Fairlawn Avenue United Church
|
Fairlawn Avenue United Church |
|
|
Warm March Greetings! March is almost upon us, and perhaps we are finally getting winter. Maybe that has some propriety for Lent, only to the extent that Lent is a time to think, to wonder, to imagine, just as winter often provides more such time. The word Lent comes from a word meaning lengthen, as of the lengthening days toward spring, and is a time to lengthen the meaning of those days. Few of us look on Lent any more as a time to give up joy. It is though a time to wonder who we really are, and how we fit into the life of the world and the life of God. If you haven't done the "DO The Math" poverty reduction test, Lent would be good time for this. Just click here . Or if you wish to give a green Lent click here . It is a time when we reflect on how much we are loved by God, and how challenging love and discipleship can sometimes be, as Jesus' journey to Jerusalem was such an inner conversation. The Lenten season is a gift of time to ponder the ambiguities of life as we work towards Maundy Thursday. Maundy comes from a word meaning commandment, inviting us to respond to Jesus, after washing his disciple’s feet, his commandment to love one another as I have loved you (John 13:34). The Good of Good Friday that does not appear to be at all good, is that it is about living one’s integrity and living love for others. It was during the Jewish Passover festival, celebrating deliverance from about 300 years of bondage in Egypt, that Jesus ate the Passover Seder with his friends in the upper room and was ultimately crucified. Beyond its Jewish origin, the name Easter comes from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring to whom the month April was dedicated. February being the love month, ten couples renewed their marriage vows in worship on Valentine’s Sunday. We all know marriage and even friendship take work; well each Lent is a kind of discipleship courtship to connect and covenant with God’s love lived through Jesus. So note the Lent/Holy week worship and other events coming up that we might all go for gold and grow in our life fullness. Worship Sunday February 28, 10:30 a.m. Baptism Sunday March 7, 10:30 a.m. Annual General Meeting following the service; the 2009 Annual report is available for pickup and will soon be available on the church website AGM09 though without the financials which could be emailed if you like. A Potluck Sandwich Luncheon will be served before the meeting. Families with surnames A to G, please bring dessert squares or cookies and families with surnames H to Z, please bring sandwiches. Child care will be available during the meeting . Sunday March 28, 10:30 a.m. Palm Sunday Maundy Thursday April 1, 7:30 p.m. Senior Choir and stripping of the Sanctuary Good Friday April 2, 10:00 a.m. Worship beginning in Bedford Park UC, a cross carrying procession up Yonge St., and then worship continuing at Fairlawn at 10:30 a.m. Easter Sunday April 4, 8:30 a.m A brief sunrise service on the lawn followed by breakfast inside. Easter Sunday April 4, 10:3.0 a.m, Communion; three choirs, brass and timpani Special Music Sunday April 18, 10:30 a.m “Son of God Mass” by James Whitbourn with Senior Choir, and guest musicians Mary Legge, organ, and Alex Dean, soprano saxophone. Heritage Sunday April 25, 10:30 a.m Guest preacher: Dr. Bill Kervin from Emmanuel College Note that a few podcasts of sermons are now available here on the website Upcoming events Tuesday March 2, 12:00 noon. Buchanan-Allen Club: Our Tuesday Lunch Crowd Everyone is welcome to join us, but bring a sandwich to eat with the soup and cookies we provide. Meeting twice monthly, we serve hot soup especially during the winter months. Sundays during Lent, 9:00 a.m -to 10:00 a.m. Lenten Reflection Series There’s No ATM in the Wilderness: Reflections for Lent; We need to break the silence about money! This sentiment is often expressed in church circles, and entire stewardship events have been developed on the theme. Actually, though, we frequently talk about money—mostly about how much stuff costs. What we are silent about is the significance of money in our lives—how it both affects and reflects our relationships with God, with others, and with the earth. Increasingly, people are defined—both by others and by themselves—by the concrete amount of money that shapes their lives. There’s No ATM in the Wilderness invites you into a spiritual journey that explores your relationship with money and its impact on your faith life, along with the 24 that were out at 9 last Sunday. Sunday Mornings 9:00-10:00am February 21st–March 28th Fellowship Room FAUC contact Rev. Iverson (416) 481-6848 ex.26 or email Stephen Sunday March 7, 7:00 p.m. Metropolitan United Church Sing For Haiti with The Fairlawn Avenue Choir Click Sing For Haiti . If you can't go and wish to make a donation for Haiti, click Haiti Saturday April 17 Fairlawn Grill April 22-24 Annual Book Sale; Books now being accepted Saturday May 1, 2:00 p.m. Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Youth Events There will be no "Frantic" or regular Youth groups on the Easter weekend. contact Dona The 30 hour famine Kick off event is on March 26th -Laser tag at Laser Quest 7:30 PM, and our actual Famine night is March 27th. Deadline to register is the Tuesday before (March 23). Also Jesus 24/7 for Youth: A Confirmation Course in Christian Faith for the Questing Youth Beginning March 24, meeting on Wednesdays after school from 4:00-5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Room and Sunday mornings from 9:00-10:15 a.m. in the Library at the church, ending with a Confirmation Service on May 16, 2010. For grade eights or older who may feel ready to take this step in your Faith Journey. Contact Stephen Also take Note: “On December 6, the congregation adopted the JNAC Report, and authorized Executive Council to name the Church’s representatives to the Joint Search Committee that will implement the JNAC Report. The Committee will seek to fill both of the vacancies described in the JNAC Report. Our website has a page JSC on which future JSC developments may be reported.” Opportunities To Serve: Helping make possible the wonderful things we do here.
If you are not currently involved on a council, committee or team, we hope
you'll consider sharing your talent with Fairlawn. You can find out more about
many of these activities in the volunteer brochure at
click here.
Or get in touch with the Chair of Volunteer Resources: Gary Schlee (416)
787-6927 or
email Gary Our thoughts and prayers go with various congregational members or folks you may know of who are having health struggles, family issues, grief, let alone our concern for the traumatised in the news and trouble spots of our world. The Spring Community Life will soon be available for pick-up and online here . It's time to renew Community Life advertising space. Please contact Kate Cook to renew your contract. New advertisements are always welcome and it's a great way to promote your business in the neighbourhood. Community Life depends on advertisements to offset the publishing costs; please help if you can. Fair-trade Coffee Justice Fundraiser: Coffees (ground and beans) as well as Teas for purchase are available for less that you’ll find most places, during two coffee hours each month. This fundraiser raised $800 for the church in the last year Stewardship Forum to be held at the Toronto Botanical Garden on Saturday February 27th will focus on water. Keynote speaker is Alanna Mitchell . Her topic will be that of her latest book: Seasick: The Global Ocean in Crisis. If you are thinking at all of preplanning your funeral, you may wish to do that before the HST comes in July. And in terms of will planning, if you are concerned of living on in some way on this earth, you may wish to consider leaving significant gifts to the causes you live for, more than diseases you may ultimately die of. As you are working through your tax information, you will also see the value in donating stocks more than cash to causes you care about, in that the charitable receipt can almost equal the capital gain for stocks held for a significant time. Do check the Neighbourhood Centre website. click here for their programs. Our United Church Book store has opened an online store and viewing centre. Access here General council is looking for people to serve on a variety of committees General Council Bedford Park United Church is asking for your support for their site redevelopment at 100 Ranleigh Avenue as a Senior's Residence with church and community space on the main floor. (Further details at Bedford Park UC ) You can help the project greatly by clicking on Petition . Please do so now. The signatures will be sent to Councillor Cliff Jenkins and Karen Stintz to show community support in advance of the Community Meeting he will host to assess whether the project should go ahead. You could further help by forwarding this notice to anyone else you think would be supportive. Your help is much appreciated. Call 416-946-3120 for more details. A few interesting articles or sites In the last United Church Observer, these links take you to the lead articles: http://www.ucobserver.org/faith/2010/02/infinite_sanctuary/ http://www.ucobserver.org/faith/2010/02/rural_churches/ http://www.ucobserver.org/justice/2010/02/wounded_soldiers/ http://www.ucobserver.org/faith/2010/02/tax_time/ http://www.ucobserver.org/columns/2010/01/decoding_bible_feb_2010/ by Dr. James Christie, former minister of St. James-Bond & who has just resigned as Dean of Theology at U of Winnipeg
God Bless you all,
|
|
|
Fairlawn Avenue United Church |
