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Message from Rev. Karen Lumley
The Waves
Happiness is the quiet, ordinary things.
A table, a chair, a book with a plastic knife stuck between the pages.
And the petal falling from the rose, and the light flickering as we sit silent.
Virgina Woolfe
Perhaps one of the things we long for most is for things to be back to “normal”. I hunch there is a new normal and that what we knew and experienced will be different. We see some things resembling some normalcy albeit a somewhat different normal. We are slowly but surely seeing things move towards less and less restrictions. I am happy to see those still wearing masks to protect themselves and their community. Social distancing is a new norm I would also hunch.
The committee for the re-opening of the church or as I like to see it as the in church services is working on what we need to do. What is safe? What is required? What is it we need to ensure and facilitate worship, yet keep the choir, organist, minister and congregants safe. We are meeting next week to discuss that.
To record or not to record is another question yet to be answered. If anyone has any feedback on that let me know or the office know so we can use it in our discussion. So many decisions to make, with children unable to be vaccinated and a new variance looming in the background threatening a fourth wave. We are people of faith, hope and love persevering to the end.
Time will determine what happens next so do keep us in your prayers as decisions are made. We need wisdom to discern what is best for St. Andrew’s. Keep us in your prayers.
Meanwhile, be safe and take care.
Prayer for the Week
Creating, Loving God,
in Christ you show us a way
to hear and to shape a new day,
and you entrust us with the gifts of faith:
forgiveness, compassion, trust, and love.
In the changing seasons,
in the changing world, your love is constant.
May our witness and prayer sustain and support goodness, justice, and peace
in our worship and work, enough for this day and for all generations who follow us.
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.
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A special thank you to our soloist this weekend: Chris Donlevy. Thank you to Clark Brownlee who will be reading the scripture.
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It is with great sadness that we announce that Eleanor Siddall passed away on Monday, August 16. Remember the Siddall family in your prayers.
Remenber Nancy Parkihill's family in the death of her brother Ted (Dutch) Holland who passed away on July 22nd.
Doreen Morrow passed away August 7th. A service of celebration 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:
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9
James 1:17-27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
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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, Derek Morphy 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, 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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