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 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.
Annual Meeting Registration is Open
Registration is open for the annual meeting. Please read the memo sent from the Executive Minister. Visit the annual meeting webpage regularly for the latest updates and information on the upcoming meeting.
Youth@Region 2026!
Calling all Youth, between grades 6-12!
Registration is now open for Youth@Region!
Y@R is a place of community and a place of faith where United Church youth, between grades 6 and 12, meet from across Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Regional Council. Y@R will meet in-person at the same time as Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Regional Council (FSLDW) meets online, June 5-7, 2026. The theme for this year’s event is “Rooted”.
The group creates an inclusive, diverse and safe community for youth in the name of Christ. We provide a place for youth to explore their faith and to learn more about the United Church of Canada while sharing in music, worship and fun in a spirit-filled community.
We hope to see you there!
If you have any questions, please email Catherine Stuart.
FSLDW Youth@Region is looking for facilitators!
Are you an awesome leader who would love to share your faith with a fabulous group of church youth? The Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Youth@Region Planning team are seeking interested leaders to serve as facilitators for this year’s program.
Youth@Region will be a 3-day event, June 5-7 at Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, creating a fun and safe space for youth grades 6 to 12. A leadership training event will take place in late-April/early-May.
Applications for facilitators are now available! Applicants must be 19 years of age or older and must have at least one gap year between being a participant and a facilitator. Deadline for registration is April 17, 2026.
Application can be found here.
Sacraments Elder
The Sacraments Elder Training scheduled for for Saturday March 28th has been postponed due to low enrolment and will be rescheduled for a later date.
Annual Meeting Sunday Worship Service, Sunday, June 7
In order to help congregations be connected to the Celebration of Ministry Service, Sunday, June 7, the Worship Team are preparing a full service with reflection and options for music, as well as the bulletin version. These will be posted on the Annual Meeting webpage under the “Sunday Worship Service” header, an announcement will be sent out as soon as these are posted.
The Service of Celebration will be livestreamed on the Regional YouTube channel. We would like to invite congregations to have a “watch party” and for those who do not have the ability to livestream, we invite you to join with a congregation who does.
President’s Easter Message
Please click here to read an Easter message from Mr. Hugh Ellis, President of Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Regional Council.
General Secretary Selection Committee
The United Church of Canada is embarking on a search process for its next General Secretary. A Selection Committee supported by an executive search professional will recommend the next General Secretary to be appointed by the General Council Executive.
- Vacancies: 2–3 vacancies (members-at-large)
- Key skills: Deep understanding of the United Church or experience and understanding of the role of the senior executive in other large complex organizations.
- Meeting expectations: Two to four online meetings per month and at least one in-person meeting anticipated for September or October. First online meeting to occur May 11 or 12.
Please click here to read more details in English and here for the French version.
To express interest or nominate someone please use this form. Closing date for expressions of interest is April 20, 2026.
Pastoral Relations Committee
- Approved the appointment of Reverend John Moses to the Trinity Pastoral Charge effective June 1, 2026 to June 31, 2028.
- Approved the Community of Faith profile for Central Queen’s United Church.
- Approved the Community of Faith profile for Memorial United Church (PE).
Growth Ideas 101: Celebrating New Members and Signs of New Life
Please click here to read the Growth Ideas from Sharon Ballantyne, Growth Animator, for March 25, 2026.
Share your ideas with your growth animator at 506-306-0500 or by email at sballantyne@united-church.ca.
Devotional for 50 days of Eastertide
Reflect and pray each day this Easter
Growth Animator Sharon Ballantyne (Atlantic Regions), has created a 50-day Eastertide devotional. These seven weeks of prompts focus on sharing the story of Resurrection, ministry as a community, and living a life of discipleship. Explore it personally or as part of a group.
📖 Access the booklet formatted PDF (Printing instructions: select double-sided, print on long-edge)
📄Access the simple Word Doc version
Share an Inspiring Easter Appeal with M and S
Easter is fast approaching, as is an annual time of generosity for our communities. Inspire and Invite gifts to Mission and Service this year with these helpful resources.
🐰Use the pre-made Script and Slideshow to make an Easter Appeal as part of your worship services this Easter.
🌷Share the 2026 Mission and Service Easter Video in your newsletter or on social media.
🐣Include the new God of the Wild Wilderness prayer from Mission and Service in your worship.
And, as always, don’t forget to Thank the amazing donors who make the work of Mission and Service possible.
Be Part of the Migrant Justice Network!
The United Church of Canada Migrant Justice Network will meet both during the day and in the evening over the next five months. We hope the two times will ensure the most people possible can participate. Come only either during the day OR evening. The topics will be the same in the afternoon and evening, but the direction the conversations take will be shaped by those who are present. The next sessions are April 14 and June 16. Conversation starters and draft agendas will be shared via the Church X page, so be sure to register and receive follow up emails.
Please click here to learn more, and register on CHURCHx.
Registration is now open for Rural Routes Through the Holy 2026
June 11-13, 2026
Central Queens United Church, Hunter River, PEI
Tales, Tables, and Tending, The Slow Work of God in a Fast World
Finding creative ways to live into our life together calls us to attend to our tales, to gather at tables and The Holy Table, and to tend to ourselves and one another in community. Rural churches have great gifts to bring to this way of hope. We’ll be engaging the many ways we are or might be liviing our tales, tables, and tending.
Rural Routes 2026 is stirring up worship, presenters, workshops, prayer space, good food , music, and lots of space for conversation to nourish you. You can read more and register here.
“The times are urgent; let us slow down.” – Bayo Akomolafe
LEARNING TO SPEAK ABOUT OUR FAITH IN A POST- CHRISTIAN WORLD
Sat., April 11, 1pm – 2:30pm
Curious about sharing your faith but don’t know how to start?
Why not join us at
Stairs Memorial United Church
44 Hester St., Dartmouth
Led by Dr. Rob Fennell
Part 1: Secularism & spirituality in Canadian society today
Part 2 : How to speak about and grow in our faith as Christians
To Register click here.
Transform Your Church by Transforming Your Conversations
Conversations Worth Having Workshop for Spiritual Leaders is an online workshop for clergy and lay leaders (M&P members, Board members etc) focused on building trust, improving meetings, and navigating difficult conversations with greater clarity and life-giving impact.
Dates: April 29 & May 1, 2026
For more information and to Register click here.
Breaking the Silence delegation to Guatemala Nov. 7th-20th
Join us for the Breaking the Silence 2026 Delegation to Guatemala! Sat. Nov. 7th – Fri. Nov. 20th. You’ll have the opportunity to build international solidarity and learn from our Rabinal partners: the New Hope Foundation’s culturally relevant, bilingual Maya Achí-Spanish high school and the Community Legal Clinic that seeks justice for genocide-cases and other crimes committed against communities in the Rabinal area during the Internal Armed Conflict. A meaningful part of the delegation will be an overnight visit to the community of Río Negro to learn about its history and how it has rebuilt following a campaign of destruction during the 1980s. You will have the chance to spend time with our mining justice partners resisting a Canadian silver mining project: the Xinka Parliament and the Diocesan Commission for the Defense of Nature.
Applicants must attend the delegation orientation Thurs., June 25th 7 p.m. to Fri., June 26th 5 p.m. at the Dorje Denma Ling Centre (between Truro and Tatamagouche.) To learn more about the 2026 Delegation to Guatemala, please contact Kathryn Anderson.
