St. Mark's Hanging of the Greens Service, November 30th

The Hanging of the Greens service on Sunday evening, November 30th was performed flawlessly by St. Mark's youth and children even though they only had one practice. Joyce Oliver-Snair coordinated the practice between the main course and dessert, leaving her dinner guests to fend for themselves! The service was very polished and professional. Thanks to Al and the choir for leading the congregation in songs of Advent.

St. Mark's Special Events Group Bazaar

The annual St. Mark's Special Events (UCW) Bazaar was a great success again garnering a total profit of $1,700. Many thanks to all who set up, baked, canned, sewed, made crafts, served, worked in the kitchen and the cash. This event would not be possible without the help of all of you!

Hymns for Sunday December 7th

Hope is a Star #7, verse 2

People Look East #9

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel #1, verse 1

On Jordan's Bank #20

Hark The Glad Sound #29 verses 1 & 4

Psalm 85 #802

Doxology #544

New Member at St. Mark's

New member of St. Mark's, Beverly McInnis of Havre Boucher is presented with a copy of the church directory and the fall issue of the Contact by Rev. Sheldon. Beverly, we wish a warm welcome to you and your family from St. Mark's!

St. David's Goods & Services Auction

On Saturday, November 29th, St. David's Board of Stewards held a very successful Goods & Services Auction. Memebers of the congregation want to express their appreciation to Bob MacEachern who did a superb job auctioning off the items.

St. Mark's Observer Subscriptions

If you wish to subscribe or to renew a subscription to the Observer for 2009, please contact Bonnie Dawson by December 21st by phone at 625-3838 or by e-mail at b.dawson@ns,sympatico.ca. The annual cost is $15.00, including GST/HST. Please put the payment in an Observer envelope (available in the Narthex) or in a regular envelope and place it on the collection plate with your offering by December 21st. Cheques should be made payable to St. Mark's United Church.

St. Mark's Christmas Bazaar, Friday, November 28, 7 PM

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St. Mark's Christmas Bazaar

Friday, November 28th, 7 PM - 9 PM

Baking, Sewing, Craft & New-to-You Tables

Admission: $2.00

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Sponsored by St. Mark's Special Events Group

Donations may be dropped off Thursday evening between 6 and 7 PM, or Friday after 1 PM.

Hanging of the Greens Service, November 30th at 7 PM

St. Mark's Sunday School and Youth will be holding the Hanging of the Greens Service on Sunday, November 30th at 7:00 p.m. If any members of the congregation are placing a pointsettia in the Church this Christmas season, we would like you to help us with the Hanging of the Greens by placing the poinsettia with a child during the service. If you do not wish to do so, or are unable to attend the service, a child will place the pointsettia on your behalf. If you have any questions, please contact a Christian Education Committee member.

Food Bank Sunday November 30th for Both Churches

A Reminder:

Please bring donations for the Food Bank on Sunday, November 30th. The Food Bank is in need of plastic grocery bags and glass bottles, preferably 1-1/2 cup sizes.

Lectionary Readings for Sunday, November 30th, the First Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 64:1-9

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 (Voices United Page 794, Part 1)

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Mark 13:24-37

Hymns for Sunday, November 30th

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus 2

Jesus Loves Me #365

Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ #468

Sent Forth by God's Blessing #481

Psalm 80 #794,  Part 1

Doxology #544

Hope Is A Star #7,   Verse 1

St. Mark's Roast Beef Dinner Was a Resounding Success!

On Friday evening, November 21st, St. Mark' s Roast Beef Dinner organized by the Ways & Means Committee, was enjoyed by all who attended or had a take-out meal. The kitchen worked like a well-oiled machine with dinners being served hot and instantly. The main course was absolutely delicious and the desserts were delectable. The dinner was so successful that those who came after 5:30 p.m. were disappointed. Workers had to go home and search their fridges to find a meal. Thanks to all who cleaned up the kitchen and prepared the hall for the quilters' event to be held on Saturday.

Ruth MacRae deserves kudos for her wonderful organizational skills to manage to put this event together with no apparent effort! The event managed to garner $2,389.40 including $665.00 in donations. More may still come in. Great work everyone who was involved. Thank you! St. Mark's Finance Committee will be pleased.

Hymns for Sunday November 23rd

MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE 820

JESUS BIDS US SHINE 585

WHEN A POOR ONE 702

THE LORD'S MY SHEPHERD 747

PSALM 100 #824 REFRAIN 2

DOXOLOGY 540

St. Mark's Congregational Board Bids Ann Mary Butcher a Fond Farewell.

Ann Mary Butcher, the Chairperson of St. Mark's Congregational Board was presented with a Cape Breton marble plaque as a farewell gift of appreciation for her years of  service on the board. She and her husband Frank are now retiring to Dartmouth. She will be greatly missed by many people in Port Hawkesbury. Her dedication to the Girl Guides will always be remembered. We wish her well in her new home.

Sunday, November 16th Service

Behind the scenes before the service! The choir gets caught up on the week's news.

Great Team Work!

Lana conducted the service and Lorna gave the children's story and the sermon during Rev. Sheldon's absence on study leave.

St. David's Official Board Meeting

St. David's Official Board will meet November 23rd following the Worship service.

Book Study

The next Book Study is tentatively scheduled for February on Monday evenings. The book is titled "How Good Do I Have To Be?" by Harold Kushner and is available through Volume One book store at a cost of $14.95. Because the  book has to be ordered there will be a three week delivery period.

St. Mark's Congregational Board will meet on Tuesday, November 18th
Executive: 6:30 p.m.
Committees: 7:15 p.m.
Combined Board: 8:15 p.m.

St. Mark's Way's and Means Committee

Roast Beef Dinner

Friday, November 21

 4:30 until 6 p.m. 

Adults $10.00/Children under 10 $5.00

Take-out available

It would be greatly appreciated if members of the congregation would contribute towards the cost of the groceries. You may do so by placing your donation in a separate envelope with your name and envelope number and put it in the collection plate or give it to any member of the Ways and Means Committee. This donation will be receipted for tax purposes.

Contact Cover, November, 2008

Front Cover Photo:

Front Row, left to right:
Katharine Williams, Andrea Derbecker, Kristen Carlson, Kristian Garneau, Josué Goguen.

Back Row, left to right:
Kim Dinh (with helmet on) Paul Baines, Jenna Kessler, Lukas Vos, Meaghan Gruber, Justin black, Miriam Stein and Jessica Howison.

The Otesha Project

On September 19th to 21st a cycling group, part of an organization called the Otesha Project camped out in St. David’s Hall.

The group of 13 were cycling from Halifax to St. John’s Newfoundland. The Otesha Project consists of young adults who being a message of sustainability, social justice, environmental awareness and spirituality to people through dramatic or comedic presentations to schools, service clubs, church groups or anyone else who is interested.

The group put on a half hour presentation at St. David’s on Sunday, September 21st which was well received by the congregation.

After three nights in sleeping bags on the floor of the hall and making their own meals, they departed on Monday morning, leaving the hall spic and span (even washing the floor) and left notes of thanks for the hospitality.

On each note was written, along with their words of thanks, this message; We are the change we want to see in the world. Cycling from Halifax to St. John’s, we inspire a positive message about sustainability. We can live in harmony with the earth and with each other.

The Otesha Project is a registered charity and to learn more, we can go to www.otesha.ca.

Rev. Sheldon

Contact Page 1

This newsmagazine is published for distribution in December and June for the congregations of St. Mark’s United Church, Port Hawkesbury and St. David’s United Church, Port Hastings.
St. Mark’s Telephone (Minister’s Office): 625-2229
Fax: 625-3597
St. Mark’s E-mail: stmarks1@eastlink.ca
St. David’s Telephone: 625-2178
Camille Chapman, Editor: Telephone: 787-2610
E-mail for Contact: crchapman@ns.sympatico.ca
Blog Address: http://ourcontactonline.blogspot.com
Look at our Blog for a better picture of events at St. Mark’s & St. David’s.

Index

Page 1 Index, Editorial
Page 2 Minister’s Message
Page 3 ICW Refugee Resettlement Project Port Hawkesbury Food Bank
Page 4 Inverness-Guysborough Presbytery
                 Right Rev. David Giuliano Visits Whycocomagh
Page 5 Choir Notes
                 Summer Services
Page 6 Iceland Meets Cape Breton
                 St. Mark’s 44th Anniversary
Page 7 A Quilting Legacy
Page 8 St. David’s 123rd Anniversary
Page 9 In Memoriam and Baptisms
Page 10 Marriages
Page 11 & 12 Our High School and Post Secondary Graduates
Page 13   We Will Remember Them
Page 14 St. Mark’s Congregational Board
St. David’s Official Board
St. Mark’s Mission & Outreach Committee
Page 15 St. Mark’s Worship & Pastoral Care
St. Mark’s Trustees & Finance
St. Mark’s Men’s Group
Page 16 Ten Thousand Villages Sale
Page 17 St. David’s Board of Stewards
St. Mark’s Helping Hands
St. David’s U.C.W.
St. Mark’s Ways & Means
Page 18 St. Mark’s Sunday School & Christian Education
St. David’s Sunday School
Page 19 St. David’s U.C.W. President

The Editor

It does not seem possible that Christmas is almost upon us! We have had a very busy summer and fall season and the weeks leading up to Christmas promise to be just as hectic.

You should be receiving this issue of the Contact on the first Sunday of Advent. Tonight at 7 p.m., St. Mark’s children and youth with the help of Al and the choir will again be having a Hanging of the Greens service. This is a wonderful way to start the Christmas season. Hope to see many of you there.

Between publication of this issue and distribution, St. Mark’s will have held a Roast Beef Dinner and the annual Bazaar and Bake Sale. All these events help to keep the church in good financial shape, but more importantly, it brings the congregation together to work for a common cause creating a feeling of comradeship.

The photos in this issue seem to be fewer, but if you go to our Blog, you will see everything that has happened in both churches with many photos in living colour. Thanks to everyone who has made a contribution to the Contact and our online church family album - especially Yvonne Fox, Jim McLean, Arnie MacLean and Ian MacKinnon.

Our national church is now on youtube. Check it out at: http://ca.youtube.com/unitedchurchofcanada

Camille Chapman

Contact Page 2

Minister's Message

Christine and I have been here a little more than a year now and things seem to be going really well in both pastoral charges. You’ve heard me say it before but I’ll say it again; I’m really impressed at how smoothly things work and how people accept their responsibilities within the churches.

Advent will soon be upon us and the Christmas season. It’s a time to reflect on the meaning of Christ in our lives. What meaning do we see in the birth of a baby? Who will he or she be? What gifts and talents will they develop? How will they affect others around them and within their community? Will they realize their potential? Mary and Joseph may have asked themselves these questions as they tickled Jesus’ toes or changed his diapers.

What about the story of the Magi? Who were they? They weren’t Jewish. They were gentiles. Is their visit to the holy family an indication that non-Jewish people would be drawn to Jesus’ message and that tribal barriers would be crossed as God seeks to bring understanding to the world?

What about the shepherds and the kings and the angels? Surely the gift of Christ is for everyone, rich, poor or even other worldly. Because the spiritual gifts he taught are just that - spiritual gifts, and we are all joined by one spirit.

I know the coming season will be hectic, but when the gifts are bought and wrapped, the trees are trimmed and the lights put up, take time to reflect on the enlightenment that Jesus teaches us. The metaphor of the star shining over the manger is to indicate the heightened understanding we gain when we accept God’s guidance in our lives.

The first book study has been completed. It was four weeks rather than five due to my need to have some more tests in the big city.

There were about a dozen in the group as we looked at “Jesus For The Non-Religious” by Episcopalian Bishop John Shelby Spong.

I am, once again, impressed by the level of conversation that took place and the openness that people expressed within the group.

The book provided an avenue whereby we could express our ideas and opinions and provided an opportunity to get to know one another better. It was thought-provoking and the whole idea behind book discussions is to encourage those taking part to think about their faith.

In January or February we will be looking at Harold Kushner’s book, How Good Do I Have to Be. This book is not as large as Spong’s but contains much wisdom. Kushner is a rabbi who draws on his thirty years of experience with congregations and he’s the same gentleman who wrote When Bad Things Happen To Good People. I checked with Volume One book store in the mall and it is available at $14.95 per copy and will take about three weeks for delivery so for those members of the group and those interested, here’s a heads up. Maybe you could drop a hint for a possible stocking stuffer.

Christine and I look forward to celebrating our second Christmas with you, though we are saddened that there are some that we won’t be seeing again. Ministry is perplexing at times. On any given day I can be with someone who is dying while an hour later I can be with a couple who are celebrating their relationship and between the sorrow and the joy there is always the work that needs to be done. Life goes on.

Thank you for the cards expressing your concern for me as I went to Halifax for my tests. And Christine thanks you for the expressions of concern for her brother, Grayson who recently suffered a stroke.
We’ll soon be entering a new year. Let’s remember to awaken every morning of that year and speak or write down at least five blessings. And always remember to TELL the one you love that you love them.
To you, with Christ’s joy and peace;

Rev. Sheldon

Contact Page 3

Inverness County Welcomes Refugees Resettlement Project

Donald finished his Marine Geomatics course at the Lawrencetown Campus of the NSCC and graduated in June. He accepted employment with the Canadian Hydrographic Service, Central Arctic Region and moved to Burlington, Ontario. We are able to keep in touch with him through Alexander Chapman, (my son) who lives in Burlington. Through his connection, people from Wellington Square United Church in Burlington helped Donald and Christiana to furnish their apartment and greeted them when they arrived.

Donald received news of his brother’s death in England shortly after he arrived in Burlington. A few days after this, he started his first visit to the Arctic, which lasted six weeks. Things are getting back to normal now, and they appear to be settling in well.

While Donald was up North, Christiana took the GO train to Toronto to see a fellow employee of Alexander’s who is originally from Ghana. He gave her the grand tour of shops where she can purchase foods from home that she and Donald have been missing since their arrival in Canada. This visit also gave her the occasion to appreciate the support their family received in Port Hood, and even in Lawrencetown for their first 20 months in Canada. Now, Wellington Square United Church in Burlington has taken up the baton from us.

The committee is considering the sponsorship of another refugee family in the future, but want to be certain that the Kalleys are truly “flying on their own”. We still have some money in the bank, which will give us a start toward supporting a new family.

Dave Chapman

Port Hawkesbury Food Bank

With some Food Banks in the province struggling to obtain enough food supply to meet their needs the Port Hawkesbury Food Bank is most fortunate to be able meet our needs this fall. This is made possible by the great support that comes from people who contribute so generously at St. Mark’s and St.David’s Churches as well as other churches in the area. Support also comes from many other sources throughout the surrounding communities. Recently the Food Bank began to get donations of bread and sweets from Sobey’s store every week. The Atlantic Superstore also continues their weekly donation of bread and sweets. These donations reduce the need to purchase as much bread as before.

The number of households served remains at approximately thirty per week which is a few less than this time last year.

Over the past few months several new volunteers have joined the group at the Food Bank. We welcome them, their input, their energy and dedication.

At the last Board of Directors meeting, the need to fill vacancies on the Board was noted. These vacancies occurred due to a resignation and to the death of Jean MacKeigan. Jean was a Board Member for almost fifteen years and she was a very valuable and dedicated volunteer for as many years. A Memorial plaque will be placed in the Food Bank office in Jean’s memory.

Planning is now underway for the Christmas Season. As has been the practice in the past, the Food Bank will open for extra hours duriing the week of Christmas. This year the Food Bank will open Monday, December 22nd from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., but will not open again until the first Tuesday after the New Year.  

There is still a need for plastic grocery bags and glass bottles (1-1/2 cup size, no larger) These are sterilized and used for cooking oil etc.

Sincere thanks to all who volunteer and help in any way to keep things in order, running smoothly and especially to all who donate to the Food Bank.

Annabel Butts