NEWS AND UPDATES FROM FUNDY ST. LAWRENCE DAWNING WATERS (FSLDW)
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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.
Public Prayer Webinar
Due to low registration, the Faith Formation and Leadership Development committee of Bermunda-Nova Scotia Region feels it necessary to suspend the webseries on Prayer with Janice MacLean. In hopes of reaching more people, we are working with Janice to produce an online resource instead.
LLWL Re-Licensing
Here in FSLDW, we are blessed by a large group of Licensed Lay Worship Leaders who support churches all around our Region by sharing their gifts for worship leadership. On behalf of the Pastoral Relations Committee, I would like to extend a thank you to all of our LLWLs, with particular thanks to those who were re-licensed at our September meeting. Thank you also to Barb Prowse, our fabulous LLWL Coordinator.
Re-Licensed for 5 Years: Elaine MacLaughlan, Bernadette Demone, Tracy Friars, Dawn Ellen Wedge, Wayne Spires, Larry Hale, Linda Watson.
Re-Licensed for 3 Years: Janet Coates, Sharon Hannan, Don Lockhart, Don MacEwen, Nancy Stevenson, Corina Bolo.
Churches who are looking for pulpit supply can access the list on our Regional Website.
LLWL Annual Gathering at Tatamagouche November 6-8
For several years now Licensed Lay Worship Leaders from Bermuda-Nova Scotia and Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Regions have been gathering for a time of learning, fellowship, and spiritual renewal. It is also an opportunity for the licensing committees to meet with LLWLs.
This event is available to LLWLs from both regions, as well as those who are still in training and anyone wishing to explore the program. The Rev. Mary Taylor (also President of B-NS) returns as one of our instructors along with Kyle Grant who you might recognize as part of the Worship Team at our joint meeting this year.
The LLWL Gathering is returning to the Tatamagouche Centre for 2025. We have built flexibility into the program so you can register for as much or as little as you are able to attend. Please click here for the registration form.
Submitting this form will generate an automatic email response with the total payment due and instructions for payment. Please to do not contact the Centre to register or make reservations. If you have questions, contact Heather Donnelly.
Covenanting Service – St. Andrews United, Vernon Bridge, PEI
Come celebrate with us – as we mark a new ministry relationship with St. Andrews United Church, Nathan Zwicker and Fundy- St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Region. A covenanting service will be held on Wednesday, October 29th at 7:00 at St. Andrews in Vernon Bridge, PEI. We extend a heartfelt invitation to join us for this special occasion, as we celebrate faith, hope, and fellowship.
A Day Away: Bulletin Announcement and Registration Deadline
It’s almost time for Rural Routes Through the Holy, A Day Away, to be held at St. Ann’s, Westcock NB, October 18th from 10:00 – 3:00, a time for those in rural faith communities to gather to share in worship, learning, faith formation and conversation. We’ll be fed by stories: Godly Play stories, the story of Coffee in the Church Woods, a reading from the beautiful heart book You are Loved, a micro pilgrimage, and guided conversations on what’s bringing us joy and what’s holding us captive. There’s so much we can learn from one another. Coming for the first time or returning we’d love to welcome you. Registration is $30 and includes the noon meal. You can read more and register at: https://ruralroutesthroughtheholy.ca or by emailing ruralroutesatlantic@gmail.com Registration Deadline is October 13th.
You Are Loved: A Book Inspired by Rev. Alison Etter
Rural Routes Through the Holy is honoured to welcome Tom Urbaniak to A Day Away, on October 18th, 2025. Tom will share readings from You Are Loved, a moving tribute to his late wife, Rev. Alison Etter.
You can read more at https://ruralroutesthroughtheholy.ca/ under Events/A Day Away or email ruralroutesatlantic@gmail.com
While we hope many of you will register and spend the day those who would like to drop in just for Tom’s presentation (11 am – 12 am), without registering, are welcome too. We’d love to see you and we hope you spread the word.
Women’s Retreat November 14-16 in Truro
Beginning with dinner on Friday evening, and wrapping up after brunch on Sunday morning, we will spend the weekend together praying, singing, meditating, socialization and sharing belly laughs, eating delicious food, gently moving our bodies, playing and creating, and sharing our stories with new and old friends.
All women of all faith traditions and belief systems welcome. Activities will be appropriate for all ages and physical abilities.
Cost: $125 per person. Registration fee includes all activities and meals. Concession rate available for those whom the cost is prohibitive. Registration limited to 50 women.
Our guest facilitator is Caelin Nadin, certified Somatic Practitioner, who uses breathing and other gentle techniques to help calm one’s nervous system in the midst of anxiety, grief, chronic pain, PTSD, and the general stress of being alive in our chaotic world.
To register or for more information, email admin@communityunitedchurch.org
The poster can be viewed here.
Growth Ideas 101: Hallowe’en, Fall and Thanks
Inspired by some of the one hundred tables projects and focus on fall, how can community come together for Hallowe’en to build neighbourhood connections? Host a Hallowe’en costume exchange. Invite people to bring items to donate so people can “build your own” costume gathering with people creating a sharing of resources. Consider what to do with pumpkins, such as pumpkin carving time, roasting seeds, coordinating submission of photos people take of their carved pumpkins, sharing pumpkin recipes, offering pumpkin soup, pumpkin cookies, cakes or muffins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin drinks. Offer a fall themed arts and crafts. Host a local walk to observe colours. Encourage people to take photos of fall colours and create a slide show to share with those who can’t get out to see them such as in a long term care home. Set up a table in partnership with a local pumpkin patch or corn maze, to offer faithful presence. Create a fantastic fall of thanks.
Expand your gratitude with offering thanks for people in your neighbourhood and find ways for them to share their thanks …through connecting, gathering at a table outside, in a public space, inviting people to gather to share gifts of gratitude like tea and cookies, notes and cards, exchanges of goods, services and talents offer thanks. Offer an autumn community meal offering thanks and gratitude for your neighbours and getting to know your wider community, attending local sports, music and activity groups to cheerlead and let people know you care and are thankful for their efforts and their talents. Take gratitude on the road setting up a gratitude table, offering of individually packaged gratitude cookies and a gratitude box or book to invite people to share what they are thankful for. Who can you thank in your community? One community of faith is hosting an ecumenical service of gratitude at the local fire hall, setting up a gratitude table with a book for people to thank their local firefighters and first responders.
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.
2026 Canadian Church Calendar
The United Church Bookstore is taking pre-orders for the 2026 church calendar. If you are interested in placing an order, please contact Leona at llaundry@united-church.ca or 709-399-0834.
The cost of the calendars are:
1-10 calendars $7.00 tax included
10 or more calendars $6.50 tax included
please note shipping costs will be an extra charge.
(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.
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
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.
