Keeping in Touch November 11

Good afternoon, James Bay United Church,

If you were part of our gathering for worship this past Sunday morning, you may have heard Sylvia, in one of her announcements about the Tuesday Morning Drop-In ministry, say something like, "aside from thank you for your donations toward the favourite foods we have available in our 'foodbank', there isn't really anything exceptional to report."  Seems like just saying that created an opening for some fresh and wonderful things to happen when, two days later, the doors opened this Tuesday.  2 stories to relate:  

1.  One of the men who regularly drops by on Tuesday morning arrived with a grateful heart.  In the night, his entire kit disappeared from where he was sleeping in the park.  Shoes included.  So walking in stocking feet to the church that morning, one of the construction crew across the street from us noticed no shoes ... went to his truck, and produced a pair of boots which he freely handed over.  Generosity has an amazing way of transforming the scene.  

2. Sylvia reports, "a lovely young woman who had just moved into her new government office joined us for coffee and cake on Tuesday morning. She said that she asked 'one of the homeless people' where she might have coffee. He told her that the best coffee in James Bay could be found just up the ramp to the Church Office and the people there would look after her. We did! She said she will try to visit us again next week."  There goes Grace again ... filling up and spilling over!

We're wrapping up this year's Season of Creation with a celebratory 100 Km Dinner next Saturday evening.  Not only will it consist of sumptuous local ingredients, but woven through the evening will be poetry and song, celebrating the wonder of God's creation.  If you haven't already signed up, please be in touch by tomorrow, either by dropping me a note in the contact box below, or by way of the sign-up sheets that will be circulated when we gather tomorrow morning.  No charge.

Speaking of special ingredients, the choir has been hard at work preparing a piece for the Season that they will be singing as part of our service tomorrow morning. Here's a note from Daniel in anticipation:  "The Anthem Choir will be performing our first anthem of our new season on Sunday! We will be performing With Respect in Creation by United Church minister and sacred music composer David Kai. This moving anthem, which draws on our new creed for its poetry, reminds us of the urgency of human made climate change and is a call to radially adjust our relationship with world. This piece is a timely reminder that this world is a gift to us, meant to serve God's plan, not our own selfish wants and desires."

In case you haven't had a wander around our website recently, Nola has been mightily at work.  For example, get connected , and more!

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Grace and Peace,

Karen