Friday Message
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What's Coming!
June 9, 2023
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Mòrar’s Musings: A relationship is like a compost pile.
A family is like a compost pile. In fact, any group that seeks to be effective in helping its members grow, has a goal, or seeks meaning is like a compost pile. A church is like a compost pile and Jesus is like the activator that gets the process of building effective relationships with God and others going.
How, you ask, can any group you belong to be like a pile of rotting fruit?
Think about it: To all those apple peels and eggshells, mouldy knobs of ginger and cheese, tops and bottoms of onions and skins of garlic, sprouted potatoes and yellowed broccoli, add a layer of soil, some dry leaves, a little moisture and air, and the process of change starts. The compost pile shrinks until discarded living matter has changed into high-energy nourishment for a new crop of garden plants. For compost to be useful, the elements must undergo intense change. A lot. They lose their identity to assume a new purpose.
The Hebrew scriptures are full of stories of people in communities, in relationships: people who seemed to be called by God, but because they don’t have a close relationship with God, their life choices seemed to take them further and further from him. But these stories are all about how they find their way back to God and then their relationships with others are set right and they can become whom God called them to be. After a selfish, greedy youth in which he cheats his father and brother, Jacob becomes the leader of his people. After paying penance for poor life choices, like getting his lover’s husband killed, David becomes king. The list goes on.
And that’s what meaningful relationships are about. As we seek a closer relationship with God, our relationships are impacted, and we are freed to commit to a larger purpose. To achieve this, we give up something of ourselves -- the composting process at work.
Family life certainly demands that of us. Getting along with people we don’t always agree with, or don’t ever agree with; having to change as others in the family change. I remember doing a workshop with families of teens years ago. We did an exercise where people placed themselves on a continuum depending upon how decisive they thought themselves to be. Two teen girls found themselves with their mothers on the opposite end of decisive. They looked at their mothers, looked at each other, and without a word, pushed their mothers over to the decisive side. Their mothers had become more decisive in order to raise their headstrong daughters. It probably started when they were two and ran out into the road. At least it did for me!
As we reflect on this compost pile we call the church and our place in it, we know that we are different than we were, because of our relationship with the risen Christ. Christ has undergone this mysterious and all powerful change ahead of us, and as a result, we can live differently in our relationships; we can live a new life.
Blessings,
Mòrar
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Upcoming Week
To reduce the spread of all respiratory viruses including COVID-19 and the flu, if you experience any new symptom(s) of any respiratory virus please stay home. Refer to Public Health Ontario for detailed guidance by clicking on https://www.publichealthontario.ca/
Sunday June 11:
10:00 a.m.: Online and in-person Worship led by Rev. Mòrar
Annual Picnic and Bike Tune-Up after the service
Tuesday June 13:
1:00 p.m.: Prayer Shawl Knitting
Wednesday June 14:
1:00 p.m.: Circle of Friends on Zoom
Friday June 16:
7:00 p.m.: Movie Night - A Wrinkle in Time
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Upcoming Events & Announcements |
Inspire Moment
People see the evidence of God’s love in all that we do from Sunday church services to to movie nights, nature walks and more. By displaying God’s love all around, we invite others to experience the same.
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Broadview Renewal Time
Your Broadview magazine subscription ends Jul/Aug of this year. If you wish to continue your subscription for 2023/24, please confirm ‘yes’ or ‘no’ by June 9.The rate remains at $25 for the year (as part of a group subscription).
Tina will start the process of renewing our group subscription after the 9th. The church will pay on your behalf, and you can reimburse the office by cheque (payable to Erin Mills United Church), cash, or electronic fund transfer (to emucdonation@outlook.com , if you choose to renew. If we have 5 subscriptions, we can offer two new people a free subscription; so if you know anyone, Tina will take the first two names she receives.
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Circle of Friends on Zoom
Circle of Friends has met twice on Zoom. The groups were small but the women are eager to keep connected with one another.
Our last meeting before summer is on Wednesday June 14 from 1 to 2 p.m. Noreen Singh has suggested a friendly phone call reminder so that we can have a bigger gathering. We will attempt to phone as many people as we can. We will be discussing upcoming meetings for the fall and other interesting topics that you may want to explore.
Looking forward to seeing many friendly faces on June 14.
Patti King
Online EMUC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Circle of Friends
Time: May 10, 2023 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 893 6055 2582
Password: 273935
Check that the microphone and camera on your computer/device are on.
If you are connecting by telephone, check to see how to mute your phone …since we cannot mute them, if you are not on the computer.
For those connecting to the worship service by phone (only local to some areas in Canada)
778 907 2071 (British Columbia)
438 809 7799 (Montreal)
587 328 1099 (Alberta)
647 374 4685 (Toronto Area)
647 558 0588 (Toronto Area)
Meeting ID: 893 6055 2582
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Ian MacRae Memorial Bursary
Applications are now being accepted for the Ian MacRae Memorial Bursary. This bursary was established in 2000 in memory of Ian MacRae, a member of Erin Mills United Church and active fund-raiser for the congregation’s youth ministry. It is awarded annually based on demonstrated need, academic achievement, potential, and proven merit, to assist a student with their first year of post-secondary studies. Preference will be given to candidates living in the Erin Mills catchment area. The application deadline is June 15, 2023. For further information please contact : Debby Sturgeon ( sturgs4@rogers.com) or the church office ( office@emuc.ca) |
Movie Night
A Movie Night is planned for June. Come and enjoy some good family time.
There will be no set ticket price. Freewill Donations will be gratefully accepted.
Friday, June 16 – A Wrinkle in Time
Doors open at 7 p.m.; movie starts at 7:30 p.m.
Share this information with family and friends!
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The Boot/Trunk/Book/Bake sale is fast approaching and WE NEED YOUR HELP:)
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There is still space to rent a parking spot to sell your bric-a-brac. If interested please email Mike at donations@emuc.ca.
- Spread the word! invite your neighbours and friends to team up and rent a spot
- Book donations will be accepted at the church June 19th, 11-1pm, June 20th, 4-6pm and June 21st, 4-7pm. Read what types of books are acceptable at the back of the church
- Please let Barb Jennings know if you can contribute to the bake sale and what you will bake. Barb needs one or two more people to serve coffee and refreshments
Most importantly, place a hold in your calendar for Saturday June, 24th and come out to support our new BBB!
Submitted by the 2023 BBB team.
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PRIDE/AFFIRMING NEWS🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
TORONTO PRIDE PARADE WALKERS
On Sunday, June 25, a group of walkers from EMUC will take part in our first Toronto Pride parade, representing our Affirming ministry and Horseshoe Falls Regional Council. We will be gathering after our church service, eating our bagged lunches, and then carpooling to the subway to make our way down to a meeting spot in the city. If you are interested in being part of this group of walkers, there is a sign up sheet on the back bulletin board. Know that this is a day that may involve long waits and hot weather. Please speak to Karen Colwell if you have any questions.
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ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT COMING IN THE FALL
Do you need a summer project? Why not put all your old unwanted electronics items in one spot so you can donate to our recycling day in the fall. Look for our flyer at the end of the summer for details. Meanwhile, tell everyone you know about this event. Yes, it is a fundraising activity for the church., but it also ensures these items don't end up in the landfill.
Submitted by Mary Anna Williams
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Erin Mills United Church - Bunch for Lunch
Sunday, July 9, you are invited to join in a time of fellowship following service.
We will meet at 11:45 am at the Sunbeam Grill restaurant (2501 Hampshire Gate, Unit 3A, Oakville – South side of Dundas just west of Winston Churchill Blvd.) Separate cheques.
Please let us know you are coming so we can advise the restaurant of numbers. You can sign up on the signup sheet posted on the bulletin board at the back of the church. Alternatively, let Tina in the office know, so she can add you to the list.
Larry van Goozen
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Deacon’s Cupboard
We have been informed that empty egg cartons are no longer required. Thanks to all who have donated in the past.
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Final Fundscrip for Summer!!
Our important fundraising program continues this month. We will NOT have an order in July, so please keep that in mind when you are thinking about grocery and gas cards. Hopefully you can order enough to last you until the end of August. There will be a gift card order placed on Sunday, June 25, so please have all orders emailed to Joanne Hines or delivered to Tina in the office by Friday, June 23. We will also take orders after the service on the 25th and order forms are hanging at the back of the church on the bulletin board.
If you need an order form or information about the program, please contact Joanne Hines at twokids@rogers.com. Orders may be paid by etransfer at emucdonation@outlook.com. Please indicate Fundscrip order in the message. Or cheques need to be made out to Erin Mills United Church and they can be left at the church or taken to Mike Ogilvie directly. Thank you for your support of this program.
**IMPORTANT INFORMATION**
The Erin Mills Town Centre Mall is still accepting used gift cards for recycling. There is also a box at the church that Mary Anna Williams has been able to check. Please consider recycling your used Fundscrip cards by placing them in the box or taking them to the customer service desk at the Erin Mills Town Centre.
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Office hours:
Mondays through Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Tina works from home on Mondays.)
Tina takes a ½ hour lunch break sometime between 12:30-1:30 p.m.
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Erin Mills United Church | 905-820-9466 | emuc.ca |
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