NEWS AND UPDATES FROM FUNDY ST. LAWRENCE DAWNING WATERS (FSLDW)
Submission Request for Weekly Announcements
www.ucceast.ca
Staff Directory
It’s Your Call – Podcast
Spark 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.
Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters (FSLDW) Committee Interest form.
Regional Job Posting: Communications and Office Administrator
Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters and Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Councils is seeking an individual to fill the role of Communications and Office Administrator on a permanent full-time basis (35 hours per week). Please click here for the full job posting.
Denominational & Regional Assessments
All Communities of Faith in the three eastern regions of The United Church of Canada are reminded to please log into your Church Hub account (www.churchhub.ca) where you can access your assessment invoices and statements. If you are having issues with Church Hub or have questions about assessments, please email assessments@united-church.ca so they can assist you.
Pastoral Relations Committee – August/September 2025
- Approved the change in pastoral relations for Rev. Adekunle Adeniyi effective October 22, 2025.
- Approved the following LLWLs for a 5-year period: Elaine MacLaughlan, Bernadette Demone, Tracey Friars, Dawn Ellen Wedge, Wayne Spires, Larry Hale and Linda Watson.
- Approved the following LLWLs for a 3-year period: Janet Coates, Sharon Hannan, Don Lockhart, Don MacEwen, Nancie Stevenson and Corina Bolo.
- Approved the appointment of Rev. Arthur Davies to the O’Leary-West Cape Pastoral Charge effective September 8, 2025 to January 11, 2026.
- Approved by appointment of Rev. Sarah (Sally) Budge to the St. Andrew and St. David Pastoral Charge effective September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2026.
- Approved the appointment of Rev. Ian Manson to the St. Mark’s Pastoral Charge effective September 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.
- Approved the change in pastoral relations for Rev. Sim Rushton effective January 4, 2026.
- Approved the appointment of DLM Wayne Jarvis to the Baie Vert Port Elgin Tidnish Bridge Pastoral Charge, a cooperative ministry that includes congregations in both FSLDW and Bermuda-Nova Scotia, effective August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026.
Public Prayer Webinar
Let us pray. Sometimes those are intimidating words for lay persons. Join Janice MacLean of Prayer Bench to explore prayers for worship. Janice offers this description: “Prayer gathers us in, carries our joys and sorrows, and sends us into the world with blessing. In this three-session series, we explore the prayers that shape worship: gathering words, intercessions, blessings, and more -while learning the art of crafting them with care and leading them with confidence.” This program is presented by the Faith Formation and Leadership Development Committee of Bermuda Nova Scotia Region. Sessions will be held by Zoom on Mondays from 6:30-8:00 October 13, 20 and 27. Registration is $30.00 and can be paid to the Regional Office. Click here to register by October 10, 2025.
Message from FSLDW President
Hello again friends,
And suddenly it is October, a time of year when our attention is drawn almost automatically to the wonders of creation. Orange pumpkins, colourful pots of mums, fresh red tomatoes, leaves of brilliant orange and red and yellow. It is almost as if God is shouting “People! Pay attention! ”
On September 30 we recognized the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Canada’s indigenous culture and beliefs are so closely tied to nature and creation that this special day seems to fit so comfortably into the liturgical calendar and the Season of Creation. Truth and Reconciliation is more than a day on the calendar. It requires intention as we make efforts to live into the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. If you have not done so previously, I encourage you to read the full 94 recommendations. Take your time with each one. Ponder them individually. What are they saying to you? What do you feel empowered or able to support and how?
Sunday Oct 5 many of us will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion as part of Worldwide Communion Sunday when Christians across the globe will partake of the bread and wine in accordance with our unique practices and beliefs. It is a time of coming together in an increasingly fractured and changing world and maybe a time to consider the things we have in common as opposed to those that separate us and draw us apart. Worldwide Communion Sunday offers us a time to find the “humanity” in our neighbour.
The following Sunday we will celebrate Thanksgiving here in Canada. There will be family gatherings, walks in the crisp air, laughter and memories shared, special family recipes and hopefully a shared meal with family and/or friends. As we decorate our churches with leaves and samples of harvest, we offer thanks for how fortunate we are to live and work and worship where we do. Life is never perfect, but I am certain we can all find things for which we are grateful. Most of us have more than we require for our basic needs and for that alone we should offer thanks. Give some thought in this wonderful season of plenty as to how you can share of that abundance with those who have less or maybe nothing at all. Support your food bank, invite someone who might be alone to share a meal or deliver one to them is they have mobility issues, make a special donation to Mission and Service or offer a gift of your time or talent to make someone’s life just a little easier.
Celebrate Creation and Happy Thanksgiving! May Creator continue to bless us all so that we in turn may be a blessing to others
Hugh
Growth Ideas 101: Celebrate Small
Make small a better fit, a manageable action plan! How will you create small components of big ideas? Tidy up, declutter, refresh one small part of your space at a time. Sit on every chair and remove what is not comfy and welcoming. Set up small themes to make your space more representative of who you are. I learned of an ecumenical choir that has one critical purpose, being a funeral choir. Reduce a commitment, to one event, one purpose, one pop up ministry. There’s time to start a choir experiment to have a community choir that focuses on holiday music and wraps up at Christmas, and may lead to another small focus. What small part of a holiday outreach can you offer? Have a community party to decorate the church. One church is exploring a “Nativa tea” displaying nativity sets and hosting tea. Start with small actions of inviting people to share celebrations each Sunday in worship. “We are smaller than we used to be, and we are going to be smaller still. Rather than fear this, it’s time to embrace being small. Why? It’s our reality, and God seems to like small. You only need a little bit of yeast to make bread rise. You only need a little bit of salt to flavour a meal or seriously irritate an eye … God makes the small vibrant, vital and courageous … More than anything as a church we are called: called by God to join the movement, join the resistance, join the life.” These words from our Moderator, The Right Rev. Dr. Kimberly Heath, shared as a nominee. The momentum of doing something is energizing and revitalizing. Small steps can lead to “supersize” impacts.
Contact your growth animator, Sharon Ballantyne at 506-306-0500 or by email at sballantyne@united-church.ca Everyone is reminded to also join our casual virtual drop in each Wednesday morning on Sharon’s zoom 9:45 Atlantic and 10:15 NL for thirty minutes. Contact Sharon if you need the link.
(Re)generate Presentations
(Re)generate is a leadership development program for ministers across the United Church created by our previous Moderator the Rt. Rev. Carmen Lansdowne. This program culminated in each of the participants completing a capstone project. This webinar series is an exciting opportunity to hear from 5 of the participants of this program; their experience and their capstone project. The Faith Formation and Leadership Development Committee of the Bermuda-Nova Scotia Region is please to present this two webinar series. This series is hosted by (Re)generate participants from the Eastern Regions of the United Church, one on October 22nd and one on October 29th. These sessions will start at 7pm (AST) and run for an hour with time at the end for questions and discussion. Registration is now open here. There is no registration fee for the series. The presenters for the two sessions are:
October 22nd – Rev. Michelle Johnson-Armstrong, Rev. Penny Nelson, and Rev. Rick Gunn
October 29th – Rev. Katie Aven, and Rev. Catherine Stuart
Upon registration you will receive an automated email. A few days later you will receive a welcome email from the committee with the zoom link for the sessions. You will also receive a reminder email before each session.
Happy Anniversary!!
We are celebrating our 4th anniversary as an Affirming Region! Here is a letter from your Affirm Committee. Please share with your congregation.
The Application for Gifts with Vision is Available Now
We’re excited to let you know that applications for the 2026 – 2027 cycle of Gifts with Vision are now open!
Gifts with Vision connects caring people across Canada with the incredible ministries of our Mission and Service partners through hope, compassion, and transformation.
Here are the details applicants need to know:
- Application deadline: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
- Applicants must be current Mission and Service partners
- Applications are being accepted online via Microsoft Forms
- We’re keeping the number of gifts small this year, with plans to expand gradually
- Every gift requires an application – even those who have been part of Gifts with Vision before
- The website will be updated and go live with new gifts in February, which allows us to focus on highlighting projects throughout the year
Thank you for all the ways you support and uplift the work of Gifts with Vision and Mission and Service partners. Your help in sharing this opportunity makes a real difference.
Help us Preserve the Oldest United Church Building in NB
Scotch Ridge United Church (originally Presbyterian) was built in 1826 and will be celebrating its 200th Anniversary in 2026. It is the oldest still functioning United church building in New Brunswick.
