St. Matthew’s United Church eBulletin May 26, 2019

 News

  • What's coming up
  • Welcome of new members June 16
  • New treasurer
  • Thanks to …
  • Bluenose Marathon June 9
  • Report from United Church annual meeting in Sackville, NB
  • In the Community
  • St. Matthew's activities

 

What's coming up at St. Matthew's

Thu. May 30       Bible study in the sanctuary, 12 noon

Sun. June 2        Communion service, followed by potluck congregational meeting

Sun. June 9        Bluenose Marathon Sunday, no Sunday School

Sun. June 16      Welcome of new members

Tue. June 18       Book Club, 2 pm

 

Welcome of new members Sun. June 16

If you have been attending St. Matthew's and you would like to transfer your membership from a past congregation, please email Betsy (stmatts.betsy@ns.sympatico.ca) and include the name and location of your former congregation (it does not have to be a United Church congregation). We will welcome new members by transfer during the June 16 service.

If you have been attending St. Matthew's as part of a new exploration of faith – either with no past congregation, or none since baptism in infancy – and you would like to talk about being baptized or reaffirming your baptism as an adult, please email Betsy to begin this conversation.

The United Church of Canada recognizes very little difference between "members" and "adherents" (those who are not official members on paper). The St. Matthew's congregation includes many adherents who are active in the life and work of our church. However, only official members can be elders or vote for a new minister. In all other ways, adherents and members are the same.

 

New treasurer

St. Matthew's has a new treasurer, Allen Mills. An IT professional who also studied business, Allen relocated to the downtown area last year. He replaces Marg Arklie, who after at least 10 years' dedicated service was unable to continue in this role because of health concerns. Welcome, Allen, and thank you SO much for stepping forward to volunteer for this important task.

 

Thanks to …

  • The Music and Worship Committee, who coordinated Sunday's service in the absence of Rev. Betsy Hogan. Betsy was attending the annual meeting of Regions 14 and 15 (formerly Maritime Conference) in Sackville, NB. Special thanks to Terry Hurrell, presider; Jocelyn Covert, children's time; Janet Hulford, reader; and Sara Bartel, who preached. Sara is from Saskatchewan and was raised in the Mennonite church. She has been attending St. Matthew's for the past two years during her PhD studies in clinical psychology at Dalhousie.
  • The Fellowship time volunteers whose efforts make it possible for us to enjoy refreshments and conversation after every worship service. On Sunday, those volunteers were recognized at a special Fellowship time, coordinated by Linda Campbell and Jean Hattie. Thanks to Sue Kent for the wonderful cake. And thanks to ALL volunteers who make this important part of Sunday morning possible.

 

Bluenose Marathon June 9 this year

Waiting for the usual warning about needing extra time to get to the church during Bluenose Marathon weekend?  In past years the Marathon has coincided with the Victoria Day long weekend, but not this year! The Marathon is scheduled for Sunday June 9 – and there will be church, but no Sunday school that day. Please allow sufficient time to deal with the inevitable traffic disruptions.

 

Report from United Church annual meeting in Sackville, NB

The first annual meeting after the United Church's restructuring was held last weekend at Mount Allison University -- and it looked very much like an annual meeting of the Maritime Conference of Days of Yore.

Roughly 400 clergy and lay delegates and 160 youth from congregations in Region 14 (NB, PEI, Gaspe) and Region 15 (NS, Bermuda) gathered for worship, learning, fellowship, and –

of course – business. Our current lay delegate is Marg Arklie, who must step down, so we invite all interested parties to consider being a lay delegate. Lorne Pearce of our congregation also attended as one of the Youth Forum leaders.

This year's theme was Faith Forward. Theme presentations were made by Michael Dowd (faith and climate change), Emma Seamone (UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights), and Shannon MacLean (courageous decision-making). Much of the meeting involved learning about our new structure and how the church's work will continue through it.

For congregations, the primary change is that we no longer have presbyteries. Ours was Halifax Presbytery – all the United Churches in Halifax County. Now we are part of Region 15 –

all the United Churches in Nova Scotia and the Methodist Churches in Bermuda. Our Regional Minister is Dave Hewitt, and he's the one to call/email if we have questions about all things official – procedures, forms, property, finance, grants – or just to say HELP! The United Church of Canada structure is still a little vague on the ground, but Dave knows his stuff and is ready to help. Lots of things are actually virtually the same, and just have different names. It's a delight.

One thing we need to do is register as a "Community of Faith" (new name for Pastoral Charge) on Church HUB – national database of United Churches and clergy. This involves writing what used to be called a Pastoral Charge Profile or Joint Needs Assessment, and is now called our Faith Story. Basically it's just a description of who we are and what's around us and what we do and what we hope to do. It's what we used to have to produce every time we wanted to call a new minister, only now we're meant to have one prepared, posted, and reviewed annually. We'll get this sorted over the summer.

The meeting also did a minor amount of business, and we voted to meet all together again next year. Good thing too, because Region 15 proved very inefficient at business while Region 14 was swift and firm! Clearly we need them. Also it allows the wondrous magic of Youth Forum and Intermediates at Conference to continue as they are, which was key to the decision.

We elected Janet Sollows as president for next year, and Jane Macdonald as president-designate. The meeting concluded with the ordination of six new ministers, including Kim Curlett and Angela MacLean from Halifax/Dartmouth.

 

St. Matthew’s Activities

Sunday Free Breakfast  – Sundays 8:30 am

Thursday Noon Bible Study – Come to the Sanctuary doors at noon

Choir Practices – Sanctuary choir Thursday at 7:30 pm; Handbells ON VACATION

Lunch Bunch community choir – Fridays at noon

St. Matthew’s Book Club  – Third Tuesday each month

Caritas Service – Second Sunday at 2:30 pm for Victoria Hall Residence for Senior Women, now at the Caritas Building, Mount St. Vincent

Melville Heights Service – Second Sunday at 2 pm at Melville Heights retirement lodge

Potluck Church  -- Fall

 

Ushering – Click this link to open the sign-up page

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=17186169

 

Breakfast Teams – Interested in helping with Sunday breakfast? Contact Carol Smillie, carolsmillie@hfx.eastlink.ca

 

Meeting Schedule 2019

Congregational Meeting      June 2

Session, Stewards, Board    Fall

Worship and Music               Fall

 

Administrative Stuff

Church office: (902) 423-9209, stmatts@ns.sympatico.ca  

Pastoral care: Rev. Betsy Hogan, (902) 423-9209, stmatts.betsy@ns.sympatico.ca

Sunday Worship: 10:30 am

Minister of Music: Wayne Rogers, (902) 429-1680, humber@ns.sympatico.ca

Student Organist: Matthew Fraser

On the web: www.stmatts.ns.ca

 

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your email or to unsubscribe: stmatts@ns.sympatico.ca or (902) 423-9209