NEWS FROM THE PEWS NEWS AND INSPIRATION FROM ST. ANDREW S UNITED CHURCH, GEORGETOWN, ON

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1 Page 1 March 19, 2015 NEWS FROM THE PEWS NEWS AND INSPIRATION FROM ST. ANDREW S UNITED CHURCH, GEORGETOWN, ON Sunday, March 22 Reader: Graeme Thompson Greeters: Ushers: Leslie Moore Counter: Mike Sprague and Ross Yahiro AV operators: Rob Ogger and Andrew Piper Coffee Time Servers: Susan and Lorne Campbell Announcements: Mission and Outreach Next week, March 29 Reader: Mattie Spencer Greeters: Earl and Margaret Pepper Ushers: Paul and Alison Annabelle Counter: Pat Moore AV operators: James Stringer and Ryan Wilson Coffee Time Servers: Greg and Carole Howard Announcements: Mission and Outreach WORSHIP THIS WEEKEND March 22, th Sunday of Lent Lent Series: Breaking Free - Part 4: In and Out - Breaking Free to God The Readings this week are: Genesis 1:26-31 Mankind made in the image of God Galatians 2:19-21 Dead to the law, alive to God A Poem: High Flight by John G. Magee, Jr. VACATION LEAVE Sermon: Breaking Free Series: Part 4: In and Out Breaking Free To God Rev. Grant Williams will be away on vacation between March 9th and 23rd. In the case of a pastoral emergency, please contact our student intern Sula Anne Kosacky at Sula Anne will be leading worship on March 22nd. STAYING CONNECTED TO ST. ANDREW'S ONLINE! St. Andrew s has a Facebook site at: On the site you will find news about upcoming events, pictures, videos and daily devotionals. Please like our site! Check it out! You can also follow us on to read late breaking news. Our Website at includes lots of information about St. Andrew s programs, events and ministries. Also posted are HD videos of the Sunday sermons. Look under the Media tab and click on sermons.

2 Page 2 News from the Pews MEN S BREAKFAST CLUB-SATURDAY March 21st-NEW TIME & LOCATION The next Men s Breakfast will be this Saturday, March 21st at Angel s Restaurant at 8:30 am. All men are welcome! (Please note change in location and time to 8:30 am instead of 8:00 am.) Location had to be changed due to the rental of the Hall. Tickets already sold will be honoured in April. VACATION BIBLE CAMP (VBC) IMPORTANT DECISION - YOUR HELP IS NEEDED Summer is right around the corner (hopefully - at least it finally feels a bit like spring!). Planning is already under way for this year's Vacation Bible Camp (renamed from Vacation Bible School - VBS). The big change we are looking at for this year is a FULL day VBC (9 am to 4 pm). However, before the final decision is made, we need to ensure we have enough adults to cover the different areas. The morning will be kept intact except we will be moving crafts to the afternoon since there is never enough time to finish them. We are looking at adding some different activities in the afternoon (and they will be longer periods) -- a couple of examples are more outside activities, drama and maybe adding Bible games to the morning rotation to replace crafts. The different areas: Snack, Bible Study, Games, Music, Theme, Craft, Outdoor, Bible Games, Drama, Registration, Photography and Barbecue coordination or helpers for the last day. We also need a couple of nurses. If we go to a full day, we are looking at shifts (morning rotation and/or afternoon rotation). If you can help out all day or just for one shift, please sign up! You can also send an to the church office (standrewsoffice@cogeco.ca) or to Tracey Bazso. Responses are being requested by Sunday, March 29th so that we can make this very important decision. Even if you can only help out a couple of days, just indicate that on the signup sheet or in the . Thank you! GOOD FOOD BOX PICK-UP THIS TUESDAY The Good Food Box pick-up is this TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24th from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. H.O.P.E. - Hold On Pain Ends Let us join together as a community to learn more about mental health and help each other get through recovery one step at a time. This group is about youth coming together to help other youth. It will have many different theme/information nights throughout the course of the year so you can learn, grow, recover and have fun. Ages: years old. Tuesday Nights 7:30-9:30 For more information check us out on Facebook - Hold On Pain Ends and or contact Tracey Bazso via at hope-today@outlook.com! (Trained mental health adult at all meetings)

3 News from the Pews Page 3 JUST A FEW MORE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS STILL NEEDED Teachers are needed for the Grade 3 to 5 class for May and June. Also, teachers are needed for the youngest class Kindergarten to Grade 2 for June. EVEN IF YOU CAN ONLY HELP OUT FOR 1 OR 2 WEEKS, PLEASE SIGN UP. The sign up sheet is on the bulletin board outside Grant s office or contact the Church office, Nolle Ohashi or Rosemarie Lee. Thank you! SPRING FEST 2015 AUCTION Please pick up a letter from the Auction Team after the service on the table outside of the office. Also, if you have signed up to canvass specific businesses, please pick up your letters and the other forms to take to the businesses. New Members To the Planning Team Are Always Welcome! If you would like to join the planning team, please speak to Wilf Gray or come to the next planning meeting on MONDAY, MARCH 23rd at 7 pm in the Fellowship Room. SAVE THE DATE, IT S COMING...Saturday, April 18th From noon to 3:00 pm Tickets are now available! Thank you for your continued support, The 2015 St. Andrew s Auction Team PRAYER VIGIL - FRIDAY, APRIL 10TH Life is busy. We strive to meet expectations. Sometimes we feel tired from pain, hurt, worries or sadness. Let s pray together and feel peace, knowing that when we gather together in prayer, God is with us. From 10 am to 10 pm, you are invited to pray and contemplate with others at St. Andrew s - for as long as you are able, or as short a time as you need. Every hour we will pray for the concerns and hopes, which are raised and brought to the prayer vigil, and we will pray silently too. If you have thoughts or ideas about this prayer vigil, or would like to read or lead prayers, please have a conversation with Marlene Beitz or Sula Anne Kosacky.

4 Page 4 News from the Pews BOARD MEETING on Wednesday, March 25th at 7:00 pm in the Fellowship Room. THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY GROUP The weekly Thursday morning Bible Study is at 10:00 am. It is led by Rev. Grant Williams. All are welcome. VISIONING CAMPAIGN - HELPING YOUTH St. Andrew s a church for the community not just in the community One of the goals of the Visioning Campaign is to greatly increase St. Andrew s Outreach in our community. An Outreach Plan for St. Andrew s is being developed. One of the focus areas is Youth. We are beginning our outreach to youth by collecting items throughout March which will be donated to the Youth drop in centres in Halton Hills. The following items will be collected: Food drink boxes, granola bars and other nutritious bars, cheese and cracker snack packs, pudding cups (anything non-perishable that can be carried in a backpack). Toiletry Items liquid soap, toothpaste (small tubes), deodorant etc. New Towels Clean Used Sleeping Bags Clean Washable Blankets Clothing sweaters, used running shoes in excellent condition, other clothing in excellent condition and suitable for teens Gift Cards Tim Horton s etc. ( please leave gift cards in the church office). Please bring your donations to church anytime in March and put them in the plastic buckets which will be placed near the coat racks. Thank you for your help with this very worthwhile Outreach endeavour. Youth Outreach Team, Nancy Heinmiller, Alisa Ogger, Jackie Gray, Scott Martin and Christina Martin VIDEOS Did you know that St. Andrew s has dozens of videos posted on Youtube? Each week the sermons preached in worship are recorded and then uploaded to Youtube. They are also linked to our Church Website at Find the Media Tab at the top of the page and scroll down to the sermons page. You will find the weekly sermons as well as some other special events. VIDEO PRODUCER WANTED Do you have skills in video production or have some time and willing to learn? St. Andrew s is looking for a video producer to create and format the worship videos and upload them to the internet. If you are interested, please speak to Grant Williams.

5 News from the Pews Page 5 BRIDGING THE GAP Could you provide a youth with a safe place to stay? The Bridging the Gap Host Home Program seeks providers living in Halton Region who can provide youth with a private/separate sleeping area for up to four months. Youth who apply to participate in the Host Home Program are prescreened for current addiction or mental health crisis and will be referred to more appropriate shelter programs if needed. Providers must also provide youth with a grab-and-go breakfast (minimum of a cereal bar, fruit and juice box daily), warm nutritional supper, as well as access to laundry services and washroom facilities. Providers are reimbursed with a per diem per day/per youth in their home. To become a Host Home Provider contact Kamila at Bridging the Gap to complete an application, provide a current criminal and vulnerable sector check, and to schedule an in home visit to ensure the home is appropriate. Kamila can be reached at YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT EVENTS AND PROGRAMS IN 2015 There are some great opportunities for Youth and Young Adults in the United Church this year. Please check these out and share with others who may be interested.. SOUTH WEST PRESBYTERY ENCOUNTER YOUTH RETREAT at Teen Ranch, Orangeville. For all youth in grades 7-12 on May 1-3, 2015 HOW DO WE ENCOUNTER GOD? OUR WORLD? EACH OTHER? This retreat promises to explore the ways we encounter (and maybe avoid) the things that really matter. There will be times of learning and reflection, as well as loads of fun and relaxing. Youth from all across SW Presbytery will be there, as well as leaders from some really amazing churches. Cost is $100 per person. Registration deadline is March 27. For more information please check out the poster at YOUTH AT CONFERENCE ANNUAL MEETING - June 4-7, 2015 Held at North Bramalea United Church, Brampton. This will be a program for Youth ages and Young Adults who are active in the local congregation. Come and explore your faith in God, participate in the Youth and Young adult community in Toronto Conference and participate in the Toronto Conference Annual meeting. To attend this you will need to submit an application before March 16, Check out the website at for more information and see Rev. Grant Williams if you are interested.

6 Page 6 News from the Pews YOUTH GO PROJECTS The GO Project is a unique mission for youth from across Canada in Grade 9 to age 19. The Go Project allows participants to explore their faith and mission by serving in outreach ministries during one of the 11-day sessions held in Toronto, Halifax, Paris, St. John s, Stratford, and Vancouver! There are also GO Projects for children and adults! For more information please contact Michael Shewburg at Ext. 31 or Michael at thegoproject@islingtonunited.org. You can also find out more by visiting The Go Project website at YOUNG ADULT GO PROJECTS The GO Project is a unique mission for Young Adults from across Canada age 19 to 35. The Go Project allows participants to explore their faith and mission by serving in outreach ministries during a 11-day session. For more information please contact Michael Shewburg at Ext. 31 or at thegoproject@islingtonunited.org. You can also check out The GO Project website at COMMUNITY FRONTRUNNERS - KAIROS TORONTO WEST FILM NIGHT - TOMORROW showing at Bloordale united Church, 4258 Bloor Street West, Etobicoke, Room 15 (enter through back door off parking lot), on Friday March 20th from 7 to 9 pm, of Frontrunners, a 40-minute film based on the play by Laura Robinson about one of the ten Indian Residential School youth who ran the Pan Am Games torch over 800 kilometres to Winnipeg in 1967, only to have a white runner take the torch into the stadium. Following the film a discussion will take place about the Residential School legacy and racism in Canada, and the upcoming closing events and recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Fair Trade coffee and tea refreshments will be available. Admission is free. For information, call Mary Wilson at or Virginia Beane at SPRING VENDOR MARKET AT ST. ANDREW S - THIS SATURDAY On Saturday, March 21st from 10 am to 2 pm - at St. Andrew s United Church (NOTE: This is a church RENTAL, not one of our fundraisers). Lots of Handmade Items, from local vendors. GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE CAMPAIGN - CAShh Cancer Assistance Services of Halton Hills (CAShh) will be holding their annual GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE campaign from April 1, 2015 through April 30, If you are interested in canvassing (door to door) or walking (putting door hangers), please contact Marilyn Inglis at Thank you for your support of our charity!

7 News from the Pews Page 7 Celebrate WORLD WATER DAY - Sunday, March 22 at 2:00 pm at the John Elliott Theatre 9 Church St. WATERMARK: From panoramic shots of gigantic dam projects in Asia, to gut-wrenching images of onceverdant landscapes transformed into dustbowls, WATERMARK explores the delicate dynamic between water and everything it touches. Film Trailer: 15% off menu items at The Shepherd s Crook before and after the film screening. Show your ticket or bookmark or explain to the servers that you are attending the film. ST. JOHN PASSION CONCERT - GEORGETOWN BACH CHORALE Georgetown Bach Chorale upcoming concert: TJ.S. Bach's St John Passion, to be performed on Good Friday, April 3rd at 7:30pm at Georgetown's Knox Presbyterian Church (116 Main St South). Tickets are still available for your convenience online at or by calling $30 adults/ students $10 SHARING ONE MODEL OF HOW CHURCHES CAN WORK TOGETHER: "CLUSTERING" AND "COOPERATIVES Please join us on Saturday April 11, 2015, 9 a.m. to noon at Knox United Church, Caledon Village (at the corner of highway 10 and route 124) to hear Rev. Ralph Schmidt explain the concept of United Church "Cooperatives". This cluster model has been developed successfully in Bruce Presbytery in Hamilton Conference and is a way for churches to continue to worship in their own building and build relationships with neighbouring congregations. They do this by sharing ministers and utilizing lay worship leaders. Ralph is presently one of the two leaders of this cluster. Please see their website: All are welcome: clergy, session members, stewards, board members, and any interested members from our churches or greater community. Bonus: Knox United Church will be serving breakfast at 8 a.m. A suggested free will offering of $5.00 would help to defray our costs and would be gratefully appreciated. Please reply to revsuecampbell@gmail.com or leave a message at the church If you are not sure until the day, please come, we always seem to have enough. We hope to see you on April 11th. In this day and age of declining attendance and aging congregations, we need not be motivated by fear and despair. We can be motivated through the Spirit's guidance as we discern how we can tangibly help one another and grow in God's good grace. SLEEPING CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD - Sponsored by UCW/Social Justice Groups at Heart Lake United Church All women are invited to Heart Lake United Church, 85 Sandalwood Pkwy East On Tuesday, April 14 at 7 PM Guest Speaker: Kay Mountford Presentation: Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW) Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW) donations provide bedkits to children of any race and/or religion who will benefit the most; typically being located in underdeveloped and developing countries. Contact: Bev Archibald-Wood

8 Page 8 News from the Pews BILL C-51 - ANTI-TERROR LAW On On February 23, 2015, Bill C-51, the government's proposed anti-terror law passed second reading in the House of Commons. As of this date, it is the subject of a time-limited schedule of committee hearings. While all bills must go through a number of specific stages of the legislative process in the House of Commons and in the Senate before it becomes law, Bill C-51 is on a fast track to become law. A widely reported poll is said to show that 82% of Canadians support this bill despite not having seen or read much about what the bill entails. The bill covers everything from what people in Canada are permitted to write and say, to who can board a plane, to when tax information is shared and how a person can be detained without charge. The bill does not have a clear definition of what constitutes terrorism, or any definition of promoting or advocating. When Justice Minister Peter MacKay was asked for the definition of terrorism, his flippant reply was Look it up. One concern is that the bill gives government arbitrary authority to pick and choose which individuals and groups to target for further scrutiny based on vague criteria. We are called to be the church, to stand in solidarity with the poor and the oppressed, to witness the integration of faith and justice in the world. This is why we issue this statement because as a church we are called to constant vigilance against systems that oppress and in which we are all caught up in varying degrees. The bill, though being fast-tracked, will still need to go through report stage, be read a third time and sent to the Senate for passage before receiving Royal Assent. A bill can become law only once both Houses of Parliament have approved the same text and received Royal Assent. We call on all people, and all people of faith to take a stand to oppose Bill C-51. Go to this link, to see a letter that you may use as a template in writing to Minister MacKay. If you want a MS Word version, please go to the St. Andrew s Website, then select Media, then select News and almost at the end of the Bill C-51 article, there is a link to download the MS Word version of the letter ( letter on C-51 ). Then you can please personalize this letter before sending. When MPs receive multiple letters on the same issue, they will pay more attention to it. Please share with your network. No postage is required when you send a letter to an MP. Tina Conlon and Alexa Gilmour Co-Chairs, Social Justice and World Affairs Committee GRANT S WORLD will return next week Humour Corner - Thanks, Mel Attending a wedding for the first time, a little girl whispered to her mother, 'Why is the bride dressed in white?'' The mother replied, 'Because white is the color of happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life. The child thought about this for a moment then said, "So why is the groom wearing black?" Have a Nice Day!

9 News from the Pews Page 9 OUR CHURCH VISION With God s Help we will: develop Spiritual and personal growth through Christian faith and fellowship welcome and encourage new ideas encourage outreach programs offer programs for all ages and stages in life foster personal growth and friendship through Small Groups ministries be more visible in our community Week-at-a-Glance Thursday, March 19 10:00 am Bible Study Choir Practice CANCELLED Friday, March 20 - FIRST DAY OF SPRING 1:00 pm Coffee House 2:00 to 6:00 pm Good Food Box Pickup 7:00 pm Vacation Bible Camp Meeting 7:30 pm H.O.P.E. Group Wednesday, March 25 7:00 pm Board Meeting 7:00 pm Youth Group Sunday, March 22 10:00 am Worship Monday, March 23 7:00 pm Spring Fest 2015 Auction Meeting Tuesday, March 24 Thursday, March 26 10:00 am Bible Study 7:00 pm Choir Practice Friday, March 27 9:30 am Circle of Friends 7:00 pm Youth Group Sunday, March 29 - Palm Sunday 10:00 am Worship Church Secretary/Office: standrewsoffice@cogeco.ca Secretary - Office Hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays: 9 am - 1 pm Thursdays: 9 am - 3 pm Minister Hours: Monday - Thursday Grant Williams: standrewsminister@cogeco.ca

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12 News from the Pews Page 12 Catching up on Photos - Scout Sunday - February 22nd - thank you Ron, Stephen and Dave for the photos

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15 News from the Pews Page 15 Congratulations to Ken Nokes on his 30 years of teaching Religion in Life to the Scout groups.

16 News from the Pews Page 16 Congratulations to all who earned their Religion in Life Certificates this year!