Mission memories

As the Mission winds down its activities over the next months, many of us are saddened, but also looking back on the last 12 years with fondness. If the Mission has been a part of your life at any point, we would love to hear from you. You might consider the following questions:

How has SouthWest Mission touched community?
How has it changed your life?
Is there a memory you would like to share?

Send you thoughts by e-mail to southwestunited@gmail.com, or drop off a note during office hours. Rev. David is usually around Tuesdays and Wednesdays if you’d like to say goodbye.

Feeling shy about putting pen to paper? Maybe these words, from Ann Duhamel, will inspire you:

“After reading about the coming closing of the Southwest Mission I felt I had to share my experience with volunteering there. When the church on Woodland was sold and the decision made to open the mission- Sylvia Brighten asked me if I would like to volunteer there- of course I said yes. I helped to set-up rummage sales - packed hundreds of Christmas boxes- cooked and served at the post Christmas Dinner on Dec.26 and eventually took over the making of the lunch at Wednesday service. I loved every minute of it and met some of the most wonderful people I have ever known. The ladies I am about to mention are all gone now - but they left behind some great memories for me. Sylvia Brighten - Fran Walsh- Jean Lodge- Anne Towill a special group of ladies - so loving and kind. And of course who could forget Ed Chaffey - a little gruff at times but always with the best of intentions.
I worked with Kathy making lunches for the school children - another great experience. I must say despite some glitches along the way it was a most valuable and rewarding experience. I am thankful that I was fortunate enough to be given this opportunity.”

The following comes from Mary Anne Fyckes, Spiritual Life and Community Animator, LBPSB

“SouthWest Mission has served community by making and solidifying ties that did not exist before.
Examples:
1) introducing our local Islamic community to Remembrance Day and its relevance to Canadian life.
2) Connecting our three Verdun schools with services such as clothing room shared by all our families
3) making sure basic needs are met within families, such as food, clothing, and assistance with funeral, baptism and marriage for families with no connection to any faith.”

Good Friday Gospel Concert Gospel du Vendredi Saint

A great SouthWest tradition is returning, and that’s something to celebrate!

GOOD FRIDAY GOSPEL
Stewart Burrows & Friends
SouthWest United Church
April 19 at 7 pm

$20 donation at the door

We’re also inviting you to a pre-concert bonus:
Come for a delicious meal first!

Supper at 6 pm

La tradition continue : un concert à ne pas manquer!

GOSPEL du VENDREDI SAINT
Stewart Burrows & Amis
Église unie Sud-ouest
Le 19 avril à 19 heures

20 $ à la porte

ET vous avez l’option de venir pour un repas avant le concert :

Souper à 18 heures !

Stewart Burrows is a singer-songwriter from Quebec who writes and performs his own brand of Celtic-Canadian folk music in English and French.  He has performed at festivals and venues across North America and Europe, and is currently a regular on the Montreal Celtic music scene.

For this concert, he will play guitar, banjo and mandolin.  Stewart finds particular comfort in sitting on his farm, by the shore of Lake St Francis in Dundee, nursing a pint of stout, while trying to play Blackberry Blossom, in D-flat, at pub-speed, on his mandolin.

 Stewart Burrows est musicien-chansonnier Québécois ainsi que compositeur et performeur de son style personnel de musique celto-canadienne en français et en anglais.  Ses voyages musicaux l’ont mené à travers l’Amérique du Nord et en Europe.  On trouve Stewart souvent ces jours là parmis les musiciens celtiques montréalés.  Pour ce concert, il joue guitare, banjo et mandoline.  Il trouve un réconfort spécial assis sur sa ferme sur le bord de Lac Saint-François à Dundee, pint-o-Guinness en main, en pratiquant “Blackberry Blossom” en Re-bémol à la vitesse de ‘pub’ sur sa mandoline.

Mini-Market April 10

Easter flowers

Once again this year, you can purchase an Easter plant by seeing Shirley Stark at church until April 14th. The plants will decorate the sanctuary on Easter Sunday, April 21st, to be taken home after the service.  The cost is $ 7.00 each. This year each plant will have the donor’s name on it to avoid confusion.

SouthWest in the news

The article below appears in the local Metro newspaper dated April 1st. The information in the article is generally correct: The Wednesday community lunch and the Mini-market are relocating to Dawson Boys and Girls Club as of April 24th.
In case it is ambiguous from reading the article, SouthWest Mission will remain in the Verdun Elementary building until the end of our lease on June 30th. In terms of Bonhomme à lunettes and the Halte allaitement (not halte garderie), we are hopeful these services, as well as two weekly AA meetings, will continue in the Mission space after SouthWest leaves, but there have been no guarantees. We have encouraged these groups to communicate directly with the school board which will make all decisions about the use of the space.

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Mission du Sud-Ouest ferme après 12 ans de services

Sophie Poisson

Le 17 avril sera le dernier repas communautaire partagé dans le sous-sol de l’école primaire Verdun Elementary. Confrontée à des contraintes financières et de personnel, la Mission du Sud-Ouest ferme après 12 années en fonction. Les services offerts devraient être repris par différents acteurs.

Le pasteur de l’église Unie du Sud-Ouest et leader communautaire David Lefneski est très heureux d’avoir lancé le projet. «Ces choses sont nées de sueur et un peu de sacrifice. Quelque part, on vit un deuil. Je suis en train d’écrire un rapport qui est quand même positif parce que si tu risques, tu ne perds rien. On ne le regrette pas, mais on ne peut pas le soutenir. On trouve de l’argent pour les programmes, mais on trouve difficilement de l’argent pour les salaires.»

La Mission du Sud-Ouest fonctionne sur une base de dons. «Au fond, ça nous fait vivre, mais à la base, on avait vendu [en 2007] sur Woodland la grande église [Verdun United Church], raconte le pasteur. L’argent qui était une somme importante, au lieu de l’investir dans notre église, on a décidé de le faire dans la communauté.»

Il ajoute que plusieurs partenariats lui ont permis d’assurer ses services, en commençant par la Commission scolaire Lester B. Pearson qui lui loue l’espace «à un prix modique». La paroisse pour laquelle il est révérend, Moisson Montréal, le CSLC et Verdun sans faim en fait également partie.

April Food Calendars

Once again, the monthly calendar tells you where to find community meals and food services in Verdun. Please note that Wednesday lunches and the Mini-market continue at SouthWest Mission through April 17th. As of April 24th, they will have moved to Dawson Boys and Girls Club at 666 Woodland ave.

Bake sale, raffles and sandwiches April 14

You’re going to want to bring a little pocket money to church on Palm Sunday, April 14. Volunteers are preparing a bake sale to take place directly after the service. There will also be prepared sandwiches available to buy and either eat right away or take home. Finally, you can buy raffle tickets for various prizes. All this, and Palms too!

Foire artisanale/ Artisan Fair @ Summerlea United

Artisan Fair & Book Sale, on Saturday April 13th, from 10am-3pm, at Summerlea United Church, 225-50th Avenue, Lachine.

There will be over 30 artisans displaying their beautiful crafts, delicious home baking, and many books at great bargain prices!

A lunchroom serving quiche with soup, salad & homemade dessert will also be available between 11am & 2pm for $10 (advance ticket $8).  For information or to purchase a lunch ticket in advance, call Colleen at 514-634-2651.

Read and sign up for the Regional Council Nakonha:ka Newsletter

Communications support person for Nakonha:ka Regional Council, Judy Coffin, writes about her recent Sunday visit to Kanesatake United Church. And much more!

Minister's Message: Take Up Your Cross and Follow

Then Jesus said to them all: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

I struggle with this teaching of Jesus.

To deny oneself and take up a cross every day? And as a prerequisite to being a Jesus follower? This is a tough word.

Sometimes this verse is used to keep people in their place, to tell them to accept their lot and not aspire to improve their lives. Telling an abused spouse that their cross is to endure such abuse is not what this text condones. Telling a family that they must slowly starve rather than leaving everything for a better life, or a child that their birthplace means they will not have access to education or medicine, are not crosses to bear. Following Jesus is always justice seeking for one.

As the snow melted in the front of my house last week it exposed the soil, shrubs and earth hidden underneath. The white frame of the for sale sign, unnoticed against the snow, was contrasted with the earth and formed a small cross. It caught my attention and imagination.

Leaving my home (much more than a house) with so many years of rootedness both in relationships and in gardens is emotional. Leaving behind the neighbourhood, the familiar, and the city of Montreal after 40 years are significant changes. In this transition, in this choice and move I feel a sense of call to follow Jesus. Cost and call, being ready for a new phase and season of life and ministry, open to live in faith some new adventures, learning and discoveries. Opportunities for service, growth and new challenges. I live these contrasts all at the same time. But following Jesus also means leaving behind and saying goodbye. It is loss, sadness, tough choices and letting go.

Is this a part of taking up the cross?

For now I look at the cross before me, seeing it in life transitions and change. I stand under it and let Jesus’ love that sacrifices all, touch me with forgiveness and hope. I hear Jesus inviting me into relationships defined by that balance of self-denial and service to others. I willingly take on the symbol of the cross and question what it means for me in this moment.

A hymn from my youth expresses some of these thoughts:

Take up your cross, the Saviour said,
if you would my disciple be;
take up your cross with willing heart,
and humbly follow after me.

 Take up your cross, let not its weight
fill your weak spirit with alarm;
Christ’s strength shall bear your spirit up,
and brace your heart, and nerve your arm.

 Take up your cross, heed not the shame,
nor let your foolish pride rebel;
your Saviour once accepted death
upon a cross, on Calvary’s hill.

(Charles William Everest, 1833, VU 561)

We live together this Lenten season, taking up our cross and following Jesus.
We believe that he leads us and trust his way.

 Rev. David