Elgin Portland United Church Council
We are always pleased to see the Church decorated for the Easter Season. Thank you for all the Easter setup and the Flower arrangements that adorned our Churches.
The Bible Discussion Groups meet on Monday at 6:30 pm at Portland UC & Tuesday at 10:00 am in Elgin at the Guthrie House. All are welcome. Info: ccjimbarton@gmail.com or 613-328-4089
Monday, April 28, 2025 is election day for our nation’s government and political leader for, presumably, the next four years. Remember, bad governments are elected by good citizens who do not vote! Mark your X.
Devotional Reflection
April 26, 2025
For those who waited patiently for Spring to come, I believe you have been rewarded. Every day brings new life, fresh starts, another opportunity to make every day a 
‘good’ day.
For those in these small rural areas it is exhilarating. The hamlets surrounding us begin to come alive. Everywhere you look there is a flurry of activity happening.
For those who have close connections to the lakes, I am positive that every fiber in you is tingling with expectation – the water levels will subside a bit, your marina will have your working boat launched; the trailer you worked on last year will haul your boat to the water and you will rush off to your cottage.
And that is just a beginning. 
With the disappearance of snow, the spring flowers may need support as you rake away the protective covering of autumn leaves in order to hasten the beauty which lies hidden below.
Roof repairs, fresh coats of paint, sprucing up everywhere. It’s happening.
Looking at these processes happening, you forget what has to take place to move forward. The word that comes to mind for me is ‘Cooperation’.
The seasons must change; people must prepare; the ground must thaw; paint and brushes, or a paint sprayer, must be obtained. I could go on but I believe you have the picture. Nothing happens without cooperation – from people, from nature, from God.
Earlier, I was reading from a small book that I have in my library. It is called ‘Twenty-four hours a day’. This book is a treasure trove of positive thoughts.
The statement that caught my eye expressed this: ‘Cooperation with God is the great necessity for our lives! All else follows naturally.’ And the meditation completes itself with this: ‘New spiritual growth comes naturally from cooperation with God.’
The positivity from these statements is a reminder to me. I am not coerced into serving God. I am not left wondering where my pathway lies. I just need to cooperate!
This summer will present us with challenges that we cannot at the moment imagine. And I will put in this little reminder: You are not alone.
Staff in our businesses may be new. They will have to learn cooperation. There will be new people flooding into our area and we will have to learn to cooperate with them; make room for them in our community.
Through cooperation we will strengthen bonds with people; team members will feel valued.
But far beyond those benefits, we will grow spiritually. We will remember that God’s Presence is everywhere. Cooperating with our Creator will bring to us a newness of life, a desire to follow more closely.
You are blessed and loved.
Liz Church,
Director of Pastoral Care
Elgin/Portland Pastoral Charge
