Easter Week Services
April 14 – Maundy Thursday Joint Service – 7 p.m. at Elgin
with Communion, led by Rev. Kathy Walton
April 15 – Good Friday Joint Service – 7 p.m. at Portland
led by Liz Church
April 17 – Easter Sunday services – PUC 9:15 a.m.; EUC 11:00 a.m.
with Communion, led by Rev. Kathy Walton
Please note that Thursday and Friday are Joint Services
that both congregations are invited to attend.
Portland United Church
Elgin Portland Pastoral Charge
At our most recent meetings we have made some changes in our Boards. We know that your support will be there for each person as we welcome them into these new positions. We would also express our thanks to those that have taken on these roles to make our church productive and God honoring.
Officers of The Official Board
Chair: Jim Earl
Secretary: Jan Haskin
Treasurer & M & S Fund: Ted Brett
M & P Committee:
Secretary: Maureen Bee
Portland Council Changes are as follows:
Council Chair: Duncan Pickard
Past-Chair: Katy Gibson
Although masks remain optional during Church for this Sunday we would like to remind everyone of 2 points .
- Masks and distance are our first lines of defense against contracting and spreading Covid_19
- A number of members of PUC are isolating due to Covid –19 and the local case count appears to be on the rise
If you are planning on attending Sunday Service please take extra care so we can all enjoy the family actives surrounding Easter.
Council
Elgin United Church
Looking forward to worshipping and sharing communion with our Portland friends on Maundy Thursday, 7 pm at Elgin United with Rev. Kathleen Walton leading. Communion Elements will be provided. Hope to see everyone there.
Easter Service and communion will be at the regular time of 11 am.
David Cooper has undergone surgery which was postponed several times. We pray for Dave’s speedy and complete recovery.
Clint Halladay
Chair EUC
Portland United Church
A huge thank you to all who attended the ACM last Sunday and joined us for a delicious lunch afterward and to those who contributed to our lunch and cleanup.
Liz Church is our worship leader this Sunday and it promises to be an uplifting service, as always. Looking forward to seeing you there.
Mark Tuesday, April 26th on your calendar for the first Community Luncheon at 12:00 to raise funds for the Flex Plan at Country Roads Health Center. You are welcome to host a luncheon. They will be held the 4th Tuesday of each month.
Portland United Church Council
Helen Smith Celebration
A celebration of Helen Smiths life will be held at Portland United Church at 11 AM on Saturday May 28, 2022. A luncheon and time of fellowship will follow.
Devotional Thought – April 9, 2022
LENT – 6th week – ‘Encounter Christ’
With all the preparation for this season, I have had a few days of feeling overwhelmed. COVID has struck again and all the best laid plans for Palm Sunday are following a new path. I have to tell you that technology can be a blessing and/or a time-consuming glutton.
In the midst of this turmoil, I have learned so many lessons:
- Support for others is paramount. The nagging feeling that you let someone down can crush you. COVID has come to ‘visit’ members of our congregation. To the French Family, and Morgan and Michelle – I want you to rest in the knowledge that God will provide. We will look back at this time in our lives and thank God for His provision. And while the bright side of things is a tad cloudy, just get better and return to us. We love you.
- Friends are invaluable. I pray that each one reading this devotional is as blessed as I. For instance, do you have a friend that you can spout off to? Do they still love you and seek you out to give whatever support you need? There is a saying worth quoting here – “A friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you just the same.” God has provided me with a few of these friends (He knows I need them!). I have been blessed to have one of those friends living next door to me. Annette, your church secretary, is the sounding board I call on and together we worked as a team this week.
- Give thanks to God. Throughout this week I have raised my voice in song many times. I love the Lord and I want to serve Him. As I provide pastoral support to many, I am reminded often to lean on the Lord. Asking for guidance and direction is paramount. And this week I needed a lot of that! SO, thank You God for catching me, leading me, holding me and mostly, loving me!
- Let go and let God! Handing the reins over to One who knows best is what I believe to be the true mark of humility and service. And I want that for me and for you. The whole of the Easter season brings to mind what Christianity is all about. ‘Then how much more shall God our Father our wants supply and none deny.’
- We are never alone. I wanted to remind you and I that we ‘Encounter Christ’ all the time. God’s love provided us with a great model to follow. God lives in us, and through us and we in turn live for God and for others. Jesus gives us the space to be ourselves, but never leaves us alone. Jesus came to give all a new heart, a new mind and a new spirit.
May this Easter Season bring you fresh insight into the Love of God as you encounter Him throughout your week.
Peace and love to each of you,
Liz Church
Pastoral Care Director
Elgin/Portland Pastoral Charge