Weekly Announcements
CAUTION! Wednesday, September 2nd brings buses and student pedestrians back to the roads as school returns for the fall semester. Please be cautious driving, especially in school zones, and remember to stop both ways when bus lights are flashing. Keep our students safe.
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Happy Anniversary Cindy and Greg Carbino. May your special day be extraordinarily special.
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Happy Birthday to Marion Steacy. Marion, may you enjoy a very special day.
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The Official Board is called to meet at Portland United at 7:30 pm on Monday, August 31st.
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Please keep Brenda Smith’s daughter Lori and their family in your prayers for her success and recovery from chemo treatments she is taking.
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Don’t forget to mark your events on our calendar by the sink in the Friendship Room(PUC) so we all know when the church is booked!
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As summer wraps up, PUC Council would once again like to thank all those who contributed towards sending 4 area youth to Camp IAWAH this summer. Parents and youth have expressed sincere appreciation and thanks for the opportunity to learn, grow and explore their faith with other Christian youth. Thank you for helping to make this happen!
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Lap Quilts. We meet 2nd Wednesday of each month from Sept. to June from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Our next meeting – September 9th.
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Pillowcases. We meet 3rd Wednesday of each month from Sept. to June from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Our next meeting – September 9th.
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This beautiful picture is on the front of the bulletins this week. It was created by Stacey Schrattner in advance of this service. Approximately a month later Stacey had a stroke that left her unable to walk unaided or have full use of her left hand. She continues to be in hospital but is improving significantly.
MUSIC LOVERS take note:
“Handbells speak what cannot be expressed…”
Portland United Church which owns a 3-octave set of handbells & chimes is presently seeking a director for this community choir.
While a large selection of secular & religious music is available there is also a budget for acquiring new music.
For further information please contact Katy 613 929-9351 or Jane 613 272-2524; or email office@eppc-ucc.com
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Bible Discussion Groups
Meetings will resume on Monday, September 14th and Tuesday the 15th following our summer break. We plan to explore the Bible book of Revelation. Study books will be provided. All are welcome to join this study; no prior Bible knowledge is required. If you would like to attend contact Jim Barton 613-328-4089 or ccjimbarton@gmail.com. Meetings are held Monday evenings in Portland 6:30 – 7:45 and in Elgin at 10am on Tuesdays.
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Devotional Reflection August 28, 2026
While at work today, one of the girls took the time to clean the lens of her glasses. My own were smudged with grease, oil, flour and anything else I was working with. She asked if she could clean them for me. I thanked her but knew they needed more than the wipe of a clean cloth. They needed a thorough cleansing with soap and hot water. Before too much time passed, I did exactly that.
As I completed the task I was doing, and headed to the sink to clean my glasses, one of those spiritual “Aha!” moments occurred to me.
Looking through those dirty glasses, trying to see around the spots of cooking oil, was causing a lot of strain to my eyes. My eyes were constantly darting back and forth, trying to find a clean spot to look through, instead of focusing on the path ahead. My eyes began to water from the strain. I was glad to finally whip the glasses off and clean them.
I never have to look too far to see a lesson in my daily living. Think about it this way. Some of those spots on my glasses are like those moments in my life when I refused to forgive another. Some are when I needed forgiveness. But in my stubbornness, I continued to allow the spots to grow and fester. The emotional baggage was blinding me.
As I began to reflect on those spots, I wanted to rid myself of them. I wanted to rush to those persons and say ‘I forgive you’. And my thoughts continued as I silently reached out to others and prayed that the Lord would speak to them that they would forgive me.
I continued in this moment of reflection as the Lord was speaking to me and the water was cleansing my glasses – forgiveness – when we feel free from the past – we can then build a hopeful future.
On returning home, I wanted to write these thoughts down. I began looking up Scripture such as Isaiah 43:18-19: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
But it does not stop there. Remember Joseph? And how he was treated by his brothers? Even though they had left him to die, we read this in Genesis 50:20: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Joseph was able to look past the hurt and see God’s hand in his future.
Scripture is filled with these directions for living a Spirit-filled life. Over and over, we learn that God has given us the promise of a pure and better future if we allow our lives to be defined by renewal rather than the past.
2 Corinthians 5:17 — “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Your identity is in Christ!
Perhaps, you can relate to these spots – the things that hinder your progress; the things that tear you apart; a past that is far from perfect. I ask you: “Do you want to remain there?” Allow your heart to move forward.
Make a fresh start. Clean off those glasses; wipe away the dirt from those windows in your life. And see the reflection of God shine through.
You are loved. You are blessed.
Liz Church, Director of Pastoral Care
Elgin/Portland Pastoral Charge
