Easter Sunday at Zion United

Thanks to Rev. Lloyd Gillieo for leading our worship service this Easter Sunday. Rev Gillieo and his wife Iris have been with us several times in the past couple of months and will be at Zion one last time, next Sunday before our new Minister Rev. Sheila Redden-Smith arrives. 

Tables all set by the Worship Committee, who keep the church decorated for all occasions.

Even Brooke was decorated. Linda and Neil MacDonald were in Church with us this Sunday as well and Linda shared during the lighthouse sharing. 

The scriptures today were Luke 24: 1-12, read by Jean Strum

A big thanks goes out to Marjorie Speed-Powell for the music that she arranged for the service. It is wonderful to see the young children participate with their singing and it is always a treat to hear the hand bells played by Pember Edwards. 

Videos of all the performances can be seen by clicking the Youtube icon in the right hand column. 

Thanks to all those who joined us this Easter Sunday. We had 70 friends with us today.

General Secretary's Weekly Letter

 

March 27, 2013

The first Bible that was my own was a white leather one with a zipper that closed it.  The zipper pull was a little cross.  Most of the girls my age had the same Bibles.  Boys were given black ones.  My childish handwriting inside the cover of my first Bible says that it was a gift from the Easter Bunny. 

Years later when the New English Bible came out, my parents thought it would be the text for the new generation, and they presented each of their children with a copy inscribed with our names and the date in my Dad’s handwriting.  That was the Bible I used the most for years, until I lost it. I lost it during the time I was living in Iqaluit.  I looked all over the house, and asked at the Anglican church, where I attended on Sundays, and at the Catholic church, where our United Church house church met.  I thought it would turn up when I moved, but it didn’t.  I asked around about it again the next couple of times I visited Iqaluit, but to no avail.  I actually had another copy of that version by then, but the one from my parents was special, especially after they had both passed on.  Eventually, I gave up and accepted that it was gone.  We shouldn’t get too tied to possessions anyway.

Then sometime last year I heard from Rebekah, my friend and work colleague from the Nunavut Department of Justice.  She had found my Bible.  It was at her house.  I don’t have any recollection now how it got there, but she had it.  I was ecstatic.   When Rebekah came to visit in October she brought it with her.  It is so good to have my old Bible home.

I don’t really know what led me to tell that long story except that with Easter coming, I was thinking of receiving that first Bible on an Easter past………….. and my thoughts went on from there.

Last Sunday, as I sat in church enjoying a wonderful Palm Sunday presentation of music interwoven with the familiar stories from scripture, I got thinking about the Last Supper.  It’s one of the most powerful images in the Bible because it is so normal. It’s a group of friends sitting around a table sharing a special meal. We can all recognize that and place ourselves around such a table.  Most of us can think of a table we have been at with loved ones that we remember later as the last time we shared a meal or a special occasion with a particular loved one. I imagine the disciples thinking back to that evening, marvelling at what they didn’t understand at the time about what was coming.  Jesus had been trying to prepare them but they didn’t know what to make of it at the time.  I imagine Jesus being torn between wanting to protect his beloved friends from the harsh reality of what lay ahead, and at the same time wanting to share with them the burden of the ordeal he knew he would face. 

When we read the story on Maundy Thursday, or in a shorter way any time we do communion, it all seems so clear. The significance of that meal has carried powerfully through the centuries.  For those who lived it, though, it may have been as confusing as the events of our own lives are when we are in the midst of them. 

May your journey through Holy Week be filled with insight, wondering, and joy.

Nora

Moderator's Easter Message 2013

This Sunday at Zion

Worship Leader Dan MacLaren brought 

us the Service this Palm Sunday. 

We had Scripture Readings from Anne Porty-Sarty, 
 Luke 19: 29-40 and a responsive reading with Psalm 118  VU 837.

 

Robbie was in the Castle and spoke to Barb and the kids about Jesus and Palm Sunday. 

                                       

The Choir sang as usual and did a great job on a hymn from the Voices United #124 He came Riding on a Donkey, which is a new song to the Zion Hymn repertoire.

The Sunday School kids had a great time as usual with Miss Cathy. She always has something fun and interesting to do with the kids. Even I learned something from her classes. If you would like to know what they are doing in these pics, I would like you to ask the kids to see if they can tell you what they learned. 

As promised as well those who were interested, got a crash course on the use of the AED (Automated Emergency Defibrillator) which was recently purchased by Zion. It was very informative. I hope we never have an opportunity to use it. Shirley is holding an emergency First Aid and CPR course in April 5th at Zion United. This is an all day course and if anyone is interested, please call Shirley 354-3291 to register and get details on cost. 


Next Sunday is Easter Sunday and we will have Rev. Lloyd Gilleo leading our service at Zion. Hope to see you all then. 

This Sunday at Zion United

The Table in the Sanctuary has been prepared for the Lent period and is ready for Service Easter Sunday. The Church is always prepared by the Worship Committee for each special occasion and all the times in between from decorations to fresh plants and flowers.

We welcomed Rev. Lloyd Gilleo to Zion United again this Sunday to provide the service for the Congregation. Rev. Gilleo's Sermon was entitled, "What Jesus Refuses to Do?" Rev Gilleo will also be with us for Easter Sunday to provide the service which will include Communion.   

The Sunday School kids took part in the service today and Lincoln Inglis led the Lighthouse Sharing. Lincoln explained what the Lighthouse was all about and that the money people donate is given to local charities. 
Lincoln, Lauren, Brook and Micheal then sang the Song of Thanks accompanied by Marjorie Powell on the piano. You can catch the video by clicking the youtube icon in the right side column.  

Lauren McKiel read the scriptures this morning, Matthew 12:1-21. Lauren is back after a few weeks away in Yellowknife. All of pretty much spent in bed with pneumonia. Phyllis was also not well during this time. Both are on the mend now. We are glad that Lauren could be with us this morning.    

              

The Choir performed during our Ministry of Music segment of the service, treating the congregation to a song. 

There was a good crowd in Church today. It was nice to see. We had a few new faces and some we have not seen for awhile. Hope to see you all again soon. 

    

A Message from the General Council Office

March 13, 2013

 

New Pope Elected

 

In a statement released today, the Moderator of The United Church of Canada, the Right Rev. Gary Paterson, offered congratulations to Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio on his election as the new Pope.

 

“Cardinal Bergoglio now faces the formidable challenge shared by the spiritual leaders of all the world’s great religions—a sisterhood and brotherhood of spiritual leaders who are called to the ministry of guiding the faithful toward creating a better world for all.

 

“May the cardinal, now Pope Francis I, find the strength to follow in the footsteps of our Lord, Jesus Christ, as he inspires the global Roman Catholic community to seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.

 

“And may all people of faith and goodwill join hands in solidarity with the new Pope in the common pursuit of caring for one another and for all of creation.”

 

This Week at Zion United

Thanks to Shirley Shot for providing the service this week at Zion United. Shirley's Sermon was called 

"The Gift of Sight"

John Pitblado was the Elder on Duty to greet everyone. There is always a hub of activity in the foyer before Church. Danny is ringing the Church Bells, Dan MacLaren and Terry Dorey look on and John is chasing Micheal through the foyer.  

We also had the pleasure of some old friends in Church this week. Rev Neil and Linda MacDonald joined us. 

So, of course we put Neil back to work with the Lighthouse. Here he is with Valerie Wilcox and her grand daughter Rachel. 

Molly Titus read the scriptures this week 

Ephesians 5: 8-14 and John 9: 1-41, Robbie the Dragon was in the Castle, Dale Wolfe read the Minutes for Mission and we heard from the Zion United Choir.  A very interesting and varied service. It is nice to see the congregation so involved in the service and next week, we hope you can make it as the Sunday School children become part of the service as well.  

Easter is the theme in the Sunday School class. Here are Micheal and Brooke showing off their Easter Wreath. They will be providing a portion of the service next week with the rest of the Zion United Sunday School class.  

Everyone is welcome to join our Social Time in Gorham Hall for food and fellowship. We often have some old friends join us and everyone has a catch up.

General Secretary's Weekly Letter

March 1, 2013

Dear Friends:

Lately, I have had a couple of inquiries about the United Church’s policy on gambling. Some church people in Toronto and Hamilton are organizing to object to proposed casino developments, and an awkward question came up. “What about the grants some churches get from the Ontario Trillium Foundation? Isn’t that lottery and gaming money?  Are we being consistent here?”
They are confronting the uncomfortable news that it is one thing to take a principled stand, but more complicated when it might prevent taking advantage of funding that is important for the work of the church.
Someone mentioned that actually the Ontario Trillium Foundation is funded from the general treasury of the provincial government, which includes gaming money and tax money and everything else. So if that’s the case, maybe it’s a false issue. Or depending how you look at it, maybe that just means that everything funded by government – hospitals, schools, roads – is tainted.
Maybe the real question is whether the church still feels strongly about gambling. In an earlier day, our forebears were clear that gambling was a sin. So was drinking alcohol, and there were various other behavioural prohibitions in those days that may not be seen in the same way today.
Yet gambling has come up again as an issue. These days, the objection is more likely to be on the grounds that it is a “tax on the poor” or a form of addiction that can erode families and communities.
Our morality may not be as clear-cut these days, but it remains important for us to have these discussions and remember that there is a question to be addressed. We need to be continually on the lookout for places of hurt and contribute what we can to making our society a better place for all.
Some years back when I was in Saskatchewan, I attended an event where the then-premier, United Church minister Lorne Calvert, was announcing the approval of a new casino to be developed on First Nations land. My overall experience while with the Saskatchewan government was so positive that this day stood out as a low point. I didn’t like it, yet I understood the complexity, and recognized the strong desire of First Nations to develop economic initiatives that could offer their people employment. After that announcement, I drove back to Regina with a colleague who was active in the Seventh Day Adventist Church. We had a memorable conversation that began with him asking me, “So you mean that your church objects to lotteries but thinks homosexuality is okay?” “Yes,” I responded, and we continued with a conversation that changed neither of our minds, but gave us a little greater understanding of one another and the different ways the scriptures can be understood.
The other night when I was out, I bought a cup of tea from a well-known doughnut shop, and of course was delighted to remember that it’s Lent, and they have their annual contest going on. I rolled up the rim, but didn’t win. Disappointing, but it did let me duck the moral dilemma.

Blessings,
Nora

This Week at Zion United

Thanks to Angela Clifton, LLP for providing our Service today at Zion. Angela's Sermon was Jesus' Forgotton Role: The role of the Church in Promoting Health, Healing and Wholeness.

Robbie the Dragon was on vacation this week, so Angela told a story to the children. It was nice to see some more new faces in church this week. Welcome to Isaac and his Grammy Shirley. You can click on the Youtube icon on the right to hear Angela's Story.

Sylvia Wilkinson read the Scriptures this week. Scripture Reading: Matthew 9: 18-26

Responsive Reading: Psalm 23 p. 749 VU

Scripture Reading: Mark 2: 1-12. You can click on the Youtube icon on the right to hear Sylvia read the Scriptures. 

We had a treat this week. Marjorie Speed-Powell arranged for Kayla Delong to perform for us. Thanks to Kayla for sharing with us and adding to our service. Kayla is a very talented singer and we hope she would like to come to Zion again. Hear for yourself. Click the Youtube icon to the right to play the video. 

We have a treat coming up in Church on March 17th. It involves all the people you see in this picture.  Hope you can be with us to enjoy their performance. They will also be taking over part of the service.