NEWS AND UPDATES FROM BERMUDA-NOVA SCOTIA REGIONAL COUNCIL
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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.
Photos for Rev. Kendall Harrison’s Celebration of Life
In preparation for the Celebration of Rev. Kendall Harrison’s Life and Ministry that will take place on Friday, May 30th at 10am at the Mount Allison University Chapel, we are looking at putting together a slide show of photos. If you have photos of Kendall over the years, please submit them to info4RC15@united-church.ca by Friday, May 16th. Many thanks.
Remembering Rev. Kendall Harrison’s Ministry
We invite you to join us on Friday, May 30, at the Mount Allison University (MTA) Chapel at 10am to celebrate and remember Rev. Kendall Harrison. Please see the MTA map for the location of the Chapel (#19) and parking. We hope you can join us as we share gratitude for his life and ministry.
Shared 2025 Annual Celebration of Ministries Service
Please click here for a memo from Faith March-MacCuish, Executive Minister, with information regarding the Annual Celebration of Ministries Service being held in Sackville, NB, on June 1, 2025.
Annual Meeting Registration Closes Friday, April 25
Registration is open for the online business annual meeting and in-person gathering. Please read the memo sent from the Executive Minister. Visit the annual meeting webpages regularly for the latest updates and information on the upcoming online business meeting and in-person gathering. Please note that the MTA number noted in the above memo is incorrect. The correct number for MTA Conferences is 506-364-2247.
Forms Related to Retirees and Jubilarians
Please click here for a memo from Faith March-MacCuish, Executive Minister, with information regarding forms related to Retirees and Jubilarians.
Centennial Worship Travel Subsidy – Apply Today!
This year will mark The United Church of Canada’s 100th anniversary—an opportunity to learn from our past to prepare for the future!
On Sunday, June 8, 2024, a special National Centennial worship service will be held at Gower Street United Church, St. John’s, Newfoundland. All are welcome to attend, and the service will also be live streamed for all to enjoy!
In order to encourage members from the region to attend in person, the Regional Council Executive have agreed to offer two $500 travel subsidies to any member of Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council interested in attending this historic event. If you would like to be the recipient of one of the two travel subsidies, please submit a letter (no longer than 1 page) to the Executive Minister, Faith March-MacCuish, at fmaccuish@united-church.ca stating what this experience would mean to you. Expressions of interest will be accepted until April 30.
Service of Celebration
The three churches of the Caledonia Pastoral Charge, Caledonia NS have amalgamated into one community of faith to be known as Caledonia pastoral Charge.
We are having a service of celebration at the Caledonia United Church on May 4, 2025 at 2pm. There will be special music and our guest speaker is Rev, Carol Smith. After the service there will be a time of fellowship and refreshment in the church hall. Please come and join us in this joyful time.
Decommissioning of Church to be sold
Please note the Newport United Church is being sold.
There will be a decommissioning Service at the church in Brooklyn, north from exit 5 101 on Hwy 14 to Brooklyn.
Service will take place on Sunday, May 4, 2025 at 2 pm.
Please come and help us celebrate our past and applaud our future.
Blessing,
Rev. Brenda McKay
EVERYTHING you need for Camping Sunday worship!
Whether you are celebrating Camping Sunday on April 27, or another Sunday this spring, here is everything you need for a service that celebrates the incredible ministries happening at our camps, and how they impact the lives of children, youth and families in Nova Scotia. Attached are 1) a full intergenerational liturgical resource , and 2) a 20 minute sermon-film, which bring the mission that camps are living out right into your sanctuary! Please read the instructions for downloading the film. It cannot be streamed, but we have provided full instructions (with pictures!) to explain how to download the video directly to your church’s computer.
This resource was made to help re-build the relationship between congregations and camps, and to highlight the way in which camps are providing valuable ministry and mission to the children, youth and families who will be our future leaders. If your church is looking for ways to support the youth in your area, please consider supporting one of our camps! There are so many ways!
FSLDW Affirm Webinar- April 30th Getting Started!
If you have a few people talking about becoming an Affirming congregation, you have enough! Join a larger conversation on April 30th at 2:00. Kim Curlett, our Atlantic East Affirm United consultant, will take us through the process and answer the questions you have. It’s always good to chat with others who are on this path. Hope to see someone from your community of faith with us.
Please click here to register.
Seeking Full-Time Minister
The Saltsprings-Scotsburn-Lyons Brook Pastoral charge is seeking a full-time minister. This combined pastoral charge is rural in character, but minutes away from the towns of Pictou and New Glasgow, and short drives from Truro and Antigonish. The area is teaming with history. The congregation is supportive of ministerial, church, and community initiatives and hopes to attract a candidate that will bring combined appreciation of church teachings with guidance for modern times.
Please check us out at our community of faith profile at ChurhHub.ca or pass the word to your friends and contacts. Questions and expressions of interest can be emailed to us at search.sssblb@gmail.com
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!
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2025, 10AM – 2PM
GENERAL ADMISSION: $2.00 (12 & UP)
BETHANY UNITED CHURCH – 2669 JOSEPH HOWE DRIVE, HALIFAX, NS
PARKING AT 7171 CLINTON AVENUE CHURCH LOT
Click here to view the poster and for more information.
WHAT YOU WILL FIND… GENTLY USED GOODS, A BBQ, AND ACTIVITIES FOR ALL-AGES. MORE INFORMATION CALL, 902-455-0521, X.221 OR VISIT US AT WWW.BETHANYUNITEDCHURCH.CA
Worship 101
Worship is integral to the life of a church. The Faith Formation and Leadership Development committee of Bermuda-Nova Scotia Region offers educational opportunities to support lay persons who are interested in learning about the basics about worship in the United Church tradition. Whether you offer occasional worship leadership in your congregation or are looking to broaden your understanding of worship, we are presenting a series of webinars entitled Worship 101. Weekly web sessions will be provided by experienced worship leaders familiar in our Region on Mondays from April 28th to June 2nd inclusive except for Monday May 19th (Victoria Day). Each presentation will begin at 6:30 pm and run about 1 hour in length with an additional 30 minutes allowed for general discussion and questions. Registration is now open. Click here to register: the registration fee for the series will be $50. The five sessions, their leaders and topics are:
– The Person in the Pulpit – April 28th – Rev. Robyn Brown Hewitt
– Liturgy – May 5th – Rev. Dr. Andrew O’Neill
– Music as Worship – May 12th – Mr. Kevin Parks
– Bringing a Word – May 26th – Rev. Dr. Ross Bartlett
– Prayers of the People Workshop – June 2nd – Rev. Janice MacLean
Upon registration you will receive an automated email with additional information on how to pay your registration fee. A few days later you will receive a welcome email from the committee with the zoom link for the sessions and an outline of the course. You will also receive a reminder email before each session with the link and session outline.
Bedford United Church is hiring two short term CDM positions
Bedford United Church is hiring two short term lay personnel to provide administrative coverage for the Minister of Congregational Care while she is on Sabbatical from June 1st to August 31, 2025 . The second position is to provide administrative coverage for the Lead Minister while on vacation from August 1st to August 31st, 2025.Both positions are 10 hours per week.
Both the Ministry Leader and the Congregational Care Ministry Leader are Congregational Designated Ministry (CDM ) positions.These positions are primarily focused on the day to day administrative tasks associated with the functions of the Congregational Care Minister and the Lead Minister.
Please submit your resume electronically by May 7,2025 to: jillannewilson@gmail.com
Greetings Growth Seekers from Growth Animator Sharon
How is commemorating the one hundredth anniversary igniting your community of faith to share the message of the impact of God at work in our lives? Some reminders that the national worship service will be held June 8, 2025Join us in person and online
June 8, 2025, 7:00 PM Newfoundland Time
How will you join the Centennial worship? Will you watch the livestream on YouTube? Will you host a watch party and invite all the United Church communities of faith in your area to a potluck together? Will you hold a celebration with your family and watch the livestream together?
Or will you join the service in person at Gower St. United Church in St. John’s, Newfoundland?
Click here to add your own events to the map.
To locate events of interest near you or get ideas about what others are planning, please click here.
Let’s explore how to strengthen invitation and increase participation, reaching your neighbours to come join you. Remember to let me know what your plans are for your own commemoration of 100 years.
Let’s get growth animated together. Call Sharon at 506-306-0500 or by email at sballantyne@united-church.ca as together, we keep being bold, deep and daring!
55th Atlantic Seminar In Theological Education May 12th-15th, 2025
ASTE has been providing inspiring seminars for 55 years. If you are an ASTE alumni seeking more accessible learning or someone with striking stories of learning done differently since COVID, then your voice is needed during a discussion planned for Wednesday evening(May 14th) in Tatamagouche. Our focus will be ‘best practices’ for offering future ASTE learning events.
Looking forward to your creative suggestions during:
Coming Home to Earth:
Embracing Kinship, Creation, and Spirituality
with the Rev Dr. Allen Ewing-Merrill and the Rev. Hannah K. Sotak
Lecture 1: COMING HOME TO EARTH: From Dominion to Kinship
Lecture 2: REVERENCE FOR LIFE
Lecture 3: RECLAIMING OUR ROLE IN ECOSYSTEM
Lecture 4: COMING HOME TO EARTH: the Call of Creation
Lecture 5: COMING HOME TO EARTH: Life Together in Community
Lecture 6: THE MEETING OF WATERS: Transfiguration & Rewilding
Lecture 7: TAKING IT HOME AT A TIME SUCH AS THIS: Key Considerations.
Climate Change may not have captured priority status in the run-up to this year’s federal election, yet its impact still surrounds us. In the meantime Scientists continue to believe Faith Communities hold the greatest potential for countering Climate Change’s most significant environmental problems, the problems of selfishness, greed, and apathy. Addressing selfishness, greed, and apathy is not the domain of scientists, however, it is the domain of Churches! Is it really possible, that the future of the world now depends largely upon Churches and people of faith?
See you in Tatamagouche May 12-15, 2025 for further conversation and learning!
Attend one day ( Registration $80 plus meals) or attend al four days. Click here to register on the ASTE web page.
Faithful Footprint Atlantic Roadshow during Earth Week – Central United Lunenburg
The Ecology Action Centre will be on their 5th stops of the Faithful Footprint Roadshow on Sunday April 27th from 1pm to 3pm at Central United in Lunenburg 136 Cumberland Street, Lunenburg, NS B0J 2C0
The Ecology Action Centre is going around the Maritimes in the next 2 months to celebrate the many Atlantic churches who took part in the Faithful Footprint program and encourage other United Churches to apply for the grant and retrofit their building.
All are invited to attend and hear stories directly from Central United during Earth week about how they proceeded with their energy retrofit as well as learn more about the Faithful Footprint program, take a building tour, and ask any questions that you have about the grant and energy retrofits. Food, coffee and tea will be served. Click here to view the poster.
The Faithful Footprint program is a grant program by the United Church to encourage United Churches to retrofit their buildings and help them to be more energy efficient and get off oil. Our next and last stop will be on Dartmouth May 11th
If you have any questions, please reach out to Shreetee at shreetee.appadu@ecologyaction.ca or 902-429-2202 ext 152
Summer Employment Opportunity
BETHANY UNITED CHURCH WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER YOUTH SUMMER EMPLOYMENT THIS YEAR. WORD WAS RECEIVED FROM CANADA SUMMER JOBS THAT AFTER ASSESSING OUR APPLICATION, THEY WERE EXCITED TO INFORM US THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO OFFER US FUNDING AT THIS TIME. YAY!!!
Apply to be our
Older Adult Ministry Leader
WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL TO HAVE FUNDING SUPPORT FOR THE SUMMER OF 2025.
LEARN MORE BY CLICKING HERE.
Deadline to apply – Friday, May 9, 2025 at 11:59pm.
APPLY WITH A COVER LETTER AND RESUME TO OFFICE@BETHANYUNITEDCHURCH.CA
