Invitation to Community Organizations

LE FRANÇAIS SUIT

Important announcement regarding relations with English-speaking Quebecers

Montreal, August 14th, 2018 - Please note that the minister responsible for Access to Information and the Reform of Democratic Institutions and minister responsible for Relations with English-Speaking Quebecers, Ms. Kathleen Weil, with the Minister of Sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change, and MNA for Verdun, Ms. Isabelle Melançon, will hold a press conference on Tuesday at 10 am to announce major funding to improve access to programs and services for English-speaking communities throughout Quebec.

Date:               Tuesday, August 14th, 2018

Time:              10 am

Location:        Dawson Boys & Girls Club, 
                       666 Woodland Avenue, Verdun Qc H4H 1V8
 

  Mérouan Bahl    |   Attaché Politique

Bureau de la Ministre du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques.

Députée de Verdun, Mme Isabelle Melançon.

4110 rue Wellington | bureau 301
Verdun (Québec)  H4G1V7
Tél. : 514 766-7503 | Téléc. : 514 766-1136 | Merouan.Bahl@assnat.qc.ca

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INVITATION AUX ORGANISMES COMMUNAUTAIRES

Annonce importante concernant les relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise

Montréal, le 14 août 2018  – Veuillez prendre note que la ministre responsable de l’Accès à l’information et de la Réforme des institutions démocratiques et responsable des Relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise, Mme Kathleen Weil en compagnie de la ministre du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques et députée de Verdun, Mme. Isabelle Melançon, tiendront un point de presse mardi à 10 h afin d’annoncer un important financement pour améliorer l’accès aux programmes et aux services pour les communautés d’expression anglaise à travers le Québec.  

 Date :              Mardi, 14 août 2018

 Heure :            10 h

 Endroit :         Repaire jeunesse Dawson
                        666, av. Woodland, Verdun , Qc H4H 1V8

Mini-market August 15

With this year's harvest starting to come in, we are very happy to have Mini-market back at the Mission every second Wednesday. Join us August 15th between 10:30 and 3:30 for low prices on fresh produce. Consider calling or e-mailing your order in ahead of time using the price list below.
A light lunch will also be on offer at 12:30. All are welcome, donations gratefully accepted.

C'est le début de la récolte 2018 et nous sommes très heureux que le Mini-marché soit de retour à la Mission à tous les deux semaines. Soyez des nôtres mercredi prochain, le 15 août entre 10h30 et 15h30 pour obtenir les meilleurs prix sur des fruits et légumes frais. Il est possible de placer votre commande par téléphone ou courriel en téléchargeant la liste des prix (bouton ci-dessus).
Un repas léger sera également offert à 12h30. Tous sont les bienvenus, payez selon vos moyens.

Minister's Message: Cornerstones

Cornerstones: the symbols and realities of faith!

Last week, I walked by the the former Verdun United Church that was sold in 2007 to the Buddhist Benevolence Association. It has since been resold to another Temple and continues to be used for worship. It is no longer ours; we have moved into a new reality of worship and ministry over the last 11 years. I paused and looked at the cornerstone: 

UNITED CHURCH
VERDUN
A-1930-D

That memorial stone is still there and remains a witness to the work of our forefathers and mothers who built that building, worshipped and lived their faith. There are many local cornerstones of our history: Chalmers (Church Ave), St Lawrence (LaSalle), Eglise Béthanie (Wellington), St Paul (Cote St Paul) and Crawford Park now SouthWest.

When Jesus said: I am the bread of life, the bread that God gives is he who comes from heaven and gives life (John 6: 33,35) he invited people hearing him to go from the Manna they received in the desert to hearing him, God’s Son, as living bread. It is not an easy thing to see beyond the symbols to a living faith that leads us from our past histories into an ongoing and living relationship.

The old Verdun United building still stands at 650 Woodland ave.

When some bemoan the state of the church, the changes to our institutions or losses we experience I look not to the brick and mortar of buildings but rather a living Christ inviting us to journey together in faith.

I look from the cornerstones of our history to the one who is the Cornerstone of our faith, Jesus Christ. (see Acts 4: 1-10, 1 Peter 2: 4-8, Romans 9:33).

Samuel Stone wrote a hymn in 1866, The Church's One Foundation, that Laurence Stookey adapted in 1983. It affirms that faith is what remains always vibrant, alive and moving forward through the ages. Faith roots us in the changes of addresses or buildings.

The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord,
We are his new creation, by water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought us, that we might ever be
his living servant people, by his own death set free.

et en français:

L'église universelle a pour roc Jésus Christ;
elle est l'oeuvre nouvelle que sa parole fit.
Habitant le ciel même, il vint se l'attacher,
et, par un don suprême,mourut pour la sauver!

Blessings on each us in a growing, sustaining faith.

Rev. David

Calendriers Août: Alimentation/ August Calendars: Food

Téléchargez le calendrier "Où manger" pour trouver les repas communautaires à Verdun durant le mois d'août.

Téléchargez le calendrier "Où cuisiner" pour les cuisines collectives, les marchés et d'autres ressources en sécurité alimentaire.

Download the "Où manger" calendar to find community meals in Verdun in August.

Download the "Où cuisiner" calendar for collective kitchens, markets, and other food security resources.

United Action for Justice

The following comes to us from a United Church of Canada committee that advocates for social justice. Go to the bottom of this post to access the online form.

Passages: Joyce Healy

HEALY, Joyce (nee Tainsh) 1932 - 2018
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Joyce at the age of 86, peacefully, with family by her side. Wife of the late Gerry Healy, she will be missed by her children Julie, Michael and Dawn (Gareth), her brother Bill (Nora), sister Heather (late Stan) and sisters-in-law Tippy (late Jimmy), Noreen, Jeanine (late Jimmy) and many nieces and nephews.
The family welcomes family and friends for visitation on Thursday, August 9, 2018 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at : Yves Légaré Lasalle, 7200 Boul. Newman, LaSalle, H8N 1X2.
A celebration of Joyce's life will be held on Friday, August 10, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at SouthWest United Church, 1445, Rue Clémenceau,Verdun ,Qc with a reception to follow.
The family would like to extend their gratitude to the doctors and nurses at the Lachine Hospital for their wonderful support and care. A donation to  SouthWest United Memorial Fund would be appreciated.

Footnote: Joyce was the secretary at Verdun Elementary School for some 10 years and started the clothing room there which for the last ten years has been run by SouthWest Mission.

Minister's Message: Summertime

For some the summer starts when you can take walks in the coolness of the evening at the end of day. Or when the first produce is ready from your garden. It could be the great variety of birds at your backyard feeder.
My favorite summer hymn is:

For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God.
For the gifts to every nation, thanks be to God.
For the ploughing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we are sleeping,
Future needs in earth’s safe-keeping, thanks be to God.
                                                                     (Fred Pratt Green, 1970, VU 227)

The image of silent growth reminds us of all the many things that happen behind the scenes that give life taste: from the cooking in the kitchen, the weeding of the garden, the laundry hanging on the clothesline. That work brings a satisfaction of produce, meals, fresh clothes. It is the hard work that lets us sit at the table and enjoy the sharing and blessing together.
And at the meal we say: thanks be to God.

Amen.

Rev. David

Back to School, Back to Breakfast

We have partnered with and supported Breakfast Club at Verdun Elementary School for 11 years.
The new school year is but a moment away - LOL - and Breakfast club needs donations of food. That's because the national program only provides food from about three weeks into the school year, but we always open our Club on the first day of classes (August 29th). 
Food donations needed: cereal, cream cheese, cheese slices, bread, juice, Eggo waffles. These can be brought to the Mission (please call first) or church on Sunday morning. Perhaps consider sponsoring a child or family for registration costs; or donating coloring books, games, etc. Or what about supporting our Mini-Market (next date is August 15th) by purchasing some fruits (at the lowest prices) and donating them back to Breakfast Club? 
If you have some time to offer, BC is looking for volunteers, particularly for Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

For more information contact Sue Purcell or Sheila Morrison, breakfastclub.southwestmission@gmail.com

If your child goes to VES and you want to take advantage of breakfast club, you can also get in touch with Sue or Sheila. Registration forms will be available the first day of school from 7:30 am. Breakfast Club takes place at the Mission, school entrance at 631 Melrose.

Verdun Triathlon: Streets closed August 12

LE FRANÇAIS SUIVRA

Sunday August 12 is the Verdun Triathlon. There will be street closings, but worship will go on at SouthWest United at the usual time. Lasalle Boulevard will be closed its length, but access will be open from Champlain Boulevard via Leclair and Crawford streets. Bus routes may be disrupted and parking will be prohibited on some streets (not Clemenceau). Even walkers may find their usual routes blocked, but we have received assurances from the organizers that worshippers should ask volunteers for help to safely cross the bike route.

Find out more at: triathlondeverdun.com

Below is a letter from the borough to Crawford residents, and a map of the bike route.

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Dimanche 12 août c'est le Triathlon de Verdun. Il y aura des fermetures de rues, mais le culte continuera à SouthWest à l'heure habituelle (10h). Le boulevard Lasalle sera fermé, mais l'accès au boulevard Champlain sera accessible par les rues Leclair et Crawford. Les itinéraires de bus peuvent être perturbés et le stationnement sera interdit dans certaines rues (mais pas Clémenceau). Même les marcheurs peuvent voir leurs itinéraires habituels bloqués, mais nous avons reçu des assurances de la part des organisateurs que les fidèles peuvent demander de l'aide aux bénévoles pour traverser la piste cyclable en toute sécurité.

The dark red line shows the bike route, which will be closed to traffic. The small red lines show intersections that will be closed.

Minister's message: What children can teach us

Which choice will we make?
It’s a difficult story to hear: King David, the exuberant lover of God, the writer of prayers and psalms, has feet of clay. He sees a married woman, follows his lust into a web of adultery, deceit and even the murder of her husband, a loyal soldier in his army. (2 Samuel 11: 1-15). When David messes up, he does so big time and destroys lives, Bathsheba and Uriah’s among them.
The gospel story in John (6: 1-15) of the feeding of the 5,000 has a twist: the food to feed the multitudes comes from an unusual source. When asked how to feed so many people the disciples were at a loss. They did not have the necessary resources. There was however a boy who had a lunch: five barley breads and two fish. Jesus blessed this simple meal and distributed it to the multitudes. There were even twelve baskets left over.
These stories are unconnected but both appear in the lectionary for this Sunday.
I wonder if King David had seen a child if he would have paused to realize that what he was about to do was wrong? When I approach a traffic light and wait for the pedestrian walk sign I often will ignore the red light if there are no cars and go ahead. If there is a child present, however,  I wait, as I don’t want to be a ‘bad’ example. Children in our midst give us pause in our reflecting and decisions. They remind us of the best of what we and the world can be. They need our examples of living for justice and resisting evil. We need their innocence. They need us to validate their generous actions and temper their willfulness. When their innocence is lost because of adults' self-indulgent and destructive behaviours it is often impossible to retrieve.
The generosity of a child’s lunch that with Jesus’ blessing feeds multitudes is in stark contrast to David’s willful disregard of others, and destructive actions.
Let us pause before actions or impulses are directed to unhealthy choices. 
Let us be examples for children in our midst.
Let us choose life, self control and generosity over taking what is not ours and live in light not darkness. 
Let us be the generous gifts to others in their need.
Blessings!

Rev. David