Friday Message and what's coming.

Friday Message

What's Coming!

April 12, 2019

Season: Lent

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Rev. Kathi's Message

I know that I am not alone in feeling that there is a lot more anger out there lately. From an unhappy customer at the grocery store, to the impatient driver behind you, to our political leaders, to internet trolls – we seem to have forgotten how to have respectful conversations.

I have always been uncomfortable around angry people and I don’t believe I have ever solved any problem in my life by losing my temper over it. I still clearly remember attending a Holy Week service as a teenager and really hearing for the first time the bible reading from the gospel of Luke of Jesus cleansing the Temple. I was shocked and surprised to hear a story of apparent anger proclaimed as Good News. This was not my “gentle Jesus, meek and mild.”

Our Christian tradition has had a pretty ambivalent relationship with anger. If you do a quick web search it is much easier to find articles about God’s anger at sin and the sin of anger, than anything about the sin of suppressing our anger. There are overlays of gender, race and class too. In our cultural context anger is a much more acceptable emotion for a man to express than a woman, for a white person than a person of colour. Yet anger is both a necessary and useful dimension of human emotion.

Our anger is an important barometer: it often arises when we or others are not being treated with respect. The information that feeling of anger brings is important, alerting us to this lack of regard or care. Anger is energy that fuels change. It empowers us both to speak up and to act for the fundamental dignity and worth of all of God’s children, indeed for the whole of creation.

There is a saying attributed to St Augustine: "Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are." As we prepare to celebrate the season in which our hope is founded: in Christ’s triumph over sin and death, may that hope inspire in us both anger and courage that we may live more fully into resurrection life.

Love, Kathi

Transitions

With great sadness, we announce the death of David Lee on April 7th, 2019.

Linda and David are long-time members of EMUC.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, April 14th

from 2 to 4 pm and 6 to 8 pm at Glen Oaks Funeral Home

A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 10th

at 11 am at Erin Mills United Church

Prayer Request

The family of Lynda Appleby is requesting that we pray for her. Lynda had major surgery earlier this week. The surgery went well; however, she has had a setback on Thursday. Please keep Lynda in your prayers.

This Week at EMUC

Sunday April 14th:

10:00 am: Palm Sunday - Worship led by Rev. Kathi

Responsive Reading: Psalm 188 (VU 837, Parts 1, 3, 4)

Gospel: Luke 19: 28-40

Message: "Enough"

Monday April 15th:

Tuesday April 16th:

6:45 pm: Leadership Circle Meeting

Wednesday April 17th:

6:45 pm: Prayers and Communion service

Thursday April 18th:

6:00-7:30 pm: Maundy Thursday drop-in 'meditative' service with communion

7:00 pm: Chancel Choir

9:00 pm: Vigil begins

Friday April 12th:

9:00 am: Good Friday service followed by Hot Cross Bun Breakfast and Bake Sale

10:00 am: Vigil continues

Saturday April 13th:

7:00 am-3:00 pm: Vigil continues

Next Sunday April 21st: Easter Sunday with the Easter dance and joyous music - Service at 10 am.

What's Coming!

EASTER VIGIL

The Easter Vigil is a longstanding tradition at Erin Mills United and begins Thursday, April 18 ^th at 9:00 pm and continues to Saturday, April 20 ^th at 3:00 pm. Please sign up on the Vigil schedule on the bulletin board for one or more ‘one hour’ periods to spend time praying, reflecting, reading, meditating or just being quiet in God’s presence. You are also invited to sign up for an “overnight” vigil for either the Thursday or Friday night (starting at 11:00 pm to 7:00 am). This was a very positive experience in the past. Bring your sleeping bag and pillow for comfort. Any questions can be directed to Sylvia Arnold.

EASTER FLOWERS

The Worship Committee is taking orders for Easter flowers from Sunday, March 17 ^th to Palm Sunday, April 14 ^th . Prices for the flowers are indicated on the order envelopes located on the back table outside the conference room. The flowers will be used to decorate the church for Easter Sunday and anyone who wishes can take their flowers home after the service. Please note that we do not purchase lilies out of consideration for those who have scent allergies.

HAVE YOU NOTICED?

That you have not been receiving special mailings from EMUC. In the past we mailed letters to the congregation at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, bringing greetings for the season and requesting a special donation. The postal disruption last year forced us to communicate these messages using the Friday Message and Communique. We did not see any decrease in donations and we saved on postage costs. As a result for this Easter we are using the same approach.

Your financial contributions are vital to sustaining our community and we are grateful for these. You are invited to prayerfully consider making a special donation during this Easter season. Special envelopes are available at the church. If you are unable to join us during this season, donations can be made through our website or by mail.

CYCLONE IDAI swept through Southern Africa in March 2019, leaving terrible disaster in its wake. Hundreds of thousands of people in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi are in immediate need of food, water, and shelter. At least 830 people have been reported killed by the storm, and a cholera epidemic is feared. With more than 120,000 people displaced, Idai is one of the worst weather-related crises to ever affect the African continent.

The Canadian government is matching donations for Cyclone Idai emergency relief (up to a maximum of $2 million) made to the United Church Mission and Service Fund. Your gifts made to the Cyclone Idai Appeal between March 15 and April 15, 2019 can be doubled.

United Church Mission & Service partner ACT Alliance, together with local partners, are working on the ground to provide immediate assistance, minimize loss of life, and ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable are met.

NEW MEMBERS

We will be celebrating new members at a service later this spring. If you have been attending worship and would like to become a full member or if you have any questions about becoming a member please speak with Rev Kathi or Sandy Hayes.

GIFTS OF VISION - A GIVING CATALOGUE FROM MISSION AND SERVICE.

Are you looking for an Easter gift giving idea? Have a look at the catalogue from our own Mission and Service. There are 21 Canadian, Indigenous Canadian and 9 World idea, large and small. Plus four back pages of past very popular ones. They cover many areas of need which could help change someone's life for the better.

Ruth Noble preached at EMUC recently. She is part of the M&S arm of the church who produce this catalogue annually. The United Church and their partners continue to work hard to sustain one of our core mandates - hope and healing for others. If you wish visit www.giftswithvision.ca to donate on line . There are many needs in this world. Your donation will make a difference.

EMUC GARAGE SALE - Our major fundraiser!

Mark your calendars for Saturday May 4, 2019, 8:00 am to noon! If you are cleaning closets etc. consider donating items in good condition to the sale. Remember to take home a box to bring in your gently used treasures for our sale. If you have not done so, please sign up to help set up, sort and/or sell. Thank you from your garage sale team (G.S.T. - Sylvia Arnold, Cathy Kiteley, Patti King, Cindy Young)

GREEN MOVIE NIGHT:

Join us on April 23rd at 7:00 pm for this informative film, ‘Just Eat It’, and presentation from Region of Peel Waste Department. The film shows the amount of food wasted and why there is excess food produced. You will be surprised by the hurdles that food items go through, after leaving the farm before getting to the consumer. Bring your questions for Nazreen, a Technical Analyst at Environment Education Section of Peel Waste. She is coming to help us understand how our garbage is sorted and the cost involved when recycling items are contaminated. Suggested donation $10. adults, $5.00 children. Refreshments will be service. Contact Mary Anna Williams if you can help this evening and/or supply cookies.

SAVE THE DATES:

May 25th - Women for Women Retreat. More info to follow.

May 26th at 7:00 pm - Ontario Male Chorus Concert - tickets $20

May 31st - Spring Dinner celebrating Peter Kiteley's contributions to EMUC as Office Administrator as he launches into retirement. More info to follow.

'FUNDSCRIP' PROGRAM

FUNDSCRIP is an innovative fundraising program that asks you to purchase gift cards in order to pay for regular items you buy every month. A percentage of the cards purchased through FUNDSCRIP is donated back to our church.

Order forms for gift cards are available the last Sunday of every month. The next order date is Sunday, April 28th. Speak to Joanne Hines if you have any questions about the program.