Spring Youth Forum in Sherbrooke

What is Youth Forum?
It is a weekend retreat for high school and CEGEP youth organized by folks from the United Church of Canada (Quebec Presbytery). It is planned by youth, for youth. It has been going on in this region for more than 40 years!

What will we do there?
At Youth Forum you will play games, eat yummy food, make music, learn new things, meet new people, participate in Worship, explore and deepen spirituality and faith. Youth Forum is hard to explain, it is best lived!

Why should I go? I don't go to Church...
Everyone is welcome at Youth Forum. It is organized by a Protestant, Christian Church, however people of all faiths or no faith are always welcome. This is not an event to convert folks, but to explore meaningful relationships and new ideas. We are an open-minded and diverse community. 

The Theme of the upcoming Youth Forum in Sherbrooke in April is Healthy Relations. We will focus on a number of important topics facing our world and our youth today: navigating the tricky territory of relationships, sex, self esteem and consent. In the wake of #metoo it seems more relevant than ever to talk about healthy boundaries and how to create positive and loving friendships and romances. We will also explore how our ideas of sex and relationships have been shaped and affected by the Bible and modern religious culture. By creating a comfortable open and safe space to talk about these big issues, in the company of peers and role models, we can explore trickier topics. Adult leaders have experience working with youth and are all police-checked.

This event costs 50$ - but please do not let that be a barrier, if you cannot afford the registration cost, just speak to Shannna and we can organize a solution.

Cet événement passera principalement en anglais, mais les francophones sont toujours les bienvenus, la plupart des participants sont bilingues et la traduction peut être arrangée.

When: April 13-15, 2018

Where: 
Église Unie Plymouth Trinity United Church
380 Dufferin, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 4M7

Contact Shanna Bernier for more info  - shanna.bernier@gmail.com
819-791-1974  

Minister's Message: Thanks to Harvest Montreal

I wrote a thanks this week to Geverny Hajjar and the team at Harvest Montreal/ Moisson Montréal. Geverny coordinates our monthly pickup of donated food items. We benefit from partnership with this organisation that recovers many tons of food from across Montréal that would normally find its way into a garbage dump. Each month Darlene lends the 'Silver Bullet' to Frank and Léonore who load it to the brim with meat, non-perishable foods and fresh produce. I wrote a thank-you specifically because I saw many ways these donations touched individuals, groups and our community meals.

Kitchen Dream Team Welcome Wednesday

Since the food donations were brought back last Friday this is in part what I observed:

- Children of Breakfast Club loved the ham that was served one morning! 
- Community Celebration/Méli-mélo had an abundance of food prepared by our kitchen co-ordinator and the dream team in the kitchen. The grapes and tortilla chips were a hit.
- some food baskets were delivered to seniors.
- the 'Libre Frigo' was well stocked and many families enjoyed the bread and fresh produce.
- the lemons, sausages and brussels sprouts were being transformed into tasty elements of the upcoming Welcome Wednesday meal.

Wonderful sights and sounds!! 

I wrote: « Veuillez donner ce mot de gratitude à toute l’équipe de Moisson Montréal en notre nom. Merci! »

I remember the story of the child who shared his lunch with Jesus who then blessed it to nourish thousands (John 6:1-14). Generous giving should always be appreciated and a word of thanks in in order, to donors of all kinds and in varying quantities. "Thank-you" keeps the blessing moving along.

I want to gratefully acknowledge :
- a recent gift from the Teen Haven Foundation, Verdun.
- our local Legion # 4 that continues to donate dry goods for the pantry.
- SouthWest's food drive on the first Sunday of Lent of non-perishable food, shared between the Mission and Manna food bank.

Rev.David

Sharing the Loaves and Fishes

Sharing the loaves and fishes,
You gave us an image of solidarity with the hungry, O Lord.
Sharing yourself in the bread and wine,
You called all to the table, O Lord.
Give me the hunger to be a part of the feeding
And the healing of this world.
Nourish me with your Grace,
So I may work with joy to serve your children.
Open my eyes and my heart
To recognize those in poverty
And increase my awareness
Of the structures and systems
That need to be changed
So we may all break bread together.
In your name we pray for the end of hunger.

Education for Justice (internet resource)

An invitation from St. Columba House

Soul of the Community — Building Neighbourhoods of Hope — 2

You are cordially invited to a workshop. The primary goal of this workshop is to engage in interactive case studies involving faith communities. These faith communities are drawing a map of their neighbourhood in order to find new ways of being church in their neighbourhood.

In the afternoon, we will further explore how faith communities contribute to the common good. And we will examine some of the struggles that faith communities are facing.

Sharing of our own experiences, the exchange of ideas with experts, and the review of available resources, we will strengthen existing links and trust relationships within the Presbytery as a whole. In this way, together, we build neighbourhoods of hope.

Saturday, MARCH 17, 2018, 9:00—3:30 p.m.

At Saint Columba House
2365 Grand Trunk, Montreal

 All are welcome

 Lunch provided

For more information and to RSVP, please contact Patricia Lisson at 514-241-9036, 
or Lisa Byer-de Wever at 514-932-6202 ex.224

Sponsored by: JGER Committee, Vision and Transformation Committee, Saint Columba House, EDGE Network of the United Church of Canada.

L’Âme de nos communautés — Engendrer des quartiers riches d’espoir 2

Vous êtes cordialement invité à un atelier où l'objectif principal est de s'engager dans des études de cas interactives impliquant des communautés religieuses. Celles-ci dessinent une carte de leur environnement afin de trouver de nouvelles façons d'être l'église dans leur quartier.

Dans l'après-midi, nous explorerons davantage comment les communautés religieuses contribuent au bien commun. Et nous examinerons certaines des luttes auxquelles elles sont confrontées.

Partage de nos propres expériences, échange d'idées avec des experts et examen des ressources disponibles, nous renforcerons les liens existants et les relations de confiance au sein du Consistoire dans son ensemble. De cette façon, ensemble, nous construisons des quartiers d'espoir.

Samedi le 17 mars 2018 de 9 h à 15 h 30

à la Maison Saint Columba, 2365, rue Grand Trunk, Montréal

Tout le monde est bienvenu

Le lunch est fourni

Pour plus d'informations et pour confirmer votre présence contactez Patricia Lisson  514-241-9036 ou Lisa Byer-de Wever 514- 932-6202 ex 224

Parrainer par: Comité JGER, Comité  de la vision et transformation, La Maison  Saint Columba, Réseau Edge de l’église Unie du Canada.

March Calendars: Where to Eat, Where to Cook

Once again, prepared by our partners at Verdun sans faim, here are the Food security calendars for this month. One of them shows community meals in Verdun; The other shows collective kitchens and emergency food help. 

SouthWest Bingo !

March is coming in like a lamb, not a lion this year. That's good news for our monthly Bingo activity, always held on the first Saturday of the month. That's tomorrow, March 3rd! Cost at the door is $5, which gets you your first bingo card and a ticket for the (cash) door prize. Additional bingo cards can be bought for 50 cents. Doors open at 12:00, play begins at 1PM and refreshments are available (donations gratefully accepted). Please note that this is in the basement of the church, at 1445 rue Clemenceau in Crawford Park. Good luck!

Wednesday Lunch Goes Weekly!

Starting the first week of March, our popular lunches, which have been offered every second Wednesday, will become a weekly event!

Our Welcome Wednesday schedule featuring lunch and a mini-market remains the same, but we are adding a lighter lunch on the alternate Wednesdays as well. The first of these light lunches, on March 7th, is special: it will be prepared by a group of 10 to 15-year-olds attending a March Break cooking camp at the Mission. They will be cooking under the supervision of chef cuisinière Léonore.

Lunch is served Wednesday at 12:30. Thank you for your donation to George, the piggybank.

The youngsters in the cooking camp will also prepare a British-style High Tea on Friday, March 9th. Tea, scones, cucumber sandwiches and other delicacies will be offered. 4PM. Also a voluntary contribution.

Hope to see you at SouthWest Mission, 631 Melrose in Verdun, corner Verdun ave.

P.S: A Blog post from January 5th shows the dates of Welcome Wednesdays featuring Mini-markets. 

Mini-Market February 28th

With the mild weather forecast over the next nine days at least, you could almost believe spring is coming! While it's still grey outside, there's always plenty of colour at the Mission on Welcome Wednesdays. Red peppers, green beans, oranges etc. Mini-market has a bright palette of colours, not to mention flavours available at the best prices. And they're loaded with vitamins and iron to give us the boost we need at this time of year. Download the price list for next Wednesday's market below.

The delicious, nutritious community meal offered on the same day is also an excellent pick-me-up. These days, the cooks usually prepare something with meat, but there is always a vegetarian alternative available.

What: Welcome Wednesday

Where? Southwest Mission, 631 Melrose

When? Wed., February 28th: Mini-market 10:30AM to 3:30PM; Community Lunch 12:30.

Music and Soup/ la musique et la soupe

Southwest Music † Musique sud-ouest

SUNDAY MARCH 4

MUSIC, with Arielle Soucy, our very own Steve Scales and the fabulous SouthWest Choir! Arielle has sung at the Church a few times now, and it’s a real treat. Rockin’ Steve needs no introduction! The choir is providing the soups for the Lenten Lunch after the service, so you’ll have lots to choose from.

This is also a SOUP DRIVE, so we’re asking you to come with tins, packets, and containers of soup to replenish the shelves at Manna Verdun and the Mission.

See you Sunday!

DIMANCHE LE 4 MARS

Un dimanche en MUSIQUE : la soprane Arielle Soucy, qui est déjà venu chanter à l’église à quelques reprises, notre chanteur « Soul » maison, Steve Scales, et le Chœur Sud-ouest. Restez après la célébration pour un bol de soupe, cuisiné par les membres du chœur !

Pour notre COLLECTE DE SOUPE, on vous demande d’apporter des contenants ou des paquets de soupe qu’on donnera par la suite à Manna Verdun et à la Mission.

À dimanche !

Sarah Fraser

Minister's message: Who is my mother, brother, sister?

Who is my mother, brother, sister?
« Just then his mother and brothers showed up. Standing outside, they relayed a message that they wanted a word with him. He was surrounded by the crowd when he was given the message, "Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside looking for you."
 Jesus responded, "Who do you think are my mother and brothers?" Looking around, taking in everyone seated around him, he said, "Right here, right in front of you—my mother and my brothers. Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys God's will is my brother and sister and mother. »
(Mark 3: 31-35: The Message, Eugene H. Peterson)

As a foster parent I know that parental love is not about biology. I have welcomed into my heart and my home many youth over the years whose names never matched mine. I have been transformed in these relationships that were based on love, fulfilling promises and commitment.
Jesus redefines family biology in this simple gospel story.
I imagine that he was used to his mother telling about the 'specialness' of his birth. Not again Mom, please, he may have said. At 30 years old, Jesus, the eldest, left home to live God’s call on his life. He had outgrown the birth story and was ready to concentrate all his energies living as an itinerant preacher, to be judged on his own merits. He leaves home never to return. Mary, who was left in the care of his siblings, comes to him expecting priority status. This visit is used to show a realignment in Jesus' changing sense of filial relationship. Even Mary will transition into a new relationship with her son when she becomes a follower of Jesus.
Nothing stays the same? It encourages me to know that people evolve and that it’s not our biological family alone that determines spiritual identity. As important as it is to recognise our children as belonging to the Christian family at birth (baptism), each person needs to name their personal allegiance to living Christ's way. Each one needs to become a follower of Jesus by choice.
God has no no grandchildren. Only sons and daughters.
We are invited into relationship with God and Jesus based not on bloodlines, family loyalties, tribe or even status but on obedience to God, living in the light and resisting evil and empire. Jesus is looking for brothers, sisters, mothers!
On this Lenten Journey 2018 we hear the stories of scriptures as we follow the Bible Reading Guide inviting us to reimagine all our relationships.
We are transformed from the inside out as we follow Jesus wherever he leads us.
Will you/I be a Jesus follower?
Rev. David

A Lenten Blessing:

May the blessing of God
Give us strength for the journey;
May the Spirit of wisdom
Give us vision for the road;
May the love of Christ
Make us caring companions;
As together
We go forth in the Lenten time.
Amen.

Une bénédiction

Que la grâce de Dieu
Nous donne de la force pour le chemin;
Que l’Esprit de sagesse
Nous donne une vision pour la route;
Que l’amour du Christ
Fasse de nous des compagnons compatissants;
Alors qu’ensemble
Nous avançons en ce temps de Carême.
Amen

SouthWest Outreach worship services

Did you know that SouthWest offers regular worship services at three local seniors’ residences? Worship and communion are made available once a month in these Outreach settings, led by Rev. David, and organized by volunteers from our InTouch Ministry. The volunteers arrive early to invite and accompany people to worship and also to listen and offer care as needed.

Eileen and Yvette from Les Floralies, LaSalle gave monies and canned goods for families in need at Christmas on behalf of the residents.

Our core team travels to the three services and their presence is much appreciated: Dorothy Brown, Anna Christe, Don Ross
In addition, we have helpers from within the residences:
Champlain Hospital: Pamela Manchel
Le Cavalier: Barbara Smith, Helen Kunz
Les Floralies: Marge Cooper, Lil Jones, Yvette Riba.

Valerie Nickson is a Licensed Lay Worship Leader who serves both St Andrew's Delson and Centenary United. She participated in two of our Outreach services February 21, 2018 and shared this prayer she composed.
There were a total of 42 residents attending this week’s services.

Gracious God, we ask you to bless especially your children who have grown old.
When they can no longer care for themselves, send them loving caretakers who appreciate their wisdom and the richness of their experiences.
Send your angels to keep them safe as long as they live and to lead them home to you when their work is done.
Bless the families of the elderly with insight and good judgement.
Send your Holy Spirit to help them make wise decisions, and grant them the patience to care for those who once cared for them
We pray in the name of Jesus.
Amen