Passages

We hold in prayer the families of Audrey Wratten (1935-2019) and Jane Gangin (1923-2019).

Pastor Beryl led a celebration of Audrey’s life at Urgel Bourgie (Feron’s) in LaSalle on Thursday, August 1st. Interment will be on August 8th at the Field of Honour in Pointe Claire. Audrey’s three children were baptized in Verdun United churches and her daughter Kim was married by Rev. Nerny, who also baptized her children.

Pastor Beryl will preside at the interment of Jane Gangin, mother of Carolyn Grant, this Saturday, August 3rd at Mount Royal Cemetery. Carolyn attends SouthWest United and is related by marriage to Helen Pantridge.

In darkness, there is light,
in sadness, there is hope,
In death there is light, and love, and life everlasting.

Highland Games in Verdun this Sunday

From the caber toss to the Scottish fiddle to the tug-of-war, there’s something for everyone at the Montreal Highland Games, which will take place on the grounds of the Douglas Hospital in Verdun, on August 4th from 9am. There are several related events leading up to the big day; if you were out and about in Verdun on Thursday you might have witnessed the Promenade of Cabers on Wellington, or the Scots in the Park celebration outside the borough hall on Verdun ave.
Tonight, Friday, August 2, at 8 pm, you’re invited to a Wee Cèilidh just before the big weekend! Bagpipers, fiddlers, dancers and more. Location: Burgundy Lion Pub, 2496 Notre Dame Street West, Montreal.
For the full schedule of events on Sunday, click below.

Driving? Taking the Metro?

Guests are encouraged to use our free shuttle service to the Games from Angrignon Metro Station. Shuttles will run approximately every 20 minutes from 8:00 am until 7:00 pm.

The Games asks you to bring your own reusable water bottle, to help reduce plastic waste.

Minister's word: Starry, Starry Nights

One of the benefits of living off the Island of Montreal is the lack of reflected light at night.

It gives one the opportunity to see the night sky in all its beauty.  It begins as the sun ends its going down and the “evening star” is slowly unveiled.

As the night darkens, one by one, like the dance of fire flies in the summer, the stars make their shining debut.

I cannot contain my excitement as I think that these are the very same stars on which Creator made a promise to Abraham and Sarah.  The same stars which accompanied the Magi as they followed that one “special” star to Bethlehem.  The same stars which Jesus and the disciples undoubtedly gazed at time and time again.

On a clear night, as I settle into my hammock to celebrate Creator’s holy mystery, (blanketed and protected from the mosquitos) I am reminded of the words in Isaiah 40: 26 (NIV)

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
    Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
    not one of them is missing.

Creator’s promise is eternal.  Like the shining stars in the sea of sky, each and every one of us is beautifully fashioned and cherished. This in itself is a great and powerful mystery and I cannot help but give praise and shout “thanks be to Creator God!”

 - Beryl

 

Verdun Beach: City explains when swimming is allowed, and not

Have you visited Verdun’s new urban beach yet? Are you worried you’ll go and be prevented from swimming because of poor water quality? On the borough of Verdun page of the City of Montreal website, there is a French text explaining the protocol for allowing swimming or not on any given day. More importantly, it gives a phone number to call to find out if you’ll be allowed in the water if you go to the beach located behind the Verdun Auditorium.

That information line is: 514 280-0789. A bilingual message tells you if swimming is permitted on the day of the call. Also, if you’re passing by, a red flag will be flown on the beach on days when swimming is not permitted. A lifeguard stays on site to inform people that it’s not safe to swim.

The borough wants citizens to know that the beach itself is open every day from 10am to 7pm, even if some days you can’t go in the water. The main culprit behind bad water quality is heavy rain. Swimming may be forbidden during a downpour and even for several days after, especially if storm drains overflow. The water quality is tested twice a day. Again, your best bet is to call the info line: 514 280-0789.


The Song of the Lilies

Do you ever get a song or a phrase stuck in your head? Sometimes you do not even know where it has come from: it just keeps rolling around, demanding to be heard.  For the past few days, the phrase “Earth sings in flowers” has become almost deafening.

Perhaps it is the photograph I took of the lilies in my garden when I returned from worship last Sunday:  Or the dawn breaking song of the cardinals, blue jays and almost adult crows who come early to the feeder outside the bedroom window.

It called to mind “A Song of Faith”, adopted in 2006, which seeks to provide a verbal picture of what The United Church of Canada understands its faith to be in the historical, political, social, and theological context of the early 21st century.  It is a seven-page document of exceptional poetic writing and I share hereunder the words:

We sing of a church seeking to continue the story of Jesus by embodying Christ’s presence in the world.

We are called together by Christ as a community of broken but hopeful believers, loving what he loved, living what he taught, striving to be faithful servants of God in our time and place.

Our ancestors in faith bequeath to us experiences of their faithful living; upon their lives our lives are built.

Our living of the gospel makes us a part of this communion of saints, experiencing the fulfillment of God’s reign even as we actively anticipate a new heaven and a new earth.

Beautiful and inspiring words from a beautiful and inspiring document which I believe we need to revisit from time to time.  Perhaps we’ll do that together over the coming months.

The words which I have been hearing remind me that God’s beauty is all around us and, like the story of Mary and Martha we will be reading this week, we need to take the time to relax and to listen to what Creator may be trying to teach us.

Lilies.JPG

“Grateful for God’s loving action, we cannot keep from singing” so I hope you, too, enjoy the song of the lilies.

 Beryl 

Some food resources in Verdun

Because hard times come to us all, and we all need to eat, here are some contacts to keep close at hand:

Food to take home:

  • MANNA, located in the basement of Dawson Boys and Girls Club (666 Woodland ave.), is open Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 to 12, except the first week of the month. 514-761-4394.

  • Société St-Vincent -de-Paul has emergency food help by appointment. Call 514-768-2093.

  • REV (réseau d’entraide de Verdun) For $7 you can go on Monday afternoons, 3-5pm and fill a basket. They have fresh food as well as non-perishables. They even have meat to give, but you must bring your own freezer pack. Individual frozen meals are also available every day at REV between 10am and 3pm, for a $1 contribution. 4350 Ruelle Quinn, Verdun H4G 1L9. (514) 762-0705.

  • Mini-market is at Dawson Boys and Girls Club every Tuesday from 12:30 to 5PM. 666 Woodland ave.

Meals:

  • Dawson Boys and Girls Club offers a community lunch every Tuesday at 12:30. pay what you can.

  • Projet PAL also has a community lunch Tuesdays at noon. More info: 514-767-4701.

  • Epiphany church is offering their Thursday lunch on the fourth week of the month this summer: July 25th and August 22nd. $2 donation.

Community Celebration in Cowansville

For anyone living - or summering - in the Eastern Townships (Estrie), consider dropping in on this casual family celebration with Rev. David at Emmanuel United, this Sunday, or in August.

On the third Sunday of July (the 21st) and of August (the 18th) a new initiative will happen at Emmanuel at 12 noon. Susan Reininger and Rev. David are hoping to welcome our children, youth and their families to a community celebration outside the church on the lawn. Bring a bag lunch. There will be a musical moment that hears some of the camp songs our youth learned in June. We want to hear their experience and create a gathering for them and their friends who may not attend church. Pray for this initiative.
Join us outside for fun, food - a circle of celebration, a circle of joy!

(from Emmanuel news, Vol. 2, issue 27)

Take Care, It's Another Heat Wave!

It’s hot and it’s humid out there folks. Even if you’re one of those who can’t get enough of the hot weather, it can be dangerous. Here’s some practical advice:

1) Drink lots of water. 6 to 8 glasses a day is recommended. Some of it can be juice or lemonade as long as you’re not watching your sugar intake. Go easy on iced tea and coffee because of the caffeine. By the time you feel thirsty, you’re already starting to be dehydrated.

2) Try to spend at least 2 hours a day in a cool place. If you don’t have air conditioning at home, do you have a friend who does? Get yourself invited over, say you’ll bring the lemonade! If not, try to get to a shopping centre, or take yourself to the movies! It’s best not to spend a lot of time waiting out in the sun for the bus, though. See if you can get someone to drive you.

3) Take at least one shower a day. A cool wet facecloth on the back of the neck can help cool you down between showers.

4) Reduce your physical efforts. You run every day? Good for you. Just don’t do it outside during a heat wave!

5) Wear light, non-restrictive clothing and,

6) this one hurts: avoid alcohol.

7) Contact family and friends, especially those with less autonomy or living alone, and make sure they’re okay. I would add:

8) if you have a pool, invite friends and neighbours over to use it!

Download this pamphlet from the government of Quebec:

A Heat Wave Prayer:


God of creation,
may the glistening beads of sweat upon our brow, remind us of our baptismal promises;
may the slowing of our paces and practices,
remind us of the sacredness of each moment;
and may the sweltering waves of heated air,
remind us of your Spirit which moves amongst us.
Keep safe those who work and those who play this day, as we tend to our neighbours in need.
Amen.
(from the Diocese of Niagara, 2013)

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