Worship – This week we are exploring Peace by Chocolate; the story of the Haddad family from Syria and the connection between their story and Deuteronomy 10:17-19 & John 13: 34-35. Questions I am pondering:
- How well would we cope if we were suddenly thrust into a country where we didn’t speak the language?
- What do the two greatest commandments: love God and love neighbour have to say about how we welcome refugees and how we think about immigrants who are different from us?
- What do we hear God saying to us through this text and this movie?
Once again, there will be treats! This time chocolate chip cookies, made with some Peace by Chocolate chocolate.
The photo is Courtney Myers (step-daughter) and Ahmad Samad (son-in-law) on their wedding day.
What I’ve been up to this week:
Monday – Getting the bulletin ready, doing some reading and research for Sunday. After 25 years of writing sermons, I’m exploring a different method. 😉 My habit has been to do reading and research during the week, but I almost always wind up writing on Saturday, which is as you know is one of my days off. This started because when I first started preaching, I was a lay person with another job and the only day I could write was Saturday, however, it has carried on for most of my ministry and consequently there are many weeks when I only get one full day off.
I met with my clergy coach; if you want to check out the kind of work I’ve been doing with her, you can check out her website https://www.carolynsmith.ca/. I also met with Debra Keays-White and Joan Clark. We were SUCCESSFUL in our grant application to the Community Health Board to start a monthly Senior’s Wellness Wednesday. Wellness in mind, body and spirit; the first one will take place on September 25th, so mark your calendar for 11 am. We’ll start with chair yoga at 11:15, lunch will follow, with a short presentation by an outside speaker, then there will be time to socialize over games and puzzles.
Tuesday – I met with Joyce to talk about how the work of the Transition Team and congregation ties in with the renovation plans that the Property Committee have been working on and how to best present those to the congregation and region. In my role as Chair of the Future Directions Committee, I had a Zoom meeting regarding some church property matters. I did a little bit of writing of my sermon.
Wednesday – I met with Dale to get updated on property matters, writing this message, creating the power points for Sunday. I’ll write the prayers for Sunday. And hopefully write some more of my sermon.
Thursday – I’ve got a meeting about the Contemplative Service we are starting in October and then I’m going to finish off my sermon! That’s the plan!
A big THANK YOU to Jackie and Joan who repainted the women’s washroom this summer; it’s bright and clean!
I have good news for showing movies next year! The United Church has an arrangement with a licensing group to show movies, and it’s reasonably priced, unfortunately you can only sign up twice a year and I wasn’t aware of it in time for this year, but we will for next year.
Here are a couple of pictures taken after last week’s service thanks to Reid Harrison.
St. James United Church Dartmouth 