The Epistle. MY FAITH JOURNEY By June Ruben. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Transcription

1 St. Paul s United Church February 22, 2015 Volume 47, Issue 2 MY FAITH JOURNEY By June Ruben Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 Every journey has a beginning. My journey through life began many years ago in a small village in Newfoundland. As in most small villages at that time, life revolved around the church. It was the center for concerts, socials, potluck dinners and almost every activity in the community. I don t remember most of this time of my life as we moved to a larger town when I was four years old. Going back to visit my grandparents over the years, I did experience this type of life. In our new home, my parents quickly became involved with the church as was their practice all of their life. It is from that time that I recall the beginning of my faith journey. I m sure my faith at that time was much different than it is today. I know God was very real to me. He was the man with the long beard who lived up in the sky and could see everything I did. He loved little children and all the birds and animals. I knew I needed to be good and help others so that I would get to live with God in heaven some day. This through the eyes of a child. As I grew up, the church was a very important part of my life. Sunday was reserved for worship. We had church service in the morning, Sunday School in the afternoon and church service in the evening and I was expected to attend all three. Sunday was a day of rest and reflection. No homework, no movies, no knitting (that was a hard one for me), just quiet times. Looking back on it, I m not so sure it was restful but it was certainly filled with God. When I became too old for Sunday School and moved on to Bible Study, I started teaching Sunday School. When I finished my education and moved to the big city Toronto I was much more sporadic with church attendance. I started working, got married, started a family and, like so many today, found many things to occupy my time besides church. Throughout that time I may not have attended church regularly but my faith remained strong. In 2004, the sudden death of my 29-year-old son made me do some soul searching. There was grieving, tears, sadness and also anger. Why me? Was God angry with me? What did I do that God should take my son from me? As I pondered all these questions, I started to ask myself; Why not me? Was I special? Of course not! Everyone suffers loss at some time and God has a plan for each of us. I may not have understood why, but I knew God was walking with me every step of the way and He brought me comfort. Rev. Glen Eagle conducted my son s funeral on a Saturday and the next day my daughter and I made our way from Pickering to St. Paul s United Church. We selected St. Paul s because Glen had been so supportive at a very difficult time. The first person to greet us at the door was Linda Westendorp. She welcomed us, asked us to sign the guest book, asked if she could help with anything and expressed her sympathy after learning a little about us.

2 2 My Faith Journey cont. The next person we met was Isobel Bond who quickly took us under her wing. Not that anyone will be surprised by that. Over the next few months we received a tremendous amount of support from St. Paul s. Glen visited us at home and was later very supportive to my husband as he was having chemotherapy. To me, St. Paul s will always bring to mind the many people who don t just talk their faith but live it as well. From the minister s message, to the music, the fellowship and the wonderful women of the UCW, you have all helped my faith grow and I will be forever thankful for you. You have all reached my very soul. St. Paul s is indeed, the Church with the Open Arms. WE ARE NOT ALONE By The Rev. Cordelia Karpenko MINISTER S MESSAGE I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 I have been returning to these words from Paul since they came to me during the council meeting on January 11 th. As we discussed the challenges that St. Paul s is facing and prepared for the annual congregational meeting on February 1 st it occurred to me that this was the perfect verse for this time in our life as a church. All too often we assume that we must deal with challenging times alone. We limit our thinking to only what we believe is humanly possible, forgetting that we are people of God. Paul s words remind me that I do not have to work alone. Nor do we. If we are willing to open ourselves to God s presence, God in Jesus Christ will work with us and give us the strength we need to meet each challenge we face. Of course, the choice is ours. We can choose to rely solely on our own resources, or we can tap into the tremendous strength that is available through the One who accompanies us on the journey. I believe it is the strength of Christ that will see us become the church God would have us be.

3 3 A MESSAGE REMEMBERED In the January 2012 edition of the Epistle, Isobel Bond wrote the front page article. Entitled Will Your Anchor Hold, Isobel recalled the many challenges that faced us in 2011 and 2012 as St. Paul s weathered the many personnel changes that year. While our challenges may be different in 2015, the sentiment of her article, revised and reprinted here with permission of Jim Bond, provides a 65 th anniversary message to each of us. Will Your Anchor Hold? By Isobel Bond Will your anchor hold? Yes, if you are a member of St. Paul s United Church. So many things have happened in such a short time. Fortunately, people stepped up and filled in the breach. We are so fortunate to have such good people able to keep us functioning as a congregation. Our Sunday School has continued to run as the leaders work together to teach and lead this very important group in our church. Lois Craig and the choir have worked so many hours and presented us with such beautiful music on Sundays and especially with the Cantata. Lois gives her best all year and we are delighted that a Junior Choir is with us again. The Men s Fellowship Club is another venture that is strengthening our church. Thanks to the men, the breakfast they made for the congregation was a great success. We pray that the group will continue to grow. The Property Committee has been busy cleaning, painting and repairing. We all appreciate what has been done. The UCW has continued to assist with refreshments, repairs and decorating. The Bazaar they coordinate takes so many hands and they were very pleased with this year s results. We have so much to be grateful for in the amount of time that the Worship Committee and the Council commits to tie everything together and keep us on track. To everyone who has helped thank you so much for your dedication and support. So you see our Anchor will not drift but Firm Remain. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. ~ Hebrews 6:19a

4 4 ST. PAUL S TURNS 65! Submitted by Linda Westendorp MUSIC AND WORSHIP On Sunday, March 1 st, St. Paul s United Church will reach the age of retirement. Don t worry, we have no immediate plans to slow down or retire from active service. Our church has been a vital part of the Ajax community and will continue to be the church with the open arms for many years to come. Please plan to attend our worship service that day as it is a special one indeed! The senior choir will be presenting various musical selections from Donald Patriquin s work, A Caribbean Mass. Guest musicians include Joy Lapps (steel drum) and Leanne James (harp). Communion will be served that day in the pews. Following the worship service, join us downstairs for a potluck luncheon and fellowship. A special 65 th anniversary cake will be served. Invite your neighbours, family members and friends from St. Paul s who may have moved away, but remain in our hearts. Looking forward to seeing you then! You are invited to the 65th Anniversary of St. Paul s U.C. on March 1. 10:30: Special musical presentation of Donald Patriquin s Caribbean Mass 11:45: Potluck Lunch and cake

5 5 SEE ST. PAUL S MAKE HISTORY!!! By Lois Craig When: March 1, 2015 at the 10:30 a.m. service Why: St. Paul s 65 th. Anniversary Celebration What: The North American Premiere of A Caribbean Mass By Canadian Composer Donald Patriquin Featuring Steel Drummer Joy Lapps Percussionist A.J. Fisico St. Paul s Senior and Junior Choirs 29 voices strong Pianist and Director Lois Craig Who is invited You, your family, your friends and neighbours! LET S PACK ST. PAUL S! Did You Know That? The Piano score for this music was commissioned by St. Paul s Senior Choir. A generous donation from long-time Choir member Geraldine Clarkson helped pay for its creation. The Senior Choir has been preparing this presentation since Spring 2014 A Hymn with words by congregational member June Ruben and music by Donald Patriquin will be sung for the first time at this service. A Mass is another word for communion or Lord s Supper. The music is filled with the rhythms of the Caribbean and is uplifting and joyous.

6 6 MARCH 16 UCW GENERAL MEETING Submitted by Valerie Wilson UNITED CHURCH WOMEN Our meeting this month will be held on Monday March 16 starting at 7:00 pm upstairs in the Fellowship Room. Come and enjoy devotion and fellowship. Our main event for the evening will be making hats. You ask why hats at this time of the year? Well you will just have to come and find out for yourself. Oh I forgot, we will also enjoy coffee, tea and a light lunch. So please come, bring a friend and I know you won't be disappointed. CRAFT DAYS Submitted by Jennifer Cree The craft/jewellery group will be meeting the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. If you are interested in joining us for fellowship and a little bit of crafting come on out. We meet between 9:30 to 11:30 am. GARAGE SALE Our New to You Garage Sale will be held on Saturday April 18, We will be having a book room, Attic Treasures, a Bake Table and a General Room with items like kitchen gadgets, garden items, electronics and childrens treasures. The drop off day will be Friday April 17, 2015 so if you have donations for our New to You Garage Sale put them aside. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Cree, Convenor, UPPER ROOM MAGAZINE The Upper Room Daily Devotional magazine is a subscription that the UCW provides for the church congregation. The subscription comes in small and large print. It is located at the back of church. Please take an opportunity to pick up and enjoy the daily devotional magazine. They received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so. ~ Acts 7:11b

7 The Februar Epistle y 22, THE SCRIPTURE READINGS SUNDAY MORNING SERIES Having been gathered together as the people of God, the second segment of the Sunday morning worship is devoted to THE WORD OF THE LORD. In this section of worship we discern the Word of God through the Bible readings, the sermon and choir anthem. From the earliest days of the Christian church, the reading of Scripture has formed the basis of a worship service. It is from the Scripture that we learn of the glory of God, the lessons of the Christian faith and the road to our personal salvation. Through Scriptures we read the stories of Jesus, the letters of the Apostles, the poetry, the prophecies, the history, and the petitions of Kings, Prophets and the People of God. It is through Scripture that we hear God s message for us. Each Sunday, the service at St. Paul s contains two or three readings from the Bible. While on some Sundays, the readings may be adjusted to complement a special service, most of our readings at St. Paul s follow the United Church Lectionary. The Lectionary refers to a series of Bible readings that, over the span of a three-year period, highlight the main themes and stories of the Protestant faith. In 1983 the Common Lectionary was accepted as the standard reading in most of the Protestant Churches in Canada and the United States. The United Church of Canada was one of the churches involved in this project. Since that time the Common Lectionary was revised once in 1992 as the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). The RCL is currently used in churches around the world and guides ministers and congregations in worship. Since the RCL is organized by date, it is conceivable that Anglican, Baptist, Mennonite, Presbyterian, and United Church congregations throughout Canada and around the world will uniformly be praising and worshipping God based on the same Bible readings. Each Sunday the RCL lists four potential Bible readings. One reading will be from the Old Testament, one from the Psalms, one from the Gospel and one New Testament reading from the Epistles or Revelation. In general, after studying and prayfully considering the four suggested texts, the Rev. Cordelia will choose two of the readings that will form the basis of her Sunday sermon. Most often, the text from the Gospels will be used. In Hebrews 4:12 Paul wrote that The Word of God is living and powerful. Not only is the Bible an enduring and powerful document that is an eyewitness to the historical events that are of central importance to our faith, but it is also an instrument that shapes our modern world and daily lives. When we hear Scripture read in church or contemplate it in our own reading of the Bible, we know that hundreds and thousands of Christians are hearing and reading it too with the same open minds and hearts... that's what makes it living and powerful... divine words that are heard across regions, nations, and generations, working in us and prompting us to follow Christ's teaching, empowering us to do God s work day after day and uniting us all in the Spirit.

8 8 FROM THE CHAIR REFLECTION ON THE ANNUAL MEETING St Paul's Annual Meeting was held Feb. 1, 2015, and integrated into the church service for the day. You will be able to read all about what took place after the minutes are printed but for now, I would be happier sharing with you my personal perspective. What comes first to my mind is "Faith In Action" from the Continental Breakfast, which nourished our bodies, to the scriptures and hymns, which nourished our souls. I felt... Action from those who brought food and were there to set up and clean up. Action by those agreeing to read from the Bible or using their gift of music to sing for the congregation. Action by all those who took part in this service both in preparation and presenting. I felt... Faith because you come after reading the information prepared and distributed the Sunday prior to the meeting. Faith in knowing we all do our best. Faith in your belief that your participation matters; it does. Faith in our ability as a united congregation to face the challenges not alone, sad, disappointed, hopeless but together with cooperation, understanding, grace and the willingness to work for what our prayers are asking for. I am very grateful to be a part of how we move forward in this new year as disciples of Jesus Christ. God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God. Deb McAdam Chair of the Congregation NAMING THE LOWER HALL By Susan Reed and Karen Strong The search is on for a name for the lower hall. This is the hall where the congregation meets after church for coffee, where we celebrate with our potluck dinners and special events. Thank you to those who have already suggested names through Mike Morrison. Thus far, we have had two names for people (Lorne Alexander and Bert Batstone) and 8 general names (The Gathering Place or Hall, The Lower Room, The Stewardship Room, Congregational Hall, The Auditorium, Memorial Hall, The Meeting of the Minds Room and the Meeting Place) submitted for the name of the room. We continue to solicit any additional suitable general room names. If you have a submission please send it to Karen Strong (klstrong@bell.net) or Susan Reed (svreed@bell.net) before March 8, The list of names will be presented to the congregation for a final vote at the next congregational meeting.

9 9 MISSION AND SERVICE SOUP, SANDWICH AND CONCERT NIGHT By Brian Sheppard March is an important month for the M&S committee because we have a major fundraiser for M&S. On March 14th we will be having our second annual Soup & Sandwich with Concert. The fun begins at 4pm with our light Lupper (too late for lunch and too early for supper), and after which is our concert by Anne Walker (who will be putting Ontario history to music). After the concert we will proceed to the basement hall for tea, coffee and dessert. COST will be $5.00 per person for Lupper and a freewill offering for the concert. We will also be continuing the tradition of our M&S service with mini market in September. This will take place September 13th. Gail is in the midst of arranging the vendors. As I mentioned at the annual meeting you the congregation came this close to our 2014 budget of $18, Congratulations and THANK YOU. Our budget for 2015 has been approved at $18, once again. HELP CHOOSE ST. PAUL S TOP TEN HYMNS FOR 2015 By Lois Craig Submit your favourite Hymns from Voices United and More Voices via to Lois Craig, Director of Music for St. Paul s at lcraigbflat@gmail.com or via the suggestion box found in the Narthex of the Sanctuary, or via the basket on the choir room s door. Please take the time to jot down your favourites - a limit of 5 hymns per person please. SAVE THE DATE The big reveal of the Top Ten Hymns for 2015 will take place on April 26 during Soup, Songs and Sweets. More info to come in the next Epistle.

10 10 BE A SPARC Submitted by Susan Reed SPARC But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. 1 John 1:7a Over the next year, there will be much discussion about the future of St. Paul s United Church. In doing so, we have to be careful not to forget the present. Each Sunday, we gather as a community of believers in Christ and members of St. Paul s. Each of us comes from different faith journeys and brings different gifts. Now is the time to celebrate who we are. In order to do that, I present SPARC ~ the Saint Paul s Action and Recognition Committee. What is SPARC? The purpose of SPARC is to provide opportunities to celebrate Saint Paul s through Action and Recognition. Just as a spark is a sudden burst of fire, SPARC is committed to initiating spontaneous activities to engage our members in fellowship. Just as a spark can be the beginning of an emotional response, SPARC is committed to acknowledging gratitude for our members. The purpose of SPARC is not to increase membership, improve finances, provide leadership for ongoing activities or recruit for volunteers. How is SPARC going to work? Each quarter, members will be invited to join SPARC. The committee members will meet and brainstorm ideas for activities and ways to recognize the members of our church during the next three months. Together we would provide what is needed to complete the projects. At the end of the three months, the existing SPARC would come to an end and interested church members would be invited to form the next SPARC who would again come together to brainstorm and implement activities for the following three months. The first SPARC would plan for March, April, and May. The second SPARC would plan for June, July and August. The third SPARC would plan for September, October and November. The final SPARC would plan for December, January and February. What kind of activities? ACTION: Movie Night: Invite people to meet at the church to carpool and go to a movie, then meet afterward for dessert and talk about the movie. RECOGNITION: Monthly letters of recognition: send cards and letters to people within the church and community thanking them and acknowledging them. How do you become a SPARC? If you believe in the spiritual fire within our church and want to celebrate all that is St. Paul s U. C. like to think outside the box and want to be part of a group of instigators, you should be a SPARC. Talk to Susan Reed or her at svreed@bell.net to let her know you are interested. A brainstorming session will be scheduled during the first week of March based on the availability of committee members.

11 11 STEWARDSHIP Why did I come to St Paul s in the first place? MY STEWARDSHIP STORY By Dorothy Wilkins I was living in downtown Toronto and working at Mount Sinai Hospital. My relationship with my parents was falling apart and their greatest wish was for me to live in a better area and closer to them. I realized that I missed being part of a community and a congregation of families with people of all ages. I had grown up in a small rural United Church just north and west of here and sang in the choir. That was a long time ago and I had found nothing like that in Toronto. So here I was in an apartment in Ajax!... and St Paul s United Church was on my doorstep. I decided to give it a try. St Paul s was a welcoming church; I had found a new home. Rev. Bert Batstone was the minister at the time and Sheena and Alan Hunter were in charge of the music. Why did I stay? St Paul s offered opportunities to form new friendships. Evelyn Pike immediately adopted me as she did so many other newcomers. It was wonderful to be included and respected as I was single at the time. My singing did improve enormously (thank God) and I learned much about commitment and service. I found I was seeing change in my life and I felt that I could make a difference. Opportunities were everywhere! I loved being part of the Worship and Music Committee and sharing in several Creative Worship dramas with Rev. Cathy Dilts. I loved, and still love, being part of the choir. Lois is amazing. She cares a lot about each of her singers and gives a lot of time to helping each of us become better. She has the skill, drive and energy to keep us moving forward even when we think we ve had enough. I ve recently joined the UCW and now I find I m challenged to make my service more upfront and personal. Why I want to do more? Opportunities are everywhere! There are so many ways to be involved within St Paul s opportunities for my time, my talent and my treasure. I want to invest in this church, in its family and its pastoral care, its outreach and its hope. I want to invest in my church, my friends, my leaders, my minister as we reach out and support others. God has been good to me this past year and today I want to give a portion of that treasure back to him, over and above my regular giving. Maybe someone else feels the same way today. Please do what you can and as you have been blessed. I came across a quote recently about families: each life grows in response to the lives around it. Discipleship can be like that as we remember whose we are and continue to grow up in the family of Jesus Christ.

12 12 STEWARDSHIP Financially Speaking: Update January 2015 Monthly Actual Year To Date Actual Budget Year to Date Year to Date Totals vs. Budget Jan Monthly Givings (Envelopes) $9,431 $9,431 $10,253 -$ 822 Total Donations (All Sources) $11,119 $11,119 $12,856 -$1,737 Total Expenses $13,393 $13,393 $14,463 -$1,070 Net Position - $2,274 - $2,274 - $1,607 -$667 Envelope givings were $822 under budget. Total donations from all sources were also under budget by $1,737. Expenses were under budget by $1,070. Utilities (read the heating bill) were over budget due to this very cold winter weather. Our shortfall for January was $667. Stewardship is rendered in many forms whether as gifts of time, talents and skills, or financial support. Your gifts are appreciated. Your gifts help keep St. Paul's a place for you to reach out to for prayer, for comfort, for social interaction, and for help. Your Finance Committee For it is in giving that we receive. ~ St. Francis of Assisi

13 13 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION EXPLORER & MESSENGER BAKE SALE By Alison Siefert Our groups will be hosting their annual bake sale on Sunday, March 8 immediately following service in the basement. We fundraise throughout the year to assist in the costs of these wonderful programs. Please plan to attend and help us out! 100% of all proceeds go towards our programming for these girls. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Alison Siefert at EASTER LILIES The Messengers & Explorers will be partnering with Vandermeer Nursery to sell Easter Lilies during the month of March Brochures will be available during coffee time in the basement following service commencing in March Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Alison Siefert at CONGREGATION CONNECTIONS DO YOU EVER ASK, WHY DO I GO TO CHURCH? By Mabel Spencer Did you know that it s my own Country Club? I have been welcomed there as though I really mattered. I didn t have to give anyone a resume or take a medical. I simply have never been excluded. The fees are up to you, as well as your contribution to the community. You sometimes get free lunches as well as giving time and talent where it is needed. I can belong to any of the clubs in the church. I should back that up a bit as the Men s Club did find it disconcerting, as they thought I was trying to join them. When I go to Bible Study, I can voice my opinion on important Biblical matters and enjoy the hilarious discussions we have that really matter to me within my soul. When I hear the sermon on Sunday, the minister manages to plant a tiny seed in my own spiritual garden and it is nurtured all week until the next Sunday. Am I delusional or does this all matter? It does and I thank God for that.

14 14 YOU ARE INVITED LENT AND EASTER The season of Lent has begun. Traditionally beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent continues for the forty days prior to Easter. This year you are invited to: participate in Lent at St. Paul s by joining the Wednesday evening (6:45-7:45) Lenten study as we explore the book: What Every Christian Should Know about Passover. learn new methods of prayer during Sunday morning church services with the Rev. Cordelia purchase your Easter lily through the Explorers group participate in the Lenten calendar by offering thanks for the many blessings we have join the congregation of St. Paul s on Sunday morning for worship as we explore our spirituality and Christian faith on the road to crucifixion and resurrection. EASTER SERVICES AT ST PAUL S Sunday, March 29 10:30 am PALM SUNDAY - Celebrate Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem Thursday, April 2 7:00 pm MAUNDY THURSDAY - Relive the Last Supper and Jesus betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane Friday, April 3 11:00 am GOOD FRIDAY - Experience the crucifixion story At St. Timothy s Presbyterian Sunday, April 5 7:00 am SUNRISE SERVICE - Greet the New Day and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Sunday, April 5 10:30 am EASTER SERVICE - Shout the Hallelujah for Christ is Risen.

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16 16 JOIN WITH US TO WORSHIP AND PRAISE GOD. Sunday Worship - 10:30 am Wheelchair Accessible - Hearing Assistance St. Paul s United Church 65 King s Cres., Ajax, ON L1S 2M4 Sunday School and Nursery Care available during Sunday Worship. Fellowship and coffee time follows every worship service. Holy Communion is served on the first Sunday of the month. Phone: office@stpaulsajax.org We re on the web! Baptisms and Weddings may be arranged by calling the Church Office. Meeting Space is available for booking. Our office is open weekdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Minister: the Rev. Cordelia Karpenko Office Administrator: Catharine Ottaway The next Epistle will be issued on March 29, DEADLINE for articles is Sunday, March 22, Please send articles to Susan Reed at svreed@bell.net We come to experience, show and share the difference God s love in Christ makes in our lives. We strive to be a people growing spiritually while reaching out to others in response to Jesus Christ.