Congregational Email
Dec. 6, 2020
Dear Congregants,
The following prayer by Thomas Merton may express how many of us feel. We don’t know where we are going, nor can we be sure that we are making the best decisions. All we can do is to give the of our best of intentions and efforts, quick with an apology when we make mistakes or when our overwhelming emotions get the better of us. I’ve been making lots of apologies in my household lately and I’m blessed with a forgiving partner!
Advent is all about preparation—a seeming fit as we prepare for a different, quieter Christmas and a new year with vaccinated promises to set us free from our cocoons. But we have many weeks and indeed months before that time will come. In the meantime, may God deepen our preparation for a new birth and a new world.
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore I will trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. –Thomas Merton
Advent Blessings!
Loraine
Congratulations to Wendy M. W.!
The Manitoba Bar Association selected Wendy as the recipient of the 2020 MBA Access to Justice Award. This award recognizes her work within her law practice and with various organizations and projects to make the justice system more accessible and easier to understand for marginalized populations and the community at large.
Nativity Set Photos Wanted
Peter S. would like to include photos of people’s home nativity sets for upcoming worship services. Please send them to Peter asap at peter.a.sim@gmail.com .
Children Leading in Worship
We are thrilled to have recordings of our children reading and lighting the Advent Candles over the next few Sundays up to and including Christmas Eve.
Sunday School and C.E News
This week’s Sunday school lesson on Angels Visit has been sent by e-mail, it includes all the age groups from N/K to G5/6, with the activity sheets.
If you need a printed copy of the curriculum, please let me know at churchschool@westworth.ca.
The Sunday school teachers will be on Zoom this Sunday from 10.15am-10.40am to chat with you. We will be showing our favourite Xmas ornaments and telling why they are so special to us. Then join Loraine for the online service following Zoom Sunday school.
This week’s bible story is read by Julia and The Lord’s Prayer read by Danielle, your Sunday school teachers are on the Westworth Face Book page for you to view, there is also a link in the CE drop down menu on our web site.
Advent is here. Christian Education Outreach has delivered special packages to your homes to celebrate Advent with a craft and activity sheets. You should also be receiving an Advent calendar in the mail.
Join us for Community Connections Zoom Advent Cafe on December 4th at 7pm-8pm.
Drink hot chocolate, eat a festive Rice Krispie square and join in as Julia shows us how to make an Advent bird ornament. All supplies provided by C.E.
If you can’t join us for Zoom Advent Cafe, the craft directions will be available on our website and Face book after Dec 4th.
If you want to participate in making the Advent ornament you’ll need 3 different colours of yarn, a piece of cardboard measuring 12x5cm, a small piece of orange or yellow paper(I’m using an old envelope), scissors, white glue, and 2 paper clips
Listen to ‘Hope is a Star’– a Sunday school favourite on our Westworth Face book page sung by Emily C., and a second version played by instrumentalist Kelsey N.
Maggie
Christmas Cheer Board– New wool is available. Contact the office for pick up.
Ways to Continue Supporting Westworth
We are having an unprecedent number of leadership spots opening up in the new year and we do need folks to fill them. Please prayerfully consider if you able to take any of these on.
Opportunities!
What part are you called to play in the life of the Westworth congregation? What gifts, skills and time do you have to share? The Westworth Leadership Team has several places for you to share those gifts and skills to support and enrich the life of our congregation. For general information about each position, please see the Westworth Manual
http://westworth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Manual-copy-January-2019-Final-version-2.pdf
Please take time to consider if now is the time for you to make a difference and let us know – it is really hard, in this strange time, to know what you might be available for… If you know of someone who might consider a leadership position, please contact Pat Stephenson, Council Chair, (431)374-8383
- Vice-Chair of Council to start after the 2020 Annual General Meeting. This position leads into becoming Chair of Council in 2021. Questions? Please call Pat S., Council Chair, (431)374-8383.
- Secretary for Council to start after the 2020 Annual General Meeting. Questions? Please call Pat Stephenson, Council Chair, (431)374-8383 or Barb M., Council Secretary, (204)488-0853.
- Leader/Leaders for the Christian Education Ministry Team. This Team creates faith-building adventures and opportunities for our children and youth and is supported by Maggie Barnett. We would like to fill this position as soon as Questions? Please call Dianne S., (204)771-5860
- Leader/Leaders for the Property Ministry Team. This Team sets priorities for the care and maintenance of the spaces and property where we love to gather and carries out that care with the support of the Office Administrator, maintenance assistance and volunteers. We would like to fill this position as soon as possible. Questions? Please call Eunice P., (204)488-8835
- Leader/Leaders for the Community Care Ministry Team. This Team cares about building and sustaining our relationships within the congregation. They encourage and support us all as we reach out to each other and have some fun along the way. This position starts in 2021. Questions? Please call Jennifer S., (204)489-3365.
OUTREACH
- West Broadway Community Ministry:
- Lunches: The Outreach Team is overwhelmed with your generous support for the lunch program that Westworth will continue to offer on a monthly basis. Thank you so much for your contribution to the cost of each month’s lunch which is approximately $250. Cheques may be sent to the Westworth office with the memo line indicating “WBCM lunches”.
- West Broadway Community Ministry (WBCM) Emergency Pantry: As the building remains closed, weekly donations of food, toiletries and feminine hygiene products cannot be placed in the WB Buckets, please consider making a donation to the purchasing of food and supplies for the pantry. Cheques to Westworth with “WBCM Pantry” on the memo line are gratefully received!
- Turkeys for Rossbrook House: Wow! Thank you thank you to all of you who will be cooking a turkey and making gravy for Rossbrook House! We have reached capacity and are so grateful for your generosity. You will receive a call in December to confirm pick-up. Questions? Please connect with Allan M. at 204-269-5292 or e-mail at admckay@shaw.ca
- 1JustCity “Just a Warm Sleep” 2020: This winter, with your help, Just a Warm Sleep will be a haven for those in need. The need is perhaps the greatest our city has ever faced. Thankfully, your gift today will have twice the impact. Every dollar donated today a donor will match, up to $10,000. That’s one whole month of 30 people resting safely, with some added bonuses this year.
We’ve expanded our hours as so many of our guests have even fewer options to stay warm. We’ll now offer 12 hours of safety and warmth overnight (instead of 10), open from 8pm to 8am. We’ll also offer a meal at intake thanks to our partnerships with TransCanada Brewery and Fionn’s MacCools.
You’ve heard us say that the numbers of women have drastically increased, so this year we’re adding a second security guard from our partner Bear Paw Security, so we’ll always have a female and male guard to care for all our guests’ needs.
The space will get a COVID-19 deep clean three times a day.
Quick Facts:
For 30 people to be safe and warm this winter, STARTING EARLY on December 24th, we need you to make a donation of:
$150 to cover everything we don’t have funding for: smiling team members, PPE, TP, rent.$300 to cover dinner, so everyone gets to go to bed full of nutritious food. $450 to cover it all.
- Light a Candle for Love!: During the season of Advent the Outreach Team invites you to place a lit candle in your front window each evening to offer your support for essential workers. These include our care givers in hospital and in care facilities, educators and support staff, those working with marginalized people and folks working in grocery stores. Let’s shine lots of light during this blessed season!
5. New Gifts with Vision Catalogue Has Launched! Have you ordered you gifts yet?
A new year of giving through Gifts with Vision has begun! There are lots of great new gifts for our partners in Canada and across the world, along with some of your favourite projects from previous catalogues. The world has changed so much since this time last year, and some of the new gifts reflect that, showing how our partners are responding to the pandemic. Your gifts bring help to those who need it most. Shop the Gifts with Vision catalogue and help save and transform lives!
