Friday Message and what's coming

Friday Message

What's Coming!

December 18, 2020

ADVENT

"Angels, Hope & Joy"

To my Erin Mills United Family,

This has been a year that none of us could have predicted. One disaster after another kept our heads and hearts spinning, unable to really even process all that was going on.

But our faith community has persevered. I am so incredibly proud of you. You have responded to every challenge and continue to rise above. I don’t dare to try and name everyone of you who has stepped up and made a difference, for fear that I will leave someone out. So, this is my thank you to each one of you for all the calls made, for the cards sent, for the ways you have adapted to strange new ways of being church in 2020. Thank you for the meals shared, for the deliveries made, for the knitting, weaving and crocheting. Thank you for the baking and meals prepared. Thank you for your honest sharing of the ways you are feeling in a time of pandemic, for your optimism and your pain. Thank you for allowing us to grieve together, celebrate together, pray together. Thank you for conversations, for photographs, for flowers, for words and music.

It hasn’t been an easy year, but we have shown who we are in our concern for each other and for our neighbours. We are children of a living God, called to be the church.

I hope that the Christmas season will fill your home with peace, your heart with love, and your life with laughter.

In peace, 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 December 20:

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

Advent 4: “O Zoom All Ye Faithful” Pageant

Monday December 21:

7:00 p.m.: Longest Night - Service of Hope and Healing via Zoom

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88190952536

Meeting ID: 881 9095 2536

Passcode: 001977

Wednesday December 23:

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

Thursday December 24:

8:00 p.m.: Christmas Eve Communion Service via Zoom

Transitions

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Gordon McCauley on December 9, 2020 after a battle with cancer. Gordon and Geraldine were very active members of our congregation and raised their children, Emilie and Stuart, at EMUC. Condolences are sent to Geraldine, Emilie, Stuart and the extended McCauley family. Please keep them in your prayers.

What's Coming!

Invite Friends and Family!

During this pandemic, it is hard for people to feel connected. Most churches are closed for services and many are not able to do online services. Why not invite your neighbours, friends and family members to join our Advent and Christmas online services?

There are two ways they may join. 1) You may forward to them the email with the link to the service which is sent out on Saturday for the Sunday service or 2) they may join our email list by going to the website http://emuc.ca and clicking the 'join our email list' to enter their email address. They will then get the emails with the service link each week.

Below is a list of the upcoming Christmas services.

Advent 2020

“Angels, Hope & Joy”

Sunday Dec. 20 10 a.m. Advent 4: “O Zoom All Ye Faithful” Pageant

Monday Dec. 21 7 p.m. Longest Night - Hope and Healing Service

Christmas Eve

Thursday Dec. 24 8 p.m. Christmas Eve & Communion Service

Sunday Dec. 27 10 a.m. Christmas Sunday

Sunday Jan. 3 10 a.m. First service of 2021 & Communion

Thank you for your support!

The guests and volunteers of the Deacon’s Cupboard would like to thank the members of Erin Mills United Church for their support in 2020 and especially for the Christmas gift cards that brightened so many homes this festive season. We would like to thank Sandra Witterick for her hard work in arranging for the gift cards, Mike Ogilvie in tracking the donations, Joanne and Gary Hines for making sure the cards reached the guests and Sara Phillips for writing the personal messages on the Christmas cards that accompanied the gift cards.

Linda Leeder

Co-Coordinator Deacon’s Cupboard.

Online Concerts to Enjoy this Season

If you would like to view and listen to a virtual concert as a way to celebrate the season, then see some suggestions below:

Tafelmusik Online Sing-Along Messiah on YouTube December 17 at 7pm EST(then available from Dec. 18-26). See the following link for information. Free.

https://www.tafelmusik.org/sing-along-on-screen

Calling All Knitters

Community Life is currently collecting hats, gloves, and scarves for adults and children to give to guests of the Deacon’s Cupboard during the holiday season. If you have any items to donate, you can drop them in a special bin located just outside the EMUC office. If anyone has items to donate but is unable to travel to EMUC, you can contact Sandra Witterick at sandra.witterick@gmail.com or call Tina at the church office to make arrangements for pick-up. Many thanks to those who have already contributed items.

Thank You

A heartfelt thank you to those who donated to the Deacon’s Cupboard during this holiday season. Whether directed to the regular givings of the Cupboard or to the special Christmas Project, you have demonstrated an overwhelming kindness and generosity to our neighbours in need.

This holiday season, and in the midst of a pandemic, EMUC raised $4,600.00 for DC regular givings and $7,630.00 for the Christmas project, for a grand total of $12,230.00 in donated Fundscrip cards.

Thank you everyone for making this project a success!

Sandra Witterick, Community Life Focus Circle Leader

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)

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

Are you still looking for a present for the readers on your list? 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

CHRISTMAS OFFERING

As you participate in the tradition of gift giving with your family and friends, please consider how a financial gift to EMUC helps celebrate God’s gifts to us and makes a difference in the life and work of this congregation. As in past years, if we are to meet our operational budget goals, increased donations are required in December. This year you can make a Special Christmas offering in person at the church, by mail, or through Canada Helps by going to our website http://emuc.ca. Please clearly identify your donation as a Christmas Offering. Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated

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:

Tina's office hours are Monday and Tuesday 12:30-4:00pm; Thursday and Friday 9:30am-1:30pm. If you need access to the church outside of these hours, please contact the office for an appointment. Tina continues to divide her time between working from home, and from the church. Please note that in the case of inclement weather, Tina may be working from home to avoid poor driving conditions. Please contact the office before driving in to confirm whether Tina is in the office.

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