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September 25, 2020 - Third Sunday in Creation Time and the 27th Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation

9/30/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Greetings,
 
Sunday School for Spirit West will be continuing this Sunday, September 27, see the details below in ZOOM into Sunday School. 
We will be holding our annual Blessing of the Animals as part of the worship video for Sunday, September 27, again see the details below.
For Sharing our Celebrations in our worship videos, there has been a change in the submission deadline, see below.

 
 This Sunday – The Third Sunday in Creation Time
 
The Scripture Readings are Exodus  17: 1-17and Matthew  21: 23-32.  At the place where we usually have the Time for All Ages, we will have the Blessing of Animals.   My sermon is titled, “The water test”
 
Although there will be a strong emphasis on our pets and animal companions this Sunday,  I will actually be preaching on the passage from Exodus, which continues the narrative of the journey of the Israelites to the promised land.  Where last week, the Israelites were hungry, this week the problem is thirst.  And this week we hear that the Israelites are attacked.  In both cases, God delivers.  Moses is told to strike a rock, and water gushes forth.  And when Amalek attacks the Israelites, the Israelites prevail with God’s assistance in a rather strange way.  It is stories such as the battle with Amalek that often lead Christians to shy away from the narratives from what we have called the Old Testament.  There are stories where God just seems mean, often in contrast to the “Abba” (Father) God of Jesus.  But when reading the scripture we have to remember that these were stories told and then written down of a peoples relationship with their God.  They stories tell us how a people, the Children of Israel, came to understand that there was one God, a big change from many of their neighbours. Through trial and error they had to recognize when God was at work in their lives as individuals and as a community.  The tellers of the stories that became in Bible, needed to show where God has met the needs of the people. We probably are more comfortable with a God who creates a spring of water for a thirsty people, even if we have trouble with miracles, than with a God who helps one army win over another army.  But like the Children of Israel, we would like to know that God is powerful, and can help us work against evil.  Some part of us may still want to believe what the Veggie Tales song says:  “God is bigger that the boogie-man.  He’s bigger that Godzilla, or the monsters on TV. O, God is bigger than the boogie-man, and he’s watching out for you and me.”   But more than that we need to understand our God as a giver of life, who is merciful and compassionate.

 
 ZOOM INTO SUNDAY SCHOOL continues this Sunday, September 20 at 10:00am
If you have someone registered for our ZOOM into Sunday School, the ZOOM link from the message sent to you last week will work. A reminder message will also be sent to all registered households.
To register send an email to the church with your child’s (children’s) name and age, along with an email address to which the ZOOM invitation can be sent.
For those who are registered, the Craft Kits are ready for pick up or delivery.

  
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS – September 27
As part of the Worship Video this Sunday, September 27, there will be a “Virtual Blessing of the Animals.”  You may want to have your animal companion(s) near you as you watch the video.  If one of your animal companions is a horse that may not work so well.  But there will be a time in the video when you will be given opportunity to give thanks to God for the animals in your life.
 
 
SPIRIT WEST CRABAPPLE JELLY
This year's batch of Spirit West Crabapple Jelly is now ready. The jelly is made from crabapples grown on the Spirit West property. You can pick up a jar at the church for $5. If you want curbside pick-up, just call the church before you head over and we will be ready for you. We can also deliver if that works best for you; just call the church to make arrangements.  The proceeds of the jelly sales go to the church.

  
SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 
Scripture Readers
We are looking for people to read the scriptures for our videos! To volunteer to be a scripture reader, send an email to Norma at spiritw@telus.net  We will include you in the schedule and we will send you all the information you need about the options you have for recording your segment.
 
Greeters
We are continuing  to invite members of the congregations to share virtual greetings as part of our Sunday Worship Video.  It is a way for us to see each other.  Bonnie C. is spearheading this program, and has been doing the recording.  You may get a call from her asking if you want to be a “Greeter.”  If you have not heard from Bonnie and want to be a greeter, you can call the church and your name will be given to Bonnie, or you can record you own greeting.  Record a 10-30 second greeting on your phone (record in “landscape,”  hold your phone horizontally, this way ‘---,’ not this way ‘I’) and email your video to swm@telus.net . 
 
Sharing our Celebrations  (change in 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.
 
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.

 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT (and this is not a Scam)
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.
 

OUTREACH – Underwear  and Face Masks Needed at Bissell Centre
There is still a need at Bissell for UNDERWEAR. Ladies and Men’s - sizes Medium  and Large.
If any of you would like to shop and deliver undies to the church, Lori will pick them up and deliver them to the Bissell Centre.  If you would rather have your donation picked up, call the church office to arrange it.
They are also taking donations of FABRIC FACE MASKS. So any of you crafty people out there - We know there are a few quilters out there with a good stash of fabric - if you would like a little project to do in your self-isolation (patterns can be found online) ..... Again - these can be dropped at the church (or call the church office to arrange pick-up) and Lori will deliver them to the Bissell Centre.

  
YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH (with an update)
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. 

  
 PASTORAL CARE DURING A PANDEMIC
 
Phone Ministry
A team has been put together to begin a phone ministry.  We will be reaching out by phone to members of Spirit West to remind ourselves that we are a community of faith, even if at the moment we have to practice social distancing, and in some cases self-isolation.  The team will initially target those whom we believe are most likely to be isolated.  We may not always get it right.  If you get a call, and think you really didn’t need it, thank the caller anyway.  If you don’t hear from anyone in the next week or so, and really would like a call, let me know.  We are playing this by ear in an “interesting” time.

 
 Shopping Ministry
If you are self-isolating for whatever reason (you are not feeling well, you are in a susceptible population, or you are just not taking chances) and you cannot get out to do shopping, let us know.  There are people in the congregation who will do your shopping and deliver it to your home.  Mention this to the caller from the phone ministry, or call or send an email to the church to let us know. 
If you would like to volunteer as a “shopper” let me know by phone or email.

  
Casserole Ministry
David S. has started a Casserole Ministry as part of Pastoral Care. Volunteers from Pastoral Care at Spirit West will deliver a casserole to someone in isolation, recovering from illness, or grieving the loss of family members.
We would need a supply of three or four casseroles made by members of Spirit West in tin foil pans and frozen in the church freezer available for delivery. The casseroles should be dated and labelled with all ingredients and the instructions for reheating. The supply of casseroles can be replenished as needed. If you are interested in providing a casserole please call David S. so he can keep an accurate inventory of casseroles (not too many, not too few).

 
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.
 
                    
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

September 18, 2020 - Second Sunday in Creation Time and the 27th Sunday in Covid-19 isolation

9/28/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Greetings,
 
Sunday School for Spirit West will be starting this Sunday, September 20, see the details below in ZOOM into Sunday School. 
We will be holding our annual Blessing of the Animals as part of the worship video for Sunday, September 27, again see the details below.
For Sharing our Celebrations in our worship videos, there has been a change in the submission deadline, see below.

 
 From our Re-Opening Committee
A big thank you to those of you who have mailed in, dropped off, or emailed your completed questionnaire.  The information that you have given us is now being sorted and compiled.  And based on the number of questionnaires returned, the committee should have a good understanding of how you feel about re-opening. 
 But they would also like to remind you that though the deadline for returning your re-opening questionnaire has passed, we would still like your input, so send them in right away.

   
This Sunday – The Second Sunday in Creation Time
 
The Scripture Readings are Exodus 16: 2-15 and Matthew 20: 1-16.  In the Time for All Ages, I will be asking “What about tomorrow?”  My sermon is titled, “Those were the days”
 This Sunday I will be continuing my focus on the reading from Exodus, as we look at the Israelites’ journey out of bondage in Egypt toward the promised land.  Years ago, when my father was in his late seventies or early eighties he attended an all candidates meeting for an upcoming election.  I don’t remember if it was federal or provincial.  I didn’t go to the meeting, I didn’t live in their riding, I was just visiting.  When my father came home he mentioned that one of the candidates seem to be focused on getting the province/country back to the good old days.  Remember, he was in his late seventies or early eighties at the time.  He looked at me and said, “I remember those ‘good old days,’ and they weren’t that good.”  When the future looks uncertain we want to go back to some prior time when things appear to have been “better.”  We see this frequently in the Exodus journey.  For the Israelites the “good old days” were slavery in Egypt.  In this Sunday’s reading from Exodus, the complaint is about food.  And again God responds.  They are provided manna and quails, but there are some conditions. We will look at those conditions in the worship video.

 
ZOOM INTO SUNDAY SCHOOL starts this Sunday, September 20 at 10:00am
If you have someone registered for our ZOOM into Sunday School, you should have received the ZOOM invitation with the link earlier today.
To register send an email to the church by Thursday noon with your child’s (children’s) name and age, along with an email address to which the ZOOM invitation can be sent.
For those who are registered, the Craft Kits are ready for pick up or delivery.
 

 BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS – September 27
As part of the Worship Video for Sunday, September 27, there will be a “Virtual Blessing of the Animals.”  In order to make this happen I am inviting you to send an email to the church with pictures of the animals that are important in your life (dog, cat, hedgehog, bird, horse…).  The picture(s) of your animal(s) will form part of a montage during the worship video.  You will need to get your pictures to the church before Wednesday, September 23.

  
SPIRIT WEST CRABAPPLE JELLY
This year's batch of Spirit West Crabapple Jelly is now ready. The jelly is made from crabapples grown on the Spirit West property. You can pick up a jar at the church for $5. If you want curbside pick-up, just call the church before you head over and we will be ready for you. We can also deliver if that works best for you; just call the church to make arrangements.  The proceeds of the jelly sales go to the church.

 
 SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 
Scripture Readers
We are looking for people to read the scriptures for our videos! To volunteer to be a scripture reader, send an email to Norma at spiritw@telus.net  We will include you in the schedule and we will send you all the information you need about the options you have for recording your segment.
 
Greeters
We are continuing  to invite members of the congregations to share virtual greetings as part of our Sunday Worship Video.  It is a way for us to see each other.  Bonnie C. is spearheading this program, and has been doing the recording.  You may get a call from her asking if you want to be a “Greeter.”  If you have not heard from Bonnie and want to be a greeter, you can call the church and your name will be given to Bonnie, or you can record you own greeting.  Record a 10-30 second greeting on your phone (record in “landscape,”  hold your phone horizontally, this way ‘---,’ not this way ‘I’) and email your video to swm@telus.net . 
 
Sharing our Celebrations  (change in 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.
 
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.

 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT (and this is not a Scam)
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.

 
OUTREACH – Underwear  and Face Masks Needed at Bissell Centre
There is still a need at Bissell for UNDERWEAR. Ladies and Men’s - sizes Medium  and Large.
If any of you would like to shop and deliver undies to the church, Lori will pick them up and deliver them to the Bissell Centre.  If you would rather have your donation picked up, call the church office to arrange it.
They are also taking donations of FABRIC FACE MASKS. So any of you crafty people out there - We know there are a few quilters out there with a good stash of fabric - if you would like a little project to do in your self-isolation (patterns can be found online) ..... Again - these can be dropped at the church (or call the church office to arrange pick-up) and Lori will deliver them to the Bissell Centre.
 
 
YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH (with an update)
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.  Since the beginning of the year, Don and Bob have redeemed worth of bottles from our shed for the church.

  
 PASTORAL CARE DURING A PANDEMIC
 
Phone Ministry
A team has been put together to begin a phone ministry.  We will be reaching out by phone to members of Spirit West to remind ourselves that we are a community of faith, even if at the moment we have to practice social distancing, and in some cases self-isolation.  The team will initially target those whom we believe are most likely to be isolated.  We may not always get it right.  If you get a call, and think you really didn’t need it, thank the caller anyway.  If you don’t hear from anyone in the next week or so, and really would like a call, let me know.  We are playing this by ear in an “interesting” time.

 
 Shopping Ministry
If you are self-isolating for whatever reason (you are not feeling well, you are in a susceptible population, or you are just not taking chances) and you cannot get out to do shopping, let us know.  There are people in the congregation who will do your shopping and deliver it to your home.  Mention this to the caller from the phone ministry, or call or send an email to the church to let us know. 
If you would like to volunteer as a “shopper” let me know by phone or email.
 

 Casserole Ministry
David S. has started a Casserole Ministry as part of Pastoral Care. Volunteers from Pastoral Care at Spirit West will deliver a casserole to someone in isolation, recovering from illness, or grieving the loss of family members.
 We would need a supply of three or four casseroles made by members of Spirit West in tin foil pans and frozen in the church freezer available for delivery. The casseroles should be dated and labelled with all ingredients and the instructions for reheating. The supply of casseroles can be replenished as needed. If you are interested in providing a casserole please call David S. so he can keep an accurate inventory of casseroles (not too many, not too few).

 
 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.

                   
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

September 11, 220 - First Sunday in Creation Time and the 26st Sunday in Covid-19 Isolation

9/28/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Greetings,
This has been a busy week for me so the Thursday eMessage is coming out on Friday.  And again this week, you will find two new items below. 
The first concerns Sunday School.  There will be a Sunday School for Spirit West starting on Sunday, September 20, see the details below in ZOOM into Sunday School. 
And secondly, in “normal” times, we would be holding our annual Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, September 27.  This year this practice will continue, but online, again see the details below.

 
From our Re-Opening Committee
The Re-Opening Committee has had two (ZOOM) meetings so far. There is much that needs to be taken into account in developing a re-opening plan and Northern Spirit Region has developed a guide to assist congregations in preparing a plan that works.  The committee will be using this document.
 
Your input…
Among the various considerations that need to be taken into account are the feelings and concerns of the members of the congregation.  In order for you to have input with regard to our re-opening plans, a questionnaire has been prepared.  This questionnaire has been circulated by email and has been mailed to you with a self-addressed stamped envelope, so it is easy for you to return the completed questionnaire.  We ask that you take the time to fill it out and return it to the church by September 14, 2020.    As a preparation for filling out your questionnaire, you might want to watch this two part video by Diane Strickland, a United Church minister in Chinook Winds Region and a specialist in trauma counselling, as she addresses the challenges of churches re-opening. Part 1 is here: Part 1 and Part 2 is here: Part 2 . 
If you have not received a questionnaire, please call the church office.  We may not have the correct address for you. 
 
Something Outdoors?
We have heard from some of you that you would like to try a worship service outdoors.  This is a possibility, but requires some work.  If you are interested in helping plan and set-up an outdoor worship service please email or call the church.  Among the things that we will need for such an occasion is a portable outdoor sound system, so that I don’t have to shout.  If you know where we can borrow one, please let the church know.

 
CREATION TIME
The five Sundays in the Season of Pentecost beginning with the Sunday after Labour Day and continuing through Thanksgiving Sunday. (Occasionally there are six Sundays in this time frame.  “Creation” comes from the Latin creare and creation meaning “to create.”  The root of Creation Time is in the liturgical Ember Days. Ember is thought to come from the Old English ymbren “about” + ryne “course.” Another possibility is that the name is derived from the Latin quatuor tempora, meaning “four periods of times.” Ember may also come from the German Quatember, translated as “quarter day,” a day asking God’s blessing on a new season.  The liturgical colour for Creation Time is orange.  Orange is a warm colour, associated with enthusiasm, creativity, fruitfulness, endurance, and strength as well as with sunrise and sunset, fall and harvest, and the changing seasons, nature’s last burst of colour before winter. It is the red of passion tempered by the yellow of wisdom.
 
 
This Sunday – The First Sunday in Creation Time
 
The Scripture Readings are Exodus 14: 19-31 and Matthew 18: 21-35.  In the Time for All Ages, I will be talking about being “At the water’s edge”  My sermon is titled, “What have you done to us”
 
For the Sundays of Creation Time, the first readings come from the Book of Exodus, one of the books of the Torah, the first five books of our Bible.  The readings centre on Moses and the Exodus, the journey of escape and of hope for the children of Israel.  Although the children of Israel were escaping from their bondage in Egypt, the journey was not without its challenges.  And each time things became difficult, there was complaining.  The question that Moses frequently faced was “What have you done to us?  Egypt was bad, but this is worse!”  This goes along with the phrase that many of may have heard, “The cure is worse than the disease.”  If we are moving out of hardship, the journey should be easy.  But that doesn’t seem to be the way things go, ask anyone who has endured chemotherapy.  But people do endure chemotherapy, with a vision of something better at the end.  Right now our world is going through a tough time.  There’s a global pandemic, racism and intolerance seem to have hit a new high.  And we want to get through all this to come out better on the other side.  But the journey will not be easy.  The children of Israel spent forty years in the wilderness, much longer than it should have taken. And this was because they kept losing focus and faith.  But the stories tell us that God stayed with them through it all, leading them on to the promised land.
 

ZOOM INTO SUNDAY SCHOOL starting on Sunday, September 20 at 10:00am
We are planning to have a ZOOM Sunday School for the children of Spirit West starting on Sunday, September 20 at 10:00 am.  We already have four teachers who are willing to part of this. Using the Seasons of the Spirit Curriculum, our teachers will offer a Sunday School lesson with a craft each Sunday at 10:00 am on the ZOOM meeting platform.
For the children/grandchildren in your family to be part of this you will need to register in advance.  To register send an email to the church with your child’s (children’s) name and age, along with an email address to which the ZOOM invitation can be sent.
In order for each registered child to have all that is needed to make the crafts each week, kits will be prepared containing the supplies required the for crafts for a number weeks.  These kits will be available for pick up at the church, or can be delivered to you.  You will receive an email letting you know when a new craft kit is available.

 
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS – September 27
As was stated above, in “normal” times, we would have a Blessing of the Animals during our Service on the last Sunday in September.  This year that would be September 27.  What I am proposing for that Sunday is a “Virtual Blessing of the Animals.”  In order to make this happen I am inviting you to send an email to the church with pictures of the animals that are important in your life (dog, cat, hedgehog, bird, horse…).  The picture(s) of your animal(s) will form part of a montage during the worship video for September 27.  You will need to get your pictures to the church before Wednesday, September 24.

 
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
 
 SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 
Scripture Readers
We are looking for people to read the scriptures for our videos! To volunteer to be a scripture reader, send an email to Norma at spiritw@telus.net  We will include you in the schedule and we will send you all the information you need about the options you have for recording your segment.
 
Greeters
We are continuing  to invite members of the congregations to share virtual greetings as part of our Sunday Worship Video.  It is a way for us to see each other.  Bonnie C. is spearheading this program, and has been doing the recording.  You may get a call from her asking if you want to be a “Greeter.”  If you have not heard from Bonnie and want to be a greeter, you can call the church and your name will be given to Bonnie, or you can record you own greeting.  Record a 10-30 second greeting on your phone (record in “landscape,”  hold your phone horizontally, this way ‘---,’ not this way ‘I’) and email your video to swm@telus.net . 
 
Sharing our Celebrations (this week’s service has already been recorded)
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 10:00 am on Friday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 
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.

 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT (and this is not a Scam)
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.

 
OUTREACH – Underwear  and Face Masks Needed at Bissell Centre
There is still a need at Bissell for UNDERWEAR. Ladies and Men’s - sizes Medium  and Large.
If any of you would like to shop and deliver undies to the church, Lori will pick them up and deliver them to the Bissell Centre.  If you would rather have your donation picked up, call the church office to arrange it.
They are also taking donations of FABRIC FACE MASKS. So any of you crafty people out there - We know there are a few quilters out there with a good stash of fabric - if you would like a little project to do in your self-isolation (patterns can be found online) ..... Again - these can be dropped at the church (or call the church office to arrange pick-up) and Lori will deliver them to the Bissell Centre.
 

YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH (with an update)
Now that you are spending more time at home, and perhaps (though I hope not) drinking more, you may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can still 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.  The latest run to the Bottle Depot resulted in $181.00 for the church.

 
PASTORAL CARE DURING A PANDEMIC
 
Phone Ministry
A team has been put together to begin a phone ministry.  We will be reaching out by phone to members of Spirit West to remind ourselves that we are a community of faith, even if at the moment we have to practice social distancing, and in some cases self-isolation.  The team will initially target those whom we believe are most likely to be isolated.  We may not always get it right.  If you get a call, and think you really didn’t need it, thank the caller anyway.  If you don’t hear from anyone in the next week or so, and really would like a call, let me know.  We are playing this by ear in an “interesting” time.

 
Shopping Ministry
If you are self-isolating for whatever reason (you are not feeling well, you are in a susceptible population, or you are just not taking chances) and you cannot get out to do shopping, let us know.  There are people in the congregation who will do your shopping and deliver it to your home.  Mention this to the caller from the phone ministry, or call or send an email to the church to let us know. 
If you would like to volunteer as a “shopper” let me know by phone or email.

 
Casserole Ministry
David S. has started a Casserole Ministry as part of Pastoral Care. Volunteers from Pastoral Care at Spirit West will deliver a casserole to someone in isolation, recovering from illness, or grieving the loss of family members.
We would need a supply of three or four casseroles made by members of Spirit West in tin foil pans and frozen in the church freezer available for delivery. The casseroles should be dated and labelled with all ingredients and the instructions for reheating. The supply of casseroles can be replenished as needed. If you are interested in providing a casserole please call David S. so he can keep an accurate inventory of casseroles (not too many, not too few).

 
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.

                    
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. 

 
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

September 3, 2020 - 14th Sunday after Pentecost and 25th Sunday in COVID-19 isolation - communion Sunday

9/3/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Greetings,
This eMessage starts with two important messages, one from my son Paul, and one from the Church Board:
 

From Paul
To the people of Spirit West,
A few weeks ago, while my family was on holidays, Bonnie C. sent out a message offering members of the congregation an opportunity to show their appreciation for the work I have been doing in filming and editing the weekly Worship Videos.  I did not know about this, and was not expecting it.  This morning at our regular music recording session, Bonnie presented me with the results of her suggestion to you.  I can only say that I am completely overwhelmed by your response.  I was not expecting any remuneration, I am doing this voluntarily (with my Dad’s encouragement).  So, the level of your generosity to me and your expressions of support and encouragement was unbelievable.  Thank you all so much!

Love,
Paul.

 
From the Board regarding re-opening of the Church
The Spirit West Board has decided that we cannot reopen the church for worship at this time.  However, a Committee has been formed that will develop the plan for our re-opening.   This Committee had its first meeting (ZOOM) on Wednesday night. There is much that needs to be taken into account in developing a re-opening plan and Northern Spirit Region has developed a guide to assist congregations in preparing a plan that works.  Our committee will be using this document.

 
Your input…
Among the various considerations that need to be taken into account are the feelings and concerns of the members of the congregation.  In order for you to have input with regard to our re-opening plans, a questionnaire has been prepared.  This questionnaire has been both mailed and emailed to you this week.  We ask that you take the time to fill out the questionnaire and return it to the church by September 14, 2020.  As a preparation to filling out your questionnaire, you might want to watch this two part video by Diane Strickland, a United Church minister in Chinook Winds Region and a specialist in trauma counselling, as she addresses the challenges of churches re-opening. Part 1 is here: Part 1 and Part 2 is here: Part 2 . 
If you do not receive a questionnaire by the end of next week, please call the church office.  We may not have the correct address for you. 
 
Something Outdoors?
We have heard from some of you that you would like to try a worship service outdoors.  This is a possibility, but requires some work.  If you are interested in helping plan and set-up an outdoor worship service please email or call the church.  Among the things that we will need for such an occasion is a portable outdoor sound system, so that I don’t have to shout.  If you know where we can borrow one, please let the church know.

  
This Sunday – Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
 
The Scripture Readings are Romans 13: 8-14 and Matthew 18: 15-20.  In the Time for All Ages, I will be talking about “Me, me, me!”  My sermon is titled, “We are not alone!”
 
The last two lines of the United Church Creed are “We are not alone.  Thanks be to God.”  The Scripture readings for this Sunday point out the importance of realizing that we are not alone.  Paul in his letter to the Romans reminds the people that they should owe no one anything but love.  He points out that there are all sorts of commandments, “you shall not…,” but all of these commandments are summed up in “love your neighbour as yourself.”  You are not alone.  In the Gospel Jesus points that we are not alone because we are part of a community of faith, that we are responsible to and for one another, even in times of difficulty and discord.  In this time of Covid-19 isolation, when there are those among us who are living as “single person families,” to use a current phrase, we need to hear the assurance that even when we are by ourselves, we are not alone.  Thanks be to God.

 
Communion this Sunday
 
This Sunday, we will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion.  The celebration at the Church will involve only three people from the congregation as well as Paul (videographer) and I, but I would like you to be able to participate as fully as you can.  So I would suggest that, if you can, watch the video at our usual church time of 10:30 on Sunday morning and that you have some bread and grape juice (or wine) for each member of your household.  Follow the service and share together at your table, be it the kitchen table, dining table or the TV table you have put in front of your television.  And as you share the bread and cup in your home, know that others are sharing at the Table of Christ in their homes and around the world. 

  
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

 
 SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
 
Scripture Readers
We are looking for people to read the scriptures for our videos! To volunteer to be a scripture reader, send an email to Norma at spiritw@telus.net  We will include you in the schedule and we will send you all the information you need about the options you have for recording your segment.

 
Greeters
We are continuing  to invite members of the congregations to share virtual greetings as part of our Sunday Worship Video.  It is a way for us to see each other.  Bonnie C. is spearheading this program, and has been doing the recording.  You may get a call from her asking if you want to be a “Greeter.”  If you have not heard from Bonnie and want to be a greeter, you can call the church and your name will be given to Bonnie, or you can record you own greeting.  Record a 10-30 second greeting on your phone (record in “landscape,”  hold your phone horizontally, this way ‘---,’ not this way ‘I’) and email your video to swm@telus.net . 

 
Sharing our Celebrations (this week’s service has already been recorded)
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 10:00 am on Friday for inclusion on the Sunday) During the opening section or our Worship Video, I will announce celebrations that have been shared with me.
 

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.

 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT (and this is not a Scam)
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.

 
OUTREACH – Underwear  and Face Masks Needed at Bissell Centre
There is still a need at Bissell for UNDERWEAR. Ladies and Men’s - sizes Medium  and Large.
If any of you would like to shop and deliver undies to the church, Lori will pick them up and deliver them to the Bissell Centre.  If you would rather have your donation picked up, call the church office to arrange it.
They are also taking donations of FABRIC FACE MASKS. So any of you crafty people out there - We know there are a few quilters out there with a good stash of fabric - if you would like a little project to do in your self-isolation (patterns can be found online) ..... Again - these can be dropped at the church (or call the church office to arrange pick-up) and Lori will deliver them to the Bissell Centre.

 
 YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH (with an update)
Now that you are spending more time at home, and perhaps (though I hope not) drinking more, you may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can still 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.  The latest run to the Bottle Depot resulted in $181.00 for the church.

  
 PASTORAL CARE DURING A PANDEMIC
 
Phone Ministry
A team has been put together to begin a phone ministry.  We will be reaching out by phone to members of Spirit West to remind ourselves that we are a community of faith, even if at the moment we have to practice social distancing, and in some cases self-isolation.  The team will initially target those whom we believe are most likely to be isolated.  We may not always get it right.  If you get a call, and think you really didn’t need it, thank the caller anyway.  If you don’t hear from anyone in the next week or so, and really would like a call, let me know.  We are playing this by ear in an “interesting” time.

  
Shopping Ministry
If you are self-isolating for whatever reason (you are not feeling well, you are in a susceptible population, or you are just not taking chances) and you cannot get out to do shopping, let us know.  There are people in the congregation who will do your shopping and deliver it to your home.  Mention this to the caller from the phone ministry, or call or send an email to the church to let us know. 
If you would like to volunteer as a “shopper” let me know by phone or email.

 
Casserole Ministry
David S. has started a Casserole Ministry as part of Pastoral Care. Volunteers from Pastoral Care at Spirit West will deliver a casserole to someone in isolation, recovering from illness, or grieving the loss of family members.
We would need a supply of three or four casseroles made by members of Spirit West in tin foil pans and frozen in the church freezer available for delivery. The casseroles should be dated and labelled with all ingredients and the instructions for reheating. The supply of casseroles can be replenished as needed. If you are interested in providing a casserole please call David S. so he can keep an accurate inventory of casseroles (not too many, not too few).

 
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.
 
        
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. 

 
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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