Newsletter

100 Mile House United Church

News Letter

Spring 2008

Ministry: The whole congregation

Rev Hilde J Seal

Secretary: Jane Duncan

Box 224 100 Mile House BC V0K 2E0

Phone 250 395 2932

Fax 250 395 4932

E-Mail: unitedchurch@bcinternet.net

Website http://www.unitedchurch.100mile.com

Sunday Services 10:30 am

Handicap Parking:

The three parking spaces beside the front entrance are reserved for those in need. Please be considerate and leave them open when parking

in the lot. Thank you.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP THE BUILDING

FRAGRANCE FREE

THANK YOU

NEWS TO SHARE

If you have something to share with your church family—pass it along to the news letter—a book review, a story, an experience that moved you or changed your view on something—etc.

Our knitters are still busy at the pneumonia vests and the knitting will continue until the vests actually begin their journey to the coast.

The dedication for the vests will be on Sunday, March 30, 2008. So take a look around and if you have a vest started – get those knitting needles busy and finish it off!

At this time – with great sadness - the knitting group says goodbye to Mary Greenwood. Mary’s death will leave a huge empty spot at the knitting group, she will be remembered for her fellowship with all the knitters and her encouragement to the novice knitters – their first project being a pneumonia vest - . Mary – you will be missed.

A few people at the church are getting ready to begin a project of making some wall hangings and banners for the church. If you have an interest in being a part of the project – which hopefully will take many forms and fashions - please let us know – talk to Andrea Martin – and join us in a very fun endeavor

Our Governance Model – How we do things around here

At a recent ‘All Teams’ meeting and then at a congregational meeting, we elected a Congregational Chair and Secretary. Thank you to Colleen Cartlege who as agreed to be the Chair of the congregation, and Gisela Janzen who will be Secretary of the congregation. They are testing out these positions, and have both agreed to serve at least until the June 8^th congregational meeting, when we elect the members of our various Teams.

Our teams are getting used to the somewhat new way of governing. As in the past, team members are elected by the congregation, and form the decision-making bodies. A few meetings of ‘All Teams’ have allowed people to see who is on the other teams, and to share ‘face to face’ information. Generally though teams meet as required to carry out the work needed to keep the congregation running smoothly.

Representatives from each team will begin to meet regularly forming an ‘information sharing board’, to make sure that communication between teams and between the congregation is taking place.

Once we are without Ministry Personnel, Rev. Jenny Carter from St. Andrew’s United Church in Williams Lake, will be our supervising Minister. She will attend meetings, and be available for support. She is also working with our Joint Needs Assessment Committee, as they work to determine our ministry needs here in 100 Mile.

Most of us believe that ‘getting there’ is not as important as the journey. We value the ‘means’ as well as, if not more than the ‘ends’, especially when inter-personal relationships are to be considered.

For my final Sunday Service I would like us to highlight music that nourished us, and molded us, over the last 5 ½ years together. I am planning to talk about a few hymns that have been meaningful to me, and then we’ll sing them, and I was hoping some of you would share your thoughts as well.

So…. pick a hymn that makes you think about the worship, fun, and ministry that we have shared, and write a few words about why you chose it. Although it may be fun to sing all morning, we will only have time for three reflections and hymns. Please put your choice on piece of paper, with your name, and I will pick three from a hat. I’ll let you know if your hymn was chosen so you can prepare your reflection to share on Sunday April 13^th. Thanks.

On March 31^st, you are invited to an important conversation. It is a conversation that has been encouraged across this United Church of ours. We have gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual people among us, and may, some day, be asked to perform a wedding service. Having the conversation now, will allow us the time to share our ideas without the pressure of a decision.

Also, finding ministers who wish to come to the Cariboo is getting more difficult. There are more and more ordained Ministers who happen to be gay, lesbian, or bi-sexual, that are excited about rural ministry, and we need to know if this faith community is ready and willing to welcome all who have matching gifts and skills, among us to serve.

Our first task is to decide how we are going to ‘be’ with each other. Our conversations must be respectful; we must listen to one another with out planning what it is that we ‘need’ to say. We must listen to one another with out making judgments. We must listen to one another remembering that it is our collective desire to remain in community, to be God’s people together at the close of this days conversation. The CD’s on tolerance were made available to help us prepare for a ‘way of being’ together.

Some may come to the conversations wanting only to listen. Please come open to learning something new, and open to experiencing new ideas and thoughts.

The conversations will take the form of a listening circle. The only agenda is to hear what one another have to say. It will be a time of sharing our thoughts and ideas, what we feel, what hurts us, what troubles us, and what gives us joy.

Our goal is to have a conversation. There is no planned outcome necessary. At the end of our conversations, we will still be in community with one another, we will still be children of God together in this place. We will hopefully have a better understanding of each other, and be willing to risk being together in a new way.

We should remember, that we are not all at the same point of understanding. This must be respected. There are those who have done a great deal of research on the topic of same-sex marriage and those who have put little or no time or energy into even thinking about the subject. There are those for whom this topic is very emotional, and those who have little emotional investment at all.

A conversation is people talking with one another, listening respectfully, sometimes agreeing to disagree, but above all holding their relationship with each other with tenderness. A Holy

The Holy Spirit will guide our conversations, and help us create a place of safety for all.

Please come. We all need to hear, and share, and learn together. Monday March 31, starting with a Pot Luck Supper, at 5:30.

Worship has been named as a high priority for the congregation, but a Sunday Service doesn’t just ‘happen’ on its own. A team of people is needed to plan services, ensure there are scripture readers and leaders for the prayers of the people, set the space, plan for Communion, and a variety of other things. If you think you would like to be a part of such a team, attend the workshop on March 29^th, and / or speak to Rev. Hilde or Mary Ann.

Upcoming Dates

Starting with Pot Luck Supper at 5:30

Sunday April 13 - Hilde’s last Sunday in 100 Mile House, with the celebration of Communion

Tuesday April 15 - Pot Luck and Special Service of Worship – An ‘Unbinding Service’