Ralph Connor Memorial United Church
Weekly
Friday, July 23, 2021

Kindly submit your Newsletter items to office@ralphconnor.ca
by Thursday at 11:00 AM

We will have a simplified Newsletter for the month of July, with fresh content each week ~ please refer to the June 25th Newsletter click here~.
WORSHIP CONTINUES
~ONLINE~ IN JULY
Sunday, July 25, 2021

This Sunday’s Worship will be led by our Honourary Associate Minister, Rev. Michael Ward. The service will be posted to the Ralph Connor Canmore YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi8loA1BP8lNAppSRR9_aQQ

MANY THANKS to Allan Buckingham for doing the video editing and posting in Rev Greg’s absence!!

Depending on how everything goes with Alberta’s Stage 3 summer reopening, we are tentatively planning an outdoor in-person worship service for Sunday, August 15th. More details
once August arrives.

As always, the regular Church expenses (utility bills, salaries, etc) continue 12 months of the year and your ongoing support is greatly appreciated. If you wish to make a financial contribution to Ralph Connor, please go to http://ralphconnor.ca/giving/ or for Rundle, http://rundleunited.ca/donate/.
EVERY CHILD MATTERS
Each week, we continue our presentation of the calls to the nation, and calls to the Church, that were issued in 2015 as a result of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Five of the calls deal with Sports and Reconciliation, including 90. We call upon the federal government to ensure that national sports policies, programs, and initiatives are inclusive of Aboriginal peoples, including, but not limited to, establishing:
i. In collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, stable funding for, and access to,
community sports programs that reflect the diverse cultures and traditional sporting activities of
Aboriginal peoples.
ii. An elite athlete development program for Aboriginal athletes.
iii. Programs for coaches, trainers, and sports officials that are culturally relevant for Aboriginal
peoples.
iv. Anti-racism awareness and training programs.
And as the Olympics plan to open this weekend, we note:
91. We call upon the officials and host countries of international sporting events such as the
Olympics, Pan Am, and Commonwealth games to ensure that Indigenous peoples’ territorial
protocols are respected, and local Indigenous communities are engaged in all aspects of
planning and participating in such events.To read all 94 calls to action, go to http://trc.ca/assets/pdf/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf
Tipi at NWMP Grounds
In the spirit of reconciliation, there will be a tipi on the NWMP grounds this summer. Traditional stories and knowledge are shared and crafts, games and traditional skills are demonstrated as part of the Barracks' new Indigenous Stories tipi program at the NWMP Barracks. The program runs daily Thursday to Monday, June 26 to August 30, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm with a Stoney Nakoda cultural interpreter, Leandra Beaver. The program is offered in partnership with Nakota Tipi n Rider Style Craft from Eden Valley.  
On Saturday afternoons at 2 PM, we've resumed BELL RINGING at RCMUC as a thank you to Health Care Workers, Teachers, Servers & Frontline staff who have been faithfully on-the-job for public benefit throughout the pandemic.
$  Good News from the Stewards  $
Approximately $22,000 worth of lighting, heating and kitchen appliance efficiencies have been completed during 2020/2021 – mostly covered by the United Church of Canada, Faithful Footprints program. Faithful Footprints has helped 148 United Churches reduce their carbon emissions, freeing up thousands of dollars for enhanced community mission rather than for paying energy bills. Thank you to the United Church of Canada, and Ian Schofield, and to the Property Committee for making this happen!
RCMUC Prayer Circles
We have two prayer groups at RCMUC: The Healing Pathway Prayer which meets on Wednesdays and Fridays, and Tuesday's “Morning Prayer” group (is on hiatus for July). 

To share a prayer concern, please email Val Goodrow at v.goodrow@me.com.

We request that the person gives consent to have their name mentioned in prayer as privacy/confidentiality is of utmost importance. We also would appreciate knowing when the situation changes and we can release them from our prayers or update the prayer to a changing need.
Pastoral Care Committee needs your help
Calling all nature photographers...please submit your favourite 2 photos taken in the Bow Valley in the following categories:
  1. water
  2. mountains
  3. skies
  4. wildflowers
  5. sanctuary window scenes

Why? RCMUC/RMUC Benevolent Fundraiser
What? Sell 'Sacred Places' notecards with spiritual images in packages of 5 for $10/pkg.

With your permission to use the photo, please email images to office@ralphconnor.ca as follows:
  • landscape jpeg 3.5"H x 4.75"W
  • full name of photographer
  • location of image
  • season or date and year image captured
  • category 'Sacred Places' (water/mountains/skies/wildflowers /sanctuary scenes)

Please send images by Monday, July 26 to be selected for "Members Only Trial" of 50 packets available for purchase at planned August 15 outdoor service.

AFFIRMING MINISTRY
Our gratitude to Robin Slater for offering the following feature in our weekly Newsletter, as part of our efforts to be a more broadly inclusive, and affirming, Community of Faith.


ROBIN'S WEB
CONNECTING DIVERSITY


Unfortunately Telus technology absconded this week with our writer extraordinaire "Robin". Stay tuned for next edition.
Ralph Connor Memorial
United Church (RCMUC)
CONTACTS

Administration: Trish Campney
Ph. 403-678-5354 - office@ralphconnor.ca

Minister: Rev. Greg Wooley
Ph. 403-493-4923 - minister@ralphconnor.ca

Rev Greg Wooley is on holidays for the month of July, returning to lead worship on Sunday, August 1; Rev Michael Ward, email here~ will be covering pastoral emergencies.

Music Director: Tanya Sullivan
Please send all Office emails to office@ralphconnor.ca

The old canmoreu@telusplanet.net and canmoreu@telus.net addresses are now defunct.
Incoming: office@ralphconnor.ca
New Outgoing: ralphconnormemorial@gmail.com

Please also note: if you are sending letter mail to RCMUC, please include “Box 8901” in the address to make things easier for the folks at Canada Post. 
Rundle Memorial
United Church (RMUC) Contacts
The mail, email and phone messages will be picked up regularly.

Administration: Nancy Murray
Ph. 403-762-2075 - office@rundleunited.ca

Mailing address: P.O. Box 1086
Street address: 102 Banff Ave
Banff, Alberta, Canada T1L 1B1

To volunteer at Banff Thrift Store - thrift@rundleunited.ca

RMUC Website: http://rundleunited.ca/
Ralph Connor Memorial United Church
Mailing address: P.O. Box 8901
Street Address: 617 Main Street
Canmore, Alberta, T1W 2B1
403-678-5354 | office@ralphconnor.ca