Annual Meeting: The board decided this past week that the Annual Meeting of Yellowknife United Church will take place on Sunday, June 16. This means that reports are due now! We hope to have the reports in early so that the preparation of the report is not the last thing for Gwyneth to do before she retires, nor the first thing for Diane to do. Make a good last and first impression - get your reports in early.

New Office Administrator: We are very happy to report that we have been successful in our search for a new Office Administrator. Diane Trottier started work on May 15.  Diane brings many years of experience working with the public in a number of administrative roles.  Please drop by and say hello to her.

Gwyneth’s last day in the office will be May 31. We are planning to say thank you to Gwyneth after worship on Sunday, May 26.  We hope you can stay to wish her well.”

Looking for Committee Members The “work” of the Church does not just happen. It is a direct result of the commitment and caring that the Minister and the Congregation bring to the worship services, the church meetings, and the special events.

To support the “work” the Church has six standing committees:

• Worship is responsible for arranging for all worship services
• Christian Development is responsible for arranging for Sunday School and other Christian education activities
• Outreach is responsible for promoting activities to support societal activities outside our church, both locally and globally
• Community Life and Membership (CLAM) is responsible for welcoming people to our church and coordinating activities that help people feel that they belong
• Stewardship is responsible for the financial health of the church and through the Property and Maintenance Sub-committee the physical property including the manse.
• Ministry and Personnel provide support for the Minister and administrative staff and is the liaison between the staff and the Congregation.

The committees for 2013/14 will be presented at the Annual Congregational Meeting to be held June 16th. Additional help is needed on all committees. We are also seeking a Vice-Chair of the Official Board. 

If you would like to help with a Committee or would like more information about a particular committee or position please contact Donna Allen or Lloyd Henderson of the Nominating Committee, or speak with Rev. Peter Chynoweth

Clean up: A big thank you to everyone who showed up to help do our clean-up on Monday and special thanks to Lindsay, Mackenzie and Sharon who finished it off on Thursday.

Bulletin Sponsorship: If you would like to sponsor a church bulletin in memory or in recognition of a special person or event, it is as easy as picking out one of the bulletins displayed on the side bulletin board and filling in the information on it. Cost is $20.00

Readings for next Sunday, May 26th. 2013.
Trinity Sunday
Proverbs 8: 1-4, 22-31
Psalm 8
Romans 5: 1-5
John 16: 12-15

Ecumenical Prayer Cycle:
This week – May 19th: Malawi, Zambia
Next week – May 26th: Botswana, Zimbabwe

Northern Community Prayer Cycle:
This week – May 19th: Tuktoyaktuk
Next week – May 26th: Tulita

United Church of Canada Prayer Cycle:
This week – May 19th: The newly commissioned and Ordained, and ministers received from other denominations
Next week – May 26th: Our French ministries and Congregations

Participating in Today’s Worship Service
Opening & Closing Host: Barb P.
Greeter: Jeannette H.
Candlelighter:
Reader: Greg S.
Musician: Sharon C.
Choir Director: Elizabeth B.
Sunday School Teacher:

Stewardship Seconds: Let us be Pentecost-powered stewards, making real faithful dreams and visions of a world where life abounds and all have enough

The United Church supports campus ministries at 26 universities and colleges across Canada. Listen now to University of Alberta chaplain Denise Davis-Taylor as she describes the impact of the church’s mission and service on campus.

Although Brittney had been at university for two years, she was not able to make friends. She came to Faith Lift Campus Ministry at the suggestion of an acquaintance. She was welcomed by another student who had dropped by for tea with the chaplain. The scholars talked about university life and discovered shared interests. Brittney began to attend Thursday dinner and discussion and found a small community where she felt at home.

It’s easy to get lost and feel anonymous on campus. Many students experience anxiety and even depression dealing with academic demands away from home and community. Faith Lift Campus Ministry, together with other multi-faith ministries at the U of A, provides face-to-face contact with resourceful people who welcome those who are strangers and help them to discover their inner resources.

Our world needs more resourceful people to engage it with hope and compassion. By getting to know people from other religions and denominations as friends and by volunteering and exploring their questions about faith and life without judgment, students find hope and learn compassion through campus ministry.

Campus ministry is really people who care about people. It is where strangers can pause, take a deep breath, and learn to engage the world.

Every gift to the church’s mission and service is used wisely and helps transform lives. Please continue to give generously.

Every gift to the church’s mission and service is used wisely and helps transform lives. Please continue to give generously.

GREAT THINGS FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS

Centre 507 in Ottawa started from a need seen by the people of McLeod-Stewarton United Church (now known as Centretown since amalgamation with Bell Street). The church members noticed that people lingered after visiting the food bank, standing around chatting. Rather than ask them to move on, these first volunteers brought in a couple of couches, put the coffee pot on, and joined the conversation. Strangers had opportunities to become friends and community members.

Artistic Expressions is the latest joint project of Centretown United Church and Centre 507. Artists who lack paper, canvas, paint, pencil, camera, or carving tools are given equipped studio space and the encouragement to express their artistic talents.

Every gift to the church’s mission and service is used wisely and helps transform lives. Please continue to give generously

“Solidarity? What is that? And how in the world do you build it?” As overseas personnel serving in Colombia, Matthew Heesing asked himself that. Listen now to his reflections on the answer.

When people ask me [why I am here in Colombia], I usually respond by saying that I’m here to build solidarity with the people and United Church partners of Colombia. But the phrase “build solidarity” seems to leave people with more questions than answers. And I understand why—it’s more of an abstract concept than a tangible response....

But now I realize that simply having someone stand with you can make all the difference in the world. And if you’ve ever been through an extremely rough time, or had someone close to you go through a life-shattering experience, you know what I mean. When you are going through a divorce, or have lost your job, or have had to say farewell to a loved one, or have been through any number of similar experiences...you don’t need someone with all the answers....

There is such a power in presence. In just being with someone, whether it means standing with them, or walking with them, or sitting with them in silence, or just being with them, sharing life. Presence is powerful. When I arrived at the office of CEPALC, my first full day in Colombia, I found a sign waiting for me in my office: “MATTHEW HEESING: Welcome to Colombia. Welcome to CEPALC. Thank you for your presence.”

I don’t for a moment pretend like I fully understand the complex realities of Colombia.... I can’t even fluently speak the language. But, many times in life, that’s not what is needed. Many times in life, what’s needed even more is presence. Someone standing with you, walking with you, being with you...helping you to know that you are not alone.

Every gift to the church’s mission and service is used wisely and helps transform lives. Please continue to give generously

Just as the United Church teaches about water, so too do many of our partners. Hear how Saint Columba House in Montreal, Quebec, has helped youth learn about this precious resource.

In 2011, staff at Saint Columba House ran a program to introduce youth to environmental issues affecting their communities, including water cycles and their local watersheds. Interactive activities went above and beyond traditional nature-based programming. First, creative games and crafts helped youth identify the central environmental concepts and the relationships between them. Second, hands-on experiments got them involved in the science behind the natural processes and how people transform them. Finally, the youth went out into the community to see how the issues shape every aspect of the world around them.

In one game, the children organized picture cards showing how cloud formation, rain, and rivers are part of the water cycle. Next, everyone collaborated on a large painting of a water cycle, including filling in the components necessary to make it fully functional. Outside, the youth saw the geography that makes up their watershed.

The three-tiered approach of ideas, experiments, and experiences stimulates curiosity, maintaining children’s active engagement and reinforcing the material covered. Saint Columba House continues to teach about the issues of water use and conservation and the social and ecological concerns of the local watershed.

Every gift to the church’s mission and service is used wisely and helps transform lives. Please continue to give generously.