Friday Message and what's coming

Friday Message

What's Coming!

January 15, 2021

Epiphany

I should have written this piece a week ago. It sometimes takes me longer than I would like to process things I have experienced. Which is okay when I have time to write and edit and rewrite, but which is not the best when I need to make an immediate response to something.

Like many of you, I was beyond disturbed by the attack on the US Capitol building on January 6. It was almost unbelievable that mobs of angry people could overwhelm security and cause so much destruction. The details that have come out since that day are even more upsetting. And I am grieving for our American neighbours as they come to terms with all that has happened, and I pray with them as they try to move forward in hope.

Now, I know that some might say that it is none of my business to comment on the political matters of another country or that it could never happen to us in Canada, but Gavin McInnes, the founder of the Proud Boys, is a Canadian. On the day that the Capitol was attacked, there were sympathetic marches in several our cities. It could happen here and we need to accept that we also have work to do to prevent it.

The most important reason that I feel I need to speak out is because those who marched in Washington, who vandalized the historic buildings, who threatened the safety and very lives of police, of politicians, of ordinary people trying to do their work, did so while claiming to be followers of Jesus.

Let me be clear: Jesus was not any part of that. There was nothing of Jesus in the frenzied waving of flags bearing one man’s name. There was nothing of Jesus and nothing pro-life about a politician and his minions who whipped up a crowd in a rally and then pointed them in the direction of the Capitol where five people lost their lives in the violence, including a police officer. Jesus’ name has been desecrated just as clearly as the Capitol has been desecrated. Those who participated in last Wednesday’s despicable debacle were called “special people” by a President who has curried the favor of racists and bigots and extremists throughout the four years of his term in office. He was wrong. He has been wrong all along. They are not special. They are wrong. They are certainly loved by God, but they are wrong, and what they did was not in keeping with what Jesus taught and lived.

“Not by might and not by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of Hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). Jesus was not part of the mob last Wednesday. Jesus’ law is love. Jesus’ gospel is peace.

Shalom, Kathi

This Week at EMUC

UPDATE on WORSHIP SERVICES

The EMUC Sunday and Wednesday Prayer services will continue online using the Zoom platform until further notice. The possibility of returning to the building for worship will be reassessed each month at the Leadership Circle meeting.

Sunday January 17:

10:00 a.m.: Online Worship led by Rev. Kathi

Monday January 18:

7:00 p.m.: Bible Study via Zoom

Tuesday January 19:

6:45 p.m.: Leadership Circle Meeting via Zoom

Wednesday January 20:

6:45 p.m.: Prayer Service via Zoom

What's Coming!

Wednesday Evening Worship

If you would like to join in the Wednesday Evening Zoom Worship, please email Rev. Kathi at kathi@emuc.ca and she will email you the access code.

Good News from Finance

Under the current situation we find ourselves living in, it is always uplifting to receive good news.

Our givings for December 2020 were 42% above budget. We had budgeted for $18,500 and the congregation donated $26,297. Included in this total is Special Christmas Givings of $13,832 compared to the budget of $6000. What great support for EMUC!!!! For more good news, overall givings to the operating budget for 2020 are 3.8% above budget. We will share more details in the annual report for 2020 being prepared for a Zoom congregational meeting on March 7 after the worship service.

We also want to share with you the generous support of the congregation for the Deacon’s Cupboard. Donations to the regular mission of the Cupboard totalled $12,028 plus an additional $7605 for the Christmas Gift Program - a great outreach to the community.

We do face financial challenges as a result of drastic reductions in rental and fundraising revenue but the tremendous support from the congregation demonstrates the strength of EMUC.

Finance Committee

Women for Women

is holding a free 1 hour on-line Zoom event, open to everyone, on Wednesday, February 3 at 3:00 p.m. Diana McNeill will be doing a presentation on healthy bones entitled "Speaking of Bones", sponsored by Osteoporosis Canada. Please RSVP to cathy.scattergood@sympatico.ca or leave a message at 905-828-5138 by January 29 and a Zoom link (computer or phone) will be sent to you by February 1.

Affirming Working Group - We Need to Hear from You

Over the last few weeks, an announcement about EMUC becoming an Affirming Ministry within the United Church of Canada has been circulated through the Friday message. We hope you have had a chance to read it. Perhaps you have even visited the Affirm United website and explored the Open Hearts document. As we mentioned, much of this work will require face to face discussions and in person workshops. When we are back together, this work will go ahead.

Thankfully, there are a few things we can invite you to help us with right now. Please consider thinking about and responding to the following questions. Your answers are so important to help our working group move forward in planning the education process around our Affirming mission.

1. Why should EMUC consider becoming an affirming congregation?

2. What are your concerns/questions around becoming an affirming congregation?

3. With consideration of the various learning styles that individuals have, which educational method do you find most beneficial? (i.e. reading material, movies, workshops, guest speakers, etc.)

We invite you to email anyone on our working group with your responses and any other feedback that may be helpful as we move forward in this process.

Thank you in advance for your participation,

Joanne Hines (twokids@rogers.com)

Karen Colwell (karencolwell.home2@.gmail.com)

Sandy Hayes (sandyhayes88@gmail.com)

Rebecca Hines (hines.becca.j@gmail.com)

Deb Sturgeon (sturgs4@rogers.com)

Linda Appleby (lapplebymuskoka@gmail.com)

Fundscrip Fundraising Gift Card Program is back in January!!

Back by popular demand, we are happy to announce that anyone interested in purchasing Fundscrip cards in January will be able to do so by following the procedures listed below;

1. Email Joanne Hines at twokids@rogers.com to receive an order form.

2. If you already have an order form, send an email to Joanne Hines with your order by Thursday, January 28.

3. Take the cheque for your order amount and drop it off in the church mailbox (Tina will be working from home during this stay at home order period) or take your cheque or cash directly to Mike Ogilvie by Friday, January 29.

4. Your order will be placed on Sunday January 31 and will hopefully arrive sometime on Thursday, February 4.

5. Arrange to pick up your order from the church office by appointment on Friday, February 4.

An announcement from the Affirming Congregations Working Group and The Interfaith, Justice and Peace Group

Are you looking for a book to read? We suggest, “We Have Always Been Here – A Queer Muslim Memoir” by Samra Habib. This is the fascinating story of a young girl’s struggle against a tradition that sought to suppress her hopes and dreams simply because she was female. It’s the story of a young woman’s awakening to her true sexual identity. It’s the story of a woman’s search to find spaces where she could live out her Muslim faith in community with those who shared her sexual identity.

“We Have always Been Here” is the book the Affirming Congregations Working Group and The Interfaith, Justice and Peace Group have chosen for a One Book Read. “What is that?” you may ask. That’s when anyone who is interested reads the book and then joins us over Zoom to talk about the book. The discussion is being planned for mid-February. Stay tuned for more information on the exact date!

If you think you might like to join in the One Book Read please contact any one of the following people: Dianne Hope at dadihope@gmail.com, Karen Colwell at karencolwell.home2@gmail.com or Joanne Hines at twokids@rogers.com

Donations to EMUC

Some of you have asked how you can make donations to operations, mission and service, the benevolent fund, and the Deacon’s Cupboard. You can donate through Canada Helps by going to www.emuc.ca or by mailing a cheque to EMUC at 3010 The Collegeway, Mississauga, ON., L5L 4X9. Please mark the envelope "Attention Envelope Secretary".

Please note that Deacon's Cupboard would prefer to receive financial donations rather than actual food donations because the church remains closed so that managing food is difficult. The Cupboard is giving only vouchers to its guests. They are open only on Wednesdays and not on Monday evenings for the duration of the pandemic.

Thank you to everyone for your ongoing support.

Office Hours:

Following the latest government order, Tina will be working from home and only going in to the church for essential work when needed.

Also she will be retrieving phone messages remotely only for her and Rev Kathi’s voicemail boxes. So if you are leaving a voice message please make sure you don’t leave it in the general EMUC phone voicemail box.

Tina can be reached Monday to Friday; 9:30am-4:00pm. For the quickest response please email office@emuc.ca, If calling to leave a message use (905)820-9466 ext. 23: messages will be picked up remotely.

If you need access to the church, contact the office and Tina is happy to schedule an appointment.

‌