October News at Sicamous United
Dear members and friends of Sicamous United Church
As the air cools, leaves turn colour and we enter the season of autumn, we have the opportunity to connect as community within the church, the Thrift Shop and beyond. You are invited to be involved in whatever way is life-giving for you.
The season begins with Grateful – a flash-mob celebration of gratitude through music on Sunday, October 2nd at 10:00 AM at Sicamous United Church. Please bring your music-loving friends, some extra refreshments and let your spirit rejoice!
We are holding a Congregational Conversation after worship on Sunday, October 16th and your input is important and valued. We will bring everyone up to date on the roof project – including all repairs and the replacement of the sanctuary roof. How is the funding going? What still needs to be done, and how will we achieve it? We will also talk about other plans for the fall, including looking at the sustainability of our ministry over the next few years.
As well as `Raising the Roof’ with great bakes sales – thank you everyone – we also took orders for Vesey’s Flowers – watch for your orders of spring flower bulbs to arrive soon.
On Wednesday, Oct 26th 7:00 PM we hold our fabulous Thrift Shop Fashion Show. This is a great opportunity to bring the community out to enjoy the show and some refreshments, entertainment, late-night shopping, and support the wider community (likely the Food-bank with donations of produce or $)
We have more momentum for the Blanket Exercise – I met with Val Edgel, Principal of Eagle River secondary, and Molly – the All Nations worker, and they are keen to work with us on this Kairos resource – an interactive way of learning the history most Canadians are never taught. As a church nationally and locally, we continue to seek ways to be in right-relationship with our indigenous and non-indigenous neighbours. The Blanket Exercise, which looks at the laws and history that shaped Canada’s relationship with First Nations people, helps us to understand what brought us to this point, and how we can move forward with justice and healing. We are looking at Thursday, November 17 or 24th for this event. More details will be forthcoming when the high school makes some contacts.
On September 20th, I had the honour of being part of a national United Church webinar to talk about the Advent Peace Box, and how we used in our congregation. If you would like to watch the webinar you can go to:
https://www.united-in-learning.com/index.php/advent-peace-box
The Peace Box contains Zatoun fair-trade Palestinian olive oil, herbs and soap. Money from the sale of these goods supports Palestinian farmers, purchases olive tree saplings to replace trees destroyed by the Israeli military, and supports Project Hope, an education and art therapy program for youth in Palestine.
I am happy to order another box for the Advent season, but in the mean time I do have the products for sale at the church. Just ask. The prices are as follows: 750 ml Olive Oil $20, Za’atar herb mix $5, Olive Oil soap $5.
May this season be a time of giving thanks for the harvest of food and friends, may the trees teach how to let go and look deep within – where we will find the spark of holy light glowing and growing. With it may we be a blessing in the world. Thanks be to God.
Rev. Juanita Austin