Elgin Portland United Church Council
Announcements
Happy Birthday to Todd Gill, may you enjoy an exceptional day.
Happy Birthday to Morgan Gordanier, may your day be filled with excitement and happy surprises.
Tuesday, November 11th is Remembrance Day. The day we consciously acknowledge the sacrifice of our young men and women, who valiantly defended our freedom. WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM.
The Elgin United Church Council meets 7 pm on Tuesday, November 11th at Elgin United Church
The Portland United Church is having a Council Meeting on November 11th at 7:00 pm.
Please announce our UCW meeting at 1:30 on Tuesday, the 11th. All are welcome.
Henry Reinders, the Ontario Regional Director of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, is speaking at Elgin United at 11 AM, November 23rd. We invite you to join us to hear about the important issue of food security and hunger in our world, and what we can do to help. Please share this invitation with others that you feel might be interested.
Get a head start on your Christmas shopping or just pamper yourself (you’re worth it!). The Elgin United Church 6th annual on-line auction is gearing up. The auction runs on the Elgin United Church Facebook channel from November 26th to December 3rd, and pickup will be Saturday December 6th. Details of pick up will be given to the successful bidders. Proceeds are being shared with the Elgin Food Bank. Donations of NEW items will be received until Sunday November 22nd.
Condolences are expressed to Diane Haskins on the passing of her brother. Please know we are praying for you.
Tomorrow, November 10th is your last day to order tourtières from the PUC-UCW. 4” $10; 8” $20. Call MJ @ 613-222-9070 or Connie @ 613-220-7914
Free Art Classes in the Portland Village – 6-12 yrs. Monday 4:30-6:15 at the Portland Restaurant & Pizzeria.
Visual Art Teacher – Darlene, call to book your spot 905-801-5060.
Bible Discussion Groups- Monday evening at Portland UC at 6:30 – 7:45 and Tuesday mornings at Guthrie House in Elgin (10 Perth St.) at 10:00-11:30. All are welcome to join in the friendly discussions and fellowship. For more information, contact Jim Barton at ccjimbarton@gmail.com or 613-329-4089.
| YOU ARE INVITED |
Devotional Reflection
November 8, 2025
This week gave me opportunity to experience the craziness of winter – the heavy rainfall often appeared as snowflakes. And the roads became slippery with the sudden drop in temperature.
The issue – I was in town and had to travel home. And I had passengers with me.
No words were spoken about the dangers. But in very subtle ways I knew there was a certain amount of dread and perhaps a dose of worry thrown into the mix. Question: “How are the roads?” Answer: “Pretty good.” Question: “Do you have snow tires?” Answer: “All-weather radials – great in all weather. Not like snow tires. Much better tread. Paid a lot for them.” The questions, in one form or another continued.
Obviously, I got home safe or I would not be writing this reflection.
Now the idea that came to mind, later, was that TRUST was placed in me. But with that, there came concern, a little anxiety and fortunately, no outright panic!
I do not necessarily believe that we think in these terms on a daily basis. Over and over, throughout a day, you trust in things without even acknowledging it. Sitting down on your couch, you trust it won’t break. Putting hot water into a tea cup, it does not shatter. Turning on the tap, you expect a stream of water. Driving in your car, you expect it will not break down (at least that’s the case for most of us! Ha! Ha!)
You see folks, trust is really an action. You believe in what you have come to expect to happen, and it usually does. It is having confidence in the world around you – the universe being in order.
My mind now wanders to the opposite of this. The trust (action word) is broken. The world as you know it, begins to spiral out of control. Your circumstances change and you are thrown into chaos.
Allow me, for a moment, to filter through this thought. A parent , who was healthy yesterday, has an illness for which there is no cure; the university you chose to attend, closes down; your partner, your life-long friend, wants to re-evaluate your relationship; your job, where you have been employed for 25 years is downsizing, and your job is on the chopping block; a married couple discover they cannot have children; you missed a mortgage payment and the bank has called and set up an appointment; your church, where you have worshipped for your whole life, is struggling to survive.
Please take a moment and fill in your circumstance – that one straw that brings you to the brink of despair.
I reiterate the words I wrote earlier. Trust is not a feeling. It is an action.
And you want to know the outcome of your action. We believe in our hearts that God will carry us. We believe that trusting God brings hope and peace.
But in the midst of the chaos, the difficult situation, the seemingly hopelessness you are dealing with, your confidence wavers. You struggle to recall those Scripture you have memorized that tell you God is right there with you, in every circumstance; His strength will carry you.
This reflection has been written with each of you in mind. You may remember that on Thanksgiving weekend you were asked to write something you gave thanks for. It came as no surprise that most everyone was thankful for family.
But then you were asked to write a circumstance where you struggled to give thanks but learned the importance to do this.
So many people around us have been through those times when you want to give up. Joy eludes us. Situations challenge us. Trust is hard to find.
As your pastoral care director, I would encourage you to once again take stock of your confidence level in the God who walks with you, the One who hears your every cry, the Way-maker. Trust His timing. He has plans for you.
Trust His promises and you will know with assurance that you will come through it all.
He alone is worthy!
You are blessed and loved!
Liz Church, Director of Pastoral Care
Elgin/Portland Pastoral Charge