
Greetings
This Sunday is the Third Sunday in Lent. If you have been by the church recently, you will have seen the new message on the sign: “Lent 3 Eat What is Good.” This is not an advertisement for the “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” fund raiser (see below) although I suppose it could be. But my original intention was to reflect the message in the Scripture readings for Sunday, particularly the passage from Isaiah. In fact the phrase “eat what is good” comes from Isaiah 55:2, and is part of Isaiah’s request “Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good.” It sounds like a phrase that your mother would say. But Isaiah goes farther than that, because he is not just talking about diet, he speaks of everything that we might chose to nourish ourselves, body, mind and spirit. And he asks about our choices. His concerns seem remarkably contemporary. In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells of a fig tree that seems to be suffering from a poor environment, and the disagreement between the owner and the gardener about what should be done.
The passages that will be read on Sunday are Isaiah 55: 1-9 and Luke 13: 1-9. In the Time for All Ages we will talk about how “A Tree Grows.” The Sermon is titled “Eat what is good.”
We will also be seeing another video response to our Moderator’s Lenten #NotAlone challenge.
The ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING will be held immediately after the worship service this Sunday. At the meeting, we will review the Annual Report that was sent to you via email earlier this week. Please plan to stay for this important meeting about the work and life of our church.
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS NEEDED
Our Sunday School is GROWING and it is important that we provide the children with a positive experience in their time together. We are looking for people who are willing to share some time with the children on Sunday. We have a great curriculum called Seasons of the Spirit which is quite adaptable and easy to use (you do need a computer and internet access for the preparation). If you are not sure, consider joining the class for a couple of weeks and learning with the children. If you have any questions, call Margery W. At 780-419-3224. A signup sheet is on the cabinet by the office.
AFTERNOON LENTEN STUDY – The Trinity & Everyday Spirituality
The third session of our study will be this coming Wednesday, March 2 at 1:30 in the Lounge. The topic for this session is “To Share in Community” The opening question is “What is your favourite Bible story/verse, perhaps one that is present to you now, or had an influence on you earlier in life? The scripture for reflection during the week is John 17: 20-23.
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
Join us in using cunning stealth and covert organization to surprise our phenomenal Spirit West chefs. Only at the ring of their doorbell should the hosts discover who will join them for dinner on their chosen night of gastronomical delights!! This fund-raiser for the church will take place during the months of February and March! It is a terrific time to enjoy a fabulous meal and fellowship. Those who wish to host a dinner are asked to contact Bill C. at 780-481-2662. Hosts need to indicate the date and time of their dinner and the number of guests they are able to host. If there is a theme for the evening, this should be provided. Guests will have the opportunity to select where they will dine. Diners should provide the conveners with information on allergies and dietary restrictions (this information will be discreetly passed to the hosts) Diners will be provided ahead of time with directions to their chosen dinner and with an offering envelope for a free-will offering which will be collected by the hosts and returned to the church. A minimum donation of $25 per person is suggested. Please plan on attending one of these sensational dinners and generously supporting the ongoing work of Spirit West. See the display board at the back of the church for a list of dinner opportunities.
MESSY EASTER- April 9 ??
I have decided to pick a date for Messy Easter, Saturday April 9. If you are interested in becoming involved or have any questions please call me at the church office as soon as possible. It’s work, but it is also so much fun. Give me a call!
JUST IN! – MESSY CHUCH WORKSHOP
Holy Trinity Anglican Church is hosting a MESSY CHURCH WORKSHOP on Saturday, April 9 (same day as our Messy Church) from 10:00 am to 3:00. We could go right from the Workshop to our Messy Church all enthused! The workshop is advertised on the Alberta and Northwest Conference website http://albertanorthwestconference.ca/14057-messy-church-workshop-to-be-offered-in-edmonton/
Emergency Food Hampers The Jasper Place Wellness Centre supplies basic emergency food hampers. At the present time their stocks are very low. A bin will be by the front door where you can leave donations of dry pasta, rice, canned beans, canned meat or fish, soup, crackers, peanut butter, hot chocolate, and tea bags. Your donations will be taken by Doreen to JPWC on Mondays. Your support of the work of Spirit West at the JPWC is greatly appreciated.
Spirit West Prayer Chain
The Spirit West Prayer Chain is a group of people who have committed to continue our prayers of concern from Sunday through the week. To be part of this ministry, email your request to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com . You may also email a request for prayer to the same email address. If you would prefer to talk to someone, you can call Shannon F. at 780-481-5262, Marian T. at 780-487-2851 or Bonnie C. at 780-444-2230.
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Our Website is at www.spiritwest.org .
Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/SpirtWestUnitedChurch
Office hours
- Monday to Friday 9:30 – 2:30
- Norma => 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Monday to Friday
- Larry => 9:30 am to 2:30 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