Sunday, July 5th

Planting Seeds of Hope

Join us this Sunday as we celebrate the beginning of another summer of ministry and community at Norval. During the service, we will share in a special time of covenanting and blessing for our campers, camp families, staff, and volunteers as we prepare for the beginning of summer camp and all the opportunities for learning, friendship, and growth that lie ahead.

We will also hear from our Climate Motivators, Bronwyn and Primrose, as they share about their work and their vision for a pollinator garden at Norval. Together, we will reflect on the ways God nurtures growth, renewal, and hope in our lives, our community, and throughout creation.

All are welcome as we gather to plant seeds of hope for the summer ahead.

July 5th, 2026

Planting Seeds of Hope

Join us Online for Worship @ 9:00AM

or

for In-Person Worship @ 10:00AM

You can find the online service on Facebook Live or on our YouTube channel.

The service will be saved at both locations for viewing through the week.

News_from_the_Norval_Church_Office.png_p3.png

🧸 Stuffie Sleepover at Norval! 🧸

Calling all children, families, and, of course, stuffies!

Join us on Saturday, July 4, from 1:00–3:00 p.m. for a fun afternoon of outdoor games, s'mores, and refreshments. At the end of the afternoon, children are invited to tuck in a favourite stuffie for a special overnight sleepover at the church!

While everyone heads home for the evening, our Norval Youth will make sure every stuffie has a safe, fun-filled night of adventures around Norval—and they'll take lots of photos so you can see what your cuddly friend gets up to!

Stuffies can be reunited with their families after our 10:00 a.m. worship service on Sunday, July 5. We'll be celebrating the start of a new camp season that morning, and everyone is welcome to join us!

Please choose a stuffie your child will be happy to leave overnight.

This is a free event, and all children and families are welcome. We can't wait to welcome you—and your favourite stuffie—for the biggest sleepover of the summer!

Questions? Contact Rev. Heather at heather@norvalunited.ca. Our Stuffie Sleepover is being coordinated by one of Norval's youth, and Rev. Heather will be happy to connect you with them if you have any questions.

Garden Tour and Pollinator Plant Swap

Something beautiful is growing at Norval United Church — and on July 5th, you’re invited to be part of it. After the service, we’ll be hosting a Garden Tour and Pollinator Plant Swap, where you can wander through our flourishing pollinator beds, meet the plants that sustain local wildlife, and bring home a native species to support biodiversity in your own backyard. Bring a plant to share, or simply come with curiosity and leave with something new to nurture.

Join us for worship online at 9 a.m. or in person at 10 a.m. as Primrose and Bronwyn share how Norval United, supported by the United Church of Canada, is living out a commitment to caring for creation. Our garden is more than a landscape — it’s a space for spiritual grounding, community gathering, ecological healing, and hope.

As part of the Climate Motivator Host Program, we’re also invited to take action for climate justice by signing the Call for Climate Leadership letter (there will be copies at available at the service OR click this undefined). Prim and Bronwyn will collect our letters and deliver them to our local Members of Parliament, sharing our community’s voices and hopes for meaningful climate action.

You can participate by:

Printing and signing your letter and bringing it to church by July 5, or
Emailing your completed letter to office@norvalunited.ca by July 5

If you’d like to learn more about the pollinators who call our garden home or help keep the space thriving, connect with Trudy at Bugsrock@hotmail.com.

Above image: The 2026 United Church of Canada's Climate Motivators (including Prim (back, 4th from the left) and Bronwyn ( front, 4^th from the left) on Parliament Hill during their time in Ottawa.

Norval Climate Motivators Travelled to Ottawa to advocate for Climate Leadership

The United Church of Canada’s Climate Motivator program, a yearly, national youth employment opportunity has officially begun with Bronwyn Eastwood and Primrose Watson-Leung representing Norval United’s youth, working to make vast improvements to our pollinator garden space.

The program kicked off with an in person week in Ottawa, where 18 youth from across the country gathered to learn climate resilience and advocacy strategies to bring back home to their local communities, meeting and expressing their concerns with politicians like Elizabeth May, Leah Gazan, and Kristina Tessier Derksen.

Bronwyn and Primrose will spend the next weeks expanding Norval United’s pollinator garden with $2000 received from the Seeds of Hope grant, expanding the beds, adding seating, and planting native trees for the longevity of the community space!

From NUC's Outreach Team

Can you help? We're looking for a Leader or Leaders to head up this year's Terry Fox Run "United for Hope" Team.

This year’s run/walk takes place on Sunday, Sept 20th. Georgetown Fairgrounds is the starting point and is run by the Terry Fox Foundation.

The organization’s website provides all the technical support to set up teams, for participants to sign up and for supporters to make donations.

"United for Hope" will include members from Norval, St. John's, St. Andrew's and Hillcrest United Churches, offering a great opportunity for the 4 congregations to build community.

The Team Leader(s) responsibilities include:

answering participant and donor questions
helping to promote and share the website link
coordinating with the Leads from the other 3 churches
being a cheerleader for all involved

Support for this role is being offered by Sue Sibley from St. John's, who led

this Spring's UNITED4HOSPICE team.

Anyone (or couple) interested in Leading "United for Hope" this year, please contact Elaine at elvandoorn@gmail.com

With many thanks!!

Thank you to all who came out & celebrated Pride with us!!!

Affirming Book Club

We are coming to the end of Pride Month but as always at NUC, our journey continues! Join the Affirming Book Club on a journey to further our education about the church, the bible and how to be a part of the healing journey between the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and the church. We will meet on Wednesday evening at the church between 7 and 8 pm in July and August to discuss the following books. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE READ THE BOOK - Please join us anyway!

Book to be discussed

July 8 Love is an Orientation by Andrew Marin

July 15 Authentic Selves by Peggy Gillespie

July 22 Torn by Justin Lee

July 29 Changing our Minds by David Gushee

August 5 Us vs. Us by Andrew Marin

August 12 Embracing the Journey by Greg & Lynn McDonald

August 19 The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality within the biblical story by C. and B. Hays

August 26 A choice of the group based on the additional books or podcasts below

The NUC library in the youth room has at least one copy of many of these books available to be signed out.

Also note that AMT t-shirts are available for purchase online (Norval United t-shirt) but order soon if you want to get one in time to represent NUC in the Pride Parade in Milton or at our a booth at Pride Halton Parade & Pride in the Park | July 19, 2026 !

Food For Life

Outreach 40 Challenge!!

This month, we are collecting...

40 x Rice

Please drop off in the bin in the Gathering Space before the end of the month!

P.S. Next month's special features will be
Pantry Items.

Guyz Group

Thursday mornings @ 9:30

A bunch of guys meet at the church each week to watch videos, ask big questions and work to find answers. They've also enjoyed having various guest speakers attend. Anyone is welcome to join.

Please email David Venning for more information.

Sunday Mornings @ 9:15

The prayer group meets every Sunday morning before the service. Anyone is welcome to join in prayer for individuals, our church and the world.

If you have prayer requests, kindly send us an email.

Contact Marilyn Smith or Jennifer Barnett for more information.

NOTE: Our Summer Schedule

Mid Week Breath

There will be Zoom meetings on July 22 and August 19th.

Check back each week for an updated scripture and the link to the weeks meditation.

July 8th

Scripture

Isaiah 58:11 – The Lord guides you, making you a well-watered garden.

Meditation

Mindfulness: Guided Garden Meditation

Sharing your photo in our online church directory helps us all put names to faces and get to know each other better.

It's easy!! Click on the Sign Up button to sign up and create an account. Once we receive your request to create an account, then we will approve your access to the directory and send you further instructions by email.You can choose how much contact information you'd like to share in the online directory.

Please note: Only approved members/adherents of NUC are given access to the directory. Members are asked not to distribute/share the directory, or use it for any other purpose besides connecting. Please contact the office if you would like to review our privacy policy.

If you need any help, please contact Adrienne Eastwood by email or phone at
647-838-0966. She will help you access the directory and will even take your picture!

Community Bulletin board!

🌟FOOD & MEAL SUPPORT🌟

Life can be tough, and we want you to know you’re not alone. If you’re in need for food support and/or a warm meal incl. some friendly company, there are resources available to help you💙

Click here to explore some helpful options that are available in Georgetown and Acton.🍽️✨