FSLDW Weekly Announcements - December 18, 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.

Executive Minister’s 2024 Christmas Message

Please take a moment to view the 2024 Christmas Message from the Executive Minister, Rev. Faith March-MacCuish, by clicking here.

Regional Council Office Holiday Hours

The Regional Council Office will close on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 4:30 PM for the Christmas holidays. We will reopen on Thursday, January 2, 2025, at 8:30 AM.

If there is an emergency, please call Faith March-MacCuish, Executive Minister, at 1-709-691-3524.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

***Advent Message from the President of* *Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Regional Council***

Please click here to read the Advent Message.

General Council Youth Forum 2025

General Council Youth Forum is an opportunity for young people to participate in the education, decision-making, and community of General Council 45 of The United Church of Canada. Its aim is to ensure that young people have a voice in the denomination-shaping issues and decisions for the next three years in the life of the church. It’s an opportunity to speak to issues that matter to young people, to share ideas, and to connect with peers and other members and leaders of the General Council. Click the link to the FAQ for more information, or email Catherine Stuart cstuart@united-church.ca

Applications are due December 20, 2025.

Register here!

Greetings of Joy from Regional President

Hello Dear Readers/Bonjour chers lecteurs,

In this Advent week of JOY, I had been wondering about an appropriate message to share in these difficult times in our own country and around the world. Then, as so often happens, a message came to me on the back of a panel card given to me by a dear friend. It reads:
——
SNIPPETS OF JOY
Life is busy
We will grab snippets of JOY as they present themselves
Or better yet we’ll create them
And we’ll be intentional about mini vacations
Even five or ten minutes
Dreaming, praying, being
Taking a walk in the cold air
Sunshine on our faces
Sitting in silence
Looking for beauty in the weirdest places
Being wholly present and embracing moments of good

If there is anything we have learned thus far
It is that a beautiful life is not one without troubles
But one with colourful wildflowers among the weeds
——
May we all find those colourful wildflowers with JOY, as the time of the Holy One approaches quickly now.

In faith/Avec foi,

Sue

Note: The photo here is of a cherished quilted hanging given to us many years ago by an auntie.

Greetings Growth Seekers from Growth Animator Sharon

Invitation takes many forms. A minister closes each sermon with an intentional invitation, such as next week our focus will be on …. Over this week, consider who might find our topic helpful and invite them to accompany you in joining us at next week’s service.” Within the spoken announcements, the script offers intentional invitations to find ways to inspire the congregation to pray and ponder who God might be putting on their heart to invite to come take part. We need practice inviting. Develop intentional inviting as part of our own growth mindset and faithful expression. Have take -away notes prepared ahead of time and ready for people to Invite to join in an event. When we are anticipating, intentional and ready for inviting, it is like we are intentionally preparing the soil and ready with our seeds of invitation. How can you be ready with invitations and follow through to bring even more people to your Christmas Eve services. Are you ready also with the next event that follows for your community of faith? Do you have special events/activities in January. Give people information to get them to come and then to have interest and purpose to come back! Stay open, and don’t overthink with those little voices that can say “they would never want to come. They are probably busy, and all the other ways we might dismiss possibilities of who to invite. Check out the video on welcoming and invitation to Christmas Eve, in three different outcomes, from growth animators Scott and Tori. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlhsGiDELHk
Celebrate the season with strengthening invitations and planting seeds for growth! Merry Christmas. Blessings to you. I look forward to connecting with you in 2025. Reach out and connect with me as part of your New Year “to do list.” What will your invitational plan be? 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.