Communiqué
November 2022
Advent
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Advent - Active Waiting
The world has turned and once more it is Advent, the season of anticipation, of watching and waiting – active waiting. Christmas time? Well, no and yes. I’m not trying to be mysterious here, but there is definitely a no and yes to that question.
No, the season of Advent isn’t really designed to be a countdown to the celebration of Christmas. It is a time of preparation for Christ’s return and the establishment of the kin-dom of God. It is a reminder that we are heading someplace; we are works in progress; we are longing for something more. That’s the upward call of Advent.
We are looking forward and at the same time, we are indeed looking back. Yes, we are anticipating Incarnation, the time when God broke into our history and became present in an astonishing way. And we look forward to when Emmanuel – God-with-us – will be how we live always.
And yes, we remember Christmas, the real depth and power of this singular act and the child who lived God’s presence among us, something that even the worst of the commercialism cannot ultimately overcome. We can grumble about how we’ve lost the true meaning of Christmas in this crass and cynical age, and perhaps we should. But we can also be surprised at how something pure and wonderful can appear in the most unlikely places, from the most unlikely sources, to remind us that we are all longing for something more, something of eternity and of the beloved community described by the one whose birth we celebrate. That is anticipation worthy of Advent.
Advent at Erin Mills United is always a special time, but after staying apart for two years, it is extra-special. We are excited that the choir and the bells have returned to bless our worship, and they are rehearsing with Len to bring us seasonal music on Sunday mornings. The Worship Circle have decorated, and the sanctuary shimmers with lights and greenery. The Advent wreath waits for the lighting of the candles: blue, pink, and white.
Our Sunday services are a warm welcome when it is cold outside. Today, November 27, we are bringing back the annual Soup Lunch, prepared by the members of your Leadership Circle to celebrate another successful stewardship month.
On December 11, after worship, the Membership and Pastoral Care team is once again hosting an in-person Christmas Tea.
December 21 is the winter solstice – the longest night of the year – and we will be gathering at 7 p.m. to help push back the darkness for anyone who is struggling with grief or loss.
We will celebrate Christmas Eve with candles, carols and communion at 8 p.m. And we will meet on Christmas morning at 10 a.m. to share worship as a faith family.
I hope that you can find time in the busyness of the season to come and spend some time with us, in person or on Zoom.
Blessings, Kathi
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From the Chair of the Leadership Circle
It is amazing to realize that we are now in December and Christmas is just around the corner. The Leadership Circle has been looking even further forward to plan their goals for the next year. We want to work toward our strategic direction which is, in short, to enable EMUC to be a thriving and growing church while embracing our vision and values.
Among the highlights of our goals is to move forward with making EMUC an affirming church. This will kick off on Sunday, January 29, 2023 with our official Affirm Ceremony. We also want to expand the Inspire team to be able to continue with new Inspire projects. One of the ideas we are exploring is to have a movie night. Both Affirm and Inspire are initiatives that will help EMUC become a force within the community.
As most of you know, Kathi is planning on taking a sabbatical starting after Easter. The Leadership Circle is looking at various options for supply ministry to ensure that the congregation is properly supported and that we can implement our goals and plans next year.
None of what we are trying to do is possible without your financial support. You have met our budget donations throughout this year for which I am very grateful. When you are considering your Christmas givings, please consider giving a special Christmas gift/offering so that we can end the year on target.
Let me be the first to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Kathy Andres
Chair, Leadership Circle
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Thanks to:
- All the readers and assistants for November
- Tim Hayes for organizing the walks for the Striders
- Karen Colwell for building the Little Book House Lending Library
- David Leeder for organizing the Stewardship Program
- The Leadership Circle for hosting the Stewardship Soup Luncheon
From Inspire:
Many thanks go out to the following people for helping to get our Little Book House completed and erected so that our community can enjoy reading and exchanging some new books.
Karen Colwell for the design and construction and seeing her project through to completion.
Gary Hines for digging the hole by hand and then with the help of a machine that, even then, had trouble breaking through our clay.
Steve and Patti King for helping to cement in the hole.
Debby Sturgeon along with Karen and Steve for getting the book house mounted.
Also, thanks to Ian Blackport, Tim Hayes and Ian Love for attempting the first hole on a dreary and rainy Saturday.
Thanks too, to Mike Ogilvie for volunteering to be our Book House steward.
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Stewardship Update
We hope that as you read the stewardship reflections in the November Friday Messages, it became obvious that stewardship is more than just money. Of course, your financial commitments are important and they will be used wisely to further our mission. The commitment of time and talent is just as essential if the church programs are to continue and grow.
This is a great time of year to thank all of you who have stepped forward to assist, whether in a leadership role, as a committee member, or making a contribution to complete a specific task in areas such as worship, building and property, finance, and outreach. Not only did EMUC benefit but we are sure that you feel you made a difference as you put your faith into action.
As you prepare for Christmas ,we ask you to remember to put your church home on your gift list. The target for this year’s Christmas Offering is $11,100.
Best wishes,
Finance Committee
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INSPIRED: EMUC’s Little Book House
The Inspire Committee accepted an idea and requested help: “Wouldn’t it be nice if EMUC had a lending library? We need help to build it.” Nobody came forward, so I said to myself, “Why not? I’m creative and handy. I’ve been watching Ask This Old House for years. I can do this.” I stepped up. Little did I know!
Building the Little Book House became a BIG project that took a community to build. Our minister, congregants, spouses, friends, friends of friends, a local construction site, folks who left wood out by their driveways, and advice and help from different businesses to build our little lending library.
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Steve & Karen hard at work
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I said yes to this project although I lacked a workshop and had only a few tools. No table saw, skill saw, or mitre saw. “What was I thinking?” From late spring to mid-autumn, I drilled holes; screwed in screws; cut small pieces of wood; constructed a skeleton; added sides to make a box that I wrapped in a moisture barrier; built a box around this; primed and painted it; then primed, painted and added trim to the box; I added plywood wrapped in moisture barrier as a base for a cedar shake roof. Finally, I made a door and gave it a Plexiglass window. Sylvia and Dave Arnold will vouch for me that this was a lengthy undertaking as I spent a good part of three months using the workbench and some of the tools in their garage.
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Sylvia admiring the house
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Many people chipped in on this project. Thank you to: Rev Kathi for wood and much needed Plexiglass; to Steve and Patti King for wood and cutting the first pieces of wood; to Sylvia and Dave for the workspace and company; to Sylvia’s neighbour Bruce for cutting wood using potentially dangerous saws that I was not trained to use and for providing more Plexiglass; to my good friend Cathy, who lent me numerous tools and materials and helped me to get the heavy book house to the church in one piece; to Cathy’s neighbour John, who kindly cut the roof, base and trim using his power tools and advised me how best to seal the roof and apply cedar shakes; to Sue Ogilvie’s brother Norm, who constructed a post with braces and a platform using good wood from an old deck; to Tim Hayes for getting the utility checks done so we could safely dig a hole; to Tim, Cathy Kiteley and Patti for hearing me out about where to place the book house so it would best serve our church and the community; to Tim, Ian Blackport, Ian Love, and then Gary Hines and Steve, who all worked to dig a hole deep enough to support the pole and book house; to Steve and Patti, who helped set the post in concrete; and finally to Debby Sturgeon and Steve, who helped me attach the book house to its pole before winter set in! Mike Ogilvie, the Steward of the EMUC Little Book House, we turn it over to you to keep it tidy and stocked with books!
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Karen adding the cedar roof
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A special thank you to Patti and Sylvia, who kept me going when I was discouraged; to the owner of the house under construction who graciously accommodated the crazy woman who asked for some moisture barrier and tape – and did so without charge; to Mike and Brandon at Clarkson Home Hardware for their patience and advice; and to Chris in the Oakville Home Depot Rental Department, who provided motorized equipment to dig a hole at no charge. Chris shared with us that he knew EMUC and had participated in a program here when he was younger. What a blessing!
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It took a community to build our little book house!
Please enjoy a book, return it or pass it on. Feel free to share a book. Mike and all of you will keep it stocked and doing its work in the community.
Submitted by Karen Colwell
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Thank you from the Guests of the Deacon’s Cupboard
The knitters of EMUC and St. Peters have been busy making beautiful winter items for the guests of the Deacon’s Cupboard. A special thank-you to Noreen Singh and Nora Douglas for their recent donations. In November guests have been able to select items in preparation for the cold weather. For example, last week a mother who recently arrived from the Ukraine was delighted to receive scarves and mittens for her family.
In October we returned to our model where guests could select food items that they required. Numbers are limited in the shopping room with a mask mandate in effect. A HEPA filter unit was purchased for the room through donations from two supporters. The continuing food and money donations from EMUC, other congregations, and the MFB, have ensured that our shelves are well stocked.
Thank you for your support.
Linda Leeder
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Paul McKay
Many of you will remember Paul McKay, who was our choir leader and organist for a number of years. Paul composed "Pray One Hour" for EMUC and it has remained one of our most treasured favourites. On Paul's retirement, the choir gave him a framed copy of this composition along with a picture of the choir. Paul passed away a few years ago and his widow, Sandy, made these gifts available to us. Both pictures have now been hung in the EMUC Music Room, thanks to Tim Hayes.
Nancy Blackport
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Advent / Christmas Schedule
The season of Advent begins today. Join us to celebrate throughout the Christmas season! All are welcome!
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Reverse Advent Calendar
Many of you are familiar with Advent Calendars for children, where there is a treat behind the door which is opened each day. Attached is a Reverse Advent Calendar which is another way of journeying through Advent. Each day you put the listed item in a box which is donated to the food bank at the end of Advent.
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Office Hours:
Tina’s office hours are as follows:
- Mondays-Tina works from home
- Tuesdays-Fridays, 9:00am - 4:00pm; Lunch 12:30-1:30pm
- Please call the office in advance when possible.
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ABOUT ERIN MILLS UNITED CHURCH
EMUC's Vision is to be a thriving Spirit-filled congregation;
diverse, inclusive, and engaged with the community
and creation.
The Mission of EMUC is to offer opportunities for people of all backgrounds, social situations, sexual orientations, and gender identities to experience the love of God through Jesus Christ.
We believe God welcomes all people of whatever age, race, religious background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic condition, and mental or physical ability.
Newsletter Editor: Janet Morrison Layout: Barbara Jennings
Proof-reader: Cindy Young
3010 The Collegeway
Mississauga, L5L4X9
905-820-9466
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