Greetings
This Sunday we will share three of the four readings assigned for the day. We will hear passages from the Prophets and the Gospels and we will sing together from the Psalms. For both the Time for All Ages and the Sermon, I am going to look at how we name God. We often think in terms of Lord or Heavenly Father. Jesus, speaking Aramaic, called God “Abba,” which is bit like calling God “Dad.” There are scholars who have studied the Hebrew scriptures and found 71 named for God. In the Muslim tradition there are 99 names for God. (and some Muslims memorize all 99 as an act of faith) I am going to look at the reality that we cannot limit our names for God, but that this very challenge means that the ways in which we can approach God are unlimited. God is not limited by our language or imagination.
The passages that will be read on Sunday are Jeremiah 1: 4-10 and Luke 4: 21-30. We will sing part of Psalm 71. In the Time for Ages we will look at writing a letter to God, “Dear ,,,,?” The Sermon title is “What is God’s Name.”
LENT
Lent, the forty day period that leads us to Easter is coming up fast this year. The first day of Lent in Ash Wednesday, February 10. There are a number of activities that will or could take place at Spirit West in connection with Lent. If there is a “??” beside the activity, it indicates that your help/response is needed to make it happen.
PANCAKE LUNCH ??
The last day before Lent, Shrove Tuesday, is marked in many communities with a Pancake Supper. A number of churches in Edmonton have them. The eating of pancakes often with fried meats (bacon, sausage) was a way to use up the last remaining fat and meat in your pantry before the meatless days of Lent. In our United Church tradition, the giving up of meat for Lent has never been a “requirement,” but pancakes still taste good. However, Tuesday night is a busy time for many, so we would like to mark the beginning of Lent with a Pancake Lunch after church on Sunday, February 7 (that’s a week Sunday.)
But your help is needed to make this happen. If you would be able to set up, or cook (pancakes, sausages, bacon), or help serve or clean up please let the church office know as soon as possible.
AFTERNOON LENTEN STUDY – The Trinity & Everyday Spirituality
This will be a six session Lenten Study beginning on Wednesday, February 17, at 1:30 pm in the Church Lounge. The study will run weekly, with the last session on March 23. This small group study has been created by The Prayer Bench and was recommended on the United Church of Canada Facebook page. There is no book to buy this year. The sessions include a short recorded talk by a professor at the Atlantic School of Theology and a guided discussion using a weekly participant sheet that will be given to all attending. The sessions include: To Tell Ourselves about God; To Be Alone with God; To Share in Community; To Live in the World God Loves; To Celebrate Trinity in Art, Song and Poetry; and To Celebrate Trinity in a Celtic Liturgy. It looks like an interesting study. Sign up on the “Afternoon” sheet by the office, or send an email to the office.
EVENING LENTEN STUDY – The Trinity & Everyday Spirituality ??
Same study as the above, but in the evening based on interest. Indicate your interest by signing up on the “Evening” sheet by the office, or send an email to the office with your available evenings.
MESSY LENT / EASTER ??
I would like to celebrate a Messy Church – Lent/Easter in early March (Easter is March 27) If you are interested in becoming involve or have any questions please call me at the church office as soon as possible. It’s work, but it is also so much fun. For those of you who were involved with or attended Messy Advent in November, we will have not have the problems with the dinner timing. Give me a call!
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS NEEDED
Although at the moment we have a relatively small number of children in our Sunday School, it is important that we provide them with a positive experience of their time together. We are looking for people who are willing to share some time with the children on Sunday. We have a great curriculum called Seasons of the Spirit which is quite adaptable and easy to use (you do need a computer and internet access for the preparation). If you are not sure, considering joining the class for a couple of weeks and learning with the children. A signup sheet is on the cabinet by the office.
COMMUNITY DINNERS
On a regular basis a group of six churches in the West End including Spirit West cook and serve dinner to folks in need at the Jasper Place Wellness Centre. Two churches work together on a dinner, one church cooks and the other church provides servers. On the cabinet by the church office is a signup sheet with the dates for the dinners that Spirit West is helping with. There are opportunities for cooks and servers. If you want to know more about this, talk to Doreen O.
Hampers The Jasper Place Wellness Centre also supplies basic emergency food hampers. At the present time their stocks are very low. A bin will be by the front door where you can leave donations of dry pasta, rice, canned beans, canned meat or fish, soup, crackers, peanut butter, hot chocolate, and tea bags. Your donations will be taken by Doreen to JPWC on Mondays. Your support of the work of Spirit West at the JPWC is greatly appreciated.
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
Join us in using cunning stealth and covert organization to surprise our phenomenal Spirit West chefs. Only at the ring of their doorbell should the discover who will join them for dinner on their chosen night of gastronomical delights!! This fund-raiser for the church will take place during the months of February and March! It is a terrific time to enjoy a fabulous meal and fellowship. Those who wish to host a dinner are asked to contact Bill C. at 780-481-2662. Hosts need to indicate the date and time of their dinner and the number of guests they are able to host. If there is a theme for the evening, this should be provided. Guests will have the opportunity to select where they will dine. Diners should provide the conveners with information on allergies and dietary restrictions (this information will be discreetly passed to the hosts) Diners will be provided ahead of time with directions to their chosen dinner and with an offering envelope for a free-will offering which will be collected by the hosts and returned to the church. A minimum donation of $25 per person is suggested. Please plan on attending one of these sensational dinners and generously supporting the ongoing work of Spirit West. See the display board at the back of the church for a list of dinner opportunities.
Spirit West Prayer Chain
The Spirit West Prayer Chain is a group of people who have committed to continue our prayers of concern from Sunday through the week. To be part of this ministry, email your request to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com . You may also email a request for prayer to the same email address. If you would prefer to talk to someone, you can call Shannon F. at 780-481-5262, Marian T. at 780-487-2851 or Bonnie C. at 780-444-2230.
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Our Website is at www.spiritwest.org .
Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/SpirtWestUnitedChurch
Office hours
- Monday to Friday 9:30 – 2:30
- Norma => 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, Monday to Thursday
- Larry => 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, Tuesday to Friday
This Sunday we will share three of the four readings assigned for the day. We will hear passages from the Prophets and the Gospels and we will sing together from the Psalms. For both the Time for All Ages and the Sermon, I am going to look at how we name God. We often think in terms of Lord or Heavenly Father. Jesus, speaking Aramaic, called God “Abba,” which is bit like calling God “Dad.” There are scholars who have studied the Hebrew scriptures and found 71 named for God. In the Muslim tradition there are 99 names for God. (and some Muslims memorize all 99 as an act of faith) I am going to look at the reality that we cannot limit our names for God, but that this very challenge means that the ways in which we can approach God are unlimited. God is not limited by our language or imagination.
The passages that will be read on Sunday are Jeremiah 1: 4-10 and Luke 4: 21-30. We will sing part of Psalm 71. In the Time for Ages we will look at writing a letter to God, “Dear ,,,,?” The Sermon title is “What is God’s Name.”
LENT
Lent, the forty day period that leads us to Easter is coming up fast this year. The first day of Lent in Ash Wednesday, February 10. There are a number of activities that will or could take place at Spirit West in connection with Lent. If there is a “??” beside the activity, it indicates that your help/response is needed to make it happen.
PANCAKE LUNCH ??
The last day before Lent, Shrove Tuesday, is marked in many communities with a Pancake Supper. A number of churches in Edmonton have them. The eating of pancakes often with fried meats (bacon, sausage) was a way to use up the last remaining fat and meat in your pantry before the meatless days of Lent. In our United Church tradition, the giving up of meat for Lent has never been a “requirement,” but pancakes still taste good. However, Tuesday night is a busy time for many, so we would like to mark the beginning of Lent with a Pancake Lunch after church on Sunday, February 7 (that’s a week Sunday.)
But your help is needed to make this happen. If you would be able to set up, or cook (pancakes, sausages, bacon), or help serve or clean up please let the church office know as soon as possible.
AFTERNOON LENTEN STUDY – The Trinity & Everyday Spirituality
This will be a six session Lenten Study beginning on Wednesday, February 17, at 1:30 pm in the Church Lounge. The study will run weekly, with the last session on March 23. This small group study has been created by The Prayer Bench and was recommended on the United Church of Canada Facebook page. There is no book to buy this year. The sessions include a short recorded talk by a professor at the Atlantic School of Theology and a guided discussion using a weekly participant sheet that will be given to all attending. The sessions include: To Tell Ourselves about God; To Be Alone with God; To Share in Community; To Live in the World God Loves; To Celebrate Trinity in Art, Song and Poetry; and To Celebrate Trinity in a Celtic Liturgy. It looks like an interesting study. Sign up on the “Afternoon” sheet by the office, or send an email to the office.
EVENING LENTEN STUDY – The Trinity & Everyday Spirituality ??
Same study as the above, but in the evening based on interest. Indicate your interest by signing up on the “Evening” sheet by the office, or send an email to the office with your available evenings.
MESSY LENT / EASTER ??
I would like to celebrate a Messy Church – Lent/Easter in early March (Easter is March 27) If you are interested in becoming involve or have any questions please call me at the church office as soon as possible. It’s work, but it is also so much fun. For those of you who were involved with or attended Messy Advent in November, we will have not have the problems with the dinner timing. Give me a call!
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS NEEDED
Although at the moment we have a relatively small number of children in our Sunday School, it is important that we provide them with a positive experience of their time together. We are looking for people who are willing to share some time with the children on Sunday. We have a great curriculum called Seasons of the Spirit which is quite adaptable and easy to use (you do need a computer and internet access for the preparation). If you are not sure, considering joining the class for a couple of weeks and learning with the children. A signup sheet is on the cabinet by the office.
COMMUNITY DINNERS
On a regular basis a group of six churches in the West End including Spirit West cook and serve dinner to folks in need at the Jasper Place Wellness Centre. Two churches work together on a dinner, one church cooks and the other church provides servers. On the cabinet by the church office is a signup sheet with the dates for the dinners that Spirit West is helping with. There are opportunities for cooks and servers. If you want to know more about this, talk to Doreen O.
Hampers The Jasper Place Wellness Centre also supplies basic emergency food hampers. At the present time their stocks are very low. A bin will be by the front door where you can leave donations of dry pasta, rice, canned beans, canned meat or fish, soup, crackers, peanut butter, hot chocolate, and tea bags. Your donations will be taken by Doreen to JPWC on Mondays. Your support of the work of Spirit West at the JPWC is greatly appreciated.
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
Join us in using cunning stealth and covert organization to surprise our phenomenal Spirit West chefs. Only at the ring of their doorbell should the discover who will join them for dinner on their chosen night of gastronomical delights!! This fund-raiser for the church will take place during the months of February and March! It is a terrific time to enjoy a fabulous meal and fellowship. Those who wish to host a dinner are asked to contact Bill C. at 780-481-2662. Hosts need to indicate the date and time of their dinner and the number of guests they are able to host. If there is a theme for the evening, this should be provided. Guests will have the opportunity to select where they will dine. Diners should provide the conveners with information on allergies and dietary restrictions (this information will be discreetly passed to the hosts) Diners will be provided ahead of time with directions to their chosen dinner and with an offering envelope for a free-will offering which will be collected by the hosts and returned to the church. A minimum donation of $25 per person is suggested. Please plan on attending one of these sensational dinners and generously supporting the ongoing work of Spirit West. See the display board at the back of the church for a list of dinner opportunities.
Spirit West Prayer Chain
The Spirit West Prayer Chain is a group of people who have committed to continue our prayers of concern from Sunday through the week. To be part of this ministry, email your request to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com . You may also email a request for prayer to the same email address. If you would prefer to talk to someone, you can call Shannon F. at 780-481-5262, Marian T. at 780-487-2851 or Bonnie C. at 780-444-2230.
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Our Website is at www.spiritwest.org .
Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/SpirtWestUnitedChurch
Office hours
- Monday to Friday 9:30 – 2:30
- Norma => 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, Monday to Thursday
- Larry => 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, Tuesday to Friday
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