Contact Online is a Blog for St. Mark's United Church Community of Faith, Region 15 of the United Church of Canada. 504 Bernard Street, Port Hawkesbury, N.S. B9A 1L2, E-mail: stmarksuc@gmail.com St. Mark's United Church accepts and welcomes all people as we share and grow in acceptance, learn, love and share our Christian faith in God's love. Phone: (902) 625-2229, Church Services are held every Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
Sunday 30 August 2015
PORT HAWKESBURY NURSING HOME WORSHIP SERVICE & VISIT AUGUST 26 2015
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| We talked about playfulness as spiritual practice |
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| Buddies-Doreen and Al |
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| A visit with Jeannie--her favourite spot--outdoors |
Saturday 29 August 2015
GENERAL COUNCIL PASSES COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
Published on 42nd General Council (http://www.gc42.ca)
Posted on: August 14, 2015 - 23:03 by Jeff Cook
Category:
After several days of discussion, the General Council has passed a reworked version of the Comprehensive Review Task Group (CRTG) recommendations.
The omnibus proposal passed with 95 percent of commissioners voting in favour and 4 percent against. The omnibus motion was moved by Cathy Hamilton, who chaired the CRTG, and seconded by Larry Doyle, who co-chaired the CRTG Sessional Committee.
The full text of the approved proposal, “CRTG Motion Document,” is online.
Highlights of the proposal include:
- a three-council model consisting of communities of faith, regional councils, and a denominational council
- Order of ministry will be members of regional councils, not of communities of faith.
- support to new ministries and new forms of ministry through an initiative tentatively called Chasing the Spirit, with 10 percent of annual Mission & Service givings to be invested in the initiative
- approval of the CRTG’s original recommendations regarding Aboriginal Ministries
- Ministry and mission activities will continue to be funded by Mission & Service.
- Governance and support services will be funded by the denominational council assessing communities of faith. The details of that assessment are still to be developed.
- Regional councils also have authority to assess communities of faith for any additional services the regional council wishes to undertake.
- The denominational council will not hold large meetings with representation from each community of faith. Regional councils will elect representatives to attend denominational council meetings every three years.
- The executive of the denominational council will have fewer members than the current Executive of the General Council. The new executive would consist of 12-18 members. The composition of that membership is yet to be determined.
- There will not be a college of ministers. Instead, there will be a denominational office of vocation comprised of staff and nominated elected representatives.
- Alongside the three-council structure there will be less formal clusters and networks.
- elimination of the transfer and settlement processes for members of the order of ministry
- A working group will consider the idea of establishing an Association of Ministers.
- A precise method of assessments is to be developed, informed by principles approved by General Council 42.
- authorization of a category 3 remit to presbyteries and pastoral charges regarding these changes
- Prior to the issuing of remits, a number of items will be further developed, such as the number of regions, membership of regional councils and executives, and the relationship of the regional and denominational councils to staff.
In addition, the General Council waived the requirement for 24 months of study before the remit return date for the category 3 remits arising from the Comprehensive Review.
Council also advanced the date of the regular meeting of the 43rd General Council from 2018 to sometime in 2017.
It also approved that test projects for the three-council structure and the office of vocation begin immediately and approved that provision be made for the participation of youth and young adults in all three councils.
ANNOUNCEMENTS SUNDAY AUGUST 30TH 2015
Ministering
through leadership in worship this morning are:
Organist: Al
Fougere
Lay
Reader: Jean Mac Pherson
Greeters
& Collectors: Andy Palmer, Ingram Fowlie
St.
David’s Counters: Bob Downard & Spare
OFFICE
HOURS:
Monday 9-12
noon, Nan at St. Mark’s
Tuesday 9-12
noon, Nan at St. Mark’s
Wednesday 9-12
noon, Nan at St. David’s, Jane at St. Mark’s
Thursday 9-12
noon, Jane at St. Mark’s
Friday Minister’s
Day Off, 9-12 noon, Jane at St. Mark’s
Food
Bank donations received on the last Sunday of the month.
We
have a new email address!!
Please make this change in your
list of email contacts. The new
address of the church office is
Deadline
for bulletin information is Thursday at noon.
Starting
on Sept. 6th
regular times of Sunday Worship resume.
9:30
.am. - St. Mark’s
11:00
a.m. – St. David’s
**********
ST. MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lay
Readers:
September
6th
– Vida Hood
September
13th
– Connie Fowlie
September
20th
– Denis Bernard
September
27th
– Clark Brander
St.
Mark’s Courtesy Car: Contact
person for the
Courtesy Car is Andy Palmer. His telephone number
is
625-2748.
FundScrip
resumes.
Order Sundays will be
September 6th and
20th and
Delivery Sundays will be
September 13th and
27th. September
Promotions
are
as follows:
M
& M Meat Shops 4% (Regular 3%)
Gap,
Banana Republic, Old Navy 7% ( Regular 5%)
Pizza
Pizza 12% (Regular 10%)
In
2014 FundScrip earned approximately $1300.00 with 12 supporters
ordering on a regular basis. FundScrip earned $290.75 in the first
quarter and $425.25 in the second quarter for a total of $716.00 to
date in 2015. The third quarter numbers will not be high as the
program was suspended for two months this summer. In order to meet or
exceed the earnings from 2014 we are urging more individuals and/or
families to join this program to help keep the church within its
budget. Please contact Patsy Brander at 902-625-1062 or Bonnie Dawson
at 902-625-3838 if you have any questions or if you wish to join this
program.
Sept.
15th
– St. Mark’s Congregational
Board
Meeting
Sept.
21st
– St. Mark’s Men’s
Group Breakfast
Meeting.
50th
Anniversary! In 2016,
St. Mark’s will be celebrating their 50th
Anniversary. 50th
Anniversary weekend will be June 10th
to 12 th, 2016. Have an idea for 50th
Anniversary Guest Speaker? Pass it along. The 50th
Anniversary Committee will meet at 1:00 p.m. on September 14th.
**********
ST. DAVID’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please
Note: St. David’s
Session Meeting has
been rescheduled to September
9th
at 7:00 p.m.
Official
Board Meeting on
Sunday, Sept.13th
following Worship.
Lay
Readers:
Sept.
6th
– Margie Mac Intyre
Sept.13th
– Iaian Langley
Sept.20th
– Alicia Vink
Sept.27th
– Bruce Corrigan
**********
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Terry
Fox Run 2015 - Date:
Sept. 20th -
Time 1:00 p.m. – Location: Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre. This
year celebrates the 35th
Anniversary of the Terry Fox Run! Come join us Sunday, Sept. 20th
to walk, run or bike 1km, 5km or 10km and help support the Terry Fox
Foundation for Cancer Research! Bring a friend and have a great time
keeping Terry’s Dream alive! Register online at terryfoxrun.org or
just show up at the Civic Centre on the day of the event. For more
information to participate or to volunteer, call Sarah at 625-5405.
No minimum entry fee. Raising pledges is optional! Donate what you
can and join the fun.
Tuesday
Night Ceilidh (7:30) at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre presented by
the Port Hasting Historical Society. Free Tea/Oatcakes.
September
1 – Shelly Campbell,
Allan Dewar, Harvey MacKinnon
September
8 – All Fired Up:
Kyle, Keith & Colin MacDoanld.
September
15 - Anita MacDonald,
Ben Miller, Tyson Chen, Decota McNamara
September
22 – Cape Breton
Fiddlers
September
29 - Dwayne Cote,
Kevin Levesconte, Pat Lamey, Heather Richard
October
6 - Pre Celtic
Colours Show
Friday 28 August 2015
ELECTION FROM A FAITH PERSPECTIVE--UNITED CHURCH ELECTION KIT AVAILABLE
2015 Federal Election Kit
Use our 2015 Federal Election Kit
[PDF: 32 pp/473 KB] to learn more about key election issues and their connection with faith and to help you and your faith community participate fully in the democratic process. The kit includes
[PDF: 32 pp/473 KB] to learn more about key election issues and their connection with faith and to help you and your faith community participate fully in the democratic process. The kit includes- connections to the election for worship, study groups, and children and youth
- background information on election issues
- questions you can ask candidates
- instructions for planning an all-candidates meeting
- tips for using the media (including social media)
Introduction (to the Election Kit)
What do you care about? Is it climate change? Peace? Refugee rights? Regardless of which issues matter
most in your life, the 2015 elections will have an enormous impact on them. Now more than ever, all faith
voices need to be heard in the political process. It is our right and duty to participate in forming a
government that reflects the will of its people.
Your vote will make a difference. Matters such as Aboriginal rights, health care, and poverty are concerns
for every community in our country. The more we know about how our faith and values can influence
government policies, the better chance we will have to transform our own and others’ lives for the
common good. We witness to our faith in a just and life-giving God in the public arena by advocating for
justice and peace. This is our faith and our vote.
Thursday 27 August 2015
ORDER OF SERVICE-AUGUST 30TH 2015-POINT TUPPER HERITAGE CHURCH
The Congregations
of St. Mark’s and St. David’s
United Church of
Canada
Port Hawkesbury/Port
Hastings, NS
Office: 625-2229,
Fax 625-3597, e-mail: stmarksuc@gmail.com
Presbytery Website:
inverguyunited.ca
Ministers: The Whole
People of God
Minister: Nan
Corrigan D. M.
Minister of Music:
Al Fougere
August
30th,
2015-Point Tupper Heritage Church
*
please stand as able
BE BRAVE
A
Gathering♦
Worship Resource Service
Announcements The
Work of Church and Community
Welcome:
Welcome to this summer worship service, adapted from a service
prepared by Maya
Landell,
General Council 42 Worship Team. Thank you to Maya. This morning, our
focus is on the call to be brave in these changing times.
GATHER
Greeting
One: The
peace of Christ be with you. All:
And with your spirit.
*Introit
Wait
for the Lord, God’s day is near.
Wait
for the Lord, be strong, take heart. X2 VU
22
Call
to Worship
Opening
Prayer
Holy
One, you call us to be brave,
to
stand up in the face of injustice,
to
speak out, yelling loudly, when a voice is what’s needed.
In
this moment, you present us with so many opportunities to be brave.
And
yet, you call us to be tender—open to listening to the voice of all
others, and open to moments of profound transformation and true
reconciliation.
So,
we take a deep breath, in and out,
connecting
with you, our Source,
Inspiring
Spirit, wind of change,
(pause
to breathe deeply)
and
we ask you to make us brave and keep us tender.
Bless
us anew in the time together,
for
we know that surely you are here.
We
pray this in the name of Jesus,
your
Mystery, your Wisdom, your Glory. Amen.
Lauren
Hodgson, St. Matthew’s U.C., Toronto, Ont.
*Affirmation
of Faith A
New Creed VU 918
*Hymn This
Is The Day
GROW
Story
Time When
was the last time you had to be brave? What helped you to be brave?
How does your faith help you to be brave?
*Hymn Lord
Of the Dance
Isaiah 41:6-10 Take courage, God is with us.
One:
Herein is Wisdom.
All:
Thanks be to God.
Psalm
27 Be
strong, and let you heart take courage. VU
754
* Hymn Be
Not Afraid
Acts
4:29-31 Speak
with boldness
Hebrews
4:16 Approach
with boldness
One:
Herein is Good News. All:
Praise be to God.
Opening the Word
Hymn Amazing
Grace
Prayers of the
People & Lord’s Prayer
(We join our
brothers and sisters across the church in praying for the future of
our world and church).
Minute for
Mission & Offering Our Gifts to God
*Doxology Praise
God from Whom All Blessings Flow VU
541
GO
*
Hymn We
Shall Go Out with Hope of Resurrection
* Commissioning
and Blessing
May the God who
is present with us at all times
give us courage
to walk in the way of Christ,
and
may the Spirit empower us to be brave!
*Choral
Amen
♦Gathering
is
a publication of the United Church of Canada.
FUNDSCRIP IS BACK IN SEPTEMBER!!
FundScrip will return September 6th. Order Sundays in
September will be September 6th and 20th and Delivery Sundays
will be September 13th and 27th.
September Promotions are as follows:
M & M Meat Shops 4%
(Regular 3%)
Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy 7%
( Regular 5%)
Pizza Pizza
Please contact Patsy Brander at 902-625-1062 or Bonnie Dawson at 902-625-3838 if you have any questions or if you wish to join this program.
Saturday 22 August 2015
PRAYER BENCH
 |
| Janice MacLean-Prayer Bench |
Visit the Prayer Bench for E-mail Retreats, Small Group Study Resources, and Reflections at www.prayerbench.ca
Check out “Free Stuff” for a sample of a Leader’s Page for the Autumn Small Group Study, Landscapes of the Soul. Move through history with four people who maintain a sense of wonder in their theology, poetry, art, music and activism in the Creation-time Earth Mystics E-mail retreat.
The Prayer Bench is a new ministry hosted by Janice MacLean. www.prayerbench.ca
ORDER OF SERVICE-SUNDAY AUGUST 23RD 2015-13TH AFTER PENTECOST
The Congregations
of St. Mark’s and St. David’s
United Church of
Canada
Port Hawkesbury/Port
Hastings, NS
Office: 625-2229,
Fax 625-3597, e-mail: stmarksuc@gmail.com
Blog:
http://ourcontactonline.blogspot.com/
Presbytery Website:
inverguyunited.ca
Ministers: The Whole
People of God
Minister: Nan
Corrigan D. M.
Minister of Music:
Al Fougere
August
23rd,
2015-13th
after Pentecost
Announcements The
Work of Church and Community
GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
Greeting
One: The
peace of Christ be with you. All:
And with your spirit.
*Introit
Come,
Let Us Sing, verse 1,
x2 VU 222
Call
to Worship
One: In the presence
of God who has created and is creating,
All: we come with
excitement and expectation.
One: In the presence
of God who has come in Jesus our Christ,
All: we come with
hunger and hope.
One: In the presence
of God who works in us
and others by the
Spirit,
All: we come with
amazement and joy.
Opening
Prayer
We gather here in
your awesome presence, O God.
You welcome all
people, and listen to the cries of all your children.
Help us to feel
your presence
not only in this
place but everywhere we go,
that in all times
and places we might worship you in all we do. Amen.
*
Hymn Shall
We Gather at the River VU
710
Prayer for
Wholeness
One: We are glad to
gather here in this place, and to call it your house. Yet we are
mindful of times when we tend to think that this is the only place
you dwell. When we want to leave you here on Sunday mornings,
All: Gracious
God, forgive us.
One: When we tend to
think that you prefer this house to others in our community or around
the world,
All: Gracious
God, forgive us.
One: When we exclude
others with our theology, language, traditions, and practices.
All: Gracious
God, forgive us.
One: When our
structures keep others out,
All: Gracious
God, forgive us.
One: When we fail to
make your house a place where the good news is proclaimed, justice is
practiced, and healing is offered to all,
All:
Gracious God, forgive us. Amen.
Assurance of Love
Dear friends in
Christ,
God’s love is
greater than all our lack of caring.
God’s forgiveness
is bigger and wider
than any hurt or
harm we can ever receive or give.
So open the windows
of your hearts and hear the good news.
All: We are
loved. We are forgiven.
We
live in the grace of God. Thanks be.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
1
Kings 8:22-30, 41-43 A
Beautiful Place
One:
Herein is Wisdom.
All:
Thanks be to God.
Psalm
84 How
lovely is your dwelling place, O God. VU
800
*Hymn Lord,
Listen to Your Children Praying VU
400
Opening the
Word/The Lord's Prayer
Ephesians
6:10–20 Be
strong in the Lord.
One:
Herein is Good News. All:
Praise be to God.
Opening the Word
2
WE RESPOND IN FAITH
* Hymn Holy
Ground Printed
Minute for
Mission & Offering Our Gifts to God
*Doxology Praise
God from Whom All Blessings Flow VU
541
Prayers
of Thanksgiving and Concern
Response:
One: Let us pray to God, saying,
All:
Holy God, hear us.
WE GO TO SERVE GOD
*
Hymn Blessed
Assurance VU
337
* Commissioning
and Blessing
One: Go on your way
as messengers of God’s love.
Bless
those you meet. Be people of hope. Give thanks in all you do.
All: We
go with the blessing of God–author of peace,
source of love,
power of community, mystery of Christ.
*Choral
Amen
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