NEWS AND UPDATES FROM FUNDY ST. LAWRENCE DAWNING WATERS (FSLDW)
Submission Request for Weekly Announcements
www.ucceast.ca
Staff Directory
Emergency Response Memos for Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters (FSLDW)
It’s Your Call – Podcast
Spark Newsletter
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 Continuing Education opportunities at the Atlantic School of Theology please click here.
Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters (FSLDW) Committee Interest form.
Condolences – Rita Smith
Our condolences are extended to the family of Rita Smith who recently passed away. The obituary can be viewed here, and a tribute to Rita can be viewed here.
Agenda Time Requests Deadline
The deadline to submit your request for Agenda Time is March 10, 2023. Please click here to submit your request.
Annual Meeting Teller Volunteers Needed
Coming to the Annual Meeting? Do you like to be involved and active while still being present at the meeting? Then please consider being a teller, where you’ll get to help with activities like voting, distributing materials and taking up the offering. No experience necessary. Please fill out the form to let us know of your interest.
Covenanting Service
A service to celebrate the covenant amongst Timothy Wisnicki, the Montague Pastoral Charge and Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Region will be held on Sunday, March 26th at 7:00 pm at Hillcrest United Church. A reception hosted by Hillcrest UCW and Sturgeon Ladies Aid will follow. The service will be led by the Search Committee, with Sheila Gallant, Past-President, representing the Region. The guest preacher will be the Rev. Martin Dawson.
Hillcrest United Church is located at 50 Wood Islands Hill Road, Montague. The Sanctuary is wheelchair accessible via Door #6 off the back parking lot. All are welcome.
Bulletin Covers
Central United Church has a number of bulletin cover packages which we did not use. We no longer print a bulletin for our Sunday morning gatherings so would like to pass these along to anyone who might want them. We are offering these for free, but if you are so inclined a donation would be gratefully accepted. Contact our office at centralunitedchurch@nb.aibn.com to discuss further.
United Church Manual 2023
You can now pre-order your new United Church Manual 2023 and pick it up at the Annual Meetings in PEI or Halifax. The cost is $24.95 tax included. If you wish to have it shipped out shipping will be extra. Contact Leona at llaundry@united-church.ca or 1-800-268-3781 ext. 6141. Orders are due by March 17, 2023.
Vacancy – Norman’s Cove, NL
Norman’s Cove Pastoral Charge on the east coast of NL is seeking a half time minister (20 hours weekly). Salary to be paid at the appropriate category. Norman’s Cove Pastoral Charge is a three-point charge. More details can be found on the United ChurchHub or by contacting Dave Laite at davelaite@gmail.com.
Stewardship Update
“We are not alone.”
These words from A New Creed have gained more meaning than ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. Worship delivery has changed; pastoral care has changed; everything has changed—and so has Called to Be the Church your United Church giving program.
Introducing Called to Be the Church: The Journey—tailored and topical modules with coaching and ongoing support to meet your stewardship needs.
Module 1: Stewardship Best Practices is taking place starting the week of March 20, 2023.
As part of a small group experience with 4 other communities of faith, over four 2-hour classes, plan your next steps to help your community of faith increase revenue in order to better fulfil your church’s purpose.
Find out more and register here. I would encourage you to sign up as soon as possible as we anticipate available slots filling us fast. My sessions will take place on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday Evenings.
YOU are not alone.
Affirm Zoom Webinar March 21, 7 pm. “Conversion Therapies. How to recognize them and how to help people in recovery “
Did you know that despite being illegal, conversion therapy continues today by other names? The discussion will outline what Conversion therapy is and the language and modalities that it can be presented in churches and society. Points will be given as to how to listen and acknowledge a person’s journey and provide a welcoming safe harbour.
Guest presenter: Sue King, Registered Nurse, Master’s of Theological Studies
Sue is an Australian Canadian living in New Brunswick. Sue identifies herself as she/her and a cis- gendered Christian lesbian. Sue began her spiritual journey as an early teen and was introduced to Christianity through the Anglican Church and evangelical Methodist summer camps and youth groups. In her late teen years, she identified her sexual orientation as lesbian and hence began a conflict in the circles in which she moved. Both her parents and friends were evangelical fundamentalists and after coming out to one parent at age 22 she was advised to get rid of it and seek healing from it.
Sue found herself in an evangelical charismatic ministry that had a secret circle ordained to do sexual healing. Sue pursued this for 7 years prior to leaving Australia and moving to Canada in 1988.
Sue had many formative changes occur in North America that led to her laying down the pursuit of healing. They included counselling, nursing many persons with AIDS, in 1989 meeting her supportive life partner, in 2003, attending Bangor Theological Seminary (An Affirming seminary) and many friendships along the way.
Sue has been a member of United Church of Canada in New Brunswick for nearly 17 years and is committed to the Affirming process in the United Church in Canada.
This webinar will not be recorded.
To register click here.
Bring Visibility to Guaranteed Livable Income
Dear Guaranteed Livable Income supporters,
A Guaranteed Livable Income (GLI) (also known as a universal or basic income, although “livable” is more specific, which is why The United Church of Canada uses it) is a regular payment to individuals or families by government that is not conditional and allows everyone to live with dignity and security. Since the 1970s, The United Church of Canada has called for a universal GLI that is non-discriminatory and accessible, particularly for Indigenous peoples. With the cost of living skyrocketing, a Guaranteed Livable Income is urgently needed.
The United Church of Canada’s national GLI network invites churches and faith communities across the country to hold an action over the weekend of March 24–26 to call for a Guaranteed Livable Income.
What you can do
Engage your local politicians, MPs, municipalities, or provincial representatives (MLAs, MHAs), by
gathering outside their offices
attending a town council meeting
inviting the politicians in for a GLI-focused service (could be a great photo op for them)
For a sample vigil format, click here and for other resources, click here.
Deliver a message to your politicians and the public. Consider handouts (which can be adapted from this one), letters, petitions (if your municipality is at a stage that would benefit from this), and public visibility.
Look at what your municipality has done on this, then include a letter for your politician stating what you’d like to happen. Consider at what stage your community is: sharing information? asking for a specific action? Expressing support and furthering the actions already taken?
If you are engaging with your federal Member of Parliament, call on them to support Bill C-223 An Act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income.
The United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (UNJPPI)
UNJPPI brings together United Church members, adherents and friends in partnership with Palestinians and Israelis working for peace. We believe it is important to understand the complex dimensions of the path to peace in Palestine and Israel. In our monthly newsletter, we curate relevant resources such as news articles, advocacy campaigns, webinars, book studies, films screenings and travel opportunities. We hope you will use these resources to learn more and help in the way of peace.
UNJPPI’s March 2023 newsletter includes: a recording of the Toronto worship service with Jonathan Kuttab, advocacy opportunities to address the escalating violence in Israel and Palestine, a link to order fair trade dates, upcoming opportunities for educational tours to Israel Palestine, information to join the upcoming Voices from the Holy Land Film Salon and much more. www.unjppi.org.
Turning Ourselves Inside Out: Late COVID Reflections on Thriving Churches
Monday, April 17th and April 24th via Zoom
8:00 pm Atlantic/7:00 pm Eastern
$20 per person plus Eventbrite Fee
Two evening sessions with Russ Daye and Rob Fennell, co-authors of Turning Ourselves Inside Out: Thriving Christian Communities. Join these two pastor-scholars to learn about their research on thriving churches, and their most recent reflections on church life in the COVID era. These sessions will be interactive and will not be recorded.
These sessions are geared towards anyone who wants to learn how churches can thrive in the post-COVID era.
The first 40 registrants will receive a FREE paperback copy, by post, of the book, Turning Ourselves Inside Out: Thriving Christian Communities. Register soon!
To learn more about this book, go to: https://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9781506470023/Turning-Ourselves-Inside-Out
To attend, please register at this link: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/turning-ourselves-inside-out-late-covid-reflections-on-thriving-churches-tickets-532118449607
Vital Church Maritimes 2023 – Registration info
We are ‘Setting Sail!’ for a new voyage in missional ministry. Join in three days of encouragement, leading-edge learning and sharing ideas at Vital Church Maritimes 2023 conference.
Taking place April 27 – April 29 in Truro, NS, and on Zoom, this year’s keynote speaker is the Rev’d. Dr. Dawn Davis, professor at Huron University College, London, ON. She teaches Contextual Theology and is Director of Leadership for Ministry Programs. Dawn also hails from St. Luke’s, Dartmouth.
VCM 2023 conference emphasizes spiritual formation and discipleship, as well as opportunity consider present realities and future trends. Let’s explore where God’s Spirit is leading us in missional ministry! Keynote talks titles are:
• Leaving Port
• Sitting in the Fog
• Leaning into the Wind
• Set Sail!
An additional speaker is Registered Psychotherapist, Stephen Doucet Campbell, of Shad Bay, NS. He offers a talk on leadership mental health and resilience. He has a Masters in Counselling Psychology from Providence Theological Seminary and works from the models of Attachment, Narrative, and Dialectical Behaviour therapies. Stephen has worked with adults, youth, and families in out-patient mental health and addiction clinics, clergy and congregational care programs, schools, health centres, and with the justice system.
On Friday there’s a festive fun night, Sea Shanty Kitchen Party. Be sure to bring your musical instruments and wear your finest Sou’wester!
VCM 2023 is open to anyone – laity or clergy. (Invite your friends from other local churches too!)
Conference registration includes engaging presentations, plenty of group discussion, creative worship, materials and most meals. Hotel guest room costs are separate.
MORE DETAILS (including schedule) HERE.
REGISTER HERE.
Inn on Prince Hotel is the conference location. For guest room reservations, ask for our SPECIAL DISCOUNTED Anglican Diocesan rate of $121/night (includes a free hot breakfast).
GOT QUESTIONS? E-mail lvaughn@nspeidiocese.ca or call 902-789-4840.
Annual ASTE Building Respectful Relations June 11th – 16th
The 54th annual Atlantic Seminar in Theological Education will be happening at the Tatamagouche Centre June 11th to June 16th, 2023.
We will continue the theme “Building Respectful Relations” centering this year on experiences of Black Persons within Canadian Society.
We hope you will join us as we spend 5 days exploring the history, culture and impact of the Black Community in the Atlantic Provinces and how Individuals and Communities of Faith can work as true allies.
This is an opportunity to explore this topic in depth in a safe and supportive environment under the guidance of Dr. Harvey Amani Whitfield, The Rev. Brigid Maya Douglas and the ASTE 2023 community.
More information can be found on our webpage ASTES2023.