EPPC Official Board is seeking a volunteer secretary.
Jan Haskin stepped down in December following numerous years as alternate for Margaret Martin and subsequently secretary for the year 2022. OB members and EPPC members thank Jan for her effective and timely recording and publishing of our OB minutes for those alternate years and the three OB meeting in 2022. Requirements for this position are to attend the three to four meetings per year, usually on a weekday evening from 7:00 to 8:00, at alternating churches, called by the Chair as requested. Draft Minutes are submitted to OB members for errors and amendments. Final Minutes are published to the webpage and distributed to OB members. EPPC is in a period of discernment regarding how we vision our future and what role an OB has to offer. For further information please contact me by email earljk@sympatico.ca.
Jim Earl
EPPC OB Chair 613-359-5164
Elgin Portland Pastoral Charge
As we celebrate Holy Week, may we devote ourselves to the passion of Jesus Christ and commit to living according to His teachings.
Easter Sunday Service:
Easter Sunday, April 9 – Communion services in Portland at 9:15 and Elgin at 11:00 a.m.
Easter Sunday is Rev. Kathy’s last Sunday leading worship for us. We are indeed blessed to have experienced her thoughtful and heartfelt worship leadership. Thank you Rev. Kathy, God bless.
Elgin United Church
We welcome Rev. Kathleen Walton who leads us in worship this Sunday.
Wishing everyone a blessed Easter. May we hold the promise of salvation through the risen Christ in our hearts.
John Carley is resting well following surgery on Tuesday. He expected to be home Thursday or Friday. We send him best wishes and prayers for a complete and speedy recovery.
We hold Vicki Burns and family in our prayers on the death of husband, father and grandfather Danny Burns on Thursday April 6, 2023. Blessings.
Jesse Tree: There is an Asian proverb that says; “Always keep a bare branch in you heart, so a singing bird may come”. Jesus put it another way when he said: “Love your neighbour as yourself”. For several years now, we have been working with World Vision to love our neighbour, Zyra Joy, who lives in an area of the Philippines where many live in poverty, children are often malnourished, drop out of school early, and there is little hope for the future. Our support has helped make Zyra Joy a lovely, confident Grade 9 student, who enjoys reading and writing and playing badminton and chess, and who is determined to finish school. And of course, she is a representative of what World Vision is doing in her community. In her last letter, Zyra Joy expressed her thanks for all that she has received, but what she is most thankful for is the happiness and hope that her family now has. We have the chance to keep that hope alive with our donations to the Jesse Tree to support the ongoing work of world Vision for Zyra Joy and children like her. As we move through Lent to Easter and the season of spring, our Jesse Tree represents our journey from sorrow to rejoicing, and from the bare branches of winter to the new life of spring. Each donation of $47 will provide a month’s support for Zyra Joy and her family and community, and we will mark that donation by placing a songbird and flower on our Jesse Tree. Let us create something beautiful for God this Lent as we fill our Jesse Tree with new life and create hope in the lives of others. Simply mark your envelope “Jesse Tree” Thank you for your compassion and support.
Elgin Council
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Portland United Church
Be sure to drop in downstairs at Portland United Church for the weekly Chit Chat on Thursday mornings between 10:30 and 12:00 and visit with your neighbours.
The UCW made a $1,000 donation to RDHS to use at their discretion for one of their children’s programs. We also made our regular instalment to Mission and Service. Our regular meeting will be held April 11 and we will gear up for pies in May.
Don’t miss the musical “Annie” at Rideau District High School. Performance dates are:
April 28, 7:00 p.m.
April 29, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
May 5, 7:00 p.m.
May 6, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
For tickets call: 613-561-4375 Adults $10.00, Students $5.00
We are set for July 8 with County Road44, July 22 with MarkOne and August 19 with Mary’s Merry Minstrels concerts.
Join Multi-Instrumentalist Mark Mulrenin as he presents a performance of musical entertainment for the whole family. Listen to hits from the 50’s to the present and enjoy Mark’s stories and sense of humor while playing guitar, ukulele, saxophones, flute and keyboard. Date to be Announced.
Portland Council
Portland United Church is enjoying streaming Sunday Services live on their YouTube Channel. Whether you are unable to attend in person, want to watch a Sunday service again mid-week or know someone who might want to check us out, simply click on the following address https://www.youtube.com/@portlandunitedchurch4900 to be taken directly to the Portland United Church YouTube Channel.
Please consider hitting the ‘Subscribe’ button (once you’ve navigated to the YouTube channel) as shown below. Note, only people with a Gmail account can easily subscribe by clicking this button. Clicking on the ‘Profile Picture’ (an example is shown below on the far left) for Portland United Church will provide you with other options such as viewing past recordings. Reach out to the EPPC office with any questions: office@eppc-ucc.com; 613-272-2002.
Thanks, Media Team at Portland United Church
Devotional Thought, April 8, 2023
I really wanted to do a devotional on what Wood Ducks and Christians have in common? Such as versatility, and the fact that once they can fly, they never look back. Can you see the spiritual lesson I’m referring to? Or is that too far-fetched? Or maybe even go farther afield and discover what happened to the ivory-billed woodpecker, who was killed off by soldiers that were demanded to clear the land and thus destroyed their habitat. This could certainly be an apropos spiritual message during the Easter season.
Then, it happened – a change in weather and the crazy, beautiful ice storm we just experienced this week. The loss of power still affecting thousands. Now this is just the train of thought I needed to complete this devotional.
The power is lost. So why did I flick on the light switch even as I sat there in the dark? Why did I crave a cup of coffee at 2:00 in the morning? The loss of power a stark truth that I didn’t fully perceive or forgot how dependent I have become on this luxury. Or realize this was a short, temporary interruption.
I wonder how many of us when we observed the darkening clouds, immediately thought ‘It must have been like this on the day of the crucifixion!’ Maybe no one, except me. Or maybe, many. We have been immersed in this story of the crucifixion and the steps leading up to it for many weeks. And it culminated last evening as we shared the experience of coming to the foot of the Cross and saying, ‘Not my will Father, but Thine be done!’
But before we could comprehend the miracle of Easter, we had to understand the depth of deprivation that would have been experienced by the world had the Power left us that night so long ago, never to return!
For many that day, the sorrow was so great – the One who promised to be their King, their Saviour, was taken away, dead. The source of Power – gone. The darkening sky, a foreboding feeling as they stood their – scarcely able to stop the tears.
Even though Jesus had explained what was happening, they did not see, they did not understand. The Power would return!
This Easter could be for you that new resurgence of God’s power that you require. You too can be renewed, restored. Never doubt this fact – Christ died that you might have life, abundant life.
May you this Easter season and always know the Source of your Power.
Blessing on each of you,
Liz Church
Pastoral Care Director
Elgin/Portland Pastoral Charge
A New Day Dawning
Be of good cheer, For God is with you.
