Rural United Pastoral Charge

St. Paul's hosted the
Charge Christmas Dinner
held on Friday, November 29, 2019.

People from all four churches gathered in Gary and Judy Houston's backyard to say farewell
to Carol Morton, our DLM student minister, on Sunday, July 14, 2019.

Marsha Robert's ordination at the Annual Regional Meeting in Port Elgin on May 27, 2019.

Stuff a-Bus 2019
at Food Basics
on February 9, 2019.
19+ boxes of food and $380 were donated.
All donations went to
Outreach for Hunger.

St. John's hosted a
Charge Christmas Dinner
on Monday, November 26, 2018.
Willow Ridge Golf Club catered the meal and Beth and Ross Gladstone
and friends
provided the entertainment.

Another Successful Stuff a Bus Campaign!
On January 20th, 2018 the second successful Stuff a Bus campaign was held at Ridgetown Foodland in Ridgetown
and Sobeys in Blenheim.

The covenanting service for Carol Morton, our DLM student minister was well attended.
The service was held at Zion U.C. on Sunday, November 26, 2017 in the afternoon.

A large crowd gathered on the lawn of Turin U.C. on Thursday evening, August 10, 2017 to wish Marsha Roberts the best in her new position in the Kincardine area.

Bill Gardiner presents Marsha with a parting gift from Rural United Pastoral Charge.

Stuff a Bus hosted by Rural United Pastoral Charge at No Frills and Sobeys in Chatham.
Saturday, January 28, 2017

A Covenanting Service was held
Sunday evening, May 24th, 2015,
at St. John's-Botany U.C.
for Rev. Wanda Burse.

Rev. Wanda Burse and Rev. Jill Rogers, from the
Courtright-Sixth Line Pastoral Charge in Lambton Presbytery, who is Wanda's friend and colleague, and was the guest speaker.

Rev. Cathy Larmond, Rev. Wanda Burse, Rev. Jill Rogers,
Rev. Mark Perry, and Marsha Roberts, Student Minister

Rev. Wanda Burse and Marsha Roberts, Student Minister

At Rev. Wanda's Covenanting Service, she gave each of the four churches on the Charge and Victoria Avenue U.C. an "Angel in Prayer" sculpture. This is a symbol that she will constantly hold our congregations in prayer.

These angels were sculpted from a single piece of kisii soapstone in Kenya. Technically a talc, kisii stone comes in a variety of lovely colours ranging from black and white to pinkish beige caused by different minerals underground. Amazingly, since there is no electrical power supply in or around the villages, no mechanical devices are used in the excavation, carving, or polishing of kisii stone. Miners work in four-hour shifts, mining the soft stone by hand.

Traditionally, an entire Gusii family is involved in the carving process. Men do the initial carving using a large knife to form the rough shapes and a smaller knife to carve the intricate details. The women sand wash, sun-dry, and then paint them. Coloured patterns are produced by dyeing the stone with ink, paint, and shoe polish. The colour is sealed with beeswax and the surface is incised, allowing the natural stone to shine through. Finally, the women rub the carvings with a soft cloth, applying a clear floor wax to accentuate the stone's natural luster.

Thank you Rev. Wanda.