Virtual Voices - 58th edition Virtual Voices The Video E-Newsletter of Mount Royal United Church for Friday July 16th 2021 Welcome to our fifty eighth edition of the Mount Royal United Church Video E-Newsletter. You will find the video at the bottom of this message. If you have any news items or information you think we should be including in an upcoming e-newsletter, please send your suggestion to newsletters@mountroyaluc.ca
we will do our very best to put it on for you. A quick reminder that our Sunday Service is live streamed from the sanctuary beginning at 10:30 AM and can also be watched later on the church website. The Prelude will begin at 10:15 AM with music and the announcement slides before the service begins
with Rev. Stuart. This video will be produced and sent out weekly on Friday morning with all the important things from our faith community. We plan to keep them short so you have time to drink a cup of tea or coffee while you watch. We hope you have a very good day today. Best Regards, Newsletter Committee Message from the Chair of Council - Susan Fowler Have you ever slept in a tent when the rain was pouring down? It is the most relaxing sound in the world if your tent stays dry. If it is leaking and you are constantly getting wet or moving your sleeping bag or gear to keep dry, it is a whole other feeling. When we were much younger my husband and I didn't mind camping in the rain one bit. We had good rain suits and boots and were happy to carry on with all our planned activities despite the weather. Once, after days of rain, our only clean, dry clothes were what we planned to wear to a play at the Shaw Festival in Niagara on The Lake, ON. We wore our full rain gear and rubber boots into a public washroom in a park near the theatre and I changed into a summer dress and heels and my husband into a sport coat, dress shirt and pants. The wet and muddy stuff went into a garbage bag in a backpack until the show was over and we changed back before returning to the sloppy campground where we were staying. It could have seemed like a disaster but for us it felt like one big adventure. I can't remember the name of the play, but I do recall how much fun we had that night. Our biggest care in the world was whether we managed to wash all the mud off our faces before we went into the theatre. Now that I am much older, I would still do it if it was my only option, but I would be more apt to look for a hotel where I could have a warm shower and dress in a space much bigger than a public washroom cubicle. Funny how changing just one piece of the activity: wet-dry; young-old, can make such a difference in how we perceive an experience. Was the rain a disaster that spoiled the vacation or just one more part of the adventure? The right gear and a positive attitude made all the difference. Just a reminder, there is only one week before the church office is closed July 23rd at noon. It reopens on August 31st. If you have any special occasions for us to recognize, please send them along to Tracy next week in the office: officeadmin@mountroyaluc.ca and after that to newsletters@mountroyaluc.ca. We don't want to overlook any celebrations just because the office is closed for the month. And remember that the mail won't necessarily be picked up every day so please do not leave cash in an envelope in the church mailbox during the vacation period. If you wish to donate, please write a cheque, or use one of the online giving options outlined on the church website under Ways to Give. In the 2015 report issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, one of the goals was to ensure that every Canadian read its 94 Calls to Action. If like me, you have not, I encourage you to do so, one at a time or in bunches. 94 in one read is likely a lot to process. You might read them all in one sitting but perhaps not take the time to reflect on their significance. By being better informed we can understand why our thoughts, beliefs, actions, and inactions continue to be hurtful, even unintentionally. By talking about it a bit each week, I hope you will take some time to educate yourselves about the ongoing pain that is a part of the legacy of day and residential schools. Click Here for a site where you can read about what, if any, action has been taken on the 94 Calls to Action by the federal and provincial governments, communities, and churches. https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform-single/beyond-94?&fbclid=IwAR3bUzGvP-ELTUiPsOw4V256OPHPlJkgy1ywbfIBFtV6zYNkNEFKrh70dzk&cta=1 And this week, someone sent me this (click here) CBC article about the Peace and Friendship Treaties which are in place where we live. I would like to share it with you. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/treaty-day-nova-scotia-mikmaq-peace-and-friendship-treaties-1.5304137 This week Rev. Stuart talks about slowing down enough to feel God all around us. At the end of our announcements this week, we included a "Skit Guys" video about taking time to think about what we mean as we pray. I hope you enjoy it. councilchair@mountroyaluc.caBe well. Please email me if you have any questions or concerns. Susan Fowler Council Chair Mount Royal United Church 106 Mount Royal Blvd, Moncton  |
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