Greetings
Sunday, August 28, 2022 – the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
We Take Anybody
(All are Welcome)
What does it mean to invite everyone to be a part of our church? What do we really mean when we say “all are welcome”. I have heard people snidely comment that the United Church will take anyone, as if that is a bad thing, when actually it is our strength. We celebrate the gifts diversity brings. We can be a band of misfits. We want to create space where we are all safe to really be ourselves, not space where we all pretend to be what someone else expects us to be. Jesus says when we host a banquet we are supposed to invite the poor and people with disabilities. (Luke 14:13) from this week’s reading Luke 14:1, 7-14
Sometimes, we might worry what people will think of us when we are a part of such a group of outsiders, but if we let go of that type of worry and allow ourselves to be humbled, to give up trying to be seen as important, we gain something much richer – a life in genuine community.
I played trombone in high school, including in the stage band. In stage band, the highest, most important brass instrument is the first trumpet. The first trombone strove to get half as many good solos as the first trumpet. Second and third trumpet and trombone were waiting their turn for these important parts. There were musicians more gifted than I in the year ahead and behind me, so I quickly decided to get off that bus of trying for something I may never get, and chose to be bass trombone. I never got solos, but I got to hold up the base line along with the baritone sax and the electric bass. I got to keep the feeling of belonging without the endless competition.
When God called the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt, they were called to build a community based on justice and equity, to use today’s language, and not a hierarchical society like the Egyptians and the Assyrians had, but the temptation to build that sort of hierarchy pulls at us constantly, trying to get us to decide who is most important and who we should ignore. The prophet Jeremiah compared this choice to giving up having a good cistern full of fresh water from God, but choosing instead to build our own cracked cistern made of the idols around us. Our Hebrew scripture text this week is Jeremiah 2:4-13. With the kids, I will be looking at the difference between a leaky container and a good one.
As a church community we have people from many stages of life. Some of us are “at the top of our careers” respected within our professional workspaces. Some are mistreated regularly at work. When we are in this Spirit West United Church space, we strive to be a community where we work side by side with those we might have to look up to, or be expected to look down on, in the so called ‘real world’. We are stronger for it. Thanks be to God.
Minister on the Porch
I’m going to be sitting on the porch on Saturday from 10-2. I hope to see you there.
(Rev) Eli Carter-Morgan (they/them)
Spirit West United Church
Proud to share the land through Treaty 6
Eli’s office hours – Wednesday to Sunday – hours vary so please first call Eli directly or the church (780-481-1408)
GARAGE SALE – September 24 – We need volunteers and donations!
We will be holding our first garage sale, since the pandemic, on September 24! Start saving your items now and bring them to the church during the week before the sale. Items to donate include:
DRIVERS NEEDED
We have several people in our congregation who would love to come back to in-person worship but can no longer drive so are unable to get here easily. If you need a ride or if you can offer a ride to someone, please email the church or, if you prefer, call the office (noon to 5pm, Monday to Thursday).
YouTube Videos Worship Services – August 28 – in person worship service
To watch online, you will need to go to YouTube and google “Spirit West United Church”.
This action will bring you to the Spirit West United Church YouTube page.
SPIRIT WEST PRAYER CHAIN
Prayer is important. We know that people face challenges and difficulties and we cannot forget them. Our Prayer Chain continues 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 may form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.
Please remember to have people removed from the prayer chain if the prayers are no longer needed.
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 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 of the answer.
- 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. NW 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 or place it in the mailbox.
- You can also donate online by checking 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
- Norma => Noon to 5:00pm, Monday to Thursday
Thank you,
Norma Balcombe
Office Administrator
Spirit West United Church
7003 - 199st.NW Edmonton, AB T5T 3A8
phone: (780) 481-1406
email: spiritw@telus.net
website: www.spiritwest.org
Sunday, August 28, 2022 – the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
We Take Anybody
(All are Welcome)
What does it mean to invite everyone to be a part of our church? What do we really mean when we say “all are welcome”. I have heard people snidely comment that the United Church will take anyone, as if that is a bad thing, when actually it is our strength. We celebrate the gifts diversity brings. We can be a band of misfits. We want to create space where we are all safe to really be ourselves, not space where we all pretend to be what someone else expects us to be. Jesus says when we host a banquet we are supposed to invite the poor and people with disabilities. (Luke 14:13) from this week’s reading Luke 14:1, 7-14
Sometimes, we might worry what people will think of us when we are a part of such a group of outsiders, but if we let go of that type of worry and allow ourselves to be humbled, to give up trying to be seen as important, we gain something much richer – a life in genuine community.
I played trombone in high school, including in the stage band. In stage band, the highest, most important brass instrument is the first trumpet. The first trombone strove to get half as many good solos as the first trumpet. Second and third trumpet and trombone were waiting their turn for these important parts. There were musicians more gifted than I in the year ahead and behind me, so I quickly decided to get off that bus of trying for something I may never get, and chose to be bass trombone. I never got solos, but I got to hold up the base line along with the baritone sax and the electric bass. I got to keep the feeling of belonging without the endless competition.
When God called the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt, they were called to build a community based on justice and equity, to use today’s language, and not a hierarchical society like the Egyptians and the Assyrians had, but the temptation to build that sort of hierarchy pulls at us constantly, trying to get us to decide who is most important and who we should ignore. The prophet Jeremiah compared this choice to giving up having a good cistern full of fresh water from God, but choosing instead to build our own cracked cistern made of the idols around us. Our Hebrew scripture text this week is Jeremiah 2:4-13. With the kids, I will be looking at the difference between a leaky container and a good one.
As a church community we have people from many stages of life. Some of us are “at the top of our careers” respected within our professional workspaces. Some are mistreated regularly at work. When we are in this Spirit West United Church space, we strive to be a community where we work side by side with those we might have to look up to, or be expected to look down on, in the so called ‘real world’. We are stronger for it. Thanks be to God.
Minister on the Porch
I’m going to be sitting on the porch on Saturday from 10-2. I hope to see you there.
(Rev) Eli Carter-Morgan (they/them)
Spirit West United Church
Proud to share the land through Treaty 6
Eli’s office hours – Wednesday to Sunday – hours vary so please first call Eli directly or the church (780-481-1408)
GARAGE SALE – September 24 – We need volunteers and donations!
We will be holding our first garage sale, since the pandemic, on September 24! Start saving your items now and bring them to the church during the week before the sale. Items to donate include:
- Household items such as Dishes, glasses, pots & pans, small appliances
- Furniture
- Memorabilia
- Books, games, CDs
- Linens
- Jewellery
- Tools
- Toys
- Pick up larger items (probably need a truck)
- Set up
- Price items
- Floor salespeople
- Cashiers
- takedown
DRIVERS NEEDED
We have several people in our congregation who would love to come back to in-person worship but can no longer drive so are unable to get here easily. If you need a ride or if you can offer a ride to someone, please email the church or, if you prefer, call the office (noon to 5pm, Monday to Thursday).
YouTube Videos Worship Services – August 28 – in person worship service
To watch online, you will need to go to YouTube and google “Spirit West United Church”.
This action will bring you to the Spirit West United Church YouTube page.
SPIRIT WEST PRAYER CHAIN
Prayer is important. We know that people face challenges and difficulties and we cannot forget them. Our Prayer Chain continues 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 may form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship.
Please remember to have people removed from the prayer chain if the prayers are no longer needed.
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 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 of the answer.
- 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. NW 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 or place it in the mailbox.
- You can also donate online by checking 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
- Norma => Noon to 5:00pm, Monday to Thursday
Thank you,
Norma Balcombe
Office Administrator
Spirit West United Church
7003 - 199st.NW Edmonton, AB T5T 3A8
phone: (780) 481-1406
email: spiritw@telus.net
website: www.spiritwest.org
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