Thur Feb 16 2023
- On Monday, February 6, a series of powerful earthquakes struck southern Türkiye (Turkey) near the border with Syria. The quakes caused extensive damage and loss of lives. At time of writing, the death toll has surpassed 40,000 people, and thousands more are missing. The winter weather makes the situation even more dire for people who are without shelter, warm clothes, blankets, water, and food. Some of the people affected by the earthquake were already displaced by conflict. Today, people need emergency shelter, blankets, mattresses, clean water, food, and hygiene items. We join Mission & Service partners the Middle East Council of Churches, ACT Alliance, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, and the Humanitarian Coalition to show tangible support for the people of Türkiye and Syria. You can be a part of these efforts by donating now. To do so on-line, go to the UCC secure donation page
- Stories of Diaspora: Unlocking and Empowering Our Youth: 3 Generations of Black History Come Together featuring a Civil Rights Activist, a Peace Activist, and a Ugandan Dance Troupe – February 27 2023 at the MacIntyre Performing Arts Centre. For more info follow this link.
- Anti-Racism & the United Church Workshop Tuesday, March 7, 10:00 – 11:30 am. THERE’S STILL TIME TO REGISTER! This workshop is open to anyone who is ready to engage in honest conversation about racism in The United Church of Canada. This workshop is brought to you by Antler River Watershed, Horseshoe Falls and Western Ontario Waterways Regional Councils, and the three regions have covered all costs. Part 2: Antiracism for the UC: Tuesday, March 7, 10:00-11:30 am with Alcris Limongi. Alcris Limongi is part of the Center for Christian Studies in Winnipeg team as Program Staff/Educator. In the past she has been the Racial Justice, Gender Justice and Sexual Minorities Program Coordinator at the General Council Office, and she has served in congregational ministry. Her life experience between marginality and privilege in different ways, combined with theological education, and a commitment to justice, helped her develop what she calls, “the gift of her brown eyes” to the church. If you have any questions about this workshop or your readiness to participate in it, and/or you wish to register for it, contact Thérèse Samuel at tsamuel@united-church.ca.
- The 2023 Annual Meeting is scheduled for the Sunday after the Sunday coming, February 26th, the first Sunday of Lent. Please place this on your calendar and come attend in person if you can! If you remember, bring a bag lunch. We will meet in a hybrid way.
- Speaking of Lent, for those of you making plans for the Lenten season, both the print and the ebook versions of the 2023 United Church Lenten devotional, Good Courage: Daily Reflections on Hope are now available! Good Courage offers honest testimonies from people who have had the courage to follow their hearts, to hope against hope, and to faithfully work toward a better world. In this new book, you will find inspiring examples of practical and courageous hope in the midst of despair that deepen your spiritual experience of resurrection and new life. Edited by the Rev. Alydia Smith, this new Lenten devotional includes daily scripture, reflections, study questions, and prayers for individuals or groups. When you purchase the softcover edition of Good Courage, use code PLANAHEAD to receive one free 2023 Canadian Church Calendar! (Note: You must have both Good Courage and the 2023 Canadian Church Calendar added to your cart for the discount to apply to your order.) Offer valid while supplies last.
- With contagious COVID sub-variants still spreading in Hamilton, we encourage you to get the fourth vaccination now available to all adults. We will continue our current in-person gathering approach: i) we will form the circle again in the lower hall, distancing the seats by a metre for the time being. ii) people may join the circle if they are willing to wear a mask.
- The reason for the masks is that we will allow ourselves to sing, and masking reduces the distance air we expel travels with the increased effort singing.
- 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. Call 1 647 374 4685, 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.” If you can only connect by video on your computer with no audio, you can use the phone connection for audio and the computer connection for visual.
Hope to see you Sunday again, or for the first time –
Rev Ian