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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.
To view upcoming events at the the Centre for Christian Studies please click here.
Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council Committee Volunteer form.
HRM UCC Youth Event Oct. 20th
All youth and leaders are welcome to an HRM youth event! Sunday, October 20th from 4-6pm at St. John’s United Church, Fall River. Rev. Catherine Stuart will provide leadership of ukulele church for all skill sets. If you have a ukulele, bring it along, if not, there are some to share. We’ll have group building games, worship, dinner (build your own tacos) and the chance to see friends from Youth@Region and Rendezvous!
Donations at the door to help cover the cost of food.
For questions or to RSVP contact Rev. Jenny Eisener (jenny@sjucfr.ca).
Covenanting Service in Trenton Pastoral Charge, First United Church
A Covenanting Service to celebrate the new ministry of Ron Shaw with Trenton Pastoral Charge and Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council will be held at First United Church (81 High Street, Trenton) on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.. Presider will be Rev. Stephen Fram (a former ministry personnel of the pastoral charge). Rev. Donna Tourneur (President of Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council) will offer the Reflection on the Word. A time of fellowship and refreshments to follow. All are welcome! Pastoral Relations Liaison: Rev. Jim Webber-Cook.
Covenanting Service in Bridgewater
A covenanting service celebrating ministry on the South Shore will be held on Sunday, October 20 at 2 p.m. in Bridgewater United Church, 87 Hillcrest Ave., Bridgewater, NS. The following covenants will be celebrated:
– Rev. Kim Curlett with the Bridgewater Pastoral Charge and the Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council;
– Rev. Neil McEwen in a collaborative ministry with the LaHave-New Dublin Pastoral Charge, Bridgewater Pastoral Charge and the Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council and
– The Digital Ministry of Bridgewater United Church (BUD Ministries) with the Caledonia Pastoral Charge; New West Pine United; St. Andrew’s-St. Mark’s United, Ingramport; and the Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council.
Our guest speaker will be Rev. Heather Ferrier of Mahone Bay: Trinity and Blue Rocks – Stonehurst Pastoral Charges. A social time of community will follow in the C.E. Centre. All are invited to come and join in this special celebration of ministry, faith and outreach.
Rev. John den Hollander Covenanting Service
The Clyde-Carleton Pastoral Charge are having a Covenanting Service for Rev. John den Hollander on Oct. 20th, 2024, at 2:00 pm at the Port Clyde United Church, 235 Port LaTour Road, Port Clyde, N.S. B0W2S0
Everyone welcome.
Final Service of Worship-Fourchu United Church
The final Service of Worship at Fourchu United Church will take place on October 20 at 3:00 pm. The church building is 100 years old this year and will be decommissioned. The guest speaker will be Rev. Duncan Roach and Donnie Morrison will represent the region. Doreen MacRae will play the violin and choir members from other churches are welcome to join our combined choir. A social time will follow at the community hall. Your presence would be appreciated as we celebrate the faithful service of this small congregation that is coming to an end.
Closing Worship for Wellington United Church
The final worship service of appreciation for the legacy of Wellington United Church will take place on October 20th at 9:30am. (76 Church Street, Wellington, NS). We are delighted that the music for this service will be provided by Louise and Gary Loughead. Rev. Matthew Fillier will be our guest preacher. Please plan to join us as we close this chapter for our congregation and prepare to open the next one. All are welcome.
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
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.
Register for this event at https://ucceast.ca/86920-discipleship-webinar-series
Living Faith Story Workshop
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 in person at Orchard Valley United Church, 130 Cornwallis Avenue, New Minas, NS on Saturday October 26, 2024 from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. Lunch will be provided. This workshop is open to all and may be of particular interest to those faith communities located in the Annapolis Valley area.
Click here to register: https://ucceast.ca/82701-2024-fall-living-faith-story-workshop
For more information, contact Daniel MacDonald,
Chair of Faith Stories and Community Covenant Committee,
at centralminister@bellaliant.com
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
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.
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.
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.
BNS – 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 info4RC15@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 info4RC15@united-church.ca to confirm.
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 6th, 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
