Blog Archives

June 30, 2021 - Larry's last day

6/30/2021

Greetings,

MY LAST DAY

This will be my final Thursday eMessage as Minister of Spirit West United Church. It is being sent out on Wednesday, because tomorrow is a Stat Holiday and the church office is close. In addition to that, as of tomorrow, I will join the ranks of the retired. So I want to take this opportunity to thank you for my time at Spirit West. Spirit West was my first and only “civilian” church after retiring from the Canadian Forces, and I thank you for your patience as I adapted to my new life. I will be recording a “farewell” video which will be made available on our YouTube channel on Friday.

THERE WILL BE A ZOOM COFFEE HOUR (this is the Link for July and August)

Join Zoom Coffee on Sunday at 11:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87519998529?pwd=L1FUVVpsYlhmbi93Vko5dEFDQW9Idz09

Meeting ID: 875 1999 8529
Passcode: 009662

The plan is that this is a no-host gathering. Anyone with the meeting ID and Passcode can join. If there are any problems, please let Norma know on Monday.

WHAT NOW AT SPIRIT WEST
So now what happens? First there will be a two week break. Then the Rev. Stuart Jackson will begin part time ministry at Spirit West on July 12, and his first worship video will be for Sunday, July 18, 2021. Once a month, the service will be provided by David Faber, a student in his final year of theological studies. Some of you may remember David, as he preached at Spirit West a couple of years ago. And in that way the work and worship of Spirit West will carry on until a new full time minister is found.

FROM THE PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
The Pastoral Search Committee has worked diligently to complete all the required documentation for Spirit West on Church Hub. Church Hub is the central information sharing site for the United Church of Canada, and access is restricted. But now with the approval of the Northern Spirit Regional Council Executive, the position for minister at Spirit West United Church is now being advertised on Church Hub. This information is available to any minister who is looking, and the names of ministers who are looking are now available to the Spirit West Search Committee. The search is on!

SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS

Greeters
You may have gotten (or will get) a call from Diane H. our “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 3:30 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.

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 videos.

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

0 Comments

June 21, 2021 - the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost - the 66 Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation and our 57th Sunday video on YouTube

6/29/2021

0 Comments

Greetings,
Happy Feast of St. John the Baptist. There is important information in this eMessage about Spirit West as the church moves forward during the summer and beyond. Please read it carefully.

This Sunday – FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
This Sunday is the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, and the focus is on hope. We are not going to read a David story this Sunday, instead we will hear an exhortation from the Apostle Paul in his second letter to the church at Corinth. Paul calls the Corinthians to be generous in the service of love. And this generosity is not prompted by rules, but by our response to the generosity of God. Paul says to them, “God will accept your gift, on the basis of what you have to give, not on what you don’t have.” In the Gospel reading we meet two people who want help from Jesus, one is Jairus, an official of the local synagogue whose daughter is very ill, and the other is an unnamed women who has suffered terrible bleeding for twelve years. Jairus approaches Jesus directly and ask for Jesus to come heal his daughter. The woman, who has suffered for years in spite of the attempts of many doctors, just wants to touch the Jesus’ robe and be healed. Both have placed their hope in Jesus, though they approach him in very different ways. In the story we learn that both Jarius’ daughter and the woman are healed, and at the same time they and those around them learn more about who Jesus is.

The Scripture readings for Sunday are 2 Corinthians 8:7-15,and Mark 5:21-43. In the Time for All Ages I will talk about how “Wishing and hoping” and my sermon is titled, “What give you hope?”

THERE WILL BE A ZOOM COFFEE HOUR (this is the Link for May and June!)
Join Zoom Coffee on Sunday at 11:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82877953866?pwd=REZSamRsRU0ybENRREdEaGR4bVFGUT09
Meeting ID: 828 7795 3866   Passcode: 738328

Do you like to ZOOM with your church friends? Would you like our ZOOM coffee time throughout the summer?
Do you have some spare time to put towards hosting the weekly ZOOM coffee time?
We are hoping that there is a person or are people that would be able to host ZOOM coffee starting with Sunday, July 4 while we transition back to in-person worship. The ZOOM coffee times are already booked on ZOOM, we just need someone to start them.
One person has already stepped forward willing to do a ZOOM coffee once a month so it would not be a commitment for every week.
Please contact Norma at the church office for more information.

THE END OF ONE ERA AT SPIRIT WEST AND THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER
That’s rather a pompous title for this information, but I thought it might attract your attention. The Worship Video for Sunday, June 27, 2021 will be the last opportunity to worship with me as minister of Spirit West United Church. My last day in “paid accountable ministry” is June 30, 2021. I will be speaking about this a bit during the worship video, but I will also be recording a separate video to say good-bye. A link for that video will be sent out by Norma next week.
So then what happens? First there will be a two week break. Then the Rev. Stuart Jackson will begin part time ministry at Spirit West on July 12, and his first worship video will be for Sunday, July 18, 2021. Once a month, the service will be provided by David Faber, a student in his final year of theological studies. Some of you may remember David, as he preached at Spirit West a couple of years ago. And in that way the work and worship of Spirit West will carry on until a new full time minister is found.

FROM THE PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
The Pastoral Search Committee has worked diligently to complete all the required documentation for Spirit West on Church Hub. Church Hub is the central information sharing site for the United Church of Canada, and access is restricted. But now with the approval of the Northern Spirit Regional Council Executive, the position for minister at Spirit West United Church is now being advertised on Church Hub. This information is available to any minister who is looking, and the names of ministers who are looking are now available to the Spirit West Search Committee. The search is on!

SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
Greeters
You may have gotten (or will get) a call from Diane H. our “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 3:30 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.

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 videos.

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 and interest 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 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

June 17, 2021 - Fourth Sunday after Pentecost - the 66th Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation and our 56th Sunday Video on YouTube - Indigenous Day of Prayer and Fathers' Day

6/17/2021

0 Comments

Greetings,

THIS SUNDAY – FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, and the focus is on the unexpected ways in which God can support us. We first continue with another story of David, future King of Israel. This Sunday we hear the story of David and Goliath, a story which many people know, even those unfamiliar with the Bible. The story has become a metaphor for the small triumphing over the great. But David’s willingness to take on Goliath is not simply the rash action of an overly cocky teenager. David has taken on wild beasts, he has had to protect his flock in the wilderness. He has learned to fight from a distance. He knows his strengths. When Saul burdens David down with armour, David has to refuse. He can’t move in the armour, and he has no intention of getting that close to Goliath. David has his sling, and some carefully chosen stones. Of course Goliath is expecting a soldier as an opponent, someone who will come at him with a sword. In that kind of a fight Goliath knows he will win. He is not expecting a rock to his forehead. And for David, it is the awareness of God presence, that gives him the courage and calmness to step forward, to do what must be done A lot of death and destruction was prevented that day. In the reading from Mark, we find Jesus in a boat with some of his disciples. These are people who we expect would have an awareness by this time that Jesus had a unique and special relationship with God. But on this occasion that doesn’t seem apparent. A storm comes in and the boat is in danger of swamping. And as the disciples panic, they look to Jesus who “was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.” They wake up Jesus, and point out the storm that he seems to be missing.
Often in our lives we are face with something that seems overwhelming, maybe not Goliath or a severe storm, but something that challenges us. Sometimes we might feel like the disciples wanting to shout at God, “Wake up, do something!” Sometimes we need to be like David, take stock of what we have, step forth in the confidence in God’s presence with us, and succeed “against all odds.”

The Scripture readings for Sunday are 1 Samuel 17:32-49 and Mark 4:35-41. My sermon is titled, “Against all odds.”

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
The Service this Sunday will include the Sacrament of Baptism. When we are together as a congregation for a Baptism, there is a point in the service when we each light a candle to signify the presence of God’s Spirit with us. So as you share in the Worship Video for this Sunday, I would ask that you have a candle ready that you can light at that point in the service. Because no matter where we are, God’s Spirit is present.

SUNDAY SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS
This Sunday is also the end of this year’s Sunday School Program “ZOOM into Sunday School.” Since last September a dedicated group of teachers and students have been meeting on ZOOM every Sunday to learn, share, sing and do crafts together, using the Seasons of the Spirit Curriculum. During the Worship Video for Sunday the teachers will be making some presentations to mark the end of the term.

THERE WILL BE A ZOOM COFFEE HOUR (this is the Link for May and June!)
Join Zoom Coffee on Sunday at 11:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82877953866?pwd=REZSamRsRU0ybENRREdEaGR4bVFGUT09
Meeting ID: 828 7795 3866 Passcode: 738328

FROM THE PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
The Pastoral Search Committee has worked diligently to complete all the required documentation for Spirit West on Church Hub. Church Hub is the central information sharing site for the United Church of Canada. And with the approval of the Northern Spirit Regional Executive, the position for minister at Spirit West United Church is now being advertised on Church Hub. This information is available to any minister who is looking, and the names of ministers who are looking are now available to the Spirit West Search Committee. The search is on!

THE END OF AN ERA AT SPIRIT WEST
The Worship Video for Sunday, June 27, 2021 will be the last opportunity to worship with Rev. Larry as minister of Spirit West United Church. His last day in “paid accountable ministry” is June 30, 2021. More will be said about this in next week’s eMessage

June Ladies Group Meeting
Monday, June 21, 7:00P.M.
Church Parking Lot (please park in area closer to street, so we can distance effectively in back parking area) Bring your own lawn chair, beverage and snack. ( at this time we cannot provide food) We cannot exceed 20 people, so please confirm numbers. I only have 4 confirmed.
Forecast is looking good, but In case of adverse weather, we will have a Zoom meeting set up.
Cathy Sutherland 780-264-0327 or cathysutherland@shaw.ca

SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
Greeters
You may have gotten (or will get) a call from Diane H. our “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 3:30 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.

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 videos.

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 and interest 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 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

June 13, 2021 - The Thirds Sunday after Pentecost - the 65th Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation and our 55th Sunday Video on YouTube

6/10/2021

0 Comments

Greetings,
Today sing Happy Birthday to the United Church of Canada. It was 96 years ago today that the United Church of Canada was inaugurated at a Service at the Mutual Street Arena in Toronto.

This Sunday – THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST – ORDINARY TIME
This Sunday is the Third Sunday after Pentecost, and the focus is on growth and potential. The reading from the Prophets is the story of the anointing of David as the future King of Israel. At the beginning of the story, David seems like an odd choice. He is the “little brother.” That something important involving a prophet would have anything to do David seemed so unlikely to his father and brothers that he was left out in the field looking after the sheep. But as Samuel says, “the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” So David is called in and anointed. The parables Jesus tells in the Gospel reading are directed at a people familiar with agriculture. Jesus talks about seeds and growing. Jesus also points out that when a seed grows there is a lot that we don’t see, as a small seed becomes something much bigger. For me these parables can go in two directions. On the one hand, these parables provide encouragement to do the simple necessary act, and greater things may come of it than we could have imagined. But for me these parables also offer a word of caution about being careful and thoughtful about what we “plant.” Earlier this week, we learned that a young man deliberately drove his new truck into a Muslim family. Only one member of the family survived, a nine year old boy. My question is, what seed was planted and nurtured in that young drivers mind or heart, that grew into such a hatred that attempting to kill an entire family was a choice he could make. Sometimes the smallest thing can grow. June is both Pride Month and Indigenous Awareness Month. We are called to think about or own relationships with people in the LGBTQIA2S+ community and with people of the First Nations. In fact, we should be thoughtful about all our relationships, with those we love, and with those we see as different. Are we planting seeds that will grow into the tree whose branches provide a protective home for everyone?

The Scripture readings for Sunday are 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13,and Mark 4:26-34. In the Time for All Ages I will talk about how “It starts with a seed” and my sermon is titled, “You have to start somewhere.”

THERE WILL BE A ZOOM COFFEE HOUR (this is the Link for May and June!)
Join Zoom Coffee on Sunday at 11:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82877953866?pwd=REZSamRsRU0ybENRREdEaGR4bVFGUT09
Meeting ID: 828 7795 3866   Passcode: 738328

FROM THE PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
Last week our congregation’s Living Faith Story, our church “biography” was approved by Northern Spirit Regional Council Executive. This is an important step in our search for a new minister. The actual search can begin shortly.

FROM THE SUPPLY SEARCH COMMITTEE
We are pleased to announce that Rev. Stuart Jackson has accepted the invitation for part-time ministry at Spirit West United Church, beginning July 12, through to Dec. 31, 2021. Rev. Jackson is known by several members of our congregation as he has served in the ministry in the Edmonton area for 34 years. He will work from the church office for approximately 15 hours per week preparing for and leading us in worship and will assist with Pastoral Care as the need arises. Rev. Jackson will preach 3 Sundays per month, and David Faber, a student of theology who has led worship previously at SWUC, will preach one Sunday per month. Many thanks to Colleen Fox, Margaret Benson and John Punko for being on this committee. (by Bonnie Cannam)

SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS

Greeters
You may have gotten (or will get) a call from Diane H. our “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 3:30 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.

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 videos.

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 and interest 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 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

June 3, 2021 - The Second Sunday after Pentecost

6/3/2021

0 Comments

Greetings

This Sunday – SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST – ORDINARY TIME
This Sunday is the Second Sunday after Pentecost, and in some Christian communities is the start of Ordinary Time. In a sense, Ordinary Time is just as advertised, it is the time when the Church is not preparing for or celebrating any major festivals. It is a time for the church to see the presence of Christ in the ordinary places of our lives. The colour for this Season or Time is green, the colour of growth. In the Scriptures we hear more about Jesus’ encounters during his earthy ministry. And we can reflect on what those encounters say to us in our day.
The story of Jesus in Sunday’s Gospel reading from Mark does not start well. Jesus is accused by an angry mob of being out of his mind and of being possessed by Beelzebul, the prince of demons because he is able to cast out demons. Jesus’ family is concerned for his safety. His family may have been worried that what the crowd was saying was true. Mark says, “When his (Jesus’) family heard it, they went to restrain him.”   But Jesus manages to turn an accusation of demonic possession into a lesson in relationships. He challenges the crowd’s assumptions about power over evil, and in some ways he redefines what is means to be part of the Christian family.

The Scripture readings for Sunday are ! Samuel 8:4-11, 16-20 and Mark 3:20-25. In the Time for All Ages I will ask “How can I help?” and my sermon is titled, “In Service.”

THERE WILL BE A ZOOM COFFEE HOUR (this is the Link for June!)
Join Zoom Coffee on Sunday at 11:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82877953866?pwd=REZSamRsRU0ybENRREdEaGR4bVFGUT09
Meeting ID: 828 7795 3866   Passcode: 738328

FROM THE SPIRIT WEST BOARD
Although “ministry” is something everyone in the church is involved in, we usually think of one person as the “Minister” in a congregation. In preparation for Larry’s retirement at the end of the month, two committees have been hard at work. The Pastoral Search Committee is working through the detailed process to “call” (i.e. hire) a full time minister for Spirit West. The Supply Search Committee has been working to find “supply ministry” for the congregation while the pastoral search moves forward.
On Sunday, the Supply Search Committee will have an announcement outlining what they have proposed for Spirit West. The details of that announcement will be included in next Thursday’s eMessage.

PLANT WATER-ERS NEEDED
There now are four beautiful hanging baskets at church, heralding summer and generally cheering up the look of our lonely building.
We are looking for people who could water them and the three pots on the deck that will be planted in the next few weeks.

If there are two or three volunteers, then the job could be shared. The plants need to be checked at least once a week and then depending on the weather may require a second watering. There are lots of watering cans at the church. Thanks so much for your consideration.

SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
Greeters
You may have gotten (or will get) a call from Diane H. our “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 3:30 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.

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 videos.

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 and interest 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 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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June 30, 2021 - Larry's last day

June 21, 2021 - the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost - the 66 Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation and our 57th Sunday video on YouTube

June 17, 2021 - Fourth Sunday after Pentecost - the 66th Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation and our 56th Sunday Video on YouTube - Indigenous Day of Prayer and Fathers' Day

June 13, 2021 - The Thirds Sunday after Pentecost - the 65th Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation and our 55th Sunday Video on YouTube

June 3, 2021 - The Second Sunday after Pentecost

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