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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.
Annual Meeting Evaluation Form
We would ask everyone who attended the Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council annual meeting to take a few minutes to fill out the online evaluation form by June 7.
Young Clergy Retreat Postponed
Unfortunately, due to low registration, we are unable to move forward with the Young Clergy Retreat that was planned for May 23-24. The planning team has decided to postpone the event to October 17-18 (Thursday and Friday).
For those who have already registered and are available for these new dates, no further action is required. If you have registered and will not be available for the new dates, please reach out to rev.bowley@outlook.com.
We apologize for the inconvenience that this may cause. Watch these announcements in late August/early September for more information.
Retirement Open House – The Rev. Ivan Gregan
Join Us for a Retirement Celebration to honour the Rev. Ivan Gregan
36 Years of Faithful Service to the Congregation of Port Wallis United Church!
Open House – Saturday, May 25th from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Port Wallis United Church, 263 Waverley Rd, Dartmouth NS
902-435-3644
Bethany’s Bargain Bonanza & BBQ
Come have some fun in our welcoming community space and discover some “new to you” goodies at a bargain. This is a family friendly fundraiser being hosted at Bethany United Church.
What you will find… gently used goods, a BBQ, and kids activities.
General Admission: $2, Children under 12 FREE
https://www.bethanyunitedchurch.ca
On the day of the event we will also doing a special quilt raffle draw.
“Sunday School Quilt Draw” tickets in support of “Out of the Cold” .
DRAW DATE: MAY 25, 2024 – $10 A TICKET OR 3 FOR $20
A project of care for our community. Quilt has been designed and stitched together by 17 members of our Sunday School. Each square has a touch of their loving grace.
The Other Side of the Wall Book Study
People around the world have seen and heard the Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac’s Christmas Sermon “Under the Rubble”.
Now the Just Peace Working Group are inviting you to hear more from this extraordinary theologian.
Tuesday evenings in June, at 7:00pm Atlantic, join us while we study Munther’s book “The Other Side of the Wall”. The book can be purchased from Amazon or you can order it through your local bookstore.
You can register for the book study by emailing PLEMoncton@gmail.com or by clicking on this link.
Beautiful to Behold: Broken Open Church – Rural Routes Through the Holy
Rural Routes Through the Holy will gather this year from June 13 – 15th at Orchard Valley United Church in New Minas around the theme Beautiful to Behold: Broken Open Church. This is an area very familiar to our speaker, Rev. Dr. Catherine Smith, who has spent years studying the vitality to be found in vulnerability, remaining open, permeable to God and to one another.
We’ll listen and talk, worship and rest, learn, eat and sing together. We’ll hear from those who are excited by a ministry they’re involved in and we’ll have the chance to choose from workshops on Writing Spiritual Memoir (Janice MacLean), Collaborative Ministry (David Hewitt) and explore the legacy of the Acadian experience (Marvin Anderson, Karen Archibald Waugh, David Roger Gagnon, Ivan Gregan, & Betty Jean Curry). You can see the schedule here.
We’ll also be joined virtually for our theme by those outside the Maritimes, thanks in large part to a grant provided by the United Church Rural Ministry Network.
Registration closes June 3rd so now is the time. We’re looking forward to welcoming you.
Past President’s last “Monthly Message” as your President – April 12, 2024 to May 12, 2024
Please click here to read the full “Monthly Message” from Past President Shauna MacDonald
Greetings Growth Seekers from Growth Animator Sharon
What have been your God moments this week? Share your gratitude! Do you have space in your weekly worship, small group gatherings, special activities to check in and share with one another when and how you experienced something special in your week? In worship these might be called “celebrations,” “God Moments,” “Glimmers” or other name that invites a sharing of something meaningful during the week, a sharing of something reflecting why faith matters. In the expression of a happy moment, a revelatory incident, a gratitude, we all are drawn closer in relationship. Find ways to share them in your worship, at teams and committee meetings and among those you meet outside your building. How about sharing through “an appreciation station” by creating a give and take table? These might include new or gently used items you don’t need but others might appreciate, recent magazines, favourite recipes, a favourite scripture verse written out, activities and hobbies that can be offered. I know some churches make their own greeting cards and make them available, or prayer squares. Perhaps you love to bake and want to share. As a gardener, perhaps you have extra flowers or produce to brighten someone’s day. One entrepreneur who hosts a stall at the local farmer’s market made up a whole bunch of invitations, providing information about times and locations of the farmer’s market he is part of and invited the taker to bring along the card and receive some free produce. Items can be organized in baskets or bins. Let me know the ideas your community of faith is thinking about, or already trying. 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
Stewardship Update – May 2024
Please click here to read the latest Stewardship update.
It’s Time to Support the PEI Basic Income Project
You could help Coalition Canadian in your capacity as a faith group leader. Last November we published the PEI Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) report. This report has changed the landscape for guaranteed basic income advocacy. It has addressed key issues on how to implement a GBI. This has led to many serious conversations with senior policy people and politicians. It has led, for example, to a window opening between a federal and a (PEI) provincial Minister for an early stage ‘working group’ to be established to discuss data, administrative, and tax issues. This is huge step for GBI. Policy Options/IRPP has published an article about the work.
In a few weeks we will be sending a letter to a small number of MPs who will be involved in the election platform planning process for each Federal political party, asking them to put the PEI GBI demonstration project on their party’s platform. Your support is important. It will indicate to the MPs the breadth of support from people and organizations who understand how a GBI could affect the lives of people.
Please read and sign the letter. If you can, please share with your colleagues in the faith community.
Here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvgQbs_WEYhjV9Nr60UKzsZfVhK03hv997bdp3YszgmZLPhQ/viewform
Financial Assistance for Ministerial Candidates
First United Church Trenton has a memorial fund that provides financial assistance to Ministry Candidates. The Fund is able to grant up to $1,500.00 to accepted ministerial candidates for the United Church of Canada who are studying in an approved School of Theology. If the congregation does not have a Ministry Candidate the Pastoral Charge has graciously opened the grant to other Ministry Candidates in the Bermuda-Nova Scotia Region.
Applications for assistance should go to:
EBS Miller Fund
First United Church
PO Box 325
Trenton NS B0K 1X0
Bridges to Hope: Connecting Spirituality and Imagination
ASTE 2024 invites you to a time of deepening spirituality. Daily we experience spiritual angst and despair arising from; climate collapse, wars, illness, personal and/or global discord. Presenters from Celtic and Indigenous perspectives will explore the potential of our innate ability for imagination and spirituality to lead us out of despair and into hope. This is an opportunity to explore the topic Bridges of Hope: Connecting Spirituality and Imagination in depth in a safe and supportive environment under the guidance of The Rev. Dr. Teresa Burnett-Cole, The Rev. J Ivan Gregan and the ASTE2024 community.
Have questions, have answers, join us – Tatamagouche Centre, June 17-20, 2024; ASTE2024
May is Gaelic Nova Scotia Month
May is Mìos nan Gàidheal | Gaelic NS Month and a host of events are planned.
For more information on Gaelic Month happenings or on Gaelic culture, please visit Comhairle na Gàidhlig The Gaelic Council of Nova Scotia’s website.
Taing mhòr.
