New Vision Notes

Thursday July 18, 2024

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. If you wish to be removed from the New Vision Notes mailing list at any time, please click the link at the bottom of this email or reply to this email with a request to unsubscribe.

1. News for celebration! We are proud to announce that our Church Council has formally approved a motion to add Josephine Ruiz as Co-Chair of the Affirming Committee!
2. There will be a Newcomer Fellowship meeting this Sunday (July 21) after service! Please join the leadership team to make some decisions about the focus of our booth at Hamilton Pride.
3. Save the date!! Hamilton Pride will be Saturday, August 10 at Pier 4 Park! The event opens at 11 am. This year, New Vision will be part of the Affirming United Churches booth, and the Newcomer Fellowship will have its own booth!
4. The Hamilton Fringe Festival had its kick-off last night, and our very own Monica is in a show called ‘Ushindi: When We Are Welcome’. Ushindi’s cast knows all about being new to Canada: from the hunt for a job and a home…to learning how to order a double-double and how to dress for snow. They come from a place where you rarely face challenges alone and there are “Aunties” to help you figure things out. Through song, dance and stories, Ushindi gives a new perspective on life here and what could be if there were more Aunties around to help! Ushindi is the Swahili word for “victory”. It’s a word to hold when facing a daunting challenge. Shows are on July 18th, 20th, 23rd, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th at The Westdale Theatre. For more info, please click here.
5. We’re jamming! We still have 18 jars of delicious fresh currant-raspberry jam for sale (and 6 jars of currant jelly) to raise money for the Nature Network, after the service. The price is the same as last year: $7/jar. If you bring back last year’s jar(s) you get $1 off per jar! Thanks, Karen, for sharing your culinary gift to help our friends abroad, and to those who have already lent their support!
6. We’re helping! If you see some new faces on Sunday morning, be sure to say hello! Starting Sunday July 28th, volunteers from Food Not Bombs Hamilton will be sharing our kitchen space with us every other Sunday, so they may prepare and provide lunches for those living in Beasley Park and the surrounding area. We are excited to welcome and support this group as they provide much needed support for our community.
7. QR Codes, Online Forms and Info, Oh My!!! We are introducing a bit more technology to our Sundays together. When you arrive at church on Sundays, you may now scan a QR code with your smart-phone that will allow you to view the Order of Service, info about attending worship, and there will be links that allow you to view/download a New Vision floor plan, sign up for New Vision Notes, or even make a donation to the church right from your phone! For those who don’t know how to use QR codes, have no fear! It’s not as difficult as you may think, so please don’t hesitate to ask for help! An electronic version of the Participating Member Commitment Form is also available (by QR) in an effort to reduce our impact on the environment.
8. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to lead a worship service? New Vision’s worship team is looking for some folks to consider leading worship. If you are interested in learning more about putting together a service of worship, please reach out to Julie or Dan.
9. Would you like to grow your knowledge of scripture but feel overwhelmed? Reading the bible is not a small task! Why not try daily scripture readings from The Revised Common Lectionary? The Revised Common Lectionary is a three-year cycle of scripture readings used to by the vast majority of mainline Protestant churches in Canada and the United States. Daily readings expand the range of biblical reading in worship and personal devotion. This valuable resource can be accessed here: https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/daily.php?year=B#id79
10. 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.
11. Did you know that we’re also on Facebook? If you’re on Facebook, you’re invited to join our New Vision United Community Group , where we post updates and share with one another online.

Together, let’s celebrate the gifts and graces of all!