SPIRIT WEST WORSHIP VIDEOS
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.
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.
Prayer Requests (new announcement)
If you have a prayer request that you would like included in the Prayers of the People that are part of our worship videos, your request needs to be into the church by Thursday at noon for inclusion on Sunday. The best way to send in your request is to email spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com. The prayer request are also forwarded to the Prayer Chain.
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 .
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.
This Sunday – Pentecost 21 – Reformation Sunday
The Scripture Readings are Deuteronomy 34: 1-12 and Matthew 22: 34-46. In the Time for All Ages, I will be asking “What should I wear?” My sermon is titled, “I protest!”
On October 31, 1517, a young monk fastened a list of ninety-five complaints against the church, he called them theses, to the door of the All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany. The Feast of All Saints, that church’s “name day” was the next day, everyone would see his list. His name was Martin Luther, and his action is seen as the start of what has come to be called the Protestant Reformation. Now much of what bothered Luther concerned the selling of Indulgences, a sort of pre-paid travel voucher to heaven, to raise money for the church. Luther could see no justification in scripture for this money making scheme based on a two-tier salvation system. You could get into heaven quicker if you could pay for it. But Luther’s concern echoed what others were thinking, and more. Some questioned the way worship was conducted. The opulence associated with the celebration of Mass, and the fact that most people only came to see the celebration, a celebration not fully understood because it was celebrated in Latin seemed to be far removed from Jesus and the Upper Room. Others questioned the level of education that should be required for clergy. There were those that thought that celibate or unmarried clergy was wrong. And others even questioned the authority of the pope and the bishops. Much of the opposition to, and calls for a reform of the way “the church” was acting can be summed up in the phrase “We protest!” In 1529, a number of German princes who were supportive of Luther’s teachings, and known as Lutherans, sent a Letter of Protestation against an edict of the Diet of Speyer (a court in Speyer, Germany) condemning the teachings of Martin Luther as heretical. And that’s where the Protestant Reformation gets its name. There were others like Ulrich Zwingli, in Switzerland, who thought that Luther did not go far enough with his reforms, and took them further. The United Church of Canada can trace part of its history to this Reformation. In fact, the United Church is part of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. But reformation is not just a goal, but a process which continues in the church to this day. On Sunday we will look at our Reformation heritage.
ZOOM INTO SUNDAY SCHOOL information about for November and December
If you have someone registered for our ZOOM into Sunday School, a new ZOOM link will be sent to you next Thursday, Oct. 29 for the ZOOM into Sunday School sessions for November and December.
The craft bags for November and December will be available next Thursday and Friday for pick up at the church during normal office hours. Please let the church know if you need you craft bag(s) delivered..
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.
SPIRIT WEST CRABAPPLE JELLY – Report and Thanky-you
Well, Crabapple season is over. This year Margery was able to make twenty-eight jars of jelly to sell, and all of them sold. This is a jelly record for Spirit West and all the proceeds from the sale have gone to the church.
Thanks to all of you bought jelly. We hope you enjoy it.
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 ANOTHER WAY TO CONTRIBUTE… below.
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 on our mortgage. Since the beginning of the year, Don and Bob have redeemed $530.35 worth of bottles from our shed for the church.
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