New Vision Notes

Thursday September 14, 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. This Sunday we look forward to welcoming Rev. Ian back from his vacation!
2. A reminder that there will be a congregational meeting on Sunday September 24th after church. The meeting will also be accessible over Zoom by remaining logged into our regular Sunday worship link (which can be found in item 10, below).
3. Calling all singers! It’s time for choir to return from summer break! Our first rehearsal will be tonight, Thursday, September 14th at 7pm on Zoom. Do you like to sing and have fun? We could always use more voices, so don’t be shy! Please reach out to Martine or anyone from choir and we’d be happy to welcome you!
4. Broadview Magazine (Formerly The Observer) Subscription fees for the coming year are now due. There is a slight price increase from $25 to $30 per subscription. To renew or start your subscription, please see Arlene after the service or click here.
5. This week at Music Hall, the Canadian Country Music Awards Association will be holding events for this years CCMAs! Tonight’s event will be SiriusXM’s “Top of the Country” finale,  where three finalists – Hailey Benedict, Noah Derksen, and Teigen Gayse – battle it out for the top spot and a $25,000 grand prize, to be followed by an exhilarating headlining performance from 7x CCMA Award winning duo and hosts of the 2023 CCMA Awards, The Reklaws.
6. 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
7. The Guardian has 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.
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.

See you on Sunday!