Elgin United Church
What a wonderful reunion to have Rev Nancy Clarke lead worship last Sunday. It has been some 20 + years since she was with us and we look forward to her return next week.
We welcome Barb deJeet and look forward to her message as she leads us in worship this Sunday.
Elgin Council
Portland United Church
February 18th, 2023, Community Breakfast PUC 8 – 11 am
$12.00 per person
Bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage, pancakes, and syrup. Coffee or Tea
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February 21, 2023, Pancake Supper, Lombardy Agricultural Hall,
4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Free Will Donation.
All proceeds raise will be divided between The Lombardy Agricultural Society and the Smiths Falls site of the Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital Foundation.
Portland Council
Rural Ministry Town Hall Meetings
We are always looking for ways to increase our ministry into the community. The United Church is providing Town Hall Meetings and these are available to all. There is no cost involved, except for investment of time. They are held via ZOOM on the last Monday of each month. There will be energizing discussions of the joys and challenges of Rural Ministry. Current needs and how to meet them will most assuredly be one of the main topics. The dates are as follows:
EDGE’s Rural Ministry Town Halls start in January 2023 and run from 3:30-4:30pm Eastern. Register once to get the Zoom link to attend each of them:
- January 30
- February 27
- March 27
- April 24
- May 29
- June 26
- July 31
- August 28
- September 25
- October 30
- November 27
Rural Ministry Town Halls are free for anyone who would like to attend.
Email edge@united-church.ca for more information.
https://catalog.churchx.ca/product?catalog=EDGE2010
This would be a great time to rediscover your place in the building of God’s Church in your community.
Join us and be amazed.
Lori Houle
EDGE: A Network for Ministry Development / Réseau pour le développement des ministères
The United Church of Canada / L’Église Unie du Canada
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Free Online National Change Conference – Whole Hearted – February 24th, 2023
Join thousands of students all over Canada this February FOR A FREE ONLINE EXPERIENCE like not other! Change Conference inspires and empowers students to live for Jesus and make a difference in the world. Go to Changeconference.com to register.
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Worshiplude 2023
Worshiplude is a winter worship and fellowship event for youth and young adults (ages 10+) hosted by the Eastern Ontario Outaouais Region (EOOR) of the United Church of Canada that coincides with Winterlude in Ottawa. It’s been happening for over 20 years!
Worship + Winterlude = Worshiplude. Groups plan and lead their own activities during the day and gather Saturday night for a collective worship and dinner.
Who:
Worshiplude is for youth and young adults ages 10 + and their leaders.
Cost:
$10 per participant. Cash or cheque (payable to EOOR – Worshiplude 2023). Payment is required upon arrival at Rideau Park United Church.
What’s for Dinner:
Pizza (Vegetarian, Pepperoni, Cheese & GF), Drinks, Veggies and Dip, Fruit and Dessert.
Where:
Rideau Park United Church (2203 Alta Vista Dr, Ottawa, ON K1H 7L9)
Schedule:
Friday, February 3
- Groups arrive in Ottawa
- Stay with Host Churches
Saturday, Feb. 4 – Rideau Park United Church
- 4:30pm Worship Starts
- 5:30pm Dinner
- 7pm Alt Spaces Events
Sunday Feb. 5
- Attend your host churches Sunday Worship and then head home.
What are the best parts of Worshiplude?
One word: Beavertails!
Seriously though, Worshiplude gives youth and young adults a chance to experience Winterlude in Ottawa. The city comes alive to celebrate winter and offers experiences only available when it’s cold out – like skating/walking on the Rideau Canal a Unesco World Heritage site. But the real heart of the Worshiplude weekend happens on Saturday night. We gather together at Rideau Park United Church to share a unique worship experience, eat dinner together and explore Alt Spaces with friends old and new. Worshiplude creates moments and it is in these moments that we build and strengthen our faith as the body of Christ that is the Youth and Young Adults of the United Church of Canada.
What are the Alt Spaces Events?
Alt Spaces are pop-up spaces throughout Rideau Park United Church where Worshiplude participants have the opportunity to share, engage and have fun.
This year:
Open Mic – bring your instruments and collaborate or borrow one of our frame drums to beat out a tune or maybe a ukulele to strum and stroll.
Improv & Paper Bag Theatre – Are you up for the challenge?
Hungry Hungry Humans – like Hungry Hungry Hippos…only LIFE SIZE.
Peace Forest – Meditation Space
Art Hub – crafty creations
Fiber and Threads – Weave, Knit, Crochet, Embroidery enthusiasts
Nice Ink – Tattoo space (it’s washable)
Boardgames and Hang – relax and charge your phone!
Candlelight Labyrinth
Plus a few surprises!
Can you Host an Alt Space?
Hosts are needed to help set-up and lead Alt Spaces. You are not required to stay in the Alt Space the entire night. Set-up the space, host participants, float around and enjoy.
Registration:
Please fill out the Youth Group Registration Form HERE.
Let us know you’re coming, even if you are not staying overnight. We need numbers for food.
Registration deadline for Overnight Groups, Monday, Jan 30th.
Final Numbers for Dinner by Friday, Feb. 3rd.
Require Accommodations:
If you require accommodations for your group, you will be assigned a Host United Church in Ottawa. We ask that host churches offer breakfast/snacks each morning and offer opportunity to participate in Sunday morning worship when/if possible. Youth group leaders will be provided with contact information for their host church and asked to make arrangements/communicate with them directly for arrival times, keys, building access codes etc.
Don’t Require Accommodations:
If you do not require accommodations or are traveling for the day only please plan to be a Rideau Park United Church for worship service and activities starting at 4pm. Worship is at 4:30pm
EOOR YAYA Travel Support
All EOOR Youth and Young Adult groups have access to funds towards the cost of travel to Worshiplude. Please contact Dana for further details.
Questions:
Contact Dana Ducette, Minister, Youth and Young Adults EOOR
dducette@united-church.ca or 613-608-8411
Devotional Thought – January 21, 2023
I recently read about a friend of mine who has Alzheimer’s. As people who knew her shared their memories, a recurring theme threaded through the narrative – when the time comes, all I ask is to hear the words: ‘Well done, My good and faithful servant’.
I was raised in a faith that believes, as I face the new morning, I should desire to give that day to God, ask Him to show me new pathways to walk, new people to share with, and new opportunities to serve. This same faith has held me steadfast in my joy of being called a ‘servant of God’.
We often cringe at being called a servant. The negative connotation irks us at times. But in Scripture and in the dictionary, I find encouragement to be just that. What a truly Christian word ‘serve’ is. It may seem like obligation, meaning to help, to assist. Yet, in every sense you are also called to provide, to minister.
We have been given the beauty of Scripture and within its pages we can find all that we require. And today I want to offer you verses that will be motivational: 1 Peter 4: 10-11 Living Bible
God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings. Are you called to preach? Then preach as though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies so that God will be glorified through Jesus Christ—to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
It is truly a blessing to be a servant of God. Every day when I pray, my thanks centers on what God calls me to do. I pray for guidance, for strength, for willingness. I ask Him to make me grateful.
I believe that we each have abilities given to us to grow the church of GOD. I know that as we use our gifts, God honours our ministry and we are blessed beyond measure.
Take the time this week as you sit in God’s Presence and ask Him to open your hearts and minds. Believe that He is guiding you and you will be amazed at the paths He will open up for you. See Him in everything around you. Be blessed in His Presence.
Blessing and peace to each of you.
Liz Church -Pastoral Care Director
Elgin/Portland Pastoral Charge
MAKE ME A SERVANT