Update - Philipines Typhoon Haiyan Appeal

Members of The United Church of Canada have shown their generosity this past week. A total of $235,271.25 has been given by 1515 donors (as of 8:45 a.m., Wednesday, November 20).

 

Please share this good news through the church bulletin, in prayers and in the announcements.

 

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines and ACT Alliance partners on the ground in the Philippines are co-ordinating relief and reconstruction efforts and have begun to receive the funds.

 

All donations received BY DECEMBER 9TH will be matched by our Canadian government.

 

Resources are being updated regularly – www.united-church.ca/haiyan

 

Gary Kenny

Program Coordinator,

Emergency Response

The United Church of Canada

gkenny@united-church.ca

 

General Secretary's Weekly Letter

November 18, 2013


[I wrote this letter last week, but the week became so busy with meetings that it is just getting out now!]

Dear Friends,

There were long lineups of people in the lobby of the Toronto City Hall.  I wondered briefly if they were all there, as I was, for the City of Toronto’s Proclamation of a Year of Reconciliation.  Toronto Conference Executive Secretary David Allen, who was alongside me, knew what it was about.  They were all lined up to purchase bobblehead figures of Mayor Rob Ford.  A collector’s item no doubt.

I hope that the ceremony upstairs, and the fine words spoken about the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission – and of all of us – is more enduring than the plastic dolls or the antics of the politician they portray.  This is long-term work.  For the city officials and citizens who are serious about this, it will be a busy year, and the year will really just be the beginning.  This work is about painful memories, and about building a better future.  Amongst several inspiring speakers, the most significant for many of us was Holly Laforme, a member of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, and a grade 10 student from the Hagersville Secondary School.  She spoke of taking part in the Walking Together course, where students heard the stories of residential school survivors and created pieces of art depicting what they had learned.  She gave thanks for the opportunity to learn about this part of our history, and spoke with confidence that her generation will be the generation of reconciliation, the generation who can hold this knowledge and value their culture and history as they take their full parts in society.

Remembering the past gives deeper understanding of our lives today, and serves as a reminder of the things we must protect for the future.

This is a week for remembering.  The Proclamation of Reconciliation came the very day after Remembrance Day. 

Like so many of us, each Remembrance Day, I find myself rich with memories of my father, grandfather, uncles and others.  It’s ironic in a way, because Dad was never all that big on Remembrance Day.  He honoured all those who had fought, but I always had the sense that the there was much he didn’t want to remember.  All the World War I vets have passed on now, and the remaining veterans of World War II are elderly in a way that makes my heart go out to them and their courage in facing the memories on yet another Remembrance Day.  There are younger veterans, too, and they carry their burdens without certainty of a nation fully engaged and supportive of their efforts.  It is right to remember all of them, and all those whose lives have been directly affected by war.  It’s particularly important for those of us with no personal experience of war to hear the stories. 

We often speak of honouring those who fought to protect the freedoms that we enjoy, and so often take for granted, today.  Some gave up their lives, some their physical strength, and all gave days of their youth when they might have been playing hockey or enjoying life on campus.

On Remembrance Day the images on TV of the veterans standing in the snow at the ceremony at the cenotaph in Ottawa were interspersed with pictures of the devastation in the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon  Haiyan.  In the midst of remembering, we were confronted with unexpected and horrifying events in the here and now.  As dramatic weather disasters become more common, I find myself reflecting if our generation can get serious enough about sacrifice to change our climate-damaging ways.  Delegates attending a UN Climate Change conference in Warsaw this week heard emotional words on behalf of small island nations who see this event as a stark reminder of the cost of inaction about climate change.

 This is a week to remember that past, present, and future are all connected.   We remember the past and the lessons it holds.  We remember obligations we have in our lives today to remember the legacy for future generations. 

Lest we forget.

Nora

Minutes for Mission

November 17—And a Child Shall Lead Them

Sometimes how mission and service monies are raised is just as important as how much. Hear today the story of a child who stepped out in faith.

Dear friends,

This is not about services provided by M&S but rather a message of hope from a 10-year-old missionary for the fund. Her name is Faith Demchuk and she lives in Calgary, Alberta. On many occasions she visits her grandmother in Cayley—a hamlet 64 kilometres south of Calgary—and they come to our church, Wood Memorial United.

Faith is an excellent reader for her age and reads the Minute for Mission every Sunday she is there. Our church is 75 years old, very small, with a congregation that seldom exceeds 10. We are part of the Nanton-Cayley Pastoral Charge. Last March, Faith took the initiative on her own to go door to door in this hamlet of under 500 people, asking for donations to the Mission and Service Fund. Faith spread the word and collected a total of 43 dollars and 94 cents.

This is a shining example of interest and dedication to God’s work shown by one girl addressing the concerns we all have in our world today.

On behalf of The United Church of Canada, mission and service, the Rev. Karl Shin and the members of Wood Memorial we thank you, Faith, for your kindness, energy, support, and dedication. We are all very proud of you.

Respectfully submitted,

Don Ellston,

Treasurer, Wood Memorial United Church

Every gift to the church’s mission and service is used wisely and helps transform lives. Please continue to give generously.

Philippines Struck by Super Typhoon

Emergency Response

8 November 2013

Updated 12 November, 2013

The United Church has issued a church-wide appeal for donations in response to the super typhoon that devastated much of the Philippines on November 8. Funds donated will be distributed to United Church partners in the Philippines and ACT Alliance for relief and reconstruction efforts. The Canadian government will match, dollar for dollar, donations to registered Canadian charities, including the United Church, made between November 9 and December 8.
According to the government, “For every eligible dollar donated by individual Canadians to registered Canadian charities in response to the impact of Typhoon Haiyan on the Philippines and other affected countries, the government will set aside one dollar for the Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund. The government will use the Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund to provide assistance through international and Canadian humanitarian organizations, employing established channels and procedures.”
Registered charities, including the United Church, will be able to apply to the government’s Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund to augment relief projects in the Philippines, although there is no guarantee that any project or charity will receive funding from the government’s fund.
To be eligible for matching, donations need to be received at the United Church’s General Council Office no later than December 8.

What You Can Do

Pray

• Pray for our Filipino sisters and brothers who have lost loved ones, their homes, and their livelihoods.
• Pray for the members of the ACT’s Philippines Forum who are working tirelessly to assess damage on the ground and organize an emergency response.
• Pray for United Church partners in the Philippines—the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) and United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP)—as they work diligently to attend to the needs of Filipinos affected by the disaster.
• Pray for the Government of the Philippines, which is working with civil society organizations to ensure that relief needs are met as soon as possible.
• Pray for the international community that is rushing to the aid of the people of the Philippines.

Donate Now

Please donate to Typhoon Haiyan Relief. Your donation will be applied directly to support the relief and reconstruction work of United Church partners in the Philippines and ACT Alliance. Here’s how you can donate:

• Online via our secure donation page.
• Phone 416-231-5931 or toll-free 1-800-268-3781 and use your Visa or MasterCard.
• Send a cheque, money order, or Visa or MasterCard information with donation amount to:
  • The United Church of Canada
    Philanthropy Unit - Emergency Response
    3250 Bloor Street West, Suite 300
    Toronto, ON M8X 2Y4
    
    Please be sure to note "Emergency Response—Typhoon Haiyan Relief" on the face of your cheque.

What to Do for Your Donation to Be Matched by the Government

For United Church donations to qualify for Canadian government matching funds, certain conditions need to be met:

• Donations need to be received at the United Church’s General Council Office no later than December 8, 2013.
• Donations need to be received from individuals only, not companies or businesses.

To ensure that all money collected is seen as coming from individual donors, we ask that congregations

• encourage members to give directly to The United Church of Canada.
• Alternately, collect all personal cheques received and forward them to the United Church address above. Please include with the cheques a list of the names and addresses of individual donors and the amounts each has given.

Note: As part of the United Church’s Emergency Response Fund, 85 percent of your donation will go directly to emergency response in the Philippines. Fifteen percent will be used to respond to disasters throughout the world that do not receive media coverage and often go unnoticed. No administration fees will be deducted from your donation. Donations for Mission and Service enable the United Church to provide staffing and cover the administration costs of its emergency response work.
For more information contact:

Gary Kenny
Program Coordinator, Emergency Response and International Development
Tel: 416-231-5931 ext. 4051
Toll-free: 1-800-268-3781 ext. 4051
E-mail: gkenny@united-church.ca  

Patti Talbot
Team Leader, Church in Partnership/Asia Partnerships The United Church of Canada
Tel: 416-231-5931 ext. 4018
Toll-free:1-800-268-3781 ext. 4018
E-mail: ptalbot@united-church.ca

A Message from Rev. Sheila

Lest We Forget

General Secretary's Weekly Letter

October 31, 2013 Dear Friends, I guess I asked for it when I said all those positive things about rain in last week’s message. Today is Hallowe’en and it’s raining. This morning, there were a lot of kids in soggy costumes heading to the school across the street from us, and getting ready to troop around the neighbourhood tonight. I hope the weather doesn’t spoil their fun. On the other hand, maybe a gloomy day is just the thing for All Hallows’ Eve. It kind of goes with the gravestones and skeletons that some people in the neighbourhood are displaying in front of their houses. All Hallows’ Eve is described as a Christianized feast derived from ancient Celtic harvest celebrations. But perhaps it is time to recognize that if that was the origin of Hallowe’en, it has moved well beyond either Celtic or Christian practice these days. Some who don’t take part may have faith-based reasons, but it seems safe to say that for the majority who do enjoy the costumes, trick-or-treating, the jack-o-lanterns, the ghoulish decorations, and the candy, it is simply fun. It’s not religious at all. And in all the excitement about Hallowe’en, many of us overlook All Saints’ Day completely. Maybe we think of saints as being more part of the Roman Catholic tradition. We are part of these traditions too. Methodists, one of our founding streams of faith, consider All Saints’ Day a time to remember Christians of every time and place. Congregations may also honour at that time all those who have died who were members of the local church congregation. As we celebrate Hallowe’en and All Saints’ Day in whatever ways we do, let’s remember these words from our Song of Faith: Our ancestors in faith bequeath to us experiences of their faithful living; upon their lives our lives are built. Our living of the gospel makes us a part of this communion of saints, experiencing the fulfillment of God’s reign even as we actively anticipate a new heaven and a new earth Peace be with you. Nora

Happy & Safe Halloween Everyone!!

                                                   

A Message from Rev Sheila!

2014 Canadian Church Calendars now available to purchase!

We have just received  the 2014 Canadian Church Calendars. Please call the church office on 354-5851 if you would like to buy one. They are $4.00 with tax included. They will also be available for purchase at the Sunday services or buy dropping into the church office during regular office hours. 

This calendar has the theme of praising and worshipping 

God, and features photos of banners, murals, and 

communion table frontals from United Churches across 

Canada.

Give a gift and help change the world! The United Church of Canada's Gifts with Vision.

The 2013-2014 Gifts of Vision catalogue is now available in the Church foyer.

Give a gift and help change the world! helps support a variety of important, life-changing programs around the world and in Canada.

Please help share the news of Gifts with Vision with your community. Visit the Gifts with Vision website and click on the"Downloads" link to find slides, a poster, web and Facebook badges, and more tools to invite people to give a gift that truly makes a difference in peoples’ lives. Thank you!

Kinship II – Exploring Diversity through Drama and Art

Robbie's Back in Church!!!

Robbie the Dragon and Rev Sheila chat with the kids in Church yesterday. 

Tapestry of Love Concert at Zion United

General Secretary's Weekly Letter

October 25, 2013 Dear Friends, I led our chapel service this week at the General Council Office, and am pleased to share with you the notes from the reflection I offered on Jeremiah 14:7-10 and 19-22, and Psalm 84:  We have had quite a bit of rain lately. These rainy October days can be dreary. I had to drive back to Toronto from Niagara-on-the-Lake in the driving rain on Saturday evening, and it was not fun. In our society, cushioned as most of us are from the need to worry about the growth cycles of the plants we eat, we think of rain as a negative. We might get wet as we walk to work! A baseball game or picnic might be cancelled! Our shoes might get muddy. Or at our house, the dogs might make muddy paw prints on the floor when they come in. Yes, we prefer sunshine. We sometimes talk about saving for a rainy day. At different times through the financial challenges the church has been facing in recent years, I’ve heard the question, “Is this the rainy day we’ve been saving for?” We’ve used that as a rationale for spending from our financial reserves. The rainy day is a time you save for, and it’s a metaphor for unexpected hardship or need. Our scripture readings today give a different perspective about rain. If you live in a desert, rain is something you yearn for, something you pray for, something you celebrate. If you live where water is scarce, you can never forget how precious it is. Isn’t it interesting how the same thing can look completely different, depending on your perspective? Isn’t it interesting how your perspective is shaped by how much you have of something, or how much you don’t have? Here is a headline from the online version of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz from a few days ago: “Weekend weather — Israelis welcome the rain.” I wonder what it takes to let us understand a burden as a blessing. Maybe it isn’t a matter of changing what we are in the middle of, but of changing how we feel about what we are in the middle of. My son can be somewhat countercultural when it comes to rain. He takes delight in running around in the middle of a heavy downpour. I have a wonderful image in my head of looking out the front window one day as I heard a sudden rain pounding on the roof. I had looked out wondering if I should go and pick him up and give him a ride home, but there he was in front of the swimming pool across the road from us. He wasn’t hurrying towards the house, rushing to get out of the rain. He was just standing there, soaked to the skin and getting wetter, just standing there in the rain. I don’t really know what was going through his head at that moment, but the impression I had was something like, “What a fantastic rain this is, this is just too great to rush through, I’d better just stay in this place for a moment and soak it up!” I can remember times out on backpacking trips when it rained and there was nowhere to go to get out of it. There was nothing to do but keep hiking through the rain, and you know, after a while, that wasn’t so bad. In fact, it was good to know you could manage, rain or shine. When you take a long hike or canoe trip, you have to work with whatever the weather dishes out, and you find that you can get through it all, and even enjoy conditions that you wouldn’t even poke your nose out in at home. It’s a great feeling — a feeling of being very much alive. The times in our lives when we experience adversity can be the times that deepen our humanity. I wonder if the same might be true for the church. A few decades ago when most Canadians identified as Christian — many of them United Church — we in the United Church took that for granted. Today, we’re very aware of having fewer people in most of our churches. We are aware of living in a society where Christianity, or faith practice of any kind, can no longer be assumed. I wonder if there was ever a minister in the 1950s who wished that some of those in the overflowing pews would make less of an assumption of their faith and would go to a deeper place with it. I wonder if we would be thinking and praying so hard about what God is planning for the church of the future, if there weren’t some things in our current situation that are making us uncomfortable! As we struggle with change in the church it can feel like standing in a cold fall rain without any shelter in site. Let’s remember that new growth cannot be nurtured without rain. Let me finish with a few lines from the poem A Desert Rain by 19th-century American poet Andrew Downing: The cool rain poured in sudden haste Upon the thirsty sod, And life throughout an arid waste Rejoices, thanking God.   Each wild and lonely desert flower Is royally arrayed, As if in one brief, stormy hour The world were newly made.   My friends, let’s get out in the rain and rejoice in it.   Nora

This Week's Message from Rev Sheila

Now there's an easy challenge! 

General Secretary's Weekly Letter

October 18, 2013


Dear Friends: 


Wednesday was a rare day of lofty ideas. I was privileged to hear two wonderful talks by valued elders of the United Church. Well, to be honest, I (regrettably) heard only part of the second one, but that is because you can only fit so much into a day.  I can’t do justice to either of them here, but let me share a little of what I heard.

First, I attended a graduation ceremony at York University, where my friend John Whyte was the honorary degree recipient and gave the convocation address. John is a constitutional law scholar, a former dean of law, a former provincial deputy minister of justice, a voluminous writer, mentor to many (including me), and someone whose contributions to constitutional debates in the 1970s and 1980s helped shape Canada. He is better known outside the United Church than within it, but church is an important part of his life, and he is well known in the Wesley congregation in Regina, where he has chaired the board and preached on occasion.

Our connection stems from shared work in the administration of justice, but it became closer during my time in Regina, where more often than not I had lunch after church with John and his wife Tessa, either at their house or mine.

John was addressing law graduates and others, but instead of talking about legal theory, he quoted poetry and spoke of the deepest human experience of mercy and love. He referred to the part of life that lies below the surface, containing an impulse to fairness and justice that is greater than the law itself. He said that the burning purpose of humanity is “to turn what is, to what is good.”

Afterward, several people, perhaps unaccustomed to hearing these themes addressed with such subtlety and inspiration, commented that John’s talk was “almost theological.” Having seen the way John’s intellectual life, spiritual life, and sense of community are all intertwined, this didn’t surprise me at all!

Of course, the convocation was longer than I had imagined, so I was late getting downtown to Emmanuel College for the lecture by Douglas John Hall. I don’t know Professor Hall personally, but I’ve been touched by his work since first hearing some of his thinking reflected in the preaching of Peter Short during my time in the Yellowknife congregation. During the long month prior to General Council in 2006 when I was required to maintain my pending appointment as General Secretary as a closely guarded secret, I prepared for the role by reading Douglas John Hall’s book Bound and Free: A Theologian’s Journey. 

I’m clearly not the only fan: Wednesday’s event was moved to a bigger room in Victoria University because of the enthusiastic response. The room was still full to overflowing when I made my tardy entrance, and I found myself sitting on the floor at the back. It didn’t matter one bit: the acoustics were fine and the words so worth hearing.

Professor Hall talked about having taught many students who arrived with little or no church background or understanding of scripture. He found that very often these young people found themselves drawn in by the stories of the Bible and the writings of the theologians whose commentaries illuminate our faith. He wondered to the assembled body on Wednesday whether we have lost our way and need to spend more time with scripture and the work of the great Christian scholars. I have been pondering his statement that, “We are called as never before to give a reason for the hope that is within us.” He spoke of a quest for wisdom that goes beyond doctrine.

By the end of this day of feasting on words, my head was full of thoughts, and my heart was full of hope.

Nora

A Message from Rev Sheila

Happy Thanksgiving Day to All

General Secretary's Weekly Letter

October 11, 2013

Dear Friends,

Landing last week in Sudbury, Ontario, felt so familiar, even though I don’t know the place well and hadn’t been there for years. The topography of rocks, lakes, and trees reminded me of Yellowknife, one of my beloved former homes.

Will Kunder, Executive Secretary of Manitou Conference, knew exactly what I meant; we knew each other first when we both lived in Yellowknife in the 1980s and worshipped together at the United Church there.

As I prepare to spend Thanksgiving weekend in Port Stanley, Ontario, in my native Elgin County, one of the things I’m thankful for is the many places I’ve called home over the years. The landscapes of each of those places are somehow a part of me now:

• the Yellowknife terrain where I paddled, hiked, skied and snowshoed, with the familiar collection of houses nestled on rocks
  
• the limitless views over Frobisher Bay from the street where I lived in Iqaluit and the hills all around where you could hike (or ski or skidoo) forever
  
• the long roads through prairie landscapes and the gentle introduction to urban life that Regina offered after my years in the North
  
• the leafy streets of my neighbourhood in Toronto, connected to the heart of the city by subway yet a community in itself, too
  
• and first and always, the fields and Carolinian forests along Lake Erie’s north shore in Elgin County. 

Those landscapes are part of me, and so are the friendships that cheered me and shaped me in each of those homes along the way.

Any of these places could have been home through a whole rich life, and yet I feel blessed to have been part of them all, each quite different from the others, and yet all part of the tapestry of our wonderful nation.

Thinking of all this reminds me that God’s plans for us are more beautiful and more complete than we could ever imagine ourselves. May God be praised.

Blessings to you in this time of Thanksgiving.

Nora

A Message from Rev Sheila

Universal Portrait Studio coming to Zion United

 If you would like your portrait in the Directory and have not been called yet for an appointment, please call the toll free number as listed on the brochure. 

10,000 Villages Festival Sale Oct 14@10am-5pm

Ten Thousand Villages Festival Sale,

The Days Inn

Discover a World of Gifts, Handmade for You!

Ten Thousand Villages is coming to The Days Inn! The Days Inn Bridgewater is hosting a sale of beautiful, fairly-traded gifts benefiting artisans from more than 30 Developing countries.  Ten Thousand Villages is a project of Mennonite Central Committee, the outreach arm of the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches in North America.

The Festival Sale will be held Monday, October 14, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at The Days Inn, 50 North St., Hwy 103 and North St., Bridgewater.  Admission is free.

The gifts you buy at the Ten Thousand Villages Sales will give the blessings of steady work, fair wages, and a better life for struggling families around the world. For more information call the Front Desk, Days Inn at 543-7131.  Your purchase makes a difference!

Thank you for your willingness to help promote the Ten Thousand Villages sale in your church bulletin. Your efforts help create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn an income!

From the United Church of Canada

ACTIONS AND CAMPAIGNS

Unsettling Goods: Choose Peace in Palestine and Israel

Join the United Church campaign in working for peace and justice in Palestine and Israel.

Over 2013 and 2014, The United Church of Canada is encouraging United Church members and others to become involved in the search for a just peace between Palestinians and Israelis. On these webpages we invite you to learn more about some of the issues related to the injustice and conflicts in the region, and things you can do to contribute to justice and peace.

This campaign is the result of actions agreed to at the 41st General Council in August 2012. These actions focus on the illegal Israeli settlements, and they call for education and for economic action by United Church members to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories.

Keep checking this page, as we will be adding new content and action possibilities throughout the campaign.

The Executive of the General Council approved implementation of this economic action campaign in May 2013.

What Are Israeli Settlements?

Background on the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and their impact on Palestinian human rights.

How Do Settlements Affect Palestinians?

How Israeli settlements in the West Bank affect Palestinians' lives.

Speakers Bureau

Invite a United Church of Canada guest speaker to your church or group to talk about Palestine and Israel.

What Are Other Churches Doing on Palestine and Israel?

An overview of global church actions on settlement product boycott.

Personal Stories from the Occupation

Examples of the real human cost of the occupation in Palestine.

Travelling to the Holy Land

Turn a trip to the Holy Land from a tourist experience into an ethical pilgrimage.

Political Engagement

The United Church’s engagement with the government and opposition parties on the issue of Israel and Palestine.

Take Action

• Clearly Identify Israeli Settlement Products in Canada
  Support the General Secretary's letter to Minister Baird asking for identification of Israeli settlement products in Canadian stores and an end to tax exemptions for products from the settlements.

Dedication of Glastonbury Chair to Zion United

The Glastonbury Chair donated by Dr. Borden & Muriel Bird. This chair was made by Borden's late cousin, Donald Johnson Bird. He built it out of white pine instead of oak as it had to be light to cross the Atlantic by air and also had to fit in a suitcase in it's broken down state.

Donald saw one of these chairs in a Cathedral and was told that it was for the visiting Bishop to sit with "piously folded hands over his paunch, nodding off to sleep, while the Vicar delivered his homily. Donald sketched the chair in his notebook and made it in his basement in Truro. Later he gave the chair to the Bird's who kept it in their Liverpool home. The chair now sits in the Minister's Study and is used at most meetings. 

Covenanting Service of Rev Sheila Redden-Smith

The covenanting Service for Rev Sheila was held on September 29 at Zion United. The Church was full and a pot luck supper followed and was enjoyed by all. Here are some pictures of those involved in the service with Rev Sheila.

Guest speaker Rev. Sharon Lohnes, pastoral charge at Beacon United Church in Yarmouth. 

General Secretary's Weekly Letter

October 4, 2013

Dear Friends,
It has been a month since the summer break ended and the fall round of work and meetings started up again at the General Council Office and everywhere else in the church. I don’t know about you, but I was surprised to find myself turning the calendar this week to October. Where did September go?

Looking at the calendar, I realize it went to meetings—meetings of senior staff of the General Council Office and Conferences; meetings of the General Council Planning Committee, the Permanent Committee on Governance and Agenda, and the Indigenous Justice and Residential Schools Committee;  and, of course, the Comprehensive Review Task Group I visited briefly with other committees, too, and in between met with a range of smaller groups and held one-on-one meetings with staff members and others. At some meetings I do more listening, and at others more talking. I’m frequently inspired by the gifts that so many people—staff, elected, and volunteers—offer to the work of the church.

On Thursday and Friday this week, I am attending a meeting of the executive of Manitou Conference. I haven’t been travelling as much in the past couple of years as I did in the past since my arrangements at home got a little more complicated, and I’m looking forward to it.

In chapel this week, the Rev. Joe Ramsay reminded us of the importance of experiencing the presence of God. It made me reflect that we can think and talk and meet all we like, but there are certain moments in each of our lives that touch us in a deeper place. When we talk about those moments years later, there is a catch in our voice.

I think those are the moments that prompt us all to want to be church, even when it means going to the meetings and doing the work that is sometimes, but by no means always, inspirational. It’s those deeper moments that we share to offer hope and purpose in our communities of faith.

In times of deep connection with God, and in times when you are buried in meetings and work, peace be with you.

Nora