Greetings,
Please read through this wonderful eMessage so that you do not miss the information about the Congregational Meeting or the Garden Clean-Up.
BACK TO THE BASIS – Article XVI – Of the Sacraments
This Sunday I am going back to the “Lectionary” I created last autumn, which takes us through the “Twenty Articles of Faith” contained in the Basis of Union of the United Church of Canada. These articles represent the first articulation of what were considered the foundational beliefs of this new denomination in 1925. This Sunday we will look at Article XVI (only 4 left) – Of the Sacraments. I will briefly touch on what a sacrament is, and will focus most of the time on the Sacrament of Holy Communion, also called the Lord’s Supper. Early in my ministry, when I was in a rural pastoral charge in Saskatchewan, I was in one of the churches as one of the women was preparing the table for communion. Her young son came up from the basement, looked at the front of the church, looked at me and said “So, it’s the service with the snack.” This Sunday, I will look at why this service has such an important place in our worship as Christians.
By fortuitous coincidence, this is also the first Sunday of the month, so we will be celebrating Holy Communion at the Service. The other sacrament of the United Church, Baptism, will be celebrated next Sunday.
OFFERING IN SUNDAY SCHOOL
We have introduced a children’s offering in Sunday School. This follows from a lesson suggestion in our Seasons of the Spirit curriculum.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING, Sunday, May 5
At this VERY BRIEF meeting at the close of the Service on Sunday, May 5, we will be electing our Representative to Northern Spirit Region. It was an oversight that we did not do this at the February Annual Meeting. Rhea O. who has been our Presbytery Representative is willing to continue as our representative to the Northern Spirit Region, But this needs to be confirmed by a congregational vote. (If there are others in the congregation who are interested in this position they may submit their names, and a ballot will be conducted at the meeting.)
SPIRIT WEST WOMEN’S GROUP EVENT - SPRING is the season, plants are the THING!
Monday, May 6. Gather at Salisbury Greenhouse at 7pm to do a walkabout and see their facility and products. (Check them out at salisburygreenhouse.com) The address is: 52337 Range Road 232 Sherwood Park. CARPOOL for event? For those that would like to meet at Spirit West and carpool to the greenhouse please meet in the parking lot at 6:15pm AND sign up on the sheet on the counter by the office! We ask for signup so that we can arrange drivers, and so that we don’t leave someone behind. If you have questions about the event please check with Margery Wright.
GARDEN CLEAN-UP DAY, Sunday, May 26 (rainout June 16)
Helen B., who very faithfully weeds our flower beds, reports that they have become very overgrown with grass and weeds and have become very difficult to maintain. We are having a Garden Cleanup Day on May 26 after the service. This will help get our property looking nice in time for our 10th anniversary celebration on June 2. Please save the date and plan to help. A sign-up sheet will be available next Sunday.
ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY – June 2nd, 2019
On Sunday, June 2nd we will mark a couple of milestones for this Congregation. We will be celebrating our 10th year as Spirit West United Church in our current building. We will also mark our 40th year as a congregation of the United Church of Canada remembering back to the formation of Aldergrove United Church. If you have had any connection with Aldergrove United Church, Gilchrist Memorial United Church or Spirit West United Church, we would encourage you to come out to this celebration. It is hoped that following the service, we will have a time of fellowship to display pictures and share a few stories about our journey as a congregation. (I am also hoping for balloons and a cake)
SPIRIT WEST COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE – June 20 & 21
While you are spring cleaning, please save quality, lightly used items such as household appliances, china, glassware, toys, books, tools, etc. for our annual garage sale. Donations are now being accepted at the church. Please, no clothing! If you need assistance in getting your items to the church, please call the office (780-481-1406) and we will arrange for someone to help you.
CHURCH PHOTO DIRECTORY – 2019 Edition is going to happen
We have decided that we will proceed with a Photo Directory for this our tenth year as Spirit West in our current building, and the fortieth anniversary of our constitution as a congregation. Photos will be taken on Monday, June 10 and Tuesday, June 11. As a reminder, the only cost to you is if you decide to purchase copies of the photos. Even if you do not purchase photos, your family photo will appear in the directory. Signup sheets to pick the time of your photo session are available now.
SOCIAL MEDIA 101 (Social Media for Beginners)
Are you among those people who hear words like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and SnapChat and think you are hearing a foreign language. When some of your friends ask you to “friend them” are you confused? Do you think you might be missing out when someone you know asks you if you have seen the post on Instagram of a mutual friend’s darling new grandchild? Is sharing what your church is doing beyond Sunday (with pictures), something you might like to do? If this might be you, help and hope is at hand. Aly L. would like to offer a session to introduce members of the Sprit West congregation to the possibilities of Social Media. Watch this space for details.
Your Favourite Hymn
Do you have a favourite hymn that you’d like to hear included in one of our worship services? Please let Bonnie C. know your choice and she will make sure it is sung within the month.
A WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY
You don’t have offering envelopes, you are not on PAR, and you don’t get to church as often as you would like, but you want to make a financial contribution to work of Spirit West, and receive a tax receipt. Now you can! Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar.
RIDE TO CHURCH?
From time to time we encounter people who would like to come to church at Spirit West, but are unable to because they do not have means of transportation. Can you give a ride? If you would be willing to make yourself available to provide a ride to church please call the church office. Do you need a ride? Would you like to come to church at Spirit West, but are unable to because you have no ride, please call the church office. (780-481-1406)
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 the church or call Edina T. at 780-481-3508
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Our Website is at www.spiritwest.org .
Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/SpirtWestUnitedChurch
On Instagram at spiritwestyeg
Office hours
- Norma => 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
- Larry => 10:00 am to 4:00 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
Please read through this wonderful eMessage so that you do not miss the information about the Congregational Meeting or the Garden Clean-Up.
BACK TO THE BASIS – Article XVI – Of the Sacraments
This Sunday I am going back to the “Lectionary” I created last autumn, which takes us through the “Twenty Articles of Faith” contained in the Basis of Union of the United Church of Canada. These articles represent the first articulation of what were considered the foundational beliefs of this new denomination in 1925. This Sunday we will look at Article XVI (only 4 left) – Of the Sacraments. I will briefly touch on what a sacrament is, and will focus most of the time on the Sacrament of Holy Communion, also called the Lord’s Supper. Early in my ministry, when I was in a rural pastoral charge in Saskatchewan, I was in one of the churches as one of the women was preparing the table for communion. Her young son came up from the basement, looked at the front of the church, looked at me and said “So, it’s the service with the snack.” This Sunday, I will look at why this service has such an important place in our worship as Christians.
By fortuitous coincidence, this is also the first Sunday of the month, so we will be celebrating Holy Communion at the Service. The other sacrament of the United Church, Baptism, will be celebrated next Sunday.
OFFERING IN SUNDAY SCHOOL
We have introduced a children’s offering in Sunday School. This follows from a lesson suggestion in our Seasons of the Spirit curriculum.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING, Sunday, May 5
At this VERY BRIEF meeting at the close of the Service on Sunday, May 5, we will be electing our Representative to Northern Spirit Region. It was an oversight that we did not do this at the February Annual Meeting. Rhea O. who has been our Presbytery Representative is willing to continue as our representative to the Northern Spirit Region, But this needs to be confirmed by a congregational vote. (If there are others in the congregation who are interested in this position they may submit their names, and a ballot will be conducted at the meeting.)
SPIRIT WEST WOMEN’S GROUP EVENT - SPRING is the season, plants are the THING!
Monday, May 6. Gather at Salisbury Greenhouse at 7pm to do a walkabout and see their facility and products. (Check them out at salisburygreenhouse.com) The address is: 52337 Range Road 232 Sherwood Park. CARPOOL for event? For those that would like to meet at Spirit West and carpool to the greenhouse please meet in the parking lot at 6:15pm AND sign up on the sheet on the counter by the office! We ask for signup so that we can arrange drivers, and so that we don’t leave someone behind. If you have questions about the event please check with Margery Wright.
GARDEN CLEAN-UP DAY, Sunday, May 26 (rainout June 16)
Helen B., who very faithfully weeds our flower beds, reports that they have become very overgrown with grass and weeds and have become very difficult to maintain. We are having a Garden Cleanup Day on May 26 after the service. This will help get our property looking nice in time for our 10th anniversary celebration on June 2. Please save the date and plan to help. A sign-up sheet will be available next Sunday.
ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY – June 2nd, 2019
On Sunday, June 2nd we will mark a couple of milestones for this Congregation. We will be celebrating our 10th year as Spirit West United Church in our current building. We will also mark our 40th year as a congregation of the United Church of Canada remembering back to the formation of Aldergrove United Church. If you have had any connection with Aldergrove United Church, Gilchrist Memorial United Church or Spirit West United Church, we would encourage you to come out to this celebration. It is hoped that following the service, we will have a time of fellowship to display pictures and share a few stories about our journey as a congregation. (I am also hoping for balloons and a cake)
SPIRIT WEST COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE – June 20 & 21
While you are spring cleaning, please save quality, lightly used items such as household appliances, china, glassware, toys, books, tools, etc. for our annual garage sale. Donations are now being accepted at the church. Please, no clothing! If you need assistance in getting your items to the church, please call the office (780-481-1406) and we will arrange for someone to help you.
CHURCH PHOTO DIRECTORY – 2019 Edition is going to happen
We have decided that we will proceed with a Photo Directory for this our tenth year as Spirit West in our current building, and the fortieth anniversary of our constitution as a congregation. Photos will be taken on Monday, June 10 and Tuesday, June 11. As a reminder, the only cost to you is if you decide to purchase copies of the photos. Even if you do not purchase photos, your family photo will appear in the directory. Signup sheets to pick the time of your photo session are available now.
SOCIAL MEDIA 101 (Social Media for Beginners)
Are you among those people who hear words like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and SnapChat and think you are hearing a foreign language. When some of your friends ask you to “friend them” are you confused? Do you think you might be missing out when someone you know asks you if you have seen the post on Instagram of a mutual friend’s darling new grandchild? Is sharing what your church is doing beyond Sunday (with pictures), something you might like to do? If this might be you, help and hope is at hand. Aly L. would like to offer a session to introduce members of the Sprit West congregation to the possibilities of Social Media. Watch this space for details.
Your Favourite Hymn
Do you have a favourite hymn that you’d like to hear included in one of our worship services? Please let Bonnie C. know your choice and she will make sure it is sung within the month.
A WAY TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY
You don’t have offering envelopes, you are not on PAR, and you don’t get to church as often as you would like, but you want to make a financial contribution to work of Spirit West, and receive a tax receipt. Now you can! Check out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar.
RIDE TO CHURCH?
From time to time we encounter people who would like to come to church at Spirit West, but are unable to because they do not have means of transportation. Can you give a ride? If you would be willing to make yourself available to provide a ride to church please call the church office. Do you need a ride? Would you like to come to church at Spirit West, but are unable to because you have no ride, please call the church office. (780-481-1406)
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 the church or call Edina T. at 780-481-3508
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Our Website is at www.spiritwest.org .
Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/SpirtWestUnitedChurch
On Instagram at spiritwestyeg
Office hours
- Norma => 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Thursday
- Larry => 10:00 am to 4:00 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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