WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Boathouse Cafe is not actually in Kemptville, but it is very close to Burritts Rapids on the River Road on the south side of River across from Burritts Rapids. So you will miss it entirely if you take 43 from Merrickville to Kemptville.
The Rideau Players present
“Spectres & Speed Trains”
an original comedy of chaos written by Tao-Lynn Carr, produced by Chris Witty and directed by Beth Hart. The cast includes Michelle Knapp and Graham Lowe.
Performances are at 7:30pm at the Delta Old Town Hall, May 29, 30 & 31, and Elgin United Church June 5 & 6. Tickets are $25, refreshments available. See posters or Facebook “Rideau Players”.
Bible Discussions Groups
Two meetings each week – Monday evenings at Portland UC (6:30-7:45PM) and Tuesday mornings in Elgin at the Guthrie House 10 Perth St.; (10:00AM-11:30AM). All are welcome to join in the friendly discussions and fellowship. For more information contact Jim Barton at ccjimbarton@gmail.com or 613-328-4089
Pentecost Sunday, May 24th
The excitement is growing as we will once again be gathering together with other United Churches in our area. This Sunday we meet at the Lion’s Club at 10 a.m. in Elgin for this event. Our special guest will be our own Regional Executive Officer, Rev. Éric Hébert-Daly.
Lunch will be provided in a similar style to last year.
Come hungry – food for the soul and food for the body will be available in abundance.
Please bring along a non-perishable food item for the Food Banks.
Devotional Reflection May 22, 2026
I lived in Toronto for a long time. There were a few things I always had handy when leaving the house – enough formula and diaper changes for the baby, in case traffic was crazy; a few snacks for my other children; and a piece of paper that had complete directions to my destination – and my road map, in case I still got lost!
Do you remember what it was like to dig the road map out of the glove compartment and search the grid for the street you were trying to find?
Here’s what I remember most clearly – it took super-human concentration. As you drove, you were trying to remember landmarks, the street names, the numbering system of the houses so you knew when you were getting close. It took effort. With so much awareness, it was likely that the next time you headed that way, you would have internalized some of the journey, making it an easier trip.
Today, I jump in the car, turn on my GPS, and a voice tells me everything I need to know – which road to take, the expected time of arrival, speed limits, and in most cases, takes me directly to the place I’ve programmed into the system.
And tomorrow, I will do the same thing, often for the same destination; and the next time; and the time after that; never committing my destination to heart, never learning the way.
In fact, if the signal drops, I panic because even though I have taken the road many times, I never really saw the journey!
I begin to formulate a truth – have I allowed my spiritual journey to become a GPS faith?
It is easy to treat God like a spiritual GPS. We want Him to give us immediate, turn-by-turn directions for our lives. Should I take this job? Should I move to this city? Who should I marry? We look for flashing arrows and loud prompts to tell us exactly what to do.
But God is not a GPS device; He is the Mapmaker.
God’s ultimate desire is not just to get us to a destination efficiently. His desire is for us to know Him, to understand His character, and to internalize His Word.
The danger of a GPS faith is that we only seek God for immediate instructions to avoid a wrong turn. If we do not get an instant prompt, we panic.
This can create a fragile spiritual life. It’s like this: You have a problem, you ask for God’s help; God answers your crisis prayer, you celebrate; and promptly forget how He got you there. It develops a very real danger for us – if we have not built a history of faithfulness, then we are unprepared for the next trial or crisis.
One other reminder –GPS signals sometimes drop, causing you to panic. When you treat God like a GPS you cause fear and anxiety to build in your life. You mistake God’s silence for absence or anger. You are paralyzed of making a wrong choice.
I must now give you a verse of Scripture that you can use to alleviate all these fears and anxieties – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — Psalm 119:105
You see, my friends, your journey is a process of spiritual formation. We have a tendency to rush to the destination. We 
miss what God is trying to teach us as we wait or accept the detours.
We must return to the Map Maker – Study the grid. Understand God’s character to help you navigate. Know what paths are there for you to follow.
The Scripture I gave you today reminds us of the purpose of a lamp – just enough light for the immediate step, making us walk closely to the One holding the light. God has a path set out for you.
By spending time in scripture, praying through the quiet stretches, and studying the “map” of His character, we learn the way. We develop spiritual discernment. We recognize the landmarks of His faithfulness.
Study the Mapmaker. When you learn His ways, you will never truly be lost, no matter where the road takes you.
You are blessed, you are loved.
Liz Church, Director of Pastoral Care
Elgin/Portland Pastoral Charge