Pièce de théâtre gratuit à Verdun

Dans le cadre de la campagne de Bientraitance à Verdun, la pièce de théâtre Parole d'or, Silence d'argent, visant la sensibilisation et la prévention des abus et de la maltraitance envers les personnes aînées, sera présenté  le 4 juin au Quai 5160 (la nouvelle Maison de culture de Verdun). C'est gratuit mais il faut toutefois obtenir un billet. Nous en avons à la Mission: passer durant les heures de bureau, 9H à 14H lundi à vendredi. Les billets sont également disponibles au Centre Marcel-Giroux.
Bienvenue à tous et à toutes, particulièrement les personnes aînées, les proches et les intervenant.e.s qui gravitent autour!

Parole d'or, Silence d'argent, présenté par le théâtre Parminou
Lundi, 4 juin à 14H au 5160 Boul. Lasalle à Verdun.

Volunteer Tea: bakers wanted

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Miss Natalie Lalonde, a teacher at VES, is putting together this year's Tea for volunteers from Verdun Elementary and SouthWest Mission, with our help. The Volunteer Tea will be held the afternoon of May 24th at the Mission. Our list of volunteers keeps growing, and we want to thank them in style! If you are able to donate baked goods, or something that might be offered as a door prize, please contact Amy at the office, 514-768-6231.

 

PS: This call-out excludes our regular volunteers: you are not allowed to do the work this time! You should be getting your invitations shortly.

Minister's Message: Mother's Day 2018

Rev. David (right), his son Luke and mother Joy.

Rev. David (right), his son Luke and mother Joy.

Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 13th.

Mom and I are going to Boston for the May long weekend, a mini adventure. I am grateful to still have my 90-years-young mother, who is going to experience my garden this weekend, attend the Spring Fling at the Mission and be part of worship this Sunday.
My Grandmothers and Mom are relationships that taught me much about life and faith, they are a precious inheritance.
I found this prayer that blesses all mothers, including mine, and share it with you.
Rev. David

Gracious God,We thank you for adopting us into your family through the miracle of your grace, and for calling us to be brothers and sisters to each other.

Today, loving God, we pray for our mothers:
• who cared for us when we were helpless
• who comforted us when we were hurt
• whose love and care we often took for granted.

Today, mothering God, we pray for:
• those who are grieving the loss of their mother,
• those who never knew their biological mother, and now yearn for her
• those who have experienced the wonder of an adopted mother's love
• those mothers and families separated by war or conflict.
Lord, give them all a special blessing this Mother’s Day!

Amen.

Prière pour la fête des mères

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La prière qui suit est une ressource de l'Église Unie du Canada.

 

 

Dieu, nous nommons avec amour ces mères de notre foi :

Agar, à la peau noire, servante de Sara, assise confiante sous le soleil du désert.
Nous nous souvenons de son oppression.

Léa, à la vision défaillante, celle qu’on ne désire pas.
Nous nous souvenons de sa souffrance d’être rejetée.

Anne, qui a offert son fils à Élie, le prêtre, pour être élevé au Temple.
Nous nous souvenons de son sacrifice.

La prostituée sans nom, en marge de la société.
Nous nous souvenons de son grand amour pour son enfant.

Marie, la mère de Jésus, qui regarda son fils mourir sur la croix.
Nous nous souvenons de sa douleur, et de la tienne…

Dieu, qui aime tant, qui a permis à ton fils, Jésus, de mourir afin que nous vivions.
Nous te rendons grâces et louanges.

Nous nous souvenons de celles qui voient souffrir leurs enfants, de celles qui perdent leurs enfants dans des accidents ou à cause d’une maladie.

Nous nous souvenons de celles dont les enfants sont torturés et tués par les autorités au pouvoir. Nous nous souvenons des femmes du Chili rassemblées sur la place publique en protestation face à la disparition de leurs fils et de leurs maris.

Nous pensons aux femmes du Vénézuéla qui prient pour que leurs enfants aient suffisamment de nourriture et d’eau potable.

Nous pensons aux mères d’Afrique du Sud qui se réjouissent pour leurs enfants.

Nous pensons aux mères du Mali qui pleurent pour leurs enfants.

Nous nous souvenons de tous ceux et celles, partout dans le monde, qui s’efforcent de laisser en héritage à leurs enfants un environnement sain.

Nous célébrons les mères et les pères, qu’ils soient en couple ou monoparentaux, qui font chaque jour de leur mieux pour répondre au défi d’élever des enfants.

Nous célébrons celles qui sont pour nous des mères en esprit, qui nous ont nourris, et celles qui continuent à soutenir notre croissance par leur amour et leur don de soi.

En silence, nommons et rendons grâces pour nos mères et toutes celles qui ont contribué à notre croissance. (silence)

Dans le Christ, nous prions : Notre Père et Mère…

[C.A.-Byers, 2002, Traduction: Denis Fortin]

 

Jazz Vespers/ Vêpres de jazz @ Cedar Park

Nourish your soul through afternoon worship and jazz music. Cedar Park United presents a special Jazz Vespers on Sunday, May 27th at 4:30PM. With renowned jazz liturgist Brian Fraser, and the Simon Millerd Trio. Pay-what-you-can. 

Apaisez votre esprit pendant un après-midi de prière et de méditation accompagné de jazz merveilleux  avec Brian Fraser, liturgiste de jazz de renommé, et le trio Simon Millerd. Dimanche, 27 mai à 16H30 à l'Église Unie Cedar Park.

204 Lakeview, Pointe Claire South. 514-695-3337.
www.cedarparkunited.org

Mini-Market May 9th

Still haven't stopped by the Mission on a Welcome Wednesday? It's a sight to behold! Baskets of fresh produce on display, cooks working away in the kitchen, lots of friendly faces coming and going! 
The next Mini-market is from 10:30 to 3:30 next Wednesday. The best way to get the fruit and veggies you want at affordable prices is to pre-order using the attached form. Download to see what will be on offer:

Comment ça vous n'avez pas encore passé à la Mission un «Mercredi M'Attend»? C'est quelque chose! Des paniers de fruits et légumes à vendre, des cuisiniers très occupés dans la cuisine, plein de va-et-vient et du monde génial !
Le prochain Mini-marché est mercredi prochain de 10H30 à 15H30. Pour s'assurer d'avoir les fruits et légumes qu'on veut, on est mieux de pré-commander avec le formulaire ci-joint. Télécharger pour savoir ce qui sera offert:

Spring Fling Bazaar/ Bazar du printemps

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 12 at the Mission. Come shop for treasures new and used; Local artisans will be plying their wares; Enjoy the snack bar. It's the day before Mother's Day: bring your mom! Let's celebrate spring! 631 Melrose ave., corner Verdun.

Anyone interested in helping out in any way, please contact Sheila Morrison, (514) 762-9940, smorrison9940@gmail.com.

A vos agendas! Le samedi 12 mai, des trouvailles vous attendent à la Mission du Sud-ouest. Des artisans du coin offriront leurs créations; livres, jeux, articles ménagers d'occasion; Casse-croûte. Apportez maman, c'est son weekend à elle! Au 631 rue Melrose, coin av. Verdun.

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Minister's Message: Living With Emptiness

Living with Emptiness (and an empty fridge)

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When I opened the door to the Self-Serve fridge/Libre Frigo yesterday, it was empty. It’s the very first time I saw people opening it to find nothing on its shelves.

We started this fridge as a way of sharing with community from our abundance. We hoped that others would bring and put into the fridge from their kitchens as well. It’s a great idea. But offering free food seems easier than educating about how we all contribute to the wider good.

Giving free food to a family in need is easier than having the conversation to actually listen to their needs, to sit across the table and hear their story. Converting to healthy choices is more difficult than accepting the status quo. What do we hear from an empty fridge? 

We affirm a vision of food for all and are grateful for all that we do. 

SouthWest is where:

-we offer a place of belonging and room at all our table gatherings
-we benefit from a professional cook and a team of volunteers in the kitchen
-we transform the donations we receive from Harvest Montréal ($19,000 in value in a year) into community meals on Wednesday and Messy Church
-we support the Mini Market as a sustainable access to fresh fruits and vegetables, at cost, for the community  

SouthWest is about community helping community. We welcome all, we offer what we can and invite all into a circle of grace, hope and love. We follow the example of Jesus in our radical hospitality. 

SouthWest is also accepting emptiness, accepting that our financial and human resources have limits. Our energies cannot be everywhere nor can we do everything. 

The empty fridge may be a gentle reminder to us that it is only in engaging in conversation our membership, adherents and those receiving our services that we will find the way forward. We need everyone contributing with monies, ideas, time, focus and a vision of a generous table. 

Let’s put what we can in the community fridge but stay focused on sustainability: building a transformative community is a costly enterprise. It needs both vison and the means to fund that vision. This is our present challenge and needs all of our help. 

In Mary's song of praise she sings:

My heart sings praises to the Lord//God has filled the hungry with good things//
God has kept the promises made to our ancestors//and showed mercy. 
(extracts from Luke 1: 46-55)

May we feel our hunger God, our emptiness, so you may fill us with good things! 

Rev. David 

 

Community Notes

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Mission volunteer Frank (on the right) was recognized at Dawson Boys and Girls Club's Volunteer appreciation evening for his support on behalf of SouthWest of the Un Plant de Tomate à la fois project in which SouthWest is a partner. Way to go, Frank!

 

This is the bench painted for the Mission by by youth from the rainbow Umbrella that now provides a cheery welcome to all visitors. A similar one will soon be installed at Verdun City Hall.

This is the bench painted for the Mission by by youth from the rainbow Umbrella that now provides a cheery welcome to all visitors. A similar one will soon be installed at Verdun City Hall.

 

Congratulations to Natalie Miron and the young people of LGBTQ rainbow Umbrella. One of their Rainbow Benches is being installed at the Verdun Borough Hall. Representatives of the borough participated in the creation of the eye-catching bench which symbolizes the importance of creating inclusive, welcoming spaces. The mayor and members of council will be on hand for the inauguration of this bench on May 17th at 1PM, in the entrance hall at 4555 Verdun ave.

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