Rural United Pastoral Charge News

If you do not wish to have photos of your family that are 
taken at church functions posted to the Rural United web page please let your Clerk of Session know.
​  The churches will be closed for August. 
Gabriella Cutler has agreed to be on call for August.
If you have a pastoral emergency, please contact Gabriella at 519-437-1138. 
Official Board met on July 29, 2020, at Turin.
Some came in person and some joined via Zoom.
​To read the minutes, click on the button.
​We plan to begin In-person services on September 6 at our usual times –
St. John’s Botany at 9:30 a.m., St.Paul’s / Victoria Avenue and Turin at 11:00 a.m. 
At this time, we are allowed to have up to 30% of our capacity at a service. 
However, with the social distancing, none of our sanctuaries can hold that many people. 
Care will be taken to maintain the required distance.  
To see the rest of the regulations, please read the announcements at the end of Reflection #14.
Rev. Wanda is writing a weekly reflection as a way of keeping in touch with as many as possible.
​She will mail copies to those who do not have email.
If you are interested in participating in a church service, please let Rev. Wanda know.
Safety Considerations for Reopening during the Pandemic
Guidance for those responsible for making decisions in all parts of the church, and things to consider
before moving from one phase to another. As of May 7, 2020.

Phase 1: Reopening the Building during the Pandemic
Small groups may meet in person in small numbers (5 people), with social distancing and masks.
Worship will continue to be online only, with some exceptions for outdoor worship.

Phase 2: Reopening In-Person Worship during the Pandemic
Worship and other activities resume in church buildings, with social distancing and other measures.

Phase 3: Full Return during the Pandemic
For worship and other gatherings, you will still need to consider the health and safety regulations of your province.

Each council makes decisions on reopening for its areas of responsibility.
The governing board of each community of faith should consult with
​its local public health unit, provincial health ministry, and regional council.
The guiding principle is the safety of all who enter the building.
Rev. Wanda needs some people to help make an opening plan.
Please let her know if you are interested.
The United Church of Canada has put out an appeal for the COVID-19 Global Response.
The Untied Church has already contributed $20,000 from their Emergency Response fund to assist in countries
where hunger, poverty and limited access to health care are normally high concerns but are more so with the virus.
If you wish to contribute here are the ways to do that:
a) through the United Church website (a secure site for donations) – www..united-church.ca/covid-19-global-response;
b) by phone – 1-800-268-3781 ext. 2738;
c) by mail – The United Church of Canada, Philanthropy Unit – Emergency Response,
3250 Bloor St. W., Suite 200, Toronto, ON M8X 2Y4;
or through your church treasurer with the cheque made out to your local church –
​be sure to note on your cheque “Emergency Response – COVID-19.
Official Board met via Zoom on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.
​Read the minutes of the meeting here.
We have been planning a Facebook group for Antler River Watershed Regional Council
and now seems like the right moment to launch it.
Check it out Antler River Watershed Regional Council.

This group is a place for members of the regional council to share ideas, to offer encouragement, to update one another with congregation events! Share your Good News! Let everyone know what your congregation is doing. Invite neighbours to plays, fundraisers, BBQs, bazaars and special worship services. Let everyone know what's working.
St. Paul's and the former Zion congregations send sympathy
to the family of Lena Pickering
who passed away
​on Thursday, March 26, 2020 
in her 100th year.
Read the letter from Nora Sanders, General Secretary,
to Ministry Personnel and Church Leaders.
St. John's Botany sends condolences
to the family of Gerald Wilson
who passed away
​on Tuesday, March 3, 2020
​at the age of 93.
​Book Club 
Book Club meets at 2:00 p.m. at St. John's U.C.
CANCELLED
June 24 - Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine
by Gail Honeyman
​​FundScrip form
 for Turin U.C. and 
​St. Paul's U.C.
Scripture Readings
June 14, 2019
Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7)
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19
or
Exodus 19:2-8a
Psalm 100
Romans 5:1-8
Matthew 9:35-10:8, (9-23)
In order to maintain patient confidentiality and privacy,
there is no longer a Denominational List at CKHA available to clergy. 
As a result of this change, Rev. Wanda will no longer
be visiting at the hospital unless she knows someone
​from the Pastoral Charge is in hospital. 
Please contact her if you wish a visit.
Official Board met on January 22, 2020.
​Read the minutes here.
Sympathy goes to Jane and family
on the death
​of Marvin Cudmore,
​at the age of 81,
on Tuesday, January 7, 2020.
​A Lenten Bible Study is planned based on Amy-Jill Levine's book,
"Entering the Passion of Jesus." 
It is beginning  on Feb. 25,
​at 1:00 p.m. at St. John's.. 
Rural United sends sympathy
​to the family
of Violet Balmer
who passed away on
Wednesday, December 19, 2019
at the age of 99.



St. Paul's hosted the
Charge Christmas Dinner
held on Friday, November 29, 2019.
The gifts with vision catalogue
is available on-line.
Are you looking for meaningful gifts to give?
Shopping here is a great way to make a difference
​and show someone that you care.
​This year’s catalogue is filled with gifts that don’t need wrapping or tags, just your love.
​“KLUCK” - Kent Leaders of United Church Kommunities 
This is a gathering of leaders - lay and clergy - that take a few hours to support one another,
to talk about what’s happening in the United Church and to share information.
They compare themselves to a bunch of hens and roosters in the barnyard sharing conversation,
so that everyone within Kent remains connected. 
A farewell was held for Carol Morton on July 14 at the home of Gary and Judy Houston.
Go to Rural United in the Photo Gallery to see the slideshow.
Carolyn Fraser attended the Annual Regional Meeting in Port Elgin
on May 27, 2019
as the representative for St. Paul's.
​She has written a report outlining what happened during the weekend.
See Faithful Footsteps for more information on police checks.
This came to the Rural United website and Rev. Wanda has approved including it here.

This note is about something I think the people at St. John's, St. Paul's, Turin, and Zion United would find useful, a refreshingly different resource called StoryFest. It’s a set of free videos and other materials that help people appreciate and enjoy the life-giving stories of the Bible. It’s specially designed for use by small, informal groups, with or without trained leadership.

The video presenters are storyteller and musician Linnea Good, storyteller and author Ralph Milton, pastor and Biblical scholar Donald Schmidt, counsellor and storyteller Allison Rennie, and editor and artist Don McNair.

The videos were taken during three storytelling Saturdays at churches in the BC Interior, and edited into nine videos, each focusing on a different Bible story. This is a non-commercial venture financed by the BC Conference of the United Church, Wood Lake Publications, and many volunteers.

There are no lectures and no arguments over doctrinal differences or issues of Biblical interpretation – simply enjoying the stories and how they connect with the lives we live.

Please visit http://www.woodlakebooks.com/storyfest, where you’ll find a short introductory video, the nine session videos, and an assortment of related resources. Most of them free.

If you like what you see, please take a moment to forward this information to your colleagues and friends.

Blessings!

Jacob McNair
StoryFest Publicity