We are People of Treaty, Covenant and Reconciliation

Transcription

1 incontact with Alberta and Northwest Conference We are People of Treaty, Covenant and Reconciliation This is the theme for the 29 th Annual Ecumenical Mission of Strathcona County, sponsored by the United, Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches in and around Sherwood Park, Alberta. We are excited to have The Very Reverend Dr. Stan McKay lead us over 4 days of events starting October 14 th and going until the 17 th. We invite all to join us as we worship, learn and grow together in Christ. Rev. Dr. McKay is an Elder, Minister, Activist and former Moderator of the United Church of Canada (from ). Stan is a member of the Fisher River Cree Nation, Treaty 5 Territory, and currently lives in the village of Petersfield, Manitoba, Treaty 1 Territory. Stan spent 5 years of his childhood in an Indian Residential School. He was ordained by the UCC in 1971, and along with other members of the National Native Council, successfully advocated for the Church s 1986 apology for its role in the cultural oppression of First Nations people. Stan is the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Aboriginal Achievement Award. He holds 5 honorary doctorate degrees from Universities and Colleges in Montreal, Waterloo, Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Victoria. Stan was the Director of the Jesse Saulteaux Resource Centre in Manitoba, a theological school that respects Rev. Dr. Stan McKay both Christian and Indigenous spiritual traditions. Stan and his wife, Dot, care deeply for creation. We will begin Sunday at Sherwood Park United Church with a Welcome to Treaty 6 by Ron Lameman, Bilateral Treaty Coordinator for the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations. As an Elder and knowledge keeper, Ron will orient us to the history of Treaty 6 Territory, the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the development of the UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights. There will be smudging, a pot luck supper and opening worship. We will gather over the next 3 days at the other sponsoring Churches with tea and teaching at Bethel Lutheran and Salisbury United; bible study at Ardrossan United; lunch at Glory Lutheran; and evening worship at Mt. Olivet Lutheran, St. Thomas Anglican and OLPH Roman Catholic Churches. As our Teaching Elder, the Rev. Dr. Stan McKay will help us to search for a holistic vision, understand the Seven Sacred Teachings, remember our original instructions to be in right relations and glimpse into our call to serve the common good as reconciled peoples. We will explore scripture and experience traditional prayers and a Strawberry Ceremony. Lucille Birkett is the 29 th Ecumenical Mission Chair In this issue We are People of Treaty, Covenant and Reconciliation... 1 Alberta and Norwest Conference... 2 Farmers Market at Calgary s Robert McClure United... 5 The President s Blog May 5, Robert Mcclure United Church Women ( UCW ) Calgary, Alberta... 7 VBS For Seniors!.... 8

2 Alberta and Norwest Conference Starting on May 10 th and ending on the 13 th, the 85 th annual meeting of the Alberta and Norwest Conference took place in Sherwood Park, Alberta. The theme this year was Being Faithful in a Time of Great Change, which is fitting considering how tumultuous 2018 has been so far! 150 lay delegates and 163 gathered to deliver reports and proposals and plan to the upcoming reorganization of the Church. The gathering finished with service in which new members were ordained, admitted or commission into the Church. Retiring ministers were also honoured. Opening Worship Leadership: Taylor Croissant, Theme Committee Chair; Sue Brodrick, Calgary Presbytery; Paul Walfall, Yellowhead Presbytery Table Group Conversations Continued on next page 2 incontact

3 Alberta and Norwest Conference continued Behind the Scenes Tech from Unlimited Video Staging Commissioning the Commissioners to attend General Council s July 2018 meeting in Oshawa, Ontario Continued on next page incontact 3 with Alberta and Northwest Conference

4 Alberta and Norwest Conference continued Business Committee Members- Peter Chynoweth, Paul Walfall, Katharine Moore (Chair), Gord Waldie, Kathy Koehler Children at Conference presentation 4 incontact

5 Farmers Market at Calgary s Robert McClure United In the beginning was a Vision! The empty green space in front of a church building near the east side of the City of Calgary that grew mostly weeds, gophers and bunnies, would become the site of a bustling Farmer s Market! The Vision caught fire, and with the help of an Embracing the Spirit grant, energized volunteers and leadership, burst out into the community, and made an impact on hundreds of people. The McClure Farmer s Market operated on Fridays, from 3:30 to 7:30 pm, June 2 nd to September 29 th, 2017, rain or shine. The last two months of Market Days, an average 233 people came to shop, eat hamburgers and delicious Food Truck items, listen to music, dance with Wild Rose Critters, buy fresh fruit and produce to take home, buy baked goodies which often didn t make it home, try on knitted hats or shawls or purses, play Market Stall Bingo, buy jams and jellies, sample bannock and bison chili, chat with the Mayor of Calgary, and generally have a great time! The learning curve was steep. None of the volunteers had ever been involved in setting up a market, or even knowing where to begin. Advertising, marketing, finding vendors, completing contracts, designing the green space layout, communicating with vendors and volunteers, booking musical acts and entertainers, were just some of the things that needed to be organized immediately. Then there was completing grant applications, investigating studenthiring procedures, hiring a student to be the Market Manager, studying city bylaws concerning advertising signs, designing, purchasing and placing signage, organizing and supporting volunteers. We learned a lot, says one of the amazing volunteers, and there was a lot to learn! Christmas in July Fresh produce A core group of four volunteers managed the Market. They celebrated a successful summer which included establishing a non-threatening presence in a diverse neighbourhood, nourishing relationships and community connections, and providing opportunities for varied vendors, artistes and musicians to showcase their talents. Now in 2018 the green space where the Farmer s Market is held has been levelled and a gazebo is being built so it can become a year-round community hub, offering cultural groups and organizations space for concerts, festivals and events. For storing the Market tables and equipment, the old church shed was torn down, and a C-can was purchased and decorated by a High School Art Class. Lester B Pearson Senior High School, Village Square Leisure Centre, and Calgary Public Library are adjacent to the Market, and it is well advertised on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Signage is visible for the whole market season and also sixteen sandwich boards are put out nearby every Friday morning, mostly on 52 nd St NE. A red airman waves and wiggles on the church rooftop! An out of town visitor enjoyed browsing, visiting & eating delicious chili at a picnic table. Alberta honey & freshly picked vegetables including Taber corn; BC fruits: nectarines, blueberries & much more; local preserves; and a bouquet of locally grown garden flowers were selected and purchased to happily take home. The dream is to strengthen cross-cultural and social relationships, break down isolation and barriers, with the church at the centre of a unique community. All made possible by support from the Embracing the Spirit program. Barb Lough with additions from Eileen McMorris incontact 5 with Alberta and Northwest Conference

6 The President s Blog May 5, 2018 I am writing this note while my visit to Yellowknife is still fresh in my mind. What a lot of experience in two days! It did feel larger because of the extended sunshine at both ends of the day at this time of year. My purpose was to bring a worship message about the work at Mission and Service during World War II among the Japanese Canadians who were rounded up and relocated to the interior of BC and to farms in southern Alberta and Manitoba. It is not a difficult story for me to tell because it is the story of my own family. It is one of the reasons that I remember to give regularly to Mission and Service. I know there is still much work to be done among other displaced people in the world today. But back to Yellowknife! I visited Northern United Place which is a ten-story multipurpose building created by people of the United Church. It is now home to Aurora College and dormitories, low-cost city housing, a Lutheran Church and the United Church, presently served by Rev. Peter Chynoweth, also known as the best tour guide in Yellowknife. What a marvellous contribution to the welfare of the city, where homelessness continues to be a problem. Hospitality is the mission of Northern United Place. I was privileged to sing an anthem with the choir and filled in the alto part as their regular alto was away. This congregation made me feel very much at home with their warmth and hospitality. And there was a potluck and cake! I have enclosed a photograph of the choir that day. No matter where I go, our churches give me the same sense of belonging and home that I experience at the Southern Alberta Japanese United Church in Lethbridge, Alberta. It is no surprise to me that our church people in this remote location have made housing for education and care of low income people their daily mission. If people do not take care of each other, there is nowhere else to go and no one else to turn to. From the airplane window I could see taiga, Canadian Shield rock, lakes and stunted trees as far as the horizon all around the city. Within the city of Yellowknife there is a unique and edgy atmosphere. It is refreshing and invites curiosity. One of the blessings to my year as President of Alberta and Northwest Conference is to be able to visit places like Yellowknife and its people. My head and heart are so big now. Thanks be to God. Kathy Yamashita Singing with the choir! 6 incontact

7 ROBERT McCLURE UNITED CHURCH WOMEN ( UCW ) CALGARY, ALBERTA Robert McClure UCW strives to follow the mission of the United Church Women which is to love God, foster Christian commitment, faithfulness, and spirituality; and promote respect and love for all God s creation. They welcome all women over 12 years of age who are willing to contribute prayers, gifts, and services for the work of the Church. The Moderator Jordan Cantwell says that the United Church Women are the hands and feet of the church. Maeve Bard, Darlene Thompson, Maureen Routley, Darlene Kormos and Lorna McKenzie A selection of socks from the sock exchange Robert McClure ( RMUC ) UCW group meets about seven times per year on Saturday mornings for their Side Door Gathering. Some of the programs from this past year were mask making and meditation with Rev. Bill Weaver from Ogden United Church as their guest speaker. Some of the devotions that were led were What is in your purse? and Parables, Prayers & Promises. The Summer Wind-up Potluck Get Together was held where the agenda for the evening was eating, socializing and decorating the masks. They had a very meaningful Candlelight Service followed by their Christmas Sunshine Friend Dessert Party. They had a sock exchange where one sock was filled with toiletry items which were given by the UCW to the Senior s Secret Service and the socks were a gift to the UCW receiver after a story was told exchanging the socks in the left and right directions. Their Sunshine Friend program is when someone cares for a woman secretly all year. Caring could be as simple as a card on special dates, occasions or holidays. At the Christmas Party, the secret is revealed. The Robert McClure UCW follows the mandate of UCW which is to donate any funds raised to charities and worthy causes. This year the raised funds were from the UnTea, Bake Sale, frozen fruit and meat pies, Christmas Bazaar, Fashion Show, Amy s Pastry Shop and Bob s Cafe. They also raised money from collecting 55 bags of soft items such as rags, clothing and stuffed toys for the Canadian Diabetes Association. An UnTea is when they choose to give up time and volunteering at a Tea with fancy sandwiches, silver tea sets and china tea cups and instead enjoy a cup of tea in their own comfortable chair, reading a book, listening to music or visiting with a friend and then all congregation members are invited to make a donation to the UCW UnTea for that restful, joyful moment. The UnTea is kick started by a bake sale. From funds raised from the UnTea they supported the Seniors Secret Service by providing $ in Walmart Gift Cards at Christmas. These gifts were gratefully accepted and the shut-in seniors and those in need benefitted from those gifts. In 2017, UCW was 55 years young. Our UCW celebrated this occasion with a special worship service on October 29, 2017 with the message called Celebrating Spirit. Maeve Bard, Darlene Thompson, Maureen Routley, Darlene Kormos and Lorna McKenzie (L to R in picture below) were honored at this service with Life Memberships in recognition of their service in UCW at Robert McClure. Jeanette McDonald (Prepared by Barb Humphrey) incontact 7 with Alberta and Northwest Conference

8 VBS FOR SENIORS! A Vacation Bible School for seniors. A different take on the usual kids activity took place on May 2 and May 3, 2018 at Stony Plain United Church. The Sunday School teachers from Mewassin United Church spearheaded this event, with help from a few folks from Stony Plain United Church (together this makes up the Stony Plain Pastoral Charge). It was attended by 14 seniors and was very successful. The Shipwrecked VBS theme was evident in the décor an island surrounded by ocean and waterfalls. There was themed food (salmon chowder, tropical salad, ship buns, etc), crafts, visiting, as well as skits, God Sightings, Bible Connections and music. Deep conversations occurred of how when we are lonely, worried, struggling or feeling powerless; topics many seniors face in their daily lives. Sandra McNab is the Sunday School Superintendent for Mewassin United Church Alberta and Northwest Conference insert in the United Church Observer Volume 37. No.4 The purpose of In Contact is to share news of the Church s life, work, programs, policies and people with Observer readers across Alberta and Northwest Conference. incontact Editorial Board Chairperson: Peter Chynoweth Editor: Katy Jones c/o ANW Conference Avenue Edmonton, AB T6E 5V6 Guidelines for Submission available at albertanorthwestconference.ca or by or mail. incontactphoto@gmail.com Contact any member of the Editorial Board with your story ideas: Austin Fennell Peter Chynoweth (Chair) Jope Langejans Eileen McMorris Katy Jones (Editor) Next deadline will be October 13. We would gladly accept articles early! Maximum 400 words in submissions. Around Our Conference October 13. Deadline for December Issue. 8 incontact