Communiqué
January 2021





Epiphany




A Little Good News
Last week, I was able to take part in a Zoom conference with Dr. Theresa Tam, the nation’s Chief Public Health Officer, who has become a familiar and reassuring public figure over the past year. The event was organized with the Canadian Council of Churches, and over 1200 religious leaders from across the country joined in to listen to and ask questions of Dr. Tam.

She told us that there are many false reports circulating and asked for our help in encouraging our communities to get our information about the virus and the vaccines only from reliable sources. We should follow the directives of our municipal Health Officers and not look for ways to get around the restrictions. 

Dr. Tam explained how the pharmaceutical companies were able to come up with vaccines so quickly and assured us of their safety. She understands our frustration with the situation that has resulted in the slowing down of the delivery of the vaccines for a few weeks, but repeated her advice that staying home, wearing masks, and washing our hands are still the best options for stopping the spread of COVID-19.

As she was wrapping up her presentation, she casually dropped a little fact into the conversation that I think is quite significant: so far this season there have been no recorded deaths from influenza. Not one. That is an amazing statistic. A piece of good news in a year when it seemed that we only heard about disasters. 

Then this list arrived in my newsfeed and it was uplifting to have some more good news. I wasn’t able to fact check all of these, but those I did are true. I hope they give you a little bit of hope for our weary world.

2020 Was Better Than You Think
  • Blue whales returned to the Atlantic Ocean after more than 100 years.
  • 48 animals species were saved from extinction.
  • Due to a 10-year conservation program, the elephant population in Kenya doubled.
  • Scientists discovered 20 new species of plants and animals, and some other species thought to be extinct were found.
  • The number of victims of terrorism has dropped for the 5th year in a row.
  • Saudi Arabia and Palestine both banned child marriages.
  • Kazakhstan became the 88th nation to abolish the death penalty.
  • Germany is changing 62 military bases into nature preserves.
  • China, the world’s biggest air polluter, has committed to achieving zero carbon emissions by 2060.
  • Demand for oil decreased for the first time in recorded history.
  • Denmark, the largest oil producer in the EU, has ceased all exploration for fossil fuels and has promised to stop extracting by 2050.
  • Scotland will provide menstrual products to all women for free.
  • Great Britain reported the lowest number of new HIV cases in over 20 years.
  • Polio has been completely eradicated in Africa, leaving Afghanistan and Pakistan as the only places where polio is still endemic.
  • The vaccines against COVID-19 were the fastest developed in history.

We are still finding our way through a worldwide pandemic, but we have shown our strength and our resilience. We have many reasons for hope.

Blessings, Kathi
Thanks!
Thanks to:

  • All those who have read scripture at the services in December and January
  • Sylvia Arnold, the Worship Committee members and all those who helped provide the Christmas services using Zoom
  • Sandy Hayes, Terry Loffree, Sylvia Arnold, Rev. Kathi, Lynda Appleby, Nancy Blackport, Karen Colwell, Nora Douglas, Barb Jennings, Lorraine Moore, Susan Ogilvie, Deb Sturgeon, Cindy Young who organized, baked and delivered cookies for the Christmas Cookie Drive-Through
  • Joanne Hines, Sandra Witterick and Mike Ogilvie who ran the Fundscrip program for the fundraising and Deacon’s Cupboard programs in December
  • All who supported the church and the Deacon’s Cupboard during the Christmas season
  • Everyone who donated knitted items over the holidays for the Deacon’s Cupboard
  • All who participated in the Christmas Zoom pageant
  • Leadership Circle members for their leadership during 2020
  • Karen Colwell for organizing the scripture readers and the Advent candle lighting readers.
  • Cindy Young, Sandy Hayes and all those involved with sending Christmas cards
Life at EMUC
Update on worship services and contact information

EMUC Sunday services will continue online using the Zoom platform until further notice.
Christmas Cookie Drive-Through

On December 9, 2020, EMUC held a cookie drive-through in place of the Christmas Tea usually held to celebrate the season. Numerous bakers in the congregation made their favourite seasonal cookies, which were then packed in Christmas boxes. All those who usually attend the Christmas tea were invited to pick up a cookie box. Rev. Kathi greeted everyone as they drove through.

Considering that it had been so long since the church was open, people enjoyed seeing people face-to-face even though at a distance. A few people unable to come to the church received their boxes delivered by Christmas elves.

Thanks to the Membership and Pastoral Care Committee and all the bakers who organized and made this event happen. 
Our Church Angels  

No singing of carols and playing games  
No meeting church members to know their names  
No Eating Christmas goodies for fun  
Because of Covid 19 these pleasures could not be done 
 
So a group of our Church team made a plan  
Thus making cookies and adding some jam  
Cute boxes and a candy cane to adore  
Ready to give out at the Church steps or your own door 
 
Rev. Kathi and the rest of the team worked hard  
Making sure we would all receive cookies with a card
 Lots of work and planning was involved  
A very successful event; it was justly called
  
Our cookies were delicious; we wanted to say  
Such a joy to think you would treat us this way  
Staying at home is really what we have to do  
So our Christmas Tea cancelled was certainly something new 
 
A huge thank you to all involved  
Sure perfected our day when you made the call  
Erin Mills United is really Number One  
So Happy New Year to just every one 

Poem by Mora MacKay Cairns
Note: EMUC becoming an Affirming Ministry is a project which came out of the Asset Mapping conducted by the Congregational Growth group. It is very supportive of whom we are as a church. At this time there is only one other pastoral charge in Mississauga which has completed the process and has become an Affirming Ministry.

FAQs about Affirming Ministries 

Q. What is an Affirming Ministry? 
A. Affirming Ministries are communities of faith, or other ministries within the United Church that have completed the process set out by Affirm United and have publicly declared their commitment to inclusion and justice for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Although Affirming Ministries make an explicit statement about issues of sexuality and gender, their commitment to justice is far broader. They work on a variety of justice issues. Just as God rejoices in the goodness and diversity of creation, so too Affirming Ministries honour and celebrate diversity. 

Q. What is the process for becoming an Affirming Ministry?
A. The process involves the following:
i. Contact an Affirming Ministry Coordinator (EMUC has done this) 
ii. Establish an Affirming Ministry working group (EMUC has done this)
iii. Write an Affirming Ministry Vision Statement, Equal Marriage Policy and an ongoing Action Plan. (To be completed)
iv. EMUC congregation votes on becoming an Affirming Ministry (recommended 75% positive minimum)
v. A planned celebration where EMUC would receive its Affirming Ministry Certificate and be added to the national list on the Affirm United website

Q. How long does the process of becoming Affirming take?
A. Depending on the congregation and the working committee organizing the education, the process could take 1-2 years. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and our need for some education to take place in person, our timeline may be delayed.

Q. What is expected of members of the congregation during the process?
A. Members of the congregation are asked to listen, read, ask questions and participate in the discussions and learning opportunities offered around Affirming Ministries. It is important that everyone has a voice and makes an informed decision when it is time to vote. Most of the learning opportunities will happen outside of worship, but there will be some events that will occur within a worship service.

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.

Q. What is Affirm United’s relationship to The United Church of Canada? 
A. Affirm United is a partner organization of The United Church of Canada. The decision to become an Affirming Ministry within the United Church is left to each individual community of faith. All United Churches of Canada are still part of the same faith, whether they become affirming or not.

Submitted by the Affirming Ministry Working Group
Children of Hope Haiti (COHH) 2020 Report

Many of you at EMUC have generously contributed school supplies to this organization over several years. With COVID-19 curtailing everyone’s life, there was no trip to Haiti in 2020. One can only hope that by September 2021, life will be more stable both here and in Haiti and we may be able to perform our outreach by way of school supplies.  

For now, sadly, political unrest continues in Haiti and their money has devalued again. COHH has had to discontinue some of the programs this past year. But the happy news is that three students on scholarship have completed their diplomas and await graduation exercises. Two other students are continuing their studies. 

There have also been two important changes within this organization. Children of Hope Haiti is now an official stand-alone charitable organization in the eyes of CRA. A new executive director, Lisa Jeffers, has been hired. Lisa has been involved in charitable organizations for a number of years and has been to Haiti with the group. Karen Goodyear has stepped down, but will remain on the board.
    
Submitted by Mary Anna Williams 
Upcoming Events
Women for Women 

Women for Women is holding a free 1 hour on-line Zoom event, open to everyone, on Wednesday, February 3 at 3:00 p.m. Diana McNeill will be doing a presentation on healthy bones entitled “Speaking of Bones,” sponsored by Osteoporosis Canada. Please RSVP to cathy.scattergood@sympatico.ca or leave a message at 905-828-5138 by January 29 and a Zoom link (computer or phone) will be sent to you by February 1. 
One Book Read

The Interfaith, Justice and Peace Group and the Affirming Ministries Working Group invite you to join in EMUC’s second One Book Read on Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 7 p.m. One Book Read is when anyone who is interested reads the selected text and participates in the follow-up Zoom discussion. Our selection this time is We Have Always Been Here – A Queer Muslim Memoir by Samra Habib.

We Have Always Been Here was on the 2020 RBC Taylor Prize longlist and is the 2020 CBC Canada Reads winner. Books are available from the Mississauga Public Library (including the ebook option). They are also available through Chapters/Indigo.

Indicate your interest in participating in this One Book Read, by contacting Dianne Hope at dadihope@gmail.com, Karen Colwell at karencolwell.home2@gmail.com, or Joanne Hines at twokids@rogers.com.

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.