NEWS AND UPDATES FROM FUNDY ST. LAWRENCE DAWNING WATERS (FSLDW)
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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.
Covenanting Service
The Mount Stewart, Morell, St. Peter’s Bay Pastoral Charge invite you to a Covenanting Service between them and Rev. Samuel Afolabi and the Region to be held in the Mount Stewart United Church, PEI on Sunday, July 12th at 6:30 pm.
NW Cluster Gathering: Saturday September 12, 2026
Mark your calendar now and save the date for a NW Cluster Gathering in Woodstock, NB at Saint James United Church on Saturday September 12, 2026.
The focus of this event will be on clusters and collaboratives and other creative responses.
The gathering will offer opportunity for pastoral charges to begin to imagine how they might work together to provide ministry in their communities.
Watch for more information as we get closer to the event!
Regional Financial Support
The Financial and Mission Services Committee is pleased to promote the availability of various funds to support individuals and communities throughout our Region. The guidelines and applications for the specific funds can be found on the Region’s website. Among the funds is the New Ministries Initiatives Fund which can provide seed money of up to $7,500 per year for a maximum of three (3) years to help communities of faith develop a new ministry, possibly a community outreach initiative, or a creative idea to help navigate a path to the future. Can this fund help your community of faith move a dream toward reality?
40th Anniversary of the UCC Apology to Indigenous Peoples
As we approach the 40th anniversary of the 1986 Apology, we invite United Church congregations into a season of prayerful reflection, learning and faithful action. We respectfully urge congregations to consider reciting the 1986 Apology together on Sunday, October 4, 2026 instead of or in response to a Land Acknowledgement. We also respectfully urge you to prayerfully determine an action you might take perhaps beginning with having an annual “Pay Rent Service “ in which you symbolically collect money to support an Indigenous organization(s) in your area in recognition that you are on Indigenous land. Taking such small and bigger reconciliation actions are an important demonstration of our UCC commitment to a Just Relationship with Indigenous Peoples.
Growth & Stewardship Idea: Prayer Partners/Buddies
Please click here to read the Growth Ideas from Sharon Ballantyne, Growth Animator, for July 8, 2026.
As of July 1, 2026, here are contacts for Growth and Stewardship:
BNS Sharon Ballantyne – sballantyne@united-church.ca
FSLDW Rob Shearer – rshearer@united-church.ca
Temporary Vocation Minister Coverage
Rev. Ivan Gregan has been appointed as the interim Vocation Minister for the Atlantic Regions from May 01 until August 31. He will be working half time. Please email Ivan with any Office of Vocation related matters.
Vocation Minister for the Atlantic Regions
The Theology, Ministry and Leadership Unit is pleased to announce Rev. Don Sellsted as the new Vocation Minister for the three Atlantic Regional Councils. (First Dawn Eastern Edge, Bermuda Nova Scotia, and Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters). Don will be working remotely from Nova Scotia and begins his work on August 1st, 2026. He will support the work of the Atlantic Candidacy Board and remedial processes, as well as offering support to ministry personnel.
Pastoral Care Training Program
Is your community of faith in need of additional pastoral care services. Is there a member of the community interested in training that could support them in offering pastoral care as a volunteer or as a Congregational Designated Minister for Pastoral Care?
If so, the Ottawa Pastoral Care Training Program may be offering just what you are looking for: A Basic Pastoral Care Training Program that will run from September 14 to November 3, 2026.
You can find a brochure for their program here. The program will be offered via Zoom on Monday evenings (excluding Thanksgiving Monday) from 7PM to 9:15PM.
The Pastoral Relations Committee of the Region commends this program especially to those communities of faith that are without called or appointed ministry personnel.
