2023-12-16 Weekly E-News


Elgin Portland United Church

December 24th Combined Christmas Eve. service at Elgin United Church 10 am, Portland United Church 4 pm, Elgin United Church 7 pm.  December 31st Portland 9:15 am, Elgin 11 am.

This year donations made at the 4 p.m. Christmas Eve service, which are not designated to specific Church activities, will be directed to the Country Roads Community Flex Fund (CFF). This fund is dedicated to helping the well-being of all community members.

Build A Mountain of Food (BAM) – Portland Food Bank 2023

Another successful year.  A big thank you to everyone for their donation of food, money, and time.   On December 9, 2023, Build a Mountain of Food for the Portland Food Bank raised 2,300 lb of Food and $17,156.35.  If we add the donations received before and right after BAM our revised total is 2,350 lb of food and $25,797.60 and donations are still coming as we speak. A special thank you to Connie and her team who spent the day sorting the food, the Gibson family who delivered the food to the Country Roads Community Health Centre and ensured that the doors were open for the volunteers, and to Norma who stood by me as always.  I would not be able to do my work without their strong support and that of the Congregation.

 Annual Report dates and AGMS

It was decided at the last Official Board meeting after much discussion that the annual reports should be in to Annette by the 17th of January with the treasurers reports by the 24th of January.

All AGMs will be held on Sunday the 18th of February. Both churches right after their regular services and the O.B. probably about 3 pm.

Ted A/Chair Official Board.

Elgin United Church

GOODY BAGS

The season of Advent marks a time of preparation for Christmas and involves many special traditions. One of our traditions at Elgin United Church is preparing the Goody Bags for the Christmas Hampers that the Elgin Foodbank distributes to those in need. The hampers contain the staples for Christmas meals, while these bags hold special treats that are not essential but bring much joy to the recipients.

We will be packing the Goody Bags and delivering them to Bethel Tabernacle on Sunday, December 17th. The number of people relying on assistance through the Foodbank and these hampers this year has increased greatly, and we rely on our congregation to help us cover the cost of the treats. You can place a donation on the offering plate at church, or mail a cheque to our treasurer, Joanne McLean, at:

209 County Rd. #8, Elgin , ON K0G 1E0

(*Please mark your donation ‘Goody Bags’)

Thank you for your generosity and support, and for helping us put smiles on the faces of those in need this Christmas!

Happy Birthday Greg Carbino, Sunday Dec 17th. Hope your day is awesome, Happy Birthday.

This past Wednesday Elgin United Church Council and guests celebrated with a delicious turkey dinner expertly catered by the Rideau Lakes Swans. Thank you to all for an enjoyable evening of fellowship.

Elgin United Church Council

Portland United Church

Monday evening Bible Study group – 6:30 – Portland United Church

Please join us for New Testament Bible study and discussion. Following the Monday (Dec. 18th) meeting, the group will suspend meetings through the holiday period and resume again on January 8th.. All are welcome to come share in the fellowship and discussions. contact Jim Barton at 613-328-4089 or ccjimbarton@gmail.com; Liz Church at lizchurch1@hotmail.com

I think it’s safe to say the Second Annual Christmas in Portland was a success!  The rain ended just in time for the wagon to make it’s rounds around the Village.  Thank you Allison and Brad Gibson for coordinating that and providing the music.  Thank you to Len McFadden for donating his wagon and his time!.  Sheila McKeage provided the sugar cookies for decorating and many others bought the decorations, and the candy and bagged it.  Approximately 25 children came to decorate cookies, drink hot chocolate and meet Santa.  Thank you to Santa for making time in his busy schedule.  He’s amazing!   Parents seemed to have a good time as well.  We couldn’t do this without the sponsorship of the UCW and the volunteers, including CEC members and the outside community.  Darlene Braybrook brought and decorated the trees beautifully.  Thank you Darlene.  PRHS loaned us the Bishop’s chair for Santa and Paul Vanluven and Paul Edwards handled the pickup and delivery.   All in all, it was a community effort.

The UCW and Friends luncheon at the Junction Restaurant was well attended and enjoyed by everyone.  Thank you to those who were able to join us.

Mark Thursday mornings on your calendar to come out and enjoy the company of friends and new community members at Chit Chat.  10:30 to 12:00 downstairs at the Church.

Portland United Church Council

Devotional Reflection

December 16, 2023

As I stood at my kitchen sink this morning, I began looking around at so many details I have overlooked. Just simple things like a few spoons that were not rinsed properly. Now I would have to scrub them a bit to bring back the shine. Or the dishcloth that would now have to be soaked because I forgot to wring it out and allow it to dry. And then there were the crumbs on the countertop where I had buttered my toast, the spices I had used to prepare a meal. The list seemed to be endless.

Details of everyday living crowded in and I had to step back to get a new perspective. My mind began to focus on this beautiful season of the year – when I commemorate the birth of my Saviour.

Details I could not even imagine began to pop into my head. Was Mary prepared for the pending birth of her baby? Was there going to be anybody around that she knew? How in the world would she make a 5-day journey?

And this is just the beginning of where my mind took me! You see, I have heard the ‘birth of Jesus’ story for a long time. Some details have escaped me until now. I begin to focus on this and I start to realize just how incredible it really was. Detail after detail was covered. God was in the smallest of them – the journey, the ‘hotel room’, the birth, the angels, the shepherds, the Wisemen. The list is endless. And yet, miraculous.

No matter the scenario, God was there. He took care of every detail.

This is my conclusion – humankind, having lived in a self-centered existence for so long, had missed the details of living Godly lives. They went through their daily grind, oblivious of the havoc their disregard for God’s creation was causing.

THEN, GOD STEPPED IN

Although we know it is not as simple as this – the details were always known to God. With extreme LOVE, Jesus came into this world. Now, we should pay attention to the details, and cherish the Gift we have received!

Be blessed and refreshed this day.

Liz Church, Director of Pastoral Care

Elgin/Portland Pastoral Charge