Marshall's Newsletter for the week of March 15, 2020

This Sunday - March 15, 2020

Join us for worship this Sunday as Rev. Kevin leads our 9am service with the Band and our 10:30 service with the Chancel Choir.

Because we value your health and safety, there are hand sanitzers located inside the entrance doors. There are also cleaning wipes on the table in the front foyer.

Flowers: The flowers this Sunday are placed by Brian and Patricia McKnight in loving memory of Patricia's parents, Ruth & Joe Clarke.

If you are unable to make it to church, join us via Livestream on our website: mmuc.org.

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS

In our thoughts and prayers is Rev. Étienne. We also remember those who are battling cancer, the sick and the shut-ins.

We remember the Newman family with the passing away of Elizabeth. Elizabeth had been a member of Marshall for a number of years and then moved to St. Paul's in Dundas. A Celebration of Life will take place on March 28 at 1pm at St. Paul"s with a reception to follow.

PASTORAL CARE

If you are aware of someone in our congregation that would benefit from a visit or call from our Pastoral Care Team, kindly let the office know so that we can ensure that all of our member's needs are being met.

For Pastoral Care Emergencies please contact Rev. Kevin at: 905-979-1751 (please note the new phone number)

UPCOMING SERVICES

March 15, 22, 29 - Two Services (9am & 10:30am) with Rev. Kevin
April 5 at 10am - Combined Communion Service
April 9 at 5am- Maundy Thursday - join us for a Potluck with a Communion Service following our meal
April 10 at 10am - Good Friday morning service

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE

The United Church of Canada urges communities of faith to respond to COVID-19 with compassion, prevention, and prayer.

At the March meeting, the Board passed a motion to form a Emergency Preparedness Committee. The committee will review and take appropriate actions based on the guidelines for faith communities as outlined in The United Church of Canada Emergency Plan, in particular, distributing appropriate guidelines to our committees for their consideration/action and coordinating the overall preparation and response, as well as making recommendations to the board.

The Board would like our church members/stakeholders to know that we have taken this step and invite anyone in the congregation that might have relevant experience or expertise to share, in Emergency Planning/Response, please let the church office know.

As the United Church of Canada notes: "Our faithful response of compassion and prevention needs to be surrounded and guided by our continual prayer for the well-being of all people." Richard

LOCKING UP

Please remember, if you are the last to leave the Church Sunday morning or after a meeting/function, to ensure that all the doors have been locked properly and closed completely. This means ensuring the Handicap bar has been released and the door has been pulled closed completely. Once you leave the building, please give the door one last tug to ensure that it has in fact been locked completely as we have been having problems with it not being locked. If you have any questions or if unsure of procedure, please contact office to schedule a training session with one of our staff.

WESLEY SUNDAY DINNER

Thank you to all who volunteered to serve on March 8th for our Wesley Sunday dinner!! Please meet down at 195 Ferguson (still the same venue as last year) around 2 p.m. If you need a ride, please call 905 648 1671 to book your spot and I will pick you up at the church around 1:30.

Bakers, any flavor of cake will do and please ice them too. Also, please have them at church in the hall kitchen by 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 8th. Thank you all so much!!

I am always amazed at Marshall's willingness to serve in so many ways!

SIGN UP FOR SERVICE

Want to become more involved in Marshall? Sign up to read the Announcements, Scripture or say the Prayers of the People. There are also some slots available to assist with Communion.

ANCASTER COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE

On Saturday March 7 the 28th Ancaster Community Food Drive helped to replenish the empty shelves at the various food bank agencies in this area. More than 102,000 pounds of food were donated, gathered and distributed. Thank you to all those from Marshall who participated in this worthwhile community initiative, as we continue to walk in God's way and serve in God's world. Dave Putnam

FROM THE ANCASTER COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE COMMITTEE

The Committee that organizes the Annual Ancaster Community Food drive would like to thank you, the members of Marshall Memorial. 28 years ago, the first planning meeting for the Ancaster Community Food Drive too place at Marshall Memorial. Last Saturday, March 7th, 102,000 pounds of food were collected! I am pleased to be able to thank you for all your support. Without the many who volunteered their time and made the food and financial donations received our food drive would not have been possible. Thank you, Betty Kobayashi

FROM THE LIBRARY

What's new, timely and highly recommended in Marshall's library? You'll find Gayle Boss's Wild Hope: Stories for Lent from the Vanishing on the shelf in The Gathering Place. Connect with the season of Lent and with our "wondrous world" throughout these concise, yet impassioned, narratives about Earth's endangered creatures, several for each week of Lent and special ones for Holy Week. It is, as Carl Safina remarks, ". . . the only book whose table of contents alone gave me chills. The living world, life on planet Earth, is sacred. Gayle Boss yearns to show us that we live in a miracle."

RENTAL FACILITIES

Have an upcoming event and not sure where to host it? Why not rent the Gathering Room for smaller functions or the Hall for your larger event? Contact the office for information about rates and availability.

SENIOR'S SOCIAL

Please join us on Monday from 1-2:30 in the Gathering Place for a time of treats and fellowship!

FROM THE CHURCH OFFICE.....

Please note the church office will be closed March 15-23.

LENT

Spiritual Practices for Lent: Fast, Pray, Give Away

The Christian Development Committee has a number of opportunities for you to enhance your devotional life and prepare your hearts and minds for the Passion of Christ. It is our hope and prayer that these practices will enrich your spiritual life and your experience of Lent by drawing you closer to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

Read & Reflect Daily Scriptures

Attached to this newsletter, and also available in the foyer at church, is a calendar of Daily Scripture Readings for Lent. These are the Lectionary readings that Pastor Kevin will be preaching on during Lent. New this year, the calendar also includes suggestions for incorporating the traditional Lenten spiritual practices of fasting, praying and giving alms ( Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21).

Fridays have been set aside, as is traditional, for fasting. If a full fast is not practical or healthy for you (please consult your doctor if you have a medical condition that may prohibit fasting), consider 'fasting' from a favourite food or activity, something that you will definitely miss. The purpose of fasting is to redirect our attention and longing to Christ rather than to those things that are typically central to our daily lives.

Saturdays have been reserved for acts of giving and service. A few simple suggestions have been made, but you could replace those with things that are more personal for you. The purpose is to intentionally think of others during that time.

Sundays have been designated for Sabbath keeping and prayer. Perhaps this would be a time for you to spend a bit longer with the Bible or with your prayer beads or other prayer practices. Sabbath also includes slowing down and devoting time to things that are important: family, friends, solitude, and rest.

We will be reflecting on the Daily Scriptures on our Facebook Group - Members and Friends of Marshall Memorial. If you are not in our Facebook group but would like to join, please message Richard Hamilton for an invitation.

Read & Reflect Small Groups

We are offering small group opportunities for you to delve more deeply into the Scriptures that Kevin will be preaching on during Lent. Groups will meet in the Gathering Place:

1 pm Wednesday afternoons with Judy VanDuzer

7 pm Wednesday evenings with Pastor Kevin

9 am Friday mornings with Richard Hamilton

No preparation is required for the groups, and everyone is invited and encouraged to attend whenever they are able.

Lenten Prayer Beads

Our prayer focus this year is contemplating the Passion of Christ, using traditional prayers and scriptures. We are distributing prayer beads and prayers to help you order your prayer life during Lent. The beads are a tool to assist you in praying repetitively, which is central to contemplative prayer. The 'movement' of the prayers is very much like walking a labyrinth: entering and exiting through the cross with the Lord's Prayer. The repetition of the events of Christ's Passion - echoing the Good Friday Service our choir is preparing - is intended to soften our hearts toward his sacrifice for us. If prayed daily, you will gradually find your heart opening to the love of God as expressed through Jesus.

Prayer Stones

A number of people have told us how powerful they found the Lenten Prayer Stones practice from Lent 2019, and so we are offering the stones again as a prayer station in the foyer during Lent. The stones - which have already been sanctified for this purpose - and the prayer suggestions accompanying them will be available for you to pick up during Sunday services throughout Lent. We will not be bringing these stones to the cross on Good Friday - as we did last year - so they will be yours to keep!

EVENTS

Community Events

A weekend with John Dominic Crossan - Westdale United Church on Friday and Saturday, April 3 &4, 2020. The topic is: Human Evolution and Christian Faith...the Meaning and Challenge of Resurrection. More information can be found on the Community Events bulletin board.

St. James United Church: presents Elvis & Patsy Cline Dinner and Concert on May 9, 202. Tickets are available at their church or by calling their office at 905-689-6223.

God's Mission Our Gifts Newsletter from the United Church is available here.

Horseshoe Falls Region Council Newsletter is available here.

T: (905) 648-4631 W: www.mmuc.org E: [email protected]