MINISTER’S MESSAGE
We were hoping to outline the details of our reopening plans in this week’s congregational email. However, we have hit a bit of a snag and need to work out a few more issues that have arisen. For this reason, we will NOT be having our safe reopening service this Sunday. It will be live-streamed only. We ask for your patience and prayers as we try to resolve these as soon as possible. I know that this will be disappointing to many, but it is a temporary setback.
Rev. Elenor Thompson, who was ordained last Sunday at Oxford House, offered teachings at Sandy Saulteaux Spiritual Centre on the process of hide-tanning. She recalled asking her mother why she and her sisters needed to learn this when they already had good jobs as teachers and nurses. It was demanding of time and energy. In response, her mother talked about the bow and arrow. “To fly far ahead,” she explained, “first you have to pull back.”
We are needing to pull back a little as we hit the pause button on our plans. We are trying to address multiple concerns from different viewpoints as we try to make our building as safe as possible for congregants and community. We need to take the time to do this with care and prayer as we seek God’s wisdom and guidance. I have confidence in our fine leaders and members of committees, teams and Council that we will find a good way forward. Pulling back a little will help us fly further ahead.
Bless to us, O God, the path where-on we go.
Loraine
A NOTE FROM WESTWORTH COUNCIL
Westworth Council extends much gratitude to the safe re-opening team for the tremendous amount of work that has been required of and extended by the committee to put a plan in place for the soft opening of our building to worship. We ask the patience of the congregation while council, worship and our safe re-opening committee work out one last process detail together. To do that, a pause on the soft opening for church services is necessary. We will continue with on line services and review the date for the soft reopening in the near future.
Pat S
UPCOMING WORSHIP SERVICES
Sept 26
Live-streamed worship at 10:45 am. Max Fingerote, another of our new choral scholars, will be singing. vaccinated unless ineligible due to age (under 12) or medical condition.
Oct 3
Live-streamed worship at 10:45 am. Our first ensemble of 8 from our choir will be singing.
Oct. 10
Live-streamed Thanksgiving service with Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud preaching and Earl Gould liturgist while Loraine is on bereavement leave for a Celebration of Life for her mother in Victoria.
THANKSGIVING OFFERING
Our extra offering for Thanksgiving will go once again to the Canadian Food Grains Bank. Please indicate “Food Grains Bank” with your donation.
CONDOLENCES
We offer condolences to Gail Band family on the loss her sister, Elaine H;
Paul Es and Anne M and their family on the peaceful passing of Paul’s mother, Wynne E this past Wednesday and to Elaine P and her family on the passing of Jim
Thanks,
Maggie
Bible Story:
This week’s Bible story is Joseph Helps his Family
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
| Working Together
To Grow Ecological & Social Justice |
OUTREACH
- West Broadway Community Ministry (1JustCity)
New Approaches! As a part of the 1JustCity Family, West Broadway is entering into a new way of being present to the community. Beginning this week, WB will be open Monday through Thursday, afternoon to early evening. The Pantry will be available each day, with folks being welcomed for coffee with a volunteer, and then “shopping” for needed items. Suppers will be served early evening (still through the window). Although this is a departure from the decades-long operational format, this change will ensure that our guests will have an opportunity to receive a nourishing meal at suppertime, with lunches continuing to be served at the Maryland and the Oak Table locations. It is the intention of the Outreach Team to continue to offer one meal per month. We will inform you very soon as to what that offering will look like! Stay tuned!
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.
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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. Please see details below on the poster.
4.Indigenous Children Then, Now, and Tomorrow: Online Panel, 29 September 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. CST
Indigenous Ministries and Justice is hosting an Orange Shirt Day panel with Allison Forsberg, Jocelyn Formsma, Leeann Shimoda, and the Rev. Murray Pruden. They will explore how Indigenous children and families were and continue to be impacted by colonialism. They will touch on a range of topics including Indigenous Children in Residential Schools, Sixties Scoop, Millennial Scoop, and bringing our children home. For more information or to sign up please visit the United in Learning website.
- Orange Shirt Day vigil, September 30, 3:00PM in SK
Executive Minister Murray Pruden will be hosting a candle light vigil to honour the children who never made it home from Residential Schools and survivors. Please join us for an evening of remembering and please bring a candle or a light. This gathering will be live broadcast on the Indigenous Ministries and Justice Facebook page, which is accessible to all:https://www.facebook.com/IndigenousMinistries/eve - 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
- Canadian Foodgrains Bank News
- October 16 is World Food Day!
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) created World Food Day to commemorate its founding in Quebec City, October 16, 1945. The goal of the FAO is to free humanity from hunger and malnutrition, and to effectively manage the global food system. World Food Day events are organized in over 150 countries across the world, making it one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar.
These events promote worldwide awareness and action for those who experience food insecurity and help strengthen the link between agriculture and food security.
As you anticipate observing Thanksgiving and World Food Day next month, check out our website for a new Worship Resource for World Food Day 2021.
If you are planning worship at your church, you may be interested in suggestions for scripture texts, worship litanies, readers’ theatre, and more.
So That All May Flourish
A Worship Resource for World Food Day
Link: https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/so_that_all_may_flourish.pdf
- Growing Projects around the Province Yield Better than Expected Results:
During mid-summer we heard from many farmers that they were anxious about their crops because of the heat and very dry weather. In August most of the province was blessed with some general rain showers which really helped some crops to fill out. Yields vary a lot across Manitoba and crop insurance adjusters will surely be busy as the rain came too late for some crops. We are thankful for those growing projects that were pleasantly surprised with their harvest yields and for the generally good prices this year.
Cattle farmers respond to Haiti crisis: When Nancy Howatt heard about the August 14th earthquake in Haiti that took the lives of more than 2200 people, she knew she had to help. . Howatt is a cattle farmer in the Pembina Valley south of Manitou. In other years she has donated the proceeds of a calf to the Foodgrains Bank. This year she decided to provide straw for auction through the Killarney Auction Mart. The idea took off with several other producers donating straw for this initiative. Her brother, Chris Lea, is part of the Anglican Grow Hope Project and provided a load of straw. At least 12 loads of straw were donated through this initiative and will go a long way to helping people in Haiti who are vulnerable to hunger. Read more online.
AV Project Update
Our first plan was to have the new equipment in place by early fall. Here we are at the middle of September and we haven’t been able to proceed. Unfortunately, we have been somewhat stalled because Inland AV has only received half of our equipment. COVID has disrupted many supply chains for specialized equipment, plus there is a worldwide shortage of microchips.
While we await the arrival of our new equipment, we are proceeding shortly with construction phase. The electrical work is first on the list involving cables, outlets, plugs etc. The second step will involve removing the back two rows of pews, which will be stored in the gym until they are modified into shorter pews. Once the removal is complete, the construction and installation of the sound booth is next. The final phase will be notification from Inland Audio Visual that all of our equipment is in Winnipeg and they will quickly schedule dates to install and activate the equipment.
W3 -Westworth Wednesday Walkers
W3 or W cubed for you mathematicians out there) has been established!
The original idea was that on Wednesdays, whoever wanted to would:
- meet on Wednesdays at 10:00 or at 1:00.
- walk for as close to an hour as the route allows.
- allow for routes that end in proximity to a coffee shop so those who wish to extend the visit may do so.
- rotate the hosting of the route choice through the group
- extend the invitation to anyone interested.
Then we realized that the folks who were thinking about this group were involved in other volunteer activities which precluded participating on Wednesdays. Thus the group morphed and became W3Taft. (Westworth Wednesday Walkers Tuesday Afternoons!)
There was some discussion around W4 (Westworth Wednesday Women Walkers) but we didn’t want to exclude anyone!!
Join us!
Or, if people like the idea but are unable to join the Tuesday gang, the opportunity is there for splinter groups like a Westworth Wednesday Walkers Group on Thursdays! (W3Tham….or W cubed Thursday AM). J
Want to join us on Tuesdays? Let Dianne know at the email below and you will be included in emails regarding the route. Want to set up a group and need more information? Dianne will help – dsjoberg@mymts.net
