New Vision Notes Thur July 30 2020

New Vision Notes for Thursday July 30, 2020

  • From Hamilton Social Medicine Response Team: We are grateful to the evolving Beasley Neighbourhood Association for their op-ed in The Spec this week, voicing their support for our community members in tents. “In Hamilton, the social and economic fault lines couldn’t be clearer. In little tent encampments that have sprung up all around the lower-city, we are now also witnessing the result of years of underinvestment in public housing. The city housing department cannot even offer what its name suggests, attempting to convince homeless people to use a shelter system that many are avoiding for the same reasons wealthy Hamiltonians are avoiding indoor dining. We support all groups and individuals working to alleviate the social issues that have long existed downtown. At the risk of incurring the ire of council over an issue of basic human decency, our downtown neighbourhood association stands with local groups HAMSMaRT and Keeping Six.” We hope this is a growing movement towards YIMBYism (Yes In My Back Yard-ism).
  • You too can add your voice to the growing movement for a humane and just approach to encampments in the city. Please keep up the pressure on city officials, and consider who else in your network might be able to take action and/or offer services. Our requests are:

Stop ticketing people who are homeless.

Enact a moratorium on clearing encampments on public lands as per available public health guidance.

Work to quickly open more washrooms, showers, and physical spaces for people to safely be throughout downtown and east Hamilton.

Ensure that people have adequate access to potable water.

Take a housing first approach to helping people access non-congregate housing options.

Please take 5 minutes today to call or email your city councillor about these urgent needs.

  • August 1, 1834 is the day the Slavery Abolition Act came into effect in Great Britain, ending slavery throughout most of the British Empire – including in the colonies that would become Canada. It is estimated that on that day, 800,000 enslaved Black peoples were freed, as it became illegal for anyone to be a slave in the British Empire. There is a grassroots movement happening in the United Church and beyond to proclaim August 1 as one way to support the fair treatment of all humans and affirm that all persons are made in the image of God. The commemoration of August 1 reminds us that the fight against systemic and anti-Black racism is far from over, and that we need to continue the work for the creation of a more just society. It is one way to continue the work of becoming an anti-racist church. You can attend a virtual Emancipation Day event in Hamilton this Saturday August 1. Learn more about this African Caribbean Canadian Association event here: http://newvisionunited.org/4930-2/The link for the ACCA Emancipation Day event on Saturday at 6 pm in the New Vision Notes does not work.Here is the correct link: http://newvisionunited.org/4930-2/The link for the ACCA Emancipation Day event on Saturday at 6 pm in the New Vision Notes does not work.Here is the correct link: http://newvisionunited.org/4930-2/
  • We will be celebrating communion this Sunday at our Virtual Worship Gathering.
  • New Vision will be gathering for worship on Sundays on Zoom throughout the summer to the end of September. We will evaluate next steps in the middle of September. We will keep in place our phone network to keep in touch with those who are not able to join us virtually on Sundays. Here is our worship leadership schedule into September:
DATEWORSHIP LEADERSHIP
  
Sunday August 2 2020Rev Ian Sloan
Sunday August 9 2020Worship Team
Sunday August 16 2020Affirming Team
Sunday August 23 2020“Field Trip” Sunday
Sunday August 30 2020Foodgrains Sunday
Sunday September 6 2020Rev. Lynn Godfrey
Sunday September 13 2020Erin Poole
  • We invite you to try something new on August 23rd! Instead of worshipping together at New Vision, the Worship Committee is suggesting our Community of Faith visits some of our friends and kindred spirits. We have connected with 2 Congregations in the US that welcome guests online. Because of the time difference, you can worship with both of them, if you wish! We encourage you to visit Rockville United Church of Christ in Rockville, Maryland. The community at Rockville are our partners in the sponsorship in our Syrian Refugee Family. Rev. Scott Winette and the community in Rockville are looking forward to meeting us. Zoom Worship at Rockville is at 11am and can be accessed by entering https://zoom.us/j/4019388880?pwd=dEw0V2JFT3RkZG1CZ0loMC8wcHZUUT09
  • Our other suggestion is to visit with the House of All Sinners and Saints in Denver Colorado. This lively affirming Congregation welcomes folks from all across the USA. Their Service is at 7pm our time (5pm Denver time). You reach them at www.houseforallsinnersandsaints.org. Click on ‘Visiting’ and you will find the link to join the Worship Service
  • For updates on New Vision plans in the Covid-19 emergency recovery, please visit http://newvisionunited.org/new-vision-covid-19-updates/.
  • New Vision Virtual Worship is experiential, participatory, image-rich and collective, just like worship in person at New Vision! Join us on Sunday mornings 10:30 am week to week during the Covid-19 emergency by clicking here. If you want to put the link someplace easy to find each week, here it is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/782292511. Please share it with others and invite them to a “different” kind of time on Zoom from the usual.
  • You can also call in to the gathering on the telephone toll free. Call 1 855 703 8985, then, when prompted, input the Meeting ID 782 292 511 followed by the # sign. Ignore the prompts for Participant ID and Password. You are in when the recorded voice says, “You are in the meeting.”

Hope to see you on Sunday ~ again, or for the first time.

Rev Ian