First Dawn Eastern Edge Regional Council
Weekly Announcements
June 30, 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. Roscoe Cole, Memorial United Church, Lower Island Cove Pastoral Charge
Let us pray. Holy God thank you for summer. Thank you for the sun. Thank you for the gift of nature and for all seasons of the year. May you give us that grace again today to see you as the Creator God that you are. Loving God your steadfast love is always there for us more than our finite minds can understand. Therefore, we want to give you thanks and praise today. Creator and Loving God, we want to give thanks today for all first responders who have worked so hard in our communities during this pandemic. We thank you for the work that they do and the sacrifices they have made. We thank you for those who have gone beyond their call of duty to keep us safe. May your blessing be upon them. We are aware loving God that we are living in trying times with this virus and with other illnesses, political unrest, neighbour against neighbour and family against family. We ask for healing of body, mind and spirit. For all those who are and will be vacationing within our region this summer, we ask that they enjoy this time but also that they exercise responsibility to be safe and be kind to others. O God, as we travel along this road, may we be reminded that we do not travel alone, you travel with us. For all those who are mourning the loss of someone close to them, be it a family member, a friend or a neighbour, we ask for your comforting hand to be upon them for you have told us again and again that you will never leave us or forsake us. May your Holy Spirit work within all of us and give us the true peace that comes only through you. Holy One, as your spirit continues to work within us, we offer these our prayers on behalf of ourselves and the larger community of which we are a part and of which we serve. “Guide us O God by your spirit that in your light we may see light, in your truth find freedom, and in your will discover your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Service Book p.133) Amen.
First Dawn Eastern Edge Regional Council 2020 Summer Hours
Due to the ongoing restrictions regarding the pandemic, the office and bookstore at 320 Elizabeth Avenue remain closed. Staff continue to work remotely from home on secure devices during regular business hours. Effective June 29, 2020 through to and including September 4, 2020, the summer hours for the staff will be:
8:30 am – 4:00 pm Monday to Thursday
8:30 am – 12:00 noon on Fridays
Blessings for a safe and enjoyable summer holiday season!
Stewardship News
Investment Opportunity with Canoe Financial: Does your Pastoral Charge have funds available for investment? Are you pleased with your current investments and your annual returns? Are you interested in exploring a fund that was set up for the United Church and includes a “superior risk/return” and reduced management fees? Why not check out this opportunity: buyingunited.net/investments. Any more information needed, or any questions, email Roger Janes or call 709-486-3239.
Webinar: “Raising Funds in A COVID-19 World”: For those who missed the recent webinar but would like to watch the recording or receive a copy of the resources/brainstorming ideas, please be in touch and I will send you the materials.
Church Re-Entry Checklist
Click on this link for the church re-entry checklist: ucceast.ca/59063-re-entry-to-our-church-buildings-checklist-june-17-2020/
2021 Mission Support Grant Policies, Procedures, and Application
Deadline for completed application is August 31, 2020
It is that time of the year again to begin thinking about your ministry’s financial needs with respect to 2021 Mission Support Grants. It is important to know that the General Council has had to make a 17% cut to the 2021 grant allocation to the Regional Councils. The Regional Council has made a commitment to help ease the strain of those cuts for our ministries in 2021. It is unknown at this point, what we are able to accomplish so please note there may be cuts to your grants for 2021. While we are yet to know what 2022 will bring, we are asking ministries to begin planning financially for a reduction to your grants for 2022.
Please email completed application and all supporting documentation to Alison Piercey, First Dawn Eastern Edge Regional Council before the deadline of August 31, 2020. If you have any questions, please be in contact with Alison.
Rural Congregations Survey
Do you ever feel you would like to have an opportunity for conversation, sharing of ideas, encouragement, good food, and fun with other rural congregations; congregations who have some of the same gifts and challenges as you? Last June, in Murray Corner NB, a gathering was held for all communities of faith in Regions 14 and 15 who touch or are touched by rural ministry. It was hosted by the Minister and congregation of Bayfield-Little Shemogue Pastoral Charge and supported by a Grant from the EDGE Network for New Ministries in the United Church. You can read the news of this gathering at Rural Routes through the Holy continue reading about the survey here
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.
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
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
