Noronto Reunion in Review

As I watched the 2024 Paralympics a Toyota commercial came on with the tag line “We Believe No Journey is Taken Alone”. That struck me hard. There I was watching the Paralympics particularly because a former student of mine was competing. I knew that she had never been on that journey to compete alone. I knew with certainty that she had had family, friends, teachers, coaches, and I’m sure so many more at her side all along the way.  When I saw her compete, I actually saw all of her supporters too, and my eyes filled with tears knowing the love that was being sent her way.

“We Believe No Journey is Taken Alone”

Noronto Reunion 2024 for me was filled with the knowledge that the people of Noronto were
on a special journey together.

As Director, I was definitely not alone.

I learned very early on in my directing career that challenges would arise, and that the quicker I gave them up to God to get them sorted out the better. I’d calmly (believe it or not) present the problem and then sleep on it. Some pretty incredible answers came my way.

This year that happened numerous times. Here are but a few:
• We needed a head cook because our wonderful Jeff Phelps was under the weather. In conversation with Rick MacGregor, who lives in Arizona and hadn’t been to Noronto in years!!!! He said to me “Cathy I could be head cook”. The other wonders that happened in that Noronto kitchen and dining room are just too many to recount! Those teams were just plain God sent!

• We needed some Older Youth leaders. I prayed one evening for some people to be sent our way. The very next day I got a call from Mark Fryer asking me if we had any room for a relative of theirs who was a Graceland Rep. That is the way that Noronto Reunion was blessed with Cadence Sires and her grandmother Deb Crowley as our Older Youth leaders.

• We needed Guest ministry. Ask me sometime how we got Andrea and Mark Johnson as our guest ministry. I still can’t believe how that happened! Andrea and Mark were just who we
needed. They were a couple sent to us from God via South Carolina and Michigan!!!

“We Believe No Journey is Taken Alone”
• Noronto Reunion 2024 had a Leadership Team of 8 people

• Noronto Reunion 2024 had 56 people, of all ages, on the official Personnel List (Passionate talent unleashed to make so many wonderful things take place.)

• Noronto Reunion 2024 had volunteers in every one of its 196 “on the grounds” participants of all ages — Children and Youth, side by side with Adults, doing everything that needed to be done. (I particularly loved the new aprons I saw worn in the dining hall for KP — everyone looked so official, and yet cheery!)

• Noronto Reunion 2024 participants reached out to the world beyond the Reunion Grounds and so many, many people reached back— Australia, Africa, South America, and so many
more places were represented in the sending of greetings and good wishes

The words “It takes a village” came to life all through Noronto Reunion 2024.

At an Under the Pine Tree session during Reunion, someone spoke about how someone in their family had been sought out over the years to lead meetings in the professional association they belonged to. When asked how this person had learned to lead meetings, the answer was because he had had practice in his church.

Can you imagine the leadership power that Noronto Reunion is building!! 

I saw it at every turn as I walked through the journey of Noronto Reunion 2024.
• I was stopped in my tracks to listen as the directions — and explanations of why we do it that way!!! — were being given by the head of our Dining Room to a KP team. I couldn’t have been prouder in that moment. And, as an aside, one of our children said that her favourite thing at Reunion was doing KP!! 

• I witnessed an 11 year old girl and her dad lead a hugely popular, well attended, Trivia night.

• I have proudly been very aware of some young volunteers who have given service for many years to making sure that our kitchen always has fresh, clean, laundered items.

• My heart was blessed each time I heard someone calling someone else by name — including them on their journey — Appreciating, Recognizing, Encouraging — leaders all.

Noronto Reunion is never just a “one and done” event.
This is a living, breathing, community.
Lifelong connections are made and renewed here.
Being fully immersed in a Community of Christ experience for a week brings untold riches to those who come. I’ve seen it. I’ve experienced it first hand.
While I, as director, help to facilitate this experience, I can’t even in my wildest dreams, imagine the full immediate effect or the ripple effect of all of this.
We go our own ways — together — and draw on our experiences, and each other, as needed.
What has happened is so subtle that we don’t often really realize the blessing of it all.
It’s ours to call on at any given moment.
God is with us, and we are with each other.

“We Believe No Journey Is Taken Alone”

Seventy Cathy Baker
Noronto Reunion 2024 Director