Friday Message and what's coming

Friday Message

What's Coming!

March 12, 2021

As we approach the anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’d like to share with you this prayer/poem of lament written by Maren Tirabassi:

Holy One,

who blesses those that mourn and will not hurry into being comforted,

we sit down into the loss of those we know,

and those that now we’ll never have a chance to know.

We grieve the stories they will not live,

the songs they will not sing,

the children they will not have,

the hope they will not offer to those around them,

the inventions they will not patent,

the art, poetry, ink, music,

shingling a house, legal argument,

good tune-up and tire rotation,

diagnosis, surgical procedure,

gentle placement of a ventilator,

dental cleaning, quilt,

strawberry picking,

produce counter stocking,

life-guard undertow rescue,

lullaby, recipe and vote

that will never be made.

We grieve the birthday candles on cakes they will never taste.

We grieve for their parents and their children, their families,

their colleagues and their friends.

We grieve memories slipping away waiting for memorial services.

We grieve that the very sadness ebbs away from weariness

or the new whisper of good news.

O God, our masks are wet with tears and our fingers shake holding balloons

at nursing home windows.

Comfort us, we pray. Amen

Blessings, Kathi

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 March 14:

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

Monday March 15:

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

Tuesday March 16:

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

Wednesday March 17:

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

What's Coming!

Holy Week Service Schedule

Services to be held via Zoom.

March 28 10:00 AM Palm Sunday – with virtual palm parade

April 1 Maundy Thursday – self guided meditation and Communion.

A bulletin will be sent in advance via email for people to follow.

April 2 9:00 AM – Good Friday Service

April 4 10:00 AM Easter Sunday – Communion

Here is the Zoom link to PIE Day:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87287698224

Meeting ID: 872 8769 8224

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Meeting ID: 872 8769 8224

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdOuZ1ewsv

“Inspire” Initiative

At the Annual Congregational Meeting last Sunday, the Congregational Growth Committee launched the “Inspire” initiative to raise the visibility of the church in the community and to focus on relationships and mission within the community. We are forming an Inspire Team and several people have already voiced interest. Some new ideas for activities connecting with the community have also been put forward: a ladies’ golf tournament, changes to our sign messages.

Help us out! Be engaged and join the Inspire Team, and send your ideas to Tina at office@emuc.ca.

From Congregational Growth Committee

United Church of Canada Presents a Series of Online Conversations on Indigenous Issues - Submitted by Lorraine Brignall

This series of 5 monthly online conversations held by the United Church of Canada started on Saturday, February 20^th, 2021. While we realize the first conversation has already taken place, we wanted to bring this series of online conversations to your attention as you can register for each individually. There are still 4 conversations which may be of interest you. If you have any questions, please contact Lorraine Brignall.

Introduction to Indigenous Lands & Issues in Canada

February 20 – June 1

Join us for a monthly series of online conversations starting February 20.

Adrian Jacobs, Sandy Salteaux Spiritual Centre (SSSC) Keeper of the Circle, and Indigenous elders from across Canada, invite you to explore the cultural and historic foundations to today’s headlines. Join us for a series of online conversations in response to the Indigenous education mandates from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Final Report.

Registration is $25/session or $75 for a 5-part series

New to Do

Anyone may make suggestions of things to do while we are at home. Items on the list are not previewed before listing, so please exercise your discretion when making suggestions to ensure they are appropriate. Submissions should be emailed to Sandy Hayes (sandyhayes88@gmail.com) by Tuesday each week, with “New to Do” as the subject. Please indicate 'time-sensitive' in the subject line if the event is occurring soon.

1. Summerland - Movie, Netflix. WWII story about a young boy evacuee from London.

2. The Forgotten Daughter - Book by Joanne Goodman (fiction)

3. The weather is improving: "Get out and walk!"

4. WandaVision – 9 part series with Marvel characters – on Disney Plus as well as the following link: or https://moviesyify.online/episodes/wandavision-s1e1. (Just X out of the pop-ups.)

5. Take a virtual trip! Check out:

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/travel/a31784720/best-virtual-tours/ 30 Amazing Virtual Tours of Museums, Zoos and Theme Parks

Living our Mission: Five Oaks Request

We have received a request this week from Five Oaks, the church education and retreat centre in Paris, On. Since they will not be able to run programs this spring, they are again going to be hosting temporary foreign farmworkers while they quarantine before starting their essential work on southern Ontario farms.

Five Oaks is calling on the community for donations of items such as:

Mini fridges or apartment sized fridges
Bookshelves
Small dressers
Small area rugs or carpet runners
Warm sweaters and coats
Spanish language items like novels, magazines, crosswords
Coffee makers and Kettles
Games, Cards, Puzzles
Art supplies

Those able to donate can contact Five Oaks at 519-442-3212 or hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca to arrange a time for drop-off or pick-up.

EMUC Fundraising – Easter Bread and Bake Sale, Good Friday

Good Friday is on April 2 and there will be a Zoom service at 9 a.m. In normal times, EMUC has had an Easter bread and bake sale after the Good Friday service. Last year, there was no Good Friday service nor a bake sale; however, this year a Good Friday service via Zoom is planned. We are planning to have a Bread and Bake sale as well!

The bake sale will be an outdoor/curbside event. People can come to pick up the bread and baking between the hours of 11 a.m. and noon on Good Friday, April 2, after the service. It would be similar to the Cookie Drive-through held in December, but people will park and come to the tables to pick the baking they desire and to pay for it. This would be done wearing masks and following social distancing procedures as much as possible. Shoppers will be accommodated on a ‘First Come, First Served’ basis. If the weather is bad that day, the tables will be moved inside to the narthex, since we may have up to 10 people inside if socially distanced.

Bakers are required! If you would like to contribute some baking to the sale or if you would like to make some bread, please contact Barb Jennings at 905-607-1626 or email to barbara_jennings@ sympatico.ca . Further Instructions about dropping off baking will be sent closer to the date.

Fundscrip is Back in March!

Our important fundraising program continues in March. There will be a gift card order placed on Sunday, March 28, so please have all orders emailed to Joanne Hines by Thursday, March 25.

If you need an order form or information about the program, please contact Joanne Hines at twokids@rogers.com. All cheques need to be made out to Erin Mills United Church and they can be left in the church mailbox or taken to Mike Ogilvie directly. Thank you for your support of this program.

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:

Now that the stay-at-home order has been lifted, Tina will be working in the church office on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., plus one additional floating day when she will go in as needed. She will continue to work from home two days a week.

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.

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