Friday Message
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What's Coming!
February 26, 2021
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As part of our celebration of Black History Month, I was asked to find stories and examples of Black historical figures in Canada. Although most of us were not taught their stories, Black people have been present in the land we call Canada since long before Confederation. For the month of February, I will be using this space to highlight a few of them.
Kay Livingstone
She was born Kathleen Jenkins in London, Ontario in 1919. Her father was an assistant judge in the local juvenile court and her parents founded a newspaper, Dawn of Tomorrow, aimed at the black community. She studied music at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Ontario and elocution at the Ottawa College of Music. During World War II, she worked for the Dominion Bureau of Statistics in Ottawa, Ontario. In 1942, she married George Livingstone; the couple had five children. While in Ottawa, she became the host of her own radio program, The Kathleen Livingstone Show. When the couple moved to Toronto, she hosted radio shows for several stations, including a CBC affiliate. In 1951, she joined a Toronto social club then known as The Dilettantes; it was soon renamed to the Canadian Negro Women’s Club, later the Canadian Negro Women’s Association (CANEWA), and Livingstone became its first president, serving from 1951 to 1953. The association began providing scholarships to encourage Black students to stay in school. CANEWA later organized the Calypso Carnival, which later became known as Caribana.
She also performed in amateur and professional theatrical productions and was referred to as "one of Canada’s leading Black actresses" during this period.
Just before her sudden death in 1975, she was working as a consultant for the Canadian Privy Council, helping to organize a national conference for visible minority women. Livingstone is credited with first using the term "visible minority".
Blessings, Kathi
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Annual Congregational Meeting
On Sunday March 7, 2021, EMUC will hold its annual meeting over Zoom immediately following the Sunday service. This meeting is important to vote on new members for the Leadership Circle and to approve the 2021draft budget.
Click the document names to review:
Plan to attend this important meeting immediately after the church service.
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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 February 28:
10:00 a.m.: Online Worship led by Rev. Kathi
Monday March 1:
7:00 p.m.: Bible Study via Zoom
Wednesday March 3:
6:45 p.m.: Prayer Service via Zoom
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Lenten Study
Munn’s and St. Andrews United Churches are giving a Lenten study and are inviting interested EMUC congregants to join them. The study will take place via Zoom for the five Mondays in March (1,8,15,22,29) from 7 to 8 p.m. It’s ok to miss a day; come as you are able. The focus will be the book, Faith on the Move by Julie McGonegal , which is available through the United Church bookstore (online at UCRD). If you are interested, contact Tina at office@emuc.ca who will ensure you receive the ZOOM link. This is the first time these three churches have collaborated on a study group. Rev. Kate Young will lead the discussions.
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About Affirming Ministries
Q. How many Affirming Ministries are there?
A. By the middle of 2020 there were over 220 Affirming Ministries across Canada. It’s interesting to note that Applewood United is the only other Affirming Ministry in Mississauga.
Q. Can’t we just say “everyone is welcome”? Why do we need to name sexual orientation and gender identity in our statements?
A. First, we need to be explicit because so many Christians have been so explicit about their exclusion. Second, many churches that say they love or welcome everyone are not at all inclusive or accepting of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. People may have very different understandings of what ―all or ―everyone really includes. And third, people of this marginalized group are often invisible even to those of us that want to offer support. Human rights have been won only when issues of injustice become more visible. Affirming Ministries are public, intentional and explicit (P.I.E.) about what their welcome and justice-seeking really means. We may understand and know we are welcoming, but we need to make this public to our community.
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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 20th, 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.
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Registration is $25/session or $75 for a 5-part series
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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. The Queen's Gambit - Netflix miniseries
2. The Children Act - movie, Netflix (with Emma Thompson)
3. Google Trickster to play nine different card games online (with friends or against others and/or computer.) Free.
4. YouTube video Messiah/Complex - Against The Grain Theater & The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Handel's "Messiah")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDhsqKQ9dp0
5. Greenleaf - Netflix, series.
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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.
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Fundraising - Turkey Pot Pies
There are about 20 turkey pot pies available for sale at the church. If you are interested in purchasing some, please contact Tina (email: office@emuc.ca) to arrange pickup and payment.
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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.
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Office Hours:
Following the latest government order, Tina will be working from home and only going in to the church for essential work when needed.
Also she will be retrieving phone messages remotely only for her and Rev Kathi’s voicemail boxes. So if you are leaving a voice message please make sure you don’t leave it in the general EMUC phone voicemail box.
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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Erin Mills United Church | 905-820-9466 | emuc.ca |
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