Reflections and Connections with Rev. Sandra
     The Easter season was filled with so many special services and activities around our church. A special thank you to the Worship and Sacrament Action Group for their help and support. The place is buzzing with our church meetings and social events while we continue to share the building with Orangeville Music Theatre, self help groups, yoga and Tai Chi classes, just to mention a few. 
     The Christian Church all over the world is celebrating the Easter Season. This means that our scripture passages will be stories about the post resurrection period. After Jesus' death and resurrection, it was both a time of uncertainty and a time of renewed purpose for the followers of Jesus. Anyone who has experienced a big change knows what it is to feel uncertain until some clarity comes. Time, a word of wisdom, or a revelation that hits us like a bolt of lightning. Help us to find hope amidst this crazy world. In the post- resurrection stories we meet Jesus in the breaking of the bread, in the doubts of Thomas, and in the grief and joy of Mary Magdalene. Jesus never gives up trying to reveal His resurrection love and hope.
     As people of the Risen Christ, here at Westminster, we have been working diligently at realizing who we are as a community...what we do and what God is calling us to do. We are realistic about our finances. There have been task forces working on areas of worship, education, property, and finance. On June 28th following worship, the Board will make a presentation to the congregation on our strategic plan...the culmination of the task forces work. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend.
     On May 3rd you will not want to miss worship as Rev. Deb Hopper, minister from The General Council Office responsible for Planned Giving will come and lead worship with her praise band Kehillah. They have performed all over the GTA, an uplifting service.
     Deb will be leading some planned gift workshops at the church later in the week.

Community Involvement
From time to time I think it is important for the congregation to know about the events that I am involved with in the community which helps to raise the profile of Westminster
 
Tuesday April 28 noon at the Town Hall I will lead a reflection and prayer for the "National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed on the Job"
 
Wednesday April 29 - Lynne and I will attend the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast
 
Study Leave
I will be on study leave April 30- May 5. The purpose of this time is to read and gather resources to complete a rough draft of the church program for next fall and the new year.
In my absence, the local funeral homes will have coverage for funerals.
 
Minister of Music
As many of you know our Minster of Music Martin James passed away in January of this year after a valiant battle with leukemia. A private inurnment service will be held on May 21  at 11:00 a.m. at Innisvale Cemetery. Those who worked closely with Martin may like to light a candle and remember the gifts he gave to us. In honor of Martin, a bell for the hand bell choir has been purchased to be dedicated on a Sunday in June.
"...their souls are buried in peace but their names live forevermore".
 
The Minster of Music Search Committee is receiving resumes of musicians and will begin the interviewing process very soon.

 

Farewell
On Sunday April 19 we bid farewell to our diaconal student minister Mary Elizabeth Piercy. Mary participated by leading worship, Lenten Study, Prayer Shawl Ministry, shadowing her supervisor Rev. Sandra in visitation, palliative care experiences, funerals and ministerial. A bouquet of red roses was presented to Mary by Bob Borden, chair of the Board. Laurie Heimbecker presented her with a stepping stone for her garden, acknowledging that she had been like a stepping stone along our faith journey. A reception was held after church with a special cake provided by the U.C.W.
     Earlier in the week the prayer shawl ministry group presented her with "her very own" prayer shawl and they all blessed it for her. In her remarks, Mary reminded the congregation that Westminster was a good place to train students and suggested the congregation be open to the possibility of having another student.
     Thank you to Joan Brailey and Irwin Henderson for being on Mary's supervisory committee.
 
Discernment
At the April meeting of the church board Janet Jones submitted an application to begin the Discernment Process for ministry. This is a process by which a person who is in full membership can begin to explore in a formal way their call to ministry in the United Church of Canada. The Board unanimously recommended Janet. The process lasts for one full year after which a seeker can choose to declare candidacy for ministry in many of the streams of study. e.g. ordained, diaconal, etc. One may also decide that ministry is not their calling. Students are under the supervision of presbytery. The discernment committee will consist of 2 members of presbytery and 3 from the pastoral charge. At present the three members of the pastoral charge are Beth Reid, Steve Crocker and Betty Martin. Janet has been taking courses at Five Oaks United Church Christian Training Centre and has been gaining experience preaching within Dufferin Peel Presbytery. We ask God's blessing on Janet and her family though this time of discernment.
 
Sue Scottinwood has also been taking courses at Five Oaks in the Lay Worship Leaders
Program. April 25th is the next training weekend for both Janet and Sue.
 
May 1st Ham dinner Westminster United Church
 
Congratulations to Rev. Harvey Self of Tweedsmuir Presbyterian Church on his election as Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Canada
 
Been away...let me catch you up on things around your church.....
 
More Small Group Ministry success!
Congratulations to Tanya and her group that put together a fun and successful Jewellery Sale on April 18th. Patrons were lined up outside the door waiting for 8:30 start time.
Over the next 3 hours smiles were all around as people chose from the array of treasures. This sale raised $900.00
 
On that same weekend.... The ball room dancing classes continued with 10 coupleskicking up their heels while the Friday night social group met at the home of Fred and Joan Brailey... just happened to be Fred's birthday. Anyone wishing to be a part of the ballroom dancing or the potluck dinner and social evening just contact the church for details.
 
The first Annual United Church Hockey tournament was held at Honeywood Arena April 17-18.  At ice level, "Basically Sound", well-known Orangeville quartet, consisting of Bob and Joan Borden and D'Arcy and Sylvia Lichti, opened with a rousing rendition of "O Canada". It was a great time with men, women and children playing on theteam. The Westminster's Hockey team "The Crosscheckers" were amazing! Thanks to Matt Farace for getting us organized to Cory Jones for getting the jerseys, to Catherine Abuja who stood in as coach, to all the players and to the fans who traveled all the way to Honeywood.  Our team lost to Trinity United's "Holy Molys" with a few seconds left in the semi-final game. The United Church National paper "The Observer"
Bob Winegar has this to share:
Honeywood hosts sweet hockey
Although we used a GPS in the search
'Twas easier to score goals on an empty net
Than save souls in an empty church!
     'There were no hits from behind, no smashing of bodies into the boards, no blind, senseless headhunting or 230 lb goons squaring off.  Slapshots were outlawed, and as nearly as possible you played against equals, not the stars, and chippiness was non existent. Laughing, however, was contagious and rampant.
     The only criteria in the Hockey Tournament April 17 - 18 held at the Honeywood Arena was that it be fun - and ten teams from Orangeville to Markdale composed of boys from 7 to 70, young girls who surely seemed destined for National Team prominence, older ladies just happy to let grampa take care of the kids for a change and enthusiastic fans helped realize that goal. Here's hoping that the success of this tournament, enabled by Badjeros United Church and Honeywood-Hornings Mills PC will bring 'em back on a continuous basis! 'The many fans of the Cross Checkers, as the National Anthem singers, surely deserve an in-church "Attaboy!"' 
 
Worship Services
April 26 - Rev. Sandra preaching - Tom & Lynne Smith and Friends
May 3 - Rev. Deb Hopper and the praise team from St. Andrew's United in Georgetown
will lead us in a contemporary worship experience. You won't want to miss it!
May 10 - Rev. Sandra preaching - Christian Family Sunday - Holy Baptism
May 17 - Sue Scottinwood preaching - "United for Peace Sunday"
May 24 - Rev. Sandra preaching
May 31 - Janet Jones preaching - Barbara Cooper soloist
             Rev. Sandra away at Toronto Conference May 29-31
 
June 7th - Rev. Sandra Preaching - Spirit Band leading the music
                  Congregational picnic 4:00 p.m. at the Smith's 1 Cedar Place. (Rain date June 14th) Games, campfire, sing- along.. barbeque. Potluck salads and desserts. Drinks, hamburgers and hotdogs provided  Nut free please!!!