EMUC   
  Friday Message & 
                Upcoming Events
 September 23, 2016
IN THIS ISSUE
  About EMUC

Vision:
EMUC is a thriving Spirit-filled congregation: Diverse, inclusive,and engaged with the community and creation

Mission:
The mission of Erin Mills United Church is to offer opportunities for all persons to experience the love of God through Jesus Christ.


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Welcome to EMUC's weekly message.  The liturgical colour orange has now been added to EMUC's messages and newsletter.  In this season of 'Creation Time', orange represents the colour of harvest, the changing hues of the leaves and the shade that bridges the bright light of summer and the darkening days of winter. 

Regular church activities are beginning again.  However, this September is not 'regular'.  We celebrate Kathy Toivanen's ministry as she nears her retirement date at the end of the month.

Fall also brings new schedules and new activities. Plan to make EMUC a part of your fall and winter schedules.  View the calendar of events on the website at  www.emuc.ca.  The September issue of the Communique newsletter will be posted this week.

Giving Thanks for the Small Things

The reality of my impending retirement is beginning to sink in.  This week I attended my final meeting at the church and prepared my last bulletin for Sunday worship.  I packed away 21 boxes of books, leaving behind one third of my library for others to browse and choose from.  I still have a whole cabinet of files to go through and after that there will just be personal items to box up and take home. 
 
The retirement dinner tonight will be another way to mark my years of ministry and the conclusion of my time here at Erin Mills United.  It is also a reminder that I have exactly one more week with you before I hand in my keys and close my office door for the last time.
 
Lately, I find that I pay closer attention to weekly routines and daily patterns that have shaped my life for so many years. 
  • lighting the candles in the worship space and resting in the silence as I await the Wednesday evening worshippers
  • listening to the harmony of voices as I walk down the aisle during the singing of the 'halleluiah amen' at the conclusion of Sunday worship
  • walking with the hiking group
  • responding to emails from different folk in the congregation
  • visiting the hospital(s) and informing the nursing staff that I am visiting a patient as 'their minister'
  • looking out of one of my office window's to admire the maple tree that has stretched up and out over the course of the 24 years that I've been in this space
  • sitting at the round table in the conference room - always grateful that we can meet in 'the round' and see all the faces that have gathered
  • knowing who has arrived at the church, even before I even see them, by recognizing their familiar voice
  • praying for those on EMUC's prayer concerns as I go about my daily activities
  • sitting down at my computer to write one more sermon, or one more prayer, or one more Friday message, or one more email
  • driving from home down Winston Churchill and checking the church sign as I turn on to The Collegeway and into the church driveway
  • locking up the church after an evening meeting and enjoying the fresh air as I walk to my car in the fading light
  • listening to the tower bell ring - especially on Wednesday evening
  • breaking bread and pouring grape juice into the cup and saying the words, 'Jesus Christ the bread of life', 'Jesus Christ the true vine'
  • passing the peace
  • standing in the pulpit and looking out at so many familiar faces
  • singing the prayer of Jesus along with the actions that we learned long ago from the children of Westminster United
  • the buzz of 'coffee'  hour after worship
  • pronouncing the blessing at the conclusion of worship
Over the years, God's grace has been poured into so many of these patterns and rituals.  Through them I have experienced the reality of God's presence and the love that connects us as a community of faith.  There have been of course significant highpoints, milestones and challenges along the way where God's presence has also been known among us; however, it is more often in the daily routine and the weekly round that we are rooted and grounded and sustained in faith.
 
And so I give thanks to God for all of the routine, regular and small things that have shaped the pattern of my days with you and the pattern of my life in ministry.
 
Peace, Kathy Toivanen.    
 
Kathy Toivanen's Retirement Celebrations


Friday September 23rd at 6 pm: Retirement Dinner Party with EMUC families and special guests. 

Spirit Garden 


The garden has been prepared and and was planted on Sept. 15th. There is still room for more plants.   If you signed up for providing plants from your garden and have not taken them to the church yet, please check with  Ann Bone (905-274-4467).  Next will be planting some spring bulbs which you may consider donating.

The Spirit Garden will be dedicated on Sunday.
                               
Spirit Garden
 
This Week at EMUC

The September edition of the   C ommunique, along with other archived editions will be posted on the EMUC website   www.emuc.ca.   this week. 
September 30th is the copy deadline for the next issue of the newsletter.

Sunday at  10 am:  Worship - Kathy Toivanen's final Sunday service

Wednesday at 6:45 pm:  Worship with prayers and communion.  Kathy's final Wednesday service.

Kathy and Al are hosting a reception after this service from 7:30 - 8:30 pm.  All are invited to drop by as they are able.  It is a come and go affair.

Thursday at 6 pm:  Bell Choir Practice

Thursday at 7 pm:  Chancel Choir Practice

Sunday at 10 am:  Worship for World Wide Communion Sunday with Jackie Burnie, EMUC's supply minister leading worship.

Upcoming Events

Greening Sacred Spaces Interfaith Sustainability Bus Tour - Oct 1
Greening Sacred Spaces Halton Peel presents excited to tour various faith sites across Peel Region and learn about what these faith sites are doing to green their communities!
WHEN 

Saturday, October 1; 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
WHERE 
We have chartered a private bus to visit the following sites:
  • Solel Congregation (Synagogue)
  • Unitarian Congregation (Church)
  • The Grange (Heritage Mississauga)
  • Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple 
The interfaith sustainability bus tour will explore how different faith groups in Mississauga are working towards greener and healthier communities - from eco-spiritual practices and energy efficient buildings to green architecture and gardening initiatives.  
*Registration is required and it must be done on the Greening Sacred Spaces website. 
FEES
$15 includes lunch and transportation  
Please Contact Ramsha Ahmed at rahmed@faithcommongood.org for more details or to reserve a seat.

Women for Women
On Sunday Oct 16th Women for Women is organizing a visit and tour to Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre. Mark your calendars.  More information to follow.
 
Refugee Sponsorship: Important Update September 16th 
We regret to inform you that our application to sponsor this family has been refused by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).  The reason given is that the recent history and travels of the father, Ali Shalhawy as described in the application are factually and demonstrably incorrect.
 
We do not know exactly why they felt they needed to manufacture or embellish Ali's history. It is hard to understand what goes through the minds of desperate people who have experienced the ravages of war and deprivation. To our knowledge he has not been involved in any illegal activity or in the Syrian conflict, but has simply acted out of passionate concern for his children.
 
We have spoken to Amar Youzbashi of the United Church refugee support program (our SAH office). According to him this is not a unique occurrence. Apparently war refugees will frequently embellish their story for fear that the truth will not qualify them as refugees. He urged us to refile Ali's portion of the application and petition for a second review of this file. Amar has stated that if we are not going to continue to fight for this family, he will look for another sponsor for them. In his office's estimation, the family is qualified as refugees, doubly so as Palestinian, as they are stateless.  He is confident that we have a good case for review.
 
Despite this setback, this family is without question a Palestinian Syrian refugee family. Their story and that of the larger family over generations, is one of tragedy. There is no question that they lost their Damascus home, were displaced to Lebanon and then to Sudan as a consequence of the Syrian war. They are stateless, live in poverty, on a temporary visa, in a country that is itself poor. The children are not welcome in school, experiencing racism on going. Please rest assured that money we have sent them over the past several months to survive in Sudan was much needed and well used.  We hold them in our prayers and ask that you do as well.
 
NorWest Constituent Group is currently studying this application, Ali's situation and this ruling in great detail. What we can say is that we are encouraged by Amar's words from the United Church SAH Office and we will be appealing this decision. We will keep you posted as to our progress and thank you so much for your generosity and Christian kindness.
 
For more information, please contact any member of our Refugee Sponsorship Task Group: Dianne Hope, Hermine Bingham, Muriel Hamdani, Catharine Watts, Debby Sturgeon and Lorraine Brignall.
 
The Deacon's Cupboard
The Deacon's Cupboard is fully open for the fall. Canned fish or meat would be welcomed as donations. Volunteer drivers are required to help with the transportation of food from the Mississauga Food Bank to the cupboard.  
Involvement would normally be once every 4/5 weeks.   If interested, or to obtain more information, contact Mike Ogilvie 905-820-2387 or oglivia@sympatico.ca

AED At EMUC
AEDs (automated external defibrillators) are recommended by the Canadian Red Cross.  In the case of a sudden cardiac arrest, the general survival rate is 7%.  The Heart and Stroke Foundation states AED use within the first three minutes increases survival rates by up to 75%.  The Membership and Pastoral Care Committee along with the Health and Safety Committee have an AED installed at EMUC.  It is on the wall in the main foyer between the office and the centre front doors.  All EMUC folk and users of the church building are asked to become acquainted with the instructions for using the AED.  Please go to this link and watch the short video. Watching the video will increase your comfort level using the equipment and may help you to save someone's life.  


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Contact Us:

Peter Kiteley, Office Administrator
office@emuc.ca
Erin Mills United Church