Assembly is a good time for meeting friends and sometimes saying goodbye to them. One friend from my intervarsity days is annemarie Klassen, who is stepping down from her good work as associate secretary of stewardship and education in mission; another is Pauline brown, who is nearly a legend as a missionary, serving over 55 years in India and who has always encouraged me through my years at the renewal Fellowship. Pauline, although retired, will return to India and continue to do the work she has been doing, now on a volunteer basis. The three or four standing ovations indicated the high respect, love, and deep honour the church holds for her. another friend in the leaving mode is Jim Czegledi who worked as associate secretary of evangelism and Worship for most of the last decade. Others and I have deeply appreciated his leadership in this field. Finally, my friend Hans Kouwenberg was elected moderator of assembly and we wish him every blessing in the year ahead as he emphasizes grass root ministry in congregations as the core ministry in the church's mission.