WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dear Church Family and Mill Bay Friends,
I want to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, prayers, and support I have received since January.
My medical journey took a scary turn during my first back surgery when a spinal fluid leak caused me to become critically ill within two hours. This required an emergency second surgery to flush out my system and patch the spinal sac, followed by a difficult eight-day hospital stay. While my recovery is slow and I am still unable to do much, your kindness has kept my spirits high.
To my neighbors at Mill Bay, your immense support in our senior community has been an absolute blessing. We had two other ladies that were operated on around the same day. Liz Church and Vicky Zwiers. They both were knocking on my door the day I got home wanting to know what they could do. Forgetting they had some medical issue as well and thinking about someone else. To my church family, your faithful prayers and steady encouragement have sustained me through the darkest moments. Thanks to all who provided Dinner it was greatly appreciated. Also, all the beautiful flowers and cards. Thank you to my family and partner Larry for all your support and care. I was able to watch the church service at home with the help of Will. I am incredibly blessed to surround myself with such compassionate people.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. With love and blessings,
Annette
May your special day be amazing.
Happy Birthday Mackayla Gordanier. May your special day be amazing.
Happy Birthday Maureen Bee. May your day be extra special.
OB Meeting in Portland, on June 16 at 7:00 p.m.
PUC Council Meeting on June 17th at 7 p.m.
Reminder: There is a UCW meeting on Tuesday, June 9th at 1:30. New members would be most welcome.
The UCW has purchased 40 new black stacking chairs for use at the church. We will be looking to give away the retired wooden stacking chairs. Let a UCW member know if you are interested.
Orders are being received now for our fruit pies. Exact date they will be ready depends on the strawberries. Please let MJ (613-222-9070) or Connie (613-220-7914) what you would like. Strawberry/rhubarb, cherry or blueberry – again this year $20.00, frozen ready-to-bake.
The Portland Food Bank is actively looking to increase its volunteer work force at this time. We are looking for people to assist with the weekly grocery shopping, and someone interested in learning the administration behind the scenes operational processes for our food bank. Our hope is to have a team of 6 shoppers (we currently have 3) so no one needs to shop every week. Please see Anita Cox or Norma Cummings if you would like to get involved with this worthwhile endeavour. ALSO, there are 2 items remaining from the May 16th garage sale, a pink bicycle suitable for 9-13 year old and large dog carrier. Make an offer and proceeds will go to Portland Food Bank.
Bible Discussions Groups
We are taking a break for the summer. This will be our closing session until September.
Monday, 6:30pm Portland United Church
Tuesday, 10:00am Guthrie House, Elgin
For more information contact Jim at ccjimbarton@gmail.com or 613-328-4089
The Rideau Players present
“Spectres & Speed Trains”
an original comedy of chaos written by Tao-Lynn Carr, produced by Chris Witty and directed by Beth Hart. The cast includes Michelle Knapp and Graham Lowe.
Elgin United Church June 5 & 6. Tickets are $25, refreshments available. See posters or Facebook “Rideau Players”.
Devotional Reflection June 5th 2026
We wait so long for Spring to come. Each day, we gaze out our windows, or walk through a park, looking for those signs.
Finally, without warning, we see them. Not just one or two, but hundreds pop up everywhere. And for a moment we are ecstatic! The yellow heads are everywhere, and we know with certainty that Spring has arrived.
Those readers who are of positive thinking immediately reflect on the beautiful daffodils that appear at the first signs of spring.
Those readers who are more skeptical, have already guessed that I am referring to the ‘Dandelion’.
Every spring, and lasting for most of the summer, we will see them over and over. We will walk down an aisle in the “Garden” section of our stores and see product after product used to irradicate the flower from our lawns.
As children we picked beautiful bouquets of these flowers to adorn our tables. We ran through the fields, picking the puffballs and blowing on them, delighted to watch them float through the air – oblivious that we were spreading the seeds that would produce more and more of the flowers.
This species got its name, not from the yellow flower but because the leaves are prickly and jagged like a sharp row of lion’s teeth. What looked like a fragile flower, actually carried hidden strength.
Today, I will share some thoughts about the ‘Dandelion Influence’ that you might ponder. Consider for a moment that you are the dandelion. You may not have thought of this as being a particularly good idea but let me explain the importance.
You live your life – you blossom. You may not be aware of this but you influence others. As you mature, you have readied yourself without even realizing it, to go out and change the world. Think of it like this – your petals slowing change. With little effort, the seed of God’s love have come to fruition. And as the breath of God begins to blow, our Creator is able to carry those seeds. Your words of encouragement, your acts of kindness, your generosity, your smile takes root in another and life begins anew for them. Through you, God works a miracle.
Do you remember when you blew on that puffball in the field? How many seeds do you think spread out from one breath?
Let me give you a few facts about influence, through the life of ONE dandelion flower. A single puffball contains between 150 to 200 seeds. Each seed is able to travel long distances, take root again and produce more seeds. In fact, one solitary dandelion can produce between 2,000 to 15,000 seeds in one year.
Therefore, it only stands to reason for me to state clearly what this kind of influence can mean to the world, from the spiritual realm.
Your words of cheer, your reassuring support, your faithfulness, your acts of kindness – and all those things that make you an influence for Christ – spread throughout this world, will scatter and blossom.
And just as the wind carries the seeds, so God’s love will carry your kindness to others.
Perhaps, you are not aware of your influence. Your seeds will take root in the strangest of places – in the life of another, who will grow into the beauty of Christ. Your tiny seed of faith will travel, and by God’s grace and take root.
You may not know, but that one person, whom you influenced, could be the one who changes the life of an entire community. You may never see the extent of your influence until that day, when you stand before the Lord, looking around, and Christ alone reminds you – my child, you did a good job!
So, remember, you are more than an ordinary person. You carry the love of God!
You are blessed, you are loved.
Liz Church, Director of Pastoral Care
Elgin/Portland Pastoral Charge
