NEWS AND UPDATES FROM BERMUDA-NOVA SCOTIA REGIONAL COUNCIL
Submission Request for Weekly Announcements
www.ucceast.ca
Staff Directory
It’s Your Call – Podcast
News from the Pews 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.
Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council Committee Volunteer form.
Covenanting Service
A covenanting service for the Rev. Jun- Hyok Chon, the collaborative ministry of Sharon St John United Church, Stellarton, and the Green Hill-Alma/ Merigomish Pastoral Charge and the Bermuda- Nova Scotia Regional Council will take place on Sunday the 19th of November at 3:00 in the Sharon St John Sanctuary. The Region is delighted to celebrate this new ministry and the congregations are pleased to invite friends and neighbours to join them in expressing their joy as they promise to be in ministry together.
President’s Monthly Message Postponed 1 week
Due to a family emergency in October and my recent illness, my monthly message will be posted next Wednesday, November 22, 2023.
New Book at the Bookstore
Called To Act – Prayers With Roots in the Gospel of Mark
A collection of responsive prayers inspired by reflections on Mark’s gospel, calls us to be bold disciples and to be daring in our quest for justice. in these prayers, readers will find echoes of thanks and hope that will speak to their own joys and challenges; worship leaders will find help and inspiration as they prepare for worship. A study guide is included to prompt discussion and deepen exploration of Mark’s gospel, section by section, chapter by chapter. Taking orders until November 17, 2023. $26.95 Tax Included.
Bermuda-Nova Scotia Region Pastoral Relations News – November 2023
- Approved the Supply Appointment of Elizabeth Bachem Jennings with St. John’s United Church, Middleton, 20 hours/week, November 1, 2023 to May 1, 2024.
- Approved the Supply Appointment of Mavis Peddie Peters to Trenton Pastoral Charge, 20 hours/week, November 6 to December 31, 2023.
- Approved the Supply Appointment of Angela MacLean with Rockingham United Church, Halifax, 16 hours/week, November 1 to December 31, 2023.
- Approved the Request for Change in Pastoral Relations for the purposes of retirement from Ivan Gregan, Port Wallis United Church, effective July 1, 2024.
- Approved the Request for Change in Pastoral Relations for the purposes of retirement from Sharon Lohnes of Beacon United Church, Yarmouth, effective June 1, 2024.
- Approved the Request for Change in Pastoral Relations from Angela MacLean of Fairview United Church, Halifax, effective December 31, 2023.
- Approved the Profile and position descriptions for Woodlawn United Church, Dartmouth and authorize Search for 2 full-time ministry positions. Betsy Hogan, Liaison.
- Approved the Request for Change in Pastoral Relations from Alison Etter of the collaborative ministry of Knox United Church Glace Bay and Chalmers Warden Pastoral Charge, effective December 31, 2023.
- Approved the Appointment of Mary Lynne Whyte with Woodlawn United Church, full-time, January 1 to June 30, 2024.
- Approved the Supply Appointment of Laurie MacCuish, retired, with United Heritage Church, Sydney, 30 hours/week, November 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024.
- Approved the Request for Change in Pastoral Relations from Allan Lynk of Middle Musquodoboit Pastoral Charge, effective October 1, 2023.
- Requested a new half-time position description from Lower Musquodoboit Pastoral Charge to reflect the change in Terms of Call for Allan Lynk, effective October 1, 2023.
- Next meeting: Friday, December 8, 9:00 a.m.
Greetings Growth Seekers from Growth Animator Sharon
Leaps of faith often start with little steps. There is a nudging, the birthing of an idea, a dream, a vision, and there’s brainstorming and widening the circle to wonder even more. Part of our own renewal, reenergizing and deciding what we have interest for, starts with us as individual people. Perhaps struggles and concerns are taking your joy getting in the way of you being hope-filled, making you feel less excited by your faith, your worship time, your prayer and devotional time, maybe even your fellowship. Lean in to your faith. Let nothing be a thief of your joy. We can be more than we think as individuals, as congregations and communities. Like the advice on airlines, we have to put on our own oxygen masks first. In taking care of ourselves, we are able to help others. What little things help you to reground yourself? What are the small things you are noticing? How can we be “more”? Hold on to hope! You can reach me by email at sballantyne@united-church.ca or by phone 705 875-8837. Let’s grow together with deep spirituality, bold discipleship and daring justice.
Upcoming Free, On-line events at Emmanuel College Chapel
Thursday, November 16, 12–1 p.m. – Brown Bag Lunch Talk: Rolando Mauro Verdecia Ávila (Anne Duncan Gray Visiting Scholar)
Thursday, November 23, 4 – 6 p.m. – Historical Contributions of Canadian Missionaries in Korea
Please click here for full details and registration.
Stewardship Update – November 2023
Please click here to read the Stewardship update.
Admission Matching Committee Open House
Are you from a church without a minister? Are you a member of a search team and looking for your next ministry personnel? Are you a pastoral relations liaison? Are you interested in knowing more about the admission process and more importantly the matching pilot project this online open house is for you? If so, you are invited to an online Open House with the Admission Matching Task Group. This hour long gathering will happen through Zoom on Sunday November 19th at 4 pm EST.
The Admission Matching Committee’s work is part of a pilot project to bridge the gap between Ministers who are available and excited to work in The United Church of Canada and Communities of Faith who need a minister. This Open House will include an introduction to the Admission Matching pilot program, stories from people with experience of Admission ministry, an overview of the Admission process, answers to frequently asked questions about admission ministers, and some time for any questions you might have. It will be particularly useful to people from congregations without a minister, pastoral relations liaisons, and advocates for equity, diversity, and inclusion within The United Church of Canada.
To register for this free program, please send your name, location, email, and reason for registering to Beverly at btyhurst@united-church.ca.
Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel
19 Nov – Guest speaker during worship and Lunch and Learn at St. Andrew’s United Halifax. See poster here.
10 Dec – Guest speaker during worship at Central UC, Moncton, NB.
17 Dec – Guest speaker during and after worship at St Luke’s UC, St. Margaret’s Bay, NS
Bill Chambré is a member of St Andrews’s United Church in Halifax. He recently returned to Canada after a 3-month stint as a volunteer in Israel/Palestine doing human rights monitoring through www.eappi.org (Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel). For the past 20 years, EAPPI has had a continuous presence of Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs), operating on 3-month rotations. EAs have come from 25 different countries, with Canadian EAs being funded by the United Church of Canada and the Presbyterian Church of Canada.
In 2022, Bill was in the South Hebron Hills where he was primarily dealing with land rights issues as settlements expand and Palestinians are pushed off their land. This year, he returned and spent most of his time in Jerusalem where the issues being monitored included evictions, home demolitions, checkpoints and generally offering a protective presence for the Palestinian population under occupation.
Join us during Advent
You are invited to join the Justice, Mission and Outreach Committee as we gather to light the Advent Candles each week during Advent. There will be time to reflect, pray, and join our hearts each week for just peace in Palestine and Israel. We will meet via zoom starting Wed, November 29th at 8:00 p.m. AT, all are welcome.
For registration please click on link.
Advent Resources from Prayer Bench
- Advent Email Retreat: Receive a retreat in your inbox three Saturdays in Advent providing you with all you need to pause, contemplate and get ready for the Mystery of Christmas. Learn more here.
- A Comprehensive collection of prayers for Advent and Christmas in Volume 1 of Let Us Pray: A Digital Collection of Prayers by Jane Doull. See here.There are 183 prayers in Volume 2 with prayers for Epiphany, Lent and Easter. See here.
- Visit the Prayer Bench to review many Advent Small Group Studies.
Ministry of Supervision
The Certificate in Ministry of Supervision provides participants with the information and skills to mentor individuals preparing for ministry by equipping them for supervision including pastoral practices, leadership, reflection, feedback and spiritual guidance. It is designed for clergy and lay individuals who are interested in supporting students and communities for supervised ministry education (SME), internships and field education. PREREQUISITES: A minimum of five years of post-ordination or commissioning, experience in congregational ministry leadership OR equivalent lay leadership
Mark your Calendar Now!
The course will take place as a once a week intensive with three-hour synchronous class time on zoom each week. Here is the schedule — click the links to see the start times in each of Canada’s time zones:
Jan 11, 12:00 – 3:00 pm ET
Jan 18, 12:00 – 3:00 pm ET
Jan 25, 12:00 – 3:00pm ET
Feb 1, 12:00 – 3:00 pm ET
Feb 8, 12:00 – 3:00 pm ET
You can register at United in Learning or by clicking here.
For more information please contact Andrew Richardson.
New trust reporting requirement for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2023
After intense lobbying and communication, the CRA has changed a requirement that would have meant a lot of extra administration work for many congregations, most of the Regions, the denomination and especially the UCC Foundation.
The bottom line is that the CRA will not require registered charities to file the T3, Trust Income Tax and Information Return, for internal trusts. Had this administrative ruling not happened, all would have had to prepare T3 tax forms for most of your restricted funds. Please click here to read more.
Updated Staff Directory
The Staff Directory has been updated and can be found here. For future reference, the most recent version is always at the top of the announcements.
