WEDNESDAY ON THE ROCK - March 10, 2021 - St. Peter's ...

WEDNESDAY ON THE ROCK

 March 10, 2021

  Maureen Masecar’s Office Hours – Monday, Wednesday & Friday
 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  Charles Bolduc, Congregational Care Coordinator Office Hours:
 Monday to Thursday – 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Lunch 12 to 1:00)

 For After Hours Emergencies ONLY please call Charles

 705-674-0824

Update for Dawn

Dawn, Tim and Isaac would like to express their deepest thanks to the St.
Peter’s community for all your expressions of love, prayer and support. As
many of you know healing from major surgery is a stressful time and your
support has helped us greatly. Also, as some of you have experienced, this
healing period is also a time to prepare for chemotherapy that will be the
next step in treatment. Your care makes this difficult time easier, and
Dawn says your prayers and support have made a tremendous difference
in her strength in every way. Dawn is grateful for your faith, hope and
love.

You embody the blessing of God.

Thank you,

Dawn, Tim and Isaac

Sunday Worship – March 14, 2021
 On this fourth Sunday
 in the season of Lent
 Rev. Catherine Somerville
 will lead our Communion service
 with the theme
 God’s wisdom and companionship
 for our journey
 Please view the service on Sunday
 on our Youtube channel
 St. Peter’s United Church Sudbury
 Youtube
 or the St. Peter's Facebook page.

 Looking ahead in Lent
 to Holy Week

March 21 - Lent 5 Service
Led by the Transition Committee
March 28 - Palm Sunday

Led by Rev. Gerry Copeman
April 2 - Shared Good Friday Service
with St. Andrew’s, St. Mark’s, St. Stephen’s
All People’s and St. Peter’s contributions.
April 4 – Easter Sunday Service
Led by Rev. Melody Duncanson-Hales

Prayer Board on the Rock
During these times of change and uncertainty, we miss
connections we have with others in so many ways. We
do miss seeing members of our church community and
we haven't had opportunities to ask others to pray for
those who may need some extra spiritual support.
The Prayer Board on the Rock feature in our weekly newsletter is similar to the
boards circulated at our Sunday services in church. The board lists submissions for
our prayers that have been received, including, for example:
  first names (only) of those for whom prayers of intercession are requested.
  situations or needs in our world.
  thanksgivings for life's blessings, events, help from others …
The concerns are also included in our on-line service prayers.
 If you would like to contribute a prayer request, please send your submission to
 our Office.

March 10, 2021

 ST. PETER’S MISSION & SERVICE COMMITTEE Supports WATER FIRST
 in 2021

We hope families are enjoying the M&S WATER FIRST: Lenten Activity.
Don’t forget to enter the draw for one large pizza from Great Lakes Pizza!
  Check off all 40 water tips and record your count for each water drop challenge.
  Send an email to lori.adams2@sympatico.ca no later than April 8th.
To further support our Water First campaign, please consider making a donation:
  a cheque payable to St. Peter’s United Church with WATER FIRST written on the memo line.
 Drop off in an envelope clearly labelled Mission & Service: WATER FIRST in St. Peter’s mailbox
 (Monday to Friday – mornings only).
  an e-transfer - offerings@stpetersunited.ca with WATER FIRST in the Message Box
A tax receipt will be issued for a donation of $20.00 or more.

We appreciate your support!
 Thank you from St. Peter’s M&S Committee!
 “We Will Not Give Up On Them”

 Lack of affordable housing can keep families apart.

 Credit: Cindy Parks, Pixabay

Brenda was close to nine months pregnant and living in a tent. She and her partner Gail
couldn’t find housing they could afford. In Hamilton, Ontario, the waiting list for subsidized
housing is long – for some, over 10 years. With no other options, Brenda and Gail moved into a
homeless encampment. They started to go to Wesley Urban Ministries, an outreach ministry of
The United Church of Canada. There, they accessed meals, showers, and housing
support. Wesley staff found a place for them to live temporarily. During this time, Brenda gave
birth to a beautiful baby girl.

Tragically, because Brenda and Gail don’t have stable housing, their baby was put in temporary
custody. Housing workers at Wesley are working hard to help them get settled and reunite their
family. “Despite all their hardships, they remain motivated. They show up for appointments and
keep a positive outlook. We will not give up on them,” says a housing worker.
Your Mission & Service gifts support Wesley’s Day Centre where 100 homeless people find help
each day. When the city deemed it an essential service, Wesley expanded its hours.
“Only 13 people are allowed inside at any given time during lockdown. Everyone is really good
about coming in, getting warm, having a meal, and leaving so others can come in,” says Andrea
Buttars, the director of resource development and social enterprise. Buttars says that during
the pandemic, clients have had difficulty meeting practical needs. “Our clients have had a hard
time finding bathrooms or having a shower because malls and libraries are closed. We are
renting a trailer that has showers and washrooms in it,” she says.
Now that so many work from home, people are moving into the area from bigger centres. “That
has a trickle down effect. We used to say that we had a housing quality problem. Now, we have
a housing shortage problem, too,” she says.
As the pandemic strains social support networks, Wesley continues to step up. “We are
committed to keep essential programs open and to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Research
has found that the homeless are five times more likely to die of COVID-19,” says Buttars.
“Through Mission & Service, the United Church helps us serve people who are very much at risk
right now.”
Your generosity through Mission & Service helps support Wesley Urban Ministries and other
community ministries as they respond to growing homelessness and economic stress during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you.

 St. Peter’s M&S Committee

Loving God, we are called to be your colours in the world, to walk with each other,
 to share in love
 through our gifts for Mission & Service. Guide us to shine brightly in the world.
 Amen

Submission for On the Rock from Finance - March 12, 2021 Edition

News from Broadview Magazine…
We’ve received a letter from Broadview Magazine, advising us that as of
the April/May 2021 issue, print frequency will change from 10 issues to 8
issues per year. It’s a cost-saving measure as subscription rates don’t
cover all the costs of running a small media organization. Indeed,
subscriptions only make up 28% of their revenue.

For those of us who subscribe, we will receive all of the 8 issues remaining
in our current subscription. Our new expiry date will therefore be with the
April/May 2022 issue. The subscription rate remains the same, just $25
per year. We’ll be in touch in January 2022 to receive your renewal
confirmation. Thank you for your interest in and support of our very own
national magazine.

Finance Team

A Note of Appreciation to St. Peter’s United Church Family…
Thank you for endorsing our work at the Annual Congregational Meeting.
We appreciate your acceptance of the December 31, 2020 Financial
Statements and approval of the 2021 Budget. We also welcome your
queries and comments throughout the year. Please watch for Financial
Updates in On the Rock, following each Council Meeting. The next update
will be reported on March 26.

Finance Team

PIE Day

  MARCH 14, 2021

 PIE = Public, Intentional, Explicit
These are the standards we hold ourselves and our welcome to when
we become affirming, welcoming, or inclusive communities. March
14 is a chance to serve some pie and roll out the PIE by celebrating
the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ and Two Spirit people in faith
communities and beyond across Canada.

St. Peter’s is Hosting a Visitation Training Session moderated by Rev.
Catherine Somerville. Tuesday March 23rd 2021 @ 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

invites you to participate in a three-week Easter study, Easter for
Progressive Christians, that explores the gospel accounts of the first Easter
from a new perspective. Donald Schmidt’s guide “invites participants to
engage with the biblical stories of Christ’s resurrection, to try to
understand what the gospel writers meant to tell us, and what they
wanted us to take from these stories [that] … had transformed their own
lives, and the lives of many others at the time…Reading and exploring
these stories can enhance our lives too. Ultimately, how we experience
Christ today is what matters – not what might have happened 2,000 years
ago.”

The study will take place via ZOOM on Mondays from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30
p.m. March 15th, 22nd. and 29th. Leadership provided by Melody Duncanson
Hales, Dave LeGrand and Gillian Schell.

Print copies and ebooks can be obtained at Woodlake Books and from
Amazon.ca

To register go to the website
http://www.manitoulearningcommunity.com/ click on Register and
complete the registration form. Contact
manitouintentionllearning@gmail.com with any questions.

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact
gillian.schell@sympatico.ca

MINI
An invitation to journey deeper into this holy season, through reflection,
conversation and prayer. This Lenten mini-retreat, lead by Rev. Erin, will
be held on Tuesday, March 16 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm via Zoom.

Please RSVP by Monday, March 15 to Rev. Erin at todd_erin@hotmail.com

Hope you can join us!

 __________

COLDEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR WALK:
It’s time to get Team Grace-St. Peter’s back together for this year’s incarnation of the
Coldest Night of the Year Walk!

Since 2011, the Coldest Night of the Year has raised over $33,500,000 in 149
communities across Canada in support of charities reaching out to the most vulnerable.

In light of covid restrictions, this year’s event will be “virtual”, in that teams are invited
to organize and take part in their own individual 2 or 5 km walks during the month of
February.

Our Grace event will take place on Saturday, February 27 at 3:00 pm, at Rev. Erin’s place
on Long Lake, with a scenic country walk on the road or lake, followed by socially-
distanced hot chocolate in the yard 

Please RSVP right away if you would like to participate in the walk:
todd_erin@hotmail.com

Details on how to donate will appear in next week’s newsletter.