Ralph Connor Memorial
United Church
Weekly
Kindly submit your Newsletter items to office@ralphconnor.ca by Thursday at 11:00 AM
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On Sundays, July 19th and July 26th, our Honourary Associate Minister,
Rev. Michael Ward
will be leading our YouTube services (and providing emergency pastoral coverage) as Greg takes a two-week break.
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Friday, July 17, 2020
FOR THIS WEEK'S WORSHIP
The scripture for this
Sunday, July 19th
is Matthew 13: 24-30 'The Grace of Doing Nothing'
click here~
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Welcome Wa'ill Tatari and Dana Ali to Canmore
The Bow Valley Syrian Refugee Project is thrilled to announce that our sponsored refugees, Wa'ill and Dana, are arriving in Canmore late on July 23, 2020. In keeping with Canada’s Mandatory Quarantine requirements, they will be isolating at their new suite for 14 days.
We are encouraging everyone to make or source a “Welcome to Canmore greeting card” with handwritten notes of welcome that will be left on their dining table for them to open and read during their period of isolation. Handwritten cards from Canmore’s children would also be most welcome. Drop off your cards in the mailbox at the west side door of Ralph Connor Church, 617 Main Street before next Thursday and delivery will be arranged prior to their arrival.
Should you wish to support the settlement costs, please donate to Ralph Connor Memorial United Church indicating that the donation is for the work of the Bow Valley Syrian Refugee Project. Thank you!
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I
f you have a prayer concern to be shared in our Tuesday "Morning Prayer" or our Mon-Wed-Fri Healing Pathway Prayer Circle, please email Val Goodrow at
v.goodrow@me.com
We request that the person gives consent to have their name mentioned in prayer as privacy/confidentiality is of utmost importance. We also would appreciate knowing when the situation changes and we can release them from our prayers or update the prayer to a changing need.
Note: For the next week we will not be having Tuesday "Morning Prayer."
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LIVING OUR MISSION
a Message from your Stewardship Committee
Ralph Connor Memorial United Church's Mission as a Church Community is:
• to nurture the spiritual exploration and growth of all our members and adherents;
• to be an intentionally inviting Christian community that seeks, welcomes and embraces new members;
• to reach out and become an agent for social justice in our neighborhood and in the global community.
A heartfelt thank you to RCMUC friends for your generosity during these challenging times. We continue to receive an outpouring of kindnesses and generosity, which helps us to pay our ongoing expenses and reach out to others in our community.
As always, donations may be made by letter mail, by eTransfer to
office@ralphconnor.ca
, or by the “donate now” button or by Pre-Authorized Remittance (links for “Donate Now” and PAR are found at the bottom of this Newsletter).
Each week for the next three weeks, we'll highlight one of the outreach ways that we "live out" this Mission that you so generously fund. Last week we highlighted the Affirming Ministry. This week we'll highlight the Bow Valley Syrian Refugee Project.
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LIVING OUR MISSION
OUTREACH
Bow Valley Syrian Refugee Project
(BVSRP)
The goal of the BVSRP is to sponsor Syrian immigrants and help them settle in the Bow Valley. RCMUC members work with volunteers from other Canmore based agencies to make this project a success.
History:
2015: Several groups and individuals investigate the possibility of bringing Syrian Refugees to the Bow Valley. The groups included RCMUC, Rotary Club, Munchkins Day Care and almost 200 volunteers.
2016: The BVSRP learned of a family who were in a precarious situation in Beirut after leaving their home in Aleppo, Syria. The Kahkejian’s arrived in Canmore in the fall of 2016 and have been welcomed into the community. In late 2016, the BVSRP identified and submitted a Private Sponsorship application for a second family that wished to emigrate to Canada.
2017: The Private Sponsorship application for this second family has received the first stage of acceptance.
• Fundraising efforts continued in preparation for the arrival of the second family. By the end of 2017 enough funds had been collected to provide for the second family for one year.
2018: Continued to work with officials to get final approval to bring the second family to the Bow Valley.
• Fundraising continued to collect money to fly the second family from their current temporary home in Malaysia to their desired home in Canada.
2019: Final approval was received in 2019 and they were granted permanent resident Visas.
2020: COVID19 has temporarily delayed the arrival of the second family. We look forward to their arrival soon.
RCMUC Role in the BVSRP
- One of the project’s instigators
- Executive team members and volunteers are from RCMUC
- The United Church of Canada has been the Sponsorship Agreement Holder for the Citizen and Immigration Canada Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program.
- Helped with treasurer duties in the early days.
It’s all about energy and action
RCMUC members who have worked with the BVSRP Executive are: Joy McMann, Karen Fraser, Cam McMann, Ian Schofield; Mona McIntyre, Rick Hester (finances); and many others in the organizational phase.
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Sunday night at 7:00 PM, we’ll continue ringing the Church bell in appreciation of medical personnel and others providing essential services in the ongoing pandemic. We encourage all Canmorites to continue to make joyous noise in your section of the Town of Canmore, at 7:00 PM any/every night.
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An ongoing thank you to our "Care Contact" phoners and "Care Courier" errand/delivery team, for doing such wonderful outreach in keeping us connected to one another.
With the Alberta reopening strategy in phase 2 and the (occasionally) warmer weather, our Church community is getting “out and about” quite a bit more… and with that, these calls and emails from the Care Contacts will be less frequent. Thanks again Care Contact team! Stay in touch...next Care Contact team meeting will be Wednesday, September 2 @ 10 AM.
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Ongoing Ministries
& Community Programs
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Canmore Young Adult Network - CYAN
If you're wondering who's in the back yard of the Church, chances are pretty good it's CYAN! Tara is working hard to get in-person events going again, outdoors with safe distancing, so Wednesday night it's mindfulness practice, and on Tuesday July 21 it will be book club. Many other young adult events are going on, check
http://cyancanmore.ca/ or
https://www.facebook.com/canmorecyan/
for more details.
Bow Valley Syrian Refugee Project - BVSRP
Feature section above revealing arrival date is fast approaching. Don't forget to drop your welcome cards in the church mailbox before Thursday noon.
Community Food & Friends
Food & Friends is now serving TWO nights a week rather than just one, with meal delivery on Monday and Thursday. If you wish to receive a meal or are willing to deliver meals, please email
foodandfriends2020@gmail.com.
~Provide your name, phone number, address, and whether you are a single or a family and thus require more than one serving. Provide specific instructions for access if it is not a simple knock on the door.~
Note: Food & Friends will return to normal after Covid-19 reopening regulations permit.
Community artsPlace - Summer Camp
RCMUC has partnered with artsPlace to allow children ages 6-12 enrolled in their M-F Summer Camps between July 13-Aug 28 to use RCMUC backyard, weather permitting from 9:15 AM to 12 PM. artsPlace staff will escort 2 separate groups of 5 for an hour each of instructor-led games in RCMUC back yard only. For more information
check link here
about artsPlace summer children's programs.
Opportunities for Learning & Reflection
A popular event at artsPlace that is now available online, is the Shoe Project, headed up by Katharine Govier. In these presentations, immigrant women in the Bow Valley tell their stories of coming to Canada – featuring a particular pair of shoes that were involved in the journey. Stories from 2017 and 2019 are available online this month, at
click here~
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a Message from your Living Into Right Relations Committee
August 1 1834 was a landmark human rights victory for slaves in Canada
Passage of the Abolition of Slavery Act meant that no one could be enslaved in Canada again. This was a major turning point in the history of African peoples, and their descendants, who were colonized and enslaved under the rule of the British Empire. The buying, selling, and enslavement of Black and Indigenous people went on for about 200 years in our own country (beginning with the arrival of Olivier le Jeune in 1628 to New France and ending with the Slavery Abolition Act, August 1, 1834).
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Many thanks to Robin Slater for offering "Robin's Web" as a feature in our Newsletter, as part of our efforts to be a more broadly inclusive Community of Faith.
ROBIN'S WEB
CONNECTING DIVERSITY
Anna Greenwood-Lee from the Wisdom Centre, has a 2-min sermon (July 6, 2020) about Jesus’ take on systemic problems: Think about how much fear would be part of your daily reality if you were homeless. Micah preached about this 2700 years ago. There is a currently a Recovery for All campaign in Canada that could end homelessness and cost the system less in the long run. No one should live in fear. To learn more
click here~
. Anna’s sermons and the following film are on the Wisdom Centre website
click here~.
This is first of three short films from a Work of the People by Christena Cleveland. Dr. Cleveland is a social psychologist, public theologian, author and activist. She is the director of the Centre for Justice and Renewal where advocates sharpen their understanding of the social frameworks that maintain injustice while learning how to transform those realities.
The video is entitled: The Church and Racism
is also on the Wisdom Centre's website (link above) after July 13, 2020 .
Affirm United's First Virtual Summer Conference & AGM 2020 Learn more about why we gather under the Rainbow Flag!
- Annual General Meeting and Executive Nominations: Saturday July 25th 2-4pm EST Zoom Link click here~
- And join us on Sunday July 26th for Welcome & Coffee Time from 11:30am-12:00pm EST followed by Worship from 12:00pm-1:00pm EST Zoom Link click here~
- Phone in: Toll Free: +1 855 703 8985
Here is diversity education in another gorgeous form: Kings Return, an a cappella vocal group rooted in Gospel, jazz, R&B and classical music, sing from an ordinary stairwell. The 8th-century antiphon, often sung on Holy Thursday during the washing of feet, was arranged by the modern Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo. Translated, the piece sends a powerful, timeless message: Where charity and love are, God is there. Christ’s love has gathered us into one. Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him. Let us fear, and let us love the living God. And may we love each other with a sincere heart.
click here~
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OFFICE CONTACTS
The Church Offices are closed, but emails and phone messages will be retrieved Tuesday-Thursday. Note: You may still use letter mail via Canada Post, or drop mail off at the church side entrance. Mail is picked up and distributed weekly.
Administration
: Trish Campney
Minister: Rev. Greg Wooley
(away July 13-27)
Music Director:
Tanya Sullivan
To print a
Preauthorized Remittance Form
To make a donation to RCMUC through the
"Canada Helps"
organization
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Ralph Connor Memorial United Church
617 Main Street, Canmore, Alberta, T1W 2B1
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