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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 along with information about ongoing events in the life of the congregation. We are currently in the Easter Season, which is called 'The Great Fifty Days'. The liturgical colour for this season is the celebratory gold or white as we continue to rejoice in all the signs of resurrection life in the world around us.
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Today is April Fool's Day! Were you pranked or fooled today?
Sadly, all too often when folks think of churches and religious communities, they think of a group of sombre folk who rarely smile or laugh! Of course for the most part, that's not at all true. Throughout a lifetime of particpation in faith communities I've often laughed so hard I've cried.
It seems that having a sense of humour is not something new for the church.
For centuries in Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant expressions of the Christian Church, the week following Easter Sunday, was observed by the faithful as "days of joy and laughter" with parties and picnics to celebrate Jesus' resurrection. Often church folk and their clergy
played practical jokes on each other, drenched each other with water, told jokes, sang, and danced.
Apparently, the custom was based on the reflections of early church theologians like Augustine or John Chrysostom who declared that God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead. These early church leaders called it "
Risus paschalis"
- the Easter laugh. One 21st century mnister puts this this way, "God delights in our laughter and receives it as an act of worship. At Easter we're celebrating the greatest practical joke of all time: God overturned death - God has the last laugh over death."
With that in mind, here are a couple of Easter jokes.
A neighbour asked Joseph of Arimathea why he gave his beautiful hand-hewn tomb for the burial of Jesus - someone who wasn't even in his family. Joseph replied, 'Well, he only needed it for the weekend!'
A small child was trying to memorize the Bible verse, John 3:16. She recited proudly, 'For God so loved the world that God gave God's only begotten son so that whoever believes in God should not perish, but have ever laughing life!'
So, take time in the midst of this Easter Season to remember that God gives us life as a celebration. Gloomy, dour and angry folk aren't very appealing messengers of God's love and grace. So have a chuckle and a laugh every now and then.
In the words of Walter Farquharson
'Give to us laughter, O Source of our life.
Laughter can banish so much of our strife.
Laughter and love give us wholeness and health.
Laughter and love are the coin of true wealth.'
(Voices United 624)
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Congegational Meeting - JNAC Report
This Sunday, April 3rd, the Joint Needs Assessment Report will be presented for approval by the congregation. The report is available on the website for your review before the meeting. This meeting will follow directly after the 10 am worship service and will be chaired by Mary Patterson, the Halton Presbytery Pastoral Relations Committee representative. Following the approval of the JNA Report, the Joint Search Committee members will be nominated and elected. This is an important meeting in the life of the congregation and all are urged to attend. Everyone is invited to be part of the discussion on these matters; however, only members may vote.
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This Week at EMUC
The March/Easter edition of the
C
ommunique Newsletter is now available on the website
Friday at 6:30 pm:
Camp out Event at EMUC to bear witness to those in refugee camps. Even if you aren't camping out, you can attend the program part of the evening to learn more about the refugee situation and the family that EMUC and a group of local United Churches will be sponsoring. The program begins at 7:30 pm
Friday from 7 - 9 pm: Visitation for Norman Singh at Turner and Porter, Neweduk Chapel (Dundas and Erin Mills Pkwy)
Saturday at noon: Funeral for Norman Singh at EMUC
Sunday at 10 am: Worship for the Second Sunday of Easter with Communion. We continue to dance the Easter Dance. Programs for children
Following worship: Congregational meeting to approve the Joint Needs Assessment report and to elect members to a Joint Search Committee
Following the congregational meeting: Come for lunch at Symposium Restaurant (Dundas west of Winston Churchill)
Wednesday at 6:45 Worship with prayers and communion
Thursday at 10 am: Daytime Men's Group
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Upcoming Events
Sunday Hike
Join EMUC folk and their friends for a hike on Sunday April 17th. Gather at EMUC for a bag lunch after worship and carpool at 12:15
heading to Toronto to explore the area near High Park, west of Grenadier Pond. The return is planned for 3 pm. Bring a refillable water bottle, sun screen and a hat. Contact Tim Hayes scoutertim@hotmail.com
Jazz Vespers
Plan to attend an evening of jazz music along with readings and reflections on Sunday April 17th at 7 pm. Refreshments follow the vesper service with an opportunity to meet the musicians. There is no charge for the evening; however freewill offerings are gratefully received.
Earth Day Sunday
Come to worship on April 24th at 10 am and learn about what it means to be a 'Blue Dot' city. On March 30th, Mississauga City Council approved the resolution to be a 'Blue Dot' city. This is good news for creating healthier communities to live in. What does this mean for you? How can you participate? Ann Bone, EMUC's representative on Greening Sacred Spaces will be in conversation with Kathy on Sunday to answer some of these questions.
EMUC's Annual Garage Sale, May 7th
This is one of EMUC's most important fundraisers. You can help make this event a success by signing up to help prior to, during and after the sale. The event will be held from 8 am to noon on May 7
th
with the drop off of donations beginning at 9 am on Thursday May 5
th
. Please start saving your 'treasures' for this annual fundraising event including: Household Items, Books, Games, Toys, Artwork, Linens, Small Furniture, Sports Equipment, Costume Jewelry, Bake Table and lots of more.
Refugee Sponsorship News - Important Update!
The North West Constituent Group of EMUC, Erindate and Streetsville United has submitted to the United Church of Canada (UCC) the application to sponsor a family of 7 Syrian refugees. The UCC has now forwarded the application to the Canadian government for processing. According to our UCC refugee advisor, we could receive our family
as early as the end of February
!! This is exciting news; but it now means that much work must be done quickly to get ready to receive this family. Currently, the priority is to find accommodation for the family.
In order to help furnish their accommodation, the following process has been created:
- An e-mail account has been set up refugeefurnituredrive@gmail.com
- Anyone wishing to donate furniture, small appliances or electronics, please send a picture of your donation to the above e-mail address. Please send a brief description and dimensions if possible. In particular, we are looking for 2 sets of bunk beds. Because there is no place to store furniture in advance, donors are asked to hold on to items until a time when we can physically accept the goods.
- Charitable donation receipts will not be available for used furniture, appliances, electronics.
- The volunteers from our constituent group will do their best to match the donations with the needs of the incoming family.
- If you have any questions, please specify them in the e-mail or contact Lorraine Brignall.
Other members of EMUC's Refugee Sponsorship Task group are:
Hermine Bingham, Muriel Hamdani, Debby Sturgeon, Dianne Hope, Catharine Watts
The Deacon's Cupboard
In the month of March, you are invited to bring evaporated milk or boxed milk, original, organic, almond soy or rice..
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
The cupboard is also looking for a doctor or nurse to help out at as a back- up when a nurse isn't able to be present on their designated week. Contact Belinda Morrow at 905-828-2095.
Becoming a Member of EMUC
For those who wish to become a member of EMUC by transfer from another congregation or by reaffirming their faith, there will be preparations sessions in April. Please contact Kathy Toivanen in person or by email at kathy@emuc.ca Dates and times will be negotiated based on the availability of those interested.
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Contact Us:
Peter Kiteley, Office Administrator
office@emuc.ca
Erin Mills United Church |
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