NEWS AND UPDATES FROM FUNDY ST. LAWRENCE DAWNING WATERS AND
REGIONAL COUNCIL 15
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Please send announcements to trose@united-church.ca
www.ucceast.ca
Staff Directory
Emergency Response Memo’s Regional Council 15
Emergency Response Memo’s Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters
Making Hope Visible – Podcast
To view upcoming programs at the Tatamagouche Centre please click here.
To view upcoming events at the Atlantic School of Theology please click here.
To view upcoming programs at the United Theological College please click here.
Condolences: Lisa Rebecca (Kierstead) McCully
Our sympathy is extended to the family of Lisa McCully who passed away on April 18, 2020, daughter of Emily Kierstead and (stepdaughter) Don Murray, both retired Ministry Personnel and John Kierstead. A copy of the obituary can be viewed here.
Nova Scotia Vigil Statement to Regional Council 15 from President Janet Sollows
Regional Council 15 Annual Meeting 2020 To Be Held By Zoom
The Regional Council Executive met on April 21, 2020 and discussed recommendations from the Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC) around how and when to gather. There is still much uncertainty around when groups will be allowed to gather in large numbers. The Executive has approved the following for the Regional Council 15 Annual Meeting. The region will meet via zoom video Conferencing to conduct the business of the region, including accountability reports, election of General Council Commissioners, remit vote, approval of the 2019 Audited statements and the approval of the 2021 budget.
The business portion of the annual meeting will take place on June 10, 2020 from 6:30pm-9:00pm (Atlantic) by zoom video conferencing. More details will follow.
The Executive has also approved a gathering on November 6-7, 2020, in person. This gathering will be a Festival of Faith, including a Memorial Service, Jubilarians and retiree banquet and the Celebration of Ministry Service. The planning for this will take place once we know that restrictions are lifted to allow for such an event. Please check the Annual Meeting web page for reports and information regarding the meeting.
Please know that we continue to hold you all in our prayers as we work through these possibilities. Please do not hesitate to be in contact if you have questions or concerns.
Blessings,
Faith March-MacCuish
Executive Minister
Region 15 Pastoral Relations News April 2020
Approved the Appointment of Jeff Chant to Bridgewater United Church, 30 hours per week, June 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021.
Approved the Provisional Appointment of Mavis Peddie Peters with Hopewell Eureka East River Pastoral Charge, 30 hours per week, September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2023.
Youth Forum Meeting a New Way – VIRTUAL YF
Because we are not sure how the world will look in May, this year we are offering Youth Forum online for the FIRST TIME EVER!! Our theme is Believing is Seeing. We will explore the subjects of social media and faith. We will look at our perception of ourselves and the difference between what we show online and who we really are. As well we will look at social justice in isolation, and hanging on tight to faith in a changing world. Our format is still in development but will include large and small group meeting through an online meeting platform. If you need help getting to a computer, contact your local United Church Minister. Your from all over Canada are invited to join us in this celebration of faith! Participation in our online youth forum will cost $20. If you have already paid for the full weekend Jenn Whittemore will be in touch with you to process your refund. See You Soon! Nathan And Alex
Watch our introduction video to Virtual YF!
To register for Virtual YF click here. Please note that you will need to register for Virtual YF even if you had previously registered to attend YF.
Stewardship Updates
Read the latest Stewardship Newsletter May 2020
Tatamagouche Centre welcomes new Executive Director and new Indigenous and Youth Program Coordinator
Read the Announcement from the Board of Directors
Rainbows for All Children
In preparation for the potential announcement that the rest of the school year would be cancelled, an Introduction to Grief Theory and the Rainbows for All Children Program had been organized. Children are already experiencing grief about being separated from friends, and losing the school year will be one more blow. After the events of April 19 & 20 in Nova Scotia, the need is even greater. If you are willing to be a facilitator, or feel there are children or adults in your community who would benefit from a grief support group, please consider attending An introduction to Grief Theory & the Rainbows for All Children Program via zoom on April 28th @ 7pm. Pre-registration is required. Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMpcOmvpzkrH9Do1lymPz0it0HV6afHhqzC After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Thanks for considering this or passing it along to the people in your congregation who look after the programming for children and youth. More information on the following links:
Rainbows for All Children,
Rainbow FAQs,
Rainbow What to expect Parent Flyer
Completing the Annual Declaration of Criminal Charges
From April 1 to June 30, ministry personnel (including candidates in Supervised Ministry Education appointments or other appointments) will be able to submit their annual declaration on criminal charges form on ChurchHub. This form needs to be filled out no later than June 30, 2020 to remain compliant, including being eligible for calls or appointments and for licenses for sacraments and marriages. To fill out the annual declaration, log in to ChurchHub and “My Ministry Page.” Look to the right for the “My Professional Requirements” box and then select the “Annual Declaration 2020” link.
If you completed your annual declaration anytime from Jan-Mar 2020, then you actually were completing your 2019 annual declaration. So you will need to log into ChurchHub and complete your annual declaration for 2020. If you have any issues or questions please contact the Office of Vocation Minister Andrew Richardson at ARichardson@united-church.ca
Appointments – Region Council 15
For Appointments ending June 30, 2020 — please do not wait until the last minute to submit your request for Renewal to the Region for approval. General Council is now requiring new Appointments and Calls to be processed through ChurchHub, so it will be wise to set some time aside to become oriented to this new approach. Ministry Personnel seeking to be Appointed or to have their Appointment Renewed will need to verify their eligibility through their personal account on ChurchHub. For more information, please contact Regional Minister David Hewitt dhewitt@united-church.ca For assistance with ChurchHub, please contact Deb Kigar at General Council dkigar@united-church.ca
Scam Emails (updated)
The Region 15 office has received concerns about recent emails that give the appearance of coming from ministers, asking for money and/or gift cards. These emails use the email address unitedclergy01@gmail.com. Please be advised that it is not a typical practice for ministers to request money or gift cards to be sent to them personally. Furthermore, when receiving an unusual request like this, it is a wise practice to check the email address. If the originating (or reply-to) email address is not familiar to you, it would be appropriate to ignore the email, or contact your minister by phone or confirmed email to verify the information. This kind of scam is called “spoofing,” where the fraudster attempts to masquerade as a trusted person. Your email has not been “hacked,” neither has your minister’s email been “hacked.” Neither of you have lost control of your accounts. The spoofer is using a publicly available name and an completely different email address to make contact. Please delete the email, ignore future emails like this, and block the email address from making future contact. You can also report it to your internet company (ISP).
Refugee Sponsorship Training Program Bulletin
View the current edition of the RSTP (Refugee Sponsorship Training Program) bulletin.This edition’s highlights include:
Information on whether sponsored newcomers in their sponsorship period can apply for income support through the CERB program (if they meet the eligibility requirements of the program),
When sponsors may make deductions from the monthly financial support they provide on the basis of newcomers receiving income support through the CERB program; and,
The details of upcoming RSTP webinars
Stroll for Your Soul 2020
In these days when we are encouraged to walk outside for our physical, mental and spiritual health, Stroll offers incentive and a mindful focus. Participants receive a daily email for 21 days. Each email offers an introduction, a reflection and a task or practice you can carry into your time of strolling for your soul. Stroll emails help you notice the green and growing glories of Spring. They offer practice at paying attention and being in the present moment. With worship services suspended in many places and churches closed, the 21 Stroll emails offer a way of being together while needing to physically distant by sharing a common focus through this series.
Easy sign-up for Group Subscriptions and new features added for COVID-19 realities. Stroll 2020 begins on May 9. Stroll for Your Soul is available by Individual or Group/Congregation subscription. Visit the Prayer Bench at https://prayerbench.ca/shop/ for more information.
Open Out Podcast
Open Out a podcast series that emerged out of research funded by the United Church Foundation through its McGeachy Scholarship. Open Out is a podcast series exploring the nitty-gritty of opening our faith communities to the diversity that is the new Canada. After these days of sheltering in will come a time once more of opening out – and we will be deciding open out to whom? same as before? or everyone. If you are interested in exploring these thoughts please check out the podcasts. You can link to them through the website – openout.ca. Or directly here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/917410/episodes. They are also available through most of the podcast sites. The most recent one “That’s how the light gets in” explores the role of vulnerability as communities seek to open themselves, through insights from a conversation with Damber Khadka from Knox United in Winnipeg.
