NEWS AND UPDATES FROM BERMUDA-NOVA SCOTIA REGIONAL COUNCIL
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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 – Merlin Royal Mullin
Our condolences are extended to Rev. Carol Mullin and family on the death of her husband, Merlin Mullin, who passed away on May 31, 2024. An obituary can be found here.
Come Join us in a Covenanting Service!
Please join us on June 16, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in West Bay United Church (2042 Cenotaph Road, West Bay) for the Covenanting Service between West Bay Pastoral Charge (Cape Breton) and Rev. Carol Joy Shatford.
Jack Canning will be our Regional Representative and Rev. Jim MacNaughton will be our guest speaker. A time of fellowship and refreshments will follow in West Bay Community Hall. Come and celebrate with us!!
Bermuda-Nova Scotia Pastoral Relations News – May 2024
- Approved the Renewal of Appointment of John Parsons, retired, with Brunswick Street United Church, Truro, 20 hours/week, July 1 to December 31, 2024.
- Approved the Renewal of Appointment of Bob Biggar, retired, with Donkin Morien Birch Grove Pastoral Charge, 20 hours/week, August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025.
- Approved the Renewal of Supply Appointment of Kathleen Anderson with Hope United Church, Halifax, full-time, June 1 to November 30, 2024.
- Approved the Renewal of SME Appointment of Rhonda Schofield, Candidate, with St. John’s United Church, Halifax, full-time, June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025.
- Approved the Renewal of SME Appointment of Dana Pardy, Candidate, with Petite Riviere Pastoral Charge, full-time, June 30, 2024 to June 30, 2025.
- Approved the Renewal of SME Appointment of Jamie McLellan, Candidate, with Parrsborough Shore Pastoral Charge, full-time, July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027.
- Approved the Appointment of Ron Shaw, Candidate, with Trenton Pastoral Charge, 30 hours/week, September 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, pending completion of a Record of Appointment.
- Moved that Bermuda Nova Scotia Region approve the Profile and position description for Beacon United Church, Yarmouth, and authorize Search, pending approval by the congregation. Wayne Smith, Liaison.
- Moved that Bermuda Nova Scotia Region approve the position description for a Supply Minister at Bethany United Church, Halifax, and authorize Search.
- Moved that Bermuda Nova Scotia Region reimburse travel expenses for Admissions mentors from the Liaisons line of the Pastoral Relations Committee budget.
- Next meeting: Friday, June 21, 9:00 a.m. For more information, please contact dhewitt@united-church.ca.
Greetings Growth Seekers from Growth Animator Sharon
They say music is the language of the Spirit. Feeling like singing… “Then Let Us Sing!” is a new on-line hymnal and digital resource expected in the fall of 2024. Check out the website: https://thenletussing.ca/
How might your community of faith engage more singing this summer and planning into the fall and Christmas season. Camp songs might be a fun offering to bring all generations together. While stirring nostalgia for some, it will introduce songs to a new generation and build memories for all. If your choir is on summer break, or you don’t have a choir, consider connecting with local musical talent and building some partnerships, inviting musicians to come share music at worship or in a special event. Arrange a community field trip, for a group of people to go out to a music event. Host a coffee house, café or kitchen party. Strengthen your music by connecting with other communities of faith to create an ecumenical choir that might offer some special events. It is never too early to be thinking about Carol nights, Christmas cantatas and special Advent events. Explore multi-faith opportunities to have a variety of spiritual reflections. Connect with local newcomers and consider a musical showcase of musical offerings from around the world. If you need something smaller, invite people to offer their favourite hymns and offer a hymn sing as part of your summer worship, or before or after worship, perhaps with lemonade! Music stirs our souls. Play some of your favourite music just for you today and sing with joy! Let me know how music is helping you grow. 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
Roxburgh at Atlantic School of Theology in June
Alan Roxburgh, author, teacher, and pastor, is the guest speaker at the upcoming Aitken Lectures, which take place as follows:
Aitken Lectures 2024
June 11 & 12, 2024 at 7 pm
AST St. Columba Chapel, 634 Francklyn Street, Halifax, NS
Two Lectures
· June 11, 7:00 pm
“What Happened? Making Sense of the Unraveling after the Lockdown”
· June 12, 7:00 pm
“What do we do? Being God’s People in a Place we’ve never been before.”
Make plans to join us for this free 2-part in-person event brought to you by AST Continuing Education and Pine Hill Divinity Hall. Attendees are asked to register.
Indigenous Land Justice
June 12th: Community Land Trusts – Sharing of Knowledge.
6 – 8 pm Atlantic time.
Our second in our Land Legacy series will feature Indigenous speakers from across Turtle Island that are working to reclaim, rematriate land and create healing spaces for Indigenous people. Whether it is creating safe housing in downtown Vancouver, community gardens in Ontario or learning and healing Indigenous centres in Calgary, Toronto and Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia. Some are negotiating with municipalities, cities and some with faith organizations such as the United Church to return land. It is a beautiful movement of land justice and true self-determination being created by grassroots Indigenous non-profits. All welcome to attend!
To register, click here.
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
Annual Meeting Evaluation Form – Closes Friday
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.
QML Camp Director Job Posting
Camp Quin-Mo-Lac, a United Church camp in southeastern Ontario, is seeking a full time, permanent Camp Director to begin work in the fall of 2024 or earlier — someone who is excited to lead a hardworking and fun-loving team, make a positive difference in the lives of children and young adults, and continue making Camp Quin-Mo-Lac the best camp ever! The Camp Director oversees camp operations and programming throughout the year. For more information, please click here. The deadline for applying is June 23, 2024.
June Is Pride Month-Here are some resources
In preparation for next month’s celebration of Pride, the Affirming Committee of Bermuda Nova Scotia Region is sharing the candlelighting liturgy that was a part of our Affirming celebration during our Annual General Meeting, as well as some other links to Pride themed resources
https://thehymnsociety.org/resources/songs-for-the-holy-other/
https://united-church.ca/worship-special-days/pride-sunday
https://www.facebook.com/affirmunited
Worship resources from Enfleshed (Rev. M Jade Kaiser, enfleshed)
