FSLDW Weekly Announcements - October 16, 2024

NEWS AND UPDATES FROM FUNDY ST. LAWRENCE DAWNING WATERS (FSLDW)

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.
To view upcoming events at the the Centre for Christian Studies please click here.

Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters (FSLDW) Committee Interest form.

Discipleship Webinar Series lead by Rev. Dr. I Ross Bartlett

The Faith Formation and Leadership Development Committee of the Bermuda-Nova Scotia Region is pleased to announce a series of weekly Webinars lead by Rev. Bartlett starting on Monday October 21st at 7pm Atlantic through to November 11th; each session will be approximately 1 hour in length with some time following for general discussion afterward. The registration fee for the series will be $40. There is no text book for the series however Rev. Bartlett’s book “On Holy Ground – You and Your Faith Story” is a recommended companion/resource for the series; this book may be ordered at the time of registration for $10 plus $5 postage and handling or it is readily available, in several formats, from Amazon.ca. Register for this event by completing the form at: https://ucceast.ca/86920-discipleship-webinar-series.

Program Overview: For followers and disciples of Jesus Christ, recognizing and understanding the workings of God in our lives and the world is both gift and challenge. The gift of trusting that we are not alone and that this is God’s world and the challenge to see the work of God in creating and re-creating our lives, our communities, and all creation. But how do we do celebrate that presence and understand that work? In this four-part series, participants will be introduced to a number of ideas and practices designed to facilitate spiritual reflection on our experiences and events in the world around us. They will gain greater clarity on their spiritual journey to this point and develop a comfort in talking about their faith in gentle and inviting terms. The program will combine small group conversation, opportunities for personal reflection, as well as input, ideas and challenges to grow in our walk as followers of Jesus.

About the Instructor: After 35 years of congregational ministry, the Rev Dr Ross Bartlett was appointed United Church Formation Director at Atlantic School of Theology in 2018. He has been involved in lay education and retreat direction for more than 25 years as well as working with ministerial candidates. A spiritual director and certified life coach he is committed to helping individuals recognize the presence of the Divine in every life. Ross is the author of several books and is frequently sought out as a speaker, workshop leader, and preacher.

Clergy Day for Rest and Renewal

A Clergy Day of Rest and Renewal will take place on Friday November 8th at Sackville UC from 9:30am-4:30pm. Cost is $25/person, including lunch. Only 20 spaces available! To register contact Natasha Pearen at 506-529-3527 or rev.natasha.nb@gmail.com by October 18th. A great opportunity to relax with colleagues before taking in the Moderator’s Flourishing Workshop in Moncton on Nov. 9th!

Click here for a poster of the event.

St. Andrew’s UC New Richmond 185 Birthday

St. Andrew’s United Church
185th Anniversary Celebrations!

The cornerstone of our church was laid on November 30th, 1839, so this year marks 185 years of faith and service in our community. We are planning several activities to celebrate this achievement and hope that you, whether a regular church attendee or not, will come and celebrate with us.

For those who grew up in St. Andrew’s, on October 19th at 4:00 pm, there will be a “Teaspoon-Night” with special invitations to those of us who came of age in this congregation and still live in the area or are visiting.

For all who are and have been a part of St. Andrew’s, on November 30th, between 2:00 and 4:00 pm, we will gather in the church hall with music, coffee, tea and sweets while we share stories of our memories of the church through the years.

On December 1st at 10:00 am our service will celebrate 185 years of faith and service and will include Holy Communion. All who have helped us through the years to be of service in the community are invited.

For more information, please contact us at: st.andrewsuc@telus.net

Click here to view the poster.

Covenanting Service

A covenanting service between Candidate Huanyun (Julia) Ye, the Moncton-Sackville Collaborative Ministry and the Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Regional Council will be held at Central United Church, 150 Queen St., Moncton, N.B. on Sunday, October 20th, 2024 at 2 p.m. This service will also recognize the covenant between the communities comprising the Collaborative which are Central United, Sackville Unted and Visions United. All are welcome.

May God richly bless this ministry between the newly formed Collaborative, Candidate Ye and our Region.

Celebration of a New Minister

Celebration of a New Minister: A covenanting service will take place in the community of faith of Bethany United Church for Rev. Martha Martin who has been called to serve as Supply Lead Minister. We lift our thanks for the blessing of her service. Do join us.
3pm – Sunday, October 27, 2024, Sanctuary –
Bethany United Church, 7171 Clinton Avenue
Preacher: Rev. Dr. Linda Yates

Joel Plaskett in Concert!

Thanks to a partnership with the Marigold Centre, First United Church in Truro is thrilled to be hosting the incredible Joel Plaskett on Thursday, November 7th at 7:30pm. Get your tickets early; seats are selling quickly, and are available at: https://tproatlantic.ticketpro.ca/en/pages/1618446160?aff=mcc

Urgent request for GLI action

The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail –
Nelson Mandela

To say the least, many of us were very disappointed with the defeat in Parliament of MP Leah Gazan’s private members’ Bill 223 that would have implemented a national framework for a guaranteed livable income in Canada. The defeat of the motion prevented it from going to the parliamentary committee study stage. The quote from Mandela above is the reminder that failure should not be the end but the chance to rise again and redirect our focus.

Presently, there is a P.E I. 5-7 year Guaranteed Basic Income Demonstration Project that needs our support. Specifically, the Federal Provincial Working Group for the project is currently studying the data and administrative structure, and investigating how the Project may be moved forward. It is critical at this stage that the Working Group remains committed and that it has the Federal funding in the 2025 Budget to continue.

Marie Burge who has been a member of the PEI working group since 2019, is urging all people in Atlantic Canada, post Bill 233, to do all we can to ensure the Working Group continues. She is urging us to do the following:
1. Send a letter to your MP, asking them to raise a question in the House of Commons about the status of the Federal/PEI Working group. Marie provides a draft letter which you can personalize when addressing your own MP. https://basicincomecoalition.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Letter-to-your-MP-PEI-Aug-30-2024.pdf

2. Send a letter to Minister Jenna Sudds, asking her to send a request to the Finance Minister to include the Federal/PEI Working Group in the 2025 Budget. Here is a draft letter: https://basicincomecoalition.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Letter-to-Minister-Sudds-August-30-2024.pdf

If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Hallett Llewellyn (hallettllewellyn@gmail.com); Karen MacKay Llewellyn (mackayllewellyn@bellalaint.net); Rose- Hannah Gaskin (rosehannah.gaskin@gmail.com)

Please note: the Honourable Jenna Sudds is Federal Minister of Family, Children and Social Development. Minister Sudds made a commitment initially to collaborate on the PEI project. Also, when writing your letters try to personalize them as much as possible as form letters tend to be dismissed by MPs.

Thank you in advance for responding to this request as soon as possible.
Hal Llewellyn, Karen MacKay Llewellyn (GLI Co-ordinators for Bermuda-Nova Scotia Region)Rose-Hannah Gaskin (GLI Co-ordinator for Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Region)

Rural Routes Through the Holy: 2025 Save the Date

We think the word’s out by now but just in case it’s not, Rural Routes Through the Holy is an annual three-day gathering of those in rural congregations (lay and clergy) for worship, learning, conversation, the sharing of resources, ideas and lots of good food. It’s a time for rest, relationship and renewal. You can read more here. We’ll have lots more information available in November. If you have questions you can email ruralroutesatlantic@gmail.com.

Greetings Growth Seekers from Growth Animator Sharon

You have six words to tell your story! Can you do it? About yourself? Your community of faith? Summarize your vision, mission or purpose in just six words! Capture why your faith is important to you in just six words! Take up the challenge and discover a new way to share with others. A tag line, a motivating sentence, a motto, a powerful but concise message. Ernest Hemmingway, in folklore is said to have been given a challenge to write a story in six words, which supposedly said “For sale, baby shoes, never worn!” That is rather compelling, don’t you think? Our call and vision of the United Church happens to be six words: “deep spirituality, bold discipleship, daring justice.” Perhaps three words stand out, “deep, bold, daring” or “spirituality, discipleship, justice.” Share your six words with me, or if six won’t work, whatever concise wording works. Someone in sales and promotion work, recently shared that to capture attention and engage interest, media promotions have eight seconds to make an impact, to be meaningful. What might your eight second video convey? Send me your eight second message as another way to share your story. 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.

Message from Regional President

Hello all/Bonjour à tous,

As Canadians we celebrated the national day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th. And what an array of events available to us across the country!

I learned of two books recently, both written by white women of the United Church, about their astonishing personal journeys towards understanding and reconciliation with our Indigenous siblings.

I attended a private launch in PEI of the book “Crossing the River: An Unsettling Memoir” by Sandra Hayes-Gardiner. She writes “How can I write a book about something that I will never finish? Recovering from white domination is like that. It all begins, because every story must begin somewhere, in The Pas, Manitoba, on Treaty 5 land…In my early years I knew nothing of the land where I was born and raised…There is one thing I can tell you for certain. Racism shaped my life; the getting into it and the getting out of it. And I am not yet out of it.”

Another book brought to my attention is “North of Nowhere: Song of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner”. Marie Wilson tells the story of the TRC from the perspective of the only non-Indigenous woman on the committee. In it she honours the voices of survivors who have called Canada to attention, determined to heal, reclaim and thrive.

Before closing, I wish to acknowledge an error I made in my last message: David-Roger Gagnon, whose covenanting service I attended in September, is currently in the Supervised Ministry Education program, and on track to become a lay minister (and not working towards ordination). My apologies.

Please send me your choir photos and Mission and Service initiatives for our regional Facebook page, and continue to inform me of ministry personnel retirements throughout FSLDW (susalemaistre@gmail.com).

In faith/avec foi,

Sue

Forms and Reports – A Reminder to submit

There are a number of Pastoral Charges that have not yet submitted their 2024 Pastoral Charge information forms and Annual Reports for 2023.

Please click on the link below to complete the 2024 Pastoral Charge form (if you have not already done so). If you have not had your annual meeting, and have the same people serving in the governing body, we ask you to still fill out the information forms.

FSLDW – Pastoral Charge 2024 Information Form

Annual Reports for 2023 – any pastoral charge still to submit their 2023 Annual Report is asked to email the report to the Regional office Info4RC14@united-church.ca at your earliest convenience.

We thank all Pastoral Charges who have already provided these documents to Regional Office, if unsure if your pastoral charge has submitted the form/report please email Info4RC14@united-church.ca.

Flourishing Workshop: Nov. 9 Visions United Church

Spend a day with the Moderator, engaging in reflection and energizing activities towards dream-oriented actions for our churches and communities.

Saturday, November 9, 2024, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm (local time).
9:00am -9:30am Registration and coffee/tea
9:30am – Welcome and Introductions

Please click here for a further description of the workshop.

Registration (deadline is November 5, 2024)
The Mod on The Road
The Flourishing Project

Video License Applications Now Open

Video license applications are now open for annual licenses from January 2025 to December 2025. Many churches benefit from the opportunity to show films and clips during worship and at events, and require a public performance license (or video license) to do it legally. The United Church of Canada offers discounted access to annual licenses from both Audio Ciné Films and Criterion Pictures. To access more information about the licenses, including pricing, please visit: https://rtps.ca/UCC/Categories/license.php. If you have not had a chance to register for Buying United, please do so using the code united (all lowercase).

Apply here: https://forms.office.com/r/6u3DdenSF8

Applications Due by November 6^th, 2024

Youth & Young Families Ministry Position at Orchard Valley United

Have you recently graduated from one of our theological schools? Are you excited about working with Children & Young families? Do you enjoy Pastoral Care? Then Orchard Valley may be a great fit for you! Orchard Valley United Church is looking for a Full-time (Category A or B) minister to guide our Youth & Young Families programs. We are a vibrant Faith community and we are excited about building on the programs we have and supporting those in our community that need that extra care. We have a strong outreach program that you would be involved in as well. Please reach out to us and get to know us.

You can find out more about us at our website.
Job Description: and Church Profile

Please contact our Search Team Secretary: Jane McDonald, email: jemcdonald56@gmail.com or by phone: 902-670-5514