wellington square file“willing to share” rev. dr. robin wilkie “but godliness with contentment...
TRANSCRIPT
“Willing to Share” Rev. Dr. Robin Wilkie
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that… Command those who are rich in this present world … to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” I Timothy 6: 6-8,18 & 19 (NRSV)
wellington square
April 24, 2016
happenings Anniversary Sunday One-Service | Sunday May 1, one service at 10am. Baptism | The sacrament of baptism will be celebrated on Sunday May 8. For infor-mation, please contact the church office. What Happens After You Die? An Inter-faith Discussion of Life After Death with leaders from the Muslim, Baha’i, Buddhist and Christian (Orville) communities. Sunday April 24, 2-4pm. Burlington Central Library. (see flyer) Thank You Caitlin! After eight years of doing an amazing job mentoring, encourag-ing, and engaging our youth here at Welling-ton Square, Caitlin will be leaving us at the end of June and taking her gifts to the wider world as she focuses on a career teaching full time. Caitlin has made a huge impact on both our youth and everyone else here at the Square and we will find it difficult to fill her shoes. Although we will miss her, we wish her many blessings as she moves on to the next great opportunity that God has in store. Ministry and Personnel Property Spring Clean-up | Come join the property team Saturday morning April 30th to give the lawn a little TLC. Also needed are backpack blowers, fertilizer spreaders and utility trailers. Please contact us if you can give your time or lend your equipment: Dee Glover [email protected] or Alvin Kiers [email protected] for details.
We invite you to join us in the foyer at the end of the service for coffee/tea and fellow-ship. Spring Flower Orders | With the Spring weather finally arriving we are once again sell-ing annuals as part of our Outreach fundrais-ing efforts. All profits will be shared among our various Outreach efforts so whatever your passion you can show them your support by purchasing some flats, trays or hanging bas-kets through the church. The flowers are al-ways of the highest quality and competitively priced. Orders are due Thursday April 28. Order forms are available in the Church office or can be printed directly from the Wellington Square website. Add some colour to your curb appeal and some smiles to your loved ones. Extras will be available at the church on Sun-day, May 15th but to ensure that you get what you want it is always best to place an order in advance. For more information contact the office or Dee Glover. Phone: 905-639-3623 email: [email protected] Request for Volunteers | Burlington Baptist Church is starting a new initiative, Circle of Friends, to begin in May to help seniors who are lonely and isolated in our community. Drivers are required to transport them to a luncheon site on Wednesdays at noon for a period of 10 weeks. Mileage reimbursement is provided. Please call 905-634-2477 to register for orientation on Friday April 29 at 1:30 pm. Nut-Free Scent-Free | Please note that at Wellington Square we do our best to be a nut-free and scent-free safe space for everyone. Thank you for your contributions to this effort.
Footsteps LibraryFootsteps Library Friday CommunityFriday Community
This past Friday some friends joined to-gether in the Pritchard Room to enjoy a movie following the meal. Living on One Dollar is a documentary that follows the journey of four friends who set out to live on just $1 a day for two months in rural Guatemala. While the friends quickly learn there are no easy answers, the generosity and strength of others gives them resilient hope that there are effective ways to make a difference. Regardless of where we are at, with the support of others in our com-munity and God in our corner we will make it through.
Needed Items: *simple board games (Trouble, Sorry, etc) *gently used area carpets and rugs *gently used children’s running shoes & rain boots *men’s size 12 runners *women’s size 9,10,11 runners and shoes *women’s size 10 floral dresses (for sernior) *gently used booster seat with chair straps *double and toddler bed with mattresses *Duplo Lego *pots and pans (gently used) *toppings for salad bar, desserts *snacks for children’s lunches *desserts for Friday meals (nut free) *salad bar toppings (pickles, olives, salad dressing, raisins, Craisins, mandarins, etc. *ice tea and lemonade crystals For information contact: [email protected]
Sensible Shoes by Sharon Garlough Brown
Follow the stories of four women as they are drawn into a Spiritual Journey at a retreat center. Hannah – a pastor who doesn’t realize how exhausted she is. Meg - a widow and recent empty nester who is haunted by her past. Mara - a woman who has bounced from relationship to relationship trying to navi-gate a difficult marriage. Charissa – a hard working graduate stu-dent who wants to get things right.
OutreachOutreach
A heartfelt thank-you from our Syrian family, the Baroodys, was delivered during our Lenten Breakfast by their daughter, Batol, who expressed her family’s deep appreciation for the kindness, generosity and care shown to them since their arrival.
Batol spoke passionately about how proud she is to become a Canadian while her war-weary homeland remains deep in her heart. She added that she personally hopes she can find a way to help those still in Syria where 13.5 million people continue to be in need of humanitarian aid. As Batol ended her brief remarks, guests from local churches – Port Nelson United, Appleby United and Burlington Baptist – stood up and applauded.
Funds from the breakfast will be used to support Government Assisted Refugees (GAR) from Syria who have arrived in our community but lack private sponsors and are in great need.
Update from the Refugee Coordinating Committee
The Refugee Coordinating Committee is reaching out further to help Govern-ment Assisted Refugee (GAR) families from Syria.
These families are in need because they lack the emotional and financial support that Wellington Square United Church, and other churches and private sponsors, have provided to families such as our Syrian family, the Baroodys. Gov-ernment assisted refugees are struggling to address basic needs while adapting to a new language, cold weather and lack of support.
Members of Wellington Square's refu-gee committee organized food items for 10 of these families, all foods that Mus-lims use to prepare for the month of Ramadan, a period of prayer, fasting, charity-giving and self-accountability which begins June 6 and continues until July 5. The foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, pistachios, cashews, madjool dates, hummus, Tahini, dried raisins and apricots, halal meats of chicken and lamb.
The hope is to continue these dona-tions on a regular basis. If you would like to contribute, please contact Jan Simpson at [email protected]
RSVP by April 25th (we would like to know numbers for gift bags)
Vision | to grow a prosperous, vibrant ministry together that glorifies God and equips His people to live out the great commandment and the great commission.
Mission | to create a loving, kind atmos-phere where God’s people are cared for and the marks of discipleship are lived out. “God never meant for anyone to be alone, or lonely. The truth is, we were created for community. We were shaped to serve God, but we need each other.” Rick Warren, 40 Days of Community Joyful Spirits | Our next gathering is Thurs-day, May 26, 2016 at 7 pm in the Pritchard Room. Contact: [email protected] Monday Men | The Monday men's group has started up again and we are looking for new members to join us. We meet every Monday at noon and finish at 1:30. Please bring your own lunch. We discuss various subjects and although the group started as a Bible study group, the topics of discussion over the years have expanded to include many other subjects. Our focus now centers on any subject that influences Christianity. As an example, we are presently discussing global warming and how our Christian values should affect our approach to the problem as both individuals and the United Church. We examine not only the science of our subjects but other aspects that could influence our
decisions. Any one who is interested please join us. Contact Ross Patterson [email protected] Thursday at Seven | Men's Bible Study Series: Bullseye Thurs. 7-8 am. 855 Brant Street. Contact Bruce Magwood: [email protected]
TOO BUSY NOT TO PRAY – Slowing Down to be with God | In this 4-week session, you can become a person of prayer. To be a person of prayer, all you have to decide is that: prayer matters, your prayers matter, and that there really is a God who is willing and able to help you in your time of need. Starting Wednesday, May 25th in the McMillan Room. Cost of Book: $17 Time: Wednesday’s from 7-9pm. Please sign up at the GROUP LINK table after service or contact Sue Zwicker ([email protected]) or Lynn Kasprzyk ([email protected])
New to our church? We would like to get to know you | Please fill out a connection card in the pews and bring it to the Connection Point Table in the foy-er, or hand it to one of the greeters. Welcome! Equip! Send! Our Goal — to honour and live out the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:37-39) and the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19,20)
The Chapel | is open Mon-Thurs 9am-4pm and Sunday morning for prayer and reflection.
Adult Faith MinistryAdult Faith Ministry
GraceLand provides a FUN, SAFE and FRIENDLY place where we learn about God's love and how to shine His light every-day. Nursery to Grade 8. Sunday's @ 9am. April’s Lesson Series: Change of Heart - God’s Love! GraceLand Parent Faith Sheets are available for pick-up in your child's class. These take home sheets provide weekly themes, scriptures, focus and activities for the whole family to do at home. GraceNotes Choir will NOT be practicing today due to Consecration Sunday brunch. GraceLand Volunteer Thank You Brunch is happening on Sunday, May 29th from 10:20-11:30am in the Pritchard Room. Thanks to ALL involved in last week's Faith At Home Event. Students in Gr. 2 received their NIV Adventure Bible. Summer Kids Camp - Show Me the FRUIT! Aug. 29 - Sept 2 * 9am -12pm for SK ages to Gr. 5. Spots for this awesome camp fill up quickly. Please get registration forms in ASAP. Forms are available at GraceLand's reception desk and Main Church office and by website - wsquare.ca
Children/Family MinistryChildren/Family Ministry
edge Apr 27 | Movie Night 7-9pm rockpile dive A monthly Bible study for any and all youth. (Our final meeting was Sunday April 10th). fusion A monthly gathering of all youth for a fun-filled offsite activity. Next meeting to be determined.
Youth MinistryYouth Ministry
Malawi Update April 2016
Our team of 10 continues to meet monthly to prepare for the October 2016 mission. We meet regularly to work through “Helping Without Hurting on Short Term Missions”. This great re-source is based on “When Helping Hurts-How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor and Ourselves.” Check it out at www.helpingwithouthurting.org
In keeping with our focus on building long-term relationships, we stay connected with our partners in Malawi through Helen and Paul Jones of Emmanuel International (EI) Malawi. We’d like to share some updates on one of those partners - Pastor Moses and his Word of Grace Church. There is much work going on behind the scenes to help build an irrigation system in Pastor Moses’ community. The project is beginning with a 9 acre plot working towards a full 30 acres. When in operation, this will mean the community will be able to plant and harvest crops year round to help alleviate hunger. Other volunteers are also connected in with EI and to help lead the project and assist in educating Moses about the work to be done. We continue to ask God’s favour, blessing, donors, and perfect timing on this life saving project.
Pastor Moses has spent many hours traveling by bicycle as he trains leaders for Word of Grace church plants. Over the Easter weekend, Moses held training sessions and Easter services at his small brick church. He has shared that 96 leaders - male and female attended while 952 people came for the Easter service! He and his team are leading many people to the Lord - 22 gave their lives to Christ and 115 joined a baptism class!
Our Malawi 2016 team regularly prays for our Malawian friends, and we extend this to all of us at Wellington Square as Moses invites us all to pray for Word of Grace church, and ask God to provide a means to source the needs outlined below:
1. Books for leadership manual to be printed out. 2. Transports for leaders (bicycles) 3. Classrooms which can be used as hostels during training and meetings of the church 4. Toilets (the church has constructed two toilets and two bathrooms (these would be outdoor grass stalls) but these are small for the number of people attending big events 5. Bibles and songs (despite receiving some support for these, the numbers are increasing) As a church we request our friends and partners to join us in prayers of APPRECIATION: “We are very thankful for our friends and Partners who have tirelessly prayed for this outreach and leadership training. Your generous support has contributed a big growth and very success-ful results. There might be a cancellation for this Easter Celebration if your hand was not add-ed to our needs. Please keep on praying for our church. On behalf of the entire Ministry of Word of Grace Church, I say receive the big hand from us.” In His Love, Pastor Moses Nkhata, Word of Grace Church. And from our Malawi mission team we add--Thank you (Zikomo) for praying!
Look for more updates from HAHFA regarding Prison Fellowship Ministries Malawi. Please direct any questions to [email protected] please
Ministerial Team
Rev. Dr. Orville James (ext. 19)
Rev. Katie Southon (ext. 14)
Rev. Tom Chire (Voluntary)
Children/Family Ministry (GraceLand)
Heather Mackey (ext. 21)
Youth Ministry
Caitlin Belanger (ext. 17)
Adult Faith Ministry
Joy Magwood (ext. 23)
Friday Night Community Coordinator
Lisa Lunski (ext. 11)
Music Ministry at 11am
James Bretzler (ext. 20)
Administration
Catherine Wagg (ext. 15)
Kirstin Randall-Gan (ext. 10)
Finance
Ruth Ferry (ext. 16) in Wednesdays
Custodian Team
Randy Taylor/Karlene Philips (ext. 12)
905-634-1849
www.wsquare.ca
2121 Caroline St, Burlington ON L7R 1L7
Office Hours:
Mon to Thurs 9am - 4pm, Fri 10am - 2pm
Upcoming Themes and Special Sundays
May 1st - 52nd Anniversary Celebration (10am One-Service) After 20 years, Orville reflects
on what God is up to, around the Square.
May 8th - Mother’s Day Services with Baptisms May 15th - Refugee Sunday Meet the Baroody family, as
we consider the Church’s role in serving refugees.
May 22nd - ‘Life beyond death’ (part 3)
May 29th - ‘Life beyond death’ (What About Hell?) June 5th - ‘Life beyond ‘life-after-death’
The New Heaven & New Earth (Communion & Baptisms)
June 12th - 9 & 11 am Worship Thanks & Farewell to Caitlin
Belanger. June 19th - 9 & 11am Worship
(Father’s Day) June 26th - 9 & 11am Worship (Pritchard Student preacher)