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Message from Rev. Karen Lumley
“More smiling, less worrying.
More compassion, less judgment.
More blessed, less stressed.
More love, less hate.”
Roy T. Bennett
Already it is the end of August, the end of summer and soon fall will be upon us. There is so much we may have wanted to do but have not had the energy, time or drive. It has been a different year where everyone, or at least most everyone has been concerned about Covid and their health. Now we are vaccinated, except for children under 12 and those who choose not to. We await news of what will happen at church, will we open or not? Will we continue being online or not? Who will attend if we open and how will that look? How do we be church yet again differently?
As we anticipate the Re-Opening Committee meeting to consider what to do and the Council to vote on it, keep this group in your prayers. May God help them discern what the best plan is
for St. Andrew’s. Some are anxious to get back to Church, others are unsure, and others simply want to wait. Church will be different! We are different!
The only constant is that God walks with us on this journey of life and in faith We Go On!
Enjoy the last week of August, I know I will as I fly to Toronto to visit my mom. I have not seen her for two years as Covid hit just after I was to go. It will be great to visit with her and other family. Take care and continue to be safe!
Our Prayer for the Week:
(Adapted from Stephanie Richmond, Greenank-Seagrave , Ont.)
Loving God,
You are the centre of our well-being as people of faith.
We begin this week with thankful hearts.
We call to mind the many ways that our lives are made
better just by knowing your unconditional love
and acceptance is a part of who we are.
May these last days of summer nurture our spirits and
strengthen our being as we move into the fall.
May this time be guided by the Holy Spirit
and may we be uplifted and strengthened in your love and light,
so we may channel that love and light in the world.
This we pray in the name of the one who is the light of the world, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
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Katy Harmer (she/her) is a choral conductor, educator, singer, and administrator based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Katy is currently the Artistic Director for Margaret’s Choir, Music Director at St. Andrew’s River Heights, co-founder of the Winnipeg Beer Choir, and founder of Winnipeg Upper Voices. She was the Assistant Director of Prairie Voices from 2017-2021, and also leads choral workshops. She recently completed a Master of Music at the University of Manitoba, studying with Dr. Elroy Friesen. A lifelong choral musician originally from Toronto, Katy has also lived and made music in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. She believes that music, and especially choral music, is the best way to build community, and she loves collaborating and making new connections. Katy also enjoys her work on a vegetable farm in East St. Paul, knitting, and playing Ultimate Frisbee.
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Tentative Plans for Re-Opening for In-Person Services
It is very positive to see that covid restrictions relating to gatherings in general are lessening due mainly to the broadening coverage of vaccination rates. Many of us are anxious to resume the fellowship of in-person church services. Your Council has continued to track these developments.
Our general consensus is to target the start of in-person services on Sunday, September 12, the first Sunday following Labour Day. Of course, that assumes that Provincial Health restrictions allow that to happen at that time. We will keep you posted through the weekly E-Blasts.
Glenn Neufeld
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From the Ministry and Personnel group
As recently announced, Derek Morphy will be retiring as Director of Music at St. Andrew's effective July 31, 2021. Ordinarily we would host a reception for Derek and present him with a gift from the congregation. While we hope to be able to have such a gathering in future, when public health guidelines allow, a reception at this time is not possible. However, we plan to present Derek with a card and monetary gift with our thanks for his outstanding ministry of music among us. If you would like to participate, please submit your contribution to the church office by cheque on or before Aug 31, 2021. Names of all those contributing will be included in our card.
Sincerely,
Michael Duncan, on behalf of the Ministry and Personnel group
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You can continue to support St. Andrew’s River Heights United Church through pre-authorized on par or sending cheques to the office(mail is picked up daily). Thank you for your continued support of the life, work and ministry of our church.
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The council meeting minutes for June are now available to view HERE
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Sunday, September 5 is the Sacrament of Communion. Please bring your elements to the service so that as you view it online you can participate. Rev. Loraine MacKenzie Shepherd and Rita Swan will be leading worship that Sunday. The service will be recorded at St. Andrew's.
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Thanks to our Reader Bernard Boland and soloist Aaron Hutton for offering their gifts in the service this weekend.
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Remenber Nancy Parkhill's family in the death of her brother Ted (Dutch) Holland who passed away on July 22nd.
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A service of celebration for Doreen Morrow will be held at St. Andrew ’s River Heights United Church on Thursday, September 16th in the afternoon. More details to come.
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Rev. Karen Lumley will be on holidays in Ontario visiting family, from Thurs. August 26 to Sun. Sept. 5. Rev. Heather Robbins in on call for pastoral care for Westworth and St. Andrew’s 204-295-1542.
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Prayer Requests : Anyone who has prayer requests for our Church family to remember in their own prayers and in our Community Prayers for church, please send them to Rev. Karen Lumley.
All prayer requests shared are with permission only.
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There has been a debate over continuing to record services when we return to in person service. If we are to continue recording the service once in person, the recording would not be viewable until the following day at the earliest. We want to ensure the continued quality we have been maintaining, which live broadcasts can't guarantee.
We would love to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Should we continue recording once in person and if so why? :)
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Scripture Readings for next week:
Prov. 22:2, 8, 9, 22-23
Psalms 125
James 2:1-10, 11-17
Mark 7:24-37
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If you or anyone you know has a special birthday, anniversary or celebration coming up let us know so that we can announce it.
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Thanks to all who make the Church services possible,
Charlotte Lindsay and Michael Cuthbert for recording and editing the services, Tyler Craddock on the Soundboard, organist Wes Elias, Katy Harmer our Music Director who ensure singers or soloists are available for each service, Colleen Watters who arranges readers every week, Ruth McKenzie who ensures everyone is signed in and protocols for Covid are followed and David Wreford who opens the church on every rental occasion sometimes multiple times a day, thank you so much for going out of your way to ensure rentals have access.
A special thanks to our soloists and singers: Sarah Cory, Fred Cross, Chris Donlevy, Paul Forget, Nolan Kehler Heather Kozak, Nicki LeGrand, Judith Oatway, Aaron Hutton, Diane Wreford. Thank you sharing your gift and ministry of music with us.
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The United Church is making funds available to support the work of Indigenous communities for the identification of unmarked graves.
Orange shirts are placed outside the legislature in Victoria, B.C. in honour of 215 children buried in an unmarked grave at the Kamloops Residential School.
Credit: ©THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Published On: July 22, 2021
The United Church of Canada is making funds available to support the work of Indigenous communities for the identification of unmarked graves, knowledge gathering, and ceremony to honour the children who did not return home from its 15 residential schools. This is an act of reparation and responds to Calls to Action 73–76(opens in a new tab) of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
“The United Church of Canada was an active participant in a system that ripped Indigenous families apart by forcibly removing the children from their homes,” says the church’s Moderator, Richard Bott. “We have written to Indigenous leaders of the communities where 13 United Church-run residential schools were located, and in the case of the other two, communities whose children were taken there. We have let them know that we have made funds available so that the work of bringing home the children does not solely rest on their shoulders. We played a critical role in this and we as a church need to be more action focused in our commitment to reconciliation.” The Moderator also released a wider statement(opens in a new tab) to the residential school survivors, their families, and communities.
A special meeting of the General Council Executive on July 20th, 2021 approved three million dollars to fund this work, which also includes archival research and providing communities access to documents. The United Church turned over all its existing records to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Commission(opens in a new tab) and continues to send records that come to light. The General Secretary, Rev. Michael Blair, notes, “Our history as settlers is a ‘we can fix this’ attitude. Clearly, we have been very wrong. We need to listen before we act, and support communities as they define their needs.”
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