February 6, 2024
Calvary Compass – February 6, 2024 - Calvary United Church, www.calvaryuc.ca
Dear Friends of Calvary,
This month, Rev. Kerry will be celebrating Black History Month by featuring notable Black people in his sermons. It is an opportunity to learn more about their history and how they have enriched the lives of their fellow Canadians and this country.
Jazz Vespers is on Wednesday at 7pm with special guest vocalist Sonja Gustafson.
Please be aware that Annual Reports are due this Friday. Tax receipts are available at the back of the sanctuary this Sunday.
An Ash Wednesday service will take place at Calvary on Feb. 14 at 7pm with White Oaks United Church in Calvary’s Chapel.
Lenten Devotional Materials (The Poetry of Lent – A Lenten Companion to Mary Oliver’s Devotions) are available at no cost. Contact Rev. Kerry if interested.
Worship Services are all live-streamed:
February 11th - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_4LYVNzAhc
Recorded service for February 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Vj5tnPkXM
CALVARY GREEN
1. Update on MILK BAGS
Calvary Green has decided to continue to collect milk bags and will make them available to St. Paul's UC in Aylmer on a regular basis. They are the closest church/community group that still makes the sleeping mats. As you know, the LORRR group in the city stopped last year and our limited donations here at Calvary are not enough to warrant our own production. It takes almost 500 bags per mat. We have continued to collect and save the bags for such a project and are happy they will be put to good use.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
2. The GREEN BIN City Collection is finally a go! Log on to Green Bin, London for more details
3. SEEDY SATURDAY is March 2 (10 -3) at Carling Heights Community Centre, 656 Elizabeth St.
4. It's official - EARTH FEST 2024 is coming Saturday, April 20 at the Central library. More information to follow.
5. REPAIR CAFE (London) runs approximately once a month. Check online re dates/ locations etc. It is a free service sponsored by Reimagine London
Keeping Calvary Green!
ANNUAL REPORTS
Please write up your annual reports and send them to Kim by Friday, February 9th so that she can collate them and prepare the booklet containing the various reports before the Annual Meeting. Please note that submissions should use the Arial font and 12 pt. size. Do not format with page numbers, headers or footers.
Tax Receipts
Tax receipts are ready and will be distributed over the next few weeks. Kim will hand them out to attendees at various on-site meetings and Nancy Hind will distribute to those in the Sanctuary prior to the service over the next two weeks. You can also pick up your receipt from the office. Receipts not handed out in-person will be mailed.
Broadview
Broadview subscriptions are due Friday, March 1st. The cost has increased to $30 – the first increase in seven years. Broadview is a Canadian magazine focused on national and international issues of spirituality, justice and ethical living as well as United Church of Canada news and perspectives. Formerly the United Church Observer, the magazine was rebranded as Broadview in 2019. If you wish to subscribe, please make your cheque payable to Calvary United Church with Broadview written in the memo section, and place in an envelope on the offering plate or mail to Calvary.
LIFE*SPIN
Lifespin* is in need of a TV table to assist them with client registration. If anyone has a spare one, please contact Bonnie McNichol at 519-681-6677 or bbmcnichol@gmail.com if possible by Sunday February 11th so that I can arrange to pick it up and deliver it to them. Thanks!
TRIVIA NIGHT WITH THE KIWANIS
If you are planning to get a team of 8 together to go to the Trivia Night that the Kiwanis is holding on March 1st, the deadline for pre registration is Saturday February 17, 2024. The cost is $200 for a team of 8 or $25/person or $30/person at the door. The proceeds will go to Youth Opportunity Unlimited and Thames Valley Education Fund.
LENTEN STUDY
Wesley-Knox United Church has invited people to join them in a Lenten study using Brian McLaren's book, "Do I Stay a Christian" Mr. McLaren will be speaking at WK in May and his workshop/talk will use this book.
Rev. Dr. Rob Apgar-Taylor's invitation to neighbouring churches states, " Helping people have an honest discussion about why faith matters is a very important task for the local church. We would love to have you join us at Wesley-Knox at 7 pm on Mondays from February 26 - March 25th, in person or on ZOOM."
FYI- WK has a limited number of books that can be purchased from them. Please contact WK office to purchase your book; 519-673-4803. First come, first served and if the books are not available by calling the office they are available on Amazon.
About Brian D. McLaren, author, speakers, activist and public theologian. Brian is a former college English teacher and pastor. He is a passionate advocate for a "new kind of Christianity" - just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He is a core faulty member and Dean of Faulty for the Center for Action and Contemplation (Richard Rohu) and a podcaster with Learning How to See. His newest books are "Faith After Doubt " (January 2021) and "Do I Stay Christian?" (May 2022).
Meetings this Week:
* CHAMPION - Wednesday -1:00 -3:30 pm
* Bible Study Thursday - 11:00 - 12 Noon via Zoom
Bible Study:
Scripture Readings for this Week: Psalm 147: 1 - 11: 20c: Mark 1: 29 -39
Psalm for the Week:
Psalm 50: verses 3 - 6 (New International Version translation)
Our God comes
and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him,
and around him a tempest rages.
He summons the heavens above,
and the earth that he may judge his people:
" Gather to me this consecrated people,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."
And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for he is a God of justice.
.
Prayer for the Week:
God of the ages,
from generation to generation you have revealed your blessings
through your generosity. Truly you alone are compassionate towards
your beloved children from our beginning to our ending. We celebrate
your purposes for all of your creation and pray that we might further
your purposes in all that we do. Amen.