Greetings!
Rev. Sandra's words...
"One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change."
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly!" - Jesus
October has been a month of many events. Both globally and locally. Canada held a federal election, the global market is making adjustments that effect everyone, some are concerned with their MPAC reports and job security is high on the list of people's concerns.
At Westminster we continue to provide a Sunday morning worship experience that invites people to a safe place to bring their worries before God and hear a message of hope from the teachings of Jesus. On Thanksgiving the exceptional talent of Sue Doman, singer and church musician from Victoria, British Columbia, graced us. The church was decorated with such taste under the design of Donna Henderson and her crew. We baptized 5 children on October 19th to a full sanctuary and last Sunday we celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the amalgamation of First United and St. Andrew's United to form the Westminster United Church. Once again the church was full and all delighted in the anthem sung by the Celebration Choir with Martin James and Lindsay Jelly accompanying them. These musicians also accompanied the hymns for the day on piano and organ. The "Creation Banner" at the front of the balcony and the new white altar cloth, also hand-fashioned, were dedicated to the Glory of God. The potluck lunch and activities with our special guest Queen Elizabeth 2 were indeed highlights. Those who came enjoyed a Lantern tour with Steve Brown despite the weather. Thanks to Ways and Means and Membership and Pastoral Care Action Groups for making this happen.
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STEWARDSHIP - October has been stewardship month at Westminster. We have 3 foci for the campaign.
1) Fill in your pink commitment forms and return them immediately so that YOUR Finance Action Group can plan for a realistic budget.
2) If possible make a possible one time donation to help pay down the $35,000 accumulated debt from years past (please remember that last year we broke even).
3) With rising costs we ask you to consider a 10% increase in your givings.
We want to continue to bring the services of Christian ministry through the United Church to the community in Orangeville.
Here are words to read from your Outreach for Social Justice Action Group about a new ecumenical initiative in Orangeville......
Home should be a safe haven, but for many millions of refugees home has been anything but safe. Many find their way to refugee camps set up in neighboring lands and often are supported after a fashion by the UN or other international agencies. Often they languish there for years and years. A few years back our local Dufferin Kairos group studied the issue of Welcoming Uprooted People in a one year study period.
Over the past two years there has been increasing interest in sponsoring a refugee family in the Orangeville area as a natural outcome of the year of study at Kairos. Over the past six months that interest became concrete and a committee was set up to sponsor a family.
The local interfaith coalition is called the Headwaters Refugee Sponsorship Group and will be working with the Anglican United Refugee Alliance (AURA) to make this happen. AURA is a join venture of the Anglican and United Churches set up specifically to help congregations sponsor refugee families. Westminster United Church Board has agreed to make refugee sponsorship part of the mission of the church and bring the group under the auspices of the Outreach For Social Justice Action Group of Westminster. The application for a refugee family should go in before the end of November. Representatives of the Roman Catholic, Anglican, United and Presbyterian churches make up the local group with about 8 or more congregations represented.
The group decided that they would apply for a family already in the system so as to shorten the wait time. So saying, an Iraqi family is likely as there are many Iraqis who fled to the safety of Jordan and have already been processed by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees. These refugees, if accepted by Canada, would become landed immigrants with permanent resident status.
The group is establishing several committees; each will help the new family on various aspects of their integration into Canadian life. Incidentally, the word "family" is used loosely here as many families have suffered casualties and it may not be mom, dad and two adorable children. Committees will be set up to help the family with issues such as housing, transportation, clothing, furnishings, shopping, finance, interpretation, health care, language training, schooling, child care, employment, religion, culture and recreation, even crisis and trauma counseling.
The group is responsible for the family for one year. This will include financial support, which could be $15,000 to $25,000 depending on the size and needs of the family. The group is raising this money through contributions and pledges.
If you would like to join this exciting social outreach group, or help in any way, please contact any member of the Outreach For Social Justice Action Group or call Jim Lindsay 942-2952.
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From the Board - On November 8th the Board meets for the second part of the strategic planning workshop. Keep the Board in your prayers.
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K.I.T. - "Keeping in Touch" is a pamphlet that goes to all families in our church outlining coming events and happenings around the church. If you are new, have moved or we have missed you please contact the church office. The brochure will go out the first week of November.
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Property News - Have you noticed the sidewalks around our church building ? They have been pumped up, leveled and no more major holes to trip on. This was a liability issue and we are all very happy that it has been rectified.
Events you won't want to Miss
Memorial Hymn Sing Saturday November 8th -
An Old Fashioned Hymn Sing... Come and join us for an hour of singing some old familiar hymns. Dedicate a hymn in honor of a loved one living or deceased. There will be a special section for those who served in the Wars. If you wish the name printed in the bulletin sign up at the church office and make a free will donation.
This is a community event... bring your friends to share in singing some of the old favorites like "Onward Christian Soldiers". There is nothing like the sanctuary filled with music on a Saturday night. Let us fill those pews !
November 23 - Blessing of the Children, Reaffirmation of Faith and Transfer of New Members. Let us together rediscover the true meaning of "A Blessing" During this service all will have the chance to reaffirm their faith either publicly or privately.
November 30 - First Sunday of Advent with the Bell Choir, Celebration Choir and the Spirit Band
