's grace!

Submitted by: Isobel Patience