MINISTER’S MESSAGE
Once again, our committees have been hard at work in preparation for our gradual reopening plans. The Safe Reopening Committee and the Worship Team, in particular, have been meeting this past week and Council has moved up their meeting by one week to Sept. 22 to consider our overall reopening plan, amongst many other items. Many hands are preparing jams and jellies for a fall sale. Property Team has been overseeing the Elections Canada polling station at Westworth. The AV Enhancement Committee have been receiving final quotes and scheduling initial electrical work and the building of the sound booth. We are still awaiting about half of our AV equipment which is held up due to microchip shortages. Our Office Administrator, Tammy has been putting in extra hours with polling station oversight and transfer of data to a new database that will allow greater accessibility and smoother interaction between computer programs. She is helping to make our entire system more efficient and adaptable to our needs.
I tell you all of this because most of this work is behind the scenes. At the moment, you would not notice a difference if you walked into the church or sanctuary, apart from last year’s replacement of lights in the narthex and sanctuary, and the previous year’s sanctuary roof and window replacement. We are awaiting our reopening to receive responses from the congregation about whether or not to add tinting on the sanctuary windows (or at least the bottom half of the windows).
I feel as though we are in the birthing process—and that the enclosed womb is finally beginning to open—slowly, but surely. The labouring will be long, but the promise of new light and life beckons us forward. We are certainly not out of the womb yet. COVID challenges will be with us for some time yet, but we have learned what makes reopening as safe as possible. Next week, we will hear details of our reopening plan for worship, small groups and rentals.
Most immediate is our outdoor worship service this coming Sunday at Assiniboine Park (details below). I hope that those who have joined us online during the past 1 ½ years will be able to come and meet others in person for the first time. I am also hoping that our young families with children will be able to join. This might be a rare opportunity to see one another before we begin more limited gatherings indoors.
I remain in cautious hope,
Loraine
UPCOMING WORSHIP SERVICES
Sept 19
Outdoor service at Assiniboine Park. One of our new choral scholars, Keely Mc, will be singing and Jim H will be playing the guitar. This service will NOT be recorded and only available in-person. We have site 20, across from the Pavilion, booked from 9:00 am-1:00 pm. (see red arrow on park map below) Worship will begin at 10:30 am. Parking is nearby. Please bring your own chair and arrive around 10:00 to allow time to set up chairs with the help of ushers. We will have a few extra chairs for those who don’t have one. Assiniboine Park recently clarified that there is no restricted capacity of the site because it connects to the larger field. We will therefore be able to accommodate all who wish to attend, while keeping two meters between households. We ask that people still wear masks, as we will have opportunity for masked congregational singing. We hope that families with children will be able to come, as the outdoor setting is safer for children and they can run around! Please note that the service will be cancelled if it is raining (if unsure, call Loraine at home before 9:00 am on Sunday: 204-775-8817).
Sept 26
Live-streamed worship at 10:45 am. This will be a soft reopening service for the Worship Team, Safe Reopening Committee, Sunday School teachers, ushers and greeters. Max F, another of our new choral scholars, will be singing. We need to maintain 2 meters distance between households. Regulations state that everyone, including worship leaders, need to be masked. If the leaders are behind a non-permeable barrier, they may be able to remove their masks. We are considering various options to meet these latest regulations. We request that everyone attending the service be doubly vaccinated unless ineligible due to age (under 12) or medical condition.
Oct 2
In-person and live-streamed worship at 10:45 am. This will be our first service open to the public. We ask everyone to pre-register and require everyone attending the service be doubly vaccinated, unless ineligible due to age (under 12) or medical condition. Please maintain 2 meters between households and wear a mask while inside the building. This service will include communion and packages of communion elements will be available to take your seat. You may remove your mask briefly to partake of the elements while remaining seated, and then put the mask back on again.
Our Condolences
To Barbara and Frank W on the passing of Barbara’s mother Jean J on September 13.
WESTWORTH POLLING STATION
Westworth United Church is a polling station for election day on Monday September 20th.
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Registration
This year, Sunday School will be in person (held in the gym) and on Zoom starting on October 2nd.
Use the registration link below to access the online registration form. Registration is open until September 26th.
Please fill out all the fields in the registration form. The form can only register one child at a time. If you have more than one child to register, just re-click on the registration link below and a new, blank form will open. Repeat for as many children as you need to register.
Click here to register your child for Westworth United Sunday School:
https://us19.list-manage.com/survey?u=32b15a821abb6262d6b562731&id=6930b4d0da&e=*|UNIQID|*
Thanks,
Maggie
Bible Story:
This week’s Bible story is Joseph and his Brothers
The bible story is read by Julia, and The Lord’s Prayer is read by Danielle. Your Sunday school teachers are on the Westworth Face Book page for you to view.
Maggie
OUTREACH
- West Broadway Community Ministry
Lunches
Thank you to all who made Thursday’s lunch at WB such a success. Over 160 servings of meatball subs, fruit and cookies were served by the staff and volunteers at WBCM. We are grateful to all of you who continue to support this vital ministry. Cheques may be sent to the Westworth office with the memo line indicating “WBCM lunches”.
Emergency Pantry
Thank you for your support for the folks in the West Broadway area. We were able to transfer another $485.00 to WBCM for the emergency food needs of the community. Cheques to Westworth with “WBCM Pantry” on the memo line are gratefully received!
- Orange Shirt Day!
Westworth Community of Faith will be observe Orange Shirt Day on Sunday, September 26.
The “orange shirt” in Orange Shirt Day refers to the new shirt that Phyllis Webstad was given to her by her grandmother for her first day of school at St. Joseph’s Mission residential school in British Columbia. When Phyllis got to school, they took away her clothes, including her new shirt. It was never returned. To Phyllis, the colour orange has always reminded her of her experiences at residential school and, as she has said, “how my feelings didn’t matter, how no one cared and I felt like I was worth nothing. All of us little children were crying and no one cared.” The message that Phyllis wants to pass along on Orange Shirt Day — and every day — is that every child matters. Orange Shirt Day was started by Phyllis to educate people about residential schools and to fight racism and bullying. The Outreach Team encourages you to wear an Orange Shirt on September 26, as well as on September 30 with all Canadians! Please see poster below regarding purchase of Orange Shirt Day item.
| 3. We Are All Treaty People
You are invited to participate in the 5th annual, “We are All Treaty People” observance. Details are found on the poster following!
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| You are invited to attend the
Orange Shirt Day Pow Pow! Ted Fontaine’s life and work will be honoured that day.
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| 4. Breaking the Shackles of Racism: a national Conference on Human Rights, Justice, Policing and Media
September 30 – October 1. Please see details by clicking on the link below: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/breaking-the-shackles-of-racism-tickets-168310046881
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DEFIBRILLATOR
Can all those congregants who have been trained on the defibrillator located in the Narthex please let Tammy know via office@westworth.ca
M & P COMMITTEE UPDATE
The M & P committee has met and would like you to have the following update:
Upcoming Meeting Dates (Tentative):
September 14, 2021
November 9, 2021
January 11, 2022
March 8, 2022
May 17, 2022
THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS
A BIG shout out to the church members who volunteered to be hosts while Westworth was/is being utilized as a polling station. The Poll Supervisors made a point to come to my office and express deep gratitude for the volunteer’s kindness, support and presence in the building. They said Westworth was the best experience they have had in terms of years of being involved with polling station sites.
So, thank you to all of you! Your presence was well received.
-Tammy
