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.
Condolences: Eva Elizabeth Biggar
Condolences are extended to Rev. Robert Biggar and family on the passing of his mother, Eva Elizabeth Biggar, on January 23, 2024. The obituary can be found here.
Executive Minutes
The draft minutes from the January 23, 2024 Executive meeting are now available on the BNS website.
Nominations are Open for President-Elect
Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council is seeking nominations for President-Elect. The President serves for a total of 3 years: as President-Elect, President, and Past-President. The President-Elect will serve as a member of the Regional Executive, leading our Region in its work and ministry, within the bounds of the Region. Serving as President of the Region offers many unique and exciting opportunities to engage in the work and life of the Region. More information on the role of President can be found here.
The election will take place at the Annual meeting. In order to post bios of the nominees and allow for printing of meeting materials, please submit nominations by April 26, 2024 at midnight. Nominations can also come from the floor of the meeting at which time nominations will close at the close of the Friday night session. Nominations are open to all members of the Regional Council, including ministry personnel and lay representatives. To submit your nomination, please fill out the form here. The nomination form must include the name of the mover and seconder of the nomination. The Nominee, the mover and seconder must be members of Regional Council. If you have any questions, please contact Nominations Chair, Alicia Cox.
Annual Meeting Teller Volunteers Needed
Coming to the Annual Meeting at Dal AC (Truro, NS)? 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.
Forms Related to Retirees, Jubilarians, and Workshop Space Requests
Please click here for a memo from Faith March-MacCuish, Executive Minister, with information regarding forms related to Retirees, Jubilarians, and Workshop Space Requests.
Bermuda-Nova Scotia Pastoral Relations News – January 2024
- Approved the Renewal of Appointment of Sandi Irving, Candidate, with St. David’s United Church, Port Hastings, 20 hours/week, February 1 to June 30, 2024.
- Approved the Supply Appointment of Hans Van Nie, retired, with Bridgewater United Church, 20 hours/week, January 1 to July 1, 2024.
- Approved the Renewal of Supply Appointment of Rhonda Schofield, Candidate, with St. John’s United Church, Halifax, full time, January 1 to February 29, 2024.
- Approved the agreement between Rockingham United Church and Fairview United Church whereby Rev. Angela MacLean provides pastoral care and meeting support to Fairview United Church at 8 hours/week for a period of up to six months, effective January 1st, 2024.
- Approved the Renewal of Supply Appointment of John Tapscott, retired, with Whycocomagh East Lake Ainslie Pastoral Charge, 15 hours/week, January 7 to April 30, 2024.
- Approved the Supply Appointment of Ruth Gamble, DLM, with Springhill Pastoral Charge, 20 hours/week, March 15 to June 30, 2024.
- Approved the Request for Change in Pastoral Relations for the purposes of Retirement from Hubert Den Draak of St. John’s United Church, Halifax, effective March 1, 2024.
- Approved the position description and the reduction to 20 hours/week for Hubert Den Draak at St. John’s United Church, Halifax, January 1 to February 29, 2024.
- Approved the position description from Waverley Pastoral Charge for a short 16 hour/week Supply position to cover sabbatical leave in 2024.
- Approved the Profile and position descriptions for Bedford United Church, and authorized Search for full-time ministry personnel. Kathy McKay, Liaison
- Approved the Request for Change in Pastoral Relations for the purpose of retirement from Dana Feltmate of United Protestant Church in Sydney River, effective May 31, 2024.
- Approved the Appointment of Peter Anthony, retired, with Brooklyn Pastoral Charge, 5 hours/week, February 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.
- Next meeting: Friday, February 23, 2024. For more information, please contact Regional minister David Hewitt dhewitt@united-church.ca
Circle of Maritime Progressives – Zoom gathering
We will gather on Zoom on Feb 6 (Tuesday) 3:00-4:30 – here is the link to register.
Our facilitators are Joanne McFadden and Christine MacLeod, who volunteered to bring us together again after the Nancy Steeves event.
We’ll ponder and discuss the Lent/ Easter Story. What speaks to you out of this story at this time?
This is a good conversation for those planning services; and for those hoping for meaningful time through the season. Feel free to bring professional and personal resources to share.
We hope you can join us!
Annual Declaration of Criminal Records
Dear colleagues in ministry,
You’ve made it through another intense Advent and Christmas season! We know, and appreciate, how much you have put into your ministry as you enter this season of Epiphany. Of course, there are always more tasks and ministry waiting for you in 2024.
The Annual Declaration is one of those required administrative tasks that Ministry Personnel are asked to prioritize each year.
The Annual Declaration is a mandatory process, where Ministry Personnel declare whether or not they’ve been charged with a criminal offense in the past year. This is a simple process that must be done through ChurchHub, by logging in to your account at churchhub.ca.
As per the Police Records Checks policy, if the Annual Declaration is done by the deadline, you will not be asked to obtain a new formal level 1 and level 2 Police Records Check.
Please remember that even if you were late in completing the form for 2023, it still needs to be done on schedule this year.
If you have any questions about this process, please contact your Vocational Minister Andrew Richardson (ARichardson@united-church.ca ). Need help accessing ChurchHub? Please contact ministry@united-church.ca
Complete your Annual Declaration for a Chance to Win
Complete your Annual Declaration by February 16 and your name will be included in a draw for a $50 gift card of your choice. There will be five lucky winners!
The deadline for the early bird draw is February 16, 2024.
The first Regional Council to achieve 100% completion will be recognized at the September GCE meeting with a message of appreciation!
Don’t delay, complete your form today!
Greetings Growth Seekers from Growth Animator Sharon
What renews you, body, mind and spirit? What moves you from feelings of exhaustion and overwhelm, from grief to gratitude? Are you up for some renewal? Reenergizing? Re-imagining? How about some brainstorming to explore the best ways to radically welcome and invite people committed to loving our neighbour? Who are your neighbours? Are you finding out? Do people around you seem tired? Lonely? What do they need?
Think of times when you are tired and overwhelmed, when someone comes and listens, invites different perspectives. Remember times when you thought you were too tired, reluctant to do something and then you try it, take a leap of faith and discover renewal.
Our growth strategy is Renew, Create, Invite. As we focus on renewing, we bring together who we are and all of our heritage existence and drawing from our vast gifts. Throughout our region, people will find images, Bible stories, symbols, strategies, tools and resources that speak to their unique contexts. We will continue to access, build and create our toolkits and strategies. come along side and companion people to believe in flourishing and in thriving, to be energized, excited, empowered with all God is up to. Talk about what your community of faith loves and why. Contact me to explore renewal in your community of faith. 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
Living Faith Story Workshop – Online!
What is a Living Faith Story?
Why does our church need one?
How can it do everything from define and enliven our mission
to help us find a new minister?
How can we make one that’s uniquely our own and that we’ll actually use?
If your community of faith has been asking these questions recently, you are invited to gather a group together and join us for the next Living Faith Stories workshop, which will be held online via Zoom, over two evenings, on February 28th and 29th, 2024, from 7-8:30pm.
Click here to register.
For more information, contact Daniel MacDonald,
Chair of Faith Stories and Community Covenant Committee,
at centralminister@bellaliant.com
Social Enterprise training
The Anglican Diocese of Nova Scotia and PEI is offering a webinar series on developing Social Enterprise, beginning on February 1. Please click here for more information.
Reimagining Church-Reclaiming your Call (for Lay People only)
Live Sessions
February 10, 24, March 9, 23, April 6, 20, 2024
1:00 – 3:00 pm ET
Register at United in Learning https://churchx.ca/local/shop/product.php?id=132
Imagine your community of faith as a fellowship of disciples (instead of a floundering institution);
Imagine following in the footsteps of our radical Teacher (instead of being ground down by budget shortfalls and petty conflicts);
Imagine being part of a Christian community that understands the essence of our identity and call as people of God.
Fall in love with your faith all over again!
Please click here for more details on this program.
Christ in the Rubble Webinar: A Prophetic Call to Justice for the Global Church
Christ in the Rubble Webinar:
A Prophetic Call to Justice for the Global Church
Sunday, February 4th, 2024, 7pm Atlantic
Please join us online February 4th for a screening of Palestinian pastor Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac’s “Christ in the Rubble” sermon. We will hear from a Palestinian-Canadian Christian speaker, followed by a report from Chris Ferguson, Canadian member of the recent international Christian delegation to Palestine.
This webinar is hosted by UNJPPI (United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel) and is free and open to all. You will need to pre-register in order to receive the Zoom link for the webinar.
Register Here
Adaptive Leadership Workshop for Ministry Personnel
This one-day workshop will help ministry personnel explore the adaptive challenges that are facing the church, and equip them with new leadership skills to address these challenges. All in-service ministry personnel in Region 15 are invited to participate. There is no cost to attend, and lunch will be provided.
The workshop is offered as part of a doctoral research study taking place across Canada in 2024 and 2025 led by Rev. Clara King (ClaraKing.com), which is testing a new way to teach adaptive leadership. As this is a research project, all participants must sign a letter of informed consent. You can learn more about the workshop, the research study, and the letter of informed consent at a Zoom call Clara will host after Easter; more details to follow.
Adaptive Leadership Workshop
Thursday May 2, 9:00am – 3:30pm, at Atlantic School of Theology
Register by contacting Ross Bartlett ross.bartlett@astheology.ns.ca
