News from the Pews - Thursday March 24, 2022

NEWS FROM THE PEWS...

News and Inspiration from St. Andrew's United Church, Georgetown, ON

Thursday, March 24, 2022

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Worship this week: Full to the Brim Lend Series Lent 4: You are Worthy

This Sunday we will be continuing our series called Full to the Brim. What does it mean to be filled to the brim? As we journey through Lent, we look towards God to help us grow in our faith and reflect on the ways that God can fill us with his spirit. We may take some time to ourselves and relax and be restored in our faith. There may be times in our lives that we are running on empty. Feeling tired in life, exhausted and we wonder how we can carry on with the busyness. Fortunately, as we live, we can know that we are not alone, and God is with us. Through our faith in Christ, we can be restored and brought back to a place of hope and grace. It is through God that we can be filled to the brim with goodness.

Our scripture passages this week from the book of Luke is about the Prodigal son. We may know the story of a man who had two sons. The younger son went to his father and asked to have his inheritance early so he could leave the family home and be more independent. The father willingly agreed and gave his son his share of the inheritance. Meanwhile the older son remained faithful to the family farm and his father.

The younger son went off into the country and wasted his money on wild living only to find himself broke and needing to return home again. Upon his arrival, the father with open arms, comes to greet the son with a party and unending grace.

God is like that, when we stray away and wander away from God, he is always waiting and willing to accept us back. When we need it most, God is willing to love and accept us and offer us unending grace.

To be filled to the Brim is to be open to God’s grace being poured out on us. God’s grace will fill us abundantly.

The Scripture Reading this week is:

Scripture Readings: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Meditation: Unending Grace!

St. Andrew's United Church

As of March 1 these government restrictions were lifted.

No capacity limits
Proof of vaccination no longer required except in high risk areas ex. hospitals, long term care settings. We find that our members are by and large vaccinated and boosted. 90% of Ontarians are double vaccinated and more than 50 % are boosted. Most children have had a least 1 dose.
Physical distancing no longer required although you may choose to keep your distance.

As of March 21 mask mandates are no longer in effect in most settings except in high risk areas for example public transportation, care facilities.

It will be a personal choice to wear a mask and we respect those who continue to exercise that choice.

We look forward to welcoming more of you back to worship and to other activities.

Dates that still need to be filled for coffee time are:

March 27, April 17 (Easter Sunday,) April 25

Please consider volunteering by signing up on Sunday or contacting

Colleen at 905-873-9667 or by email.

Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Our United Church of Canada Mission & Service partner churches in Ukraine and bordering countries are responding to the rapidly unfolding crisis there. You can help. Right now, people urgently need shelter, clean water, food, and medical attention. Please show your support by making a gift today. You can go directly on-line to Ukraine Relief, The United Church of Canada and make a donation or mark your envelope or Interac transfer 'Ukraine Relief Efforts' to standrewsgeorgetown89@gmail.com and your donation will be so designated.

Click to donate to the UCC Ukraine Efforts

Click here to join the Men's Breakfast!

Help support the 7th Georgetown Guide Unit by purchasing a box of chocolate & vanilla Girl Guide cookies! Contact the office via email here or 905-877-4482. Cookies will also be available for sale after service this coming Sunday.

2022 is a year where we together as a Christian Community can and will make a difference in Halton Hills...but it only happens with action and it has begun at the top – with God. Jesus has chosen you as “His Hands/Heart” and calls each and every one of us to walk in his ways, and together we are taking a beautiful step in our journey in his name. Gift cards and donations can be dropped off at the office for St. Andrew's United Church's donation to the Easter Basket Brigade.

Our Daily Bread Devotionals for April, May and June 2022 are available at the church for pick up in the lobby. Donations accepted but they are available to all who would like one.

We are accepting applications for a new member to join our seven, member Volunteer Board of Directors. Board members who are responsible to provide; planning and leadership, oversee that the management company fulfills their contractual obligations and that the building and administration are maintained in good order.

Board meetings are scheduled for every second month, on the last Thursday of the month, at 7:00 p.m. The meetings are held via Zoom, or in person at The Residences at St. Andrew’s Georgetown Corporation.

As a board member you need to be:

• Dedicated / honest and caring.

• Able to work as a Team

• Willing to learn new things.

Previous Board experience would be an asset, but not necessary.

If you are interested in this opportunity to serve your community, please contact the office.

Vacation Bible Camp 2022 is on! this year we are planning to offer once again a Vacation Bible Camp after a two year break. It will run from August 22-26th If you would like to be a part of the leadership team, please speak to Grant Williams. Registration information available shortly.

GForce 3 Refugee Sponsorship group is planning to sponsor two families from Afghanistan and are now looking for donations. Any donations Can be made to Community Unity of Halton Hills, Tax Receipts will be provided. We can receive these at St. Andrew’s church.

YAT Forum 2022: Re-United!

A PROGRAM FOR AGES 19 AND UP

Friday, April 29, 7:00 pm - Sunday, May 1, 3:00 pm, 2022

Pearce-Williams Christian Centre (click for Google map)

Deadline for registration is April 10.

Fees range from $150 - $200 - $300

(Payment is by E-transfer, instructions included)

Do you love to be inspired, challenged to think, meet new people & hang out with good friends??? Do you enjoy being in an open & welcoming community where you are free to be completely yourself? Faith, fellowship and connection is what YAT Forum is all about. Come and join us for YAT Forum 2022: Re-United.

Hurry! Registration closes when full. There is limited space! Register ASAP. Click here for more information.

Bible Study Group

Our Bible study group will meet in person at the church. Thursdays at 10 am.

We meet at the church on the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month and the 5th Friday is there is one from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Everyone is welcome to join us for fellowship and refreshments. The group meets in person as well as on zoom. The link is available below. Password: 8032

To Join Circle of Friends...

St. Andrew's United Community News:

We have a new Community Box on Mountainview available for all to use and donate to! Feel free to drop off food donation items or take if you need.

Fri Apr 1st 4:00-8:00pm and Sat Apr 2nd 10:00am-1:00pm.

All dresses are absolutely free!! So come get your prom, graduation or just fancy event dress. You can try the dresses on in a private dressing room and even get some accessories to go with it!

Location: Acton Bethel Church

365 Queen Street (across from Home Hardware)

For Donations:

If you have any evening/prom/bridesmaid dresses, shoes, jewelry etc. you can drop them off at Bethel Church Acton (tote by the office) or Indaba Hair Studio Georgetown.

Seven Virtues for Seven Sins: Week Three: Generosity not Greed; Kindness not Envy

Proverbs 28:25 The greedy person stirs up strife, but whoever trusts in God will be enriched.

I can’t remember where I have heard this story but I have heard it lately. (Maybe one of you can tell me where.) One person was commenting to another about the immense wealth of a third. The listener responded: He is very wealthy, but I have something he will never have. I have enough. I am not sure what our marketers and economists and investors would do if we all decided that we have enough. We feel insecure. Yet we are burdened with all our stuff! Some people make their living getting us to buy things and others make their living telling us how get rid of things. Greed drives a wedge between us. Envy destroys the possibility of relationship. Thank God that we have opportunities for generosity and kindness. When we practice these virtues, their corresponding sins just melt away.

To read more from Rev. Jean Leckie's blog click here.

So, it’s been a while since the last edition of Grant’s World. A few weeks ago, I was unfortunate to be a positive test result of Covid 19. For the most part I had just mild symptoms, just a stuffy nose, headache, sore throat, but more than anything just feeling tired. This only lasted a few days thankfully due to my having three vaccinations. I am thankful to the Leckie’s for willing to step in to lead worship in my absence. I have competed my required self-isolation period and am feeling just fine now.

This past Monday, in Ontario, the masking mandate was lifted. Many of you are wondering how this might affect our worship services and events held at the church. On Tuesday night the board discussed this and decided that we would follow the provincial and Halton region guidelines and no longer require everyone to wear the mask. For some people this is seen as good news, while others feel it may be too early. The board had a lengthy conversation about this decision and felt we would be best to leave it up to the individuals to decide for themselves if they wish to wear a mask still. If you feel it’s best to wear a mask, we encourage you to do so, but you are also welcome to not wear it. We just ask that you are respectful to others who are choosing to wear or not wear a mask now. In all other areas of the church building, you are no longer required to wear the mask either.

As we open the church again and become more “normal” there are needs for volunteers to help us out. On Sundays we need people to greet at the entry doors as people arrive to church. We are also in need of people to help with serving coffee and setting up tables and chairs on Sundays. Since we began having coffee in the gym at tables it appears people are enjoying this, and we plan to continue this practice. If you are willing to help our please speak to me or Colleen Armstrong.

In other news as we open the church further, we are looking forward to our choir resuming practices again on Thursday nights beginning on March 31st and the choir will sing on Sunday morning again for Easter on April 17th. If you would like to join the choir, please speak to Sue Whaley.

I look forward to seeing you all again this Sunday.

Blessings,

Grant

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