Here is the link to today’s service
Announcements Oct. 25 – 31
This Week in First Church:
– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom
Coming Up:
– Sunday, 1 November – Daylight Saving Time ends
– Sunday, 1 November, 5:00 p.m. – Fall Supper (take-out and delivery only)
Protocols – In order to comply with government-imposed restrictions, and to protect each other from transmission of the COVID-19 virus, we will be following these protocols in our Sunday services, until further notice:
– Use the Soup Kitchen door to enter, and the office door (at the front of the sanctuary) to leave
– Mask required (a limited number of masks will be available for those who don’t have one)
– Must physically distance from others (except your household)
– Do not sit right at the aisle
– If possible, sit in the same spot each week
– Offering plate is at the back as you come in
– No standing for hymns, but can sing softly, or hum
– Each week, bring your own cushion and/or Bible if desired
– Prefer that washrooms not be used
– There will be no coffee/fellowship hour
– Refrain from shaking hands, etc.
– The names of attenders will be recorded each Sunday, so that we have a record of who attended on which Sunday, in case contract tracing should need to be done later.
Our Sympathy – We extend our sympathy to Margaret and Raymond Reichelt and family, in the death of Margaret’s mother, Laura McNutt, this past week. Laura had been a resident of the Douglas Campbell Lodge for the past few years. Due to pandemic restrictions, her funeral service will be held at a later date.
Cleaning – There are sign-up sheets for sanitizing the sanctuary and for vacuuming the sanctuary on the music stand at the back of the sanctuary. If you’re able to take a turn looking after one of these jobs in the coming weeks, please sign up.
Needed – We are looking for large coolers to use the day of the Fall Supper. If anyone has any, and is willing to lend to us, please contact Lisa Sneesby at 204-385-2847.
The Christian Year – October 31 is Reformation Day, and today is Reformation Sunday. Reformation Day is one of the so-called “Lesser Festivals” of the Christian Year, and commemorates a significant period in the history of the Christian church. The Reformation (1517-1648) was a time in which people sought to bring about reform in the church, but only succeeded in creating new “branches” of the church, breaking away from the established Roman Catholic Church. One of those branches is the Reformed tradition, of which the Presbyterian Church is a part. The other major branches are the Anglican tradition, the Lutheran tradition, and the Anabaptist tradition.
From our perspective as Presbyterians in Canada, the most significant leaders of the Reformation were Martin Luther (who in effect started the Reformation), John Calvin (the founder of the Reformed tradition), and John Knox (who followed John Calvin’s teachings in leading the reform movement in Scotland).
The Reformation was a chaotic and violent time, and the reform effort cost countless lives. For this reason, the symbolic color for Reformation Day is red.
Announcements Oct. 18 – 23
We extend a warm welcome to our guests! We invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary.
The Greeter this month is Miep Verhoeven.
Debbi Miles is giving the oral announcements this month, and she and Wally Kimpton are reading the scripture readings.
Scripture Readings – The readings for today’s service are
– Isaiah 45.1-7 – Cyrus, God’s “anointed one”
– Psalm 96 – “Sing to the LORD a new song!”
– 1 Thessalonians 1.1-10 – Greeting and thanksgiving
– Matthew 22.15-22 – Jesus answers a trick question
The readings for next Sunday will be
– Leviticus 19.1-2, 15-18 – Various commandments
– Psalm 1 – “Blessed is the one who does not walk …”
– 1 Thessalonians 2.1-8 – Recalling Paul’s ministry, Part 1
– Matthew 22.34-46 – The greatest commandment
This Week in First Church:
– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom
– Thursday, 7:00 p.m. – Session meeting, by Zoom
Coming Up:
– Sunday, 1 November – Daylight Saving Time ends
– Sunday, 1 November, 5:00 p.m. – Fall Supper (take-out only)
Protocols – In order to comply with government-imposed restrictions, and to protect each other from transmission of the COVID-19 virus, we will be following these protocols in our Sunday services, until further notice:
– Use the Soup Kitchen door to enter, and the office door (at the front of the sanctuary) to leave
– Mask required (a limited number of masks will be available for those who don’t have one)
– Must physically distance from others (except your household)
– Do not sit right at the aisle
– If possible, sit in the same spot each week
– Offering plate is at the back as you come in
– No standing for hymns, but can sing softly, or hum
– Each week, bring your own cushion and/or Bible if desired
– Prefer that washrooms not be used
– There will be no coffee/fellowship hour
– Refrain from shaking hands, etc.
– The names of attenders will be recorded each Sunday, so that we have a record of who attended on which Sunday, in case contract tracing should need to be done later.
Announcements October 11 to 17
Sunday October 11 we resume our in-person services, after more than six months of worshiping apart from each other! We’re glad we can get together again, but we need to be mindful of the protocols we need to follow on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are listed in a separate announcement, below. Those who don’t yet feel comfortable attending services should feel free not to attend. We will continue making recorded services available on YouTube for the time being, as well as a full service script; however, they will not be available until sometime in the afternoon each Sunday. We thank Margaret McNutt-Reichelt and Debbi Miles for coordinating the extra set-up and cleaning that needs to be done!
We extend a warm welcome to our guests! We invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary. Debbi Miles will be giving the oral announcements and reading the scripture readings this month.
Announcements Oct 4 – 10
Resuming Services – At its meeting on the 24th of September, the Session made the decision to resume in-person services, starting on the 11th of October (next Sunday, Harvest Sunday). It won’t be “business as usual”, however, on account of the pandemic and the various restrictions that we need to observe. The protocols we need to follow can be found below. Those who don’t yet feel comfortable attending services should feel free not to attend. We will continue making recorded services available on YouTube, as well as a full service script, although they will not be available until sometime in the afternoon. Margaret McNutt-Reichelt and Debbi Miles are coordinating the set-up and cleaning that need to be done, and will be contacting those who have offered to help with those tasks.
Protocols – In order to comply with government-imposed restrictions, and to protect each other from transmission of the COVID-19 virus, we will be following these protocols in our Sunday services in the sanctuary:
– Use Soup Kitchen door to enter, and office door (at the front of the sanctuary) to leave
– Mask required (a limited number of masks will be available for those who don’t have one)
– Must physically distance from others (except your household)
– Do not sit right at the aisle
– If possible, sit in the same spot each week
– Offering plate is at the back as you come in
– No standing for hymns, but can sing softly, or hum
– Each week, bring your own cushion and/or Bible if desired
– Prefer that washrooms not be used
– There will be no coffee/fellowship hour
– Refrain from shaking hands, etc.
– The names of attenders will be recorded each Sunday, so that we have a record of who attended on which Sunday, in case contact tracing should need to be done later.
Announcements Sept. 27 – Oct. 3
We are continuing to offer our Sunday services on YouTube this week and next. The link for accessing these YouTube services will be e-mailed out each Sunday morning, along with a service script that can be printed for those who don’t have access to the internet.
Resuming Services – The Session this past Thursday evening made the decision to resume in-person services in two weeks, starting on the 11th of October (Harvest Sunday). It won’t be “business as usual, however, on account of the pandemic and the various restrictions that we need to observe. Detailed guidelines will be announced next week. Those who don’t yet feel comfortable attending services should feel free not to attend. We will record the services, and continue making them available on YouTube, as well as a full service script, although they may not be available until later in the day than usual. Margaret McNutt-Reichelt and Debbi Miles will be coordinating the set-up and cleaning that need to be done, and will be contacting those who have offered to help with those tasks. Thank you again to everyone who responded to the Session’s poll on this question!
September Newsletter
You can find the September Newsletter here
Announcements Sept 20 – 26
Sunday Sept. 20 we resume online worship services on our own. Keith Kelly is the preacher; Debbi Miles is reading the scripture readings, and John Zondag is leading the rest of the service. We thank Keith and Debbi for taking part in leading today’s service!
The link for accessing these services on YouTube are e-mailed out each Sunday morning, along with a service script that can be printed for those who don’t have access to the internet.
The Session will make a decision in its meeting this week on whether and when to resume in-person Sunday services in the sanctuary. Many thanks to all who responded to the Session’s informal poll! Your responses will guide the Session in making its decision.
Announcements Sept 13 – 19
We are continuing to offer our Sunday services on YouTube for the time being. On Sunday September 13th we conclude our joint services with First Church and St. Andrew’s Church in Brandon. We have been doing a sermon series on the Ten Commandments, and today, John Zondag is preaching on Commandment #10. The scripture readings are read by Raymond Reichelt.
Next Sunday (the 20th), we will resume online services on our own, and Keith Kelly will be the preacher.
The link for accessing these YouTube services will be e-mailed out each Sunday morning, along with a service script that can be printed for those who don’t have access to the internet.
Scripture Readings – The readings for today’s service are
– Exodus 20.17 – The Tenth Commandment
– Psalm 119.25-40 – “My soul clings to the dust”
– Colossians 3.1-11 – “Your old self … the new self”
– Matthew 5.21-26 – “Anyone who is angry …”
Full announcements here
Announcements Sept 6 – 12
We begin a new year in the life and work of our congregation under most unusual circumstances! Contrary to what we may have thought in the spring, the COVID-19 pandemic has not yet run its course, and so we continue to live with the restrictions that are necessary to safeguard our health and the health of others.
For the time being, we are continuing to offer our Sunday services online. Today and next Sunday, we continue and conclude our joint services with First Church and St. Andrew’s Church in Brandon. We have been doing a sermon series on the Ten Commandments, and today, Laura Hargrove (First, Brandon) will preach on Commandment #9. Next Sunday, John Zondag will preach on Commandment #10. The link for accessing these services will be e-mailed out each Sunday morning, along with a service script that can be printed for those who don’t have access to the internet.
On Sunday, 20 September, we will resume services on our own, probably online, at least for the time being. Keith Kelly will be the preacher that day. The Session is currently conducting an informal poll to determine how much support there is within the congregation for resuming in-person Sunday services. A letter has been sent out (by both e-mail and hard copy), asking for people’s input. The letter outlines the main conditions under which services would need to be conducted. Please respond by September 11th, if you haven’t already. Feel free to jot down any comments that you may have.
Full announcements here