The day began with the familiar chime of my alarm. After the usual morning rituals, I headed down for breakfast—and what a breakfast it was. The scrambled eggs were, without exaggeration, the best I can remember.

I spent a few minutes catching up with Tabitha and Shannon before returning to my room to join the online service from Dorchester United. Unfortunately, I had to leave early to attend the GC45 Sunday Morning Service downstairs.

This morning’s service was led by the Youth Forum, with over 90 youth delegates participating—some even serving as commissioners. The energy was infectious and brought back fond memories of my own time in YPU.

The rest of the morning was packed with two powerful presentations on Towards 2035. As a new commissioner, much of the content was new to me and required full focus. It was intense but deeply engaging.

The buffet lunch was, as always, awe-inspiring. Today, we dined in a meeting room alongside our two sister regions, sharing food and fellowship.

For the Learning Labs I had registered for Reimagining Vital Church Spaces presented by UPRC. Sadly, it didn’t meet expectations. Sue, one of my table mates, felt the same—sometimes you pick a dud.

After the lab, we dove into two major presentations - Indigenous Church Update and the GCE report.

Both were rich in content and demanded full attention—especially challenging as lunch was still settling.

Next came the first official Decision session. Motions, amendments, debates, points of privilege—it was a whirlwind of parliamentary procedure. I may grumble, but I genuinely enjoy it. This is the responsibility I signed up for.

At 5:30 p.m., we were treated to a feast featuring freshly sliced Alberta beef. A delicious and satisfying meal in a long day.

Our Theme speaker, Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, delivered her third and final presentation. She’s been a dynamic, forceful, and engaging speaker—truly a highlight of the trip.

The evening closed with a traditional White Hat ceremony led by Calgary Tourism, symbolically welcoming those chosen to represent our body. A proud and joyful moment.

After announcements and housekeeping, it was finally time to retreat to our rooms. Fifteen hours from the morning alarm, the day ended.