First Dawn Eastern Edge Regional Council
Weekly Announcements
June 9, 2020
First Dawn Eastern Edge Regional Council Page Emergency Response Link
United Church Bookstore & Gifts
First Dawn Eastern Edge Regional Council is now on Facebook!
UCC Regions East YouTube Chanel
Weekly Prayer from Rev. Paula Gale, Herring Neck Pastoral Charge
Creating God, as the plants bloom in greenhouses and gardens, the bees pollinate the trees, as the bounty of the sea is landed at the wharves; we see you at work in our world and are reminded that you are also at work in and through us. As new life springs forth around us in the nature you have provided for us to steward, we pray we would remember always the promise of new life you offer to each of us through Jesus Christ our Lord. May the example shown in the lived hope of the greening earth be a balm for our souls as we continue to live in these uncertain and rather strange times. Just as you remain faithful through the changing seasons dear Lord, you remain faithful to us through the changing times of our lives. We continue to struggle with life during this pandemic O God, and as public health restrictions are slowly being lifted in our Province, we pray that you would give us sense, wisdom and the desire for care for others. We pray that you would give church congregations the gift of prayerful discernment so they might know how to best care for the physical and spiritual needs of your beloved ones as we think about and prepare for returning to our sacred spaces sometime in the future.
This week, as our United Church of Canada turns 95, we give you thanks dear Lord for all of Christ’s own who have called this denomination their faith home through the generations. We give thanks for those who have lived out their calling as ordered ministry personnel and all of the lay people who have striven to share the good news of Jesus Christ. For all the faithful who have been grounded in their own faith and have shared the love of Christ with our world through our denomination, we give you thanks dear Lord. As we have envisioned our work anew in these recent years, we pray now that you would help us to continue to celebrate the ways that, though our buildings have been closed these many months, the church, the body of Christ in the world, has been as much or more alive than ever. For the new ways you have helped us find in order to share the gospel message, to comfort the troubled and to care for those in need, we give you thanks, O God. For the many ministries of our church and the many who call it their faith home, we pray. We pray especially for our Moderator Richard, our General Secretary Nora and our Executive Minister Faith, our Regional Ministers, General Council Executive and all of the staff who support us in the life and work we carry out in Christ’s name together.
We confess to you, O God, that as faithful as we have tried to be to the call of Christ in our lives, we have fallen short of the love and welcome he has asked us to provide. We know that, in your eyes, O God, all lives are precious but we confess that we have forgotten that and given priority to some at the expense of others. We pray that all those who have been harmed because of race, gender, economic status or in any way might be heard and acknowledged. We pray that all of us who have abused our privilege would hear your call from the prophet Micah that we are to walk humbly with you and do what is fair and just to our neighbours, being compassionate and loyal in our love and not taking ourselves too seriously but taking you, God, and your message of love seriously. We hold up to you the prayers of our hearts, holding to the promise that we are never alone, for you O God are with us. We rejoice in that promise and the good news of Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Black Lives Matter Prayer Vigil
Join the Black Lives Matter prayer vigil Sunday, June 14, 2020, 7:00 pm EST (1 hour duration) on the United Church of Canada’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/unitedchurchofcanada
United Against Racism – Black Lives Matter to The United Church of Canada: The Black Clergy of The United Church of Canada invite the whole church to join for a time of worship, prayer and reflection in the face of the issues of anti-Black racism in our country and in the church. In worship we will lament, we will hope and we will be reminded of the need to act against racism. Our worship will seek to shine light in and on the darkness of racism.
Grand Bank United Church
Grand Bank United Church celebrated the 95th Anniversary of The United Church of Canada with a special Church Union Worship Service on June 7, 2020. The actual anniversary date of June 10 is a day of greetings and song.
Conversation with Clergy
The next session of Conversation with Clergy will take place on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 at 1 pm. The topic will be vacation time. The zoom call instructions will be distributed next week.
Rendez-vous 2020
Rendez-vous 2020 is going ahead in August 2020 – just in a different way. Due to the ongoing health crisis, we will not be able to hold a large gathering in Calgary. Rendez-vous brings together youth (entering grade 9 and up to any age), young adults, and their leaders from across the church. Through real-time online events, recordings, and DIY workshop kits, we will celebrate bold faith, brave space, and brazen grace. Click here for more information.
Funding Ministry in a Covid 19 World
Join Rev. Roger Janes, Stewardship and Gifts Officer for Regions East, for a Webinar and Brainstorming event on June 11, 2020 @ 2:00-3:30 pm (NDT). RSVP to rjanes@united-church.ca to receive the zoom link. More details on the Funding Ministry in a Covid 19 World poster.
Prayer Room Ministry
Church in Mission Unit is offering weekly Prayer Rooms for each Regional Council. Congregations and leaders are invited to join facilitated half-hour online times of prayer (modeled after the Prayer Room at GC43) to pray for every pastoral charge by name. Nothing is required except your presence.
Sign up online and join us every Tuesday on Zoom at 1:00 PM EDT beginning June 2, 2020 running until mid September
June 16, 2020: Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters
June 23, 2020: Nakonha:ka
June 30, 2020: Eastern Ontario Outaouais
July 7, 2020: East Central Ontario
July 14, 2020: Shining Waters
July 21, 2020: Horseshoe Falls
July 28, 2020: Western Ontario Waterways
August 4, 2020: Antler River Watershed
August 11, 2020: Canadian Shield
August 18, 2020: Prairie to Pine
August 25, 2020: Living Skies
September 1, 2020: Chinook Winds
September 8, 2020: Northern Spirit
September 15, 2020: Pacific Mountain
Making Hope Visible – Latest Podcast Episode
Making Hope Visible Podcast – David Coon – COVID Learnings and Community Yearnings – David Coon is a leader with heart, wisdom, integrity, and courage. As a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of New Brunswick, the first ever Green Party candidate elected to office in NB, and as an active member of the United Church, David offers his unique perspectives on issues we face as a result of this pandemic. Find this and past episodes here.
Send comments, suggestions, or questions to justiceandmission@gmail.com. More about the Justice and Mission network at ucceast.ca where you can sign up to receive regular emails, including notices of new episodes of this podcast. You can also stay in touch through the Facebook group – Justice and Mission – UCC Atlantic.
First Dawn Eastern Edge Regional Council Webpage Emergency Response Link
Stay updated with Emergency Response Updates on COVID-19 on the First Dawn Eastern Edge Regional Council webpage.
Announcements
If you have news to share relating to First Dawn Eastern Edge Regional Council, please share it with us and we will include it in our weekly announcements.
Send any information to: info4rc16@united-church.ca.
