Thursday August 17, 2023

Welcome to this week’s edition of New Vision Notes! If you’re reading for the first time, we’re glad you’ve subscribed. If you’ve been a subscriber for a while, we’re grateful to continue reaching you each week.

1. During Rev. Ian’s vacation (Aug 7 – Sept 10), arrangements have been made for worship leadership, and emergency pastoral care will be available through members of our Pastoral Care Team by contacting Dan Peace or Al Jagt. For administrative matters, please email officeadmin@newvisionunited.org (Luke will be sending out the New Vision Notes during this time)
2. This coming Sunday, our service will be led by the Feltham family and other members of our church community.
3. The Hamilton Social Medicine Response Team (HAMSMaRT) is officially seeking endorsements from both organizations and individuals for the “People’s Protocol on Encampments” document for the City of Hamilton. This document was created collaboratively by individuals who have experienced homelessness (including current encampment residents), Keeping Six – Hamilton Harm Reduction Action League, and the Hamilton Social Medicine Response Team (HAMSMaRT). It serves as a response to the City of Hamilton’s proposed protocol earlier this summer and subsequent open town hall consultations hosted by the City.
   The purpose of the People’s Protocol on Encampments is NOT to entrench encampments.  Its purpose is to denounce the City’s current process, to offer an alternative vision of an encampment protocol to City council based on human rights and dignity, and to redirect the attention of encampments back on to solutions (i.e. housing).
   They are asking if we could do any/all of the following:
   • Please review the “People’s Protocol” and sign on to endorse it. If you can sign on behalf of any organizations/affiliations, please consider doing so but we are also looking for individuals from the community to sign on as well!
   • Please share widely across your social and professional circles!
   If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Shabeeh Ahmad either through email at community@hamsmart.ca or through phone/text at 289-237-1850
4. Wesley Urban Ministries has a new “Back to School Gift Card Campaign” to help families in need purchase back to school supplies. Gift cards can be dropped off at their office at 52 Catharine Street North, Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. **Please contact them at giving@wesley.ca or call (905) 528-5629 if you need to arrange a different time.**
   Don’t have time to shop for gift cards? To donate online, please visit: http://wesley.ca/donate-now and select Back to School Gift Cards. 100% of your donation will be used to purchase gift cards to be distributed to Wesley clients.

5. Pride Hamilton is taking place on Sunday, August 27th at Pier 4 Park ( 64 Leander Dr.) between 12pm and 8pm.
   Come visit the Affirming United Churches booth that New Vision is a part of!
   Pier 4 Park is a accessible by HSR and offers parking for those who drive. It is also one of the more accessible parks because of its level, paved paths and washrooms.
6. The Guardian has recently published an interesting article, providing some good context on queer and other non-conforming artists who’ve been kicked out or left the contemporary Christian music industry and are reclaiming it in a subversive way. You can read the article by clicking here.
7. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Karen, Helen, Joey, and others from our community who recently organized and participated in a successful two-part Garage Sale at our gracious friend Daryl’s Creamy Atlas Ice Cream Parlour. An impressive $750 (approximately 80,000 Kenyan Shillings) was raised to support the important work of our friends at the Nature Network in Kenya (the Nature Network runs a community house in the Nairobi area, which offers shelter and support to LGBTQ refugees escaping persecution in Uganda). We continue to hold Sulah and his team at the Nature Network in our prayers.
8. The World Health Organization has declared that the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. We no longer ask people to mask to be part of our worship gathering; however, very much know that we remain mask friendly!
9. Join us on Sunday mornings 10:30 am week to week either in person at 24 Main St. W. or on Zoom by clicking here. The link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/782292511.
10. Rev. Ian’s vacation will end on September 10th, and we look forward to his return to our worship space the following Sunday.

See you on Sunday!