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February 25, 2021 - 2nd Sunday in Lent - the 50th Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation and our 42 Sunday video on YouTube

2/25/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Greetings!
Again, there is a lot of new information in the eMessage this week.  There is an update on the way we will be celebrating Communion, and be sure to check out News from the Board. 
 
This Sunday – Second Sunday in Lent
 This Sunday is the second Sunday in Lent, and the focus is on Covenant.  We don’t use the word covenant much in our everyday conversations, and many of us may be unsure of its meaning.  A covenant is an agreement between two parties where both parties benefit in some way.  Covenant also carries the understanding that some work or effort may be required by both parties to maintain the terms of the covenant.  Marriage is considered a covenant.  The vows that the couple make in the church (or wherever) may outline the terms of the covenant, but they must continue to act as married people for the covenant to be maintained.  In the Bible, we find covenants between God and various people or nations.  In the passage from Genesis in this Sunday’s readings we see the start of a covenant between God and a man called Abram and his wife Sarai.   If you are thinking that Larry has made a couple of typos, and that their names were Abraham and Sarah, you would be partly right.  Not about the typos. But about the names, when God first encounters the couple, they are Abram and Sarai.  As part of the covenant with God they are given new names, Abraham and Sarah.  For God’s part, the childless couple will have a son (a bit of a miracle because Abram/Abraham is 100 and Sarai/Sarah is 99.) and God will be their God in an everlasting covenant. For their part Abraham and Sarah and their multitude of descendants are expected to live in complete faithfulness to God.  In the Gospel reading we find Jesus predicting his own suffering and death.  He also tells those that have been listening to him that if they want to be his followers there is a cost. They must “deny themselves and take up their cross.”  Even Peter has trouble with this aspect of discipleship. Living in a covenant relationship can be hard work, but also rewarding.
 
The Scripture readings for Sunday are Genesis 17: 1-7, 15-16 and Mark 8: 31-38.  My story in Time for All Ages is called, “This gift is special.” I am calling my sermon, “But, I had other plans…”
  
ZOOM COFFEE HOUR CONTINUES THIS SUNDAY
 Join Zoom Coffee on Sunday at 11:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85246931629?pwd=REVKMW1DeEk5M1ZRUHJxb0VOZzFyZz09
 Meeting ID: 852 4693 1629
Passcode: 630017

 
Lenten Group Study – Practices of Releasing
 Our ZOOM Lenten Study started on Wednesday, February 24 at 1:30 pm and continues each Wednesday in Lent. During the five remaining sessions, we will virtually join Janice MacLean, of the Prayer Bench, and wise friends as they explore original goodness and name the practices that release us from fear, grief, sense of scarcity, violence, and patterns that harden our heart and tarnish the goodness that is always staring back at us. Using metaphors from the Lent gospel readings, stories, poetry, art and music we rub away at all that limits the human spirit, and dulls our life, and suggest authentic spiritual practices to claim again original goodness.
Please let me know at swm@telus.net or by calling the church if you are interested in participating so that I can send you the ZOOM link as well as the participant resources for each week.  Remember, if you are interested but are not sure if you can attend all the sessions let me know.  You can still receive the weekly resource packages to study on your own
 

COMMUNION SERVICES (not on ZOOM)
 The Communion Services in January and February were conducted over ZOOM, and the results were less that hoped for.  Because of the current limitations of the Church internet, ZOOM services are fraught with technical difficulties that detract from the worship experience.  A work order has been created by Telus to improve our internet capacity, but this requires a site visit from a technician in the near future.  So for the Communion Services in March and April (Easter) we will return to recorded services on YouTube.  Once the capabilities of the improved internet are explored, we hope to be able to live-stream services.  We will let you know as progress in made.

“Congregation” needed for recorded Communion services
The Service to be recorded for Sunday, March 7, Lent 3 will be a Communion Service, and it has been the practice that there be three people in the church to make up a “congregation” to receive communion while the service is recorded. The service is conducted in such a way that physical distancing is observed, and the communion elements are prepared in strict sanitary conditions.  The service for March 7 will be recorded on Friday, March 5 at 11:00 am.  If you are interested in being part of the congregation of three please let me know. 


NEWS FROM THE BOARD
 Annual Congregational Meeting
There will be an Annual Congregational Meeting of Spirit West United Church on March 14, 2021 at 11:30, this will take place on ZOOM and the link will be included in the eMessages closer to the date.

 
Pastoral Relations –  (Finding a New Minister)
 Establishing a Search Committeee – Members sought
At its Meeting last night, Spirit West Board, passed the necessary motions to establish a Search Committee to find a new minister for this community.    The committee’s tasks include finding suitable candidates, interviewing the candidates, preparing a short list, interviewing those on the short list, and ultimately deciding on a candidate whose name will be presented at a congregational meeting for the congregation’s final decision.
Being on the committee will require a high level of commitment to see the process through for the benefit of the congregation.
Information received by the Board from the Region suggests a Committee of four to six people and membership on the Search Committee is not restricted to members of the Board.  If you would consider serving on the Search Committee please contact Colleen Fox, Board Chair at 780-487-5178 or thefox5@shaw.ca.
 
Reviewing the Minister’s Job Description
A important document in the search for a new minister is the Job Description.  What are the duties and responsibilities of the minister who serves Spirit West United Church?  The current job description needs to be reviewed, and will be by the board.  However, the input from members of the Spirit West community is also important.  If you would like to review the Minister’s Job Description and provide input to the Board, a copy of the document will be sent to you.  Just call or email Norma at the church.
 
 
OUTREACH – Jasper Place Wellness Centre Bagged Lunches
 Spirit West is again responsible for providing Bagged Lunches for the Jasper Place Wellness Center on Saturday, March 6.
As with our last bagged lunches Lori is estimating about $ 5.00 / bag - 25 bags needed.  Although this project is funded by our church as Outreach, you can sponsor a lunch or two by donating specifically to “Outreach.”  Lori and her family will do the shopping, bagging and delivery like last time.
If people would like to drop off other items (winter gear, etc.), these can be left by the “giving tree” just inside the front doors at Spirit West.  Lori will come by to pick these up from the Church on March 4.

 
SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 Greeters
 You may have gotten (or will get) a call from Diane H. our new “Greeter Co-ordinator,” asking you if you would record a greeting for our Sunday Worship videos.  If at all possible, please say yes. Recorded greetings should be sent to our “Recording technician” (Paul W.) at paulwright38d@gmail.com or you can come into the church and we will record your greeting. Video greetings need to be sent in or recorded by the Friday before “your” Sunday.
 
Scripture Readers
Using the list of those who have volunteered to be Scripture readers, Norma has drawn up and sent out a schedule of readers for the next couple of months. If you have read scripture for one of the worship videos, you will be on the schedule and will have received a copy.  Please confirm with Norma as soon as possible that you are available to do your reading.  Readings can be recorded well in advance of the date required. Your reading can also be recorded at the church between 2:30 and 4:30 on Thursday afternoons.
 
Sharing our Celebrations 
In this time when it is important for us to look for signs of hope and joy, opportunity is being given for you to share your celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, new grandchildren etc) with the wider community.  If you have a celebration you want to share please email swm@telus.net or phone the church. (must be sent in before noon on Thursday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 
Prayer Requests If you have a prayer request that you would like included in the Prayers of the People that are part of our worship videos, your request needs to be into the church by Thursday at noon for inclusion on Sunday.  The best way to send in your request is to email spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com. During the Prayers of the People, only the first name of individuals will be mentioned, and the specifics of the request will not be shared. The prayer requests are also forwarded to the Prayer Chain.
 
Feedback
I appreciate all the positive feedback that we have received about the Worship Videos.  We (Margaret, Bonnie, Glenn, Paul W. and I) are trying our best to provide you with something that will assist you in your faith journey during this “crazy” time.  We would also like to hear from you if you have suggestions on how we could make the videos better or more helpful (like Scripture readers, Greeters, music with the hymns …).   Email your comments to me swm@telus.net or post them on our Facebook page.

 
YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH
You may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can bring them to the church (or you can call for pick up).  If you want to bring your bottles (and any other recyclable beverage containers) in during our office hours and put them directly in the Bottle Shed (by the garage), give us a call, and we can have the shed open for you.  All money raised from the return of bottles goes towards paying down the principal on our mortgage
. 
  
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We can now accept donations by eTransfer.  The contact name for the eTransfer is Spirit West United Church, and the email address is spiritw@telus.net .  If you include a security question with your eTransfer, please notify Norma at the church office by phone or email.  And remember that if you are not on PAR(Pre-Authorized Remittance), you can also mail in cheques to the church office (Spirit West United Church, 7003 – 199 St. Edmonton, AB  T5T 3A8, include your envelope number if you have one.) The church office is open and you can drop off your offering/donation in the offering plate just inside the front doors.  You can also donate online, see below…

                    
ANOTHER  WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO SPIRIT WEST DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
You are stuck home, Spirit West is not holding services, you are not on PAR, but you want to make a financial contribution to the  work of Spirit West, because the church has bills to pay even when we are not gathering on Sunday.   Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar. 

  
Spirit West Prayer Chain
Prayer is important. We know that  people still face challenges and difficulties not related to Covid-19, and we cannot forget them.  Our Prayer Chain will continue to be active.  If you have a prayer request, please send it to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com.  These requests will be shared regularly with the prayer chain and will form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.
 
 SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Website:  www.spiritwest.org 
Facebook: Spirit West United Church and Friends of Spirit West Outreach
Instagram: spiritwestyeg
 YouTube:  Spirt West United Church, Edmonton
  
CHURCH OFFICE
The Spirit West Church office remains open.
 Office hours 
-  Norma => Noon to 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
-  Larry => 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday
Larry

(Rev.) Larry K. Wright, CD, BA, MDiv
Minister
Spirit West United Church
780-481-1406
Spiritwest.minister@telus.net
Spiritwest.org


0 Comments

February 21, 2021 - !st Sunday in Lent and the 49th Sunday in COVID-19 Isolation and the 41st Sunday video on YouTube

2/18/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Greetings!
There is a lot of new information in the eMessage this week.  Be sure to check out News from the Board from Colleen F., our Board Chair.  Also note the information from Lori W. regarding Outreach.
 
This Sunday – FIRST SUNDAY in LENT
 This Sunday is the first Sunday in Lent, although I must confess that with our church closing to in-person worship in the middle of Lent 2020, it feels a bit like we have been in Lent for a year now.  But we are really entering Lent 2021, that period of prayer, meditation, penitence and reflection that takes us to the Resurrection.  Traditionally, Lent has been a time for more rigorous spiritual discipline, and this often included fasting or abstaining from certain foods.  The whole concept of “giving up” something for Lent has its roots in this tradition.  We encounter the biblical model for Lent in today’s Gospel reading from Mark.  We are reminded again of Jesus baptism, but immediately after that Jesus goes into the wilderness where he is tempted by Satan and was with wild beasts.  The Gospels of Matthew and Luke include more details about the temptations Jesus faced.  So it is this time away, wrestling our demons that has become an image of Lent.
Included in the service on Sunday will be the Imposition of Ashes.  In biblical times and in many cultures, putting ashes on oneself is a sign of mourning or repentance.  When Jonah finally got to Nineveh and proclaimed God’s displeasure with the behavior of the citizens of Nineveh, we read that the king “removed his robe,, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.”  The Christian tradition is to be marked with ashes to start Lent, on Ash Wednesday.  We did not have an Ash Wednesday service, so we will observe this ancient custom on Sunday. I hope that those of you on our mailing list received your packet of ashes this week.
 
The Scripture readings for Sunday are 1 Peter: 18-22 and Mark 1: 9-15.  I am calling my sermon, “Put your whole self in!”

  
ZOOM COFFEE HOUR CONTINUES THIS SUNDAY
 Join Zoom Coffee on Sunday at 11:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85746746882?pwd=bjZPZHE3VjBLYmxZRFQ3Ri8yeVFjdz09
 Meeting ID: 857 4674 6882
Passcode: 228650
  
LENT 2021 FOR SPIRIT WEST
 Lenten Group Study – Practices of Releasing
There will be a ZOOM Lenten Study starting on Wednesday, February 24 at 1:30 pm and continuing each Wednesday in Lent. During the six sessions, we will virtually join Janice MacLean, of the Prayer Bench, and wise friends as they explore original goodness and name the practices that release us from fear, grief, sense of scarcity, violence, and patterns that harden our heart and tarnish the goodness that is always staring back at us. Using metaphors from the Lent gospel readings, stories, poetry, art and music we rub away at all that limits the human spirit, and dulls our life, and suggest authentic spiritual practices to claim again original goodness.
Please let me know at swm@telus.net or by calling the church if you are interested in participating so that I can send you the ZOOM link as well as the participant resources for each week.  Remember, if you are interested but are not sure if you can attend all the sessions let me know.  You can still receive the weekly resource packages to study on your own

 
NEWS FROM THE BOARD
 A couple of years ago, I (Colleen Fox) was elected as the Vice-Chair of the Spirit West Board, with the expectation that at the Congregational Meeting in November 2020, I would be elected Chair for 2021.  Well, as you know, we did not have a Congregational Meeting in November so there were no elections to the Board.  Following the advice of the National and Regional Councils on what to do about church board positions during Covid, I was named Chair of the Board by the Spirit West Board at their meeting on January 27.  This is going to be a busy year, and I want to make sure that the members of the congregation know what the Board is doing.  Since we are not meeting in person yet, there are only two ways to get the word out: the Thursday eMessage and the Sunday Worship Video announcements.  So here are some things you need to know.

 
Annual Congregational Meeting
There will be an Annual Congregational Meeting of Spirit West United Church on March 14, 2021 at 11:30, this will take place on ZOOM and the link will be included in the eMessages closer to the date.

 
Daycare Rental
When our building was built, the lower hall was considered to be a “community hall” for fire regulations and was wired accordingly.  For the lower hall to be acceptable as a “daycare” additional fire sensors/smoke detectors need to be installed.  We are working with the Daycare operator to have this done. This is a requirement before the Daycare operators will get their final approval to move forward. After they have been installed and approved, the daycare lease will be signed.

 
Pastoral Relations
We have started the process to find a new minister as Larry will be retiring at end of June this year. The preliminary work has been done by John Punko. (Thank you John) The Rev. Hugh McGregor has been appointed as our Northern Spirit Region Pastoral Relations liaison. At our next board meeting on February 24 we are going to start to put a team together to work with Northern Spirit Region to continue the process. 

 
As more information becomes available we will share it with you. 
 
 OUTREACH – Jasper Place Wellness Centre Bagged Lunches
 Spirit West is again responsible for providing Bagged Lunches for the Jasper Place Wellness Center on Saturday, March 6.
As with our last bagged lunches Lori is estimating about $ 5.00 / bag - 25 bags needed.  Although this project is funded by our church as Outreach, you can sponsor a lunch or two by donating specifically to “Outreach.”  Lori and her family will do the shopping, bagging and delivery like last time.
If people would like to drop off other items (winter gear, etc.), these can be left by the “giving tree” just inside the front doors at Spirit West.  Lori will come by to pick these up from the Church on March 4.

 
SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 Greeters
 You may have gotten (or will get) a call from Diane H. our new “Greeter Co-ordinator,” asking you if you would record a greeting for our Sunday Worship videos.  If at all possible, please say yes. Recorded greetings should be sent to our “Recording technician” (Paul W.) at paulwright38d@gmail.com or you can come into the church and we will record your greeting. Video greetings need to be sent in or recorded by the Friday before “your” Sunday.
 
Scripture Readers
Using the list of those who have volunteered to be Scripture readers, Norma has drawn up and sent out a schedule of readers for the next couple of months. If you have read scripture for one of the worship videos, you will be on the schedule and will have received a copy.  Please confirm with Norma as soon as possible that you are available to do your reading.  Readings can be recorded well in advance of the date required. Your reading can also be recorded at the church between 2:30 and 4:30 on Thursday afternoons.
 
Sharing our Celebrations 
In this time when it is important for us to look for signs of hope and joy, opportunity is being given for you to share your celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, new grandchildren etc) with the wider community.  If you have a celebration you want to share please email swm@telus.net or phone the church. (must be sent in before noon on Thursday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 
Prayer Requests If you have a prayer request that you would like included in the Prayers of the People that are part of our worship videos, your request needs to be into the church by Thursday at noon for inclusion on Sunday.  The best way to send in your request is to email spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com. During the Prayers of the People, only the first name of individuals will be mentioned, and the specifics of the request will not be shared. The prayer requests are also forwarded to the Prayer Chain.
 
Feedback
I appreciate all the positive feedback that we have received about the Worship Videos.  We (Margaret, Bonnie, Glenn, Paul W. and I) are trying our best to provide you with something that will assist you in your faith journey during this “crazy” time.  We would also like to hear from you if you have suggestions on how we could make the videos better or more helpful (like Scripture readers, Greeters, music with the hymns …).   Email your comments to me swm@telus.net or post them on our Facebook page.

 
YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH
You may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can bring them to the church (or you can call for pick up).  If you want to bring your bottles (and any other recyclable beverage containers) in during our office hours and put them directly in the Bottle Shed (by the garage), give us a call, and we can have the shed open for you.  All money raised from the return of bottles goes towards paying down the principal on our mortgage
. 
  
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We can now accept donations by eTransfer.  The contact name for the eTransfer is Spirit West United Church, and the email address is spiritw@telus.net .  If you include a security question with your eTransfer, please notify Norma at the church office by phone or email.  And remember that if you are not on PAR(Pre-Authorized Remittance), you can also mail in cheques to the church office (Spirit West United Church, 7003 – 199 St. Edmonton, AB  T5T 3A8, include your envelope number if you have one.) The church office is open and you can drop off your offering/donation in the offering plate just inside the front doors.  You can also donate online, see below…
                    
ANOTHER  WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO SPIRIT WEST DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
You are stuck home, Spirit West is not holding services, you are not on PAR, but you want to make a financial contribution to the  work of Spirit West, because the church has bills to pay even when we are not gathering on Sunday.   Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar. 

 
Spirit West Prayer Chain
Prayer is important. We know that  people still face challenges and difficulties not related to Covid-19, and we cannot forget them.  Our Prayer Chain will continue to be active.  If you have a prayer request, please send it to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com.  These requests will be shared regularly with the prayer chain and will form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.
 
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Website:  www.spiritwest.org 
Facebook: Spirit West United Church and Friends of Spirit West Outreach
Instagram: spiritwestyeg
 YouTube:  Spirt West United Church, Edmonton

  
CHURCH OFFICE
The Spirit West Church office remains open.
 Office hours 
-  Norma => Noon to 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
-  Larry => 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday
Larry
(Rev.) Larry K. Wright, CD, BA, MDiv
Minister
Spirit West United Church
780-481-1406
Spiritwest.minister@telus.net
Spiritwest.org



0 Comments

February 11, 2014 - Transfiguration Sunday

2/12/2021

0 Comments

 
Greetings!
Please note the information below about Lent 2021 for Spirit West.  It contains information about our Lenten Group (ZOO) Study – Practices of Releasing.
 
This Sunday – TRANSFIGURATION SUNDAY
 his Sunday is the last Sunday in the Season of Epiphany.  Next Wednesday is the start of Lent.  This Sunday focuses on an episode in the life of Jesus that was only witnessed by three of his disciples.  The event has come to be called the Transfiguration.  Jesus takes three of his followers, Peter, James and John “up a high mountain apart, by themselves.”   Jesus was “transfigured,” his clothing became dazzling white and Moses and Elijah appeared with him.  This Sunday we will also hear the story of the prophet Elijah being taken up to heaven. In both stories something spectacular happens that is meant to confirm to the witnesses of the event the divine origins of the messages proclaimed.  But there is a bit of a difference.  In the story of Elijah, his companion and follower Elisha is left alone to continue Elijah’s mission.  In the story of the Transfiguration, Jesus comes back down the mountain with the three to continue their mission together.  It’s all about bringing the message of God’s presence to the world, even after an experience that we would like to remain in.  But “we are not alone, we live in God’s world.”
 
Sunday is also Valentine’s Day, and I will be talking about St. Valentine in the Time for All Ages.
 
The Scripture readings for Sunday are 2 Kings 2: 1-12 and Mark 9: 2-9.  I am calling my sermon, “From the mountain top.”

 
 ZOOM COFFEE HOUR CONTINUES THIS SUNDAY
 Join Zoom Coffee on Sunday at 11:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84707304114?pwd=WFUybStRVnJldWZiaG9XNHIwUkFPdz09
 Meeting ID: 847 0730 4114
Passcode: 798584
 

 LENT 2021 FOR SPIRIT WEST
Shrove Tuesday, February 16
Shrove Tuesday is that last day before the beginning of Lent.  In many places it is now known as Pancake Tuesday.  Perhaps pancakes could be a part of your menu on Tuesday.  For an extensive explanation of Shrove Tuesday go to Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday
 
Ash Wednesday, February 17
Lent begins on Wednesday, February 17 and in years past we have observed the Imposition of Ashes associated with Ash Wednesday on the Sunday following, which this year will be Sunday, February 21.  I would like to continue this practice, recognizing the restrictions posed by Covid-19.  To this end, I will be mailing out packets of Palm Ashes tomorrow.  I am hoping that you receive them by Ash Wednesday, or at least by February 21.  The packets of ashes will come with an explanation and suggestions for use.

 
Lenten Group Study – Practices of Releasing
There will be a ZOOM Lenten Study starting on Wednesday, February 24 at 1:30 pm and continuing each Wednesday in Lent. During the six sessions, we will virtually join Janice MacLean, of the Prayer Bench, and wise friends as they explore original goodness and name the practices that release us from fear, grief, sense of scarcity, violence, and patterns that harden our heart and tarnish the goodness that is always staring back at us. Using metaphors from the Lent gospel readings, stories, poetry, art and music we rub away at all that limits the human spirit, and dulls our life, and suggest authentic spiritual practices to claim again original goodness.
Please let me know at swm@telus.net or by calling the church if you are interested in participating so that I can send you the ZOOM link as well as the participant resources for each week.  Remember, if you are interested but are not sure if you can attend all the sessions let me know.  You can still receive the weekly resource packages to study on your own.

 
 YOUR TAX RECEIPT FOR 2020
 The Charitable Tax receipts from Spirit West for 2020 were mailed last week.  You should have received your receipt by now.  If you have any questions about your receipt please call or email the church.

 
 2021 OFFERING ENVELOPES
 If you have been regularly using Offering Envelopes for your offering, either mailed in to the church or dropped off, your 2021 Envelopes are now available at the Church. We would prefer if you could pick them up.  Call Norma at the church, so that she can have your envelopes ready for you.  If you would rather that they be delivered to you, you will also have to let Norma know.
 

SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 Greeters
 You may have gotten (or will get) a call from Diane H. our new “Greeter Co-ordinator,” asking you if you would record a greeting for our Sunday Worship videos.  If at all possible, please say yes. Recorded greetings should be sent to our “Recording technician” (Paul W.) at paulwright38d@gmail.com or you can come into the church and we will record your greeting. Video greetings need to be sent in or recorded by the Friday before “your” Sunday.
 
Scripture Readers
Using the list of those who have volunteered to be Scripture readers, Norma has drawn up and sent out a schedule of readers for the next couple of months. If you have read scripture for one of the worship videos, you will be on the schedule and will have received a copy.  Please confirm with Norma as soon as possible that you are available to do your reading.  Readings can be recorded well in advance of the date required. Your reading can also be recorded at the church between 2:30 and 4:30 on Thursday afternoons.
 
Sharing our Celebrations 
In this time when it is important for us to look for signs of hope and joy, opportunity is being given for you to share your celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, new grandchildren etc) with the wider community.  If you have a celebration you want to share please email swm@telus.net or phone the church. (must be sent in before noon on Thursday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 
Prayer Requests If you have a prayer request that you would like included in the Prayers of the People that are part of our worship videos, your request needs to be into the church by Thursday at noon for inclusion on Sunday.  The best way to send in your request is to email spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com. During the Prayers of the People, only the first name of individuals will be mentioned, and the specifics of the request will not be shared. The prayer requests are also forwarded to the Prayer Chain.
 
Feedback
I appreciate all the positive feedback that we have received about the Worship Videos.  We (Margaret, Bonnie, Glenn, Paul W. and I) are trying our best to provide you with something that will assist you in your faith journey during this “crazy” time.  We would also like to hear from you if you have suggestions on how we could make the videos better or more helpful (like Scripture readers, Greeters, music with the hymns …).   Email your comments to me swm@telus.net or post them on our Facebook page.

 
YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH
You may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can bring them to the church (or you can call for pick up).  If you want to bring your bottles (and any other recyclable beverage containers) in during our office hours and put them directly in the Bottle Shed (by the garage), give us a call, and we can have the shed open for you.  All money raised from the return of bottles goes towards paying down the principal on our mortgage
. 
 
 FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We can now accept donations by eTransfer.  The contact name for the eTransfer is Spirit West United Church, and the email address is spiritw@telus.net .  If you include a security question with your eTransfer, please notify Norma at the church office by phone or email.  And remember that if you are not on PAR(Pre-Authorized Remittance), you can also mail in cheques to the church office (Spirit West United Church, 7003 – 199 St. Edmonton, AB  T5T 3A8, include your envelope number if you have one.) The church office is open and you can drop off your offering/donation in the offering plate just inside the front doors.  You can also donate online, see below…
                    
ANOTHER  WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO SPIRIT WEST DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
You are stuck home, Spirit West is not holding services, you are not on PAR, but you want to make a financial contribution to the  work of Spirit West, because the church has bills to pay even when we are not gathering on Sunday.   Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar. 

 
 Spirit West Prayer Chain
Prayer is important. We know that  people still face challenges and difficulties not related to Covid-19, and we cannot forget them.  Our Prayer Chain will continue to be active.  If you have a prayer request, please send it to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com.  These requests will be shared regularly with the prayer chain and will form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.
  
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Website:  www.spiritwest.org 
Facebook: Spirit West United Church and Friends of Spirit West Outreach
Instagram: spiritwestyeg
 YouTube:  Spirt West United Church, Edmonton
 
 CHURCH OFFICE
The Spirit West Church office remains open.
 Office hours 
-  Norma => Noon to 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
-  Larry => 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday
Larry


0 Comments

February 4, 2021 The 5th Sunday after Epiphany and the 47th Sunday in Covid-19 isolation and our 39th Sunday video on YouTube

2/4/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Greetings!
 
This Sunday – The fifth after epiphany – A ZOOM COMMUNION
 
Worship this Sunday will be our second live ZOOM Communion Service at 11:00 am.  The ZOOM Service is at 11:00 because our Spirit West ZOOM Sunday School has been meeting at 10:00 am since the end of September, and the 11:00 am Service time gives us time to switch ZOOMs
.
ZOOM has been used for Communion Services by the General Council and by Norther Spirit Regional Council, and is being encourage as the way for the church to gather for Communion as it brings people together at the same time.  Since it will be Communion, you are encouraged to have some bread and grape juice (or wine) available for each member of your household. 
  
Now in a ZOOM Service, what you see is what is happening at the church as you watch it, with the exception of the musical portions which are recorded in advance and shared by our ZOOM technician at the appropriate times in the service.  Because we are using ZOOM there is a greater possibility for lags in the video or audio and other real time technical problems.  There will be no subtitles for the prayers and prayer responses. But, a bulletin will be provided in the email that will be sent out by Norma on Saturday, but rather than a YouTube link, you will be reminded of the ZOOM link.  Please be patient with us as we learn another way of worshiping together.  We also hope that the recording of the service works this time, and we will be able to post a YouTube version of the service later on Sunday afternoon   
  
Some Questions and Answers:
Q; What if I am new to ZOOM, and a bit unsure about how it works?  
A: Sign on early (around 10:45 am and receive a short tutorial about ZOOM)
Q:I can’t use ZOOM, what do I do for worship? 
A: The ZOOM Service will be recorded (we hope) and posted to our YouTube channel later on Sunday afternoon.
Q: Will all the Services be on ZOOM now? 
A: No, for the present, we will only be using ZOOM for Communion Services, on the first Sunday of each month.  The remainder of the Service each month will be the pre-recorded YouTube videos that you have become used to.
 
To Join the Zoom Communion click on this link between 10:45 and 11:00 am on Sunday, February 7thh. (Some computers may require you to press the CTRL key at the same time as you click on the link with your mouse)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85002656536?pwd=Sm1McDVpT2YwOWdsOVdoa2kxYXF0dz09
 
It is unlikely, but you may be asked for the Meeting ID: which is 850 0265 6536.  If you need a Passcode it is: 814813
 
The Scripture Readings for Sunday are Acts 19: 1-7, and Mark 1; 4-11.  In the Time for All Ages, I will be saying, “I don’t feel well.”  My sermon is titled, “Healed to Serve.”
 
ZOOM Coffee Hour will follow the ZOOM Service on same link
  
YOUR TAX RECEIPT FOR 2020 IS IN THE MAIL
 The Charitable Tax receipts from Spirit West for 2020 were mailed today.  You should see your receipt in your mailbox early next week

 
 2021 OFFERING ENVELOPES
 If you have been regularly using Offering Envelopes for your offering, either mailed in to the church or dropped off, your 2021 Envelopes are now available at the Church. We would prefer if you could pick them up.  Call Norma at the church, so that she can have your envelopes ready for you.  If you would rather that they be delivered to you, you will also have to let Norma know.

 
SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
Greeters (update)
You may have gotten (or will get) a call from Diane H. our new “Greeter Co-ordinator,” asking you if you would record a greeting for our Sunday Worship videos.  If at all possible, please say yes. Recorded greetings should be sent to our “Recording technician” (Paul W.) at paulwright38d@gmail.com or you can come into the church and we will record your greeting. Video greetings need to be sent in or recorded by the Friday before “your” Sunday.
 
Scripture Readers (update)
Using the list of those who have volunteered to be Scripture readers, Norma has drawn up and sent out a schedule of readers for the next couple of months. If you have read scripture for one of the worship videos, you will be on the schedule and will have received a copy.  Please confirm with Norma as soon as possible that you are available to do your reading.  Readings can be recorded well in advance of the date required. Your reading can also be recorded at the church between 2:30 and 4:30 on Thursday afternoons.
 
Sharing our Celebrations 
In this time when it is important for us to look for signs of hope and joy, opportunity is being given for you to share your celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, new grandchildren etc) with the wider community.  If you have a celebration you want to share please email swm@telus.net or phone the church. (must be sent in before noon on Thursday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 
Prayer Requests If you have a prayer request that you would like included in the Prayers of the People that are part of our worship videos, your request needs to be into the church by Thursday at noon for inclusion on Sunday.  The best way to send in your request is to email spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com. During the Prayers of the People, only the first name of individuals will be mentioned, and the specifics of the request will not be shared. The prayer requests are also forwarded to the Prayer Chain.
 
Feedback
I appreciate all the positive feedback that we have received about the Worship Videos.  We (Margaret, Bonnie, Glenn, Paul W. and I) are trying our best to provide you with something that will assist you in your faith journey during this “crazy” time.  We would also like to hear from you if you have suggestions on how we could make the videos better or more helpful (like Scripture readers, Greeters, music with the hymns …).   Email your comments to me swm@telus.net or post them on our Facebook page.

 
YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH
You may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can bring them to the church (or you can call for pick up).  If you want to bring your bottles (and any other recyclable beverage containers) in during our office hours and put them directly in the Bottle Shed (by the garage), give us a call, and we can have the shed open for you.  All money raised from the return of bottles goes towards paying down the principal on our mortgage
. 
 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We can now accept donations by eTransfer.  The contact name for the eTransfer is Spirit West United Church, and the email address is spiritw@telus.net .  If you include a security question with your eTransfer, please notify Norma at the church office by phone or email.  And remember that if you are not on PAR(Pre-Authorized Remittance), you can also mail in cheques to the church office (Spirit West United Church, 7003 – 199 St. Edmonton, AB  T5T 3A8, include your envelope number if you have one.) The church office is open and you can drop off your offering/donation in the offering plate just inside the front doors.  You can also donate online, see below…
                    
ANOTHER  WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO SPIRIT WEST DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
You are stuck home, Spirit West is not holding services, you are not on PAR, but you want to make a financial contribution to the  work of Spirit West, because the church has bills to pay even when we are not gathering on Sunday.   Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar. 

 
 Spirit West Prayer Chain
Prayer is important. We know that  people still face challenges and difficulties not related to Covid-19, and we cannot forget them.  Our Prayer Chain will continue to be active.  If you have a prayer request, please send it to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com.  These requests will be shared regularly with the prayer chain and will form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.
  
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Website:  www.spiritwest.org 
Facebook: Spirit West United Church and Friends of Spirit West Outreach
Instagram: spiritwestyeg
 YouTube:  Spirt West United Church, Edmonton
 
 CHURCH OFFICE
The Spirit West Church office remains open.
 Office hours 
-  Norma => Noon to 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
-  Larry => 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday
Larry

(Rev.) Larry K. Wright, CD, BA, MDiv
Minister
Spirit West United Church
780-481-1406
Spiritwest.minister@telus.net
Spiritwest.org


0 Comments

January 28, 2021 - the 4th Sunday after Epiphany and the46th Sunday in COVID-19 Isolation and the 38th Sunday video on YouTube

1/28/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Greetings!
 
This Sunday – the Fourth after Epiphany – Called to Prophecy
 For many people in our society and probably in our church as well, the whole concept of prophet, prophecy (noun, last syllable pronounced “see.”) and to prophecy (verb, last syllable pronounce “sigh.”) usually bring to mind predictions, usually bad, for the future.  We might think of names like Nostradamus or as my son Paul offered, Professor Trelawney from Harry Potter.  If we are familiar with the Bible, we might think of Isaiah or Jeremiah.  But again the associations tend to be about messages of doom.
But when we actually look at the work of the Biblical prophets, we do find messages of doom and destruction, but we usually also find messages of hope.  What we see in the prophets of the Bible are people who are called by God to name sin and evil in a community, and to warn people of divine punishment if they continue to live as they have.  But the prophets are also called to offer the possibility of redemption if there is repentance and change.  In other words the message of the prophets is:  “You are messing up big time (forgetting God, oppressing widows and orphans, acting unjustly…)  If you continue in this way bad stuff will happen.  If you change and stop messing up there will be forgiveness.
Prophecy (noun) is naming evil so that there can be change.
In the Gospel reading, Jesus calls out an “unclean” spirit that has been tormenting a man.  Jesus names the evil, to drive it out.  The man is healed, restored.  The watching crowds are amazed by this.  They wonder at Jesus’ authority.
Aren’t we all called to be prophets in some way:  to call out evil that we see around us, so that it can be stopped.  Of course, as we see from the reading from Deuteronomy, not all who claim to be prophets are prophets.  There is an element of deep discernment.  Who are the prophets in our world?
 

The Scripture readings for this Sunday are Deuteronomy 18: 15-20 and Mark 1: 21-28.  In the Time for All Ages, I am going to talk about being “Unclean.”  The title of my sermon is ““Called to Prophecy.”
 
ZOOM COFFEE HOUR CONTINUES THIS SUNDAY
 Join Zoom Coffee on Sunday at 11:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82009089663?pwd=d1FVUkhLTFNKdFd0YW1MRmtUQUltdz09
 
Meeting ID: 820 0908 9663
Passcode: 093841
  
NO ROOM IN THE INN – Thank you!
 When the designated Christmas offerings were counted and divided, we were able to send a cheque for $2,920,00 to No Room In the Inn for this year’s campaign.   In his email to Norma, Julien Hammond, chair of the No Room In the Inn committee wrote, “thank you to Spirit West for supporting women/children’s shelters in a time of increased domestic violence in our community. Richest blessings to you all!”

 
 2021 OFFERING ENVELOPES
 If you have been regularly using Offering Envelopes for your offering, either mailed in to the church or dropped off, your 2021 Envelopes are now available at the Church. We would prefer if you could pick them up.  Call Norma at the church, so that she can have your envelopes ready for you.  If you would rather that they be delivered to you, you will also have to let Norma know.
  
MORE ON OUR SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 Scripture Readers
Using the list of those who have volunteered to be Scripture readers, Norma has drawn up and sent out a schedule of readers for the next couple of months. If you have read scripture for one of the worship videos, you will be on the schedule and will have received a copy.  Please confirm with Norma as soon as possible that you are available to do your reading.  Readings can be recorded well in advance of the date required.
 
Sharing our Celebrations (note the submission deadline)
In this time when it is important for us to look for signs of hope and joy, opportunity is being given for you to share your celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, new grandchildren etc) with the wider community.  If you have a celebration you want to share please email swm@telus.net or phone the church. (must be sent in before noon on Thursday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 
Prayer Requests If you have a prayer request that you would like included in the Prayers of the People that are part of our worship videos, your request needs to be into the church by Thursday at noon for inclusion on Sunday.  The best way to send in your request is to email spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com. During the Prayers of the People, only the first name of individuals will be mentioned, and the specifics of the request will not be shared. The prayer requests are also forwarded to the Prayer Chain.
 
Feedback
I appreciate all the positive feedback that we have received about the Worship Videos.  We (Margaret, Bonnie, Glenn, Paul W. and I) are trying our best to provide you with something that will assist you in your faith journey during this “crazy” time.  We would also like to hear from you if you have suggestions on how we could make the videos better or more helpful (like Scripture readers, Greeters, music with the hymns …).   Email your comments to me swm@telus.net or post them on our Facebook page.

 
YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH
You may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can bring them to the church (or you can call for pick up).  If you want to bring your bottles (and any other recyclable beverage containers) in during our office hours and put them directly in the Bottle Shed (by the garage), give us a call, and we can have the shed open for you.  All money raised from the return of bottles goes towards paying down the principal on our mortgage. 

 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We can now accept donations by eTransfer.  The contact name for the eTransfer is Spirit West United Church, and the email address is spiritw@telus.net .  If you include a security question with your eTransfer, please notify Norma at the church office by phone or email.  And remember that if you are not on PAR(Pre-Authorized Remittance), you can also mail in cheques to the church office (Spirit West United Church, 7003 – 199 St. Edmonton, AB  T5T 3A8, include your envelope number if you have one.) The church office is open and you can drop off your offering/donation in the offering plate just inside the front doors.  You can also donate online, see below…
                    
ANOTHER  WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO SPIRIT WEST DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
You are stuck home, Spirit West is not holding services, you are not on PAR, but you want to make a financial contribution to the  work of Spirit West, because the church has bills to pay even when we are not gathering on Sunday.   Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar. 

  
Spirit West Prayer Chain
Prayer is important. We know that  people still face challenges and difficulties not related to Covid-19, and we cannot forget them.  Our Prayer Chain will continue to be active.  If you have a prayer request, please send it to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com.  These requests will be shared regularly with the prayer chain and will form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.
  
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Website:  www.spiritwest.org 
Facebook: Spirit West United Church and Friends of Spirit West Outreach
Instagram: spiritwestyeg
 YouTube:  Spirt West United Church, Edmonton
  
CHURCH OFFICE
The Spirit West Church office remains open.
 Office hours 
-  Norma => Noon to 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
-  Larry => 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday
Larry

(Rev.) Larry K. Wright, CD, BA, MDiv
Minister
Spirit West United Church
780-481-1406
Spiritwest.minister@telus.net
Spiritwest.org



0 Comments

January 21, 2021 The Third Sunday after Epiphany and the 45th Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation

1/21/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Greetings!
 
Greeters – So far I do not have any for this Sunday
For our pre-recorded YouTube services, we have had, thanks to Bonnie C., people from the congregation offering greetings at the beginning of the videos.  It is not possible for Bonnie to continue this.  So, if you really liked the greetings you saw at the beginning of the videos, it’s now up to you.  We would like at least one greeter for each video.  You can record a greeting on your phone (as some of our families did) and send it to Paul, our video editor, at paulwright38d@gmail.com or you can come into the church and we will record your greeting. Video greetings can be sent in at any time, and we will include them in the worship videos, though if we get a number of greetings, you might have to wait a week or two to see yourself.   If you have a greeting which you would like to send out for a particular date, call the church.  Don’t wait for someone else to do it.

  
This Sunday – The Third Sunday after Epiphany -  Call and Response
 
For each Sunday in the Church Year, the Lectionary provides four readings.  There is a reading from the Hebrew Scriptures (often called the Old Testament), there is a reading from the Psalms, and a reading from the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) that is not from one of the Gospels.  And there is a Gospel reading.  Normally I pick just two of the readings to be read on a Sunday.  (If you are interested in checking out all the readings for any Sunday for the next three years go to Revised Common Lectionary .)  This Sunday we will hear three readings, the first from the book of Jonah, the second from Psalm 62, and the Gospel from Mark.  The Gospel reading usually sets the “tone” for the Sunday, and this week that seems to be about call and response. In the passage from Mark we have backtracked a little from last week as we hear Mark’s version of the start of Jesus’ ministry and the calling of the first disciples.  The reading from Jonah is not about “Jonah and the Whale.”  That seems to be the part of the story of Jonah that everybody knows.  But there is more to the story.  The reason Jonah was in the whale (or big fish) was that he had attempted to run away from God’s call to him.  Jonah had been called by God to go to the great city of Nineveh and call the people of that city to repentance for their wickedness.  Jonah did not want to go.  Then comes the incident with the big fish.  Eventually Jonah does get to Nineveh, and after being reminded of the reason for being there, does call the people of Nineveh to repentance.  His call worked, “… the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small put on sackcloth.”  Now the reading from Psalm 62 is a bit different.  The passage we will hear on Sunday contains two lines that I will focus on.  The first is “For God alone my soul waits in silence,” and the other, “Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high estate are a delusion; in the balance they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.”  I am going to reflect on how our attitude toward God and to ourselves affects our response to Gods call.

 
The Scripture readings for this Sunday are Jonah 3: 1-5, 10, Psalm 62: 5-12 and Mark 1: 14-20.  In the Time for All Ages, I am going to say “Shhh.”  The title of my sermon is ““Of low and high estate.”

 
ZOOM COFFEE HOUR CONTINUES THIS SUNDAY
Join Zoom Coffee on Sunday at 11:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84188872465?pwd=UlhoYktNRFh6a054M01IMG1jbjFGQT09
 
Meeting ID: 841 8887 2465
Passcode: 864041
  
2021 OFFERING ENVELOPES
 If you have been regularly using Offering Envelopes for your offering, either mailed in to the church or dropped off, your 2021 Envelopes are now available at the Church. We would prefer if you could pick them up.  Call Norma at the church, so that she can have your envelopes ready for you.  If you would rather that they be delivered to you, you will also have to let Norma know.

 
 SPIRIT WEST OUTREACH -  Jasper Place Wellness Bagged Meal
 
Our first date to provide lunches for the Jasper Place Wellness Centre is Saturday, January 23rd.    Due to Covid-19 restrictions they have asked for pre-packaged items to be provided (no sandwiches).   
 
The suggested items for this bagged meal is: individual commercially wrapped muffins or banana bread, granola bars, fruit cups, puddings, cup of soup or noodles in a cup, cheese sticks, crackers, juice boxes and “peelable” fruit like bananas and oranges.
 
Lori, Bill and Adam will shop,  put the bagged meals together and deliver them   We have been asked to create 25 bags.   Lori is budgeting approx. $ 125 to create these meals - $ 5.00 each.   If you are able to sponsor a lunch or lunches, please make a donation to the church and designate the funds as “Outreach.”
 
The next date for our church to provide the bagged lunches in March 6.


MORE ON OUR SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
  
Scripture Readers
Using the list of those who have volunteered to be Scripture readers, Norma has drawn up and sent out a schedule of readers for the next couple of months. If you have read scripture for one of the worship videos, you will be on the schedule and will have received a copy.  Please confirm with Norma as soon as possible that you are available to do your reading.  Readings can be recorded well in advance of the date required.
 
Sharing our Celebrations (note the submission deadline)
In this time when it is important for us to look for signs of hope and joy, opportunity is being given for you to share your celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, new grandchildren etc) with the wider community.  If you have a celebration you want to share please email swm@telus.net or phone the church. (must be sent in before noon on Thursday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 
Prayer Requests If you have a prayer request that you would like included in the Prayers of the People that are part of our worship videos, your request needs to be into the church by Thursday at noon for inclusion on Sunday.  The best way to send in your request is to email spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com. During the Prayers of the People, only the first name of individuals will be mentioned, and the specifics of the request will not be shared. The prayer requests are also forwarded to the Prayer Chain.
 
Feedback
I appreciate all the positive feedback that we have received about the Worship Videos.  We (Margaret, Bonnie, Glenn, Paul W. and I) are trying our best to provide you with something that will assist you in your faith journey during this “crazy” time.  We would also like to hear from you if you have suggestions on how we could make the videos better or more helpful (like Scripture readers, Greeters, music with the hymns …).   Email your comments to me swm@telus.net or post them on our Facebook page.
 

YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH
You may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can bring them to the church (or you can call for pick up).  If you want to bring your bottles (and any other recyclable beverage containers) in during our office hours and put them directly in the Bottle Shed (by the garage), give us a call, and we can have the shed open for you.  All money raised from the return of bottles goes towards paying down the principal on our mortgage. 
 
 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We can now accept donations by eTransfer.  The contact name for the eTransfer is Spirit West United Church, and the email address is spiritw@telus.net .  If you include a security question with your eTransfer, please notify Norma at the church office by phone or email.  And remember that if you are not on PAR(Pre-Authorized Remittance), you can also mail in cheques to the church office (Spirit West United Church, 7003 – 199 St. Edmonton, AB  T5T 3A8, include your envelope number if you have one.) The church office is open and you can drop off your offering/donation in the offering plate just inside the front doors.  You can also donate online, see below…
                    
ANOTHER  WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO SPIRIT WEST DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
You are stuck home, Spirit West is not holding services, you are not on PAR, but you want to make a financial contribution to the  work of Spirit West, because the church has bills to pay even when we are not gathering on Sunday.   Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar. 

  
Spirit West Prayer Chain
Prayer is important. We know that  people still face challenges and difficulties not related to Covid-19, and we cannot forget them.  Our Prayer Chain will continue to be active.  If you have a prayer request, please send it to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com.  These requests will be shared regularly with the prayer chain and will form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.

 
 SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Website:  www.spiritwest.org 
Facebook: Spirit West United Church and Friends of Spirit West Outreach
Instagram: spiritwestyeg
 YouTube:  Spirt West United Church, Edmonton
  

CHURCH OFFICE
The Spirit West Church office remains open.
 Office hours 
-  Norma => Noon to 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
-  Larry => 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday
Larry

(Rev.) Larry K. Wright, CD, BA, MDiv
Minister
Spirit West United Church
780-481-1406
Spiritwest.minister@telus.net
Spiritwest.org


0 Comments

January 14, 2021 - Second Sunday after Epiphany and the 44th Sunday in COVID-19 Isolation

1/14/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Greetings!
 
OUR WORSHIP VIRTUAL WORSHIP SERVICE
As I begin this eMessage I want to talk about our virtual services.  Last Sunday, we celebrated our first ZOOM Communion Service.  It seemed to go relatively well, although there were problems with lag in the pre-recorded music portions.  This is a problem with ZOOM.  Unfortunately, to overcome this problem requires upgrading the internet at the church.  The other problem we ran into was in recording the service so that it could be uploaded to YouTube.  We ran into an unforeseen technical glitch that prevented the recording.  Paul and I even did a trial last week, which of course worked fine.  We had a ZOOM connection set up between the church and my home, with Margery and Rebecca on separate computers being “the congregation.”  We checked and have a wonderful recording of twenty minutes or so of sound checks, camera angles, and hymn recordings (where we first noted the lag).  But on Sunday, well…. nothing.

The Worship Committee has agreed that we will only use ZOOM for worship on Communion Sundays, the first Sunday of each month.  And Paul and I will do our best to work out the technical challenges, though a lag in pre-recorded elements will be an ongoing problem.
 
The Service for this Sunday will be a “regular” YouTube video.  We have come quite a way in the past 10 months with regard to our “regular” video services.  Our first services were recorded using Margery’s cell phone propped up with a Bible on a music stand, and only the phone’s microphone for sound.  Now we are using a digital single lens reflex camera on a tripod with fluid mount with video input directly to Pauls’ computer and the sound is recorded on a separate track with the church’s sound system connected to Paul’s computer.  And we constantly try to improve.
 
Greeters – So far I do not have any for this Sunday
For our pre-recorded YouTube services, we have had, thanks to Bonnie C., people from the congregation offering greetings at the beginning of the videos.  It is not possible for Bonnie to continue this.  So, if you really liked the greetings you saw at the beginning of the videos, it’s now up to you.  We would like at least one greeter for each video.  You can record a greeting on your phone (as some of our families did) and send it to Paul, our video editor, at paulwright38d@gmail.com or you can come into the church and we will record your greeting. Video greetings can be sent in at any time, and we will include them in the worship videos, though if we get a number of greetings, you might have to wait a week or two to see yourself.   If you have a greeting which you would like to send out for a particular date, call the church.  Don’t wait for someone else to do.

  
This Sunday – tHE SECOND AFTER ePIPHANY - The Call of God
 
Within the Lectionary of the Church Year, the end of December to the middle of January is a bit of a rush.  In less than a month we move from the stories of Jesus’ birth to the story of his Baptism by John when Jesus was thought to be about thirty years old.  And this Sunday we recognize the start of Jesus ministry as he calls his disciples, in this case two of the lesser known disciples, Philip and Nathanael.”  It turns out that Nathanael is a bit skeptical about this Jesus of Nazareth, about whom his friend Philip has talked enthusiastically. He is not quite ready to jump up and follow Jesus.  In fact Nathanael says, in a reflection of the attitude of the time, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  He come round when he actually meets Jesus.  We are also reminded of God’s call in the reading from Samuel.  In that passage, the young Samuel hears the call of God in the night but does not understand what he is hearing, or how to respond,  until it is explained to him.  Do you think you have been called by God?  How do you know?  What does the call of God  “sound” like?
 
The Scripture readings for this Sunday are 1 Samuel 3: 1-10 and John 1: 43-51.  In the Time for All Ages, I am going to talk about “No Caller ID.”  The title of my sermon is “The Call of God.”
 

ZOOM COFFEE HOUR CONTINUES THIS SUNDAY
Join Zoom Coffee on Sunday at 11:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86546882689?pwd=S09pUnc5S3dib3RWRjllWDNKcXFMdz09
Meeting ID: 865 4688 2689
Passcode: 044259

  
2021 OFFERING ENVELOPES
 If you have been regularly using Offering Envelopes for your offering, either mailed in or dropped off, your 2021 Envelopes are now available at the Church. We would prefer if you could pick them up.  Call Norma at the church, so that she can have your envelopes ready for you.  If you would rather that they be mailed to you, you will also have to let Norma know.

  
CHRISTMAS EVE OFFERING – last day is tomorrow
In what my daughter calls the “before times,” when we gathered at the church for Christmas Eve, we took up a special offering.  For a number of years now this offering has been divided between the needs of Spirit West United Church and the No Room in the Inn program of the Edmonton and District Council of Churches. This year No Room in the Inn has chosen Catholic Social Services - La Salle Shelter and St Katharine Drexel Place for their 2020 campaign.
This campaign’s focus is domestic violence and the need for women’s shelters. We are appealing for support for two women’s shelters, LaSalle Shelter and St. Katharine Drexel Place, which are in need of backyard upgrades so that the children in care can safely play outside on the properties:
  • La Salle Shelter, a second-stage shelter, annually helps more than 30 women and their children escape domestic violence, and transition into stable housing. La Salle shelters those who are fleeing abusive relationships, where they can stay for six months to one year.
  • St. Katharine Drexel Place supports dozens of women each year to stabilize their lives by helping them pursue career and educational goals, focus on family, and find permanent residence in the community. This is subsidized, transitional housing for women in crisis and their children. Clients are homeless, vulnerably-housed, or at risk of homelessness.
Please consider, if you are able, making a special “Christmas Offering” to Spirit West.  These “Christmas Offerings” will again this year be divided equally between Spirit West and No Room in the Inn 2020.  Your offering can be made by mailing a cheque to the church, dropping it at the church during office hours, of by etransfer to spiritw@telus.net.  (this is a corrected email address for etransfers) Please make sure to specify that this is your “Christmas Offering.”  Christmas offerings will be accepted between until tomorrow, January 15, 2021.(Donations received in 2021 will appear on your 2021 Income Tax receipt)
 
SPIRIT WEST OUTREACH -  Jasper Place Wellness Bagged Meal
 
Our first date to provide lunches for the Jasper Place Wellness Centre is Saturday, January 23rd.    Due to Covid-19 restrictions they have asked for pre-packaged items to be provided (no sandwiches).   
 
The suggested items for this bagged meal is: individual commercially wrapped muffins or banana bread, granola bars, fruit cups, puddings, cup of soup or noodles in a cup, cheese sticks, crackers, juice boxes and “peelable” fruit like bananas and oranges.
 
Lori, Bill and Adam will shop,  put the bagged meals together and deliver them   We have been asked to create 25 bags.   Lori is budgeting approx. $ 125 to create these meals - $ 5.00 each.   If you are able, please make a donation to the church and designate the funds as “Outreach.”
 
The Centre will also take donations of warm winter clothing, re-fillable hot beverage containers, bus tickets, and coffee gift cards.  (Please no scarfs. Cowls or infinity/joined scarfs only) There will be a bin at the church where you can drop off these items between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.  It is best to call the church to let us know you will be bringing items in and please follow the Covid-19 restrictions when coming to the church - wear a mask, social distance, and complete the log.
 
Lori will come by the church on January, 21st to collect any items that have been dropped off at the church.   

 
MORE ON OUR SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 Scripture Readers
Using the list of those who have volunteered to be Scripture readers, Norma has drawn up and sent out a schedule of readers for the next couple of months. If you have read scripture for one of the worship videos, you will be on the schedule and will have received a copy.  Please confirm with Norma as soon as possible that you are available to do your reading.  Readings can be recorded well in advance of the date required.
 
Sharing our Celebrations (note the submission deadline)
In this time when it is important for us to look for signs of hope and joy, opportunity is being given for you to share your celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, new grandchildren etc) with the wider community.  If you have a celebration you want to share please email swm@telus.net or phone the church. (must be sent in before noon on Thursday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 
Prayer Requests If you have a prayer request that you would like included in the Prayers of the People that are part of our worship videos, your request needs to be into the church by Thursday at noon for inclusion on Sunday.  The best way to send in your request is to email spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com. During the Prayers of the People, only the first name of individuals will be mentioned, and the specifics of the request will not be shared. The prayer requests are also forwarded to the Prayer Chain.
 
Feedback
I appreciate all the positive feedback that we have received about the Worship Videos.  We (Margaret, Bonnie, Glenn, Paul W. and I) are trying our best to provide you with something that will assist you in your faith journey during this “crazy” time.  We would also like to hear from you if you have suggestions on how we could make the videos better or more helpful (like Scripture readers, Greeters, music with the hymns …).   Email your comments to me swm@telus.net or post them on our Facebook page.

 
YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH
You may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can bring them to the church (or you can call for pick up).  If you want to bring your bottles (and any other recyclable beverage containers) in during our office hours and put them directly in the Bottle Shed (by the garage), give us a call, and we can have the shed open for you.  All money raised from the return of bottles goes towards paying down the principal on our mortgage. 

 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We can now accept donations by eTransfer.  The contact name for the eTransfer is Spirit West United Church, and the email address is spiritw@telus.net .  If you include a security question with your eTransfer, please notify Norma at the church office by phone or email.  And remember that if you are not on PAR(Pre-Authorized Remittance), you can also mail in cheques to the church office (Spirit West United Church, 7003 – 199 St. Edmonton, AB  T5T 3A8, include your envelope number if you have one.) The church office is open and you can drop off your offering/donation in the offering plate just inside the front doors.  You can also donate online, see below…
                    
ANOTHER  WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO SPIRIT WEST DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
You are stuck home, Spirit West is not holding services, you are not on PAR, but you want to make a financial contribution to the  work of Spirit West, because the church has bills to pay even when we are not gathering on Sunday.   Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar. 

 
Spirit West Prayer Chain
Prayer is important. We know that  people still face challenges and difficulties not related to Covid-19, and we cannot forget them.  Our Prayer Chain will continue to be active.  If you have a prayer request, please send it to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com.  These requests will be shared regularly with the prayer chain and will form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.
 
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Website:  www.spiritwest.org 
Facebook: Spirit West United Church and Friends of Spirit West Outreach
Instagram: spiritwestyeg
 YouTube:  Spirt West United Church, Edmonton
 
 
CHURCH OFFICE
The Spirit West Church office remains open.
 Office hours 
-  Norma => Noon to 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
-  Larry => 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday
Larry

(Rev.) Larry K. Wright, CD, BA, MDiv
Minister
Spirit West United Church
780-481-1406
Spiritwest.minister@telus.net
Spiritwest.org


​
0 Comments

January 7, 2021 - The Baptism of Jesus, the 42nd Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation and our 1st ZOOM Service

1/7/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
​Greetings!
Welcome to 2021.  As this is the first eMessage of 2021, there is some new information below.  Please take the time to read it!

 
This Sunday – BAPTISM OF JESUS – A ZOOM COMMUNION
 
Worship this Sunday will be a bit different.  It will be a live ZOOM Communion Service at 11:00 am.  The ZOOM Service is at 11:00 because our Spirit West ZOOM Sunday School has been meeting at 10:00 am since the end of September, and the 11:00 am Service time gives us time to switch ZOOMs
.
ZOOM has been used for Communion Services by the General Council and by Norther Spirit Regional Council, and is being encourage as the way for the church to gather for Communion as it brings people together at the same time.  Since it will be Communion, you are encouraged to have some bread and grape juice (or wine) available for each member of your household.  And because it is Baptism of Jesus Sunday, I would also suggest that you have a small bowl of water at hand.
 
Now in a ZOOM Service, what you see is what is happening at the church as you watch it.  Because we are using ZOOM there is a greater possibility for lags in the video or audio and other real time technical problems.  There will be no subtitles for the prayers and prayer responses. As usual, a bulletin will be provided in an email that will be sent out by Norma on Saturday, but rather than a YouTube link, you will be reminded of the ZOOM link.  Please be patient with us as we learn another way of worshiping together   
 

 Some Questions and Answers:
What if I am new to ZOOM, and a bit unsure about how it works?  Sign on early (around 10:45 am and receive a short tutorial about ZOOM)
I can’t use ZOOM, what do I do for worship?  The ZOOM Service will be recorded and posted to our YouTube channel later on Sunday afternoon.
Will all the Services be on ZOOM now?  No, for the present, we will only be using ZOOM for Communion Services, on the first Sunday of each month.  The remainder of the Service each month will be the pre-recorded YouTube videos that you have become used to.
 
To Join the Zoom Communion click on this link between 10:45 and 11:00 am on Sunday, January 10th.(Some computers may require you to press the CTRL key at the same time as you click on the link with your mouse)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83605398586?pwd=WTUzMm5ReDdhRjZYTzdUemhwQWNGUT09
 
It is unlikely, but you may be asked for the Meeting ID: which is 836 0539 8586.  If you need a Passcode it is:107079

 
The Scripture Readings for Sunday are Acts 19: 1-7, and Mark 1; 4-11.  In the Time for All Ages, I will be saying, “Let’s run some water on that.”   My sermon is titled, “God Camps Out”
 

 ZOOM Coffee Hour will follow the ZOOM Service on same link
 
CHRISTMAS EVE OFFERING
In what my daughter calls the “before times,” when we gathered at the church for Christmas Eve, we took up a special offering.  For a number of years now this offering has been divided between the needs of Spirit West United Church and the No Room in the Inn program of the Edmonton and District Council of Churches. This year No Room in the Inn has chosen Catholic Social Services - La Salle Shelter and St Katharine Drexel Place for their 2020 campaign.
This campaign’s focus is domestic violence and the need for women’s shelters. We are appealing for support for two women’s shelters, LaSalle Shelter and St. Katharine Drexel Place, which are in need of backyard upgrades so that the children in care can safely play outside on the properties:
  • La Salle Shelter, a second-stage shelter, annually helps more than 30 women and their children escape domestic violence, and transition into stable housing. La Salle shelters those who are fleeing abusive relationships, where they can stay for six months to one year.
  • St. Katharine Drexel Place supports dozens of women each year to stabilize their lives by helping them pursue career and educational goals, focus on family, and find permanent residence in the community. This is subsidized, transitional housing for women in crisis and their children. Clients are homeless, vulnerably-housed, or at risk of homelessness.
Please consider, if you are able, making a special “Christmas Offering” to Spirit West.  These “Christmas Offerings” will again this year be divided equally between Spirit West and No Room in the Inn 2020.  Your offering can be made by mailing a cheque to the church, dropping it at the church during office hours, of by etransfer to spiritw@telus.net.  (this is a corrected email address for etransfers) Please make sure to specify that this is your “Christmas Offering.”  Christmas offerings will be accepted between until January 15, 2021.(Donations received in 2021 will appear on your 2021 Income Tax receipt)
 
SPIRIT WEST OUTREACH -  Jasper Place Wellness Bagged Meal
 
Our first date to provide lunches for the Jasper Place Wellness Centre is Saturday, January 23rd.    Due to Covid-19 restrictions they have asked for pre-packaged items to be provided (no sandwiches).   
 
The suggested items for this bagged meal is: individual commercially wrapped muffins or banana bread, granola bars, fruit cups, puddings, cup of soup or noodles in a cup, cheese sticks, crackers, juice boxes and “peelable” fruit like bananas and oranges.
 
Lori, Bill and Adam will shop,  put the bagged meals together and deliver them   We have been asked to create 25 bags.   Lori is budgeting approx. $ 125 to create these meals - $ 5.00 each.   If you are able, please make a donation to the church and designate the funds as “Outreach.”
 
The Centre will also take donations of warm winter clothing, re-fillable hot beverage containers, bus tickets, and coffee gift cards.  (Please no scarfs. Cowls or infinity/joined scarfs only) There will be a bin at the church where you can drop off these items between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.  It is best to call the church to let us know you will be bringing items in and please follow the Covid-19 restrictions when coming to the church - wear a mask, social distance, and complete the log.
 
Lori will come by the church on January, 21st to collect any items that have been dropped off at the church. 

 
SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 Greeters
For our pre-recorded YouTube services, we have had, thanks to Bonnie C., people from the congregation offering greetings at the beginning of the videos.  It is not possible for Bonnie to continue this.  So, if you really liked the greetings you saw at the beginning of the videos, it’s now up to you.  We would like at least one greeter for each video.  You can record a greeting on your phone (as some of our families did) and send it to Paul, our video editor, at paulwright38d@gmail.com or you can come into the church and we will record your greeting. Video greetings can be sent in at any time, and we will include them in the worship videos, though if we get a number of greetings, you might have to wait a week or two to see yourself.   If you have a greeting which you would like to send out for a particular date, call the church.  Don’t wait for someone else to do.
 
Scripture Readers
Using the list of those who have volunteered to be Scripture readers, Norma has drawn up and sent out a schedule of readers for the next couple of months. If you have read scripture for one of the worship videos, you will be on the schedule and will have received a copy.  Please confirm with Norma as soon as possible that you are available to do your reading.  Readings can be recorded well in advance of the date required.
 
Sharing our Celebrations (note the submission deadline)
In this time when it is important for us to look for signs of hope and joy, opportunity is being given for you to share your celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, new grandchildren etc) with the wider community.  If you have a celebration you want to share please email swm@telus.net or phone the church. (must be sent in before noon on Thursday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 
Prayer Requests If you have a prayer request that you would like included in the Prayers of the People that are part of our worship videos, your request needs to be into the church by Thursday at noon for inclusion on Sunday.  The best way to send in your request is to email spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com. During the Prayers of the People, only the first name of individuals will be mentioned, and the specifics of the request will not be shared. The prayer requests are also forwarded to the Prayer Chain.
 
Feedback
I appreciate all the positive feedback that we have received about the Worship Videos.  We (Margaret, Bonnie, Glenn, Paul W. and I) are trying our best to provide you with something that will assist you in your faith journey during this “crazy” time.  We would also like to hear from you if you have suggestions on how we could make the videos better or more helpful (like Scripture readers, Greeters, music with the hymns …).   Email your comments to me swm@telus.net or post them on our Facebook page.
 

YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH
You may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can bring them to the church (or you can call for pick up).  If you want to bring your bottles (and any other recyclable beverage containers) in during our office hours and put them directly in the Bottle Shed (by the garage), give us a call, and we can have the shed open for you.  All money raised from the return of bottles goes towards paying down the principal on our mortgage. 
 

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We can now accept donations by eTransfer.  The contact name for the eTransfer is Spirit West United Church, and the email address is spiritw@telus.net .  If you include a security question with your eTransfer, please notify Norma at the church office by phone or email.  And remember that if you are not on PAR(Pre-Authorized Remittance), you can also mail in cheques to the church office (Spirit West United Church, 7003 – 199 St. Edmonton, AB  T5T 3A8, include your envelope number if you have one.) The church office is open and you can drop off your offering/donation in the offering plate just inside the front doors.  You can also donate online, see below…
                    
ANOTHER  WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO SPIRIT WEST DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
You are stuck home, Spirit West is not holding services, you are not on PAR, but you want to make a financial contribution to the  work of Spirit West, because the church has bills to pay even when we are not gathering on Sunday.   Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar. 
 

 Spirit West Prayer Chain
Prayer is important. We know that  people still face challenges and difficulties not related to Covid-19, and we cannot forget them.  Our Prayer Chain will continue to be active.  If you have a prayer request, please send it to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com.  These requests will be shared regularly with the prayer chain and will form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.
 
 SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Website:  www.spiritwest.org 
Facebook: Spirit West United Church and Friends of Spirit West Outreach
Instagram: spiritwestyeg
 YouTube:  Spirt West United Church, Edmonton

  
CHURCH OFFICE
The Spirit West Church office remains open.
  Office hours 
    -  Norma => Noon to 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
    -  Larry => 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday
Larry

(Rev.) Larry K. Wright, CD, BA, MDiv
Minister
Spirit West United Church
780-481-1406
Spiritwest.minister@telus.net
Spiritwest.org
0 Comments

December 17, 2020 - The Fourth Sunday of Advent and the 40th Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation

12/17/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
​Greetings!
This will be my last eMessage for 2020.  Next Thursday is Christmas Eve.  Watch for the notice of our Christmas Eve Worship Video.  Our first service in 2021 will be for Sunday, January 10.  (There will be no Worship Videos for December 27 or January 3) If we can get the technology working, we may be celebrating a ZOOM Communion.  You will get notice of what exactly is going to happen in the eMessage on January 7, 2020.  So as we come to the end of Advent 2020, I wish you a blessed if somewhat isolated Christmas, and a New Year filled with wonderful possibilities.
 

This Sunday –ADVENT 4
 This Sunday is the fourth and last Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of love.  Although the traditional focus for the fourth Sunday of Advent in Love, the Lectionary readings for year B, which is the one we are in now, are more focused on how God is present to us in the world.  In the reading from Samuel, God has been “dwelling” among the people of Israel in the Tabernacle, a big tent.  David wants to build a house for God, a temple, something permanent. But that is not what God wants.  God has different plans. In fact when David approaches the prophet Nathan with his plans, God speaks through Nathan to tell David that in all the time since the time of Moses that God has been with Israel, God has moved with the people in the tent, and furthermore has never asked for anything permanent.   In the opening of John’s gospel (which is not one of Sunday’s readings) we read the “The Word became flesh and “lived” among us.  The Greek word for “lived” eskhnwsen (eskenosen) actually means “tented” or “camped” among us.  God is a God of no fixed address.  Even as the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she is going to birth the Saviour, we know that the life of that child will be bound by the constraints of our human existence.  This is an important thing to understand. God is not bound to any one time or place.  God is with us everywhere, and at all times.  Even as we are confined to our own homes this Christmas, God is with us. Thanks be to God.
 
The Scripture Readings are 2 Samuel 7: 1-11, 16, and Luke 1: 26-38.  In the Time for All Ages, I will be asking, “Where does God live?”   My sermon is titled, “God Camps Out”
 
 
ZOOM Coffee Hour  – Sundays in Advent
We had a very nice ZOOM coffee hour last Sunday.  We even had someone join us who is new to the area and has been worshipping with us through our YouTube videos.  So for the Sundays in Advent join the virtual coffee hour on ZOOM at 11:30 am on Sunday. Visit with others from the congregation over a cup of coffee (or tea, or whatever…).  This is a trial, and if it is successful, we will continue it.  You do not need to register in advance, just click on the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85252850387?pwd=NmhhV0VvbjhEVERQajFDNm90cXpqdz09 for our coffee hour.
 

 CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS EVE OFFERING
Our Worship Team at Spirit West is creating a special Worship Video for Christmas Eve this year.  It will be available on December 24.  Part of the service will be by candlelight, so we would encourage you to have small candles available for each person in your household (maybe battery operated for young children).
In “normal” years when we gather at the church for Christmas Eve, we take up a special offering.  For a number of years now this offering has been divided between the needs of Spirit West United Church and the No Room in the Inn program of the Edmonton and District Council of Churches. This year No Room in the Inn has chosen Catholic Social Services - La Salle Shelter and St Katharine Drexel Place for their 2020 campaign.This campaign’s focus is domestic violence and the need for women’s shelters. We are appealing for support for two women’s shelters, LaSalle Shelter and St. Katharine Drexel Place, which are in need of backyard upgrades so that the children in care can safely play outside on the properties:
  • La Salle Shelter, a second-stage shelter, annually helps more than 30 women and their children escape domestic violence, and transition into stable housing. La Salle shelters those who are fleeing abusive relationships, where they can stay for six months to one year.
  • St. Katharine Drexel Place supports dozens of women each year to stabilize their lives by helping them pursue career and educational goals, focus on family, and find permanent residence in the community. This is subsidized, transitional housing for women in crisis and their children. Clients are homeless, vulnerably-housed, or at risk of homelessness.
Please consider, if you are able, making a special “Christmas Offering” to Spirit West.  These “Christmas Offerings” will again this year be divided equally between Spirit West and No Room in the Inn 2020.  Your offering can be made by mailing a cheque to the church, dropping it at the church during office hours, of by etransfer to spiritw@telus.net.  (this is a corrected email address for etransfers) Please make sure to specify that this is your “Christmas Offering.”  Christmas offerings will be accepted between now and January 15, 2021.
 
SPIRIT WEST OUTREACH
 It’s that time of year when we are usually collecting toys and putting together stockings for the Bissell Centre.    This year due to Covid-19, Bissell will not be having their annual Christmas Party.   

Winter warming meals are currently under discussion for the Jasper Place Wellness Centre.   If we are able to continue with the bagged lunches we made in the past, we will have approx. 3 dates January - March 2021 that our church will be responsible for.  (More details to follow as this program is confirmed).

Bissell Center and Jasper Place Wellness are still in need of warm accessories like mitts, hats, hand warmers, scarves, winter underwear, socks, etc.   Bill and Lori thought about organizing a drive and drop like they did for the Food Bank - but they didn’t want to stand out in the cold.   Also, with the increasing Covid numbers and the new restrictions it doesn’t feel right asking you to drop things off at the church let alone go out and shop.

So, those of you who wish to give something this Christmas to help others in need - please do so in a monetary way directly, by mail or online to one of the many organizations out there.  
If you have items at your house that you would like to donate - please don’t take them to the church at this time.  A date will be posted in January for when Lori will be picking up from the church.

 
SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 Scripture Readers
Using the list of those who have volunteered to be Scripture readers, Norma has drawn up and sent out a schedule of readers for the next couple of months. If you have read scripture for one of the worship videos, you will be on the schedule and will have received a copy.  Please confirm with Norma as soon as possible that you are available to do your reading.  Readings can be recorded well in advance of the date required.
 
Sharing our Celebrations (note the submission deadline)
In this time when it is important for us to look for signs of hope and joy, opportunity is being given for you to share your celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, new grandchildren etc) with the wider community.  If you have a celebration you want to share please email swm@telus.net or phone the church. (must be sent in before noon on Thursday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 
Prayer Requests If you have a prayer request that you would like included in the Prayers of the People that are part of our worship videos, your request needs to be into the church by Thursday at noon for inclusion on Sunday.  The best way to send in your request is to email spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com. During the Prayers of the People, only the first name of individuals will be mentioned, and the specifics of request  The prayer request are also forwarded to the Prayer Chain.
 
Feedback
I appreciate all the positive feedback that we have received about the Worship Videos.  We (Margaret, Bonnie, Glenn, Paul W. and I) are trying our best to provide you with something that will assist you in your faith journey during this “crazy” time.  We would also like to hear from you if you have suggestions on how we could make the videos better or more helpful (like Scripture readers, Greeters, music with the hymns …).   Email your comments to me swm@telus.net or post them on our Facebook page.
 

YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH
You may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can bring them to the church (or you can call for pick up).  If you want to bring your bottles (and any other recyclable beverage containers) in during our office hours and put them directly in the Bottle Shed (by the garage), give us a call, and we can have the shed open for you.  All money raised from the return of bottles goes towards paying down the principal on our mortgage. 

 
 FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We can now accept donations by eTransfer.  The contact name for the eTransfer is Spirit West United Church, and the email address is spiritw@telus.net .  If you include a security question with your eTransfer, please notify Norma at the church office by phone or email.  And remember that if you are not on PAR(Pre-Authorized Remittance), you can also mail in cheques to the church office (Spirit West United Church, 7003 – 199 St. Edmonton, AB  T5T 3A8, include your envelope number if you have one.) The church office is open and you can drop off your offering/donation in the offering plate just inside the front doors.  You can also donate online, see ANOTHER WAY TO CONTRIBUTE… below.

 
Spirit West Prayer Chain
Prayer is important. We know that  people still face challenges and difficulties not related to Covid-19, and we cannot forget them.  Our Prayer Chain will continue to be active.  If you have a prayer request, please send it to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com.  These requests will be shared regularly with the prayer chain and will form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.
 
               
ANOTHER  WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO SPIRIT WEST DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
You are stuck home, Spirit West is not holding services, you are not on PAR, but you want to make a financial contribution to the  work of Spirit West, because the church has bills to pay even when we are not gathering on Sunday.   Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar. 

 
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Website:  www.spiritwest.org 
Facebook: Spirit West United Church and Friends of Spirit West Outreach
Instagram: spiritwestyeg
 YouTube:  Spirt West United Church, Edmonton
  
CHURCH OFFICE
The Spirit West Church office remains open.
 Office hours 
-  Norma => Noon to 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
-  Larry => 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday
Larry
(Rev.) Larry K. Wright, CD, BA, MDiv
Minister
Spirit West United Church
780-481-1406
Spiritwest.minister@telus.net
Spiritwest.org


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December 10, 2020 - Third Sunday in Advent and the 39th Sunday in COVID-19 Isolation

12/10/2020

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Picture
Greetings!
Please read through this whole eMessage so that you don’t miss the information about our continuing Outreach at Spirit West.
 
This Sunday –Advent 3
 This Sunday is the Sunday of Joy in the Advent cycle.  It’s old Latin name was Gaudete Sunday.  This name came from the introit, or opening phrase that was said at the beginning of the Mass for the day. “Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, Gaudete.” “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice.”  The line comes from Philippians 4:4–6.  If you have been following our Worship Videos you may recognize this passage, as I have frequently used it to introduce the centring time and prayers of the people.  The colour that is associated with Gaudete Sunday is rose (which some people call pink), and you will notice that the third candle of our Advent Wreath is rose. And I am using a sort of rose coloured font for this part of the eMessage.  I hope it is not too hard to read.  The challenge with this Sunday of Joy is that our world usually confuses joy with happiness, so that the call to rejoice sounds a lot like “Be Happy!”  And we know that there are times, and right now may be one of them, when we just can’t be that happy. So the call to “Be Happy!” can actually be hurtful.  So what is the difference between joy and happiness?  Can we be joyful when we are not happy?  The theologian Henri Nouwen described the difference between joy and happiness this way. While happiness is dependent on external conditions, joy is "the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing – sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death - can take that love away." Thus joy can be present even in the midst of sadness.  One of the scripture passages often associated with this Sunday (but we’re not using this year) is the Song of Mary, or the Magnificat from Luke 1: 47-55.  This is a song of rejoicing sung by Mary as she meets her cousin Elizabeth.  The whole “song” reflects an overturning of all that is expected and accepted as the way things are in the world.  And this is being  sung by a young pregnant women, whose child was not conceived in the normal or socially approved way.  And we are told that Mary “went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country.”  Mary was going into hiding, she stayed with Elizabeth for three months. Perhaps this was how long it took to get things sorted out with Joseph.  Luke tells us later that when the couple went to register in Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary were still just engaged, not married.  Awkward.  And yet as she went into hiding, she was able to say, “my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour”.  As we live through this strange Christmas of 2020, in separation and isolation, may we know divine joy.  Joy can be present even in the midst of …..
 
The Scripture Readings are Isaiah 61: 1-4, 8-11, 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24  and John 1:6-8, 19-28.  In the Time for All Ages, I will be looking at things “That makes me joyful”   My sermon is titled, “Divine Joy”
 
 
ADVENT AT SPIRIT WEST
ZOOM Coffee Hour  – Sundays in Advent
 We had a very nice ZOOM coffee hour last Sunday.  We even had someone join us who is new to the area and has been worshipping with us through our YouTube videos.  So for the Sundays in Advent join the virtual coffee hour on ZOOM at 11:30 am on Sunday. Visit with others from the congregation over a cup of coffee (or tea, or whatever…).  This is a trial, and if it is successful, we will continue it.  You do not need to register in advance, just click on the link.So, starting on Sunday, November 29 at 11:30 am  ZOOM to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85252850387?pwd=NmhhV0VvbjhEVERQajFDNm90cXpqdz09 for our coffee hour.

 
 Advent Small Group Study – “Now is the time” and you can still sign up!
 Our virtual small group study on ZOOM continues this Wednesday at 1:30.  The Study, which will continue for the next two Wednesdays in Advent, is called “Now is the Time.”  In the third session we will looking at “signs of the times.”
Registration is required for the study, so that I can send out the resource material each week.  And it’s not too late to register.  Email or call the church to register.  Even if you can’t attend every session, you can register so that you will receive the study material
Just email me, swm@telus.net or call the church.

 
CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS EVE OFFERING
Our Worship Team at Spirit West will be creating a special Worship Video for Christmas Eve this year.  It will be available on December 24.  Part of the service will be by candlelight, so we would encourage you to have small candles available for each person in your household (maybe battery operated for young children).

In “normal” years when we gather at the church for Christmas Eve, we take up a special offering.  For a number of years now this offering has been divided between the needs of Spirit West United Church and the No Room in the Inn program of the Edmonton and District Council of Churches. This year No Room in the Inn has chosen Catholic Social Services - La Salle Shelter and St Katharine Drexel Place for their 2020 campaign.This campaign’s focus is domestic violence and the need for women’s shelters. We are appealing for support for two women’s shelters, LaSalle Shelter and St. Katharine Drexel Place, which are in need of backyard upgrades so that the children in care can safely play outside on the properties:
  • La Salle Shelter, a second-stage shelter, annually helps more than 30 women and their children escape domestic violence, and transition into stable housing. La Salle shelters those who are fleeing abusive relationships, where they can stay for six months to one year.
  • St. Katharine Drexel Place supports dozens of women each year to stabilize their lives by helping them pursue career and educational goals, focus on family, and find permanent residence in the community. This is subsidized, transitional housing for women in crisis and their children. Clients are homeless, vulnerably-housed, or at risk of homelessness.
Please consider, if you are able, making a special “Christmas Offering” to Spirit West.  These “Christmas Offerings” will again this year be divided equally between Spirit West and No Room in the Inn 2020.  Your offering can be made by mailing a cheque to the church, dropping it at the church during office hours, of by etransfer to spiritw@telus.net.  Please make sure to specify that this is your “Christmas Offering.”  Christmas offerings will be accepted between now and January 15, 2021.
 
SPIRIT WEST OUTREACH
 It’s that time of year when we are usually collecting toys and putting together stockings for the Bissell Centre.    This year due to Covid-19, Bissell will not be having their annual Christmas Party.   
Winter warming meals are currently under discussion for the Jasper Place Wellness Centre.   If we are able to continue with the bagged lunches we made in the past, we will have approx. 3 dates January - March 2021 that our church will be responsible for.  (More details to follow as this program is confirmed).
Bissell Center and Jasper Place Wellness are still in need of warm accessories like mitts, hats, hand warmers, scarves, winter underwear, socks, etc.   Bill and Lori thought about organizing a drive and drop like they did for the Food Bank - but they didn’t want to stand out in the cold.   Also, with the increasing Covid numbers and the new restrictions it doesn’t feel right asking you to drop things off at the church let alone go out and shop.
So, those of you who wish to give something this Christmas to help others in need - please do so in a monetary way directly, by mail or online to one of the many organizations out there.  
If you have items at your house that you would like to donate - please don’t take them to the church at this time.  A date will be posted in January for when Lori will be picking up from the church.

 
SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 Scripture Readers
Using the list of those who have volunteered to be Scripture readers, Norma has drawn up and sent out a schedule of readers for the next couple of months. If you have read scripture for one of the worship videos, you will be on the schedule and will have received a copy.  Please confirm with Norma as soon as possible that you are available to do your reading.  Readings can be recorded well in advance of the date required.
 
Sharing our Celebrations (note the submission deadline)
In this time when it is important for us to look for signs of hope and joy, opportunity is being given for you to share your celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, new grandchildren etc) with the wider community.  If you have a celebration you want to share please email swm@telus.net or phone the church. (must be sent in before noon on Thursday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 
Prayer Requests If you have a prayer request that you would like included in the Prayers of the People that are part of our worship videos, your request needs to be into the church by Thursday at noon for inclusion on Sunday.  The best way to send in your request is to email spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com. During the Prayers of the People, only the first name of individuals will be mentioned, and the specifics of request  The prayer request are also forwarded to the Prayer Chain.
 
Feedback
I appreciate all the positive feedback that we have received about the Worship Videos.  We (Margaret, Bonnie, Glenn, Paul W. and I) are trying our best to provide you with something that will assist you in your faith journey during this “crazy” time.  We would also like to hear from you if you have suggestions on how we could make the videos better or more helpful (like Scripture readers, Greeters, music with the hymns …).   Email your comments to me swm@telus.net or post them on our Facebook page.

 
YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH
You may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can bring them to the church (or you can call for pick up).  If you want to bring your bottles (and any other recyclable beverage containers) in during our office hours and put them directly in the Bottle Shed (by the garage), give us a call, and we can have the shed open for you.  All money raised from the return of bottles goes towards paying down the principal on our mortgage
. 
  
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We can now accept donations by eTransfer.  The contact name for the eTransfer is Spirit West United Church, and the email address is spiritw@telus.net .  If you include a security question with your eTransfer, please notify Norma at the church office by phone or email.  And remember that if you are not on PAR(Pre-Authorized Remittance), you can also mail in cheques to the church office (Spirit West United Church, 7003 – 199 St. Edmonton, AB  T5T 3A8, include your envelope number if you have one.) The church office is open and you can drop off your offering/donation in the offering plate just inside the front doors.  You can also donate online, see ANOTHER WAY TO CONTRIBUTE… below.

 
 Spirit West Prayer Chain
Prayer is important. We know that  people still face challenges and difficulties not related to Covid-19, and we cannot forget them.  Our Prayer Chain will continue to be active.  If you have a prayer request, please send it to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com.  These requests will be shared regularly with the prayer chain and will form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.

                    
ANOTHER  WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO SPIRIT WEST DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
You are stuck home, Spirit West is not holding services, you are not on PAR, but you want to make a financial contribution to the  work of Spirit West, because the church has bills to pay even when we are not gathering on Sunday.   Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar. 

 
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Website:  www.spiritwest.org 
Facebook: Spirit West United Church and Friends of Spirit West Outreach
Instagram: spiritwestyeg
 YouTube:  Spirt West United Church, Edmonton
  
CHURCH OFFICE
The Spirit West Church office remains open.
 Office hours 
-  Norma => Noon to 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
-  Larry => 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday
Larry

(Rev.) Larry K. Wright, CD, BA, MDiv
Minister
Spirit West United Church
780-481-1406
Spiritwest.minister@telus.net
Spiritwest.org


0 Comments
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