Ralph Connor Memorial
United Church
Weekly
|
|
|
Friday, July 31, 2020
Kindly submit your Newsletter items to
office@ralphconnor.ca by Thursday at 11:00 AM
|
|
FOR THIS WEEK'S WORSHIP - Sunday August 2
Each Sunday, our online Worship is posted by 10:00 AM on our YouTube Channel,
Words to consider in preparation for this Sunday’s service: “we… are called to love and shalom, and in practicing extreme, radical, gracious love, we practice beckoning and living in the kingdom of God as Jesus did. We apply the gospel message as it was meant, a message that welcomes all people and all creation to a new reality of true and lasting wholeness.” – Indigenous Christian author Kaitlin Curtice,
link here~.
The scripture for this Sunday is Matthew 5: 43-48
click here~.
And... at 10:45 AM this Sunday, come for virtual "coffee and conversation" via Zoom and catch up with some folks you may not have seen for a while. Greg emailed the login information on Thursday; if you don't receive this info but would like to join the Zoom gathering, please email
minister@ralphconnor.ca.
|
|
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, have arrived safely 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. Counting down 14 sleeps takes us to August 7th, when if no Covid-19 symptoms present, Wa'ill & Dana will be ready to meet in-person and begin to enjoy the beautiful Canadian Rockies.
Thank you to everyone who made or sourced handwritten “Welcome to Canmore greeting cards” so that delivery was made prior to their arrival. Thank you to the BVSRP team of volunteers who made this sponsorship happen. We are grateful for the donors who continue to generously support the project costs.
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 (BVSRP). Thank you!
|
|
I
f you have a prayer concern to be shared in our Tuesday "Morning Prayer" or our Mon-Wed-Fri Healing Pathway Prayer Circle (meeting next on August 7th), please email Val Goodrow at
v.goodrow@me.com and Rev. Greg Wooley at
minister@ralphconnor.ca.
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.
|
|
FUNDING 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 on the RCMUC website, or by Pre-Authorized Remittance (links for “Donate Now” and PAR are found at the bottom of this Newsletter).
Each week for the next two 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 Friends of CYAN (Canmore Young Adult Network). This week we'll highlight Living Into Right Relations.
|
|
LIVING OUR MISSION
OUTREACH
Living into Right Relations
This Mission increases the knowledge of non-aboriginals about the history and culture of indigenous people.
History:
2015: In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, a Right Relations Circle was formed by 3 members of our Church
2016: This year led to greater participation from the larger community. Early activities were the Summer Right Relations Book Club and a Kairos blanket exercise.
2017: In November RCMUC began “acknowledging territory” before each service.
2018: RCMUC tightened its relationship with the Stoney Nakoda community and the Morley United Church with at least 5 events that involved members of the three communities. This was in addition to events honoring indigenous people that were organized by Mary Shearer and her helpers.
2019: Educational and multi-community events continue to be held. Through all these years, Mary has been a strong advocate at wider Church events to ensure a place for indigenous people in the United Church of Canada.
It’s all about energy and action
Over the years, the energy and action for Living in Right Relations has been provided by: Mary Shearer, Judy Archer, Donna Kennedy, Joy McMann, Marg Suurallik, the "High Strung" Ukulele team, and many helpers with the Morley Christmas Feast.
|
|
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.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Ongoing Ministries
& Community Programs
|
|
Canmore Young Adult Network - CYAN
If you're wondering who's in the back yard of the Church for an evening group, chances are pretty good it's CYAN! Tara is working hard to get in-person evening events going again, outdoors with safe distancing, so Wednesday night it's yoga, with a maximum of 25 participants. Many other young adult events are going on,
check
http://cyancanmore.ca/
Bow Valley Syrian Refugee Project - BVSRP
Welcome to Canada Wa'ill Tatari and Dana Ali.
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.
Nine & Dine
Because of the uncertainty of the Covid- 19, your golf committee has decided to cancel this year’s Nine and Dine golf tournament usually held in September.”
a Message from your Nine & Dine Host Joyce Chilcott
|
|
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).
|
|
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
Living during this pandemic has been humbling as the distinctions of class, equality and power have been removed from the possibility of infection and death. Outcomes may still be determined by location and access to health care but the humanity-field has been leveled in terms of infection. Globally, we’re all in this together, our perceptions have never been more egalitarian, allowing us to see inequities in the systems we have created…and potential solutions. No one is going to get out of
coronaland with the same attitudes and values which shaped our lives 4 months ago.
Intrinsic to our shared humanity is that we all walk, we all sing and these activities can bring us together to create bonds and connections at the same time we are social distancing!
A walking sermon from Milliwanga "Milli" Sandy. Milli is an Elder from the Beswick community in Australia. She is widely recognized as a significant teacher and leader in the area of bilingual education for Indigenous Australians
click here~.
There are a few spots left for the Wisdom Centre’s September retreat at Kingsfold Retreat Centre,
click here~ a beautiful place to walk, and pray. Living with Uncertainty: Lessons from the Psalms will be led by Anna Greenwood-Lee, Christine Conkin and Helen Barry. September 18 -20. For more information
click here~.
Communities of faith are often the hub of the neighbourhood. Connections through MacKay United Church have led to the development of a fascinating new app as they seek out creative expressions in the 'new normal'. The app is a 'locative walk' around the MacKay neighbourhood of historic Ottawa. The soundtrack is from their music and meditation ministry.
Virtual choirs are not new but now have become vital to bring voices, and listeners, together in expression of community. A history of coming together virtually, by originator, Eric Whitacre
click here~ for his latest work, Sing Gently, is by a choir larger than Canmore who are singing as
find link here~.
|
|
OFFICE CONTACTS
The Church Offices are closed, but emails and phone messages will be retrieved Tuesday-Thursday.
If you would like to have a safe-distance get-together with Greg, please send him an email at minister@ralphconnor.ca and he’ll set up a time and place.
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 regularly.
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
|
|
Ralph Connor Memorial United Church
617 Main Street, Canmore, Alberta, T1W 2B1
|
|
|
Stay Connected Follow Us on Facebook
|
|
|
|
|
|
|