Wesley-Knox Bulletin

The United Church of Canada E-ssentials

Minister's Musings

Dear Friends,



Well, it's finally time! After an exciting few months of preparation and a whole lot of work from the committee, we are moving downstairs on July 5th!!  That's right, this week we will still be in the sanctuary, but on Monday morning, we will start removing pictures and sanctuary furnishings so that the flooring people can start work on the 13th. What will it be like worshipping in the fellowship hall?  Well, for one thing…cooler.  It means we will have our usual service with piano (sorry, it’s a bit hard to move the pipe organ downstairs for the summer), and then after worship, we will quickly set up a limited number of tables for fellowship time.  The Spiritualist church will likely follow us for their afternoon service (especially if it's too warm in the parlour).  

How long will we be downstairs?  We aren’t exactly sure.  We are allowing 2 weeks for our preparation work. The flooring people say they can be finished in a week or so, but we are really prepared for it to take a second week.   (Wonderful if it takes only a week, but we would rather have it done right than quickly.)  We will then probably need 2 more weeks to reposition and fasten all the pews and set everything back in place.  We hope to be back in the sanctuary in early to mid-August, but we are prepared for whatever comes our way. 



We are planning a blessing of the new floor on Welcome Back Sunday, September 13th. We have plenty of time and are prepared to be downstairs for several weeks.  We have done all the planning and are so excited for what will be a beautiful change in our worship space. Being in the fellowship hall will be cooler for us and a nice change for the summer. 

Looking forward to the changes!

Have a great week!

Rev Rob +

Wesley-Knox United Church has a Designated Smoking Spot &

 a New Smoking policy!

 

Effective Date: July 1, 2026

To maintain a safe, respectful, and healthy environment for all participants, volunteers, staff, and visitors, the following smoking policy is in effect for all meetings and activities held at this facility/property.

Smoking Rules

1. Smoking, vaping, and the use of tobacco or cannabis products are only permitted in the DESIGNATED SMOKING AREA at the south end of the parking lot.

1. Smoking is strictly prohibited:

• inside the building, including in the washrooms.
• within nine metres of entrances or exits.
• anywhere outside of the building on church property except the DESIGNATED SMOKING AREA.

1. Group leaders are responsible for informing attendees of the smoking policy before or during meetings when necessary.

1. Attendees must dispose of cigarette butts and smoking materials properly and respectfully. There is a receptacle in the DESIGNATED SMOKING AREA.

1. Any individual who refuses to comply with this policy will be asked to leave the premises and/or may risk suspension of facility use privileges.

Purpose of Policy

This policy exists to:

• Maintain a clean and safe environment
• Respect non-smokers and others sensitive to smoke
• Reduce fire and safety risks
• Ensure consistent expectations for all groups using the facility

Enforcement

All groups using the facility are required to follow this policy. Staff and facility representatives may remind individuals of the policy. Repeated non-compliance will be documented and addressed with the group leadership.

Approved at Leadership Council Meeting June 17, 2026

London's Climate Action Newsletter

Social Infrastructure

is the launching pad for real transformative resilience.

"Resilience is not simply abundance. It is continuity and dependability. When knowledge, decision-making and labour are shared, the load becomes bearable even under pressure. When they are not, even plenty becomes precarious.” by Margi Prideaux, PhD from her Substack Radically Local.

The quiet architecture of one community Harvest Box system—and what it reveals about food resilience in the city, the suburbs, and the country.

Petition: Support Nature Canada’s campaign to send a message to your MP urging them to defend strong nature laws, reject any proposals that treat nature as an obstacle to progress, and ensure that robust environmental assessment remains a credible, non-negotiable tool for sustainable economic prosperity.

Your MP needs to hear clearly that Canadians do not support rolling back environmental safeguards in the name of speed or development. Nature protection is not a barrier to Canada’s future, it is foundational to it and these safeguards are not “red tape”.

Public consultation on these discussion papers that has been extended until July 22.

​​A coalition led by Indigenous Land Defenders has written this Declaration on the protection of Mother Earth and are inviting all Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous communities, allied organizations, and individual supporters to sign before July 1

Social capital and community resilience:

A conversation with Daniel Aldrich about his new book: Beyond Common Ground

By Richard Heinberg, originally published by Resilience.org

For decades our default answer to almost every threat has been what I call gray infrastructure: seawalls against floods, prisons against crime, hardened buildings against attack. The book argues that social infrastructure—meaning the physical and virtual places where relationships form and are maintained, such as parks, libraries, and radio programs—is often a more effective and far cheaper alternative.

My argument is that social infrastructure works as a kind of polysolution, one investment that pays off across climate, crime, health, and extremism at the same time, and that we keep treating it as a Cinderella service—underfunded and overlooked—when it should be central and distributed equitably.

The hopeful part is the part that has stayed constant since my own family fled Katrina. Unlike a fault line or a coastline, social ties can be built. We know how to strengthen them, and we know where the gaps are. The book is a love poem to the places that can both help knit our society back together and provide the launching pad for real transformative resilience

Workshop: A Greener Home Starts Here. Sat July 11, 11am-12:30pm Hosted by the London Environmental Network at the London Food Co-op, 621 Princess St. This workshop will provide expert advice and actionable recommendations on:

• Energy efficiency
• Water conservation
• Green infrastructure
• Home retrofits
• Available funding and incentive programs

Register for the Event and Apply for FREE Energy Retrofits Worth Up to $7,000

June is Indigenous History Month

Leena Tatiggaq Evic lives in Iqaluit where she dedicates her life to the teaching and preservation of the Inuktut language and Inuit way of life. Her story shows how Indigenous languages play an essential role in maintaining cultural traditions and community well-being.

Leena's story

June 28th - July 11th, 2026



Wesley-Knox Upcoming Events



Jun 27 - Trivia & Sundaes 5:30 pm

Jun 28 - Coffee Hour - UCW Strawberries and Ice Cream 12:00 pm



The Shire to Stratford: A Youth Overnight Quest



Attend a unique overnight experience in Stratford inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, featuring a live theatre performance at the renowned Avon Theatre alongside a variety of engaging and memorable activities. Registration is open for youth (grade 7 and up) and their youth leaders. Dig deeper into our event details and share with youth. Limited tickets are available, so don't wait!



The theatre ticket is generously covered by a grant from the Western Ontario Waterways Region of the United Church of Canada.

Pastoral Care



Prayers for our church families enduring grief, loss, or loneliness.

If you or a loved one is dealing with a difficult time, such as illness,hospitalization, loneliness, or any of life’s challenges, our Pastoral Care team is available for support.

Please call the Church office and you will be contacted

by a member of our team: Rev Dr. Rob, Margo Bettger-Hahn, Linda Olson, Sandra Fox, Helen Humphreys, Liz Dunlop, and Paul Stewart

On evenings and weekends, you may reach us through Facebook Messenger (you do not need a Facebook account to message.)

You are not alone!

Resources:



We are part of the United Church of Canada

Our Region falls within the

Antler-River Watershed, Region #7

Link located at the bottom of this email

Access daily devotionals here, provided by “The Upper Room”

https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals

Liturgical Calendar Resources

for worship planning:

Link located at the bottom of this email

Handbooks and Guidelines for Staff, Council, Committees, and Volunteers:

https://united-church.ca/handbooks-and-guidelines

Anyone wishing to place flowers in the sanctuary

for a special occasion or in memory of a loved one, is encouraged to do so.

It brightens our worship, and, by adding a message in the bulletin,

it connects us as a congregation.

If you wish to place flowers, please call or email Liz Dunlop.

She will give you the information you need and confirm the date, and make sure the office has the information for the bulletin. Thank you!

Liz Dunlop, Sanctuary Flower Coordinator

(519) 668-2507

E-mail:

ldunlop@rogers.com