Minister's Message: We Appreciate Our Volunteers!

I thank my God for you every time I think of you; and every time I pray for you all, I pray with joy because of the way in which you have helped me in the work of the gospel from the very first day until now. (Philippians 1: 3-5)

April 15th to 21st is National Volunteer Week in Canada.
We estimate that, each year, over 100 people volunteer in some capacity at SouthWest. We are grateful!

How do we even begin to say thanks for the hundreds (thousands?) of volunteer hours:
- Welcoming at the door, living hospitality
- Collecting and counting the offerings, keeping our accounts in order
- Preparing food for fellowship time and washing up afterwards
- Cooking, serving and cleaning up after meals on Welcome Wednesdays
- Creating cards for shut ins; visiting, phoning those unable to get out
- Setting up for community events, manning tables and being the cheerful face of SouthWest
- Helping organize weddings and baptisms
- Ordering produce
- Passing the broom, the mop, the sponge
-Shovelling snow and putting down salt
- Greeting a newcomer, sharing a smile, singing in the choir
- Praying for those in need, comforting the sick and holding the hand of the dying
- Sorting through donated clothes, books and other items
- Picking up and delivering food and other items
- Writing reports, filing
- Keeping the plants watered and the space tidy
- Giving a lift, being kind to the stranger
- Organizing Christmas joy for children
- Contributing your time and talents, showing God's love in word and in deed

May God bless the hands that do good to all.
that love as Jesus loved with care, generosity and joy.
Bless all hands, and in particular the hands of our volunteers!

Rev. David

Summer Sewing Camp for Teens

This summer, send your teen to sewing camp for a full week of cool projects! After learning the basics of a sewing machine, like how to thread it, wind a bobbin, and troubleshoot regularly encountered issues, teens will get to make 4 things that they'll take home and cherish!
These projects will introduce teens to commonly used sewing techniques and each project will teach a new skill while reinforcing ones already learned:
Pencil case zippered pouch, Raglan style t-shirt, Pillow cover, Messenger bag
The course runs for one full week, Monday to Friday, from 10:00am to 4:00pm.  Ages 13 to 17. The weeks available are:
June 25 to June 29, July 16 to July 20, July 23 to July 27, or August 6 to August 10.
The program is $500, all taxes, and materials are included.  All tools and machines are provided for use.

For more information, visit Fiber Arts website: 

Family-Friendly Music Sunday

This Sunday: April 22 at 10 am at the Church.

Music with a smile for everyone!

This is the first Sunday Challenge as well: We invite you
to invite someone you know, who doesn’t usually (or ever!)
come to a Sunday Celebration at the church.
You can tempt them with:

Wonderful hospitality
Great music
Delicious cakes and cookies

All in the warm and friendly atmosphere of SouthWest, 1445 rue Clémenceau, Verdun.

See you Sunday!

The Music Team

Journée de la terre/ Earth Day

ENGLISH BELOW

Célébration pour la journée de la terre

(Message de nos partenaires du Grand Potager)

Ce dimanche 22 avril aura lieu la Journée de la terre. Nous célébrerons avec une journée familiale amusante aux Serres de Verdun. Il y aura des jeux et des activités pour tous les âges, y compris le yoga pour les enfants, les bombes de semences, la fabrication de papier et plus encore ! 10h00 à 15h00, serres de Verdun 7000 Lasalle Boul. Verdun H4H 2T1

Earth Day Celebration

(Message from our partners at Grand Potager)

This Sunday April 22nd is Earth Day. We will be celebrating with a fun-filled family day at the Verdun Greenhouses. There will be games and activities for all ages including kids yoga, seed bombs, paper-making and more! 10:00 to 3:00, at the Verdun greenhouse, 7000 Lasalle Boul. Verdun H4H 2T1

Vous avez le goût de jardiner?

Bonjour à tous,

Le projet Un plant de tomate à la fois du Repaire jeunesse Dawson vous invites à lancer l’invitation suivante à votre clientèle:

Apprendre, partager, rencontrer, éduquer et alléger sa facture d’épicerie avec des aliments entiers frais et locaux est possible avec les jardins collectifs de Un plant de tomate à la fois !

Comment ça marche?

Chaque jardin a une plage horaire semaine officielle où les jardiniers(ères) se rencontrent pour travailler (et faire la récolte) du jardin. Ainsi, les tâches du jardins sont partagées entre tous incluant l’arrosage en dehors de la plage horaire officielle. Le jardinage collectif c’est en quelque sorte joindre l’utile à l’agréable mais sans tout la charge du travail en plus d’être un milieu convivial propice à l’apprentissage ! Un animateur(trice) est présent(e) sur les lieux pour guider les participants et offrir un support horticole. Ouvert à tous, bienvenue aux enfants (accompagnés d’un adulte).

*La carte des emplacements des jardins et leur plage horaire figure sur le formulaire d’inscription. Il vous est possible de le consulter sans avoir à compléter une inscription.

Vous n’êtes pas certain de votre choix de jardin ou vous avez des questions ? Contactez-nous à plant.de.tomate@gmail.com ou 514-767-9967 ext. 235. Il nous fera plaisir de répondre et vous guider!

POUR VOUS INSCRIRE :

À très bientôt ,

L’équipe de Un plant de tomate à la fois

Réal Bonneville | Coordinator

Dawson Boys and Girls Club

666 rue Woodland, Verdun, QC H4H 1G1 carte

t: 514-767-9967 ext.235

Want to Join a Collective Garden?

Hello to all,

The Dawson Boys And Girls Club's ‘’Un plant de tomate à la fois’’ project would like to invite you into the garden this summer!

Sharing, meeting, learning and educating while lowering your grocery bill with wholesome, fresh, local produce is what Un plant de tomate à la fois' collective gardens are all about !

How does it work?

Each garden has an official weekly schedule when gardeners meet to work (and harvest). That way, all garden tasks and responsibilities are shared between gardeners, including watering which is done outside the time frame. No more overwhelming work for one person only, casual nice ambiance and learning opportunity included ! An animator is also present to provide proper guidance and horticultural resources. Open to all, kid friendly (accompanied by a adult).

*You may consult the location and the weekly time frames for each of our gardens in the Sign-up form bellow. You may consult it without having to complete sign-up.

Questions, or not sure of your garden choice ? Write to plant.de.tomate@gmail.com or call 514-767-9967 ext. 235. We’ll be happy to help !

TO SIGN-UP :

Sincerely ,

The Un plant de tomate à la fois team

Réal Bonneville | Coordinateur

Repaire jeunesse Dawson

666 rue Woodland, Verdun, QC H4H 1G1 carte

t: 514-767-9967 ext.235

Upcoming "Spring Fling"

We are planning a SouthWest Spring Fling Bazaar on Saturday May 12 at the Mission. Volunteers needed and welcomed! We would like to rent tables for artisans to sell their wares! Foodie tables welcomed as well!

Would you like to sponsor a table for someone or perhaps support the Spring Fling Snack Bar?

All proceeds to support Breakfast club, SW Children special events, our food projects and supporting community in economically challenging times.

Spring Cleaning?  We are looking for kitchen items and household items, appliances, tools, sports items, intact toys, games and puzzles. We can not take furniture. If you need help getting donations to the Mission, please contact Darlene or Sheila. 

** Nota bene. To receive all donations we need to store them, so if you have a few storage plastic bins to offer please let the office know and arrangements can be made to pick them up.

Minister's Message: Vision

How do you fund a vision of generous community?

In 2017, SouthWest adopted a vision: We provide a table where all are welcome, with food for body, mind and spirit. Nous procurons une table où chacun trouve de la nourriture pour le corps, l’âme et l’esprit; une table où tous sont les bienvenus.

It was the culmination of many years since SouthWest was renamed in 2007, as both a Community of faith and a generous presence to our neighbours.
Community, what a powerful feeling. That sense of belonging, living with brothers and sisters through the highs and lows, the pain and joys, through all the seasons of life. It is a powerful thing to be loved unconditionally and to know that you are not alone. My faith affirms that God is with us always, in the fabric of our lives and relationships. When I live this faith with others it seeks to accompany, walk alongside of, to serve.
After the resurrection of Jesus his disciples began expressing their belief that he was alive in their midst and continuing his vision of incarnated love in their witness and service to the needs of people around them. They were acknowledged because of their generous care and community involvement and many were won to their cause.
Hear this story from the book of Acts (2: 42-47, NIV).
Jesus' followers...”devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number...”
The commitment of the early disciples to have everything in common enabled them to meet the needs of their neighbours. It is a good thing in changing times to have a vision and to express it in action. It is a big commitment to live as Jesus did in community of faith and among our neighbourhoods.
SouthWest has the challenge of how to fund our vision of a table for all with food that nurtures the body mind and spirit. We are both a worshipping community (church) and a community service provider (mission). Both are about Community!!
As a community of faith that is engaged in the needs of our neighbours we need to enlarge our donor base and to find new sources of revenues to provision the tables of hospitality.
Let’s find the way of speaking about money and fundraising so that we can continue serving.
Let’s live in this journey together.
Let’s share what we have for a common good.
And in so doing be a place of belonging for all.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
Rev. David

Musical Salon this Sunday

We are hoping to make this a recurring event, providing a venue for anyone interested in performing in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, so come check it out, whether you like to listen or perform (or both!)  Doors open at 7:45PM. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Liz Lacroix

On Humboldt

Note from Nora*

April 10, 2018

Last Friday night, our hearts were still full of the joy of Easter’s glorious resurrection when news of the terrible bus crash near Tisdale, Saskatchewan took us back to the depths of Good Friday’s sorrow and confusion.

The Humboldt Broncos hockey team was on its way to a semi-final game when a transport truck collided with the team’s bus, leaving a wreckage of twisted metal and broken bodies. Life changed in an instant for the families, friends, and communities of the 15 who died, and for those who were injured. Everyone who survived the crash, including the driver of the transport truck, will remember the horror of that night forever.

Photo: The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward

How does one make sense of such a thing? What does one say about something so senseless?

Krystal Sheremeta, President of Saskatchewan Conference, (and minister in Nipawin where Friday night’s game was to have taken place), offered beautiful words of comfort in the message she posted on Saturday. She wrote of God’s heart being the first to break, and said, (and this is just part of her powerful message):

“Today as our souls cry out in shock, grief, and heartache, as we are overwhelmed by the devastation again and again, we are assured that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. When no words will suffice, when our prayers are the tears and stunned silences, we know these too are holy. We weep with those who are grieving, and lift prayers of lament with all those whose souls cry out this day.”

One of the teenagers who died, Brody Hinz, was an active member at Westminster United in Humboldt. A huge sports fan, he was delighted when he was chosen to be the Broncos’ team statistician. His minister, Brenda Curtis, who now is preparing for his funeral, told me that the notes, cards, Facebook postings, emails, and texts, (more than she can personally respond to) that have arrived over the past few days, are “a literal outpouring of love from our United Church right across Canada… and are giving us strength here at Westminster United to keep going… to keep ‘being the church’ in our community and for our grieving families.”

Brenda was one of the clergy who led the vigil on Sunday night that was held in the Humboldt community arena, and broadcast to the nation on CBC. I am not sure whether she had turned to our New Creed when she was trying to figure out what to say, or if those words are just so deeply embedded that they came out when Brenda was searching for how to pray at such a time. She invited everyone present to reach out and take the hand of someone next to them, explaining, “In a few minutes, when we go our separate ways, I want you to recall the touch, warmth, blessing of that hand, to remind you that you are not alone, that we are not alone….”

And then she prayed to our holy and merciful God, “As we leave here, help us to know that in times of tragedy when we can see no way through the pain, help us to know we can put our trust and our faith in you. In life, in death, and in life beyond death, you are always with us tender God, encouraging us, loving us, and opening a path of healing for us all.”

On Good Friday, we grieved with the assurance that Easter would come. My prayers today are with all of those in Humboldt and with the families and communities of each of those who were killed or injured, praying that they will be held in God’s warm embrace during this time of deep pain, and that, in time, they will come to know joy once again. 

God is with us. Thanks be to God.
 
Nora

*Nora Sanders is the General Secretary, General Council of the United Church of Canada. To subscribe to the Note from Nora, or other UCC e-newsletters, go to http://www.united-church.ca/newsletters