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NEWS AND UPDATES FROM BERMUDA-NOVA SCOTIA REGIONAL COUNCIL
Submission Request for Weekly Announcements
www.ucceast.ca
Staff Directory
It’s Your Call – Podcast
News from the Pews 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.
Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council Committee Volunteer form.
Condolences: Reverend Robert “Bob” Jones
Our condolences are extended to the family of Rev. Bob Jones who passed away on July 28, 2026. The obituary can be viewed here.
Annual Meeting Record of Proceedings
Please see the Record of Proceedings from the 8th Annual Meeting of Bermuda-Nova Scotia Regional Council, May 28-31, 2026, for your use in reporting to your congregations.
Jubilee United (Port Hood Island) decommissioning – Updated
On Sunday, August 23 there will be a decommissioning service for Jubilee United Church, Port Hood Island following the anniversary service for St. Stephen’s United, Port Hood.
The anniversary service will be held at 10am, followed by a light reception. At noon, we will board boats to head to Port Hood Island where a time of story telling and memory sharing will happen outside the church part of the decommission of the building. Jubilee served Port Hood Island for many, many years, and we thank all who passed through those doors for their service.
Thanks to Ivan Gregan
Thank you to Ivan Gregan for acting as the interim Vocation Minister for the Atlantic Regions. He officially finished this role on August 15th. Please refer any Office of Vocation matters to the new Vocation Minister, Rev. Don Sellsted. DSellsted@united-church.ca
BNS Open Positions – August 2026
The following positions are open in Bermuda Nova Scotia Region and are posted on ChurchHub. Please view the full details there. Please contact Regional Minister David Hewitt dhewitt@united-church.ca for additional information.
Full time
• Yarmouth: Beacon
• St. Ann’s Bay and Baddeck collaborative ministry
• Digby Anglican/United Ecumenical Shared Ministry
• Bethany Halifax
• Port Wallis (Dartmouth)
• Halifax amalgamation (formerly St. Matthew’s, St. Andrew’s, Fort Massey)
• Clifton (Old Barns and Hilden)
Part time
• Onslow Belmont (30)
• Annapolis Granville (30)
• Upper Stewiacke Springside (8)
• William Black (20)
• Bethany Halifax Supply (25)
• River and Lakeside (20)
Resources for Ministry with Children and Youth
Looking for resources for your ministry with Children and Youth? Look no further! Here is a list (though certainly not complete!) of curricula, books, websites, and other information that I’ve collected over the years. Please share it with your communities. Using something that’s not listed? Have a program that you’ve created yourself? Email me to share it at cstuart@united-church.ca. I’ll also be available in the fall to come to your community for a workshop or to help your group get started.
Stewardship
Do not miss out on the upcoming Getting Started in Stewardship August 2026 and optional reunion October 8, 2026. This is a FREE course.
After this on-line 90- minute course you will understand:
-Stewardship is not fundraising.
– Stewardship is discipleship.
– Why people give?
– What you can do next?
There are two meeting times
August 27, 2026 5:00pm-6:30pm Halifax time
August 27, 2026 7:30pm-9:00pm Halifax time
Reunion: October 8, 2026 5:00pm-6:00 pm
Register on Churchx.
Join us at Ukulele Church!
Have you been looking for an all-ages, online worshipping community? Have you always wanted to play Ukulele? Put the two together and join us weekly at Ukulele Church on Zoom! After signing up at ukulelechurch.com you’ll get a weekly email reflection, along with music and art templates and our zoom link. Whether you’re a seasoned player, or have never touched the instrument before, we’d love to have you join us. This year, our season starts on September 13, so sign up today. Questions? Email cstuart@united-church.ca.
LLWL Annual Gathering, Sackville, N.B. October 23-24, 2026
If you are a LLWL, studying to be licensed, or interested in learning more about the program, join us at the Regional Offices for a time of learning, fellowship and spiritual renewal on Friday October 23rd 11:30 AM – Saturday 24th at 3:00 PM.
This event is available for those who are interested from Bermuda- Nova Scotia and Fundy St Lawrence Dawning Waters. As we get closer to the date we will have the registration form, costs and the agenda available. Accommodations at the Coastal Inn (if required) will be booked by the Office at a discounted rate.
Please mark these days in your calendar. If you have questions, please contact :
BNS – Sandi Irving Sandrapauletteirving@gmail.com or Betty Ann Watts bettyannwatts6@gmail.com
FSLDW- Barbara Prowse barbara.prowse@gmail.com
Save the Date for Godly Play!
Save the date for Godly Play Storytellers’ Core Training! Join Godly Play Maritimes from October 23rd-25th at Southeast River United Church in beautiful Margate PEI. More information and Registration will be available soon. Questions?
Email Jenny Eisener registrargodlyplaymaritimes@gmail.com.
Growth and Stewardship Ideas: Intentionally Turn Inside Out– Hospitality Audit
Please click here to read the Growth Ideas from Sharon Ballantyne, Growth Animator, for August 19, 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
Ministry and Personnel Committee Chairs to be invited to ChurchHub
As a result of many requests for access to ChurchHub to complete Record of Call or Appointment forms, we will be inviting Ministry and Personnel Chairs for all Communities of Faith to join ChurchHub with their own email/login.
Please confirm that your M&P Chair is current and correct in your list of Officers and Roles in ChurchHub. If incorrect, please delete this officer from your list of Officers and add the correct name and contact information. See our instructional video for deleting/adding officers.
In early September your Ministry and Personnel Chair will receive an invitation to ChurchHub.
Co-operative Ministry Learning Opportunity
Lay and Clergy interested in exploring Mutual Ministry are invited to visit the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan for a long weekend this fall, October 22-26, in conjunction with their annual convention, and experience their circular way of mutual ministry that has developed over the last 40 years in the strong, small communities of the Upper Peninsula.
Visitors Weekend is a longstanding tradition in the Diocese of Northern Michigan welcoming guests to immerse themselves in an ecclesiology of baptismal ministry.
This is an opportunity to visit local congregations, talk with diocesan staff and missioners, explore new ministry initiatives (such as U.P. Wild Church, and Healing with our Indigenous neighbors), and engage with others who are passionate about a collaborative way of being engaged in the work of Jesus.
Visitors should plan to arrive by Thursday evening. An introduction to our practice of mutual ministry with conversation will take place Friday morning through early afternoon. All are invited to participate in a convention workshop on Living Stories Sermons on Friday afternoon, followed by the Eucharist, and then to experience our collaborative approach to Convention on Saturday. Sunday morning, visitors are invited to attend one of our congregations to experience how our approach looks in our regular, local contexts. Sunday afternoon we hope to have an opportunity to experience U.P. Wild Church, our new, locally led spiritual communities that are growing quickly in at least seven places around the Upper Peninsula, in a unique partnership with the ELCA. We will then have time for reflection conversation and supper.
More information and registration is available here. Please register now!
Financial Assistance for travel and lodging may be available, especially for students, and can be requested on the registration form.
Contact (sgodfrey@upepiscopal.org) or Rayford Ray (rayfordray@upepiscopal.org), 906-228-7160, with any questions.
Worship Jam Wednesdays!
We also have a special invitation from Hillside United’s music director, Denny Culbert:
Come Out for Worship Jam Wednesdays in August!
Throughout August, we are offering Worship Jams on Wednesday nights — a relaxed, come as you are musical gathering from 8:00–9:30 p.m. on August 19, and 26.
We will be learning and singing through several contemporary worship songs by Hillsong, Bethel Music, Maverick City, We the Kingdom, and others. We’re looking for lead and back up singers, keyboardists, drummers, acoustic and electronic guitars, bass players, and anyone who wants to sing along or simply sit and listen.
It will be casual, fun – like a jam session but with worship music. For more information or if you are interested in joining one or more of the sessions, please contact our Music Director, Denny Culbert, at denny@hillsideunited.org.
Everyone is warmly invited to join in all the fun!
Hillside United Church, 12 Flamingo Dr, Halifax, NS
