Virtual Voices 131th Edition Virtual Voices The Video E-Newsletter of Mount Royal United Church for Friday February 17th 2023 Welcome to our one-hundredth and thirty-first 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 10:05 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 Hello and thanks for checking out the weekly announcements for Mount Royal United Church, Moncton. We have lots happening this week starting with Sunday where we are celebrating Baden Powell or Founders Day. The youth and leaders of the Scouting and Guiding groups that meet at the church will be actively participating in worship. Some will have family members in attendance. Please make them feel especially welcome if you are worshipping in person. And if you are joining us online, we are pleased to have you with us as well. The live stream begins at 10:15 AM and the service at 10:30, beginning with a procession of the youth and presentation of their flags. This week the scripture lesson is from Matthew 17:1-9. Rev. Stuart’s message is entitled “Coming Down the Mountain”. A very warm welcome goes out to Joan Freeborn as our guest music director. And we always appreciate the musical talents of the Blakney family. This week Mark will be providing the anthem “Sunset in Rio” and the Postlude. Thank you, Joan, and Mark! In the next 7 days we have a mix of our regular activities and a few we don’t have routinely. Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning there will be Tai Chi with Val. Just a reminder that the office is closed Monday February 20th to mark Family Day. Tuesday Craft Group meets at 10:00 AM. I hope all those folks go home and get rested up so that they’ll be back between 5-6:30 PM for our first ever Shrove Tuesday pancake and bean supper. The cost is $5.00 per person or a good will offering. Despite what Erik Gingles may have led you to believe when he announced the supper during the announcements on February 12th, a great time of fellowship will be had by all. Wednesday marks the first day of Lent. We would love for you to join us in person or online at 7PM for this special Ash Wednesday service. It will last about 30 minutes. The placement of ashes on the forehead makes this quiet, reflective service very meaningful. It will be followed by Choir practice. We still have the “I Wonder” box at the back of the sanctuary. Feel free to drop in those questions about things you are curious about in the box or email them to Emily in the office office@mountroyaluc.ca or to Rev Stuart at minister@mountroyaluc.ca The Lenten study group kicks off on February 28th at 1:30PM in the boardroom. There is the option to join via Teams. Please contact Rev. Stuart or the office if you wish to participate virtually. We are always collecting for the Peter McKee Food Bank but especially the 1st Sunday of the month. Donations of non-perishable food items can be left in the wooden box by the window at the Bess borough door. Kids Korner downstairs in the social hall next happens on February 26, then skips March break week and starts again March 12th. Upcoming celebrations include birthday wishes to Robert Gallant, Paige Guy, Valerie Berry, Grace Melanson and Will Mah. All the best to each of them and anyone else celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion. If you have a celebration or a prayer concern or other information you would like on a slide announcement or in the bulletin, please contact Emily in the office. February 22nd is pink shirt day. It’s a day to draw attention to bullying, especially in schools. It was started in 2007 in Berwick Nova Scotia by two grade 12 students who noticed a new student in their school was bullied for wearing pink. They bought 50 pink shirts and encouraged their classmates to wear pink. The next day the majority of the students arrived wearing pink. Whether you have an official Pink Shirt Day t-shirt, just sport something with that colour on the 22nd and stand up against bullying. Would you like to participate in a Pause and Practice each Saturday during Lent? See the Fundy St Lawrence Dawning Waters Regional site for details on how to participate in mindful practices. https://ucceast.ca/fundy-st-lawrence-dawning-waters-regional-council-14 The Annual Meeting is coming up on March 19th. Please plan to attend and hear about the ideas and activities planned for Mount Royal, get details on building upgrades that have been undertaken and talk about our financial situation. Of course, there will be elections of incoming members of Council. We also are looking at a date where we might have a fulsome discussion of the recommendations of the Visioning Committee. Because of holidays and Holy Week, it may mean back-to-back gatherings for the Annual Meeting and Visioning exercise. Both are extremely important for setting the direction of the Community of Faith in the years to come. The facilitator of those discussions, Rev. Kendall Harrison, has suggested that it is too much for a Community of Faith to engage in both an Annual Meeting and a Visioning exercise in the same day. I have to agree that people would be tired and either leave or not be as engaged as we would like for the visioning part. I hope you will be able and plan to attend both. We’ll let you know that date as soon as possible. Thanks for your ongoing interest and support of all things at the church. People are working very hard to offer engaging activities and to fundraise to keep the salaries and bills paid. Your monthly financial support and with special offerings as you are able is essential for budgeting and meeting operational needs. Please consider Pre Authorized Remittance and if you are currently on PAR and can give a bit more each month, please contact Emily in the office. Your suggestions and encouragement and financial stewardship is so very appreciated. As always, please don’t hesitate to pass along your comments and suggestions to me or the Newsletter Committee at: newsletters@mountroyaluc.ca Weather permitting, the City of Moncton is holding its first ever festival to celebrate winter. Weather dependent of course for many of the activities, check out Polar Fest on the City of Moncton website www.moncton.ca Stay safe and please partake of as many activities as you can this week. Susan Fowler Council Chair Mount Royal United Church councilchair@mountroyaluc.ca  |
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