TRINITY VOICES
EASTER 2010
Trinity
United Church
‘A welcoming, caring family of faith,
celebrating God’s love in Jesus.’
Trinity United Church
400 Stevenson Street North
Guelph, ON N1E 5C3
519-824-4800
Fax: 519-824-4205
Email: tuc@bellnet.ca
Website: www.trinityunitedguelph.ca
Heather Husnik-Osborne
Printer & Distribution
4 Issues per year
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Attention: Editor
Contributions are welcome anytime via email, drop off to the Church Office (in printed form or saved on disk or CD) or by contacting Heather
As you read this,
we in the Christian community are about to enter the final stage of our
Lenten
journey with Jesus. It
began in the
wilderness of temptation and will conclude with a beach barbeque hosted
by the
risen Christ. With
sand between our
toes, we will be asked the ultimate question of any human relationship:
Do you love me?
It has been a season of stones –
stones not turned into bread however tempting, stones of a city over
which
Jesus weeps, stones that would cry out “Hosannah” in order to welcome
the
coming of their Lord, and stones rolling away, unable to restrain the
triumph
of life over death by keeping the Lord of Life entombed.
In this last week, Jesus invites us to
descend the last hill into Jerusalem with him and beyond. Stories of forgiveness and
overflowing love
point us on the way that take us through the final dark days of Lent. We will dine with Jesus in
the Upper Room
with its confrontations and its demonstration of authentic servant hood. We will climb a bloody
hill and keep vigil at
an execution site with one who calls us ‘friend’.
Of course, we can choose to ignore
this last week, joining palm waving pilgrims at one end and celebrating
an
empty tomb at the other. This
would
effectively avoid the pain of Passion Week altogether.
But to do so would surely diminish the impact
of a light that all the darkness of the world could not defeat.
Easter is not just a day or a season,
but an eternal truth. The
Spirit of
Pentecost that flames forth and blows where it will sweeps us up into
the
promise a “new heaven and new earth”.
It
is a promise of Creation transformed.
It
is a promise that has the power to sustain us as a community of faith
now and
forever.
Come experience the stones and the
sand. Come and keep
faith with Jesus in
his time of need. Come
and celebrate a
victory. Come be a
part of the full story
to which you belong.
We are with you on the journey!
Fellow
Pilgrims: Peter and Elizabeth
Kathy
& Bob Stephens in front of the Olympic
Flame
GO
CANADA
GO!
Vancouver 2010
The Olympic
Games 2010 were the most electrifying,
exciting and invigorating experience! We were there, visiting my Sister
and her
husband. This was an opportunity of a lifetime.
Momentum
built in Vancouver from beginning to end ...
and you and us were part of it! It brought the world together. It
brought
Canadians together in a way that we have never seen before!
During our 9
day vacation, Bob and I spent 3 full
days in downtown Vancouver. We saw the Awards Ceremony at BC Place. It
was
Quebec Night with
wonderful
entertainment and ALEX BILODEAU received Canad`s first Gold Medal. I
simply
cannot express the pride and excitement, as we watched our flag rise
and we all
sang O Canada!
We had
tickets to a Women`s Curling event. We arrived
early in the morning, complete with red Maple Leaf tattoos on our
cheeks,
Canada "Believe" shirts, our Red Mittens, our Canadian Flag and our
Cowbells! Canada played Japan and won in an extra end! The excitement
and noise
in the venue was ecstatic. Usually, it`s rather quiet at curling games
but not
here!
Rarely were
we not standing and cheering. It was
incredible to watch 8 teams from around the world compete at the same
time.
There were
so many moments during our visit - that's
what it's all about! Moments!
We all
watched the Opening and the lighting of the
flame on TV. We saw the
flame both in
the daylight and at night. It was spectacular! Huge! At most Olympics,
it is in
some remote area. This one was right on the water in the heart of
downtown.
The
Highlights.... The flame, the energy, buzz and
mood on the streets and the kindness and helpfulness of everyone around
us,
from every country and every age. Just being there!
From the
running of the torch across our country, to
the lighting at the Opening, from the awesome performances of the
athletes to
the medals and triumphs and defeats, from the red mittens to the sea of
red,
everywhere, from the giant Inuksuk in the red mittens on English Bay to
the
bursts of O Canada spontaneously on a street...We are truly proud to be
Canadian. It will remain...
GO
CANADA GO!
Kathy and
Bob Stephens
SPRING CLEANING
ADVICE
When
cleaning windows use vertical
strokes on one side and horizontal strokes on the other. Clean windows
on a
cloudy day, a sunny day dries the spray too quickly. Only use a little
vinegar
in water. This leaves the windows shining with no residue.
When cleaning your plant pots for reuse, use CLR. To minimize the
amount of CLR
you use, soak paper towels pieces in CLR, then press them onto the
sides of the
pot where the crust has formed. Let this sit for a time, rewetting the
towels
if necessary.
Line your plant pot with a coffee filter. It
will prevent the soil from going
through the drainage holes.
To clean your plastic resin lawn chairs, scrub
with a soap pad dipped in a
solution of detergent and bleach. Several pads may be necessary.
Submitted
by Jean White
Here it is:
A CHANCE TO BE PART
OF A NEW TRINITY INITIATIVE!!!
Trinity
Weekly Confidential Prayer Chain has been
launched! This is an important way for us to hold our family of faith
in prayer
in special times of need.
You
can be involved in two
ways:
Fill
in the blue “Prayer Chain” bulletin insert and give to Kathy
Stephens, or place in file marked “Trinity Prayer Chain” on Elizabeth’s
office
door. Inserts should be placed in a sealed envelope provided and left
in the
folder. More
detailed information will
be sent or shared with you about this ministry before you decide to
become a
recipient of the weekly list.
With the permission of those for whom you are requesting prayers, fill in a white Prayer Request form found in the file on Elizabeth’s office door. Please place in a sealed envelope and leave in the file.
Easter
– the leap of Faith
Life
after death. It is our deepest
longing; our bravest statement of faith. Easter gives us the hope that
life
continues in some way after we die: that death isn't the end. That
Jesus is
still with us.
Other hopes are
attached to this fundamental one. Like the hope of seeing Jesus face to
face;
of reuniting with loved ones who have died; of being healed; of being
rewarded
for the hard work; of being comforted for all we have suffered.
We cling to the
promises and prophecies of the New Testament. And we are fascinated by
the
stories of people who have had near death experiences. We long to know
the real
truth.
But could it be
that in our finite condition, with our limited consciousness, we are
simply not
capable of grasping the whole truth?
Our
imagination fails us because we do not have the experiential tools to
construct
ultimate meaning.
It is a great
leap of faith, to trust in the unseen. To state our belief in a God of
love. To
trust in resurrection. To be able to be hopeful for ourselves and our
world.
Easter is a
celebration of the great leap of faith, the ultimate act of defiance
against
despair. No matter what this great unknown holds for us we can trust
that it
will be all right - Jesus is in it.
And even though
our minds cannot yet grasp the truth about resurrection and eternity,
we may
entrust ourselves to what one hymn writer described as "the silence of
eternity, interpreted by love." (Dear Father, Lord of humankind - John G. Whittier)
Ann Siddall is a Spiritual Director working within the life of the Uniting Church. She lives in South Australia.
EASTER
SYMBOLS
Many
symbols connect with Easter.
Like any symbol, each of these can have different meanings for
different
people. Look for these symbols around your church, at other churches,
and in
your community. Notice how they may be made of different materials,
different
colors, or different shapes. You might want to make your own versions
of the
symbols.
Jesus died on a cross on Good Friday. When we see an empty cross, it is a reminder not only of Jesus' death, but also that he is risen.
Caterpillars go into a cocoon, which looks something like a tomb, and then emerge as a beautiful butterfly. The butterfly can remind us that Jesus rose at Easter, and that God brings new life.
Jesus
and his friends
were celebrating the Jewish festival of Passover at the time Jesus
died. In
ancient times at Passover, people sacrificed a lamb. Today they eat a
meal of
lamb as they remember how God brought the people out of slavery in
Egypt. John
also referred to Jesus as "the lamb of God."
THE DANCE OF
TRANSFORMATION
Whenever television programs show teams of people descending on unsuspecting home owners and renovating their homes and gardens, there is a moment when I hold my breath. It comes when the owners return to what is often a totally transformed exterior or interior. I sometimes wonder if the producers have needed to edit out episodes where enraged owners take one horrified look and threaten to sue!
Transformation is a risky business, and
yet at the heart of the Easter theme is the invitation to lifelong
personal
transformation, and the commission to participate in the transformation
of
God’s world. But transformation into what? Who decides on the design?
And how
much say do we have in the process?
We may by now be familiar with the
television version of transformation (from home design to plastic
surgery) but
there are other images present in society. There is the fierce heat of
forest
fires, which bring destruction but which also germinate particular
seeds into
life. And there is the transformation each day brings as the light
comes again,
and as the tides ebb and flow, and as the seasons change. In all images
of
transformation there is an active engagement between two elements.
The key to our willingness to experience
transformation lies, I believe, in understanding how God engages us. Do
we see
ourselves as passive recipients of a design that is being imposed upon
us? Or
do we see that we are invited to engage in a lifelong dance of
transformation,
one in which the steps unfold as we look into each other’s eyes and
find rhythm
emerging, partnership deepening, and spontaneous creativity developing? An unfolding of what has
always been possible,
but never fully seen until it takes shape between us?
A process in which life (like Jesus’
description of the grapevine in John 15) flows between us and bears
fruit?
May the God of Easter invite you to the dance of transformation, and may your steps grow light and free.
Ann Siddall is a Spiritual Director working within the life of the Uniting Church. She lives in South Australia.
SOMETHING WORTH
DYING
FOR
It’s hard to read any of the
sermons the
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. preached about death and heaven without
hearing
echoes of gunshots.
“The minute you conquer the fear of death,
at that moment you are free,” he said in 1963. “I submit to you that if
a man
hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”
Decades later, these words still inspire
faith and courage, said social activist Johann Christoph Arnold, who
marched
with King in the Civil Rights Movement. That’s why the patriarch of the
nine Bruderhof
communes in the U.S., England, and Australia included this quotation in
his
most recent book, Seeking Peace.
This was the book that Cassie Bernall and
other teenagers at Littleton’s West Bowles Community Church were
supposed to
have discussed on the evening of April 20. After that tragic day at
Columbine
High School, Bernall’s parents showed Arnold her copy of Seeking
Peace,
with its handwritten notes for the study session that was never held.
Cassie had boldly underlined King’s thoughts
on death. Did she hear echoes of gunshots?
“Why did these words speak to her at such a
young age? It is such a great mystery,” said Arnold. “But I do know
this. She
had found something she was willing to live for, and even to die for,
and that
made all the difference in her life.”
THANK YOU! to everyone who participated in any way to make our “More Than A Movie” March Break VBS 2010 a wonderfully good time! I would like to thank all those who gave a donation to help us with our expenses. A special thank you to the Volunteers who gave so generously of their time and talents this week in keeping our activities running smoothly and ensuring the children’s safety while having fun – Rev. Elizabeth Eberhart-Moffat, Rev. Peter Moffat, David Anazco, David Chesney, Linda Cowbrough, Diana Flewelling, Joyce Flewelling, Shirley Hooper, Judi MacPhee, and Damien. There were over 30 children from the church and community that attended our VBS. We had an exciting week with songs, games, and of course MOVIES! Each of the movies we saw contributed to our understanding of God’s love for each one of us and how we live in community with one another.
VBS Coordinator - Heather Chesney
NEWSPAPERS,
FLYERS, MAGAZINES, CATALOGUES,
OFFICE
PAPER,
SCHOOL PAPER, MAIL & TELEPHONE BOOKS
How are these
related to Mission and Service
Fund? You have the opportunity of earning $$$ for the M&S fund
by placing
these recyclables in the bin which has been placed in the church
parking lot by
Abitibi-Bowater. You can also contribute to a greener environment and
create
more space in your house!
And it costs us
nothing!
Please note:
No Cardboard,
Plastic, Glass, Metals or Trash
400 Stevenson Street North, Guelph ON N1E 5C3
Telephone: 519-824-4800 FAX: 519-824-4205 Email: tuc@bellnet.ca
Website: www.trinityunitedguelph.ca
WORSHIP TIMES
Sunday Mornings: 9:00 am & 10:30
am
Please note: One Service ONLY at 10:00 am
from the Victoria Day Weekend in May to Labour Day Weekend in September
Sunday School…is offered (September to June), beginning in the Sanctuary then moving to their classes following children’s time. Children may be picked up in their classes after the service of worship.
MUSIC DIRECTOR: Andrea (Anne) Arthurs
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR: Heather Husnik-Osborne
CUSTODIAN: Mike Farley
Monday to Friday 8:30 am – 12:45 & 1:45 – 4:30 pm (Sept to June)
Monday to Friday 8:30 am – 1:00 pm (July & August)
Closed for Statutory Holidays
Trinity United Church Council Chair: Linda Cowbrough
Church Treasurer: Rob Cunnington Church Council Secretary: Carol Pomfret
Trinity Sponsored Groups
Sunday School, Junior Youth Group (Grade 6 to 8) & Senior Youth Group (Highschool), Guides & Pathfinders, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts & Venturers, Bible Study, Book Club, United Church Women (UCW), Womenkin, Art For The Soul, Quilters, Tuesday’s at Trinity, Therapeutic Touch, Trinity Choir, Trinity Prayer Shawl Ministry, ContacT PlacE, Sunshine Club, VolleyballGroups Using Trinity Facilities
Gingerbread House Preschool, Dunara (Trinity House), Royal City Men’s Club,Weight Watchers, Guelph GoGo Grandmothers (4Gs), Corduroy Road
ONGOING OUTREACH INVOLVEMENT
Mission & Service Fund, Guelph CORE Program, Tytler School “Morning Snacks” Program, Meals to At-Risk Youth (Previously Change Now)We extend a Warm Welcome to All People