The coming week in First Church:

– Thursday, 7:00 p.m. – Session meeting

Coming Up:

– Joint summer services begin – Sunday, 30 June

John’s Schedule – John Zondag will be back in the church office Monday, June 24th, and he will lead the service June 30th — the first of our joint summer services with McKenzie and Trinity United Churches.  Many thanks to Charlie Clifford, Keith Kelly, Raymond Reichelt, the WMS Group, and Henry Hildebrandt for leading our services during his absence, as well as to Minho Yoo for serving as our interim moderator.  John’s summer vacation schedule will be as follows:  8-28 July (3 weeks) and 5-18 August (2 weeks).  If a pastoral need should arise during those two periods, please contact Raymond or any other Session member to find out which ministers are available to assist you.

Waxing – The basement floor is due to be stripped and waxed on the afternoon of Friday, 12 July, as soon as the Soup Kitchen is finished for the day.  We will need a few volunteers to move movable things out of the Church Hall and the kitchen starting the Thursday afternoon or evening (the 11th), so that there is as little as possible left to be moved after lunch on the Friday.  Things will then need to be moved back on the Saturday afternoon or evening (the 13th), so that everything’s back in place in time for the service on Sunday the 14th.  Please speak to Keith Kelly (857-5712) or to Mardine if you are available to help with this task.

Full announcements here This will be the last regular posting till September

This Week in First Church:

– Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. – Meeting for Soup Kitchen volunteers

Coming Up:

– Thursday, 27 June – Session meeting

– Joint summer services begin – Sunday, 30 June

Thank you – to Charlie Clifford for leading the service June 16.

Inter-Mission – John will be back on Monday, 24 June.  If a pastoral need should arise in the meantime, please contact Raymond (239-5359) or any other member of the Session, to find out which ministers are available to assist you.  John will not be available to do emergency visits or conduct funeral services while he is on his Inter-Mission.

The Announcements Sheet – If you have any announcements for the weekly announcements sheet, please give or e-mail them to Philip Dunn (pmdunn@shaw.ca) by the Thursday of that week.

Summer Service Schedule – The schedule for our joint services with Trinity and McKenzie United Churches has been drawn up.  Services will be held here at First Church the first three Sundays (30 June, and 7 and 14 July), at Trinity Church the next three Sundays (21 and 28 July, and 4 August), and at McKenzie Church the final three Sundays (11, 18, and 25 August).  A more detailed schedule has been printed in the June issue of the Newsletter.

The 2019 General Assembly Summary of Decisions Regarding Human Sexuality can be found here

We thank Bruce and Lisa Sneesby for hosting our annual Outdoor Service and Barbecue again this year. We thank them also, along with some other members of the Session, for contributing the food and drinks for the barbecue! Everyone is invited to remain for the barbecue following the service

More announcements here

This Week in First Church:

– Wednesday, 12 noon – WMS, will meet at Gwen Henwood’s home

– Thursday, 1:30 p.m. – Prayer Time

Coming Up:

– Sunday, 9 June – Outdoor Service and Barbecue at the Sneesbys’

– Wednesday, 19 June – meeting for Soup Kitchen volunteers

Welcome – to the Rev. Henry Hildebrandt.  We thank him for leading the service Sunday June 2

Coming Up:

– Sunday, 2 June – Communion Sunday

– Sunday, 9 June – Outdoor Service and Barbecue at the Sneesbys’

– Wednesday, 19 June – meeting for Soup Kitchen volunteers

Thank you – to Raymond Reichelt, for leading the service today.

In Gladstone Hospital – Jean McBurney

PC Connect – is the monthly e-newsletter for the Presbyterian Church in Canada (http://presbyterian.ca/pcconnect).  The May issue includes some information on the General Assembly, coming up from 2 to 6 June in Waterloo, Ontario.

Reading – Thank you to everyone who signed up to read scripture on Sunday mornings.  We are still looking for a reader for June 30.  If you would like to take a turn, please sign up on the blue sheet on the music stand at the south entrance.  We are hoping to continue having lay people read the scripture readings every Sunday while John is away.

Communion next Sunday –  The Rev. Henry Hildebrandt will lead our Communion service next Sunday (the 2nd of June).

Dreaming of peace

For Amina, Saber and their five children, poverty had become an all too sudden reality. When bombs fell on their town of Suran in Syria, their peaceful life shattered—their home collapsed and basic necessities like water, food and electricity became scarce. Displaced within their own country, broken by over eight years of conflict, Amina and Saber were losing hope. But for the past several months, the family has been receiving monthly food and hygiene baskets through a Presbyterian World Service & Development-supported project with Canadian Foodgrains Bank partners. Over meals of beans and rice, Amina and Saber can find a moment of comfort as they dream of peace and security for their beloved country.

PWS&D provides strength through food aid

The announcements for this week are here

The May Newsletter is here

This Week in First Church:

– Wednesday, 5:00 p.m. – Meal-in-a-Bowl

Coming Up:

– Saturday, 25 May – Spring Clean-Up

– Sunday, 2 June – Communion Sunday

– Sunday, 9 June – Outdoor Service and Barbecue at the Sneesbys’

Spring Clean-Up – Saturday, 25 May from 9 a.m to noon.  This is a great time of fellowship besides getting work done.  It is the only time in the year that the church gets a complete cleaning.  There is a list at the back of the church of activities/tasks that need doing.  Please look at the list to see how you could help  – there is a sign-up sheet.

Service of Remembrance – Reg Tomalin, a member of this church, died on Wednesday.  There will be a service of remembrance here at the church on Thursday, 16 May, at 3 p.m.

PC Connect – is the monthly e-newsletter for the Presbyterian Church in Canada (http://presbyterian.ca/pcconnect).  The May issue includes some information on the General Assembly, coming up from 2 to 6 June in Waterloo, Ontario.

Full announcements here

This Week in First Church:

– Sunday, 5 p.m. – Spring Dinner

– Tuesday, 7 p.m. – Bible Study at Gwen Henwood’s home

– Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. – Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) will meet

Coming Up:

– Sunday, 12 May – Deadline for submissions for the June Newsletter

– Sunday, 2 June – Communion Sunday

– Sunday, 9 June – Outdoor Service and Barbecue at the Sneesbys’I

Mission Awareness Sunday – Sunday May 5 has been designated Mission Awareness Sunday.  It’s an opportunity to draw attention to mission activities in which the Presbyterian Church in Canada is involved.  The worship resources for Mission Awareness Sunday have been written by The Rev. Dr. Lynda Reid.  Lynda is a retired minster of the Presbyterian Church.  For many years she was the education consultant for the Synod of Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda.

The liturgy was written with the help of Katherine Allen.  Katherine retired from the WMS after working for 40 years.  She still leads at various levels of the Society.  Thanks to the members of the WMS of our church, who are leading the service today.

Full announcements here

– Thursday, 1:30 p.m. – Prayer Time

– Thursday, 7:00 p.m. – Sharpe Sisters concert

Bible Study: There will be no study this week. Our final lesson will be Tuesday, May 7, at Gwen’s home.  Refreshments and a time of fellowship will follow the lesson.

Coming Up:

– Sunday, 28 April, to Saturday, 11 May – Stewardship Visitation

– Sunday, 5 May, 5:00 p.m. – Spring Dinner

– Sunday, 12 May – Deadline for submissions for the June Newsletter

– Sunday, 2 June – Communion Sunday

– Sunday, 9 June – Outdoor Service and Barbecue at the Sneesbys’

Full announcements here