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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.
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On Wednesday night a group of EMUC folk headed out from the church on an evening hike along the trails in the Erin Mills neighbourhood. Our walk took us through parks and pathways where sometimes the trees were so thick you wouldn't know that you were still in an urban setting. The almost full moon shone brightly and with the final rays of light from the setting sun, the sky was like a canvas of abstract colour. The company of other hikers and the beauty of the evening made my heart glad.
Experiences such as last Wednesday night often take me back to the remarks of Bruce Sanguin, a retired UCC minister who has given significant leadership in teaching about the care of creation. In a conference I attended a few years ago, Bruce said, 'In order to sustain the work of repairing earth, we need to recapture a sense of awe and wonder'. In other words, in order to stay in for the long haul of healing and mending the wounds of this earth, we need to be strengthened by experiences of wonder and awe in our lives. What is equally interesting is what Bruce didn't say day. He didn't say anything about how terrible and bad we'd been to the earth - he didn't rub our noses in the pollution we'd caused or in our greedy and careless behaviour that has led to such devastation in creation. He didn't lay on the guilt; he said we needed to learn to be open once again to awe and wonder.
Sanguin claims that at a young age we are weaned from wonder and are taught to live in a disenchanted universe. We look out into space and see nothing but dark emptiness. We look down at the ground we walk upon and see nothing but 'dirt'. We grow accustomed to treating the world around us as inanimate; we forget that we live inside a miracle, inside a living and evolving universe.
Somewhere, along the way as we've pursued scientific discovery and technological knowhow, we've mistakenly come to believe that with our knowledge of the universe and our understanding of biology, chemistry and physics that the rest of creation is somehow apart from us; something over which we have power and control; something beneath us. We've lost the sense of kinship with creation; we've lost the sense of our common life together and our common bond with the Creator. And in doing so, we've become blind to the beauty and the mystery, the unique patterns and the delicate web of relationships that connect us with creation. We've turned away from what our ancestors in the perceived before us.
For the Psalmist proclaims: 'The heavens are telling the glory of God and the earth proclaims God's handiwork'; 'the valleys and the meadows sing for joy'; 'the voice of God flashes forth flames of fire, shakes the wilderness and causes the oaks to whirl'.
And when the Hebrew exiles are finally able to return to their homeland, the prophet Isaiah announces: 'the mountains and hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands; the wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom and waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.'
God's creation is indeed alive and a vital part of the web of relations that connect us together on this earth. And as people of faith, we have been blessed with two sacred stories that tell us who we are; two stories that we need to hold reverently and to study diligently so that we can become the people we are created to be. One of those sacred narratives is the scriptures telling us of our ancestors in the faith and of the Christ who came among us to dwell with us in the fullness of God's love. And the other sacred narrative is the story of the unfolding universe; for it too is a reflection of God's love. Both narratives are wondrous and awesome; and both show us how to live in harmony with God and with all that God has created in love.
As we enter into the fall season with its glorious fall colours and the abundance harvested from field and garden, may we immerse ourselves in the sacred narrative of creation. And as we worship together and reflect on the faith stories of our ancestors may we immerse ourselves in the sacred narrative of scripture. Immersed in these two narratives, may we be open to the fullness of God's grace and all the opportunities to live compassionately and justly with all our relations.
Peace, Kathy Toivanen.
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Kathy Toivanen's Retirement Celebrations
Sunday September 18th at 10 am: Celebration Worship Service
with EMUC families (current and past), family, colleagues and friends.
Friday September 23rd at 6 pm: Retirement Dinner Party
with EMUC families and special guests.
Tickets for the dinner are now sold out!
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Spirit Garden
Since May, the gardening group has been working on a new garden on the north side of the church. A walkway of stones has been made surrounded by the garden.
The garden has been prepared and and was planted yesterday. 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 Sprit Garden will be dedicated on Sunday Sept. 25th.
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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.
Sunday at 10 am: Worship - the Celebration of Kathy Toivanen's ministry at EMUC
Wednesday at 6:45 pm: Worship with prayers and communion.
Thursday at 7 pm: Chancel Choir Practice
Friday at 6 pm: Retirement Dinner
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Upcoming Events
Reception Hosted by Kathy and Al
With deep appreciation and thanks for the many years with EMUC, Kathy Toivanen and Al Seymour invite you to a reception at EMUC on Wednesday September 28th following the evening worship service of prayers and communion. If you are able, you are invited to come for worship at 6:45 pm. This will be the last communion service where Kathy presides. The reception will be a 'come and go' affair from 7:30 pm until 8:30 pm. Refreshments will include some of Kathy's home baking along with coffee/tea and fruit. All are welcome.
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
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 |
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