Newsletter - Christ Church

Christ Church, The United Church of Canada
Living and sharing the teachings of
Jesus Christ
The
Happenings
2015
January 11, 2015
Inside this issue:
Stewardship 2014 Update
2015 Budget Report
Minister’s Message
Worship Update
Pastoral Care Report
Women of Christ Church
Christian Outreach
Children of Hope Haiti
Letter from Lesley Gittings
Visit to South Africa
A Christmas Celebration
Youth Parliament
Good Neighbours
Ode to a Blue Spruce
Council Update
Lenten Study
Calendar of Events
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3
4
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5
6
7
8
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10
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11
12
12
14
The 2015
Women’s
Retreat
The 2015 retreat committee is
now in full planning mode.
Once again, it will be held at
Crieff Hills Retreat Centre on
the weekend of Feb. 20 - 22.
This year’s theme is
“Learning to Love the Person
in the Mirror” with facilitator
Deanna Wilson.
Plan to attend for a relaxing,
fun weekend in the company
of other Christ Church women
and new friends as well.
Watch for further notices in
the church bulletin and in
email regarding registration.
Perhaps you could drop a
hint………..the retreat weekend would make a good birthday, anniversary or valentine
gift!
All you can eat Pancakes, Sausages, Blueberries & beverages.
Buffet style—continuous seating from 5:30 to 6:45
Tuesday, February 17
Volunteers needed. Please contact the church office at (905)
822-9834 or [email protected].
WHEN YOU DONATE A BRA OR CAMISOLE, YOU GIVE A FORMER
SLAVE A JOB
We accept both new and gently used bras and camisoles of all sizes and styles, including sports bras
and nursing bras. Your donation helps survivors of human trafficking make a living selling second hand clothing while they recover and build their new life.
The collection box will be under the table in the hall by
the office with a sign on the front "Free The Girls".
Free The Girls freethegirls.org is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that
works to provide jobs to survivors of sex trafficking in developing countries
by helping them set up micro enterprises selling new and used bras & camisoles. Through the collection of new and used bras and camisoles
in Western countries, they strive to educate people and organizations about
the scourge of human trafficking worldwide.
Free the Girls works alongside aftercare providers around the world which
rescue women from sex trafficking and provide rehabilitation services. Most
of the women were sold into prostitution as children, some as young as 8 10 years old. Because their lives were stolen from them, they missed out on
going to school and getting an education. Selling Bras & camisoles allows
them to work as much or little as their school schedule permits.
The Happenings
Page 2
Fall Stewardship Program Update
By Mary Dowding-Pare
The theme of this year’s stewardship program
was Giving With Joy and Generosity and Christ
Church members have responded with typical
generosity.
Church members received regular communications about stewardship, through emails, letters,
stewardship sermons and testimonials from
Christ Church members about why they give.
Everyone was encouraged to attend Celebration Sunday on November 16 and make their
personal financial commitment for 2015. We
had excellent attendance for both services.
Special guest speaker, Reverend Ryk Brown,
our Presbytery Mission Development Officer,
delivered the final stewardship sermon. On that
day alone, we received 90 pledges of financial
support totalling $223,478. Of those received,
63% had increased their givings from the previous year. This was very encouraging and was
indeed cause to celebrate.
The program ended with a Celebration brunch
after the 9:02 service and a lunch after the
10:30 service so that we could celebrate our
commitment to Christ Church together. About
140 Christ Church members attended both
events and enjoyed each other’s company.
John Fargey led a team of telephone volunteers
to call the remaining households who had not
made a financial commitment during the course
of the stewardship program. While we didn’t
hear back from everyone, as of the end of December we had received 158 pledges for a total
of $314,334. Using this information and looking
at past contributions, we are estimating the total
givings for 2015 to be $363,000. This has been
factored into next year’s Budget.
This year’s Stewardship Program wouldn’t have
been possible without the hard work of many
people. I would like to thank members of the
planning team: John Fargey, Joanne Reidt,
Mark Woods, Clarke Grice and Jim Cairney.
Special thanks to Anne Moore for all her support with the mailings to members.
And a thank you to the team of telephone volunteers: Rick Donaldson, Mary Dowding-Paré,
Paul Fagan, Don Fallis, John Fargey, Sandra
Gittings-Keane, Doug Mills, Ron Rumble, John
Smith, Wendy Stuart, Dave Watters and Mark
Woods.
2015 Budget Report
By Clarke Grice, Vice Treasurer
In late fall, considerable attention is devoted by this
writer, Dana Bryant-Giguere, Christ Church treasurer, and others, to the preparation of a financial budget for 2015. This is an annual exercise. The result of
this effort is a budget, reviewed by the finance committee and recommended to Council on December 17
for presentation to the congregation at the semiannual meeting in January.
The budget was thoroughly discussed by Council.
Total expenses of just under $514,000 represent
$1,400 for each calendar day of the year. For nonaccounting types an easy way to break down the
budget expenses is: people 60%, property (not including depreciation) 20% and programs (including
M & S and Presbytery assessment) 20%.
On the revenue side, support from the recently completed stewardship program should cover over 70%
of the budget for 2015. Support for the Compass,
loose collection, fund raising, property rental and
investment income will be added to that. The budget
forecasts a deficit of $24,000.
However, there is great news for the year past, 2014.
While we had projected a loss of almost $30,000, the
actual results reflect a surplus in excess of $23,000.
Revenues were $29,000 greater than expected, while
expenses were underestimated by $24,000.
The Happenings
Page 3
A Message from the Minister
Dear Friends,
Things! We have lots of them, don’t we? Some of us are very attached to our things because of their beauty, or their
worth, or because we have an emotional attachment. Some things tell a story. It may be something that was made for us,
or given to us, or something we found. Some things are reminders of trips, places, experiences, and people in our lives.
I am known to remark that, if there is ever a fire at our little cabin near Parry Sound, the only thing that is irreplaceable
for me is my grandfather’s cutting board. At home, I am partial to some hand-made gifts from our sons, and two very
different vases that remind me of my grandparents on the other side of the family.
The days after Christmas see some of us culling our things, to make way for Christmas gifts. Some of us will set things
aside, and let go of them through Spring Thing. Some things are simply ongoing reminders of moments of grace and
good will and good blessings in our lives.
Benjamin Weir, a Presbyterian missionary, wrote of his 495 days as a hostage of radical Shiite fundamentalists in Hostage Bound, Hostage Free, (Ben and Carol Weir with Dennis Benson, Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1987). During
his first fourteen months of captivity (there were six other Americans who were released later, including journalist Terry
Anderson), which began May 8, 1984, he was isolated in a bare room, where louvered shutters prevented him from seeing the world outside. Only a little indirect sunlight was able to enter at certain periods of the day.
Weir recalls, “I used the simple materials of my barren room as images to reinforce my confidence that I was in the care
of God. There was a light cord hanging from the ceiling from which the bulb had been removed. It occurred to me that it
was something like Michelangelo’s hand of God reaching down to Adam, reaching down to me in communication and
support. On an empty bookshelf along one wall there was a stuffed bird; to me the bird was a dove of peace and of hope.
The radiator to which I was chained became a symbol of the church and the saints, the wider fellowship of which I was a
part. My chain was my Protestant rosary, whose links I could use at day’s end or anytime to count off and remember the
things each day for which I was thankful.”
Benjamin Weir is a witness to the gospel in the midst of suffering and tribulation. Before the kidnapping, Weir had spent
nearly three decades in Lebanon as a missionary and a teacher at the Near East School of Theology. In his various positions in the Presbyterian Church since his release, Weir has been a voice of reconciliation and tolerance. Thank God that
we do not have to endure such testing of our faith! I do, however, wish for all of us a few “things” that are cues or reminders of moments of the ongoing and unfolding grace of God in our lives.
Sincerely,
Confirmation Class—
Evan Hoffman &
Chelsea Rodman with
Mark Chown & Jim
Cairney
The Nightshift Before Christmas:
Children’s Musical
The Happenings
Page 4
Worship Update
Pastoral Care at Christ Church
By Karin Stangenberg
By Deanna Wilson
Now that the busy Advent and Christmas seasons are
behind us, life will get back to normal (whatever your
‘normal’ is!). Some highlights of the fall Worship:
I am pleased to write this report at the “Four Month Anniversary” of my quarter-time (10 hours) appointment to
Christ Church. During these months, I have been privileged to witness the wonderful and enormous variety of
ways that the members and staff of Christ Church live out
your Vision Statement (2002) “to be a welcoming and
caring Church community “. In other words, I am one of
many of you ‘ministers’ here sharing in the common calling to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others in
word and deed.
A meaningful All-Saints service on Nov. 2 was enhanced by a beautiful duet sung by Ruth Collins and
Ann McRae. Names of those who died during 2014
were read and candles lit and placed in the sand.
On Remembrance Sunday, we enjoyed the amazing
voice of tenor soloist, Asitha Tennekoon, and the
music of the Chime Choir. The wreath was laid by
Billie Wilson and Stu Johnson. Billie recited “In
Flanders Fields” by heart!
Rev. Ryk Brown’s sermon on Nov. 16 had, as its
theme, giving and why we give. This led up to the
Stewardship Celebration brunch after the 9:02 service
and luncheon after the 10:30 service.
During the four Sundays of Advent, the candles of
Peace, Hope, Joy and Love were lit. On the third
Sunday of Advent, we lit the Candle of Joy and were
treated to a violin duet by Alison Forde and Leslie
Taylor. The following Sunday we lit the Candle of
Love and celebrated the baptism of Spencer Vaclav
Shrosbree. Special music was provided by the Bell
Choir, Brass Quartet and tympani. We welcomed, by
Profession of Faith, Evan Hoffman (9:02), Chelsea
Rodman and Shawn Bausch and, by Transfer of
Membership, Scott Campbell (9:02), Claudette Rowley-James and Luise Shimano.
Our four Christmas Eve services, enhanced by special music, were well attended. Many thanks to the
Marilyn Young and the Chancel Guild for decorating
the Sanctuary so beautifully, as well as those who
helped with refreshments and carried out the many
tasks which made the services memorable.
On Dec. 28, we enjoyed a carol sing before worship
and welcomed by transfer of membership from Kekeli Evangelical Presbytarian Church in Tema, Ghana,
of Alex Atsu-Darko and Mabel Asempah-Darko.
My pastoral care priorities are set by Rev. Jim Cairney
and the Mutual Support Committee. We are dedicated to
caring for the whole congregation, ensuring that everyone
has an avenue for ongoing contact with Christ Church,
which is particularly important when there is a crisis or
specific need or turning point.
My key responsibility is to make personal visits to homes,
Residences, nursing homes and hospitals to spend time
with those who are unable to attend worship on a weekly
basis. I am to be present, a listener, available to those
who are isolated or struggling and suffering with illness or
the impact of major life changes.
Conversations usually begin with my reminder of God’s
love for them, and that they are missed at Christ Church.
In getting to know one another, hearing their life story, I
am open to any particular issues that preoccupy them or
indicate that their faith might be wavering. I want to be
able to offer support and a word of hope from God’s
Word. We always finish with a prayer.
By the end of the first three months I had made about 45
visits.
I am grateful to be meeting wonderful folk whose lives are
a testimony to their faith in God and their love of Christ
Church.
The next Happenings
deadline is
Sunday, March 8
Page 5
The Happenings
Women of Christ Church
By Marg Shaver
Happy New Year!
What a busy fall season it was, leading up to
Christmas! As always, our ladies are very involved
in the life of the church. Many of our fall activities
were focused around the Christmas Fair which was
held on November 15. The Fair displays the many
talents and skills of our church members and was
a great success.
We always look forward to the UCW Joint Advent
Gathering. This past December, Sheridan United
were our hosts for an evening of worship and fellowship. The gathering has taken place annually
for over twenty years and includes the women from
Christ Church, First United, St. Stephens-on-theHill and Sheridan United. It provides an opportunity
to mingle, chat, catch-up with the women of our
neighbouring churches. This year, Christ Church
Women will host the gathering on December 2.
Christmas get-togethers were held by all three
UCW units in December and were enjoyed by all
who attended as there is always a great “buzz” of
conversation and laughter everywhere.
The ‘Chase the Chill’ - Clarkson project has been
embraced with great enthusiasm by our knitters
and crocheters. To date, about 75 scarves have
been made. A date for distribution will be announced shortly. Volunteers are still required for
distribution of the scarves and retrieval of those not
picked-up. If you able to assist, please add your
name to the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board
outside of the church office or contact Audrey
Lightheart directly at 905-822-5098.
Unit News
Our three UCW units meet on a monthly basis. All
women are welcome to any of the meetings or activities.
The NOWW Unit meets on the 2nd Wednesday of
each month:


Wednesday, January 14
workshop with Joan Cobbold
Wednesday, February 11
Book Night
The Seekers meet on the 2nd Thursday of each
month:

Thursday, January 8
Guest Johanne St Louis from Doda International Inc.
The Fellowship group meet on 2nd & 4th Wednesday
of each month – check your bulletin or the church
website for meeting updates.
CGIT- 100th Anniversary
The 100th anniversary of CGIT
will be celebrated in the fall of
2015. As many women in our
congregation were involved in
some aspect of CGIT, it has
been suggested we have a reunion and celebration
at Christ Church too. If you have any suggestions
for a reunion or would be willing to be on a planning/organizing group, please contact Marilyn Watters with your ideas.
Below: 22 ladies of the
NOWW Unit enjoyed
Christmas Dinner at Eileen
Young’s house.
Upcoming Events
Women’s Winter Lunch – Come and take a midwinter break and have lunch with the ladies on
Sunday February 1 after the 10:30 a.m. worship
service. Tickets for the lunch are $10 and will be
sold during coffee hour and at UCW unit meetings
or contact Marg Shaver or Nancy Hori to reserve a
spot.
Calligraphy
Above: The Seekers
gathered in the Merigold
Room for their Christmas
Luncheon.
The Happenings
Page 6
Christian Outreach Update
Christ Church Serves: In our community and In the world
Working on the C.O. Team has enabled us to have a
closer look at the people we support in our community and in places like Haiti, Zimbabwe and South Africa. We are part of a worldwide community contributing in small but meaningful ways to the welfare of
those less fortunate. We act on behalf of the congregation, with limited funding, and appreciate the interest and support you give us. Some current and ongoing initiatives are:
The Open Door - 250 people shared a wonderful
Christmas Dinner and gifts with a visit from Santa.
The children enacted the Nativity Pageant to the tears
and cheers of all. It's been a struggle for T.O.D. to
operate as their location is difficult to access, (by the
Seniors' Centre at Square One) but hundreds of people continue to find their way there for food, clothing
and crisis counselling. Their lives are desperate yet
they find the love and comfort they need through that
open door. Lynne Culham, the staff and volunteers
are grateful for the support from Christ Church.
Our Place Peel - It is the only facility addressing the
needs of youth in Mississauga after they leave the
care of The Children's Aid. We offer a little financial
support and some members of the congregation remember the youth at Christmas with warm socks,
toques and gloves. From Christy Upshall, Executive
Director since 2003: "Without successful intervention, homeless youth will likely become chronically
homeless adults. These youth need more than stable
housing. They need support in completing their education, finding jobs and developing healthy and supportive relationships. As the only youth crisis shelter
in the Region, Our Place Peel will continue to play a
unique and vital role in providing not only a refuge
for homeless youth, but also in offering the support
they need to rebuild their lives. Adult shelters are no
place for youth. It's not a safe place for them. Youth
are so impressionable and they need to be in a more
supportive environment than with chronically homeless people with many more issues."
The Mitten Tree - Mittens were in shorter supply
this year as our champion knitter, who in the past has
provided hundreds of colourful mitts for school children, was unable to participate. Warm toques and
mitts will be delivered in early January to The Open
Door, The Compass, and three 'critical' schools in
South Mississauga.
The Thistle Epistle - Many of you will remember
past visits of Dr. Paul Thistle and his family, reporting on his work at the Salvation Army's Howard
Hospital in Zimbabwe. Due to internal administration conflicts, Paul left Howard, but continues his
commitment to the health and welfare of hundreds
living under a brutal dictatorship. He has been a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology for over 20 years
and now operates at Karanda Mission Hospital, established in 1961, under the auspices of TEAM. After a summer spent fund raising in August with his
wife Pedrineh, they returned to Zimbabwe and she
gave birth to their third son, Andrew, a brother to
James and Alexander, 13 and 11 years. Pedrineh has
completed Midwifery certification and is teaching
others. Paul delivered his second set of co-joined
twins this fall at Karanda Mission Hospital. The hospital continually faces staff, medical, power, water
and food shortages. Health care remains an elusive
dream. Their resources stretch into the countryside
with immunization, HIV and nutrition support teams
bicycling weekly to villages and supervising schooling for orphaned and underprivileged children. “It is
a broken world with broken people ... and we all
need healing. The sooner we recognize our brokenness the sooner the healing can begin.” - The Thistles www.thistlesinzimbabwe.org
Page 7
Bringing our Caring to the Children of Haiti
By Dana Bryant-Giguere
We were a team of eight (three from Erin Mills United, two from Joshua Creek Church, and two from
Sault Ste. Marie). Karen Goodyear, the founder of
COHH, was the leader of the trip. COHH is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the education of children in Haiti.
We spent the week of November 12—19 at the
“Mission House Orphanage”, which is located in
Saintard, 40 km north of Port au Prince. Sixty children, from ages 18 months to 21 years, live and are
cared for at the centre. We stayed in the `visitor’s
dorm` (the children sleep in separate buildings). The
centre is run by Phyllis Newby, a full time volunteer
who lives there year-round. COHH is just one of a
variety of church-related groups which financially
support the Mission House Orphanage and which
visit from time to time.
The primary purpose of our trip was to host a
"Gathering Children's Conference”. COHH had invited 39 of their “education-sponsored” children who
live in various regions of Haiti, to join the kids at the
orphanage for a three-and-a-half day gathering.
Each of these “invited” students brought their academic progress/report cards for Karen to review,
and she had to interview each one, as this is key for
their ongoing funding program. While this was happening, the rest of the team was running Bible studies, doing crafts and organizing games. I gave cooking lessons to some of the younger ones, while the
high school kids had computer training (laptops had
been donated by TD).
On Sunday, we went by school bus to the nearby
village of Guiton to participate in their morning
church service. On the third day, we took all 99 kids
to the beach (for some this was their first time swimming in the ocean). We had vespers every evening
under the stars and on the last day we had a birthday party for everyone!
My main job (together with two other team members) was to ensure all 99 kids and the team, were
well fed! We were up early each morning (thanks to
the roosters’ crowing) to boil water for coffee, milk,
etc. and prepare the meals for the day. We had
planned all our meals prior to the trip, since we had
to take most of our food supplies with us. The kids
The Happenings
loved everything we made for them – especially if it
came with a dollop of ketchup – a real treat.
Earlier in the week (before the Gathering Conference) our team of 8 visited ASCHA, a special
needs school for handicapped children in Port Au
Prince. We provided the 24 children who attend this
school with a lunch, then spent the rest of the day
entertaining them with games and songs. This
school is located in the area hardest hit by the 2010
earthquake; the signs of the devastation were still
very visible as we traveled to the school, but we
were pleased to also see lots of construction and
building going on, especially in the capital Port au
Prince.
In addition to taking all our food for the week, our
group took items that have been either donated or
purchased with donated funds. For example: 39
backpacks (each of the kids who came to the
“Gathering" received a backpack filled with rice,
beans, clothing, a solar lantern and a first aid kit/
health supplies), new Crocs, handmade dresses,
soccer balls, bags of dehydrated soup and fruit,
birthing kits and prescription medication.
Donated funds were also used to buy goats for
the COHH Goat project, pay for the orphanage rent
and school tuition fees, education funds for the
sponsored children and tuition for two sponsored
university students.
I am so very thankful that I had the opportunity to
participate in this trip. It was a heartening, humbling
and memorable experience. Thank you for all for
your support, prayers, and especially for the generous donations from Christ Church and its members.
Page 8
A Letter from Lesley Gittings
Dear Christ Church,
As many of you know, I'm currently living in
Cape Town, South Africa. During the past
three years, the congregation has made
many generous donations to different initiatives in Malawi and South Africa. Thanks to
your generous support, a number of people,
and initiatives have been supported over the
past year:
1) A classmate and friend, Thandeka was
travelling by bus home one evening when a
brick was thrown through the bus window. It
hit her in the face, exploding her eye and
fracturing her cheek bone. Christ Church donations contributed to purchasing a plastic
eye for her ($50).
2) One of the most notable mining strikes in
South African history occurred this past year.
Platinum miners were striking for a living
wage of just over the equivalent of $1,000
per month. The strike had a devastating effect on mining communities, including miners' families. A Christ Church donation supported a fund to buy food for miners’ families
in these communities.
3) Brothers for All, an initiative that works in
prisons and impoverished communities
opened their first centre where they train exprisoners how to computer code and make
beaded jewelry to finance their operations.
The Centre opening included the creation of a
'Wishing Tree' where organizational beneficiaries could share their hopes for the Centre. Christ Church sponsored the creation of
the wishing tree. To see how it came together, visit click http://www.brothersforall.org/
our-wishing-tree/. In November, the Cobbolds and the Cowies came to South Africa
and visited this centre. I was thrilled to be
able to show them how the Christ Church donation had been used.
4) Cape Town has recently seen a spate of
violent misogynist attacks on black women
The Happenings
by white men. On a court date when two
such cases were being heard, South African
Young Feminist Activists held a demonstration outside of the court house to show solidarity with the brutalized women. Christ
church sponsored this protest, providing
funds for signage, transportation and water
for the protesters. News story at - http://
www.thedailyvox.co.za/kers-are-human-too
-who-are-you-to-beat-them-up/
South African Young Feminist Activists demonstrating at the
court house.
A Wonderful Highlight of our Trip to
South Africa by Joan Cobbold
December 1 marked the nearing of the end of an
amazing trip to South Africa for Janis and Bill Cowie
and Joan and Steve Cobbold. We had enjoyed touring north east of Johannesburg including three days
of Safari at Kapama Game Reserve. During our second week, we used Cape Town as our home base
and did many wonderful day-trips.
An absolute highlight was the day that we were able
to meet up with Lesley Gittings (who is working on
her Masters at the University of Cape Town). Lesley
has been working with an inspirational young man
by the name of Sihle Tshabalala. Sihle gave us a
tour of the BROTHERS FOR ALL
www.brothersforall.org facility in Langa township in
Cape Town. It is a support organization for prisoner
rehabilitation, HIV education, positive male role
models, skill development and male youth unemployment.
Continued on next page
Page 9
The Happenings
The office of Brothers for All in Langa has been
beautified by a unique piece of art, a Wishing Tree.
This Wishing Tree was sponsored by CHRIST
CHURCH. A team and members of the community,
under the creative guidance of collage artist Zoe
Mafham, spent a weekend, last fall, collaborating
and creating a permanent symbol of hope, love and
joy.
The trunk was collaged with tiny scraps of old books,
and each leaf is a personal collage, intertwined with
individual wishes for self and community. It stands
tall and colourful in their office, reminding the participants as they work beneath its boughs that, through
the care and nurturing of their programmes, they are
creating protection for generations to come.
We were able to take two used laptops to them from
church members, for use in their programs. Sihle
and Lesley couldn’t say enough about the support
that they felt from our Christ Church community. We
continue to wish BROTHERS FOR ALL much success.
A Christmas Celebration
at Christ Church
By Dirk van der Male
The final rehearsal for “A Christmas Celebration” on
the afternoon of December 14, bought together the
Chancel Choir, the Toronto Cantata Chorus, string
quartet, band and hand bells for the first time! Although the choirs had been practising separately for
several weeks, this last practice did not move every
song into my comfort zone. Some words still came so
fast that it sounded blurry in my ears. Thankfully, the
pianist, orchestra and the rest of the choir kept pulling me along with their rhythm. Page turning proved
another taxing skill, as pages stuck together due, I
suspect, to the enormous amount of static electricity
created by the choir, organ and orchestra.
After the 2½ hour practice, could there be any surprises left for any of the choir members? There definitely was; just after the audience acknowledged the
incoming orchestra and the two directors, suddenly
the lights went out and all I could see was the director, from my back podium position. For a moment,
one could have heard a pin drop. At the signal of the
director, the musicians started the Prelude which set
the tone for the first half of the program.
Janis and Bill Cowie (left) and Joan and Steve Cobbold
(right) with Sihle Tshabalala in front of the Wishing Tree
which was sponsored by Christ Church.
As the choir and congregation began singing “O
Come All Ye Faithful”, accompanied by organ,
strings and the bell choir, there was no longer doubt
about why anyone was here. The first of the nine lessons demanded everyone’s attention. The readings
from Genesis, Isaiah, Luke, Matthew and John tied in
the story of the child’s birth from the beginning to the
present and end of times. The brief Historical Background of ‘Lessons and Carols’ is accredited to the
Anglican Bishop of Truro (England). The lessons
were first given on that Christmas Eve service in
1880. “A Festival of Lessons and Carols” performed
today was arranged by the composer Hal H. Hopson.
Continued on page 12
The Happenings
Page 10
Delegates
Do you know any youth, 14-21 years old? OYP
is a great way to learn about our parliamentary
system, gain confidence, grow in faith, and
make great friends. Check out oyp.on.ca for
more information or to register.
Ontario Youth Parliament is coming to
Christ Church!
Ontario Youth Parliament, or OYP, is an organization that brings together 120 youth, age 14-21
from across the province to debate current issues, explore their faith, and make lifelong
friendships. The session runs for four days on
the Family Day weekend, February 13-16,
2015.
Christ Church has generously offered to host us
for our session in February and we are very excited to be coming to Mississauga. You may
have met some of our cabinet ministers when
we were at Christ Church for our planning meeting in November.
How can you help?
Billeting
We need members of the congregation to provide beds for at least two delegates three
nights: Feb.13, 14, and 15, 2015.
To sign up to billet, please fill in the form at
http://goo.gl/forms/Pvx1DeLcHw
or contact us for more information at [email protected]
Meals, snacks, and other donations
We’re looking for groups to help us prepare
meals for the February session. If you have a
group that might be interested in feeding our
group, we’d like to talk to you.
We are always in need of plenty of (peanutfree) snacks to keep the delegates fed and happy. If you like to bake, we like to eat. Contact
Sandra Keane if you can donate some baking.
Of course, we’re happy to take cash donations
to offset our costs, too. We are a registered
charity and can provide tax receipts.
Contact the local arrangements team at
[email protected] for more information.
Good Neighbours
by John Hammill
GOOD NEIGHBOURS is a social and fellowship
group consisting of mostly retired women and men
who are members or friends of Christ Church. Good
Neighbours meet most months, often in the afternoon but sometimes in the evening for a variety of
fellowship activities – games night, special speakers, etc. Two special annual events include a trip to
the Shaw Festival at Niagara-on-the-Lake usually in
April and an organized all-day bus tour in the early
fall. We welcome new members. For more information please call Charlie & Kathie Black, Elisabeth Evans & John Hammill, Karin Stangenberg or
the church office.
Upcoming events:
January 18, 2015 – Our annual meeting will be held
following the church service in the church auditorium. Come and enjoy a catered hot meal followed by
a planning session for the coming year. Come with
lots of ideas for future meetings and be prepared if
possible to sign up to plan and prepare one or more
monthly meetings. Luncheon tickets at $20 each are
available from Charlie & Kathie Black, Elisabeth
Evans & John Hammill, Karin Stangenberg and the
church office.
February 17, 2015 – Join us and the congregation
for the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and a special program in the Merigold Room following dinner.
April/May 2015 – Our annual visit to the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake where we will see the
musical performance of “Sweet Charity” in the Festival Theatre. As in the past, we will stop at Perkins
Restaurant in St. Catharines for lunch on our way to
the theatre. Car pools will be arranged. Watch for
information on date and cost.
Page 10
The Happenings
Ode to a Blue Spruce
By Laura Lucas with contributions from John Hammill, Penny Ecclestone, Rod Bolton, Peggy Forde, Steve Shaver and Nancy and Ken Hori
Funny how we don’t always take time to recognize natural beauty
in front of us until it’s gone.
You may have noticed that Christ Church lost a tall, beautiful Blue
Spruce tree at the front of the building during a high wind storm in
late November. Several other trees suffered damaged in the
neighbourhood and at Whiteoaks Public School.
This photo by Ken Hori saddened me and so I decided to ask
some questions about this lovely tree. Here’s what I found out…
Our spruce was 26 - 27 years old and was one of two evergreen
trees donated by Bob & Penny Ecclestone back in 1987-88. A
1986 architectural document found by Rod Bolton in the church
library indicates the pair of trees was part of a larger landscaping
proposal. Bob was on the property committee at the time and Penny says he was always partial to Blue
Spruce which is possibly why it was chosen. John Hammill recalls helping to arrange, through Sears
McConnell, for the donation of other perennials and shrubs and with Alltreat Farms who donated many
bags of bark mulch for the new plantings.
For those of you who may still have your 1994 Church Directory books, take a look at the cover photo; It
shows a picture of the front, west side of the church and the progress of the garden… although the evergreens were still quite small at the time. Unfortunately, this photo does not show the area where the
spruce tree has been uprooted, but the 2008 directory photo shows further progress of the garden including the Blue Spruce on the corner.
While our spruce is no more, kudos to the Property Team who worked quickly to remove the tree. The
team is discussing options for upgrading the church gardens and grounds in general.
Thanks also to Peggy Forde and Nancy Hori for rescuing many of the tree branches and using them to
create some wonderful holiday seasonal décor. Out
of sadness comes joy - how timely at Advent!
Children’s
Music program
Fundraiser
FRIDAY, JANUARY 23 AT 7:30 P.M.
AT THE HERSHEY CENTRE
Mississauga Steelheads vs.
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Tickets only $10
Available by contacting the church office
at 905-822-9834 or [email protected]
The Happenings
Council Update:
Council continues to meet monthly, focussing on promoting the fellowship of our church. Service, as the practical implementation of our values
in the wider world, is another major focus. Several people at Christ
Church are deeply involved in organizations which make a difference in
the daily lives of those living not far from our homes. We continue to
learn and hear of instances in our own community where help is needed.
In Mississauga, over 59,000 people use a Food Bank each month.
As part of our role as members of the community and as Christians, we
will continue to promote our involvement in Service. You will hear of great
work done by those on their own time and own expense, such as Dana
Bryant-Giguere's trip bringing aid to the children of Haiti. Good work is
being done by members of our congregation at the Compass and in other Outreach programs.
You will also hear more about the new approach to church engagement
called "Fresh Expressions". A growing number in our congregation have
been meeting on this new approach, presented by Presbytery at our own
church last Fall. In keeping with our values, this approach seeks to engage those in our community "on their own terms", listening to their
needs and developing a response. Participation continues to be open to
all. We encourage you to find ways to serve. ~ Shawn Bausch
A Christmas Celebration—continued from page 9
The traditional Puerto Rican carol “From a distant home” also arranged by Hopson, stood out as a wonderful addition to the other more familiar melodies. The
last song ‘Joy to the World’ once again engaged everyone present in the sanctuary. No wonder these lessons are performed the world over.
The secular part of the program brought its own delight. Many of the songs are
so familiar, but the slight differences in arrangements kept the singers and audience on their toes. The conductors arranged for the soloists to guide the choir
through the most difficult parts. The skill set of the conductors, Jason Locke and
Jane Christmas Wamsley, deserves nothing but admiration. All their guiding,
patience and the Monday night practises were worth it. The efforts of the participants had been transformed into a joyful experience. I’ll be back for more next
year. Will You?
Page 12
Lenten Study 2015
LONGING FOR
HOME
Daily reflections for
lent
Join the many biblical
characters who, like the
psalmist, wrestle with a
longing for home. This
publication brings together diverse United
Church voices—Teresa
Burnett-Cole, Anne
Burnham, Jim Cairney,
Julie Graham, Stan
McKay, Carolyn Pogue,
Donna Sinclair and editor, Alydia Smith. Their
perspectives range from
poverty, ecology and migration to the occupied
Palestinian territories and
right relations between
Aboriginal and nonAboriginal peoples.
Sign up for Tuesday OR
Thursday:
Tuesdays: Feb. 24, Mar.
3, 10, 17, 24, 31 & Apr.
7
Thursdays: Feb 26, Mar
5, 12, 19, 26 & Apr. 2, 9
Cost of book: $13 paid to
the church office.
Register at:
[email protected] or call (905)
822-9834.
Page 13
The Happenings
Page 14
The Happenings
Events Calendar
(Clip and Save)
Please check the Christ Church website www.christchurch-ucc.com for updates to the Calendar of
Events, photos of past events and general information about the church.
Jan. 4
Epiphany
Jan. 18
Dedication of Chase the Chill scarves
Jan. 25
AGM Financial
Feb. 15
Family Day
Feb. 17
Pancake Supper
Feb. 18
Ash Wednesday
Feb. 22
Women’s Retreat
Lent I
Scout Sunday
Mar. 8
Happenings Deadline
From the Church Register:
Funerals:
Russell Dunlop Barber
Dennis Alexander Kelman
Neil Robert Jessop
November 10, 2014
December 5, 2014
December 16, 2014
Baptisms:
Spenser Vaclav Shrosbee
December 14, 2014
Christ Church,
The United Church of Canada
1700 Mazo Crescent,
Mississauga, ON L5J 1Y8
The Happenings is a limited circulation newsletter distributed to the members and adherents of Christ Church, The United
Church of Canada, Mississauga, Ontario. It is published five times per year: September, November/December, January/February,
March and May. Contributions for publication should reach the Editor as per published deadline date. Deadlines will be published in the weekly bulletin and via broadcast e-mail. Enquiries relating to advertising should be addressed to the Office Administrator. All enquiries and copy for publication should be delivered to the church office at:
1700 Mazo Cres., Mississauga, ON L5J 1Y8.
Phone: (905) 822-9834,
Fax: (905) 822-9871,
E-mail: [email protected]
or to the Editor: Peggy Forde, at (905) 823-8419 or e-mail [email protected]. Articles submitted via e-mail should be in
Word format; photos should be submitted in a separate JPEG file.