Musings

After the morning service we had a celebration for Rev. Tom Miles.  After many years as our pastoral care minister Tom is retiring.  The children of the congregation presented Tom with a coffee mug and plate that had been signed by all the kids.

Rev. Bob Shank reminisced about their time in Montreal where they had neighbouring churches and how they had met again in Richmond.

His daughter Susan and her three girls spoke movingly of growing up with Tom & Audrey.

Rev. Gary Paterson spoke of the wisdom & humour that Tom brought to the the life of the church and how he would be missed.

On behalf of the congregation, Jim MacLean Cruickshank presented Tom with a plaque making him our Minister Emeritus as well as a gift certificate for dinner and announced that donations to Richmond GeneralHospital in honour of Audrey totalling more than $2000 had been made (the total total reached $3500).

Tom expressed his thanks for the gifts and for party and spoke of his time with us.  A standing ovation followed by refreshments ended the celebration.

These are the photos I took on Easter Sunday of Judy’s friends at Saint Andrews Wesley. Thanks to all for responding to this idea and allowing me to take your pictures. I included a few flower shots and stained glass window photos, to round out the presentation. Judy received these on the day of her “procedure” and has told me that she truly appreciated our thoughtfulness. Enjoy, Mark

Hi Friends,

Well, the Easter weekend has come and gone (and when you combine all four services, there were 1000 of us who celebrated in worship last Sunday), but the season of Easter continues on for the next fifty days.  So this Sunday, Rev. Kathryn Ransdell will be preaching on the story about Jesus’ appearance to the disciple, Thomas (“What Did Thomas Doubt?”), and we will continue singing some Easter hymns (though slipping in a few extras like “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”).

Remember that after morning worship, there will be a Healing Service in the chapel with Rev. Tom Miles and Rosemary Kendall.

Let me also put in a plug for “Exploring Our Community”, a programme that will start Monday, April 19^th – if you’ve become involved in the church in the last year or two, and want to go deeper, to become more involved, to learn more about different facets of “life in a faith community”… sort of like Exploring Our Faith – Part 2… then this could be just the thing for you.  Contact Kathryn Ransdell for more information.

Jazz Vespers at 4 pm, as usual, featuring vocalist and pianist Diane Lines, with Rob Ferguson on drums, Tim Stacey on bass, and Tim Porter on drums.

NEWS…. As many of you may know, we are facing some changes in our staffing for next fall and the following year.

Rev. Kathryn Ransdell is pregnant – with twins, no less, who will arrive in September, which means, of course, that she will be on maternity leave for the year; her hands will be full – quite literally!  We rejoice with her… and we will miss her!  The Ministry and Personnel Committee has done some good, practical planning, and is pleased to announce that Tim Scorer, who along with Kathryn, has developed our programme of Adult Education and Formation this past year, is willing and able to increase his time at St. Andrew’s-Wesley, moving from quarter-time to half-time, starting September 1^st.  Because Tim and Kathryn have been working closely together, there will be a real sense of continuity; he and Kathryn have already put together an exciting plan for the fall – just take a look at the Brochure that was in your Easter bulletin!!  Thank you, Tim!!  We feel blessed to have you in our midst.

There’s more….. Rev. Tom Miles will be retiring as of June 30^th this year.  And he will be sorely missed!  However, he’s not going to completely disappear, and has been asked to continue on as our Minister Emeritus.  There will be a celebration of Tom’s ministry here at St. Andrew’s-Wesley on Sunday, June 6^th – a “lunch party” right after morning worship… and everyone is welcome!!!

This has meant more planning by Ministry and Personnel … and they are pleased to announce that Jen Cunnings, our Minister with Children and Families, will take on the further responsibilities for the Ministry of Pastoral Care, and Ministry with Seniors, moving from half-time to three-quarters time.  Again, our congregation is blessed to have Jen expand her ministry in these new directions, following her passion, bringing such warmth and skill.  By the way, many of you may not know that Jen is going to be fully recognized as a Lay Designated Minister by the larger Church, and this will be celebrated at the Conference Celebration of Ministry Service that will occur on Sunday, June 6^th, at 4 pm at Canadian Memorial United Church (16^th and Burrard) – it’s going to be a great day (and busy)!

GLEANINGS…. Another Easter prayer, this time from David R. Allan, who for twenty-two years was the minister at Bloor St. United in downtown Toronto.  His prayers are like poems:

God of Life and Easter

who trumpets in fresh courage and

warms forth faith from cold caves –

Your people sing Your praises in hyperbole

for only One who rules over all

could set nature and nations on edge

and open all the world’s windows to spring.

We forget Easter so quickly,

scurry round closing the shutters,

putting up rules and barring openings,

imagining that darkness and folly are

the true managers,

denying everything for which Easter runs,

preserving all the possessions and power we can

to “do Easter ourselves.”

Where is this Monarch, this Easter Sovereign?

No, the question is: “Where are we?”

See you on Sunday,

Gary Paterson

We, the community of St. Andrew’s-Wesley responded last Sunday with great generosity. Our appeal for Haiti generated over $2400 from the morning service! At Jazz Vespers, our blitz was aided immensely with the leadership of the musicians, Deanna Knight & The Hot Club of Mars, who donated all their fees, and enthusiastically encouraged their congregation to be generous as well! That service added another $800. MANY THANKS!!

We have sent just over $3200 off to the United Church General Council Offices in Toronto and are assured by the folks at UCC Mission and Service that this money will ,VERY SOON, reach their partners “on the ground” in Haiti and it will be put to work immediately after it is received. These partners are The Methodist Church of
Haiti, The Karl Lévêque Cultural Institute (ICKL), and Action by Churches Together (ACT), the network of churches and Christian aid agencies that enables global responses to emergencies.

For those who have been asking about whether or not our funds will be matched by Federal Government funds, the answer is somewhat complicated. The United Church has, indeed, applied to the government to be one of the
eligible agents for collecting relief funds which will then be matched by CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) but that application has not yet (at the time of writing) been approved. Even if it is approved, we
are advised that CIDA rules, and government committee process will slow the delivery of funds considerably and, furthermore, that there are certain restrictions on where the money can be used. For example, matched funds
cannot be used for the reconstruction of churches or church-run schools.

Consequently, we have decided to send the amounts we have collected NOW and have asked that they be channelled immediately to the trusted partners with which the United Church is working, not waiting for the decision of the
government on the eligibility for matching. (If you have questions on this, please do not hesitate to ask me: michjael.staw@telus.net)

If you have not had a chance to donate and wish to do so, PLEASE CLICK “DONATE” AND BE SURE TO INCLUDE “HAITI” IN THE MESSAGE BOX WHEN YOU COMPLETE THE CANADA HELPS DONOR INFORMATION.

Many thanks,

Michael Dobbin, Director of Development

Thursday, January 14, 2010

United Church Launches Emergency Appeal for Haiti

Toronto: The United Church of Canada announced today that it is
launching an emergency appeal asking its congregations for donations
designated for earthquake relief and reconstruction in Haiti.

“People see a need, and have a desire, to reach out as brothers and sisters
in Christ to show compassion to those in dire need,” says The United Church
of Canada’s Moderator, Mardi Tindal. “As one part of God’s world suffers, we
all suffer.”

The United Church’s Haiti Appeal will enable global partners in the region
to address both the need for immediate relief and for long-term
reconstruction following the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on
Tuesday, January 12, 2010.

Funds raised through this emergency appeal will be channelled through the
United Church’s partners in Haiti and through Action by Churches Together
(ACT), the network of churches and Christian aid agencies that enables
global responses to emergencies.

Members of ACT are already in place in Haiti, assisting those affected by
the earthquake. The United Church’s partners in the region are The Methodist
Church of Haiti and The Karl Lévêque Cultural Institute (ICKL).

“We rejoice at news this morning that ministers of the Methodist Church are
safe,” said Jim Hodgson, the United Church’s program coordinator for the
Caribbean region. “But the same message contained the news that three
visitors from the United Methodist Church in the United States are missing.
Our prayers are with the people of Haiti and with those who work alongside
them in solidarity.”

In addition to launching this emergency appeal, the United Church has also
immediately committed $20,000 for Haitian relief and reconstruction from its
Emergency Response Fund (ERF). The United Church is exploring further
options to respond to the crisis in Haiti in collaboration with other
Canadian churches to take advantage of matching funds from CIDA that may be
offered.

The Emergency Response Fund is used to help alleviate the effects of
humanitarian crises caused by nature, human action, or a combination of
both. The fund is replenished annually from the Mission and Service Fund and
member donations. Fifteen percent of all donations received and intended for
emergency relief, reconstruction, and rehabilitation are deposited into this
fund for use in future emergencies that do not receive intensive media
coverage. The remaining 85 percent of the monies received are directed as
designated by the donor.

It is important to note that unlike many charities, and thanks to regular
donations to the Mission and Service Fund, the United Church is able to
absorb the staffing and administration costs of processing donations
whenever an emergency appeal is launched. Therefore donors can be assured
that there are no administrative charges deducted from donations received.

Individuals are invited to contribute to the United Church’s Haiti Appeal
either through their local congregation or directly to The United Church of
Canada’s national office, 3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 300, Toronto, ON M8X
2Y4. Cheques should be made payable to The United Church of Canada and
marked “Haiti Appeal.” Online donations can be made at www.united-church.ca.
Choose “Emergency Response” and specify “Haiti Appeal.”

Donations made by United Church members and congregations to the Haiti
Appeal are considered “over and above” gifts to the United Church’s wider
work, so they are not recorded as part of a congregation’s Mission and
Service Fund giving. But they are eligible for tax receipts. Congregational
treasurers may receive and receipt individual cheques and then forward one
congregational cheque to the United Church, attention “Haiti Appeal.”

Information about the United Church’s Haiti Appeal has been posted on the
United Church’s website (www.united-church.ca) and will be updated as new
information becomes available.

For more information, please contact:
Mary-Frances Denis
Program Coordinator, Media and Public Relations
The United Church of Canada
Tel: 416-231-7680 ext. 2016
Toll-free: 1-800-268-3781 ext. 2016
E-mail: mdenis@united-church.ca

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